For much of modern football’s evolution, the long throw-in has been treated as something of an oddity—an agricultural tool reserved for lower-league battlegrounds or the Stoke City side of Tony Pulis, forever associated with Rory Delap’s bullet-armed launches. Yet, in recent years, the tactic has been quietly re-engineered and embraced by elite clubs and managers who recognize its hidden potential.
Now, the long throw is back in fashion. Champions League-winning coach Thomas Tuchel has publicly endorsed its value, while the world’s first dedicated throw-in coach, Thomas Gronnemark, has been on a mission to prove that the throw-in is more than just a way to restart play. Together, they represent a new movement in football—a revival of one of the game’s oldest but most overlooked weapons.
This article explores why the long throw is returning to the spotlight, how Tuchel and Gronnemark are shaping its resurgence, and why clubs can no longer afford to ignore the tactical opportunities it offers.
A Forgotten Art Rediscovered
The throw-in has been part of football since the 19th century, but for decades it was treated as a formality. Most players simply lobbed the ball back into play, hoping a teammate would collect it. Coaches rarely invested time in rehearsing throw-ins, and in tactical literature, the subject was often overlooked entirely.
But every so often, someone came along who changed perceptions.
- In the 1990s, VFL Bochum’s long-throw expert Christian Schreier gave Bundesliga defenses sleepless nights.
- In the 2000s, Rory Delap’s infamous launches with Stoke City became legendary, generating chaos and goals galore.
- Iceland’s national team used Aron Gunnarsson’s booming throws to great effect at Euro 2016.
Yet, outside these cult examples, the long throw was dismissed as crude or “anti-football.” Clubs obsessed with possession and style didn’t want their identities tied to a tool more commonly seen on Sunday league pitches.
Enter Thomas Gronnemark The Throw-In Evangelist
A Danish former sprinter and bobsledder, Thomas Gronnemark had no background as a professional footballer, but he had one rare skill: he could throw a ball farther than most. In 2017, he rebranded himself as the world’s first throw-in coach, dedicating his career to transforming throw-ins from an afterthought into a tactical weapon.
His philosophy was not just about distance. He developed three categories of throw-ins:
- Long Throw – Maximizing distance to turn throw-ins into set-piece opportunities.
- Fast Throw – Restarting play quickly to exploit disorganized defenses.
- Smart Throw – Using angles, movement, and patterns to retain possession under pressure.
In 2018, Jurgen Klopp brought Gronnemark to Liverpool. Under his guidance, Liverpool went from ranking among the worst in the Premier League for throw-in retention to one of the best. Players like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson suddenly had a new dimension to their game, and opposition managers began to take notice.
Tuchel’s Endorsement
Thomas Tuchel has never been afraid to experiment. From his days at Mainz to Borussia Dortmund, PSG, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich, Tuchel has shown a willingness to innovate. His endorsement of long throws isn’t surprising—he sees them as under-utilized assets in the modern game.
In a recent interview, Tuchel remarked:
“It’s not about throwing the ball like Delap did. It’s about structure, timing, and precision. You can change the rhythm of a game with a well-executed throw-in. It’s a free restart—why waste it?”
For Tuchel, the long throw is not a gimmick but an opportunity to disrupt defensive systems. In an age of hyper-analyzed tactics, where marginal gains can decide Champions League ties, the long throw offers unpredictability.
The Tactical Value of Long Throws
Why are managers like Tuchel and coaches like Gronnemark so excited about long throws? The answer lies in the numbers.
- Set-Piece Equivalent: A throw-in launched into the box from 30–35 meters is statistically comparable to a corner kick. With defenders facing their own goal, errors are more likely.
- Chaos Factor: Unlike corners, long throws often arrive flatter and faster, giving keepers less time to react and defenders fewer clear sightlines.
- Repetition of Opportunities: A team might get 5–10 corners per match, but they can earn 15–20 throw-ins. Even if only a fraction are long throws, the volume adds up.
- Tactical Variation: Mixing short throws with occasional bombs keeps defenses guessing.
