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Thanks for the input. I'm hardly at the stage where I "expect" to win even against the mid-tier first div teams. I have my eye on the job information board, but I'm still feeling a little picky. If I move, it's likely to be to a similar scenario to this one was, a team with potential down on its luck. I'm not bored, and we "have" to play well every match to win still, so I'm not feeling masochistic enough to take a no-hoper yet. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_razz.gif" alt="razz[/IMG] I agree, it gets really boring when you can simply plug 11 names in, trot-em-out, and know you will win 9 matches out of 10. That's another reason for my 5 season rule.
Also, to be fair, I did my world-wide rating off the top of my head in the last post, and I was WAAAY off. I'm sitting #284 right now.
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Season 03/04 Winter Break
The side continues to stay in the midst of the fight for Europe. First place is 8 points away. And the First Division is a dogfight after that. We're in 4th position, 9/6/3 is our record for 33 points from 18 1st div matches so far. That leaves us 8 points out of first, but a mere 5 points from being in Inter-Toto Cup land as well. We hit a nice run of form after being 4/5/1 at one point. That said, we had a very disappointing 2-0 showing against Marseille, meaning I have managed to lose to both of our rival clubs this season already (the 0-3 shellacking to Bordeaux was the other rival match). The board was most kind to inform me on both occasions of their displeasure at our poor performances. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="roll eyes[/IMG] That said, they're still "delighted" in my performance.
My left backs have been underperforming this season, so I used my one post-deadline transfer on a left back from a semi-pro French club whose stats were clearly 1st Division calibre. I picked him up for a 170k, and he's proven worth that already. My Greek striker has been recognized by the national media as a "powerhouse," and he's a solid goal-per-game striker with 8+ average form. My Czech keeper got over his spat, and I reinserted him in the 1st team. He's played fairly well, but I don't think he's going to contend for national honors this year. A Russian keeper my scouts had liked (and they ought to have, he looked like the regen of Lev Yashin) let his contract expire, and I made a Free transfer inquiry. But his salary demands were exhorbinant (70K a week!). My wage structure has been frugal all along, my top paid player is my Czech Keeper at 14K a week. My board would've offered 20K for him, but I wasn't going to go there. We're just to the point where we can break even without the injections from the league now. To blow up the wage structure for the team would be brutal.
I have another Swede AMC arriving via Bosman. He's a candidate for squad rotation. But the Bosman crop for this season does not look nearly as fruitful as last year's. Oh, and my wonderful D/DM(R/C) managed to show up late for training again. And when I warned him for it, he said I was trying to force him off the team. Also one of my Bosmans, an English DC who looked like he had promise, couldn't adjust to French living (guess he preferred ale to wine [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG]) and went AWOL when I let him go on leave. He actually accepted the 1 week fine I gave him for being late back. But the Board in it's infinite wisdom told me they didn't think he deserved to be on the squad. I didn't think he was good enough to fight that battle over, so I free transferred him immediately after their notification.
All in all, a better place to be at the winter break than I expected. If you'd have told me we'd be sitting 4th in December, I'd have leaped for joy. But there's been some troubling spots. The large number of draws include a numbher of 2 goal losses that turned into ties. That said, they also include a couple times where the opposition had acquired a 2 goal lead and was "playing in first gear" and then we struck back hard. So we fight, and we can score, which bodes well for staying up. I'd prefer to defend better as well. But it's a good start, and since scoring goals is usually the problem when I promote, I am pleased. Not only that, but we've brought back the fans. From those early days when we played before 30,000 empty seats, we now have been seeing 24000+ at the Stadium Muncipal. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG]
12-12-2002, 09:45 AM
LLM position-1st Div wages, what more could you want? Post #22
That last paragraph should've read "a number of 2 goal LEADS that have turned into ties." To be precise, we've blown four 2 goal leads this season. We won 1 of them, drew the other three.
12-13-2002, 11:20 PM
LLM position-1st Div wages, what more could you want? Post #23
Yes, I'm proud. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG] Note, the team that was in 5th played a game between my update and when I made the table, hence why I'm in 5th here.
12-15-2002, 06:39 AM
LLM position-1st Div wages, what more could you want? Post #25
We started the second half with a 2nd round League Cup match against Marseille. Despite dominating the match and entertaining our fans, who set a record for gate receipts in a single match that day, we fell 1-1 on PKs to our rival. We followed that with an equally disappointing 0-1 home loss to Lorient. But before I could panic too much, he followed that with a stunning 2-1 win over Auxerre that was followed by a string of good performances.
Stunting our form however was the French Cup 9th round, where I played my bench 1st team with the exception of 2 players. My #1 keeper and my star Striker. They both were injured in the 1st half. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="roll eyes[/IMG] I also had a player earn a red card for confusing an opponent for the ball. Then in the 2nd half I had another player go off due to injury, I had just used my 3rd sub (silly me), and thus had to finish the match with 9 players. But we were playing a non-league opponent, and though they came out of their shell to try to pull off the stunner, they fell on an 83rd minute strike. When I warned my DMC who tried to free kick the opposition about violent behavior, he felt it was "harsh" and that I was "victimizing him." Never mind the league suspended him for 7 matches!
I also had three different players go AWOL during the season, they were all Free Transferred for failing to return from leave after I fined them 4 weeks salary. Later on in the season one of my strikers practiced his karate skills on an opponent and earned a second six match ban for my side. I fined him 2 weeks straight off, and all of a sudden, my previously unhappy DMC decided I wasn't too mean after all and wanted to play again. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG] Not only that, the striker accepted the fine.
