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Champions’ League – Phase 1, Group B, Game 1: Cartagonova v Bayern München<P>So on a fine evening we get this underway. It’s not long until we’re on the back foot when former Tottenham striker, Rebrov, shields the ball from my defenders before launching a rocket into the goal after just 8 minutes of football. Five minutes later, Redondo’s headed shot from Ballesteros’ cross is calmly plucked out of the air by Kahn, while Michel volleys just over the bar. Vucko is our most dangerous player and he tests Kahn with a fierce drive on 19 minutes, but to no avail as the veteran keeper tips his shot aside. Kokmeijer and Redondo also try their luck before the break but we enter half-time 1-0 down.<P>A rousing half-time speech sparks the boys to come out punching in the second half and we’re rewarded with Vucko’s first goal for his new club thanks to a spectacular bicycle kick from Michel’s excellent cross! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG] But we lose track of Mehmet Scholl and his slide-rule through-ball finds Santa Cruz. Thankfully, the Paraguayan’s goal is ruled out for off-side as my back four stepped up smartly, but we’re too easily torn apart at the back with Filipescu playing another shocker. It’s end to end stuff with Kokmeijer and Rebrov testing the keepers for both sides, but Bayern has the last laugh. Christer George breaks free of his marker and volleys Deco’s marvellous ball into the far corner of the net to condemn us to an opening day defeat. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif" alt="mad[/IMG]<P>Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal; Lacruz, Filipescu (Moya 71), �lvarez (Curro Torres 91), Ballesteros; Michel, Couto (c) (Miranda 81), Rufete; Vucko; Redondo, Kokmeijer.<P>Bayern München (4-2-4): Kahn (c); Maier, De Boer, Bermúdez (Kuffour 60), Babbel; Scholl (Deco 66), Jeremies (George 71); Kily González, Santa Cruz, Rebrov, Zickler. <P>Final score: Cartagonova 1:2 Bayern München
MoM – Jurica Vucko<P>16th of September 2004<P>The Olympic Games’ football competition kicks off with Spain thumping Mexico 5-0 and Francisco �lvarez has the distinction of being the first footballer to score the goal in the 2004 Olympic Games. He also created another goal for his teammates but didn’t capture the MoM award.

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19th of September 2004<P>“… And finally to football. Real Madrid after defeating Real Sociedad 5-1 last night, has denied persistent rumours that it is about to table a £50 million offer to Roma for its inspirational talisman Francesco Totti. Real Madrid sold Alessandro del Piero back to Juventus in the summer and have not replaced the Italian playmaker. Totti would be an ideal replacement but the legions of Roma fans would consider the sale of the homegrown hero an outrageous move for Signor Fabio Capello and his assistants to even consider. There has been no word from Rome about the ramifications of this move, but even the numbers thrown about suggest that the power in world club football has shifted away from Italy to Spain. We will continue to follow this developing story…�<P>Primera Liga – Game 3: Cartagonova v Numancia<P>It’s the first time we’ve played Numancia since we tangled in the Segunda Liga, but they have made a good fist of returning to the top flight in Spain and it lies fourth in the league to our second. With Champions’ League football draining some of our players, hot weather on the Sunday is not something we appreciate, but Couto girds the loins to take the team out regardless. He might as well have not bothered because Lacruz gives away a free kick that is easily converted by Lunari, picking up Emmanuel Babangida’s pass. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif" alt="mad[/IMG] Vucko and Rufete should have had us at least on level terms by the half-hour mark, but the Croat’s shot flies high and Rufete’s is saved by Núñez. But a bit of fortune flows our way when Redondo’s pass to find Vucko is turned into his own net by Babangida on 32 minutes! But do we build on that? No, of course not. Dani Torres turns Filipescu inside out and then thunders a drive past Vidal on 41 minutes as Numancia’s fans re-start their cheering and taunting of the Cartagonova supporters.<P>I’m absolutely furious at half-time. Filipescu isn’t the only one to have played poorly (though he is the worst culprit). We’re not getting any drive out of midfield and the defence is regularly swamped. It’s time to stamp my authority on the team so Filipescu is left in the dressing rooms for the experienced Stubbs to make another appearance. Five minutes into the second half, Mr Reliable, José Redondo, exchanges passes with Michel before lifting a delicate shot into the top corner past the reach of the Numancia keeper. But we’re playing too poorly to think about snatching the three points and the omens don’t look good for our visit to the Principality in three days. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif" alt="mad[/IMG]<P>Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal; Lacruz, Filipescu (Stubbs 46), Moya, Ballesteros (Curro Torres 66); Michel, Couto (c), Rufete; Vucko (Miranda 66); Redondo, Kokmeijer.<P>Numancia (4-5-1): Núñez; Gustavo, Curro Montoya, Babangida, Pedersen; Octavio, Gorka (Cañas 74), Lunari, Marini (c), Acuña; Dani Torres.<P>Final score: Cartagonova 2:2 Numancia
MoM – Emmanuel Babangida

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Filipescu and Ballesteros are summoned to my office after the match and with Luis Sosa supporting me, I fine Filipescu a week’s wages – the first time I’ve ever fined anybody for a poor performance – because I had officially warned him the week before. Ballesteros gets the official warning treatment. Frankly, I’m at my wits’ end with Filipescu. He will be dropped for our match against Monaco, but he is so vital to our cause that I really can’t do without him.<P>22nd of September 2004<P>European Champions’ League - Phase 1, Game 2: Monaco v Cartagonova<P>Time to make some wholesale changes with poorly performing players given the idea that their complacency will be rewarded by them being dropped. That means that there is no game for Filipescu, while Michel is rested - Curro Torres comes in for the Romanian while Paulo Miranda has the opportunity to impress. We suffer a blow with Redondo going down with an injury before kick-off. Esnáider replaces him. Apart from an early opportunity wasted by Micoud nothing much happens until Kokmeijer and Vucko play a delightful one-two before Kokmeijer shows why I was willing to invest so much money in him by thundering a drive between Cassard’s legs. Torres aims to impress me and he almost puts his name on the scoresheet with a rasping drive that Cassard does well to parry aside. But Monaco plays the counter-attack cannily and when a move breaks down Lamouchi and Farnerud play the ball to the feet of Turdó. He draws the foul from Moya and Lamouchi makes us pay by blasting a wicked free kick over the wall and beneath the cross-bar.<P>Couto’s poor first half sees him taken off at the break with Gibbens taking his place. In truth, I should not have played the tired Portuguese but I did need some type of leadership out there. Yet it wasn’t working. We are lucky, however, when Giuly’s goal from Micoud’s cross is ruled off-side. Just when the match seemed destined for a draw, Miranda wakes up, plays a neat one-two with Kokmeijer before bursting into the Monaco box and thumping a rocket past Cassard into the back of the net! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG] Esnáider then forces a corner with a shot from Miranda’s cross, while the Argentine could have added another but Cassard pulls off a superb double save to deny the midfielder. Still, I’m happy with our first three points of the group phase.<P>Monaco (4-4-2): Cassard; Riise, Djetou, Christanval (c) (Marquez 69), Farnerud; Micoud, Dabo, Biscan, Lamouchi; Turdó, Giuly.<P>Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal; Curro Torres, Ballesteros, Moya, Lacruz; Couto (c) (Gibbens 46); Miranda, Rufete; Vucko; Esnáider, Kokmeijer.<P>Final score: Monaco 1:2 Cartagonova
MoM - Paulo Miranda

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23rd of September 2004<P>My club will soon be facing a player I have very much admired as Celta Vigo’s manager announces proudly to the assembled national press that he will sign Sevilla’s creative playmaker Francisco Javier Casquero for £10.5 million. But for Sevilla’s status in the Segunda Liga, Casquero would have already been capped by his country.<P>26th of September 2004<P>Primera Liga - Game 4: Málaga v Cartagonova<P>Boy, this European adventure is difficult! Just a day after returning from Monaco, we’re back in the air again, travelling to La Rosaleda in Málaga. With Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao moving above us with good victories yesterday, we need to hit back quickly to keep up the pace. Morán and �lvarez return to full fitness, but I’m happy with the first eleven currently doing the job, so I don’t change the team today. Miranda carries on his good work by forcing Contreras into a smart save early on while Kokmeijer volleys over the Argentine’s cross on 15 minutes. Vidal needs his wits about him to deny Agostinho opening the scoring after 23 minutes and he does superbly to block Gomez’s shot two minutes later. But the man I spent some time over the summer chasing, Fabián O’Neill, tees up the defender Zepeda and he buries his opportunity with relish on 29 minutes. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif" alt="frown[/IMG] But the lead lasts just seven minutes as Kokmeijer forces a corner and Miranda takes Edgar’s clearance in his stride before driving home the equaliser. Then Zepeda turns from hero to villain by clattering Esposito inside the box and Miranda strokes home the penalty to give us the lead at the break.<P>An entertaining affair takes another turn in our favour when Esposito slaloms his way through the heart of the Málaga defence, effortlessly drifting past and through tackles, before driving the ball into the bottom of the net after 53 minutes! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG] Serrizuela reduces the deficit on 65 minutes with a wonderfully executed volley but Vucko almost replicates Esposito’s fine run with one of his own that culminates in our fourth goal of the game. To top things off for Zepeda, he is sent off for two yellow cards with 13 minutes to play, but we’re done scoring this afternoon.<P>Málaga (1-2-5-2): Contreras; Ramón; Zepeda (c), Javi Navarro; Agostinho, O’Neill, Edgar (Jorge 91), Tayfun (Arteta 56), Serrizuela; Gomez, Ismael.<P>Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal; Curro Torres, Ballesteros, Moya, Lacruz; Couto (c) (Gibbens 90); Miranda, Rufete; Vucko; Esposito, Kokmeijer.<P>Final score: Málaga 2:4 Cartagonova
MoM - Paulo Miranda<P>The result pleases the board no end and returns us to second spot behind Espanyol. We’re the fourth club to hit double figures in the ‘goals for’ column, so we’re looking fairly prolific at the moment, despite the absence of Redondo.<P>The first managerial casualty of the new season hits the back pages of the evening’s papers as Real Zaragoza’s board fires Fernando Castro Santos for being dead last in the division and without any points after its first three games of the season.

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28th of September 2004<P>Francisco Ã�lvarez’s good performances in the Olympic Games have again drawn Villarreal’s attention back to the young midfielder and this morning, Señor VÃ*ctor Muñoz attempts to tempt me with £350,000 for him. I’m sorry, mate, but I’m not willing to let him go just yet. <P>The first Australian to play in Spain for a while will arrive in the country in winter after former Juventus and Perth Glory star, Ivan Ergic, agrees terms with the managerless Zaragoza this morning.<P>28th of September 2004<P>There is big news from our group in the European Champions’ League as Panathinaikos defeats Bayern München 3-1 in Munich - a hat-trick to Greek international Giorgos Karagounis sealed Bayern’s fate this evening and pushes the Greek club to the top of the group after two matches. They’ll be coming to the Estádio Municipál de Cartagena with plenty of confidence.