Off the pace already [2016]

 

It's odd. Things aren't going well but they're still going better than the board and media expect. We hit a sort of slump. Or perhaps more accurately we're still getting results but we're dropping points.

2nd is still good. But we're 7 points behind 1st. And they just beat us. We're performing okay but we're just not clinical enough. Games aren't getting finished off and some of the players (the unhappy ones) seem a little lacklustre. You can see it in the stats to an extent.

An injury to Hansen revealed something as well. Without him I have to play Manns at left back and we suddenly become very bad at attacking (in comparison). Whether we're controlling or counter attacking. We can still do it but it's not as effective. It means my next buy, if I want to stick with this system, is another attacking left wing back.

There was another knock on as well. With Manns moved over Gregorcik went in at DC. Suddenly we became a bit frailer in defence. Which put me in a bit of a pickle. He's not as good at soaking up the pressure that the defence might come under when counter-attacking, but he's also not very good if we get outnumbered when trying to control. Luckily Hansen came back after a short while but I was left a bit stuck. I had no idea which one to choose and in the end I was looking at just going back to standard for a while.

Prospects for the season? If we keep dropping points like we have done we won't get first. In fact we need a big improvement to pull Vasalund back. What I think is more worrying is that I can see us being over taken by Vasteras and Karlslund if we're not careful too.

Getting that playoff place is essential this season. Well getting promotion is one way or another. We've hit our wage limit for this level I think at around 5k. It's not going up anymore. A few players are getting on a bit, like Wikstrom and Felic, and the replacements aren't quite ready yet. Some players just want to leave as well. Kamara isn't interested in signing an extension. If we don't get promoted the team for the 2017 season will be older, weaker and I'll have less room in the budget to fix things.

Which would leave me with a career/journeyman dilemma. Do I stick around if the going gets tougher? I have to admit I'm already feeling a certain amount of wanderlust. I've had some job offers and although they weren't more tempting that 'Tuna City they were at a good level.

Now I don't want to make the same mistake as my previous career game - I don't want to leave a club that I've been gradually developing for a new club that actually might be a bit of a downwards or horizontal step. I would just have to build again but I'm not looking forward to the idea of repeated seasons in the First Division North.

If I don't get promoted this season I think I would have to stick with 'Tuna but consider very carefully any job offers that come my way. Hopefully though it'll be a moot point, I'll turn things around a bit and get promoted. That's the plan.