The Slide Tackle

[The General]

Just wondering how many coaches actually teach their players how to slide tackle,or is it a self taught skill? Myself ,i dont like it,dont encourage any of my players to use it,probably because i was never encouraged to use it. I am from the old school,in the late 70s/early 80s some coaches would drag players if they did a slide tackle-mostly defenders, and if they mis-timed it,immediately put their own defense under pressure.
Apart from the offside rule,i think,the slide tackle is another part of the game that can infuriate players,coaches,officials and spectators all at the same time,and ,i think it would eliminate a lot of the diving that goes on. Some players are so good at making the tackle look legitimate,allegedly their intent is to injure the player in the process,and it's difficult for the match officials to detect if contact was made with the ball first.Then there are players who win the ball cleanly,and are penalised because the player who was tackled goes to ground and makes some agonising sounds wins the free kick.
Getting back to old school,I always heard the expression,"a good player tries to stay on their feet,rarely see a good player going to ground to win the ball. Players slide tackle because they are too lazy to chase." It was more about postioning,block tackles (dont see much off these days ) running with your opponent.
I believe there is too much of it,creeping into the game like a cancer,where it detracts from the game.
The game needs more good dribblers-( I know some of you will think I have dribbled on a bit too much )i was inspired to write the above,after watching and playing 5-a-side and 7-a-side,wondering why it is so much fun ( no slide tackling allowed where i play,instant red card ).

[Bomber]

Used to love the slide tackle, but only when the ground was wet could it be executed with such grace!

[Green_Manalishi]

Would really like to hear what the resident refs think. IMHO Son of a Manalishi is a beautiful practitioner of the slide tackle and has yet to cause anyone injury, incur the wrath of his coach or pick up a card, mainly because he makes sure he gets it right.

Definitely self-taught.

I just dread the day he's a couple of centimetres out in his judgement - although he has missed a couple of games after getting cleaned up when the roles were reversed.

[muts]

when you're running with an attacker I always found the slide tackle an extremely effective tool to clear the ball.
When you run at a player and use a slide tackle, then there's going to be a tangle.

[Red-4-Life]

if its a clean tackle then good on the defending player, studs up...yellow card and red depending on the severity of the tacke. ie. if contact is made.

[First Yellow Card]

Done from behind is also a bookable offence.

[Red-4-Life]

tackle from behind is asking for a send off

[First Yellow Card]

Too often referees don't punish it as such. :?

[Astroboy]

IMO you can't make generalised statements such as "a tackle from behind is a bookable offence". What happens if the tackler doesn't make any contact with the tacklee? You're not going to book the player, even if he has come in from behind (I've seen it happen, through the legs).

It's why I like using "careless, reckless or using excessive force".

Careless = free kick
Reckless = yellow card
Using excessive force = red card

But of course this is just a guide - every situation is different.

[Red-4-Life]

if they win the ball play on, no booking and then i would agree with that you said about careless, reckless and excessive force.

[Chelsea4thewin]

make sure u get the ball or ur in trouble

[Red-4-Life]

make sure u get the ball or ur in trouble

thats the simple way to put it

[First Yellow Card]

make sure u get the ball or ur in trouble

Getting a touch on the ball doesn't mean it is not a foul.

[Red-4-Life]

yep true, its annoying when players go..."but i got the ball ref" when the other player is on the ground in pain

[First Yellow Card]

Like I said in my very first post in this forum

[Ernie Cooksey]

a slide tackle is a thing of beauty. love 'em.

[Bomber]

a slide tackle is a thing of beauty. love 'em.

certainly beats the modern shirt pull

[First Yellow Card]

a slide tackle is a thing of beauty. love 'em.

certainly beats the modern shirt pull

I most certainly agree with that. A shirt pull should be an instant red card.

