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My first post. A Yank launches his career in Northern Ireland.
06/07 - QUB, NIR 2nd
Frank sent me to Queens University Belfast. Streaky season. 4 early wins helped to win the board and fans over, then 10 consecutive games without a win ensured a struggle. A final push at the end, winning 3 of my final 5, including a 7-0 drubbing of Dergview, found me mid-table at season's end.
The club bled money all season; even if I had a wage bill of zero, I'd have lost money. Wondering if this will be my undoing.
Board: rebuild
Fans: rebuild
Media prediction: 11th
Position: 6th. 8W-7D-7L, 32-30 (+2), 31 pts.
N. Irish Cup: 3rd Round (1-3 in extra time, Lower Maze)
Intermediate Cup: 2nd Round (1-3 Ballycastle)
Antrim Trophy: 4th Round (1-4 Dundela)
Int. League Cup: 3rd in Group Stage (2W-1D-2L, 4-4, 7pts)
Top goalscorer: Goalie McScorer (17)
Most assists: Transferred McWinger (5)
Fans' Player of the Year: Goalie McScorer
Highlight: 7-0 over Dergview
Lowlight: 0-4 to Brantwood
07/08 - QUB, NIR 2nd
The Board, apparently unphased by the unstaunched flow of money, signed me to a 3-year extension at 100 pounds/week. I let last seasons assist leader (a whopping 5) go in pre-season, filled the hole with a winger I picked up for free and flipped 5 months later for 600 pounds, then settled on midseason pickup, Leftie McWinger. In total, I let 19 players go to get my wages under control, while picking up only 3.
The season was a success by every measure. A 12-game streak without losing a match, including 7 straight wins, propelled me to the to top of the table where I stayed for the season. The lads really came together this season with solid play and memorable performances. Along the way, we won the Intermediate Cup and fought hard for a win on penalties against Premier powerhouse Glentoran in an Irish Cup match. Clinched the top spot and promotion on the second-to-last day of the season.
Even with the 10,000 pound prize from the Cup win, the division win, and cutting the roster by 16 players, we still lost nearly 60,000 pounds this season. This can't go on forever.
Note: during the off-season, the USSF approached me and offered me the head coaching job for the US National Team... In all of my playing of FM06 and FM07, I've never been offered this job, and as an American, it is one of the jobs I most want... Nonetheless, in the spirit of LLM, I figured that having some success in my second year at a Northern Irish Second Division club would certainly *not* bring a major soccer federation knocking on my door, and so I turned down the job.
Board: rebuild
Fans: rebuild
Media prediction: 7th
Top goalscorer: Other McForward (15)
Most assists: Goalie McScorer (10)
Fans' Player of the Year: Goalie McScorer
Highlights: 1-1 (3-2 opk) win over Premier Champion Glentoran, 5th round N. Irish Cup. Promotion.
Lowlight: nothing too bad. A 1-3 loss to Wakehurst was as bad as it got.
08/09 - QUB, NIR 1st
Our first year in the First Division. With my roster pared down last season, I was able to start acquiring players for development. Let a few unpromising youngsters go to keep wages in check, and brought aboard four backups who look like possible first teamers down the road.
The team continued to develop and the lads proved to be up to the challenge of a new division. Admittedly, the step up from the N. Irish 2nd to 1st is not a huge one. Still, we put together a successful campaign that found us in 2nd place by season's end. In the promotion/relegation playoff, we lost to Premier side, Newry, 3-3 on away goals.
My average attendance was actually down a little as we continue to sink further into the red.
Board: Fight bravely against relegation
Fans: Fight bravely
Media prediction: 11th
Top goalscorer: Other McForward (11)
Most assists: Captain AMR (13)
Fans' Player of the Year: Captain AMR
Highlights: 5-1 over Donegal Celtic in our first 1st Div. match. Fighting to an eventual 3-3 loss to Newry in the playoff.
Lowlights: As holders of the Intermediate Cup, losing in the first round to 2nd Division squad, PSNI.
Originally posted by MojoCat:
Note: during the off-season, the USSF approached me and offered me the head coaching job for the US National Team... In all of my playing of FM06 and FM07, I've never been offered this job, and as an American, it is one of the jobs I most want... Nonetheless, in the spirit of LLM, I figured that having some success in my second year at a Northern Irish Second Division club would certainly *not* bring a major soccer federation knocking on my door, and so I turned down the job.
I had a similar offer, after 1 season managing Kansas City.
From the US to the UK 
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