Premiership Barbarians

[Ray de Galles]

Three days in to the close season proper and I'm turning in to Rogin.

We scrap the Charity/Community Shield and replace it as the new season's curtain raiser with England v a Premiership all-star side.

The squad for that side consists of one player from each of the previous season's top seventeen sides (forget the relegated sides, nobody know about the promoted players yet and it gives us a starting XI and the maximum allowed 6 subs) and can only have one player from each nation including one uncapped English player.

The emphasis is on as attacking a side as possible to make it, you know, fun. My squad knocked up in ten minutes over a coffee (and using the current top seventeen's current squads) just now and playing in the vougueish 4-3-3ish formation;

GK Friedel - Aston Villa & U.S.A.

RB Neil - West Ham & Australia
CB Hangeland - Fulham & Norway
CB Gallas - Arsenal & France
LB Gardner - Bolton & Jamaica

CMF Essien - Chelsea & Ghana
CMF Bouba Diop - Portsmouth & Senegal
AMF Fellaini - Everton & Belgium

RFW Ronaldo - Man U & Portugal
CF Torres - Liverpool & Spain
LFW Robinho - Man City & Brazil

Subs ;

Myhill - Hull & Wales
Shawcross - Stoke
Tainio - Sunderland & Finland
Modric - Tottenham & Croatia
Valencia - Wigan & Honduras
McCarthy - Blackburn & South Africa

[Ray de Galles]

Premiership Barbarians

Alright, point taken, shit idea.

Good job I didn't show you the kit design I had done as well. I wasn't going to let them wear club soocks if that's what was worrying you.

[EIM]

Premiership Barbarians

It's not a shit idea. It's just horribly difficult. How the fuck can you pick a team under these circumstances, man? There are too many variables going on. If I picked a side it'd end up worse than my fantasy football team. Good at the back, solid in the middle, and left with only Bendtner and Viduka up front.

Still, at least I have a better idea of who or what the Barbarians are now.

[EIM]

Premiership Barbarians

Hang on. I can't have Viduka can I?

See. I've only picked two players and I've fucked it up all ready.

[Harbinger of Hope]

Premiership Barbarians

Do a US style All Star Game.

North vs South

ie

Man Utd, liverpool, man city, Everton

vs

Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs

Not sure where Villa will fit in...

[EIM]

Premiership Barbarians

No, fuck that. Have a Premier League vs Football League game.

Or, I dunno, Blondes v Brunettes. Weird, isn't it, how men with brown hair have brown hair, yet women have brunette hair. What's that about?

[Harbinger of Hope]

Premiership Barbarians

At least with North v South there is a small amount of tribalism involved. Can't see any in a Premier League fantasy type outfit.

[beak]

Premiership Barbarians

How about a county select tournament with say three ringers allowed (as in, they don't have to have been born in the county, as long as they play their football there.)

If we're being old-fashioned with our counties (as we should), I'd confidently predict Lancashire to piss it.

Blacks vs. whites*?

* EDIT: I am not actually suggesting this in any manner of seriousness

[EIM]

Premiership Barbarians

Fuck the tribalism. None of the players will give a fuck. It'll be like watching two even more dis/uninterested England teams plod about. I can't imagine much worse.

[EIM]

Premiership Barbarians

dogbeaky gould.

[beak]

Premiership Barbarians

what's one of those?

[Harbinger of Hope]

Premiership Barbarians

If you cannot say anything constructive Taylor, don't speak at all.

[EIM]

Premiership Barbarians

dogbeak - When Bobby Gould was manager of Wimbledon, he used to arrange black v white training sessions.

HoH - I don't remember the last time I said something constructive. Likewise, I don't remember the last time I chose not to say anything at all.

[Kid A]

Premiership Barbarians

How about England v a Rest of the World team made up of Premiership-based foreigners? England would prob get trounced mind...

ROTW:
Jaaskelainen
Sagna
Hangeland
Vidic
Evra
Ronaldo
Fabregas
Mascherano
Arteta
Arshavin
Torres

Subs: Friedel, Gallas, Alonso, Cahill, Modric, van Persie, Anelka

[Harbinger of Hope]

Premiership Barbarians

That's another good reason North v South would work. Reckon it would be a pretty even contest.

[beak]

Premiership Barbarians

EIM wrote:

dogbeak - When Bobby Gould was manager of Wimbledon, he used to arrange black v white training sessions.

blimey.

[Harbinger of Hope]

Premiership Barbarians

So thats skins v skins.

Could they not afford lovely luminous bibs??

[Ray de Galles]

Premiership Barbarians

Kid A wrote:

How about England v a Rest of the World team made up of Premiership-based foreigners? England would prob get trounced mind...

ROTW:
Jaaskelainen
Sagna
Hangeland
Vidic
Evra
Ronaldo
Fabregas
Mascherano
Arteta
Arshavin
Torres

Subs: Friedel, Gallas, Alonso, Cahill, Modric, van Persie, Anelka

Yes, that's essentially what I was driving at but the use of a player from each club and limit of one per country makes it more inclusive and gives England a bit of a chance of making it an even game.

I hadn't thought of Arshavin though, I feel a reselection coming on.

[pebblethefish]

Premiership Barbarians

EIM wrote:

Fuck the tribalism. None of the players will give a fuck. It'll be like watching two even more dis/uninterested England teams plod about. I can't imagine much worse.

Well, the Community Shield is a pretty close contender.

[Stumpy Pepys]

Premiership Barbarians

If we're being old-fashioned with our counties (as we should), I'd confidently predict Lancashire to piss it.

Absolutely. We should have a State of Origin knockout championship based on cricket counties.

[Third rate Leszno]

Premiership Barbarians

Left footers v. Right footers? Baldies v. Beardies?

[Gangster Octopus]

Premiership Barbarians

bewaldeth or glory wrote:

Left footers v. Right footers?

They play that in Glasgow at least four times a year...

[Twisted Sister]

Premiership Barbarians

Fats V Thins

[Ray de Galles]

Premiership Barbarians

You know, I think I may have preferred it when my visionary idea was ignored.