Unfairly Paying the Penalty

Whilst playing on Saturday, my team gave away a penalty when the ball struck our right-back’s slightly outstretched arm from a cross. This kind of cheap penalty seems to be becoming more and more frequent in professional football in particular, and it seems ridiculous to me that you should have to basically give a goal away for something which is almost always accidental, and not even necessarily goal-threatening. Even worse, it can simply be unlucky.

Impractical Penalties

Penalties were originally introduced into the game to reward a team with a goal scoring opportunity as they had been unfairly denied one. Surely we shouldn’t allow games to be potentially ruined by one unlucky, accidental incident?

I’m convinced I’ve seen a professional winger actually aim his ‘cross’ at the hand of a defender (I apologise I can’t remember the player or the situation) blatantly trying to get a penalty, and appealing as soon as it hit. Fortunately, the penalty wasn’t given. It’s important that this doesn’t become a more frequent occurrence, it would change the game.

Could the powers that be possibly consider changing the law to stop referees giving penalties for such offences that shouldn’t really result in such a goal scoring opportunity as a penalty? A punishment which creates an equally threatening scenario to when the foul that was committed must be the aim of lawmakers. I’m thinking a Direct Free Kick would be suitable for a non-deliberate handball when inside the area. Or will Direct Free Kicks always be a big no-no inside the area? I can’t see why not.

What do you think?

(Image courtesy of seriouslysilly)

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• The Youth Football Guide – No. 7: Away Games
• The Youth Football Guide – No. 6: Home Games