English Football

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This game has gained enormous popularity in our country since the early years of the current century. Today, it is the most beloved game among male youth, to the detriment of other games of no lesser value. It is suitable for strong and healthy students of higher grades in secondary schools. R u l e s (1) 1. The game involves 11 players on each side. The field dimensions should be as follows: length 90—120 metres, width 45—90 metres. The entire field must be bounded by lines. The shorter boundaries are called the goal lines, and the longer ones the touch lines. The goal and touch lines must form right angles. At these corners, flags with poles no shorter than one and a half metres should be planted. A halfway line, the ‘centre line,’ is drawn across the middle of the field. The centre of the field must be clearly marked, and from it, a circle with a radius of 9 metres is drawn. (Lines should not be sunken but lie flush with the field. The flagpole must not be pointed at the top.) The goal consists of two posts driven vertically into the goal line, equidistant from the corners of the field and 7,30 metres apart; a crossbar is placed on them at a height of 2,40 metres from the ground. The width of the posts and crossbar must not exceed 12 cm.

i) Established by the International Football Association. The statements in parentheses are official rulings of the same Association on disputed matters. At a distance of 51/a metres from the goalposts, a line 5/* metres long should be drawn parallel to the touch lines; the ends of these lines are connected by a line parallel to the goal lines; the area between these lines is called the ‘goal area.’ Similarly, lines 161/a metres long are drawn at a distance of 16/a metres from the goalposts, and their ends are also connected by a line. These mark the ‘penalty area.’ At a distance of 11 metres from the goal, a spot is clearly marked on the field from which the penalty kick is taken. The ball should have a circumference of 67—70 cm. The outer cover of the ball must be leather, and the use of any material that could be dangerous to players is prohibited in its manufacture. The length of the field should be 100—110 metres, and the width 65—75 metres. The ball should weigh 400—450 grams. 2. The game lasts 90 minutes unless otherwise agreed by both sides. The toss decides either the choice of goal or the right to start the game. The game begins with a kick from the centre spot towards the opponents’ goal. (A kick from the spot is when the ball is kicked while it lies motionless on the ground. The ball is in play from the moment it has made a complete revolution or has travelled a distance equal to its circumference.) During the kick-off, opponents must not approach the ball closer than 9 metres, nor may any of them cross the centre line towards the opponents’ goal line. 3. After 45 minutes of play, a break is called, lasting 5 minutes unless the referee decides otherwise; after the break, the teams change ends, and the kick-off is taken, according to rule 2, by the side opposite to that which started the game initially. After each goal is scored (when the ball has entered the goal), the game is restarted by the side that conceded the goal. (If the game is tied after 45 minutes, it is considered a draw; in cases where a result is necessary, the game is extended by 2 periods of 15 minutes each with ends changed at half-time. If still tied, the game continues until the first goal is scored. Before the first 15 minutes, a new toss is held.) 4. Except in cases specifically mentioned in the rules, a goal is considered scored when the ball has passed between the posts and under the crossbar, provided that the attacking players have not thrown, flicked, or carried the ball with their hands. If the crossbar falls for any reason during play, the referee may award a goal if, in his opinion, the ball would have passed under the crossbar had it been in place. (The ball passes through the goal only if it is entirely beyond the line.) The ball remains in play if it rebounds back onto the field from the goalposts, crossbar, or flagpole. The ball remains in play if it touches the referee or assistant referee while they are on the field. The ball is out of play when it crosses the goal line or touch line entirely. (The ball must be entirely beyond the line to be out of play.) 5. If the ball crosses the touch line, a player from the opposing side to the one that last touched the ball throws it back into play from the point where it crossed the line. The player throwing the ball must stand on the line, touching it with both feet, facing the field, and must throw the ball with both hands from behind the head in any direction. The ball is in play as soon as it is thrown. A goal cannot be scored directly from such a throw, and the thrower may not touch the ball again until it has been touched by another player. 