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19th of October 2004<P>European Champions’ League - Phase 1, Group B, Game 4: Panathinaikos v Cartagonova<P>After our loss against Sporting on the weekend, which sees us tumble to seventh in the league, I’m not confident as we board the plane for Athens this morning. But when Redondo gains a free kick which is marvellously converted by Morán on 7 minutes, I start to feel like we’ve come to play (finally). We survive a period of pressure where we just can’t clear the ball out of our defence (mainly thanks to Vidal’s poor kicking) but eight minutes after our first goal, our second comes when Redondo tees up Morán. <P>On 19 minutes, Couto tests the Bolivian keeper, Gato Fernández, and his shot is too hot for him to handle. It spills at the feet of Morán and he completes his hat-trick to have us 3-0 to the good! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG] Nine minutes before the break, Michel launches a perfect through-ball into the path of Redondo and the striker makes it a great evening by scoring our fourth goal of the half. Panathinaikos have sufficient time to pull one back through Liberopoulos before the break.<P>The match quietens down considerably in the second half as we concentrate on keeping out the Panathinaikos forwards. Viduka finally breaks the shackles with 9 minutes to play but Vidal’s superb reflex save prevents the Australian from putting a measure of undeserved respectability on the scoreboard. We leave the stadium with the jeers of the Panathinaikos fans, meant for their own players, ringing in our ears. It sounds like music to my ears! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG]<P>Panathinaikos (5-3-2): Fernández; Panagiotidis, Goutis, Athanasiadis, Panagiotidis, Saric (Theodorou 60); Katsavakis (Galetto 67), Karagounis, Makor; Viduka, Liberopoulos (c).<P>Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal; Curro Torres, �lvarez, Moya, Ballesteros; Couto (c); Michel, Vucko; Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer.<P>Final score: Panathinaikos 1:4 Cartagonova
MoM - José Manuel Redondo<P>21st of October 2004<P>I’ve cultivated a long-standing interest in Yugoslav forward Savo Milosevic, and the Italian football media, desperate for a story, links my club with a £6.5 million move for him. I like him, but I don’t quite like him that much. Interestingly, Oscar Ruggeri, the manager of AC Milan, confirms that the powerful striker may well leave the club soon.

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23rd of October 2004<P>Primera Liga - Game 7: Cartagonova v Real Madrid<P>Today we host the champion club of Spain. In our previous two meetings, Real Madrid have managed to defeat us and with our domestic campaign starting to falter, I would like to reverse that trend. But Real Madrid are still chock-full of stars and it’s all hands to battle stations in the first half. Morientes wastes a couple of opportunities inside the first half-hour, but strong tackling and a tactic of not letting the Real Madrid players settle on the ball frustrates them. Then a lucky break comes our way as Bornes tackles Kokmeijer too vigorously for the referee’s liking inside the box. Redondo has the opportunity to score and I hold my breath, knowing that he isn’t the most reliable from 12 yards. But he converts easily enough and we enter half-time one goal to the good.<P>I know that Real Madrid will come out breathing fire in the second half and I tailor my team talk accordingly. But I’m not prepared to see Ballesteros punch Raúl full in the face. Yes, I know the Spaniard can be an annoying little git at times, but what Ballesteros did is unconscionable and he fully deserves the walk of shame into the dressing rooms, surrounded by a posse of Cartagena’s finest and with my glaring eyes burning twin holes in his back. I hurriedly reshape the formation, sacrificing Vucko for Filipescu in order to get four at the back again. We get another lucky break when the referee ignores Guti’s admittedly valid claim for a penalty when Vidal brings him down inside the box. Occasionally we do manage to break the shackles, but Kokmeijer can’t extend our lead on two separate occasions. Eventually, the equaliser comes from Vivar Dorado. The midfielder nutmegs Couto before blasting a fierce shot past Vidal. Real Madrid’s players are in full flight now but a combination of bad finishing and good keeping deny them the winner. We’re lucky to escape with a point today.<P>Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal; Curro Torres, �lvarez, Moya, Ballesteros; Michel (Miranda 89), Couto (c), Vucko (Filipescu 62); Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer.<P>Real Madrid (5-2-1-2): Casillas; Roberto Carlos, Bornes (César 68), Kalla, Iván Helguera, Grillito (Salgado 75); Celades (Vivar Dorado 75), Simeone; Guti, Raúl, Morientes.<P>Final score: Cartagonova 1:1 Real Madrid
MoM - Iván Vidal<P>After the match, I march Ballesteros into my office, shut the door behind me and launch into a vicious, obscenity-strewn rant the likes of which nobody had ever witnessed at the club. It’s one-on-one, full in his face blowing of steam and by the end of the rant, the photographs of the club’s triumphs are rattling in their frames as I punctuate each obscenity with a smack of my fist on the solid desk before me. He cost us three points against the champions, ruled himself out for about nine league matches, and gone down a lot in my estimation. I elected not to fine him today, deciding instead to wait to see what punishment will be meted out by the Spanish FA as they seek to protect their ‘golden boy’.<P>But I’m gratified to see Iván Vidal, Marcelo Moya and Curro Torres make the starting eleven of the Team of the Week, while Óscar �lvarez sits on that team’s bench.

