Farkeball is quite a narrow doctrine and the demands the manager makes on his squad are pretty specific. Players need to be excellent on the ball, clever, fluid of pass, clever, and extremely fit.
Following on from Samuel Seaman’s finely researched article this week I wondered which players from the past would actually fulfill Daniel Farke’s current criteria and find a place in his team.
With a little bit of thought this is the shadow squad which I think could assimilate and excel in Farkeball:
Chris Woods (Keeper)
Ever able and brilliant. Consistently so.
Mark Bowen (Left wing-back)
Reliable, creative, and scored more goals than any left-back should.
Dave Watson and Steve Bruce (Central defenders)
Watson and Bruce were a fantastic centre-back pairing. Extremely solid. Watson edged it with his ability to distribute from the back, but Bruce succeeded with his just-get-it-done-ability. They both scored goals too. A perfect plug-in pair of replacements for the dependable Hanley & Gibson combo.
Ian Culverhouse (Right wing-back)
Extremely committed and effective marauding right-sided defensive player.
Mike Phelan (Covering midfielder)
One manager described him as a ‘Rolls-Royce’. Cleaned up messes and got things moving again. No fuss.
James Maddison and Martin Peters (All-round midfielders)
Maddison was just class – easily the best NCFC player of recent years. I remember just before he left someone posted a video on youtube (sorry, can’t remember who) showing all his best little bits of play. Although it proved what a fantastic player he was, it also highlighted how lacking the teammates round him were who kept missing missing one-twos, not getting the little flicks, or moving up with play). A sobering thought at the time – although things have imporved since. And of course Peters just purred round the pitch oozing class, creating, and scoring.
Darren Eadie (Attacking left-midfielder)
Slickly quick, always a threat, scored goals, and could win a game on his own. Robbed of long England career by injury (during that decade when they couldn’t find a left-sided midfielder for love nor money).
Dale Gordon (Attacking right-midfielder)
The Dancer. Great to watch, an exciting player who created and scored. Irrepressible.
Efan Ekoku (Striker)
Faster than hot weasel, Ekoku was brilliant. Scored for fun and had great ball-control. A brilliant option to replace a misfiring Finn.
Darren Huckerby (Striker and/or attacking wide-player)
Hucks could play anywhere across the top, or on the sides, or back a bit. Caused problems for opposition wherever he played. Also gave a lot of goalkeepers back-ache as they had to keep picking the ball out of the net. Must have been very annoying.
Just imagine that lot at their peak sat on the bench now? How many of them would you throw straight into the team for the next match?
Just a thought…
OTBC
Efan E???? Are you serious, Chris!
Hi Dan. Fair point. I was struggling to think of many who could play like Pukki in his position – or who could provide a viable alternative. Ekoku was quick and incisive and would offer a threat. But I struggled to think of many who could. I quite like Hugill as a player, for instance, but he’s nothing like Pukki in his style or playing attributes. A really odd buy, in my opinion – although I wish him all the best and want to see him back fit and scoring.
Sorry Chris – I have to agree with Dan 🙂
Yes I know he got the opener against Vitesse and somehow plundered four against Everton in that famous 1-5 at Goodison, but, seriously?
Some wag in the Barclay christened him *Efan Useless* and the name stuck – in D Block anyway!
He was quite a character and I vaguely remember he was the son of a regional Nigerian chief, but I’m not sure if he ever played for the Super Eagles – I’ll look it up sometime. Quicker in a sprint than Placheta? Quite possibly.
A good, original read as always.
Hi Martin! All fair comment. Was sorry to see him go in the end though. Still don’t know who was the closest player to Pukki from the past…
Best wishes,
Cs
Bowen, Peters and Huckerby would get a start now, and maybe Maddison. But who to leave out then, that would be the question.
Agreed, Mr P.
Chippy would surely be in contention, and Sutton rather than Efan as he was more clinical. CB’s? loved Watson and Bruce, but also Flem and Malky, but Butterworth would surely be in the mix.
Yep, Roger, agreed. Ta.
No Holt, he could adapt his playing to suit farke ball. as Mark Robins could
Holt was a goal-scoring blunderbuss and he always scored everywhere he went – until Hughton decided scoring goals was an unnecessary part of the game! Robins was clever, but always suspect on chasing back. Would have scored goals too though.
Interesting question. I think Wes is a gimme. Pritchard would have thrived too. Totally agree with Bowen. Steen Nedergaard would have been a great alternative for Max’s position. Scott Parker would have fit like a glove. And I think Paul McVeigh had the quick feet to have done well in our current system. If you’re looking for a Pukki alternative then Rob Earnshaw would be your closest equivalent.
Ted MacDougall up front. Tim Sherwood or better still Andy Townsend over Mike Phelan; Ruel Fox over either winger
Can’t argue with that, Sapper. Good choices..
Good shouts, Andy. Particularly Pritchard, Parker, and Earnshaw. Three missed chances there for us, I feel – although circumstances dictated their fate in those three cases. Always liked McVeigh too.
A few from me;
Mark Robins would have done the off-the-bench Jordan Rhodes poacher type role very nicely.
Chris Sutton. Far far better than Hugill.
Rob Earnshaw ? Similar
To Pukki….
Yep, great options, Martin McB. If only they were really options!
Maybe Leroy Lita up front?
Like Andy Head, I think Pritchard would have been excellent in a Farke team. Oh well, I doubt he regrets leaving, given the stellar career he’s had since.
Lita scored plenty in his short spell here, so probably a very good choice. As for AP, another one who proves the grass isn’t always greener…
Rosario up front (awesome). Olsson a decent LB, David Phillips and Dale Gordon both superb wingers, hucks has to start
In 80% agreement Scotte!
Trevor Hockey, he’d make sure the skillful lads didn’t get kicked too much.
Dean Ashton would have scored a lot of goals given the chances Farkeball creates.
Throwing in a curveball here. Ricky Van Wolfswinkle had fantastic movement off the ball but Hughton and his defensive set up robbed him of any supply line
I agree, Adam. I like Hughton as a bloke, he was great; but he completely denuded Norwich as an attacking force. How anyone would have scored in his team I don’t know. That’s why Holt left. No chances in Hughton’s set-up. I often wonder how RVW would have done had he come here when a different manager was in charge. He was obviously a good player and could score goals. He could have been a legend! Alas, we will never know… I wish both him and CH well though. Good guys.