The Apprentice - The Final...

by **Afro** Thu 30 Aug 2012, 10:37 am

This is it. We are down to our final two, so well done to Nando and Twist for getting this far. Some of your former teammates are back to help you so here are the teams:

Team Twist
Twist
Olly
OTW

Team Nando
Nando
Sodhat
Viva

Your task is simple. FIFA are setting up their museum to celebrate the history of football. Your task is to select your greatest ever World XI, along with 5 subs and a manager. Pick the formation that best reflects football history and then fill it with the best players to make the team.

Your submission should be posted here by 2pm on Thursday 6th September.

Good luck.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 30 Aug 2012, 10:49 am

by FIFA Diva Thu 30 Aug 2012, 11:10 am

Test.

by TwisT Thu 30 Aug 2012, 11:16 am

As I am only one here...tails

by **Afro** Thu 30 Aug 2012, 11:17 am

It was Tails.

Twist - you pick first

by TwisT Thu 30 Aug 2012, 11:27 am

Olly please

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 30 Aug 2012, 11:31 am

I must say TwisT, you got the best one Hug

by Trebs Thu 30 Aug 2012, 11:34 am

Maybe to speed up the process, twist could PM afro the order in which he wants the team? Then Nando picks his team and it gets worked out that way?

by **Afro** Thu 30 Aug 2012, 11:37 am

I'm happy to do it that way.

There's only two picks each and as soon as Nando is around and makes his first pick, then as long as Twist is here, he will pick his second and we will be done

by TwisT Thu 30 Aug 2012, 11:43 am

by Fernando Thu 30 Aug 2012, 12:12 pm

Ill take Sodhat please

by **Afro** Thu 30 Aug 2012, 12:18 pm

Task up ^

by Trebs Thu 30 Aug 2012, 12:24 pm

Looks like a familiar task Afro Whistle

by **Afro** Thu 30 Aug 2012, 12:26 pm

It might bear slight similarities to an England XI task done in the past Whistle

by TwisT Thu 30 Aug 2012, 12:38 pm

That is quite a task. There are so many choices.

by **Afro** Thu 30 Aug 2012, 12:41 pm

It is the final

by Fernando Thu 30 Aug 2012, 2:04 pm

Can i request an extension to the deadline until Thursday i have induction for my new job sunday/monday/tuesday The Apprentice - The Final... 3559488474

The Apprentice - The Final... 3559488474

by Fernando Thu 30 Aug 2012, 2:07 pm

If not it'll be done by Saturday then can i request it moves forward Wink

by TwisT Thu 30 Aug 2012, 2:08 pm

Yeah I am happy for it to be Thursday

by FIFA Diva Thu 30 Aug 2012, 2:15 pm

Was I last pick?

Well let me say, I done this task on the old 606 and I've got it saved on E-Mail and I know what Afros prefrences #I think I talk like a gangsta when I am in fact an idiot

by Fernando Thu 30 Aug 2012, 2:19 pm

I got the 2 people i wanted so im quite happy with our team tbh thumbsup

by FIFA Diva Thu 30 Aug 2012, 2:21 pm

VivaPaulScholes wrote:Was I last pick?

Well let me say, I done this task on the old 606 and I've got it saved on E-Mail and I know what Afros prefrences #I think I talk like a gangsta when I am in fact an idiot

Who edited my post?

by sodhat Thu 30 Aug 2012, 2:25 pm

VivaPaulScholes wrote:
VivaPaulScholes wrote:Was I last pick?

Well let me say, I done this task on the old 606 and I've got it saved on E-Mail and I know what Afros prefrences #I think I talk like a gangsta when I am in fact an idiot

Who edited my post?

No one. 00sh is in the swear filter.

And in fairness, it does make everyone look like a bell end if they use it.

by Fernando Thu 30 Aug 2012, 2:25 pm

Not a clue Viva

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_100

As voted by Pele some very good players in there worth a look see if forgotten any the immediate one that sprang to mind was puskas

by FIFA Diva Thu 30 Aug 2012, 2:26 pm

Fair enough.

