How does a player choose his position?

[PunkScott]

Over the years we've had many a debate about players being used in the wrong roles, Arveladze as a winger, McCulloch everywhere, Papac left wing, Christian Dailly upfront, Novo on the wing etc. etc.

and there is James Tavernier (and Lee Wallace depending on whether we won or lost) he has always been a right back as far as I am aware, yet he rarely gets praise for defending and has cost us a few goals, why is he a right back then? surely he has the quality to be a winger?

Should "top" footballers be able to change roles on the field?

I don't want this to turn into a Tav bashing thread, he's just a current example.

 

[TheBearNecessities]

the manager chooses

 

[insanicdrunk]

the manager chooses

This. You read about loads of players who start out inn one role and manager changes them and the flourish

 

[omegaman]

the manager chooses

Unless you're DJ

 

[Morelos20]

To use your example.

All of Tavs good play comes when he has everything in front of him.

From a right back area you have loads of decoy pass options which allows you to fake the pass and come inside/go outside, you don't have these options in a wide attacking position someone will be right on top of you.

Playing as a winger requires a lot of back to goal work and hold up play which Tav isn't capable of.

Tav is quick for a right back but not really for a winger where more of a burst is needed.

His best crosses come from deep and not from the by line.

Barca tried Alves further forward on a few occasions but essentially he is a right back / right wing back.

And with attacking full backs you have to weigh up the good with the bad, there's no doubt in my mind we'd be a much worse side with Tav not at right back from an attacking viewpoint.

He could of course improve his positioning and game awareness.

You very rarely see a full back that can do it all these days, Carvahal is probably the best example of having defensive and attacking abilities but how much is he worth?

For what we can afford Tav is a great option.

 

[stoob]

See Gareth Bale as an example:

A decent young left back, pushed forward to left wing at Spurs then quickly became one of the best players/forwards in the world

 

[BobbyShearer]

I don't think they should be able to change positions as a pre-requisite to being a professional.

I believe the main thing you should be able to do is use both feet.
That does not seem to be a view shared by most Scottish coaches....

 

[Mad John]

manager makes the choice .

 

[albertzleftfoot]

Pretty sure I've read that at youth level Tav started out as a goalkeeper believe it or not at Leeds and then ended up as a central midfielder.

 

[Bjt]

If you're left footed like me you are almost certainly going to be a full back or a winger most of the time.

 

[coplandrearl36]

If you're left footed like me you are almost certainly going to be a full back or a winger most of the time.

This must be the easiest Sniff Sniff on FF ever.......left footer.

 

[Mearns Ranger]

To use your example.

All of Tavs good play comes when he has everything in front of him.

From a right back area you have loads of decoy pass options which allows you to fake the pass and come inside/go outside, you don't have these options in a wide attacking position someone will be right on top of you.

Playing as a winger requires a lot of back to goal work and hold up play which Tav isn't capable of.

Tav is quick for a right back but not really for a winger where more of a burst is needed.

His best crosses come from deep and not from the by line.

Barca tried Alves further forward on a few occasions but essentially he is a right back / right wing back.

And with attacking full backs you have to weigh up the good with the bad, there's no doubt in my mind we'd be a much worse side with Tav not at right back from an attacking viewpoint.

He could of course improve his positioning and game awareness.

You very rarely see a full back that can do it all these days, Carvahal is probably the best example of having defensive and attacking abilities but how much is he worth?

For what we can afford Tav is a great option.

Agree with this very much. Good post on the qualities of Tav.

 

[TQ3]

It depends on the teams needs and how you played as a kid with mates. If you played with older boys, you would be the goalie to start with!
I played left back for my primary school team, because the team only had one left footed player and he played on the wing, so I played left back in the trials and scored with my KNEE from a corner crossed into the box!
I played defence in our street games after being goalie for ages, and so I done ok, although I got kicked out of the school team for be too aggressive in a game we were losing about 8-0, and I clattered their centre forward, got sent off and never allowed to train with the team again!