6. When any player kicks the ball, any player from the same team who is nearer to the opponents’ goal line than the kicker (or thrower) is offside until the ball is touched by another player; such a player may not touch the ball, interfere with opponents, or take part in the game in any way; however, a player cannot be offside: 1) on their own half of the field, 2) if there are at least three opponents between them and the goal line, 3) if the last player to touch the ball was an opponent, 4) at a goal kick, 5) at a corner kick,

at a throw-in from the touch line. (The key to understanding this rule is to realise that a player is offside not at the moment they kick the ball, but when a teammate kicks it; if an opponent touches the ball, the player cannot be offside under any circumstances: 1) if there are three opponents in front of them and 2) if they receive the ball from in front; in other words, a player can never be offside if they are behind the ball.) 7. If the ball crosses the goal line having been last touched by an attacking player, it is put back into play by a free kick taken by one of the defending team; for this purpose, the ball is placed on the ground in that half of the goal area which is nearer to the point where the ball went out. If, however, the ball was last touched by a defender, one of the attacking players kicks it from any point within one metre of the nearest corner of the field. In both cases, opponents must not approach the ball closer than 5 and a half metres until the kick has been taken. (At a corner kick, the corner flag must not be removed.) 8. The goalkeeper may use their hands on their own half of the field but must not carry the ball. (Carrying is defined as taking more than two steps with the ball in hand or bouncing it in the air.) The goalkeeper must not be charged except when holding the ball, obstructing an opponent, or when outside the goal area. (If the change of goalkeeper is not notified to the referee beforehand, and the new goalkeeper touches the ball with their hands within the penalty area, a penalty kick is awarded.) 9. Charging is permitted but must not be violent or dangerous; players must not kick, trip, or jump at an opponent. (In general, any violent play or attempt to bring down an opponent by tripping, leaning in front of or behind them, etc., is prohibited.) A player (except the goalkeeper) must not deliberately handle the ball. It is not permitted to charge an opponent from behind unless they are deliberately obstructing, facing their own goal. (In this rule, the ‘hand’ includes any part of the arm that is away from the body at the moment of touching the ball or opponent. If a player faces their own goal knowing they are being challenged, this is considered deliberate obstruction.) 10. If a free kick is awarded, the opposing player taking the kick must not be closer than 5 and a half metres to the ball. The ball is in play when it has made a complete revolution, i.e., it must roll or travel a distance equal to its circumference. The kicker may not touch the ball again until it has been touched by another player. A goal kick, corner kick, and penalty kick are considered free kicks and are subject to this rule. (No free kick may be taken before the referee’s whistle. A player may be closer than 5 and a half metres to the ball if they are on their own goal line.) 11. A goal may be scored from a free kick awarded for an infringement of rule 9, but by no other type of free kick. 12. Footwear must not have any protruding metal parts; the heads of nails in the sole must be flush with it; metal or gutta-percha plates on boots and shin guards are prohibited; leather studs on the soles must not be higher than 1 cm; round studs must be at least 1 cm in diameter and must not be pointed or conical; strips must not be narrower than 1 cm and must cover the entire width of the sole. Any player whose footwear does not comply with this rule must leave the game. The referee may, if necessary, inspect players’ boots before the game or during the interval. 13. At every match, there must be a referee responsible for enforcing the rules and deciding all disputed points; their decisions on matters of fact are final. The referee keeps time and prepares a report on the game. In the event of any player’s misconduct, the referee warns them; in the case of a repeat offence or any other misconduct, and in the case of violent conduct even without warning, the referee has the right to send the offender off the field, about which they must inform the Association. The referee may extend the game if they deem it necessary, terminate it due to darkness, spectator interference, or whenever they consider it necessary; but in all cases where the game is interrupted, they must inform the Association, which decides the matter finally. The referee may award a free kick in all cases where the conduct of players seems dangerous or likely to become dangerous, but not sufficiently irregular to warrant more severe measures. The referee’s authority extends to the entire time the game is temporarily suspended and the ball is out of play. (Persistent infringement of the rules is considered misconduct. In the event of a player being sent off, a free kick may also be awarded.) The referee’s duties and powers extend to the interval and even after the game has ended. The referee submits a report to the Association within three days of the game. A player who leaves the field without sufficient cause and without the referee’s permission commits an offence.) 14. At every match, there must be assistant referees; their duty is to decide when the ball is out of play, which team is entitled to a throw-in from the touch line, a goal kick, or a corner kick; the assistant referees assist the referee in enforcing the rules, but their opinion requires the referee’s confirmation. In the event of unnecessary interference or misconduct by an assistant referee, the referee has the right to remove them from the field and appoint a substitute; the referee must report this to the Association. 15. In the event of an alleged infringement of the rules, the ball remains in play until the referee has given a decision. 16. If the game is interrupted for any reason while the ball is within the boundaries of the field, the referee must drop the ball at the place where the game was interrupted, and it is in play as soon as it touches the ground. If, in any case, the ball goes out of play untouched by any player, the referee again drops the ball. Players must not touch the ball until it has touched the ground. 17. In the event of an infringement of rules 6, 8, 10, or 15, the referee awards a free kick to the opponents of the offending team at the place of the infringement. In the event of a deliberate infringement of rules 5, 6, 8, 10, or 16, or after a player has been sent off under rule 13, the referee awards a free kick to the opponents; if, however, rule 9 is deliberately infringed by defenders within the penalty area, the referee awards a penalty kick to the opponents, which is taken from the designated spot and under the following conditions: all players, except the kicker and the opposing goalkeeper, must be outside the penalty area; the goalkeeper must stand on the goal line. The ball must be kicked forward. The ball is in play as soon as the kick is taken, and a goal may be scored directly from such a kick, but the kicker may not touch the ball again until it has been touched by another player. If necessary, the duration of the game may be extended to take the penalty kick. If the ball is not kicked forward or if the kicker touches the ball again, a free kick is awarded to the defenders. The referee should not apply rule 17 in cases where it would benefit the offending team. If, during a penalty kick, the ball enters the goal, the kick is not considered invalid due to any infringement by the defenders.

Technical Instructions for Correct Kicking The beginner will learn the rules of kicking in preparatory games 87—90. The only way of kicking that every novice knows is the toe kick. However, this method plays a minor role in football; it can send the ball far, but due to the small striking surface, it is very difficult to give it the desired direction. To increase its accuracy, players’ boots have transversely cut toes. Nevertheless, in games 87 and 88, only the centre forward will use it to send the ball far, and in games 90 and 91, the goalkeeper and defenders will use it for the same purpose. The foot should strike slightly below the centre of the ball, and the axis of the foot should be aligned with the direction in which we want the ball to travel. Far greater use is made of striking with larger surfaces of the foot. The outer side of the foot is most often used when we want to pass the ball to a teammate to the side. However, it is also often used to score a goal in this way. An easier, more reliable, and stronger method is kicking with the inner side of the foot. However, to deceive the opponent, good control