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The Specialist: The Throw in

July 23rd, 2009 | By: Jan | 13 Comments »

For many, it’s just a inferior part of the game. The ball is out of play, this is where you can use your hands and throw it back in. So what. But, in the hands of a specialist the throw in can turn into a special weapon. FC Volendam’s Vit Valenta is one of those players…

The Theory
The throw in is a way to resume play. It’s possible to score a goal directly from a throw in. When the ball goes over the byline for 100%, the opposing team of the player who last touched the ball gets to throw. At they do so at the spot where the ball passed the line. The player needs to be facing the pitch when throwing in, he needs to have one foot on the line at least and he needs to use both hands. The ball needs to go all the way down into the neck and released above the head.

The throw in person can’t touch the ball himself before another player touched it.

It’s not possible to be off side when receiving a ball from a throw in.

The Legend
It’s January 1999 and we’re at St James’ Park. Peter Beardsley is playing his testimonial. Great names like Kevin Keegan and Paul Gascoigne are present. The Beardsley Allstars play against Celtic and the fans are enjoying themselves, with all those big name players. Celtic would win the game 3-1 but the most remarkable moment of this game would be a throw in. That doesn’t happen to often. Normally such a game would be branded the biggest bore of the century. But Steve Watson, currently playing for Sheffield Wednesday, deployed his specialty, the somersault throw in. The name says it all. Watson runs to the byline, ball in hands, and uses the ball for his somersault turn, in order to make speed. In that movement, Watson lands on the line and his body lurches the ball into the box. Watson, who played for England B and had a long career with Newcastle United, only uses this throw in for special occasions. The somersault or flip throw in is banned by the FIFA these days… You wonder why…

The Weapon
Valente played for Belgium side Lommel when he realized he had a skill many other players lacked. “I was 18 years old or something and I did realize I could throw further than others, but throwing in is not that exciting of course. I never thought about it. But my coach suddenly told other players to leave the ball for me and in time it became as dangerous as our corner kicks and free kicks. We started training on it and using it for special situations in the box. That’s when I realized I had some sort of skill, like Beckham has his banana-cross, you know?”.

The Technique
The throw in is probably the least trained aspect of football. Valenta: “That’s actually not that wise, is it? I have always been able to throw far, but with specific training a coach can optimize that weapon. But I’m not taller than others, my arms aren’t that muscly or something… I think everyone can learn how to do it. It’s probably timing… And technique. It needs to be one flowing movement and you need to use the core muscles of the body – the back and belly muscles. It’s like one of those body slams you see in modern dance… It’s not hard to do, and I think it can be trained if players would want to.”

Satisfaction
The Volendam midfielder: “It’s weird, I take free kicks too and this last season no one scored out of my free kicks but two times we scored from my throw ins. While we train much more on free kicks, hahaha… But yeah, like other players I do dream about dribbles and distant strikes in the top of the goal and not about throw ins, but recently there’s Hull City – or is it Stoke – where the throw ins are also a tremendous weapon, so maybe the throw in will get the recognition it deserves, hahaaa….”.

Don’t try this at home:

And here’s Steve Watson’s:

Tags: Beardsley, Group C, Keegan, Oranje, Throw in, Vit Valenta, Volendam

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Comments

By dirk v.d.Berg | July 23rd, 2009 at 11:39 am

I was wondering on your guys opinions about Dutch teams in European Competition.

I personally think that both CL teams are going to parachute into the UEFA cup, although with a lucky draw AZ could get into the 2nd round of CL.

This means that there is a chance we could have PSV, Ajax, Heerenveen, NAC, Twente, and AZ all playing for the Europa League, given they make it that far.

I think PSV is forming up good this year, so they’re my favourites to go the furthest, and Ajax also have a good team, but they won’t win.

PSV – Potential Champs
Ajax – Potential semi’s
AZ – Potential quarters
Twente – Potential quarters
Heerenveen – Round of 16
NAC – Group Stage

Posted from Canada

By finnster01 | July 23rd, 2009 at 4:13 pm

All I know is that this summer has been one of the wettest on record in New York, so either this is the year for Umbrella Man or Twente will make a very early exit.

That’s what the groundhog down the road told me anyway, and yes he saw his shadow too.

By Jan | July 23rd, 2009 at 5:15 pm

Good question… I was planning on doing a series of Crystal Ball posts soon, on the Eredivisie, Dutchies abroad, European cups and the WC2010.

I do think AZ has it to reach far in the CL and surprise Europe IF Van Gaal was their coach… I’m not a fan of Koeman as a coach.

PSV isn’t there yet. Dszudszak isn’t a left winger. Amrabat still has to prove his worth. Toivionen ditto. Affelay will leave coming summer and he’s the main man at PSV, so… Not sure. I do think Rutten is the man though.

I think Ajax will have a tremendous season!

By susanne | July 23rd, 2009 at 5:56 pm

Actually, about the throw ins: Jan, did you see any of Delap’s throw-ins last season? That should make the blog I think, too I think!

For the rest, I will have to agree with finnster, just because I dont @#($* understand what the (#*$@ he’s talking about

happy. be happy.

Posted from Netherlands

By dirk v.d.Berg | July 23rd, 2009 at 7:34 pm

I think PSV should get someone like Aragones as coach, and play a 4-1-2-3 like spain did once upon a time.

—————-Isakssonn—————-
Kromkamp—-Marcellis—Ooijer—-Salcido
—————–Simons—————–
——–Toivonen——-Affellay———–
Amrabat———-Koevermans———Dzusdsak

Otherwise, drop the wingers back with affellay, and replace toivonen with Engelaar, and play 4-2-3-1.

@Jan, Dzsudzsak has been playing really good in the pre-season, and is now taking penalties and freekicks for PSV, I think he’s developing really well, and Amrabat would be the player I’m worried about. Maybe play the 4-2-3-1 i mentioned before, but with Toivonen instead of Amrabat.

Posted from Canada

By dirk v.d.Berg | July 23rd, 2009 at 7:41 pm

Maybe van Gaal has just been scheming, to be a really bad coach, and knock Bayern Munich out of hte champions league, and league contention, and then he knows Koeman will screw up, and he’ll come back and save the day, and look like a coaching god.

Posted from Canada

By Carlos | July 23rd, 2009 at 9:12 pm

Wow Dirk – That’s some conspiracy theory – Will that make Michael Jackson come back too ?

Posted from Singapore

By finnster01 | July 24th, 2009 at 2:29 am

@Susanne: Delap was amazing for Stoke. His throw in’s were either directly or indirectly involved with close to 50% of their goals and when he went down with an injury last season pretty much their offense and set piece production came to grounding halt. He was absolutely amazing. Very good shout on your part susanne.

And don’t worry about what the &*#@ I am talking about, because I don’t know either. But if you are interested, you may want to check out you tube for umbrella man, Steve McLaren, and you will probably understand it if you follow English football as well. In any event, it is pretty funny:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUPhwn_ZEOw&feature=related

By Jan | July 24th, 2009 at 4:04 am

Yeah, I think the Stoke connection was made in the article wasn’t it? I couldn’t remember the bloke from Stoke’s name, though…

Tremendous.

I actually like Dszudszak, don’t get me wrong. I just don’t think he’s a winger. And I want him to change his name so we can write more about him. Zudzak would work for me…

By finnster01 | July 24th, 2009 at 4:16 am

Dszudszak would score you a lot of points in Scrabble ouside of Poland.

By Jan | July 24th, 2009 at 5:16 am

Haha

By Caleb | July 24th, 2009 at 9:50 am

Yeah Jan, you’re right about the Stoke connection in the article. Vit Valenta couldn’t remember which team it was though, Hull or Stoke, haha.

But yeah, Rory Delap’s throw ins were a huge weapon for Stoke this year. I instantly thought of them when I saw the headline for the article. I believe the “Delap Missile” was used to describe them on a few occasions…

Posted from Canada

By susanne | July 24th, 2009 at 1:30 pm

Sorry indeed you mentioned it. In my mind DeLap played for Sunderland. So, I got the name right and the team wrong.

Posted from Netherlands

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