Height

[thedefender23]

Does height a main factor in determining what position a player should play at? Also does height play a role in how a player plays?(e.g. should a 6'2-6'3 player be forced to be a target forwad)

[ERIMUS]

Not always but it can help

e.g. a tall goalkeeper is in most cases a lot better than a small goalkeeper

it can also work the other way round

a creative midfielder who is small can be better than someone who is tall and big

[thedefender23]

i'm 6'3 and i hope to play as a winger this season. Am i 2 tall for this position?

[ERIMUS]

i'm 6'3 and i hope to play as a winger this season. Am i 2 tall for this position?

nope

are you fast?

[PeletoFreddy]

im 5'8" and play winger it works wonders for me..

[#1Keeper]

I'm 15 and 5' 8'' and I was the starting goalkeeper for my varsity team last season. So height really doesn't matter, you just have to know how to play and play well at your position.

[astabooty]

Does height a main factor in determining what position a player should play at? Also does height play a role in how a player plays?(e.g. should a 6'2-6'3 player be forced to be a target forwad)


despite some shorter players like davids, the average of males in the netherlands is like 6'0. i believe its around that too in germany.

[Elninho]

Goalkeepers, center backs, and target forwards need to be tall. 5'10" or so s almost an absolute minimum. There are always some exceptions: Jorge Campos, 5'7" and a first-rate goalkeeper for quite a while, and Danny Blind, a starting center back for the Netherlands in the mid-90s even though he was only 5'8", come to mind.

For defensive midfielders, there are both tall and short prototypes, which tend to play differently but can be equally effective. At attacking midfield, height is very often a disadvantage, as you really want a low center of gravity. Again there are exceptions to this rule: consider Pavel Nedved, who's a pretty big guy, 6'2" or 6'3".

On the flanks, for both wide midfielders and outside backs, height is not very relevant; speed is far more important. There isn't much need to win the ball in the air on the wings, and when dribbling, one typically has more space than in the middle, and defenders are usually beaten by pace.

Strikers... height doesn't matter, as long as they can put the ball in the net. Again, there are both tall and short prototypes, that play in different patterns.

So... generally avoid short goalkeepers, center backs, and target forwards, and tall attacking midfielders, but don't exclude anyone just because of height. For other positions, height is not especially relevant.

[metro24freak]

Well I just play soccer for fun and so does every1 on my team (it's just a school team). But I'm almost 16 and 5'0 and I've never found my height a problem playing. I play midfield or forward but usually mid and I've found ways to use it to my advantage, especially with the players who are 5'6 or 5'7. The only time i find my height to be a disadvantage is going for headers which i usually just don't bother with i wait until they come down to see what I can do with them then. I'd say height really doesn't matter that much but it deffinately helps to be tall. Of course being short helps in going for balls i think cause I don't think many people expect me to go after them as hard as I do sometimes.

[Profi]

at the lower levels it doesn't really matter.


The higher the level......the more important it is for you to fit the mould.

[rymannryan]

First, I'd like to commend you for starting a thread that doesn't have to do with shoes.

As for the actual question, the only places height really matters, like someone said, are goalkeepers, central defenders, and target forwards. Someone said attacking midfielders should be short, but I don't agree with that. The best player I've ever played against in a tournament was a 6'4 skinny attacking midfielder, and like I said, he's the best I've ever played against. He had so much pace and his skill with the ball was astounding. Not many people with that frame have blazing speed though.

Speed has always been my downfall, in short sprints. But over a longer distance, I'm fine. Its just those ten yard bursts that get me. There is nothing wrong with being tall in positions. I play in every position in midfield, and even though I'm no blazer, I'm not a slug either, and I get along fine. By the way, I'm 6'1.

And also, there's no way Pavel Nedved is over 6 ft tall. If you want to look at a tall attacking midfielder, see Zidane, Totti, Rivaldo, etc. These guys aren't small with low centers of gravity, and they've all been very successful.

[all_conference]

Height is a main factor in winning 50/50 balls espicially air ones which occur most of the time during a game. Being taller also means longer arms and legs, longer legs so others aren't able to dribble around you and longer arms to help shield players off the ball or to bump someone off the ball. They won't be able to win it because your longer arms will block them from getting close to the ball.

[Deuteriumoxide]

at the lower levels it doesn't really matter.


The higher the level......the more important it is for you to fit the mould.


I'd argue that at the lower levels it is MORE important. In the lower levels where the disparitys in skill levels are smaller things like size have more imporants. A forward who might not have a lot of skill but is 6'3" tall and dominant in the air will go a long way at the lower levels.

[footyfreak007]

regarding height and centre-backs, look at william gallas of chelsea and joseph yobo of everton. both are pretty slight(not over 6ft). however, both are quick. you have to be quick and fit to play any position in this game.

[Tony Dellbird]

Height doesn't really matter that much when you're young because all the kids are smallish some exceptions, who some are scared of, so it works either way, the tall ones are sometime played to either intimidate or not played because they're oafish. But if you're small when you're quite old you'll find that if you aren't strong you will just get pushed off the ball by the more stocky taller players.

[Elninho]

First, I'd like to commend you for starting a thread that doesn't have to do with shoes.

As for the actual question, the only places height really matters, like someone said, are goalkeepers, central defenders, and target forwards. Someone said attacking midfielders should be short, but I don't agree with that. The best player I've ever played against in a tournament was a 6'4 skinny attacking midfielder, and like I said, he's the best I've ever played against. He had so much pace and his skill with the ball was astounding. Not many people with that frame have blazing speed though.

Speed has always been my downfall, in short sprints. But over a longer distance, I'm fine. Its just those ten yard bursts that get me. There is nothing wrong with being tall in positions. I play in every position in midfield, and even though I'm no blazer, I'm not a slug either, and I get along fine. By the way, I'm 6'1.

And also, there's no way Pavel Nedved is over 6 ft tall. If you want to look at a tall attacking midfielder, see Zidane, Totti, Rivaldo, etc. These guys aren't small with low centers of gravity, and they've all been very successful.

Oops... I meant Patrik Berger, who was a very good attacking midfielder in his day. 6'2" or 6'3", if I remember correctly.

[fire8]

It depends. I'm 5'2'' and I play midfield, and am a very talented midfielder. So, if you have the talent, then I'd say height doesn't matter.

[soccer4life_7]

im a center back and im 14 in agust and im 5'8. do you think i'll grow much more? i dont' wan ta be too tall cuz usually really tall players are usually clumbsy?

[fire8]

Not necessarily. How's your footwork?

[LeslieSantosfan]

height doesn't make a player.

Physical ablities, skillz, field vision, and creativness are the measurement of a player

you can be tall and slow, or short and lighting fast. It all depends on if you know your body enough to know what to do with your body during a game.

A tall guy might be slow, but he can train to have quicker reaction and positioning to match up with quicker people.

A short guy can use short bursts of explosive speed to steal the ball and steal better positionings after a taller guy brings down a ball in the air. Heck, you can even play tricks on the taller guy by using ur speed to get him off position and off balance to miss a header.

A team only need 4 tall people: 1 tall goalie, 1 tall defender, 1 tall midfield, 1 tall forward. The reason is for set play purposes.