[Football] Current World XI Draft

[Rohana]

I've checked and checked, but as far as I can tell, this player is free to pick.

Club:
La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13
Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12; Runner-up 2010–11, 2013–14
Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013; Runner-up 2012
UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11
UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011; Runner-up 2006
FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011; Runner-up 2006

Country:
FIFA World Cup: 2010
UEFA European Championship: 2008
Summer Olympics: Silver medal 2000
FIFA Confederations Cup: Third-place 2009

Individual:
La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2001
ESM Team of the Year: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06
UEFA Team of the Year: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
UEFA Club Best Defender: 2006
FIFA/FIFPro World XI: 2007, 2008, 2010
UEFA Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Team of the Tournament
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2010
BBVA Fair Play award: 2011–12

He's played nearly 400 games for Barcelona, and has racked up 100 Spain caps. It looks like his fantastic career will come to and end in less than 2 months and he's probably played his last professional game. However, he is not yet retired so perfectly legal to pick. The linchpin of one of the best club teams of all time

Carles Puyol

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Sorted it for ya.

Wahey, much appreciated!

 

[stripeyshark]

I've checked and checked, but as far as I can tell, this player is free to pick.

Club:
La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13
Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12; Runner-up 2010–11, 2013–14
Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013; Runner-up 2012
UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11
UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011; Runner-up 2006
FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011; Runner-up 2006

Country:
FIFA World Cup: 2010
UEFA European Championship: 2008
Summer Olympics: Silver medal 2000
FIFA Confederations Cup: Third-place 2009

Individual:
La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2001
ESM Team of the Year: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06
UEFA Team of the Year: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
UEFA Club Best Defender: 2006
FIFA/FIFPro World XI: 2007, 2008, 2010
UEFA Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Team of the Tournament
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2010
BBVA Fair Play award: 2011–12

He's played nearly 400 games for Barcelona, and has racked up 100 Spain caps. It looks like his fantastic career will come to and end in less than 2 months and he's probably played his last professional game. However, he is not yet retired so perfectly legal to pick. The linchpin of one of the best club teams of all time

Carles Puyol

Retired on Thursday?

Jokes. I'm pretty sure he can be fairly included.

 

[Rohana]

Retired on Thursday?

Jokes. I'm pretty sure he can be fairly included.

I think he did announce his retirement this week, but his contract will run through until the end of June. After trying to decide on hundreds of loopholes, I thought I'd finally use one.

 

[Rohana]

Manager:Van Gaal

Schwarzer
Piszczek - Silva - Puyol - Rodriguez
Essien - Veratti
Hazard - Rakitic - Mkhitaryan
Drogba
​

Category 1 - Has played/managed at least 200 times for one club.
Louis Van Gaal

Category 2 – Has made over 70 International appearances.
Carles Puyol

Category 3 - Has never played at a World Cup
Ivan Rakitic

Category 4 - Plays/Manages outside the “top 5” leagues.
Didier Drogba

Category 5 – Has been the top goal scorer in a top-flight season
Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Category 6 – Played football in at least 4 different countries
Tiago Silva

Category 7 – Has been relegated during his career
Mark Schwarzer

Category 8 – Has played in a Champions League Semi-Final/Final.
Łukasz Piszczek

Category 9 – Is under 24 years of age.
Ricardo Rodriguez

Category 10 - Has won a league title with 2 different clubs.
Marco Veratti

Category 11 – Is over 30 years old.
Michael Essien

Category 12 - Has faced Brighton at some point in his career
Eden Hazard

Pretty happy with my team. Think I've got a nice blend of youth and experience. Think a couple of my less well-known picks might cost me in the voting, but hey-ho - I like my team, anything else is a bonus.

Tactically its a pretty fluid team, with 3 attacking midfielders who can all drift out wide or cut inside. Couple that with two wing-backs who love to bomb forward and there's goals there. Quite glad I managed to get a manger who fits the style of play my team would be comfortable with if it was ever assembled in real life.

[MENTION=23606]Shatner's Bassoon[/MENTION] is up for the final time. Good luck, I'll start to sort out the voting for the awards and figuring out how we're going to do the groups for the whole-forum "Best Overall Team" World Cup.

 

[Shatner's Bassoon]

My final pick is one of the most exciting young players in Italy. He's been injured for most of this season but has featured in the AC Milan squad again recently, and will surely be back to his brilliant best. Fantastic to watch, and comes complete with a ridiculous haircut. It's Il Faraone, Stephan El Sharaawy!

 

[Shatner's Bassoon]

So my team is as follows:

Manager: Benitez

Lewandowski
Pedro~El Sharaawy~Sanchez
Busquets~Pogba
Abidal~Terry~Cahill~Lichtsteiner
Akinfeev
​

Category 1: Sergio Busquets
Category 2: John Terry
Category 3: Paul Pogba
Category 4: Igor Akinfeev
Category 5: Robert Lewandowski
Category 6: Alexis Sanchez
Category 7: Rafael Benitez
Category 8: Pedro
Category 9: Stephan El Sharaawy
Category 10: Stephan Lichtsteiner
Category 11: Eric Abidal
Category 12: Gary Cahill

Can any of your readers beat that?

