#idk if terry would exist bc roy exists but im saying yes

[tartt9]

@feleshero asked // ❝ Mr. Tartt, Mr. Tartt! Felicia Hardy, Sable News. If you could put together a 'dream team' of Footballers, past and present, with yourself on the roster, who would you choose and who would you want to play against? ❞

Jamie's eyes light up - it's obvious he's been waiting ages for someone to ask him this. He's thought about it his whole fucking life, and though some numbers have switched around since he was a kid, he's still got a solid answer in his head. "We're gonna pretend all these men can set aside their egos, yeah?" Jamie starts, laying down the big ground rule. But there are some personalities that have clashed so much that Jamie refuses to even put them in his dream team together - Carragher and Kent have always fucking hated each other, Jamie doubts they could even play one match together in fantasy. He leans forward against the desk, a bright glint in his eye.

"Anyways, from back to front. I'm keepin' Zoreaux in goal, I haven't played with a single keeper I trust more'n him. He's been on a hot streak recently, he'll earn the Yashin before 'e retires. So he's my 1. M'back line, I've got Kyle Walker and Ashley Cole at fullbacks, right and left respectfully. Walker's the fastest defenceman I've ever played with and a good man t'boot, and Cole and Kent had great chemistry with England and with Chelsea. So, 2 and 3." Jamie's doing his best not to ramble, to split up his answers, but he's on a roll, and he's not stopping any time soon.

"Centre backs. Fucking easy. Pep 'n Paddy O'Gara. I don't think I need t'explain either of those. Both of 'em had the capability t'move up the pitch and play in almost an 8, but they were fucking aces on a back line, and I'd've loved the chance t'play with Pep, and t'play more with Paddy. 4 and 5 - Guardiola, O'Gara." He taps his fingers on the desk with each name.

"Movin' up t'midfield, we've got John Terry at the 6, Beckham at the 7, Obisanya at the 11, and Kent at the true 8." There he is, the one that Jamie always wanted to play with at his prime. Jamie may have committed murder to play with Roy Kent at his Chelsea and England peak. "Terry'n Kent got along at Chelsea. Beckham's a fucking legend, any English lad'd have him at their 7." Sam's one of the greatest wingers he's ever played with - and, though Jamie gave Sam's typical position to Beckham, Sam's flexible - he can easily play left wing just as well as he can play on the right. Everyone associates Roy Kent with the number 6, but he played like an 8. He wore the 8 for England more often than not. Fucking legend, Roy Kent, who could ask for any number he wanted and get it. And Terry kept his Academy number his whole career, so Kent got the 6 he wanted at Chelsea. Jamie's clearly thought about this, too. Terry might play the 6, but he'd wear 26, and Kent would wear 6 but play 8, just like he always did.

Plus, Jamie's deferred the 8 to Roy. That, in his opinion, shows the respect he's got for the man. Jamie can play other positions. He is still on this team, after all.

"For the 9, it's Thierry Henry. Man is a fucking legend, still Arsenal's top scorer, with a deep love of the game. He's a good man, he were a great player, it'd be an honour t'share the pitch with him. Plus, he played for Pep at Barça, which's good, 'cause I need more men who know how t'play total football firsthand, but know that Rojas is close behind. Give 'im a bit more time t'develop properly and he might sneak his way in there."

Jamie smirks, leaning forward against the table. "Guess that leaves me at the 10, don't it?" There are debates - what position does Jamie Tartt really play? Of course Jamie's seen the debates. The 8, the 10, the 9. He drops too far back for a true 10, plays too far forward to be a true 8. He wears 9, but no one in their proper mind'll think of Jamie as a striker after their switch to total football - that's all Dani's job. Jamie thinks of himself as an atypical 8, but he'll gladly take the glory of the 10 on this team.

"Now, I know, most of these lads're English. Sure, I'm a little biased, but that's it. That's m'team, that's my eleven." He nods, touching his chest as he leans back from the microphone. "Just off the top of m'head."