The Development of the Universal Defender

Young English talent is progressing thanks to the influence of progressive foreign coaches

Last weekend the Premier League put on a very good advert for itself with the tie between Everton and Spurs. It was a battle between two sides with ambitions of breaking into the glass ceiling of the top four this season. While both have achieved this in the past decade, it has tended to elude both clubs, leaving them also-rans most seasons. However, this season it is more realistic than it has looked for some time.  That has to do in some part with the destructive performances of Chelsea, as well as the increased competitiveness of the lesser sides and the slight degradation of the top sides. The ceiling now looks penetrable. And a reason that both sides look capable is down to both sides respective coaches. In Mauricio Pochettino and Roberto Martinez we see two of the brightest coaches in the league. And this is evidenced by their development of young versatile players.

There is a paradox in the Premier League which stifles sides who develop good players and whose teams win games. These players become appealing to the ‘elite’ clubs who prey on these clubs with their vast wealth and appeal. It destabilises the players focus and tempts vast millions in front of the owner. As soon as a side comes close to compete, it has its best taken away from them and like a cruel game of snakes and ladders denies them the chance to truly compete. 

Everton seemed to buck the trend in the summer when they were able to keep their young and promising defender John Stones from the claws of Chelsea. It highlighted that clubs were not as easy to tempt anymore, with even £40m not able to convince a club to sell. It was a moral victory as well as a footballing one. Everton preferred to keep the precocious talent of Stones to help the club achieve its ambition of Champions League football. 

Unfortunately, Stones has not been able to prevent Everton falling behind the hunting pack, with the club sitting in 11^th place, 9 points off Spurs in 4^th. Unfortunately its been a case of letting wins slip into draws for Everton, who have been guilty of throwing away several winning positions this season. 

It appears to highlight a clear shortcoming in coach Roberto Martinez’s philosophy, or shall we say his lack of defensive nous and inability to control games out of possession effectively. This being said, there is a clear developmental success which Martinez has achieved both at Wigan and at Everton. His appreciation for possession based football, for the need for high technical ability and a willingness for players to be confident and composed in possession, has certainly aided the development of many players under his tutelage. Martinez is bringing out the best in players like Lukaku and Deulofeu in attack, is making Ross Barkley a more effective player, yet it is his work with the defenders, in a possession sense, which is helping to develop players like John Stones, Seamus Coleman and also Brendan Galloway into very modern players. 

Martinez shares the same philosophy of coaches like Guardiola, Wenger and all those who promote a possession based philosophy. They want players who can ‘play’ and play in a way which allows these players to enjoy the ball and seek to keep the ball. For me this works in the development of young players, who are asked to take responsibility, to want the ball, and to show composure when they have the ball. One only has to see John Stones in Sunday’s game towards the end when he near refused to kick the ball out, opting to play a 1v1 battle in his own area in his attempt to create space and play. Many would criticise this decision, believing that “sometimes it has to go” but Stones kept possession and won the foul, he didn't panic. 

Now Martinez does have a problem in addressing the balance of his side and there are genuine points to raise regarding Everton’s often poor defending. Yet he is developing players who are being touted as £40m+ players. Stones arrived for £3m from Barnsley. Therefore he is clearly doing something right. And this is developing very modern players who appeal to the biggest and best clubs, those who have the most £££. And why? Because these players can play! 

Perhaps Martinez won’t break into the top four, yet he will have made Everton a lot of money in the process because there are several players whose worth has rocketed under the tutledge, guidance and of course opportunity afforded by Martinez.

The leagues most impressive coach

And for all the good Martinez is doing, perhaps it is Mauricio Pochettino who appears to be the coach who genuinely understands the league, understands what the game requires, as well as developing young players who possess the skills to succeed in the modern game. 

Pochettino’s influence on young English talent since he arrived in England has been nothing short but phenomenal. Seeing players like Shaw, Lallana, Clyne and Chambers brought on under Pochettino’s coaching has seen them move to bigger clubs and made Southampton significant profit. Now at Spurs we have seen him enhance the talent of a number of young English talents, notably Harry Kane, Ryan Mason and recently Tom Carroll. And we have seen vast improvement in players like Eric Dier, Danny Rose, Eric Lamela and Moussa Dembele to name a few. Perhaps the most impressive player of the season in the Premier League is Dele Alli, who has been given an opportunity to play and embraced it fully. His performances have shown of maturity, composure and quality. 

It is clear that Pochettino has transformed Spurs almost entirely, they look fitter, stronger, more durable and overall as good a Spurs side we’ve seen for some time. This is a coach who trusts youth, embraces youth and educates youth. And they thrive under him.

Developing a more universal player

While Everton and Spurs appear in greater positions with their respective coaches, the most pleasing element may be that the national team is being enhanced due to these coaches embracing young English talent and making them better players. The game this past weekend was proof of this, yes there some moments of naivety, a sense of the game being quite open, yet this can be put down to the exuberance of youth. But what is clear is that England’s future is being developed at these two clubs. 

Look at Stones, Dier, Alli, Barkley and Kane and you see the national teams spine for the coming years. All possess the skills and quality in their play to be top players, and this list all share that word ‘complete’. John Stones can play as a right back, central defender or holding midfielder. Dier has excelled in the holding midfielder role this season, coming in initially as a centre half. Alli looks capable of playing in any midfield position required, a truly universal type player. And Kane can be regarded as a modern day ‘complete’ forward. 

Perhaps this is down to the English development system (although Dier developed in Portugal), with players being developed under a more technical development programme, developing more skilful and confident players. The old days of defenders being just there to head it and kick it have long gone (however there is an argument to say that the education of defending has suffered with the new era of coaching).

The modern game possesses some fantastic defenders, the best of who as good in possession as they are defensively. The top sides need players who are composed, who can handle the ball with confidence and intelligence. Therefore when we talk about developing modern defenders they need to have a complete skill set. Look at Pique, Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva, Boateng, Hummels and yes David Luiz. These for me are some of the best defenders in the game, because they are able to control games with the ball, as well as being excellent defensively. 

And then of course is David Alaba, arguably the most universal footballer in the game today, capable of playing in almost any outfield position on the pitch. He is a world class talent. And his coaches have nurtured him and helped developed him into the player he is today. Having a coach like Guardiola helps too, as he is open to the idea of positional interchange and requiring multi-positional players to adapt to his tactical ideas. 

There are some fantastic universal type defenders at the top levels today, and we are now seeing the emergence of a more modern type of English defender, this is pleasing and certainly helping to enhance the quality of the national team moving forwards. 

Yet it is important to understand that these players are still young, and may still make mistakes. They still need to learn the intricacies of the role, which is why it takes till the mid/late-20's to see the best from defensive players. Which is why it's good that these young players are at clubs which help and nurture their development. As young players it is about their 'development'. And what I enjoy about seeing players under these coaches is that they are being given the chance and opportunity to experiment in ‘new’ positions. 

There is a mentality when many look at the ‘development’ of players ending at around 18 years old, the truth is players are constantly developing throughout their whole career. Allowing players to enhance their game, to try new things and to experiment are key characteristics for players to become better players. Between 18-22 years of age this is a great period for a young player; to learn what is required to be a professional, to transition between being a teen and an adult. Also to show maturity to deal with the money and fame which professional football brings. These young players need great guidance from their manager and coaches, a key element we are seeing with the players we have focused on. 

You may well argue that this development of 'all-round' players isn't actually a positive for players. There are some who criticise the versatile player and blame the coaches for not allowing a player to settle into one position and ‘master’ it. This can be seen in the criticism given to (the excellent) James Milner, who has become known as 'functional' over universal. 

And of course, there is the issue of coaches perhaps "damaging" young players with trying to make players more versatile, the case in point being Phil Jones at Man Utd. A few things with his journey; I felt he went too early to a ‘big’ club, he would have benefitted from a year or more at Blackburn to help develop his game. Moving to United you are expected to be a top player and to perform straight away, it is not an easy place to be allowed time to ‘develop’. However, my issue with Jones is he seems to lack the game and positional intelligence required to be a versatile, universal player. To succeed as a universal you need intelligence, not just a great work rate. Both Dier and Alli show this intelligence in their game, which is why I think both can offer England a lot not just in the future, but now. Perhaps it is the guidance and coaching which Pochettino provides, highlighting his quality and excellence as a coach. 

I believe in the importance of versatility, not to be a ‘utility’ player or a ‘functional’ player, but to be a player who possesses the skills capable of succeeding in an ever faster, ever technical and ever intelligent game. The more players can offer in terms of their skills and positional versatility the more they can offer a side.

It seems that young players in the modern game are being given a great education and opportunity to develop further. This is only going to benefit their careers. Callum Chambers is another who appears to be in the midst of universal development, with Arsene Wenger using him as a holding midfielder player in recent weeks. Whether out of necessity or want of Wenger, it is certainly going to help Chambers game improve and make him a better all-round player.

For all the criticism aimed at the Premier League for its lack of development of English players, this is showing to be a false critique. There are more coaches now embracing and using English talent in their sides. We are seeing more clubs using youth players. 

Coaches like Pochettino, and even Louis van Gaal are seeing the value in trusting youth, Chris Smalling has enhanced greatly under van Gaal. The reason they see the need to embrace youth is that they know they will get the players buy-in and 100% commitment and work rate from them. 

It is clear also that the league is showing an improvement in the style of football, tactics are becoming smarter, and thus the development of players improving. We are seeing the development of more skilful, confident and all-round defenders in the league. The fact this is helping the national team is very pleasing too, with more complete, universal players developing and emerging.

There is a food chain in the Premier League, as there is with all leagues and the 'elite' will seek to take the best from the rest in order to enhance their sides and weaken those around him. Unfortunately this is the nature of the beast and while clubs wish to compete for the title and to reach the Champions League, there key success is seemingly in the development of young talent. Everton and Spurs may be reluctant to sell their best players, but it is a compliment to the work they've done as a club, both at senior and youth level, to see talented players come through. 

We expect and hope the 'bigger' sides to do this themselves, yet as Chelsea prove, it is pointless to develop your own if you're not willing to give them chances to play and develop. When we see players emerge we marvel at their talent, yet it's simply a case of embracing the opportunity given. And with the way the league is now, it seems more likely that teams like Everton and Spurs will be development sides for the 'elite' of England, and perhaps those around Europe. The hope however is that the national team finally has a talent pool to choose from of players who possess the skills and yes versatility to succeed at the top level. And for this, we must praise those foreign coaches who have enhanced our young talent. 

The Whitehouse Address @The_W_Address