When I've worked out how I'll post the formation, for now, [MENTION=22841]stripeyshark[/MENTION], it's over to you.

By the way, if you think you might have problems during the voting, [MENTION=15934]Rohana[/MENTION], try picking John Terry

 

[Guy Fawkes]

I've checked and checked, but as far as I can tell, this player is free to pick.

Carles Puyol

I looked at him on wiki the other day and it said that he had retired

(just seen others have already said the same above)

 

[stripeyshark]

Now for my last pick and to appoint a fitting manager for my selection of players. He has managed three countries, winning a World Cup with one of them. He's also managed a further 15 clubs and won 17 competitions. He also shares the same dual nationality as my team's defensive midfielder (Italian-Brazillian), making him the obvious choice. He is:
LUIZ PHILLIPE SCOLARI.

Now to you: [MENTION=286]Garry Nelson's Left Foot[/MENTION]

 

[stripeyshark]

MY FINAL TEAM, MANAGER, FORMATION AND CATEGORIES

Manager: Luiz Phillipe Scolari
Hart
Coleman Pepe Koscielny Kolarov
Motta
Özil Sneijder
James Di Natale Gyan​

1- Joe Hart 256 games for Manchester City
Two Premier League titles and three consecutive Golden Gloves (most clean sheets)

2- Luiz Phillipe Scolari Managed Portugal 74 times
World Cup winner with Brazil and has won 17 different competitions

3- Seamus Coleman Never played at a World Cup
In this year's PFA Team of the Year and Everton Player of the Season

4- Asamoah Gyan Plays in the UAE Professional League
39 goals in 77 games for Ghana and 100 goals in 89 games for Al-Ain

5- Antonio Di Natale Serie A Top Scorer in 2010 and 2011
175 goals in 329 games for Udinese and in the last 3 Serie A Teams of the Year

6- Wesley Sneijder Played in Holland, Spain, Italy and Turkey
Won the league title in 4 countries and 4 MotM awards at the last World Cup

7- Aleksander Kolarov Relegated in 2005 with Čukarički
Two Premier League titles and Serbian Player of the Year 2011

8- Mesut Özil Played in the Champions League semi-final for Real Madrid
148 assists in the last 6 seasons and UEFA Team of the Year (2012 and 2013)

9- James Rodriguez Born 12 July 1991, making him 22
Signed for AS Monaco for €45 million, won 5 league titles and a Europa League

10- Pepe Won two league titles each with Porto and Real Madrid
Team of the tournament at the last 2 European Championships and 12 winner's medals

11- Thiago Motta Born 28 August 1982, making him 31
2 Champions Leagues, 5 League titles and caps for Brazil and Italy

12- Laurent Koscielny Played against Brighton in the 2012-13 FA Cup 4th Round
Part of Arsenal's most successful team in 9 years and a superb defender

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I've got a quick question before I make my final pick:

Where do we stand on injured players? I'd like to pick a player that was out for well over a year but has recently returned to first team training. Can a player who hasn't played for a season and a half be a viable option? If he hasn't played for a long time how will(can?) he be judged?

If it's deemed inappropriate to pick a world class Hoskins I'll go for my back up option.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

I've got a quick question before I make my final pick:

Where do we stand on injured players? I'd like to pick a player that was out for well over a year but has recently returned to first team training. Can a player who hasn't played for a season and a half be a viable option? If he hasn't played for a long time how will(can?) he be judged?

If it's deemed inappropriate to pick a world class Hoskins I'll go for my back up option.

I don't see why they wouldn't be valid personally, but I guess you'd be at the mercy of those judging the teams as to whether his injury makes a difference...

As always, [MENTION=15934]Rohana[/MENTION] is the font of all draft-based knowledge...

 

[stripeyshark]

I've got a quick question before I make my final pick:

Where do we stand on injured players? I'd like to pick a player that was out for well over a year but has recently returned to first team training. Can a player who hasn't played for a season and a half be a viable option? If he hasn't played for a long time how will(can?) he be judged?

If it's deemed inappropriate to pick a world class Hoskins I'll go for my back up option.

If he's good enough, and has been throughout his career, pick him.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I'm impatient...so I'm going to go ahead with my pick. If [MENTION=15934]Rohana[/MENTION] deems players who havent played this season as ineligible I guess I'll have to re-pick.

So then, the final pick of this draft for team GNLF is going on a young centre back. He injured his ACL in December 2012 and re-injured it six months later before finally regaining full fitness this May. Despite only being 23 when he suffered his injury he had played nearly 150 games for Bayern Munich including, handily for the sake of this draft, a champions league semi final. He had also represented Germany 30 times. He has two Bundesliga medals to his name, a Champions league winners medal and a world cup bronze medal to boot. Now he is over his injury problems he is set to reclaim his position as one of the worlds top centre backs, a classy ball playing colossus he is, of course:

Holger Badstuber



That concludes the draft for team GNLF. [MENTION=225]Hamilton[/MENTION], it's over to you.

