Concept For Winning, Non-boring Soccer
As some have divined, Wolf interests extend beyond the important topic of American race relations and attendant matters.
One interest pertains to soccer (“futbol” or football), the world’s most popular sport.
Not to be confused with overly violent American football, which The Wolf played in his day (not nearly so well as his [half] brothers, three of whom earned college scholarships); which is likely destined for the dustbin of history once the pool of ghetto blacks willing to concuss their futures dries up.
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The Wolf never played soccer. Same as most Americans decades ago, knew little of the game beyond the name “Pele.” However, introduced his two daughters to the sport. The younger lettered varsity four years in high school at center forward—person mid-field closest to the opponent goal—, was tri-captain as a senior, scored over 50 goals! Despite not being overly fast or aggressive.
Secret to her success was skill at dribbling and passing, with both feet. Much like an adroit ball-handling point guard in basketball.
The Wolf was her teacher!
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First day of practice, it was recognized that rec-level (recreation league level) soccer instruction in our small western PA town was subpar. “Don’t know much about the game,” the American volunteer dad coach said, laughing.
Wolf daughters weren’t naturally aggressive. But The Wolf surmised that if they became adept “on the ball”—dribbling, making moves—, they’d find success and enjoy playing.
Whereupon The Wolf determined to educate himself about soccer and its intricacies and convey this knowledge to his daughters. Went to the town library, checked out a couple videos on soccer. Would ask a nephew, starter on the Princeton varsity, to show him “moves.”
Informed the daughters, “After regular practice, we’ll do our own 20-30 minutes of practice.”
A prospect not happily received.
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Long story short, older daughter eventually lost interest, but not the younger. On a sunny fall day six years later, The Wolf had the pleasure (and small measure of embarrassment) of watching his twelve-year-old daughter deftly sweep ahead of teammates and opposing players to score six goals in the first half of a rec league game. (Amid murmurs of “Whose daughter is that?… Wow, she is good!”)
Only to have the coach of the opposing team, down 6-0, complain sufficient to have The Wolf’s daughter’s coach agree to put his star back on defense the second half, and the team eventually lose 6-7.
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Having learned enough to appreciate subtleties—mostly moves by virtuoso players!—in a game that—let’s as always be REAL!—is boring 95 percent of the time (!!), The Wolf watched not just daughter games, but those of the boys high school team, and over the years numerous World Cup competitions.
And, as tends to be his wont, developed new perspectives. Indeed, here offers a RADICAL, WHOLLY UNORTHODOX CONCEPT INTENDED TO BOTH IMPROVE OFFENSE—SCORING—AND ELIMINATE THE ENDLESS BOREDOM OF KICK-THE-BALL-AROUND, KICK-THE-BALL-AROUND while “probing for weakness,” “building the attack.”
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First, however, to educate those unfamiliar with soccer, that they may better understand where The Wolf is coming from, a few basics.
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At opposite ends of a 110-120-yard field or “pitch” (70-80 yards wide), are 8 foot high, 24-foot-wide enclosures, netted sides and back, overhead, open end facing the field. Opposing team goals.
Object, of course, is to put the ball in the other team’s net or goal. Score!
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Marked off in front of each goal is an area called the “penalty area” or “penalty box.” Extending 18 yards in front of the goal, 18 yards to either side of the goal.
A sizable 18 x 44-yard rectangle.
Goals, of course, may be scored via players maneuvering the ball down the field, passing to other players or keeping “the dribble” in a display of individual virtuosity, culminating in a strike past the opposing goalkeeper. Such goals are often dramatic and spectacular. (See Georgie Best, best goal ever, for the goal The Wolf deems the best he’s ever seen. Best brilliantly dribbles past numerous defenders.)
Such goals are also far and few between. Scores of 1-0, 2-0, 2-1 are not uncommon in hi-level soccer games or “matches.”
The bulk of play is passing, passing, passing around, occasional dribbling and “runs”…
Leading to nothing!
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More goals by far than dramatic strikes from the field are scored via “corner kicks.” Where the ball is launched from either side of the end corner of the field/pitch to a gathering of players from both teams in front of the goal in the penalty box. Where they jostle for position and attacking players seek to put the ball in the goal via head (“header”) or kick.
Corner kicks result when a ball is deflected out-of-bounds beyond the back line of the field by a player defending the goal at that end of the field, often the goalkeeper deflecting a ball from the goal.
Corner kicks are called a “set piece.” Also a set piece and occasional source of goals are “free kicks.” Wherein when a player with the ball outside the rectangle penalty area is illegally taken down, play is stopped and a kick by the player fouled (or teammate!) is permitted from the spot of the foul. Often, most dramatically, into the opposing team penalty area, much as a corner kick. Sometimes even directly into the opposing goal. (See “bend it like [David] Beckham.”)
Corner and free kicks near the opponent goal are highly desirable, as amid the scramble of players jostling where the freely launched ball is likely to land, ball deflection into the goal has a good chance of occurring. Even deflections by players seeking to defend the goal—so-called “own goals.”
It may be noted that by going down at the slightest indication of being tugged or tripped— “flopping”—, players are adept at “drawing free kicks.”
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Goals are also scored in highly dramatic fashion via “penalty kicks,” the most desirable non-score result of all.
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Penalty kicks are awarded when an opposing player with the ball is unlawfully dragged down—arms, body, uniform tugged—or tripped inside the (18 x 44 yard) penalty box/rectngle. A determination of great moment made by the referee.
