retired_jessicabraden

After Monday nights football We lie in 13th place. That would be acceptable if we were to finish there. Next game we travel to the rich boys of Chelsea a real baptism of fire.

retired_jessicabraden

Tuesday 16th August 2005

JJoy phones the office "fax Lee,is interesting reading, not the ususal junk you get"

I walk to her office and she hands me the piece of paper. Hibs are after Horsfield. £750,000 they have tabled, I give it her back, "send a response £900,000 and we will listen" Within 10 minutes the fax goes again, a higher bid is received is Horsfield going to be the first player to leave under my command. "Joy, get Nigel and Geoff Horsfield in my office straight away, I don't care what they are doing"

A knock on the door "Come in, morning lads take a seat, an enquiry has been received this morning from Hibernian who are interested in you Geoff, we are willing to listen to offers but how you feel?" "Well to be honest I can't see me featuring under you, you have loads of options, I'm up for it, not saying that I don't like it here, but they're in Europe aint they and I should be able to play regular first team football" "Ok Geoff honest and upfront with you here, they have tabled a bid, we negiotated it as it was ridculous they have submitted a more acceptable bid, not what we were originally asking for, but close in enough for us to look at it in more detail, Await a phone call from them, and take it from there, good luck"

retired_jessicabraden

Wednesday 17th August 2005

Hibs complete the signing of Geoff Horsfield for £900,000. Geoff wanted first team football and now has the opportunity of playing in Europe who could blame him. I wish him well.

retired_jessicabraden

Sunday 21st August 2005

Away V Chelsea

The cameras are at Stamford Bridge for the match against the mighty Chelsea. The Bookies don't fancy our chances, I just hope we do ourselves proud. The lads are looking forward for the challenge I jsut hope we don't get humilated. Lets hopefully build on the last match.

The coach pulls up outside the Bridge and I stare blinded by the huge ground, what an experience who would have thought this was happening to me, if you would have said I would be managing a Premiership football club in May then I would have laughed.

Walking out at the Hawthorns was a hug experience for me, but not half as much as an experience as walking out in front of 43,000 people and also with the match being screened live on TV.

Sky have asked if I can spare them 5 minutes before the match and of course I agree, I need to raise the profile of the football club and let everybody know I mean business.

"Everybody touts this as a match to remember, what do you honestly think about your teams chances today"

"We have 11 men the same as them, there are obviously a couple of disadvantages they have a more experienced manager and are also at home, that's the only difference. We will try our best and thats all we can do, who knows we might cause an upset, I hope"

"Any team news?"

"Nope, sticking to same side as last week, there are no fresh injury worries, need the table to stay stable and remain focused, the longer they can play together the better, I won't make changes unless it is absolutely neccessary, anyway thanks for the time, and I hope you enjoy the match as much as I do, thanks"

retired_jessicabraden

Starting Line up:

Kirklan, Albrechsten, Clement (captain), Gaardsoe, Scimeca, Greening, Carter, Gera, Richardson, Kamara, Ellington

Subs from: Hoult, Inamoto, Earnshaw, Davies, Watson

Th eatmosphere is electric as the whistle goes, we are instantly on the back foot and rely on Kirkland to produce a fantastic save in teh first 40 seconds of the match. Their main focus seems to be on Carlton Cole and his quickness is causing our defence major problems, he cuts inside Albrechsten, pulls the ball back and its blasted home by Lampard after 8 minutes, not the best possible start at Stamford Bridge a manager could ask for.

Essien heads the ball past Kirkland on 18 minutes to make it 2-0. A long 72 minutes plus injury time to watch this, I think how many is it going to be. Just hope we can keep it respectable. The game slows right down and Chelsea seem content with the 2-0 score line, until Kamara scores a goal from out of the blue, his first goal for the club and we are back in with a chance. 2-1 to Chelsea. The half time whistle goes.

We turn on the TV in the dressing room, Gary Linekar is there with his guest the one and only Bryan Robson (my mate). "What do you think of the performance Bryan?"

"You can't take anything away from the Baggies, they are fighting for every ball, if you would have said your still in the game at half time, then you would have taken it at the beginning of the match, they were a bit slow out of the starting blocks and you can't do that against a team like Chelsea"

"It's been a relatively easy game for Chelsea though so far, do you think"

"I'd have to disagree there, the goal just before half time will have given the lads a big boost, who knows what will happen"

The lads jeer, Bryan supporting the club he walked out on. "Come on lets make a name for ourselves"

65 minutes gone and the Stamford Bridge goes quiet. Makelele puts the ball past his own goalie, 2-2 game on. We only have to hold on for 25 minutes, thats a life time in football management. Mourinho is hopping around the dug out shouting instructions. I relay a message to Clement "Slow, Concentrate, Hold on, Come on Lads".

Moruinho changes to a 4-2-3-1 and we have to withstand heavy pressure for the final 15 minutes, he throws Crespo on and the game changes, a beautiful lob over Kirkland to land firmly in the middle of the net.

Final Score Chelsea 3 Baggies 2

A wonderful performance although its a defeat we prove that we are not any pushover. Scoring 2 goals at Stamford Bridge is a good acheivement although we still leave with nil points.

Kamara is nominated Player of the Match.