<P>29th of September 2004<P>The Gazzetta della Sport goes to town this morning reporting a rumour that Luis Figo of Parma is all set to return to Real Madrid in a deal worth £14.5 million to the Italian club. If you ask me, I think the Portuguese wizard would be crazy to return to Real Madrid given that he was so unhappy there in the first place and that all the people that made him unhappy are still there. But that’s football, I guess.<P>Francisco Ã�lvarez has the opportunity to bring a coveted Olympic gold medal back to Cartagonova as he helps Spain to defeat Brazil 3-2 in Berlin in the semi-final. They will play either Germany or Holland on Saturday. That unfortunately clashes with our game against Mallorca, but I’m personally faxing through all our hopes and best wishes for the young midfielder to have a good game in the final.<P>News comes to the club in the evening that Juan Carlos Castro will join Ã�lvarez in the Spanish U-21 squad to take on Azerbaijan in Baku. I hope both players make it through that trip safe and sound.<P>Keep smiling! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG]
Dixie Flatline

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After a difficult week, there is still time to contemplate a little bit of fun<P>2nd of October 2004<P>Primera Liga - Game 5: Cartagonova v Mallorca<P>Today is a match shown live on ESPN, but still the crowd rolls up to our match against the eighth-placed island club. Almost 18,000 people have only just taken their seats when Kokmeijer’s pass is gleefully rocketed into the Mallorca net from 30 yards by Esposito after just 4 minutes. About 15 minutes later, Moya’s long ball is headed towards goal by Rufete but Roa knocks it away and Uribarri gets across quickly to tackle Vucko. The Croat then tests Roa with a fizzing drive but the Argentine is in one of those rare moods and stops the ball. Just before the break, Couto’s pass is expertly controlled by Esposito before lashing a drive towards the top corner. But Roa again pushes it aside for a corner which Rufete wastes. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif" alt="mad[/IMG] Right on half-time, we’re denied a fairly blatant penalty when César tackles Vucko inside the area when the midfielder didn’t have the ball. When the referee blows his whistle for the break, I motion for Couto to have a ‘chat’ with the referee, but the Portuguese midfielder tells me that the referee thought Vucko dived. Rubbish…<P>We begin the second half like we ended the first as Esposito fires another rocket at goal only to have Roa tip it over the bar. Rufete’s corner is headed towards goal by Ballesteros, but again Roa manages to get a hand to the shot. We have completely dominated play to this point but have only the early goal for reward and when we start to tire, Mallorca’s forwards are given more room to operate in. Castillo and Michel cause my defence all types of trouble and on 70 minutes, I remove Couto and Vucko from the battle, replacing them with Gibbens and Morán respectively. But that doesn’t stop Mallorca from gaining control of the play but just when I think we’ve done enough to escape with all three points, Ramirez’s cross is bundled over the line by substitute Castillo. We have one final chance to take the points when Miranda’s long ball is headed towards goal by Esposito, but Roa denies us victory with yet another great save. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif" alt="mad[/IMG]<P>Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal; Curro Torres, Ballesteros, Moya, Lacruz; Miranda, Couto (c) (Gibbens 71), Rufete; Vucko (Morán 71); Esposito, Kokmeijer.<P>Mallorca (3-5-2): Roa (c); Uribarri, Djorovic, César; Pineda (Ramirez 69), Kühbauer, Jensen, van Gastel (Castillo 46), Pablo; Losada, Michel.<P>Final score: Cartagonova 1:1 Mallorca
MoM - César<P>As we change into our street clothes after a disappointing result, more disappointment filters through from Germany as we find out that Spain lost to Holland 1-0 in the gold medal play-off in the Olympics. That means that Francisco �lvarez and Juan Carlos Castro, who was called up as a late replacement not just for the U-21 international next week, will come home with silver medals. Dutch and Groningen midfielder, Michel Borman, scored the winning goal early in the second half.

