Attitude. Stubble. Warrior. Braveheart.
Pretend for a moment that William Wallace managed a soccer team. After signing on the dotted line and facing the media to discuss his transition from freedom fighter to manager, one of Wallace’s first tasks would be recruiting an army, one, presumably, that would reflect his, shall we say, brave spirit.
But what type of player would Wallace pursue?
Wallace, like any manager, would surely consider a player’s technical ability. But there are more important traits than technique in William Wallace’s world. Ultimately, it’s a player’s heart that would convince him to loosen the purse strings. But heart isn’t always an easy thing to measure, especially when you’ve spent the majority of your adult life roaming the countryside without access to the internet and all of a sudden come face-to-face with a bloated transfer market. So a back up plan is necessary.
Thankfully, there is a relatively uncomplicated alternative. When the measure of a player’s heart can’t be easily ascertained, an easy out is to unearth players who look like they have heart. Said another way, a shortcut to assembling a team of Bravehearts is to target players who might be cast, at a minimum, as extras in Braveheart.
So, shortcut it is.
With the help of Sean Rubio (@elecseanica on Twitter), we’ve pulled together a starting 10 for an All-Braveheart team. Why starting 10, you say? Simple. Because a team of Bravehearts has no need for a goalkeeper.
Let’s get started with the unveiling of the team. (more…)
