First rule of penalties – don’t talk about penalties!
Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions have been banned from talking about penalties during Euro 2024 to try and keep their shootout secrets safe.
Southgate has tried everything to improve England’s luck when it comes to penalty shootouts and after they sealed victory over Switzerland in the quarter final, it appears to be working.
All five penalty takers scored their spot-kicks while goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made a crucial save to deny Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji.
The England manager has brought in psychologists, analysts and ran dedicated practice sessions to overcome England’s poor penalty record.
However, one key rule he has brought in for this tournament is that his squad are prevented from talking about penalties.
Pickford, Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa have all been asked about penalties but have been stopped from answering such questions.
It comes after a former member of staff divulged England’s penalty taking secrets in a new book.
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Sports professor, Geir Jordet, interviewed Bolton Wanderers sporting director, Chris Markham who used to be the FA’s game insights lead, for his book: ‘Pressure: Lessons From The Psychology of the Penalty Shootout.
Jordet asked Markham about how he helped England change their attitude towards penalties in the build-up to the 2018 World Cup.
For the first time since Euro 96, England tasted success in a shootout in a major tournament when they beat Colombia on penalties.
Markham said: “I think I found quotes from each of the last five England managers before Gareth Southgate, not including Sam Allardyce, that said either the penalty shoot-out was a lottery, penalties are all down to luck, or that you can’t practice that kind of pressure.”
Markham argued: “From a psychological perspective, speaking about a lottery takes ownership away from the players. And that was the thing for me to give them back. To take control of not just the kick itself but the whole process. Initially it was about the perceived control. How can we increase the level of perceived control for the players and the staff and everybody?”
Markham praised Southgate for being openminded to his approach. He continued: “They don’t suffer fools gladly so we knew it had to be at a really high standard. Talking about the run-up steps, angle, pace, everything from breathing techniques, optimal areas of aiming, goalkeepers, looking as gaze masks and goggles.”
