retired_rebeldixie

Not for me they don't. Cups rock!

retired_rebeldixie

Season 2007/2008

Last season clearly showed to me that the second league was - ahem - not very lucrative. Even with the amazing cup run bringing in a really decent amount of cash, and my wages up only about 20% over last season my losses were huge. Seeing absolutely no way to balance the books in a more conservative way I decided not to bother, but to resolutely try and attract young talented players, with an eye to sell them on later to balance the books. True to this filosphy I sold a talented winger for 200k€, and used the money to attract 9 new players, for a combined total of 75k. The cleanout of surplus personel continued, leaving me with a thin squad of only 22 players (including the now almost empty youth team), but for the first time I actually trusted my backups to perform well if called upon. The board expected to stay clear of relegation, the press was sure I'd go down, but I was convinced I had strenghtened my team enough to finish in the top half. The only question mark was the replacement of lightningboy, as despite my best efforts the only striker who deigned to join us was a Zimbabwean who was deamed surplus by Chaves, and came over on a free transfer. Luckily he had a decent season, scoring 14 goals in all competitions.

With so many new players the start was quite shaky. We lost the first two games, and were 11th after 6 games, but then tactics and players seemed to click into place and we embarked on a run of 10 consecutive league wins (with 2 cup wins thrown inbetween), the 7th of wich took us to the top of the table. New year saw us 2 points ahead of Naval and 6 ahead of Academica. To help balance the books (again) I sold my DM and his first backup for a combined total of 270k€, and got a replacement in for a measly 20k, leaving me with 3 midfielders for two spots. 2008 reaquainted me with the taste of defeat, but the opposition also dropped points, and we won enough to still be in the first spot, 2 points ahead of Academica, when they came to visit us with 3 games to go . A hard-fought draw left us top of the table, but we lost the next game, dropping to second for the first time since november. Lucky for us Academica lost their last game making us the second league champions. My new left winger ended up player of the season, and him, my star central midfielder, and a new right back who pitched in with 10 assists over the season all got elected into the team of the year.

In the cup I beat struggling league side Leixoes on penalties to earn me a quarter final against Sporting. A full capacity crowd (yes, all 5000!) saw me being edged out 1-2 after extra time.

Highlight: The 0-3 away victory against Academica that took us to the top of the table, wich they ended with 8 men after frustration got the better of them. Thoroughly enjoyable derby game.

Pl 30 W20 D3 L7 F54 A30 Pts 631st

11 players in for 120k€
16 players out for 900k€

retired_duncan

Not for me they don't. Cups rock! </BLOCKQUOTE>

Infidel

Oh, btw, KUTGW :thup:

retired_rebeldixie

Season 2008/2009

The 700k€ in tv-rights for the forthcomming season actually managed to leave me in an almost comfortable financial position, and intrest in my players was low, so I didn't sell any important players in pre-season, but, on the downside, the players I thought could help lift my team to a higher level had absolutely no intention to come play in our hot, sleepy city, so I started out the season with almost the same team as last season. (5 players came in, but they were at best competition for the first-team)

I started out well, lying in 6th place after 6 games, but after that the lack of quality caught up with me and I started loosing game after game, with the occasional draw thrown inbetween. Newyear saw me in 10th position, by March (again without substantial reïnforcement) I had fallen to 13th, only 3 points away from relegation. A good home win against the team below us (Naval) gave us some breathing room again, but 5 losses in a row left us only one point from the drop before the final game, away to Sporting. Without much hope of gaining points I could only hope Naval didn't get anything from their game against mid-table Belenenses. Wich, luckily, they didn't, loosing to an 80th minute goal.

A nice but unremarkable cup run saw us eliminated on penalties by Leixoes in the quarters. (Meaning I still didn't suffer a single cup loss in normal time in my four seasons in charge)

Financially the TV-rights, and increased gate receipts meant I actually made a (very small) profit, but with many contracts running out after the next season (and hopefully some reinforcements comming in) I'll need to generate some more money (= sell players) to pay for the increased wage demands next season.

Highlight: Survival

Pl30 W6 D10 L14 F32 A42 Pts28 13th

7 players in for 95k€
5 players out for 58k€

retired_rebeldixie

And in case Gil ever honors my thread with his presence: Academica also managed to stay up, ending in 12th place, 5 points ahead of me. And to make it worse they won both the derby games, getting their revenge for last seasons results.

retired_yolanda

\o/

KUTGW

retired_sofialong

KUTGW.

retired_donnahdez2381

Good stuff :thup:

So if cups suck arse, and you like cups, then you.... i hope not

retired_rebeldixie

Let's not delve too deeply into the misteries of a man's behind, shall we?

retired_ryankesler

Nice thread. KUTGW!