PLAYER NO105
Name: Jarrad Branthwaite
Original Team: Carlisle (England)
Best Position: Centre Back
Best Attribute: Heading / Concentration / Stamina
Bio: Firstly, I was surprised he is at Carlisle when the game starts, as in real life, he is at Everton, and in the game I bought him from Everton.
Nevertheless, I got him as a young inexperienced 21 year old, I think it really benefitted him that I had a few older defenders in my team to learn from.
For the first two years he played a bit part as cover, learning his trade, then he started to play regularly and really developed into and reliable and solid defender, who was also very versatile.
He is a centre back and I often played him left side of a back three, as well as in a flat back four. However, he also played left back and a good few times filled in at left wing back, all to very good effect.
He is an extremely consistent performer who was hardly injured which was a huge plus. He was also excellent in the air, to the point where he often popped up with a few headed goals from corners. In his best season he notched eight.
So much was his level of consistency that he went on to be capped for England over 50 times and was the vice captain of my team for about 4 seasons before I left.
I think he is a real, rare, English defensive gem and it is advisable to purchase him early, to let him develop in your club then reap all the rewards. He will have no issues playing in the very best teams around.
