retired_tam5868

Croatian Second Division [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif" alt="frown[/IMG]
Newly promoted clubs in the Croatian Second Division [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif" alt="frown[/IMG] [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif" alt="frown[/IMG]


Am home for Xmas, so I brought CM00/01 with me and installed it here. Thought I'd give Croatia a little go.
As it is a little out of date, I ran it managerless until June 2003 and then added a manager and took over one of the promoted clubs. I choose NK Uljanik solely because they had 3 scouts, which I thought would be necessary as they only have one player [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]. They play in a 4000 capacity stadium in Pula.
I was a bit shocked to find that I had £400k to spend, most unexpected but I certainly did not complain [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG].

The 3 scouts got sent out to find nubile youth, Croatians and Eastern Europeans. The youth scout (actually very good, but I don't give him 6 months before a D1 club poaches him [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif" alt="frown[/IMG]) immediately came back and recommended a very good 17yo AM/F R who was quickly snapped up. And believe me he looks very good indeed....
A few free and a few <£50k purchases later and we had our first friendly, 1-5 at home to non-League opposition [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif" alt="frown[/IMG], oh dear.
Thankfully I found a few more players and we won our next 2 friendlies 2-0 and 3-0.

It is just before my first proper match and I have managed to assemble a squad of 22 (av age = 21). I have 4 loanees but only 3 players who can play at DC. One of these is my elder stateman, a 32yo DLC (only left footed player in the squad) who I got on a free. Needed coaches so I signed him up as one and by heck is he fantastic in that department (15 for both coaching bits, 14 for both judging [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif" alt="eek[/IMG]). One defender also said he was looking forward to working with me so that is him straight into the first team [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG].
Also my youth scout has got me a very promising 18yo Polish AMC and has just recommended a good 18yo Russian SC. I like his work [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif" alt="cool[/IMG].

If anybody could find me some left feet and some DCs I'd be very pleased [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG]...

retired_aafwireng

John Petrucci has absolutely no interest in joining NK Uljanik as a scout

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KUTGW!

retired_blondielovespink

Shawn Gillogly has no interest in joining your club as the difference in culture is too great. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]

GL though!

retired_deedee465

KUTGW dude!!!!

retired_holden

Sounds like some great work Ghostwriter [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]

If I see a left footed kid in the park should I just direct him to your thread for recruiting details? [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG]

retired_berrysale

I don't think I need to say what happened when I managed them.

retired_tam5868

Judging by your recent efforts, LFCfan, I would say that you got them promoted, won the Cup a couple of times and reached the group stages of the CL [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG] [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG]..


Anyway, we lost our Cup game on penalties to Pomorac (poxy competition anyway) and managed to encounter super gks in our first two League matches, 0-0 and 1-1 should have both been victories but for the MOM between the sticks. In this second match my DLC got injured and missed 3 weeks. Fantastic, now no left feet at all (got some midfield MRLs but they are right footed, good enough for ML though). We lost our rematch against Pomorac because of more great goalkeeping. When it went very wrong (5-0 wrong) in our next match I was panicking, although this was perhaps due to a DC getting a red in the 4th minute [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="roll eyes[/IMG] and then playing the rest of the match with a back 4 of DC-DR-DR-DR [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif" alt="frown[/IMG].

We lost our next match but got a first victory next thanks to a nice bit of diving in the box [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif" alt="cool[/IMG]. I managed to get an on-loan DC and a 16yo one joined as well. With a few players back as well we started to fly, 4 wins in a row including a 4-0 away win at Marsonia...and now only 1 defeat in 8, the last match being a tasty 3-1 walloping of unbeaten Vukovar who had only conceded 4 goals in their first 12 matches [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif" alt="cool[/IMG].

The star so far has definitely been the 18yo Polish AMC, 8 assists in 10 matches, the top scorer has been an on-loan Finn who has just got a call-up to the U21s, while my 18yo Russian has been banging a few in in recent matches as well after arriving with a 3 week injury. I have also been impressed with the £6k gk as well recently following a slightly dodgy start.

So DC problem slightly solved, but am still desperate for left feet...

