At last night’s fans forum, Bulls Director of Football, Gary "Martin" Peters gave his explanation of the style of football needed to get Hereford United through this season and to remain as a League Club.
He started by voicing his dislike of the term "hoofball" insisting that it was a calculated, direct style to more quickly enable the play to take place in the areas of least risk. Using the team tactics board Peters went on to explain that the management viewed the pitch in three sections. In the defensive third, the majority of Bulls players would be in front of the ball leaving, usually, a maximum of four in front of the goalkeeper. Mistakes in this area were most likely to result in conceding goals. He also pointed out that at this level of football players were inclined to make mistakes at the back when faced with making decisions from a number of choices….restrict that choice to one and they were more likely to make the correct decision.
In the middle third, the number of players behind the ball is likely to be at least three more therefore any mistakes pose a lesser threat. Here we can play a bit more but the final third is where the players get the freedom to take on opposition players and maybe try the speculative pass. "We deliberately play the ball into the channels in front of our wide attackers to enable the wingers to get in the crosses or to cut inside and attack the goal."
"Rob Purdie's pass for Tom (Barkhuizen) to score against Burton
Peters insists it is a style that provides an opportunity for clubs on limited budgets to compete with those better off. "We are never going to be able to have players to play like Barcelona
"They are the best team in the world at closing down and getting the ball back."
"Fitness, pace and strength does enable us to be as good as anyone at that part of the game but we need to do it as far away from our own goal as possible."