By Myles Palmer
EXPERTS have picked a team of superstars in Francefootball magazine.
The 30-man Grand Jury was composed of current French players and coaches, current foreign players and coaches, and former players.
The 10 French players and coaches were Gregory Coupet, Raynald Denoueix, Luis Fernandez, Olivier Kapo,Sabri Lamouchi, Franck Leboeuf, Bixente Lizarazu, Bertrand Marchand,Benoit Pedretti, Gernot Rohr
The 10 foreign players and coaches were Michael Ballack, Carlos Bilardo, Fredi Bobic, El Hadji-Diouf,
Samuel Eto’o, Henrik Larsson, Luis Figo, Cesare Maldini, Carlos Alberto Parreira and Juan Carlos Valeron.
The other ten panellists were called “old glories”.
These were Alan Ball, Zbignew Boniek, Maxime Bossis, Gheorghe Hagi, Tomislav Ivic, Jurgen Klinsmann, Enzo Scifo, Aldo Serena, Louis Van Gaal andAndoni Zubizaretta.
Their 4-3-3 selection is:
Buffon; Thuram, Nesta, Maldini, R. Carlos – Makelele, Zidane,Nedved – Henry, Van Nistelrooy, Raul.
Details of the vote:
Keepers:
1. Buffon (78pts)
2. Kahn (37 pts)
3. Toldo (13 pts)
Defenders:
1. Thuram (94 pts)
2. R. Carlos (72 pts)
3. Nesta (67 pts)
4. Maldini (61 pts)
5. Ayala (14 pts)
6. Stam (13 pts)
Midfielders:
1. Zidane (115 pts)
2. Nedved (53 pts)
3. Makelele (44 pts)
4. Vieira (40 pts)
5. Davids (34 pts)
Forwards:
1. Henry (91 pts)
2. Raul (87 pts)
3. van Nistelrooy (86 pts)
4. Ronaldo (54 pts)
5. Vieri (23 pts)
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SINCE I rate all these players very highly, I can’t find much fault with the selection.
Ashley Cole’s final ball is better than that of Roberto Carlos,as I said during the World Cup.
But Carlos is a bionic gladiator whose indefatigable overlaps give Brazil and Real Madrid a momentum they could not get from anybody else.
It’s a team game and the other players have all the things Carlos lacks.
And he has what they often lack.
Also, if you have Henry and van Vistelroy, you don’t need to play 4-3-3.
Not being an anorak, I don’t pick World X1s except at the end of World Cups.
But if you do want to wander into the hypothetical, this Francefootball X1 is an intelligent side.
ARSENAL?
Expect 2 signings very soon.
I’m as relaxed and patient as ever.
But I will admit this : I’m excited about one of them.
18 July 2003.
PS
I’ve cracked my addiction to WhatReallyHappened.com.
Haven’t looked at it for 7 days.