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[FM11] It started with a Droylsden dream [ FM 2011 - Journeyman career ]

GioGio85

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GioGio85

GioGio85

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2020/21 – Bristol Rovers (npower League 2)

With the Hartlepool United chairman deciding to offer me a 1 month contract I was unexpectedly free to take over the reigns of another club from July 1st 2020.

Bristol Rovers came calling on 8 October after their former manager endured a slow start to the new league 2 season.

I took over with one immediate aim. Beat Hartlepool.

I’m not bitter ….honest.

Season Review

With a look around my squad it was easy to see why this team was relegated. Much like Hartlepool last season, I had inherited an unbalanced squad which lacked strength in depth.

I did however own some talented players as demonstrated by my 19 year old Italian right back Sabia, who was an exquisite talent at this level.

Experienced centre back Mark Hughes and loanee left winger Colin Jubb were also good players for League 2.

Out of my first 9 games I won all of my home games and lost all of my away games. I was anything but convincing in all of these games.

I looked on admiringly (and jealously) at Hartlepool who were tearing it up at the top of the league, with striker Tom Elliott (whom I signed the day before I left) tearing it up in the goal scoring charts.

One the major problems I had to overcome was that the club owned very few senior players….but those that were there were on extortionate wages and were eating away at my 16.8k wage budget. This restricted me in the loan and free transfers I could bring in to aid my push for promotion.

I did however manage to loan 3 talented players that were to prove instrumental in my teams change in form. In came:

- defensive midfielder Graham Hitchings from Gillingham; who possessed excellent delivery from set pieces

- Pacey striker David Wardle from Fulham

- Deep lying forward Billy Knight from Birmingham

My teams form picked up with the addition of these players and I didn’t lose next until 28 January at home to Harrogate. The only problem I was having was juggling how many loan players I could have in my match day squad at any one time.

Knight scored 9 goal sin 18 games and Wardle scored 15 in 17 games. Both were excellent and I would be sad to see them go at the end of January.

I was worried that as my influential loan players returned to their parent clubs, my form would evaporate. I needed more bodies in my squad.

I was able to release 2 players and free up a grand or so, meaning I had more room to bring in players. To replace outgoing Wardle and Knight in came an old friend of mine from my days in the Blue Square Premier at Grimsby, striker Sam Martin from Aston Villa on loan.

I also signed a promising young striker by the name of Colin Robson from Watford on a free after his agent offered him to me. I was also very excited to have been able to snap up Graham Hitchings for free from Gillingham after what proved to be a very good loan spell.

These signings did the job and my form continued. After my defeat to Harrogate I didn’t lose again in the league.

After initially battling it out with Hartlepool for top spot, they soon fell by the wayside and I was instead battling it out for the title with Doncaster Rovers.

I was guaranteed promotion with 5 games to go but despite a 5 point lead I still had some way to go before securing the title. In particular I was wary of my final game of the season…against Doncaster.

Fotunatly Doncaster fell at a few hurdles in the last 5 games and I managed to take the title fairly straight fowardly....lost 4-0 in my last game to Doncaster...but it didnt matter :)

Season summary

A very good season, which unexpectedly burst into life from December onwards.

Promotion to League 1 achieved at my 1st attempt and I set a new club record of 18 games unbeaten and new division record of goals scored in a season (93) in doing so.

Obviously, beating Hartlepool put a wry smile on my face too.

Next season I hope to establish myself in League 1, a level I have yet to manage at.

Final position – 1st (Champions) .......side note (Hartlepool lost 1 - 0 in the playoff final )

Player of the season: Marc Tierney (DL)

Solid as a rock all season and even managed to bang in a spectacular winner in 1 game in the season.

Other key performers include:

- Colin Robson (SC)

Striker hit the ground running as soon as he signed up with us and partnered Sam Martin up front. The pair struck up an amazing partnership and Robson finished the season with 12 goals in 19 games.

- Sabia (DR)

19 year old performed consistently all year and clearly has the ability to play at a higher level. Will need to fight to keep him.

- Sam Martin / David Wardle / Billy Knight (All SC’s)

Scored a total of 36 goals between them in their 3 month loan spells at the club. Such a shame I was lumbered with poor players on all season loans rather than at least 1 of these guys.

