WHY don’t we have ELITE BLACK ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS. Why are they always DMs? Is it RACIAL PROFILING or a FOOTBALL IQ problem? Watch this video to join the CONVERSATION.

I think genetics can play a role in the conversation, particularly when we're talking about physical traits like strength, explosiveness, speed and power. But I wouldn't reduce the lack of elite Black attacking midfielders to genetics alone. Football has historically associated Black players with athleticism and physicality, and that can influence how young players are developed, scouted and ultimately positioned. If a player is fast, powerful and physically dominant, coaches may be more inclined to see him as a defender or defensive midfielder rather than developing him as the creative player who dictates the game. And that's where I think the conversation about racial profiling becomes interesting. It's not necessarily someone sitting down and consciously saying, "He's Black, therefore he should play DM." It can be much more subtle. Coaches see certain physical characteristics and make assumptions about what position best suits the player. Look at Arsenal. Timber, Saliba and Gabriel give us an incredibly athletic defensive foundation. But that doesn't mean Black players are genetically destined to be defenders or midfield destroyers. We've had elite Black attacking players and midfielders too. The bigger question for me is whether we're doing enough to develop Black players' technical and creative qualities instead of immediately leaning into the physical qualities they already possess. Because being strong, fast and powerful doesn't mean you can't also be the guy controlling the game from midfield.

You’ve said it all tbh! The profiling is very subtle and it’s not as simple as “he is black and so he should be a DM or CB” like you mentioned. But I agree a lot needs to be done at grassroot level especially in Africa! The AFCON is mostly unwatchable because African teams are devoid of players who can actually play intelligently in midfield. It’s always a physical contest and an eye sore.

Eze... I think Jay Jay too way back...

You how far you had to go just to mention 1 person?

Is Michael Olise white?

1. He isn’t a midfielder 2. He isn’t pure black abeg.

@Mr_Equityy @grok is Micheal olise pure black?

@kzytalksports @Mr_Equityy No. Michael Olise’s father is Nigerian and his mother is French-Algerian, so he has mixed heritage from West Africa, North Africa and Europe. He has said he comes from France, Algeria, Nigeria and Britain.

Pep never converted Yaya to a CB. He asked him to put in that shift in a UCL final because Alves was on suspension & Carles Puyol had to cover the RB. Come on.

Yaya Toure played 128 times under Pep. Pep played him 84 times as a DM and 3 times as a CB. Against Man U, against Chelsea and against Athletic club. All 3 games came in final and semi final matches. The issue still persists regardless of your correction.

Yea talk about the issue but don’t use Yaya. You threw him under that category (where he doesn’t belong). Yaya was as technical as it gets. And the coming of Busquets sort of showed Yaya where he truly belonged — CM. He had his best years as a CM, dropping about 30 G/A in a prem. season.

I shouldn’t use Yaya? Did you watch the video at all? I categorized Yaya as a top midfielder who was converted to play defensive roles and the stats backs its up(I also mentioned Mikel in the same sentence another clear example). If you look at the graphic I used in the video, Yaya is the main player with other black brilliant ATTACKING midfielders over the years. I want to believe you just didn’t jump in here just to oppose me because I mentioned Yaya when I’m clearly making a case for him and suggesting conversations be had across all levels especially grassroot in better profiling of black midfielders. Make me understand sir.

They were not trained systematically and their tactical aspect to the game is limited.

Which raises the question, why? Because it’s almost a global thing.

Yeah and even the ones that were developed overseas have same problems. I think it’s related to our mentality. We lack this calm approach to the game. You watch international games and you see African teams fold in the dying minutes. We tend to rush things, it might be genetics🤔

It’s a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Even our Afcon most times is unwatchable because these guys can’t play intelligently in midfield. It’s can’t all be genetics because the fact that we are strong shouldn’t mean that we can’t intelligently control a match. Look at Seedorf, he was strong and was highly technical.

It needs to be studied

If you played football in Nigeria , people will consider you not good enough if you don’t have physical power , even if your football IQ is top notch you still won’t be considered a good player . So I think that’s a fundamental issue with how we see things in Africa . It’s the exact same way we can call someone lazy if they can’t or won’t do physical works and prefare to engage in more brainy tasks . Summary : We need to encourage mental strengths more in Africa, not limit everything to only physicality.

Stupid take and when people counter with examples, you discredit it. You said Seedof is the last elite one you remember and when someone says Olise you say he’s not pure black. Say African then. Don’t say black. Because there are so many ELITE black AM.

Partey is one black i can see that’s technically gifted

Pogba

He currently doesn’t have a club so he doesnt qualify.

@NatureFact51354 Pogba surely was. I agree with the scarcity argument tho

@NatureFact51354 Exactly, the fact that we are referring to him in past tense definitely highlights the problem.

Pogba is technically gifted

@Iam_Andersonn You know what DM does is to be aggressive with the tackle. Really? Una no know jack about football. Just camera and plenty talk.

Iwobi?

Musiala na watin bros,,,, belinham na watin bros,,nwaneri na watin bros,,,

Did you not watch Yaya? You didn’t watch Marcos Sena? Do we watch the same Jude? “Elite, highly technical, attacking midfielder role” But to you, Paul Pogba, Yaya, Sena, Bellingham, and co, don’t fit you profile you quoted? God abeg.

The Chelsea laugher killed me 😂😂😂😂😂

People keep wondering why they are drinking goals. Na black men full their midfield and defence.😭😭

Bruh they are allergic to clean sheets fr 😂😂

@footbolmatter10 abeg help us analyze this matter

I thought Seedorf was even a dm

Which of those white midfielders there is better than Pogba?

Because black is manpower. We were born for survival 😂

😭😭😭😭

Eze was like that unit he signed for Arsenal and Arteta demanded him to be tracking back immediately he doesn’t have the ball

Morgan rogers

Yaya Toure was elite

Is Musiala white ?

How about jay jay

Olise, musiala,

You're actually making it to agree with you. Olise is a midfielder and He's black. What you meant should be Black African guy. I would agree. But saying we don't have Intellectual Black attacking players is false. (Musiala is black. Jude is black list goes on)

Exactly my thought also

What role does olise and Bellingham plays

Olise

Musiala is black.

Wrong ..About Diaby was a highly Technical CM, Same as Alex Song .. there are technical midfielders but Coaches want to do their best to rely on the PnP of African midfielders

Yaya Toure