The Life of a Young Canadian

[vitamincmos]

Hello everyone. This is my first kick at the can on a story, and it's been one I decided to pursue after getting about 2/3 through my first season. So...some of the details are lacking, or have been fabricated a bit. Once I catch up, I'll be able to provide prints of the tables and player stats...things like that.

Also, as I began writing the story, I noticed one or two others that began with a similar idea for how to start out as a manager. I apologize to those of you that this applies to, and assure you I have no intent of plagarizing your story ideas.

With that said, I'm running 6.0.2 and have a whole load of leagues running, with all their divisions. I believe 16 countries in all, all in normal level. I have also included the all the Canadian players from the database. Hope you enjoy!

[vitamincmos]

Hello everyone. This is my first kick at the can on a story, and it's been one I decided to pursue after getting about 2/3 through my first season. So...some of the details are lacking, or have been fabricated a bit. Once I catch up, I'll be able to provide prints of the tables and player stats...things like that.

Also, as I began writing the story, I noticed one or two others that began with a similar idea for how to start out as a manager. I apologize to those of you that this applies to, and assure you I have no intent of plagarizing your story ideas.

With that said, I'm running 6.0.2 and have a whole load of leagues running, with all their divisions. I believe 16 countries in all, all in normal level. I have also included the all the Canadian players from the database. Hope you enjoy!

[Jack Edwards]

OK Ill Be Watching This One matey !

[Jack Edwards]

OK Ill Be Watching This One matey !

[vitamincmos]

A Little Background - June 1999

Life can be cruel, there is no question of that. The world was at my fingertips, and no doubt, a great career in professional soccer. I had always dreamed of making it to the big time, and for many years, I felt that this dream would become a reality. I worked hard. Damn hard. Maybe too hard. But I didn’t really have a choice. Canada wasn’t exactly the breeding ground for fine soccer players, and I knew that I would have to dedicate my life to bettering my skills if I ever wanted to make it.

Having grown up in Saskatchewan, the chances of me getting noticed were so slim, that I had to leave the country to get better training, and better opportunities. That is when I experienced my cruel twist of fate. I assembled a team of local players and entered a cash tournament. The team knew of my plans to travel and to try and get the exposure I needed to progress to the next level, so we had agreed that if we won, the prize money would go to my travel funds. As this was Saskatchewan, the competition was weak, and we rolled through pretty much into the final. In the final, we were comfortably in front and looking clear to victory, when I went to gather up a high ball in the 18 yard box. While in the air, an opposing striker ran through me at the knees, sending me into a tailspin. I landed awkwardly, and everything went numb.

The details are really a formality. My playing career was over. A broken neck will often do that to you. At the time, I was devastated. Soccer was my life, and I didn’t know much beyond that. The thought of having to turn to my academic record was rather frightening. I hadn’t even graduated high school, and truth be told, nothing interested me besides soccer. So I was determined to find a way to keep soccer as a major part of my life.

That was when I decided coaching was my next calling. I was only 21 years old at the time, so my options were limited. Starting with local youth teams, I coached as best I could. Still not really able to run around, I had to focus my skills on tactical plans. When you are coaching 11 and 12 year olds, it can be trying, but once they understood the systems I was implementing, success was quick to follow. After winning city and provincial championships with these teams, I was encouraged to look towards higher levels. I decided to pursue the proper avenues and be recognized by FIFA…

[Jack Edwards]

Good Start

[vitamincmos]

Can’t Get Hired if You Don’t Apply - July 2005

…And here we stand. Now fully accredited by FIFA, I was ready to try and make a living out of managing. Truth be told, I wasn’t expecting to garner any interest anytime soon, but if anything were to ever come my way, I wouldn’t care where it was, I would jump at it.

Vacancies were plenty around the world for coaching positions, but I knew that I would have difficulty landing anything due to my background, and my language restrictions.

English was my only fluent language, so that was going to limit my options immediately. I decided I would try to focus on countries that I knew were fluent in English.

I decided to focus in England first, and while there were a few vacancies, they were League One and up, and although I put in an application, I knew my experience would guarantee me rejection. I noticed a couple vacancies in lower leagues in Sweden, so I dropped my application in there. Although I knew no Swedish, I figured there would be enough people on the respective squads that spoke English to get by. They must have thought otherwise though, as they were quick to reject my application.

I noticed a position open up at Bury. Being a League Two team, I thought there might be potential there, so I applied. At the same time, I noticed a position in the Portuguese Division B with a semi-pro club by the name of Pampilhosa. More for amusement sake, I decided to apply there as well.

Imagine my surprise when I received not one but two responses from my applications. Bury had offered me a two-year contract worth 3K/month. That was a lot of money for me, but I noticed their financial instabilities and was quite concerned. They offered me no transfer funds to work with, and expected me to slash the wage bill significantly as it was currently at 70K/month. Trying to put a positive spin on things, they urged me to look at this as a great challenge. Obviously, the financial concerns had scared off other potential managers, so I wasn’t entirely convinced that this was where I wanted to begin my managerial career.

The second offer was the shocking offer from the lowly Portuguese Division B team, Pampilhosa. This offer was much less prestigious (425/month), as the majority of the team was comprised of part-time players. However, financially they seemed to be fairly stable, and guaranteed me a transfer budget of 30K for the year.

In hindsight, my decision should have been easy. The money was definitely better with Bury, as was the lack of language barrier. But I was concerned that too many drastic changes would have to take place, and that the team wouldn’t be able to be competitive. So…I said thanks but no thanks to Bury, and accepted the contract with Pampilhosa.

[Jack Edwards]

Is This on FMH Or CMF Phampilosa? Never Heard Of Em Mate

[vitamincmos]

Thanks for the good words Jack.

This is FM06 - I've included the lower leagues from all the countries I could, and for the Portuguese Leagues, they default a level higher than this, so I had to select the leagues drop down and go one level lower, so this would be similar I guess to a Conference team in England.

[vitamincmos]

Press Conference – July 26, 2005

“As senhoras e Cavalheiros de imprensa. Sou agradado anunciar o novo gerente de nossa esquadra de futebol, Sr. Chomos de Geoff.â€

A muffled applause fills the room, but mostly bewilderment and confusion. Immediately a barrage of questions fills the room, and not a single one of them can I understand. I just smile at the small throng of reporters while some order gets restored in a chaotic beginning to my reign as manager.

I decide to issue a standard statement about the challenges that lay ahead.

“Good afternoon everyone. First off, I would like to thank the board of directors for giving me this opportunity. Managing a professional club has always been a dream of mine, and I intend to do everything I can to make Pampilhosa succeed. I am looking forward to the challenges that lay ahead, and I assure you that we will field a competitive squad this season. Thank you.â€

Short and sweet, but I couldn’t really think of what else to say. My mind was wandering some as I was thinking about what I was getting myself into. My statement was very quickly translated for the reporters, and I quickly left the room before anyone could further question me and my appointment as manager of the club. I was beginning to think that the Bury position wasn’t looking all that bad after all.

[vitamincmos]

Time to Meet My Staff – Late July 2005

The big day…time to meet the boss and the board. I had no idea what to expect, what kind of welcome I would receive, and quite frankly, why they hired me, but I was determined to make a strong first impression to put some of their doubts to rest. The Chairman of the Board is a gentleman by the name of Guillherme Duarte. His reputation is quite obscure, so I had a feeling that he was feeling as nervous as I was about the team we had and the hiring they had just made. The managing director is a man known only as Gila. Again, trying to find out some history on this man, it sounded like he hasn’t been on the job for very long. Heck, I didn't even know what a managing director did. Meeting these people definitely put me at ease knowing that I wasn’t the only one coming here that wasn’t feeling too confident.

After the introductions were made, I was brought over to the ground to meet the staff. I was quite anxious to find out what caliber of people I was working with, and was looking forward to getting on the same page with them immediately. When we arrived, I was greeted by three gentlemen. They all shook my hand and told me their names. First was Pedro Maia, then Nelson Santos and finally Jose Manuel Castro. I politely introduced myself back to them, but judging by their appearances, I took them to be nothing more than the groundskeepers. Well, it turned out that this was my staff. I was shocked to be honest with you. One coach, one physiotherapist, and a scout respectively. This simply was not going to do. I made a note to myself that we were going to have to overhaul the staffing at the club, and that I would make that priority number one.

Diary Entry – July 27, 2005

I’m exhausted, but I doubt I will get much sleep tonight. I got the opportunity to meet my staff and the key members of the board, and I don’t know about this job. I have to remind myself that this is a part-time team, and probably results in part-time commitment from everyone involved. This isn’t really what I envisioned of my first managerial position, but I guess I signed the contract.

First things first, straight away tomorrow I need to place some ads for staffing. We are currently without an assistant manager, and that is going to be crucial for us. I want to be very involved in every aspect of the team, but in order to get around to all areas, I will need an assistant to cover while I am dealing with other things. That, and the fact that I could use someone who has a solid knowledge of the Portuguese style of football.

Our current scout doesn’t seem very bright, and I don’t know what kind of confidence I can put into his abilities to find me some players, so I need to get searching fast. In any case I will have to bring in at least two more scouts to adequately find the diamonds in the rough that will help us win. I really didn’t want to come in here and have to deal with staffing issues this much. I want to bring in another coach or two as well. Having one coach running all the training is not effective, so we will see who I can bring in to help share some of the workload. Given the wage budget I have been given, the additional staffing I want to fill will probably take care of the rest of that budget.

I managed to get the coach to pull some data (although its pretty rough) on the players on the squad. We don’t even have a senior keeper right now?!?!? It’s somebody we have on a loan, but I can’t stick with that. I need to find us a goalie and fast. From what I can tell, we have good depth in our front and mid positions, but I have no idea as to the skill of these players. Looks like we could use a little more help on the defensive front, but there is enough there for now to make things work. It might be meaning we lean towards a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2, but we’ll wait and see what we get on the pitch.

I am planning on meeting with the players tomorrow. I’m not going to run any sessions, but just observe and try to get an idea of who I should be watching out for. We have 45 days until we kick off our first league match, but we have no friendlies scheduled at this point, so that is also on the slate tomorrow. I would love to have 4 or 5 matches lined up before we open league play.

Well, need to get some sleep, or try anyway. Lets hope tomorrow sees a lot of progress.

[vitamincmos]

Time to Meet the Players – Late July 2005

It was time to see what I had to work with this season. I was at a real disadvantage not having seen Portuguese Division 2 football before, so I had nothing to gauge my expectations against. I watched a training session, and from what I could see, this was a raw group but one that had excellent potential. I had hardly slept the night before already trying to come up with something that the opposition might not have seen before tactically. After seeing the squad perform, I was able to fine tune my plans a little more. Here is a basic overview of the senior squad:

Keepers

Bruno Sousa (25 years old) – Sousa is a very agile keeper, and one who has quite solid skills. The only problem with this is that he is a loan player, and we will be without his services come January. He will be the undisputed starter for the time being, but as soon as I am able to sign another keeper, his role will diminish.

Assessment

Immediate attention is required to add depth to this position. I have a few keepers on the reserve squad, but they are not anywhere near being ready for 1st team play. I would expect my first signing to be at this position, and hopefully someone who can take the bulk of the load off of Sousa.

Defense

Nuno Carvalheira (18 years old – Left side) – Being only 18, I would prefer to have Nuno on the reserve squad, or sign a loan deal with another team to gain experience. Unless injuries pile up, his action will be very limited.

Vinagre (30 years old – Left and Right side) – A little older in age, he is going to be seeing a lot of 1st team football. More than likely to start the season on the left side, although I would like to sign someone at the left back position and spell him over to his more natural right side. He is a well rounded player, and should be a cornerstone on the defensive back four.

Diogo (17 years old – Right Side) – Another youngster, I can definitely see the potential in this player. I don’t think he is ready for a regular place in the starting eleven, but I would hope that I can get him out on a loan contract to gain first team experience. Depending on how the season progresses as well, he may be able to feature every now and then.

Taio (24 years old – Middle) – Taio is a solid marker and has good aerial ability, both traits that I need in a central defender. He does lack speed and seems to be a little slow on decision making, so he will likely be in a dogfight to win a place in the starting eleven.

Marco Bras (24 years old – Middle) – I can see the potential in this player, and while he already shows a solid game, he has the ability to get better. Definitely a candidate for the starting squad, he will still have to show me consistency to keep a regular place in the squad.

