The Enforcer

I have to admit. I ain't got much of a talent playing football. I'm not very good at dribbling, my first touch is erratic and my passing is not crispy and clear cut enough. But there's one thing I'm good at, and love doing. Physical battles. I love tackling, winning an aerial battle and go shoulder to shoulder with the opponents. I would like to think that I am the enforcer of team, the role that we often hear in ice hockey. The first person to get the team out of trouble and the first person to get the team into trouble.

Many people played down the importance of an enforcer in a team. To them this type of players lacked skills  and simply just complete the namelist. But I beg to differ. An enforcer is crucial for the team because he is the one that brought in physical presence to them. He is the back bone of the team and provides a safety net for the team. He anticipates movements, steal the balls and always be available when his team mates need attacking reinforcement. An enforcer also may as well dictates the tempo of the game. When he steals the ball, he can either launch a quick counter attack, or simply hold up the ball and pass it around so that his team mates can recover.

Players like Gattuso, Vieira, Tiote and Pepe are some of the most underrated enforcers in the modern era. When the team wins, their contributions were always deemphasize let alone recognised. I have always enjoyed watching them play and try to emulate their style on the field and futsal court. I love watching every challenges and tackles they made, getting the team out of trouble. Of course, these type of players might also get the team into troubles. On too many occasions, an enforcer might committed too many fouls resulting in cards and dismissals. But of course, committing a foul without getting railed from the referee is now a necessary arts or skills in the modern game.

Me included. I enjoyed lunging aggressively to an opponent, making him eat the grass without receiving a telling off from the referee. It's a way of telling your opponent "I'm untouchable and you're in my pocket. So steps off before you eat more grass". But of course, when emotions run high and momentum is snowballing I can't help myself getting into troubles. Throughout my footballing moments, I had started several fights and brawls but luckily, I had never received a red card. I love winding up the opponent to get his head off the game, and when I see a moment of vulnerability, and voila. The brawl started. That's why I never get red carded. Because in the end, referee will assume that I'm the victim, instead of the culprit.

This gives a lot of psychological advantage for the team. But tread carefully, as this strategy might backfire. Silap haribulan, kita yang kena kad merah. And silap haribulan, the opponent dengan suma gangster kampung dusun nanti tunggu kita kat kereta kita. lulz.