Many footballers dread turning 30. It casts a shadow that signals to the player that his best days are behind him, and that his time at the top is ticking. Players have their physical attributes decline, such that their speed, strength, and stamina, while others lose that cutting edge that made them so successful earlier in their career. Regardless of what happens, the factors generally lead to clubs making the decision more often that not to part ways in favor of younger talents. For a particular type of player, using aging as criteria to discard or not play that player is misinformed, as it can represent the culmination of all that players abilities.

In recent years, the deep lying playmaker has reemerged as a key part of some teams tactics. Other teams use a pivote when building up, using a midfielder dropping into the defensive line while the full backs push higher into…