The Emergence of the Universal Footballer

In 2014 I published a book called Universality : The blueprint for soccer’s new era. That was seven years ago. So what did that mean? And have we seen the emergence of this vision? 

Universality was the idea that the future of the game will require positional freedom and variability, with interchangeable footballers capable of operating wherever required. A mix of innovative coaches and the development in Academies of a new breed of universal footballers is the reason why we are now in the midst of this vision becoming very much the reality.  A beautiful mix between coach and player is providing us a level of football we could only wish for.  

The architect of this modern trend is Pep Guardiola. At the time of writing the book he had inherited a superb Bayern side and the possibilities for the next stage of their evolution was in his hands. He made them better, but fell short of world dominance. Not winning a Champions League hampered the legacy, the dynasty was not to be and the feeling of that team lacking something was evident. They were great, but not the greatest. 

After his departure Bayern went through a period of introspection and a revolution. New players brought in, time was needed to imbed and build. New managers came in but struggled to attain the levels of Guardiola. And then by chance Hansi Flick took over the reigns and they found what they had been looking for. He took the club to new levels of brilliance and success. Bayern, after a decade of seeking to become the world’s best team, as well as the most innovative, appeared to have reached that point. As I argued last season, Flick embraced the ideas of universality and made Bayern a juggernaut. 

Success built on the talents of universal style footballers; Joshua Kimmich – perhaps the best in the world at playing multiple positions, Alphonso Davies – a 19 year old forward turned left wing back was electric, Thiago Alcantara – a dribbling attacking midfielder turned into a controlling deep lying playmaker. Players like Coman and Gnabry could play across all the attacking areas and Muller had always been unique in his almost positionless forward play. Add that to the complete skill-sets of Lewandowski and Goretzka in their respective roles, and it was clear this Bayern team had players who ‘could do it all’. And with that Flick was able to provide a game which was controlled, dominant, exciting and fluid. 

Coinciding with this period was Liverpool, who had just won the Champions League the season before, taken City to the wire for the league and who were about to steamroll the league in 2019/20. Arguably the best side in the world at this time, this was a team built on this German idea of pressing and also universality. Klopp was talking on Monday Night Football in 2017 (link here) discussed how he views his team’s shape and roles in possession; he speaks of being ‘flexible’ and that the players can roam and interchange positions. That there wasn’t necessarily fixed positions for his players, except for perhaps the 2 CB’s and his DM. 

The key for this idea was that ‘it takes time’ to perfect and execute. Positional rotation and interchange is for me the final piece of teambuilding. That final aspect after the framework is laid, after the understanding is highest and the roles and responsibilities of all ‘roles’ are understood. When this is the case the players can move between, express themselves from within the framework and have the ability to interchange and rotate. This fluid style of football can be very hard to play against and plan for. Add that to the ability of a team to move between systems and styles. To adapt within the game. Look at Leicester this season under Brendan Rodgers and see how flexible they have become, how they can adapt and shift between styles and systems. How they dominate possession and play counter attack. They are working seamlessly, it has taken time to perfect, and now we see this idea of flexibility and fluidity emerge.

RB Leipzig have become one of Europe's best sides under Nagelsmann, a coach who embraces a fluid style of football and one who sees the importance of multi-functional players. Players like Sabitzer and Nkunku highlight the teams importance to play in different positions and roles. Angelino has thrived as left wing back come forward and this freedom and trust in his ability has brought more out of his game. And this is the point, this style gets more from the players, trusts their skills, embraces it and gives them more positional freedom. Intelligent skilful players embrace this style due to the freedom they are afforded. 

And of course, we have the architect, Guardiola. His Man City machine is in full force. The team is on a frightening 29 game unbeaten run, currently on a 20 game winning streak! They are defensively solid and playing to perfection their dominating and suffocating possession/pressing game. And within this team we see the rotation of players, use of different line-ups, players in different roles and positions each game and a continued fluidity to their game. Very impressive. The whole team as one working to near seamless perfection. A team which perhaps is greater to that which we saw when they ran away with the league in their 100 point season. What we see now is the emergence of Pep’s second era side, a better version than that before. Why? Because of the players. It’s always about the players. (And the coach too). Put these two together perfectly and you see the emergence of a great team and the best of the players.

The importance of brave and innovative coaching 

Why are Leeds capable of having players seemingly go above their ceiling, play different positions and fit into them effortlessly? Why is Stuart Dallas capable of playing anywhere on the pitch? Because they have a coach who makes his players better; more intelligent, more creative and able to do more than ‘just their position’. Bielsa has achieved extraordinary things with players deemed ordinary. Why? Because he doesn't let someones's opinion determine how much he coaches them and pushes them further. And what does he get? Better players, a better team and more success. 

 

Why should players be labelled and restricted? Why should they be pigeon holed as something, and not just seen as a footballer? 

Why are we seeing more teams looking more fluid, more able to adapt and play different roles? Because the new breed of young footballers have the skill-set able to be complete footballers. English Academies this past decade have; out of design, a change in culture, the Guardiola football philosophy becoming a key aspect of coaches psyche, developed a breed of player who are more complete than has come through before. Giving the game a greater quality of footballer. And therefore allowing the top coaches at senior level the ability to push the boundaries of what is accepted and able to achieve. 

 

We have mentioned Kimmich already, a central midfielder with a great skill-set, who some coaches would play at RB and keep him there. But he can offer more! And play in other areas excellently. Alexander-Arnold is a superb playmaker, and has found his skill-set excelled as a right wing back, but he was a central midfielder through his youth career and could easily play anywhere on the pitch and excel. He has the tools to do so. Look at Joao Cancelo at City under Pep. A player who can be seen as ‘good right wing back’ but who is now showing his ability to play and drift between wing back and central midfield within games, who can play on the left and right without issue. Why? He has the skill-set to excel. Pep has allowed this quality to excel and thrive. He hasn’t limited him. He has brought out more in him. 

