So when do they stop moving players positions around?

[Guest]

The kids who always only play in one position are usually the ones who don’t have long term success. If you are U13/U14 and beyond and only in one spot it’s usually because you don’t fit elsewhere. Only real exceptions are goalie and CB. A striker who can’t play on the wing is probably slow. An outside back who can’t move to holding or attacking mid probably isn’t physical enough.

[Guest]

The game has evolved. A "defender" needs to do a lot more than defend.

[Guest]

If you look at the top teams, I am sure most of the players there were the best on their town teams and probably all played center midfield/striker. Cant have 10 of them, so they move them to outside positions since they still tend to have the most skills. What I see in U13 and U14 is they start to move them to defense when better mid fielders join and cut defenders. At what point do they stop moving players from mid field to defense, just cut them and then recruit true defenders?

I think a lot of what happens is that these players who were the best on their town teams playing CM really don't actually know how to play CM. They tend to rely too much on physical play and over-dribble the ball rather than seeing the field, setting up teammates, moving the ball and making plays. When the coaches at these "top teams" bring in all of these supposed "best players on their town teams", they end up only getting a few who truly understand the position and end up moving the others to to defense or wing where the responsibilities and decision-making is simpler...