Joao Pinto (25 years old – Middle) – Unimpressed with this player, I don’t see him sticking around on this squad for much longer. He will get an opportunity in the preseason matches, but there are too many other talented players on this team for him to land a regular spot.

Vicente (26 year old – Middle) – Similar in makeup to Marco Bras, I was quite impressed with what I saw. One weakness he possesses is his desire to do more than he needs to with the ball. Maybe he was just trying to impress me, but showboating like that in game situations will land you on the bench. Nonetheless, I am looking forward to seeing what he can produce throughout the season.

Luis Miguel (23 years old – Middle) – Solid player. Most impressive seems to be his ability from the penalty spot. All around developed for his age, and I would expect him to play as no less than a rotation member if not a regular on the first team.

Assessment

The centre backs are solid. I have little concern about the middle of my back four. The outside positions though are in need of a little help. Both the left and right side could use a little more depth, and I hope to address those issues in fairly short order.

Midfielders

Pazito I (29 years old – AM - Left, Right, Middle) – I love players like this. He’s capable on all areas of the midfield, and that versatility will likely mean he will see regular time in the starting eleven. He’s probably right around his peak as far as progressing on a skill level, so his contributions will have to come now.

Carlos Miguel (20 years old – AM – Centre) – Very creative on the pitch, and he has a solid first touch, but still lacks the experience to warrant a regular spot on the first team. I am hoping he is willing to develop over another year or two because I can see good things coming out of this player when he is 22 or 23.

Vitor Corvilha (33 years old – AM – Centre) - This is the leader of my midfield. It is hard to believe he was not playing professional ball for the past four years as he is an all around skilled player. I’m a little concerned about his fitness and durability having been idle for so long, but from what I can tell, he will be the catalyst for many a goal scoring opportunity this season.

Miguel Tomas (28 years old – AM – Centre) – Another solid player with a lot of offensive talent. He could probably double as a striker as well, but he will more than likely feature in the midfield. Excellent technique, and a solid playmaker, he should team very well with Corvilha this season.

Bebe (26 years old – AM – Right, Centre) – Nothing special, but possesses good creativity and strong passing skills, so I can forsee him sending numerous balls this season across the box to our strikers (I hope!). He will likely fit in as a rotation player.

Sergio Grilo (22 years old – AM – Right, Centre) – Good young player with a lot of potential. Good pace and possesses a very aggressive attitude on the pitch. I am hoping he can be consistent on the pitch as he has the opportunity to take over the job on the right side. In any case, he could be a player to watch in the coming years.

Hugo Paulo (24 years old – AM – Right, Centre) – Nothing really jumps out at me with this player, but he does have good skills crossing the ball. I don’t know if he has developed enough all around to warrant a spot on the first team, but I will not be hesitant to bring him in when the need arises.

Rui Almedia (21 years old – M – Right) - With the strength I have at the right side of the midfield, it is very unlikely he will crack even the bench, so it is likely he will go on the transfer list.

Assessment

I am lacking depth on the left side, and this is something I am hoping to address in short order. As far as the current squad goes, I am happy to see some established players in the lineup who can really lead this team. I am hoping that the creativity some of these players possess is going to lead to many opportunities for my strikers to pot goals.

Attackers

Toninho (23 year old – Middle) – I definitely like what I see of this player. Quite mature for his age, and is excellent off the ball. Above average ball control and finishing should make him a staple in the starting eleven, and a likely source of many goals.

David (26 years old – Middle) – A puzzling player. He shows excellent touch and is a strong finisher, but seems to lack in the ball control skills. Perhaps his greatest strength is his determination on the pitch, and if he can show effort such as what he is showing in training, he should do just fine.

Helder Garcia [i}(29 years old – Middle)[/i] – An average player who will fill in nicely when either Toninho or David is not fit enough to feature. Very agile, and has a solid head on his shoulders. If the crosses come his way, he should be able to knock a few into the goal.

Ricardo Queiros (26 years old – Middle) – Purely a depth player, should any injuries come to my feature frontmen, he will be an adequate replacement. Very good finishing skills are his biggest asset, and he possesses a lot of pace, so hopefully we can find him some open space to show his stuff.

Jaimito, Alex, and Felix are all strikers who I don’t see fitting into the plans this season and beyond. They are both past the ‘prospect’ stage, and they seem to be one or two steps behind the rest of the squad, so they are likely to be placed on the transfer list.

Assessment

I like what I see here. Definitely two solid strikers, and two more than adequate players to come in when required. Given my midfield group, I don’t expect any difficulties getting these guys the ball, and when they get hold of it, I expect a lot of goals to come our way. Definitely the biggest strength of this squad.

[vitamincmos]

Pampilhosa Open For Business - Late July 2005

Having somewhat settled in, I was ready to get the ball rolling. I checked the fixture list, and noticed I had about 6 weeks before the start of the league. I figured that was plenty of time to shape the squad and tinker with it enough to my liking. One glaring problem I saw though when looking at the fixtures was that not a single friendly had been scheduled. I was very concerned that these players were not in shape, and so I immediately set out to schedule an away tour.

I wasn’t knowledgeable in the skill level of clubs within our division, nor those of the divisions above. Frankly, because it was getting into late July, most teams had already scheduled their friendlies, and I was not going to be able to get much work for the club if I stayed in Portugal. With that in mind, I was determined to schedule an away tour to a country that would be looking for some competitive match practice. I decided to err on the side of safety, and scheduled a tour of San Marino. I didn’t expect their clubs to possess much in terms of skill, and I was confident that I would be able to work the entire squad well, while seeing solid results boost their morale heading into the start of the season. So, I scheduled a four match tour beginning August 3rd.

Diary Entry – July 28th, 2005

What am I doing here? I know its only one day on the job, but I think I’m really over my head here. I don’t have a clue how to speak the language, and dealing through an interpreter is getting to be a pain. I really hope these self-help tapes do just that. I was really hoping to have a stronger supporting cast. No friendlies scheduled? How do they expect to get the squad into match shape for the season? And when I suggest we schedule some friendlies, they look amazed that I would think to do such a thing. Well at least their expectations aren’t that high.

After further discussions(?) with the board, I was at least able to determine that we are favorites for relegation. Great. Maybe this squad isn’t as good as I thought it was. I’m hoping they are just being cautious with expectations as I am new to the job. In any case, as much as I dislike it right now, I am determined to get this team at no less than a mid-table finish. That might spur the board on to shelling out a few more bucks in the upcoming season to handle wages and transfers.

I really need to sign staff, but I haven’t had the slightest opportunity to start looking. I did place advertisements for an assistant manager, coaches, scouts and physiotherapists. I’m not entirely optimistic about the potential results, but any interest is better than nothing. We’ll see how that progresses. In any case, it is unlikely that I will have the new staff on board before our tour.

I sent Castro out on assignment to start looking for players in Portugal. I’m hoping he can uncover a couple players looking for a new opportunity, but I have my doubts. He seems quite clueless at times, and I don’t really know how he came into the position of a scout to begin with. He’d be more capable as a water boy. Oh well…better than nothing I guess.

I better get some sleep. I have a lot to do in the next little while.

[vitamincmos]

Nothing Going On - Late July 2005

The rest of July went without any significant incident. I had yet to sign any players, nor any staff, despite my best efforts to get someone on board. The general response was that there was no interest in playing for Pampilhosa. Was there something I didn’t know about this team? I was really starting to get worried that we were destined for the bottom of league, and certain relegation, but I was going to let our tour give me more insight into that.

San Marino Here We Come! - Early August 2005

And we are off to San Marino. I’m not entirely sure that we are going to succeed on this tour, but I am confident that we possess a higher caliber team than the clubs here. I am more interested in trying out some different tactics against these clubs, and see what seems to get the best response. I would expect when the season begins, we will be running a 4-4-2, but this is the time to try out a few alternate formations.

[vitamincmos]

San Giovanni vs. Pampilhosa (Friendly) - August 3, 2005

August 3rd rolled around, and we were set to face San Giovanni. I wanted to start things out a little defensively to begin the season, and elected to try out a 4-5-1 to get the ball rolling. We were pretty sluggish off the start, with the few chances that we did have missing the net. Bruno Sousa came up with a couple big stops in the first half, and I could breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the one keeper I had appeared to be a solid one. I didn’t make any subs until the 2nd half, and with the game still scoreless I was hoping someone would provide a spark.

The second half saw us become much more dominant, and we forced much of the play. It was in the 83rd minute that we finally hit the scoresheet, as Helder Garcia found the back of the net. We had weathered a storm and hit on the counter attack as Grilo did a good job to open up some space and then send the ball over to an unmarked Garcia.

They came at us hard the rest of the way, but I opted to switch the team to a defensive 4-4-2 style, and we held on for an uninspired 1-0 win. It wasn’t the prettiest of wins, but we did have a lot of chances. We just need a few more on goal.

Diary Entry – August 3rd, 2005

Well that wasn’t so bad! I have to admit I was quite nervous when they kicked things off, but somehow a crowd of 100 or so people kind of takes the edge off. The guys played fairly well, but didn’t hit the net very often. Maybe they are trying too hard to impress me, and are likely shaking some cobwebs off. The defense looks pretty solid back there, which is great to see. We’ll see what kind of shape the guys are in tomorrow, and see who needs a rest before the next game, but I’m hoping to find a good ground to train on before the next match. I want to try some different tactics as I wasn’t very happy with how this 4-5-1 worked out. Perhaps I’ll switch to a more offensive lineup for the next match.

Still nothing in terms of player/staff movement. I don’t anticipate I’ll be doing much on that front while we are here, but I’m really hoping to get some good news in the advertisements I placed when we get back to Portugal. In the meantime, I’ll just concentrate on the task at hand.

[vitamincmos]

Murata vs. Pampilhosa (Friendly) - August 6, 2005

August 6th brought our next match, and we had Murata as an opponent. After seeing the lack of finish in the first game, I decided to try to get a little more attack minded, and employed an attacking 3-4-1-2. Things started off very poorly as Luis Miguel got a little too aggressive defending in our penalty area. We gave up a penalty on only the 4th minute, and after they converted, we were 1-0 down. The remainder of the first half saw both teams with solid opportunities, but again, on target shots were apparently going out of style. We probably had the better of the action in the first half, but again were without a goal. I laid into the strikers at the break and told them to get their heads in the game.

The boys came out for the 2nd half with a fire in their eyes, and in the 48th minute, we equalized on a goal from David. Felix had the initial chance, and the rebound sat at David’s feet for the simple tap home. Only six minutes later, we struck again. After constant pressure Felix impressed the 107 (? Ouch) in attendance with a great volley to put us up 2-1 on the 54th. I had my doubts about him, but he has impressed me this game for sure. We continued to show some offensive spark, but these two quick goals may have got the players thinking all offense as we were hit on the counter a couple times. Thanks to some fine goalkeeping though, we kept them at bay. With time ticking down, we were all but guaranteed victory until a poor downfield pass by Sousa was picked off by a San Marino attacker, and we were caught napping. Sousa was at the mercy of Michele Muraloni, and he made a nice move to put it past Sousa on the 90th minute to tie it at 2-2. Shortly after, the final whistle blew, and we were left with a bitter-sweet draw. I told the players they deserved the win, but I was confident that things were going to pick up soon.

Diary Entry – August 6th, 2005

I guess I should take my pick. More offense = less defense. I’m actually kind of ****ed that we didn’t come away with the win. I hate seeing a team tense up in the late stages. I need them to have a little more confidence that they can maintain that strong play right to the end. Felix looked very good out there today, which surprised me. His goal on the volley was a real cracker. I’ll have to give him another look in the upcoming matches to see if he is for real.

I think for the next match, I’m going to go back to basics. They are probably most comfortable with a 4-4-2, so that’s the route we will go. I just really hope that these guys can shake the rust off and start finishing some of these chances.

Still no news on personnel movement. I’m going to get Pedro Maia to call the office tomorrow and see if any response has come in on my ads. I could sure use some help…I’m already starting to feel worn down.

[vitamincmos]

Diary Entry – August 7th, 2005

Well, what do you know? There has been some interest on the scouting front. I got a list of resumes faxed to me, and they aren’t great, but they are better than nothing. I’ve placed a couple offers out there to a couple English gentlemen. I’m hoping they will sign because it will be nice to have a few more people here that I can understand. Truth be told, I don’t even remember their names. I just saw where they were from, and immediately placed the call. They can’t be worse than Castro. He hasn’t even found a single player he feels would fit in with the club.

Cosmos vs. Pampilhosa (Friendly) - August 10, 2005

We were going back to a 4-4-2 formation with some attacking presence in mind. I wanted to give the guys a chance to play in a formation that I felt they were comfortable with. They sure didn’t disappoint! The opening whistle was blown and after some back and forth passing, Toninho came out of a little scrum and flew down the field and potted the ball in the net only 2 minutes in! It didn’t take too long after and Toninho was at it again. This time Carlos Quieros had a great chance stopped by an equally great parry, but nobody bothered to mark Toninho and he potted the easy rebound in the 16th minute to put us up 2-0. After both teams traded chances for the better part of 20 minutes, we kept enough pressure on to fill the net again. Toninho this time was the playmaker as he sent a ball over the Carlos Quieros, and he slotted the ball past the keeper at the 41st minute for a 3-0 lead! I was thrilled by the game thus far, but the players got a little careless looking for a 4th before the half, and we were hit on the counter. A 50 yard ball found its way to Marco Gasperoni, and he calmly slotted past Sousa to make it 3-1 in 1st half injury time. I told the guys at the half to keep the pressure coming. I wanted to see a solid 90 minute display.

They were more than happy to oblige. In the 54rd minute, Pazito I was clear in the penalty area only to have his shirt held. The referee pointed to the spot, and Diogo drove it home to put us up 4-1. That lead was short lived however as Cosmos was not going down without a fight, and good teamwork saw Della Valle score on the 57th, and it was back to a two goal game, 4-2. We were insistent to maintain a three goal advantage however, and we immediately struck back. After some poor defensive marking, Felix found himself in the clear, and potted his 2nd of the preseason campaign to make it 5-2 in the 61st minute. Helder Garcia decided he wanted in on the action as well, and he broke away on a counter and with a fine individual effort, scored in the 68th to make it 6-2. At this point, I think everyone felt they had a chance to score, and positional assignments were forgotten. Marco Mularoni made us pay in the 73rd minute as Marco Bras was caught out of position, and saw a weak attempt deflect off him and into the goal to make it 6-3. I decided at this point to switch to a more defensive style and ride things out to the end. The remaining 20 minutes played out with little incident, and we left clear cut winners on that day.

Diary Entry – August 10th, 2005

Wow! What a performance by these guys. The three goals I’m a little disheartened with, but how can you really complain when you score six? Toninho looked great out there, and I can really see him being the goal leader for this squad. Felix again showed some promise, and I may have to keep him in the plans after all. Everybody got to play today as well, which I am quite happy about. I don’t really think I should tinker too much with the 4-4-2. They seem very comfortable with it, and seem to know where everyone will be.

I haven’t heard whether or not the offers to those two scouts were accepted. I really have to find their names again. Maybe I’ll check back in with the office tomorrow to see what the latest is.

[vitamincmos]

Diary Entry – August 11th, 2005

I gave the guys the day off. They earned it. I decided to work on my self-help tapes, and I think I’m making some progress. I decided to try and phone the office myself, and ask how things were going. All I got on the other end was laughter, so who knows what I actually said…oh well. Back to the tapes I guess.

I got some more faxes. This time from potential coaches and assistant managers. There were a few decent ones, but they are all out of the board's accepted wage demands, so I guess those ads will just have to keep running. Too bad. I can already see Maia has his hands full trying to coach all the players.

The potential scouts (oh yeah, I got their names again. Paul Sharp and Rob Campkin) have received the offer and are expected to accept. I gave the go ahead to finalize the paperwork if they accepted the offer, as I was unlikely to be back before they officially signed.

One more match to go, and we’ll head back home. I’d like to schedule one or two more friendlies against our own divisional teams before the season starts, because I don’t think these San Marino teams will play the same tactically as those from Portugal. Let’s hope I can find some takers.

Diary Entry – August 13th, 2005

I got a call from the office, and Paul Sharp is on board. He has agreed to terms and should be at our camp tomorrow afternoon. I must say that I’m looking forward to meeting him. I gave the go ahead to announce it to the media, though I doubt they will really be interested.

[vitamincmos]

Virtus vs. Pampilhosa (Friendly) – August 14, 2005

It was going to be a tough test today for my squad as the game time temperature was at 34 Celsius. I stuck with a 4-4-2, but decided against pressing forward as much, in the hopes of keeping the boys from working too hard out there and risking injury. Apparently, the Virtus faithful felt it was too hot to sit and watch a meaningless game as well, as only 60 or so fans came out to see us play.

We were gifted in only the 8th minute when Miguel Tomas was off to the races only to be tripped from behind by last man Andrea Casadei. The referee was quick to pull out the red card, and we were going to play almost the entire match one man up. We didn’t waste any time capitalizing as Bebe’s attempted cross was bobbled by the Virtus keeper, and Helder Garcia slotted it home in the 12th minute, and we led 1-0. Garcia was at it again, this time showing his off the ball skills. He saw the makings of an attempted pass back to the keeper, and we quickly jumped up to pick off the pass, and slotted it into the open goal in the 33rd to make it 2-0. I was more than happy to back off with the attack at this point, and work on a solid defensive game. I was a little disappointed to see a 10 man squad getting some good quality chances in the dying minutes, but Sousa was able to bail us out with some fine goalkeeping. At half time, I told the team not to start slacking. I wanted to see an equally strong finish.

The second half brought on a fine bit of defending, as we didn’t give Virtus any opportunity to mount an improbable comeback. The only shots were from 30+ yards out, and were dreadfully off target. While we didn’t see too many chances either, I wasn’t too bothered as we kept the play in their end. In the 85th minute, that domination paid off as Ricardo Quieros was brought down in the area. Diogo stepped up and converted the penalty to take us up 3-0. We ran out the clock to see our tour end with a comfortable win.

Diary Entry – August 14th, 2005

Two bits of good news today. First off, the game was a solid one. I was very impressed with the defensive strengths of the 2nd half. I wanted to close them down and suffocate them in that bloody heat, and that’s exactly what we did. It helps playing a 10 man opponent for almost the entire game, but we did exactly what we are supposed to do in that situation, so I can’t ask for anything more.

I’m very pleased with the results of this tour. I saw the offensive skills that I knew were there, and I’m beginning to believe in this group that we have. That doesn’t mean I don’t want to add depth to the squad, but I’m pretty sure we can make things work if the players don’t jump at the opportunity to play for powerhouse Pampilhosa.

Oh yeah, the other good news. Rob Campkin has accepted the contract and should arrive late tonight. I talked to Sharp and he is on his way to look for some Portuguese players right away. I’ll send Campkin out tomorrow to do the same. I must say though, I might need to invest in some self-help tapes for understanding thick English accents. I don’t know which was tougher to decipher. Anyway, morale seems to be high, and I think this tour was just what the doctor ordered to get these guys ready to play.

[vitamincmos]

Back Behind My Desk - Mid August 2005

So much to do…so little time. I quickly met with Rob Campkin, and sent him away to search for more players. I told him of where our weaknesses lie, and he seemed eager to get out there and report back with good news. Sharp already got back to me with a player he thought I should look at. He’s a 23 year old left back on contract with Espinho, Ricardo Correia. He didn’t feature a single time in the 1st team last season, and wants a chance to play wherever it may be. I’m weak at that position, so I figured it was worth a shot. I offered up 1K for him as he obviously wasn’t in their future plans, and I’ll wait to hear back from them.

Got some response back from my ads for coaches. Again, the board is stingy on wages for staff, so most of the responders were out of my price range. There was one coach from Sweden however who was willing to sign for a reasonable wage. The only catch was he was under contract with Olme, and would cost me 10K to acquire his services. As my options were severely limited, I bit the bullet and made him an offer.

I also scheduled another friendly with non-league club Leca. I tried to get something scheduled with an opponent in the divison and above, but they are all unavailable or uninterested as they have friendlies scheduled in too close proximity to my proposed date. I am a little concerned that the squad is going to struggle getting up to the level of our opposition come the start of the league.

I’m really hoping that my scouts come back with some good news on the keeper front, as I still don’t have anyone to come in for Bruno Sousa. He has done an admirable job thus far, but considering he’s gone come January, I have to fine someone quickly. If he goes down to injury, I have to look to my under-19’s to fill the gap, and I’m quite concerned about that.

In the meantime, I just have to sit and wait until I get some news back from my inquiries and scouting.

Diary Entry – August 16th, 2006

Oi. I must say that things are going well. I’m really starting to pick up on this Portuguese language. I still have a long way to go, but the staff and players are very understanding and are always looking to help me out when a problem arises. I didn’t realize until today, that Marco Bras has dual citizenship, also with Canada. We had a lengthy chat about life back home, and although I’ve only been here 3 weeks, I must say that it got me feeling a little homesick. I had a lot of fun coaching those kids, and I can’t help but wonder how they are progressing. I often dream about hearing of one of them representing Canada’s national squad, but I know that is a long way off.

Marco and I talked about my playing days, and the aspirations I had. I thought I was over that hurdle, but he made me realize just how badly I still want to be out there on the pitch. I still remember that moment plain as day. My teammates used to call me Showboat Chomos back then, and when I’d pull off the impossible on the pitch, they always said I got the ‘Showboat Bounce’. Well that was one bounce that didn’t go my way. Marco put a good spin on it though, and made me realize that it could’ve been worse, and that I should still be thankful that I recovered as well as I did, even if it means I have to end one dream and start another.

I thanked him for the chat, and made the realization of what has become of my life. I wasn’t completely sold on this whole managerial position, especially with a bottom of the barrel club like we have here. But talking with Marco has sparked a little fire underneath me, and I’m going to make some noise. Showboat is going to keep going strong. It may not be here forever…no…it probably won’t. But if I can lead this team to success, others will notice, and up the ladder I will move…until eventually, seventy thousand screaming fans will be chanting ‘Showboat, Showboat, Showboat…’

[vitamincmos]

Let’s Sign Some People - Mid August 2005

With the tour to San Marino now a solid week behind, all the focus was on strengthening the squad and staff. I received word from Espinho and they accepted our offer and granted us opportunity to offer Ricardo Correia a contract. I was finding out very quickly that players at this level of play are only part-time players, and not willing to commit to full-time play. This is something I will need to get used to, and hopefully will understand quickly. In any case, I offered Correia 425/month until July 2007. It was a little less than he requested, but I am hopeful that he will be desperate to play football again, and will take the offer.

I got some resumes back from my ad for physiotherapists. Response was average, but the caliber of applicants was not too impressive. Again, with no ace up my sleeve I picked the best of the bunch and offered him a contract. Another Swede, Goran Blomqvist didn’t have any standout traits, but at only 30 years of age, I still had hope that he could develop into a solid physiotherapist in the future. For the time being, he would be able to help out when needed, and take some of the workload off of Nelson Santos.

I’m still waiting for news on an assistant manager. I had to extend my advertisement as the interested candidates were all too expensive based on the board’s wage restrictions. Hopefully we will hear something very soon, as I could sure use a hand dealing with some of the behind the scenes things around here.

Media Release – August 17, 2005

Pampilhosa manager Geoff Chomos has just signed his first player since taking charge of the club. Defender Ricardo Correia has agreed to terms with the club and is expected to join the club tomorrow.

“I am thrilled to announce the signing of Ricardo Correia. He will bring some much needed depth to a position where we were lacking in established players. This gives us the opportunity to move Vinagre to the right side where he is more comfortable. I look forward to Ricardo arriving, and bringing his skills to the club.â€

Diary Entry – August 17th, 2005

Well, the first player has been signed. It took longer than I wanted, and it wasn’t the 1st position I had in mind, but Correia seems like a solid signing, and I think he will bring much needed depth to the left side. Vinagre can now move to the right, and I think he will flourish over there.

I still need to get a keeper signed. Both Campkin and Sharp have made mention of a keeper by the name of Marafona. He isn’t playing with anybody right now, so the price is definitely right. I want to make sure he is capable before I make any kind of formal offer. I’m hoping to get Correia into the lineup for our friendly on the 20th, and hope that he was a good signing.

Not much else to report. Still waiting patiently to see if I can find an assistant manager. I’m hoping someone will come along who is in our price range before the month is up, but I’m not crossing my fingers on that one.

[vitamincmos]

Pampilhosa vs. Leca (Friendly) - August 20, 2005

The 18th and 19th were pretty quiet days, and before we knew it, we were at match day for another friendly. I was a little more interested in this match as it was against a fellow Portuguese squad, even though they were theoretically of lesser caliber than we were. I employed the same 4-4-2 tactics we had used in the previous 2 matches in San Marino, hoping to see the strong play continue.

The entire first half can be summed up in two words. Missed opportunities. We absolutely dominated the first half, and I don’t even think Leca had position in our half for more than 2 minutes, but we could not put one in the net. Most was attributable to shots off target, but the rare one that was on goal was saved by the Leca keeper. I went into half time disappointed with the result, but happy with the way we were dominating. I fired up the boys telling them to score a goal, and we headed out for the 2nd half.

The storyline continued in the 2nd half. Pretty passing, terrible finishing. It wasn’t until the 66th minute that we saw a change of fortune. After steady pressure, Toninho broke on a poorly played ball by the Leca defense, and he went in alone against the keeper and calmly slotted it home to give us the 1-0 lead. We finally had the lead. Leca seemed a little more determined after that goal, and they hit us on a poorly timed attempt at an offside trap by the defense. The mistake led to the 1st shot on target for Leca, and consequently, their 1st goal, scored by Ferreira in the 80th minute. We were tied at 1-1. I was mad, and I didn’t hide it. Screaming at the players on the pitch brought an inspired restart to the game. Right off the kickoff, we went on the attack, and a nice cross by Almedia was met by Grilo, who snuck past the last defender, and ripped it into the back of the net in the 81st to regain the lead at 2-1. We kept the pressure on in the final 10 minutes, and Leca was unable to mount another comeback, and we came away with a slim victory.

Diary Entry – August 20th, 2005

Yuck. It was a win, but that finishing was horrendous. At least I can say we were 50% with our shots on target, but we still missed numerous chances. I really have to hope we can regain the from from our friendly tour if we want to be competitive in this league. It’s too bad that I haven’t been able to find any other clubs looking to schedule one more friendly. It looks like its going to be our Under-19’s for a final tune up. Not what I was hoping for, but I’m pretty much left without any options now.

Another thing that bothered me about this game was the crowd turnout. I know its only a friendly, but only 105 people? This was the first chance for our fans to see the team this season, so that was pretty disappointing. I’m hoping that by scheduling our friendly against the Under-19’s on the 30th, it will provide enough time for our fans to rally behind the troops for the upcoming season.

Good news on the coaching front. Micael Jansson has agreed to terms, and he will be arriving tomorrow. This was the costly signing, but I am anxious to get him in here and improving the quality of training to be provided. Still waiting to hear back on Goran Blomqvist, and still waiting on the assistant manager.

[Suma]

Nice Work! KUTGW

[vitamincmos]

Thanks Suma...Glad you are enjoying it

Diary Entry – August 23rd, 2005

One week until our final tune up. Just for curiosity’s sake, I decided to check in at the stadium to see how ticket sales were going. Zero…zip…zilch…nada. This sucks. Yeah it’s the Under-19’s, but this is also the future of the club, and nobody has any inclination to attend. Frustrating to say the least. We need to create a stir in this town and get the people behind us.

We’ve added a physio to our staff. Blomqvist has accepted the offer, and will arrive tomorrow. If nothing else, he’ll just be an extra helping hand, of which I don’t think anyone here will complain of having.

Things are still pretty quiet on all the other fronts. Every once and awhile I get a fax in from my scouts, with players to take a look at, but there hasn’t been anything overly worthwhile. I’m really trying to focus on people out of contract, but the quality out there isn’t enough to build up the squad. I have taken a closer look at Marafona, and I am definitely interested. I think I am going to initiate contact with him to see what his wage demands are, and we’ll go from there.

Still no assistant manager. I’ve given Micael Jansson the task of running the Under-19’s during matches, but I really think that is the job of an assistant, so I’m hoping to find someone very soon.

Diary Entry – August 26th, 2005

Some great news, and some not so great. First of all, I think I have found us an assistant manager. 54 year old Jose Alberto Rossi has sent in an application, and it looks pretty decent. He’s from Ecuador, and doesn’t have a lot of experience in this role, but he has done a lot of work with youth players. This is exactly what I’m looking for in someone to run the Under-19’s. The best part of this is that his wage demands are within my budget. The formal offer has been sent, and I hope to hear back with an acceptance in the next few days...

…And the not so great. I have started discussions with the keeper we’ve been looking at, Marafona. It doesn’t look like he’s going to come cheaply. He wants to be assured his opportunity to play game in, game out. While it is likely that he will, I still won’t hesitate to use Sousa if he falters. He wants 1K/month, but that is steep for us as that won’t leave us with much space left under our wage budget. I’m going to negotiate with him and see if we can’t come to an agreement for a lesser amount.

Geez this time is crawling. You can see it in the players and staff that they want to get this season started. I couldn’t agree more. This down time has been incredibly slow, and it has given me too much time to think. There definitely hasn’t been much a buzz around the town for this team, and I don’t really understand it. The board has expectations of relegation this season, which is disheartening. I would hope they would have a little more optimism for this season. That being said, the chairman and the board seem rather uninterested in the club. I can walk on the streets and still get the looks of that of a foreigner. I’ve been here a month, yet nobody recognizes me. This wasn’t what I expected of the life of a football manager, yet, it gives me a little extra incentive to make this season a successful one. If we can start of strong, that might create the interest needed to open up a few more funds from the board to sign some bigger names. But the key to that is getting people out to the games.

Checked in at the stadium again for ticket sales…37. Brutal.

[Utter Utter Loser (Ned)]

Portuguese lower leagues are incredibly hard, a housemate of mine was Aliados Lordelo and couldn't sign any players at all, gave up about halfway through the season. He drew Porto away in the Cup and lost 13-0 :*)

Good story.

[vitamincmos]

Thanks Ned...Don't like to see the news about the cup. Let's just hope I don't draw Porto away

Pampilhosa vs. Pampilhosa (U-19) - August 30, 2005

We came out of the locker rooms to a raucous crowd of maybe 100. Right away, I could see the disappointment of the players. I tried to ignore the empty stands and gave my pre-game pep talk and we were off and running. I went with the lineup that I envisioned for the start of the league campaign, and hoped they would deliver.

As expected we dominated early. Possession was fantastic, as was the ball movement, but the Under-19’s were falling back and playing very defensively. To their credit, they held in very well, thanks to some solid goalkeeping by Carlos. But it was just a matter of time, and in the 42nd, the pressure was too great as Corvilha sent a great ball through to Paulo who was fouled in the area. Miguel Tomas put the ball on spot and pounded it through for a 1-0 lead. We kept the pressure coming right after the kickoff, as this time Tomas was the playmaker, and fed a great pass through to David. David was in the clear and buried it to make it 2-0 on the 44th. We were unlucky not to come away with one more during injury time, but Carlos kept the bleeding at a minimum to send us into the half up by two goals.

The second half saw us lose a bit of an edge, and we were quite sloppy. Sousa was forced to make a couple big saves, but poor positioning on an ensuing corner kick got the Under-19’s on the board. Pedro converted a great corner kick to make it 2-1 in the 55th minutes. That was all the motivation we needed to get back on track, and we went back to the solid pressuring that worked so well in the 1st half. Carlos again bailed out the youngsters with some fine goalkeeping. It wasn’t until the late in the 2nd when we added to the scoreline, and in rather bizarre fashion. Vinagre made a fine run down the right side, and crossed to the 18 yard box, but the ball was a floater, and straightened out back toward the goal catching Carlos off guard, and it looped in the net for a 3-1 lead in the 85th minute. We continued the pressure the rest of the way, and after major scrambles in front of the U-19’s net, we managed to pot one more in injury time. Luis Miguel played a great cross to the middle, and it was knocked home by Correia in the 90th minute for a 4-1 lead. The final whistle went, and we could be happy about a dominant performance, but I was not happy about something, and I was going to make it known.

[vitamincmos]

Pampilhosa Press Conference – August 31, 2005

“Welcome everyone, and thank you for coming. I have a couple announcements to make today, so lets get started. First of all, I would like to introduce you all to our new assistant manager, Jose Alberto Rossi. Rossi comes from Ecuador and has a strong history of working with youth players. His primary focus will be on working with our Under-19 squad, and effective today, he will be in control of that squad. I look forward to seeing him develop these young players, and instill a winning attitude into the future of our club.â€

“My second announcement is one in which I feel must be made. We are one week from the opening of league play, and I feel that this club has not been given recognition by you, the media. We have concluded pre-season play with 6 games, 5 of which were wins, the other a draw, and nothing has been mentioned in the papers or on the news. We have a group of players who are giving their all in training and games to be successful, and they don’t get recognition for what they are doing. Not only that, we had 95 people attend our last match, which featured the present of this club versus the future.â€

“This is a good club. Expectations are that of failure for this club, but you haven’t got a clue. This team can compete with any other team in this division, and they will. I have decided to issue a guarantee for our club. If we do not win our division this season, I will step down as manager of the club.â€

Chairman Duarte quickly stepped in to take over the press conference, and hastily ended it before any questions could be asked.

What Are You Doing? - Late August 2005

Duarte: “Do you realize what you have just said? What you are risking?

Chomos: “Since I’ve been here, I haven’t seen you nor the board members, unless I come to you with a player I wish to sign, and if his wages are within your budget. You don’t have any idea how this club has been looking so far, and I’m not even really sure you are that interested anyway.â€

D: “We told you we were happy with staying clear of relegation though. Why would you go and make a guarantee that you likely won’t follow through on?

C: “Why do think we will struggle this season? Because the bookies expect that? They probably know as much about this division as Alex Ferguson. When we came out to play our last match, you know how many people were there? Ninety-five. That’s it. That’s pathetic. Paychecks don’t inspire our players, the fans do. People cheering on their hometown team. And they aren’t there. This team has potential, there’s no question of that, but unless we get the support from everyone around here, they won’t fulfill that potential. This was the only way I knew of to stir up some excitement about the club, and besides that, I stand by my comment 100%. I know this club can do it.â€

D: “Well, it is your grave. You still have our support, and I wish you the best, but be aware that should you fail, and choose to resign, you will be in breach of our contract, and we will be suing for damages.â€

C: “That’s fine. Thanks for all your support. Glad to know I can count on you guys.â€

[pauli fan]

I've got friends in BC Canada who are youth soccer coaches so following this story everyday and enjoy reading it.

As for the poor attendances your getting it's no real surprise as even some clubs in the top division in Portugal INR hardly get more than 400 people in home league games..

95 people in a friendly in Portugal aint bad!

[vitamincmos]

Thanks pauli...glad you are enjoying it!

As far as the poor attendances, as I work my way through the season, I am realizing that less than a couple hundred is quite common. Oh well...at least I have something to motivate me to win the division now

Setting Things Straight - Early September 2005

I knew the squad was going to be up in arms about my announcement, and I felt it was a good idea to address this immediately, so I held a team meeting. Surprisingly, the players came in with smiles on their faces, and a little fire in their eyes. When they were all seated, I told them what I had told the media, although I already knew they heard it.

Rossi came into the meeting with a newspaper, and he held up the headline on the front page for all to see: “Winners in the Making?†This was exactly what I had hoped to do. The media had stirred things up, and it looked as though we might just have some people to play for after all.

Marco Bras stood up and spoke on behalf of the team. He wanted to let me know how the entire squad appreciated what I said to the media, and how they weren’t going to let me down. I thanked the squad, and told them to head out to the pitch for the training session. They went out with a spring in their step, and I couldn’t have been happier.

Diary Entry – September 1st, 2006

It’s been a busy couple days hasn’t it? I’m pretty ****ed off with the reaction I got from the chairman. I get the feeling that he’s more against me than he is for me, and the threat of the lawsuit if I do resign is a joke. Would’ve been nice if he backed me up, but I guess I’ll have to do this without immediate support from the board.

Do I really think we have a chance? Of course I do. I have to believe that this pre-season was a very positive one, and I think we can build from that. My whole intent was to ignite a fire about this team within the town, but I never really considered the effect it would have on the players. I’m very impressed in how they have responded, and I’m sure that will equate to positive results on the pitch.

The staff is all on board with me too. They feel that we can get the job done, and have reaffirmed their commitment to the club. I’m happy with the staff I have assembled now, and my main focus now will be to continue the search for depth additions to the squad.

Negotiations continue with Marafona. He is being very difficult at this stage, and he must be aware that we only have a loan keeper because he is currently holding firm at his original offer. I will continue to negotiate with him in the hopes that we can still save a few bucks.

[millwallrules]

Im loving this story, It is very good and well written KUTGW

[millwallrules]

Im loving this story, It is very good and well written KUTGW

[vitamincmos]

Business is Slow - Early September 2005

With the days winding down to the start of the league campaign, I was hoping to bolster the squad with a few signings, but things were moving slowly. Negotiations continued with Marafona, but I was feeling like it was either all or nothing. He continued to refuse to back down on his initial offer, and I had pretty much exhausted all other contract options. If nothing can be worked out by the first league match, I’ll likely buckle and offer what he is asking.

As far as other positions go, nothing has really developed. The scouts continue to look for players, but many of their suggestions are for players that have recently signed with another club, so they are not going to be given up not having played a league game for their respective team.

Around town, there seems to be a little stir to the start of the season. We are starting our campaign on the road, but a good results might get some fan interest for the first home game of the season. In any case, its nice to see some talk about the team.

Totalbet.com has put out their odds to win the division, and they bring us in as a major underdog at 50-1. Their oddsmakers obviously didn’t hear my little press conference. Either that, or they dismissed it altogether. That does act as one more motivational piece though for the team.

Meeting of the Minds - Early September 2005

I hadn’t really had an opportunity to sit down with Rossi and discuss the club, so I took some time out to see what he thought.

Rossi: “I see the potential here, but right now, this is not a team that can compete for the title. Unless you have some tactical bit of genius up your sleeve, I don’t see these guys finishing any higher than mid-table.â€

Chomos: “How do the Under-19’s look? Anybody we can consider for a call up this season?â€

Rossi: “Well, a week isn’t a lot of time to assess these guys, but from what I can tell, there isn’t anyone who is ready to make an immediate splash. We have the U-19 league to play in, as well as the cup, so they will at least get some match practice to work on their skills. I won’t hesitate to point someone out if I feel they are ready for a call up though.â€

Chomos: “So where do you think we need to strengthen the squad?â€

Rossi: “Truthfully, all positions could use another player or two. Obviously, the keeper spot needs to be addressed immediately. I know you are working on Marafona, but just give in and offer him what he wants. If Sousa ever goes down to injury, or gets suspended, we are in a lot of trouble. Beyond that, the left side of the midfield is the biggest weakness. Pazito is solid, but he won’t be able to play every game, and we don’t have anyone to spell him off, so getting a backup for him is a necessity. Any other additions will be nice just from a depth perspective.â€

Chomos: “I’m working on it. Getting people to come to this team is harder than I thought it would be, but I’m confident we will sort it out.â€

Diary Entry – September 10th, 2005

Had a good chat with Jose today. I’m glad that he’s honest and doesn’t hold anything back. He confirmed what I already knew that this squad as it stands is likely not going to deliver on my guarantee. I need to strengthen a few positions if I want these players to last the season. Fitness could become an issue as the season wears on, and if injuries set in, I don’t know if we have the replacements. I was really hoping that I Jose would tell me of a couple starlets down in the Under-19’s that are ready to step up, but nothing yet.

I elected not to bother waiting until after the game to offer the contract that Marafona wants. I sent out a final offer to him, and it basically gives him what he’s asking for. Jose made me realize just how desperate we are to sign a keeper, and he’s the best available option that I’m aware of, so I decided to make the deal. It will put a pretty big dent in the wage bill, but I can still make it work.

League starts tomorrow. I’m cautiously optimistic about the game, but I’m having a tough time staying focused on the game at hand. I can’t help but think ahead to later in the season and wonder if this team is going to be in the thick of it all. For now, I have to focus on things one game at a time, and let the results speak for themselves.

Well, better get some sleep. Tomorrow is a big day.

[vitamincmos]

Thanks millwallrules - finally, we get to the league games, and lets hope they boys can follow through on my little guarantee!

Penalva Castelo vs. Pampilhosa (Second Division – Group C) - September 11, 2005

All the hard work and preparation was going to show itself today. The first league tie of the season. I was employing the familiar 4-4-2 tactic we had used through most of the pre-season with the following starting lineup:

GK – Bruno Sousa

DR – Vinagre

DL – Ricardo Correia

DC – Luis Miguel

DC – Marco Bras

MR – Bebe

ML – Pazito I

MC – Carlos Miguel

MC – Vitor Corvilha

ST – Toninho

ST – Miguel Tomas

We came out firing to start the game, and had two great chances in the opening minutes, but saw both get stopped by Festas. The 9th minute was one of my lesser happy moments, as Bebe was accused of taking a dive a received a yellow for his poor sportsmanship. We continued to pressure Penalva Castelo, and had another great opportunity in the 18th minute, only to see it pushed away again by Festas. We were made to pay a short time later, as Luis Miguel tripped Zeninho in the 18 yard box, and Penalva Castelo were awarded the penalty. Rogerio stepped up and drilled it past Sousa for a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute. That goal seemed to shake our players, and we suddenly lacked any forward momentum. We were forced back to defend, and couldn’t generate any movement out of our zone. That proved costly, as the pressure led to another goal. Marco Bras was outjumped on a long ball, and it lead to a touch pass to Jeferson, and he made no mistake, going top corner on Sousa. We were down 2-0 after 40 minutes. We were shaken, no question, but the team managed to hang on until the half. We had some work to do.

The second half saw Penalva Castelo drop back into a more defensive style, and we attacked immediately. Excellent ball movement and possession saw us with the bulk of the chances early on, but again, Festas was up to the task, turning chance after chance away. Finally, after a corner kick was cleared out, Hugo Paulo collected the ball, drove into the 18 yard box, and flicked a little cross to Vitor Corvilha. He headed the ball in from 6 yards out, and we were back in the match, down 2-1 through 74 minutes. We kept the pressure on after the goal, and forced the issue. After defending a corner, we broke out on the counter attack, and strung together some nice passing, culminating with a great cross Correia to Tomas. Rogerio came in with his foot high, and the referee didn’t hesitate to call the penalty. Luis Miguel stepped up and buried it to even things at 2-2 in the 88th minute. We had done well to fight back from 2-0 down, and I was proud of the boys. Unfortunately, the players quit pressuring the play, and dropped back to defend the tie. Penalva Castelo pushed forward and really took the game to us. In injury time Ricardo Correia was guilty of holding back Zeninho in the box, and disappointingly, the referee had no choice but to point to the spot. Rogerio stepped up again, and knocked in his 2nd of the game, to put them up 3-2. Just seconds after, the referee blew the whistle to call the game, and we walked off the pitch a heartbroken bunch.

We had shown great fight to battle back from 2-0 down, but the team just faced the harsh realization that a game must be played for a full 90 minutes, and if you let your guard down for any of it, you will pay.

Penalva Castelo – 3 (Rogerio pen 26, pen 90, Jeferson 40)

Pampilhosa – 2 (Corvilha 74, Luis Miguel pen 88)

MOM – Jeferson (Penalva Castelo)

Attendance - 162

Diary Entry – September 11, 2005

Having time to digest the result, that was a very entertaining game. Nerves were a big factor early on in this one, and played a major role in the outcome. The back four have to play better than that though. Giving up two penalties is unacceptable. We definitely outchanced them today, and that I can be happy about, but our finishing was not very good again. There were definitely positives to draw from, and I am anxious to return home and work on the things that failed us this game.

I wonder what kind of reception we will get when returning home. Nothing like losing the first game after making a guarantee like I did. Oh well. I know we can do better, and I would expect nothing less next game.

Time to head back home and see if any progress was made on the player front.

[vitamincmos]

Diary Entry – September 12, 2005

I was always wondering in the back of mind about cup competitions, but hadn’t thought much about it until today. We had the draw for the Portuguese Cup 2nd round. There appear to be a lot of non-league teams involved, and we drew one of them, Olivais. I’m happy that we have a seemingly easy opponent, but I have no intention of taking them lightly. The game will be played at home, so hopefully we get a good crowd out to support the team. We play this Sunday, which ends up pushing back our league home opener to Wednesday. I’ll need to be a little more careful with squad selection this game as I don’t want to be depleted for Wednesday’s game.

Media Release – September 16, 2005

Futebol Clube Pampilhosa is pleased to announce the signing of 25 year old goalkeeper Marafona. Marafona has been signed on a free transfer, with his last professional football being played with Torres Novas in the 02/03 season. He will bring much needed depth to the goalkeeper position, and will have every opportunity to establish himself as a regular on the first team.

Diary Entry – September 17, 2005

It’s nice to see we finally have a goalkeeper that is under contract and not on loan. It wasn’t cheap, but I don’t doubt Marafona will be a valuable asset to the club. I’ve initiated contact with another player as well. A left-side midfielder, Riccardo Perreira has expressed interest to join, but again does not come cheap. He has solid skills, so I’m willing to pay a little extra for him if required, but I will still try to negotiate a cheaper deal for the club.

2nd round cup tie is tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to it. I would expect there to be a couple changes in the starting eleven, but tactically, we will remain in our 4-4-2. Though I don’t expect us to challenge for the cup, it would be nice to get a couple rounds deeper, as the revenue is always a bonus.

[vitamincmos]

Pampilhosa vs. Olivais (Portuguese Cup – 2nd Round) – September 18, 2005

As we waited in the locker room to come out for the game, there was a sound in the stadium to which we were unaccustomed to. When we made it out to the pitch, we looked around and were amazed to see the stands well filled. The team was pumped and ready to go. The starting eleven was as follows:

GK – Bruno Sousa

DR – Vinagre

DL – Ricardo Correia

DC – Luis Miguel

DC – Vicente

MR – Hugo Paulo

ML – Pazito I

MC – Sergio Grilo

MC – Vitor Corvilha

ST – Helder Garcia

ST – Ricardo Quieros

This game should have been over early. We absolutely dominated them from the opening whistle, but as has been the case in previous games, our finishing was terrible. Chance after chance did not land on target. Meanwhile, despite signing Marafona, I decided to give him another day or two to get ready, and started Sousa again. He came up big when he had to, and kept us in a scoreless draw at the half. I took the team in at half-time and told them to get the job done out there.

The second half started out much like the first. More opportunites, more missed targets. It was looking more and more like we were headed to extra time, which was something I really wanted to avoid. As the game wore closer to the end, Olivais began to push forward. We were quick to pick up on it, and launched a great counter attack that sent Helder Garcia in the clear. He bore down on goal, and calmly put it past the keeper, and we were up 1-0 in the 88th minute. This time, I was determined to keep pushing, and not risk a late equalizer. It worked very well, as we maintained the pressure to the end, and squeaked out a 1-0 win.

With 16 shots, but only 3 on target, it was pretty easy to pinpoint the reason this game stayed so close. Nonetheless, a win is a win, and Pampilhosa is through to the 3rd round of the Portuguese Cup.

Pampilhosa – 1 (Helder Garcia 88)

Olivais – 0

MOM – Luis Miguel (Pampilhosa)

Attendance – 1510

Diary Entry – September 18, 2005

Well, we are through to the 3rd round, which is great, but again, the way that we finished our chances, we were fortunate to come out with a win. We can’t afford to miss that many chances in league games, or we just aren’t going to win. Ball control was fantastic again though, and I can’t complain through both games we’ve played how we have dictated most of the tempo. The back four was much more solid this time around. Vicente looked very good in place of Marco Bras. Nice to see I have some solid depth at the centre back position.

I plan on giving Marafona the nod in goal next game as well. He could be a very solid addition. His work ethic looks very good so far, and despite those bitter negotiations on his contract, he looks to be a major team player.

Best part of today was seeing those fans in the stands. The announced attendance was just over 1500, and I could tell the team was fired up as a result of that. Lets hope that trend continues the rest of the way, because these guys deserve it.

