Which Player

[Guest alex]

Libero/sweeper in the classic Kraut tradition tbqfh

Not really, he was the interpreting his role far more offensive than the classic role. Maybe a bit more like Beckenbauer. They started calling it the the Libero/sweeper in front of the defenders to distinguish it from the old fashioned liberos (like Augenthaler etc.) who played behind the defenders. This was a huge step from going from old fashioned man marking systems to a more zonal system.

I guess you know more about it than me mate but I had Beckenbauer in mind really. I suppose he changed the role as he made it into a far attacking position with Bayern Munich whereas before it was purely defensive. Gullit played a similar role at Chelsea. Also, the sweeper system, as brought about by the Catenaccio system in the Inter Milan teams of the early 60's also employed the sweeper in a more attacking role than the system later became synonymous with in Italy apparently. Shame injuries knackered Sammer's career prematurely. He went into management didn't he? Is he still around?

[Isegrim 10035]

Libero/sweeper in the classic Kraut tradition tbqfh

Not really, he was the interpreting his role far more offensive than the classic role. Maybe a bit more like Beckenbauer. They started calling it the the Libero/sweeper in front of the defenders to distinguish it from the old fashioned liberos (like Augenthaler etc.) who played behind the defenders. This was a huge step from going from old fashioned man marking systems to a more zonal system.

I guess you know more about it than me mate but I had Beckenbauer in mind really. I suppose he changed the role as he made it into a far attacking position with Bayern Munich whereas before it was purely defensive. Gullit played a similar role at Chelsea. Also, the sweeper system, as brought about by the Catenaccio system in the Inter Milan teams of the early 60's also employed the sweeper in a more attacking role than the system later became synonymous with in Italy apparently. Shame injuries knackered Sammer's career prematurely. He went into management didn't he? Is he still around?

He is now technical director for the German national team (although Klinsmann wanted someone else - the German hockey manager - back then). He managed Dortmund and Stuttgart before, even won the title with Dortmund. His abilities as a manager are a bit questionable though.

 

In terms of libero Beckenbauer was rather unique for a long time as he really was very attacking minded and needed himself protection by the defenders than rather to protect defenders as has been the classical job description for a sweeper. With Sammer and other players (Thon, Matthäus) in the mid-90s the whole system got more attacking minded and in a certain way also paved the way to zonal systems like 4-4-2 which were very ununsual in German until recently.

[Bombadil 0]

Matthias Sammer was always a favourite of mine, great defender.

 

Sammer was more of a midfielder playng sweeper if I recall. Used to play so deep and just clean stuff up.

 

Yes, he wasn't really what you'd call a defender. Scored his fair share of goals too. He was always fantastic defensively though, at least when he was playing for Dortmund, that's why I mentioned him.

Edited May 25, 2007 by Bombadil