The Apprentice - Task 4 - Team WTF

Imagine that FIFA decided that we had to compete as Team GB in the World Cup. I want you to select a Team GB squad, which is a hybrid of World Cup and Olympic requirements.

You will select a 23 man squad to compete for Team GB at Brazil 2014. That team must be made up of U23s at the time of the tournament (U23 = born on or after 1st June 1991), with 3 over-age players allowed.

Your squad must contain a minimum of 3 players from each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

You will then select a starting XI from that squad, which in turn must include 1 player from each national association.

I want you to report to me your squad, your starting XI and a set of tactics to suit that team. I would also like you to select a manager and assistant.

You should provide details on why you chose those particular overage players, and also why you chose your manager and assistant. Please submit on this page by 3pm on Friday 3rd August

Right team

First off I suggest we look at all the players now that are 21 or under now (make sure they are born after June 1st 1991).

Soddy can you take Northern Ireland please
Viva can you take Wales please
And I will do Scotland
England I think we should do all together as they will probably make up the bulk of our squad

Can you come up with 10 best per country and list their names and positions here (should give us a good mixture then to choose people based upon positions). I want to whittle it down to a 20 man squad by tomorrow night.

We only have to pick the top 3 from Scotland/N.Ireland/Wales but if we can get in more then it would be a bonus.

Then Wednesday we decide on our over age players. I want to choose these players based upon the positions we need improving in our first team. Then we can decide on our first 11.

Thursday is when we pick our manager and assistant, as well as the tactics we will be using.

Oh and for this task, even though we can discuss players here, the final 23 I want to do via PM. Same goes for the first 11, manager/assistant and tactics.

England

Jack Wilshere - CM
Phil Jones - CB/CM
Oxlade-Chamberlain - RW/LW
Connor Wickham - ST
Josh McEachran - CM
Jack Butland - GK
John Flanagan - FB
Ravel Morrison - AM/WG
Steven Caulker - CB
Nick Powell - AM/CM

Northern Ireland

Shane Ferguson - LW/LB
Josh Carson - RW
Daniel Kearns - RM
Shane Duffy - CB

They're are literally no feasible U-21 Northern Irishmen I can see outside of these boys! We only need three though, and I think Ferguson, Carson and Duffy might be the best bets.

The Englishmen are pretty well stocked - we can go deeper than the initial 10 I've given.

Manager-wise, what are the thoughts?

Lets go deeper for England then.

Manager...not sure....but......

Spoiler:

Other English dudes:

Ross Barkley
Jonjo Shelvey
Sammy Ameobi
Lewis Dunk
Thomas Ince
Jordan Ibe

Ross Barkley is a must for me.

I'll have my list for Wales tomorrow.

My list....like Soddy it is less than 10 as there aren't that many.

James Forrest (RW)
Matt Phillips (RM)
Gregg Wylde (LM)
Danny Wilson (CB)
Grant Hanley (CB)
Tom Cairney (CM)
Fraser Fyvie (CM)

Jordan Rhodes missed out by a year. He would have been quality. I would say the top 3 are the best. Matt Phillips would be my first team choice.

Wales

Adam Henley - RB/LB
Adam Matthews - RB
Daniel Alfei - CB
Lloyd Jones - CB
Billy Bodin - Winger
Jonathan Williams - AM
Jake Cassidy - ST

If i was to pick three from the above I would go with Matthews, Williams and Cassidy. I would have gone for Jones he is supposed to be very talented but is just 16 would only be 18 at the World Cup and I don't think he'd pick up much expereince in the first team at Liverpool in two years.

Thanks Viva

We now have to pick 11 England players from the list Soddy supplied. We may have to omit some so we get cover in every position.

Which of them are the "must takes"?

Butland, Wilshire, Oxo, Jones, then??????

Not 100% convinced on Ox just yet but the other three I agree on.

Can we fill up the other two keeper positions with N.Ireland, saves us space for outfield players.

As long as we have one N.Ire player in the first team then I don't see why not. However, I don't want Afro to think we are just putting players in for the sake of it.

We have to be seen as picking the best players available from each country. Picking two reserve keepers from N.Ire looks a bit dodgy

Fair enough. Shall I do my English XI?

If you would. I will do the same. And if Soddy can do one as well.