of the outer side is very valuable. It is also essential to acquire skill in striking with the instep. Most often, the foot is strongly extended in this case. We do this when we want to kick the ball strongly straight ahead in a strictly defined direction; thus, most shots on goal look like this. But passing the ball to a teammate to the side over a greater distance is also usually done with the instep, not to mention passing forward. If the ball is approaching a player in flight above the knees, and they want to pass it behind to one of their teammates, they often use a kick with a bent foot: the ball flies over the player’s head to the back. If we want to pass a rolling or low-flying ball to the back, we use the heel for this. This also includes passing the ball from the ground to the hands of one’s own goalkeeper (often used at a goal kick). In this case, the player lightly ‘lifts’ the ball by sliding the tip of the foot under it, avoiding any striking: this is not a kick but rather a throw with the foot. In all these kicking methods, two details must be carefully observed: Firstly, it is essential to train both the right and left foot equally, for one can never predict which of them the ball will present itself in a favourable position for kicking. Secondly, one must be able to kick the ball not only from the ground when it is stationary, as stopping it wastes too much valuable time and gives an advantage to the opponent. One must be able to give the ball the desired direction immediately, regardless of whether it is rolling towards us slowly or quickly, flying in the air, or bouncing. Attention should be paid to this even in the earliest preparatory games (87 and 88). Sometimes, however, it is worth stopping the ball: for example, if the opponent is far away, or if we want to lure them towards us and then pass the ball in an unexpected direction. When the ball is coming low, we face the direction of its travel and stand on tiptoes in a crouch so that the ball can only rebound a short distance in front of us. A higher-flying ball is ‘killed’ (i.e., brought down to the ground) by a light tap with the sole from above, or by a nudge with the knee, thigh, or body directed diagonally downward. In all body rebounds, the beginner should get used to keeping their arms close to the body, as even touching the ball with them does not infringe rule 9. All players (except the goalkeeper) must remember that a ball flying at a certain height can only be effectively rebounded with the head. These rebounds also have enormous application. Sometimes (especially at a corner kick or a high pass from the wing), goals are scored with them; very often, the ball is passed to teammates to the side, forward, or back, etc. The rebound should be made with the surface of the head facing the direction in which the ball is to fly—and add to it the appropriate movement of the neck, and if greater force is needed, jump in the direction of the intended flight of the ball. Dribbling, or ‘the wheelbarrow,’ is overused by beginner players (see further tactical instructions). But even an experienced player resorts to it sometimes (e.g., a winger when their wing is not threatened, etc.). Then, while running, they push rather than kick the ball alternately with the right and left foot so that it never moves away from their feet. However, as soon as they see themselves threatened, they should immediately stop dribbling and pass the ball to an unthreatened teammate. Stopping an opponent is one of the more difficult tasks for a player, given the strong temptation to infringe the rules. If an opponent is preparing to kick, we can relatively easily knock them over or unbalance them with a light body check and ‘take’ the ball (i.e., kick it towards our own team). For when they are standing on one leg, their balance is worse than that of the attacker standing on both. If an opponent is dribbling the ball, we can stop it with our foot. Even if the dribbler falls as a result, there is no infringement of the rules, as we aimed at the ball, not the player. In both cases, the player’s fall is usually light and without any consequences. However, one must avoid not only tripping but also leaning in front of or (when retreating) behind the player, kicking them, hitting them with the knee, or stopping them with the hand; finally, any charging from behind, unless the player is deliberately obstructing us while facing their own goal. For any such infringements, an alert and conscientious referee will penalise severely—often even by sending the player off without warning. The technique of the goalkeeper’s play will be discussed in the next chapter.

Tactical Instructions The tactics prevailing in this game have undergone fundamental and very characteristic changes over time. Initially, individual play predominated. A skilful player would take possession of the ball, dribble it near the opponents’ goal, and, to the applause of the crowds, often score a goal themselves, having successfully evaded the defenders. However, as soon as clubs appeared that abandoned this tactic in favour of collective play, where the ball is passed from player to player and all cooperate for a common goal, individual play began to suffer defeat after defeat and quickly disappeared. At the same time, however, the value of the game itself as an educational tool increased enormously. In addition to the division of labour provided for in the rules themselves, which designate a goalkeeper and grant them the privilege of using their hands, experience has taught that it is beneficial to divide the rest of the team into three lines. The first consists of five attacking players (namely: the centre forward, right and left wings, and two inside forwards between them). The second consists of three midfield players (centre half, right half, and left half); the third consists of two full-backs, right and left. The full-backs, together with the goalkeeper, form the defence; the midfield, as its name suggests, assists either the attack or the defence as needed. Assigning players to these categories according to their abilities is an important task for the team captain (‘mother’). However, it would be a mistake to establish this division too rigidly. On the contrary, changes from time to time are necessary, both for the all-round development of the players and for practical purposes, and often during the game, a player who has been injured must be replaced by someone who usually plays in a different position. The attack should consist of light, agile, bold, and decisive players. All of them must master the art of quickly and accurately passing the ball to the side; all, and especially the wings, should be able to dribble when necessary. Finally, for all, and particularly the three central players, the ability to shoot accurately at goal from any position in which the ball may present itself at an opportune moment is an essential condition. For example, if the white team starts the game (as in the illustration on page 151), the centre forward moves the ball diagonally forward a little more than the distance prescribed by the rules (equal to its circumference); one of the inside forwards runs up and passes the ball to the winger, who, being least threatened by opponents, dribbles it straight ahead. The other attacking players run, maintaining their original distances from each other but always slightly behind the winger leading the ball (to avoid being offside in case of a pass from the wing near the goal). At a distance from which an effective shot can already be considered (or earlier if threatened with losing the ball), they pass to the centre, and then the three central players, still running forward, pass the ball to each other until one of them spots a moment when part of the goal is unguarded and kicks the ball into it. (Beginners are prone to the fatal mistake of shooting into the goalkeeper’s hands instead of into a corner they cannot reach.) If the goalkeeper deflects the ball a short distance, shots must be repeated until successful. If, however, the red defence manages to pass the ball to their attack, the white attack retreats beyond the centre line, but only far enough to more easily regain the ball (passed by their midfield or full-backs) and renew the attack. However, attacking players should never interfere with the defence. Throughout the game, the attack runs spread across the width of the field, and each strictly adheres to their position so that their teammates, without looking, know where to pass the ball. Only near the opponents’ goal does the attacking line somewhat converge. The midfield consists of experienced players, familiar with both attacking methods (passing to the side and forward, long-range shots at goal) and defence (stopping and taking the ball, etc.), but above all, the most enduring runners. This trio is in constant motion throughout the game, assisting either the attack or the defence. The midfield must always be near the ball. When the attacking line is leading the attack, the midfield’s task is to run behind the attack at a distance of several metres and pass the ball back to them immediately if the opponent knocks it away. Near the goal, the midfield must also often shoot, especially when the attacking players are offside. When the opponents are attacking, the first line of defence is again the midfield. If they do not manage to knock the ball away immediately, the midfield players do not give up and constantly harass the attackers, in later stages of defence coordinating their efforts purposefully with the play of both full-backs. They always remember to kick the ball taken from the opponent as quickly as possible to their own attack and enable a new attack for their team. The midfield moves across the field, maintaining the players’ positions relative to each other as in the illustration (page 151). When attacking opponents pass the ball to the side, the midfield, together with the full-backs, can interfere with each of them in passing and receiving the ball. When an opponent is dribbling the ball, it is best to take it from them in pairs, with one player charging the dribbler and the other dealing with the ball. Midfield players usually take throw-ins from the touch line and free kicks when the referee awards them far from the goal. The full-backs consist of strong players capable of effectively stopping an attacker and rebounding the ball from any position to a significant distance (if possible, to their own attacking line). However, they should also be skilled in accurate passing (to the other full-back or a midfield