retired_tonytranbg79

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by OMDave:
Tyrone, 'Les divins chauves ont encore frappé' = 'the divine baldies have struck again'...and 'merde' is a good start, keep it up_ <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>



who'd have thought I'd learn french on FM website :thup:

retired_confal2

I'll try to keep that in mind -always happy to do my bit for cross-cultural exchange...


Game reports and team news (source: Football365.fr -National updates section).


5th December 2003.

Boca Juniors beat AC Milan 1-0 in Yokohama, winning the Inter-Continental Cup.


6th December 2003.

AS Cannes v. Libourne Saint-Seurin, at La Bocca (att. 2578). National.

6. After a hectic scramble in the goalmouth, the ball falls to Toledo, whose first shot is blocked but scores a simple tap-in on the rebound. 1-0.

21. Toledo runs at the defence and unleashes a crashing 35-yard drive, which leaves the keeper stranded ten yards out from his goal. 2-0.

80. El Kadouri is released down the left by Mohammed, and crosses hard and low into Inkango's path. Inkango scores with an instinctive strike into the lower right-hand corner. 3-0.

AS Cannes 3, Libourne Saint-Seurin 0. Toledo was voted man-of-the-match for an amazing fifth game in a row, and this despite coming off early after taking a knock an hour into the game. Cannes have now played every other team in the National, and boast a record of seventeen wins, two draws and no defeats in their league campaign so far. In doing so they scored sixty-six goals and conceded only ten. Louhans-Cuiseaux, who had a game in hand, are now nine points behind Cannes, whilst third-placed Valenciennes are thirteen points off the pace.


11th December 2003.

Cannes assistant manager Charly Loubet is appointed in charge of Wasquehal, who lie close to the relegation zone in the National. It is not yet known who will replace him as David Le Spliff's assistant.


17th December 2003.

Montélimar (Amateur) vs. Cannes (National), at the Stade Alexandre Tropenas (att. 2574). French Cup Eighth Round.

45. Mutiu cuts the ball back from the byline for El Kadouri, unmarked on the left edge of the six-yard box. Clean strike for an easy finish. 0-1.

45 (+2). After a poor control by one of the opposition's centre-backs, Mutiu nicks the ball and streaks through, before adjusting the keeper with a delightful curved shot. 0-2.

56. Torres Mestre rolls the ball square to Mohammed, a good thirty yards out. The Nigerian's belter crashes onto the bar, but Toledo surges to slot home the rebound. 0-3.

Montélimar 0, AS Cannes 3. Fielding what was essentially their first-choice line-up, Cannes encountered little resistance in this cup tie. Toledo and Mutiu were able to take advantage of the home team's defensive frailties, and the score could have been much heavier.

retired_gopanthers15

Any truth to the rumours of Mido being exchanged for Laurent Robert?

Still a brilliant story :thup:

retired_confal2

Thank you kindly SI

Hadn't heard that particular rumour, and can't say Robert is one of the players I'd hope to see at Marseille, but I do know Mido wants to go to Newcastle or to Spain, where his agent is making some contacts. He's the biggest salary at Marseille (100K E/month), and I for one can't wait to see him **** off, good player though he is...

retired_gopanthers15

I'm happy, as long as Mido doesn't go to back Celta and help them out of the division they truly belong in

retired_confal2

Diary entry (Source: David Le Spliff’s personal diary) –entry dated 14th December 2003.


Last Tuesday evening my assistant Charly Loubet knocked on my office door, just as I was about to head home after sifting through our scouts’ latest reports. It was clear something was bothering him, and when I invited him to take a seat he looked as though I had just slapped him.


- “What’s the matter, Charly? Has Laurent [Charvet] stolen the training cones again?”

- “No…well, yes, but that isn’t what I wanted a word about.” He paused, and I nodded to indicate I was waiting for him to go on. “David, I’ve been an assistant under fifteen different managers at this club. Until now, Cannes was my whole life, the club where I started both my careers –first as a player, and later as a coach…”

- “You’re one of the club’s living legends, Charly.”

- “Please don’t interrupt me. It’s hard enough as it is…” Again I waited, sensing I was about to receive some bad news. “Wasquehal have asked me whether I’d be interested in managing their team.” So there it was. Charly wanted to leave and try his hand at management, something he’d probably hoped he might be asked to do for Cannes. I hadn’t expected this to happen so soon, but it was hardly a surprise, and he seemed a little taken aback by the equanimity with which I responded to his announcement.

- “And your decision is made?”

- “It is. I wanted you to be the first to know. I hope there are no hard feelings, and I wish you every success with Cannes, which will always be the club of my heart.”

- “Thanks Charly. No hard feelings on my part –you’ve made me feel very welcome here, and without you those first few weeks would have been hell, the players would never have accepted me. I’m sorry to see you go, but I can’t begrudge you a managerial career of your own. Good luck at Wasquehal.”

- “I’m glad you see things that way.” For the first time, Charly smiled. “I hope I get as positive a reaction when I tell Big Mike and the players…” He got up from his seat, and we shook hands. “You’re building a fine squad here, young man, and I have no doubt you can guide them to the higher echelons. All the best.”

- “That’s very kind of you to say so. We’ll all keep an eye out for Wasquehal’s fortunes…and remember, there will always be a spare place on our bench, if you ever feel like coming down to watch a game at La Bocca.”

- “I appreciate that, David. Good bye.”

- “Bye.”


I watched him walk out, the club’s most faithful servant, once a sharp forward who had been picked for France several times. I realized that an important page of the club’s history had just been turned, though it was not one which would attract much attention from the outside. Besides, it was now up to me to fill in the blanks that lay ahead of us, and right now that meant finding a suitable replacement for Charly, someone who would consider working as the assistant to a young and inexperienced manager. It wasn’t going to be easy, but I already knew who to turn to for advice. I picked up the phone and called Christian Lopez on his mobile.

enjikari

Just caught up, great read :thup:

Allez les rouges et blanc!!! (I think they play red and white )

David Le Spliff pour la president!!!

retired_tonytranbg79

Glad to see this back up and running again :thup:

retired_confal2

Cheers Daz. Indeed, their colours are red-and-white vertical stripes, with red shorts and socks. The away kit is entirely sky blue (shirt, shorts and socks) and rather fetching, I think -then again I'm a Marseille fan, so I suppose I would

Thanks Tyrone -I shall try to post more regularly over the next fortnight or so, and give the story a little more rhythm.


A little real-life interlude, which I thought might interest those of you who have made it this far...

I decided to write this after I read an article in last week's France Football (Friday 2nd July edition) that Cannes stalwart Charly Loubet will be retiring this summer, after fifteen years spent managing (briefly) and then as assistant manager, a position he enjoyed far more than the limelight, and which gave him the opportunity to contribute to the shaping of truly great players such as Zidane or Vieira, to mention the two whom everyone will have heard of.

Loubet was -is- an institution at La Bocca, and it seemed to me an amusing coincidence that I read about his retirement just after (in my CM game) he took up Wasquehal's offer to manage their team. So while I'm at it, I might as well add a few other informations concerning Cannes' 2003-2004 season in real life...

Cannes finished sixth in the National this year, with 58 points out of a possible 114 (38 games; 16 wins, 10 draws and 12 defeats, scoring 49 and conceding 36).

Best scorers were Niflore and Zoko, with 10 each. M'Bodji follows with 5. The most used player was Cyril Guyot, who played 35 games.

On the transfer front this summer, young Faubert is leaving Cannes for Bordeaux (L1) :thup:, Dembelé is going to Nîmes (Nat) and Niflore heads for Tours (Nat). As for arrivals, they're mostly second-rate players from the lower leagues :thdn:, though there are rumours that players such as Charvet , Lambourde, Roy or Libbra -who all came through the youth set-up at Cannes- might return to the club this summer...

Hope you didn't mind this little entr'acte, and all the best to your respective clubs in their yearly summer shopping spree...

retired_tonytranbg79

:thup: