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Page last updated at 13:18 GMT, Saturday, 22 May 2010 14:18 UK

England's shoot-out strife

Spot On
Date: Sunday, 23 May 1930 BST Coverage details: BBC Radio 5 live 909, 693 MW, online and on digital television


Stuart Pearce
Pearce took England's fourth kick of the 1990 shoot-out which Bodo Illgner saved

Almost 20 years after seeing his spot kick saved in the 1990 World Cup semi-final against West Germany, Stuart Pearce believes he has finally worked out how England can avoid penalty shoot-out heartache again this summer.

"It is not luck, it is not in the fate of gods as people attempt to tell you," he told BBC 5 live's Spot On programme.

"It is preparation, it is learning and knowing exactly. Just go and do it, we've been doing it for two years."

Pearce's faith in a methodical approach was reinforced as his England Under-21 side overcame Sweden from 12 yards in the semi-finals of the European Championship in 2009.

"In the run-up to a big tournament, we have a two-year qualification period," said Pearce.

"In those two years after every training session we take penalties and replicate the walk from the halfway line and so on and so forth.

"That gives us full stats about who in our squad is the best penalty taker and the worst.

"Like last summer goalkeeper Joe Hart took the second penalty because he was the second best penalty taker. How did I know that? Because we practised for two years."

606: DEBATE

England missed three out of four spot kicks in their World Cup quarter-final shoot-out defeat to Portugal in 2006.

It was just the latest campaign to end in shoot-out defeat.

The prospect of a victory on home soil in the 1996 European Championship was crushed by Germany, Argentina won from 12 yards in World Cup 1998 while Portugal kept their nerve in Euro 2004.

In six penalty shoot-outs in the major tournaments, England have won just one - against Spain in the quarter-finals in 1996.

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson believes specialist sports psychology may be the key to improving on that record.

One of his predecessors Terry Venables disagrees.

"I don't think it is easy to teach it because people have either got that sort of strength or they haven't," Venables said.

Whatever approach current manager Fabio Capello has decided upon, the time to put it to the ultimate test may well be fast approaching.


Spot On - an in-depth look at England's relationship with the penalty shoot-out featuring Fabio Capello, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Terry Venables, Stuart Pearce, David James and more - is broadcast on BBC 5 live from 1930BST on Sunday.



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see also
England U21 3-3 Sweden U21 (aet)
26 Jun 09 |  Internationals
England beaten on penalties again
01 Jul 06 |  World Cup 2006
Portugal break England hearts
24 Jun 04 |  Euro 2004
Penalties can damage your health
20 Dec 02 |  Funny Old Game
Practice makes perfect for England
07 Jun 00 |  Euro2000


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