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And now for something completely different - toiling in Eastern Europe and Beyond


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Great season so far. Zozulya was a great signing. Shaktar usually get big adavantage point on Ukraine. Keep on the good work ;)

Cheers, man. I can't see me being able to keep up this run, so I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

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December

UPL: Dynamo Kyiv 2-1 Chornomorets

Our 12 game unbeaten run came to a crashing halt then at the home of our biggest rivals. A very painful defeat, and we simply didn't show up on the day. U21 international Sergey Korneev with our goal, but we got exactly what we deserved.

Europa League Group H: Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Chornomorets

While I'm not surprised we got beaten by Leverkusen, the manner of the defeat was frustrating. They dominated from the start, and although we were briefly on level terms thanks to Polyanskyi's first of the season, we were never going to take anything from Germany.

Europa League Group H: Chornomorets 2-0 VVV Venlo

A great way to finish 2017, we finished top of our Europa League group with 5 wins in 6 games and also got the Kyiv defeat out of our systems. Bobko and Prychynenko with the goals.

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Mid season report 2017/18

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Another fun season so far then in Ukraine, and we have so far managed to close the gap on the "big four" (Shakhtar, Metalist, Dnipro and Dynamo) which means we're still in with an (outside) chance of the title. Although we've suffered a couple of frustrating defeats, I'm really pleased we've won 12 out of the opening 18 games. Although I'm currently in a Champions League spot my target is still 3rd, and I'd expect Metalist to really surge up the table in the second half of the season.

Away from the league, qualifying for the knock out stages of the Europa League as group winners was brilliant, and I'm still involved in the cup this year, too. I'm hopeful we get a decent draw in Europe, but I'm delighted with where we are. I'm also targeting the cup this year as my main chance of silverware, and we have a home tie against Illichivets in the quarter final, which is a very winnable tie.

Financially we're a bit better off this year so we have more than £1m in the bank, and I've also got a couple of my relatively big earners leaving the club in the transfer window. Leo Veloso and Eudes Dagoulou are both leaving for free, but will free up £4,800p/w in wages. With that I'm going to have a look and see what Bosman deals I can seal like I did for the start of this season, which has done us a world of good.

Player wise I'm really pleased with my squad, and the fact that I've been forced to integrate youngsters Grischenko, Korneev, Sereda and Korolkov will do us wonders for years to come. All bar 17 year-old Korolkov are involved with the Ukraine U21 side, and I'd expect all to become full internationals in the not too distant future. Very, very rewarding.

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Great season, exceeding all expectations in Europe again and this time very very close to the top in the domestic table. Keep it up and give Shakhtar a run for their money, if you manage to finish even 2nd it'll already be a great feat. :thup:

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Great season, exceeding all expectations in Europe again and this time very very close to the top in the domestic table. Keep it up and give Shakhtar a run for their money, if you manage to finish even 2nd it'll already be a great feat. :thup:

Cheers, man. I think 2nd is still a little beyond me so I'm aiming for 3rd, but it's good to be in and around the chasing pack.

To be able to live with Shakhtar Donetsk, Dynamo Kiev, Metalist Kharkiv & Dnipro, though it looks like the latter has fallen from grace, is brilliant! :)

Dnipro are certainly struggling. They've drastically cut their squad down from the side who won the title in my first season, but they've still got two and a half times my wage budget. I just hope I can keep up the same kind of form in the second half of the season.

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UEFA Europa League- Last 32

1st Leg: Spartak Moscow 3-3 Chornomorets

This was an unbelievable first leg against the Russian Premier League leaders, and especially for Roman Zozulya. He grabbed a hat-trick on his debut to ensure we're right in the tie for the second leg, and if Timur Grischenko had put his first half penalty away, it could have been even better. Still, musn't grumble!

2nd Leg: Chornomorets 5-2 Spartak Moscow

A truly incredible second leg performance sees us safely through to the last 16 for the second year in a row. I put a team of 10 Ukrainians out (including 3 players who'd come through the youth academy) and they were simply magnificent. We were three up at half time thanks to a screamer each from Golovko and Polyanskyi, and Mykhalyov stroked home on the half time whistle. In the second half Spartak pulled one back before Zozulya grabbed his fourth in two games, and Grischenko put the icing on the cake late on. Perfection.

