Just a blip [2018/19]

Ahem....

If you ignore the 4 initial defeats in a row that doesn't look too bad does it? Take that board...my job status has understandably gone from precarious to stable. 1 loss in 16 games will do that. It will also catapult you up through the table as well.

10th is much better, and with 46 points we only have a 5 point (6 if you consider the goal difference is a bit much) gap to close in the final 15 games. We're in the right form for it and team really seems to be fighting. I made a few changes and they've really worked.

First of all despite his age and how good Nilsson is meant to be Cameron is my starting striker. He gets goals and he provides them.

Secondly Pearce and Nolan don't get to play unless there's no way round it. I don't care what their stats look like they are worse than useless. Situ and Austin have it covered in the centre of defence and have it covered pretty well. I don't have to worry about Hanlon messing things up as I've moved him on for £1m to title chases Wigan. All part of the master plan to ruin them from the inside.

I also have to say Danny Rose and Gosling have been great. They irritate me because they pay so little attention to me (relatively low rep manager I guess) but they have been playing really well. Rose in particular. He reminds me a bit of Alan Smith - the determined tackling high up the pitch, not the being a thug bit. In the last match dived in with a tackle, dispossessed the right back just outside the area and then took it round the keeper. It reminded me of an Alan Smith goal.

The transfer window is open and I have just over 550k to spend. I don't think I'll be signing any super stars but I'll have a hunt. With 15 games to go I only really need to make sure I get into the play offs so my signings can be youth or cover.

I dare you to sack me board, I double dare you [2018/19]

A blog post title full of piss and vinegar. If only the team spirit followed suit I wouldn't be in the odd position I am in now. My job security is almost non-existent, the team are considered to be in the wrong half of the table. On the other hand I'm on a ten match unbeaten run and the performances are getting better.

17th with 31 points after 25 games. Not really what a play off chasing team should be doing but there's only a 5 point gap between us and top 10 (just) and 10 from the playoffs. With another 20 or so games to go we can still reach the target.

The board seem a bit pissy though. They're remembering both the 4 matches lost in a row (12 valuable points) and the fact that 17th is a poor place to occupy. They seem to be forgetting that over 10 games had been and gone before I arrived though.

Still forms looking up.

A few more draws than we would like but they keep the points ticking over. Each match we get a bit better too. In the last game we took on 1st place Wigan and, score aside, trounced them. They got through that match by the skin of their teeth.

Cameron Jerome has been a revelation. Initially I thought he was old, past it and on far too much money. A signing of folly by the previous manager. Nilsson was my first choice. But he's not performed and he got injured. Cameron stepped up and has been causing havoc. He's goal tally isn't great but he looks much more at home in the team than Nilsson does.

With January coming up I'll have to see what I can do transfer wise. If I can shift a few of the poorer players I have a few targets in mind. No one (special) seems very interested in coming to Leeds though so I might hold on and just get some cover in. Maybe an extra midfielder considering how tired Gosling has been getting.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly [2018/19]

The Good [Ireland u19's]

We had potentially quite a tough group. Spain, Armenia and the Faroe's. It would be tempting to say that Armenia and the Faroe's shouldn't be a problem but I had lost to Thailand in a friendly earlier. It had served to demonstrate that I was largely at the mercy of the other Ireland managers. Most of my good players had a tendency to be picked for the other squads, senior and U21's. Those that hadn't...some were just too old by the time the next games came around.

The first game was away to Spain....and we won it! A 1-0 smash and grab. We hit them on the counter attack, won the corner, nodded it in. Then it was counter attack all the way as we soaked up pressure. Towards the end of the game Spain got frustrated and had a player sent off. The points were ours.

And nice 2-0 win over Faroe Islands, followed by a 3-0 win over Armenia put us top.

Which means we're now through to the next qualifying round.

The Bad [Leeds]

First 5 games and....1 point.

What is worse is probably how many we've conceded. I know the tactic is bedding in still and it might take a while but that is a horrifying amount of goals to just give away.