Anyway, up to 6th and mid-tableness looks the likely outcome this season [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="smile[/IMG]:

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> ************************************************** ********************************************** Croatian Second Division - Saturday 1st November 2003********************************************** ************************************************** ================================================== ============================================== 2003/4 Table============================================= ================================================== =Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag Won Drn Lst For Ag Pts--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1st Sesvete 13 4 2 0 12 5 5 2 0 14 9 31 2nd Vukovar '91 13 5 1 0 15 1 3 3 1 8 6 28 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3rd Split 13 5 1 1 10 5 2 3 1 9 7 25 4th Solin Grada 13 3 1 2 7 4 3 3 1 8 6 22 5th Cakovec 13 2 4 1 10 9 3 2 1 12 9 21 6th ULJANIK 13 4 1 2 11 10 2 2 2 9 10 21 7th PIK Vrbovec 13 4 1 2 11 5 1 3 2 4 6 19 8th Bjelovar 13 2 3 2 13 12 3 0 3 7 6 18 9th Belisce 13 2 2 2 13 11 3 1 3 17 18 18 10th Orijent 13 3 2 2 9 9 2 1 3 7 10 18 11th Graficar Vodovod 13 3 2 2 20 14 2 0 4 7 8 17 12th Otok 13 3 1 2 7 4 1 4 2 6 9 17 13th Pomorac 13 2 3 2 8 6 1 3 2 7 10 15 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14th TSK 13 1 5 1 8 8 1 1 4 6 11 12 15th Istra 13 0 3 3 5 9 2 2 3 6 9 11 16th Marsonia 13 0 0 6 6 15 3 2 2 10 12 11 17th Nehaj 13 1 1 4 1 7 0 3 4 5 14 7 18th Hrvatski vitez 13 0 3 3 7 10 0 1 6 2 13 4 </pre>

retired_blondielovespink

LFC,

If you had offered a contract to me back then it would've had "Shawn Gillogly has absolutely no interest in moving to Uljanik." [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]

retired_tam5868

.....and mid-tableness was the outcome, 11th to be exact....

From the above position onwards we were very erratic, never winning more than 1 game in a row until we confirmed our survival in the 32nd game. That said we only once lost more than 1 game in a row as well, there were a fair few draws. We were never in the relegation fight, we never dropped lower than 11th and stayed there for the final 2 months.

Best performances in the second half was definitely a shock 3-0 away win at Split who went up only having lost twice at home, no sendings off or anything, just outplayed them [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif" alt="cool[/IMG].
Confirming our safety with a 2-0 win at Solin Grada was good as was following that with a 4-0 victory over Istra...

The Pole was still our best player although he deteriorated a little bit. He led the division in assists with 11 from only 20 matches. Our top scorer was the on-loan Finn who despite not playing fantastically still grabbed 11 while the 18yo Russian got 10 as well.
One of my scouts finally found a free left footer, a 19yo Russian SW/D/DM LC who replaced the pl/asst man who is retiring leaving me once again with one left footed defender (and only one natural left foot in the squad). My £6k gk hit a bad patch and a loanee replaced him and did brilliantly: 12 matches, 7.25. Unfortunately 4 of my top 6 performers were on loan so I need them back or my scouts had better shine again...

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> ************************************************** ********************************************** Croatian Second Division - Saturday 8th May 2004********************************************** ************************************************** ================================================== ============================================== 2003/4 Table============================================= ================================================== =Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag Won Drn Lst For Ag Pts--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1st C Sesvete 34 11 4 2 32 16 9 4 4 31 26 68 2nd P Split 34 11 4 2 23 14 8 3 6 23 21 64 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3rd Vukovar '91 34 11 4 2 31 12 6 8 3 22 18 63 4th PIK Vrbovec 34 9 2 6 27 16 9 4 4 19 12 60 5th Cakovec 34 9 6 2 24 15 8 3 6 22 17 60 6th Orijent 34 9 5 3 30 17 8 2 7 22 21 58 7th Solin Grada 34 7 3 7 20 20 7 5 5 19 17 50 8th Belisce 34 8 4 5 33 26 6 4 7 34 40 50 9th Graficar Vodovod 34 7 6 4 40 28 5 3 9 18 24 45 10th Otok 34 8 4 5 19 13 3 8 6 15 22 45 11th ULJANIK 34 7 6 4 23 18 4 4 9 22 30 43 12th Marsonia 34 4 4 9 16 22 6 8 3 25 22 42 13th Bjelovar 34 3 6 8 25 29 6 4 7 19 19 37 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14th R TSK 34 4 8 5 19 21 3 5 9 16 23 34 15th R Pomorac 34 5 5 7 19 19 2 8 7 15 25 34 16th R Istra 34 4 8 5 16 18 3 4 10 17 33 33 17th R Hrvatski vitez 34 2 5 10 15 28 4 2 11 11 27 25 18th R Nehaj 34 3 2 12 12 27 1 7 9 9 27 21 </pre>

