Herbert Chapman and the rebirth of English football

Herbert Chapman was football's first and arguably finest visionary, to say the least. His ideologies and innovations sparked new life in English football and were the first steps to what we know today as the beautiful game.

Chapman's first steps into management

Herbert Chapman started off as a mediocre footballer in the late 1800s, which carried onto the early 1900s. Chapman then started his managerial career with Northampton Town, where he remained in charge between 1908 and 1912. He led them to the Southern League title and started gaining recognition for leading an ordinary roster to the title.

His services were then secured by his native club Leeds City, where he would recreate the success he achieved with his previous club. But this time, he got a way better roster to work with. It's safe to say he started his legacy at two clubs that couldn't have strayed further from being either top-tier or well-known.

In 1921, Herbert Chapman took charge of Huddersfield Town, a way better team than his previous two clubs. He led them to two first division titles as well as the FA Cup in just four years of being in charge.

The work he did on the field was appreciated by everyone. However, his dedication off the field was quite impressive too. Chapman worked with youth teams and other staff to sharpen his tactical prowess as well as improve his line-up.

This type of management was considered odd, especially during his time; off-the-field work and thinking outside the basics was considered unnecessary. His methods and success quickly spread across the country and he was already considered a top manager for his rather peculiar management style.

Arsenal days and the beginning of the revolution

When Chapman joined Arsenal, they were nothing more than a mid-table club capable of delivering good performances against top clubs with a dedicated and loyal fan base. He was already considered a top manager by then, but the visionary in him wanted more.

Herbert Chapman is considered as the first man to modernize football. He introduced many of the things we see today in football, but most of the audience don't realize it.

Chapman's first implementation outside of tactics on the field came surprisingly in training. He introduced floodlights at Highbury, something unheard of, allowing his side to train at their home stadium after dark.

Furthermore, Chapman acted as a key figure in organising the first radio broadcast of a live match. His steps were integral in converting football into a brand.

While Herbert Chapman's work off the field is lauded for turning football into household entertainment, he also takes equal credit for innovations on the field. He is said to be the first to introduce numbered shirts and rubberized studs on boots. These were initially not accepted widely enough during his time and were globally accepted after the Second World War, changing the game forever.

The 'W-M' and the rebirth of English football

Arsenal, in a transition period, lost to Newcastle 7-0 in October 1925. The loss was the turning point in English football as new offside rules were also invented. They reduced the number of defending players that needed to be in place from three to two.

Even though Herbert Chapman didn't like the rule, he responded in a manner which saw football, let alone English football, change forever. Herbert Chapman invented the 'W-M'. This was a way to get around the off-side rule while having a solid defense in place.

The 'W-M', which was referred to as the 3-2-5, 3-4-3 or accurately 3-2-2-3, consisted of three defenders covering just in front of the goalkeeper while spreading out evenly to stop long balls and counter-attacks.

The centre-back was introduced by Herbert Chapman to stop the centre-forward effectively. The holding midfielder disappeared with the introduction of two central midfielders. They were told to cover the defenders as well as support the attackers or as we know them simply as 'box-to-box midfielders'.

In the attack, two wingers stayed forward and wide to launch crosses, whithe lone striker was assisted by a playmaker who exploited the spaces just behind the attacking midfielder. The other midfielder, meanwhile, switched to help the wingers as well as the two central midfielders at the base. The attacking midfielders and the forwards lined up on paper in a 'W' and the base midfielders along with the defenders in a 'M', hence the name 'W-M'.

Arsenal only finished second in the league but the change and the spark of a new generation in the game was evident. However, many of the so-called football 'scholars' were highly critical of the changes which they thought to be 'a defensive step backward'.

Herbert Chapman's statue outside the Emirates Stadium

Herbert Chapman's ideas make up 80% of the football we see today. He was the epitome of football visionaries. His policy in linking business with football and his role in turning football into an entertainment media is still considered to be the greatest revolution the sport has ever seen.

Most of the tactical innovations we see today are either a variation of Chapman's direct ideologies or are heavily influenced by them. Can anyone imagine football without a box-to-box midfielder or the centre-back in the modern era? No, and we have Chapman to thank for that.

Herbert Chapman's legacy is highly underappreciated and overlooked by the general audience. The fact that he revolutionized the game at a time when the sport was considered merely a betting event makes his efforts all the more praiseworthy.

It's about time we, as the general audience, acknowledged Herbert Chapman's legacy, for without him, football itself might have been non-existent, let alone modern football.

Edited by Sudeshna Banerjee