Too many coaches still too often limit and restrict their players, they label them and tell them ‘you can’t do that’, or ‘stop that, you’re just a full back’. These are the limiters and restricters, the people who won’t help produce top players. They will have functional teams and perhaps will get results. They will make excuses and talk of lack of money etc, but the truth is their limitations in their beliefs and creativity are the true limiting factor. How sad and unfortunate. 

 

Youth coaches/developers are essential in the development of these players. The key is to develop the tools at a young age, gives players a great array of skills to execute on the pitch. If we limit our players at a young age, how can they be equipped to deal with a fluid and flexible game? And this does highlight the emergence of world class English talent which has come out of the Academy system in recent years. A sign of the great and transformational work which has happended in the last decade. These Academies have pushed the limits in terms of quality, have created greater environments for players to emerge and develop, have provided world class coaching which has developed greater skills in their players. A few years ago there was a concern that young players were being wasted and lost in the system. Well this is changing for the better. And we are seeing a truly golden generation coming through right now. 

 

England's Truly Golden Generation

The best of his generation looks to be Phil Foden at Man City. A player who dribbles with such elegance and class, who understands the game and makes superb decision for such a young player. He is a skilful genius and the future of English football. 

And there's more, many more! 

Jack Grealish is sublime talent, nurtured at Aston Villa, a local lad who has come through with the skills and mentality to emerge as one of the best in the Premier League. Another superb dribbler, who runs with the ball and attacks 1v1 with such poise and cunning. He has a coach who has brought out the best in him, allowed him to express and be creative  His game has gone to a new level in the past 12 months and really is as exciting a player England can select. Similar to James Maddison, who came through at lower league Coventry City, he is an attacking midfielder with a sublime skill-set and quality. Who with opportunity is just excelling at the top level. 

Look at the emergence of Bukayo Saka this past 12 months too? Another young player given an opportunity and he has excelled from it. Arguably becoming Arsenal's most important player. And his position? Well he can seemingly play anywhere, and influence the game from anywhere too. He is truly a universal talent. Not just functional but top quality and able to adapt to any position required. He really does appear to have it all. 

Harvey Barnes has similarities to Grealish and is thriving in the Premier League. A quality coach, trusting a young local lad, and he has repayed the faith, so much so that Barnes has been one of the best creators and goalscorers this season and a big reason why Leics are doing so well. Another English talent added to this high quality crop. 

And what about Jude Bellingham? Another Birmingham lad coming through. Credit to the work the guys at Birmingham City Academy did with him. Many of these players are coming through at Cat 1's, but Birmingham are one of those top second tier Academies who produce some real gems. Look at Nathan Redmond and the career he has had, and the talented Demari Gray. But Bellingham is something special. They didn’t limit him, they nurtured his skills and gave him the platform to be a great player. They didn’t label him a type of player, they sought to make an all-rounder, capable of doing it all. His number 22 is to recongise this, he is an all round midfielder, a 4, 8 and 10 – capable of doing it all. He reminds me of Gigi Winjaldum, another who has the skill-set to be everything expected of him and who has been something of an undervalued part of Liverpool’s success in recent years. 

And what about Mason Mount at Chelsea, another has all the tools to be superb player. Similar to Youri Tielemens at Leicester, this type of all-rounder is becoming essential in a fluid and flexible game. These top coaches are requiring this type of player and it seems England’s Academies are producing more and more of this type of player. 

Although Jamal Musiala has chosen to represent Germany, he is very much of product of Chelsea and the English Academy system. And this is a player trusted at 17 years old to play for Bayern in a Champions League knockout fixture in central midfield, and scores in a 4-1 win away to Lazio. These kids are ready! 

Equipped in all areas; technically, tactically, physically and psychologically to deal with the demands of the top senior game, and not just deal with but excel within it. It’s a true credit to the work that has been done in the Academies. Perhaps Chelsea are the true standouts when it comes to developing players who can excel in the professional game. Players like Mount, Abraham, Loftus-Cheek are just some of the high quality players that have come through, add in Lamptey at Brighton and now Musiala and you see a place where players are coming through at a incredible rate. 

A special mention to Norwich's Todd Cantwell also, another who I believe has a big future and who has this complete skill-set in his game. I recently watched him live and was blown away by his quality, confidence and intelligence. I believe he is capable, like these players above, to play at the top level of the game. Another fantastic footballer coming out of an English Academy. It's not a coincidence, or fortune, this is the product of over a decade of quality work and a coaching culture which is progressive, creative and innovative. These players are the products of their environments, and a decade after I wrote The Way Forward, it really does feel as though the quality of development has gone to a whole new level of excellence!

England's future looks very bright indeed! We didn't even mention the attacking options like Sancho, Sterling, Rashford and Kane. All of who can be argued to be capable of playing across the forward line; interchangeable, able to be fluid and flexible. It is football's future, and seemingly England, it's league and their Academies, appear to be leading the way in this progressive style of football! 

 

The game appears to be heading towards one of complete, universal footballers. With it the ideas of universality can be truly recognised and achieved. We appear to be in a period where the top sides and coaches are seeing the value in universal football, in players with the ability to do it all. The importance of fluidity and flexibility are key to success. This doesn’t happen overnight, in terms of style and player development, it takes times and patience, but...trust the process and we have the ability to take the game to a whole new level. Seven years after writing about football’s future, it feels we are now in the midst of it!

The Whitehouse Address @The_W_Address