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24th of October 2004<P>After the round of football is concluded, the Spanish FA’s disciplinary committee calls me at the office to inform me that they will suspend Ballesteros for a total of nine league matches. I promptly contact the defender and tell him that he must fork over two weeks’ wages - £15,000 - to the club due to his violent behaviour. Ballesteros verbally accepts his fine, but I don’t really care at this point in time. He cost us two points.<P>In better news, I’m told that our match against Osasuna will be televised live on Sky Sports 3 in three weeks.<P>The young left-sided defender, Pablo Brandán, is sold by Sporting Gijón to AC Milan for £4.5 million. I didn’t think he was that good.<P>27th of October 2004<P>European Champions’ League - Phase 1, Group B, Game 5: Bayern München v Cartagonova<P>This is a very important match for us. I think that a point today would give us qualification for the second group phase and another multi-million pound windfall from UEFA, which would be gratefully accepted by the board, I’m sure. But Bayern would like to top the group and with plenty of experience and talent through the eleven, it’s going to be a difficult match.<P>At least, that is how the script should have read if you are a Bayern supporter which, of course, I’m not. A well-worked move on 13 minutes unhinged the much-vaunted Bayern defence and Redondo is left in a one-on-one position with Olivier Kahn. Redondo coolly slots the ball between Kahn’s legs to give us the lead! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG] Kahn has more work to do on 27 minutes when he needs to scramble to keep out Filipescu’s swerving free kick while 14 minutes later, Kokmeijer is on target and forces another fine save out of the Bayern captain. Given the state of affairs at the break, I’m fairly happy with our performance but I warn my players that Herr Ottmar Hitzfeld won’t take this lying down and they should beware the sting in Bayern’s tail.<P>Sure enough, immediately after half-time, Christer George tries his luck but Vidal gets behind the shot and pushes it away for a corner which we defend well. Then George again breaks free of his marker to feed Rebrov, but the Ukrainian’s drive is parried away by Vidal and Moya concedes the corner. Keeping out the German club is a full-time occupation but we do find time to spring the counter-attack and we stream forward in search of the clinching goal on 78 minutes. The architect is Morán who delightfully chips the ball into the path of Kokmeijer with the outside of his right foot. The Dutch marksman takes the ball in his stride, turns compatriot Ronald de Boer inside out ( [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG] ) before thumping the ball into the back of the net. That wraps it up for the match and we coolly play out time for a great victory.<P>Bayern München (4-2-4): Kahn (c); Backer, de Boer, Bermúdez (Kuffour 79), Babbel; Scholl, Deco; George, Santa Cruz, Rebrov, Zickler.<P>Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal; Curro Torres, Filipescu, Moya, Lacruz; Couto (c); Michel, Vucko; Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer.<P>Final score: Bayern München 0:2 Cartagonova
MoM - Curro Torres<P>The board of directors contacts me directly after the match, proffering their congratulations on a job well done to my players. I promise to relay their words to the players and also the fact that we will top Group B thanks to four consecutive wins giving us 12 points from 5 games, while Bayern, in second, has 7 points from five games. The battle is on in our group to see who will join us in the second phase with Monaco needing to cause a big upset in Cartagena in 13 days to leapfrog Panathinaikos and Bayern to finish second. More realistically, the Panathinaikos-Bayern München match will decide who finishes behind us in the group.<P>Keep smiling! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG]
Dixie Flatline

