The Chronicles of Riddick

[sherm]

"Stephen Riddick was one of the best footballers never to play for England. He was an elegant, skillful midfielder, and he could pass the ball as well as anybody in the world. He was one of those players that, when you see him playing for his club, he was way too good. That was the case when he was at Shrewsbury. He got a deserved move to Liverpool, and there, he excelled, making over 200 appearances. When he moved to Spain, and Barcelona, everybody thought we might see an even better side of him, but unfortunately, it didn't work out. He got another chance, when he moved to Bordeaux. While he was there, his style of play made him a hero at the French club. Eventually, he announced his retirement, aged 31, and finished his coaching badges. I first met him at 15, when he had first signed on at Shrewsbury, after he had come to one of my training days, and all through his career, I gave him support. I was his mentor if you will, and when he became manager of Bordeaux, I was delighted for him. He deserved his chance, and knowing the sort of person Stephen is, he would grasp it with both hands"

Bobby Robson

--

When I met Jean-Louis Triaud for the first time, it was when he took over the club in 1996. I was relatively new to the club, and he had just won the election, so I was a bit nervous about what he would say, but he was supportive. He knew my reputation, knew who I was, and was very happy for me to be at the club. He was the man who encouraged me to take up my coaching badges, and he helped me through them all the way. Over the years we have become great friends, and now, he is one of very few people in the world I would take a bullet between the eyes for. When the managerial vacancy came up at Stade Chaban Delmas (although it had a different name back then), Jean-Louis came straight up to me, offered me the job there and then. I couldn't say no, and there was two reasons why. He was my friend, and when a friend asks you to do something, you don't say no. The second reason was becasue of the nature of the job. They were a big club, and having fallen in love with them over the previous six years, I had to take the opportunity that came my way

My personal life had always been full of trials and tribulations. From the moment I moved to Liverpool, I was always in the papers, and if I'm honest, it was too much for me at times. Every girl I met, every relationship I had, it was in the paper. I hated it, as I had always been a private person. When I moved to Spain, it was the same, but when I went to France, it was nothing like that. The press pretty much left you alone, and due to that, my performances flourished.

I also consider France special for another reason. It is where I met the most special person in my life, Michelle. I met her just six weeks after moving to France, and we embarked on a whirlwind romance. We were together for less than seven months, and we married. It was a quiet ceremony, but we both knew we were right for each other. It went as perfectly as any relationship could, and we had been talking about starting a family, but it was this time that I suffered the first major tragedy in my life. Michelle contracted a virus, and though she continued with her life, she was very ill. I tried my best to look after her, and no amount of medical care could cure her. Eventually, at 11.24 on 18th September 2000, she passed away, and I'm not ashamed to say, I cried. I cried for weeks. Everybody at the club was brilliant, supporting me all the way, and once I was ready to come back, they would accept me. I tried, I really did, but I could not face playing again. It was why I had to turn to coaching...

---

Game played on CM03/04. One that, if I'm honest, I never intended to write as a story but an idea just came to me, so I thought I would. It will be a slow, rather more methodical style than my usual writing, but hopefully, it will still be enjoyable...

[sherm]

"I remember when he became manager. We were all delighted, as we had the utmost respect for him. He walked straight in to the dressing room, said his piece, threw me the captains armband, and then just told us to, and I remember this vividly, "Give it to 'em" That was it, four simple words, and just like that, they became his motto"

Antonio Rio Mavuba

..

I looked up to my Dad more than anybody, and it was him that took me to my first football game. I was six, and had been pestering for weeks for my Dad to take me, when finally, he did. He even brought me a little scarf for the game, and I was so excited. Holding his hand, dodging the people walking up the street to the game. It was incredible. I lived for it, and I guess it was just lucky for me that I had the talent to succeed in the game.

School was, for me, a distraction, and I spent many a school day gazing out of the window at the lads playing football. That was all I could do, think about football. It was all I wanted to do, play football. I loved the game, it was my life. To be fair, I did have another passion from the age of 16. Women. I was earning, for my age, a hell of a lot of money, and Shrewsbury wasn't a big place, so I was a recognisable face. I couldn't go anywhere, whether it was shopping, to the pub, to training or for a meal without one or more women coming up to me. I loved it, if truth be told. I had an endless stream of flings, and though I knew it wasn't healthy, I couldn't help myself. Obviously, I got older and wiser, and the flings stopped, but I could look back on my teenage years with a smile.

