Is Sven the best manager England have ever had?

For our first Ultimate Team we’re going for an easy approach: football and England. I know not everyone will agree here, there are some questionable choices and a lot of today’s big names are missing.

First off, the manager. A natural option here is the great Sir Alf Ramsey but all he did was select the players. The best manager England has ever had is Sven Goran Erikson, who ‘first-blooded’ the band of players we now call our ‘first team’ when no other manager in the world would take our over-rated country on.

In goal we have the one and only David Seaman. Those penalty saves in Euro ’96 are what legends are made of even if he was lobbed by a goofy Ronaldinho, surmising an outright legend to mocking by every narrow-minded comedian in the land.

Heading the front line could have been ultimate ‘Chav’, Rooney, but to keep some players on the pitch, as the rest of the team would be sent off within 30 minutes, we could do with ‘Mr Nice Guy’, Gary Lineker. Playing alongside him is the equally dull, Alan Shearer who would be welcomed out of retirement much like Schumacher was this summer.

Using a simple 4-4-2 system it was really difficult to pick out 4 defenders. If England can produce anything, it’s battling defenders that take no prisoners and leave no bones unbroken. John Terry may be this generation’s Terry Butcher, he is but a shadow of the original. Butcher makes the team.

Bobby Moore captained the ’66 World Cup winning squad so he’s everyone’s favourite.

To finish the back line, Tony Adams and Stuart Pearce add relevant youth and even more bone rattling.

For midfield, the choices were somewhat easier. We’ve had loads of good midfielders but many are over-rated, over-paid and never perform on the big stages. For the central pairing I couldn’t look past Gascoigne and Ince. Though both are managers with the efficiency of a solar panel in Scotland, they’re still the only great central midfielders we’ve ever seen.

England has always had a problem with the left wing. If under the ‘Britain’ umbrella we could use Giggs, who is easily fantastic and should really be included. Wales is not really a ‘country’ but more a sidecar to England’s motorbike (with Scotland as the third headlight you don’t really need). So without Giggs, I’ve opted for Steve McManaman, England’s first export to the Spanish ‘La Liga’.

This brings us nicely to, not only the star player of today, but the best English player ever to have lived. David Beckham- stop laughing- for what is an England team without Beckham? Soulless, lacklustre, pathetic.

For those who don’t agree, think back to the McClaren days? I’ve blocked them out too. Beckham’s brilliant- no arguments.

So, there you have it. There’s your starter. If you’ve a dream team for any sport, let me know. Next issue is Halloween so is doesn’t matter how scary your selection is. How about a Scottish ultimate team? Now that is scary.

If you agree, or disagree, feel free to share your opinions in the comment box below.