We sat down and asked Co-Founder and Director of PR/Comms for Oakland Roots,Tommy Hodul, to pick an ideal formation and select ten players he’d most like to play alongside. There were two caveats:

You are the Player/Manager and you have to plug yourself in
Any player selected must have been active in your lifetime…

My preferred formation is a 4-4-2 with one attacker that likes to drop deeper into Midfield in transition. I enjoy a 4-4-2 the most because I believe it is the formation that does the most to balance the skill level on the field. I like to give examples of the organizational shape of Leicester title run and Atletico Madrid when they won it. While both featured some great players neither had the best team in the league on paper the years they won. What took them over the top was an organized defensive shape and strong counter-attacks.

GK: Myself Since we are supposed to be player-managers. This was the position I played most of my life.

LB: Leighton Baines The definition of a pro’s pro. Someone who can deliver 10 assists a season from defense and will do anything for the crest he plays for.

CB: David Unsworth Part of the last Everton team to win a major trophy. Along with a player coming up Unsworth defines being an Evertonian. You can tell what the club means to him every time he speaks about it.

CB: Phil Jagielka One of the most liked players anywhere around. Phil scored the penalty to send Everton to the 2009 FA Cup final one of my best soccer memories ever.

RB: Ali Krieger One of the nicest people off the field who turns into a beast when on it. AK has long been my favorite player in the game man or woman.

LW: Clint Dempsey Defines the way Americans used to play with the underdog grit. Also, I named my Dog Dempsey so I couldn’t leave him off the list.

CM: John O’Brien The 2002 World Cup played a big roll in me following in love with the game, I’ll never forget John’s goal. As well he lives in Oakland now and we see each other at Soccer Without Borders events regularly and he is just the nicest guy out there.

CM: Mikel Arteta Let’s just say it would be a dream come true to see Everton land half as dominant a center midfielder again. What a special player he was and I think will become a great manager.

RW: Landon Donovan Again 2002 World Cup was huge for me and Landon’s goal vs Mexico was the biggest. As well his two short stints at Everton were magical for this American Toffee.

CF: Brian McBride My favorite player growing up and while he only played for Everton briefly, he was the reason I started following the club.

CF: Tim Cahill That man who would do anything for Everton. Defines what the club has been missing since he left. Nothing like a Cahill goal vs Liverpool.