the Apprentice Final - Odnan team page

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 Tuesday 4th September.

Spoiler:

Ready for instruction and how I can help whenever Nando

As you're offline and I'm just pondering lunch and a coffee, here are a few thoughts for you.

I think the formation that best reflects football history is 4-4-2, in that it endured the longest, and is still used today. That can't be said for the 2-3-5 formation of before then, and the 4-2-3-1 system is too recent to be massively representative.

Manager wise we should be looking at guys with worldwide reputations, but also to represent history, a bit of an innovator. I'd nominate Rinus Michels as the manager of Ajax and Holland in the 70s for producing winning teams (Ajax European cup wins, Holland WC finals) and doing it in an incredible manner with stylish football. He could also clearly man manage huge egos with Cruyff being under him.

Now for a mind-dump of a whole bunch of players I like:

GKs: Banks, Zoff, Yashin
DFs: Maldini, Moore, Beckenbauer, Baresi, Breitner, Cannavaro, Roberto Carlos, Cafu
MDs: Zico, Charlton, Matthaus, Gullit, Rijkaard, Di Stefano, Zidane
WGs: Best, Messi, C Ronaldo, Matthews, Cruyff, Laudrup, Garrincha
STs: Cantona, Van Basten, Hugo Sanchez, Ronaldo, Romario, Eusebio, Maradona, Pele

I've missed loads I expect but my first XI from that would be:

------------------Zoff
Cafu--------Baresi----Cannavaro---Breitner
Garrincha---Zidane----Matthaus----Best
-----------Ronaldo---Van Basten

Unless, we think the task is to go with just players who are historically most relevant, in which case I would dump balance and find spaces for Cruyff, Di Stefano, Pele and Moore at least.

I like the suggestions Sodhat and 4-4-2 is essential for me it's just a matter of getting the right balance in the side

I think out and out wingers are best, which is why I say Garrincha on the right because he was a proper winger. Just get up, beat a man and get it in the box, or have a crack. The left side is debateable and I said Best because he often operated on the left from what I have seen.

Zidane/Matthaus is ok for balance in the middle I think but I'm sure we can think of more DMs that would be suitable.

Striker is hard, and I realise I left out both Maradona and Pele...but that may be personal preference there. I should think both need to be included if it is for a FIFA museum because they are generally 1&2 on the greatest lists!

-------------------Yashin
Cafu---------Baresi---Beckenbauer---Maldini
Garrincha---Zidane---Matthaus------Cruyff
-------------Maradona---Pele

^^ That would likely be more like I'd expect to see in a Fifa museum.

I always thought the russian keeper was better then Zoff tbh

Personally id keep Cafu maybe through in Roberto Carlos/Cole at LB

Franz Beckenbauer should be a must have in our defence tbh

Hi guys just seen the page.

Are we going for the best players in that position or are we creating a team?

Carlos Alberto Brazilian right back is regarded much higher then Carlos and Cafu. I think he was captain in 1970.

Id rather have a team that work well together then individuals

Also players with positional flexibility could be happy could then start as a 4-4-2 turn it 4-3-3 or 5-3-2/5-4-1 if defending etc

To be honest I'd stick with the 4-4-2, it's still a good formation and with the right players you can beat anyone.

These three would definitely be in my team; Cruyff, Maradona, Pele.

Bear in mind this team isn't there to play anyone.

It's a team of the best players in each position, and we need to consider FIFA's agenda and view point too as it's their museum. It's why I think we have to have both Pele and Maradona regardless - FIFA utterly bums them as the best ever.

Well their definitely in then since it's a Fifa museum

Knowing how highly they rate messi/Ronaldo one of them could have a case for making it tbh

What about Bobby Charlton, I'd prefer him over Zidane.

I think it's time for us to do some planning and research, we could be shouting out names all day.

When is the deadline for the task?

Viva can you make an XI of what your team would be ill do the same (sodhat has done his) then we can mix and match and argue later

I'd argue Zidane is too great to leave out personally.

That team is too similar to the one Sodhat put out.

Nothing wrong with agreement Viva

Well if everyone is agreed then no reason not to go with that guys

Zidane and Matthaus would offer a better balance in midfield then Charlton and Zico.

We've got plenty time so no need to rush or confirm this team as the final piece.

I don't know whether we chuck balance out entirely and just pick the two best CMs and hope it works. Much like England tried with Lampard and Gerrard.

Morning guys.

Have we forgot about this?

I haven't forgotten, but it's Nando who is in the final really, so it's mostly up to him how it progresses

Come on Nando lets carry on with this tomorrow is the deadline.

I've put my team down.

VivaPaulScholes wrote:
I've put my team down.

That's a bit drastic.

Three players that are in the team are Pele, Maradona and Cruyff.

I actually merged your teams last night and came up with

----------------- Yashin
Alberto - Baresi - Beckenbauer -Maldini
Garinncha - Zidane - Di Stefano -- Cruyff
----------Pele---- Maradona

subs bench: Zoff/Moore/Charlton/Messi/Puskas

If think anything needs changing let me know once decided on squad time for a write up

My only change would be to take out Zico and put in Di Stefano - if we are indeed going with the best XI possible

We need 5 subs too of course

Maybe it would be worth having a couple modern day players on the bench

Wasn't Di Stefano more of a forward though Soddy?

Yeah Messi/Ronaldo could fit there

One from each position of GK/DF/MD/WG/ST would fill the bench out

I'd have van Basten on there, and George Best too if they can fit. Zoff is probably the second choice GK. Bobby Moore could have a case to be included as DF and midfield wise there are tonnes!

Fernando wrote:Wasn't Di Stefano more of a forward though Soddy?

Yes and no. The formations when he played had him in an advanced role but every time I've seen footage of him he takes the ball in midfield and drives on. If he were in a modern day team I'd imagine his best influence would be coming from deep behind a striker. In fairness he had every ability you'd need and he could play anywhere.

I've always classed him as a striker.

I'd rather have Charlton on the bench then Best, he won a world cup known internationally broke records for United and he could play on the left.

well we're have him in then ive added Messi mainly cos i want atleast 1 modern day player in the squad

I forgot about Eusebio don't know where we would fit him.

http://fourfourtwo.com/interviews/perfectxi/37/article.aspx

Bobby Charlton has him in CM in his greatest XI, and I would class him more as a midfielder than a striker, having seen how he played and where he tended to favour. It's your side though Nando, happy with whatever.

Eusebio or Van Basten?

I'd pick Eusebio over Van Basten.

Personally I prefer van Basten

What about Puskas as an alternative then?

700 goals in 705 games club/country?

Probably a fair compromise!

Or there is always fat Ronaldo

Leading goalscorer in World Cups, won everthing and scored everywhere

I was just about to sayPuskas.

We're go with Puskas then when you have your own Fifa/Uefa award your a very good player

Is everyone happy with this then

----------------- Yashin
Alberto - Baresi - Beckenbauer -Maldini
Garinncha - Zidane - Di Stefano -- Cruyff
----------Pele---- Maradona

subs bench: Zoff/Moore/Charlton/Messi/Puskas

Im going to leave Di Stefano generally trust bobby charlton's word

looks good to me nan-dog