Foreign Players that Would Perfect Your National Team

[Sempre]

We all know the gripe about national teams: you might have
10 great attacking midfielders, but just one outstanding full-
back. And unlike a club manager, a NT manager can't simply
go out and buy the players he needs. He has to make do.

Suppose you could make two foreign players a part of your
NT though; which would you pick?

I'll do Italy. Here's my ideal XI (4-3-1-2):

Cassano, Toni;
Totti;
Pirlo, Gattuso, Camoranesi;
Grosso, Nesta, Cannavaro, Zambrotta;
Buffon

A very strong team, don't you agree? But with one problem: the
Azzurri is built on the twin pillars of Nesta and Pirlo, yet Italy have
no replacements for these two. Only Nesta can limit the opposing
team's best attacking players in the way he does, and only Pirlo
links the defense and attack as he does so expertly.

The two foreigners I'd want, then, are Ledley King (Lorenzo Re,
we'll call him) and Xavi from Spain. They'll be the two perfect subs
for Italy's most important players.

I'm not as familiar with other NTs, but I'll make one note for Brazil:
Pele said recently, "If Brazil had Nesta, they'd never lose a game."

Your thoughts?

[The Potter]

England:

Another decent keeper someone like Given. A quality DM like Makelele and another goalscorer perhaps Eto'o.

[flyerhawk]

United States:

Steven Gerrard - The US really could use an all-purpose Midder like Gerrard. He can do so much whereas most of our other midders tend to be more specialized in what they can. Frank Lampard would be an acceptable replacement. :)

Thierry Henry- Heh. Personally I think most NTs could use this guy. The US team is extremely thin up front and we had someone that could create their scoring chances like this guy it would be absolutely tremendouds.

[Alex_1]

Brasil - John Terry of England and... Pele was right... Alessandro Nesta. I also think the attack would be that much more effective with Makelele destroying the oppositions attack.

[glennaldo_sf]

I wouldn't mind having Diego Maradona, Pele, Lev Yashin, Johan Cruyf, and Franz Beckenbaur, and Paulo Maldini all be in their 20's and play for the US.

[nicephoras]

Italy could really use another Zambrotta to play at LB and RB at the same time.

[johno]

Trinidad could use David Beckham to play on the right, Zambrotta at left back and Gary Neville at right back.

----------------Stern John
------------------Yorke
ColinSamuel------------------Beckham
------------Spann----Birchall
Zambrotta-Lawrence--Andrews-Neville
-------------------Hislop

Its not a world beating team obviously, but with those 3 additions, we'd have a very servicable bench and we'd have the things we need the most. An excellent crosser as well as dependable fullbacks.

[benni...]

I agree with Nice, but I think every national team could use Zambrotta.

[schafer]

Anybody:(

[Teso Dos Bichos]

Take Barry Ferguson then. :D

[schafer]

Take Barry Ferguson then. :D


Well, maybe not anybody...;)

[Cassano]

I agree with Nice, but I think every national team could use Zambrotta.

Make that 2 Zambrotta's.

[Twenty26Six]

Anybody:(

Rep, I laughed hard.

You've got De Guzman, Stalteri, Radzinski... not exactly _horrible_ players. It could be worse.

[billyireland]

Well, maybe not anybody...;)
Gary Doherty?

[megamac20817]

Argentina could use Buffon or Casillas, as our goalie right now sucks. At least we'll be solid all around in the future.

[Twenty26Six]

I'm kind of hoping the USA can construct an African colony much like the French and Dutch have done before. It is our only hope at bagging a WC. :)

[leg_breaker]

England could do with a left-sided midfielder like Robben, or a proper goalscorer like Eto'o. Owen doesn't turn up in tournaments and doesn't contribute to the game, and Rooney isn't a goalscorer.
...............Eto'o................
......Rooney.......Gerrard.....
Robben....Carrick.........Cole

Cole....King....Terry..Neville
............Robinson...........

[dor02]

1)Australia needs to change their whole back line excluding Neill.

Australia's new backline if Aussies could get foreigners:

Neill ---- Cannavaro --- Nesta ---- Zambrotta

It would be great if the Socceroos can get rid of Emerton and get a Garrincha clone to take his place.

2)I don't see Italy's need for a foreigner and you can't really classify Camoranesi as one.

If we were talking teams of the past, there was one poster who wanted Batistuta in the Azzurri team.

3)The Phillippines need anyone possible. They're one of the worst teams in the world.

[oneding9394]

China.....hahahaha.....

basically, we could use any foreign help....!!!

i'm jus gonna take the easy route and take the 2 most exciting players in ronaldinho and henry so maybe we can hold on the ball in the opponent's half for more than 20 seconds, string more than 2 passes together, and maybe shoot more than 5 times and get on target more than, well, zero times.....

[schafer]

Gary Doherty?

Alright, now your just insulting me;)