How to make your way in the Primera Liga (or not as the case may be)

[Dixie Flatline]

14th of February 2006

As Barcelona again finds my counter-offer too much to contemplate for Ballesteros, Real Madrid offers me £4.5 million for the defender. I go through the same process - adding £2 million after 20 league matches to the terms of the deal.

European Champions’ League - Phase 2, Group C, Game 3: Rosenborg v Cartagonova

I conduct the above business from my hotel room in Trondheim as we prepare for the resumption of the European Champions’ League in one of its most northern outputs - Trondheim in Norway. Winning today would break a competition record - we currently tie with Ajax Amsterdam for the number of consecutive victories recorded in the competition. Our ninth win in a row is still fresh in the minds of those who participated in it - a 5-1 mauling of Vitória Guimarães in Portugal, but that was at the start of December and this is now mid-February. Rosenborg is without influential defender Jan Tore Ophaug, as the Norwegian international is suspended for today’s game. But Kim Nystedt and Óscar Del Pino are dangerous forwards and they will have to be respected and well-marshalled by my defenders.

But I don’t figure on Rosenborg taking the lead on 7 minutes. Our defence is ripped apart by a quick interchange of passes between Giske and Nystedt and my words of warning to the defenders go unheeded as Giske fends off Gershon before sliding an accurate shot between Vidal’s legs. My midfielders are incapable of imposing themselves upon the game, with Morán, correctly identified by my Norwegian counterpart as the form player in midfield, well contained. But just before half-time, Livermore picks up the ball near the half-way line and advances deep into Rosenborg territory before hitting a howitzer of a shot that cannons in off the near post, giving the keeper no chance at all.

It is a fortuitous equaliser and five minutes into the second half, Rosenborg re-takes the lead, again building upon our habit of conceding soft goals just after the major break in play. Nystedt heads home Sirevåg’s simple cross to leave me fuming on the sidelines. My hand is forced on 63 minutes when Livermore and Lua-Lua both limp off the field, clearly not able to take further part in the game. My third substitution, however, brings inspiration. The long-forgotten striker Sabino comes off the bench to rescue a point when he links up well with Redondo and Notman to hit a fierce shot past the Rosenborg keeper.

We look jaded in this match, and frankly we stole that point rather than earned it. But I’ll take it as it keeps us a point clear at the top of the group. But I’m glad that our four away game odyssey is now over and we can get back to the comforts of home for a while.

Rosenborg (5-3-2): Kristiansen; Heggelund, Soma, Tronseth ©, Marteinsson, SirevÃ¥g; Berget, Giske, Berg (NygÃ¥rd 64); Øren (Ludvigsen 56), Nystedt.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Livermore (Laurie 63), Ballesteros, Gershon, Jaliens; Gavião; Michel, Lua-Lua (Clegg 63); Morán (Sabino 63); Notman, Redondo.

Final score: Rosenborg 2:2 Cartagonova

MoM - Gavião

Both Livermore and Lua-Lua will miss about a month of football as a consequence of the injuries they incurred in the match. To make my mood even worse, I return to find that experienced international Danish defender Martin Smith wants to join Mallorca, at best a mid-table team, rather than continue to play in Europe with my club in the summer. Obviously, there’s no accounting for taste.

15th of February 2006

I laugh grimly to myself as I watch Barcelona slaughter Brøndby, including Martin Smith, 6-1 in Denmark. Both sides were tied at 1-1 apiece at the break, but the Catalan club went on the rampage in the second half, including three goals in a seven minute barrage that left the Danes on the ropes.

16th of February 2006

The player transfer circus is sure to swing into full action as Levante transfer-lists the former Cartagonova playmaker and Salvadoran international Cristian Ãlvarez as the player believes that he can earn better money elsewhere. The asking fee is sure to be in the range of £3 million, a far cry from the £450,000 outlay Levante paid to me to bring the talented midfielder to Valencia two seasons ago. I’m still interested in finishing what I started, but it looks like I’ll have plenty of competition with Real Madrid, Deportivo La Coruña and Osasuna all making bids in short order.

[Dixie Flatline]

17th of February 2006

I wake up in a cold sweat, thinking that Osasuna has bid £5 million for Ballesteros. That meets his minimum release clause and this time, I don’t think I can negotiate a new contract with him. For a moment, I think it is just a bad nightmare, then I find that it is true. I begin to tear my hair out, then I notice the escape valve - Osasuna wants to pay the money over 18 months! From previous experience, that allows me to escape the minimum release clause noose, and I quickly inform my counterpart that I cannot accept the offer!

In the evening, Levante accepts my offer of £3 million for Cristian Ãlvarez and I travel to Valencia to negotiate terms personally with the midfielder. I hope he appreciates my gesture, since I usually spend my Friday nights preparing for the weekend match. But he doesn’t seem to, wanting £18,500/week, which is £3,500/week more than I’m authorised to pay him. I offer him £15,000/week with a signing-on fee of £1.5 million and assists bonus of £1,300. I hope it is sufficient, but if Real Madrid makes an acceptable bid, I’m sure that I will be the loser.

18th of February 2006

The manager of Osasuna, Señor Miguel Ãngel Lotina, must have been smoking something wacky the last couple of days as he follows up his bid for Ballesteros with an offer of £2.5 million for full-back José María Lacruz. But again, it is spread over 18 months, which is a clause I’m not happy to accept in the least. I value Lacruz at £2.5 million and £1 million after 20 league matches.

[Dixie Flatline]

19th of February 2006

Primera Liga - Game 22: Cartagonova v Celta Vigo

Being at home affords the crowd on your side, but if we expected to have an easy game to ease back into after a long time away from home, then we would be mistaken. Celta Vigo are third in the league going into this match and need the points just as much as we do in order to stay with Barcelona and Villarreal. Deploying a lone striker in Diego Ribera with support from Gustavo López and Benni McCarthy is a formation that often causes us some problems, and further, Celta Vigo have Francisco Javier Casquero, a gifted playmaker/general in their midfield pulling the strings. We’ll have to be at our best to come out of this one with three points.

