Draft of Drafts

[comme]

Team E-comme, Excape Goat, merengue, lanman

Round 8 (week 8)

Pick 1 (overall pick 36)

Lilian Thuram

Nation France

Career span 1990s,2000s

Clubs Monaco, Parma, Juventus

Major honours, World cup winner 1998, European Championship winner 2000, European Cup finalist 2003, UEFA cup winner 1999, Italian titles 2

International caps 96 goals 2

A wonderful defender with a superb engine, Thuram epitomises the incredible athleticism of the modern game. He first came to may people's attentions with his superb displays for Parma which marked him out as amongst the greatest defenders in the world's most defensive league. Thuram is equally adept at both centreback and right back, but has come to play more on the right with France and particularly since his move to Juve. While he is known for making exciting runs down the right flank he remarkably has only scored 2 goals in international football and both came at a vital time- France's semi-final victory over Croatia in WC 98.

[Dark Savante]

Thuram was the guy I was thinking both team A and team C desperately needed for the galavanting RW/Wf guys to fully express themselves. Another excellent modern day pick and I did suggest his name to our camp.

It looks like you're team is going for the ultra modern defensive unit right about now. An interesting approach. I wonder if Thuram was in the thoughts of teams A & C???

[comme]

I don't think it was necessarily a conscious decision to get a modern backline, simply that we needed someone solid to back up Best. We have also now got 3 of France's team back together. Desailly alongside Thuram should be good.

To be honest I'm surprised myself that we have 4 current players as I naturally favour old schoolers. But defending has improved immeasurably in recent years and I think that it is important to have a blend of old and new.

[tpmazembe]

Thuram was the guy I was thinking both team A and team C desperately needed for the galavanting RW/Wf guys to fully express themselves. Another excellent modern day pick and I did suggest his name to our camp.

It looks like you're team is going for the ultra modern defensive unit right about now. An interesting approach. I wonder if Thuram was in the thoughts of teams A & C???
Yes indeed, we (Team C) rated him very highly for our RB spot; plus he can play excellent CB as well, and we are all about versatility. We'll have to come up with something special....

[Dark Savante]

What stands out in my opinion is that team B are unique and the other 4teams have a team with whom they almost have a race against time to get the same players.

team A vs. team C
team D vs. team E

I think the following weeks will determine just how greatly each team values the remainding positions they have left to fill and also peoples evaluation of some players vying for the same spot on two teams. I was wondering when the draft would get tactical..I think this week will be the first fully fledged tactitical assualt.




Yes indeed, we (Team C) rated him very highly for our RB spot; plus he can play excellent CB as well, and we are all about versatility. We'll have to come up with something special....

This is going to be a fun week :D

[argentine soccer fan]

Thuram was the guy I was thinking both team A and team C desperately needed for the galavanting RW/Wf guys to fully express themselves. Another excellent modern day pick and I did suggest his name to our camp.

It looks like you're team is going for the ultra modern defensive unit right about now. An interesting approach. I wonder if Thuram was in the thoughts of teams A & C???

Thuram certainly was in our short list of players for that position. Sometimes today's players are overrated by young fans and underrated by the older guys. But I think Thuram definitely belongs in our select group of top players and certainly he would have helped our team. Nice pick.

[lanman]

For me this is going to be the best part of the draft - it may seem strange talking about the all-time greats merely as role-players, but I have a feeling that there may be more than a couple taken more on what they offer than their ranking amongst the best ever. I think we have seen a couple already (Deschamps springs immediately to mind), but with the best already gone it comes down to trade-offs and putting forward players your colleagues might not know a great deal about.

[tpmazembe]

For me this is going to be the best part of the draft - it may seem strange talking about the all-time greats merely as role-players, but I have a feeling that there may be more than a couple taken more on what they offer than their ranking amongst the best ever. I think we have seen a couple already (Deschamps springs immediately to mind), but with the best already gone it comes down to trade-offs and putting forward players your colleagues might not know a great deal about.
Yep.

There are two guys not yet chosen that are just outstanding -- top 50 regardless of position, veritable legends -- but would not fit the scheme that we have begun to put in place, or would frankly be surplus to requirements. Meanwhile, I've got another guy in mind that wouldn't make the top 100 all time (maybe not even top 200) but might in fact fit the puzzle nicely.

