The Old Fashioned Centre Half, a Dying Breed?

In the past number of years, football has seen many changes. Some would argue too many changes. Many die hard fans of the 'beautiful' game argue that there is no longer any physicality in the game, that football has become a non contact sport. there is a group of players that have suffered greatly from the newly found lack of 'rough stuff' in the game and these are the centre halves. If the game keeps changing at the rate at which it already is, pretty soon, the centre half, as we know it, may cease to exist as his job will not be within the boundaries of the law.

The great Brian Clough tells us in his Autobiography entitled "Cloughie: Walking on Water" that a good team can be formed by emphasising on three crucial elements. These elements are Centre Halves, Centre Forwards and Goalkeepers. Clough explains that the fundamentals of any team is not to concede goals and it is the primary ambition of the centre half to do what he can to ensure this.

Up to recent times, the battle between the centre half and the centre forward was an enthralling clash of the titans that often decided the winners of the game. For the full ninety minutes the two players would go through a physical slog each trying every time to get the better of the other, whether it be hard and fair challenges when the ball is there, or little niggles and scuffles off the ball.

The perfect centre half was a player who could dominate in the air and win the ball consistently in the tackle, whilst always winning the battle with the centre forward. When we think of centre halves that come close to meeting this criteria, we think of men like Tony Adams, Gary Pallister (pictured), Paul McGrath and in more recent times Nemanja Vidic. These are players that the centre forward would dread having to face. These are men that would dominate the forward and let him know he was there. It would really take a good forward to beat these players. the forward would need something special.

Sadly, because of the newly found strictness of referees, Nemanja Vidic is one of only a few of his kind still playing at the top level of football today. These days the defender at the top level is usually what I would call a 'footballing centre half.' Now, a footballing centre half is great, but I feel works best alongside a tough centre half. Look at the great combinations over the years: Moore and Charlton, Ferdinand and Vidic, even Terry and Carvalho. The combination of the tough centre half and the almost sweeper-like footballing centre half is the defensive system that I feel works best.

So this is what my point is. If football becomes a non-contact sport, which seems to be where it is headed, how can a tough centre half do his job, and hence, how can the best defensive system ever be deployed?

We need to stop these new regulations being brought in to protect the 'flair players.' I don't wish to sound like an old-fashioned football fanatic, because I enjoy the so-called beautiful game part of football more than anyone, but it must be said, it is a man's game. If players can't take a tackle, then they shouldn't be on the pitch.

When I say this, unfortunately the first thing that comes to mind is the horrific injury to Arsenal's young midfielder Aaron Ramsey. This was a horrible and extremely unlucky injury to get. If you look at the replay, Ryan Shawcross's foot wasn't up, there was no malice in the tackle. Yet Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger still feels compelled to come out and condemn Shawcross as a dirty player. If this is the wrath that a player will feel after an accident happens, we will find that players could end up being afraid to make a tackle for fear of breaking someones leg. This should not be the case. It was a freak accident and we should move on.

So don't let 'total football' enthusiasts such as Wenger and Johan Cruyff among others ruin the physical side to the game. Don't let them outlaw the old centre half. Remember Norman Hunter, Jack Charlton, Kevin Moran, MickMcCarthy and watch Vidic, Richard Dunne and Shawcross and tell me that you don't love to see them do what they do best.