PH71's Journey - featuring The Alphabet Challenge

[PaulHartman71]

Would be pretty pleased if Inter did come calling after all this time waiting for an 'I' job

Good read this!

thanks Mikal

In other news things are looking pretty decent in the new season, 8 games in and we're 7th, 2 points off 1st but our GD is a bit crap. Also key man Mark Poel is out for 4 months which is quite worrying.

[JackJCFC]

Started well, think you'll get a top 9 finish comfortably, just hope you can get in the top position so the playoffs are easier.

[TheGreatTraveler]

You can probably end first witha good run of results.

[cerud]

Any "I" news yet?

[cswalk08]

Looking for an I club, why not Inter?

Stupid playoffs hopefully this year is your year.

[PaulHartman71]

Still not any 'I' jobs available but I am still regularly checking the job centre! We've now progressed up to 5th place and things are still relatively tight, I think a league win may be beyond us but I guess there's still a small chance of doing it.

[deltablue]

Well, good luck in the playoffs at least.

[Scarman]

You should make the play-offs at the very least, though I would hate to be in that league system. Confusing as anything

[JackJCFC]

Looks like your going to have a shot at the playoff's.

[SRL88]

Yup. Play-off's look to be the way you will have to go.

[PaulHartman71]

Yeah definitely gearing myself up for another stressful play-off campaign, thought I found an escape to Scotland, I thought wrong though...





Luckily they accepted my apology

[deltablue]

Oh deary me. That didn't go well.

[cerud]

Oops...I guess Haarlem doesn't know about your alphabet philosophy

[PaulHartman71]

Bit of a disappointment as we're now no longer technically in a play-off place, with guaranteed spots to Volendam and FC Eindhoven they're going to prove annoying as we have to finish at least 7th now.

[deltablue]

Blast, could be a bad end in Holland.

[rancer890]

It's getting close....hope you can get to that 7th spot minimum.

[JackJCFC]

Hope you can get 7th, its quite stupid that the 12th best team could get promoted.

[PaulHartman71]

NEC winning a period late on really cocked things up as it meant we had to come 6th rather than 7th, luckily we just about managed it getting in on goal difference, do have to feel bad for De Graafschap and especially RKC though. Our first round game is with NEC, since they came 16th hopefully we can dispatch of them with relative ease.

[deltablue]

16th! That says it all about the playoff system.

[cerud]

How does 16th make the playoffs?

[PaulHartman71]

There's 4 periods in the season and the best performers during those 4 separate periods get a bye to the play-off's wherever they are in the table. Bit crap really!

[PaulHartman71]

Despite NEC getting an away goal, I'm pretty confident of advancing to the 2nd round of the play-off's.

[TheGreatTraveler]

Nice start to the Play-offs.

[JackJCFC]

16th is crazy, i wonder if its possible to come last and qualify for thee playoffs?

[CityAndColour]

There's 4 periods in the season and the best performers during those 4 separate periods get a bye to the play-off's wherever they are in the table. Bit crap really!

So did they not win a match in the other three periods or something? What if you win a period and finish in a relegation spot, as Jack has said?

[PaulHartman71]

In the 4th period they picked up 17 points, which gained them the spot as the only other side to do better was Utrecht who already had a spot. The last 2 screen-shots of the league table show their (and FC Emmen who were a close 2nd, aside from Eindhoven who also already had a spot, with 14 points in the period) remarkable run.





I'm still unsure as to whether a team in bottom place can qualify for the play-off within this rule, I might ask someone in the Dutch thread in the football forum.

[PaulHartman71]

FC Den Bosch await in the 2nd round!

[TheGreatTraveler]

Where they a Eredevise team?

[PaulHartman71]

Yeah the teams in 16th/17th in the Eredivisie also go into the play-off acting as a way of avoiding relegation for them.

[Scarman]

Good start to the play-offs, hopefully you can do it this year

[JackJCFC]

Good luck in the next round!

[SRL88]

Good luck in the next round fella.

[PaulHartman71]

Not the best result but we looked much the better team so I am confident going into the final leg, not sure what the game is talking about with the Poel penalty claim, definitely wasn't a penalty ffs

[PaulHartman71]

I was bricking it at the end as I thought it was going to extra-time and penalties, I even subbed 2 players on specifically for penalties in-case it went to it. But it turns out there is another twist to the Jupiler League play-off system. Away goals/draws in general count for nothing! For 3 seasons I haven't realised, but away goals don't count, and in a seemingly ancient long gone out of fashion way, they just throw in a replay "decider" It gets better - Every game in this round has gone to a decider!