But the crowd comes alive after just 90 seconds of football as Alex Notman weaves, dazzles and bulldozes his way through the Celta Vigo defence, ultimately smashing an unstoppable drive past Mattias Asper! We need to keep our concentration and after a few hairy moments, we indeed keep Celta quiet long enough to add a second goal on 17 minutes, thanks to Michel who celebrates his fifth goal of the season heartily. I had taken him aside before the match, asking him to lift the standard of his recent play, else he’ll be looking at somebody else doing his job. Once again, Celta Vigo redoubled their efforts to find a goal, and thankfully Vidal was equal to the task of denying Diego Ribera on 21 minutes. But seven minutes later, we have no answer for when the defenders give the ball away sloppily to Casquero who seeks out and finds López. The experienced international instantly fires a snapshot at goal and scores to halve our lead. Four minutes before half-time, it evaporates away as the strong, powerful Diego Ribera provides another reason for his elevation to the national team, picking up the rebound from his own shot and calmly putting it away.

I’m furious at the break. Our great work in the first 20 minutes of the match has been wasted by two defensive errors, and we’ve been pegged back just at the time when we should be dominating the match. I need all my players to redouble their efforts in the second half if we are to come away from this with three points. But instead, Celta Vigo take the lead two minutes into the new half - it’s that man Diego Ribera who celebrates, calmly sliding the ball underneath Vidal to finish off an excellent Celta Vigo move that left my defenders grasping at shadows. However, everybody knows just how effective Notman is when he is on song and a simple move involving Gavião and Jaliens culminates in the big Scotsman equalising with a great header on 52 minutes. Now it is whoever scores the next goal wins. I strengthen the backline by removing the weak link - off comes Lacruz and in goes Laurie. On 74 minutes, we have the game’s seventh goal when Notman’s excellent run draws sufficient Celta Vigo defenders to him to leave Kokmeijer in space, and the Dutchman needs no second invitation to score. Notman is forced from the field late on, while Kokmeijer spurns a golden opportunity to make it 5-3, but fortunately Gustavo López does the same thing at our end. Redondo forces Lemmens into a good save at the death, but the score remains at 4-3 in our favour.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz (Laurie 74), Ballesteros, Gershon, Jaliens; Michel, Gavião, Vucko; Morán; Notman (Redondo 81), Kokmeijer.

Celta Vigo (4-3-2-1): Asper (Lemmens 66); Sorín (Roger 91), Quique Ãlvarez, Wörns, Tuzzio; Casquero, Morales, Xavi; Gustavo López, McCarthy; Diego Ribera.

Final score: Cartagonova 4:3 Celta Vigo

MoM - Alex Notman

The price we pay for this victory is losing Notman for a fortnight to a strained thigh muscle. Hopefully it won’t be too serious and he can return to pick up from where he left off. In the meantime, Redondo has the opportunity to impress me.

20th of February 2006

Osasuna returns with the terms I named for Lacruz, expecting me to agree to the deal. But I’ve thought about it a bit more and I realise that if Lacruz goes at the end of the season, then I’m left rather short in the left back position. Beyond Livermore there is only the inexperienced Carl Laurie (in the sense of Spanish conditions) and the disappointing Curro Torres. Rather than raid the market for another left back, I think I’d rather keep the adequate Lacruz and reject the offer.

Keep smiling

Dixie Flatline

[Guest]

this is good

[Dixie Flatline]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bowlersend:

this is good<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks! Glad you enjoy!

[Dixie Flatline]

So, let's get back to it, shall we?

22nd of February 2006

European Champions’ League - Phase 2, Group C, Game 4: Cartagonova v Rosenborg

Three points today and results elsewhere going our way would guarantee our progression to the knock-out phase of this prestigious competition. Things really go our way when the volatile but effective defender Jan Tore Ophaug is sent off after 19 minutes when he hacks down Redondo inside the area. The referee blows the whistle for the penalty and Redondo coolly gives us the lead. Kokmeijer almost puts us further in front three minutes later, but his fierce shot rises over the bar. On 26 minutes, Michel’s cross is half-volleyed by Morán accurately towards Rosenborg’s goal, but the keeper does well to turn the shot aside. That about wraps it up for the first half, and I stress to the players that I would like a second goal early in the new half to take the pressure off the defenders’ minds. Seven minutes into the second half, Ballesteros advances from deep before letting fly with a rocket, but the Norwegian keeper deals with it efficiently to keep the score at 1-0.

However, we have better results on 58 minutes when Morán and Kokmeijer combine to feed Redondo and our No. 9 has his second goal of the game. Three minutes later and we enjoy a 3-0 lead thanks to Gavião’s goal which he scored after following in on Morán’s partially smothered free kick. But our defence falls asleep from the kick-off and Rosenborg undeservedly pulls a goal back through substitute Vaagen Moen. That kick-starts our attacking instincts once more, and Kew Jaliens scores his first goal for the club on 68 minutes, advancing adventurously from right back to pick up Clegg’s cute pass and sliding it beneath the Rosenborg keeper. Kokmeijer’s work through the game deserves a goal, and he obtains it on 81 minutes, finishing off a simple but elegant move with Michel at the heart of it.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Ballesteros (Gershon 80), Ãlvarez, Jaliens; Michel, Gavião, Clegg; Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Rosenborg (5-3-1-1): Kristiansen; Heggelund, Tronseth ©, Soma, Ophaug, SirevÃ¥g; NygÃ¥rd (Marteinsson 19), Berg, Talberg; Giske (Øren 61); Nystedt (Vaagen Moen 61).