[Dark Savante]

TEAM D
Dark Savante - captain, Spartak, Real Ray, Mobile


Round: 8 (Week 8)
Selection: 2
37th overall pick

Player: Rudolf Jozef “Ruud” Krol
Born: 24th March 1949, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Position: LB/CB/Swe
Career Span: late 60's-mid 80's
Nationality: Dutch
Caps/Goals: 83/4

Club Teams: Ajax Amsterdam, Vancouver Whitecaps, Napoli, Cannes


Profile / Stats:

World Cup Runner Up: 1974 & 1978
Euro Cup 3rd place: 1976
European Cup Winner: Ajax 1972, 1973
Netherlands League Title: x7
Netherlands League Cup: x4


Rudolf Jozef “Ruud” Krol, born in Amsterdam, played most of his career for his hometown club Ajax. He was only 20 when he was called up to the national team squad for the first time and stayed there for the next fourteen years. With Ajax, he was part of some of the best clubteams European football has ever seen. Three straight European Cups were won in the early seventies and many of his colleagues in Ajax, for instance Johann Cruyff, were also key-players for Holland.

Krol was a versatile defender who could play anywhere that was required. He was a great reader of the game which also made him successful as a sweeper in the 1978 World Cup. Four years earlier he had been equally successful at left-back. The Dutch team of 1974 is always mentioned when people talk about great teams that never won the World Cup. Krol played in every minute in all seven games and also scored a goal, a cracking shot against Argentina in the 4-0 second phase win.

Krol was made captain by coach Ernst Happel for the 1978 World Cup and Holland advanced through the rounds much thanks to Krol’s presence. The team suffered from the lack of Cruyff in a creative midfield role, but neither Italy or West Germany could prevent Holland from reaching a second World Cup final in a row. Holland and Krol, once again an ever-present, could not stop Argentina and Kempes in extra-time as the hosts ran out 3-1 winners.

Ruud moved to Canada to play for the Vancouver Whitecaps in 1980. He returned back to Europe the following year to play four seasons for Napoli and later for Cannes in the French second division where he also ended his career. He was capped 83 times for Holland, a record until Aron Winter broke it during Euro 2000.

[argentine soccer fan]

So, the run on Dutch players continues. I think team D is trying to recreate the magic of 74.

Krol is a favorite of mine. A defender with great pace and great versatility. I was pimping him for our team, before we settled on Bergomi.

[tpmazembe]

Nice pick Team D.

Are you playing him at LB or what? Seems to me if you play him at CB/sweeper you are long on finesse (w/ Baresi), but short on muscle.

The Dutch are indeed doing very well in this affair - without having done the math, they probably dominate the selections from '74-Present.

Tomorrow Team C puts the hammer down.....:)

[argentine soccer fan]

Nice pick Team D.

Are you playing him at LB or what? Seems to me if you play him at CB/sweeper you are long on finesse (w/ Baresi), but short on muscle.


Krol was not a dirty player but I wouldn't consider him a lightweight. I don't have his physical stats, but based on what I remember he was a big strong guy, wasn't he? Anyway, he was a very active player with lots of pace.

I'd think Baresi has to be the sweeper in this defense, and Krol should be a more active complimentary CB and a link to midfield. It looks to me like Team D has the players to play Dutch style total football, but with the addition of a disciplined Italian sweeper. Can you imagine Holland 74 with a guy like Baresi in the back? He would probably have been the final piece of the puzzle for them to win it all.

[tpmazembe]

Agree with your assessment ASF, it depends on what style of ball Team D is choosing to play. I just recall DS agreeing with the concept of pairing a more technical CB with a more physically imposing CB -- Krol didn't strike me as fitting that mold. That's not to say that they would not be a good pairing - cause they have skills -- just a different approach. Coming up against Team B's central strike force of Muller/VBasten could they be exposed physically?

[Real Ray]

Krol was not a dirty player but I wouldn't consider him a lightweight. I don't have his physical stats, but based on what I remember he was a big strong guy, wasn't he? Anyway, he was a very active player with lots of pace.


