Building the perfect portfolio is like selecting a winning football squad - you need strength in every position.

By Emma Wall

The Daily Telegraph

Saturday 9 June 2012

European Championship fever will grip the nation over the coming weeks, and it has led to several football-mad financial advisers claiming that building an investment portfolio is akin to selecting a football team.

To be successful, a football squad needs a strong defence, a steady core, adaptable wingers and strikers not afraid to take risks. A profitable investment portfolio needs these qualities too, they argue. ......

So we have picked a winning team. Using England manager Roy Hodgson's favoured 4-4-2 formation, we have some resolute defenders, including cash, some "Steady Eddies" that can hold their own and a couple of funds that could net investors big gains given the chance. ......

......7 Right midfield

Graham French of M & G has had a tough year, but wealth manager Alan Steel reckons this is a temporary dip in form from a manager who has been around for a long time. "Barcelona are still regarded as the best team in the world even though they did go off the boil this year. It happens to the best," he said. Mr French's Global Basics fund has lost 16pc in the past year, but has risen by 32pc on a three-year view. ......

Quote courtesy of The Daily Telegraph

Saturday 9 June 2012