After 20 years, you’d think English football didn’t exist prior to the formation of the Premier League in 1992.
The league’s worldwide appeal has been spread by the aggressive use of satellite TV and stunningly successful marketing.
The EPL has made headway in previously untapped markets with huge populations, especially throughout Asia. In recent times, it has also engaged fans with the spread of fantasy football.
Don’t quote me, but I think baseball may have been the first sport to have a form of fantasy manager. However, English football has taken the idea and run with it around the world, with the “official” Barclays Fantasy League attracting close to three million players around the globe.
When the EPL’s “best team of the last 20 years” was unveiled this week, it might have been sub-titled “the Man U consolation love-in”.
Seven Manchester United players were voted into the side just days after “noisy neighbours” Manchester City won the premiership with almost the last shot in anger of the season.
Just as an aside, when the euphoria of the amazing finish wears off, how many of us will become aware that the win will give noted scumbag Liam Gallagher an even bigger excuse to be a smart-alecky tool?
But I digress, and back to the team. The entire midfield was made up of Red Devils, which meant a whole RSL club courtesy bus of footballing genius was overlooked: think Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Viera, David Ginola, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Matthew Le Tissier, Paul Gascoigne, Chris Waddle.
And even the greatest Man U player of all was left out: I mean, how can a team like this exist without Eric Cantona? Besides, every good fantasy manager knows you can’t pick seven players from one team!
It’s a bigger sin than a Cristiano Ronaldo dive.
All opinions of course, and they can’t be wrong, can they, just open to violent disagreement. For one, I’ll never understand the man-love for Paul Scholes and Roy Keane; Patrick Viera could do everything they could, including the hard man stuff, and he even looked scary when he did it.
Damn, could he play…
So with this in mind, I’ve set anyone who wants to have a lash a task: Name your own Premier League Team of the Year, but with a couple of restrictions. You can pick 11 players in a 4-4-2 formation (please don’t tell the FFA’s “it must be 4-3-3” technical coaching directors).
But you can only pick one player from any side, apart from Manchester City, who get two slots given they won the title and all.
And yes, of course, I’ll get the ball rolling:
GK Vorm (Swansea)
DEF Ivanovic (Chelsea), Kompany (Man City), Coloccini (Newcastle), Baines (Everton)
MID Valencia (Man Utd), Sessignon (Sunderland), Dempsey (Fulham), Bale (Tottenham)
STR van Persie (Arsenal), Aguero (Man City)
Over to you Roarers. Go for it!
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