A special mention goes to the Sheffield Wed game. We were robbed in that one. Went 2 down to an own goal and a free kick, came back to put it at 3-2 with some wonderful moves, they got a soft penalty at the end.

The Ugly [Leeds]

I think I can explain The Bad. The players are utter bastards. They hate each other. They really don't get on. They're a team in a mini-crisis all because of poor morale and personality clashes. One of them doesn't like Gosling as captain. Two of my defenders seem to hate the striker, Nilsson. I put the Swede on from the bench one game at half time and they suddenly lost confidence. Which was a bit rich seeing as they had both, Pearce and Hanlon, cost us the game with the worst defending I have seen.

Which brings me round to the defence. Kane Ferdinand is injured but still there's no excuse for how bad they are. Pearce and Hanlon are terrible. The board want me to play attacking football and when we get forward we show brief glimpses of some good stuff. But it's all hampered by the fact that the defence can't look after itself, and we quickly end up chasing the game from the off sometimes.

I have the rebuild the back before I can do anything else really. But that has to wait until I can find the players to come in. And for me to have the money. I think I can shift some of the more useless bastards in January but until then I won't have the money to bring more in (plus you know, transfer window).

I need to stamp my image onto the squad but I need to survive long enough to do that.

Leaving for Leeds [2018/19]

A new page in the story then. Leeds United. A team that had been stuck in the championship for far too long. They had a one season spell back in the premiership in 2015/16 but they were now back in the Championship and were under performing.

After 11 games they had 13 points and were 16th. The board were expecting the play offs at least and so the old manager got the boot and I got my chance.

The team looks pretty good.

I won't go through everyone but I've got Danny Rose, Dan Gosling, Ben Amos and more. The core of the squad seems pretty good. The problem seems to be though a combination of injuries, suspensions (Dirty Leeds) and old players. There are some old timers there on some big wages and I need to get rid of them. I'm in no rush though. I've got the players I need for my favoured tactic when the injuries ease off so I'll stick with that until January. I've sent my scouts out far and wide, fingers crossed they'll turn up with something.

The club look pretty stable at the moment too. I can't seem to find any debt which seems a bit odd. I've no transfer budget but no debt. If I can free up some more room in the wage budget I'm okay with that.

What I'm worried about at the moment is how the fans think of me. Apparently I'm not experienced enough...

They have a point. There's a bit of a leap from Swedish 2nd tier to English 2nd tier. The board have gambled on me. If I don't start well the pressure will mount.

I've got a bit of a break though. I have my first game against Carlisle and then I'm away with the Ireland U19's for the Euro Quals - Spain, Armenia and Faroe Island. Only one gets out. I'll deal with that in a separate post.

P.S. Eskilstuna didn't give Bergh the chance to take over :( They got a fellow Elite manager in. Poo.

Later's 'Tuna - it has been fun [2018]

Well it was on the cards. Let's recap where we are first though.

I'd stuck it out with the team despite dropping into the relegation zone at times. With 27 games played, so only 3 to go till the end of the season, we were 9th. Same place we finished as last season and with only 3 less points than our final total at 37. In theory we could finish higher and/or with more points than we did last season. Technically we were better than we had been before which is nice. It just didn't feel that way. I think it was because of our form.

We had bad runs and good runs. When we were bad we were very bad, and most of the time when we were good we were a little lucky. Don't get me wrong, we were still playing some good football, and with Granqvist in the team things were picking up. But overall we seemed a little weaker than the season before.

At this point I was happy to just get to the end of the season and see how things were. None of the players I'd gone in for during the transfer window had wanted to come but I thought maybe if I get to the end of the season and survive they'll change their minds?

I won't know though because I got this job offer...

It wasn't completely out of the blue. When they sacked the previous manager I put a cheeky application in. I was told I wasn't one of the favourites but they must have seen something and the offer came in. Now, let me be clear, I really don't like Leeds. I'm a Huddersfield fan. But on FM it was too good an offer to turn down. They're under achieving but have a good squad, no real debt that I can see and in a much higher league. I also have the benefit of not caring about the team too much if it goes horribly wrong - I can be mercenary about it.