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GioGio85

GioGio85

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Fortunatly I have managed to turn my form around. After losing 7 games in a row since the season started I desperately changed from my previously successful rigid 4-4-2 formation and opted for a 4-4-2 diamond. This seemed to pay dividends as I have now only lost 1 in 6, winning 4. This has pushed me back into my expected midtable position.

Glad my form turned round as I didnt fancy leaving Bristol just yet :)

I have recently been linked as favourite to get both the Oxford United and Sheffield Wednesday jobs (both League 1)...my stock seems to have risen at last

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GioGio85

GioGio85

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Good job, Gio! Always satisfying when you make a tactical change that makes a noticeable difference to form :)

Thanks Snake, close shave it was!

That change in formation has rescued my season ...and my job. When the press report how the teams fortunes have changed due to the managers change in tactics it does make you feel better though :)

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GioGio85

GioGio85

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Things are going very well thanks. After an appalling start I managed to turn things around dramatically by tinkering with my formation. It feels like I have had 2 different teams this year.

My good form has kept me in the playoff spots for most of the season and I think I have about 5 games to go and an outside chance of going up in 2nd spot - I just have to beat some pretty good teams to do so (not likely but still possible :)) . Failing that I hope I can catch the playoffs. Shoudl be able to update tonight.

Congrats on winning something on the international scene...did your rep not change at all?

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Azeryk-

Azeryk-

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I had a similar season last season, was beating the better sides and dropping too many points when I shouldn't be and a dip in form at the end took me from chasing 2nd (final automatic space) to 6th (final play off place) but was lucky in the final and won on penalties. Although I think I might struggle bad this season.

I've not won it (yet). Only took over as them as little while ago - but New Zealand are easily the best side in the Oceanic area so should get some good wins and cup runs.

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GioGio85

GioGio85

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Oh I see, my mistake...read it wrong.

Il take back that congratulatory message then and save it for you when you win the Cup :)

Its frustrating when you have a team that you know should be performing better. My Bristol Rovers squad is very talented but I think they stuttered to begin with this season due to the large numbers of players coming in and out of the squad. Too much disuption unsettled them. Now they have had time to adjust they seem to be doing the business.

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GioGio85

GioGio85

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I don't think i will get 2nd spot.

2nd place Portmouth have hit a poor run of form, which has meant I have now reduced their once 8 point lead over 3rd spot to 3 points. I have them to play but I also have some other very tough away games coming up which I feel may be a bridge too far...you never know though.

I am confident I will have the playoffs sewn up soon though (touch wood)....then its a lottery!

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GioGio85

GioGio85

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Wow.

With the way the fixture computer had scheduled in my final games by pitting me against the teams around me at the top of the league, there was always a chance that I may have been able to take some points from these teams and push for promotion......if you had asked me if I would have actually achieved it I wouldnt have said yes.

I'm writing the full season review now. Details to come.

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GioGio85

GioGio85

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2021/22 – Bristol Rovers (npower League 1)

After winning the league last time round, I was confident that with some tweaking I would be able to sustain a push for the playoffs this time round.

However, instead of tweaking I actually ended up pretty much buying an entire new team.

A new goalkeeper came in with Grant Smith joining after his release from Sheffield Wednesday. A solid keeper who was a step up from Lee Robinson, who departed for Walsall for 12k.

In defence we saw the versatile Scot Steven Saunders join alongside Hungarian centre back Zsolt Ferenzi.

Midfield saw the largest amount of arrivals. A talented 20 year old Italian named Marco Randazzo signed after David Moyles released him from his Inter contract. Marco was a very promising defence midfielder who had been recognized at Italian under 19 level...I considered it a coup.

Fellow Italian Giorgio D’Amato joined to offer me an option of the left wing, Kevin Barron, an English forward come winger joined to challenge for this position.

An old friend of mine named Hans Lindh, who I have had (rather unsuccessfully) at both Rotherham and Oldham, joined after he was released from Rochdale.

2 strikers joined to freshen up the attack. 2 great League 2 strikers too. David Carr is a very proficient striker with good all round ability. Cem Yucel was offered to me by his agent after RBC deemed him surplus to requirements. He is an exceptional talent who I wanted immediately due to his amazing technical ability. I expected big things.

I was delighted with the players I had brought in and was confident I could push for the championship.

Season review

As previously described, my start to the season was appalling. I lost my 1st 8 games, 6 league games and 2 cup games. The press started to get on at me for failing to be adventurous with my tactics.

I eventually changed from my normal 4-4-2 formation to a fluid 4-1-2-1-2 formation, with Randazzo and Graham Hitchings operating from deep and captain Bradshaw running the show at the top of the diamond.

There was an immediate effect.

We won all of our games, barring 2, up until boxing day, where we then lost 2 successive games heavily to Southend and Portsmouth.

I was wary that this could be the turning point of my season. I signed 2 more players in January.I paid my 1st transfer fee since my days at Grimsby by signing young Portuguese midfielder Alvaro Mendonca. He has a very promising future and would take my right wing position for the rest of the season.

Up front up bolstered my strikeforce , not out of necessity but sentimentality. Landry Cuyami joined me for the 4th time in my career.

Cuyami’s only goal came as we successfully beat Championship side Colchester to reach the 5th round of the FA Cup. I later went out to Premiership side Birmingham with a 3-2 defeat at St Andrews.

Fortunately after this I remained tough to beat and drew 5 out of my next 8 games.

During this run leaders Crystal Palace had pulled away, but 2nd place Pompey (managed by Mr Glen Johnson) and 3rd place Gillingham (managed by Mr W.Rooney) had slipped up slightly. This meant that my good form had brought me in contention if I kept up my good form.

Keep it up I did and I won all of my next 6 games, except 1 where I drew at home to lowly Wycombe.

My final 2 games would be tense. 1st up was Gillingham at the Priestfield. I beat my home town club 2-0 with a fairly confident away performance. Gillingham were out of the automatic promotion race and this meant that the final game of the season was a head to head game vs 2nd place Pompey at the Memorial Ground.

After an own goal and defender Zsolt Ferenzi popped up with his 1st goal for the club I was confident I could hold out for a win. Ferenzi then showed his Jekyll and Hyde colours by getting sent off. I hung on for 10 more minutes to claim 2nd spot and win promotion to the Championship.

Season summary

Another amazing season in Bristol. I knew my squad was good but after my poor start I had all but written off my promotion chances. The squad settled and the performances soon followed as we played a great brand of attacking football all year.

Only down side is that the club is struggling financially and with the chairmen looking to sell, the club off the pitch is anything but secure.

Final position – 2nd

Player of the year – Cem Yucel (SC)

Took ages to settle into the club and start performing but once he did he was quality. Scored 21 goals and contributed more with 14 assists. This man can play at a higher level but I hope I can keep hold of him as he has a 1.1m release clause if a higher division club comes calling.

Other key players include:

- Mick Craddock (DC)

19 year old central defender came in around the time I changed my formation and was a consistent performer all year round despite his youth and inexperience. One for the future and will be interesting to see if he can make the step up to the Championship.

- David Carr (SC)

The signing of Carr was one I debated over due to my already decent competition for places up front. It paid off, particularly towards the end of the year, where Carr scored 27 goals.

- Matthew Bradshaw (AMC)

Attacking midfielder and captain really came to the fore this season. Scored 13 goals and created 17. He really was as influential as he was mundane last time round. Bigger clubs interested in him now, so remains to be seen if I can hang onto him due to the clubs increasing debt.

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GioGio85

GioGio85

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Cheers mate.

I need to sign a new left back to replace my current left back/coach Paul Tierney. Probably also need a new centre back to replace the ageing centreback/coach Mark Hughes and provide competition just in case Craddock cant handle the Championship just yet.

I have already signed a 22 year old right winger on a free from Motherwell who looks like he has decent potential so that should be good signing.

Providing I keep the strikers I have then that shouldnt be a problem.

The board have given me 240k, so I have to be thrifty!

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GioGio85

GioGio85

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My career so far:

2010/11 (Unemployed) - N/A

2010/11 (Droylsden) - 13th in Blue Square North.