[vitamincmos]

Pampilhosa vs. Fatima (Second Division – Group C) – September 21, 2005

It is our first league match at home, and only 3 days after the cup match, so there were going to be a few changes again in the starting eleven. 4-4-2 tactics as usual. Here is how it looks:

GK – Marafona

DR – Vinagre

DL – Ricardo Correia

DC – Luis Miguel

DC – Vicente

MR – Bebe

ML – Pazito I

MC – Miguel Tomas

MC – Vitor Corvilha

ST – Toninho

ST – David

To say we were fired up was understatement. These guys came out inspired, and we immediately reaped the rewards. In only the 2nd minute, Toninho broke on a poorly timed back pass, and was off to the races with only the keeper to beat. He made no mistake, and put us on the scoresheet, 1-0 up. Right off the following kickoff, Miguel Tomas made a great tackle, and turned out a counter attack. Toninho got in the clear, and unselfishly crossed it over to an unmarked David, who buried the easy chance, and we were 2-0 up only 3 minutes in. We weren’t done there. In the 9th minute, it was almost a perfect replay, as Toninho broke in the clear again, and again sent a ball to David instead of shooting. David knocked it in for his 2nd, and a commanding 3-0 lead. We were having so much fun, we couldn’t even resist putting the ball in our own net. In the 33rd minute, Luis Miguel was a little too aggressive attempting to clear a pass attempt, and he knocked it past an unsuspecting Marafona into our own net. The gap was closed to 3-1. The boys weren’t content though ending the scoring before the half was done, as in injury time, Bebe launched a fantastic counter attack, and David was at the end of a brilliant pass, putting him one on one with the keeper, and he blasted it top corner to restore a 3 goal lead, 4-1. That was his hat-trick in his debut game with the club. We went into the half absolutely delighted with our play.

Because we had a lead to play with, I elected to switch to a 4-5-1 for the second half. I wanted to see if we could play a strong defensive 2nd half. Again, the boys didn’t disappoint, as they shut down any opportunities for the opposition, while still creating some chances offensively. The second half went without significant incident, and when the final whistle blew, 959 fans were delighted at the clinic put on by the Pampilhosa squad.

David was most impressive, scoring the trick on his debut, but equally impressive was the unselfish play of Toninho, who quite easily could have scored on the two goals he set up. It showed his 'team player' attitude, and his ability to not only be a scorer, but also a playmaker.

Pampilhosa – 4 (Toninho 2, David 3, 9, 45)

Fatima – 1 (L. Miguel og 33)

MOM – David (Pampilhosa)

Attendance – 959

Diary Entry – September 21, 2005

Wow! What a performance by the boys today. They dominated from start to finish, and only an unlucky bounce kept us from keeping the sheet clean. David and Toninho worked incredibly well together, and I can forsee the two of them complimenting each other for many games to come. That was just fantastic. I don’t know what else to say. If we can keep up that level of play, we stand a very good chance this season.

In other news, we will be having a press conference tomorrow to announce the signing or Riccardo Perreira. I’m excited to get him into the action, as I think he can contribute a lot to the club. He’s a little pricier from a wage standpoint, but I’m confident that the price will be worth it.

…And finally, I was paid a little visit after the game by Chairman Duarte. He told me how the board was thrilled with the result, and hope that results like this continue. I was glad to receive recognition for the result we just had, and it left me with some optimism as to the board’s commitment to the club. Things are looking good these days.

Media Release – September 22, 2005

Futebol Clube Pampilhosa is pleased to announce the signing of 23 year old left-central midifielder Ricardo Perreira. Perreira has been signed on a free transfer, after spending last season with Belgium amateur club Nieuwkerken. Perreira is a solid midfielder with great playmaking abilities, and stands to feature in the starting eleven for a long time. We look forward to the skills he will bring to the club.

[vitamincmos]

Tourizense vs. Pampilhosa (Second Division – Group C) – September 25, 2005

Another match day has arrived, and we are looking to build on our fantastic result from Wednesday. Due to fitness issues, I was forced to play some of the backups today, and showed. I was missing David and Toninho up front, as both were still tired from the previous match, and I elected to go back to Sousa in goal. Joao Pinto also made his debut with the club this season. I stuck with the 4-4-2 formation that has worked so well for us thus far. Here is the starting eleven:

GK – Bruno Sousa

DR – Vinagre

DL – Ricardo Correia

DC – Marco Bras

DC – Vicente

MR – Hugo Paulo

ML – Riccardo Perreira

MC – Joao Pinto

MC – Carlos Miguel

ST – Helder Garcia

ST – Miguel Tomas

With such a different lineup, we struggled early to find any continuity on the pitch. That, coupled with an injury to Pinto in only the 3rd minute meant we were more or less down to two subs for the rest of the match. We kept things pretty uneventful for the first 30 minutes, with neither side really generating much in terms of offense, but it was mental breakdown that led to the first goal. Sousa came out of his crease to collect a ball, and passed it to Correia. He tried to get fancy only to see the ball stripped from him, and Vasco had a wide open net from 30 yards out to put Tourizense up 1-0 on the 32nd minute. We were on our heels, and weathered a flurry of chances from Tourizense before breaking out right before the half. Vinagre found himself with some space to run, and took it down the byline and crossed it to Helder Garcia, who headed it into the goal from 6 yards out, evening the score at 1-1. We were very much in the match heading into the break, but we were quite fortunate to be even at this stage.

The second half saw us come out rather defensively, and I think the players out there lacked the confidence we saw in the previous match. It was a great chance thwarted by Helder Garcia that saw a counter attack go against us. Again, Correia was the man to be beaten as Vasco timed the offside trap perfectly, and scooted in on goal, only to dish it off to Andre Costa at the last second. Costa made no mistake and buried it past a helpless Sousa to make it 2-1 Tourizense on the 54th minute. I subbed on David hoping he could create some offense, and he almost evened it up again on the 72nd minute with a great chance, only to see it clip the bar on the way out of play. That was the last of the offense from our side, but Vasco was left to make us pay once more. Again, he broke through the offside trap, and this time put it away himself in the 85th minute to seal the victory, putting Tourizense up 3-1. The final whistle blew, and the Pampilhosa bunch left the pitch a dejected group.

This was a frustrating loss as it was a totally different look from the team we saw on Wednesday. Granted the lineup was quite different, I was still disappointed in the fact that we were beat soundly in today’s game.

Tourizense – 3 (Vasco 32, 85, Costa 54)

Pampilhosa – 1 (Garcia 45)

MOM – Vasco (Tourizense)

Attendance – 174

Diary Entry – September 25, 2005

Quite a difference from Wednesday’s game. There is no question we have to be better when we are away from home. We seem to lack the confidence that we can win in someone else’s stadium. The worst part about it is, both away games have been in front of crowds less than 200 people. The whole aspect of the away game shouldn’t bother us if there are hardly any fans out there to cheer on our opposition. I would expect that once we can muster an away win, the confidence will be there for our players.

Correia had a terrible game today, and I didn’t hide the fact that I was not happy with his performance. He was solely responsible for two of the three goals, and there is no question that the game could’ve ended up differently if not for his mental errors. I told him I expect much more from him in the games ahead, and he agreed that his performance was very sub-par.

In cup competition news, the draw for the 3rd round took place, and we ended up drawing Oliveirense away from home. They are a fellow Division 2C rival, so I know we at least stack up on even terms with them. That is exactly the type of game that could really boost the confidence of these players.

On a final note, I have a press conference scheduled tomorrow to discuss the team thus far. While I expect to hear some harsh questions thrown my way, I am glad that there is enough interest in the club to conduct these press conferences.

[vitamincmos]

Pampilhosa Press Conference – September 26, 2005

“Welcome everyone and thank you for attending today. I don’t have anything specific I want to say before I take questions, so I will open up the floor to you.â€

“Sitting at two wins and two losses, do you still feel that this team is capable of winning the division?â€

Chomos: “It’s still very early into the season, and the issue with the two losses is just a matter of staying composed on away games. I am confident that we can carry the same form to our away games as we do at home, and the winning results will follow.â€

“You’ve made a number of signings this season, but you have concentrated more on staff than on players. How do you expect the team to be significantly better when the caliber of players does not increase?â€

Chomos: “That seems to be a major misconception among many of you here. These players are very talented, and their potential is quite evident. With the staff we had on my arrival, we did not have enough man power to work enough with the players on specific areas of the game. We would more or less just generalize, and try to achieve our training goals through observing scrimmages. That is not sufficient to develop these players. So I essentially doubled our staff, which will allow for those players to get some one on one work, or at the very least get grouped with players of the same position. Although adding players is always nice, we are really only looking to add depth to the squad. Should injuries arise, I want to make sure we have enough people to cover those spots, but I don’t expect too many signings to replace our current lineup on the starting eleven. Next question.â€

“Speaking of signings, you have made three that are all featuring in the starting group. Watching yesterday, Riccardo Perreira had a terrible debut, and it has to be questioned as to his ability after seeing him play yesterday. What do you make of what you saw on the field from him?â€

Chomos: “I think that your comment is very unprofessional in singling out a player who has just joined the team. To be fair, the majority of our team played substandard football…not just Perreira. I think if you asked him this question, he will tell you he was disappointed with his play, but that this isn’t the player you will see in the games to come. For me, I signed him because he is a strong player, who will better our club. For me to make an assessment after one game, while he is still trying to regain match fitness is ridiculous. Come and talk to me again when we are ten games further into the schedule, and we’ll see if you still think he is a sub-par player.â€

“Thank you all for your time, but I must get back to the facility and continue working with the squad.â€

[vitamincmos]

Training Regiment – Late September 2005

I decided that enough time had been spent getting the players up to a solid match fitness that I could start splitting up some training schedules for the players. I felt it was necessary to focus on the requirements of the position and not just generalize for the whole team, so with the strikers, I placed more emphasis on the attacking aspects, with midfielders, I focused more on set pieces and ball control, while the defenders of course focused on defending. I still addressed the other areas of the game, but just not as heavily.

The coaching staff agreed that this was a great idea, and we began to split up the squad accordingly. I hoped that this was going to get us playing tighter as a team, and avoid the sloppy play that cost us the game last week.

Diary Entry – September 30, 2005

It has been a few days since my last entry, but really, there hasn’t been much to write about. Training is going well, and the players seem to be responding to the more specific training routines. There are a lot of players out there looking for a new club, but frankly, they just wouldn’t serve a purpose within our squad. I have elected to transfer list three of our players, as there really is not going to be an opportunity for them to play. Rui Almedia, Joao Pinto and Felix have all been placed on transfer. I don’t really expect to get anything for them, nor do I really care. They are just wages I would prefer to have off the budget.

They announced the manager of the month, and player of the month today. I guess they take all four groups from the second division, and just pick one player and one coach. I would love to receive an honor like that some time within my reign here, but with all those teams, it’ll likely be pretty tough.

I have decided that it would be worthwhile for the club to look for another keeper. I get the feeling that Marafona feels he is entrenched with the starting job now, and I still want someone to push him. I’m going to send out the scouts again, and hope I can find someone to force him to work harder out there. We’ve a game in a couple days again, here at home, and this is the one I need to get the boys back on track, and really start a good string of results.

[vitamincmos]

Pampilhosa vs. Nelas (Second Division – Group C) – October 2, 2005

A week after our last game, the boys were refreshed and ready to go. I was excited to see how the training would take effect out there, and was feeling pretty confident that we would come out the victors. 4-4-2 as usual, here was the starting eleven:

GK – Marafona

DR – Vinagre

DL – Ricardo Correia

DC – Luis Miguel

DC – Vicente

MR – Bebe

ML – Pazito I

MC – Miguel Tomas

MC – Vitor Corvilha

ST – Helder Garcia

ST – Toninho

We started the match very convincingly, and dictated the play right from the opening whistle. For some reason our defenders felt as though they suddenly had the power to pop the 35 yarders past the keeper. Of course, they were either well wide, or 20 rows into the stands. I wasn’t very happy seeing scoring opportunities wasted, and made note of it. I would address that later. The pressure continued though, and we got the scoring started on the 22nd minute. Vicente played a great long ball up to Toninho, and he juked past Alex, and ripped it home from 20 yards out. We had the lead 1-0. We continued our assault and almost added another just 2 minutes later, only for it to hit the bar and bounce harmlessly away. Nelas however was not coping well with the pressure, and began to get overly aggressive. They paid for their aggressive play in the 38th minute when Bebe was elbowed in the face by Fernando in the box. The referee pointed to the spot, and gave Fernando a yellow. I thought it could have been a red, but in any case, Luis Miguel stepped up to the spot and drilled it into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead. As the whistle sounded to end the first half, we had maintained total domination of the match, and looked good heading to the locker rooms.