Struggle at 'Tuna (as much as I love them) or try the championship? It sadly didn't take too long to decide.

So I'm off but what of 'Tuna? Well they've done well under me. Promoted from the 4th tier to the 2nd, with two (albeit minor) titles on the way.

From a piddling little balance to one of over a million, with a youth facility improvement on the way. I'm rightfully one of the favoured. I've enjoyed it. Even though I've been moaning this season. The only thing stopping me from staying on and rejecting Leeds is we can't turn professional yet. If we could I'd give it another season.

But it's been a good run and hopefully my favourite Bergh who is now the assistant manager will take over from me (nice to have a bit of continuity!). I think they might stabilise and become part of the First Division Elite furniture even without me.

Had some good players whilst I've been there. Felic has done well though I think he's on his last legs. Owe much behind the titles to his goal scoring prowess. A real lower league Treq.

Kamara, Sunday, Wikstrom, Celsing, Cirak, Sundberg, Manns - all main stays and all bar Sunday with the club initially. To their favoured (by me) ranks I can happily add Hansen (the traitor), Svensson (who'll be playing the Swedish top flight soon I think), Moller, Backstrom and Viggeborn.

I was going to put a screenshot of each of my favourite players up but it's so many. I've saved the game before I left though so I can always go back and look at them if I need to.

Bye 'Tuna City! All the best!

Career Recap

Just got to hold on.... [2018]

My doom and gloom view was justified. Look at the form!

I was a game away from resigning. We had four defeats in a row, and we slipped down the table.The team were unhappy and I was furious. Both my key strikers, Felic and Viggeborn, were on 8 or 10 match goaless runs respectively. So I gave this guy a start as striker.

I signed him at the start of the season. I didn't mention him, or the AMLC I bought because I didn't think they'd be much use for a good long while. But I figured it was worth giving him a go as striker. After all even if he couldn't score it would still take 8 games for him to be as bad as Felic and Viggy.

It worked out quite nicely. He grabbed a great goal from outside the area, which spurred Viggy on when he came off the bench, and we beat Brommapojkarna 4-1. Which then triggered a run of wins allowing us to just move up and out of the relegation zone and sit in 12th place. The screen shot at 20 games messed up so here it is at 21.

Team are doing...okay. A lot of them won't be here next year simply because I'm not renewing their contracts.Bjorkebaum for example will be going. He's getting on and he's not impressed.

The final 10 games? Could go either way still. A bad run will suck us back down, a good run will keep us afloat. I want to finish this season and survive at the very least. I'll be left with a bit of a decision at the end though.

I think if we survive and can recruit the players I'm looking for in the upcoming transfer window (got my eye on about 5 players, all decent) then I'll stay for another season.

If we get relegated then I'll go down with the ship like a good captain should be then...once the bubbles have stopped rising I'll quietly hand my notice in.

Anything in between that I don't know.

Ireland U-19's

One friendly, one win. Beat Iceland 1-0. Some of the players look promising but it doesn't mean much at the moment. It's the comparative games and the squad I can put together for them. I've arranged several friendlies so I can play around with tactics and cynically tempt some dual nationality players into declaring for Ireland! But the important games won't be for at least another year.

Saving Grace [2018]

A new season, a new start and a whole new set of...disappointments.

Actually that is a little harsh. This season just hasn't been going very well. It's been very hectic but not positive for 'Tuna. I was actually getting to the point where I was counting down and thinking, "...at game X if the table looks like this then I'm off." And other variants. I just wasn't enjoying things. I was enjoying FM but it seemed like things were getting a little stale at 'Tuna.

Part of this was down to some terrible form in the league...

...that lead to us being here after 10 games.10th with 12 points. Not great, but not terrible either.

What was making it worse was that the recent change in form had pulled us up and out of the relegation zone but we seemed to be fairly lucky with results. The team was playing okay and deserved points but we weren't finishing games off very well and key players just weren't stepping up. As you can sort of see here...

