Part 3/5:
The timing of Walker's potential departure points to a pivotal moment in his career. As he steps into his 30s, the realities of aging in professional sports come into play. Analysts have pointed out that while Walker has maintained a high standard throughout his career, the physical demands of being a top defender, particularly one reliant on pace, become increasingly challenging with age.
As players age, they are often required to adapt their game, emphasizing positional intelligence and game-reading skills over raw physical attributes. This transition can be difficult, particularly for someone like Walker, who has built his game around speed and recovery abilities. As he begins to lose some of that pace, observers are noting instances where he may be caught out defensively.