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UEFA Europa League- Last 16

1st Leg: Chornomorets 3-0 FC Schalke

This was the type of performance that makes me think we can actually win this competition. Ivan Bobko in particular was brilliant, he grabbed two goals and made the other for Grischenko as we put ourselves in a magnificent position in the tie.

2nd Leg: FC Schalke 3-1 Chornomorets

Schalke were much better in the second leg and had us on the ropes for the vast majority of the match. However, we were able to launch a couple of counters, and from one of them Mykhalyov scored a crucial away goal, which sends us through to the quarter final.

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March

UPL: Karpaty 2-2 Chornomorets

This was really annoying, two points dropped after squandering a two goal lead. Mykhalyov put us in front on his return to Karpaty and Pervushin made it two before half time. However, in the second half we were dismal. Frustrating, especially as Roman Zozulya was the latest player to pick up a knock, and as a result will miss the first leg of the Schalke tie.

UPL: Chornomorets 1-1 Metalist

Not the greatest of performances, but a good point in the end against one of the big boys with many of our first XI resting ahead of the Europa League. Olexiy Polyanskyi with our goal.

UPL: Dnipro 2-1 Chornomorets

A horrendously wasteful performance at our rivals, and it really hurt. Korneev put us front with a towering header, but we missed far too many chances. The quicker my first choice keeper Eugene Past gets back to fitness the better, too.

UPL: Chornomorets 3-0 Tavria

A much needed league win, and the performance was a million times better following a team meeting and a formation tweak. Dja Djedje, Grischenko and Mapunda with the goals.

UPL: Chornomorets 4-1 Metalurh Zaporizhya

This was another good performance, with goals from Grischenko, Korneev (2) and Bobko.

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UEFA Europa League- Quarter Final

1st Leg: Chornomorets 2-1 Liverpool

I haven't been as tense as this over an FM/CM game since I took Berwick Rangers to the UEFA Cup final on CM 01/02! Liverpool outplayed us, but we were lightning quick on the break. Illya Mykalyov bagged both goals as we take a slender lead to Anfield in a week's time.

2nd Leg: Liverpool 1-2 Chornomorets

The adventure continues! We had to survive wave after wave of Liverpool attacks, yet somehow we got the victory. Sergey Korneev got the vote to play up front, and he responded by grabbing both goals, but the real heroes were the back four. A brilliant display, and we're in to the semi finals....

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April

UPL: Sevastopol 2-3 Chornomorets

We trailed twice in this one, so I was delighted to get the points. Goals from Bobko, Polyanskyi and Sereda's first professional strike sealed it in stoppage time. We'd never have won this game a few weeks ago, so it was really sweet.

UPL: Chornomorets 2-2 Olimpic Donetsk

A really tired performance after the Liverpool tie, but we simply threw the points away. We were cruising at 2-0 with 10 minutes left to play thanks to two Sereda headers, but we were caught out from two counter attacks. Really annoying, and that is probably our (slim) title hopes crushed. To rub salt into the wound, we also lost young midfielder Segey Korolkov to a broken foot, which will see him miss 5 months of action.

UC Quarter Final: Chornomorets 1-1 Illichivets (aet: 3-4 on pens)

AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!! So frustrating to lose this on penalties after dominating from start to finish. Mapunda scored a peach of a free kick, but we couldn't find a second despite having 24 shots on goal (and 18 on target). The fact that we have so many games to cram in and a tired squad makes losing after extra time and penalties even worse.

UPL: Metalurh Donetsk 4-5 Chornomorets

I've simply no idea what happened here. Both sides forgot how to defend, but thankfully we just about edged it. Grischenko won the match in stoppage time, his second of the game. The others were scored by Korneev, Illoy-Avet, and Zozulya. We'll need to defend much better in our European game.

UPL: Chornomorets 2-2 Goverla

For 76 minutes this was one of those horribly complacent performances that we just can't shake. However, in the final 14 minutes we restored a little pride with 2 goals to grab a point. Prychynenko and Fontanello with the goals.

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UEFA Europa League- Semi Final

1st Leg: Chornomorets 3-0 Ajax

Once again it was a magnificent home leg from us, largely thanks to the brilliance of Illya Mykhalyov. He was in the right place to grab two goals inside the opening half an hour, and later forced an OG from Ajax's keeper to put the icing on the cake. We could have had more, but three is fantastic.

