The National League All-Stars
NL Musings has gone back to an old favourite. We've selected one player or manager from all 24 clubs to create a National League All-Stars team.
It’s Monday morning. I’m up early with the little one. She’s left me with my cuppa on the settee as she goes to trash the living room.
I’ve caught up on the NTT20 Telegram group. I’ve had a little catch up on Twitter. It’s too early to go and get us both ready – Mom deserves a small lie-in and the baby gate doesn't half creek.
What do I do with myself?
I know. I’ll go back to an old favourite. Twenty-four clubs. One player / manager per team. Best squad of players possible. Only rule is no short-term loanees.
What shape do I use?
I’m probably going to form the team around players from the top clubs, so let’s look at what they’re doing.
Barnet, Gateshead, Rochdale and Oldham Athletic all play a back three. York City and Forest Green Rovers play a four. I’m probably going to side with a three, or something of a hybrid system, depending on the players available.
As an aside, nine sides have almost exclusively used a three, nine have almost exclusively four and the remaining six have bounced between both. It’s a pretty even split if you're now thinking about building your own.
The players.
I’ve probably given this too much deliberation. Different systems. Different personnel. I've actually been writing this casually for about three weeks – often on my phone while on the bus to work or lying in bed of an evening – and even upon finalising it, I made changes thinking I had a better solution.
And after all of that, I still feel like I’m missing something. Am I missing a trick somewhere? Should have I gone with Josh Rees or George Langston or Alex Newby?
Wait. Is this how international managers feel when picking their squads tournaments? They’re probably more decisive, right? I guess they have to be – it's a lot more serious than this bozo posting a load of nonsense on his Substack.
Might as well stop rambling and share what I eventually came up with.
Manager
Kevin Maher – Southend United
Kevin Maher is one of the best managers in the National League and has proven that over a number of years now. I’m going to need a statesman that can communicate to my imaginary fans, doesn’t make excuses and sets up a team that is both sound defensively and creates opportunities going forward. It does mean I lose out on having somebody like Gus Scott-Morriss or Jack Bridge in my team, but I’m sure Maher can find stars within his new group.
Goalkeepers
Lucas Covolan – Braintree Town
Cameron Gregory – Boston United
Jed Ward – Forest Green Rovers
I spent a bit of time working out whether I could squeeze somebody like Liam Sercombe or Kyle McAllister into my squad but I kept coming back to the goalkeeper situation. I wanted somebody who could not only save shots but could also distribute efficiently. Jed Ward may be a young goalkeeper but he possesses qualities that have really come to the fore for Forest Green Rovers this season, as they did at Wealdstone last year. And with a powerful defence in front of him, I think his qualities will be accentuated in net and weaknesses hidden.
Lucas Covolan is back-up. He’s prone to a bit of madness but has been fine for Braintree Town so far this season and is a more than capable goalkeeper for the level having also performed for Torquay United and been a part of Maidstone United’s journey last year. Cameron Gregory is a fine goalkeeper in his own right but I would be lying if I suggested that his addition was a case of not selecting an outfielder for lowly Boston United.
Centre-backs
Callum Howe – York City
Manny Monthe – Oldham Athletic
Jaydn Mundle-Smith – Wealdstone
Adam Senior – FC Halifax Town
Morgan Williams – Yeovil Town
Having made my pick for Barnet (see further down), I was left with the decision of who to pick for York City. They’ve got fantastic wide options but I wanted to make sure the spine of my team was strong. With my midfield already solidified in my head, no slight on a York midfield that play some super slick stuff, I had to choose between Callum Howe or Ollie Pearce, I felt. The division has a lot of goalscorers but not many centre-halves I could trust to lead this National League all-stars squad. Howe is in, and he’s my captain.
I went through the Halifax squad and always felt more comfortable selecting a defender. Adam Senior has played most of his recent football at right-back or on the right side of a three and has shown an ability to step out of defence and support the attack, while being a threat from set-pieces. The same goes for Manny Monthe on the other side. That they both offer a genuine goal threat only helps my decision making.
Jaydn Mundle-Smith has proven himself a reliable figure for Wealdstone and also somebody that could cover at full-back or wing-back if the game called for it, meaning he became a useful option to bring in. Morgan Williams played an important role in Yeovil Town's promotion and has developed into a more consistent performer since his last stint in the National League.
Central Midfield
Dale Gorman – Woking
Anthony Hartigan – Barnet
Elliot Osborne – Altrincham
Jamey Osborne – Solihull Moors
My first pick was Anthony Hartigan. He has been the lynchpin of the Barnet side since joining early in 2023-24 and outside of Chesterfield, Barnet have been the most impressive and consistent attacking force in the division since. A huge part of that is their dominance in possession and Hartigan is an enormous part of that, seeing a lot of the ball and being purposeful in his actions.
