Luka Modric, the Croatia midfield player, may be too slight for the Premier
League. This is not the opinion of some clod-hopping managerial philistine,
who sees the centre of the pitch as a battle for survival between the
biggest and fittest, in which flair and invention are the collateral damage,
but of Arsène Wenger, a man who has dedicated his professional life with
Arsenal to producing the most skilfully aspirational club side on the
planet.
Modric is the big summer signing of Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal's local rivals,
so it would be possible to read mischief into Wenger's words, too, were they
not delivered in casual conversation at an Austrian airport, while waiting
to board a flight to Switzerland. Wenger was one of only two Premier League
managers who maintained a constant presence at the 2008 European
Championship finals - Roy Hodgson, of Fulham, was the other - so his
opinions have not been formed with half an eye on a television set in a
Caribbean hotel bar.
Wenger has studied Modric's spindly legs and twig-like frame first hand and
visualised him being snapped in half by an opponent twice his size in the
depths of an English winter. Isn't that a shame? It gets nippy in Zagreb in
January as well, (the average winter temperature is 34F, or 1C) and to judge
by some of the specimens that drove across central Europe flying the
red-and-white chequered flag, they also produce some pretty big blokes
there. Indeed, aside from the rise in standard - and Modric, as one of the
most talented players in Europe, should be untroubled by that - there really
is little in England that he will not have encountered at home. Yet Wenger,
arguably the most sophisticated thinker in the Premier League, would not
take a chance on him.
Having delivered his verdict, it was pointed out that Cesc Fàbregas, Arsenal's
playmaker, is not exactly the first person one would call on to get a book
off the top shelf in the library, but Wenger saw it differently. He mimed
Fàbregas by sticking out his chest and his chin to indicate a pocket
general. In Wenger's opinion, Fàbregas is one of those short, stocky items,
a compact unit that cannot be easily knocked over, like those Mexican boxers
who operate in the lower weight divisions, whereas Modric was one of those
awkward challengers from Europe that always end up on the canvas. There is
not enough meat on him. Wenger has a point. There is only a 3cm height
difference between the two (Fàbregas is taller at 177cm or just over 5ft
9in), but there is 4kg in weight (almost 9lb). Using the limits enforced by
the World Boxing Association, Modric would therefore fight at
super-lightweight and Fàbregas at super-welterweight, two divisions above,
and would be nearing the top end of that; with a little bulking up he could
be a middleweight.
We know the way that modern sport is going and it is to the gargantuan. Even
so it is a little disheartening to hear it from Wenger, a man who is widely
considered the defender of the faith where purist principles are concerned.
If even Arsenal have an insistence on a standard physique, which supersedes
indulging a compelling talent such as Modric, what price those at the bottom
end of the Premier League, who seek only to survive? This is not just an
issue for Stoke City, either. Fabio Capello, the England manager, will talk
up a player as limited as Luca Toni, the Italy striker, who snatched at a
series of good chances against France in the European Championship group
stage, and went home without a goal in four matches, while it would appear
that Michael Owen, a superior goalscorer in every way, is disdained. Owen
cannot lead the line and therefore cannot be easily slotted into the modern
way of playing with a lone striker, who holds the ball up while the midfield
joins at a charge. If that striker can play a bit, like Fernando Torres or
Didier Drogba, so much the better.
In every area of the pitch, the game is super-sizing. Seeing the diminutive
Paul Parker, the former England full back, on punditry duty at Old Trafford
these days is a reminder that, despite his aptitude for the job, he would
get nowhere near a leading Premier League team now. A defender of his
stature might not even come through the ranks. Iván Córdoba, the brilliant
Colombian man-marker who was keeping Liverpool at bay on his own until his
unfortunate injury at Anfield playing for Inter Milan last season, is a
dying breed at 172cm (just over 5ft 7in). When Liverpool played Arsenal in
the next round of the Champions League, Rafael Benítez's tactic was to put
Peter Crouch against Kolo Touré, the Arsenal defender, playing in an
unfamiliar role at full back.
Despite his customary position at the heart of the defence, Touré is not
particularly tall (the Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2007-08, with statistics
supplied by the club, gives his height as 5ft 10in) and Liverpool's ploy
worked. Crouch won everything in the air and helped Liverpool to establish a
2-1 lead, finally winning 4-2. With the exception of Manchester United, no
elite club in England fights shy of using direct tactics and a height
advantage, and that includes Arsenal. These days Wenger often talks with
great enthusiasm of being able to play route-one football now that Emmanuel
Adebayor, not Thierry Henry, is the spearhead of his team. To him it is new
and thus exciting.
Luiz Felipe Scolari went so far as to read out the individual heights of the
Germany side before Portugal met them in the European Championship
quarter-final in Basle. He said that he would have to find a way of
combating Portugal's disadvantage, but to judge by the result, and the two
headed goals from set-pieces taken by Bastian Schweinsteiger, he failed.
Football is susceptible to the vagaries of fashion (at Euro 2008 it was
4-2-3-1, which has replaced 4-5-1 and previously 4-3-3 as the formation du
jour, even if the eventual champions started all but one game playing
4-4-2), and every movement over the past decade has favoured the tall, the
muscular and the athletic. First the No10 died, now the old-fashioned
goalscoring No9 is on life support, and Cristiano Ronaldo, regarded as the
best winger in the world, is a 6ft 1in super-middleweight, who is as likely
to get a goal with his head as skin two opponents over by the corner flag.
Yet against all this, there is one contrary development that, if it is taken
seriously, may just save football from this attack of the Goliaths. Spain
are the champions of Europe and they are not tall. Indeed, by comparison to
most modern football teams, the midfield would have been more suitably
marshalled by Ken Dodd than Luis Aragonés. The official Uefa register gives
three of them, Andrés Iniesta, David Silva and Xavi Hernández, the player of
the tournament, as 170cm, which converts to a fraction under 5ft 7in, while
even the enforcer, Marcos Senna, is only 177cm, which is the top end of 5ft
9in. By any reading of the modern game, they should have been outmuscled
long before the final and, using Scolari's assessment, should have had no
chance against Germany. So how will football configure its beliefs in
physique and athleticism with the best team in Europe having been powered by
a midfield that should have been knocked into the ground like tent pegs at
the Ernst Happel Stadion?
Hallelujah. Skill, it turns out, matters more than anything. Torres is a
powerful striker, but it was his technique that allowed him to lift the ball
over Jens Lehmann for Spain's winning goal; just as it was a sublime pass by
Xavi that got him into that position. And as we head down the wrong road
once more in this country - because everybody knows a terrific kid who has
been released by an academy for not growing fast enough - it may be worth
noting what can be achieved with footballers, not just athletes, and
recalling what happens when Frankenstein's monsters get loose.
At the 1986 World Cup, Uruguay were coached by Omar Borrás, a former PE
teacher from the University of Montevideo, with individual ideas on the way
football should be played. Indeed, looking at the way the game has
developed, Borrás was something of an innovator. His Uruguay players were a
certain height and build, minimum 5ft 10in, physically intimidating and had
won the Copa America in 1983 by imposing their game on the opposition and
because, in Enzo Francescoli, they also had one of the finest players in the
world.
As such, they became something of a clever-money bet in Mexico; and
clever-money bets are the reason you never see a poor bookmaker. The 1986
tournament comprised 24 teams, going into 16 at the later stages (the stupid
format that is soon to be implemented by Uefa with the aim of ruining the
European Championship), so Uruguay made it out of their group without
winning a game (can you believe Uefa are going to do this?), despite losing
6-1 to Denmark (they really must have sawdust for brains) because two points
were all that were needed (just when you thought the regime of Michel
Platini, the president, could not get any worse), and were then knocked out
by Argentina in the second phase.
However, despite playing four games, winning none, with a goal difference of
minus six, Uruguay's contribution is not forgotten, mainly for its
malevolence. They had ten men booked and two sent off, including José
Alberto Batista, whose dismissal after 56 seconds against Scotland stands as
a World Cup record. In addition, Borrás was sent to the stands for being
unable to control himself, let alone his violent and foul-tempered players.