2nd Leg: Ajax 4-1 Chornomorets

A truly pathetic capitulation in the second leg, but ultimately I don't care.... we're in the final! Roman Zozulya put us in front after 30 minutes before picking up a knock, but in the second half we were abysmal. Ajax scored 4 in the last 20 minutes but they couldn't find the fifth they needed.... and it's us who progress to the final in Stockholm.

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UEFA Europa League- Final

Wednesday 16th May 2018- Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden

Football Club Chornomorets Odesa V Tottenham Hotspur FC

So a first ever European final for Chornomorets (and my first final since FM10!) Excited wouldn't even come close, although I haven't "suited up" as some might!

Despite the disappointment of Grischenko missing out to injury, the vast majority of my main players are available for the game. Here then are the 18 players who will attempt to go down in history....

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As you can see, there are 10 Ukrainians in the starting line up, and 13 in the squad. It's not quite the 11 Scots of the Lisbon Lions, but it's still something, and most unlike me too. Right then, here we go...

The game started at a real pace, with first Tottenham winning a corner after a good run from Gareth Bale, but we were able to sweep clear and break to win a corner of own. Ivan Bobko had just been called up for the World Cup, and as he swung his corner in, Gareth Bale was adjudged to have shoved Sanatana and the referee pointed to the spot. Bobko stepped up to slam the ball down the middle and we were in front with just 4 minutes on the clock! Six minutes later we swept forward again, Bobko on the left this time and he whipped in a cross to the far post and fellow Ukrainian international Illya Mykhalyov met it with his forehead and it flashed beyond Lloris for 2-0! Absolute dream land for the Chornomorets fans.

In the second half, Spurs went to a 4-2-4 system and pressed as much as they could, but we had the better chances. Illya Mykhalyov could and perhaps should have had another one after Roman Zozulya played him clean through, but ultimately it didn't matter. We'd won the trophy....

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The players will be happy with that £475,000!

Match report:

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May

UPL: Chornomorets 0-2 Shakhtar

This was men against boys as we were taught a lesson on our own patch. A very real demonstration of just how far apart we are from the leaders, and we also lost Grischenko to an injury which will see him miss out on the Europa League final.

UPL: Illichivets 2-2 Chornomorets

It's official: I hate Illichivets. Not for the first time, we utterly dominated the game with goals from Mykhalyov and the returning Grischenko, but we again conceded late on to drop two precious points. We go into the final game needing to equal the Dynamo Kyiv result for third place.

UPL: Chornomorets 3-2 Volyn

I came into this game knowing a win would guarantee 3rd in the league, or a draw might do it depending on Dynamo Kyiv's result. I decided to go for it, but we (predictably) fell behind early on to a poorly defended corner. Luckily the players responded, and Zozulya instantly levelled. Bobko then grabbed two more before the break and we were cruising. We conceded another sloppy goal 10 minutes from time, but we hung on to take that 3rd spot. Progress in the league at last!

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Football Club Chornomorets Odesa: Season Summary 2017/18

League

Media prediction: 6th (of 16)

Finished: 3rd

Cups

Ukrainian Cup: Quarter Final

Europa League: Winners

Top scorers

Ivan Bobko: 47 appearances (44 starts): 22 goals (13 in the league)

Timur Grischenko: 40 appearances (24 starts): 17 goals (11 in the league)

Illya Mykhalyov: 32 appearances (20 starts): 13 goals (4 in the league)

Sergey Korneev: 20 appearances (8 starts): 11 goals (6 in the league)

Positives

An incredible season, probably my most enjoyable in several versions of FM. A hard-earned 3rd place in the league was fantastic, but winning the Europa League was undoubtedly the highlight. I'm fairly pleased with my squad, but that run has ensured that the season finishes with nearly £7m in the bank, which hopefully means I can look to strengthen next season. The new board have finally agreed to a request (they have refused every single request I've made since taking over!) to increase our junior coaching, which I'm hoping will mean I can continue to bring young players through alongside any new signings. To cap things off, four of my squad have been called up to the Ukraine squad for the World Cup, with 5 others knocking on the door.

Concerns

My biggest concern has been our defending this year. Once again we've lost too many games we should have won, so I might just have to look to see if I can find a really commanding central defender in the summer. At least they are football concerns this year instead of financial!

Ambitions

while I'm not going to apply for anything, I will consider anything which comes my way. There is something about going out on a high, and the Europa League is certainly that.... If I do decide to stay, I'd like to retain third next year and have another run in the Europa League, although I'd be surprised if I can replicate this year's form. I'd also like to get a little closer to the champions, which will at least give us a sniff of the Champions League.

