Saturday, June 24, 2006

My World Cup All-Stars

Group stage over, and an opportune time to unveil my Special Select, my All-Stars, my Globetrotters. In case you're wondering, they refer to the same team, not three.

Justo Villar (Paraguay): I had trouble picking a keeper. Villar conceded a goal and picked up an injury in the first 8 mins of the game against England. For sympathy's sake, he's manning the posts for my team.

Hussein Sulimani (Saudi Arabia): A century of caps for his country, and the captain both in name and in deed. Has a cultured left foot (heard it has a Ph.D in Medieval Art), which carries its owner all over the pitch to instigate attacking moves and break up opposition advances.

Dennis Lawrence (Trinidad & Tobago): Scored the goal that took T&T to the World Cup Finals. Taller than Peter Crouch, but considerably less clumsy. Can defend a bit. What more can one ask for?

Loco (Angola): I like his name and haircut.

Bobby Convey (USA): Was the only player to try and make things happen when his team surrendered meekly to the Czechs. Could light up the Premiership next season with Reading.

Sulley Muntari (Ghana): Overshadowed by his more established compatriots Stephen Appiah and Michael Essien, but no less of a battler. I remember him sprinting back twenty metres just to prevent a Czech cross. Wants a move to the Premiership; on these displays, there ought to be a queue for his services.

Didier Zokora (Ivory Coast): This guy is by no means an unknown quantity, but he has really showed his worth at these Finals. He played a Makelele role protecting the back four in the African Nations Cup and rarely ventured forward. But now he has revealed his other side, displaying an explosive turn of pace and eye for a pass in the opposition half. £10 million for Zokora? Could well be the bargain of the season.

Mohammed Noor (Saudi Arabia): Lanky, quick and tricky midfielder, though somewhat lacking in physical presence as do many Saudi players. I haven't seen too many players with the same level of comfort on the ball as he does at this World Cup.

Edison Mendez (Ecuador): It's hard to pick just one outstanding player from the Ecuador team. People are talking about Luis Valencia as a rising star, but I remember Edison Mendez was being touted as the new hope of Ecuadorean football many years ago and now he's shown glimpses of fulfilled promise.

Mohamed Kader (Togo): Adebayor was supposed to be the star of the team, but somehow a Second Division player has outshone the Arsenal striker. Frankly, Kader is rather one-dimensional but at least he's scored Togo's first and only goal at the World Cup Finals.

Carlos Tenorio (Ecuador): I'd never heard of him before. I've checked: he plays his club football in Qatar. I think he deserves to play on a bigger stage.

Reserves:

Richard Kingson (Ghana): Every time you think he'll screw up, he shows a safe pair of hands.

Hatem Trabelsi (Tunisia): One of only three Tunisian players with any verve. He has the most.

Chris Birchall (Trinidad & Tobago): White guy in black team. Outstanding.

Lee Chun Soo (Korea): He deserves another shot at European football.

Ronaldo (Brazil): Fat, lazy and scores goals.

posted by KynTheMan @ 10:11 AM