Draft of Drafts

[comme]

This was not quite unanimous, Beckenbauer is not the player I would have gone for first. However, he is a choice that the whole team was happy with and we still have the next pick anyway.

[argentine soccer fan]

Damn! I wanted The Kaiser for our team. Back to the drawing board.

[tpmazembe]

Originally posted by comme
This was not quite unanimous, Beckenbauer is not the player I would have gone for first. However, he is a choice that the whole team was happy with and we still have the next pick anyway.

Great. The process worked as envisioned by all.

Having read a fair number of your posts, I'm almost positive I know who you had in mind. Myself, I would have agreed with the majority of your team on this one....can't think of any remaining player better suited to start a squad with, both from talent and leadership perspective. Thing is, I'd have wanted him as mid (where he started his career).

In fact, of the first round picks, I would have been shocked if Becks had not been there. I surrender to Cryuff's talent (and view him in the top 5 from that perspective), but would have understood if he had fallen to the second round due to "intangibles".

[Dark Savante]

Originally posted by comme
This was not quite unanimous, Beckenbauer is not the player I would have gone for first. However, he is a choice that the whole team was happy with and we still have the next pick anyway.

Methinks you got out voted :D I am surprised 'you' went for him and I'm sure you've messed up a few peoples plans with your selection, lol.

[comme]

Well this exercise is all about give and take. ;) I hope that by giving on this one my team will be more willing to take my top choice on Monday. If they aren't then my only hope is that some people aren't quite as enamoured of a certain player as I am and he hangs around till pick 15, but I doubt it.

[Dark Savante]

I doubt it to. Which is a pity for my team.

[comme]

I'm not even sure you know who my first choice is. ;)

[tpmazembe]

New Boards. Takes getting used to....here is the link to my PF to continue your team's deliberations:http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=915

Going into the Second Round (even numbered week), remember the selection sequence is now.

1. Monday - Team E
2. Tues - Team D
3. Wed - Team C
4. Thurs - Team B
5. Friday - Team A

Cheers.

[comme]

Team E comme , Auriaprottu, Excape Goat, Merengue

Round 2 (Week 2)

Selection 1 (Overall selection 6)

Ferenc Puskas (The Galloping Major)

Position: Midfield/Attack (Inside Left)

Nation Hungary and Spain

Career span 1940s, 50s and 60s

Clubs Kispest Honved, Real Madrid

Major honours: 1952 Olympic Champions, 1954 World Cup finalist, 1959,1960,1966 European Cup winner, 1962,1964 European Cup finalist Hungarian titles 5, Spanish titles 5

International caps Hungary 85 goals Hungary 84 caps Spain 4 goals Spain 0

Puskas was the inspiration behind the Honved and Hungary teams of the 1950s. A wonderful inside left he had perhaps the greatest left foot the game has ever seen. Although he was short, squat and fat, puskas managed to become a true great. Following the Hungarian revolution of 1956 Puskas fled initially to Italy and then Spain where despite being initially written off he became a major force with the great Real Madrid. Puskas is the second highest goalscorer in international football and the third highest in top flight club football.

[comme]

OK I now have my first choice. I hope my team don't mind too much but as with Beckenbauer it was a decision eveyone was willing to go along with.

For me Puskas is the player that is Pele's greatest rival for the title of greatest player ever. Had he not been crocked in Hungary's 8-3 thrashing of W Germany in the group stages we might well talk of that Hungarian team as the best ever. They lost only one game in 6 years, it just happened to be the WC final. When Puskas arrived in Italy they said he was too old (29) and too fat (even more than his normal weight) but his club contacts at Madrid gave him an opening that he grasped with both hands. Whereas Didi, the magical Brazilian playmaker had struggled to get on with Di Stefano, Puskas left his attitude at the door and formed a wonderful partnership with the Blond Arrow. Puskas was topscorer 4 times with Real Madrid the last coming at the age of 37. The main reason that I rate Puskas so highly (as well as him being a supreme player) was that he is the only player to have had such a double life. People like Di Stefano and Sivori came acroos from success in South America, but Puskas is the only man to have played on two all time great teams. What's more he did it all having being written off as a has-been.

[Dark Savante]

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


Round: 2 (Week 2)
Selection: 7
7th overall pick

Player: Franco Baresi

Position: CentreBack/Sweeper

Career Span: 1978-1996
Nationality: Italian, 08.05.1960 Travagliato, Brescia, Italy
Caps: 81
Club Teams: AC Milan.

Profile / Stats:

6 x Serie A Championship
1978-1979, 1987-1988, 1991-1992, 1992-1993, 1993-1994, 1995-1996
3 x European Cup : 1988-89, 1989-90, 1993-94
3 x European Super Cup : 1989, 1990, 1994
2 x Intercontinental Cup : 1989, 1990
World Cup Runner up: 1994

A product of the Milan youth system Baresi tasted success early but seemed destined for a frustrating career. He suffered two relegations with Milan and watched from the bench as Italy defeated Germany to win the 1982 World Cup.