“Uruguay were a disgrace,” Alex Ferguson, the Scotland manager at the time,
said. Meanwhile, as Borrás's giants packed their bags, cursing, the
tournament came to be dominated by a forward from Argentina. Little guy,
bags of skill. You may remember him. Diego Maradona.
Antonio Alzamendi, Ruben Paz, Venancio Ramos, Jose Batista, Sergio Santin, etc. ... Uruguay 1986 DID have players of small height - but they also had fierce fighting spirit instilled by Borras ... Also some of the best centre-backs have been of small height - Baresi, Ayala, Cordoba, Cannovaro, etc.
Aaron, Dublin,
Alright the " hand of God " goal was awful but should've been stopped by the ref. Maradona just chanced his arm ( hand? ) and got away with it. But have you forgotten the other goal? Y'know the one where he walked round 6 playersand drew the keeper? No? Shame really - greatest w/c goal ever.......
Jason Duffy , Belfast ,
Reading the quote from Wenger, he seems to be saying that Modric's build, not height, might be the problem. A short, spindly player might struggle more in the heat of the EPL
midfield than a short, strongly built player. Who ever saw Claude Makalele in his prime struggling against big players?
David , Cape Town,
it's not necessarily height that counts: it's strength, skill and speed. Being short in height often means being squat and stronger and with a lower centre of gravity therefore, more difficult to shake off the ball. Tall players are generally weaker and slower in the tackle.
Bill Wilson, Redditch, Worcs
there are a lot of not so tall players out there who make all the difference...remember the top-scorer of the Euro2008 isn't too tall himself at 175cm or 5 ft 9 in and I've even seen Silva, 170cm or 5 ft 7 in scoring a header for Valencia from between 2 very tall defenders...size isn't everything...
Anamaria Andrei, Bucharest, Romania
Authorities must instruct Premier refs to reward skill and hammer gangsters. We know who the gangster teams are. if their management knew they would finish matches with only 8 on the pitch they would be forced to change. Then, we just might see an England side that can actually play.
Leigh Vernier, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
can't wait to see Modric score against Arsenal next season.
Is this the same Arsen Wenger who signed the stocky and strong Theo Walcott? Sour grapes maybe?
Jimmy James, Herts, UK
erm...Modric starred at the euro championships after knocking England out at Wembley. Also, the euros are full of prem players and he did well, only going out on penalties to the lucky Turks. On that basis I think he'll be OK. The only problem he has are the other midfielders at my beloved spurs!
Martin Machin, London, United Kingdom
Wenger's annoyed that he didn't get Modric. Wenger wanted Modric during the 2006-2007 season but a savy Mamic wouldn't sell at Wengers bargain basement prices. Modric cut his teeth in the ultra tough/corrupt/no rules B&H league and learnt his uncanny ability to avoid challenges at the last second...
David, Sydney,
one word, Eirik Meijer. greatest liverpool striker ever.
njau, Kandara , kENYA
I can't ever recall seeing a sumo slotting into the Japanese
football team, Three players immediately spring to mind to dispel the physique argument, Puskas, Maradona and the
greatest of all strikers Denis Law.
Tom, Gold Coast, Australia
A good big'n is always better than a big little'n
barry dupont, brighton,
Skillful players use thier advantages and overcome thier "short"comings. Evra looked like he would be knocked out of the EPL, but turned into the best left back in the League. Scholes isn't exactly a giant, except in his influence on the game. Speed is the most important factor , not height.
Nick, France,
Fabregas, Rosicky, Walcott, Eduardo, Gilberto, Sagna, Hleb, Clichy, Nasri(?) etc etc The above are either slight in build or useless in the air (arguably the air is Gallas/Toures biggest flaw). Arsenals game has always been criticised as lacking brute force...so what would Modric bring?
Sharpe, Wick, Caithness
Why No Mention Of MESSI?
patrick knowles, barcelona, spain
Jerry from Chicago,
Good call re the DE/swim - never thought I would see Super Torres compared to a DE but you make a good point. There was no flag down on the play though and Torres was only giving as good as he gets. I believe Lahm is still wondering where Torres appeared from from !
