BrilliantOrange
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So I was thinking about players who really underwent signifacant transformations during their carreer and really became different players. So I'm not really talking about players just developing into better versions of themselves over time, while remaining the (more or less) the same type of player.. What players come to mind who really became different types of players during their carreer? I'll kick off..
Nigel De Jong
When he came through at Ajax he was a really playfull, technically gifted allround player, who excelled with his energy, playfullness and technical ability. He played on rightback, right midfield, central defence, central midfield.. When he moved to HSV afterwards he really made a mental switch in his head and became a more static, very hard, tackling, routhless, no-nonsense defensive midfielder, which is how he will be remember in collective football memory.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Came to United as a very skilful player who wanted the ball in his feet to make magic happen. Over the years he developed from a inconsisent winger who wanted the ball in his feet to the routhless striker, who mainly moves away from the ball lurking for his moments to come into position to score a goal.. I think its more than just player development where he got better in what he already did..
I think for example Cristiano Ronaldo underwent a more signifact player transformation than - for example - Antiono Valencia. The latter obviously went from attack(ing midfield) to defense where Ronaldo remained an attacker, but Valencia remained a player relying on the same capabilities (altough developing some defense skills) on both positions (RW and RB), where Ronaldo really started relying on a different skillset in his development (on top of the basis technical skills he already possessed).
Thoughts?
Nigel De Jong
When he came through at Ajax he was a really playfull, technically gifted allround player, who excelled with his energy, playfullness and technical ability. He played on rightback, right midfield, central defence, central midfield.. When he moved to HSV afterwards he really made a mental switch in his head and became a more static, very hard, tackling, routhless, no-nonsense defensive midfielder, which is how he will be remember in collective football memory.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Came to United as a very skilful player who wanted the ball in his feet to make magic happen. Over the years he developed from a inconsisent winger who wanted the ball in his feet to the routhless striker, who mainly moves away from the ball lurking for his moments to come into position to score a goal.. I think its more than just player development where he got better in what he already did..
I think for example Cristiano Ronaldo underwent a more signifact player transformation than - for example - Antiono Valencia. The latter obviously went from attack(ing midfield) to defense where Ronaldo remained an attacker, but Valencia remained a player relying on the same capabilities (altough developing some defense skills) on both positions (RW and RB), where Ronaldo really started relying on a different skillset in his development (on top of the basis technical skills he already possessed).
Thoughts?