2011/12 (Droylsden) - 9th in Blue Square North.

2012/13 (Droylsden) - 1st in Blue Square North (Champions)

2013/14 (Droylsden) - 17th in Blue Square Bet Premier and FA Trophy winners.

2014/15 (Droylsden) - 7th in Blue Square Bet Premier.

2015/16 (Grimsby Town) - 1st in Blue Square Bet Premier (Champions)

2016/17 (Grimsby Town) - 10th in npower League 2.

2017/18 (Grimsby Town) - 17th in npower League 2 (upon leaving the club in December 2017)

2018/19 (Rotherham United) - 24th in League 2 (upon leaving the club after 7 games)

2018/19 (Oldham Athletic) - 2nd in Blue Square Bet Premier (Promoted via the playoffs)

2019/20 (Hartlepool United) - 13th in npower League 2.

2020/21 (Bristol Rovers) - 1st in npower League 2 (Champions)

2021/22 (Bristol Rovers) - 2nd in npower League 1 (promoted as runners up)

2022/23 (Bristol Rovers) - In progress....

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GioGio85

GioGio85

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Thanks everyone. I have brought in a few players,mainly in defence to replace my player/coaches Mark Hughes and Paul Tierney.

Few more developments in pre-season:

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GioGio85

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2022/23 – Bristol Rovers (npower Championship)

My career has rapidly taken a sharp turn. After promotion last season with a good team in place, I was confident that I could achieve the boards aims of survival.

I signed Jody Baird, a promising right winger on a free and paid 130k, the most cash I have ever splashed, on a flamboyant Finish midfielder.

The rest of my signings were in defence, where 37 year old Curtis Davies joined alongside versatile fullbacks Edward Low and Alex Billington.

Season review

Sadly things didnt start well. I drew 2 out of my first 6 games, losing the others. I then won against fellow strugglers Millwall. Like last season i thought this would be the result that would catipult my form. Sadly it went the other way.

I went on to lose myy next 5 games. A last minute winner at home to fellow strugglers Ipswich was too much to take.

I offered my resignation to the new chairman at the end of October, hoping that my replacement coudl rescue the club from relegation.

Season summary

Disappointing. I knew it would be tough to stay up but I had hoped to be more competitive.My strikers struggled to adapt meaning I was on the end of some real hidings. We never really looked like winning most of our games.

I left the club with a real sense of pride at what I had achieved. My back to back promotions meant that Bristol Rovers were playing football in the highest league they had played in since 1993. I really liked the club and wis them the best for the future.

Key players included Graham Hitchings and Mick Craddock, who both shined in a struggling team despite their relative youth.

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GioGio85

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After successfully guiding Nigeria through to the African Cup of Nations as group winners I needed to find myself a new club job to keep me occupied.

I was in demand, immediatley turning down roles at AFC Wimbledon and Dover. Both were turned down as I was hoping to play at a higher level than The conference premier and blue square south, respectivley.

In a year where I was experiencing a new culture in Nigeria as national boss, I was then offered the chance to test myself in another foreign land. This time it was as manager of FC Dordrecht in the Eerste Divisie. I accepted a 2 year contract.

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Azeryk-

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You should be able to get a decent Championship club - I only done a handful of games as Bury and were struggling in 20th when Leeds became available so I resigned from Bury and applied for them and got the job. Granted they were 16th when I took over but it is a decent upgrade so you should be able to do the same.

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GioGio85

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I'll come back to England at somepoint I'm sure. I have unfinished business in the Championship & want to experience the Premiership.

So far in England I have won the Blue Square North, Blue Square Conference, League 2 and have been promoted from League 1. Need to add further English league success to my CV I feel.

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GioGio85

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2022/23 – Nigeria (African Cup of Nations)

I took over as Nigeria boss midway through the African Cup of Nations qualifying stages. I guided Nigeria through as group leaders with 2 wins and also won my final friendly game of the international calendar.

I did my best to integrate a small group of younger players into the national setup, but my best players were all fairly experienced heads. They fitted into a fluid 4-5-1 formation which I am also employing at FC Dordrecht, with the difference that i am playing a tad more direct at international level.