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3rd of October 2004<P>“… Arsène Wenger has spent £10 million on bringing Welsh international midfielder Simon Davies from cross-town rival Tottenham Hotspurs in a move that will infuriate Spurs’ supporters. Both clubs are struggling after 7 games in the 2004/05 season with Spurs languishing in 19th place while Arsenal are 13th, level on points with Manchester United. Bolton leads the way with 15 points from seven games, a point clear of West Ham and Middlesbrough.�<P>6th of October 2004<P>Champions’ League - Phase 1, Group B, Game 3: Cartagonova v Panathinaikos<P>This is going to be a fun match. Our form leading into it has been patchy at best while Panathinaikos have the firepower in Viduka and Liberopoulos to punch sufficient holes through our defence to worry me. But we could have had three goals inside the first ten minutes with Vucko, Esposito and Rufete all testing the goalkeeper. Finally on 23 minutes we achieve a breakthrough as Esposito feeds a through-ball into the path of Miranda who breaks away from his full-back before beating the goalkeeper with a low drive. But the lead lasts just three minutes as Liberopoulos fends off Moya, takes the pass in his stride before lashing it past a stranded Vidal who had started to advance before thinking better of it. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif" alt="frown[/IMG] Just on half-time, we get a lucky break when Couto’s pass intended for Kokmeijer is intercepted by Karagounis, but the Greek defender only guides the pass into the back of his net. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG] But we can’t even defend that lead to the break as Vidal’s horrendous goalkick is picked up by a gleeful Viduka who thunders a drive into the top corner. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif" alt="mad[/IMG]<P>I have words to say to the defence at the break. They’ve all played woefully with the exception of Ballesteros. I make Moya the scapegoat and bring Filipescu into the match at half-time. It at least stops the Greeks charging towards our goal, but we’re creating nothing up forward. So in steps Redondo, the (almost) ‘forgotten man’, replacing Vucko. We survive Liberopoulos putting the ball into our net thanks to Viduka’s off-side call, but Panathinaikos go on a rampage, rattling the cross-bar, the post and testing Vidal numerous times. With my words still ringing in his ears, the keeper stands up to the barrage and right when the referee is about to blow for full-time, we conjure a goal out of almost nothing. Couto slides the ball through the heart of the Greeks’ defence where Redondo latches on it and drives the ball into the net! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]<P>Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal; Curro Torres, Ballesteros, Moya (Filipescu 46), Lacruz; Miranda, Couto (c), Rufete; Vucko (Redondo 63); Esposito, Kokmeijer.<P>Panathinaikos (5-3-2): Férnandez; Giorgos Panagiotidis, Goutis, Ioannou, Athanasiadis, Saric (Andreas Panagiotidis 63); Karagounis, Katsavakis, Makor (Galetto 58); Viduka, Liberopoulos.<P>Final score: Cartagonova 3:2 Panathinaikos
MoM - Mauro Esposito

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9th of October 2004<P>World Cup qualifying action in Europe takes centre stage, much to my relief. Ireland defeats FYROM 2-1 in Dublin with goals to Charlton’s Kenny Cunningham and Manchester United’s Roy Keane. The Netherlands did it comfortably against the Faeroe Islands, winning 4-1 in Amsterdam. Davids, Kluivert and Esseboom were amongst the goals for the Dutch, while Manai’s goal for the Islanders was little more than consolation. Miklos Fehér scored Hungary’s winning goal against the Welsh as they went down to their first loss of the qualifying campaign in Budapest 1-0. Scotland needed a late equaliser from Manchester United’s Darren Fletcher to save a point as Finland overcame Notman’s early goal to lead 2-1 with nine minutes to play at Hampden Park. A boring match in Vienna saw Northern Ireland leave with a point in a goalless draw. Spain finally posted a win on the board in Group 6, defeating Malta 4-2 at La Mestalla in Valencia. Their Iberian cousins, Portugal, slaughtered Armenia 5-0 in Yerevan with two goals coming inside sixty seconds at the end of the match. England top Group 8 on goal difference after thrashing Andorra 5-1 at the re-developed Wembley stadium, while Slovakia kept up the pace by taking Belarus apart 4-1. <P>10th of October 2004<P>Sevilla thinks it can tempt me by bidding £1.4 million for Ballesteros and £2.5 million for Paulo Miranda. Both offers are rejected outright. I’m not going to waste my time entertaining such bids from a club that I consider a rival (if and when it returns to the Primera Liga).<P>12th of October 2004<P>Valencia’s manager, Guus Hiddink, is attracted to Ballesteros by Sevilla’s interest in the player and this morning, the Dutch manager interrupts my coffee break with a telephoned bid of £1.7 million for the defender. I’m not willing to sell him for that amount just yet.