Regards,
Marc , Liverpool, UK
The genius of football is that it allows people of all sizes and shapes to play. The fundamentals are movement and skill, but there after other attributes kick in. The failings you speak of are the failings of managers who choose to work on stereotypes players.
Duncan, Wokingham,
Sadly you're probably right on that Seamus.
Jimmy, London, England
As usual Wenger with his "pearls of wisdom". Lets not also forget the most talented player in the world currently Lionel Messi who is all of 5ft 6 1/2 inch
Sim, London,
Maybe Wenger is thinking about what happened with Eduardo - a small, quick play who was cut down playing in the EPL, where the idea of a good game is to get stuck in -- especially against Arsenal. We hope Eduardo - a friend of Modric's - returns to play for Arsenal this year.
rel, mclean, US
I think the article confuses height with strength. You may not need to be tall, but you do need to be strong. Modric's problem is not lack of inches, its lack of muscle.
Roy, Hong Kong,
When Ossie Ardiles joined Spurs they said he was too small, not physical enough etc etc. He didn't do too bad...:) Modric will be fine, more mind games from Wenger I think.
Ravers, Reading, UK
Part of Torres' technique was what a defensive end in American football would call "the swim." It is used to hold and bypass an opponent. Without that little hold his skill on the ball would not have come into play at all. I hope you are right, but the Torres example seems to go against you.
Jerry, Chicago, USA
It is a great work, Martin, long but very interesting. Your time certainly pays off. I hope that not only British coaches read this article.
Igor, Pamplona, Spain
Thanks Martin again for some excellent writing, countless kids fall by the wayside because of this insane issue of size. Barcelona from the days of Guardiola have nurtured midfielders on quality not size (bar some dark years where people like Motta appeared). I hope england can learn and be patient
Gavin, Gibraltar, Gibraltar
Alright Seamus chill out. We know our faults. The Irish players in the Prem are hardly skillful neither ie Richard Dunne, Carr, the overrated Keane. Ireland's larger than Croatia and Holland plus you can play any foreigner who's had a pint of Guiness. What's your excuse?
Mark, Liverpool, England
A pretty obvious straw-man argument with many current counter-examples: eg, Liverpool trying to steal wee Robbie Keane, an average-sized number 10 (and he's not even fast), while trying to offload Crouch.
As for Modric: well, wee men need balance and tenacity, both of which he showed at the Euros.
blanchflower, London,
sorry was this the player Arsenal were after but in the end went to Spurs, he would not be saying this if he were at Arsenal!
james, London, UK
its a good job the english premier league managers don't have to pick there teams on skill only there would be a lot of unemployed footballers. this is what euro 2008 told us. england is so far be hind in the skill deptartment it can never catch up
seamus, dublin, ireland
Cannavaro one of the best defenders in the World is 176m
diane slater, llangollen, wales
A couple of games come to mind.
1. Spain 82 W.Germany v Italy.
W.Germany were the favourites and were taller and bigger, but the italians new that because they were slighter, they would be quicker (first 2 yards).
Simon, New Haw , Surrey
Size only matters when talking of kids football in the same way the taller boys tend to be regarded as the 'hardest' when it comes to fighting. Size intimidates children. As you grow older it matters less so at the very top level is irrelevant. Crouch is good on the ground but not in the air.
Lee, Brighton,
It is football, to be played with the feet, not basketball, where the height is a decisive factor. Spain's midfield was the best in the tournament. To put it blantly the other teams' midfields were short on skill!
Anthony, Edinburgh,
It is disappointing assessment from Arsene Wenger. He should know better then most that skillful players can outplay small and tall guys alike. Modric is not pussy cat. He is a fighter and has great working rate. He is a multi-dimensional player, Wenger could get him, but he missed the opportunity.
Jellicoe, London,
The finest players I've ever seen are Pele,Best.Greaves and Maradonna.All less than 5' 8".Wenger is unhappy that Modric decided to go to Spurs.
Mike, Dunstable, England
Carlos Gamarra the best defender in 98 world cup was only 1,80m tall...
Bressan, Itajai, Brazil
Turkey had a very short midfield, and like Spain they dominated. They won all the duels and balls, and that's what Luka is all about, he's a terrier. Hajduk didn't want him(they didn't want Zvonimir Boban either-he had thin legs), even Dinamo had doubts, but he proved them all wrong.