player), which sometimes serves their team better than a showy ‘high kick,’ which takes a lot of time and is less accurate. The full-backs must work well together, with the goalkeeper and the midfield, so that together they form a truly cohesive defence. One of the full-backs should never move too far from the goal and, if necessary (when the goalkeeper runs forward), even temporarily stand in it. However, the other can beneficially stay further away, especially knowing how to move forward when this can put the opposing attackers offside. Neither full-back should, under any circumstances, cling to the goal and obstruct the goalkeeper’s view of the ball. The goalkeeper occupies the most difficult position in the entire team. They should be tall to be able to rebound high shots; extremely agile and nimble to never lose a fraction of a second in which they can still run to a threatened corner of the goal; moreover, brave and resilient, as well as strong, to endure rough charges from opponents. They must also be able to accurately judge the direction and speed of the projectile. The goalkeeper should use their privilege of using their hands whenever time permits and only kick or stop the ball with their feet as a last resort. If time allows, the ball should be caught rather than rebounded. The best way to save the goal for a longer time is to toss the caught ball and kick it in flight towards the wings. If the attackers interfere, the ball is thrown with the hands. A high shot that cannot be caught can sometimes still be rebounded with the fist (or more reliably with both fists). If a shot goes just under the crossbar, the goal can be saved by lightly tapping the ball upwards: the ball flies over the crossbar, and the referee awards a corner kick, which, however, is not always dangerous for the goal. A low shot into the corner of the goal can be repelled by a lightning-fast dive to the ground. The goalkeeper carefully observes the movements of the forwards and tries to anticipate the direction of the shot in advance. Only exceptionally and briefly may the goalkeeper leave the immediate vicinity of the goal. Their usual place is at 1= 1 ½/9 metres in front of the goal. If they move further forward, they can be bypassed by an attacker with the ball. Standing in the goal itself exposes it to being scored upon if, for example, while catching or rebounding, they pull their hands too far back, so that the ball is momentarily beyond the goal line. The goalkeeper has more opportunities to rest than the full-backs. Therefore, they should take the goal kick, either directly from the ground or (after being ‘lifted’ from the ground by a full-back) from the hands. The captain (‘mother’) is an experienced player who knows how to command the respect of others. They lead the entire team, assign positions to players, direct their preparation for matches, and ensure that they work well together. They also devise certain tricks and surprises for opponents and generally the tactical details most suited to the relative strengths of both teams. It is most beneficial for the team if the captain is in the second line of players (midfield); then they have the best view of the game, both during attack and defence. The captain carefully ensures that players do not sacrifice the good of their team for personal momentary pleasure. They reprimand unnecessary possession of the ball and dribbling it for too long; they reprimand showing off to the public with spectacular ‘high kicks’ and powerful shots when an unobtrusive short pass would often bring greater benefit. The referee also has a very difficult and responsible position. If possible, they should not belong to any of the playing teams and, in any case, must remember well that from the moment they assume the duties of referee, they stand above their personal feelings of friendship or dislike. Moreover, they should be chosen from among people who not only know the rules of the game perfectly but also all the details of their practical application, and even, which is particularly important, the more commonly used ways of circumventing or subtly infringing the rules. Keen eyesight, presence of mind, decisiveness, calmness, and tact—these are further qualities needed by a referee. The referee should run almost as much as a player. Their duty is to always be as close as possible to the ball to be able to judge the game themselves, not relying on the opinion of the assistant referees, let alone the players or spectators. When the ball approaches the penalty area, they must pay close attention to possible offside situations for the attackers. When shots on goal begin, their accurate assessment requires taking a position next to the goal. Showing even the slightest hesitation, the referee diminishes their authority. Their decisions must be quick, clear, and decisive. All unnecessary conversations and disputes with players, and especially with the public, are excluded. Only the referee’s whistle can stop the game, and only with it can the ball be put back into play. The task of the two assistant referees is much simpler. Running (alongside the ball) on the touch lines, they signal (by raising the flag) to the referee when the ball goes out of play. In addition, the referee may ask for their opinion if they did not see some detail of the game. The assistant referees are most often provided one by each team. It is, of course, better if they are also taken from outside the competing sides.

Transcription scope: text belonging to illustrations omitted; exact boundaries recorded in the extraction report.

Source scan: Kujawsko-Pomorska Digital Library, marked ‘Public Domain.’ See PDF — page 139.

Metadata

Type: game
Traits: Not stated in the source
Source: Eugeniusz Piasecki, Zabawy i gry ruchowe dzieci i młodzieży (1922)
Printed pages: 134–158 / PDF 139–163
Digital edition: Digital edition · Source record
Open the edition at the relevant page: p. 134
Read the source text: zgr-091