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 30 Aug 2012, 2:34 pm

Fernando wrote:Not a clue Viva

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_100

As voted by Pele some very good players in there worth a look see if forgotten any the immediate one that sprang to mind was puskas

That list is completely null and void by the fact El Hadji Diouf is included in it Shocked

by Fernando Thu 30 Aug 2012, 3:00 pm

It's a plant olly Wink

by sodhat Thu 30 Aug 2012, 3:03 pm

There were some funny anomalies in that list - firstly I think there were 125 footballers included when it's called the FIFA 100

Secondly, a chunk of it was a classic FIFA stunt of appeasement in that it includes players from as many countries as possible...

by **Afro** Thu 30 Aug 2012, 8:24 pm

New deadline is same time on Thursday

by TwisT Wed 05 Sep 2012, 11:25 pm

Depending how things go tomorrow, I might not make the 2pm deadline. But it will be posted tomorrow at some point.

Sorry....family comes before net games Laugh

by **Afro** Thu 06 Sep 2012, 9:17 am

That's fine. I have a full day today, so not guaranteed to look at them until a lot later anyway.

And given Nando got a 2 day extension, I'm sure he won't begrudge a few hours.

Both get them in whenever they are ready.

by TwisT Thu 06 Sep 2012, 12:39 pm

If you say they have to be in today (i.e before midnight), it gives me more time as I have a few trips to the hospital to make. Then you can decide the winner tomorrow.

All I need to do is write it up, but I am going to be up and down all day.

by **Afro** Thu 06 Sep 2012, 1:01 pm

End of the day is fine for both teams

by Fernando Thu 06 Sep 2012, 2:57 pm

so midnight deadline then?

by FIFA Diva Thu 06 Sep 2012, 3:04 pm

11:59pm or 12:00am?

by Fernando Thu 06 Sep 2012, 7:58 pm

The Apprentice final - Odnan presentation with major help from Sodhat/Viva

Spoiler:

by TwisT Thu 06 Sep 2012, 9:57 pm

There is no way I am going to beat that Laugh

by Fernando Thu 06 Sep 2012, 10:01 pm

It's about Quality not Quantity thumbsup

by TwisT Thu 06 Sep 2012, 10:06 pm

Very true, but that was epic. I applaud all the guys involved clap

I will get something up, but I will not feel bad about losing to that.

by FIFA Diva Thu 06 Sep 2012, 10:34 pm

#MindGames

by TwisT Thu 06 Sep 2012, 10:35 pm

I really don't think I can compete with that, so I am going to keep this short and sweet. Afro didn't ask for all the blurb, or reasons why we picked those players in our submission. Therefore, I have picked a manager, 16 players and a first XI. In a formation that is a personal choice.

Thanks to Olly and Trebs who provided good feedback. But this is on my head rather than the guys involved.

So my submission is:

Spoiler:

by **Afro** Fri 07 Sep 2012, 4:16 pm

Nicely presented Odnan, I wander if it will make a difference.

Formation wise, I would have plumped for either 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 as these are the most historically significant formations. You have both essentially gone for a 4-4-2 (although Twists is a slight variation on the traditional.

Therefore, I am going to base this on comparing the two teams and if I can't split them, then the subs.

You both went for Yashin, Beckenbaur, Maldini, Zidane, Cruyff, Maradona and Pele, so I will disgard them.

So
Thuram v Alberto
Baresi v Moore
Matthaus & Figo v Garrincha & Di Stefano

Please tell me why your picks is the better of the two in each of these comparisons

by Fernando Fri 07 Sep 2012, 5:05 pm

Why i believe we chose the best players over theirs

Carlos Alberto

Alberto will always be the original bombing full back personally for me, He was the beginning of a long history of brazilian full backs which have seen the likes of Cafu/Dani Alves come through. He was a rare defender due to being able to defend to a high standard and go forward with great ball control/dribbling which in them days was unusual due to most staying where they were told if you were RB you stayed in line with the CB's and that's it.

Whilst Lillian Thuram was a top class defender Carlos Alberto was the beginning of full backs for me and will always be the best FB ever

Baresi

Franco is widely regarded as the greatest centre back of all time and id agreed , He was a great leader he led what was regarded as the best defence AC Milan ever had alongside Costacurta/Maldini/Tassotti and was one of the few defenders to win everything he played in world cups/seria a /italian cups

Baresi and Moore are both world class defenders i actually went for Baresi just for the class he played with he made it look easy people were afraid when playing AC Milan/Italy

