retired_ironmaden

Standard Liége, 2012-13

After 30 years...and continous underachievement...Standard are champions! \o/

Offseason:

Major overhaul of the squad, 9 players come and I get rid of most of the benchwarmers.

Season starts well, except for an annoying loss against FC Bruges. The team pours in the goals, lead by newly-signed Nigerian hitman. A new Serbian 19 y/o playmaker instantly commands himself a place, while new defenders strenghten our back significantly. We get on top after 6 games, and stay there ever after. Anderlecht have a dismal sason start, not a single win in their first 8 matches. That came in handy later.

We smash two rivals (Charleroi 3-0, Anderlecht 4-0), and sit comfortably atop at the Christmas break. Our advantage increases to a runaway 10 pts, and then my goddamn president sells the Nigerian striker. And to add insult to injury, sells him for a laughable 4M, when I bought him for 4M. Fine move, smart as well.

Injury crisis hits, and our attacking game fells apart. Combined with Anderlecht's revival, our lead is cut to 4 points with 3 games to go. One against Anderlecht away... Our defence delivers yet again (they were the key to the victory, because we scored only 7 goals in the last 11 matches), and we get away with 0-0. A hard-fought, ugly 1-0 victory over Westerlo gives us the title with one game to go, so next year Champions' League!

Getting ready for more presidential interventions next year. If he sells my best player again mid-season I'll resign, that's for sure.

Pos: 1st (champions)
P: 34 W: 18 D: 10 L: 6 55-26 64 pts (only one more than last year, when I finished 3rd. Only twice in the past seasons since 2006 managed a team win with this few pts)

Belgian Cup: suck ass as usual, exit after one round (2-3 v Liérse AET)

UEFA Cup: nice run ended by Juventus

1st round: 7-0, 4-0 vs Fram (Iceland)
2nd round: 4-2, 3-2 vs Zaglebie (Poland)

Group:
1-0 vs MyPa (FIN)
2-1 vs Palermo
0-3 vs AEK Athens
1-1 vs PSG

Last 32: 0-0, 1-2 vs Juventus. Actually we had the chance to knock them out, having lead 1-0 away.

Awards yet to come.

retired_ironmaden

Just a quick stat:

team goals while the Nigerian striker was here: 63 in 28 games

After: 19 in 18 games

Thank you, Mr President

retired_ironmaden

Resigned.

My amazingly talented Serbian playmaker had a minimum release fee of 40M, I rejected an Inter bid of 5M, and he sold the guy to Schalke for 3,1M.

I'm simply not interested in buying very talented guys just to get sold by the president.

Thank you, Mr President.

retired_tinkfaeree

retired_lapepe

Thank you indeed.

So where are you off to?

retired_ironmaden

Only three available jobs, applied for Groningen and Excelsior in the Dutch Premier League.

I hoped for the Groningen bench, but I got the other job at yo-yo masters Excelsior. I checked their record, and they relegated and promoted three times each in the last 8 years :cool:

Stadium capacity 3000. Basically that's about the size of the away supporters' sector in the Standard stadium

No transfer funds, surprisingly big wage limit, and I'm conveniently under it.

Everything is ready for a major battle against relegation :thup:

retired_ironmaden

Last Years' Awards:

Got signing of the year (Serbian playmaker - did you see that Mr President? ), manager of the year, goal of the year, player of the year runner-up (Belgian international striker).

No chance for such this year, if not for the goal of the year

retired_ironmaden

No chance for any proper awards.

Sacked

13 games, 3 draws 10 losses. The team is moderately hopeless, but sometimes they managed to get shots on goal. Looking for next job.

retired_lapepe

Congratulations!

retired_mujerenforma

I am hoping to go and watch Westerlo, as I have to work in Diest for a week in March!