Remembering the Sweeper position
In the 1960s & 70s, football was a very defensive game. The position of 'sweeper' meant you had to defend first, but you could always be involved in attacks.
PACE: Former German star, Franz Beckenbauer, was a defender who could run with the ball.
Back in the day, there were not many players with creative flair . Football teams used to aim not to lose games, instead of trying to win. The defence was what it was all about. However, some coaches wanted to be different and decided to take a chance.
They kept the idea of defending first but realised that they could have an advantage in attack too. This is where the 'sweeper' came into play. The player would defend when needed, then join the attack as the team moved forward.
Der Kaiser
Sometimes a defender would bring the ball up the pitch themselves. This was an era where forwards didn't really close down the way they do now - like teams playing the ' gegenpress '.
A defender moving with the ball could get quite far before an opponent would tackle them. Playing a one-two with a teammate or clever dribbling would create an overload.
Good on the ball
If you watch a top centre-back nowadays, most are very skilled on the ball. Former Manchester United great, Rio Ferdinand , was seen as a player who was above average in possession. As a junior, he was a midfielder, moving into the backline as he got older. When his team were tightly marked he would get the ball and advance into midfield. Eventually, someone would try and stop him, a simple pass to Giggs , Scholes or Cristiano Ronaldo would see United looking dangerous.
Although the name 'sweeper' is not really used today, you may have heard the phrase 'sweep up'. This is when a centre-back covers their defensive partner if they are out of position, exactly what the 'sweeper' used to do.
Today
One of the best today is Gerard Pique of Barcelona. He does the defensive work but is cool under pressure with the ball, knows how to pass, and even scores the odd goal.
If you play at the back, yes, defending is important. But to play at the highest level, technical ball skills are needed too.
Clean sweep..
Would the role of the sweeper be useful in today's game?
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