retired_lydiadiebolt

I'm back with another update!<P>Around the leagues<P>In England, ten matches have been played in the Premier League by most clubs. Middlesbrough lead Newcastle and Bolton Wanderers by two points with Manchester City and Manchester United looming ominously behind. Chelsea, the defending champion, lies sixth. At the other end of the table, Aston Villa, Sunderland (who lost manager Billy Davies to resignation today) and Tottenham fill the relegation spots early in the campaign. In line for promotion to the Premier League are Everton and Portsmouth so far.<P>The chase for the Scudetto in Italy is only three games old after the Italian FA delayed the start of the season thanks to Italy’s Olympic Games commitments. Bari has taken maximum points from its three matches while Roma and Inter Milan lead the chasing pack on seven points. Salernitana, Parma, Vicenza and Ancona fill the relegation spots, but it is still early in the season.<P>On the Iberian Peninsula, the competition in Portugal is heating up with MarÃ*timo leading Rio Ave by four points after eight games. Sporting Lisbon and Boavista are locked together on 14 points, three behind Rio Ave, while Porto and Benfica lie menacingly in fifth and sixth place respectively. Salgueiros, Espinho and Naval fill the relegation zone.<P>Finally to Spain now, and Sporting Gijón has taken over from Espanyol at the top of the Primera Liga. Sporting leads both clubs from the capital of Catalans by two points, along with Athletic Bilbao, with Espanyol, Barcelona and the Basque club separated only by goal difference. Defending champion Real Madrid lies sixth, level on points with fifth-placed Cartagonova and Celta Vigo. Atlético Madrid seems once again doomed to relegation, collecting just one point from its first seven matches. Real Sociedad and Elche aren’t faring much better at the bottom of the ladder. Getafe, Sevilla and Extremadura are the early candidates for promotion next season.

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29th of October 2004<P>Former club Ourense is willing to offer José Ramón Dacosta a second chance and its manager, Paco Castellano, offers me £700,000 for him. I jump at the chance to off-load the unwanted player and I let them renew acquaintances. By the evening, Dacosta has agreed terms and we’re all happy.<P>30th of October 2004<P>“Deadly Doug strikes again!â€� screams the sports headline of the Birmingham Star as Aston Villa’s chairman fires John Gregory for failing to raise his club out of the relegation zone. A 1-0 loss to Arsenal in London was the final straw for the chairman.<P>31st of October 2004<P>Primera Liga - Game 7: Barcelona v Cartagonova<P>I hope the giant-killing mood carries over to today’s match. We’ve had a tough week, playing Real Madrid at home last weekend, Bayern München in Munich during the week, and now we’re in Barcelona to play the top side in the city. Things are looking up when Vucko’s cross is acrobatically converted by Fernando Morán after just 100 seconds of football! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG] Things get even better when Kluivert puzzlingly pushes Iván Vidal in the chest a minute later and receives a straight red card. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG] But we can’t hold onto our lead and Alfonso beats his marker to Guardiola’s pass and then hits a shot past Vidal to equalise for the home team. With a midfield boasting the talents of Rivaldo and Verón, it doesn’t do to sit back on our laurels and sure enough, Vidal is tested twice by both South Americans in quick succession. Apart from hitting the bar on the half-hour mark, we don’t create much more in the half and it’s a fairly quiet time in the dressing rooms as we rue that defensive error.<P>In the second half, Redondo should have added a second goal when he heads Kokmeijer’s cross wide of the mark but Couto picks up the resulting goal kick and feeds the striker again. Still Redondo can’t score a goal. Sergi and then Varela test Vidal a little too easily for my liking so to stop them marauding down our left, I take Michel off and replace him with Miranda who is slippery enough to give our opponents pause to think. But even his arrival couldn’t force a winning goal and we leave Barcelona with a point when it so easily could have been three.<P>Barcelona (1-2-5-2): LaÃ*nez, Cannavaro; Pablo Paz, Thuram; Sergi, Verón, Rivaldo (Gerard 58), Guardiola (c), Varela; Alfonso, Kluivert.<P>Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal; Curro Torres, Filipescu, Moya, Lacruz; Couto (c); Michel (Miranda 73), Vucko; Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer.<P>Final score: Barcelona 1:1 Cartagonova
MoM - Sergi

