Chris Smalling has stated that NemanjaVidic was more than just a defender during his time at Manchester United.
He believes that Vidic put fear into the opposition players whenever he was on the pitch. He said that NemanjaVidic was a dominant figure at the back, and this provided some security to the other players.
He stated that Vidic was focused on defending. Although he might go forward whenever he had the opportunity, he was more concerned about defending and preventing goals. He said that he was an aggressive player that always does his best in order to block any goal scoring opportunities.
Smalling said that Vidic also has some excellent leadership skills as well. He will always inspire others around him and motivate them. For Smalling, he is one of the most determined players that he has played with. Whether it is in a competitive match or a training session, Vidic will not hesitate to kick and harass you in order to get the ball. He was the kind of player that give everything during a match and put the opposition under pressure.
NemanjaVidic is also a good communicator on the pitch. For Smalling, this is the reason why he formed a wonderful partnership with Rio Ferdinand. They were always communicating and organizing the defence whenever they were playing together.
He said that Vidic has always told him that it is important as a defender to communicate with your partners. This allows you to anticipate threat and to cover for each other whenever you are under pressure.
Smalling said that he had always learned from NemanjaVidic and hope that one day he will be able to emulate his performance on the pitch.