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13th of October 2004<P>More UEFA World Cup qualifying action this evening and several Cartagonova players are involved. Keith O’Neill played 25 minutes in Ireland’s 2-0 victory over Yugoslavia as Robbie Keane scored both. Ireland tops group 3 after winning its opening three games. But Iulian Filipescu may have ended his international career after being sent off in Romania’s 3-0 defeat at home to Estonia. Jurica Vucko played 58 minutes in Croatia’s 4-0 victory over Armenia in Zagreb. Couto also played an hour for Portugal as they defeated Turkey 2-1 in Lisbon.<P>In other results, Italy defeated Moldova 3-1 in Rome, while Cyprus came back from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2 with France in Nicosia. Hungary put the sword to the Faeroe Islands 6-0. The Netherlands dominated Lithuania in Vilnius and returned with a 2-0 victory thanks to Patrick Kluivert and Theo Janssen. Despite a lot of goal-mouth action at both ends of the pitch, the Welsh and the Danes somehow managed to draw 0-0 in the Millennium Stadium. Scotland upset Russia 2-1 in Moskva, with both goals being scored by Spurs’ Kiegan Parker. Spain’s stuttering start to the campaign took a turn for the worse as they dropped two points to Azerbaijan in Gyanja. England kept up its winning start to the campaign by defeating Latvia 2-0 in Riga, but Slovakia kept pace with a 2-0 victory over Andorra.<P>I’m not the only person to notice that Iván Vidal has struggled to recapture the form that made him such a powerful keeper last season as a newspaper latches upon his poor form as a reason why I should be looking for a replacement sooner rather than later. But I have faith in my players to turn it around so I stand by the keeper. That prompts the man himself to reveal in an exclusive interview to the same paper that he is keen to repay me for standing by him in this crisis of confidence.<P>15th of October 2004<P>Valencia won’t go away as Señor Hiddink offers me £2 million for Ballesteros. This is coming uncomfortably close to his £2.5 million release clause, but I still turn down the offer.

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16th of October 2004<P>Primera Liga - Game 6: Sporting Gijón v Cartagonova<P>It’s a different team I put out onto the field for this battle between second (our opponent) and third (us). But to my immense disappointment, it takes Sporting just 40 seconds to open the scoring when Barselleta too easily deceives Couto before flighting in the cross for Haruna Babangida to head home for his first ever goal for Sporting. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif" alt="mad[/IMG] As I expect from my players, we immediately set about trying to grab the equaliser but Bizzarri is in rare form this afternoon and denies Redondo twice. Miranda then tests his reflexes with a swerving, dipping free kick. Sporting threaten Vidal once or twice but soon we’re back camped around their penalty area. Yet the equaliser won’t come and right on half-time, Vidal does well to deny Peter Madsen a spectacular goal from a bicycle kick.<P>I try to rev up the boys at the break, telling them that if we keep up our performance we’ll get our just reward, but two minutes into the second half, Rivarola almost extends Sporting’s lead after racing clear of the defence down the left, cutting inside then blasting his shot over the bar. Redondo then heads Esposito’s cross over the bar and then a couple of minutes later, he heads Morán’s pass well wide of the mark. We’re having plenty of opportunities but nothing is happening for us in front of goal. Redondo and Esposito continue to pepper Bizzarri’s goal, but he won’t let anything through today and we leave Gijón disappointed to come away with nothing.<P>Sporting Gijón (1-2-5-2): Bizzarri; Otero; Sergio (Rivas 81), Ettien; Rivarola, Farinós, Makelele (Brandán 75), Barselleta (c), Babangida; Madsen, Da Silva.<P>Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal; Curro Torres, �lvarez, Moya, Ballesteros (Lacruz 62), Couto (c); Miranda, Vucko; Morán (Michel 62); Redondo, Esposito.<P>Final score: Sporting Gijón 1:0 Cartagonova
MoM - Marcelo Moya