The second half was riddled early with great chances for our squad, but again, poor finishing kept us from extending our lead. We began to really push forward trying to keep scoring, and that was our undoing in the 80th minute, as our defenders were caught out of position, and Araujo lobbed Marafona to cut the lead to 2-1. We were undaunted and continued to take the game to Nelas, and in injury time Nelas broke down completely. First, an ill advised challenge by Fernando earned him his 2nd yellow and subsequent red card. Off the free kick, Pazito I found some room only to be cut down from behind in the penalty area. The referee had no choice but to point to the spot, and Luis Miguel knocked in his second of the game, giving us a 3-1 lead. The final whistle blew, and we had earned a deserved 3 points.

Solid game all around, although I was unimpressed with the long shots attempted by the defenders. That is something I haven’t seen in previous games, so I’ll be making sure that those ideas get quashed pretty quick. Again though, many shots off target, and we need to correct that if we want to keep winning.

Pampilhosa – 3 (Toninho 22, L. Miguel 38, 90)

Nelas – 1 (Araujo 80, Fernando sent off 90)

MOM – L. Miguel (Pampilhosa)

Attendance - 955

Diary Entry – October 2, 2005

A good result that was today. We definitely had the bulk of the play in their end, and we maintained solid pressure on them. I talked to the guys after the game, and told those defenders to keep their goal scoring aspirations in check. They agreed that they were a little overzealous in trying to get on the scoresheet, and will focus on setting up good scoring opportunities. Still disappointed with the number of chances that went unrewarded. The guys are working really hard up front, but I would much rather see those chances force the opposing keeper into making a save. It will come…just have to maintain my patience.

Had some great news on the player front. Campkin found a keeper playing for an amateur club in Holland, Groene Star. Sven Van Ommeren is only 21, and all Campkin said was I had to sign him. I have put in a transfer bid of 5K to the club, and hope to hear back soon. The only catch with this is I will have to wait until the next transfer window opens, which will be January 1st. From a timing perspective, that will be almost perfect, as Bruno Sousa’s loan will have just ended. If I can have two capable keepers on the squad, that are not on loan, we will be in very good shape.

In the meantime, I’m still looking for depth players, but would also love to find some young guns that could get some work with Rossi. He’s doing a great job with the Under-19’s having progressed them into the 3rd round of the U-19 Cup, with a huge win on penalties over Sporting’s U-19’s. That’s great for those kids, and should continue to build up confidence for them.

Our next fixture is our 3rd round cup tie with Oliveirense. It’s away from home, and could be the confidence builder we need to set this division alight. I’m concerned about the fitness of some of these players right now though, especially up front, and I’m leaning towards running a 4-5-1 to try and keep things in a defensive battle. We’ll see come matchday.

[vitamincmos]

Oliveirense vs. Pampilhosa (Portuguese Cup 3rd Round) – October 5, 2005

I have elected to go with the 4-5-1 we used earlier this season. My guys up front haven’t responded in training this week, and I don’t know if they have the legs to give a 100%. So, here is how we lined up for the game:

GK – Marafona

DR – Vinagre

DL – Ricardo Correia

DC – Luis Miguel

DC – Marco Bras

MR – Rui Almedia

ML – Pazito I

MC - Bebe

MC – Miguel Tomas

MC – Vitor Corvilha

ST – David

Oliveirense came out right off the opening kick and pressured us for every ball. We were on our heels and looked rather disorganized, and it didn’t take long for Oliveirense to capitalize. Some fine passing led to a fantastic left-footed volley by Borges, and we were 1-0 down only 6 minutes in. We withstood another good chance just 5 minutes later, and broke away with one of our own. David created some good pressure on their defenders, and forced a turnover which he converted in the 13th minute to even the score at 1-1. Marafona then stole the show for the remainder of the 1st half, turning away chance after chance. We were being badly outplayed, but had managed to keep the score even at 1-1 going into the break.

The second half started as the 1st half ended, with Marafona bailing us out a couple more times. Unfortunately, he couldn’t stop them all, and in the 63rd minute, the constant pressure was too much, Silva outjumped Marco Bras and headed it past Marafona to give Oliveirense the 2-1 lead. At this point, I elected to switch to our 4-4-2 in the hopes that we could generate the equalizer, and eventually go ahead goal. It worked rather well as we began to generate chances, and in a rather lucky break, David was the beneficiary of careless back pass, and found himself with only the keeper to beat, and tapped it in to put us back on level term at 2-2 in the 76th minute. We continued to push the issue and were unlucky not to score again before full time was blown. We were headed to two 15 halves of extra time.

The choice of trying to preserve some stamina had paid off, as we came out the much fresher of the two teams, and we immediately took the game to them in extra time. In the 95th minute, Vinagre made a long run unopposed down to the 18 yard box, and feathered a beautiful cross into Miguel Tomas. Tomas climbed above the defender, and headed it home to give us the 3-2 lead. Oliveirense came storming back, but were denied again by Marafona. We were forced to play with 10 men on the 100th minute as Tomas had to leave the field due to a knock, and we had already used our 3 subs. The team however pulled together, and defended our goal soundly, and when the final whistle blew, we were the victors 3-2.

The boys are an exhausted bunch, but they are thrilled with the result, and are looking forward to a deserved break before their next match. We were outplayed for the most part, but Marafona had his best game since joining the club, and was my pick for man of the match, although it didn’t end up that way.

Oliveirense (Borges 6, Silva 63)

Pampilhosa (David 13, 76, Tomas 95, inj 101)

MOM – Ricardo Correia (Pampilhosa)

Attendance – 1029

Diary Entry – October 5, 2005

What a game that was. For sheer entertainment, that is the best game we have been a part of this season, but it is also one that makes me proud to be managing this club. I knew I was taking a risk with the tactical change, but I wanted to make sure we could play a solid 90 minutes. Marafona was awesome in goal, and I’m quite confident that he can be a mainstay in the goal for some time to come. The best part about this win is that we are through to the 4th round of the league cup. This means extra revenue for the club, and perhaps the chance to sign some bigger names down the road. The guys are riding high after this game though. I can see a sparkle in their eyes, and I know that this is going to be a game that really turns things around for us.

Doubly good news is that Groene Star has accepted our offer for Sven van Ommermen, and we entered into contract negotiations. His wage demands were fairly reasonable, so I didn’t try to dicker with him, and offered him 850/month. Because it was what he asked, I expect he will agree to terms, but I he won’t be eligible to join the club until January 1, 2006.

We now have eleven days until our next match, and I intend to give the boys a couple days off. Despite being so upbeat, they are tired, especially after needing an extra 30 minutes to win. I’m going to sit back and enjoy the victory before getting back to business.

[Guest]

Really well told , and very enjoyable to read. It reminds me why I love managing little teams (and why I sometimes hate it ). Keep it up .

[vitamincmos]

Thanks Rob Roy...Glad you are enjoying it. Little teams in leagues you haven't managed in before definitely keep things interesting

Unexpected Visit - Early October 2005

As I was at my desk reading the local paper’s write up on our fantastic win in the Portuguese Cup, I received a knock at the door. It was Chairman Duarte. I invited him to sit down and chat.

Duarte: “I just wanted to let you know that we are very proud of the result on Wednesday. You have done this club proud.â€

Chomos: “Thank you. I am really happy for the boys. There worked so hard out there, and pulled out a fantastic result. You know…while I appreciate the thanks, I’m not the one who deserves the credit. The players are making it happen out there. I think they would be very grateful if you were to pay a visit to a training session and thank them for the job they are doing. Hell, it might even inspire them.â€

Duarte: “I’ll keep that in mind. Why I came here though is for an entirely different reason. I wanted to talk to you about your guarantee you made to the media. The season is a long one, and I think it is still a bit rash to expect so much from this team. I wouldn’t want you to jeopardize your career for a statement I’m sure you regret. I’m giving you an opportunity to take back…â€

Chomos: “Hang on a second. Did you see what made the local paper? A story on the club and the big win this past week. People are talking about this team, and more importantly, the players are starting to believe in themselves and what they can do out there. The second I take back my statement, the players will think I’ve lost faith in them, and the media will jump all over it. Besides that, I still think this team can get the job done. If you wouldn’t be so tight on the budget and allow for a little…â€

Duarte: “I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but our stadium only seats 2500 people, and right now we aren’t even filling it to half capacity. We can’t afford to increase spending when we don’t have the money coming in. It just isn’t in the budget. I’m sorry.â€

Chomos: “Well I’m not backing down on my previous statement, increased funding or not. We will win this division, or I will resign.â€

Duarte left the room without anything else being said. I don’t think he had intended for the discussion to turn a little sour, but I needed him to know that I was serious about what I had said. While I hadn’t really planned on requesting more funds, the discussion seemed to permit for such a request. The quick denial though showed me just how unwilling the board was to invest further into the club. It was good to know, but it was also something that I was hoping I could readdress if we were contending for the division title.

Staff Meeting – Early October 2005

While I had some down time, I decided it was time to hold a staff meeting and get some assessments of the squad. While Rossi only had a month or so to really assess the squad, I felt that he was in a position to make some suggestions. The other new signings had been here slightly longer, and had worked with the team a lot closer than I had as of late, so I valued their opinions on the squad we had.

Chomos: “So…what are your thoughts on where we stand so far?â€

Rossi cleared his throat and began, “Geoff, we really think you should reconsider your previous statement about winning the division or quitting. This team just doesn’t have the depth right now. There are too many holes in too many positions, and we just don’t have the means to fill them.â€

Chomos: “Our scouts are out looking right now for a free transfer here and there that will add depth to the squad. You guys have seen it yourself…the games we have lost have been due to some mental errors and unlucky bounces. Once we clear these things up, there is no reason why we can’t win game in game out.â€

Maia: “Geoff, I’ve been here with the team longer than you, and I don’t know where you are hoping to find the missing pieces….â€

Chomos: “I don’t think there are missing pieces. I think the squad we have is capable of winning. We just have to get them to believe. They played unbelievably last week. You all saw it, and you were equally proud as I was about the job they did out there. If they can put out performances like that on a regular basis, we are going to beat a lot of teams.â€

Jansson: “We have already dropped two games out of four in league play. We can only likely afford to lose two more if we want to win the division. We all just think it is too big a hill to climb.â€

Chomos: “Look…none of you needs to worry about your jobs if we don’t win the division. You are good at what you do, and that’s why you are here. If we don’t win, and someone else comes in to replace me, they will need you here to help them along. All I’m asking is that you show these guys that you believe they can do it. You don’t have to agree with me, but just play along. If they don’t have the confidence, then we don’t stand a chance.â€

Chomos: “From an injury perspective, how are we looking right now?â€

Santos: “The guys have stayed healthy so far. There haven’t been any injuries of significance to report. The odd cold here or there, but they’ve been at times that we could send the player home to rest and not lose him to a match. It’s unlikely that it will stay this way though, so be prepared for injuries to set in an some point.â€

Chomos: “That’s fine. I’ll worry about that when the time comes, but for now, we are healthy and morale is high. Don’t let doubt set in to your faces and actions, or it will spread to the players, and we can kiss any chance of a division title goodbye.â€

Chomos: “Next game is in a couple days and the squad is well rested. I want to really focus on our finishing before we travel for the game. I don’t want to see wasted opportunities like we have been seeing the previous games. And tell our back four to curtail their highlight reel goal aspirations. That makes things too easy for the opposition. Thank you gentlemen, and please keep my words in mind.â€

[vitamincmos]

Diary Entry – October 14, 2005

Doubt, doubt doubt. Everyone I talk to, everywhere I go, there seems to be doubt. I’m beginning to regret my comments, not because I don’t think we can win the division, but because all focus has been put on the end of the season, and not on the current game at hand. Thankfully, the players have remained focused, and trained really well this week. Morale is as high as its ever been around here, and these players are really believing in themselves. That’s all I can really ask for.

My little discussion with Chairman Duarte was not the greatest, but we both drew our lines in the sand. While I don’t think things will be unbearable between the two of us, we seem to have a silent understanding that we don’t really get along, and that we shouldn’t push it. Works fine with me. I just wish he would’ve been a little more willing to negotiate on the budget. We are pretty much maxed out on our wages now, and while I can still sign players, the board won’t be happy.

Speaking of unhappy, Taio is beginning to get upset over his lack of playing time. I just don’t have the space for him right now, and because we have avoided injury, he hasn’t been able to crack the lineup. I have told him to stay patient, as his time will come, but he wants to play now. If he continues to object to his status with the squad, I will consider transfer listing him, as I know he could probably crack a lineup elsewhere, but we’ll wait for that time to come.

