On Penalties Book

Andrew Anthony's treatise On Penalties looks at every aspect of the penalty kick, quoting extensively from many of those who have famously scored and missed, from 12 yards out. A range of goalkeepers are also consulted on how to save penalties. Practice makes perfect. Or does it? It has been noted to some interest on many occasions that the pressure of the shoot-out situation can't be re-created properly on the training ground. Yet, the more German teams hone their technique, the more success they seem to have when matches are decided in this way. It's a timely book. In the last 15 years, the penalty shoot-out has played an increasingly important role in the outcome of the major international football tournaments. It has denied the English national side on three famous occasions. The Dutch and Italian sides have been tormented even further by the cruellest of ways to settle a game (the former missed five kicks from the spot versus the latter in the semi-final of the 2000 European Championships in front of their own fans). Anthony notes that previous literature on penalties has been sparse. Indeed, serious thinking on the issue has been lacking from many of the so-called major football nations. But, with a high percentage of the most important games in world football ending in this manner, this entertaining work is correct to analyse and draw attention to such a dramatically decisive factor; spot on. --Trevor CroweRead More