Garrincha

He is like a olden day Iniesta, He would never get the headlines he should of yet if he was off the team sheet then the side would suffer, He is/was the greatest dribbler of all time he could run past anyone and the ball would never stray far if inches from his feet, He consistantly rejected moves to europe teams were that desperate to get hold of his immense talent that Milan/Juventus made a joint bid. He only lost one match for Brazil in his entire career , He's won titles whereever he went and was a world cup player of the tournament

Di Stefano
To me this man was one of a kind, He had the most complete skillset for a football id ever seen, He could pass/tackle/score/assist you name it he could do it, He was main component of Real Madrid winning the european cup in the 1950's, He could play all over the pitch and was clearly one of if not the best of all time

The difference for me is Figo is a good player not world class like Matthaus/Garrincha/Di stefano , All them 3 were crucial to their sides if you took them out you'd miss them , they single handedly held their sides together weather it be Botafogo or Real Madid

by TwisT Fri 07 Sep 2012, 6:18 pm

Thuram

With my team's formation, and the attacking front 4 it was always important to pick a RB that was technically sound defensively rather than being too attacking. Thuram is a world cup winner, but also more importantly has played successfully as a CB. With Maldini on the left (who also has played as a CB), it would allow Beckenbauer to go forward and cause problems. So essentially you would have three at the back.

Moore

I picked Moore for the main reason is that he is the perfect foil for Beckenbauer. I think Baresi and Beckenbauer would not work as they both liked to get forward as sweeper's do. Moore would sit and marshal the backline if Beckenbauer did feel the need to get forward alongside Matthaus.

Matthaus & Figo

A CDM was needed with my forward 4. Again, it also allowed safety if Beckenbauer ventured forward. The most important thing for me, was that the two Germans would work together well. Matthaus could play box to box, and with that shot he had, they could work in tandem - Beckenbauer pushing to a CDM role, and Matthaus going box to box.

Figo was picked due to his ability to take on players, just like Cruyff on the other side. He also possessed the ability to interchange seemlessly and I think that forward 3 midfielders would work really well together in real life. I also wanted to get as many nationalities as possible in my XI.

by **Afro** Fri 07 Sep 2012, 7:40 pm

Gents - I have reached my decision. Before I announce it, I think you have both contributed a lot to the game and deserve to be the final 2.

The main thing for this task was that it was for a museum. We weren't looking for a team that would work together well, or a fluid formation that could change to suit different players. We were talking about history and reflecting that history by picking a formation to reflect the history of football and then picking the best players in each position.

There were some gimmes in Maradona, Pele and Cruyff and you have both picked them. My decision is therefore based purely on the individuals that you have selected for the other positions and which I feel was the best choice.

On Alberto v Thuram, I feel that Carlos Alberto is probably the greatest FB to play the game and he capped that with world cup success. Thuram was also a great player and matches his trophy success, but in direct comparison I would always go for Alberto.

On Moore v Baresi, it is tough as Baresi was at the top for a long time. But many people speak of Sir Bobby as the greatest defender to play the game and it is hard to argue. I would have gone for Moore and Beckenbaur as my two at the back.

Figo and Matthaus v Garrincha and Di stefano is close, but I feel that although Figo was a great player of his generation, he wouldn't be in my best ever side. The other three I can accept the argument for selecting them.

Finally, your choices of manager. Sir alf is widely recognised and if this had been an England XI he would have been a shoe in. But in the world game he is not so widely recognised. Michaels on the other hand built a superb Dutch team and an equally superb Ajax team, and more importantly introduced a brand new philosophy to world football that they would soon adopt everywhere. With this in mind, he can justifiably argue a place at the world table of managers.

Therefore on all this, the winner of the Apprentice is Nando. Well done Nando, commiserations toTwist.

by TwisT Fri 07 Sep 2012, 7:42 pm

Never in doubt in my opinion....well done Nando thumbsup

by Fernando Fri 07 Sep 2012, 7:44 pm

Unlucky Twist

Have to say major thanks to Sodhat and Viva for their help couldn't have done it without them both

by **Afro** Fri 07 Sep 2012, 7:48 pm

Well done to you both.

You both get prize money to add to you teams, although it was that long ago I cn't remember how much Laugh

I'll have a dig around and find out and let you know

king

by TwisT Fri 07 Sep 2012, 7:50 pm

Wooohoooo....didn't realise that lol

MONEY!!!!!!

by Fernando Fri 07 Sep 2012, 7:55 pm

Ill split it with Sodhat and Viva when you let me know how much it is The Apprentice - The Final... 3559488474

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