Team Marketing

As an ex-sports journalist and with FIFA World Cup 2014 behind us I take on the challenge to name my Team Marketing’s 11 players and their formation for the World Cups in Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022. But in order to do that I go back to my starting 11 from four years ago, when the previous world cup took place in South Africa.  Back then my first choice of players looked like this:

1. PR – Goalkeeper: The most important position for any team with an ambition to keep a clean sheet. Avoiding defeat should always be the top priority for the coach of Team Marketing and a good goalie would go a long way to protect the reputation of his team and the coach’s credentials. To win you must concede less than you score and as is the case ‘PR offers more for less’.

2. Digital – Right Back: He is fit, flexible and focused in going the extra mile, however the coach of Team Marketing still didn’t know how to extract optimal value out of him. As an advocate of the adage that a good offense is a strong defence the coach prefers to keep one of his star players at the back till he decides what to do with him.

 3. Sampling – Left Back: He has been around for a while but seems to have lost a bit of his lustre, looks tired and out of ideas. Needs to find his lost mojo and fitness otherwise his position in the starting line-up is at stake. He reacts good to the manager’s instructions but fails to take any initiative during the match.

 4. Research – Centre Back: He asks a lot of questions to anyone near him as he uses his inquisitive skills to analyse the strengths of the opponent before he tackles any challenge thrown at him. He is one of the most useful members of the team and has the ability to rise above his defensive duties when required.

 5. Media Planning – Sweeper: He is calm and full of confidence, he can see the whole game from a position of strength when his team is attacking and his perspective helps him set the tone and orchestrate his team mates’ movements on the pitch.

 6. Branding – Central Midfielder: With a blank canvas to cover, he does a lot of planning which rarely manifests itself, but its laborious approach and hard work is an essential backbone ingredient at the hands of a good Marketing coach who advocates the 4-3-3 formation.

 7.    Social – Right Wing: He is the Ronaldo of Team Marketing. He is young, fast-paced, sexy, with a versatile repertoire and millions of followers worldwide; he is also incredibly arrogant believing that he is the best of the rest of his team mates and a tad immature especially when the connection is slow.

 8.    Events – Midfielder: He is glamorous and eccentric, a heart throb and a favourite with the female fans but his performance is totally dependent on his pay check. On his good day he lifts the spirits of the whole team causing headaches to the opponents. On his bad day, his only contribution is a nasty day-after hangover.

 9.    Media Buying – Central Attacker: He is the team’s striker, its most prolific scorer, when he sees an opportunity he takes it and he never misses a chance which would advance the interests of his team. In short, he is a must-have for any team who can afford him as players of his calibre are notoriously expensive.

10.     Creative – Playmaker: He is the flashy, full of flair playmaker, enormously talented and great to watch for his gift to excite the crowds who applaud most of his moves. Irrespective of his performance on the night of the game, he commands respect and the manager is always convinced that he deserves a place in the starting line-up.

 11. Direct Marketing – Left Wing: Working tirelessly through the line his advances are easily defended making him the least effective of the manager’s attacking staff. Usually out of ideas from early on in any campaign, he tries hard to impress but the little value he brings to the team mostly goes unnoticed. He is usually the first to come off when the coach decides it’s time to adjust tactics.

To find out my team’s player selection for Qatar 2022 visit http://amzn.to/OxN3f7