The Apprentice Task 4 - Team GB for the World Cup

First topic message reminder :

Right, a nice topical one for you.

Imagine that FIFA decided that we had to compete as Team GB in the World Cup. I want you to select a Team GB squad, which is a hybrid of World Cup and Olympic requirements.

You will select a 23 man squad to compete for Team GB at Brazil 2014. That team must be made up of U23s at the time of the tournament (U23 = born on or after 1st June 1991), with 3 over-age players allowed.

Your squad must contain a minimum of 3 players from each of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

You will then select a starting XI from that squad, which in turn must include 1 player from each national association.

I want you to report to me your squad, your starting XI and a set of tactics to suit that team. I would also like you to select a manager and assistant.

You should provide details on why you chose those particular overage players, and also why you chose your manager and assistant. Please submit on this page by 3pm on Friday 3rd August


Teams will be:
Twist
Viva
Sodhat

Nando
OTW
Olly

Olly wrote:

BigFellasAfro wrote:

Team GYAIH - What is Oliver Norwood's DOB? And what is Rory Donnelly's nationality?

Donnelly is Welsh and Norwood was born in 1992?

That's what I got when I did it first time let me check again...

Rory Donelly is perhaps the most Irish name I've ever heard...

sodhat wrote:Jenkinson has rejected a full cap for Finland already, and appears to lean toward England according to this article.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/arsenal-teen-jenkinson-keen-to-choose-england-over-the-finns-2339479.html

To expand on this - if we show an interest I should imagine Jenkinson would see the chance to play at major tournaments regularly too.

So it was close, but ultimately Team GYAIH selected one too many overage players (as Norwood is overage), and did not select the required number of Welsh players.

This is a fundamental mistake and therefore the winners are Team WTF.

Congratulations. Team GYAIH, I welcome you into the boardroom

Carl Jenkinson has previously stated that he is leaning towards Finland. Why do you think you can persuade him to pick Team GB instead?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jenkinson is not the only player who has said that and gone on to play for another, look at the Irish. At the time Jenkinson made that statement he probably felt that he won't make the England team. Now he has a concrete offer from G.B, I don't think any lad would say no to play for the country he was born and raised in, especially when you are playing alonfside top players like Rooney and Bale.

No offence to Finland but their Football at the moment is not at the level where they'll qualify for a major competition.

Did you reckon our squad was any good Afro?

I'm in the boardroom Afro. Dunno how welcoming the stare from Mrs Afro is though

Well done team WTF.

That's what you get for trying to rip us off, it was so blatent that you copied our style.

I did, although I actually leaned towards Team GYAIH's squad marginally more.

I know you said about balance, but I think they had players I would have selected and maintained the balance.

I think Bale was a better choice than Baines though, as my instinct told me to use the overage players to fill the Welsh, Scottish and Irish spots as much as possible as their U21s are not that strong (which I think both teams found)

VivaPaulScholes wrote:Well done team WTF.

That's what you get for trying to rip us off, it was so blatent that you copied our style.

Well not really.

VivaPaulScholes wrote:Well done team WTF.

That's what you get for trying to rip us off, it was so blatent that you copied our style.

It's not too late to pull you in as well Viva. I'll judge whether they copied or not

Team WTF - Carl Jenkinson has previously stated that he is leaning towards Finland. Why do you think you can persuade him to pick Team GB instead?

Being picked for a major footballing tournament that Finland have failed to qualify for? I am sure he is an honourable fellow but maybe he is picking Finland because he feels he won't ever get into an England squad.

Oh we have won anyway.....ok

Well done Team WTF. Fair play your submission was class

Afro can you explain why you thought both managers honours were even? I thought MON was a bad choice.

1) Martin O'Neil is under contract with Sunderland and is not available at this time. He has a contract until Dec 2014.
2) He has no international experience as a manager. A good club manager does not make a good international manager (Eriksen Capello, etc).

Both were really strong, which is a reflection that last week we got rid of the last two weak players.

I'll post up boardroom questions, but as Nando is doing live text and OTW isn't around, we can take our time

I'm just saying what everyone is thinking.

Actually I don't endorse my former teammates comment, I reckon they're an honourable bunch

Sod - I think O'Neil is very strong tactically and has shown in the past how well he works with yougsters.

You are right that a good club manager is not always a good international manager, but on the same basis, many club managers go on to be very good managers. Therefore, I couldn't write him off just because he hasn't proven himself.

He has also shown that every few years he has had enough and is ready to move on, so this tournament fits in well with that

And not once did I think that either team had copied the other tbh

It's quite obvious we didn't copy because you put in a Norwich player that I missed

A goalie too, surprised you didn't put him in!

Ok I'll drop it. Unlucky Olly you guys put in a good performance it was the small things that cost you. I was a bit scared when I seen your ccompleted task.

sodhat wrote:A goalie too, surprised you didn't put him in!

Yeah can't believe I missed old Jed. To be fair I don't think there is too much difference between Steer and Ripley but still, I am ashamed of myself even more now

Boardroom questions:

To all three of you.

1) Where do you think the task was lost?

2) Having seen the other teams, would you have made different choices?

3) Who do you think should be fired and why?

BigFellasAfro wrote:Boardroom questions:

To all three of you.

1) Where do you think the task was lost?

2) Having seen the other teams, would you have made different choices?

3) Who do you think should be fired and why?

1. I think it was lost on that fundamental error. I think we had the slightly better submission but that little error cost us ultimately.

2. I would have chosen maybe Bale, although we thought LB was weak so we needed a Overage there. Other than that I think they are similar. I would have obviously chosen the right amount of players from each country and in the age limit as well.

