Players that should have position switched sooner to have a better career

Discussion in 'USA Men' started by OWN(yewu)ED, Jul 10, 2020.

  1. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Thought this one would be a fun topic. I remember all those years ago when we were so excited about Clint Dempsey and had discussions about what his actual position was and where he would go. During his Revs days, we were excited, but we were would he would become a jack of all trades master of none. There was a very fair argument at a time that he needed to play further back, and in hindsight, i could have seen that argument. I personally thought with the amount of goals he banged in we needed him as close to the front as possible. Clint was a very special and exciting player, and I hope we can find one like him again, but what about some of the others?

    I think the next comparison to Dempsey in terms of initial raw talent at one point (Im talking the 19-23 age timeframe) was Brek Shea. The idea of Brek was so interesting, he was a pretty good goalscorer, but his defending was very much above average at the time as well. I was adamant from the get-go everything about this guy spoke "left back". He felt so wasted in the midfield, where he ended up constantly playing. He was one of those unusual instances of a tall lanky guy who had good enough speed to play on the outside with proper coaching. When I heard of the Stoke signing, I kept my expectations in check because while I was hoping for another EPL team to set one of our raw molds right, Stoke were by no means the team to do it.

    One that was in England the whole time that I felt became a fun debate topic that was kind of against the grain was John Spector. There was a stretch before his biggest career changing injury that he played in the midfield for West Ham, and when we first saw the lineup I think a lot of people were bemused to see him there. But woah was that ride fun, he went from holding midfielder to CAM on a dime, and that West Ham-Man U FA Cup game was particularly memorable for that. Spector was a forward in youth converted to right back. Turns out, that might not have been the best of ideas. He appeared to have pretty good instinct on the offensive side of the ball. I thought so much so that he could have had a much better career.

    Two other guys when they first came out of college I thought needed to be converted were Wenger and Zavaleta, who were goalscorers at the college level. To me, they just seemed like they needed to be moved to center back at the next level immediately to maintain relevancy. Both eventually became JAGS (just a guy) in MLS, and at least Zavaleta reluctantly moved to central defense, albeit way too late. He's making an okay journeyman career there, but could have been much more perhaps if he developed as a possession central defender.

    Who are some other guys that you can think of off the top of your head that you think would have been better off switching positions early? Who are some current players you do not want to see fall into the trap and where do you think they belong? I know I have to be missing a couple
     
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  2. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Brek Shea---center back or center-mid
    Eddie Johnson---right-midfield or right-back
    Larentowicz---centerback
    Nagbe---attacking midfielder
    Ricardo Clark----right back
    Tommy Thompson---center mid; rb is a waste of his career
    Kyrie Shelton---right midfield, right-wing; seems to finally be there
    Teal Bunbury---right-back or centerback
    Andrew Farrell---centermid
    CJ Sapong---centerback or rightback
     
  3. Ghost

    Ghost Member+

    Sep 5, 2001
    Kellyn Acosta and Brek Shea.
     
  4. Ninjatom21

    Ninjatom21 Member

    Fulham
    United States
    Jun 1, 2017
    Maurice Edu- CB
     
  5. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #5 OWN(yewu)ED, Jul 13, 2020
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2020
    Maurice Edu is a great shout. I could have got behind that.

    I remember a few rumblings about Tim Ream to D-Mid. Interesting idea too
     
  6. cyberthoth

    cyberthoth Member+

    Nashville SC
    Aug 7, 2000
    Nashville, TN
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Chris Albright - Centerback. He started out as a high level forward prospect and eventually moved back to wing and then right back where he ended his career and even got a few caps. He was fast but never quick enough for any of those positions. He could have been a fantastic CB.
     
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  7. puttputtfc

    puttputtfc Member+

    Sep 7, 1999
    Eddie Gaven's amazing stints at GK for both Crew and NY makes me think he was better than Buffon. For some reason, he played midfield.
     
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  8. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    FCD tried Brek Shea everywhere as a teenager (LB, CB, CM, LW, Forward) and left wing was where he could be most impactful in MLS. He finished top 3 in MLS MVP voting one year.

    They did try him at LB and CB, and it didn't stick at the time. In fact, they started him at CB in one MLS game. He got red-carded and the experiment died.

    I really don't think his position mattered. He didn't have the emotional intelligence to succeed at the highest levels and with the USMNT.

    Kellyn Acosta? I don't know. Are we suggesting that he should have stayed at fullback. Cuz he was making great progress as a CM, even starting our WCQer at the Azteca (and playing well). He was the starting CM on a Supporter's Shield winning team. Then he got hurt, didn't get the transfer to Europe that he wanted, and then seemingly fell out of love with the sport for a spell. I don't know on that one either. If Kellyn Acosta was a right back, would he get into the USMNT right now over Dest, Yedlin, Cannon, and company? I guess we'll never know, but I doubt it.

    I really like the Maurice Edu and Ricardo Clark suggestions.
     
  9. Pedro Rondon H de Sá

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Jan 13, 2014
    Rio de Janeiro
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Tommy Thompson's father played as Right Back.
     
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  10. Pedro Rondon H de Sá

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Jan 13, 2014
    Rio de Janeiro
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Peter Vermes: Forward -》Center Back :)
     
  11. Boysinblue

    Boysinblue Member

    Jul 31, 2011
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    IMO as a Quakes fan Tommy Thompson is better as a unique FB than just another decent CM with a little skill. Not a position "change" but I hope Tristan Blackmon for LAFC stays as a RB, I also like his unique skillset and think he's better as a tank of a fullback like Lucas Hernandez than just another decent CB. I'd also like to see Jesus Ferreira moved to ST full time instead of playing CM/AM. I can see him being a pretty good CM/AM but would be a game-changing high work rate ST similar to Roberto Firmino, dropping into space to collect and distribute, with the ability to still run into channels when needed.
     
  12. deejay

    deejay Member+

    Feb 14, 2000
    Tarpon Springs, FL
    Club:
    Jorge Wilstermann
    Nat'l Team:
    Bolivia
    Aaron Long and Cameron should have made the mid to CB transition a lot earlier.
     
  13. TheEmptyBucket

    United States
    Jul 15, 2020
    Jose Francisco Torres - Left Back
     
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  14. frankburgers

    frankburgers Member+

    May 31, 2016
    Lol nagbe is NOT an attacking player.
    The reason why Thompson is playing is Bc he’s at rb.
     
  15. LouisianaViking07/09

    Aug 15, 2009
    EJ had the ego only to be a striker
     
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  16. mattjo

    mattjo Member+

    Feb 3, 2001
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Well and with the way his career started, I can only imagine the uproar on BS if somebody had moved him to a different position at the time it would have been needed.
     
    LouisianaViking07/09 repped this.
  17. OWN(yewu)ED

    OWN(yewu)ED Member+

    Club: Venezia F.C.
    May 26, 2006
    chico, CA
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Man I remember how big hyped we got on EJ
     
  18. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    In his 1077 minutes at amid, Nagbe has 2 goals 2 assists and WS of 7.41

    EJ looked the successor to McBride when the former debuted with the National Team.

    Would love to see Thompson on a decent team.
     
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  19. Elninho

    Elninho Member+

    Sacramento Republic FC
    United States
    Oct 30, 2000
    Sacramento, CA
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I also remember seeing Shea play CB for the U-20 NT in a friendly or two, and it was the worst I ever saw him play at any position.
     
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  20. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    Might've done better with better instruction and in a better environment.
     
  21. MPNumber9

    MPNumber9 Member+

    Oct 10, 2010
    Club:
    Los Angeles Galaxy
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I see lots of folks subscribing to the "move the Black dude to fullback" trope. Which is weird, 'cause we're talking about some dudes that had pretty solid careers as attacking players.
     
    LouisianaViking07/09 repped this.
  22. xbhaskarx

    xbhaskarx Member+

    San Jose Earthquakes
    United States
    Feb 13, 2010
    NorCal
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Anyone can do it!
     
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  23. IndividualEleven

    Mar 16, 2006
    It worked for Alphonso Davies. :D
     
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