I mean I think he can be like Alexis Mac Allister, and he's only like 5'9 or so. I think what makes him more likely to succeed is that he doesn't care that he's smaller, he's a willing fighter. He's got a good mentality right now, and he's only 16 so he should have maybe one more growth spurt.
Amir Ibragimov
- Thread starter Red_toad
- Start date
So Scholes. The most talented English midfielder in 30 years(and I think Ibragoimov, Gomes, Lacey etc are even smaller). Mata didn't make it here exactly because of physical limitations.
Salah and Zola really strong players. Have you seen Salah without a shirt?Owen lightning quick.
I'm not saying it's impossible. Just that it's frustrating to keep bringing through really talented players who happen to have this big extra hurdle of being super tiny.
That you've gone back decades for examples shows how much of an obstacle it can be.
He is small but he looks a lot stockier than Amad for instance and he should still get bigger and stronger.
Think it will be nearly impossible for him to breakthrough in a struggling United side where he will be isolated most of the time. No leaders, everyone short of confidence. Will be a huge shock to playing in a fantastic u-18 team, let alone facing PL opponents.
I'd recommend him to move to Spain/Italy or even the Dutch league to shine there.
Nothing against him but breaking through as a 10 is hard in general, especially at United. These players often get moved to the wing, but I don't think that would suit him at all.
I'd recommend him to move to Spain/Italy or even the Dutch league to shine there.
Nothing against him but breaking through as a 10 is hard in general, especially at United. These players often get moved to the wing, but I don't think that would suit him at all.
16? That’s way too young. He’s never gonna make it.
Just having a quick read online and apparently as of last year, 39% of PL players were under 6ft. Some of the top scorers: Foden (5'7), Bowen (5'9) Salah (5'9)
Completely agree with your point.
Do you think Zola and Salah were that strong when they were 16?
Have never felt he looks super tiny? The reported number i see everywhere is 173cm, i don´t know how accurate that is but, his size really shouldn´t be a concern.
I'm old enough to remember when Middlesbrough bought Juninho and people thought he would be bullied out the game because he was 5 foot 5.
If you're a quality player, size really doesn't matter.
If you're a quality player, size really doesn't matter.
Obviously not, hence need saying let's hope he hits a major growth spurt.
He's deceptively strong. In terms of length Zola and Sarah are not that tall either.
He's 1.73m which is what, 5'8? People are in here acting like he's 5 foot tall. The important thing is he knows how to use his body/physicality to his advantage and protect the ball.
I wouldn't even say it's deceptive. Looking at his frame, it's clear to see he has a pretty good amount of muscle mass for his age/size/height. Sarah isn't that tall, and neither is Salah
Not they're not. Again, not saying it's impossible. There have been very small footballers.
But making it is an odds game. To be that small and make it you're going to have to be exceptional in another way. Like Zola or Juninho. It's just a fair old obstacle to overcome.
But even those two, traditional 10's. Where would they play today?
Like I said hopefully him, Lacey, Gore, they turn themselves into tanks and it works out.
How many play for Barcelona, City and PSG right now?
If the smaller players are playing over the taller players its because they are either fast and run, or they are technically several levels ahead and are more composed and calm with the ball. They arent being picked over the tall players unless they are better than them and sometimes the gap has to be wide to get that chance. The technical ones are what Barcelona, City and PSG look for and buy
The problem is we havent had enough enough small, more technical players coming through and playing over the bigger, more physical players. So with less development and less competition against other technical players we saw more average results. You need loads of them to expect to have many successes. We've usually had quite speedy wingers coming through and playing, so we've had good success of bringing through wingers who are quite fast such as Rashford, Lingard, Elanga and Garnacho. Thats the one area we've been good at and its beause we have lots of players fitting that criteria, so the others fall to the way side and start to slip from the memory (Chong, Emeran) and the better ones approach the first team
Right now we have a couple of technical players in the 18s and playing some games for the 21s - Ibragimov and Thwaites, they'll have some friendly competition with each other but at times it will be competition to get into the u21s starting lineup and then cup games for the first team. They'll also have competition with Jack Fletcher who is a bit taller and perhaps slightly less technical. However I could see them all manage to get into the same team at u21 level due to being better than some of the competition for places. Regardless they need the competition to be pushed and progress enough to feature in the first team and they also need a manager who isnt afraid to play a smaller youngster in the first team. We'll see what happens
I think City and Pep moved away from tiny players a while ago. It's basically Silva and maybe Foden now. City have quite a big athletic team actually.
But ultimately what Barca or PSG do is largely irrelevant, they're not in our division. But I did watch Madrid last night and that was a team of good sized athletes.
We've had quite a few small but talented players come through but they haven't had enough talent to make up for being diminutive.
I enjoyed watching Galbraith and Levitt come through, really good players. Same for Gomes. I've no doubt if they were a bit bigger, a bit more athletic, they'd have got a chance.
Being tall or at least being of average height is an advantage. It does not mean that shorter or smaller players can't make it though, it just makes it relatively more difficult.
The average height of a Premier League midfielder is about 180cm for a reason. Smaller sized players need to have a level of uber technical ability that more athletic players do not need. At least at the top end of the EPL.
A player like Dylan Levitt with the otherworldly possession passing stats he had in his only senior appearance for us would surely have made it here if only he was a little bigger, stronger, or faster.
Last edited:
City have Foden, Silva, Lewis, Bobb, Doku, Savinho all under 5'8 - Foden is 5'6 and Lewis is 5'5 at 20 years old
Kovacic is 5'8
Gudogan is 5'9 so is McAtee.