In the Premier League, analysts discovered that Stoke under Pulis created nearly as many chances from Delap’s throw-ins as other teams did from corner kicks. Iceland, meanwhile, famously turned the throw-in into a set-piece weapon against England in Euro 2016, shocking the world with their effectiveness.
Gronnemark’s Breakdown Why It Works
Thomas Gronnemark has consistently explained why the long throw is so effective. According to him:
- Biomechanics Matter – The technique is not about brute force but timing, angle, and body positioning. Proper mechanics can add 10–15 meters to a throw.
- Team Preparation – A long throw is only effective if teammates know where to move. Pre-rehearsed runs and blocking movements create chaos.
- Psychological Impact – Defenders hate long throws because they disrupt rhythm. Just the threat of one can pin teams back.
- Data Backing – Clubs that integrate throw-in coaching improve possession, chance creation, and even expected goals (xG).
Gronnemark often highlights that long throws are not simply about lumping the ball into the box—they are about design.
From Stoke to the Champions League
The contrast is striking. In 2008, Delap’s throws for Stoke were seen as an oddity—a rough-and-ready tactic for survival. Fast-forward to today, and the same principle has been repackaged at the highest level of football.
- Liverpool used Gronnemark’s coaching to retain possession from throw-ins more than 65% of the time, compared to 45% before his arrival.
- Chelsea under Tuchel experimented with throw-in routines to stretch compact defenses.
- Bayern Munich, where Tuchel currently coaches, are exploring throw-ins as part of their broader set-piece strategy.
What was once mocked as “pub football” is now embraced by Champions League winners.
The Return of the Chaos Factor
Football at the elite level has become increasingly controlled. Defensive systems are well-drilled, and attacking opportunities are harder to find. Against low blocks, possession-heavy teams often struggle to break through.
This is where long throws return to relevance. They reintroduce an element of chaos—a ball hurled into the box where anything can happen. Deflections, poor clearances, and scrappy rebounds often lead to goals. For coaches like Tuchel, who constantly seek small advantages, the chaos factor is invaluable.
Critics and Controversies
Not everyone is convinced. Critics argue that focusing on long throws is regressive, a return to “anti-football.” Some pundits worry it could make matches more disjointed, with fewer flowing passages of play.
Arsène Wenger, a long-time critic of Stoke’s reliance on Delap, once said:
“It’s a little unfair, like playing rugby in football.”
But modern advocates counter that football is a results-driven sport, and long throws are no less valid than high pressing, deep defending, or possession triangles. They argue that the throw-in, like any restart, is part of the game’s fabric and deserves proper attention.
Players Who Excel Today
Several modern players are capable of executing dangerous long throws:
- Aaron Gunnarsson (Iceland) – Weaponized throw-ins at international tournaments.
- Jonas Knudsen (Denmark) – Used throws effectively at the 2018 World Cup.
- Mikel Damsgaard (Brentford) – Developing into a versatile option.
- Ben Tozer (Wrexham) – Famous in the lower leagues for Delap-style missiles.
Under Gronnemark’s guidance, players like Trent Alexander-Arnold have also improved their range and accuracy.
The Future of Throw-In Coaching
Throw-in coaching is now spreading globally. Clubs across Europe, MLS, and even youth academies are beginning to see the benefits. Gronnemark himself has worked with more than a dozen professional teams.
As analytics continue to shape football, throw-ins are likely to be studied with the same rigor as pressing metrics or set-piece xG. In fact, some analysts predict that within a decade, dedicated throw-in coaches will be as common as set-piece coaches.
Why Tuchel’s Voice Matters
Thomas Tuchel’s endorsement is significant because he is not a coach typically associated with long-ball football. His identity has always been tied to intelligent pressing, positional play, and tactical flexibility. By openly supporting the revival of long throws, Tuchel legitimizes them as tools not only for underdogs but also for elite clubs chasing trophies.
It sends a clear message: in modern football, no detail is too small to ignore.
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