Tomislav, Zagreb, Croatia
Another gem. It might also be noted that even Brazil has subscribed to the physicality of the game.
Not my beloved Argentina!
Having Peckerman in charge of the national youth system for over a decade, ensured that skill was not only nurtured and encouraged but made a priority.
Hence Messi et al
Raff Martin, Blandford, UK
Torres wouldn't have scored that goal if it wasnt for his strength and pace. A player with similar strength and pace but less ability could have got to the ball and still scored.
Essentially this articles suggests that both physical strength and skills are important.
Thanks
Andy, London,
Torres would have scored that even if he was at Atletico Madrid. He has scored many goals like that at Atletico. What he did have in the tournament that he didn't before was confidence and believe. He now believes he can be one or the greatest striker. This allows him to perform in this way.
Jose, London, uk
It wasn't technique that allowed Torres to score in the final, rather something he learnt in the Premier League, harrying the last defender & forcing him into a mistake. He muscled the guy out of it, a goal he'd never have score if he hadn't left Athletico Madrid
simon, High Wycombe,
It's clear that Mr. Wenger is referring to build and not to height as was pointed out when referring to Cesc. Of course he could still be wrong about Modric but we'll see in the coming season.
Nicky, London, UK
The refereeing of League matches is almost impossible in the current climate,
Physical strength is essential, but physical intimidation, still less, physical attacks, should never be allowed..
The Germans have both stregth and technique both essential in Tournaments hence their consistency
Petetr Bolt, Redditch, UK
Not long ago Zola did a reasonable job at Chelsea, I don't think Messi or Deco are particularly tall. Gael Clichy 1.75m, Ashley Cole 1.72m, Joe Cole 1.76m, Rooney 1.78m, Evra 1.73m......... shall I go on? Wenger could be wrong about Modric!
ian, salisbury, UK
Quality writing again Martin, well done. So glad Spain won and that the best player was awarded for being so.. Xavi was by far and way above everyone else - never gives the ball away!!!
Dean, Lyhtam St Annes, Lancs
Cheated England out of the quarter finals... mmmm... hand of god was something but you dont know that he cheated england out of the quarter finals. He mocked England with his skill and made sure that the better team won the world cup. There has never been a player like him since. Saludo el campeon
Andres, Oxford, England
How do you wirte so well.
Efosa, Loughton, England
I remember him very well. Little guy, bags of skill, cheated England out of the quarter-finals.
Paul, Manchester, England
Martin, the number 10 has disappeared in Europe, but that position is very much alive on the continents of Africa and South America. Argentina stills plays a 10, so does Nigeria(until the fool Vogts appeared) and many others countries.
RVP, Washington,
Didn't Wenger used to play Mark Hateley?
Direct options are ok as long as they just an option.
Neale Coules-Miller, Northwood,
It"s always a pleasure to read your writings, so full of insight and information.
I have to credit you for everyting i know about sports. Thank you, Mr. Samuel. I thought I knew everything about Diego Armando Maradona, but you can say:"Gotcha!"
nicki, palm springs, california, usa
martin
it is sad that football has gone this way. as you point out it has been this way for some time. Just imagine the players we might have lost to this philosophy if every coach had stuck to it. zola, maradona, messi, ortega, scholes.....all worth watching - i think you'd agree
john Fullick, singapore,
No surprise at any Uefa edict. Just look at the Ch League format., a nonsense which seems to go unquestioned. "2 to qualify from 4 ,and seeded just to make sure of few upsets.
So, a leading side can get just 1pt from the 1st three games against minnows, but still get to ko stage.
Prestigious?
les corbett, Worthing, uk
very well written.
Waleed, Newington, USA
Great article, not surprising but I think you forgot to mention what would happen in the EPL with slight players who are really skillful. They will be fouled hard by the huge defenders who can’t compete with their skill. Especially with the “get stuck in” mentality that dominates some team.
Maurica, New York, USA
And thanks for mentioning Ivan Cordoba. That guy is one fine specimen of a central defender and he is short!
RVP, Washington,