We fell in the quarter finals of the French Cup to St-Ettiene. Another disappointing loss in a match we really ought to have performed better in. But from then on we ran off an 8 match League Winning streak that saw us finish the season in 2nd place! These included revenge match wins over our rivals Bordeaux and Marseille. The good run actually made me rue some of those early season draws that I had taken satisfaction in at the time. A surprisingly good run, marked by the promotion of last year's #2 keeper to the #1 spot and the continued grand form of my striker, who came back from injury on fire, finishing the season with 36 goals in 31 matches, French Player of the Year honors, French Player's Player of the Year honors, and Supporter's Player of the Year honors. All of which he thanked me for as well. Unfortunately the media did not see it the same way, and named Lyon's manager the winner of the Manager of the Year honor for the 2nd year in a row.
I was turned down for half a dozen applications. Including a couple interesting ones. I applied at Man City during the season, they were dead last in the Premiership with 10 matches left and 6 points to earn to save them. But they didn't accept me. I also applied at Club Brugge, as they slumped to 10th in the Belgian League, but they did not hire me either. I have my eye on a few different clubs that look like they are underperforming. But none have pulled the trigger yet. My French Rep is still #3, my worldwide rep is now #264. The board did not like my looking for another job, so they are now only "very pleased" with me, despite being delighted all season long.
Their expectations for next season are still modest (stay clear of relegation!), and I made them 14.6 mil Euro last season, so I expect they'll keep me, as they've made no noises about "we want a manager who's devoted to the club" yet. But despite the fact several players worship the ground I walk on right now, and the fans love me, I'm ready to move. I am curious to see how we'll perform in Europe this season (2nd place sees us into the Champion's League). I brought in a good Danish striker, and a few other players to bolster the right side of midfield. I also found a sensational looking Spanish playmaker. I'd actually had my eye on him back in season #1, but he rejected us then. Now he's excited to be playing for us.
Our famed left winger/coach from season 1, who was too slow to really play anymore, was given a farewell in the 2nd half of our season finale against relegation fodder Caen. The fans saw him off with cheers, and then we let his contract expire. Our Defender/player coach from season 1 was promoted to full-time coach. And I hired a good goalkeeper coach from Morocco. I also fired our worst scout and replaced him with a much better one.
All in all, a season successful beyond my expectations. And I can fairly say I've achieved my goals with the squad. So they'll be nothing holding me back when the offer to greener pastures arrives. If it doesn't come this year, I still have 1 more year (after this one) before I kick in the 5 year rule and move to anywhere I can find a job, regardless of what that does to my rep. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG] So I'm hoping some underachiever will hire me before then.
[This message was edited by shawng1 on 15/12/2002 at 05:50.]
12-15-2002, 06:46 AM
LLM position-1st Div wages, what more could you want? Post #26
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by shawng1:
I also had three different players go AWOL during the season, they were all Free Transferred for failing to return from leave after I fined them 4 weeks salary. Later on in the season one of my strikers practiced his karate skills on an opponent and earned a second six match ban for my side. I fined him 2 weeks straight off, and all of a sudden, my previously unhappy DMC decided I wasn't too mean after all and wanted to play again. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif" alt="wink[/IMG] Not only that, the striker accepted the fine.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Excellent! You've broken their spirit now [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG] KUTGW!! [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]
12-16-2002, 09:52 AM
LLM position-1st Div wages, what more could you want? Post #28
Yeah, you'd think so. But I had a fourth player go AWOL from leave on the closed season. He got fined/free transferred as well. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="roll eyes[/IMG]
Oh, and the board, after playing all of 1 game of the new season, and that against the 2 time defending champs, Lyon. And that a thrilling 2-2 draw where we fought back twice to gain the point...
is now "pleased" with my general performance. And no, I didn't apply anyplace else. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="roll eyes[/IMG] Ingrates.
12-17-2002, 08:02 AM
LLM position-1st Div wages, what more could you want? Post #29
Well, the Champion's League is going predictably. We'd be in 3rd if my DMC didn't decide to make a stupid 2 footed challenge and get sent off in the home match vs Olympiokos. [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_rolleyes.gif" alt="roll eyes[/IMG] We did manage a thrilling 2-2 home draw vs Roma. Probably our best match of the season, seeing I didn't even trot out my full side for it, as I wanted to save them for the League given the disaster of the previous matches. If we can pull off a big win away vs the Greeks, we can pull into 3rd. But that's it. That said, one can't sneeze at an extra 5mil Euro in the coffers (between prize money and gates). We had our all time biggest gate for the match vs Olympiokos, more than 1mil for that alone!
After another staggering start in the League, we enter November in 5th place, 4 pts back the leaders in 1st Division that's looking like a battle royale. Paris SG and Lyon lead the pack right now, but neither looks invincible. We stand at 5/2/2, a 4 match League winning streak hidden in the midst of our Champion's League follies. We may not be doing the coefficient any good this season, but I had no European ambitions this season. The club's balance, which had hit a low of 1.1mil Euro in the first season, now sits at a whopping 42mil! They give me 32.5 mil of that for transfers, but with a wage limit of 22k, and my own desire not to hit that with the current lineup, I doubt I'll be attracting any true stars to the side anytime soon.
And the board situation? Well, they caught me trying to apply to other clubs, and sent me the infamous, "We want a manager devoted to the side" memo. Tough. Sack me and see how fast you get relegated. Ingrateful prats. Worse than some of my players. They're "pleased" with my performance as manager. I guess they liked it better when they were bankrupt in the National.
What does the sign say on the door... [IMG]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="big grin[/IMG]
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