My Best Ten and Me: Featuring Joey D of Monmouth Light FC

This week’s player/manager for My Best Ten and Me is none other than Monmouth Light FC’s own Joey D, who hones in on his Italian heritage, and loads up his 4-3-3 with brilliant players from Serie A’s recent past… plus a little English surprise! But first, we had to remind him of the rules.

1. You are the Player/Manager and you have to plug yourself in

2. Any player selected must have been active in your lifetime…

As the first time ever truly pondering what my ideal starting XI would be in my lifetime, it is interesting seeing it written down. These players were chosen through the lens of a first generation Italian America, who’s immediate family immigrated from Rome. The genesis of my footballing love was during the 2006 World Cup, where I was introduced to the concept of a massive, singular force that could unify an entire nationality - even if you didn’t physically reside in that country. The rest for me, is history. (And gladiators and very feathery hairstyles) 

(GK) Gigi Buffon
Who other could you want between the sticks besides the living legend himself? More clean sheets than a 5 star hotel. 

(RB) Alessandro Florenzi
One of the last gladiators in Rome. I can already see the overlapping runs to the outside, while the rest of the defense hold’s down the coliseum.

(CB) Marco Materazzi
The only guy I’d really want to be in the box going up in the air for an in-swinging corner. Especially after somebody talked bad about his sister. 

(CB) Fabio Cannavaro
The only Berlin Wall I support is the one erected by Cannavaro in 2006. Buffon’s only potential for unemployment, because we know age certainly isn’t doing it.

(LB) Paolo Maldini
There’s truly only one footballer that is so synergistically tied to this position, it felt wrong giving it to any other. When even both halves of Milan respect you, you’ve done something right.

(RM) Gennaro Gattuso
Gattuso - If there wasn’t enough defensive panache on this side already - lets add a man who would literally swipe at your legs whilst on the ground himself with metal studs on. Will be taking all press conference duties after bad performances due to too much Malaria.

(CM) Andrea Pirlo
As If I really have to go beyond saying “Il Maestro”. Match winning celebratory drink of wine in his NYC penthouse while discussing his hairstyling secrets. 

(LM) Daniele De Rossi
In my opinion, often overlooked as the previous one club legend that he was by being in Totti’s shadow - I know he’d be keeping the heart of the team beating on and off the pitch while keeping any attacking threats safely nullified…or unsafely according to his appropriate leg tattoo. 

(RF) Joey Dico
If I can possibly in this lifetime be able to keep up - I will be charged with making decoy runs at the defense and The occasional cross into the box. Actually getting an assist on a Totti goal sounds really quite nice. Hopefully he can let me be in his selfie after it hits the back of the net

(CF) Francesco Totti
Il dio himself. Il capitano, Er Pupone, The original roman gladiator. ( Sorry Spartacus.) My absolute number one footballing hero, the first player I was ever told about in depth by my mother. The embodiment of what the No. 10 shirt means. His loyalty to his people, his city, and his club are aspects of larger than life footballing lore that can make  anyone fall in love with the beautiful game. If I ever garner the power to intimately connect with people the way he has with his constituents, I would consider myself successful. Oh, yeah he’ll be charged with being the main target man and post - goal TV camera takeovers.  

(LF) Jamie Vardy
Goes from working in a steel mill to leading Leicester City to the greatest statistical sporting upset in human history, to playing on my fantasy club. Really can’t script these things huh? Will be charged with making every deep run into the box once Pirlo or Totti gain possession. 

Joey Dico hopes to keep up with this squad and make decoy runs from the right forward position…