Final score: Cartagonova 5:1 Rosenborg

MoM - José Manuel Redondo

[Dixie Flatline]

The victory gives us sufficient points - ten, to be exact - to be sure that we qualify for the quarter-finals of the Champions’ League. That’s great work from the boys! But if they want to lose a game before we reach the knock-out phase, they’d better make it soon to get it out of their systems. We’ve gone through the competition this season undefeated, with ten victories and two draws from the twelve matches we’ve played so far in the competition.

Incidentally, Kokmeijer’s goal against Rosenborg is our thirtieth goal in the competition this season. Brøndby has scored 34 goals from 14 games, while Barcelona has celebrated 28 times in 10 games. Trailing distantly in fourth place is Borussia Dortmund with 22 goals from 10 games. We’ve shared the goals around, with Kokmeijer and Redondo having both scored five, Michel, Clegg, Rivera and Livermore scoring three, Gavião and Sabino two apiece, while Jaliens, Lua-Lua, Morán and Vucko have one to their names.

24th of February 2006

Osasuna shocks me with a £5 million for Gavião this morning. That meets his minimum release clause amount, but fortunately, Osasuna wants to pay the money over an 18-month period. That gives me sufficient pretext to reject the offer, much to the disappointment of my counterpart in Pamplona. In the meantime, Real Betis bids £2.4 million for Ballesteros, split into £1.8 million over six months and £575,000 after 50 league games. This is simply ridiculous and I have no problems dissuading Señor Enrique Martín from pursuing this deal any further.

But bad news awaits me in the afternoon. The Spanish FA conducts the draw for the semi-finals in the Copa del Rey, and wouldn’t you know it, we have to once again dethrone Barcelona to reach the final. We have the opportunity of screwing it up at home on the 12th of April. We haven’t played Barcelona yet this season, and thanks to the fixture rearrangements conducted by the Spanish FA, we are now due to play them three times in a row in April. On the 5th of April, we host them in the league, then the following Sunday (the 9th), we are in Barcelona, while three days later, we’re back at home. I just love this job.

[Dixie Flatline]

25th of February 2006

Alan Stubbs drops by my office this afternoon to graciously inform me that he will leave the club in the summer to join Tenerife on a Bosman free transfer. I decided a few months ago that his services were no longer essential to the squad and therefore he should be given the chance to finish his career with some dignity. But I have to say that Señor Radomir Antic isn’t improving the average age of his squad by signing Alan.

Cristian Ãlvarez disappoints me by deciding to sign on the dotted line with Alavés rather than Cartagonova. Good luck to him, but I don’t see Alavés making the same strides in the global competition that we are making at the moment.

26th of February 2006

Real Betis returns with an offer of £1.2 million for Francisco Sanz. I reject it.

Primera Liga - Game 23: Sporting Gijón v Cartagonova

Travelling to Gijón is never an easy affair, but in today’s wet and wild conditions, our style of football is sure to be penalised. But what hurts us more is conceding a goal after just five minutes to Brazilian striker Da Silva, who is perfectly placed to take advantage of Idan Tal’s excellent cross. I really have to figure out why we concede goals so early after commencing a half. But we come roaring back into the game and Morán is unlucky to just clear the crossbar with an overhead volley a few minutes later. It doesn’t take us long to equalise - on 28 minutes, Morán’s long range effort hits the bar, but rebounds into the path of Kokmeijer. Sensing an opportunity, the Dutchman lays it off for Morán to have another go, and he does indeed, crashing a drive skimming over the surface water into the far corner. The midfielder almost gives us the lead on 36 minutes, but Bizzarri this time keeps out his shot. Moments before the break, Clegg tries his luck, but the keeper does well to gather the slippery ball safely in both hands.

The second half begins almost like the first, as we cannot withstand the first ten minutes without giving away a goal, this time to Danish international Peter Madsen, who scores a simple header from another Idan Tal cross. So once again, we’re forced to chase the game, but we do it successfully, as Morán gets enough space and time on 80 minutes to superbly volley home Kokmeijer’s beautifully weighted pass. We survive a late scare from Madsen, thanks to Vidal, to take home a point with us.

Sporting Gijón (1-2-5-2): Bizzarri; Sergio ©; Martín Rivas, Damiani (Otero 55); Rivarola, Tal, Madsen, González (Coudet 68), Babangida; Rubén, Da Silva.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Ballesteros, Ãlvarez, Jaliens (Laurie 58); Gavião; Michel (Mendoza 58), Clegg; Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Final score: Sporting Gijón 2:2 Cartagonova

MoM - Gavião

Gavião starts in the team of the week’s midfield, while Ballesteros and Kokmeijer are bench-warmers.

[Dixie Flatline]

1st of March 2006

Primera Liga - Game 24: Deportivo La Coruña v Cartagonova

While the rest of the league has the evening off, we have a game to catch up against Deportivo at La Riazor. Fernando Morán almost puts us in the lead with a long-range volley, but José Molina beats the ball away and it is cleared by Mario. Sabino smashes a vicious shot at Molina a few moments later, but Molina pushes the shot aside, and the corner is wasted. Deportivo loses Víctor to injury at the corner kick. The fast tempo of the game slows down as we advance through the first half, and it isn’t until the 25th minute that we have another try. Redondo swerves his way through the heart of the Deportivo defence before lashing a shot towards the top corner. Molina, however, gets in the way and gives away the corner. Vucko takes the corner, only to get it back again when Källström mis-kicks his clearance. Vucko takes his time and lofts the ball into the box again where Sabino thunders a brilliant volley into the top corner of the net. Morán is desperately unlucky not to make it 2-0 a few minutes later when his snapshot is brilliantly saved by Molina. On the half hour we are given another boost when Amaya is sent off for recklessly sliding through Morán. That makes our task a lot easier. Towards the end of the half, we put the pressure on a lot with Redondo running purposefully at Naybet before drilling a shot at Molina. The keeper gives away the corner, which Vucko orchestrates. Ãlvarez flashes a header towards goal, only to have Molina again save the shot.

