The game is simple. If you were a football manager of a National team .. Which country would it be? Who would take part in your squad of 23 players? Who would be your best eleven? (explain a little bit about your player choices) What would your formation be? (explain why the formation would work for the squad and how it works for those unfamiliar) Get to it!
Which country would it be? England Who would take part in your squad of 23 players? Goalkeepers: Ben Foster, David James, Rob Green Right Backs: Gary Neville, Micah Richards Centre Backs: Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Wes Brown (RB also), Jonathan Woodgate Left Backs: Ashley Cole, Wayne Bridge Right Midfielders: Shaun Wright-Phillips, David Bentley Holding Central Midfielders: Owen Hargreaves, Michael Carrick Attacking Central Midfielders: Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard Left Midfielders: Ashley Young, Joe Cole Strikers: Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Peter Crouch, Theo Walcott Who would be your best eleven? (explain a little bit about your player choices) Best XI: Foster, Neville, Ferdinand, Terry, A. Cole, Carrick, Hargreaves, SWP, Young, Gerrard, Rooney What would your formation be? (explain why the formation would work for the squad and how it works for those unfamiliar) It would be a pseudo-4-2-3-1 formation, in that it would be almost a 4-5-1 whilst defending (perhaps 4-3-2-1 whilst defending actually) but then a 4-2-4 whilst attacking. Basically, I would be modelling it on the way Man Utd and Arsenal seem to play at the moment. Basically, whilst attacking, the system would be a little like this: GK:-----------------Foster--------------- DEF:Neville---Ferdinand---Terry---A. Cole DM:------------------------------------- M:---------Carrick-----Hargreaves------- AM:----------------Gerrard-------------- F:--SWP-----------Rooney--------Young But then whilst defending, it would pretty much be this: GK:-----------------Foster--------------- DEF:Neville---Ferdinand---Terry---A. Cole DM:---------Carrick-----Hargreaves------ M:--SWP----------Gerrard---------Young AM:------------------------------------- F:-----------------Rooney--------------- A key attribute of this team would be the speed of the counter attack, which is why Shaun Wright-Phillips and Ashley Young would probably be the most important two players on the team, along with Wayne Rooney as they use their speed to go forward on the break. If the counter attack is not on, Gerrard would have to play the role that Scholes or Anderson plays for Man Utd, as the playmaker who makes the killer balls through the defense. Carrick and Hargreaves would essentially play the same role as they play for United. Some people will look at this team and say that there is too much United bias, but I say why not? They won the League and, in my opinion, play the best football in the League alongside Arsenal. If Arsenal had more English players, I'd probably put them into my team too. The beauty of this is that there would be 6 United players in the team who play alongside each other day-in-day-out so there should be an understanding between them like there is in no other major national team at present. In addition, Theo Walcott could play either winger spot in the last half hour or so, injecting yet more pace late in the game, as well as an additional player who is used to the system at Arsenal. Ideally, I'd have Scholes in the team, as I believe he is the best English central midfielder and was probably the best in the world a few years ago. People point to the skill of Ronaldinho, Kaka and Zidane, but I point to the passing, professional, selfless Paul Scholes. In the squad, Wes Brown could come in for Neville as he has at United.
I'll get back to this as well, but when you say pick the players, do they have to be from that country or it can be any nationality?
Well, for your interests you can design your own Kosovo team. However, it would have to obviously be with players of the region's background or born in the region that can play for the team WHEN they enter FIFA. As for the rest, let's say if you pick Germany it should be German players only.
