Pre-Season
The Preseason for 2020 saw us in the qualifying stages for the Euro Cup, coming in at the 2nd Qualifying round we faced Gyor (HUN) for the second time in our history, and again walked away with the victory, 3:0 on aggregate. Next up we faced Fehervar also of Hungary, this one was expected to be a little tougher, but Fafe managed to score another victory, 6:2 on aggregate. In the 4th and final qualifying round we faced FC Sochaux-Montbeliard, the bookies put us as an outside chance, but it as very close. Leg one at home saw us take it out 2:1, but then we headed to France knowing they had an away goal, in the end Mendes & Radakovic both scored to make sure we got through
4:3 on aggregate. This took us into the Group stages, but before that we faced Liverpool in a friendly. A nice tight game was really only won by them in the later stages as Torres stepped past Mendes to score.
League Early Stages
In the league early on I had been hoping for an improvement on last season, in particular I was hoping to make it into the top four where we had been a season earlier. Early form was a worry even after a great start. That start was disappointing in reality as we managed to take victories at home, but away we couldn't even steal a point.
Fafe
2:0 Boavista - Shala (2)
Sporting 2:0 Fafe
Fafe
2:1 Nacional - Mendes (2)
Braga 2:1 Fafe - Di Giuseppe
Fafe
1:0 Leixoes - Mendes
Maritimo 1:0 Fafe
Benfica 4:1 Fafe - Rocha
So with a disappointing 9 points from my first 7 games I was disappointed with that start, but knowing that I had already player Maritimo, Benfica, Sporting & Braga Away meant I was actually in a better position than it looked.
Goal of the Month in August saw Tom Shala come third. October then saw
seventeen players line-up for international sides as we attempted to take over the world. And a delight from our Youth side as
Rocha got the goal of the month in his very first game. We also saw
Di Giuseppe come runner-up in a huge Player of the Month.
European Cup Group Stage
Early on I was hopeful that I could actually take out second in this
group and advance. Lining up against Kobenhavn, Basel & St. Mirren, I should easily wrap up 3rd, so the battle would be with Basel to see if I could grab second.
Kobenhavn 4:1 Fafe - Tarasenko
Fafe 1:3 Basel - Radakovic
St. Mirren 2:2 Fafe - Mendes, Radakovic
Fafe 1:2 Kobenhavn - Tarasenko
Basel 1:0 Fafe
Fafe
2:0 St. Mirren - Radakovic
With only 4 points in the entire group I was disappointed, but I had lived up to expectations to make the group stage and no further, in the lead in to January I am planning on selling players to try and make some money so i can bolster the squad. I must say I did well against St. Mirren, but the other teams should've been closer.
The European Travel Log
June 2017 - Marijampole, Lithuania
July 2017 - Gyor, Hungary
July 2017 - Cork, Ireland
August 2017 - Milan, Italy
July 2019 - Maribor, Slovenia
August 2019 - Elbasan, Albania
August 2019 - Liege, Belgium
July 2020 - Gyor, Hungary
July 2020 - Szekesfehervar, Hungary
August 2020 - Montbeliard, France
September 2020 - Copenhagen, Denmark
August 2020 - Paisley, Scotland
August 2020 - Basel, Switzerland
League: A Turnaround?
Was it possible to turn around my season in November and December before cracking into the new year? Could AD Fafe make the difference and bring us back into the European Cup Competition? I had decided to try and make it a rebuilding year, so i started by selling several players as I headed towards January, planning to sell more as we continued.
Fafe 2:0 P.Ferreira - Rodriguez, Rocha
Fafe 2:0 Setubal - Shala, Moreira
Rio Ave 2:2 Fafe - Crawford, Moreira
Fafe 1:0 Gil Vicente - Rocha
Belenenses 2:2 Fafe - Mendes, Moreira
Fafe 3:4 Porto - Radakovic (2), Shala
Academico 0:0 Fafe
Guimaraes 3:1 Fafe - Tarasenko
Well a slight improvement on the first quarter of the season, but pretty impossible for us to actually have come back. Our away record is still very poor at 0-3-5, while at home we are 6-0-1, if we are going to come anywhere near the top of the table we need to do something about our away record. Though Des Tiny did finish as runner-up in the Manager of the Month for November. A huge improvement is needed from here to make it home, but rebuilding and hopefully a bit of patience from my board may see me through.
League Table
Hand of God? I am currently chasing Maradona, the name alone drew me in, but he looks stunning.
The Under 19s also had a heartbreaker in the cup, as they lost to Benfica on penalties.
The Players I have Sold
Rodriguez has left for 1.4M.
Sigursson has left for 150k.
Kouakou has left for 170k.
Filis has left for 1.6M.
I think this clear out has got rid of the four players on the fringe that were not playing, but could get me a little income, next question is whether I sell more players. Shala is currently going to leave on a Bosman and is rejecting my contracts, so I expect him to drop out as well.
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