Draft of Drafts

[Dark Savante]

^^ I'm surprised you didn't mention his patent falling swivel shot and hook twist shots? I don't think I've even seen any other striker do it. A superb technique and probably the best insight into a player as cunning as Muller was. Pure genius and literally undefendable from any position - the falling swivel shot that is.

[tpmazembe]

Eusebio was not the first name to come up as we thought of forwards, but he quickly became our first-choice. Hard to beat someone who was Europe's golden boot winner twice and led his league in scoring 10 years in a row! In his only World Cup he averaged 1.5 goals per game.

Moore, Pelé, Eusebio.
Stellar. You guys keep stealing our picks.

Complete striker -- strong in the air, powerful, shoot with both feet (especially a right footed cannon). Hard to beat someone who was arguably the dominant player of the European Cup (pre-champions league) in the first half of the 60s.

The reason Benfica is internationally known -- the 5 euro-cup finals in the decade -- is in no small part due to him.

Can we also say greatest African born player (Mozambique)....or is that still to come?

[comme]

I like it when people take players I didn't want, eusebio and muller were two of those. Great players both of them, but they wouldn't fit into how I want my team. Hopefully this will continue, but i doubt it.

Just to check, we all play 4 at the back? For comparison reasons?

[tpmazembe]

I like it when people take players I didn't want, eusebio and muller were two of those. Great players both of them, but they wouldn't fit into how I want my team. Hopefully this will continue, but i doubt it.

Just to check, we all play 4 at the back? For comparison reasons?Yep, back four.

Interesting. Eusebio and Gerd are two totally different type of strikers -- mobility and speed, versus fox in the box anticipator -- both devastating; yet neither of them would fit your team's style of play.

Looking forward to seeing who you pick..perhaps with an explanation of why they are a better fit vis-a-vis these two (rather than just a preference). Is this forward a hybrid of the two?

[comme]

Well who I pick and who I want are not necessarily the same thing. Perhaps it is not that they don't fit the system, just that I would rather build the system and fit them to it. We already have the best striker of all time in Puskas, we now need other sorts of players. Clearly there is a postion which we have not filled yet that everyone else has.

[Excape Goat]

The reason Benfica is internationally known -- the 5 euro-cup finals in the decade -- is in no small part due to him.



I would also say he put Portugal on the map. Portugal has not done much internationally since Eusebio in the 1960's. And if Eusebio has not lived, would Portugal have beaten North Korea in 1966. And if Portugal lost North Korea in 1966, Portugal would have achieved nothing ever in the World Cup history. Even the great 2002 team failed to do anything in WC Finals.

[argentine soccer fan]

I love the way our team is shaping up! I was surprised that Eusebio was still on the board. He is one of the best players ever.

Muller is a great pick for team B. A goal scoring machine. We considered taking him, but we just couldn't pass on Eusebio.

Eusebio and Muller are obviously very different players, but with this caliber of player I think you can't go wrong either way. With a player like that, damn the system. He transcends the system.

I think Comme is saying that, having Puskas and Beckenbauer, he now wants a midfielder. But I don't see how anyone could 'not want' a player like Eusebio.

PS: I agree that Eusebio is the greatest African-born player ever.

[tpmazembe]

:) ^^ I'm surprised you didn't mention his patent falling swivel shot and hook twist shots? I don't think I've even seen any other striker do it. A superb technique and probably the best insight into a player as cunning as Muller was. Pure genius and literally undefendable from any position - the falling swivel shot that is.
The football equivalent of the sky-hook?

68 goals in 62 games for West Germany....speaks volumes.

[tpmazembe]

TEAM C: efernandez, maczebus, martin cutler, tpmazembe

Round: 3 (Week 3)

Selection: 3
Cumulative 13

Player: Michel Platini

Position: M/F, ….Classic No. 10

Career Span: 1972-1987
Nationality: French (Joeuf, June 21, 1955)
Caps: 72 caps; 41 goals for France

Club Teams: Nancy Lorraine (France) ‘72-79, Saint Etienne (France) ’79-82, Juventus (Italy) ’82-87


Profile / Stats:

French Cup (1978) with Nancy; French Champion (1981) w/ Saint-Étienne;League titles (1984, 1986), 1 Italian Cup (1983), European Cup (1985), Intercontinental Cup (1985), Cup Winner's Cup (1984), European Supercup (1984) all with Juve; European Nations Championship 1984 with France

European European Footballer of the Year 1983, 1984, 1985, World Footballer of the Year 1985.

Platini, the grandson of an Italian immigrant, began with second division Nancy (who he lead into the first division), scoring 98 goals in 175 appearances in 7 years. He then moved on to St. Etienne where his pinpoint passing, ball control and free-kick ability gained a bigger stage. Not physically gifted – he was actually turned down my Metz, whose medical staff concluded that he was frail and lacking stamina – Platini more than made up for this with football intelligence and feel for the game.

In the 1982 WC he formed the magical French midfield that lost the heartbreaker to W. Germany, in one of football’s epic encounters. After this exhibition, he was purchased by Juve where he made history – in that time he won 3 consecutive European Footballer of the Year awards!

Captained France to its first major international achievement, winning the Euro 84.

Scored 224 goals in 429 matches (including three Serie A scoring titles); 41 goals in 72 NT appearances.

http://www.ifhof.com/hof/michelplatini.asp (http://www.ifhof.com/hof/michelplatini.asp)

http://site.ifrance.com/champions/michel_platini.htm (http://site.ifrance.com/champions/michel_platini.htm)

http://www.juventuz.com/history/past_legends/platini.php (http://www.juventuz.com/history/past_legends/platini.php)

Unanimous Selection

Team Status: DiStefano (M), Garrincha (F), Platini (M)

[comme]

I fear for your team tp, I really do. ;)
You now have two attacking midfielders and a very attacking winger. Will your team have any grit to it?

I'm actually bitter that you took someone I wanted, especially as you already have a playmaker. I just hope Team D don't follow suit.

[tpmazembe]

I fear for your team tp, I really do. ;)
You now have two attacking midfielders and a very attacking winger. Will your team have any grit to it?

I'm actually bitter that you took someone I wanted, especially as you already have a playmaker. I just hope Team D don't follow suit.You should indeed fear our team; not fear for it.

I know that you are aware that the precedent was set in 1970 when Brasil's WC winning team lined up with five attacking midfielders -- each the no. 10 on his club team. That's of lot of football IQ to deal with for defenders. We could be following this blueprint.

I figured you would want him. Given who is left, and knowing your past posts, its very likely your team will choose one of your least "favorite" playmakers.

As for Platini, I recall a game, either against Spain or Italy (I can't quite remember exactly), where he scores on a freekick, but its called back for some reason or other. He takes it again, and places the ball in the exact same place, to score again. Skills.

[soccermainiac2003]

13 picks and no one still playing

Someone has to be good enough

[Excape Goat]

13 picks and no one still playing

Someone has to be good enough

And only two of them -- Maradona & Barsei -- actually played in the 1990's, but they were probably more 1980's than 1990's.

[tpmazembe]

13 picks and no one still playing

Someone has to be good enough
soccermainiac,thanks for the input.

With 22 posters making communal picks, its improbable that any current great players have been 'overlooked'.

I don't view it as indicative of anyone not being good enough; just that as people build their squads and have to make real choices about talent and positions to fill, no active player has yet been chosen.

I had predicted the 3rd round for the first active player; if not, most probably the 4th (next week).

Its common to proclaim the greatness of players based on a couple of years of good form, but when stacked against others who have had 15-20 years of proven achievements, its hard to justify using a high-pick on their selection. Maybe if we did this excercise again in 20 years, a greater number would show up early on.

Plus, only 55 players will make it -- given the hundreds of players and decades of the beautiful game, what % of those chosen can any decade hope to have?

