Greatest British Team II

As a companion piece to Fizzy's previous post. Here's my All Time British team, excluding players already selected.

Peter Shilton (GK) England

Danny McGrain (DF) Scotland

Terry Butcher (DF) England

Alan Hansen (DF) Scotland

Stuart Pearce (DF) England

Martin O'Neill (MF) Northern Ireland

David Beckham (MF) England

Ray Kennedy (MF) England

George Best (FW) Northern Ireland

Kenny Dalglish (FW) Scotland

Gary Lineker (FW) England

Subs

Ray Clemence (GK) England
Jimmy Nicholl (DF) Northern Ireland
Billy Bremner (MF) Scotland
Ian Rush (FW) Wales
John Toshack (FW) Wales

If I tried it again I would probably change my mind about 7 of them. And that's the point that Fizzy was making earlier, it would be a really contentious subject. I was also wary of choosing players in order to have a representitive from their country. For example I could have had Neville Southall in goal, just to have a Welshman in my team.

I also seem to have made my selection predominately from players who played in an era I grew up in. They're the players I know. I could have had Duncan Edwards in there, but since I've only ever seen a few minutes of grainy black and white footage of him, I didn't think I should.

I've missed Gascoigne out cos he's wife beating scum. I'd really liked to have included Matthew Le Tissier, but as his England career amounted only to 7 games plus the aborted friendly in Dublin, I couldn't really justify it.

You could also puzzle over the selection of Ray Kennedy. A guy who I'm sure would feature in few people's all time England sides let alone a British one. With only 17 caps there's countless other candidates to fill a midfield berth. However his club record speaks for itself, he was one of the most decorated players of the last 35 years and I remember him as being a tremendous all round midfielder in one of the best club sides ever, so for that reason he's in.

Alan Hansen's selection couldn't really be criticised, but his international record was nothing to shout about. His performances and roll of honour with Liverpool however, puts him up with the best defenders in Europe.

You see how seriously I've taken this exercise? If only I could take a job as seriously as that.