[Scarman]

Wow, the Dutch system is just getting more and more weird

[noikeee]

I warned you that league was strange, but didn't realize it was that strange.

[JackJCFC]

Crazy system, very strange they've all gone to that stage aswell.

[PaulHartman71]

A comfortable 3-0 win sees us through to a 3rd round game against AGOVV to decide whether we'll be in the Eredivisie next year or not.

[JackJCFC]

Very good win there, just one more game for promotion! Good luck.

[SRL88]

Very nice win there .

[PaulHartman71]

A decent first leg considering we were playing away from home, pretty confident we can win the return leg at home and finally get promoted to the Eredivisie!

[W I L M]

Just been through every page, and I have to say I'm enjoying it. But I'm wondering when do you think you will hit the big time?

[deltablue]

Just one win away! Indeed promotion and leaving Haarlem in the Eredivisie will help your future prospects.

[PaulHartman71]

Just been through every page, and I have to say I'm enjoying it. But I'm wondering when do you think you will hit the big time?

Nice to see you enjoyed it Not sure when I'll hit the big time, if we get promoted this year a season in the Eredivisie should boost my reputation up a fair amount. I/J/K don't really have any 'big time clubs' apart from Inter and Juve, probably don't have a high enough reputation for those two just yet, so I'd say it's unlikely I'll be in charge of a pretty big club until around L/M where there's quite a few pretty big teams.

[deltablue]

And Liverpool.

[PaulHartman71]

Despite heavy concern late on that A - AGOVV would score a 'winner', and B - that away goals would count in the final round and not the other 2 previous rounds (would seem fitting with Jupiler League's random rules), we will now have to play a final deciding game with AGOVV, to decide whether we'll be in the Eredivisie next year or not. Will mean I'll have had to have played 8 games to decide whether we go up or not Madness compared to the Championship's mere 3!

[cswalk08]

*Headdesk* *Headdesk* *Headdesk* *Headdesk* Why does it make no sense!!!!!!

[PaulHartman71]

I suppose on this particular occasion I can't complain, under any normal league rules we'd have lost on goal difference

Oh and to clear up the "if a side wins a period but is in the relegation zone" question, here is what the Dutch researcher said -

Very unlikely as there is only ONE relegation place, and relegation can only occur if the Topklasse team has decided to go for promotion - however...
ultimately the relegation would outweigh the period win and said period would move on to the runner-up (or the first team in that period to not have won a period)

We have had situations where teams finished quite low and still actually promoted - I believe Heerenveen finished somewhere like 15th but promoted thanks to winning the "Nacompetitie"

[Scarman]

This is starting to get ridiculous

[deltablue]

Just as I thought it couldn't me more stupid. Good to see that someone can make sense of it all regarding the 'qualification/relegation thing.

[Northernpilgrim]

For your 'I' team, how about Ingolstadt in Germany's 2. Bundesliga?

[PaulHartman71]

Ingoldstadt are a possibility, but all 'I' clubs at the moment are at least secure.

Also -

Verbeek, a left back I also had on loan at Galipolli scores to send us to the big time!!!



Third time lucky

[cerud]

Congrats on promotion!

[deltablue]

At long last!

[Nobby_McDonald]

Thank god I don't play in the Dutch leagues.

[Scarman]

Well done on finally achieving promotion

[rancer890]

Well done Paul on promotion. Finally got out of the Jupiler League with those crazy rules.

[JackJCFC]

Congrats on the promotion, wasn't hard in the end

[alexcharliemann]

Woop, nice job. I actually quite fancy playing in a completely bonkers league like that.

[TheGreatTraveler]

Finnally!!

[PaulHartman71]

H is for Haarlem

Promoted at last!!! 6th in the league table, only narrowly making the play-off's by goal difference but we don't care because we're going up! The squad isn't amazing and will need improvement if we are to avoid relegation from the Eredivisie next year, but for this division it's definitely good enough to be promoted. Here's our 9 fixtures that gained us promotion via the play-off's that have plagued us the last 2 years. Key transfers saw Verbeek join us on loan from Ajax, Dick Schreurs join our midfield, Mikko Lund join our defence and Christian Skjelbred join our midfield/attack. All of the transfers were free or cheap because we're not a very rich club and I'm tight as ****.

Larsen remained our first goalkeeper, not great, definitely needs replacing for next year. Helgesen was first choice right back, an impressive talent and could play for Norway one day imo. The third of our Norwegian trio defensive unit, Roar Olstad had a great season but sadly didn't want to renew so left for Stabaek on a bosman, no Eredivisie for him next season! Van de Kerkhof, aside from having a cool name to say, was a decent option but not great and I wouldn't mind replacing him. His partner Mikko Lund was again, alright but nothing special. Versluis was our first choice right midfield, he had a pretty good season getting 10 goals and 6 assists hopefully he can make the adjustment to the Eredivisie well. I played Verbeek sparingly on the left midfield also using him at left back when Olstad was injured, he scored a few very important goals including the one which sent us up. Dick Schreurs did well in the middle of midfield, got a very nice passing ratio and scored 4, assisting 8. Robin Van Veen, the Indonesian Ryan Giggs of the club, captain of club, been here since he was a youth academy player, did well at left/middle when needed, scored 6 and assisted 5 with a good pass ratio. Damir Jeraj was great in middle of midfield, best pass ratio in the league, says it all. God knows how Jeroen Steegs managed to score 15 and assist 5 but he did, well played to the lad. I signed Artur Murawski last year, he ended top scorer last year in Eredivisie, he didn't have the best of seasons but I'll take 11 goals and 9 assists that's not bad. Mark Poel picked up a 4 month injury at end of last year thus didn't play as much as I'd liked, 5 goals 5 assists in 22 games is poor for him, but I'll stick by him and I hope he can adapt to the Eredivisie.

Ultimately it was a great season and I feel attached to the club/players so will definitely stay for one season in the Eredivisie, I've bloody earned it! I'm hoping to avoid relegation and then pick up an 'I' team at some point after end of Eredivisie season.

History

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season     Club                   League                  Position     Achievements
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009/10    Annagh United          N.Irish 2nd Div           9th        Joined in July   
2010/11    Annagh United          N.Irish 2nd Div           11th       Screwed over by the board and sacked in April
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011/12    Bradford Park Avenue   Blue Square North         19th       Joined in June 
2012/13    Bradford Park Avenue   Blue Square North         9th        None
2013/14    Bradford Park Avenue   Blue Square North         5th        Promoted via play-off
2014/15    Bradford Park Avenue   Blue Square Premier       1st        Promoted as Champions, resigned in June
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015/16    Casa Pia A.C           Portuguese 2nd Div S      8th        Joined in November
2016/17    Casa Pia A.C           Portuguese 2nd Div C      1st        Champions, Promoted via play-off, resigned in June
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2017/18    Distillery             N.Irish 1st Div           10th       Joined in November
2018/19    Distillery             N.Irish 1st Div           10th       Sacked in January
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2019/20    East Fife              Scottish 3rd Div          10th       Joined in May
2020/21    East Fife              Scottish 3rd Div          3rd        Lost in play-off semi final
2021/22    East Fife              Scottish 3rd Div          1st        Promoted as Champions
2022/23    East Fife              Scottish 2nd Div          1st        Promoted as Champions
2023/24    East Fife              Scottish 1st Div          5th        Resigned in June
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2024       Fana Idrettslag        Norwegian 2nd Div 3       7th        Joined in July
2025       Fana Idrettslag        Norwegian 2nd Div 3       4th        None
2026       Fana Idrettslag        Norwegian 2nd Div 3       1st        Promoted as Champions, Resigned in October
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/27    Gallipoli Calcio       Italian Serie C2/C        8th        Joined in October
2027/28    Gallipoli Calcio       Italian Serie C2/C        1st        Promoted as Champions, Serie C2 Super Cup winner, Resigned in June
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2028/29    HFC Haarlem            Jupiler League            8th        Lost in 3rd round of play-off 
2029/30    HFC Haarlem            Jupiler League            4th        Lost in 2nd round of play-off
2030/31    HFC Haarlem            Jupiler League            6th        Promoted via play-offs

Trophy Cabinet

Bradford Park Avenue 
- Blue Square Premier x1 - 2014/15

Casa Pia
- Portuguese 2nd Div C x1 - 2016/17

East Fife
- Scottish 3rd Div x1 - 2021/22
- Scottish 2nd Div x1 - 2022/23

Fana Idrettslag 
- Norwegian 2nd Div 3 x1 - 2026

Gallipoli Calcio
- Italian Serie C2/C x1 - 2027/28
- Italian Serie C2 Super Cup x1 - 2027/28

[deltablue]

That should really help get better clubs in future.

[cerud]

Good job in getting promotion! Hopefully an "I" club will come calling now.

[SRL88]

Brilliant season fella. Great work on promotion .

[PaulHartman71]

I was worried Mark Poel and co couldn't make the step up to the Eredivisie. First game in the league....

[DodgeeD]

Congrats on promotion. I hope an 'I' job becomes available for you soon!

[AK22]

Well done on promotion- an 'I' job must beckon soon, I reckon

[deltablue]

They're not one of the strongest teams but it's a good start.

[PaulHartman71]

5 games in and we're unbeaten! We've got PSV next away though so I expect our run to end there, though we did manage a 1-1 draw away to Ajax, which saw youth academy player Diego van Gool score a late equaliser.

[cerud]

Great opening run! Conrats on promotion.

[Scarman]

Good start to the season, should put you in great stead to stay up this year

[TheGreatTraveler]

And I thought the step up would be a problem.....

[PaulHartman71]

After being thumped by PSV our form hasn't been great, the early start still means we're relatively clear of the relegation places though!

[TheGreatTraveler]

Relegation shouldn't be a problem for you.

[Scarman]

Yeah, you should survive the drop this season, just as long as you pick up points from the teams below you

[SRL88]

Form may have dropped off, but that is still a good start to the season.

[deltablue]

I imagine you want to avoid the playoffs again.

[PaulHartman71]

5 games later and 5 points later it's still not looking too great, just over half of the season gone now, really hoping I don't have to have those ****ing play-off's again

[TheGreatTraveler]

You should be safe, 10 points are a comfortable cushion.

[PaulHartman71]

well Diego van Gool has certainly done enough to impress Southampton's scouts as he'll be leaving us for £1.2M shortly!



Elsewhere in the league, a pretty good run of form in our last 6 games makes it seem very unlikely that we'll face relegation worries.

[cswalk08]

Great first season in the top league so far. Look well enough to avoid the drop.

[TheGreatTraveler]

The play-offs shouldn't be a problem.

[Scarman]

Relegation shouldn't be a problem

[deltablue]

Will you be off to 'I' after this season?

[PaulHartman71]

Yeah I'm enjoying my time at Haarlem in the Eredivisie but it really is time to move on to 'I' at the end of the season, hopefully can find one!

[PaulHartman71]

Somehow with 6 games to go we could finish as high as 4th if games in hand/our remaining fixtures go our way.

[TheGreatTraveler]

Good luck for the final stretch!

[nie jem frytek]

Maybe Europa League play-offs instead off relegation ones?

[PaulHartman71]

Well we didn't quite qualify for Europe, but 5 points away from that certainly isn't bad for the first season since promotion! I doubt there will be a second, 99 percent sure I'll leave, just need an 'I' job to come available!

[noikeee]

Quite strong first season there in the Eredivisie, good luck searching for that 'I' team which is proving difficult...

[Scarman]

Great season, it really is an achievement to finish mid table Good luck finding an I club!

[Nobby_McDonald]

An eye for an I...

[deltablue]

No doubt you're keeping an 'I' out.

[PaulHartman71]

H is for Haarlem

A decent first season in the Eredivisie saw us finish in 11th place, we could've finished higher but it was still a pretty decent season. A healthy profit in the transfer market mainly through the sale of Diego van Gool to Southampton, quite a few players were brought in to cope with the move up to the higher level of competition. A massive profit overall was made with 800K+ being made this season.

Ex-Ajax goalkeeper Benjamin Beks was great in goal for us this season, 12 clean sheets in 36 games was pretty good really. Andreas Helgesen had another good season at right back, he coped with the transition to the higher division pretty well. I was absolutely delighted to pick up Menno Verbeek, who I've had on loan previously both for Haarlem and Galipoli, signed for us on a free transfer, he had a good season at left back. Mikko Lund had a decent enough season in the middle of defence, occasionally scoring with 3 goals. Ron van de Kerkhof was slightly better. Prince Lamptey, originally signed to play as a striker, his finishing wasn't good enough, but he has some very nice pace so I converted him into a right winger, he did well. The Indonesian Ryan Giggs, Robin van Veen did well in the AML role when he was fit. When he wasn't fit I played Francesco D'Arrigo there, he wasn't great. Ruud Radermacher did very well in the middle of midfield when available. Dick Schreurs was one of the best passers in the league which wasn't that much of a surprise, valuable part of the side. Despite originally being a striker I converted Christian Skjelbred to a central midfielder and he did fairly well when I played him there. Roberto Garcia had a pretty good season, scoring 9 in 14 starts. Mark Poel definitely lived up to expectations, 15 goals and 4 assists in 28 starts was really great for someone who didn't do that well in the Jupiler league last season.

The team is pretty decent and with sell on values of players I signed on freebies, as well as the increased TV money/gate receipts etc from playing in a higher division, I have definitely left Haarlem in a position to grow and grow if the right manager takes over. It's time for me to move on to an I side, but just where will I be off to?

History

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Season     Club                   League                  Position     Achievements
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009/10    Annagh United          N.Irish 2nd Div           9th        Joined in July   
2010/11    Annagh United          N.Irish 2nd Div           11th       Screwed over by the board and sacked in April
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2011/12    Bradford Park Avenue   Blue Square North         19th       Joined in June 
2012/13    Bradford Park Avenue   Blue Square North         9th        None
2013/14    Bradford Park Avenue   Blue Square North         5th        Promoted via play-off
2014/15    Bradford Park Avenue   Blue Square Premier       1st        Promoted as Champions, resigned in June
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015/16    Casa Pia A.C           Portuguese 2nd Div S      8th        Joined in November
2016/17    Casa Pia A.C           Portuguese 2nd Div C      1st        Champions, Promoted via play-off, resigned in June
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2017/18    Distillery             N.Irish 1st Div           10th       Joined in November
2018/19    Distillery             N.Irish 1st Div           10th       Sacked in January
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2019/20    East Fife              Scottish 3rd Div          10th       Joined in May
2020/21    East Fife              Scottish 3rd Div          3rd        Lost in play-off semi final
2021/22    East Fife              Scottish 3rd Div          1st        Promoted as Champions
2022/23    East Fife              Scottish 2nd Div          1st        Promoted as Champions
2023/24    East Fife              Scottish 1st Div          5th        Resigned in June
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2024       Fana Idrettslag        Norwegian 2nd Div 3       7th        Joined in July
2025       Fana Idrettslag        Norwegian 2nd Div 3       4th        None
2026       Fana Idrettslag        Norwegian 2nd Div 3       1st        Promoted as Champions, Resigned in October
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2026/27    Gallipoli Calcio       Italian Serie C2/C        8th        Joined in October
2027/28    Gallipoli Calcio       Italian Serie C2/C        1st        Promoted as Champions, Serie C2 Super Cup winner, Resigned in June
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2028/29    HFC Haarlem            Jupiler League            8th        Lost in 3rd round of play-off 
2029/30    HFC Haarlem            Jupiler League            4th        Lost in 2nd round of play-off
2030/31    HFC Haarlem            Jupiler League            6th        Promoted via play-offs
2031/32    HFC Haarlem            Eredivisie                11th       None

Trophy Cabinet

Bradford Park Avenue 
- Blue Square Premier x1 - 2014/15

Casa Pia
- Portuguese 2nd Div C x1 - 2016/17

East Fife
- Scottish 3rd Div x1 - 2021/22
- Scottish 2nd Div x1 - 2022/23

Fana Idrettslag 
- Norwegian 2nd Div 3 x1 - 2026

Gallipoli Calcio
- Italian Serie C2/C x1 - 2027/28
- Italian Serie C2 Super Cup x1 - 2027/28

[Lower Leagues Rule]

Good work Paul, that is an excellent first season in a top league. Hopefully there is an I team available, or one comes hunting for you as manager shortly, though it may mean being unemployed for a bit, J is going to be hard as well...

[PaulHartman71]

I've expressed interest in the very insecure post at Irtysh who are in the Russian 1st Division...





The guilt-tripping ********

[cerud]

They just don't know the plan

[TheGreatTraveler]

Hopefully you get the job. Always nice to see your own board urging you to stay instead of giving you an ultimatum.

[PaulHartman71]

[Lower Leagues Rule]

That is looking promising