retired_tonytranbg79

I have to go with the rest, top stuff look forward to this one developing :thup:

retired_google

1 October, 2007

With the squad a bit short of cover, I restricted my transfer activity to finding some strikers and goalkeepers.

Eventually, I found a keeper on a free transfer from a semi-professional club in Chile, and two strikers who were transfer listed by First Division clubs.

Gaete and Fernandez, the two strikers, would prove to be my best bit of business in my burgeoning managerial career. For 1 million pesos, Gaete contributed 11 goals and 3 assists in his first season as a regular starter after 3 seasons languishing in the reserves. Fernandez was 32, seven years older than Gaete. But he was a former 20-goal scorer. He didn't replicate that form, but he did chip in 7 goals and 6 assists, and was a hit with the younger supporters who were lined up getting his name imprinted on their replica shirts.

We proceeded to go 1-1-3 in pre-season, rarely out of a game against mainly higher level opponents. The highlight was a visit from Argentine side San Lorenzo, which drew 20,000 fans.

It wasn't all good though. My assistant manager departed to take the same position with First Division side Everton, which left me again looking for an assistant. Once again my old friend Eduardo was a help, as he steered former Colombia international Cabrera our way.

The season started promising enough as we did well in a very balanced group in the opening stage. As we entered the closing stage, we were within touching distance of the promotion playoffs.

But then everything fell apart. I'd come to have no confidence in my two goalkeepers and resorted to playing musical chairs with them, as a Man of the Match performance would invariably be followed by letting in 3 goals on 4 shots. The result was a closing stage disaster: counting our last two matches from the opening stage, we went 1-6-7 in our final 14 matches. A 3-0 loss to Osorno at home effectively putting an end to our promotion hopes. We even coughed up a 1-0 lead in losing our final match 2-1 at a Linares team that would finish 3-1-24 with a -66 goal difference. They had given up 80 goals in 27 previous matches and we could only get 1. They had scored 13 goals in 27 matches coming up, and we cough up 2 second half goals. Pathetic.

However, the board said they were very pleased at our performance. And as the promotion playoffs started with us breaking for summer holidays, I resolved to focus on the goalkeeping and defense in the close season.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">SeasonClubWinDrawLossGFGAPointsPosition2005Gi rardot (COL)4111434473813th, Division 22006Girardot (COL)371011341616th, Division 22006 ClausuraTemuco (CHI)0200027th, South2007Temuco (CHI)88123336325th, South</pre>

retired_google

Making an edit here, as apparently I'm not allowed to do so on the original post :thdn:

1 October, 2007

With the squad a bit short of cover, I restricted my transfer activity to finding some strikers and goalkeepers.

Eventually, I found a keeper on a free transfer from a semi-professional club in Chile, and two strikers who were transfer listed by First Division clubs.

Gaete and Fernandez, the two strikers, would prove to be my best bit of business in my burgeoning managerial career. For 1 million pesos, Gaete contributed 11 goals and 3 assists in his first season as a regular starter after 3 seasons languishing in the reserves. Fernandez was 32, seven years older than Gaete. But he was a former 20-goal scorer. He didn't replicate that form, but he did chip in 7 goals and 6 assists, and was a hit with the younger supporters who were lined up getting his name imprinted on their replica shirts. Not bad for another 1 million peso transfer.

We proceeded to go 1-1-3 in pre-season, rarely out of a game against mainly higher level opponents. The highlight was a visit from Argentine side San Lorenzo, which drew 20,000 fans.

It wasn't all good though. My assistant manager departed to take the same position with First Division side Everton, which left me again looking for an assistant. Once again my old friend Eduardo was a help, as he steered former Colombia international Cabrera our way.

The season started promising enough as we did well in a very balanced group in the opening stage. As we entered the closing stage, we were within touching distance of the promotion playoffs.

But then everything fell apart. I'd come to have no confidence in my two goalkeepers and resorted to playing musical chairs with them, as a Man of the Match performance would invariably be followed by letting in 3 goals on 4 shots. The result was a closing stage disaster: counting our last two matches from the opening stage, we went 1-6-7 in our final 14 matches. A 3-0 loss to Osorno at home effectively putting an end to our promotion hopes. We even coughed up a 1-0 lead in losing our final match 2-1 at a Linares team that would finish 3-1-24 with a -66 goal difference. They had given up 80 goals in 27 previous matches and we could only get 1. They had scored 13 goals in 27 matches coming up, and we cough up 2 second half goals. Pathetic.

However, the board said they were very pleased at our performance. And as the promotion playoffs started with us breaking for summer holidays, I resolved to focus on the goalkeeping and defense in the close season.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">SeasonClubWinDrawLossGFGAPointsPosition2005Gi rardot (COL)4111434473813th, Division 22006Girardot (COL)371011341616th, Division 22006 ClausuraTemuco (CHI)0200027th, South2007Temuco (CHI)88123336325th, South</pre>

retired_tonytranbg79

You can ask for the mods to change anything here

retired_google

1 October 2008

The close season shopping was brief and unsuccessful. However, in the mid-season window I brought in a goalkeeper and a right-sided midfielder, which allowed me to go back to my preferred 4-4-2 formation.

Our midfielder Canio signed a Bosman deal with First Division side Rangers. Just as well. While he had demanded to go on the transfer list and wanted to go to a bigger club, he didn't do all that much for us. Actually, he played better after he signed with Rangers.

Anyway, our Group C was again very competitive with nobody running away with things.

And again, we collapsed and died in the latter part of the season. We started well in the South group, going 2-4-2 and staying in and around the promotion playoff spots. And then it all fell apart, as we went 0-1-5 in our final 6 matches, losing our last 4 in a row (the first to Lota Schwager, allowing them to stretch their lead for the last playoff spot to 4 points and effectively killing our chances).

So another bitter disappointment. I applied for open MLS jobs in Colorado and New York, but the bastards wouldn't have me.

So it would be another season in Chile. But I was already preparing by again targeting the defensive unit for some upgrades. And I felt confident in midfield, as a youngster named Valenzuela had chipped in 5 goals, mostly in substitute duty.

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">SeasonClubWinDrawLossGFGAPointsPosition2005Gi rardot (COL)4111434473813th, Division 22006Girardot (COL)371011341616th, Division 22006 ClausuraTemuco (CHI)0200027th, South2007Temuco (CHI)88123336325th, South2008Temuco (CHI)812103138365th, South</pre>