Alongside him is Jamey Osborne. I’m biased here – I love the guy. He can really do it all, whether it’s tough tackling, driving into space, taking set-pieces, creating opportunities or belting them in from 25 yards. Can he play alongside Hartigan? Well, Hartigan excelled next to Billy Clifford early in the season while Osborne is now playing next to John Bostock. It will work.
And if it doesn’t, I’ve got two fine options waiting in the wings. One is Dale Gorman, whose consistency in midfield has seen him play regularly at this level for a number of years now, offering tenacity and quality with the ball. The other is Elliot Osborne, who has been a consistent member of an Altrincham midfield tasked with being brave and progressive in their work.
Wing-backs / Wingers
Josh Coley – Sutton United
Tyler Frost – Aldershot Town
Luke Hannant - Gateshead
Dion Pereira – Dagenham and Redbridge
Dion Pereira was a player I really wanted in this team. He’s quick, direct, excellent in 1v1 situations and his output in the final third is improving the more he plays at this level – Ben Strevens has got a level of consistency from him that has often been missing from his game. He’s a bit of an outlier in this group having played minimal football as a wing-back but with the aim being for my wing-backs to play high and offer width, I think his qualities give this group something unique.
Josh Coley is similar in terms of spending much of his career as an out and out winger but he has applied himself excellently since dropping into a wing-back role for Sutton United while his time with Maidenhead United showcased his ability to start from deep and drive the ball.
I had a difficult decision in terms of who to choose from both Aldershot Town and Gateshead but opted with Tyler Frost and Luke Hannant. They've both played a lot of football at wing-back but also offer versatility and reliability and I think their pedigree and technical ability would be key to balancing out the team.
I think the quartet offer versatility as wingers, wing-backs and, in the case of Frost and Hannant, more central options. And with four of the central defenders capable of playing at full-back or as a wing-back, Kevin Maher has plenty of flexibility in terms of the system he chooses to play.
Attacking midfield
Nick Haughton – AFC Fylde
Devante Rodney – Rochdale
Reece Smith – Maidenhead United
Nathan Tshikuna – Tamworth
I had a difficult decision when it came to Rochdale. Do I go with Tarryn Allarakhia, Devante Rodney or Kairo Mitchell? I went for Rodney because his power and finesse from the slightly withdrawn striking role was something unique and when he’s fit and on it, he’s as confident in front of goal as they come. He can also play as part of a two off the front or directly as a striker, adding to the flexibility of the team.
I found the other three pretty easy to select. Partly because they offer unique qualities and partly because there wasn’t a huge amount of competition within the squads they play for in my opinion.
Nick Haughton is a magician, a player whose output in the final third is close to unmatched for players in his position, having produced consistently for three and a half seasons now. Nathan Tshikuna has really caught my eye this season as a player with an excellent work ethic, an ability to bring others into the game and loves to burst into the area. And anybody that follows NL Musings will know how big of a fan I am of Reece Smith, whose acceleration, technical prowess and ability to play across the front line give this side plenty.
Strikers
Rakish Bingham – Ebbsfleet United
Emmanuel Dieseruvwe – Hartlepool United
Paul McCallum – Eastleigh
I was tempted to be clever with the attack. But I’ve got technical footballers. I’ve got players that can run. I’ve got players that can deliver a cross. I just need my number nine to stay between the width of the goal, keep it simple and get on the end of passes and crosses.
Since the start of last season, Emmanuel Dieseruvwe and Paul McCallum have scored a combined 69 goals in 108 matches for bottom half teams. Imagine what they could do for this team? Plus, side note, it has been reported more than once that Maher has wanted McCallum at Southend.
I found myself needing a player from Braintree Town, Boston United and Ebbsfleet United and having decided Covolan was perhaps the best goalkeeper to select from those available as back-up, it seemed smart to pick Rakish Bingham as final outfield selection. He’s a similarly powerful forward with an eye for goal – Bingham has averaged a goal around once every 200 minutes – while also being a hard worker and selfless in his work, making him potentially an ideal foil for his fellow strikers when called upon.
The Starting XI
Some tricky decisions to make, but I’m going to gamble on Kevin Maher starting opening day of this imaginary league / tournament the National League all-stars have entered with
Jed Ward
Adam Senior – Callum Howe – Manny Monthe
Dion Pereira – Anthony Hartigan – Jamey Osborne – Luke Hannant
Nick Haughton – Devante Rodney
Paul McCallum
Maybe I haven’t decided on the front three yet.
Think you can do better? Let me know in the comments or @NLMusings