Anonymous
05/27/2025 19:48
Subject: What position?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:So what postion does a player end up playing say by U16 assuming they are good at most positions (eg, striker, winger, cam, cm, cdm, etc)? Is that just team dependent or do they eventually express a desire to play a certain position? Or for recruiting purposes, just say they can play any position?
From experience with my kiddos... coaches will put them where they want them based on their assessment if skills / technical ability, team needs, and player input. Even pro players will change positions, all players need to be ready to perform no matter where the coach puts them.
+1
Even the "elite" pro players are placed into positions against their will. Many elite-level inverted wingers were placed there by their coaches against the players' wishes. There was a podcast where they said the inverted wingers might not have existed (and not that prevalent) unless the coaches forced some of the players into those positions.
For youth soccer, most coaches will have a good idea which position a player should play. One risk from this is that some players get stuck playing center back because no one else is proficient at that position or that player is so good at that position (and then gets stuck there). As someone else mentioned, youth soccer players should strive to be at the elite level in three different positons, but they should also be comfortable playing any position.
Why is center back a bad position?
Different poster, but here's my answer to that ...
Center back isn't a bad position at all, but there are a couple development risks if you get stuck there. Center backs at young ages can start clearing too many balls because it's an easy way to keep the team competitive. If this happens, their passing vision and dribbling won't develop as well. At the same time, their 1v1 defense and tactical line-management are constantly being tested and improved, making them a better and better center back and increasing their value to the team at that position. If they do dribble and pass enough, they still don't dribble at speed as much as other positions. Their ball control is different - less risky and less creative. It's very easy to start playing center back because the team needs a good one (it's a super important position to team success) and quickly end up a specialist there.
If you don't want to be a center back specialist, you're going to have to do a lot of things that will make other kids and parents cringe at your risk-taking.
Then if you're so-called stuck there, can't you just development center back skills rather than worry about what wingers and strikers are doing?
Of course, you could just embrace it. Similarly, if you get put at goalie and you’re good at it, you can just be a goalie. In both those cases, one primary risk imo is if you aren’t going to end up very tall. You might be locking into a position that won’t be the best physical fit for you later.
Anonymous
05/27/2025 18:37
Subject: What position?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:So what postion does a player end up playing say by U16 assuming they are good at most positions (eg, striker, winger, cam, cm, cdm, etc)? Is that just team dependent or do they eventually express a desire to play a certain position? Or for recruiting purposes, just say they can play any position?
From experience with my kiddos... coaches will put them where they want them based on their assessment if skills / technical ability, team needs, and player input. Even pro players will change positions, all players need to be ready to perform no matter where the coach puts them.
+1
Even the "elite" pro players are placed into positions against their will. Many elite-level inverted wingers were placed there by their coaches against the players' wishes. There was a podcast where they said the inverted wingers might not have existed (and not that prevalent) unless the coaches forced some of the players into those positions.
For youth soccer, most coaches will have a good idea which position a player should play. One risk from this is that some players get stuck playing center back because no one else is proficient at that position or that player is so good at that position (and then gets stuck there). As someone else mentioned, youth soccer players should strive to be at the elite level in three different positons, but they should also be comfortable playing any position.
Why is center back a bad position?
Different poster, but here's my answer to that ...
Center back isn't a bad position at all, but there are a couple development risks if you get stuck there. Center backs at young ages can start clearing too many balls because it's an easy way to keep the team competitive. If this happens, their passing vision and dribbling won't develop as well. At the same time, their 1v1 defense and tactical line-management are constantly being tested and improved, making them a better and better center back and increasing their value to the team at that position. If they do dribble and pass enough, they still don't dribble at speed as much as other positions. Their ball control is different - less risky and less creative. It's very easy to start playing center back because the team needs a good one (it's a super important position to team success) and quickly end up a specialist there.
If you don't want to be a center back specialist, you're going to have to do a lot of things that will make other kids and parents cringe at your risk-taking.
Then if you're so-called stuck there, can't you just development center back skills rather than worry about what wingers and strikers are doing?
Anonymous
05/27/2025 18:36
Subject: What position?
Or if your kid is a lefty, they get pigeon holed pretty quickly
Anonymous
05/27/2025 18:33
Subject: What position?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:So what postion does a player end up playing say by U16 assuming they are good at most positions (eg, striker, winger, cam, cm, cdm, etc)? Is that just team dependent or do they eventually express a desire to play a certain position? Or for recruiting purposes, just say they can play any position?
From experience with my kiddos... coaches will put them where they want them based on their assessment if skills / technical ability, team needs, and player input. Even pro players will change positions, all players need to be ready to perform no matter where the coach puts them.
+1
Even the "elite" pro players are placed into positions against their will. Many elite-level inverted wingers were placed there by their coaches against the players' wishes. There was a podcast where they said the inverted wingers might not have existed (and not that prevalent) unless the coaches forced some of the players into those positions.
For youth soccer, most coaches will have a good idea which position a player should play. One risk from this is that some players get stuck playing center back because no one else is proficient at that position or that player is so good at that position (and then gets stuck there). As someone else mentioned, youth soccer players should strive to be at the elite level in three different positons, but they should also be comfortable playing any position.
Why is center back a bad position?
Different poster, but here's my answer to that ...
