retired_sheera

ok....I'm doing this in work so I do not have all the facts and figures to hand. I am in pre-season of my second season with Forest after winning League One by 5 points. Forest do have a pretty decent squad but I managed to pick up some decent loanees and free transfers for exrta competition. The keepers were decent so left them alone, Pederson being number one. I signed Amoruso on a free and he started the season first choice beside Wes Morgan. I swapped him around with Bennet though as the two seemed to pick up a few niggling injuries throughout the season but they both did a great job whenever they played and also both scored around 5 goals each at the near post on corners. Morgan was sensational....nearly ever present (a red card towards the end of the season put paid to that). I also signed Danny Collins from Sunderland (€80k I think) who was solid all season. Padula and Bennet both had spells at left back in the less important games. Perch was pretty constant at right back with Curtis filling in every now and then. But it was the midfield that won it for me. I used Socks Giant Killer Tactic (a flat 4-4-2 with farrows on the two wingers, barrow on the left centre mid and farrow on the right centre mid) I managed to pick up two Spanish midfielders on frees. Right Sided J. Salas and attacking mid Moreno. Salas had good stats and was consistent all season and I had James and Cullingworth filling in when needed. Cullingworth came from the reserves or the youths but I reckon he is one for the future. Moreno had great creative stats and half the squad said they were pleased to be playing alongside him. These two Spanish lads were offered to me for free by 2nd Divison Spanish clubs (sorry I cannot remember who....I'll check again tonight and maybe update this tomorrow with more specifics) My defensive midfielder was Thompson...a great player, again very consistent (won player of the month once which is pretty good for DM, I think) Curtis and Clingan played when he got injured or I rested him. I thought Clingan was pretty good. He had a few call ups to the N. Ireland squad so I think that gave him some confidence. But my star player had to be Commons. He destroyed any right back he came across. And with his crosses, free kicks and corners he notched up a massive 25 assists!! I never had that many assists in all my years playing this game. Obviously he got Fans Player of the year and League One Team of the Year....a great, great player. I did have a little fright when around Christmas he wouldn't sign a new contract (it was up in the summer) but eventually he saw the light. Matt Jansen filled in admirably when needed on the left. The forward line was top notch as well. I picked up a young lad who was released by ManU....Zahirovic. He is only 17 but after playing 35 games approx he managed 16 or 17 goals including a hat trick. He is definitely one for the future. My other first choice striker was Beckford. I got him on a season long loan from Leeds (my team IRL) He amassed 26 in 42.....pacey and good in the air. My back up strikers were Tyson, got around 9 or 10 for the season, Jansen, got 6 I think including a hat trick and Chris Sutton. Although he was pretty dissapointing, good stats but weighed in with only one goal. A few other players that featured were Rothery (loan from Leeds) Curtis, Breckin and Beauchamp although they mostly were consigned to the Reserves. So there ye have it that was my first season with Forest. A great success I think. I have so far let a few players go for the new season. Amoruso, James, Cullip, Beckin, Holt x 2, Agogo and a few others and have picked up a few experienced players and ones for the future. Hasselbaink (free) Morais (free) S. Larsen (free) and more that I cannot remember. I have also secured Beckford on another season long loan so I am hoping he will continue his good form. I will go back tonight maybe and get more stats on last season and update tomorrow maybe but I'm enjoying the challenge of playing with Forest so far. Oh one more thing....the coaching staff is awful but I managed to get a great AssMan. Di Salvo is his name, came from Milan where he was a youth coach but it came at a price...they were due €250k compensation. I'm suprised the club went for it but I'm glad they did.....quality stats.

tazmania83sg

After starting with Crewe the opportunity to apply for the Forest job seemed too much when Calderwood was sacked.

Took over on Jan 1st 2007 with Forest sitting in 11th place. A little bit of tinkering and new couple of new faces and the charge for the play-offs was on!

lost about 3-4 games between then and the end of the season and finished 1st!

Just started life in the championship, mainly bringing in youth players on small fees from spanish clubs. My current starting line-up is...

