North v South Cymru Premier All-Star game: How XI’s could look
CARDIFF, WALES. 18 January 2020. Cardiff Met Uni FC vs Caenarfon Town FC in the JD Cymru Premier league at Cyncoed Campus in Cardiff. Photo © Matthew Lofthouse - Freelance Photographer.
All-star games are tailored more towards the Americans but what if it was brought to Wales?
In a number of American sports, you tend to see NFL, NBA and NHL matches take place between two regions.
Before the Coronavirus pandemic, the best of the Cymru North was to take on the best of the Cymru South in a two-legged play-off for a place in the UEFA Regions Cup.
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Jordan Jones has put together two separate XIs of the two regions in the Welsh top flight.
Aberystwyth Town, Barry Town United, Cardiff Metropolitan, Carmarthen Town, Newtown and Penybont are classed as Southern clubs
Representing the North are Airbus, Bala Town, Caernarfon Town, Cefn Druids, the Connah’s Quay Nomads and The New Saints.
JORDAN JONES
South XI: (4-3-3) – Will Fuller, Luke Cummings, Emlyn Lewis, Evan Press, Kane Owen, Sean McAllister, Clayton Green, Mael Davies, Nathan Wood, Kayne McLaggon, Eliot Evans
Manager: Gavin Chesterfield
Given my geographical position, I’ve got more of a judgement and an insight on the South Walian teams.
Cardiff Metropolitan have always been a defensively astute team during their time in the Cymru Premier so the inclusion of Emlyn Lewis and Will Fuller shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Fuller is a reliable pair of hands in between the sticks and has recovered well from a series of injures over the past few seasons.
His teammate Emlyn Lewis, who is just 23, could be the next Met player to attract perhaps a move to the professional game.
Lewis is a tough opponent to play against for any attacker and his maturity and leadership attributes sees him earn a space in my side.
Evan Press may have had a backseat role before the season was halted but at the start of the season, the Fairwater youngster was hot property in the league for his impressive performances in defence.
Kane Owen is included the squad for his individual brilliance and ability. A deserved Wales C call-up came in March, but unfortunately we were unable to see him in the Red of Wales.
Clayton Green is what you want in a midfielder. He’s a tentative central player who has goals but also aggressiveness to his game. A player perhaps under appreciated if you don’t pay close attention to his game.
Alongside Green is the experienced Sean McAllister who has an abundance of experience from the English Football League.
A surprise addition to the division, McAllister has continued his level of performance from his professional days.
Topping off the midfield three is Mael Davies of Cardiff Met. Davies joined from Carmarthen Town and is a neat midfielder to watch. His task for when football resumes will be too nail down a precise position with his strongest spot being a central midfielder in my personal view.
Moving onto the attack, I’ve gone for an attacking three which constitutes of two wingers and a forward. Kayne McLaggon leads the line following his goals return this season. A total of 12 goals sees him named in the side as he proves his reliability in front of goal.
Despite playing more of a central role this year, Evans still has some ability on the wings and this is a way to include Met’s talisman.
Alongside him is Nathan Wood who has made a great start to life in the Cymru Premier following his summer move from Undy Athletic.
North XI: (4-4-2) – Lewis Brass, Danny Holmes, Priestley Farquharson, George Horan, Nathan Craig, Ryan Brobbel, Nathan Burke, Chris Venables, Michael Bakare, Greg Draper, Jamie Insall
Manager: Andy Morrison
Given that the North outweigh the South by two more teams in the top six, it was relatively harder to choose a Northern team without making some notable exceptions.
A Connah’s Quay Nomads heavy defence is required given how many clean sheets they’ve racked up over the course of the season.
Danny Holmes, a notable exception in my Team of the Year is named in this side for the minutes he’s played for the Nomads this season.
He’s got Football League experience and has been given extended playing time due to the trust from his manager.
George Horan and Priestley Farquharson are named as the centre-back partnership of this Northern all-stars team for the relationship they’ve built up alongside each other already.
Pipping Callum Roberts to left back is Caernarfon Town’s Nathan Craig who has perhaps not had the full credit he deserves during his time in the Cymru Premier.
Given Brobbel’s exclusion in my Premier ‘Team of the Season so far’, it was only right to include him in my Northern team.
He’s been one of their star performers this season and is a reliable source for creativity in the form of assists and goals.
On the opposite flank is Michael Bakare who may not have met the heights of last season but is still important to the Nomads title cause.
In the middle is Nathan Burke who has had the most minutes on the pitch for Bala this season. The former Liverpool academy midfielder is the defensive rock in the middle of the park as he allows free-scoring teammate Chris Venables to attack.
Upfront is the strike partnership of Greg Draper and Jamie Insall. Draper has continued his tremendous form of the last two-and-a-half seasons and has been joined by a rejuvenated Insall.
(Featured Image: Matthew Lofthouse)
