Bayern Munich’s David Alaba is hitting the right notes. He’s not just hitting them; he’s striking the high notes with precision and conquering any challenge thrown in his path.
Alaba has almost every realistic honour in the book, as he embarks on becoming the first player to be crowned Austrian Footballer of the Year for three consecutive years. That accolade looks to be forthcoming for the left-back.
There’s something honest about Alaba’s demeanour; he brings the best of his African-Asian-European heritage: Ambition from Africa, discipline from Austria and respect from his mother’s Filipino roots, so says his father, Georg.
His dad was raised in Nigeria, before changing base to Austria as a student and living with his uncle who worked with the United Nations. But thereafter, the music scene took control and he has been a popular DJ in Vienna.
He spent almost a decade in the Austrian army, promoted to Corporal status and was the first black man in the Guards, which demanded a serious level of focus and training when on duty.
Thus, it’s clear to see why 21-year-old Alaba has such humble roots and thinks so highly of home. He’s a “family man”, according to his father, with the ingredients of his lineage creating a fine, determined footballer.
Trawl through the archived interviews in the Austro-German media and the same descriptive will appear: modest, shy, and professional and – of course – committed to his faith.
While Pep Guardiola’s vision is still blurred, Alaba’s self-assurance at left-back when more is demanded of such a young player is notable.
– Ross Dunbar: Pep Guardiola reinventing the wheel at Bayern Munich
Rarely overawed by the prospect of playing for Germany’s ‘Super-Club’ with the traditional weight of pressure on his young shoulders, Alaba is showing signs of the same maturity that has assisted Philipp Lahm at the highest level.
As well as the previously mentioned individual accolades occupying Alaba's trophy cabinet, the left-back has won two German championships, two DFB Pokals and lifted the biggest prize of them all: the European Cup, plus the cherry on top of the UEFA Super Cup.
Even for the Austria national team, Alaba is something of a seasoned professional with 26 caps and shouldering the increasing responsibility of commanding a core role in the heart of midfield.
Perhaps a more rounded and absolute picture of Alaba’s flexibility for Austria is mirrored in the new-fangled role for Bayern captain Lahm under Guardiola in midfield.
The initial teething problems in the team’s equilibrium and cohesive shape in their first four Bundesliga matches correlates with the imbalance of the right-hand side with Lahm acting as the tester of a hybrid No.6/inside-right-back position – or until someone has a better name for it!
Whereas, Alaba has slotted comfortably into a ‘No.8’, driving midfield position for Austria, with the onus on the Bayern man to use his excellent dynamism to be an extra weapon in attack, exemplified by his match-winning display and goal in the 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland.
Former Austrian coach Marco Koller said in 2012: “He is expected to show completely different things in those positions and the central midfield one is more involved in the game and creates space for others.
“The modern full-back in possession must put pressure further up forward if the space is available.
“David has the ability to hold so many positions at a high level, that’s not a normal skill. It shows what a superb tactical training he has enjoyed.
“His adaptability and game intelligence is amazing.”
Former coach Jupp Heynckes saw the potential in Alaba as a full-back, providing overlapping runs to complement the movement inside of Ribery. His acceleration and appreciation of when to overlap was one of Bayern’s strongest counter-attacking variations in last season’s treble-winning side.
But from open-play, Ribery and Alaba could still trouble the tightest of defences through the left-sided combination-play.
Just like Brazilian double-act Cafu and Roberto Carlos who brought a new ball-game when it came to over-lapping, the Bayern Munich left-back has set the standards for others to follow.
Alaba will be the first to tell you he has much to learn; yet the Austrian is already on his way to becoming a legendary full-back in the modern game.
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