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Subject: [NT] younger players
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MarcL [del] to
All
We've got a friendly this week against New Zealand and we've decided that both sides will use players aged 22 and younger only.
If you have a young player that has been training well, send me his updated skills. I'll be contacting the managers of some of the promising youngsters by sk-mail, to ask for updates, as well.
If you have a young player that has been training well, send me his updated skills. I'll be contacting the managers of some of the promising youngsters by sk-mail, to ask for updates, as well.
Goalkeepers
Three are in the running here: Wuest, Hartley and Pienaar. I'm leaning towards Hartley, but I need updates on the other two.
Defence
We've got plenty young defenders to choose from. Goliath, Rodrigues and Ngaduana are important to the first team, so I may rest them.
Ramakgopa, Solomos, Rapeane, Nxumalo and Mbambo are the best tacklers but all of H. Ngaduana, Bax, Modise, Bapela and Malashe have claims. Some haven't been updated from two months ago, so still need more info to decide.
Midfield
Ngobe and Augustine stand out as the playmakers at the moment. Khambule, G. Makhanya and Mgqamqo are fighting for the holding role. Like the defenders, there are a bunch of other options too, depending on updates and whether I want to inject some pace into the midfield.
Forwards
Here I might choose to rest Permall and Makhaye. That would leave Lane, Juwayeyi, Khanyile, B. Mabotsa, Mugeyi, Matshitse and Lakay in the running for the two spots up front.
Besides skills updates, I'll have to check their form and consider how much I'm willing to sacrifice in terms of stamina. Many of these youngsters aren't exactly fit or quick at this stage of their careers.
Three are in the running here: Wuest, Hartley and Pienaar. I'm leaning towards Hartley, but I need updates on the other two.
Defence
We've got plenty young defenders to choose from. Goliath, Rodrigues and Ngaduana are important to the first team, so I may rest them.
Ramakgopa, Solomos, Rapeane, Nxumalo and Mbambo are the best tacklers but all of H. Ngaduana, Bax, Modise, Bapela and Malashe have claims. Some haven't been updated from two months ago, so still need more info to decide.
Midfield
Ngobe and Augustine stand out as the playmakers at the moment. Khambule, G. Makhanya and Mgqamqo are fighting for the holding role. Like the defenders, there are a bunch of other options too, depending on updates and whether I want to inject some pace into the midfield.
Forwards
Here I might choose to rest Permall and Makhaye. That would leave Lane, Juwayeyi, Khanyile, B. Mabotsa, Mugeyi, Matshitse and Lakay in the running for the two spots up front.
Besides skills updates, I'll have to check their form and consider how much I'm willing to sacrifice in terms of stamina. Many of these youngsters aren't exactly fit or quick at this stage of their careers.
Just great. Both our playmakers in midfield, Ngobe and Augustine, are part of Waratahs who have gone bankrupt. The manager hasn't logged in for more than a month.
Ok, 12 mails sent out requesting updates. Let's see how the boys have been training before I give a clearer indication of the likely starting lineup.
Nice to see you have oodles to choice from in the squad. Going to be interesting to see who gets the nod
Still loads of time to determain who goes where and who is our best. Nice practice run to see who is going to be the new team once some of the regulars retire someday
Unfortunately, some players haven't responded to my requests for updates. I will try again if I think the player might be good enough.
In the meantime, I'm going to select the squad without them.
In the meantime, I'm going to select the squad without them.
Ok, here we go. This is the likely starting lineup on Saturday:
Keepers:
Wuest is marginally more skillful in goals but Hartley is quicker, passes better and in magical form while Wuest's form is unsatisfactory. Pienaar doesn't match up to them yet.
Mark Hartley (20) - 2nd cap
Sub: Abraham Wuest (19)
Defenders:
Six defenders stand out in tackling ability. Of those, one has poor secondaries and hopeless stamina. The other five will start. The two subs also stood out from the balance.
