This time of the year with cup finals and play-offs is when the result will often rely on what the Laws of the Game used to call ‘Kicks from the Penalty Mark’ but have now succumbed to the more popular title of the ‘Penalty Shoot Out’.
The shoot-out is without doubt a drama, with the focus on each player as they take the kick, but there is a set of rules that the referee has to enforce to make it run smoothly.
First is that only the players on the field when the referee blows the final whistle, which may have included extra time, are eligible to take part. Also all coaches or team officials must retreat to the touch line, sometimes reluctantly, before the kicks commence.
Before they leave however, they are expected to decide the order which their players will take a kick. I have known some referees demand to know at least the first five named. but there is no requirement for this.
What is important is that referees make their own record, perhaps a shirt number in a notebook as each player takes part, to ensure that no player returns for a second kick until all the other players have taken part.
There is one other decision however, that the officials might have to make. Any player sent off during the game obviously cannot take part in the shoot-out.
There must be an equal number of players from both teams taking part so this means that the other team must reduce the number of their team taking part.
The next thing that needs to be sorted out is which goal is going to be used for the kicks. Originally this was left to the referee to choose but this was considered too onerous with fans congregating at opposite ends.
To avoid the referee being criticised by any set of fans, it is now chosen by a coin toss between the two captains, The coin is then used again with the winning captain choosing to go first or second with the kick.
The players must remain within the centre circle except of course the player taking the kick and the two goalkeepers with the non-active one, waiting on the goal line, behind the assistant referee.
As well as the normal penalty rules, there are two complete pages of rules for the penalty shoot-out that the referee must ensure are observed. I’m sure most partaking referees are glad when it successfully comes to an end.
By Dick Sawdon Smith