Second to a strike score, being taken down illegally while “on the ball” in the penalty area in front of the opposing team goal is the most desirable result, as it may result in a penalty kick.
In this regard it may be noted that the likelihood that, if not taken down the attacker with the ball would have scored, is often highly improbable.
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A penalty kick will also be awarded if a defender in the penalty area is deemed to have intentionally touched the ball with hand or arm. A distinct possibility amid the melee of a ball being delivered to a crowd in the penalty area.
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If a penalty kick is awarded, the ball is placed on a spot midway between left and right goal posts, 12 yards in front of the goal. The defending goalie must keep one foot in contact with the field endline running from goalpost to goalpost. May not, for example, advance off the endline toward the player taking the penalty shot.
The player designated to take the penalty kick, not necessarily the player fouled, but often a star striker skilled at taking penalty kicks, approaches the ball from one side or the other or straight on, often dancing this way and that and otherwise attempting to disguise which foot he/she will strike with and at what direction, and strikes the ball at the goal—hard to right, left, low. up into either corner of the goal mouth.
In upper echelon soccer the goal strike is successful eighty-five percent of the time (!!). Eleven percent of the time the goalie makes the save. Four percent of the time the kicking player simply misses—shanks the ball off a post or completely misses the goal. If a game ends in a tie after playing an additional two overtime periods—over 100 minutes of play—, the game “goes to penalty kicks” for final determination. Five players chosen from each team alternate taking turns striking penalty kicks to determine a winner.
A sudden dramatic end to what often has been a boring affair to watch. Outcome now comes down to wrong or right guesses by the goalkeeper, and/or mishit by the penalty striker.
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Against this backdrop then, HEREWITH THE WOLF PROPOSAL FOR MORE AND BETTER OFFENSE, MORE SCORING, MORE EXCITEMENT.
FAR LESS BOREDOM!
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But first The Wolf considered take on why American men’s soccer is so woefully inept on the world stage, why skilled members of the American men’s soccer team need typically be immigrants or sons of immigrants.
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Btw. American women’s soccer has been dominant on the world stage simply because women’s athletics in America has for years been markedly advanced over that in even soccer-crazy countries like Brazil and Mexico. Far more American women have been playing soccer longer.
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Respecting American men’s soccer and why, with the singular exception of such as Christian Pulisic, exceptionally self-motivated devotee of the game from Hershey, PA, THERE HAVE BEEN NO AMERICAN MEGASTARS, no Americans demonstrating virtuoso talent…
The fault lies with our culture and how soccer in America is learned.
Namely, excepting in some few heavily immigrant neighborhoods, which must also be too poor to offer organized soccer, therefore very few such environments, soccer is not played on a catch-as-catch-can, pickup, street level. I.e., boys from an early age playing soccer amongst themselves just for fun.
Wherein a player of budding talent can and will hog the ball, playing keep-away from others, thereby developing singular on-the-ball skill.
As Pele, George Best, Maradona, Ronaldo, Messi etc. doubtless first learned/honed their skills!
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No. Soccer instruction in America begins at whatever age parents sign their kids up in organized local rec center leagues. And hogging of the ball is verboten!
The constant command is “pass the ball.”
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In Wolf practices with daughters following regular practice, individual on-ball dribbling, passing skill was emphasized—with both feet! Much like the admonition to youngsters learning to play basketball that they must become adept dribbling with the weaker or “offhand” as well as dominant hand.
Which skills afforded confidence and recognition during regular practices and games. Encouraged participation. Afforded positive results where success owing to speed or aggressiveness might be lacking.
It may be noted that an aspect of the game The Wolf didn’t sufficiently grasp and convey was importance and skill of using one’s butt to both shield the ball and take others off the ball. Wolf daughters never got tough enough, skilled enough in this area.
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WOLF INNOVATION:
Surprisingly simple! Why haven’t supposed great minds of soccer discovered it?
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Instead of endless passing of ball back and forth in back half of the field/pitch (attacking team half), often back to the goalkeeper, who passes it back whence originated, all supposedly a probing approach, “building the attack,” but mostly endlessly boring. Finally passing the ball forward across midfield into the enemy defense, whence it is hoped another pass, perhaps a “rush” by an attacking player will elude defenders and take the ball into the vicinity of the opposing team penalty area…
WHY NOT CONSISTENTLY LAUNCH THE BALL FROM ANYWHERE NEAR MIDFIELD, HIGH INTO THE AIR, SO IT LANDS SOMEWHERE IN THE OPPOSING TEAM 18 X 44 YARD RECTANGULAR PENALTY AREA!
Easily done by most any player of reasonable skill!
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IMMEDIATELY UPON SUCH LAUNCH, ALL BUT TWO OR THREE OF THE TEN FIELD PLAYERS OF THE ATTACKING TEAM SPRINT TO WHERE THE BALL WILL LAND—INTO THE OPPOSING TEAM PENALTY AREA!—, AND LET CHAOS OF HEADING AND OTHER INTERACTION WITH THE DESCENDING BALL ENSUE!
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As with free kicks and corner kicks, from the melee of ball being attacked and defended from all angles, goalkeeper striving to reach and corral the ball, scoring opportunities will arise. A header here, touch there, own-goal by the defense, PENALTY KICK AWARDED ON A FOUL, inadvertent or other.
Imagine the constant excitement of action in each team’s box at the goal. It would be like never-ending free and corner kicks.
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Scoring would surely rise! Boredom would be a thing of the past!
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