Ibragimov if hes 173 as stated by an above poster would be 5'6 at 16... These players are all a few, or many years older. Expect him to grow a bit but even if he doesnt he's taller than Rico Lewis and 2 cms taller than Foden
I dont think Galbraith or Levitt are close to the technical level of Ibragimov or Thwaites.
I think they're more in the same ball park as Tyler Fletcher or Devaney.
Such a pointless tangent. He’s 16 years old, lads. He could be six foot plus by the time he’s stopped growing !
Technique and IQ are pretty important.
Just look at some of the youth Barca produce year in year out. Physicality is super important but we need to produce good footballers first.
Many of those Barca players would not have made it at United
The stats suggest he probably has stopped growing though right? I thought 16 year old boys were more often than not at their peak height.
He's still very young and as we all know it's difficult to break into the first team as a young player. But as far as Ibraghimov is concerned he looks to be a young player who will likely occupy a more advanced role on the pitch. And one of the things that holds players back when they're diminutive is that they aren't the quickest over the first few yards. This young lad looks more than quick enough over those first few yards and if that's backed up by a good technical level on the ball, then I don't think him being on the smaller side will make a big difference.
Also he's still only 16 and there's still time for a growth spurt. Players like Juan Mata were physically lacking because with him the issue was that he didn't have the speed over the first few yards which hindered him (imo) in the EPL.
Also he's still only 16 and there's still time for a growth spurt. Players like Juan Mata were physically lacking because with him the issue was that he didn't have the speed over the first few yards which hindered him (imo) in the EPL.
I’ve no idea about these stats but it wouldn’t be unusual for boys to keep growing until 18 or even older. 16 would be very young to stop growing.
I'm googling and I'm it's saying 16 is the usual age for boys to stop gaining height.
https://www.healthline.com/health/when-do-boys-stop-growing
His 20 year old brother who's an MMA fighter is 5'8 so I imagine he'll be around the same.
But then his two younger brothers are both very tall for their age.
Bunch of size queens in here.
Poor lad might be a grower.
This is getting as silly as arguing whether or not he can be a professional footballer if he is only 5’ 8” but it’s definitely not uncommon for boys to grow taller after the age of 16. It all depends how early they start puberty. Which is variable. The norm is apparently to reach your final height at some point between 16 and 18. Scott McTominay apparently went from 5’ 6” to 6 4” after turning 18.
Do yourselves a favour, stop watching academy players looking for the next big thing. 9 times out 10 the real stars come out of the blue, and the ones that look amazing at youth level end up as journeymen, or not even professional footballers at all.
I read a lot of forums, and I lose count of how many up and coming players never get so much as a first team cap.
It's nearly always a lad nobody expected that breaks through, and the ones that everyone expected to be amazing end up at Tranmere for a while before disappearing down the ladder.
My best mate is a scouse fan, he's been banging on about Danns and Doak for what seems like years now. The latter is the best winger he's seen come through since McManaman apparently (he also waxed lyrical about Jordan Ibe which I often remind him) yet I doubt he'll get 20 appearances for Liverpool.
As a Hull fan I think Tyler Morton will have a better chance of getting a decent chunk of appearances for his parent club than either of the other two wonderkids. Very solid player, gives his all, touch of quality about him all round. Same with Liam Delap who was on loan with us, he'll go on to play for a big club and do really well. Philogene however will fade into insignificance - all the skills, none of the desire. When Villa bought him back I did wonder why, but then they sold him for a bit of profit so it was obvious, they know he's a white elephant as well.
I read a lot of forums, and I lose count of how many up and coming players never get so much as a first team cap.
It's nearly always a lad nobody expected that breaks through, and the ones that everyone expected to be amazing end up at Tranmere for a while before disappearing down the ladder.
My best mate is a scouse fan, he's been banging on about Danns and Doak for what seems like years now. The latter is the best winger he's seen come through since McManaman apparently (he also waxed lyrical about Jordan Ibe which I often remind him) yet I doubt he'll get 20 appearances for Liverpool.
As a Hull fan I think Tyler Morton will have a better chance of getting a decent chunk of appearances for his parent club than either of the other two wonderkids. Very solid player, gives his all, touch of quality about him all round. Same with Liam Delap who was on loan with us, he'll go on to play for a big club and do really well. Philogene however will fade into insignificance - all the skills, none of the desire. When Villa bought him back I did wonder why, but then they sold him for a bit of profit so it was obvious, they know he's a white elephant as well.
Nowadays the kids keep growing. My cousin was 1,80m with 15/16. I thought he wouldnt go over 1,85m and surpass me. He is 19 now and 1,95m.
My 2nd team is Wycombe and Xavi Simons made his debut on Tuesday and looked a quality player. What do you make of him and why did Hull loan him out?
I'm quite happy to write him off now based on my research but if you want to wait another couple of years I guess that's reasonable.
He's good, plenty of talent there. A bit fragile for the championship though despite him not being a small lad by any means. Way too easily bullied out of a game. You can easily tell he's from a PL academy because he's quick on the ball, great reflexes and one touch passing, just a bit allergic to the rough and tumble you get in the lower leagues that's pretty much an instant yellow card in the top divisions.
More than likely been loaned out to toughen him up a bit, either that or he's annoyed Selles, which isn't hard to do at all, the guy's stroppier than all my exes put together if they were all in one small room, menstrual cycle synced and the only topic of discussion was my bad points. If he'd been manager when the Allam's were around, it'd have been bedlam because they were just as petulant and hot-headed.
Not even remotely true.
Pedri and Gavi automatically come to mind.