That's exactly right. I pushed very hard for Krol. And one point I noted was both his size and speed-he is 5'11", 176 lbs. And when you stop and think that Baresi was known as the, "Steel Man"...to question our centre-defense...I really wouldn't go there. Desailly is 6', 184lbs, to compare Krol with a modern player. Not much between them in terns of height/weight. And IMO he is a far more brilliant reader of the game.

Our back four.... I'm very pleased to say the least.

[argentine soccer fan]

Our back four.... I'm very pleased to say the least.
Yeah, I covet your laterals, Maldini and Santos. But I think we'll do all right. I think we have a bit of an advantage on offense.

Kroll was 5'11", 176? Wow, that's just about my size when I was playing (before I gained 10 pounds). I thought he was bigger than that.

I think that the biggest debate we've had so far is about the defensive approach. As much as I agree that toughness and size are important, I believe that having players who are tactically sound and have defensive and ball handling skills is even more important. I would argue that today there is too much emphasis on size and speed to the detriment of skill. But I think skill, tactics and intelligence can neutralize speed and size for the most part.

[Dark Savante]

Krol wasn't my #1 choice, but I was outvoted and also am quite please with Krol so I have no grounds for complaint.

Just as i pushed hard for Neeskens, Real Ray did the same for Krol and his points were valid so I don't have any qualms about the selection.

The versatility in our team is tremendous and we really can exhaust teams down the flanks, especially the left side, forseebly having Maldini and Krol alternate all game if we wanted to.

My main issue was always about complimenting Baresi with someone with pace and aggression, Krol has both of these assets and has more intelligence and direct nous with timing and reading of the game then any of the CB's I would have taken, admittedly. What he lacks in raw power he more than makes up for with distribution so it's apples and oranges.

[Dark Savante]

Yeah, I covet your laterals, Maldini and Santos. But I think we'll do all right. I think we have a bit of an advantage on offense.

Kroll was 5'11", 176? Wow, that's just about my size when I was playing (before I gained 10 pounds). I thought he was bigger than that.

I think that the biggest debate we've had so far is about the defensive approach. As much as I agree that toughness and size are important, I believe that having players who are tactically sound and have defensive and ball handling skills is even more important. I would argue that today there is too much emphasis on size and speed to the detriment of skill. But I think skill, tactics and intelligence can neutralize speed and size for the most part.

^^ lol I posted my above thoughts and then when page updates I see this!

Pretty much my thoughts exactly! :) that's why I can't be anything but happy with our selection.

[tpmazembe]

That's exactly right. I pushed very hard for Krol. And one point I noted was both his size and speed-he is 5'11", 176 lbs. And when you stop and think that Baresi was known as the, "Steel Man"...to question our centre-defense...I really wouldn't go there. Desailly is 6', 184lbs, to compare Krol with a modern player. Not much between them in terns of height/weight. And IMO he is a far more brilliant reader of the game.

Our back four.... I'm very pleased to say the least.No questioning your central defense at all, just curious as to the thinking on the pairing, which you've elaborated. It would not have been my thinking, as I've expressed my view on my idea CB combinations, but I can appreciate the approach you guys have taken .

As for the relative stature of players, that doesn't fortify or lessen the view on "physicallity' -- we've seen very large players that were less likely to mix-it up than smaller sized athletes. Its often more a player's mental make-up rather than his physical stature that dictates toughness.

Can't argue with the pedigree of any on the players on your back line....but, tomorrow Team C will complete the offensive line-up to split them wide open :) !

[comme]

As tpmazembe, made the point I would personally have added someone more physical to Team D's defence but there can be no question that they have 4 truly outstanding individuals at the back and will be a real problem for any attack.

[Dark Savante]

As tpmazembe, made the point I would personally have added someone more physical to Team D's defence but there can be no question that they have 4 truly outstanding individuals at the back and will be a real problem for any attack.


I share your sentiment, but at the same time it's going to take one helluva intelligent and cohesive attack to breach our backline. Our back line read the game like psychics :D


The Neeskens-Krol-Baresi triumvirate is one tough cookie to go straight through and on the outsides Djalma and Maldini are ready and waiting. So I'm happy with our back 5 even if it wasn't what I fully envisaged it is still one tough, tough cookie to crack.