Could James Rodriguez Be Right About Managers Who Only Want To Play “Fast Players”?

Colombian star, James Rodriguez, has said that playmakers are no longer preferred by football managers, who instead want fast players.

Football managers often use the 4-4-2 wide or 4-4-2 diamond formation in most competitions to utilise a winger who would run and volley in a delicate cross for a striker.

Many football managers, mostly in the English Premier League, have said in many interviews that they would rather select a player who can run fast with the ball than make use of a playmaker.

According to a recent report from Naija News, Burnley’s manager Vincent Kompany made a comment on the importance of players with quick feet as he made a little dig on Ronaldo’s pace following his exit from Old Trafford.

Ronaldo, who turned 38 this year, is said to be ageing and not as quick on his feet as he once was in his youth.

Kompany said that he would not need the Portuguese star since his club required a player who can run fast.“We need players that can run, you know,” he said.

The Belgian’s remark made clear that most clubs would like to have players that can outrun their opponents, attack quickly, and defend quickly.

Rodriguez, whose career suffered after his outstanding World Cup performance in 2014, has indicated that no football manager wants to play a No. 10, but they instead want to utilize a player who can sprint quickly in an high-tempo game.

According to a quote from Footballtweet, Rodriguez said, “Today, everyone plays in 4-4-2 or 4-3-3. Every kid wants to become a No. 10, but that position doesn’t really exist anymore. No coach plays with playmakers anymore. Now they only want fast players who have one-on-one qualities.”

Following this comment, it should be emphasized that football teams often use the 3-5-1-1 system or even the 4-5-1 formation to play a winger with excellent speed who can run down the opposition and score more goals.

This article was originally published on Naija News