If you were a football manager of a National team .. Which country would it be? United States of America Who would take part in your squad of 23 players? Keepers: Tim Howard - Brad Guzan - Matt Reis Right Back: Steve Cherundolo - Marvell Wynne Left Back: Heath Pearce - Jonathan Bornstein Central: Oguchi Onyewu - Carlos Bocanegra - Jay DeMerit - Michael Parkhurst D-Mid: Michael Bradley - Maurice Edu - Pablo Mastroeni Attacking mid: Freddy Adu - Landon Donovan - DaMarcus Beasley - Clint Dempsey - Sacha Kljestan - Benny Feilhaber Forward: Jozy Altidore - Kenny Cooper Who would be your best eleven? (explain a little bit about your player choices) What would your formation be? (explain why the formation would work for the squad and how it works for those unfamiliar) GK - Tim Howard DR - Steve Cherundolo DL - Heath Pearce DC - Oguchi Onyewu DC - Carlos Bocanegra DM - Michael Bradley DM - Maurice Edu AM - Clint Dempsey AM - Freddy Adu AM - Landon Donovan FC - Jozy Altidore I'm going with a 4-5-1 because of the strength in the midfield and the lack of strong forwards. The key to the attack for this team would be the three midfielders behind Altidore attacking from all angles. Dempsey, Donovan, and Adu will be finding space all across the attack as the three can attack centrally, or from the wings. Altidore is going to be a phenomenal player in the very near future and needs to be the starting forward for the US now. The defensive midfield duo of Bradley and Edu will be a very effective pair. Bradley is effective when given the freedom to join the attack, but also he will be able to focus on linking with the attack, where he can help Dempsey, Donovan, Adu, and Altidore find space. Edu will have to focus on defense as Onyewu and Bocanegra are solid, but tend to have a lapse or two during each game. Defensively, I thought about using the speed of Bornstein and Wynne, but Cherundolo and Pearce are the more effective defensive pairing, though Pearce can get into the attack as well. As I said, Bocanegra and Onyewu are accident prone, but unless Neven Subotic declares for the US, that's the best pair we are going to have for a while. Tim Howard is the obvious choice in goal, as he's a top ten keeper (worldwide) without question. For the bench, I like having a lot of speed available in tournaments. As unskilled as I think Eddie Johnson is, if he gets into the game vs. Italy in Germany 06, the US has a shot at a win, rather than hoofing the ball up a dead tired Brian McBride. I have that speed in abundance with Beasley, Wynne, and Bornstein. Feilhaber off the bench is another bonus, assuming he rounds back into form in Denmark. Benny, despite his struggles, is a fantastic passer from a deep midfield position. If there is a need for attack, Benny could replace Edu. All that being said, if I'm the USMNT coach, I'm begging daily for Neven Subotic to play for the US. Despite his unfortunate choice of cornrows, he would be the best defender the US has ever produced. After Subotic was sufficiently begged/badgered, I would be looking deeply at the structure of soccer in the United States. I would embrace foreign investment, but I would be looking for teams outside of England. The English development system hasn't been great for England of late, so why should we be trying it out? Try to find investors from Spain, Holland, Brazil and Argentina. We need to encourage players like Dempsey, Adu, and Altidore to keep on trying fancy moves and having fun on the field. We need to encourage the development of those skills in the youth levels and start shoving structure down everyone's throats in college and other upper levels of development. I think I will see the US as a serious threat on the international level at some point in my life. However, that won't happen until we start developing many players who have the skills to match the physical superiority that some of our players already have. Look at a guy like Eddie Johnson who has astounding speed and is big and strong, but lacks a first touch and the confidence to dribble at a defense. Its not just Johnson, its also guys like Wynne and others from the youth level who are allowed to get by with being physically better than everyone else, but don't develop the skills until they make it to MLS.
If I were a football manager I would manage the German national team. Who would take part in my 23-player squad right now? 01 Robert Enke (GK) Hannover 96 (vice-captain) 02 Marcell Jansen (DF) Hamburger SV 03 Arne Friedrich (DF) Hertha BSC 04 Christian Pander (DF) Schalke 04 05 Robert Huth (DF) Middlesbrough 06 Marko Marin (MF) Borussia Mönchengladbach 07 Bastian Schweinsteiger (MF) Bayern München 08 Torsten Frings (MF) Werder Bremen (vice-captain) 09 Mario Gómez (FW) VfB Stuttgart 10 Toni Kroos (MF) Bayern München 11 Miroslav Klose (FW) Bayern München 12 René Adler (GK) Bayer Leverkusen 13 Michael Ballack (MF) Chelsea (captain) 14 Per Mertesacker (DF) Werder Bremen 15 Gonzalo Castro (DF) Bayer Leverkusen 16 Philipp Lahm (DF) Bayern München 17 Tim Borowski (MF) Bayern München 18 Kevin Kurányi (FW) Hannover 96 19 Roberto Hilbert (FW) VfB Stuttgart 20 Lukas Podolski (FW) Bayern München 21 Christoph Metzelder (DF) Real Madrid 22 David Odonkor (FW) Real Betis 23 Manuel Neuer (GK) Schalke 04 Who would be your best eleven? GK Robert Enke CB Per Mertesacker CB Christoph Metzelder RB Gonzalo Castro LB