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In football, there are the greats that redefine the game in their respective positions. Zidane redefined the midfield role with such grace and elegance in which can simply be described as poetry in motion.
David Beckham was one of the most decorated English players in his time being captain of England and being part of a Galactico ensemble at Real Madrid and solely sparked an entire country’s interest in a sport. These are just two of an entire list of players that were legends of the game back in the 90’s up until the early 2000s.
However, I would like to pose a query. Would these old guards make the cut in the modern game that has changed considerably? No.
Anyone who is a football enthusiast will tell you that modern-day football is played very much quicker compared to the days of the old guards. More is demanded from players than they were back then.
An example of the point I am trying to make here is that of a role of a center-back. A traditional center back as I’d like to call them had only one objective in mind and that was to put their body’s in front of the ball whenever necessary and yes this requires a bucketload of bravery however compare that to a responsibility of the modern-day center-back who’s not only asked to be “brave” in front of a football when necessary but now has to be able to pass as well as a midfielder, almost always expected to score in a dead ball situation and having significant pace is also often appreciate in this fast-paced climate of football as we know and love today.
If I have not made my point clearly then allow me to persuade you yet again. However, let's now have a look at that of a role of the modern-day winger as opposed to the traditional winger. The staple traditional winger job was to provide assists to the center forward via crossing the ball into the opposition box or scoring a belter.
A classic example of a player that executed these tasks well was none other than David Beckham himself. The concept of inverted wingers was something unheard of back in the day, but it has become somewhat of a norm in the modern game.
Wingers are encouraged to be more of a goal threat now more than ever before. In some teams, the front 3 have been given the freedom to rotate their positions forcing teams to constantly readjust defensively.
The goalkeeper, the spine of the whole team’s defense has not only the responsibility of keeping out shots on target but must be the eyes of the entire team when in a defensive situation.
However, the modern-day goalkeeper must not only be good with his hand but must be quick with his feet as well. Why may you ask? Well simply because managers in the modern game expect goalkeepers to possess a level of ball-playing ability to play from the back better.
Playing from the back enables teams to recycle possession better and not unnecessarily boot the ball clear when under pressure handing the ball back to the opponents.
There is no doubt in my mind that legendary goalkeepers such as Gianlugi Buffon, Edvin Van Der Sar, Peter Schmeichel would fare well in the modern game with their commanding presence, but will they be able to Recycle possession from the back whilst under pressure from opposition attacker as well as Allison Becker, Ederson?
The fact of the matter is the modern football game demands more from every player, and if the legends of the game were to play a football match in the year 2021 the pace of the game would be far too great to comprehend.
The old guards will forever be respected for inspiring and paving the way for an entire generation of footballers, but the dawn of a new era has come, and it is time for us spectators of the beautiful game to sit back relax and enjoy the new take on the game. – The Vibes, March 16, 2021.