I’m happy at the break, but I want more of the same to ensure that we keep both hands on the three points. Vucko seems to be on the top of his form, finding his comrades at the corners and during the play. On 58 minutes, Vucko’s corner is headed towards the goal by Redondo, but again Molina is there to push it aside. However, Vucko gets the last laugh - his umpteenth corner is headed home by Gavião to ease ourselves further ahead on 67 minutes. We’re really on top now, and it’s little wonder that we make the scoresheet read 3-0 in our favour. Ãlvarez taps in the rebound from Michel’s shot. On 76 minutes, Vucko completes his hat-trick of assists when he crosses for substitute George Clegg to sweep home, and that ends the scoring for the evening.

I’m delighted with today’s game. We had 22 shots at Deportivo’s goal, with 15 on target. We had ten corners, all orchestrated by Vucko, so it was little wonder that we scored from the set pieces.

Deportivo La Coruña (3-4-1-2): Molina; Melchiot, Naybet ©, Amaya; Mario (Aranzábal 57), Valerón, Källström, Víctor (Manuel Canabal 6); Godino; Ãvila, Diego Tristán.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Ballesteros, Ãlvarez, Jaliens; Gavião; Michel, Vucko; Morán (Clegg 60); Redondo (Esposito 82), Sabino.

Final score: Deportivo La Coruña 0:4 Cartagonova

MoM - Jurica Vucko

I’m mightily impressed by our performance. I couldn’t question anything about how we played, although we were helped by the dismissal of a Deportivo defender early in the game. But Jurica Vucko put behind him all his injury problems he’s suffered this season to orchestrate a brilliant victory that will echo through the rest of the season, I’m sure. The board is delighted by the result, too, and ring me on the mobile to tell me all about it.

[Dixie Flatline]

4th of March 2006

Primera Liga - Game 25: Cartagonova v Villarreal

We’re aiming for our fifth consecutive game without losing this afternoon, but more importantly I’d rather have another three points in the bag than anything else. I’m loathe to change the side after we tore apart Deportivo last time out, but Iván Vidal gives us some concern when he bruises a rib during training. The physios believe, however, that he can withstand the rigours of a full 90 minutes of Primera Liga football so he is available to us. Redondo and Sabino continue their blossoming partnership up front, while Vucko has the opportunity to build upon his brilliant game last time out.

But this season, Villarreal is no pushover, being third in the league before kick-off, and it takes us some time to penetrate their well-organised defence. Gavião has our first shot in anger on 18 minutes, but it isn’t until the 35th minute that we can exert some pressure through a Ballesteros free kick that bobbles around the Villarreal penalty box. The clearance is gathered up by Lacruz who finds Ballesteros, and the defender moves forward before laying off to Michel. The winger volleys Ballesteros’ pass into the top corner of the net! But we have precious little time to enjoy the lead, as Villarreal practically goes right down the other end and through Víctor equalised.

My words of caution to the defenders again have no effect as we concede again only three minutes after half-time, this time to Kristian Tanem. But the crowd is back on their feet just thirty seconds later as immediately from kick-off, we go down the other end and tie up the scores. Morán is the architect, finding Sabino with a defence-splitting ball, and the striker ensures that I have a continued headache in that position when he coolly swerves a shot into the top corner. Obviously, the match is in the balance now, and both sides exchange wasted opportunities as we both go for the jugular. It goes right into injury time at the end of the game, but it is Cartagonova who wins the game. Morán’s corner is flicked on by Sabino into the path of the diving Gershon, on for the disappointing Jaliens, and the Israeli international scores with his header! It is essentially the last kick of the game, and a killer for Villarreal.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Ballesteros, Ãlvarez, Jaliens (Gershon 54); Michel, Gavião, Vucko (Clegg 78); Morán; Redondo, Sabino.

Villarreal (3-5-2): López Vallejo ©; Medina, Jonay, Paco (Unai 82); Moha, Drasim (Bosun 77), Tanem, Artur, Callejas; Gaitán, Víctor.

Final score: Cartagonova 3:2 Villarreal

MoM - Ballesteros

After the match, I have Jaliens marched into my office where I read him the riot act. I officially warn him, but he does not seem to take much interest in what I have to say to him. He had better not take that attitude with me.

[Dixie Flatline]

7th of March 2006

European Champions’ League - Phase 2, Group C, Game 5: Paris-Saint-Germain v Cartagonova

We are in the legendary Parc des Princes for this match, hoping to do the double over PSG and keep alive our non-losing streak. But it will be difficult against a side boasting the calibre of forwards including Nicolas Anelka, Vincenzo Montella and Sylvain Wiltord. As I suspected, Vidal is under the cosh early and needs to pull off several good saves to keep the scores at 0-0 apiece, but on 25 minutes, his resistance is finally broken when the trio of PSG forwards work well together to spring free Anelka and the surly one gleefully smashes home the goal. But seven minutes later, and the scores are equal again as Morán sets up Redondo and the striker doesn’t let us down. But is as good as it will be for the match as PSG take the lead again on the stroke of half-time through Vincenzo Montella, left alone and unmarked when Luccin finds him. I’m not happy with our performance at the half, but no matter the motivational speech I tell them, nor where I point out they can improve, it doesn’t matter. My midfield is particularly woeful this evening, and I drag off Mendoza, Vucko and Morán only to see Clegg perform just as badly as a substitute. It’s little wonder then that we concede a third goal at the death when Addo’s free kick hits Lacruz and wrong-foots Vidal.

