Just watching the football and got thinking about the rules when the ball leaves the pitch. When football was invented they decided to throw the ball in from the side line unlike corners or goal kicks. I wonder how the game wold change if you could kick it in instead of throw in's from the point it left the pitch?
An award of a kick-in instead of a throw-in would effectively award a free kick for something which isn't an infringement. The ball would just be kicked towards goal. The corner kick is a awarded to try and off set the negative play of putting ball into touch. Think they've got the rules right.
Agree with Fran there, and just to cap it off, remember that one cannot score direct from a throw-in, and also a receiver cannot be offside from a throw-in.
I have copy a facsimile of the 1863 rules and the most amazing thing about these rules is that there were only 13 of them to begin with. Regarding throw-ins, Rule 5 stated that "when the ball is in touch the first player who touches it shall throw it from the point in the boundary line where it left the ground, in a direction at right angles to the boundary line." This rule was found to be impractical in (I think) the 1880's as it effectively mean't that there was a squabble for the ball everytime it went out for a throw in. As I understand it, there were also "scrimmages" in late Victorian football which acted as something like a rugby scrum. The rules were gradually changed as the sport progressed and the practicality of the old rules brought in to question. Hope that this helps. Ian
Now wouldn't that be interesting!!! Imagine the likes of Balotelli and Gerrard fighting over the throw in.
