Hints on Association Football. The tackle. The secret of a successful tackle lies in judging precisely the moment when one should go forward in an attempt to secure the ball. Sometimes it's necessary to stand up and wait for the opportunity to occur; to ?in when the opponent has the ball under close control is to play into his hands. The best chances to make the challenge before the man has been able to collect the ball and bring at his feet. If the ball cannot be retrieved the aim should be to compel the man to part with it and cover him so that he can only get this in one way. Undated.