GK - Pollitt (Free from Wigan)
RD - Albrechtsen (Free from WBA)
LD - Bennett
CD - Morgan
CD - McLean (£65k from Motherwell 1st season)

CM - Prutton (£90k after having him on loan)
CM - Diego Stuart (£2k from Vitoria)

AMR - ??? (not sure!)
AML - Commons

CF - one of Holt, Tyson, Dobie, others...
CF - Raul Cazorla (free from Racing 1st Season)

tazmania83sg

The chairman accepted a £5m + 40% sell-on from Milan for Raul Cazorla.

Currently sitting 3rd in the Championship (Jan 08)

Just bought Luke Varney £1.1m - Gonna use him in the AMR position. (First game got an 8)

Last game against Barnsley won 2-0, line-up was...

GK - Paul Smith

RD - Albrechtsen
LD - Bennett
CD - McLean
CD - Morgan

AMR - Varney
AML - Commons
CM - Diego Stuart
CM - Prutton

CF - Miguel Navarro (all the top clubs are chasing him)
CF - Strnad (£65k from Prague)

tazmania83sg

Unbeaten in the league from Jan to season end results in promotion to the Premiership.

My record signing at Forest (Luke Varney) slotted straight into the team and finished the season averaging 7.50+.

Miguel Navarro finished top scorer and i'm currently rejecting a number of bids for him.

Had 4-5 young players coming in to supplement the under 18's.

Major signing in pre-season so far is Zat Knight on a free transfer.

Also signed Michele Paolucci and Oliver Kapo on frees from Juventus.

Theo Walcott on a season-long loan too.

Media prediction is 20th, board objective is avoid relegation.

£5m to spend in the window, let's hope i spend wisely, as I don't think some of the current squad are up to prem standards.

tazmania83sg

First season in the prem finished 13th.

Second season started terrible losing 3 on the spin before finally getting my first win in a 3-1 home win.

Squad should be capable of qualifying for europe in my opinion but the board will be happy with a mid table / respectable position.

tazmania83sg

I had to do it!

Jan 2010 and I've bought Ryan Giggs on a free and David Beckham for £1m (waste of money who cares!)

I only signed Giggs to the end of the season and Becks for 18months.

Also signed Lavezzi for £8.75m, ought to keep Yakubu on his toes!

I'm making a mint from selling the potential star regens i've signed. Mikulski a AMC who I signed from Bayern Munich has just gone for £37m + a sell-on %

Having said that he was my best player so it couldbe a bad thing! Although with a healthy budget I should be ok

tazmania83sg

Giggs netted two on his debut against Liverpool

Becks netted two in the next game!

Golden oldies r us!

retired_amtrack181

Just won League 1 on 92 points. Roberto Holsen scored 24 goals in League Play and Tyson scored 20. I actually used Rune Peterson as my top keeper, he outplayed Paul Smith all season

On to the Championship...

retired_barb chiasson

I have just started a Nottingham FOrest game and here's how it has gone so far:

Players In:
Khaliou Fadiga-Free
Michael O'Connor-80k-Crewe
Daryl Murphy-75k-Sunderland
John Ruddy-150k-Everton
Danny Haynes-Loan-Ipswich
Ricky Shakes-Loan-Swindon
Kevin Thornton-Loan-Coventry

Players Out:
Jack Lester-50k-Oldham
Rune Pedersen-50k-Brondby
Nicky Eaden-Free-QPR
Ross Gardner-Loan-Wrexham

Alot of players in with only a few leaving. Injuries to Nathan Tyson and Kevin James forced me into loaning Danny Haynes, who has scored 5 in 10, and Ricky hakes as cover.

My fixtures so far have included ups and downs but overall I am happy although 6th is a few places lower where I would expect to be.
Match highlights include a 4-0 win against Doncaster, 3-1 win over Blackpool who were top at the time and there haven't been any lowlights except drawing matches I should have won.

So anyway, after this long post let's just say - Roll On the Championship!! :p

retired_amtrack181

Had a minimum fee clause for Roberto Holsen and sold him to Reading for 2.7 million.

After the first two games, I can already see a big, big difference between League 1 and the Championship.

I took Febian Brandy in on loan and he's scored a goal in both matches so far.

So far I've tied both games at home to Cardiff and Manchester City who were relegated from Premiership last season.