Out and about: Football will be a little different now

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Rest in peace Diab Awana. The last count of your back-heel penalty video on Youtube was 2,167,590. While your act on a warm, sultry night in Al Ain in the UAE's 6-2 thumping of Lebanon has been described by some as ‘brazen' and others as ‘elegant', there is no denial that you did something different.
It was your penalty kick that threw up a lot of discussion among footballing circles all over the world. There were those who believed, and of course, an equal number who were among the doubters.
Your coach Srecko Katanec seemed clearly displeased after the match as he spoke about total respect. In fact, the former UAE coach had voiced that "the God of football would be displeased with the kick" because it embodied a lack of respect, both for the opponent and for the game.
But on the other hand, there were some members of the Brazilian team had reportedly told their coach Mano Menezes to fly you over so that you could impart to them the finer elements of executing such a penalty kick.One kick had drawn so much ire and adulation at the same time.
A recent study showed that footballers are not among the thinking type. And as chronicled by James Brennan in his recent essay on The Importance of the Idiot Footballer there are lots of anecdotes that point to the intellectual prowess, or the lack of it, of these handsomely paid footballers.
Perfect kick
But in your case Diab Awana, you dared to think different. You, innovated in your mind, you practiced on the field and then executed the kick to perfection as the Lebanese goalkeeper stood transfixed on the spot.
Experience shows us that there have been players before you who also dared to innovate. And it is their spirit that has given us novelties such as the scissors kick, the curling free kick, the banana kick. They have walked the path you have taken, though only for a while.
But ultimately, all these innovations have become a part of the game that is adored worldwide.
And now that you have gone, we will miss your genius — your ability to innovate without much attention given to the reaction of the fraternity.
You will have followers who must be already spending time on the field trying out the effect of the back-heel. Football will be a little bit different thanks to your contribution.
The sport will owe you something in return and you will be remembered each time someone steps forward to take a penalty kick.
 
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