A few weeks ago, while I was waiting to board a plane at the Malta International Airport, I stood watching the UEFA Cup semi-final between Rangers and Fiorentina.
Although the Italians dominated the second leg from start to finish, the tie surprisingly went to a penalty shoot-out. Anyway, there was Christian Vieri, of Fiorentina, placing the ball on the spot to take his kick. A gentleman standing next to me nudged me on the shoulder and said: 'That's it, he is going to miss. He always does'.
And sure enough, Vieri obliged by blasting the ball over the crossbar!
This incident, so common nowadays in football set me thinking about the art of penalty-taking and of some of its past masters.
One of the deadliest penalty-kickers in Maltese football history was the legendary Ruġġieru Friggieri (Iż-Żibġa) whose rising shot few goalkeepers ever saw, let alone stopped it.
The only goalkeeper to save a Friggieri penalty was Pawlu Bartolo (l-Ottu), of Valletta United. Bartolo was renowned for the way he saved penalties and at one time he was presented with a special medal by the grateful Valletta supporters.
After Friggieri's untimely death, another Floriana stalwart, Salvu Tabone, took over the mantle of 'King of Penalties' in Maltese football.
The closest he came to missing a penalty was in the 1923 Cassar Cup final between Floriana and Sliema Wanderers. With both teams level and with the game nearing its end, Floriana were awarded a penalty.
Tabone took the kick in his usual way but to the shock of his supporters, he stubbed his toes into the ground and the ball started trickling slowly towards the goalmouth. Goalkeeper Joe Nicholl, who at the time was still at the start of a long career with the Wanderers, stood amazed and mesmerised as he dived the wrong way and the ball rolled softly and sweetly over the line!
Another great penalty-taker from the glorious period between the two world wars was Salvu Sammut (l-Għarawri).
Ice-coolness was the hallmark of this great player when he was taking penalties. Sammut certainly was cool but he also had audacity and cheek as can be seen from the following incident.
Sliema were playing crack Austrian side Admira when the Blues were awarded a penalty.
The Austrians protested vehemently against this decision but, when all the hubbub died down, Sammut placed the ball on the spot and, with his characteristic broad grin, indicated to the famous Austrian goalkeeper Platzer where he was going to shoot.
True enough, Sammut did shoot in the direction he indicated but the shot was so hard that the goalkeeper could only watch as the ball whizzed past his outstreched hands and into the net.
With the advent of the 'soccer revolution' in the 1960s, football boots became lighter and slimmer, making it possible for players to guide the ball with greater accuracy when taking penalties.
Before this, players tended to hit the ball hard and square to the right or left of the goalkeeper.
It is a proven fact that if the ball is hit hard the chances of a goalkeeper stopping the shot are slim even if the ball is directed straight into him. The new boots and modern ball introduced to the game a new generation of 'artists' who could do almost anything with a ball.
Penalty-taking has developed into an art since the 1960s and in my time I have seen quite a good number of 'star' penalty-takers in action.
I cannot be much wrong if I mention such penalty experts as Danny Edwards. of Hibs, Ġulinu Muscat, of Sliema Wanderers, Lolly Borg and Pullu Demanuele, of Floriana, Joe Cilia and Josie Urpani, of Valletta, Louis and Eddie Theobald and Bertu Carter, of Hibs.
These were all great penalty-takers but if one were to twist my arm to name the best I have ever seen I would go for Tony Griffiths, of Sliema and Hibs.
Tony Griffiths is the son of that great football personality, Joe. He lived all his life in the shadow of his famous father. However, Tony was himself a very good footballer. A clever playmaker, he could hit a penalty to perfection.
Never one to use force he guided the ball to the left or right of the goalkeeper with extraordinary precision.