Surprise of the season

Several, but winning the Europa League was one of the biggest shocks of my time playing FM

Player of the season

Olexiy Polyanskyi

Average attendance

29,031 in the league (season high of 34,164, which is a total sell out (3 times in the league))

Former club watch

Lechia have had a dreadful season and finished 15 points off the pace. Indeed, the job might just become available in the next few weeks...

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Nice to see you making steady progress domestically. Shame you missed out on Champions League.
Yeah shame Metalist just beat you to 2nd and CL qualification, but bloody hell! Absolutely fantastic work to win the Europa League! That is one hell of an achievement. :thup:

It was a shame I couldn't grab second, especially after the first half of the season, but 3rd was always my target so I can't complain too much. And cheers, I'm still blown away to have won it. As I said earlier, I haven't won a European trophy since my Juventus save on FM10!

This little offer came out of leftfield:

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As much as I appreciate my former chairman trying to get me back to Lechia, especially with budgets that are bigger than my current clubs have ever been, I've turned down far better.

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Great work to win the Euro Cup, shame you couldn't nick a Champions Leaague spot in the league.
Agree with everyone else such a pity you got beaten to the CL place but winning the Europa League is a great achievement well done dude.

Cheers lads, I can't be too greedy though! Hopefully the Champions League isn't too far away... whether it's at Chornomorets or elsewhere though is a different matter.

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Football Club Chornomorets Odesa: Season Preview 2018/19

Media expectation: 4th

Board expectation: qualify for the Europa League

Just about ready to go for a new campaign then, and there was some good news before the season started. The board finally decided to offer me a new contract, and I've even managed to get a £1,000p/w pay rise. Coupled with the junior coaching rate going up, as well as the agreement to look for a new feeder team for their youth academy, it's been a good summer!

For the first time in Ukraine my wage budget has increased ahead of the new season, and I even got a bit of money to play with on the transfer front. However, both were fairly modest and as I'm not guaranteed of playing in Europe this year I've been quite careful rather than splashing it on a new superstar. Once again I've let a couple of players leave (or I'm in the process of letting them go) to ensure our wages are kept under control. I'm currently spending £65,000p/w (up from £58,000p/w last year) with another £10,000p/w to play with and more than £1m to spend in the transfer market if I find the right player.

The performance of Ukrainian clubs in Europe last year has reopened a Europa League spot to the side who finish 6th, although the league's reputation has dropped to 13th from 10th thanks to Shakhtar's miserable performance in the group stage of the Champions League, and Metalist's failure to qualify from the play offs. I'm hoping they can do a little better in the near future or the league will be at risk of losing it's second Champions League berth, which will make catching Shakhtar impossible!

Once again we'll start our European campaign at the play off round, although the league season starts on the second weekend of July, which means our World Cup players will only have been back for about a week! It will at least be a good chance to get the new players in and around the team and settled before the season really gets going. As has been my style at Chornomorets, I've mostly stuck to Ukrainian players in the transfer market, but more on that in a moment. Firstly, here's my list of transfers:

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As you can see, the only player I have spent any money on is 19 year old Brazilian right back Fabricio. £750,000 was a lot of money, but it was an area I really needed to strengthen. I'm debating whether it means I'll move Stepan Girskyi inside to play as a central defender to replace the ageing Fontanella, or whether he'll start off as back up, but he's sure to feature in plenty of games.

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Mykta Shevchenko comes in as a quality reserve goalkeeper, an area where I suffered after Past's injury last season, and he may even yet challenge the Ukrainian B international for the number 1 spot. Both are rated as 3 star keepers by my assistant, so both are solid rather than spectacular, but I'm quite happy with them.

Roman Yakovenko is a 20 year old holding midfielder who couldn't get anywhere near the first team at Dynamo Kyiv, but he'll certainly offer genuine competition here. Artem Soldatov is only 18, but he'll come in as competition for Ivan Bobko on the left, and as I'm considering selling Jackson Mapunda in the coming weeks, he'll certainly be needed. (I like Mapunda, but he's not as good as Bobko yet he expects to be my first choice.) Vladlen Titov is another 18 year old who my scouts unearthed, and he's another option in the centre of midfield, although I may yet decide to loan him out this season. Lastly is Petro Polishuk, yet another 18 year old, and he can play all across the back four so he could be a key figure for us.

