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EXCLUSIVE: Ramon Vega: Defenders need to be more clever against 'specialists in the dark arts'
Yahoo Sport Business Correspondent Ramon Vega gives a defenders perspective on what it's like to battle 'specialists in the dark arts' like Diego Costa and Duncan Ferguson.
The dark arts provide strikers with some of their most reliable ammunition in their battles against defenders on the pitch.
Diego Costa’s running confrontation with Gabriel at Stamford Bridge last weekend was a prime example of this, as he used all the tricks in the book to try to get a reaction.
Gabriel should have known better than to walk straight into Costa’s trap. Although his red card has been rescinded, his sending off was a crucial turning point in the match and those lost points are now gone for good.
It is certainly tough for defenders, with referees usually focusing their attention on them rather than forwards, but Gabriel should still have shown a greater degree of professionalism and refused to have taken the bait.
Costa may be receiving a lot of attention for his physicality, but- believe me- he is no Duncan Ferguson!
Big Dunc was quite simply the toughest, most brutal opponent I ever came up against. He was all elbows and fists. I remember one particular game when he just left a trail of destruction in his wake, with Sol Campbell in a heap with an injured shoulder and myself with a broken nose. I got the last laugh though as I actually went on to score!
Outside the Premier League, strikers tended to rely on a more subtle array of tricks, rather than just imposing sheer brute force. They were more cunning, going over at the slightest hint of contact to win penalties and free-kicks and get you into the referee’s book.
I remember in Serie A Roberto Baggio was an absolute expert at using his guile to the advantage of his team, while Francesco Totti was also a master at sucking you into a booking. You had to be constantly alert and switched on.
Insults were just par for the course really. Strikers would call you all the names under the sun, again to try and get some kind of reaction, but the best policy was always to kept quiet and ignore them.
Ian Wright was particularly garrulous, shall we say! He loved to wind defenders up and be a nuisance. That’s all part of the striker’s remit. There was one derby game against Arsenal when Wrighty was continuously chirping away and I didn’t say a word. That actually ended up winding him up instead!
There are a few old favourites that players often employ, such as pulling armpit hair when they pretend to be helping an opponent up or ‘accidentally’ treading on toes with their studs (which looks innocuous but can be extremely painful!).
However, this is all part and parcel of the game. What I think is unacceptable is a really dangerous knee-high challenge that can have serious implications for a player’s career. I was never spat at on the pitch and the only biting I have seen was when Suarez was playing!
I do think, as Costa has found out, it is harder nowadays to get away with too much, due to the intense media scrutiny and all the TV camera angles at every game. Back in the day, players used to get away with murder.
But all the provocation I experienced over the years was great training for a career in business, as it taught me to keep calm, make rational decisions and not act impulsively in word or deed. Whatever the situation, you need to remain calm. Even if that situation involves a marauding Duncan Ferguson!
Ramon Vega is a versatile high-flying executive with a comprehensive track record of driving commercial success in finance, property and football with national, international and World Cup experience as captain of the Swiss National Team in 1994. Proven experience in managing $billion funds in the asset management industry as well as a turnaround specialist who combines financial and business acumen, Ramon has a flair for inspiring others to exceed their own expectations. Follow him on Twitter here @Ramon_Vega71 (http://frompitchtoboardroom.com)
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