As I think this is the most important part of the task, can you please PM it to each of us. Then we can compare and discuss

Ok I've sent you both my team.

We get three overagers don't we?

Maybe we can bulk up the Scots/NI contingent there? I mean the English youngsters are pretty handy already and we have loads of them...

I would still like us to take Rooney.

Bale as an overage?

Think we do need help up front so I'm not against Rooney, but if we're going 4-5-1 does he play in behind?

I am just about to send you both a PM. Hold your horses

PM sent.......need feedback because it was a toughie

Oh and further from that PM......

Spoiler:

Replied back with a couple of messages.

Got them, cheers Viva.

As I have said, I will give both an updated squad list with those over 23's we have picked, tonight. Then we can tweek it if needed.

Hope you two are happy with that. Cheers for your help

Looks good so far.

PM for the pair of you

Try and keep all team discussions by PM now.

Can you also please check the squad both of you on TM, just to double check that all the players are legal (all born after 1st June 1991). I have made sure we have 3 at least of each nation, 3 over-age players and at least one of each nation in my suggested first XI.

See you guys tomorrow

I've replied, I'll check everything in a bit going to eat now.

Hey guys, thanks for your PM's. I will answer in code lol. I am guessing that you're replies were sent to each other as well, so you both know what I am on about :

Viva: Who would you bring in? Bearing in mind the player you said to cut can also play in the position you said we are lacking.

Sodhat: I think bringing that player in would sacrifice the balance of the team, especially when his performances for his country have not been earth shattering. We would need to cover his inclusion with a non-english player. So my questions are:

Who would you get rid of in the squad?
Who would you bring into the first team, and in what position?

Answer by PM if you want, so that you can be frank.

Would like to nail down a squad and first team today, so we have time to talk about tactics and assistant/manager.

I'll reply later mate, off to play golf this morning

Ok, it seems you have agreed to bring in this player. I would like to say now that I think it will really harm the balance of the team, but I will go with the majority vote.

So.....take out NP, add this new over-age player in. We need to get rid of one over age player of one country and replace it with a non-english player of the same country and fit it into the first team.

I really do think this is a bad move. I have PM-ed you a possible first team now and squad. On face value, it doesn't look too bad I suppose.

Last PM with final squad. Happy?

You should provide details on why you chose those particular overage players

This is one of the requirements for the task. Viva could you write one for our striker, Soddy can you write one for our CB, and I will take the winger.

PM also thoughts about tactics and formations.

Also, we now need to do managerial positions.

Yeah thats fine, I'll PM it to you tonight.

We are cooking with gas now......I really think we have worked really well and have the winning proposal

Lets hope so, can't take out foot of the pedal. Hopefully we can have the tactics and reasons for our over age players in by tonight.

Ok, just to be clear, I have allocated you both jobs to do. Soddy, if you have problems with the choice of manager, then just let us know. Don't feel we have done stuff without your say so.

I think we are done

I'll get the other part of my task in later tonight

Hi guys,

I have wrote up my bits and emailed myself it. When the other stuff comes in, I will put it all together and PM it to you both to check over.

I won't be online tonight, so no rush if you two want to leave it until tomorrow. We are in good shape.

There is a good chance we will be all finished by tomorrow, so my question to you both is shall I post it early, or wait until friday afternoon?

Have a good evening guys

Hi Twist I'll get mine in tomorrow, I won't have much on at work so I'll have a lot of time to do it.

I think we should post our task on deadline day. Don't want the others to steal our ideas.

Ok then

Should be all ready by tonight

I'll be sending you the tactics and formations now Twist.

Got it now, thanks Viva.

Just waiting on Soddy and I will put it all together

PM for you both. Let me know your thoughts

looks brilliant Twist, brilliant work

Its fantastic.

Right, job done then.

I will post it around half 2 tomorrow (as it has to be in for 3). Obviously I am at work so I may get called out, so if it gets to 2:45 and it hasn't been posted, then you both have it to post.

I will take responsability of posting it as it stands at the minute though.

Good job guys. Be proud of yourselves for that

Why not post it now if we're done?

What day is it today?

Wouldn't it score us points to be early though Afro...?

I genuinely thought I had lost a day.

And no, not really. Earlier doesn't always mean better if you could have spent the additional time wisely