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2nd of November 2004<P>Just two weeks after criticising him publicly, the newspapers are lavishing praise upon Iván Vidal, and are publicly calling for him to represent Spain in the near future. Laughing inwardly at the irony of the situation, I add my voice to the call to give the keeper a chance at the top level.<P>3rd of November 2004<P>While the papers are happy with the performances of Vidal, their caustic attentions shift to full-back José MarÃ*a Lacruz. A columnist in a widely-read paper said that he thinks that my patience with the player appears inexhaustible, I have to drop him sooner or later. Excuse me, mate, but if I don’t even let my board influence my decisions on who I do and don’t play, what makes you think you have any such influence at all? [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG] He is curtly and summarily dismissed. Lacruz releases a press statement in which he underlines his gratitude to me. That’s fine, but I do need him to start producing the goods on the pitch (the columnist does have a point! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG] )<P>5th of November 2004<P>Another player to cop criticism from the media is Michel as a national newspaper claims that his poor performances are undermining our tactics. Once again, I go into bat for my player, basically telling the newspaper to ‘rack off’.<P>Keep smiling! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG]
Dixie Flatline

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Back again after a short break!<P>European Champions’ League - Phase 1, Group B, Game 6: Cartagonova v Monaco<P>This match holds little interest for us as we’re already assured of finishing top in the group, but Monaco needs a big victory to sneak into second place and even finish third. I swap the side around, resting some key individuals while giving the others to impress me. We open the scoring when the impressive Redondo fires home a wonderful volley from the edge of the area on 20 minutes then on 33 minutes, Moya advances from deep towards goal before letting fly with a powerful shot that defeats the diving Cassard and hits the back of the net. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG] Just before half-time, Giuly bamboozles Filipescu one too many times and the Romanian is sent off for a second yellow card after bringing down the Frenchman inside the area. I immediately substitute Rufete for �lvarez, but Di Tommaso calmly slots the penalty. Despite being down to ten men, we still control possession in the second half and Monaco is indebted to Cassard for keeping the scoreline down to 2-1 in the second half.<P>Cartargonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal (c); Lacruz, Filipescu, Moya, Jaliens; Michel, Gibbens, Rufete (�lvarez 44); Miranda; Redondo, Kokmeijer.<P>Monaco (4-4-2): Cassard; Di Tommaso, Djetou (Christenval 52), Marquez (Dabo 90), Contreras; Ebell M’Bomo, Riise, Biscan (c), Farnerud; Turdó, Giuly.<P>Final score: Cartagonova 2:1 Monaco
MoM - José Manuel Redondo<P>We lose Filipescu for at least the first game of the second phase but that’s okay, since his terrible form this season means he is no longer guaranteed of a place in the eleven any more.<P>

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10th of November 2004<P>The rest of the Champions’ League play their final matches and after the last referee blows his whistle, UEFA contacts me to tell me that they have deposited £1.2 million into our account. We are also drawn in the second phase with Besiktas, Bayer Leverkusen and Parma. This should be an interesting group! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]<P>12th of November 2004<P>Elche obviously liked what they saw when Miranda bossed the game against Monaco and this morning, the relegation struggler submits a bid of £2.1 million for the creative midfielder. But that isn’t up to snuff with me, so I turn the bid down. Like I said before, mate, I have plans for this guy.<P>Then I have a nice task to do as Redondo’s prolific scoring rate (particularly in the Champions’ League) again draws positive attention of the media to him. I am careful to add my voice of praise to the other voices and the fans, through the official web-site, praise me for finding the time to acknowledge the striker’s contribution to the team’s success. Like I could ignore it! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG] Redondo’s official value rises to £4 million at the end of the week.<P>14th of November 2004<P>Primera Liga - Game 10: Real Betis v Cartagonova<P>I revert to my normal first eleven for the trip to Seville to play the relegation-threatened Real Betis. We dominate a boring first half yet we enter the break 1-0 down thanks to a free kick given away by Óscar Ã�lvarez and converted by Michael Ballack. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif" alt="mad[/IMG] I switch to my attacking formation in the second half, but we still batter away at Iván Pinel for no reward. It is definitely three points dropped this afternoon in front of 46,000 fans.<P>Real Betis (3-5-2): Pinel; Rivas (c), Iván Campo, MaÃ*nz; Sun, Ezquerro, Ballack, Mario, Capucho; Casas (Parrado 75), Quinteros (Melgarejo 53).<P>Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal; Lacruz, Ã�lvarez, Moya, Jaliens; Couto (c); Michel, Vucko; Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer (Esposito 68).<P>Final score: Real Betis 1:0 Cartagonova
MoM - Michel

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The disappointing loss doesn’t cost us any places as the following table demonstrates:<P><P>16th of November 2004<P>Francisco �lvarez and Juan Carlos Castro both have a hand in helping Spain’s U-21 side defeat Italy’s youngsters 2-0 in Florence this evening. Well done to them, I say!<P>17th of November 2004<P>Several Cartagonova players are involved in international friendlies this evening. Jurica Vucko played as a substitute against France but Croatia lost the match 1-0 in Paris. Kew Jaliens earned his second cap for Holland and this time lasted 60 minutes before being substituted. The Netherlands won the game against Germany 1-0. Keith O’Neill played only ten minutes as a substitute for Ireland before he was himself substituted. Ireland won the match against Hungary 3-0 in Budapest. Iulian Filipescu played for Romania but his country lost an exciting match 3-2 against Sweden in Stockholm thanks to Kennedy Bakircioglü’s last minute winner.

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18th of November 2004<P>Getafe’s manager has noticed that the excellent winger Oliver has languished in my squad so far this season without looking like playing a game. He therefore seeks to tempt me into selling the winger for the tidy sum of £1.6 million. I’m very tempted to accept this offer because while Oliver is good, there are so many players ahead of him at the moment. Instead, I decide to negotiate it, asking for £1.8 million + £500,000 after 20 league matches. Let’s see whether he goes for it.<P>20th of November 2004<P>Getafe doesn’t go for the demand I outlined for Oliver.<P>Primera Liga - Game 11: Cartagonova v Osasuna<P>After the Real Betis debacle, I want my boys to fight back hard live on television and in front of an almost packed stadium against today’s opponent, Osasuna. So I’m gratified to see a goal after just 120 seconds of football when �lvarez is given the opportunity to score by great link-up play by Vucko, and the Spanish defender doesn’t let us down. But little happens to enliven proceedings, although Vucko manages to head a chance well over the bar when it seemed easier to score, and then I’m forced into making a substitution when Moya limps off after 36 minutes. But we cannot be denied a second goal and once again, Vucko is the architect as his low, hard cross cuts out the Osasuna keeper before finding Morán and the midfielder buries the opportunity! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]<P>Osasuna come out with a more adventurous formation and the attitude to back it up in the second half and Vidal does well to prevent �ngel Luis converting a free kick on 52 minutes. Morán has two good opportunities to make the points safe for us, but blows both of them, while Osasuna’s forwards aren’t doing too much better in front of goal with Gershon hitting his volley wide and Quique curling a shot over the bar. The match peters out to a comfortable victory for us in the end. But the most satisfying thing is to see Filipescu back at his imperialistic best as he wins almost all his tackles (seven from eight with four key tackles) and is a good distributor of the ball from the back.<P>Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal; Lacruz, �lvarez, Moya (Filipescu 36), Jaliens; Michel, Couto, Vucko; Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer.<P>Osasuna (4-4-2): Ramón; Ibán Pérez, Saavedra, Josetxo, Coira; �ngel Luis, Alfredo (c) (Zegarra 69), Calvo-Garcia, Finidi; Gershon (Armentano 81), Quique.<P>Final score: Cartagonova 2:0 Osasuna
MoM - Iulian Filipescu