The taller player, or the shorter one?
The only position that is mandated by the height of a player is the position of the goalkeeper.
Is there a first-class goalkeeper out there who is under 5ft 6?
We always imagine some short kid becoming a top-notch wing, especially if he is left-handed.
But for the 9m players, we are almost always looking for taller children.
This makes sense because most top-notch back players are of average or above-average height.
Is height really the key element when choosing back players?
Height is an advantage when we have two players with the same abilities, but it is not crucial.
Speed, psychomotor speed, and technical-tactical creativity are crucial.
If a back player is able to pass the defender to the left and right, and score a goal with the defensive player in front of him, it does not matter how tall he is.
If on top of this, he is able to work well with his teammates and create shooting space for them as well, then he is the best back player on the team, whatever his height.
Why is this important for coaches?
Height cannot be trained,
but the listed qualities can.