 

[Rohana]

Sorry, took advantage of the weather to go for a wander down the river Adur.

Yeah, that's a fair pick GNLF. Someone I looked at but his injury record worried me, didn't think he'd get the recognition he deserves.

When I get on my laptop I'll post a few links so people can get an image of their team/formation for the voting.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Nice one Rohana.

 

[Hamilton]

MY FINAL TEAM, MANAGER, FORMATION AND CATEGORIES

Manager: Luiz Phillipe Scolari
Hart
Coleman Pepe Koscielny Kolarov
Motta
Özil Sneijder
James Di Natale Gyan​

1- Joe Hart 256 games for Manchester City
Two Premier League titles and three consecutive Golden Gloves (most clean sheets)

2- Luiz Phillipe Scolari Managed Portugal 74 times
World Cup winner with Brazil and has won 17 different competitions

3- Seamus Coleman Never played at a World Cup
In this year's PFA Team of the Year and Everton Player of the Season

4- Asamoah Gyan Plays in the UAE Professional League
39 goals in 77 games for Ghana and 100 goals in 89 games for Al-Ain

5- Antonio Di Natale Serie A Top Scorer in 2010 and 2011
175 goals in 329 games for Udinese and in the last 3 Serie A Teams of the Year

6- Wesley Sneijder Played in Holland, Spain, Italy and Turkey
Won the league title in 4 countries and 4 MotM awards at the last World Cup

7- Aleksander Kolarov Relegated in 2005 with Čukarički
Two Premier League titles and Serbian Player of the Year 2011

8- Mesut Özil Played in the Champions League semi-final for Real Madrid
148 assists in the last 6 seasons and UEFA Team of the Year (2012 and 2013)

9- James Rodriguez Born 12 July 1991, making him 22
Signed for AS Monaco for €45 million, won 5 league titles and a Europa League

10- Pepe Won two league titles each with Porto and Real Madrid
Team of the tournament at the last 2 European Championships and 12 winner's medals

11- Thiago Motta Born 28 August 1982, making him 31
2 Champions Leagues, 5 League titles and caps for Brazil and Italy

12- Laurent Koscielny Played against Brighton in the 2012-13 FA Cup 4th Round
Part of Arsenal's most successful team in 9 years and a superb defender

Very good team. Nicely put together. Well reasoned.

Liking the solidity and creativity in your midfield.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

So, Team GNLF in detail:

Category 1: Samir Handanovic
Category 2: Wayne Rooney
Category 3: Jaoa Moutinho
Category 4: Hulk
Category 5: Robin Van Persie
Category 6: Javier Mascherano
Category 7: Jurgen Klopp
Category 8: Holger Badstuber
Category 9: Daniel Carvajal
Category 10: Shinji Kagawa
Category 11: Sergei Ignashevich
Category 12: Ashley Cole

Manager: Jurgen Klopp

Formation:

-------------------Handanovic--------------------
Carvajal-----Ignashevich-----Holger--------Cole
-----------Mascherano------Moutinho-----------
-------------------Kagawa------------------------
-------Hulk--------Rooney-------Van Persie------

This is a proper team. A balanced team. An experienced team(720 international caps and 30 domestic titles). It has one of the top five keepers in world football playing behind a vastly experienced defence(apart from the youthful rightback but he's broken into the Real Madrid team so no worries there). The defence is shielded by a player ho is and has been one of the worlds best defensive midfielders allowing the full backs to push on up the pitch when the team is attacking and giving the other two midfielders the freedom to roam and create. Up top are three of the very best strikers in the modern game with circa 700 career goals between them, all of them capable of creating a constantly moving, fluid, interchangeable forward line.

Vote Team GNLF

 

[Frutos]

I've checked and checked, but as far as I can tell, this player is free to pick.

Club:
La Liga: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13
Copa del Rey: 2008–09, 2011–12; Runner-up 2010–11, 2013–14
Supercopa de España: 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013; Runner-up 2012
UEFA Champions League: 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11
UEFA Super Cup: 2009, 2011; Runner-up 2006
FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011; Runner-up 2006

Country:
FIFA World Cup: 2010
UEFA European Championship: 2008
Summer Olympics: Silver medal 2000
FIFA Confederations Cup: Third-place 2009

Individual:
La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year: 2001
ESM Team of the Year: 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06
UEFA Team of the Year: 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010
UEFA Club Best Defender: 2006
FIFA/FIFPro World XI: 2007, 2008, 2010
UEFA Euro 2008 Team of the Tournament
2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Team of the Tournament
FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 2010
BBVA Fair Play award: 2011–12

He's played nearly 400 games for Barcelona, and has racked up 100 Spain caps. It looks like his fantastic career will come to and end in less than 2 months and he's probably played his last professional game. However, he is not yet retired so perfectly legal to pick. The linchpin of one of the best club teams of all time

Carles Puyol

Oh do sod off.

 

[stripeyshark]

Very good team. Nicely put together. Well reasoned.

Liking the solidity and creativity in your midfield.

Cheers mate. Good luck with the voting!