Paris-Saint-Germain (5-3-2): Chiotis; Clément, Mendy, Addo, Cissé, Henry; Luccin, Wiltord, Johansen; Montella, Anelka.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Gavião; Mendoza (Michel 46), Vucko (Clegg 46); Morán (Kokmeijer 70); Redondo, Sabino.

Final score: Paris-Saint-Germain 3:1 Cartagonova

MoM - Nicolas Anelka

I’m absolutely furious with most of my midfielders - only Gavião contributed anything in the middle of the park, but everybody else was found wanting. Vucko, Clegg and Morán are asked to explain themselves, but I don’t find their stammered explanations very convincing. They are all officially warned and their heads droop. At least Morán and Clegg have the responsibility to apologise to me for their poor performances, but I wish I had Lua-Lua back to full training. Mendoza was a poor substitute for the tired Michel and didn’t really contribute anything, although he wasn’t as poor as those named above. The defence tried hard all evening and were pretty good, but we have to face facts - we were out-classed and out-gunned, and as a result, we swap places with PSG.

[Dixie Flatline]

11th of March 2006

Apparently there are international friendlies in a fortnight, so my phone rings fairly constantly this afternoon as the various country managers ask me to release certain players. Jurica Vucko is required by Croatia for its friendly against Italy, while Ballesteros and Kew Jaliens have the opportunity to cross swords as Spain faces the Netherlands. Despite not playing for a while, Iulian Filipescu is still required for Romania, as they face Yugoslavia, while Alex Notman returns to Scotland’s fold for their game against Austria. Shimon Gershon may well turn out for the Israelis against Wales.

12th of March 2006

Primera Liga - Game 26: Extremadura v Cartagonova

After the hammering we took at the hands of PSG, it’s nice to be at the 19th-placed club in the league for a match, even if it is away from home (again). I plead with the boys in the dressing room before the referee calls us out for the kick-off to make Extremadura pay for what happened to us last Tuesday evening (though deep down I feel it was mostly our fault). As I promised, the changes are made. Out go Mendoza, Vucko and Sabino - they are replaced by Michel, Lua-Lua and Kokmeijer. We give warning of our mood on 12 minutes when Lua-Lua crosses for Morán to thunder a volley towards Robles’ goal, but the keeper manages to get down in time to keep it from crossing the line. His corner is only partially cleared and Morán has another opportunity to cross for Redondo. The striker climbed above his marker to volley over his shoulder into the top corner in spectacular fashion! On 27 minutes, Kokmeijer’s first run at the defence tees up his strike partner, but Redondo decides to find Gavião instead of shooting for goal himself. It turns out to be an inspired choice as the Brazilian midfielder drives the ball with power into the back of the Extremadura net.

Our opponent is on the back foot and it is fitting that the scoresheet reads 3-0 in our favour when Morán heads home Lua-Lua’s perfectly flighted cross. It is a happy feeling in the dressing room, although I warn the players against becoming complacent. There is no need to worry about that, though, as we continue from where we left off - camped in and around Extremadura’s penalty box, not letting our opponents have a moment’s rest. The pressure builds to an intolerable level and Redondo is rewarded for his excellent performance with a second goal eight minutes from time. Morán flicks on Robles’ poor clearance into the path of Redondo and the striker shoots accurately and successfully from 20 yards to cap a wonderful display. It is his fifteenth goal of the season, but only his seventh in the league.

Extremadura (3-5-2): Robles; Merino, Luis López ©, Lucic; Valcarce, Ibagaza, Francisco (Curiel 68), Benja, Ãœmit (Rommedahl 62); Sívori, Nacho Sierra.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Gavião; Michel, Lua-Lua; Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer (Sabino 73).

Final score: Extremadura 0:4 Cartagonova

MoM - José Manuel Redondo

We’re up to second in the league with this result, pushing past Celta Vigo on goal difference. But we’re a long way behind Barcelona - 8 points, in fact. The board is pleased by this game, so I’m happy, too.

13th of March 2006

The recent performances of Redondo in leading the lines for us over the past few games has caught the eye of a well-respected ex-professional who writes in the newspaper that he believes Redondo is back to his best. I take the opportunity to agree with the learned scholar of the game, hoping that it will continue to bolster Redondo’s new-found confidence. I’m itching to see how he goes with the powerful Notman beside him. As usual, the Cartagonova web site is inundated with praise from the fans, happy to see me acknowledge Redondo’s recent contribution to the team’s effort.

Keep smiling!

Dixie Flatline

[Guest]

What a story, i have been reading from the start, and i cant believe the detail and quality, i definjately thinks its better the Bert Merton, Dixie Flatline is so consistent in post and post quality!!!

Well done m8

[ghostwriter]

Do Osasuna want your whole squad because nearly every bid for one of your players seems to come from them?!?

Anyway, this is still as fantastic as always, good luck in your title/CL quests!!

[Dixie Flatline]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by grady60:

What a story, i have been reading from the start, and i cant believe the detail and quality, i definjately thinks its better the Bert Merton, Dixie Flatline is so consistent in post and post quality!!!

Well done m8<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks, mate! I'm very glad you like the story so much. Hopefully there will be a few more years in the story before it comes to a final resolution - that should be a long time away!

[Dixie Flatline]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ghostwriter:

Do Osasuna want your whole squad because nearly every bid for one of your players seems to come from them?!?

Anyway, this is still as fantastic as always, good luck in your title/CL quests!! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks ghostwriter! I suppose Osasuna like to think they can poach my best players after they bought Veiga, my former No. 1 keeper, for what amounted to a song a few seasons back. And, of course, both clubs were involved in the Couto-Gershon swap at the start of this season. So I suppose there is some history of the clubs transferring players between themselves. By the way, Couto has been relegated to Osasuna B and wants out of Pamplona!