I picked my best 23 in February and set off for the Cup of Nations in Algeria, with the nation expecting me to hit at least the Semi finals.

Tournament progress

I was drawn in a group with Senegal, Cameroon and Mali.

My first game saw me beat Mali as expted, an easy 1-0 victory being enough. My 2nd group game saw me draw 1-1 with heavy favourites Senegal. I then drew 1-1 with Cameroon to go through to the quarter finals against Egypt.

I then faced the current holders Egypt in the quarter finals. The Egypt game was an epic. A 4-3 goal fest with my main striker scoring all 4 goals.

I beat South Africa in the Semi's on penalities after a 0-0 draw

The final saw me come face to face again with Senegal. After a very good counter attacking display we won 3-1 after a fabulous long range winner from my central midfielder.

Tournament summary

The nation went wild and i was delighted at having won my first international tournament at the first attempt.

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GioGio85

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2022/23 – FC Dordrecht (Eerste Divisie)

Having left Bristol Rovers after an unspectacular start, I ended up moving my career onto the continent as manager of Eerste Divisie club FC Doredrecht who were performing below expectations at 13th in the league.

Season review

I was given a pretty good wage budget to play with, but the vast majority of my 35k/week was taken up by two 35 year olds. This restricted my early transfer dealings, at least until the tranfer window in January.

My only bit of business was the signing of Jetan Todorov, a 30 year old Macedonian defensive midfielder who was available after his release from AGOOV.

Having assessed my squad, I was pretty confident that I had what was required to make a push for the playoffs, if not the title. A change from my normal formation saw me moving to a fluid 4-5-1 formation.

This tactic change seemed to work well as we went 10 games unbeaten. In a tight league, this saw me move into the playoffs and after a solitary defeat to inform FC Eindhoven, I maintained my form and rose to the top of the league after 25 games.

By this stage I had pepped up my squad with a couple of signings including young creative midfielder Lassie Sollie and skillful veteren midfielder Haris Medunjanin. I also, for the 5th time in my career, signed Landry Cuyami from Bristole Rovers...once again purley because of our history. This signings did the job and enabled us to keep up our winning ways; we lost only 2 more games all season against WKE and AGOOV.

My nearest rivals were MVV, who were performing as well as ourselves. With 1 game to go I sat top of the league by 1 point. Both myself and MVV had away games against Vitesse and Scheveningen respectively.

I had to equal or better MVV's result to win the league. With MVV winning easily the pressure was on for me to win. I feared the worst as we conceded a 79th minute goal against the run of play. I put everyone foward and 3 minutes into stoppage time I got my reward, with my veteren midfielder Haris Medunjanin firing a freekick into the bottom corner.

What a moment.

With MVV drawing, Medunjanin had won us the league :)

This was a special moment as I played this game after coming home drunk from the pub on Xmas eve, I almost woke up the whole house in ecstasy.

Season summary

A great season for me in general, with an African Cup winning medal and the Eerste Divisie title to my name. It was tight coming to the last game of the season, but my team was solid and hard to beat all year round, so I was fairly confident we would be successful.

Next season will be my first at the top level of a league structur, can't wait.

Final position - 1st

Player of the season - Boris Epic (DC)

23 year old Bosnian midfielder was solid all year round. A really good player at this level with a promising future.

Other key players includes:

- Fernando Gonzalez (DL)

I wanted to get rid of him, as the 36 year old left back was soaking up 6.5k a week and I felt this could be better spent elsewhere. Sadly his form meant I couldnt afford to get rid of him. Performed consistently all year. Will probably need to replace for next year.

- Ozer Topuz (AMR)

Right winger was employed as an inside foward and offered us an attacking threat all year and chipped in with goals, 7 in total, at vital times.

- Haris Medunjanin (MC)

Hugely talented experienced pro whoe technical ability was on another level to the rest of the squad. Didnt really perform to the level I expected but deserves a mention for his league winning goal vs Vitesse in the 93rd minute.

- Jetan Todorov (DMC)

My first signing for Dordrecht, proved to be a shrewd bit of business, providing us with bite and agression in the defensive midfield position

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