Walter Mhlanga (20)
Augusto Solomos (20)
Sam Rapeane (19)
Musa Nxumalo (20)
Brandon Mbambo (21)
Subs: Ernest Bax (20), Henry Ngaduana (22)
Midfielders:
After deciding to leave out the two players that are from the bankrupt team, my choice was relatively easy here, once I'd decided on who would play the sweeping role in front of defence.
Wesi De Klerk (19)
Brad Mabotsa (21)
Clemens Mazibuko (20)
Sub: Edward Khambule (19)
Strikers:
Lane is our best shot but doesn't have the pace or technique to get a place. Juwayeyi, despite lack of technique, was a straightforward selection. Deciding on his partner wasn't easy. In the end, I decided to start with Matshitse despite his unsatisfactory form.
Nuro Juwayeyi (21)
Tsepo Matshitse (20)
Sub: Cyril Khanyile (19)
Bear in mind that I'm resting 5 players from the first team that would've qualified (3 defenders and 2 strikers).
Players that will be getting their first caps are:
Nxumalo, Rapeane, De Klerk, Khanyile and Khambule. Ngaduana also has yet to play for the NT but is unlikely to get to play.
Keepers:
Wuest is marginally more skillful in goals but Hartley is quicker, passes better and in magical form while Wuest's form is unsatisfactory. Pienaar doesn't match up to them yet.
Mark Hartley (20) - 2nd cap
Sub: Abraham Wuest (19)
Defenders:
Six defenders stand out in tackling ability. Of those, one has poor secondaries and hopeless stamina. The other five will start. The two subs also stood out from the balance.
Walter Mhlanga (20)
Augusto Solomos (20)
Sam Rapeane (19)
Musa Nxumalo (20)
Brandon Mbambo (21)
Subs: Ernest Bax (20), Henry Ngaduana (22)
Midfielders:
After deciding to leave out the two players that are from the bankrupt team, my choice was relatively easy here, once I'd decided on who would play the sweeping role in front of defence.
Wesi De Klerk (19)
Brad Mabotsa (21)
Clemens Mazibuko (20)
Sub: Edward Khambule (19)
Strikers:
Lane is our best shot but doesn't have the pace or technique to get a place. Juwayeyi, despite lack of technique, was a straightforward selection. Deciding on his partner wasn't easy. In the end, I decided to start with Matshitse despite his unsatisfactory form.
Nuro Juwayeyi (21)
Tsepo Matshitse (20)
Sub: Cyril Khanyile (19)
Bear in mind that I'm resting 5 players from the first team that would've qualified (3 defenders and 2 strikers).
Players that will be getting their first caps are:
Nxumalo, Rapeane, De Klerk, Khanyile and Khambule. Ngaduana also has yet to play for the NT but is unlikely to get to play.
i like your work :)
do you think about next season... or seasons maybe? :)
do you think about next season... or seasons maybe? :)
Thanks, Blais!
The season has been too short. I'm only just getting the feel of this, so I'd be happy to continue next season if the voters want me to. :)
The season has been too short. I'm only just getting the feel of this, so I'd be happy to continue next season if the voters want me to. :)
Hell yeah off course we want you on again. As you said only getting the real feel of the things now. Looking forward to the friendly
Although we went down 3-0, the boys didn't play too badly, considering that they were outclassed, man-for-man.
Here's a comparison of the player marks.
Goalkeepers:
us 46, them 79(!)
Outfield:
50+ -> us 1, them 1
40+ -> us 1+sub, them 8+2 subs
30+ -> us 8+sub, them 1
average mark of starting lineup -> us: 37.3, them 45.7
Not to be forgotten though is that I rested two 50+ strikers and three 40+ defenders, so the future isn't too bad after all.
Here's a comparison of the player marks.
Goalkeepers:
us 46, them 79(!)
Outfield:
50+ -> us 1, them 1
40+ -> us 1+sub, them 8+2 subs
30+ -> us 8+sub, them 1
average mark of starting lineup -> us: 37.3, them 45.7
Not to be forgotten though is that I rested two 50+ strikers and three 40+ defenders, so the future isn't too bad after all.
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