I'm going to need all the good luck you can spare, ghostwriter, if I'm to catch Barcelona. Once again, they look impregnable at the top of the ladder. As for the Champions' League, you'll have to keep your eyes skinned for the results - but I'm going to need all the luck you have for that competition, too.

[Dixie Flatline]

Once more, the story continues!

15th of March 2006

European Champions’ League - Phase 2, Group C, Game 6: Cartagonova v Vitória Guimarães

A good victory today and PSG losing its match against Rosenborg would send us back to the top of the group, so I urge my players to go out and play the best they can. But unfortunately, Lua-Lua only lasts 10 minutes before needing to come off. George Clegg comes on in his place. Redondo, buoyed by his brace on the weekend, is the first to test Kralj in goal for the Portuguese club, but the Yugoslav keeper is up to the task. But the striker is on hand to find Kokmeijer when his cross is perfect for the Dutchman to head home on 18 minutes! Morán almost extends our lead two minutes later, but his drive is well-saved by Kralj. However, we’re well on top in this game and on 39 minutes, we go further ahead when Redondo collects a poor clearance from the Vitória defence and smashes it back past Kralj! However, Vitória halves our lead on 53 minutes when Evando finds himself in the clear and knocks home Hugo Henrique’s pass. Right at the end of the match, however, we restore our two-goal buffer when George Clegg makes a strong pitch to start a game when he volleys home Ballesteros’ knock-down from Lacruz’s cross. A lovely move to finish off a good game!

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Michel, Gavião, Lua-Lua (Clegg 11); Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Vitória Guimarães (4-4-2): Kralj; Parnela ©, Jorge, André Luiz, Filipe Anunciação; Ribeiro, Meira (Óscar 84), Bonet, Nandinho (Seimir 70); Evando, Hugo Henrique.

Final score: Cartagonova 3:1 Vitória Guimarães

MoM - José Manuel Redondo

[Dixie Flatline]

So, the final standings in the second phase of the European Champions’ League end up with us on top from PSG, who lost to Rosenborg in their final group match:

Now, how is this for history repeating? We’re drawn against Parma in the quarter-final of the competition - not the easiest club to negotiate, and we have the opportunity to set the pace by seeing if we can grab an away goal or two at the Stadio Tardini in Parma. You may recall (or read a few pages above) that Parma contemptuously defeated us twice last season when we were drawn in their group. It will be a good gauge of how far we’ve progressed since that time.

There is a bit more bad news when the physios report that Lua-Lua will miss up to three weeks of football with the injury he incurred this evening.

[Dixie Flatline]

19th of March 2006

Primera Liga - Game 27: Cartagonova v Real Zaragoza

It’s a wet Spring afternoon in Cartagena, which is usually a signal for the opposition to overrun us. But today, we appear to be switched on right from the start, and from the very first attack of consequence from either side, we score the first goal. Kokmeijer holds off his marker long enough to slide the ball out to Clegg, who runs at the Zaragoza defence before lofting a cross over the penalty spot. Michel outjumps Ferrón to arrow a powerful header into the top corner, out of reach of the Zaragoza keeper. Clegg is involved in our next goal, finding Kokmeijer in the area with a pinpoint pass on 17 minutes. The Dutchman can’t find enough space to shoot himself, so he slips the ball to Redondo and the striker lashes home an unstoppable drive! We dominate the game from this point in time, and Gavião scores our third goal when he dribbles his way with marvellous close control through the Zaragoza defence before driving a powerful shot home!

Real Zaragoza’s midfielders promptly lose possession upon kick-off and Kokmeijer claims the ball. He finds Morán just inside the area, and the midfielder crosses for Michel to score his second goal of the game! And despite the best efforts of Real Zaragoza, including a goal ruled out for off-side six minutes into the second half, that is how the scoresheet remained at the end of the game. My players are content with what they have, so they don’t have the same drive in the second half to go out and score more goals, although they do fashion for themselves a couple of handy chances. But I’m mightily pleased with the result ahead of our game against Real Madrid during mid-week.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Michel, Gavião, Clegg; Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer (Notman 61).

Real Zaragoza (4-4-2): Juanmi ©; Placente, Cuartero, Toni, Ferrón; Sánchez Caballer, Martinovic, Acuña (Ognjenovic 51), Rodriguez (Marcos Vales 82); Peternac, Kaviedes.

Final score: Cartagonova 4:0 Real Zaragoza

MoM - Michel

[Stephanie McMahon's Secret Lover]

As usual VERY IMPRESSIVE Dixie.

[Dixie Flatline]

Thanks SMSL!

[Dixie Flatline]

The board is delighted with the result, which also pleases me. To be perfectly frank, I think this must rate as one of our best performances of the season. Gavião, George Clegg and Michel are all honoured by being selected in the Team of the Week’s starting eleven. Fernando Morán has to make do with a place on the bench.

22nd of March 2006

Primera Liga - Game 28: Cartagonova v Real Madrid

The rainy weather that lashed us last weekend continues to haunt Cartagena as we host the side from the capital looking to kick-start its campaign to reach the European Champions’ League next season. There is no way in hell that Real Madrid will catch Barcelona and indeed, it’s becoming very difficult for me to see how Barcelona will be caught. Numancia should prove no difficulty for the Catalan club and considering that we are already 8 points behind having played one more game than Barcelona, then I think our task is hopeless. But all we have to do is keep winning games and hopefully the rest will take care of itself.

The question on my mind before the beginning of play is how to keep Real Madrid’s many potential matchwinners all quiet simultaneously? Everybody knows just how good Raúl and Francesco Totti are, while Andrés Olivera is a handful for any defence. Keeping all three quiet will require superb levels of concentration and stamina from my defenders. I’m not sure whether they’re up to it.