Baresi captained Milan to the most successful period in their history winning 5 league championships and two successive European Cups, European Super Cups and Intercontinental Cups. Baresi was at his imperious best in the 1993-1994 season as Milan won a third successive championship conceding an incredible miserly 15 goals in 34 league games. Suspension prevented him from playing in Milan's infamous 4-0 European Cup victory over Barcelona.

Baresi failed to translate success at club level to the national team. He missed one the penalties in Italy's semi-final loss against Argentina in 1990 and despite a magnificent performance watched helplessly as Italy were once again defeated on penalties in the 1994 World Cup final.

An exceptional sweeper Baresi will be best remembered for marshalling one of the finest defences ever seen in club football, Milan's offside trap was sheer perfection. In an unprecedented move Milan retired Baresi's number 6 jersey after he completed his 20th season at the club. A fitting tribute to a legendary player.

By todays standards Baresi would be dwarfed in stature (he was only 1.76m tall) by the modern day centreback and his pace would never win him any medals, but with a superb reading of the game in front of him and an imperious sense of positioning Baresi was [/b]never[/b] found wanting and would often contain strikers with almost double his pace. Precision tackling of Baresi's standards is not seen in todays football and throughout the history of football only a handful of defenders can stand face to face on Baresi's podium. Whatever concept you have of immaculate defending, throw it out the window if you have never seen Baresi defend.

[comme]

I favoured Baresi over Beckenbaer as a pure defender and certainly considered taking him on my team. He was a wonderful player, the perfect defender.

Just one point of correction, Baresi scored his penalty (the first one) in Italy's semi-final defeat in 1990. The players that missed were Robert Donadoni and Aldo Serena.

[Dark Savante]

I favoured Baresi over Beckenbaer as a pure defender and certainly considered taking him on my team. He was a wonderful player, the perfect defender.

Just one point of correction, Baresi scored his penalty (the first one) in Italy's semi-final defeat in 1990. The players that missed were Robert Donadoni and Aldo Serena.


Yep you're right and it'll teach me for just copying and pasting! :o lol

[comme]

Yep you're right and it'll teach me for just copying and pasting! :o lol


I have read that profile myself on soccer-europe, it is a very good site for stats .

[tpmazembe]

Team E comme , Auriaprottu, Excape Goat, Merengue

Round 2 (Week 2)

Selection 1 (Overall selection 6)

Ferenc Puskas (The Galloping Major)




I knew it.....should have bet you on this.

Worthwhile watching the Real vs. Frankfurt match again. Puskas' goals (other than a non-existant penalty) are all stellar. On one of them, he does a full turn in the box and unleashes a rocket in the top 90 degrees...a thing of beauty.

Plus, was first to show that having a belly doesn't keep you from being a born goal scorer. Real's first el gordo? Wonder if anyone called him fat...:)

[tpmazembe]

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


Round: 2 (Week 2)
Selection: 7
7th overall pick

Player: Franco Baresi

Position: CentreBack/Sweeper.

Our team had him as a potential choice as well for this round. Was this a Spartak initiative ?:)

Kidding aside, spectacular player. Excluding Maradona, just take a moment to think about how many of the greats of his generation he beat out with this selection in the process!

Personally, I would not have used such high pick on him, considering how many "game changers/deciders" are still available.

[comme]

I knew it.....should have bet you on this.

Worthwhile watching the Real vs. Frankfurt match again. Puskas' goals (other than a non-existant penalty) are all stellar. On one of them, he does a full turn in the box and unleashes a rocket in the top 90 degrees...a thing of beauty.

Plus, was first to show that having a belly doesn't keep you from being a born goal scorer. Real's first el gordo? Wonder if anyone called him fat...:)

Did you get my PM? The system was playing up last night.

[Dark Savante]

Our team had him as a potential choice as well for this round. Was this a Spartak initiative ?:)

Kidding aside, spectacular player. Excluding Maradona, just take a moment to think about how many of the greats of his generation he beat out with this selection in the process!

Personally, I would not have used such high pick on him, considering how many "game changers/deciders" are still available.

He was unanimous. We did think he'd have been taken, he wasn't, so we snapped him up. As to game changers and deciders - they are far more numerous than great defenders are. With that in mind I have no qualms at all about out selection :)

[comme]

The thing I have found in my thinking about possible players in possible positions, is quite how many great players there are in every position. Although not of the class of Baresi or Puskas I have got a list of about 160 possible players for this draft.

[tpmazembe]

The thing I have found in my thinking about possible players in possible positions, is quite how many great players there are in every position. Although not of the class of Baresi or Puskas I have got a list of about 160 possible players for this draft.

Indeed. Given the 80 or so years of top flight organized profesionnal football, and the fact that its a global game, the list of great players is indeed substantial.

This excercise will force us to leave many of them off the 5 squads -- just as interesting an end product as those who make it. Choices must be made....


PS -didn't receive your PM. They're still working out the bugs.