retired_eneko5613

7th May 2015

Dear Diary,

Whilst the last league match of the season will at least have some atmosphere about it, the penultimate contest, with Rangers, was completely without meaning. An early goal from Rangers' Roberto Chacón dampenend any spirits that the home fans were showing, and the only real excitement was in the yellow card count, which finished 3-1 to Rangers, meaning they went to 53 yellows and 5 reds for the season, taking our record back!
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">6/5 Dundee 0 Rangers 1 (Chacón (4)) 2nd</pre>
Hib's 2-0 loss at Celtic meant Rangers went back to 4th, whilst Hearts 3-2 defeat of Caley Thistle condemned the Inverness side to 6th.
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">SPL After 37 games1. Celtic 87 +372. Dundee 75 +313. Hearts 64 +74. Rangers 55 +55. Hibs 54 +16. ICT 49 +14</pre>

retired_eneko5613

10th May 2015

Dear Diary,

Yesterday was quite an emotional occasion, really. My last home game. Unfortunately, with the Uefa Cup final only 4 days away, I couldn't send out my best team and enjoy a suitable send off. Instead, it was a fairly scratch side, with King, Quinn, Lauchlan, Walker, Rae and Mitchell all included. I wasn't involved that much in the preparation, too many hands to shake, plus a hastily organised lap of honour in front of the fans. But all I was interested in was getting through the game, so we could concentrate on Wednesday.

Well played, then, to Steve Mitchell, who came back from the forgotten realms to score his first goal since February, to end the League season with a win. Which of course meant another lap of honour, this time with the whole team.
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">9/5 Dundee 1 Celtic 0 (Mitchell 17) 2nd</pre>
Another improvement, then, as we end with three points more than last year.
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">SPL Final Standings1. Celtic 87 +362. Dundee 78 +323. Hearts 64 +64. Hibs 57 +25. Rangers 56 +56. ICT 50 +14</pre>

retired_eneko5613

14th May 2015

I'm destined to retire without winning a European title.

Despite all the preparation, all the resting of players, travelling early and getting ourselves accustomed to the massive Stade de France, there's no way to prepare for the unexpected. The unexpected, today, came in the shape of an appalling refereeing decision. It was only the 7th minute of the game, as Mark Dick tackled Deportivo's Isidro Vera. A tackle which the referee judged to be cynical, dangerous play, despite the oppostion player getting up and playing on unscathed. Steven Thomson replaced Steve Mitchell, leaving McLean up front by himself, and even with a man less we looked fairly comfortable, even though we weren't threatening Deportivo's goal. But the referee wasn't finished yet, and he awarded Deportivo a penalty for the slightest of contact from Neil Alexander on Javier Molina, mostly I suspect thanks to the pleading of the Spanish players. Jiménez converted, and our heads really dropped. Molina subsequently added a second before half time, and ten minutes into the second half there was a third goal to completely kill off our hopes.
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">13/5 Dundee 0 Deportivo de la Coruña 3 (Jiménez (36pen), Molina (41), Eto'o (54)) UEFA Cup Final at Stade de France</pre>
Very depressing, and not representative of our European season. Deportivo have now knocked three Scottish sides out on their way to winning the UEFA Cup, to go with the Champions League trophy they picked up last season.

retired_eneko5613

1st June 2015

Dear Diary,

Well, here we are, my final footballing entry. My desk is cleared, and this is the last thing to go in the box. I'm trying to resist reminiscing too much.

There was another Scotland squad to be chosen in the two weeks before the Cup Final. Mark Wilson again got himself chosen for the full side, with Easton this time joined by Craig Quinn in the Under 21s. Quinn's first call up made him the second academy player to be so honoured.

An improptu awards night was also held, given my immenent departure, to present me with the Manager of the Year award. I'm not sure whether this was mroe due to my retirement than our performance over the season, although Sandy Clark's migration north three quarters of the way through the season may have cost him his chance. Neil Alexander and Mark Wilson were also confirmed as part of the SPL Team of the Year again.

As for the cup final, it was a pretty dour game. Colin Alexander, Jim McGowan and Barry Easton all had chances to score through normal time and extra time, whilst Arbroath seemed happy to settle for penalties. They got their wish. Our chosen five, Wilson, MacDonald, Anderson, Hegary and Easton should have had enough confidence between them to wrap up the spot kicks, but Wilson stepped up first and saw his kick saved by Russell Howarth. Up stepped Steven Quinn for Arbroath to give his side the advantage, but he blasted over the bar. The next 8 penalties were all scored, to send us into sudden death. Steven Thomson stepped up, and buried his kick. Arbroath chose Martyn Corrigan to take their 6th kick, and for once an ex player didn't bring us down. Fittingly, Neil Alexander, one of my first signings for the club, ended my last game as the hero.
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">30/5 Arbroath 0 Dundee 0. Dundee win 5-4 on penalties. Scottish Cup Final</pre>

So that's that. I'd like to think I've set Dundee up for a solid future. The average attendance this year of 13417, albeit still to be verified, is another record. There's £24.5million pounds in the bank, of which a fair amount is available to the next manager to spend. Plus, in Tommy Davidson, Colin Alexander, Darren Crawford, Paul Dickson, Joe Shearer, Colin Clark and Barry Easton, the club has seven of the best young players in the country. If at least three of them don't get full international caps in the next couple of years it will be a travesty.

I've enjoyed my time here. It's a shame to be going.

retired_eneko5613

6th June 2015

Dear Diary,

Well, I though that was it. But apparently not. Some sneaky little sod managed to organise a friendly send off tournament. Caley Thistle, Southampton and Rotherham United all gave up a week of their summer holidays to visit Dundee and play each other in my name. And the results weren't important. Brings a real tear to the eye, it does.

This also meant I got to stay around to witness Craig Quinn making his Under 21 debut, coming on for the last 11 minutes of a 3-0 victory in Reykjanesbær.

I wasn't involved in picking the teams for any of the games, as I was guest of honour in the stadium. Day 1 saw Rotherham beat Southampton 2-1, and Dundee nick a late 1-0 win over Caley Thistle thanks to a late goal by substitute Colin Sinclair - one player who ironically probably didn't get a fair chance from me.

Day 2 saw two tight games, Caley Thistle edging past Southampton and Rotherham holding us well. On Day 3, we did our end of the deal, beating Southampton 1-0 through Goalmeister McLean, with Rotherham getting the same result over Caley Thistle. So Rotherham won the comepetition on goals scored, but I was the real winner, and I can't thank those who arranged the occasion enough.

Things like this make it all worthwhile. Good luck to Dundee, and whoever takes her forward.

THE END

retired_loubou

Great story, and I hope there are more to come :thup: