[FM10] From Clairfontaine with love...

[wesleysonck]

Hi guys, playing patch 10.2.

Leagues loaded: England from League 2 and above, and the top two divisions in Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Belgium and Holland.

And so begins my career, which starts with me taking charge of the French Under 19 National Side.

In 1976 the President of the French Football Federation, Monsieur Fernand Sastre, had a dream. In his vision he saw an academy, a school for the most talented young footballers to hone their skills. It was a dream which took many years to come to fruition, and until 1998 to achieve it's ultimate goal.

In 1982 the French Football Federation selected the town of Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines as the location for their academy. A town 50km south west of Paris, it would go on to become a name synonymous with footballing excellence. In January 1998 Clairefontaine opened and began it's role as a conveyor belt of French footballing legends.

Although only one of nine such academies in France, it is Clairefontaine which has achieved almost mythical status, the very name entering the footballing lexicon as a byword for the right way to develop youth. Along with the fabled Coverciano in Italy, it is perhaps the most famous footballing academy in the world.

Alumni of Clairefontaine include Thierry Henry, Nicholas Anelka, Hatem Ben Arfa, William Gallas and the legendary Jeremie Aliadiere. In my role as the manager of the French Under 19's I hope to bring on the next generation of French heroes.

With France hosting the 2010 Under 19 World Cup there will be no competitive fixtures for me, so I will either give run-outs to a wide pool of players, or select a core squad and try and gel them into a cohesive, effective unit.

Perhaps the most talented player in my squad is the 15 year old Mohamed Mathily. Born in Montbeliard, the versatile attacking midfielder plays his club football for his hometown side of Sochaux. Between the sticks is another young man from Sochaux, Franck Lambert. Born in Yerres, a suburb of Paris, Lambert is - like Mathily - only 15, but has real potential as a goalkeeper. His only weakness being his poor mental stats, but that is only to be expected in one so young.

Up front, our hopes lie on the young but able shoulders of Yannis Tafer, a French Algerian from the City of Grenoble. Despite only being 18 years of age, Tafer already resides in the Lyon first team, and was awarded the Golden Shoe at the 2008 UEFA Under 17 Football Championship. It will be him we look to for goals at the Under 19 European Championship.

With a trip to the Faroe Islands in August, followed by home and away ties against Romania and Serbia respectively in September, it is hoped that these young but talented players can begin to develop into world stars under my tutelage.

As well as managing the under 19's of France, I will of course be looking out for club jobs which may suit me, somewhere I can bring my young charges to gain vital first-team experience at club level.

[Fabregas18]

Good luck !

[wesleysonck]

Firstly, please forgive my lack of screenshots. I am currently at sea and the wireless on this ship doesn't let me do certain things, which includes uploading images! However, I can post links to pictures, so hopefully my thread won't be too visually tedious.

10/08/09 - Gundadalur, Torshavn. Friendly.

Faroe Islands U19s 0-2 France U19s Attendance 163

Goals: Tafer, Sanogo

France U19 Team

01 Franck LAMBERT (Sochaux)

02 Loic NEGO (Nantes)

03 Gaetan BUSSMANN (Metz)

04 Vincent SASSO (Nantes)

05 Guillaume BARRE (Toulouse)

06 Mohamed BATHILY (Sochaux) (sub 74)

07 Antoine GRIEZMANN (Real Sociedad) (sub 64)

08 Gueida FOFANA (Havre AC)

09 Clement GRENIER (Lyon)

10 Yaya SANOGO (Auxerre) (sub 85)

11 Yannis TAFER (Lyon)

16 Loic DAMOUR (Strasbourg) (on 74)

17 Brahim ZENAFI (Marseille) (on 64)

18 Remy CARPENTIER (Valenciennes) (on 85)

A good solid start for my team, although against such footballing non-entities as the Faroe Islands I would like to have seen more. I blame my tactics, as I tend towards a solid, defensive tactic. Perhaps I should show more ambition and flair, but my primary job is to win matches, so I may change nothing.

There was good news for one of my young charges shortly after this match, as Real Madrid signed talented striker Yaya Sanogo for £3,100,000. This is wonderful news, as I am sure the magnificent facilities of the Spanish giants will only serve to hasten his development as a player.

In other transfer news it was Chelsea who made the biggest waves in Europe, perhaps with one eye on their possible transfer ban. In came Brazilian left sided player Filipe for £10.75 million from Deportivo La Coruna, shortly followed by three £8.75 million signings, with Tamas Hajnal, Liedson and Tommaso Rochi joining from Dortmund, Sporting Lisbon and Lazio respectively.

[wesleysonck]

03/09/09 - Stade des Costieres, Nimes.Friendly.

France U19s 1-0 Romania U19s Attendance 616

Goal: Sanogo

France U19 Team

01 Franck LAMBERT (Sochaux)

02 Loic NEGO (Nantes) (sub 82)

03 Gaetan BUSSMANN (Metz)

04 Vincent SASSO (Nantes)

05 Guillaume BARRE (Toulouse)

06 Alexandre LACAZETTE (Lyon)

07 Antoine GRIEZMANN (Real Sociedad) (sub 76)

08 Gueida FOFANA (Havre AC)

09 Clement GRENIER (Lyon)

10 Yaya SANOGO (Real Madrid) (sub 76)

11 Yannis TAFER (Lyon)

14 Maxime RIVIERE (Nice) (on 82)

17 Brahim ZENAFI (Marseille) (on 76)

18 Remy CARPENTIER (Valenciennes) (on 76)

Another good solid win for my team, but again a lack of flair and incision. With Bathily out with concussion there was only one change to my team, with Lacazette coming in and performing admirably. I will attempt a more adventurous style of play as we fly to Belgrade to face Serbia.

[wesleysonck]

07/09/09 - Stadion Crvena Zvezda - Marakana, Belgrade. Friendly.

Serbia U19s 2-4 France U19s Attendance 1801

Goals: Trkulja, Berberovic / Tafer x3, Sanogo

France U19 Team

01 Franck LAMBERT (Sochaux)

02 Loic NEGO (Nantes)

03 Gaetan BUSSMANN (Metz)

04 Vincent SASSO (Nantes)

05 Guillaume BARRE (Toulouse)

06 Alexandre LACAZETTE (Lyon) (sub 79)

07 Antoine GRIEZMANN (Real Sociedad) (sub 79)

08 Gueida FOFANA (Havre AC)

09 Clement GRENIER (Lyon) (sub 90)

10 Yaya SANOGO (Real Madrid)

11 Yannis TAFER (Lyon)

16 Loic DAMOUR (Strasbourg) (on 79)

17 Florian PASQUIER (Nantes) (on 79)

18 Anthony DEROUARD (le Mans) (on 90)

Well a change in tactical approach certainly saw us more productive in front of goal, but shipping two goals left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I am the kind of manager who would rather win 2-0 than 4-2, so I expect to return to my more dour, pedestrian system for next years program of friendly fixtures.

Very few of my players have made an appearance for their respective first teams. Holding midfielder Gueida Fofana has made two appearances for second division Havre, whilst Loic Damour has appeared three times in the same division for Strasbourg, each from the bench.

Around Europe and Chelsea have made a strong start to their campaign with four straight league victories, whilst in Germany Bayern Munich have replicated that feat and sit top of the Bundesliga.

[Fabregas18]

I like your updates , and good luck again with the tournament that's coming up soon!

It's not so important with pics when you update for each match, but I think its cool with the stadium pics .

[wesleysonck]

Thanks for the kind words Cesc, I like little pictures that set the scene for each post. I got the idea from Crouchy's picture of Verona. Makes a difference I think.... Anyway, on with the update.

Shortly after the match against Serbia I was linked in the press with the Preston job, vacant after Alan Irvine’s dismal start to the season. It isn’t the job for me though, and it was never officially offered. The man they went for in the end was Joe Royle, back in charge of a club after leaving Oldham in the summer. I arranged one final friendly to round off 2009, and the future of French football will be heading to Rabat to face the cream of Moroccan youth.

Into the match squad comes a young centre back called Chris Mavinga. Raised at Paris Saint-Germain, bought by Liverpool, and currently on loan at League two strugglers Morcambe. Returning to the squad is Mohamed Bathily, but lack of fitness may keep him from reclaiming his place in the first team.

Elsewhere, there are more enforced changes as both strikers, Tafer and Bamogo, have been called up to the under 21 side. This will be a good chance for some of the other lads to impress.

16/11/09 Stade du Prince Moulay Abdallah, Rabat. Friendly.

Morocco U19s 0-2 France U19s Attendance 6737

Scorer: Bathily x2

France U19 team

01 Franck LAMBERT (Sochaux)

02 Loic NEGO (Nantes) (sub 78)

03 Gaetan BUSSMANN (Metz)

04 Vincent SASSO (Nantes)

05 Darnel SITU (Lens)

06 Florian PASQUIER (Nantes)

07 Antoine GRIEZMANN (Real Sociedad) (sub 45)

08 Eliaquim MANGALA (Standard)

09 Clement GRENIER (Lyon)

10 Nicholas DE PREVILLE (Istres)

11 Anthony DEROUARD (Le Mans) (sub 45)

12 Benjamin JEANNOT (Nancy) (on 45)

18 Levy DJIDJI (Nantes) (on 78)

22 Mohamed BATHILY (Sochaux) (on 45)

Without the two undoubted stars of my side to grab my goals, this game was descending into a stodgy, mind-numbing affair, a shame for the large crowd. It was only the introduction of Bathily at half time which changed things around. He replaced Griezmann, who despite having talent is struggling to get matches of any type, and so lacks match fitness. Bathily came on and I played him as an inside-forward, hoping he would offer support to my inadequate strike force, and he certainly made the difference by grabbing a brace to see us victorious. Also impressive was midfield hard-man Mangala. Despite not quite having the talent of Fofana I included him for this tie as he has made several appearances for Standard, including a cameo in a Champions League tie against Barcelona. With so few of my players appearing in their respective first team I felt it was imprudent of me to ignore one of the guys actually playing for his club, and at a reasonable level to boot.

[wesleysonck]

Another job possibility floating about, this time Nottingham Forest apparently want me, having given Billy Davies the boot. This time the press approached me, but I issued a firm denial and carried on with my business. At the moment I’m hoping for a club in France with decent youth facilities. Currently only the Bastia manager looks vulnerable, so I will continue to monitor the situation.

The fist qualifying rounds of the European Championships have been completed, and as Russia, Demark, Israel, Belgium, Israel, Austria and Romania made it through with 100% records these are the teams I will look to line up friendlies against in the early part of the year in order to gauge the true potential of my team.

January came and went without any of my young charges moving during the window, and I was fully focused on my two pre-tournament friendlies, against Russia and Romania. There was good news for some of my players however. Yaya Sanogo made his debut for Real Madrid at the tender age of seventeen, scoring twice in their Spanish Cup Quarter Final Second Leg 4-3 defeat at the hands of Xerez. Yannis Tafer made his debut first-team appearance for Lyon in their 3-2 defeat by Rennes in the League, whilst 16 year old full back Maxime Riviere has made inroads into the Nice first XI with three appearances since the beginning of December, although two of them came from the bench.

Chris Mavinga has been a regular in the Morcambe first team since his loan move from Liverpool, racking up 23 appearances with an average rating of 6.91, not bad for a player in a team languishing near the bottom of Englands lowest professional tier. Eliaquim Mangala continues to make intermittent appearances for Standard in the Belgian Top Flight, even grabbing a goal in a 3-1 win over Germinal Beerschot. Centre back Vincent Sasso has played a couple times for Nantes, whilst holding midfielder Loic Damour continues to feature occasionally from the bench for Strasbourg.

Gueda Fofana has made 11 starts for Havre AC in the French second division, notching five assists and a man of the match award and Antoine Griezmann has featured nine times for Real Sociedad, grabbing goals against Levante and Rayo Vallecano.

Elsewhere Liverpool sit pretty on top of the Premier League, one point clear of Tottenham, with Carlos Tevez the top marksman with 16 goals. Real Madrid are first in Spain, with arch-rivals Barcelona languishing in fourth, six points behind. Juventus have notched up a massive eleven point lead over nearest rivals Genoa in Italy, while Bordeaux continue to sweep all before them in France.

Still in France, it was Lyon who grabbed all the headlines during the January transfer window, capturing the signings of Loic Remy and Luisao from Nice and Benfica respectively. Both players cost a whopping £11.25 million. They also signed Danny Welbeck from Manchester United for £5.75 million.

On the job front and poor Avram Grant has been given the boot by Portsmouth, who now apparently want me to replace him. I must confess to having thought about this, as it would be a good proving ground for young French talent. Ultimately though, it would just mean I had to wait even longer for the Under 21 Euro Championships, and I am itching to get to the tournament. Having said that, if a more interesting opportunity came along I would reconsider. Michel Padovani is still living under the guillotine at Bastia, and they have a couple of under 19 prospects which have caught my eye for my next squad. If that vacancy became available I would be extremely tempted. Corsica is so beautiful....

[wesleysonck]

After agonising over the Portsmouth job February threw up another dilemma for me. South Africa fired their legendary manager Carlos Alberto Perreira, and the opportunity of leading the host nation to the World Cup Finals presented itself to me. I thought long and hard, but the thought of tears in the eyes of all my little teenage wards as I told them I was leaving was too much, and I opted to see my current job through. On the English south coast it was Bulgarian legend and former Chernomorets and Grasshoppers manager Krasimir Balakov that took over at Portsmouth. Since taking over at Fratton Park he’s lead Pompey to fifteen points from a possible fifteen, propelling them out of the relegation zone in style. I’m not bothered, I could have done that too…

Poor Chris Mavinga. A torn calf muscle has not only ruled him out of the rest of Morcambe’s season, but also the U19 European Championships, for which he was a dead cert for a role as a benchwarmer. He’s only young, and there will be plenty of opportunities in the future, but try telling him that now, with his dreams in tatters.

Anyway, the first of my two pre-tournament friendlies…

23/03/09 Lokomotiv, Moscow. Friendly.

Russia U19s 2-3 France U19s Attendance 3232

Russia U19 Scorers Aliev (26), Dmitri Della Savia (68)

France U19 Scorers Bathily (57), Lacazette (78), Griezmann (88)

France U19 lineup

01 Franck LAMBERT (Sochaux)

02 Alexandre PERROT (Bastia)

03 Maxime RIVIERE (Nice)

04 Darnel SITU (Lens)

05 Guillaume BARRE (Toulouse)

06 Mohamed BATHILY (Sochaux)

07 Mehdi BOURABIA (sub 45) (Grenoble)

08 Francis COQUELIN (Arsenal)

09 Gueida FOFANA (sub 69) (Havre AC)

10 Yannis TAFER (Lyon)

11 Yaya SANOGO (sub 69) (Real Madrid)

18 Manuel PEREZ (on 69) (Grenoble)

19 Antoine GRIEZMANN (on 69) (Real Sociedad)

20 Alexandre LACAZETTE (on 45) (Lyon)

Really thought we were going to lose this, but a couple of superb substitutions turned the game around late on. Several new faces in the team, which reflects who has developed over the season, as until today I’d been using the same squad with only tweaks for injuries. This was a whole new squad selected with fresh eyes. The most important thing I learned was that players need match fitness. I’m furious with Lyon as they have my golden boy Yannis Tafer sat in the first team, but not playing. This means he is severely lacking in match fitness, which I’m sure is why he under-performed in Moscow. Ah well, next stop Bucharest.

[wesleysonck]

Late April and disaster strikes. Mohamed Bathily has dislocated his shoulder and will miss the European Championships. I’m looking at his facegen picture now, with his cute little pug nose, lustrous brown skin and jheri curl, and I feel like crying. He’s going to be missed. Now I know how England managers feel when someone mentions the metatarsal. On the job front there is still only Michel Padovani down at Bastia who looks like getting fired. I cannot believe in an entire league season on one manager in the whole of France has come close to losing his job. French chairmen are to be applauded!

03/06/10 Steaua, Bucharest. Friendly.

Romania U19s 0-4 France U19s Attendance 3025

France U19 Scorers: Tafer (27,38) Sanogo (68,77)

France U19 lineup

01 Franck LAMBERT (Sochaux)

02 Alexandre PERROT (Bastia)

03 Maxime RIVIERE (sub 80) (Nice)

04 Darnel SITU (Lens)

05 Guillaume BARRE (Toulouse)

06 Alexandre LACAZETTE (Lyon)

07 Mehdi BOURABIA (sub 71) (Grenoble)

08 Eliaquim MANGALA (Standard)

09 Gueida FOFANA (sub 53) (Havre AC)

10 Yannis TAFER (Lyon)

11 Yaya SANOGO (Real Madrid)

15 Chaker ALHADHUR (on 80) (Nantes)

19 Antoine GRIEZMANN (on 71) (Real Sociedad)

20 Gauthier MAHOTO (on 53) (Portsmouth)

A good strong win in which everyone did well. Now we are ready to take on Europe. My squad has taken shape in my mind; some lads have been given a chance and found wanting, others have seized theirs with aplomb. I feel like we can take this tournament, on home turf and with a strong group of players I’m sure it can be done.

EUROPEAN UNDER 19 CHAMPIONSHIP 2010

GROUP A

Belgium

England

France

Italy

GROUP B

Denmark

Germany

Holland

Turkey

My first two games, against Belgium and England, are at the Velodrome in Marseilles, before we head up north to Lens to face Italy at the Felix Bollaert.

[wesleysonck]

A month before the Under 19 Championships begin and I have made a bit of a fool of myself. Rennes gaffer Frederic Antonetti was rumoured to be on the verge of losing his job, so I rashly stepped in and declared my interest in the role. I feel ashamed of attempting to take another managers job before he has even lost it, but I am itching to dip right into club management. The Rennes board, however, laughed me away. Ligue 2 Metz were also thinking of changing leadership. Surely my stewardship of the National youth side would make me a strong candidate? Not a bit of it, my interest was summarily rejected my Metz as well. I think I will have to cast my eye elsewhere, as French league clubs don’t seem interested in appointing a rookie Englishman.

KRC Genk in Belgium weren’t interested either, preferring to give their vacant position to the massively experienced Aime Anthuensis. If they’d rather go for a dinosaur over a dynamic young manager that’s their lookout, but I will have no sympathy if they struggle.

Anyway, here’s what happened around Europe last season.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE : BARCELONA

EUROPA LEAGUE : ARSENAL

ENGLAND

League ARSENAL

Cup PORTSMOUTH

Top Scorer Carlos TEVEZ (Manchester City)

SPAIN

League BARCELONA

Cup VALENCIA

Top Scorer Diego FORLAN (Atletico Madrid)

ITALY

League JUVENTUS

Cup JUVENTUS

Top Scorer AMAURI (Juventus)

GERMANY

League KOLN

Cup DORTMUND

Top Scorer Edin DZEKO (Wolfsburg)

FRANCE

League BORDEAUX

Cup LILLE

Top Scorer Marouane CHAMAKH (Bordeaux)

HOLLAND

League AJAX

Cup PSV

Top Scorer Luis SUAREZ (Ajax)

BELGIUM

League ANDERLECHT

Cup GENT

Top Scorer Ibrahim SIDIBE (Sint-Truiden)

[wesleysonck]

Before getting the real issue of the European Under 19 Championships out of the way, we’ll just deal with the side order which is the FIFA World Cup. From the quarter finals onwards…

QUARTER FINALS

SOUTH AFRICA 0

BRAZIL 1 (Pato 119)

FRANCE 2 (Govou 45, 119)

SPAIN 1 (Torres 76)

GERMANY 1 (Vilar OG 62)

ARGENTINA 2 (Rodriguez 45 Ansaldi 115)

HOLLAND 0

ENGLAND 3 (Rooney 53,70 Carrick 86)

SEMI FINALS

BRAZIL 3 (Anderson 15 Kaka 30 Robinho 47)

ENGLAND 2 (Lampard 60 A Young 73)

FRANCE 1 (Benzema 67)

ARGENTINA (Messi 70 Garay 78)

FINAL

BRAZIL 0

ARGENTINA 1 (Milito 81)

Congratulations Argentina. Anyway, now that nonsense is out of the way, let’s get down to business! There was some wonderful news for me as I selected my squad, as Mohamed Bathily has recovered at an incredible rate, and will be able to take his place in my squad. Credit must go to the Sochaux medical staff for having him return so quickly. It was not all good news on the injury front however, as a series of injuries after the tournament squad was selected means I will go into this tournament with a rather threadbare playing staff, as there are no replacements allowed once the squad has been selected. On the job front there may be an opening for me in Spain, but more on that later. I will not allow anything to distract me from the job in hand, which is to win this tournament in style. First up, the Belgians…

[wesleysonck]

13/07/10 Stade Velodrome, Marseille. European Championship Group A.

Belgium U19s 1-2 France U19s Attendance 4128

Belgium U19 Scorer Estienne (87)

France U19 Scorers Sanogo (89) Kakuta (pen 90+6)

France U19 lineup

01 Franck LAMBERT (Sochaux)

02 Loic NEGO (Nantes)

05 Thomas FONTAINE (sub 90) (Lyon)

22 Youssef RIYAHI (Arsenal)

19 Darnel SITU (Lens)

15 Kevin OSEI (sub 82) (Marseille)

06 Antoine GRIEZMANN (Real Sociedad)

07 Francis COQUELIN (Ajax)

13 Loic DAMOUR (sent off 58) (Strasbourg)

09 Yannis TAFER (sub 68) (Lyon)

10 Yaya SANOGO (Real Madrid)

04 Timothee KOLODZIECZAK (on 90) (Nancy)

16 Mohamed BATHILY (on 82) (Sochaux)

18 Gael KAKUTA (on 59) (Chelsea)

Words cannot express how relieved I was upon hearing the final whistle. Even before the dismissal of Loic Damour for a second bookable offence we were looking second best. Despite the fine performances in my previous fixtures my team came in at half time extremely nervous, and I did my best to settle them down. Yannis Tafer was having a dismal match, much to my chagrin, and I replaced him with Gael Kakuta. If Chelsea got into so much trouble signing him, there must be a reason for it, and so it proved. Lestienne burst though my offside trap late on to give the Belgians the lead and I was sure we were dead and buried. However, a sublime Kakuta cross was met my the head of Sanogo to claw us level, and six whole minutes into injury time Laurens De Bock tripped Bathily in the box and Kakutu stood firm and converted the penalty. So the tournament begins with a win, but we’ll need to start playing much better than we just did. In the other Group A game Italy beat England 2-1, whilst in Group B Holland beat Denmark 1-0 and the Germans dispatched Turkey 2-0.

[wesleysonck]

This tournament is a joke. Only one rest day for my players before we face the English. Wholesale changed required due to shocking condition levels after our exertions against Belgium. I only hope fatigue doesn’t cost us…

15/07/10 Stade Velodrome, Marseille. European Championship Group A.

France U19s 3-2 England U19s Attendance 7755

France U19 Scorers Tafer (37) Sanogo (43) Bathily (58)

England U19 Scorers James (67,89)

France U19 lineup

01 Franck LAMBERT (Sochaux)

17 Thomas MONCONDUIT (Auxerre)

04 Timothee KOLODZIECZAK (Nancy)

22 David ALCIBIADE (Lille)

19 Darnel SITU (Lens)

16 Mohamed BATHILY (Sochaux)

06 Antoine GRIEZMANN (Real Sociedad)

07 Francis COQUELIN (sub 63) (Ajax)

14 Adama DIAKITE (sub 83) (Valenciennes)

09 Yannis TAFER (Lyon)

10 Yaya SANOGO (sub 50) (Real Madrid)

15 Kevin OSEI (on 63) (Marseille)

08 Maxime BOURGEOIS (on 83) (Auxerre)

18 Gael KAKUTA (on 50) (Chelsea)

We started strongly in this match, and the deadlock was broken when a sublime Diakite through ball put Yannis Tafer clean through on goal and the striker stroked the ball past the hapless O’Brien in the England goal. One-on-one; back of the net. He’s certainly not a super-keeper! Our advantage was doubled on 42 minutes when Nathan Delfouneso lost the ball in our half, and Coquelin, Tafer and Sanogo combined to work the ball up the pitch, and the Real Madrid man finished with aplomb. The second half started with a disaster. Sanogo injured. Please God let it be a knock. A Mohamed Bathily strike increased our lead to three, and I breathed a sigh of relief. This should take the pressure off against Italy, and allow me to rest key men. Manchester United’s Nathan James scored a rocket from all of 35 yards on 65 minutes to give the English a sliver of a chance, and his 89th minute tap-in caused me some consternation, but we held on for the win. The day ended with yet more good news as the medical team announced that Sanogo had suffered nothing more than a knock, and would be fit to face the Italians.

After two defeats England are now out, and with Belgium and Italy drawing 1-1 in the other Group A game we had secured a place in the semi-finals, and now I had the luxury of resting players in our final group match. The question was - should I? Success breeds success, and a poor result against the Italians may dent morale for the semi. On the other hand could I risk picking up needless injuries in a pointless game? Well, these are the decisions I’m paid to make (or not as the case may be, this is international management after all!) In Group B Turkey beat Denmark 2-1, meaning the Danes are now out, and Germany beat Holland 3-2. It’s beginning to look like we’ll be facing the Dutch in the semi’s.

[wesleysonck]

18/07/10 Stade Felix Bollaert, Lens. European U19 Championship Group A

Italy U19s 1-3 France U19s Attendance 2832

Italy U19 Scorer Ragatzu (64)

France U19 Scorers Riyahi (45+3) Kakuta (pen 67) Sanogo (90)

France U19 lineup

01 Franck LAMBERT (Sochaux)

17 Thomas MONCONDUIT (Auxerre)

04 Timothee KOLODZIECZAK (Nancy)

22 Youssef RIYAHI (Arsenal)

19 Darnel SITU (Lens)

15 Kevin OSEI (Marseille)

06 Antoine GRIEZMANN (sub 79) (Real Sociedad)

13 Loic DAMOUR (Strasbourg)

07 Francis COQUELIN (sub 45) (Ajax)

09 Yannis TAFER (sub 79) (Lyon)

10 Yaya SANOGO (Real Madrid)

22 David ALCIBIADE (on 79) (Lille)

18 Gael KAKUTA (on 45) (Chelsea)

08 Maxime BOURGEOIS (on 79) (Auxerre)

I opted not to shuffle my pack excessively, I don’t like losing and I didn’t want this talented group of young players to experience defeat two days before a semi final. My decision seemed to pay off as Youssef Riyahi scored a wonderful free-kick two minutes into first half stoppage time to give us the lead. Cagliari’s young striker Daniele Ragatzu’s vicious strike from the edge of the area twenty minutes into the second half drew the Italians level, only for Gael Kakuta to smash in a wonderful strike mere minutes later to restore our lead. Sanogo put the tie beyond contention with a sublime chip over the Italian goalkeeper to give us a 3-1 victory. An excellent win, and surely this puts us in with an excellent chance of winning the trophy. With England and Belgium grinding out a 1-1 draw in the other Group A match it is the Italians who progress to the semi finals alongside us. Germany’s 3-3 draw with Turkey was enough for them to top Group B, so despite Holland’s 2-0 win over the Turks they only finish second and it is the Dutchmen we will face in the semi’s. The only question is whether in playing a strong side in this last meaningless group match fatigue will be an issue. It is my own fault, I picked an imbalanced squad with too many full-backs, and I pray that my mistake will not cost my side dear.

[wesleysonck]

A roasting hot summers day in the port of Marseilles. At stake, a place in the European Championship final. 180 minutes from glory. The game begins…

21/07/10 Stade Velodrome, Marseille. European U19 Championship semi-final.

France U19s 1-0 Holland U19s Attendance 7749

France U19 Scorer Sanogo (29)

France U19 lineup

01 Franck LAMBERT (Sochaux)

02 Loic NEGO (Nantes)

04 Timothee KOLODZIECZAK (sub 45) (Nancy)

19 Darnel SITU (Lens)

05 Thomas FONTAINE (Lyon)

15 Kevin OSEI (Marseille)

06 Antoine GRIEZMANN (sub 76) (Real Sociedad)

07 Francis COQUELIN (Ajax)

14 Adama DIAKITE (sub 70) (Valenciennes)

09 Yannis TAFER (Lyon)

10 Yaya SANOGO (Real Madrid)

03 Maxime RIVIERE (on 45) (Nice)

16 Mohamed BATHILY (on 76) (Sochaux)

18 Gael KAKUTA (on 70) (Reading)

The Dutch had the better of the opening exchanges. My lads were fighting, harrying the Hollanders, giving them no time on the ball. The foul count rose, the referee seemingly unimpressed with our aggressive style. We were giving away free kicks in dangerous positions. Should I change things? No, it had served us well so far. Then a breakthrough, A ball over the top of the Dutch defence, Sanogo runs onto it from an offside position, and slides the ball beyond Ricardo Kieboom in the Oranje goal. All eyes to the linesman…the flag stays down! The Dutch protest furiously; my lads celebrate jubilantly; I sit quietly. I know there is a lot of football to be played.

The second half continues, and like the first is tight, niggly and aggressive. These players may be teenagers, but the are brave. Yannis Tafer bursts through with the ball at his feet, the Dutch goalkeeper dives to his left and palms the ball away. French pressure increases, and the Bleus win a series of corners, but fail to take advantage. Twenty minutes to go and both sets of players begin to look tired. The match descends into a midfield battle, with most forward balls hopeful punts. Bayern Munich youth prospect Guus Hupperts finds himself with the ball at his feet in the French penalty area, but Osei slides in and dispossesses him just in the nick of time. One goal will change this game, and the Dutch goalkeeper pulls of a pair of stunning saves to keep his side in the match. The attacking players on both teams try their hardest to carve out an opening for their teams, but both Blue and Orange defenders are equal to the task.

The seconds tick away and both managers look at their watches, but for very different reasons. Three minutes injury time and the whistles begin from the French support. Then the whistle! Frenchmen dance, their fatigue forgotten, whilst the Dutch sink to their knees in despair. In Paris, the Italians defeat Germany 1-0. We have to be confident after beating them 3-1 in the group stages, but in football - as in life - anything can happen.

[wesleysonck]

24/07/10 Stade Velodrome, Marseille. European Under 19 Championships Final

France U19s 3-2 Italy U19s Attendance 7779

France U19 Scorers Sanogo (9) (Tafer 11, pen 22)

Italy U19 Scorers Ragatzu (77) Corsino (80)

France U19 lineup

01 Franck LAMBERT (Sochaux)

02 Loic NEGO (Nantes)

05 Thomas FONTAINE (Lyon)

19 Darnel SITU (Lens)

22 Youssef RIYAHI (Arsenal)

16 Mohamed BATHILY (sub 62) (Sochaux)

06 Antoine GRIEZMANN (Real Sociedad)

07 Francis COQUELIN (Ajax)

18 Gael KAKUTA (sub 74) (Reading)

09 Yannis TAFER (Lyon)

10 Yaya SANOGO (sub 90) (Real Madrid)

22 David ALCIBIADE (on 90) (Lille)

13 Loic DAMOUR (on 74) (Strasbourg)

15 Kevin OSEI (on 62)(Marseille)

We’d beaten the Italians comfortably already in this tournament, and my players set about their task with confidence. The opening exchanges saw us playing the ball well among the players, forcing the Azzuri youth to chase us, which of course left gaps in their defence. There was only nine minutes on the clock when Sanogo turned and ran between the bewildered centre backs, picked his spot and slotted the ball into the back of the net. A vital early goal, and a big advantage for us. Two minutes later and Sanogo again created an opening, firing a shot in from long range. The Italian keeper did well to parry the ball, but Yannis Tafer was on hand to tap home the rebound. Ten minutes gone - two nil up. Surely the game was as good as won? When Alessandro De Vitis upended Sanogo in the box, and Tafer converted the resulting penalty it certainly was. A freak Ragatzu strike on 77 minutes pulled on back for the Italians, and Gianmarco Corsino’s strike made the score 3-2 and made the last ten minutes nervy, but ultimately it was not enough. We were champions.

It was a rather anti-climatic finish to the tournament, especially after the knife-edge excitement of the semi against Holland. Admittedly the two late strikes made things look closer than they were, but this had been a mauling. Still, it was with the confidence which accompanies victory that we shall look forward to our assault on the Under 20 World Cup.

[wesleysonck]

And so alongside the joy of winning the European Championship is the slight tinge of regret as we say goodbye to the players now to old for the team. Heroes such as Yannis Tafer, Anotoine Griezmann and Loic Damour must now say goodbye, and aim for a place in the Under 21s, although we will welcome them back for our Under 20 World Cup campaign of course.

In goal the Under 19 stalwart Franck Lambert has his place under threat from a 15 year old product of Clairefontaine called Bruno Moreau. Bruno currently plays for Anderlecht and will almost certainly see some playing time during the remaining four matches of 2010. Real Madrid have unearthed another young French talent, with Abdelhalim Mihoubi joining them from Rennes. Comfortable anywhere down the right, the 15 year old will probably slot straight into my first XI.

Out on the right a product of the Nancy youth system called Julien Pucheu will challenge Mohamed Bathily for a starting place out on the right of midfield. Bathily worried me last year with his inability to remain match fit, so hopefully this time round he will improve, or he will never amount to more than an impact sub for me. The left side is looking a bit threadbare, with speedy young Roma player Sekou Konate perhaps the best bet. Up front the biggest news is that we have Yaya Sanogo for another tournament. He is awesome, and I can see him going on to be one of the better players in the world. With the loss of Tafer, the responsibility of partnering Sanogo looks likely to fall on the shoulders of either Bordeaux’s Jean-Jacques Zimmermann or Lyon’s Ishak Belfodil. The latter is a tall, strong player, so he may well get the nod over the younger and more fragile Zimmermann.

So with this new-look line up, it was off to the Cote d’Azur for a friendly against Japan.

02/09/10 Stade du Ray, Nice. Friendly

France U19s 0-2 Japan U19s Attendance 1958

Japan U19 Scorers Aoki (37) Takano (84)

France U19 lineup

01 Bruno MOREAU (Anderlecht)

02 Abdelhalim MIHOUBI (Real Madrid)

03 Maxime RIVIERE (Nice)

04 Darnel SITU (Lens)

05 Guillaume BARRE (Atletico Madrid)

06 Julien PUCHEU (sub 59) (Nancy)

07 Romauld SANNA (Montpellier)

08 Gauthier MAHOTO (sub 80) (Portsmouth)

09 Vincent DIAZ (Manchester City)

10 Ishak BELFODIL (sub 64) (Lyon)

11 Yaya SANOGO (Real Madrid)

14 Sekou DIAWARA (on 59) (Lyon)

17 Mohamed FELLAHI (on 80) (Auxerre)

22 Hugues LAGARDERE (on 64) (Dijon)

A dismal match, an abject performance and it could have been so much worse. Even my established players failed to perform. On paper the new generation aren’t any worse than the players who have grown to old to play for me, and yet they played without any desire. Admittedly, Japan played a 3-5-2 formation, and I complacently made no allowance for this, reluctant as I was to change a winning formation, but still, I want a club to manage now, and it’s only the Under 20 World Cup which keeps me motivated in trying to get the best from these players.

[wesleysonck]

And so to the Faroe Islands. Surely there could be no easier opponents to regain some missing confidence…?

06/09/10 KI Stadium, Klaksvik. Friendly

Faroe Islands U19s 0-1 France U19s Attendance 94

France U19 Scorer Diaz (78)

France U19 lineup

01 Franck LAMBERT (Sochaux)

02 Sekou DIAWARA (Lyon)

03 Atila TURAN (Grenoble)

04 Darnel SITU (Lens)

05 Guillaume BARRE (Atletico Madrid)

06 Abdulhalim MIHOUBI (Real Madrid)

07 Mohamed BATHILY (sub 76)(Sochaux)

08 Gauthier MAHOTO (sub 66) (Portsmouth)

09 Vincent DIAZ (Manchester City)

10 Hugues LAGARDERE (sub 66) (Dijon)

11 Yaya SANOGO (Real Madrid)

17 Mohamed FELLAHI (on 66) (Auxerre)

18 Ishak BELFODIL (on 66) (Lyon)

19 Jean-Jacques ZIMMERMANN (on 76) (Bordeaux)

Well it was a win, but a markedly unconvincing one. Vincent Diaz’s strike with 13 minutes to go was the only moment of note in an otherwise tedious game. I now have a month before my next friendly to try and construct a new tactic which will suit this group of players better. It is obvious my steady, solid approach isn’t working any more, and it’s up to me to change things. Oh, and the Faroes had a player called Mork. That made it slightly more bearable….

This summers big money move saw Montenegrin attacker Mirko Vucinic move from Roma to Barcelona for a massive £40.5 million, whilst in England moneybags Manchester City signed Maxi Rodriguez from Atletico Madrid for £22.5 million. Premier League new-boys Bristol City splashed the cash on Auxerre’s versatile Maxime Jassie and Bordeaux’s talented Yoann Gourcuff joined Fiorentina for £14.25 million.

November saw the draw for the second qualifying round of the 2011 European Under 19 Championships. We will face Denmark, Iceland and Serbia next May. Given our performances in the last two games we are by no means guaranteed a berth at the finals. This could be tough…

[fatski]

Good read this mate! KUTGW!

[wesleysonck]

Thanks fatski, the Under 19s were really beginning to annoy me, but finally I have my club job! Not the one I was looking for - a French club with a decent youth set-up, but I was beginning to find purely international management tedious, and now I am ready to plunge into the more intense world of club football.

I find myself in Flanders, in the port city of Gent. The city is the capital and biggest city in the East Flanders province. In the Middle Ages it was one of the biggest and richest cities in Northern Europe, and now is perhaps most famous as being the home of K.A.A. Gent, known affectionately as De Buffalo’s. The club was founded as a hockey and athletics club in 1864, and joined the Belgian F.A. in November 1900. The nickname comes from a visit by William ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody in the early 1900s.

The club have never won the Belgian title, although they were runners up In 1955. They have tasted success however, lifting the Belgian Cup in 1964, 1984 and 2010. Currently languishing in 14th position in the 16-team Pro League, they have won only one of their first ten games, but do have the Europa League to contend with, although they are in a tough group along with Lyon, Manchester City and Lokomotiv Moscow. The Russians have lost all three games, whilst Gent have four points, the English side five and the French team seven. Qualification for the next phase looks tough, but is not mathematically impossible.

Star of the side is 31 year old French attacking midfielder David De Freitas. Born in Senlis of Portuguese stock, David began his career in 1997 with Beauvais, for whom he played 150 times in five years - all in Ligue 2. Then came a move to Grenoble, where two more seasons in Ligue 2 saw him play 74 times. He then spent two years at Amien, making 73 appearances. In 2007 he moved to Nantes, and won promotion to Ligue 1 with them in his first season. That first taste of top-flight football saw him play 28 times, scoring twice. Unfortunately Nantes were swiftly relegated and after one final season in Ligue 2 he moved to Gent, for whom he has appeared eight times this season.

The main goal threat for Gent should come from the right boot of Slovenian striker Zlatan Ljubijankic. The 26 year old played for both Slovan and Domzale in his native country, before moving to Gent in 2008. Since his arrival Zlatan has played 69 times, scoring 25 goals. He has also been capped 24 times for his nation, scoring three times.

My tenure at Gent could not be set for a tougher start, as I first face Anderlecht the day after my arrival, before preparing for the midweek visit of Lyon in the Europa League. Morale around the side is low, as you would expect from a team predicted to finish third, but languishing near the relegation zone. With a wage of £190,000 per year, I am certainly being well remunerated, and hope to repay chairman Ivan De Witte’s faith in me.

[Fabregas18]

Good luck with Gent, and congratulations on winning the tournament .

[wesleysonck]

Thanks fabregas18, it’s looking like a real challenge at Gent, as it always is taking over a struggling club midway through the season. The player disharmony and lack of morale are the biggest obstacles I’ll need to overcome.

OCTOBER 2010

AA GENT 1-0 ANDERLECHT Pro Division Att. 12790

Gent Scorer: Thijs (90)

A rainy day in Flanders saw us take on the defending Champions. I was moderately confident I could turn Gents season round, as my speciality is in building compact, solid, hard-to-beat teams. So it proved as Anderlecht battered us all over the pitch but failed to make their chances count. We snatched all three points in the last minute when substitute Bernd Thijs rifled in from just outside the penalty area. In an interesting aside, Bernd Thijs played in the first game I ever saw live in Belgium, for KRC Genk. Their opponents that day way back in 2003? AA Gent!

NOVEMBER 2010

The month began with the news that Thijs’ strike against Anderlecht had won the Belgian Goal of the Week award, as well as the Goal of the Month award. Morale is still low amongst my players though, and hardly a day goes by without one or another of them complaining about lack of harmony, or underachievement. Give it a month and they’ll be smiling, I’m sure of that.

AA GENT 0-0 LYON Europa League Att. 12790

No place for my old French Under 19 protégé Yannis Tafer in the Lyon squad, which is a shame as I would have liked to meet up and complain about the lack of desire shown by the new generation in the last two friendlies. The match was panning out in the same manner as the Anderlecht game, except we were restricting Lyon to only a handful of chances. However, there was to be no repeat of our last minute winner and the game ended with a no-score draw. In the other game in our group Manchester City and Lokomotiv Moscow drew 1-1, so our faint hope of qualification lives on!

LIERSE 1-1 AA GENT Pro Division Att. 9674

Lierse Scorer: Samir (14)

Gent Scorer: Leye (28)

Despite our fine performances in our last two games it was in fixtures like this we needed to collect points, and I knew that this result would tell me how the rest of our season would unfold. Things didn’t get off to the best start when my top man De Freitas picked up a knock, and then went from bad to worse when Ahmed Samir rifled in a free kick from the edge of the ’D’ to put Lierse a goal to the good. Parity was restored when Senegalese striker M’Baye Leye ran onto a free kick from our goalkeeper and slotted home. Our situation became decidedly sticky with the 72nd minute dismissal of our centre-back Stef Wils. Expecting Lierse to come at us I instructed the lads to sit back and look for the counter-attack. It didn’t quite turn out the way I presumed however, and the game fizzled out into nothing.

AA GENT 0-3 CHARLEROI Pro Division Att. 11736

Charleroi scorers: Jorgacevic o.g. (15), Buron (31), Habibou (66)

We went into this game with a squad decimated by a string of injuries, and I hoped my makeshift starting XI could cope. Scoring has been a trouble for this team, and after a dozen games we were the only team not to have reached double figures in our Goals For column. Charleroi took the lead when my otherwise excellent goalkeeper Jorgacevic turned the ball into his own net, and Antoine Buron put them two up and we looked sunk after only half an hour. When Habibou fired in their third the enormity of the task ahead of me looked overwhelming. Far from the side which had beaten Anderlecht in my first game in charge these players looked awful. Marko Suler’s dismissal for a professional foul was just the icing on a particularly bitter tasting cake.

On that disappointing note I head back to France to guide the youngsters through their friendly against Tunisia. Hopefully they will be able to get a good win and restore my faith in the Gods of Football.

[wesleysonck]

NOVEMBER 2010 CONTINUED

Ah stupid me. I thought I was playing Tunisia with the Under 19s in my next game, but in fact we have an away tie against second-place Genk to contend with! If the manager doesn’t even know who he is playing next is it any wonder the players were so dismal in our last game?

AA GENT 1-2 KRC GENK Pro Division Att. 11336

Gent Scorer: Coulibaly (8)

Genk Scorer: Joneleit (22), Ederson (35), Barda (55)

To my utter astonishment we took the lead early on when Elimane Coulibaly ran off the shoulder of his defender to score. We were playing so well that I was a little surprised when Genk equalised when a Torben Joneleit tapped home from a corner. Genk took the lead after a Barda run to the touchline was played back to Ederson on the edge of the area and the Brazilian midfielder lashed home. When Barda made it three I felt like jacking it in then and there. My keeper knocks it into touch from goal-kicks, my midfielders concede free-kicks with every tackle, how foolish I felt after my initial confidence… I think the problem may be my tactics, as I built them as if my side were full of poor players. I will see what happens if I allow them to open up and play a more expansive game against weaker opponents.

FRANCE U19s 1-0 TUNISIA U19s Friendly Att. 1985

France U19s Scorer: Belfodil (10) Derouard (90)

I’ll continue with the brief style of updates for my international matches until I have a competitive game, the club football provides me with enough action without having to expand on meaningless fixtures. Good play down the right saw a cross converted by Belfodil in the opening ten minutes., which was nice to see as the young Lyon player looks to be coming along nicely, although isn’t seeing much action - even for Lyon U19s. Substitute Derouard made it safe late on, and there were definite signs of improvement from the last two games.

AA GENT 0-2 GERMINAL BEERSCHOT ANTWERP Pro League Att. 10937

GBA Scorers: Arnaud (40), Plet (42)

I went into this game determined to win, mostly because GBA’s lime-green shirts and red shorts were giving me a headache. After a good start lightning struck twice and we were two nil down, quite out of the blue. It doesn’t quite seem fair, in both cases my defenders were muscled off the ball and the Antwerp players powered through to score. My time in Flanders is becoming depressing…

KORTRIJK 0-2 AA GENT Pro Division Att. 3625

Gent Scorer: Coulibaly (35), (40)

Sick to the back teeth of defeats, I went into this game with a whole new, experimental formation which spat in the face of footballing convention, but would hopefully play to my squads strengths. Kortrijk are one of the two teams below us, so a defeat would see us in real trouble, whereas three points here would put daylight between us and relegation worries An evenly balanced first half saw us take the lead when a long ball from Chilean central midfielder Gamadiel Garcia found Elimane Coulibaly running through to beat the offside trap and score. I’m seeing a pattern here in where my (extremely rare) goals come from, something I should try and exploit. It was the burst-open defensive line which again lead to our - and Coulibaly’s - second. Our super-keeper Jorgacevic saved an Ibou penalty on the hour mark to maintain our lead, and we got our first win in an age. Hopefully it’s because I’m building a tactic which suits what I have, and not because Kortrijk are even more awful than us.

MOUSCRON 0-1 AA GENT Pro Division Att. 7560

Gent Scorer: Coulibaly (16)

Different day, same story. Garcia through ball; Coulibaly runs from deep onto it and scores. I seem to have hit on a formula that works here by playing the ball into space in front of my big, strong Senegalese striker. It’s probably too one-dimensional to work in the long term, but it’s a start. We had a handful of other chances, but nothing productive. More importantly, we restricted Mouscron to just two attempts and kept a second consecutive clean sheet.

NOVEMBER SUMMARY

My first full month in charge, and a real mix of emotions. I came in complacent, sure in my ability to turn things around. The heavy defeats in the middle of the month really knocked me for six, but a little playing with my formation to try and get the best from the players I had available and things could be looking up. When I took over Gent were 14th in the league with only one win. We are now only one position better off, but having gathered ten points from a possible 21 I am content that I’m doing better than my predecessor.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH : Elimane COULIBALY

Unfancied by the previous manager, Elimane has really come into his own under my stewardship. I was immediately attracted my his impressive physical stats, his workrate, teamwork, determination and aggression. Just the sort of characteristics I need from someone to play as a target man and hold the ball up for the creative players pushing on from the centre. Having played in the lower echelons of Belgian football right up until he gained promotion to the top flight with Kortrijk in 2008, Elimane is far from a star player, but is performing far better than Ljubijankic, of whom I had high hopes.

[wesleysonck]

DECEMBER 2010

AA GENT 2-3 LOKOMOTIV MOSCOW Europa League Att. 12790

Gent Scorers: Ljubijankic (28) Garcia (49)

Lokomotiv Scorers: Wagner (51) Dujmovic (74) Odemwinge (79 pen)

After a good couple of results it was back to the drawing board, as my idiot predecessor hadn’t registered Coulibaly for the Europa League. Ljubijankic came in for him and the Slovenian seemed to respond to the threat from Coulibaly by firing us into a 28th minute lead. Our second goal was a peach, with Azofeifa - a talented but lethargic Costa Rican - chipped the ball over the defence for Garcia to finish. Wagner pulled one back, and Dujmovic equalised after an error from my centre back Marko Suler. My central defenders seem very error-prone, more than I have noticed in any other team I’ve managed, but I’m stuck with them for the meanwhile. The game turned completely when Ljubijankic brought down a Loko player in our area and Peter Odemwinge converted the resulting penalty. Couldn’t be more disappointed by this result, to throw away a two goal lead is atrocious, but the Europa League was only a distraction, and it’s league form that counts. Lyon beat Man City though, so a victory against the English side in our final game would see us progress. Not optimistic though…

AA GENT 1-0 CERCLE BRUGGE Pro Division Att. 12495

Gent Scorer: Coulibaly (47)

Back to the real deal now - league football. That man Coulibaly broke the deadlock again, but this time via a header from an Erlend Hanstveit cross. The Norwegian left back has been unassuming for me, but turns in good performances and is one of the few consistent players in my team, even if he is consistently average. This win sees us move up another position to twelfth, only one point behind the surprisingly struggling Standard. More interesting is the fact that we are only four points behind eighth placed Lierse, and with the 16 team league splitting in half in March, into promotion/relegation groups, I know which half I’d like to see us in.

KVSK 2-1 AA GENT Pro Division Att. 5114

KVSK Scorer: Marshville (5) Lim-Duan (83)

Gent Scorer: Azofeifa (36)

A snowy day against the bottom team, and an important match for us to pick up three points, so it was a disaster when we went a goal down after only five minutes. My formation is very narrow, and the KVSK boss countered that brilliantly by keeping compact and deep. Without width we were having difficulty penetrating through the centre, and it requires a moment of individual brilliance from Azofeifa to draw us level with a vicious drive from 30 yards. KVSK pushed on, and looked the better side, but foolishly I failed to read the signals, pushing my own team on in order to snatch a win. On 83 minutes the inevitable happened. Jason Oost ran down the right wing, and crossed to the far post where unmarked Duch winger Dominggus Lim-Duan waited to pounce. A terrible defeat, made worse as it was all my fault.

MANCHESTER CITY 4-3 AA GENT Europe League Att. 42078

Manchester City Scorers: Adebayor (33) (67) Barry (44) Tevez (48)

Gent Scorer: Ljubijankic (38) (83) Adriano (64)

As we had proven ourselves unable to beat an outfit like KVSK I went into this game against the ‘richest team in the world’ with a real sense of foreboding. Could humiliation be on the cards in my first return to my homeland as a manager? Wave after wave of Mancunian attack broke on our defences like waves on a beach, and like coastal erosion we couldn’t resist forever. On 33 minutes Adebayor received a through ball from Gareth Barry and scored. I hoped that the floodgates wouldn’t be opened, but five minutes later we were level. Wonderful interplay in the City half saw the ball sprayed out wide, where Hanstveit whipped in a deadly cross which Ljubijankic turned in with his head. My joy didn’t last long, as Barry scrambled the ball home from a Robinho free-kick. Tevez netted just after half time and our Brazilian centre back Adriano pulled one back to give us hope. It wasn’t to be however, and Adebayor restored City’s two goal cushion from the re-start. Credit to my boys though, they refused to give up the fight, and Ljubujankic scored his second with 83 minutes on the clock. So out of Europe we go, but not without a fight. A little of this spirit in the league would go a long way…

SINT-TRUIDEN 2-0 AA GENT Pro Division Att. 9578

Sint-Truiden Scorers: Sidibe (62) Charai (87)

The last game before the winter break, and a last chance for these grumbling, inconsistent players to show me what they can do. Things looked to be heading for a tedious draw when Jorgacevic comes for a free kick arrowed into our box, fumbles and drops the ball at the feet of Ibrahima Sidibe, who knocks the ball into an empty net. Gutted. Sint-Truiden wrap up the win with three minutes left, and I now have all Christmas and the New Year to lick my wounds, before regrouping for what will hopefully be a much better 2011.

DECEMBER REVIEW

With one win and one draw in the league, and two plucky performances in Europe it hasn’t been a bad month, but for some reason it just feels like a stinker. To cheer myself up I use the W/D/L ratio from my time in charge to see where we would lie had I been boss from the start of the season.

So, in nine games I have Won 4 Drawn 1 Lost 4. That’s thirteen points gained by me.

In total the team have Won 5 Drawn 5 and Lost 10. That’s a grand total of 20 points.

In order to see what my form would have been like I’ll multiply my points total by 2.2

That gives 28.6 points, and being the generous soul I am I shall round up to 29 points. That would put me in eighth position, rather than 14th, where I languish now - and where we were when I took over. I know it isn’t that simple, but I think I am good for the club, and with no fixtures until the 16th of January, hopefully I can stamp my mark on this team by shipping out some dead wood and bringing in some talent.

[wesleysonck]

THE TRANSFER WINDOW

And so I begin foraging around the bargain bins of world football, rummaging amongst the Phil Collins’ CD’s for talented footballers. Alex McLeish gets the sack from Birmingham, and the press link me with the team rock bottom of the Premiership. Tempting, but I feel honour bound to do my best for Gent.

OUT

Adekanmi OLUFADE - Free - Rostock

Thirty year old Togolese attacker, never played for me or the previous manager. Has been with the club since 2006, but isn’t good enough. Off to help Rostock avoid relegation from the German top flight.

Alexandre MARTINOVIC - £30k - Kasimpasa

Twenty five year old French goalkeeper, didn’t really want to lose him but he was terribly unhappy at the club. Off to Turkey with Kasimpasa.

Frank BOECKX - Loan - Dinamo Bucharest

Twenty four year old Belgian goalkeeper, my number two. Was complaining about lack of football but will never be good enough to displace Jorgacevic. Got £10k in loan fee, and the Romanian outfit can sign him for £100k should they so wish.

Mathieu GODFROID - Free - Ronse

Twenty two year old Belgian attacking midfielder, a youth product of Gent who never got anywhere near the first team. Off to continue his career in the nether regions of Belgian football.

Raymond FAFIANI - £250k - Xerez

Twenty seven year old Dutch left winger, a talented player but complained incessantly about everything. Was a Dutch second division stalwart before joining us, and moves to the bottom club in La Liga.

Bafode DIAKHABY - £250k - Tenerife

Twenty one year old French right back, third choice in his position and was not going to get a game. So much for my youth development policy, but when your back's to the wall you need results! Another of my players off for a La Liga relegation battle.

Marko SULER - £300k - Dortmund

Twenty seven year old Slovenian centre back. Looks a good player on paper, but terribly error prone. A good move for him though, as he joins the mid table German outfit.

IN

Pape M’BOW - £300k - Marseille

Twenty Two year old central defender who is also happy in the middle of the park. Big and strong, he is a product of the Marseille youth system but has only appeared sporadically. Has good stats in all the right places.

Roy MAKAAY - £50k - Feyenoord

Thirty five year old Dutch striker signed to partner either Ljubijankic or Coulibaly up front. Hopefully will add some guile to the muscle of the other two. Has played for Deportivo and Bayern Munich, amonst others, in a career which has seen him score 260 goals in 525 appearances.

POINTLESS FRIENDLIES

Against local rivals, a team named after a coat and that town from Band of Brothers.

AA GENT 3-0 RC GENT (Smolders 55, Lepoint 64, Leye 88)

AA GENT 3-0 DUFFEL (De Smet 11, Azofeifa 72, Ljubijankic 75)

AA GENT 3-0 BASTOGNE (Ljubijankic 10, 29, 32)

A lot more sales than purchases, but that is no surprise as there were a lot of either useless or disgruntled players in my squad. Can’t say I’m happy about the business I’ve done but it has undoubtedly improved the side, at least on paper. With perhaps one more experienced player set to join I feel I am moving things in the right direction, but this really is a club in turmoil, with disgruntled playing staff assailing me from all angles. Only time will tell if I can turn things round, and at the minute I'm skeptical.

[wesleysonck]

JANUARY 2011

AA GENT 0-1 LOKEREN Pro Division Att. 12790

Lokeren Scorer: Malki (63)

After our winter holidays we faced Lokeren at home in freezing conditions during a torrential downpour. My creative players struggled on the sodden pitch, but we looked good for it and as the first have progressed I felt increasingly confident. Just my luck, however, that it was Lokeren who made the breakthrough when Sanharib Malki turned in a Hassan El Moutaz free kick. We were behind, and optimism slipped away. There was no way back for us, despite huffing and puffing in our quest for an equaliser. These are dark days for me.

My mood lifted slightly after the game as I completed the signing of Barry Robson from Celtic. Signed on a 6 month contract for £160k, I hope the the former Celtic and Scotland international can improve us on the left hand side of midfield.

STANDARD LIEGE 5-0 AA GENT Pro Division Att. 22393

Standard Scorers: Lucas Lobos (28) Dalmat (52) Defour (59) (67) Witsel (61)

Although the were having a miserable season, I knew Standard would prove to be tough opposition. When they took a first half lead I wasn’t at all surprised, such was the dismal form of my team. Watching my team sink without a trace after Dalmat notched Standard’s second I reflected on the futility of my task. Misplaced passes, wild shots and defensive ineptitude seemed the hallmarks of my team. Someone with less faith in humanity would think they wanted to be relegated, for reasons known only to themselves.

AA GENT 0-2 WESTERLO Pro Division Att. 11358

Westerlo Scorers: Jans (3) Vorm pen. (42)

Another match, another hapless defeat. I’m beginning to think there is nothing I can do here. Every weapon in my arsenal is exhausted. I made some nice signings which I thought improved the squad overall, but it seems that rather than lifting the team they have just been dragged down by the demoralised contingent. A nice, safe style of football which - whilst far from adventurous - has always proved solid for me is no longer working. I don’t think I’ll see the season out. Whether I jump or am pushed is the only question.

JANUARY REVIEW

Three games, three defeats. No goals scored, eight conceded. We seem to be going backwards. Results I thought mediocre during the first month of my tenure now seem a long forgotten idyll. I feel helpless, I have tried everything. The players morale is at rock bottom, and such miserable players are never going to perform. Unfortunately the only way I can see to restore morale is by winning games, so II am caught in a Catch-22 situation. As Yossarian said in Heller’s masterpiece: ‘It’s a hell of a catch, that Catch-22.’ Of my signings, Roy Makaay is injured, and both Robson and M’Bow seem to have caught the malaise sweeping my squad, as if it is some kind of virus, rather than a state of mind. There will be very few smiles in Gent this February. Bizarrely, the board are ‘satisfied’ with my performance. All I can say is their standards must be pretty low.

[wesleysonck]

FEBRUARY 2011

CHARLEROI 1-1 AA GENT Pro Division Att. 14583

Charleroi Scorer: Thereau (49)

Gent Scorer: De Smet (61)

Five defeats in a row we faced a team who beat us 3-0 at home at the start of my reign. The first half saw an improvement from my players, with the game balanced nicely. I allowed myself - not for the first time since I arrived in Flanders - to wonder if we had turned a corner, and I was rewarded for my foolishness with a Charleroi goal from the boot of French striker Cyril Thereau. Ten minutes later we proved there was some fight left in us when De Freitas and Coulibaly combined to release De Smet, who finished with aplomb. After that there was no doubt - we were the better side. Although we failed to score it’s a point I’m delighted with. With our next game against table-topping Brugge however, I am not sure we will be able to build upon it.

AA GENT 1-2 CLUB BRUGGE Pro Division Att. 12712

Gent Scorer: De Smet (64)

Club Brugge Scorers: Odjidja (23) Perisic (72)

Although the scoreline was kept respectable despite continuous waves of Brugge attacks, we failed to muster a single shot on goal until the sixty-third minute, when we scored our equaliser. Coulibaly used his impressive upper body strength to hold up the ball under pressure from Brugge’s tenacious defensive midfielder Jeroen Simaeys, fed the ball back for De Freitas, who played in De Smet to score. Incredible. Like all good things it couldn’t last, and a goalmouth scramble saw Ivan Perisic force the ball over the line to restore Brugge’s advantage. My players were furious, convinced there had been a handball in the build-up, but whatever - the goal stood. All in all a good performance, but one point from a possible 27 is a damning indictment on my leadership.

ROESELARE 2-0 AA GENT Pro Division Att.7490

Roeselare Scorer: Saivet (37) Provoost (45+4)

Roeselare showed me what I should have done when Henri Saivet - on loan from Bordeaux - fired home an unstoppable bullet to give them the lead. I thought that a sinking ship needed steady hands not callow youths, but it’s pretty hard to argue that the youthful energy of Saivet would be welcome when compared with the ineffective Makaay. When Provoost scored Roeselare’s second I reflected on how foolish I was to have thought a lucky draw and a plucky defeat constituted a change of form. We’re in real trouble, and if KVSK and Kortrijk - the two teams behind us - weren’t as awful as we are relegation would be a serious possibility.

AA GENT 1-1 KORTRIJK Pro Division Att. 12790

Gent Scorer: De Smet (78)

Kortrijk Scorer: De Beule (35)

After two straight victories Kortrijk knew that if they won this match they’d be just one point behind us. This was probably the most important game of the season so far. If we lost I was almost certain Kortrijk would overhaul us and we’d face a relegation play-off. When Davy De Beule put them a goal up from a powerful header I was sure our cards were marked. Our equaliser came as a result of a Kortrijk error, and not through any skill of our own. I had reached a crossroads at this club, had we been beaten my decision would have been simple, the point muddied the waters.

FEBRUARY REVIEW

Only two points gained this month, which is two points better than January, but still disgraceful. I have serious doubts about my ability to guide this club away from their current predicament. Had we lost to Kortrijk I would have resigned, no doubt about it. Stijn De Smet’s equaliser has me hanging on. With three games to go before the league splits I need to make a decision. I play Anderlecht, Lierse and Genk - two teams battling for the title and the team directly above me, albeit six points ahead. My best performing player is my goalkeeper Jorgacevic, with a rating of 7.02 over his last five games. My signings have failed, with M’Bow out with a broken ankle having rated 6.62 in his six appearances, and Roy Makaay with a dismal 6.28 from five. Barry Robson hasn’t been too bad at 6.86, but all in all I have failed to meet my standards.

I’ve been here for 123 days - four months - and have won only four games. My last win was on December 5th, nearly three months ago. I don’t want to take this club down, but at the same time I don’t want to be a quitter. With a squad full of unhappy players who have lost faith in my ability I don’t think I’ll be able to turn this round, and by staying on I’ll just drag Gent further into the mire, but I keep telling myself that next season will be different. The trouble is, deep down I don’t think it will.

[wesleysonck]

MARCH 2011

In the run up to the Anderlecht match Sochaux fired their manager Francis Gillot. Being a club I have admired during my tenure as France Under 19s manager, I made a tentative application. Unfortunately my current employers got wind of this and issued me with an ultimatum - resign or be fired. Unwilling to resign I issued an apology, and during an emergency board meeting it was accepted. It’s all very humiliating, and part of me wished I’d just walked away. No-one is going to push me however, the only way I’ll go is if I jump.

ANDERLECHT 1-0 AA GENT Pro Division Att. 25101

Anderlecht Scorer: Biglia (89)

The first half was an ordeal. We survive two disallowed goals from Romelo Lukaku, as well as a cast-iron penalty which the referee in his ultimate wisdom decides not to award. We were hanging on by the skin of our teeth, and it’s hard to believe we beat this side in my first game as manager. The second half sees yet another goal disallowed for the Brussels side, and just as it seems we may scrape an unlikely point Frutos and Biglia combine through the middle and score, right at the death. It feels so cruel, despite the fact I knew we didn’t deserve to win, or even get a point. Things go from bad to worse after the match when Sochaux announce that my application for their vacant post was unsuccessful. The way I’m feeling, I wonder if I’ll still be in charge for the Lierse game.

AA GENT 2-1 LIERSE Pro Division Att. 12790

Gent Scorer: De Smet (36) (61)

Lierse Scorer: Dreesen (81)

I couldn’t believe I was still in charge. I really was ready to walk, and when Metz fired their manager I thought long and hard about applying, although I knew I probably wouldn’t get it so I held back. It seemed my team were trying to reward me as Stijn De Smet - the only man capable of scoring for us lately - fired us into the lead. In the second half he scored again, and despite Dreesen’s late goal from a corner we had finally won another game. Whilst I was pleased with the win, I knew that things weren’t going to change, as I had suffered foolish bouts of optimism after previous good results.

KRC GENK 2-0 AA GENT Pro Division Att. 22813

Genk Scorer: Joneleit (32) Barda (58)

This was why I didn’t let myself get carried away with our win against Lierse. We played reasonably well - by our standards - but Genk took their chances and beat us fair and square. However, at the end of the game I found I had got the entire league format completely wrong. Rather than enter a relegation group, I was in fact now in ‘European Places Playoff Group A’ with Mouscron, Roeselare and Sint-Truiden. Could this be the thing that would revitalise my team? Perhaps now that we had a real target, rather than just floundering at the bottom of the league, we would up our performances. I was actually looking forward to our next game, something which hadn’t happened in a very long time.

FRANCE U19s 2-0 BULGARIA U19s Friendly Att. 615

France U19 Scorer: Sanogo (86) Bathily (93)

A nice distraction from the stress of Gent. I feel very relaxed about these youth matches now. It really is all about getting the youngsters game time against the pick of other nations youth. I’m sure that will change when we return to competitive football, but for this game I picked a team which featured a nice mix of ‘old-hands’ experienced at this level alongside some debutants. The game itself was a turgid affair, the only bright spot being Sanogo jinking through the defence to score the late on. Bathily also netted with a cameo appearance from the bench. There is no doubt that this group are not as talented as that which I won the European Championship with last year, but there is enough talent for some optimism about the up-and-coming qualifiers.

MARCH REVIEW

Not a bad little month, all in all. A win was lovely, and just goes to show that we are capable of victory. There are a slew of contracts up for renewal, but unsurprisingly the unhappy players do not wish to sign. I don’t mind, as if I remain the manager it will give me the chance to bring in players that are my own signings. In order to be successful they will have to better than my January signings, which have been unsuccessful almost to a man. The win with the French Under 19s was nice, and I look forward to the 2011 European Championship qualifiers later in the year.

[wesleysonck]

APRIL 2011

AA GENT 0-3 ROESELARE Pro Division Euro Places Playoff Group A Att. 12336

Roeselare Scorer: Dissa (32, 50, 56)

Ah the frustration. Decent play by Gent in the first half hour saw us the equal of Roeselare, but when a good opportunity arose they took it, which seems to be the difference between us and every other football team on earth. Picking up the ball on the right, Mahamadou Dissa waltzed through my defence before slotting the ball past the keeper at his near post, who just stood there serene as a Hindu cow. When he added a second shortly after the break I wondered why I hadn’t done the right thing and resigned before these bloody silly playoffs. When Dissa grabbed his hat-trick I knew it was all over for me. Steve Olfers played a square ball across the edge of his own area to no-one in particular, Dissa got on the end of it and lashed it in. Awful.

155 DAYS OF FAILURE

A 3-0 home spanking by a Roeselare team no better, and probably worse than ourselves was the final straw. I resign with my reputation in tatters. I have failed miserably to bring anything like success to Gent, and so I fall on my sword. I arrived with high hopes, but they have been consistently dashed. I accept a fair portion of the responsibility: I struggled to find a settled tactic, and experimented too much, giving my team no time to gel; my January signings were pitiful, although I stand by the thinking behind them: individual errors cost us dear, with even the basic fundamentals of football seemingly too much for this dysfunctional troupe of footballers.

I don’t know what the future will bring for me. I have had my fingers burnt here, and look forward to returning to the relative serenity of my Under 19s team. I have a foreboding feeling that things might be going sour there too. We shall see.

[wesleysonck]

GARDENING LEAVE

The day after my resignation from Gent I was contacted by the Madrid side Rayo Vallecano. It looked a promising offer, although I’d be on less money than at Gent. Of particular interest was a young striker called Domingo Sanchez. Just seventeen and in his first year at the club, he had burst into the first team and made an immediate impact, with eight goals in 21 games. Another temptation was the fact they had a player called Coke, although whether he would talk a lot or have rotten teeth I was unsure of. I can’t pretend the lifestyle in Madrid wasn’t tempting also, but I asked to be given until the end of the season to make my decision, a request which was granted. I don’t want to be picking up another guys mess in the middle of a season again; if I join it will be with the whole pre-season to set things up as I like them.

When Andreas Zachhuber was sacked as manager of Hansa Rostock, I thought I would increase my options by applying. I was offered the job, so now it seems I will be back in club management for the start of the 2011/12 season, although it remains to be seen who with. Hansa are undoubtedly the bigger club, having been East German heavyweights during the Cold War era. However, times have been hard for them since reunification and after relegation from the Bundesliga this year they will start next season in the second tier of German football. For a team who have just been relegated morale seems quite high, with no players seemingly disgruntled. After my experience with Gent though, spending some time at a small club with a family atmosphere such as Vallecano seems awfully tempting.

On the international front there was some terrible news also. I had assumed, as France had no Under 20 squad, that my Under 19s would compete in the Under 20 World Cup. This was not the case. Guy Lacombe was appointed as the manager for the tournament, without myself even being consulted. I felt this was a terrible slap in the face, as our success in the European Championships was completely overlooked. I felt my time in charge of the French youth side was now untenable, so I resigned from that role with immediate effect. I had been so looking forward to the World Cup, and to think of another man leading my young charges was unbearable. I do wish Guy Lacombe the greatest success though, they are a fine bunch of players and I will be watching the tournament with interest.

Eventually both Rostock and Rayo came calling. Was I to choose the former giants of Communist football, or the small left-wing side from the working class suburbs of Madrid? A big decision…

[wesleysonck]

It was a tough decision, but I went for Hansa Rostock. They’re a bigger club, in a better financial situation, with better players. I don’t think there is a lot else to say. I can only hope for a change in fortunes. We’ll have a top flight squad in the second division, so I keep my fingers crossed that we can bounce straight back up to the Bundesliga.

THE CLUB

Rostock is the largest city in the north German state of Mecklenburg-Pommern. Located on the Warnow River, it was founded in the 11th century by the Polabians, a Slavic tribe from the banks of the Elbe. They named the settlement Roztoc, which means ‘broadening of a river.’ The city began it’s rise when it joined the Hanseatic League (hence Hansa), an alliance of trading cities along the coasts of the Baltic and North Seas, stretching from the Low Countries to Russia. As the global economy changed, so did that of Rostock. From wheat, through shipbuilding to aircraft manufacture, Rostock managed to be at the centre. However, during World War Two Rostock was heavily bombed, but reconstruction and extension by the East German government saw Rostock regain it’s importance.

In 1954 the politician Karl Mewis ordered the entire playing staff from BSG Empor Lauter - a team from near the Czech border - to move to Rostock and play for the newly formed Sportclub Empor Rostock. In 1965 East German sport was reorganised, and the club became known as Hansa Rostock. A moderately successful team during the Communist era. In 1991 - the last season of East German football - Hansa won the league, and their victory saw them take a place in the expanded, unified Bundesliga. Since then the club have bounced between the top two divisions, and I take over the reins with the club having been relegated to the 2. Bundesliga for the start of the 2011/12 season.

Hansa play their football in the DKB-Arena, so named after the naming rights for the stadium were sold to the Deutsche Kreditbank. Built in 1954 as the Ostseestadion, the ground can hold 29000 fans.

In 1997 a study was published which reported Hansa’s fan base to be the seventh largest in Germany, with up to two million supporters. Unfortunately the club also struggles with hooliganism. A fierce rivalry exists between Hansa and St Pauli, as Hansa has a large number of neo-Nazi followers and St Pauli is famously left-wing.

THE SQUAD

The brightest light in the current Hansa squad is Felix Kroos. The 20 year old attacking midfielder is the brother of Bayern’s Toni Kroos and has netted 10 goals in his 28 appearances during the 2010/11 campaign. 31 year old Danish midfielder Martin Retov is the main man in the middle of the park, whilst Brazilian centre back Orestes performs key duties in defence. Hansa can boast one incredible young talent, the 16 year old Mattias Haufe. Despite his tender age Mattias has already played 41 league matches for the club over two seasons. I’m delighted to have a young player of such a high calibre, and I’m sure he will have a big role to play as we seek to regain promotion to the top flight.

MAY 2011

I join the club with relegation already a certainty, but one more league match to play before the end of the season. To be honest I just want it out of the way so I can get on with shaping the team for the forthcoming campaign.

HERTHA BERLIN 2-1 HANSA ROSTOCK Bundesliga Att. 59887

Hertha Scorer: Chermiti (9) Meriem (24)

Hansa Scorer: Schied (13)

It didn’t take long for us to fall behind to a wonderfully crafted Hertha move. I wasn’t too bothered, as we were already relegated and I considered this to be a bit of a pointless match. More of an opportunity to have a sneak preview of my players before the summers work. Still, a defeat is never nice so when Marcel Schied equalised soon after I was punching the air. With a defeat nothing more than I expected it came as no surprise when Camel Meriem bundled home from close range to restore Hertha’s lead. It wasn’t a bad performance at all, and I’m not disappointed. A nice series of easy friendlies before the season begins and that will sort morale, bring in a few new faces and it could be a very good season.

[MeLikeFM]

St. Pauli

This is an excellent read so far and the youth international management was something different

[wesleysonck]

Cheers MeLikeFM, St Pauli are probably the coolest team in Europe, so it's a terrible shame to be managing their arch rivals, who seem politically to be diametrically opposed to them.

THE SUMMER OF 2011

Here’s how it all finished around Europe this year…

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE : REAL MADRID

EUROPA LEAGUE : FIORENTINA

ENGLAND

League TOTTENHAM

Cup LIVERPOOL

Top Scorer Mevlut ERDINC (Fulham)

SPAIN

League BARCELONA

Cup RACING SANTANDER

Top Scorer Karim BENZEMA (Real Madrid)

ITALY

League JUVENTUS

Cup UDINESE

Top Scorer AMAURI (Juventus)

GERMANY

League WERDER BREMEN

Cup STUTTGART

Top Scorer Edin DZEKO (Wolfsburg)

FRANCE

League LYON

Cup MONACO

Top Scorer Aruna DINDANE (Lens)

HOLLAND

League AJAX

Cup AJAX

Top Scorer Bogdan STANCU (Twente)

BELGIUM

League CLUB BRUGGE

Cup STANDARD LIEGE

Top Scorer Loris ARNAUD (Germinal Beerschot)

TRANSFER BUSINESS

OUT

ORESTES - Caen - £4.6m

Didn’t really want to lose the thirty year old Brazilian centre back, but he wanted to go to a bigger club and I knew what a negative effect unhappy players could have from my time with Gent. When Caen came up with such a generous offer I snatched their hand off. Admittedly the fee is to be paid over 48 months, but that’s nigh on £100k a month for four years, a decent source of long-term income.

IN

Lukas MAGERA - Timisoara - Free

A signing made by my predecessor. This twenty eight year old Czech striker is big at six feet five inches tall, and will make a welcome addition to my side. Unfortunately he arrives with a cruciate ligament injury, and will be absent for around six or seven months. No kind of signing at all. Why it wasn’t written into the contract that if he suffered a serious injury the deal would be null and void is beyond me.

Nils ZANDER - Manchester City - Free

This eighteen year old German left-back arrived to fanfare from the fans, who thought he would be a great purchase for the future. I agreed. He was snatched from Schalke’s youth team by Manchester City, spent a season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday before we picked him up as his contract expired. Touted by my coaching staff as having wonderful potential, I hope he will get plenty of playing time this season.

Alexander MADLUNG - Roma - £80k

Another bargain signing, this twenty eight year old German international centre back will come in to replace Orsetes, at a fraction of the price. On paper he doesn’t seem any worse, and after a successful career with Hertha Berlin and Wolfburg he returns to Germany after an unsuccessful one year sojourn in Rome, where he made only one appearance for Roma.

Markus STEINHOFER - Frankfurt - Free

Another bargain acquisition. I wonder if shopping in the bargain basement despite the availability of cash is a mistake, but when the players have the quality of this twenty five year old German right back I just don’t care about price. A product of the Bayern Munich youth system, he joins us following spells in Austria with Salzburg and in his native land with Frankfurt.

Luis XAVIER - Free Agent

One for the future this. A seventeen year old Portuguese goalkeeper who was a free agent after being released by Porto. My coaches fancy him, I fancy him and I look forward to seeing him progress.

Lukas JUTKIEWICZ - Everton - £550k

The Polish international striker joins us from Premier League Everton for what is, by our standards, a hefty fee. As we are a little weak up front Lukas is the first of two strikers I hope to bring in to the club. Born in Southampton, Lukas qualifies to play for Poland through a Polish grandfather, and has played for several clubs in England, his most successful being a loan spell in Scotland for Motherwell.

POINTLESS FRIENDLIES

HANSA ROSTOCK 2-2 SAINT ETIENNE (Kroos 14, Boateng 50) (Bergessio 71, Grax 73)

HANSA ROSTOCK 2-0 FRC LIEGE (Albert 27, Kroos 48)

HANSA ROSTOCK 2-1 DUSSELDORF (Rathgeb pen 13, Haufe 50) (Sadik 51)

HANSA ROSTOCK 2-2 POLONIA WARSAW (Haufe 49, Boateng 64) (Sarvas 22, Jaron 66)

HANSA ROSTOCK 6-0 LUBECK (Olufade 1, 9, Rathgeb 16, Kroos 18, Sebastian 29, Kuhn 59)

And so it begins. I didn’t manage to sign the other striker I was after. I had two targets and they both preferred the delights of the Spanish second tier as opposed to the Baltic coast of Germany. Never mind. We have been made 8-1 joint favourites to gain promotion, along with Bochum, so no pressure there then. With a media prediction of fourth I think we should be able to compete quite happily, although I keep having nightmares about the constant defeats at Gent. Quite a few of my players have been complaining about a lack of harmony at the club, but I put that down to the raft of new signings. Hopefully a little bit of success will shut them all up. First up, Zweibrucken in the first round of the cup.

[wesleysonck]

JULY / AUGUST 2011

ZWEIBRUCKEN 0-4 ROSTOCK German Cup First Round Att. 1394

Rostock Scorers: Steinhofer pen. (5) Jutkiewicz (33) Haufe (49) Kroos (58)

I was delighted to field a starting XI featuring nine Germans for my first game in charge of Rostock. Against part time opposition we were tipped to win by a large margin. When Steinhofer scored a debut goal from the spot after only five minutes that seemed to be the case. Jutkiewicz netted on his debut to increase our lead, and the goals kept flowing in the second half. I know it was against poor opposition, but it was a good start in my opinion, and hopefully we could carry it though into our first league match.

ROSTOCK 2-3 FURTH 2. Bundesliga Att. 15977

Rostock Scorers: Schied (29, 70)

Furth Scorers: Allagui (14, pen 90) Alex (59)

The fist quarter of an hour was tight, but Furth made the breakthrough when Allagui got between my two centre backs to fire home a cross from Cristopher Nothe. Furth then took the upper hand, and had good chances to increase their lead before Marcel Schied pounced on a rebound to level things up. After that it seemed that we were the most likely to score next, but young Nigerian centre back Albert Alex powered in a header from a corner to restore Furth’s lead and put us in big trouble. The match swung again when Schied netted his second from the edge of the six yard box, but it was Furth who gained all three points when Allagui netted his second from the spot after a foul in the box by Madlung. We deserved a point, probably no more than that, but starting the season with a home defeat is far from ideal.

After this match we said goodbye to reserve goalkeeper Eloy Room. The twenty two year old Dutchman had arrived on a free from Vitesse at the beginning of last season, and made eight appearances for Rostock. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel he was good enough, so I shipped him out to Aarau of Switzerland for £45k after consultation with my staff. I wish him the best of luck.

The draw for the second round of the German Cup was made, and we face an away trip to fellow second division side Cottbus. They are fierce rivals of ours, and I look forward to a real juicy battle at the end of next month.

KOBLENZ 0-0 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 14022

Ninety minutes of huffing and puffing produced nothing for either team, and it was our failure to score which cost us. Judging from our previous results scoring was the least of our worries - defence seemed to be the problem - but here we just couldn’t make the breakthrough. The only bright moment in this otherwise tedious match was the introduction of young Koblenz striker Lucas Musculus, a young man with a surname which oozes power, although his strength stat of 12 suggests otherwise. The bottom line is one point from a possible six, and that isn’t good enough.

BOCHUM 2-1 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 23834

Bochum Scorer: Danylovskyi (40) Yahia (45+1)

Rostock Scorer: Kroos (77)

Due to our sluggish start we needed a big result here against promotion rivals Bochum. An even first half saw both sides have good chances, with Marcel Schied in particular crafting himself a wonderful opportunity, only to fluff the finish. As is just my luck, it was Bochum who made the breakthrough, when Sergiy Danylovskyi fired home five minutes from half time. Just before the break Algerian defender Anthar Yahia headed Bochum’s second goal to effectively kill the tie for us. On 77 minutes Felix Kroos pulled one back for us, and I dared to dream. I shouldn’t have bothered, because the game ended with another defeat. We’ve now one point from three matches, and lie 15th.

ROSTOCK 3-0 OSNABRUCK 2.Bundesliga Att. 13425

Rostock Scorer: Kroos (23,35) Rather (59)

A home tie against a team with three defeats from three, lying dead last in the league and predicted to finish there. If ever there was a tie to get ourselves a win then this was it. We took the lead on 23 minutes when a nice interchange of passes straight down the middle of the park resulted in Felix Kroos slotting home. When he scored again ten minutes from the break I began to relax. Rathgeb tapped into an empty net following more good work from Kroos, and with that the match was won. I enjoyed that, it was nice to wrap up a convincing victory, and I hope we can carry this forward.

JULY / AUGUST REVIEW

Not the month I’d hoped for, but not desperately disappointing either. We haven’t been trounced by either of the two teams that beat us, and we were unlucky not to grab a goal against Koblenz. We lie ninth in the league with four points, six behind leaders Bielefeld. I’m not sure about promotion just yet, I can see us dropping more points in the future, but as long as we’re competitive I’ll be happy.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Well it has to be that man Felix Kroos. He’s played just behind a front two and as an out-and-out striker this past month, and has been excellent in both positions. Probably going to stick with him as a striker from now on as I like his craft up top. Honourable mentions have to go to Danish midfielder Martin Retov and right back Markus Steinhofer, who have both performed out of their skins, considering the results we’ve had.

[wesleysonck]

SEPTEMBER 2011

The month began on a disappointing note when Greek Youth Coach Giorgos Georgiadis left us to join Sociedad in Spain. As we already had more coaches than the board consider necessary I was unable to replace him, I hope he chokes on his paella.

DRESDEN 1-3 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 18201

Dresden Scorer: Tuyp (pen 74)

Rostock Scorers: Jutkiewicz (20) Kroos (33) Sebastian (90+2)

Dresden had us under the cosh pretty much from the first whistle, but it was us that made the breakthrough when a wonderful run from Steinhoff - playing on the right wing to allow 16 year old Haufe a rest - led to Jutkiewicz receiving the ball and hammering past the Dresden keeper. Kroos netted a second and we were well in control. Kevin Schoneberg tripped a Dresden player in the box, and Jack Toyp scored from the spot to pull one back, but we wrapped it up when Tim Sebastian nodded in a free kick deep into injury time. Clean sheet would have been nice, but three points is better.

ROSTOCK 3-1 MAINZ 2. Bundesliga Att. 16972

Rostock Scorers: Rathgeb (6, 44) Jutkiewicz (9)

Mainz Scorer: Zuidam (45+1)

A big match against a good Mainz side unbeaten so far this season. We get off to a flyer when Rathgeb turns his man on the edge of the area and fires after only six minutes. Three minutes later Jutkiewicz made it two. We’re on fire, and I like it a lot! Rathgeb scored his second with a sublime chip over the Mainz keeper, but they came right back and pulled one back on the stroke of half time. Game on? Indeed it was. There were times during the second half I thought a 3-3 draw was on the cards, but my lads were resilient and we notched up our third straight win.

COTTBUS 1-2 ROSTOCK German Cup Second Round Att. 22028

Cottbus Scorer: Brzenska (36)

Rostock Scorer: Jutkiewicz (41) Schied (85)

A tough tie against hated rivals. They set up in a counter attacking formation, which put me in a quandary. My run of wins has coincided with my decision to play with an attacking mentality. I asked myself whether to modify this style to negate the counter attacks of Cottbus, but I decided to play my way, and try and dictate the play, rather than pander to another team’s style. It looked like I had made a mistake when Brzenska fired Cottbus into the lead, but Jutkiewicz made space for himself with a wonderful first touch and scored to level things up five minutes later. And then, with five minutes to go, I witnessed the greatest thing I have ever seen. Young Mattias Haufe ran down the wing, and cut inside until he reached the by-line. Swinging in a dinked cross, it was met my Marcel Schied who acrobatically leapt into the air and performed a perfect bicycle kick to score our winner. I stared with rapt amazement. What a goal. What a way to win the tie, and against our fierce rivals to boot. I love Hansa, Wir Sind Hansa!

WEHEN 0-4 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 7832

Rostock Scorers: Kroos (28) Jutkiewicz (32, 38) Bulow (73)

An away tie against very weak opposition, I sent the players out under no illusions that I expected a win. Felix Kroos was obviously listening because he gave us the lead with a nicely taken strike from twenty yards. Jutkiewicz was evidently jealous, because he grabbed himself a goal only three minutes later, then scored our third from a Rathgeb cross. Kai Bulow - our young battling midfielder - decided to get in on the action and scored with a long range piledriver to make the score even more impressive.

SEPTEMBER REVIEW

A perfect month, with four wins out of four. More impressive is our average of three goals again, mainly thanks to the pairing of Kroos and Jutkiewicz. There is nothing more satisfying than a striker you’ve bought getting amongst the goals. I think the returns are more readily apparent than with any other position. It was nice to progress in the cup thanks to ‘that’ goal from Schied, and I look forward to the next month with real relish.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Again it’s Felix Kroos, but we looked at him last month, so instead I’ll award it to my goalkeeper, Alexander Walke. At twenty eight years of age, he’s approaching his prime, and has put in a string of important performances for us. Having turned professional with Werder Bremen, Walke’s career got off to a shaky start after he tested positive for cannabis at the 2003 FIFA Youth Championships. He got his career back on track and after spells with Freiburg and Wehen he joined Rostock in 2008. Since then he has gone on to make 58 league appearances for the club, and is now a mainstay of our defence.

[wesleysonck]

OCTOBER 2011

ROSTOCK 3-1 BIELEFELD 2. Bundesliga Att. 15984

Rostock Scorer: Kroos (41, 66, 69)

Bielefeld Scorer: Jadson Viera (45+4)

Up against a powerful Bielefeld team I knew we’d be tested. They lie second in the league and have won seven on the bounce. This would be a real test of our promotion credentials. It was a struggle from the start, and to be honest we should have been down by four or five when Haufe swung in a cross and Kroos caught the Bielefeld keeper well out of position and headed into an empty net. We couldn’t get to half time in front unfortunately, as Jadson Viera equalised a disgraceful four minutes into first half stoppage time. Our opponents kept pushing forward, and it was their undoing. With all their players pushed up into our half for a corner, we broke with a long ball forward from Madlung. Kroos ran onto it and blasted the ball home. We’d regained the lead; now we needed to hang onto it. However, I’d not reckoned on Kroos, who put the game beyond contention when he bagged his hat-trick shortly after.

The draw for the third round of the German Cup was made today, and we will face top flight Karlsruhe. Tough, but not impossible. I also received the terrible news that former Middlesbrough and Hull midfielder has suffered a fractured skull during a robust challenge during a training session. He’s a regular off the bench for me, so will be a big miss. Still, it’s an opportunity for someone else to make an impact.

DUISBURG 2-0 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 22638

Duisburg Scorers: Sandro Wagner (12) Adler (77)

I went into this game with supreme confidence. My team seemed unstoppable, and surely it was going to be a relentless march back to the top division? My illusions were shattered almost immediately, as Duisburg both attacked with aplomb and defended resolutely. Time after time our attack was foiled by the seeming impenetrable barrier that was the Duisburg defence. Their early goal caused me consternation, but I still sat there, just waiting for our breakthrough. It never came. When they scored their second in the last quarter of an hour I knew the game was up. I know I have only myself to blame, I sat waiting for us to score rather than proactively looking for the chink in their armour. I will not be this complacent again, as defeat has seen us slip from one point behind the leaders back to four.

ROSTOCK 1-1 GLADBACH 2. Bundesliga Att. 17173

Rostock Scorer: Rathgeb ( 39)

Gladbach Scorer: Gonzalez (81)

We really needed to get back on track, and we could have had easier opponents to do it against. Gladbach were one of the sides around us in the mix for a promotion place, and as the first half progressed the match was finely balanced. The breakthrough came on 39 minutes when Rathgeb drifted in from his position on the left of midfield to fire a Retov through ball into the roof of the net. If I thought that goal would spur us on, I was mistaken. During the second half Gladbach played like dervishes, constantly assaulting our goal seeking an equaliser. Eventually the dam broke. Gonzalez sneaked in behind our defence and rolled the ball home. I couldn’t say it wasn’t on the cards, and a draw was a fair result.

KARLSRUHE 1-0 ROSTOCK German Cup Third Round Att. 29135

Karlsruhe Scorer: Stindl (60)

To be honest, after a half hour of this match it was impossible to tell who the top flight side was. We were stronger in possession, shots and any other stat you care to name. It seemed like our less than impressive performances over our last two games had been forgotten. Still, it was Karlsruhe’s class that came through in the end as Stindl found some space in our area and scored. Matthias Langkamp got himself sent off for a pair of yellows, and we pushed forward, hoping to make our numeric advantage count. Despite our best efforts, we just couldn’t manage. Whenever we came close a Karlsruhe defender seemed to magically appear and get a boot in just at the right moment. A good effort, no shame in this defeat.

FREIBURG 1-2 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 14430

Freiburg Scorer: Higuain (43)

Rostock Scorer: Retov (4) Sebastian (pen 26)

Unless we wanted October to be a winless month, we had to travel to Freiburg and get a win. They were a good side, but struggling in the league, lying fifteenth. Marcel Schied had come in for a misfiring Jutkiewicz, and it was he who played a ball across the edge of the Freiburg 6-yard box for Martin Retov to fire us into the lead early on. When Freiburg’s Algerian centre-back Anthony Ouasfane fouled Schied in the box, our centre-back Tim Sebastian stepped up and scored from the spot. Freiburg refused to lie down and die, and Federico Higuain pulled one back shortly before half time. The second half was a non-affair, with neither team really threatening. It came as a relief when the final whistle went, and we had our three points.

OCTOBER REVIEW

For the second time in my career I found myself heavily linked with a vacancy at Portsmouth, who had just fired Bulgarian Krasimir Balakov. I issued a swift rebuttal, I have a good team here, and it would be foolish of me to consider leaving. We lie fourth in the league, four points from leaders Mainz. It had been a disappointing month, with only seven points from a possible twelve, not title winning form. I hope to see better performances next month, as there are only three matches for us, and fatigue should not be an issue.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Twenty seven year old central defender Tim Sebastian gets the award this month for a string of fine performances, including his penalty goal against Freiburg. Hailing from Leipzig, Sebastian started his career with semi-professional side Greifswald. In 1999 he moved to Rostock where he has played ever since, with the exception of a one year spell at Karlsruhe in the 2008/09 season. in an impressive 163 appearances in a Hansa shirt, Sebastian has scores five goals. Level headed and professional, Sebastian is not the adventurous type, preferring to stay back at all times.

[wesleysonck]

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2011

ROSTOCK 3-2 COTTBUS 2. Bundesliga Att. 24209

Rostock Scorer: Kroos (27) Schied (41) Sebastian (79)

Cottbus Scorer: Pedersen (5) Brzenska (90+2)

So derby day saw myself and my opposite number exchanging negative comments in the press. I would have kept my mouth shut, but some of the things coming from the other camp were disrespectful, and made my blood boil. Unfortunately, it was Cottbus who made the breakthrough early on when Nils Pedersen gave them the lead. They’d opened the scoring in the Cup tie between us, so I had faith we could pull it back, and Kroos repaid my faith with a 27th minute equaliser. The similarities with the Cup tie continued when Marcel Schied fired in a beautiful goal to give us the lead. Last time it was a bicycle kick, this time a long range pile driver that was still rising as it punched into the roof of the net. Tim Sebastian continued his fine run of form when he got on the end of a Haufe free kick and fired home a volley from the edge of the area. Brzenska forced in a corner in injury time, but it was too late to make a difference to the scoreline.

OBERHAUSEN 1-1 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 4672

Oberhausen Scorer: Vandenbergh (38)

Rostock Scorer: Haufe (66)

On paper not the hardest opponents we’d ever face, but they certainly didn’t make it easy. Their goalkeeper Georg Koch was firing on all cylinders, denying us a plethora of goalscoring chances. Things then got even more difficult when Dutch striker Kevin Vandenbergh put them ahead after thirty eight minutes. Time and again we threw ourselves forward, the attacking players crafting chance after chance only to be denied by a goalkeeper in the form of his life. Finally, we scored. Seventeen year old Haufe found himself in a little space on the right, cut into the box and rolled the ball calmly into the far corner. At the final whistle I felt ambivalent; in one respect I was delighted we’d salvaged the point; on the other we really should be beating teams like this.

ROSTOCK 3-1 OFFENBACH 2. Bundesliga Att. 11179

Rostock Scorer: Retov (3) Schied (21) Madlung (52)

Offenbach Scorer: Limbersky (77)

Bad news in the run up to this match, as both Felix Kroos and Lukas Jutkiewicz picked up knocks which would keep them out. This meant starts for Marcel Schied and Togolese Adekanmi Olufade, who has struggled to get into the team this season due to the fine form of my first choice pairing. We took the lead after only three minutes when Danish midfielder Retov got on the end of a Haufe corner to head home. Schied scored a second from an acute angle, wheeling away with delight as the ball nestled in the corner of the net. Our third came from a free kick almost on the corner spot. This time it was Madlung who converted with his head. We were coasting home. We failed once again to keep a clean sheet as Limbersky flighted in a free kick, but that was merely a side note. The real news was another three points.

1860 MUNICH 0-2 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 27772

Rostock Scorer: Rathgeb (39) Kuhn (73)

No sooner was Olufade in the team than he was out, sidelined for three months with a hamstring injury. In comes Patrick Kuhn, our twenty two year old fifth choice striker. Not a bad player, he really is on the periphery of the side, and will need to seize his chance to impress. The Munich side came out fighting, and had several good opportunities to score, but when Tobias Rathgeb pounced upon a rebound after a vicious Schied strike it was us who took the lead. When the Munich’s Hungarian goalkeeper Gabor Kiraly fumbled, Patrick Kuhn was on hand to tap home and put us two in front. It wasn’t a pretty win, but they all count and we keep the pressure on Aachen and Mainz, who lie ahead of us on goal difference and by four points respectively.

ROSTOCK 1-2 AACHEN 2. Bundesliga Att. 16127

Rostock Scorer: Kroos (22)

Aachen Scorer: Sorensen (13) Demai (55)

We were buoyed by the return of Felix Kroos for this vital tie against our promotion rivals. The opening exchanges were scrappy, with the referee showering cards like confetti. Aachen then took the lead through a powerful drive from Sorensen. We looked vulnerable to Aachen’s attack, we were playing too deep. I pushed up my defence and it immediately paid dividends when Kroos equalised for us with a finely taken shot. We had a goal controversially ruled out for offside early in the second half, and Tunisian midfielder Aimen Demai restored Aachen’s advantage shortly afterwards. We were in trouble now, and despite all our best efforts we were defeated. This was a big loss, and although there is plenty of football to be played automatic promotion is now looking a little harder to attain. With everyone around us winning, we slump to fifth in the league, and with six placed Bielefeld six points behind we’re last in the five-team title-chasing pack, a full seven behind leaders Mainz.

ST. PAULI 2-2 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 23201

St. Pauli Scorer: Kruse (7) Smeekes (49)

Rostock Scorer: Schied (5) Bulow (61)

This was not a game I was looking forward to. Our sides more militant fans have strong right wing tendencies, which gives matches against the incredibly left leaning St. Pauli an extra frisson. I find the politics of the Rostock ultras distasteful, but I knew a victory was vital, even against such a likeable club as St. Pauli. Marcel Schied - who can always be relied upon to score in these ‘derby’ matches - gave us the lead with a fifth minute header, but Kruse levelled for the Hamburg side immediately after, looping the ball beyond our goalkeeper Alexander Walke, who was playing through the pain barrier following a course of injections for an ankle injury. We went behind early in the second half to a glancing header from Orlando Smeekes. Our equaliser was a thing of beauty, a rocket from all of thirty yards from Kai Bulow. A point though, didn’t help our cause at all, and I had work to do during the winter break to give us a boost for the second half of the season.

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER REVIEW

I can’t say I’ve been happy with the past couple of months. Of course, the higher the expectation the harder it is to meet those expectations, but I’d like us to have been higher than fifth at the half way stage. Top of the table are Mainz with 38 points, Aachen second with 36, ,Gladback third with 34, Furth fourth with 32 and ourselves on 31. I fear a battle for the promotion playoffs may be as good as it gets for us unless both our form improves and other teams begin to struggle. Our striker Felix Kroos is second in the top scorers charts, just behind Mainz’s Mickael Pote. A couple of new faces should freshen our team up, hopefully I have the money for one decent signing, the other I shall look to bring in on loan.

[wesleysonck]

JANUARY

POINTLESS FRIENDLIES

ROSTOCK 2-2 STUTTGART (Kroos 53 Madlung 85) (Gebhart 25 Mandjeck 45+1)

HONVED 3-0 ROSTOCK (Sipos 20 Nyari 44 Karolyi 90)

AL-ITTIHAD 0-12 ROSTOCK (Haufe 9,33,90+2 Kroos 16,18,36,54 Retov 24,59 Fillinger 70,79,86)

ROSTOCK 6-0 WORMS (Magera 4 Kroos pen 14,19,57,74 Sebastian 38)

IN

Daniel ADLUNG - £250k - Wolfsburg

I am delighted to have signed this twenty four year old German attacking midfielder. He started his professional career with Furth in 2005, and moved to Wolfsburg in 2008. He made 27 appearances for their first team, scoring once. Although only on the periphery of Wolfsburg’s starting XI I am surprised I’ve been able to get him so cheaply, and he is a welcome addition to our side with his versatility as he will provide competition for both Rathgeb and Haufe down both flanks. With five under-21 caps to his name he certainly has potential, and I hope he can fulfil it with us.

Dirk GLOWACZ - £10k - Gladbach

This young man, still only seventeen years old, has come in with one eye most definitely on the future. A product of the Gladbach youth team, he has been brought in purely on the advice of my scouts. We will have to see if he has what it takes to make his way up to the first team. For now he will only feature in our Under 19s.

FURTH 4-1 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 13250

Furth Scorers: Alex (23) Nehrig (37) Furstner (72, 87)

Rostock Scorer: Haufe (47)

We didn’t get off to the best start, looking quite shaky and rusty. There was rebellion in my squad after I foolishly allowed my assistant to take control of my friendlies. He was disparaging about their performances despite 18 goals in two games, and now I have to restore harmony. The dissent was apparent in our performance, and I wasn’t at all surprised when Alex put Furth ahead with a headed goal from a corner. Nehrig put them two up and we were already looking dead and buried. Haufe got us back in the game early in the second half, but it was still looking like an uphill struggle. When Furstner fired in their third it was game over for us, and his second - Furth’s fourth - made promotion look further and further away.

ROSTOCK 2-2 KOBLENZ 2. Bundesliga Att. 17105

Rostock Scorers: Bulow (12) Kroos (57)

Koblenz Scorer: Kol (4, 30)

Four minutes in and Turkish striker Emrah Kol put Koblenz ahead. We look a shadow of our pre-winter break selves. It seems simplistic to blame the assistant for upsetting the players with his poor team talks in the friendly matches, but other than the signing of Adlung that’s the only variable that has changed. Having said that, we were back on level terms soon after when captain Kai Bulow powered in a trademark long range rocket. That man Kol restored Kobltenz’s lead when teenage left back Zander played him onside, giving him all the time in the world to slot past Walke. A motivational team talk at halftime seemed to work, as our performance was improved, and Kroos equalised with aplomb.

To compound the morale problems caused by my idiotic assistant, I now have to contend with want-away stars. Felix Kroos claims to be unsettled due to interest from Hannover, and goalkeeper Alexander Walke has begun agitating for a move in the press. Despite best efforts to settle the players their attitude is not helping things throughout my squad, and from a happy side seeking promotion I now find myself with a squad riven with minor concerns. This season is going bad quickly, and I am not sure how to arrest the fall.

ROSTOCK 2-2 BOCHUM 2. Bundesliga Att. 13608

Rostock Scorers: Kroos (1) Schied (11)

Bochum Scorer: Cauiby (23) Ruiz (71)

It occurred to me in the run up to this game that my previous two fixtures had ended exactly the same way as the corresponding ties in the first half of the season; namely a defeat by Furth and a draw with Koblenz. As we had beaten Bochum at the start of the campaign it therefore came as no surprise to me when Felix Kroos fired us into the lead just 40 seconds into this tie. Schied doubled our lead ten minutes later after a nice interchange with Kroos. The wheels came off the wagon somewhat when Caiuby pulled one back midway through the first half , and they equalised through Ruiz with 20 minutes left. Awful, our form is abysmal and it doesn’t look like we’re getting promoted this year. We’re now seven points behind that playoff spot, and that’s a lot of ground to make up…

JANUARY REVIEW

Not a whole heap to say. I was pleased with the signing of Madlung, but he is still bedding into the side. Results wise it’s been a disaster, as we’re now effectively out of the promotion race. You should never say never, but we’ve dropped a lot of points and are relying on those ahead of us to slip up. No player of the month this time round, as the ratings over the last five matches are skewed by the pointless friendlies.

[wesleysonck]

FEBRUARY 2012

OSNABRUCK 1-1 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 13351

Osnabruck Scorer: Cotulla (70)

Rostock Scorer: Magera (86)

An utter snooze-fest this one. The first note-worthy incident was the first goal, with Aleksandar Kotuljac turning Alexander Madlung inside out before firing home from 25 yards. Our equaliser was somewhat fortuitous, with both Jutkiewicz and Kroos forcing saves from the opposition goalkeeper before Lukas Magera rolled the ball into the corner of the net through a crowd of players. His first goal for the club, and one which salvaged a point for us. At this stage however one point isn’t enough - we may as well have lost. We need to start racking up wins to have any chance of going up, and we’ve now gone six games without one.

ROSTOCK 2-1 DRESDEN 2. Bundesliga Att. 17590

Rostock Scorer: Adlung (5) Schied (75)

Dresden Scorer: Esswein (68)

A first goal in a Rostock shirt from Daniel Adlung saw us get off to an excellent start against fellow Ostis Dresden. It was clear that our wide men were having a field day, judging from their ratings so I sent the lads out with the express instruction to exploit the flanks. It seemed to work, as we were dominating possession and creating chances. Unfortunately, all this attacking fervour led to gaps at the back, and Esswein picked up the ball in the centre circle, outpaced my backpedalling defence and levelled the scores. Of course, I wasn’t worried - this was a match against a rival, which meant Marcel Schied was due to score, which he did on 75 minutes.

MAINZ 2-2 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 20192

Mainz Scorer: Gambino (20) Trojan (31)

Rostock Scorer: Kroos (25, 28)

Mainz had a huge slice of luck when they took the lead through a Salvatore Gambino goal. The right winger was clearly stood offside when the ball was played to him, but the flag stayed down and the goal stood. The injustice was soon negated when Felix Kroos drilled home a wonderful equaliser, and rolled the ball into the far corner three minutes later to give us a one goal lead. Our advantage lasted no time at all unfortunately as the excellently named Trojan equalised just after the half hour mark. The game was a goal fest, but I needed points, not excitement. In the end all I got was another draw, and we slip down to seventh.

ROSTOCK 3-1 WEHEN 2. Bundesliga Att. 11595

Rostock Scorer: Kroos (8, 41) Retov (82)

Wehen Scorer: Hesse (44)

I dread to think where we’d be without the legend that is Felix Kroos. His first came after he pounced on a rebound and the second after he split the defence to get on the end of a Magera through-ball. Unfortunately our defensive frailties appeared again and Wehen pulled one back almost immediately. The rest of the match was an even-steven kind of affair, but was made comfortable when Martin Retov banged in a free kick late on. Five points only off that playoff spot now, but our current inconsistency means it is looking unlikely.

FEBRUARY 2012 REVIEW

Not a lot to be said once again this month. Inconsistent form is putting us off the pace in the race for promotion. Anything less I will see as a failure, as I have a talented bunch of lads here, with some excellent youth prospects. As always in football, we’re doing okay - only five defeats so far this season - but it’s the other teams that are getting in our way. Once again Felix Kroos was the star man of the month, no need to keep rehashing his biography. Of particular note is the form of our 31 year old Danish defensive midfielder Martin Retov. With thirteen assists in twenty five appearances, he’s been an unsung hero for us this season, often overlooked due to the goalscoring exploits of others. I’m pleased that the ill-advised comments by my assistant seem to be forgotten by the players, but not by me. I’m actively seeking someone to replace him, someone I can trust.

[wesleysonck]

MARCH 2012

The month began with the end of my struggle to keep goalkeeper Alexander Walke. Yet again he went to the press expressing his desire to play for a bigger club. I assured him that I wanted Rostock to match his ambitions, but he refused to back down and requested a transfer. I had no choice but to acquiesce. I’m not being taken for a ride however, and will accept nothing less than £4m for him. In the meantime I have a quandary: do I play Walke despite his want away attitude, or do I bring in my best young goalkeeper, the talented but untested Luis Xavier? The Portuguese is no safe bet as he is less than happy himself, not having settled as well as he would have liked here on the Baltic coast.

BIELEFELD 2-4 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 26079

Bielefeld Scorer: Berisha (50, 61)

Rostock Scorer: Sebastian (5) Kroos (30, 51, 81)

I went with youth in my goalkeeping conundrum. The young Xavier deserved a chance, and his performances for the Rostock second team warranted it. We went ahead on five minutes when big Tim Sebastian got up and headed home from a corner. Felix Kroos scored yet again after 30 minutes, and this one was something special, a volley into the roof of the net from the edge of the area. Early in the second half Berisha pulled one back for the home side, but Kroos added his second sixty seconds later to restore our two-goal advantage. Berisha grabbed a second to make a game of it, but when Kroos grabbed his hat-trick on 81 minutes the game was ours, and we’d earned an excellent win against one of the teams above us in the league.

ROSTOCK 2-2 DUISBURG 2. Bundesliga Att. 15232

Rostock Scorer: Kroos (32, 69)

Duisburg Scorer: Vingaard (17) Korzynietz (77)

Duisburg came out of the blocks with real vigour here today, with a goal disallowed and a shot rattling our crossbar all inside the first five minutes. It was no surprise therefore when Martin Vingaard gave them the lead with a powerful header in the seventeenth minute. We equalised just after the half hour mark, a vicious strike which gave the Duisburg goalkeeper no chance. The scorer? Who else but Felix Kroos. From then on the game was a hard fought battle, with neither side seeming to take the advantage. It was going to take a moment of brilliance to gain the breakthrough, and that moment came from the best player on the pitch, and probably the best player in the league - Felix Kroos. Chesting the ball down out on the right, Kroos made a direct run at the Duisburg goal, leaving defenders in his wake before casually slotting home into the corner. I thought we’d wrapped up the three points, but Duisburg had their own moment of magic when Bernd Korzynietz scored from a direct free kick. Only a point from this game, but I wasn’t disappointed. It had been a hard fought draw, but we deserved it.

GLADBACH 3-2 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 46828

Gladbach Scorers: Bobadilla (26) Santana (36) Foley (41)

Rostock Scorer: Kroos (2) Jutkiewicz (8)

Ah Felix Kroos, where would we be without him? Yet another goal (his tenth in five games) gave us an early lead against first place Gladbach. Shortly after Lukas Jutkiewicz put us two up with a long range piledriver. It was nice to see the young man score, as he’s been on something of a barren patch. Unsurprising as he must share the second strikers spot with Marcel Schied. As is traditional when we take a two goal lead, our opponents managed to pull on back. Argentinian striker Raul Bobadilla found space behind our defence and fired an unstoppable shot past Luis Xavier. I was expecting to concede in this match however. Not only was I playing a rookie goalkeeper, but my two first choice centre backs had conspired to pick up suspensions for this game, so I was forced to play my two back ups, both of whom were on the transfer list at their own request. Sadly, but inevitably, Gladbach equalised, with Cleber Santana grabbing the goal. To my utter dismay the turnaround was made complete when young Irishman Foley put the home side ahead. Terrible. After that we huffed and puffed but couldn’t find an equaliser. To lose after being two ahead to the league leaders is soul destroying

ROSTOCK 0-0 FREIBURG 2. Bundesliga Att. 14829

Well, not what I was after, always nice to keep a clean sheet but only if we score ourselves. This was our first clean sheet in the league since mid December, and the first time we’ve failed to score since the middle of October! Other than that, not a lot else to say about this match.

COTTBUS 2-3 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 21389

Cottbus Scorer: Shao Jiayi (50, 60)

Rostock Scorer: Schied (32) Kroos (80, 90)

With only a day’s rest since our dour draw with Freiburg I had to shuffle the pack a little, and was looking to Marcel Schied to do the business against our rivals, as he always seems to. We were given a big advantage when Timo Rost was dismissed for elbowing Kai Bulow in the face after only ten minutes. We slowed it down, kept possession and were rewarded for our efforts when that man Schied stroked the ball home just after the half hour mark. I don’t know what it is about that man and goals against our rivals, but I’m certainly glad he does it! The wind was taken from our sails in the second half when Chinese attacking midfielder Shao Jiayi equalised. Ten minutes later and he put them ahead from a direct free kick, and things weren’t looking good. Thankfully, Kroos poked home an equaliser, and snatched the winner on the verge of full time. We needed these three points, and came so close to not getting them. Five left, but still surely too late?

MARCH 2012 REVIEW

As the month draws to a close we find ourselves in fifth place, seven points off the promotion playoff with five games left. I know it isn’t going to happen now, am quite resigned to the fact. What I have to think about now is my future. I like this squad of players, I have some real talent available to me and I think it is inevitable that if I can keep them together eventually we’ll go up. But is that what I want? I was linked with the Cagliari job earlier in the month. They were lying fifth in Serie B, comfortably placed for the promotion playoffs, but I didn’t show any interest as I didn’t want to upset my current employers. I’ll keep my nose to the ground as the season winds up, and of course I’m sure there’ll be national vacancies soon, with the European Championships in the summer.

[wesleysonck]

APRIL 2012

ROSTOCK 3-2 OBERHAUSEN 2. Bundesliga Att.11037

Rostock Scorers: Kroos (13, 77) Magera (85)

Oberhausen Scorer: Konig (37, 45)

Good old Felix put us one up early on, and were it not for our dismal defensive record I’d be looking forward to another three points. Y lack of optimism proved to be apt, as we conceded an equaliser after a goalmouth scramble. Wonder if I’ve made a mistake putting the youngster in goal. He hasn’t made any mistakes per se, but his inexperience may be causing uncertainty in the defenders in front of him. We’ve always conceded goals though to be fair, it just isn’t apparent because we have Kroos scoring them at the other end. When Konig scored again 25 seconds into the second half, we needed Kroos more than ever. He came up with the goods in the 77th minute, drilling home a Steinhofer cross, and Magera gave us the win shortly after. The dream lives on, although hanging my the slenderest of threads.

OFFENBACH 3-1 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 10690

Offenbach Scorers: Schlitte og (69) Turker (75) Muller (81)

Rostock Scorer: Kroos (23)

There was no surprises when it was that man Kroos who opened the scoring for us on 23 minutes. It cannot be overstated how much we rely on him for goals, and although he is only twenty it surely won’t be too long before he starts agitating for a move. We held on to the lead until the sixty ninth minute when our back-up left back Kevin Schlitte contrived to put the ball into his own net under no pressure whatsoever. This was serious - anything but a win would make promotion an impossibility. This proved to be the case five minutes later when our keeper Xavier rushed out of his area to clear the ball, whacked it against the onrushing Offenbach striker who rolled it into an empty net. The game was put beyond us when Muller rose to meet a cross and headed in.

ROSTOCK 0-2 1860 MUNICH 2. Bundesliga Att. 15995

1860 Munich Scorers: Sebo (13) Kaiser (56)

It’s painful watching your team self-destruct. First Slovakian striker Filip Sebo put the Bavarian side one nil up, and then Alexander Madlung got himself sent off for a professional foul, all within the first quarter of an hour. Already this match was a write-off. We struggled and fought after that, and looked good considering the massive handicap we had given ourselves. However, Munich’s numerical advantage paid off when Sandro Kaiser doubled their lead in the second half after combining with Bernd Thjis, whom I had managed at Gent. There were no more goals, but that didn’t matter. Promotion hopes - slim before this match - were now gone, and my thoughts were now on next season, wherever I may be.

AACHEN 2-2 ROSTOCK 2. Bundesliga Att. 32145

Aachen Scorer: Milchrum (11) Burkhardt (63)

Rostock Scorer: Adlung (pen 13) Bulow (20)

Our season was over, and the lads were playing like it. We conceded an early goal from a Milchrum free kick, but Daniel Adlung pulled one back from the spot two minutes later. It was nice to see him score, as the lad had been taking a bit of stick in the press lately, as was I for signing him. Adlung was involved in our second too, with a fine cross which was headed in at the far post by Bulow. Burkhardt levelled things up in the 63rd minute, and the match ended in a draw.

APRIL REVIEW

Well the month ended with one game left, against rivals Saint Pauli. After what was a disappointing season I was looking forward to a prestige match at home, one in which we could possibly get a win, thus ending the season on a high. However, a chain of events began in northern Spain which would result in me losing my job. Recreativo Huelva found themselves relegated from La Liga, and fired manager Javi Lopez. He was replaced by Quique Setien of Levante, who were lying top of the Spanish Second Division. Seeing my chance of top flight management I put in a tentative application, which was accepted by the Levante board, who informed me that due to a board takeover some matters may be subject to review. Unfortunately, the Rostock board got wind of my application and were furious. Desperate to save my job at a club I belatedly realised I had affection for I quickly apologised. This cut no ice, and I was summarily dismissed. So it’s back into the job market I go, and not without a great deal of regret. It’s like that song says, you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.

[wesleysonck]

UNEMPLOYED, SUMMER 2012

With the boardroom turmoil at Levante holding up my application for the managers job there, I was approached by Empoli, who had finished dead last in Serie A. They had a small, moderately talented squad but I didn’t fancy it, so I rejected their offer. I was glad I held back, because a vacancy appeared as manager of the Dutch Under 21s. I applied, and was delighted when Bart van Marwijk offered me the job,

This is a wonderful role for me, a great step up after my role with the French Under 19s and perfect for my development as a manager. I’m only thirty four, and have a long career in front of me hopefully. I feel real excitement and can’t wait for my first match.

Shortly after accepting this offer, Levante get back to me, offering me the chance of leading them in La Liga next season, promotion having been achieved. With only one competitive fixture for the Dutch Under 21s before next years U21 European Championships - a tournament we have already qualified for - I don’t feel there would be any great conflict of interest in me taking on both roles, so it is off to Spain I go.

LEVANTE UD

Based in the port city of Valencia, Levante Union Deportivo were formed in 1909, a full ten years before their more illustrious cross-city rivals. Located next to the port area, the club quickly became associated with the working class. The club played in regional tournaments for the initial stages of their existence, and in 1934 made their debut in the second level of Spanish football. During the Spanish Civil war the club had their stadium destroyed whilst their playing squad remained intact. Another side, Gimnastico, had a ground but had sadly lost most of their squad. In 1939 the clubs merged and in the 1960’s Levante made their La Liga debut. A club with not much of note where trophies are concerned, a solitary Copa del Rey win in 1937 is all they have to their name. Having spent the vast majority of their existence in the Segunda Division, my aim is solely to survive in the Spanish top flight.

THE PLAYERS

Best performing player of the season just gone has been left back Angel. Thirty years old, the Spaniard has been man of the match in nearly one-fifth of the matches he has played in this season. Despite his age he has never played in the top flight, so it will be interesting to see if he has what it takes to make the step up. Equally impressive has been central midfielder Marc Mateu. This twenty one year old native of Valencia has scored eight goals and contributed twelve assists. Having spent his entire career with Levante he is the kind of home grown talent one can build a team around. The major goal threat this season has been Xisco Nadal. From the island of Mallorca, Nadal has previously played in La Liga, scoring three times in twenty appearances for Villarreal. He’ll need to net more than that if we have any chance of staying up however.

With the club already promoted I have three games before the end of the season to get the measure of my squad and plan my transfer strategy for the summer. I was extremely disappointed to have got the sack from Rostock through my own stupidity, but with next season in La Liga to look forward to, followed by a summer tournament in charge of the Dutch Under 21s, it seems I have landed on my feet once again.

[wesleysonck]

JUNE 2012

HOLLAND U21s 4-3 GERMANY U21s International Friendly Att. 13711

Holland U21 Scorer: Castillion (15, 27, 37) Elzinga (67)

Germany U21 Scorer: Schumacher (42) Hornig (69) Sanchis (89)

Just a little kick around to get to see my players. Would have preferred less prestigious visitors than the perfidious Germans, but this fixture was arranged long before my arrival. I lined up in my favoured 4-4-2 formation for this fixture, but will certainly be looking to adapt a more ‘Dutch’ 4-3-3 when I have the time to truly search the players available to me. We got off to a bright start and the extremely talented Geoffrey Castillion put us ahead on 15 minutes with a header. The Ajax striker looks very good, and I imagine he will break through into the first team of his club side next season. It was the same man who put us 2-0 up, and I watched on with awe. I was seeing the best football that any of my teams had played. The fluidity of movement and the silky smooth passing was mesmerising, and I forgot all about changing formations, it seemed I had stumbled on a lovely formation straight away. Castillion completed his hat-trick shortly before half time, and I was on cloud nine. Schumacher pulled one back for the Germans shortly after, tapping home a cross from my Rostock star Haufe, but I just didn’t care. We were wonderful. The second half was broken up by a succession of substitutions, but that didn’t stop eighteen year old AZ Alkmaar player Wesley Elzinga scoring a 25 yard screamer, only for Philipp Horning to immediately reply. A late goal from Sanchis made the scoreline respectable for the Germans, and my defending needs work, but there is no doubt this was a wonderful attacking performance from my new charges.

LEVANTE 2-3 CADIZ Liga Adelante Att. 14389

Levante Scorers: Marcos Antonio (14) Raul Lopez o.g. (53)

Cadiz Scorers: Erice (35) Della Rocca (79) De La Cuesta (89)

I am just coming to terms with the enormity of the task ahead of me. Levante were predicted to finish fourteenth in the second tier, miraculously won the league, and now I must keep them in La Liga. This is a team who are far worse than Rostock - whom I failed to get promoted in Germany - and yet I must compete in a league with Real Madrid and Barcelona. We took the lead here when Brazilian centre-back Marco Antonio headed home from a corner. We looked good, but that didn’t stop Erice levelling with a vicious strike that nearly tore the net asunder. We pulled ahead in the second half when poor Raul Lopez put the ball into his own net from a corner, but another pair of headed goals, from Della Rocca and De La Cuesta meant the points went to Cadiz. Not the perfect start to my time in Spain, but considering fatigue and suspension had ruled out nearly half of the players considered starters I wasn’t too bothered. The real business would begin next season.

LEVANTE 1-0 ELCHE Liga Adelante Att. 25354

Levante Scorer: Ibarra (pen 90+3)

I was fed up with conceding too many goals. Not a problem if you are confident of scoring more than your opponent, but next season that isn’t going to be the case. With this in mind I tweaked my tactic, and to a certain extent it worked. We kept a clean sheet, but needed a fortuitous penalty deep into stoppage time to win the game. The team played well, looked solid but we lost a lot of our attacking incision through my more defensive approach. What is needed is a happy medium, but I have the summer to work on that. This win also secured the title for Levante, and a record crowd turned out to celebrate the achievement. I was embarrassed by the praise I received for ‘my’ achievement, but was sure to credit my predecessor.

CELTA 1-0 LEVANTE Liga Adelante Att. 7831

Celta Scorer: Navarro (83)

The final game of the season and both sets of players were treating it as something of a stroll. I had used the opportunity to look as some of the players who might be worth keeping around next season. I was partially impressed with 22 year old Guillaume Francois, a Luxembourg born Belgian. He always seemed to be able to carve out some space and had a ferocious strike on him, it was just a shame those shots always seemed to gravitate towards the goalkeeper. The game was as dour as our previous match, but in this case it was our opponents who scored the late winner, with young Spaniard David Navarro grabbing the winner with a well taken strike from the edge of the penalty area.

JUNE REVIEW

One win and two defeats for a team who had only lost five of their previous forty-nine is hardly a record I was proud off, but I had been experimenting, looking for the best roles and positions to assign to my different players. I had formed a good idea of who would be able to cut it in the top flight, and who was on their way out of the door. I was nervous about making wholesale changes, and committing to the sale of too many players as I had no idea of the budget I would be allotted for the forthcoming season. All that aside, I was looking forward to a summer of wheeling and dealing, and moulding a squad in my own image, a squad that would be able to hold it’s own in arguably the finest league in the world.

[wesleysonck]

SUMMER 2012

The winners of this seasons major European competitions, as well as the results of the 2012 European Championships from the quarter finals onwards are as follows:

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE : JUVENTUS

EUROPA LEAGUE : LEVERKUSEN

ENGLAND

League TOTTENHAM

Cup EVERTON

Top Scorer Mevlut ERDINC (Fulham)

SPAIN

League BARCELONA

Cup GETAFE

Top Scorer David VILLA (Valencia)

ITALY

League JUVENTUS

Cup FIORENTINA

Top Scorer Alberto PALOSCHI (Parma)

GERMANY

League WOLFSBURG

Cup LEVERKUSEN

Top Scorer Rafael SOBIS (Wolfsburg)

FRANCE

League MONACO

Cup LYON

Top Scorer Filipe CAICEDO (PSG)

HOLLAND

League AJAX

Cup VITESSE

Top Scorer TAISON(Ajax)

BELGIUM

League CLUB BRUGGE

Cup CLUB BRUGGE

Top Scorer Ignacio Diaz DE CERIO (Standard)

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

QUARTER FINALS

GERMANY 3 (Tecklenburg 47, 64 Avramov og 112)

SERBIA 2 (Lekic 37, 85)

UKRAINE 3 (Buffon og 16 Cassano og 45+2 Milevskyi 49)

ITALY 2 (Cassano 31 Rossi 59)

HOLLAND 2 (van Persie 21, 86)

CROATIA 3 (Kranjkar pen 63, pen 108 Badelj 75)

SPAIN 2 (Fabregas 45+1 Pique 96)

FRANCE 2 (Ramos og 42 Henry 111)

France win 5-3 on penalties

SEMI FINALS

GERMANY 2 (Hartmann 81 Leipold 105+1)

FRANCE 2 (Gourcuff 7 Henry 100)

France win 4-1 on penalties

UKRAINE 1 (Yarmolenko 40)

CROATIA 0

FINAL

FRANCE 1 (Rami 44)

UKRAINE 0

Congratulations to France, but special note must go to England who crashed out following three defeats from three in their group, which contained France, Bosnia and Croatia.

LEVANTE TRANSFER BUSINESS

OUT

Josef KAUFMAN - Free - Hull

Twenty eight year old Czech right back left on a Bosman in a deal which was concluded before my arrival. Would have kept him, and he’d have most probably played, but I am happy to be bringing my own right back in.

Istvan BAKX - £220k - Poli Ejido

Twenty six year old Dutch left winger. Another transfer which was sealed before my arrival and like Kaufman would probably have featured in my team had he stayed.

Manu HERRERA - £1.2m - Nice

Thirty year old Spanish goalkeeper, one of three all of similar ability. At the end of last season Manu was the biggest complainer, so he is the one out of the door.

Guillaume FRANCOIS - Released

Twenty two year old Belgian didn’t want to stay, wouldn’t sign a new contract so Adios my friend, good luck.

Kevin DUPUIS - Released

Twenty five year old French striker, same story as Francois.

IN

Anthony VANDEN BORRE - £425k - Schalke

Twenty Four year old Belgian utility player. Hopefully will prove to be a good signing, as he is good technically, mentally and physically. With poor concentration he could be prone to errors, but is looking to get his career back on track after a miserable time with Schalke.

Lasha SALUKVADZE - £170k - Roma

Thirty year old Georgian who is happy anywhere in defence. Brought primarily as cover for my right back, I am sure he will have the opportunity to claim a defensive spot as his own. Looking to revive his career after a miserable three years at Roma, where he made 32 appearances.

POINTLESS FRIENDLIES

LEVANTE 2-0 BARCELONA AT. (Iborra, Perez)

VERSAILLES 0-2 LEVANTE (Suarez, Pons)

BOLOGNA 0-5 LEVANTE (Xisco 3, Iborra, Pons)

LEVANTE 1-1 INTER (Xisco Nadal) (Balotelli)

BENIDORM 0-3 LEVANTE (Pons 2 Xisco Nadal)

LEVANTE 2-0 SALZBURG (Cerra, Xisco)

SUMMARY

A very pleasant pre-season all in all. I am happy with the players I brought in, experienced men all. I now have a compact squad of twenty one men, all of whom can fit into the squad. Don’t get me wrong, I am under no illusions about the quality of my players, they’re not going to be chasing for the title, and avoiding relegation will be a struggle. Our friendlies gave me a lot of confidence for the season ahead, particularly the matches in Italy where we got two superb results. A special mention must go to Marc Mateu who traveled to England for the Olympics as part of the Spanish squad. Unfortunately he didn’t pick up a medal, having lost to France in the bronze medal match. It is nice to have a player selected for the national team however, and I’m sure he’ll have more opportunities in the future to win trophies. It is time for the season to begin however, and it couldn’t be starting in any better way. We’re off to the Nou Camp…

[paperclips]

Good read mate. Keep it up.

[wesleysonck]

Cheers paperclips, it's been a while due to laptop problems and a terrible Atlantic crossing, but here is my latest update...

SEPTEMBER 2012

BARCELONA 1-0 LEVANTE La Liga Att. 81363

Barcelona Scorer: Ibrahimovic (28)

A balmy evening in Barcelona saw me step out for my first match as a manager in one of Europe’s major leagues. I was tingling with excitement, confident that my team would not let me down. We started the game at a wonderful pace, with Valdes needing a string of saves to prevent us scoring. Barca were giving away a lot of free kicks around the box, but we were unable to capitalise. As was, perhaps, inevitable, Barcelona’s class showed as the opened the scoring. Messi turned wonderfully to lose his marker, and played a cheeky ball into Ibrahimovic who had timed his run to perfection, with the goal at his mercy the Swede calmly rounded the keeper and rolled the ball into the corner. We continued to play well, but our opponents looked dangerous every time they attacked. For the remainder of the match we battled hard, but just couldn’t make the breakthrough. To our credit neither did Barca, and if there is such a thing as a good defeat this was it.

04/09/12 Philips Stadion, Eindhoven. European U21 Championship Qualifier

Holland U21s 3-0 Serbia U21s Attendance 9364

Holland U21 Scorer: Dimoski og 5, Castillion 25 Stankovic og 77

Holland U21 lineup

01 Ricardo KIEBOOM (Atalanta)

02 Etienne VAN DUIJN (Ajax)

03 Gerrit ADEMA (Everton)

04 Ronald VORM (Emmen)

05 Jan DE LANGE (Rostock)

06 Georginio WIJNALDUM (sub 64) (Genk)

07 Rein VAN DER KRAAN (AZ)

08 Ozcan ER (Tottenham)

09 Abel BOSZ (sub 64) (Juventus)

10 Geoffrey CASTILLION (Ajax)

11 Wesley ELZINGA (sub 83) (AZ)

15 Nacer BARAZITE (on 64) (Hoffenheim)

18 Wilco BALKESTEIN (on 64) (Cambuur)

19 Guus HUPPERTS (on 83) (Caen)

A lovely win against the team which were directly below us in our qualifying group. We saw the similar free flowing beautiful attacking football which was in evidence in the match against Germany, but we combined this with defensive grit. It was disappointing that two of our goals came from own-goals, but I just see that as an indication of the pressure we put the beleaguered Serbian defence under. Topping the group with seven wins from eight games isn’t enough to get a team into the finals of this tournament, and we will face a playoff match against a Scotland side who feature Frank Gibson, Rangers young striker who has so far this season scored seven from seven for his club.

LEVANTE 1-3 SEVILLA La Liga Att. 21679

Levante Scorer: Larrea (87)

Sevilla Scorers: Negredo (18, 79) Navas (84)

This match saw us under the cosh right from the outset. We had scarcely set foot in our opponents half when Alvaro Negredo put Sevilla ahead. We were being completely outplayed, and were lucky to go in at half time only a goal down after Luis Fabiano managed to hit the post when it seemed easier to score. We had failed to even manage a single shot as the second half began, so I made some changes which I hoped would bring more attacking options from the middle without weakening us at the back. The second half began with an improvement, and we managed to hit the back of the net but the goal was rightly ruled out for offside. However, we began flagging and Negredo scored his second, and Navas scrambled home to make Sevilla’s win comfortable. Despite Larrea’s late consolation I am beginning to regret not trying a little harder to sign a striker this summer.

HOLLAND U21s 3-0 WALES U21s Friendly Att. 4086

Holland U21 Scorers: Er (36) Elzinga (80) Reker (90+2)

A fairly pedestrian win against weak opposition. Due to the different eligibility rules between this and the last friendly a large portion of my squad were unable to play, but I saw this as a chance to give some of the fringe players a run out, and they did not disappoint. Tottenham’s talented midfielder Ozcan Er gave us the lead, and then we knocked the ball around ineffectually for the remainder of the match. Only late goals from Wesley Elzinga and a cracker from Reinier Reker in stoppage time made the score look respectable. It was a nice win against British opposition, and fills me with confidence for our crunch play-off matches against Scotland.

MALLORCA 0-1 LEVANTE La Liga Att. 21495

Levante Scorer: Xisco Nadal (72)

Our continuing quest to start gaining points got off to a steady start against Mallorca, and we just about had the best of the opening exchanges. We seemed to be playing like either Arsenal or arses; periods of neat but fruitless interplay around the edge of the Mallorca area interspersed with woefully inept passing. It was one of those fine exchanges which led to Xisco Nadal’s 70th minute goal. We now had a lead and needed to hang onto it. We looked good for it too, although the islanders did give us some scary moments as the match drew to a close. We hung on though, and racked up our first win of the season.

LEVANTE 0-0 RACING La Liga Att. 19385

In a mirror image of our last match, it was our opponents who came out of the traps with vigour. Ghanaian Asamoah Gyan was a particular threat, harrying our defence with his pace and strength. We looked fragile, particularly down the wings where our attacking potential was nil. I stuck Vanden Borre out on the right, but he looked uncomfortable, partly due to the unsuitable position and partly because he was finding it difficult to settle in Valencia. The Santander side had far more chances than us, so in the end I had to be satisfied with a goalless draw. Less pleasing was losing midfielder Vicente Iborra and defender Roman Hubnik to injury, for three weeks and three months respectively.

ATHLETIC BILBAO 1-0 LEVANTE La Liga Att. 42225

Bilbao Scorer: Diaz de Cerio (pen 40)

This match against the Basque outfit saw a change in formation, with wingers replaced with a defensive midfielder playing behind three men strung across the middle of the park. The change seemed to do some good, certainly defensively, as we restricted the Bilbao attack, but our own offence was not improved, with most of our attack going through the middle where it was easily broken up. The Basques took the lead when my right back Cerra brought down Amorebieta in the box and Diaz de Cerio converted the resulting penalty. We had a few sniffs of goal in the second half, but nothing which caused any worry to the home side, and we slumped to defeat.

LEVANTE 3-0 GETAFE La Liga Att. 14327

Getafe Scorer: Xisco Nadal (2, 25) Xisco (11)

A home tie against a team I hoped we would one day be able to emulate. Getafe are a small club, much like ourselves, and yet they have finished in the top five in each of the last three seasons. We took an early lead against them however when their goalkeeper Oscar Ustari lingered on the ball too long and was dispossessed by Xisco Nadal, who stroked the ball into an empty net. Our other Xisco doubled our lead following a goalmouth scramble and we looked in control. The two Xiscos combined to create our third goal and we looked like a different side to the one in our last few matches - we looked like a good footballing side.

SEPTEMBER REVIEW

On the club front, a month that ends with us outside the relegation zone is a good month in my book, and seven points from our first six matches is good enough for me. Keep up a similar pattern of results and we’ll certainly avoid relegation. Performances have been mediocre - perhaps I expect to lose, but some sort of offensive cohesion would be nice. I have already begun my efforts to inject a little flair onto my side, but so far my tentative enquiries as to the availability of players have come to nothing.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH

Step forward Marcos Antonio. The twenty nine year old central defender has been the lynchpin of my moderately solid defence, and has earned an average rating of 7.30. Despite being technically poor he more than makes up for this in sheer physicality. Marcos started his career with Corinthians in his native land before moving to Portugal, where he spent six years playing for Porto, Academica, Gil Vicente and Leiria. He then made a move to France, but failed to settle at Auxerre and was farmed out on loan to PAOK in Greece. He returned to Auxerre for two more years, but only managed four appearances. He then signed for us where he became an integral part of our Liga Adelante winning side, and seems to have continued this fine form in the opening chapters of our top flight adventure.

[wesleysonck]

OCTOBER 2012

05/10/12 Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld. European U21 Championship Qualifying Playoff.

Scotland U21s 1-2 Holland U21s Attendance 2370

Scotland U21 Scorer: Gallagher (74)

Holland U21 Scorers: Bosz (2) MacLennan (og 15)

Holland U21 lineup

01 Jeroen ZOET (Manchester City)

02 Etienne VAN DUIJN (Ajax)

03 Gerrit ADEMA (Everton)

04 Ronald VORM (Emmen)

05 Rogier VERMEULEN (Ajax)

06 Georginio WIJNALDUM (Genk)

07 Abdesalam CHERKAOUI (sent off 27) (De Graafschap)

08 Ozcan ER (Tottenham)

09 Abel BOSZ (sub 68) (Juventus)

10 Geoffrey CASTILLION (sub 68) (Ajax)

11 Wesley ELZINGA (AZ)

16 Charlton VICENTO (on 68) (Nantes)

18 Wilco BALKESTEIN (on 68) (Cambuur)

A chilly day in Scotland saw my young Dutch charges playing some lovely football, and our first attack saw us take the lead. Cherkaoui pulled the ball back to the edge of the Scottish area and Abel Bosz thrashed the ball into the back of the net. Despite the bright start, Scotland were not going to roll over, and they came in search of an equaliser. Despite this, we increased our lead when Dundee United’s David Maclennan inexplicably passed the ball into his own net under no pressure at all. The Scots weren’t the only ones trying to make life hard for themselves, with Abdesalam Cherkaoui getting his marching orders for a nasty two-footed lunge. After that initial flurry of action the game settled down, and Scotland kept pushing men forward, and made the breakthrough when Aberdeen’s Sean Gallagher pulled one back. We held on for a win in a game which - on balance - we probably should have lost.

GIJON 3-1 LEVANTE La Liga Att. 25151

Gijon Scorer: Barral (15, 30) De Las Cuevas (80)

Levante: Xisco Nadal (90+1)

My midfield had morphed into a diamond for this fixture due to minor injuries, and it didn’t seem to do us any good as firey striker Barral fired Gijon into a fifteenth minute lead. It was the same man who doubled our opponents lead and made it look unlikely we were going to get anything out of this game. It was frustrating, as except for our end product we were playing very well. The second half saw us create chances, but Xisco in particular was guilty of spurning some gilt-edged chances, firing one shot straight at the Gijon keeper and getting the ball caught between his legs when it seemed easier to score in another. De Las Cuevas thrashed the ball into the roof of the net with ten minutes to go to kill off any remote chance we had. Xisco Nadal’s injury time goal meant nothing in a bitterly disappointing defeat, and one in which our previously excellent defensive form had gone straight out of the window.

09/10/12 Parkstad Limburg Stadion, Kerkrade. European U21 Championship Qualifying Playoff.

Holland U21s 0-3 Scotland U21s Attendance 5320

Holland U21 Scorers: Castillion (6, 23, 45+3)

Holland U21 lineup

01 Jeroen ZOET (Manchester City)

02 Etienne VAN DUIJN (sub 82) (Ajax)

03 Gerrit ADEMA (Everton)

04 Ronald VORM (Emmen)

05 Rogier VERMEULEN (Ajax)

06 Georginio WIJNALDUM (Genk)

07 Wilco BALKESTEIN (Cambuur)

08 Ozcan ER (Tottenham)

09 Abel BOSZ (sub 70) (Juventus)

10 Geoffrey CASTILLION (Ajax)

11 Wesley ELZINGA (sub 82) (AZ)

14 Wilbert SW GEUS (on 82) (Anderlecht)

15 Bart JALIENS (on 70) (Bordeaux)

16 Charlton VICENTO (on 82) (Nantes)

A master class of finishing from Geoffrey Castillion saw us race into half time lead which was unassailable. Scotland weren’t a bad side, and put together some lovely moves. Against a lesser side I am sure they would have got something from the game, but against this excellent crop of Dutchmen they didn’t stand a chance. I’d like to be able to claim my tactical mastery was the major factor in our performances, but I believe I could send out a goalkeeper in attack and Castillion’s grandmother in goal and we’d still put in a performance to relish. Next summer cannot come soon enough, and I’m confident of adding another youth international tournament win to my CV.

HOLLAND U21s 4-0 ARMENIA U21s Friendly Att. 612

Holland U21 Scorers: Reker (16) Hupperts (20, 65) Er (29)

Despite having so many ineligible players we were unable to fill our bench we still came away with a big win against mediocre opponents. An interesting side-note is that today’s referee was a Scotsman, Dougie MacDonald. Thankfully he was a complete professional and refereed impartially!

VILLARREAL 4-2 LEVANTE La Liga Att. 23000

Villarreal Scorer: Rossi (pen 21, 30) Pereira (45+2) Nilmar (85)

Levante Scorer: Gorka Larrea (8) Xisco Nadal (58)

There were shades of 1966 to our first goal, as Xisco Nadal and Gorka Larrea combined through the middle of the park. Larrea unleashed a powerful strike which struck the underside of the crossbar and cannoned down onto the line. Unlike Hurst’s iconic strike there was no ambiguity here as the ball finally came to a halt nestled in the corner of the net. Unfortunately Cerra gave away his second penalty in three matches, and our hard earned lead was lost. The same man gave the home side the lead when he seized on some slack defending to tap home from close range. Rossi turned creator in first half stoppage time when he played in Jonathan Pereira to score Villarreal’s third. After a good start we now looked doomed to defeat. Xisco Nadal got us back in the game around the hour mark, but Nilmar snuffed out our hope in the 85th minute.

LEVANTE 0-1 SOCIEDAD La Liga Att. 15806

Sociedad Scorer: Labaka (63)

These thuggish Basques seemed more interested in battering our players than playing football, as fist Lloris Reina and then Marcos Antonio were stretchered off - both of our central defenders. We tried to punish them via the medium of goals, but unfortunately their goalkeeper was in inspired form. Even more annoying was Mikel Labaka’s 63rd minute opener for our opponents. This was looking like a classic smash and grab. We tried hard, but couldn’t grab a goal, a terrible disappointment after a decent performance. One nice thing to come out of the game was crossing the path of Antoine Griezmann, from my France U19 days. He’s developing into a good player, and I am very proud of him. It’s just a shame about his hooligan team mates.

LEVANTE 0-2 VALENCIA La Liga Att. 25354

Valencia Scorer: Villa (19) Mbokani (80)

My first Valencia derby, and looking at the oppositions line-up was terrifying. David Silva, David Villa and Juan Manuel Mata were all potent attackers, and it was Senor Villa who nodded Valencia into the lead. Despite the setback, we fought and fought like lions. Perhaps we fought a little bit too hard, as Marc Mateu was dismissed ten minutes into the second half for two yellow cards. The ‘compact’ squad I had been pleased with was now looking a little threadbare, with my Korean centre-back Kwak Hee-Ju playing through the pain barrier with a gashed leg due to the lack of quality options. Ten men, a crocked Korean and we still looked good for an equaliser. As you’d expect when ten men push for an equaliser against superior opposition we conceded a second, and suffered a defeat to our rivals. Where is Marcel Schied when you need him…?

CELTA VIGO 0-1 LEVANTE Spanish Cup 4th Round 1st Leg Att. 9875

Levante Scorer: Xisco Nadal (25)

A nice cup match to get us over our run of league defeats, or potentially a banana skin which could see us slip up against lower division opposition? Xisco Nadal did his best to ensure it was the former by firing us into a 25th minute lead. It was the only moment of note in an otherwise even game and, with the Spanish Cup being two legged we head into the return fixture with a clean sheet and an away goal under our belt.

[paperclips]

Looks like you are doing alright. Mabye you need a new CF, i would try and loan somebody.

Keep it up, it is a great read.

[wesleysonck]

Thanks for the kind words paperclips, and no arguments there, Xisco hasn't been doing the job and someone to take over some of the goalscoring burden from Xisco Nadal would be great.

NOVEMBER 2012

ESPANYOL 2-0 LEVANTE La Liga Att. 33119

Espanyol Scorers: Toni Moral (10) Moussi (30)

After the win against Celta I thought a boost in morale might carry over into our league form, but after ten minutes it was a burst from Moral which took him into our box to score to opener. Moussi scored their third and we looked to be slumping to yet another league defeat. Defeat it turned out to be. I wasn’t too surprised. We had a defence decimated by injury, and I was left with a choice of playing unfit first-teamers or youngsters who were far from ready for top flight action, and probably never would be. I was going to need new players in the January window, no doubt. This time, unlike in the summer, I had a good idea of the areas which would need strengthening.

LEVANTE 2-1 OSASUNA La Liga Att. 15122

Levante Scorer: Xisco Nadal (41, 47)

Osasuna Scorer: Bermejo (39)

This was the kind of game we needed to be winning, home games against teams expected to be in the relegation mixer with us come the end of the season. I was red faced after seven minutes when a blatant dive by Xisco Nadal resulted in poor Josu Sarriegi receiving a red card for a professional foul. Perhaps we didn’t deserve to win now, and karma seemed to be working in Osasuna’s favour when Mario Bermejo smashed home before half time. We instantly replied however, an unstoppable strike from Xisco Nadal. Immediately after the break the same man gave us the lead, seizing on a fumble from the Osasuna keeper. So a win is a win, one entirely crafted by Xisco Nadal. His cheating had been distasteful, but it’s a dirty business fighting it out at the bottom of the league, and I’d take my points from anywhere.

LEVANTE 0-0 CELTA VIGO Spanish Cup 4th Round 2nd Leg Att. 9492

To progress all we needed to do was not lose. There wasn’t much chance of that judging from the first half of this match, but equally there was no chance of us increasing our lead. After ninety stultifying minutes the referee blew his whistle, and while the players trudged off I went around each of the nine and a half thousand spectators in attendance, woke them up and sent them on their way.

TENERIFE 0-0 LEVANTE La Liga Att. 23020

Centre back Marcos Antonio returned from his groin strain for the first time in five matches, and I hoped he would be able to recapture his fine form of the early part of the season. He played well, as did all my defensive players - Iborra especially, but my attackers were hapless. We won many corners, but I think this was more to do with the fact that Tenerife quickly noticed that we would be no threat at all from that particular dead ball scenario and happily punted the ball out behind their own byline rather than try anything more risky, such as attacking.

HOLLAND U21s 1-1 GREECE U21s Friendly Att. 13550

Holland U21Scorer: Jaliens (13)

Greece U21 Scorer: Vidalis (43)

International friendlies are boring. I barely watched, all eyes on next summer as far as interest in my Holland job is concerned.

LEVANTE 0-2 REAL MADRID La Liga Att. 22073

Real Madrid Scorer: Kaka (pen 83, 90+3)

We got off to a good - if somewhat unethical start - when we managed to injure Ronaldo and Benzema inside the first ten minutes. I felt bad, but we’re a poor team playing legends, we were never going to be able to outplay them. We seemed to be doing very well, but I couldn’t decide whether we were playing well or Real were playing badly. It was a kick in the teeth when Marcos Antonio gave away a penalty in the 81st minute, earning a red card in the process. Kaka stepped up and converted the resulting penalty, and as we pushed forward looking fruitlessly for an equaliser the Brazilian added his second to clinch the tie for the Madrid outfit.

NOVEMBER REVIEW

Well we got a win this month, against Osasuna, as well as the goalless draw with Tenerife. These four points took our tally for the season to eleven. We lie fifteenth in the league now, a healthy six points away from the drop zone. Ahead of us Racing have thirteen and Tenerife have seventeen, so there is already a gap appearing ahead of us and unless something amazing happens even mid table obscurity looks to be beyond our means. Our best performing player of the month has been goalkeeper Manolo Reina, with an average of 7.28 over his last five games.