Center back isn't a bad position at all, but there are a couple development risks if you get stuck there. Center backs at young ages can start clearing too many balls because it's an easy way to keep the team competitive. If this happens, their passing vision and dribbling won't develop as well. At the same time, their 1v1 defense and tactical line-management are constantly being tested and improved, making them a better and better center back and increasing their value to the team at that position. If they do dribble and pass enough, they still don't dribble at speed as much as other positions. Their ball control is different - less risky and less creative. It's very easy to start playing center back because the team needs a good one (it's a super important position to team success) and quickly end up a specialist there.
If you don't want to be a center back specialist, you're going to have to do a lot of things that will make other kids and parents cringe at your risk-taking.
Anonymous
05/27/2025 17:53
Subject: What position?
Usually a young player's position speciality is the unrealistic fantasy of parents with coaches having a completely different opinion
Anonymous
05/27/2025 17:51
Subject: What position?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:So what postion does a player end up playing say by U16 assuming they are good at most positions (eg, striker, winger, cam, cm, cdm, etc)? Is that just team dependent or do they eventually express a desire to play a certain position? Or for recruiting purposes, just say they can play any position?
From experience with my kiddos... coaches will put them where they want them based on their assessment if skills / technical ability, team needs, and player input. Even pro players will change positions, all players need to be ready to perform no matter where the coach puts them.
+1
Even the "elite" pro players are placed into positions against their will. Many elite-level inverted wingers were placed there by their coaches against the players' wishes. There was a podcast where they said the inverted wingers might not have existed (and not that prevalent) unless the coaches forced some of the players into those positions.
For youth soccer, most coaches will have a good idea which position a player should play. One risk from this is that some players get stuck playing center back because no one else is proficient at that position or that player is so good at that position (and then gets stuck there). As someone else mentioned, youth soccer players should strive to be at the elite level in three different positons, but they should also be comfortable playing any position.
Why is center back a bad position?
Anonymous
05/27/2025 15:59
Subject: What position?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:So what postion does a player end up playing say by U16 assuming they are good at most positions (eg, striker, winger, cam, cm, cdm, etc)? Is that just team dependent or do they eventually express a desire to play a certain position? Or for recruiting purposes, just say they can play any position?
Are you asking theoretically or related to your player?
Does that make a difference?
Yes- in as much as the question is being asked. If op’s kid doesn’t have a specific position as yet, that’s possibly a problem. Or if their player won’t play other positions except their specialty, that’s an issue as well.
Anonymous
05/27/2025 14:40
Subject: What position?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:So what postion does a player end up playing say by U16 assuming they are good at most positions (eg, striker, winger, cam, cm, cdm, etc)? Is that just team dependent or do they eventually express a desire to play a certain position? Or for recruiting purposes, just say they can play any position?
Are you asking theoretically or related to your player?
Does that make a difference?
Anonymous
05/27/2025 14:23
Subject: What position?
Anonymous wrote:So what postion does a player end up playing say by U16 assuming they are good at most positions (eg, striker, winger, cam, cm, cdm, etc)? Is that just team dependent or do they eventually express a desire to play a certain position? Or for recruiting purposes, just say they can play any position?
Are you asking theoretically or related to your player?
Anonymous
05/27/2025 14:19
Subject: What position?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:So what postion does a player end up playing say by U16 assuming they are good at most positions (eg, striker, winger, cam, cm, cdm, etc)? Is that just team dependent or do they eventually express a desire to play a certain position? Or for recruiting purposes, just say they can play any position?
From experience with my kiddos... coaches will put them where they want them based on their assessment if skills / technical ability, team needs, and player input. Even pro players will change positions, all players need to be ready to perform no matter where the coach puts them.
+1
Even the "elite" pro players are placed into positions against their will. Many elite-level inverted wingers were placed there by their coaches against the players' wishes. There was a podcast where they said the inverted wingers might not have existed (and not that prevalent) unless the coaches forced some of the players into those positions.
For youth soccer, most coaches will have a good idea which position a player should play. One risk from this is that some players get stuck playing center back because no one else is proficient at that position or that player is so good at that position (and then gets stuck there). As someone else mentioned, youth soccer players should strive to be at the elite level in three different positons, but they should also be comfortable playing any position.
Anonymous
05/27/2025 12:40
Subject: What position?
Anonymous wrote:So what postion does a player end up playing say by U16 assuming they are good at most positions (eg, striker, winger, cam, cm, cdm, etc)? Is that just team dependent or do they eventually express a desire to play a certain position? Or for recruiting purposes, just say they can play any position?
From experience with my kiddos... coaches will put them where they want them based on their assessment if skills / technical ability, team needs, and player input. Even pro players will change positions, all players need to be ready to perform no matter where the coach puts them.
Anonymous
05/27/2025 07:35
Subject: What position?
The position finds the player. It should be a natural evolution, but yes it is beneficial to be good at a few of them
Anonymous
05/27/2025 07:09
Subject: What position?
Where ever the coach plays them
Anonymous
05/26/2025 20:18
Subject: What position?
You want 2-3 positions they can play at an elite level and not 6 positions they can play well.
Anonymous
05/26/2025 20:17
Subject: What position?
So what postion does a player end up playing say by U16 assuming they are good at most positions (eg, striker, winger, cam, cm, cdm, etc)? Is that just team dependent or do they eventually express a desire to play a certain position? Or for recruiting purposes, just say they can play any position?