Association Football and How to Play It/Chapter 2
CHAPTER II.
Full-Back Play.
One associates the full back with long and lusty kicking, but he must possess many more qualifications. He must be speedy, a fine tackier, and, above all, a good header of the ball.
He must also keep himself thoroughly fit, although in one way he has not so much to do as the men in front of him. He must be strong in defence, but again, when his side is having the most of the play he should be able to put in many a good shot. It is also requisite that he should be able to kick as well with one foot as the other, and boys especially should study this point. It is simply a case of practice. Every opportunity should be utilised in developing the left foot, which is rather weaker than the other, and every eleven out of twelve are greatly inclined to use the right foot, but if you keep on practising, it will not be long before you will be quite as proficient with your left as your right. To become a good artist you must study kicking the ball from any position or angle that it may come to you. There is what we call the drop kick, the free kick, the overhead kick, the place kick, and taking the ball on the run. The overhead kick is practically one to be avoided, except in a grave case of emergency, because you are never certain of it coming off, or of placing it to any advantage. The drop kick also takes a great deal of practice to be accomplished with anything like success, but the essential thing is to be able to keep the ball on the run and kick it where you desire. A back should be of a steady disposition and always keep cool, for if he loses his head he is of little or no use to the side. It is also necessary to know when to head or kick the ball. It is often imperative that a back, for the good of his side, should punt the ball over the touch-line, but when doing so he should not make a lusty kick and put it over the grand stand. All that is wanted is a gentle touch to the railings, which is the proper thing to do. As I have already remarked, to know how to head the ball is of the utmost importance, and it is effective in clearing the line, especially from corner kicks. Heading is quite an art of its own, and takes a long time to master. You should be able to get at the ball not only with the forehead, but with either side of the head.
There should be a general understanding between the two backs, and also between them and the goalie. Each should understand the other's play to a nicety, and cover one another's mistakes to a certain extent. They must have confidence in their goalie, and should give him plenty of room in which to operate. It is also important to know when to pass back to the goalkeeper, and to do so correctly. I have seen many goals scored from faultiness in this respect. In tackling, a back must be quick in turning, so that if the forward beats him he has a chance of over-taking his opponent. This has always been a strong point in the play of all our greatest backs, and should be cultivated by all those who wish to succeed. To the uninitiated it seems that when the ball comes to a back he should return it vigorously, and nothing more. This is far from being correct. Many of our best backs have been moderate kickers, but when they did kick they did so with discretion and judgment, placing the ball to the half-back if he was free or to the outside right or left, as the run of the play might be. Above all, a back should be a fine tactician, knowing when to go for the ball or when to put it quickly into touch, thus giving his fellow players time to get back and save the position. There have been many fine full backs during the last decade of football history, and probably the greatest were the brothers Walters, of Corinthian fame; Nick Ross, of Prestan North End; and Walter Arnott, of Queen's Park. The two Walters understood each other thoroughly, and as a pair were second to none. Arnott 