I was shown this clip of a young player who plays the role of sweeper for his team. It is an excellent example of the art of the sweeper.

I think the sweeper position is one of the best ways young players can learn the art of defending. You can go man for man marking because the sweeper covers the spaces that zonal defending takes care of.

They also provide great cover for your defence.

I think coaches of young squads should bring back the classic libero into their teams – learning to be a sweeper makes 10, 11, 12-year olds more intelligent players.

Watch the clip, it helps you realise how much cover a sweeper can provide for your team.