Philipp Lahm CM Torsten Frings CM Michael Ballack RM Bastian Schweinsteiger LM Marko Marin SS Lukas Podolski CF Miroslav Klose What would your formation be? 4-4-2 A little boring to some, but to me this formation is tried and true to the German national team. I honestly don't understand deep experimentation when this formation (for the most-part) over time has got the job done. Of course there are slight alterations anyway. First, I would play Gonzalo Castro a little further up then Philipp Lahm because I want to occasionally utilize his skills as a natural wing back. Instead of two strikers I would place Miroslav Klose up front with Lukas Podolski behind him. Podolski is far more dangerous as a second striker to Klose. It would suit him better then as a striker or attacking midfielder. Torsten Frings and Michael Ballack stand well together in the central midfield. Ballack a bit further up then Frings because he can play well as an attacking midfielder. I chose some players some of you may not have heard of yet, but you will in due time. Marko Marin for instance is talented enough right now at only 19 years old to be a starter for Germany. That's my opinion anyway. By the end of this season he will no longer be with Borussia Mönchengladbach. My bet is on top foreign interest or Bayern München to draw him in with a big offer to both club and player. Germany also has two of the best young goalkeepers in the World right now with René Adler and Manuel Neuer. Toni Kroos is only 17 years old and he's already prepared to become a big part of Bayern's plans this season in the Bundesliga. Why not let a kid with so much talent represent his national team's highest level if he's already earned it? What more does he need to prove? He just has to keep improving and become more creative when in possession of the ball. Back-up strikers to Klose include Mario Gómez and Kevin Kurányi. With there being only one true striker in the starting eleven, there is no need for more pure strikers then the three I've chosen. I wanted to add Mike Hanke as well, but as I mentioned, only three strikers are needed. Based on the talent I have chosen I could use any formation I want to if I would need to actually change anything around. Other notable selections on my list include the insanely fast winger/midfielder David Odonkor, many towering defenders and one of the most underrated goalkeepers in the World, Robert Enke.
Chingy - Love the offensive and defensive strategy. I see that you're also on the list of people that believe Paul Robinson is overrated, that's good. In any case, the only thing I would change are a few player choices. Personally, I'd like to know why Foster over Carson, the addition of tired Gary Neville and leaving out both Gareth Barry and Gabriel Agbonlahor? At the very least you don't think Agbonlahor would be a good backup for Shaun Wright-Phillips? Agoo - That is exactly what I would do with the USA. Only I wish we could add Giuseppe Rossi!
I just prefer Ben Foster, he single handedly kept Watford in contention when they were relegated (iirc he was with them for 2 seasons; a promotion and a relegation) and was probably their best player. Without him they would have been like Derby. Carson is good, but I've yet to get a good look at him; even at Villa he had a good defence in front of him. Hopefully now he's at West Brom we can really see how good a goalkeeper he is. Gary Neville is underrated by a lot of football fans. He wears his heart on his sleeve, is not as slow as most people think and brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the side. His crossing ability would be vital with the exclusion of Beckham, and his long throws add an extra dimension to any team. He might not be as strong in the air or as quick as Micah Richards, but he makes fewer mistakes and is a better fullback than Richards. Richards' weakness is that he makes a lot of mistakes, but is lucky because he has the pace to get back into position. 9 times out of 10 when you see him make a brilliant, goal-saving tackle, it's because he was out of position to start with, but people rarely notice that. At the international level, you can't afford as many mistakes as Richards will make. Gareth Barry is a good player, but not as good as Hargreaves, Carrick, Gerrard or Lampard (actually maybe I'd bring him in for Fat Frank) so there's no place for him in the team I have made up, with 4 central midfielders. Essentially what I have done is made a team with a backup at every position, and 2 at the goalkeeper spot. Agbonlahor was a tough omission, but I brought in Theo Walcott instead. In fairness, the two are probably interchangeable as they are both quick strikers who can also play on either wing. Perhaps in light of recent form, as well as a height advantage, Gabby should come in for Walcott.
I had to change one thing - Marcell Jansen was transfered today from Bayern München to Hamburger SV for £6.37m. To counter his departure Bayern have signed Italian international right back Massimo Oddo from Milan on a loan deal. I think that's a great loan move because Oddo wasn't getting anywhere at the San Siro.
I would love to add Rossi, but he's chosen to risk irregular caps to play for Italy, rather than being the number one forward for the US from now until he's done. Watching him and Altidore together at Villarreal will only make me more bitter.