[Red-4-Life]

a slide tackle is a thing of beauty. love 'em.

certainly beats the modern shirt pull

I most certainly agree with that. A shirt pull should be an instant red card.

if it were the second last defender who pulled the shirt and an obvious goal scoring opportunity was denied. otherwise a yellow or a warning

[First Yellow Card]

I know what it is, but it should be red. There is no reason to grab an opponents shirt. A late tackle you can argue as mistimed, but shirt pulling is blatant cheating and there is no place for it in our game.

[Hawkesy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMTL9Dm-nYo

So, you'd want to ban this tackle.

A slide tackle is a thing of beauty, if you time it well. If you don't then you rish a red card and leaving your defence in stook.

Too much sanitisation of the game is occurring, they'll make it a non contact sport soon.

[The General]

I agree with you Hawksey,it is an art,however it is not often you win possession of the ball after a slide tackle. My concern is that there are at our level of soccer there are too many inconsistencies with the tackle,so easy to get it wrong,whether it's the timing of the tackle or players diving every time they are slide tackled. So many times the player makes contact with the ball first,some times only the ball,yet are penalised.
There was an incident in the W League Grand Final last week,where the Sydney player did what you and i would probably call the perfect slide tackle,from the side,made clear contact with the ball only,yet the referee chatted to her, appeared to be warning her not to do that again - even the commentators had to make an uneducated comment in favor of the referee of course, Then lo and behold,just a few minutes later, two of the Qld players did two slide tackles within about 20 seconds of each other,of what i call the more dangerous type - sliding front on directly towards a player with ball,with the studs up,took out the ball and the player,and the Referee just waved play on,no free kick,no one spoken to, commentators were speechless.
All i know,is if the score 0-0,you are in injury time (second half ) real crucial game,you are just inside the penalty box ,near the goal line, opponent is trying to get past you,you do a slide tackle and win the ball,but your opponent dramatises his fall,and exagerates the pain and agony,referee awards a penalty - half the crowd cheer,the other half boo,but you dont complain because you live and die by the slidetackle.

[johnydep]

a slide tackle is a thing of beauty. love 'em.

certainly beats the modern shirt pull

I most certainly agree with that. A shirt pull should be an instant red card.

Agreed. The shirt pull is killing attacking football, a professional foul that is conducted more often than diving.

[johnydep]

Just wondering how many coaches actually teach their players how to slide tackle,or is it a self taught skill? Myself, i don't like it, don't encourage any of my players to use it, ..........

I always enjoyed using the slide tackle, they're an effective tool of the game, enjoyable and beautiful to watch if conducted correctly.

However, these days I also do not encourage it. I find that it is a skill that only a few can master and it is better to let the player find out themselves if they have the required talent.

Anyone notice how many slide tackles Lucas Pantellis used on Friday night? Lucky if a third of them were effective; this then becomes dangerous as the attacking player continues while the defending player is on the ground, or gives away a free and/or booking.

[Squizzy]

It is a last resort and has a high element of risk but..... Yes, I do coach it. Only from the side; never directly in front.

It's part of our game (a good part), so it should be taught. So far (knocking on wood), no injury to any player doing it or receiving it.

[swannsong]

The way some of the playing surfaces have been recently you will leave a lot of skin on the park if you try to slide tackle !

[Squizzy]

She's got good technique though!

Nicely tanned body too. I'd tend to her injuries

[swannsong]

She's got good technique though!

Nicely tanned body too. I'd tend to her injuries

Yes ! I thought the image illustrated the slide tackle quite well

[Kitchimo]

The way some of the playing surfaces have been recently you will leave a lot of skin on the park if you try to slide tackle !

Glenunga did that to me on Tuesday night

[Red-4-Life]

The way some of the playing surfaces have been recently you will leave a lot of skin on the park if you try to slide tackle !

Glenunga did that to me on Tuesday night

Glenunga's pitches are garbage. i would know as my school (which i thankfully have finished) played games on those crap pitches. Unluckily, Metro Utd have the priviledges of using the mud baths as a home ground.