retired_tam5868

Although we are in the same position at this stage as last year (6th) and with only 1 more point, we are a much much better side.

The early part of the Summer was uneventful as one Bosman came in while 2 of last seasons loanees (the gk and a DMC) arrived permanently for a total of £50k. Then an unpronouncable D1 club came in for my first ever signing, that very good now 18yo AM/F R. He had done OK in the first season but when I negotiated up to £240k I was not refusing. While this was going on the board suddenly inject £375k, nice [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif" alt="cool[/IMG]. This all combined meant I had £500k to spend [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif" alt="eek[/IMG]. In came a ridiculously cheap £50k MR while a large £180k went on an MC and a bit less on an SW C.

Friendlies went well and two opening victories were good. Then the youth scouts found a few more beauties. A very nice looking 16yo Russian gk and a 17yo DLC were mine along with a couple of other useful players. We lost a couple and then won a few and then lost 3 in a row. We won our last 2, 3-0 and 4-0 though [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif" alt="cool[/IMG].

That MR has been awesome, 9 assists in 12 games while the MC has been great as well, SW C much less so. The young DLC has been a rock and the best of the new youth. The gk has to be mentioned though. He has carried on where he left off last season, by being quite frankly stunning (excepting 1 game): 14 games 7.43 (that rating includes a 4 [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif" alt="eek[/IMG]).
I got a Belgian FLC on loan who has done well but not scored much but 5 goals in 2 games has made the now 20yo Russian SC top scorer.

I was curious as to why a D1 club wanted to pay £100k for one of my young free DCs from last season who has played badly for us so far. My coaches did love him but he looks very average and £100k is £100k [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]. I shall watch his progress with interest.

I have to say that promotion is not looking impossible this season but saying that our 2 home defeats have been to the top 2 who are both very good so it not exactly likely...

<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre"> ************************************************** ********************************************** Croatian Second Division - Saturday 6th November 2004********************************************** ************************************************** ================================================== ============================================== 2004/5 Table============================================= ================================================== =Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag Won Drn Lst For Ag Pts--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1st Vukovar '91 12 6 0 0 16 3 3 3 0 7 3 30 2nd Zadarkomerc 13 5 1 0 14 5 3 0 4 17 17 25 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3rd Orijent 13 6 0 1 17 7 2 1 3 7 11 25 4th Cibalia 12 3 2 1 11 6 3 3 0 12 2 23 5th Belisce 12 2 2 1 7 6 5 0 2 15 9 23 6th Uljanik 13 4 1 2 11 4 3 0 3 10 7 22 7th Cakovec 12 4 0 2 14 9 2 2 2 5 8 20 8th Neretva 13 3 2 2 5 5 2 3 1 7 6 20 9th Marsonia 11 5 0 1 16 7 1 0 4 5 8 18 10th PIK Vrbovec 12 4 0 2 10 7 2 0 4 10 9 18 11th Solin Grada 12 3 0 3 11 12 2 3 1 7 4 18 12th Graficar Vodovod 12 2 1 3 11 10 3 0 3 10 13 16 13th Sloboda 12 4 1 1 12 6 0 2 4 4 11 15 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------14th Otok 12 2 2 2 3 5 2 1 3 7 10 15 15th Bjelovar 12 1 2 2 3 3 1 2 4 6 9 10 16th Mosor 13 1 2 3 8 18 0 1 6 4 22 6 17th Gospic 13 1 1 5 6 14 0 0 6 3 13 4 18th Junak 13 0 4 3 5 10 0 0 6 1 18 4 </pre>