Continental Tour

retired_frogchickie · 04-30-2005, 06:12 PM

I set up the game with a number of middling European leagues (Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Israel etc.), and one each in Asia, Africa, Oceania and South America. The aim? To get round as many as possible!

Season 2004/05 Mako FC

I took over Mako FC, in Hungary's 1B division. Awful facilities, a 3000 capacity ground and a thin playing squad. Hmm. A very average season ensued, inlcuding being knocked out of the Cup by a non-league team in the first round.

Final pos 8th p26 w7 d10 l9

Mid-season and the opportunity to take over at 1st division strugglers Gyor. They had just finished 10th out of 16, but the potential was there, with 2 Hungarian internationals and a massive (27000) ground. A reasonable wage budge, but very little money to spend. I had my sights on a top half position.

After a decent start, including an unlucky 1-1 draw with Ferencavaros, it soon went downhill. By the time of the winter break, I was 14th, only 1 point above the relegation zone and out of the cup.

Time for a job change...

retired_frogchickie · 04-30-2005, 06:18 PM

I started looking abroad, and applied for 2 jobs in hong Kong, Citizens and Rangers. Rangers duly offered me the job with a massive £3,000 p/w wage budget and £20k to spend. I also had the challenge of the AFC Conference Cup!

There was half the 2005-06 season left, and I managed to take Rangers from 5th to er.. 6th. Didn't get past the group stage in the AFC cup, finishing 2nd behind Mohun Bagan of India. (but ahead of teams from N Korea and the Maldives!)

Finished the season, P16 W6 D2 L8

Unable to pronounce my players names, I looked for another continent. Oceania... I applied for the job at Newcastle Jets, and amazingly they offered me it! Must have been my continental experience... My team at Rangers lasted 3 months.

retired_frogchickie · 04-30-2005, 06:25 PM

Season 2006/07 Newcastle United Jets

Now this was a different proposition. £25,000 p/w wage budget, £250k to spend and a chairman begging me to sign high profile players. A decent squad, a team that finished 5th (out of 8) in the 1st A-League season so just missing out on the championship playoffs.

With the work permit rules frustrating me, I had to sign players mainly from the lower leagues, although I did pick up an experienced Argentinian winger for £200k whih satisfied my chairman. First game of the season, FA cup against non league Sydney Olympic... 3-4 defeat.

The league campaign started well. Took me a while to adapt to every match being on TV :eek: but after 15/28 games I was 2nd, and comfortably in the playoffs.

However, a disastrous run in saw me win 2 out of the next 12. I needed a draw from my final game away to Queensland to hang on to 4th. Unfortunately, I managed to lose 2-0.

Final record 5th P28 W10 D10 L8

So, the season is over by the end of January. The Challenge Cup remains strangely unscheduled (for a year and a half!), so I have 5 months to rebuild my squad. The chairman and fans are still happy, so I might actually stay here for a 2nd season!