I HAVE long thought that penalty shoot-outs are a cruel and unnecessary stress for players and spectators as a way of deciding the winner of a football tournament.

The game starts with the toss of a coin – why not resolve a tied score the same way?

It’s quick, fair and would put a stop to the appalling, unwarranted and cowardly verbal abuse of those chosen to take the kicks and the goalkeepers who face them when former fail to score and the latter fail to stop the ball.

Something has to be done to clean up what is referred to as “the beautiful game” and put an end to the vile behaviour of so many ‘fans’ – who are little different from the spectators who packed the stadiums of the ancient world and took pleasure in watching people being torn to pieces by animals or despatched by professional killers.

ROBERT READMAN

Norwich Avenue West, Bournemouth