--

My first training session at Bordeaux was, well, intense. The lads, many of whom knew me as a player, were trying to impress me no end, and the tackles were flying in. Looking around at the players, I knew we had some real talent in the squad, and I was sure I could bring out the best in them. Antonio Rio Mavuba was my holding midfielder, and the man I had chosen to wear the armband. He was a tough tackling, fearless central midfielder, and in the modern game, it was essential to have one of these in your team. That said, he needed a good spine in front and behind him, and we certainly had that. Ulrich Rame was my number one choice. An experienced and talented goalkeeper, he was the man I would trust with the gloves, and I felt he had several years left in him yet. In front of him was our center half pairing, Marc Planus and Mauricio Pochettino. It was a case of youth and experience, and though I felt Marc was an exceptionally talented lad, he needed a cool head to see him through, and this is what Mauricio would provide. Upfront however, was where we struggled, and though we had Jean-Claude Darcheville, he was pretty much our only option. Talented as he was, he was not superhuman and couldn't do it all himself.

I was a firm believer that the staff you had were there for a reason, and I fully intended using them to their capabilities. The scouts were sent off to all parts of the globes, while the coaches were asked to set training schedules, organise friendlies and perform general duties around the club. I had been given the figures, and with a healthy chunk of money put aside for transfers and wages, I fully intended to use it to strengthen the squad.

[1967]

Looks a great start Sherm! France isn't a place where many stories come from so this will be different!

[sherm]

"When he approached me about signing for him, I was unsure. He had very little experience in management, and they didn't have Champions League football. It took him some persuading, but he did manage to in the end, and it was possibly the best decision I ever made. He was a brilliant tactician, and the best man manager I ever saw. He knew exactly what each player needed, and he was always there to give it to them"

Maxim Tsigalko

--

In the first two weeks, I was constantly busy, my phone was ringing off the hook and I didn't stop, but it paid off because of the players I managed to

sign for the club. There were no big names, no world superstars, but they were all talented lads who all did a job for me. Argentinian winger Leonardo Pisculichi was a £1,300,000 signing from Argentinos, but one thing for certain is that the lad could play. He had two good feet, brilliant dribbling ability, and the vision of an owl, and he could lay a pass off better than most. That said, he needed people to lay off passes too, and this was why I paid £500,000 for Belarusian striker Maxim Tsigalko. He was a big, powerful lad, and superb in the air, which was a must in my eyes. Though he lacked pace, if paired upfront with the right partner, I was confident he would be part of a potent strikeforce. That other striker would be, at least in the future, 17 year old Brazilian Evandro Roncatto. This lad was special, and though £1,000,000 was a fair amount of money for a teenager, I knew he had all the potential ability to become an absolute superstar.

I managed to add to the defence too, and the next new addition was Colombian Jose Julian De La Cuesta. Again, though young, he was good enough to slot straight into the side, but I was a firm believer in the squad rotation. It was pointless having a squad if you didn't use them all. This was why I spent £750,000 bringing Dane Kristian Flittie Onstad from Lyn Oslo. Both he and De La Cuesta would be future stars, but I also felt both could play a fair few games for us in the present climate too. Finally, there was Iranian midfielder Iman Mob'ali. An attack minded player, he was prone to bombing forward and attacking, and he had a mean free-kick in his armoury too. His ability to play upfront was also a factor in his purchase, and I felt it was £400,000 well spent.

--

I was fortunate in that I had a stable family, and though my parents used to nag, and nag, and go at each other, I think it was their way of saying they loved each other, without having to actually say the words. They always supported me in my choices, good or bad, and they always were there for me. Whether I needed new boots, driving to training, advice on my contract, they were always there. My dad is my hero, he really is. The only man I have ever looked up to is my dad, and nothing will ever change that. He has done everything for me, and I owe him my entire career

I was the oldest of the offspring, but my sister, Helen, and my brother, Jason, were another important factor of my life. Helen was 29, Jason 27, but we both saw her as our baby sister. She hated it, but I think, deep down, she realised there wasn't much she could do about it. It was just the way brothers were. They both had careers of their own, and I think it is fair to say that our parents were proud of all three of us. Jason had his own computer business, and very successful he was too, while Helen was on her way to becoming one of the top lawyers in the country. I would do anything for any member of my family, and that was always a philosophy which I stood by all my life.

I remember one particular situation, when Helen was being bullied at school. Myself and Jason were both big lads, and he was 13, myself 19, and we had to go and deal with a situation. We grabbed the lads that were bullying her, and we gave them what can only be described as a good hiding. They left her alone after that, but that is the sort of situation where we stuck up for the family. People can say what they want about me, abuse me all they want. I don't actually care. But insult my family, and you cross the line. Big time. And that, I will not stand for.