Unlike Grace, I am an Ajax supporter and I'm pretty sure I've seen every match Martinez has played. Those who think CBs should be tall should only look back a decade and a half to a player who was one of the top defenders in the world, Fabio Cannavaro. If published heights are correct, Martinez is a little taller than the Italian. Martinez is very strong and a has a good vertical jump that helps compensate for is smaller stature. He was tested in last season's Champions League and did just fine. Yes, the Eredivisie is not like playing in the EPL on a weekly basis but Martinez has the tools to succeed.
He came to Ajax originally as either a holding MF which is where he saw initial action or a LB to replace his countryman Tagliafico who was promised a transfer away until Covid shortened season screwed things up. He is very good with the ball and reads the field very well. Most of us were stunned at the transfer price but English teams have lots of TV money and Ajax were able to get top money for him.
Kind of looking at this with my Master's thesis. It's far from done and everything i say is preliminary, but it does appear that young (>23) Premier League debutantes at centre back who are under 1.85m tend not to make as many Premier League appearances as taller ones.
The obvious caveat being, as you said, hard to know how reliable the height data on the internet is.
Unlike Grace, I am an Ajax supporter and I'm pretty sure I've seen every match Martinez has played. Those who think CBs should be tall should only look back a decade and a half to a player who was one of the top defenders in the world, Fabio Cannavaro. If published heights are correct, Martinez is a little taller than the Italian. Martinez is very strong and a has a good vertical jump that helps compensate for is smaller stature. He was tested in last season's Champions League and did just fine. Yes, the Eredivisie is not like playing in the EPL on a weekly basis but Martinez has the tools to succeed.
He came to Ajax originally as either a holding MF which is where he saw initial action or a LB to replace his countryman Tagliafico who was promised a transfer away until Covid shortened season screwed things up. He is very good with the ball and reads the field very well. Most of us were stunned at the transfer price but English teams have lots of TV money and Ajax were able to get top money for him.
Kind of looking at this with my Master's thesis. It's far from done and everything i say is preliminary, but it does appear that young (>23) Premier League debutantes at centre back who are under 1.85m tend not to make as many Premier League appearances as taller ones.
The obvious caveat being, as you said, hard to know how reliable the height data on the internet is.