[Dixie Flatline]

But surprisingly, little comes from either side in the first twenty minutes of play. At that time, Señor del Bosque hauls off Diego Simeone and replaces him with Stankovic, which requires me to change my tactics slightly. Gavião is asked to closely patrol the movements of Totti, who has apparently been instructed by his manager to make runs into the box from deep. Totti is indeed involved in the first attacking move of the game on 24 minutes, as his free kick hits the outside of our post and fortunately rebounds to safety. Six minutes later and Stankovic forces Vidal into an excellent save when the Yugoslav drives a powerful shot towards our goal. Vidal then backs up with a great parry from Stankovic’s follow-up header (from Totti’s cross). We scramble the corner away only as far as Roberto Carlos and the veteran Brazilian unleashes a trademark rocket that threatens to knock Vidal off his feet, such is the power behind the drive.

Then, from nothing, a goal comes. Vidal’s long goal kick is collected by Morán, who seeks out Kokmeijer and the Dutchman lofts it towards Michel. The winger spies Gavião making a late run into the Real Madrid penalty area and slides a pass into the Brazilian’s feet. The wily Brazilian sees Casillas drifting away from his near post and promptly puts a powerful shot past the keeper! Morientes should have perhaps cancelled our lead three minutes later, but his header flies well wide, fortunately. Totti fires a volley from long range just before the half-time interval is called to allow the packed house to find something warm to heat themselves with, but Vidal is positioned well to deal with the danger.

Immediately upon restart, we make the score 2-0 in our favour. Morán’s little pass to Kokmeijer is well-controlled by the Dutchman and he spies his partner flying into the box. Redondo gathers the ball and dribbles into the penalty area before letting loose with a thunderbolt that Casillas has no chance of stopping! It takes Real Madrid some 15 minutes of the second half to begin mounting a comeback, but it does eventuate. Stankovic breaks free down the left of Real Madrid’s midfield, before finding Olivera who has drifted free of his marker, and the Uruguayan international calmly slots a whistling half-volley into the top corner of our net. But that presents no difficulties to my side, who five minutes later, restores the two-goal buffer. The Kokmeijer-Redondo partnership is working a treat, and the former sets up the latter for our third goal of the game on 66 minutes. Nothing fancy, really, just good honest one-touch football between them and George Clegg.

[Dixie Flatline]

On 88 minutes, however, Real Madrid seeks to give the home crowd some shivers when Raymond Kalla picks today of all days to score his first goal in Real Madrid colours. The defender towers over Ballesteros to nod home Carlos’ corner late in the piece. Still, it makes no difference to the outcome as Kokmeijer gets his reward for an outstanding day’s work when he bamboozles the Real Madid defence and then unleashes a magnificent long-range drive from 25-30 yards to cap a brilliant display!

Everybody but the select band of Real Madrid supporters leave the ground very happy with the score, but I find later, back in my office, that Barcelona swamped Numancia 3-0 at the Nou Camp to maintain the eight point gap back to us. So despite a great victory, our title chances are still vanishing inexorably.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Michel, Gavião (Livermore 79), Clegg (Vucko 79); Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Real Madrid (5-2-1-2): Casillas; Roberto Carlos, Isma (Kalla 49), Bornes, Iván Helguera, Grillito; Simeone (Dejan Stankovic 20), Totti (Alex 74); Olivera; Raúl ©, Morientes.

Final score: Cartagonova 4:2 Real Madrid

MoM - Niels Kokmeijer

The board is delighted with our victory over Real Madrid, and I have to admit that I’m pretty pleased about it too.

I have to remark upon José Redondo’s recent form. It’s been amazing. In the last five games, he has performed 8-10-9-8-9 and has scored goals in all of those games. He is once again our top scorer (in all competitions) this season, with 19 goals from 31(3) appearances. In total, he has 97 career goals with Cartagonova from 164(5) appearances, and now averages 7.87 over his career with Cartagonova.

Ballesteros also performed excellently against Real Madrid, completing all ten tackles he attempted and successfully passing practically 80% of all attempted passes.

[Dixie Flatline]

23rd of March 2006

Real Madrid’s managerial hierarchy make it known to me this morning that they want to land Ballesteros, and that they are willing to offer me £3.7 million to bring him to the capital. They are going to have to stump up more money for the brilliant defender - in the order of £4.5 million now and £2 million after he has played 20 league games.

I hear some scuttlebutt from the locker rooms that Axel Wingård’s agent is hawking the Swedish defender to Chicago Fire, as it appears that his career has all the hallmarks of stalling at Cartagonova. Apparently the price being bandied about is £1.4 million, but I would prefer to keep the defender who I still believe has some future at this club, given that he is only 25 years old.

24th of March 2006

Yesterday it was Axel Wingård. Today it is Francisco Sanz. There is speculation in the print media of Spain’s football league that the former Real Vallodolid defender could be heading to Real Betis for £1.1 million. Not if I have anything to do with it. And I do!

[Dixie Flatline]

25th of March 2006

It is international friendlies week in Europe this weekend, so I take myself off to the Bernebeu to cheer on Spain and hopefully Ballesteros as they host the Netherlands. Only 65,000 fill the Bernebeu to watch today’s game, and admittedly the first half was quite boring. But it got going when in the space of five minutes, Ruud van Nistelrooy put the Dutch 2-0 to the good. A Regillio Vrede own-goal on 75 minutes gave the Spaniards some hope of escaping with a face-saving draw, but the Dutch held on for a good victory. Ballesteros didn’t even make the bench for Spain, while Kew Jaliens started and ended the game at centre-half for the Dutch, performing quite well in fact.