...I know it's only 10 games in but there's not a lot of goals there, and that's part of the problem. We don't look like scoring anywhere near as many as we did last season and we look pretty limited in what we can do on the pitch. Totally down to not having a decent left back I think. I know I said I was eager to recruit because the team was good enough but I was wrong. Horribly wrong.

Svennson on the right is playing amazingly well. Last season he only played a little there and moonlighted as an emergency left back (though not very effectively). This season he's at right back and he is just marauding down that wing. In a similar style to Molder. He's carving space open, getting involved and is a really attacking threat. All whilst staying secure at the back.

On the left....well Nino Johnasson is okay defensively but isn't offering anything going forward. Wallinder likewise, and when I play Manns there I get a little more out of the DL position but then I leave a huge hole in the middle of the defence, that my other DC's don't fill very well. I don't gain enough in attacking threat by moving Manns to offset the loss in security at the back.

The knock on effect of this is that who ever is playing as AML is having to do pretty much all the attacking work down that side. Which gets tiring and predictable. The left back will move forward and be a passing option but they won't run and attack with the ball, they won't run without it and open up space...they just sit there for the back pass from the tired and frustrated AML.

So I need a DL. Problem is no one who looks half decent wants to come. I don't want to panic buy so I'm not going to rush but it leaves me with two options really.
1) Change the formation so attacking from the DL/R positions is less important.
2) Retrain Wallinder a little for the wingback role and hope that he improves. This option also involves crossing my fingers that I can scrape by this season if he doesn't get more attacking.

Ideally there would be that extra option of bringing someone in but that's not working. As I mentioned nobody wants to come and I think I know why. We're still semi pro. I want to ask the board if we can go pro but I don't even have the option - apparently even with no debts and 1m in the bank it is still too expensive. I then asked, well can we at least scout a little bit outside of Sweden then to try and recruit? I thought maybe Finland and Norwary might be a good place to get a few less fussy players. The board said no, apparently Sweden is good enough for us...

Another issue (I know, moan moan moan) is that squad morale has plummeted. A few squad players want to leave because they want to play more, a few want to leave because they think they've peaked here (may be some truth to that), a few in the reserve team are sick of being there and others are just a bit down because of our form.To the point where the board are paying attention to squad harmony.

My plan to deal with this has two parts. Part 1 has been implemented. Every complaining player in the reserves was released on a free. Part 2 is a work in progress...just play better and get some results. We're still doing better than the 15th predicted by the media but the players are unhappy all the same (as they should be - we're better than 10th).

The poor form, moaning, lack of turning pro and general board arseyness left me wanting to leave but two things have happened that mean I'm not going to make a hasty exit. I'm going to hold on. So long as I'm not in the relegation zone at one of the key points in the season (15 games, 20 games and 25 games), and even then I might hold on for a while if it's only a few points, then I'm staying.

So what has changed my mind and staved off my general 'Tuna weariness?

First of all the board did agree to this...

...I know I won't see the benefits for a while but at least they're willing to invest. My youth products are already pretty good, this would be a step towards maximising the potential of them and maybe progressing (or making money).

Second I got this...

...oh yes. I know it's not the most glamorous role but it is a stepping stone and I like the (semi) realism of it. I'm not jumping straight into international management. I've earnt some kudos domestically and now my half Mexican-half Irish manager gets to cut his teeth with the youth team. I would have preferred the Swedish youth job but because the Swedish league is active I just can't compete with all the Swedish staff for the job. Not yet. So Ireland U19's it is. They have no competitive fixutures to speak of after being knocked out of the Euro Qualifiers so that gives me plenty of time to sort the team out.

Anything else to report? Well I did add the MLS, which will become active in December. Mainly because I was reading a chapter from Soccernomics and a quote stood out in it - 'The MLS is crying out for a dynasty'.

I might give creating one a go in the future. I know the plan is to stay with 'Tuna for now but if a job in the MLS came up then I'd be off. Building a real dynasty there is too tempting. Likewise a move to Scotland to break the Old Firm completely. Kilmarnock won the title this year, and Dundee Utd the year before, but no other team in recent memory in the game (or real life I guess) has put together a run of titles like Rangers or Celtic.