3. If I am being brutally harsh I would say Trebs. And that is only because he although contributing well, probably contributed the least overall. And although in this task I did screw up a bit, I have shown in the task and in past ones how hard I work as part of the team, as shown when Soddy chose my first for his side in Task 3.

1) Where do you think the task was lost?
A few silly mistakes. People were careless in checking the date of births and nationalities. I think the rest of our submission was very good, and there is little to separate us from the other team.

2) Having seen the other teams, would you have made different choices?
I wanted to pick Bale and pushed for it, but the team were not happy with it. Other than that I think I would have picked similar players.

3) Who do you think should be fired and why?
I didn't contribute as much this week admittedly, but in all the previous tasks I have made good contributions, have won three of four, the other being the first task which nobody really on our team helped out with, and won as project manager.

Olly added Norwood to the squad and didn't put over-age next to him, so I would have to put the blame on him there. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I know if I was putting the final submission in I would have checked every player in the squad.

Everyone seems to be stabbing each other in the back.

BigFellasAfro wrote:Boardroom questions:

To all three of you.

1) Where do you think the task was lost?
Probs choosing O Neill as manager and the man sausage up with Norwood/Donelly

2) Having seen the other teams, would you have made different choices? No we wanted to be solid at the back and LB was a weakness

3) Who do you think should be fired and why?

Whilst Olly cocked up he put in more effort then most, OTW wasn't around enough but what he did he, did well but id still go otw

OTW, your teammates seem to be turning on your lack of contribution.

Why shouldn't I fire you?

Olly, in my mind the main flaw during the task was Norwood and Donnelly (as Sod said, if you can think of a more Irish name, let me know).

Why shouldn't I fire you?


Nando, you are coming across as fairly blameless in this result, therefore you are safe for another week. Please head back to the live text page and carry on

BigFellasAfro wrote:OTW, your teammates seem to be turning on your lack of contribution.

Why shouldn't I fire you?

Olly, in my mind the main flaw during the task was Norwood and Donnelly (as Sod said, if you can think of a more Irish name, let me know).

Why shouldn't I fire you?


Nando, you are coming across as fairly blameless in this result, therefore you are safe for another week. Please head back to the live text page and carry on

Afro I must admit I screwed up in this task. I should have been more thorough in checking. But look how much work I did still. All the tactics, reasons for all the squad (even if it was for players who shouldn't be there) and both Nando and Trebs have both said I was a good PM. Also in past tasks I have proven that I work extremely hard, and produce high quality work. This for me was exemplified when Sod himself chose me first when we were choosing teams. If you get rid of me Afro I believe you are losing someone who will always put 100% into every task, and from now on will double check everything he does before submitting it. Can I also point out that neither Trebs or Nando corrected my mistake.

I didn't contribute as much in this task admittedly due to Olympic commitments, but as Nando said, what I did do, I did well.

If it wasn't for me, Jonny Evans would not have been included, and some of the other players who were missed by the other team, such as Caulker. I also championed Nick Powell, Ezekiel Fryers, and convinced the team to pick Martin O'Neill over Guus Hiddink.

I would also like to add that I chose the starting eleven.

In the four tasks so far, I made the biggest contribution in our team in the first task, project managed the team to a win in the second, came up with a key idea to give us a win in the third (fitness) and came up with good ideas in this.

Olly - do you agree with this?

"If it wasn't for me, Jonny Evans would not have been included, and some of the other players who were missed by the other team, such as Caulker. I also championed Nick Powell, Ezekiel Fryers, and convinced the team to pick Martin O'Neill over Guus Hiddink. "

BigFellasAfro wrote:Olly - do you agree with this?

"If it wasn't for me, Jonny Evans would not have been included, and some of the other players who were missed by the other team, such as Caulker. I also championed Nick Powell, Ezekiel Fryers, and convinced the team to pick Martin O'Neill over Guus Hiddink. "

We did miss Evans and Caulker in the original draft I believe. Although I don't agree with the O'Neill over Hiddink point and we picked up Powell originally as well and were considering him for the final squad. Fryers was Trebs as well

I have to make a reluctant and unenviable choice here.

You have both contributed a lot across all tasks and I will be losing a real contender, but one of you has to go.

OTW, albeit due to other commitments, you contribution on this task was less than your teammates and they have both pointed the finger at you in this boardroom.

Olly, you did contribute a lot, but on this task, you lost and the reason you lost was down to your mistakes

I don't really want to say this, but......

"Morning all, I won't be around till Friday properly which is my next day off work. I like Gary Neville as assistant manager, but not sure on Hiddink, I think it should be a British manager or someone like Wenger who has a lot of experience in the game."

It would have been Hiddink if I didn't make this comment.

In Olly's suggestion in the squad, he put in Shelvey over Powell. Second page, just over halfway down. I then replied and said Nick Powell has to be involved, so that was me,

Olly - Your contribution was strong, but over the course of all tasks, it was matched by OTW. Therefore, it comes down to the mistakes on this task and that is your downfall.

YOU'RE FIRED!!

:cannonsmileyplease:

Fair enough Afro, if you want help with anything just shout. Also although it was my mistake, if my teammates would have realised I would have liked them to have picked me up on it which they didn't.

But hey ho

Hard luck Olly, you did well.
Thank you for allowing me to continue in the process Sir Afro

Unless it's a double firing...

OTW - you can go back to wherever it is you go and be ready for the next task.

It was a tough choice. All three of you are on a par and the only thing to separate you all was the Norwood/Donnelly mistake.

A small error, but it is competitive now, so that is all it takes

To United to work?

Any idea when the next task will be?

Well as I said if you ever need a hand Afro with ideas or anything give me a shout

Good luck everyone else

Thanks Olly

Probably Monday OTW

I'm working two fourteen hour shifts tomorrow/Tuesday so whoever I'm working with, I will put a lot of time in on Weds/Thurs