Most interesting to note though was the discussion with my staff members. While I would like to ignore their words of warning, I do value their opinions, and I do have to consider them, but they offered very little in advice to improve our chances. I don’t mind them having doubts, but when they don’t offer up any solutions to their suggested problems, it is hard for me to take their criticisms to heart. I just have to hope our upcoming results can speak for themselves.

[vitamincmos]

Oliveira do Bairro vs. Pampilhosa (Second Division – Group C) – October 16, 2005

Match day has finally arrived, and we are well rested and still riding high after our third round cup win, so I was quite confident that we would hold our own. I reverted back to the 4-4-2 after my little 4-5-1 experiment from last match. With a full squad to choose from, I went with the following for my starting eleven:

GK – Marafona

DR – Vinagre

DL – Ricardo Correia

DC – Luis Miguel

DC – Vicente

MR – Bebe

ML – Pazito I

MC – Hugo Paulo

MC – Vitor Corvilha

ST – David

ST – Toninho

We stumbled a bit out of the blocks in this one, with some poor defending nearly costing us a goal in the 3rd minute, but the chance for O. Bairro sailed wide. We settled in at that point and truly put on a clinic. Our chances began in the 5th minute, and after relentless pressure for about 5 minutes, Toninho got us on the scoreboard with a great individual effort, getting through the defense and burying it in the goal to give us a 1-0 lead through 10 minutes. Toninho wasn’t done there though. On what seemed to be a replay, he burst the defense again, and played it past a helpless keeper to put us up 2-0 15 minutes in. We settled back after the second goal and let Marafona push aside three quality chances. Instead of laying back and letting them back into the game, I elected to push the boys forward again, and keep the pressure on. Our chances definitely increased, but we were thwarted repeatedly by some strong goaltending. We went into halftime up by two, and I warned the team of letting O. Bairro back into the match. I never could have foreseen what was to come.

The boys came out inspired in the second half, and it took only 6 minutes for Bebe to make his mark. He broke through clean and put the ball top shelf for his first goal with the club, and gave us a 3-0 lead in the 51st minute. Toninho decided shortly after that he wanted back into the action and was narrowly denied his hat-trick after a fine save, but David was left unmarked for the rebound, and tapped it in to put us 4-0 up after 56 minutes. With the game clearly in hand, I elected to sub off a couple players to allow them rest. One of those subs, Helder Garcia, carried on the onslaught splitting through the defense and knocked another goal past the keeper. We were up 5-0 after 66 minutes. We maintained superior possession for the remainder of the half, but just for good measure, Garcia scored his brace by finishing off a fantastic cross from Pazito I in the 87 minute. We were up an unbelieveable 6-0. The final whistle blew soon after, and we ran off the pitch with likely the greatest performance in club history.

Oliviera Do Bairro – 0

Pampilhosa – 6 (Toninho 10, 15, Bebe 51, David 56, Garcia 66, 87)

MOM – David (Pampilhosa)

Attendance – 636

Diary Entry – October 16, 2005

I’ll probably laugh at this entry when I look back at this because I’m half cut. How could I not be after that performance? Six goals, and contributions from everyone. All I can remember from that game was goals and goals and more goals. It was simply stunning. Maybe now the rest of the division will take notice of the mighty Pampilhosa, and the millions and millions…okay hundreds…of our fans will be dancing in the streets when we win the Champions League. Oh…we’re not in the Champions League. Crap…In any case, I’m pretty sure that the best teams in Europe wouldn’t have beat us today. We were awesome, and I am the awesomest manager in the world. No…in the universe.

My good buddy Duarte left me a message saying the board was thrilled with the result. I was going to call him back, but its three in the morning, so I better wait. But it would be pretty funny to phone him right now and ask for more money. Ahhhh….can’t keep my eyes open. I’ll continue this tomorrow.

[vitamincmos]

Diary Entry – October 17, 2005

Ohh….my head hurts a bit today. But it’s a deserved headache I suppose. I think I’ll reassess my self-evaluation of being the awesomest(?) manager in the universe. A little too bold I think. It was only one day…one game. I think the biggest issue is going to be keeping the team on track for the following match. Egos are likely to be high, and I’ll have to try to keep that in check, but it’ll be tough, especially after a game like that.

It’s a little frustrating at this time of the season, because there are not a lot of things from a front office perspective to take care of. Most of the players available for free transfer are not that great of players. Most players available through Bosman won’t be available until January, and with the majority of my transfer funds depleted, there isn’t anyone listed that will make an impact come January. So for the most part, I am just sitting back, waiting for the occasional report from a scout about a fringe player who could at best cover as a backup, or hit the U-19 squad. Nonetheless, I’ll keep them out an about, scouring the lands for a new addition, while I concentrate on building the squad at hand.

I contacted Chairman Duarte, but he was out of the office. I left a message thanking him for the kind words, but not much else. No point bringing up the conversation from the other day, and stirring up more tension between us. I figure if I just show them that I’m a team player, they might feel that some additional funding is warranted to give us a push towards the division. Before that can happen though, we need to concentrate on things one game a time. Well, back to the training facility, and the hopes of getting the squad up for the next game.

[Flying_Fin]

Hey, vitamincmos

I have to say this is a very nice and well-written story! I sure enjoyed reading this between my FM06 matches (Ack, pre-season holidays kicking in).

Keep up the excellent work!

[pauli fan]

Where are you in the league now?

[vitamincmos]

Thank a lot fin! Glad you are enjoying it...hopefully there is enough to follow to keep you entertained throughout the pre-season

pauli...as I had played quite a bit of the game before I decided to start writing a story on it, I can't give you the exact position, as my standing were quite a bit further ahead in the season, but as of this game, we were 3 wins, 3 losses, so we sitting mid-table I'm sure...lets just hope it gets better

Pampilhosa vs. B.C. Branco (Second Division – Group C) – October 23, 2005

Match day has arrived, and we face a very stiff test in B.C. Branco. The boys are still feeling invincible after the last match, and I am concerned of that attitude being our downfall. We are sticking with our 4-4-2 formation, and the following starting eleven:

GK – Marafona

DR – Vinagre

DL – Ricardo Correia

DC – Luis Miguel

DC – Vicente

MR – Bebe

ML – Riccardo Perreira

MC – Carlos Miguel

MC – Vitor Corvilha

ST – David

ST – Helder Garcia

We came out strong right off the opening whistle, and it was clear that the boys felt they could repeat the performance of a week ago. A fine save off a volley by David in only the 5th minute saw us denied of scoring the opener. From there, things got frustrating. Some pressure from B.C. Branco seemed to be handled, and at that point, everyone seemed to let up. A couple quick passes, and Miguel Vaz saw Marafona out of position, and curled a 30 yarder into the goal in the 9th minute. We were down 1-0. We were definitely out of sorts, and I was not happy with Marafona for giving up such a weak goal. He gave me further reason to become furious though, as only 4 minutes later, Marafona was stripped of the ball 35 yards out of his goal, and Carrapito looped it into the open net. 2-0 B.C. Branco only 13 minutes in. All I could do was shake my head. Overconfidence definitely played a part, and while I was absolutely furious at the start, I wanted to see what kind of heart the club had. We ended up regaining control of the play, and had a couple quality chances, but couldn’t hit the scoresheet. We headed into the half down 2-0. I told the boys that we were unlucky to be down two, but as we headed back to the pitch, I pulled Marafona aside and expressed my anger in his play.

The second half saw us continue to maintain control of the match, but the Branco keeper was up to the task, stoning Garcia in the 47th. A couple close calls followed, but the shots narrowly missed the goal. Branco had dropped back into a defensive shell, and proved very difficult to crack, but our possession was dominant. Unfortunately, we struck one back just a little too late. Shortly after the fourth official showed two minutes of added time, Helder Garcia took a great cross from Corvilha and headed it home in injury time. We now trailed 2-1. Of course, shortly after the ensuing kickoff, the referee blew for full time, and we came away a disappointed bunch.

Truth be told, we played a very solid game, but it was two careless mistakes by Marafona that led to both goals, and despite dominating much of that game, we couldn’t get both goals back.

Pampilosa – 1 (Helder Garcia 90)

B.C. Branco – 2 (Vax 9, Carrapito 13)

MOM – Mesquita (B.C. Branco)

Attendance - 2205

Diary Entry – October 23, 2005

Well, my concerns about overconfidence surfaced in the game today, and it only took about 10 minutes for us to get behind the eight ball. However, it wasn’t the players I expected…in fact it was only one. Marafona had an atrocious game and is solely responsible for both those goals. I don’t really know what he was thinking out there, and rest assured I’ll be letting him think about it on the bench next week. The rest of team had a fairly solid outing. We definitely outchanced them that game. After seeing the stats, it turns out the only on target shots B.C. Branco had on goal were the two that went in. It’s unfortunate, but it’s a good reminder to the team that we can’t take any opponent for granted.

I’m feeling very bad about the fact that we had 2200 people in attendance for that game, and this was the showing that they got. They actually saw a pretty good game, but for those two mistakes by Marafona. I hope they maintain their interest in the club though, as I know results like this are not going to be common.

We had the draw for the 4th round of the league cup, and we have come out with a favorable opponent. The club is non-league team, R. Agueda, and its on our home turf. This is a good opportunity to move further into the cup, and I couldn’t ask for anything more. The game is still a month away, but rest assured it will be a fixture that I keep in my mind in terms of player management.

Not much else to say. Things are very quiet on the front office area, and its pretty much training as usual with the squad. The scouts are still out and looking, but coming up relatively empty handed. Just looking ahead to the next match now.

[vitamincmos]

O. Hospital vs. Pampilhosa (Second Division – Group C) – October 30, 2005

Why I decided to change things up tactically, I don’t really know. I stuck with a 4-4-2 but went to much more of a counter attacking mentality. We weren’t really experienced in this style of play, but I was expecting a steady attack from O. Hospital, and felt this was the best way to deal with it. The starting eleven were as follows:

GK – Bruno Sousa

DR – Vinagre

DL – Ricardo Correia

DC – Luis Miguel

DC – Vicente

MR – Bebe

ML – Pazito I

MC – Miguel Tomas

MC – Vitor Corvilha

ST – David

ST – Toninho

Right from the opening kick off, I could see that the players weren’t comfortable with the tactical change, and they were on their heels. Vicente took a yellow card in just the 3rd minute with a poorly timed challenge. We did muster a couple offensive chances, but couldn’t get shots away before the opposing defenders did a great job of clearing the ball out of danger. Mental mistakes and poor goaltending did us in again though, as in the 15th minute Correia’s throw in from our zone went straight to an opposing player. While it appeared to still be harmless, Rui Lopes attempted a cross that didn’t cross, and it floated into the net behind an out of position Bruno Sousa. We were trailing 1-0. That goal seemed to shake the confidence of our players, and we were fortunate to have Sousa sort his game out and bail us out numerous times in the first half. Corvilha had a great chance just before the first half came to a close, but his free kick was parried brilliantly by Matos.

The second half was a display of true defensive skills by O. Hospital. While they hardly got a chance at our goal, we just could not break down their defensive wall. Repeatedly, we would mount an offensive challenge, only to see it cleared away. They put on a defensive clinic in the 2nd half, and before we new it, the final whistle had sounded, and we were handed a rather uninspiring 1-0 loss.

This game was all about defense, and O. Hospital had the upper hand in that area. They showed us how to defend a lead, and did a picture perfect job of it.

O. Hospital – 1 (Rui Lopes 15)

Pampilhosa – 0

MOM – Luis Miguel (Pampilhosa)

Attendance – 198

Diary Entry – October 30, 2005

I don’t really want to talk about today’s game. It was just an uninspiring game from start to finish. The boys were very lazy out there, and lacked the fire I’ve seen from them in previous games. There is no question that training this week is going to be intense. I want them to realize my disappointment in their play the past two weeks, and to straighten it out. Another bonehead play by the keeper cost us the win in this one. Sousa did make some impressive stops, but it was his error in positioning that led to the goal. These results better not continue, or I will be out of a job next season guaranteed.

Chairman Duarte left me a message of disappointment with the performance today. Perhaps he is coming to expect more of this club, and starting to believe that we should be a challenger for the title. I’m going to hope that we all sort this out next game, or I’ll be making massive changes to the starting eleven. If the current group doesn’t want to give 100%, I don’t want them playing.