Are penalty shoot-outs good or bad? 22/Jun/08 (Business)

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I know some football people are against penalty shoot-outs being used as a way of deciding a game, but you have to admit that it's exciting viewing for the neutral fan.

I've heard all sorts of suggestions over the years including, the team committing most fouls during the match loses, the gradual removal of players during extra time, replays & the taker running with the ball from the half way line to try and beat the goalkeeper.

As far as I'm concerned, it's about teams holding their nerve during pressure situations, and that's what Spain did this evening.


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There has to be a way of separating 'tied' teams after extra time and so the penalty competition is the way to go - BUT I would make two changes:

The first is that I would make all 11 players take kicks (or reduce this to 10 or 9 {or 8!! or 7!!!!!) aside should one or more players have been sent off or genuinely injured so as not to be able to partake). As now, the competition would be over when one team can not catch the other with the penalty kicks it has left... And if still no resuult once all members of each side have had a turn (allowing for the send off reduction) ONLY THEN having sudden death.

But prior to extra time, I would make one minor, easy to administer change with the goal-keepers. That would be to reduce the area in which each may handle the ball to the goal area only.

IF the goalkeeper handles the ball inside the penalty area outside of the goal area he concedes a penalty kick. NO CAUTIONS or SEND OFFS for a goal-keeper so handling the ball in the outer part of the penalty area - just the concession of a penalty kick. All other rules to be kept as they are now.

Doing this reduces the advantage a goalkeeper has over the other players and should lead to more goals. Perhaps 5 or 6 extra goals might be scored in extra time (like penaly situations where the goalie could not 'come' to collect the ball). Now you might still end up with the 2 sides drawing - but a nil-nil at full time might turn into a 4-4 aet.

I speak as a retired parks referee, I might add.

Posted by: Paul Faulkner on 23/Jun/08 21:30