"A good match, but Chelsea never felt threatened" was the summing up after the match

Huh, bet Mr Mouniho never thought he'd have a tough match against us.

retired_jessicabraden

TRANSFER DEADLINE 1 WEEK

"Mr Peace to see you Lee, I'm sending him down"

"Hi Lee, hows it going, exciting times, bad luck against Chelsea, good game."

"Yeah, bad luck, we were in with a shout, lads done us proud, anyway lets not talk about the loss too much, what can I do for"

"Just wanted to remind you really about transfer deadline next week, got anything in mind?"

"Well have sent the scouts out and I'm looking through the transfer list, there is one or two that may be worth looking out, possibly to stengthen the team, but its not a real necessity we bring anybody in, unless somebody goes".

"Ok, leave it up to you, you know you have the money if you need it, just let me know it I can do anything for you, Oh and I can't make Saturdays game at the JJB as its an early kick off, I'll watch it on the box though, see you Monday after the game"

"Thanks Jeromy, see you soon mate"

retired_jessicabraden

Saturday 27th August 2005

Away V Wigan Premiership Match 3

The game shown live on TV (our 2nd one and this is only our 3rd game). I concentrate on the team selection and although felt we were unlucky and played well against Chelsea thought that a change might be worth while. Although Carter had been consistent I thought that somebody else might be able to give that little bit of added extra. So Richarson moves to the left of midfield, Carter drops to the bench making way for little Japanese international Inamoto. Inamoto is huge in Japan and all our games are screened over there. Apparently I am well known over there already.

24,986 turn up to watch the game which was one that we were going to have to win. Wigan just promoted were like us favourites for the drop, this there first year of the premiership was going to be a tough one but they had Paul Jewell at the helm, who was going to do his best to save them. Facing us was one time Baggies player Jason Roberts.

A goal from Kamara as early as the 6th minute was the only goal to seperate the teams all afternoon. A goal that resulted in Jeromy Peace contacting me on the way home "Well Lee, good result that was, that will give the fans something to cheer about, lets hope its the start of a run"

"Wow, praise, I had never been so popular"

Scimeca had given a faultless performance and from a player who originally I didn't feel would figure in the top 11. He seems like he has found his feet.

We listen to the radio on the way home to find out we have been handed a home tie in the 2nd round of the League Cup. Our opposition East Midlands Leicester from the Championship. Leicester had defeated Lincoln City 3-1 in the first round to earn the tie. Not an easy one for us but there could have been worse.

retired_jessicabraden

"I'm going to be late home tonight love, its the day where loads of clubs try and get last minute bargains, and I've heard there may be a couple of bids today, do you want me to bring any tea in?"

"Nope dear, just make sure you get yourself something, you are losing to much weight as your not eating properly"

"Ok, I'll bring a pizza in you can have some if your still up, see you later then"

It was to be a busy day in the office, the end of the transfer window and tomorrow's home match against Liverpool to contend with.

retired_jessicabraden

Crystal Palace had table quite a lucrative bid for Ronnie Wallwork a player who had failed to impress me so far during my short reign at the Albion. It involved a player Marco Reich.

I also prowl through the transfer list to see if anybody cathces my eye, a young 23 year old from Lazio Gaby Midingay was of interest, a utility player who had earned himself 1 cap for Belgium. He could play wb rl, dm, mrlc. A player who could be used anywhere if we were short. I table a bid of £850,000 and wait in anticipation.

________________________________________________

Joy walks into my office "Gosh, its a busy day already, you have a couple of messages" She hands me the message book.

FROM: Mr D Rossi
Organisation: Lazio

RE: Mudingay Transfer Offer

Offer received, they want you to raise bid to £1.1 million to consider the deal, phone back if interested.

FROM: Iain Dowie
Organisation: Crystal Palace

RE: Player Swop deal

Agreed for you to discuss contract with Marco Reich contact the agent Smithson direct to discuss. Feedback with any problems

________________________________________________

I instruct Joy to phone Lazio as her Italian is a considerably better than mine, even the English managers sometimes struggle with my broad Black Country tones. The bid is increased to £1.1 million and the contract is accepted. Gaby immediately slams the Lazio team and board and welcomes the move to the Hawthorns with open arms.

I phone Smithson to discuss contract I decide to offer a few thousand a week less than what he had hoped for in a bid that Premiership football would attract him to the club. Smithson laughs as I reel of the figures "You must be joking mate, that bid is laughable" "Yeah but it is more than treble what he is on now and its the Premiership" "No chance why even consider it, hes only just arrived at Palace, no mate I'm pulling the plug on this one, its not in his best interest"

So bad news Wallwork is to stay at the Albion as the deal falls through and we end up with Mudingay. All I had to do was to report to the Board why I was now £20,000 a week over the wage budget. Not an easy job to do.

"Iain its Lee Allen, discussed contract with the agent, he's not interested we're going to have to pull out the deal unless you raise the cash offer"

"Sorry mate got tight purse strings here, the Board won't allow it"

"Ok, sorry couldn't do business with you"

This commotion had made me forget about the preparation for tomorrows home game with Liverpool. There was to be a forced change as Kirkland was not available to play against them.

retired_jgirl87

Very good start, Leo30. I hope you stick with this one and at least see it through to the end of the season. :thup: