History and rules of football

GCSE Physical Education (Sport & Coaching)

Analysis of Performance

Football

Dan Briggs

11D

History of Football

The contemporary history of the world's favourite game spans more than 100 years. It all began in 1863 in England, when rugby football and association football branched off on their different courses and the Football Association in England was formed - becoming the sport's first governing body.

Both codes stemmed from a common root and both have a long and intricately branched ancestral tree. A search down the centuries reveals at least half a dozen different games, varying to different degrees, and to which the historical development of football has been traced back.

On the contrary, apart from the need to employ the legs and feet in tough tussles for the ball, often without any laws for protection, it was recognized right at the outset that the art of controlling the ball with the feet was not easy and, as such, required no small measure of skill. The very earliest form of the game for which there is scientific evidence was an exercise from a military manual dating back to the second and third centuries BC in China.

This Han Dynasty forebear of football was called Tsu' Chu and it consisted of kicking a leather ball filled with feathers and hair through an opening, measuring only 30-40cm in width, into a small net fixed onto long bamboo canes. According to one variation of this exercise, the player was not permitted to aim at his target unimpeded, but had to use his feet, chest, back and shoulders while trying to withstand the attacks of his opponents. Use of the hands was not permitted.

Another form of the game, also originating from the Far East, was the Japanese Kemari, which began some 500-600 years later and is still played today. This is a sport lacking the competitive element of Tsu' Chu with no struggle for possession involved. Standing in a circle, the players had to pass the ball to each other, in a relatively small space, trying not to let it touch the ground.

The Football Association Laws(The FA)

The Pitch

Matches may be played on natural or artificial surfaces, according to the rules of the competition. The colour of artificial surfaces must be green. The field of play must be rectangular and marked with lines. These lines belong to the areas of which they are boundaries. The two longer boundary lines are called touch lines. The two shorter lines are called goal lines. The field of play is divided into two halves by a halfway line, which joins the midpoints of the two touch lines. The centre mark is indicated at the midpoint of the halfway line. A circle with a radius of 9.15 m (10 yds) is marked around it. Marks may be made off the field of play, 9.15 m (10 yds) from the corner arc and at right angles to the goal lines and the touch lines, to ensure that defending players retreat this distance when a corner kick is being taken.

Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line, 16.5 m (18 yds) from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of 16.5 m (18 yds) and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line. The area bounded by these lines and the goal line is the penalty area. Within each penalty area, a penalty mark is made 11 m (12 yds) from the midpoint between the goalposts and equidistant to them. An arc of a circle with a radius of 9.15 m (10 yds) ...

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The Football

The ball is: • Spherical

• Made of leather or other suitable material

• Of a circumference of not more than 70 cm (28 ins) and not less than68 cm (27 ins)

• Not more than 450 g (16 oz) and not less than 410 g (14 oz) in weight at the start of the match

The Players

A match is played by two teams, each consisting of not more than eleven players, one of whom is the goalkeeper. A match may not start if either team consists of fewer than seven players. Up to a maximum of three substitutes may be used in any match played in an official competition organised under the auspices of FIFA, the confederations or the member associations. The rules of the competition must state how many substitutes may be nominated, from three up to a maximum of seven.

A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous to himself or another player (including any kind of jewellery). The basic compulsory equipment of a player comprises the following separate items:

• A jersey or shirt with sleeves – if undergarments are worn, the colour of the sleeve must be the same main colour as the sleeve of the jersey or shirt.

• Shorts – if undershorts are worn, they must be of the same main colour as the shorts

• Stockings

• shin guards

• Footwear

Duration of Play

The match lasts two equal periods of 45 minutes, unless otherwise mutually agreed between the referee and the two teams. Any agreement to alter the duration of the periods of play (for example, to reduce each half to 40 minutes because of insufficient light) must be made before the start of play and must comply with competition rules. Players are entitled to an interval at half-time. The half-time interval must not exceed 15 minutes.

Scoring

A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no infringement of the Laws of the Game has been committed previously by the team scoring the goal. The team scoring the greater number of goals during a match is the winner. If both teams score an equal number of goals, or if no goals are scored, the match is drawn.

The Offside Rule

It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position. A player is in an offside position if:

• He is nearer to his opponents’ goal line than both the ball and the second-last opponent

A player is not in an offside position if:

• He is in his own half of the field of play or

• He is level with the second-last opponent or

• He is level with the last two opponents

A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:

• Interfering with play or

• Interfering with an opponent or

• Gaining an advantage by being in that position

There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:

• A goal kick

• A throw-in

• A corner kick

Fouls

A direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team if a player commits any of the following seven offences in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:

• Kicks or attempts to kick an opponent

• Trips or attempts to trip an opponent

• Jumps at an opponent

• Charges an opponent

• Strikes or attempts to strike an opponent

• Pushes an opponent

• Tackles an opponent

• Holds an opponent

• Spits at an opponent

• Handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)

A penalty kick is awarded if any of the above ten offences is committed by a player inside his own penalty area, irrespective of the position of the ball, provided it is in play. The yellow card is used to communicate that a player, substitute or substituted player has been cautioned. The red card is used to communicate that a player, substitute or substituted player has been sent off.

Throw Ins, Goal kicks and Corners

A throw-in is a method of restarting play. A throw-in is awarded to the opponents of the player who last touched the ball when the whole of the ball crosses the touch line, either on the ground or in the air. A goal cannot be scored directly from a throw-in.

A goal kick is a method of restarting play. A goal kick is awarded when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, having last touched a player of the attacking team, and a goal is not scored in accordance with Law 10. A goal may be scored directly from a goal kick, but only against the opposing team.

A corner kick is a method of restarting play. A corner kick is awarded when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, either on the ground or in the air, having last touched a player of the defending team, and a goal is not scored in accordance with Law 10. A goal may be scored directly from a corner kick, but only against the opposing team.

Positions of Play

Goalkeeper- The goalkeeper is the most specialized position in football. A goalkeeper's job is mainly defensive: to guard the team's goal from being breached (to not let the other team score). Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands and arms, however they are restricted to doing so only within their penalty area; for this reason, they must wear jerseys that distinguish them from other outfield players and the referee.

Defenders- Defenders or backs play behind the and their primary responsibility is to provide support to the , and to prevent the opposition from scoring a goal. They usually remain in the half of the field that contains the goal they are defending. Taller defenders will move forward to the opposing team's penalty box when their team takes or , where scoring with one's head is a possibility. The full backs should be more capable of dribbling with the ball and crossing than the centre halves as they have to support the wide midfielders. Some teams might not adopt this tactic and believe there full backs should stay in defence.

Midfielders- Midfielders are players whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders. Their main duties are to maintain possession of the ball, taking the ball from defenders and feeding it to the strikers, as well as dispossessing opposing players. Most managers field at least one central midfielder with a marked task of breaking up opposition's attacks while the rest are more adept to creating goals or have equal responsibilities between attack and defence. Midfielders can be expected to cover many areas of a pitch, as at times they can be called back into defence or required to attack with the strikers.

Forwards- Strikers or forwards are the players on a team in the row nearest to the opposing team's goal. The primary responsibility of strikers/forwards is to score goals. Good examples of strikers are noted for their fantastic goal scoring ability. Other duties can include setting up goals for other players (usually another forward, but sometimes midfielders as well) and holding the ball up so that other players may join the attack. Modern player formations include between one and three strikers; two is most common, as in the 4-4-2 formation. Because they score more goals than other players, forwards are often among the best-known and most expensive players on their teams.

Coaching Exercises and Points

Here are some basic coaching exercises and some coaching of points of these skills in football.

Key-

Pass and Control

Running and Shooting

Possession/ Keep Ball

These small exercises are basic, however are effective in practising the basic skills of a football game.

Responsibilities of the officials

Each match is controlled by a referee who has full authority to enforce the Laws of the Game in connection with the match to which he has been appointed.

The Referee:

• Enforces the Laws of the Game

• Controls the match in cooperation with the assistant referees and, where applicable, with the fourth official

• Ensures that any ball used meets the requirements of Law 2

• Ensures that the players’ equipment meets the requirements of Law 4

• Acts as timekeeper and keeps a record of the match

• Stops, suspends or abandons the match, at his discretion, for any infringements of the Laws

• Stops, suspends or abandons the match because of outside interference of any kind

• Stops the match if, in his opinion, a player is seriously injured and ensures that he is removed from the field of play. An injured player may only return to the field of play after the match has restarted

• Allows play to continue until the ball is out of play if a player is, in his opinion, only slightly injured

• Ensures that any player bleeding from a wound leaves the field of play. The player may only return on receiving a signal from the referee, who must be satisfied that the bleeding has stopped

• Allows play to continue when the team against which an offence has been committed will benefit from such an advantage and penalises the original offence if the anticipated advantage does not ensue at that time

• Punishes the more serious offence when a player commits more than one offence at the same time

• Takes disciplinary action against players guilty of cautionable and sending-off offences. He is not obliged to take this action immediately but must do so when the ball next goes out of play

• Takes action against team officials who fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and may, at his discretion, expel them from the field of play and its immediate surrounds

• Acts on the advice of the assistant referees regarding incidents that he has not seen

• Ensures that no unauthorised persons enter the field of play

• Indicates the restart of the match after it has been stopped

• Provides the appropriate authorities with a match report, which includes information on any disciplinary action taken against players and/or team officials and any other incidents that occurred before, during or after the match

Two assistant referees may be appointed whose duties, subject to the decision of the referee, are to indicate:

• When the whole of the ball leaves the field of play

• Which team is entitled to a corner kick, goal kick or throw-in

• When a player may be penalised for being in an offside position

• When a substitution is requested

• When misconduct or any other incident occurs out of the view of the referee

• When offences have been committed whenever the assistant referees have a better view than the referee (this includes, in certain circumstances, offences committed in the penalty area)

• Whether, at penalty kicks, the goalkeeper moves off the goal line before the ball is kicked and if the ball crosses the line