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Penalty Shoot-outs – innovation needed?

So the greatest ever match between English clubs was settled by a penalty shoot out.  John Terry missed the chance to win the European Champions league for Chelsea and Manchester United went on to grab the trophy.   MU seize the title and the glory while Chelsea fans curse their luck.  Football fans everywhere enjoyed a fantastic contest but the question remains – is a penalty shoot-out the best way to resolve this kind of match?  Do we need some innovative thinking here?  If the teams are level after 120 minutes of football then what should we do?  If we brainstormed the issue then there are plenty of options we could come up with:

  • The two teams could share the trophy – 6 months each
  • A replay
  • ???????? ????? ????????The team with fewer red and yellow cards could win
  • The team with more shots on goal
  • We could play on without the goalkeepers (and no offside rule) and see who scores first
  • The team with more English players!

The penalty shoot-out is exciting but ultimately it is a lottery.  Someone has to miss or else we would be there all night.  I just wonder whether such an important prize should be decided in such a cruel and haphazard way? 

Paul Sloane

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May 24th, 2008 | Category: Innovation

3 comments to Penalty Shoot-outs – innovation needed?

  • Frank Calberg
    June 1, 2008 at 9:54 pm

    Hello Paul,

    Quite innovative blog posting.

    I liked your option # 5: “Play on without the goalkeepers (and no offside rule) and see who scores first”.

    “The team with more shots on goal” is also good.

    How about trying them out?

    Regards, Frank

  • Frank Calberg
    November 15, 2009 at 10:58 am

    To everyone reading this: What ideas do you have to involve people, who come to the stadiums to experience a game, more? A simple idea: How about that the organizers make it possible for people to participate in various ways using sms?

    Example: On the big screen in the stadium, the organizers could ask the following question: “Who will score the first goal?” The person, who sends the first sms with the right answer, will be invited to lunch with the football player at a restaurant.

    Or is that idea too wild? What do you think?