Green keen to make new defensive role his own
YEP 15/7/13
by Phil Hay
The idea of Paul Green as a defensive midfielder was originally the Republic of Ireland’s.
Their coach, Giovanni Trapattoni, likened him to Nobby Stiles and Rino Gattuso, saying: “They are players who are not full of class like Lionel Messi – but football is not only this.”
At club level, the task of shielding defenders is unfamiliar to Green. It was not his job at Doncaster Rovers or at Derby County and, until Brian McDermott took the managerial reins in April, it was never his duty at Leeds United.
McDermott’s tactics revolve around a midfield diamond in which Green appears to be the most suitable candidate for the protective role. He completed the final five games of last season in that guise and has continued to hone his understanding of the position during the summer. His destructive performance against Domzale on Saturday was one pleasing part of a mixed night for Leeds.
“I played in that position for the last five games of last season and really started to enjoy it,” Green said. “I’m there to help the back four out, break things up and then giving the ball to the other midfielders or the strikers. I’d like to make that position my own and have a good season there.
“I’ve played in the same position for Ireland before and the gaffer (Trapattoni) asks me to sit in front of the back four and cover the centre-backs. It’s difficult making sure you don’t get forward to much and you need to be disciplined.
“If the full-backs are bombing on, I’ve got to be sensible and sit tight. When people break on us, it’s my job to slow things down and help us get back into position.
“At this level you need to be disciplined and you get punished if you aren’t, just like you get picked off in international football. But the centre-halves talk to me a lot and keep me right. It’s a great position and I’m enjoying playing there.”
The 30-year-old has been full of running in United’s three friendlies to date and should contribute more to the early stages of the club’s forthcoming season than he did to their last. A knee injury suffered less than 45 minutes into the 2012-13 term left Green chasing his tail and match fitness until the middle of October.
The fight for positions at Elland Road is more intense this summer than it was a year ago, with no fewer than nine central midfielders available to McDermott.
All bar Rodolph Austin and Chris Dawson played in the first two friendlies against Farsley and a Slovenian XI, and Austin made his first appearance of the summer with a 30-minute outing against Domzale. Leeds took the decision to delay Austin’s involvement after his demanding spell of international duty with Jamaica last month.
McDermott was less than impressed with parts of Leeds’ display on Saturday, frustrated most of all by their failure to protect a 1-0 lead during the last 10 minutes. Slobodan Vuk’s double snatched a 2-1 win for Domzale in the closing stages of an even game.
United’s line-up was changed en masse after an hour and Green said: “The result hasn’t gone our way and we want to win all the games but that’s what happens when you chop and change. You’ve got to get what you need out of the games but it is disappointing to lose.
“Ourselves as footballers, we never want to lose a game. We’ll strive to win every game from here and the gaffer’s got the same mentality. We’ve got another friendly on Tuesday when we can put things right.
“But I think pre-season’s gone well and the footballs came out early doors because the gaffer was really happy with our fitness when we came back.
“We’ve got competition for places which is what you want and everyone’s playing for a jersey at the start of the season.”
by Phil Hay
The idea of Paul Green as a defensive midfielder was originally the Republic of Ireland’s.
Their coach, Giovanni Trapattoni, likened him to Nobby Stiles and Rino Gattuso, saying: “They are players who are not full of class like Lionel Messi – but football is not only this.”
At club level, the task of shielding defenders is unfamiliar to Green. It was not his job at Doncaster Rovers or at Derby County and, until Brian McDermott took the managerial reins in April, it was never his duty at Leeds United.
McDermott’s tactics revolve around a midfield diamond in which Green appears to be the most suitable candidate for the protective role. He completed the final five games of last season in that guise and has continued to hone his understanding of the position during the summer. His destructive performance against Domzale on Saturday was one pleasing part of a mixed night for Leeds.
“I played in that position for the last five games of last season and really started to enjoy it,” Green said. “I’m there to help the back four out, break things up and then giving the ball to the other midfielders or the strikers. I’d like to make that position my own and have a good season there.
“I’ve played in the same position for Ireland before and the gaffer (Trapattoni) asks me to sit in front of the back four and cover the centre-backs. It’s difficult making sure you don’t get forward to much and you need to be disciplined.
“If the full-backs are bombing on, I’ve got to be sensible and sit tight. When people break on us, it’s my job to slow things down and help us get back into position.
“At this level you need to be disciplined and you get punished if you aren’t, just like you get picked off in international football. But the centre-halves talk to me a lot and keep me right. It’s a great position and I’m enjoying playing there.”
The 30-year-old has been full of running in United’s three friendlies to date and should contribute more to the early stages of the club’s forthcoming season than he did to their last. A knee injury suffered less than 45 minutes into the 2012-13 term left Green chasing his tail and match fitness until the middle of October.
The fight for positions at Elland Road is more intense this summer than it was a year ago, with no fewer than nine central midfielders available to McDermott.
All bar Rodolph Austin and Chris Dawson played in the first two friendlies against Farsley and a Slovenian XI, and Austin made his first appearance of the summer with a 30-minute outing against Domzale. Leeds took the decision to delay Austin’s involvement after his demanding spell of international duty with Jamaica last month.
McDermott was less than impressed with parts of Leeds’ display on Saturday, frustrated most of all by their failure to protect a 1-0 lead during the last 10 minutes. Slobodan Vuk’s double snatched a 2-1 win for Domzale in the closing stages of an even game.
United’s line-up was changed en masse after an hour and Green said: “The result hasn’t gone our way and we want to win all the games but that’s what happens when you chop and change. You’ve got to get what you need out of the games but it is disappointing to lose.
“Ourselves as footballers, we never want to lose a game. We’ll strive to win every game from here and the gaffer’s got the same mentality. We’ve got another friendly on Tuesday when we can put things right.
“But I think pre-season’s gone well and the footballs came out early doors because the gaffer was really happy with our fitness when we came back.
“We’ve got competition for places which is what you want and everyone’s playing for a jersey at the start of the season.”