You can follow each team's deliberations to see when and if active players are being considered...http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=915

[comme]

To be honest I think its tactical. There are two current players who I consider worthy of the top 15 yet my team is not considering either of them for tommorrow's pick. The reason is that they both play in positions loaded with talent

[Dark Savante]

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


Round: 3 (Week 3)
Selection: 4
14th overall pick

Player: Djalma Santos
Born: 27th Febuary 1929, São Paulo, Brazil
Position: Right Back/Half (DF/RB)
Career Span: late 40's-early 70's
Nationality: Brazilian
Caps/Goals: 102 official(111 unofficial)/3

Club Teams: Portuguesa, Palmeiras, Atlético Panaraense - All Brazil

Profile / Stats:

World Cup Winner: 1958 & 1962
São Paulo champion: 1959, 1963 and 1966 (Palms);
Rio-São Match Pablo: 1965 (Palms); Goblet of Silver (Robertão): 1967 (Palms);
Brazilian Champion (Brazil Goblet): 1967 (Palms); Paranaense champion: 1970 (Athletical);
Champion Pan-American: 1952;


Djalma Santos was a tough, muscular, powerful, rugged and uncompromising right back, unquestionably the best ever in the right half slot of a back four. He was The first Brazilian footballer to reach an official century of caps.
Known for his soccer sense and intelligence on the pitch, he was often given the role of marking the opponent's fastest wing player. Djalma's world cup debut was made in 1954 where he played in all of Brazil's games (3) before they were knocked out and went home.

In the 1958 world cup, Djalma Santos lost his place to Di Sordi and only played one game, the final against Sweden for which the Brazilian manager, Feola, called upon Santos to use his excellent positioning skills to mark the winger Skoglund. Santos’ intelligence and defensive skills were crucial in neutralizing Hamrin and Liedholm as well. Djalma Santos also revealed his attacking skills, often venturing upfield to join the attack. Brazil beat Sweden easily by 5-2 and Djalma Santos became one of the outstanding members of the Brazilian side.

Four years later, at the age of 33, Djalma Santos was better than ever. He reclaimed the right-back position. Djalma Santos played in every game of the series and was the best all-round defender of the tournament. The right-back also formed an intuitive understanding with Garrincha, the key player in the 1962 Brazilian team. And in the final against Czechoslovakia, Djalma Santos also setup the third and final goal. His outstanding displays and consistencies were awarded by the being named to the World Cup Dream Team and regular inclusions in any World Cup Eleven.


The defence remained virtually the same for the 1966 World Cup tournament,
with Djalma Santos being called into action in the twilight of his career (aged 37). Djalma Santos became one of the scapegoats after Brazil was defeated by an inspired Hungary. The veteran was then discarded in the final game against Portugal, which Brazil lost and sent them crashing out of the tournament.

Djalma Santos played in four World Cups and was the first Brazilian to make 100 caps. The length of his career is a testament to his skill and shows that he truly was a world class player.

[Dark Savante]

I'd be extremly surprised if Djalma was not every teams first choice right back! A true lock for the position with no equal, imo of course. Our right side is now strong friends.

comme, I wonder when you say only 2 active players worhty of atop 15 slots? The top 15 thing must surely refer to one player whom I know you know I defend alot on these boards? No need to name names, but am I correct in my assumption? If I'm wrong I'm curious as to who it could be.

The other would be the player I assume will be in everyone's mind for a particular slot.

[comme]

My first two choices Platini and Santos have gone in two days. Why don't you people take more Mullers and Eusebios?


As for the two active players, one is a player who you and I have both defended at length and the other is probably my favourite all-time player and the only man who's name I have ever had on the back of my shirt. I think you can have a good guess at that.

Djalma Santos and Djalmina also have to be one of the best father and son combos ever.

[Dark Savante]

My first two choices Platini and Santos have gone in two days. Why don't you people take more Mullers and Eusebios?


As for the two active players, one is a player who you and I have both defended at length and the other is probably my favourite all-time player and the only man who's name I have ever had on the back of my shirt. I think you can have a good guess at that.

Djalma Santos and Djalmina also have to be one of the best father and son combos ever.

I put it to you, sir, you miss out another whom you seem loathe toward, lol. After all his achievements, hmm..

[comme]

Wait and see, I may be picking that person tommorrow. I've got to keep my team happy. ;)

To be honest I'm not quite sure which position to fill yet, hopefully some inspiration will come to me and my team.