Of all the players who've left the club at this stage, the only one to play any first team football since I've been at the club is Milos Bosancic. While he wasn't awful, he certainly wasn't worth the £4,500p/w he was being paid, or the £7,000p/w he demanded in his contract renegotiation. To put that in context, my top earner is currently on £5,500p/w, and he certainly wasn't worthy of matching him, so I'm more than happy to see him leave the club on a free, and there may yet be a couple more who leave the club before the window closes at the end of August (I'm currently 3 days away from the start of the season, but as I have 6 weeks until the window closes, I may just update this section a little more later on down the line.)

I've also made Ciprian Ciurla available for loan again as he still hasn't really settled in. I'd like to think I can make a few quid for him if I do decide to sell him, but my fingers have been burned a little over his transfer. Bags of talent, yet his lack of adaptability has been the transfer's undoing. It's not a huge problem though as I have three other strikers competing for one spot anyway, not to mention the FIVE 4 star plus strikers currently in my youth and reserve sides. One in particular is only 15, yet he could be a real star in a few years, especially if he keeps developing (his image is below)

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July

UPL: Chornomorets 3-0 Olimpic Donetsk

An ideal start to the new campaign, and I even had my three World Cup players available to play. Two of the three got themselves on the scoresheet too, Bobko (2) and Mykhalyov with the goals.

UPL: Shakhtar 1-2 Chornomorets

GET IN!!! This was an unbelievable performance (well, by all except the usually reliable Ivan Bobko!) and we finally got a victory over Shakhtar. Despite the predictable slow start, Illya Mykhalyov levelled on the stroke of half time, and then Bobko missed a penalty at the start of the second half. I thought we'd have to settle for a point, but 6 minutes from time young Roman Yakovenko powered home a header from a corner and we'd got the points.

UPL: Chornomorets 2-1 Goverla

We made this difficult for ourselves as we conceded with 6 minutes to play, but we got the win at least. Both goals came courtesy of our youth academy, with Sereda and Grischenko on target.

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August

UPL: Illichivets 1-1 Chornomorets

So we dropped points against my bogey team yet again. Illya Mykhalyov put us in front in the first half, and we conceded on the counter in the second. Still, I can't complain at 10 points from 4 games.

UPL: Dynamo Kyiv 0-3 Chornomorets

This derby went like a dream, and it was doubly sweet after Dynamo's manager had ramped up the tension in the press. Timur Grischenko had been called up to the Ukrainian national side for the first time in midweek, and he celebrated by grabbing two first half goals. Ivan Bobko got the other as we kept up our unbeaten start.

UPL: Chornomorets 3-0 Olexandriya

Another comfortable victory, although we could have played much better. Bobko got two more and Golovko grabbed the other.

UPL: Volyn 0-1 Chornomorets

Illya Mykhalyov again the hero, but we should have had far more in this one. Still, I'll take it.

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UEFA Super Cup Final

Friday 31st August 2018- Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland

FC Internazionale Milano Vs Football Club Chornomorets Odesa

Some people think this particular match is completely pointless. Whilst I see their point, I want to win any trophy I possibly can, and it's a real test for my side coming up against Inter. What's a real bonus though is that there is nearly £2m just for being involved, and £2.6m if we can win it. Fun fun, let's see how we go....

The game kicked off at a frantic pace, Inter were on the front foot pretty much straight away, and forced two excellent saves out Eugene Past. Fernando Llorente was leading the line for the Italians, and he dragged my defenders around all over the place. Quickly I realised my 4-2-3-1 was a little too adventurous, and I switched to a 4-3-2-1 with one of my 3 centre midfielders sitting in an anchor role in front of the back 4. The change seemed to work, and gradually we got ourselves into the game. Bobko and Zozulya were beginning to provide a few scraps for Mykhalyov, and just before half time the three combined to force a save out of Inter's keeper and win a corner. That was to be the key set-piece of the match, and Polyanskyi's outswinging delivery was met by the head of Antoliy Sereda, who powered the ball into the back of the net for 1-0.

In the second half, we invited Inter on to us and tried to play on the break, and both sides had umpteen chances yet no more goals could be found. Ultimately I didn't care, we'd won another trophy!

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Great achievement and a remarkable start in the league too. I hope you finish in the top 2.
Winning trophies, even the Super Cup, is always nice. :thup:
Great European victories!

Cheers lads. A few cups in the bag, now I need to start challenging for the league...

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