Alex Notman was on the scoresheet for Scotland as they took on Austria in Vienna. The only problem was that he scored after the hosts had put four past the hapless James Evans of Bolton Wanderers and, of course, by that stage it was far too late. The Scots lost 4-1. Jurica Vucko came off the bench in the second half as Croatia held Italy to a 0-0 draw in Zagreb. The Italians dominated the game, but lacked the killer instinct on the night to turn their dominance into winning goals. Shimon Gershon could be only one of a few Israelis to hold their heads up after they went down to a 3-0 loss to Wales in Cardiff. Arsenal’s Simon Davies led the way with a sterling performance in the middle of the park. Iulian Filipescu played from the start in Romania’s good 3-1 away victory over Yugoslavia in Belgrade.

In other results not involving Cartagonova players, England defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 at Wembley Stadium thanks to goals from Joe Cole and Jamie McMaster. Germany took the bragging rights from France as they defeated Les Bleus 2-0 at the Stade de France with goals from Zickler and Schroth. Northern Ireland was held to a scoreless draw by Latvia in Belfast. Portugal defeated Norway 2-1 in Oslo. Jon Carew gave the home side the lead on 23 minutes, but two second-half goals to Rui Costa and Figo allowed the visitors to take the game.

Keep smiling!

Dixie Flatline

[Dixie Flatline]

A gracious thank you to all who voted for me in the awards ceremony held earlier today!

I just want to interrupt the story for a moment of quiet reflection upon the year and to thank everybody personally for voting for me in the awards. Unfortunately, your timing did not coincide with my ability to participate directly in the awards ceremony - I believe I was either watching highlights of the Serie A or driving around Melbourne looking for a parking spot! Anyway, the awards I picked up are going on the mantlepiece and I will keep them polished for a long time to come!

And, of course, I'd like to congratulate all the other winners and I hope that the standard of writing is as good as ever next year!

[Peacemaker7]

Congrats Dixie, you deserved your awards and more and I was really pleased to see you get the recognition you deserves, although gutted for Trigz. But well done

[Guest]

Well Dixie but you are keeping the award warm for me to win next Year

[Dixie Flatline]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Peacemaker7:

Congrats Dixie, you deserved your awards and more and I was really pleased to see you get the recognition you deserves, although gutted for Trigz. But well done <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks, Peacemaker7!

[Dixie Flatline]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Bowlersend:

Well Dixie but you are keeping the award warm for me to win next Year <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

We'll see about that! I'm aiming for the Repeat next year, as well as adding a few more awards to my collection!

[Dixie Flatline]

The story resumes!

26th of March 2006

I’m asked over the dog and bone by a few inquisitive journalists about reports emanating from the Netherlands that Louis van Gaal should call up Niels Kokmeijer to the national squad. I, of course, agree wholeheartedly with that assessment. The Netherlands seem to struggle for good forwards beyond van Nistelrooy and Bruggink, and I think Kokmeijer’s excellent form so far this season merits a call-up to his country’s national squad - especially when Kew Jaliens, who struggles to start a game for Cartagonova, is picked every time!

I then am contacted by Señor Florentino Manzano, who congratulates me on my vocal support for Kokmeijer’s national career. He believes that publicly supporting the striker will increase his confidence even further and make him a better player for Cartagonova.

29th of March 2006

Primera Liga - Game 29: Racing Santander v Cartagonova

After the fun of an international friendly last weekend, it’s back down to business in this mid-week fixture. Barcelona hosts Real Sociedad at the Nou Camp, so we have to hope that the Basque club does right by us, while we dispose of Racing Santander, like we did earlier in the season when we won 3-0. Indeed, it turns out to be a very comfortable and, dare I say it, clinical affair. Without really exerting ourselves we have a two goal cushion by half-time, and we never look like relinquishing it with Rushfeldt and Leyder Preciado well controlled by my defence. George Clegg scores our first goal on 20 minutes, running onto Michel’s low cross which cuts out the Racing Santander defence and putting the Englishman in the right place at the right time to deliver the first knock-out punch. Bang on half-time, Gavião puts through a well-placed, well-timed through ball and Morán finishes it off expertly. We fashion for ourselves more chances in the second half, but Nuno does well enough to save them, so the score remains 2-0 at the final whistle.

Racing Santander (4-4-2): Nuno; Neru ©, Urbano, Jorge, Javi Prats; Alberto (Toñito 70), Leko, Diego, Baraja; Preciado, Rushfeldt.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Gavião; Michel, Clegg; Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer (Sabino 66).

Final score: Racing Santander 0:2 Cartagonova

MoM - Nuno

[Savi]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dixie Flatline:

Quote: "Originally posted by Bowlersend:

Well Dixie but you are keeping the award warm for me to win next Year "

We'll see about that! I'm aiming for the Repeat next year, as well as adding a few more awards to my collection! <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well I was up against for that award... and I lost, no contest, you fully deserved it, this story (and the previous sagas) are excellent, keep it up as long as you can

[Dixie Flatline]

Thanks, Sav! I'm hoping to do my best again by continuing this story - I wonder whether the same story can win awards in two different years?!

[Dixie Flatline]

Continuing the Cartagonova odyssey!

But Barcelona triumphs 2-1 over Real Sociedad to maintain the comfortable lead over us at the top of the ladder. But the good news is that we’re now eight points clear of Celta Vigo who are in third place, having played one extra game than us so far in the competition.

Morán’s goal moves him to 14 in the league for the season so far, equal sixth in the competition, behind Diego Ribera and Pedro Guede on 17, Benni McCarthy and Joseba Llorente on 16, Francesco Totti, who has 15 goals to his name, while Nano, Morán and Alfonso all have 14 goals. Kokmeijer and Redondo both have 10 league goals in this campaign, meaning they are equal 16th in the competition.

1st of April 2006

Osasuna wakes me up this morning with a bid of £5 million for Ballesteros. I sit bolt upright in fright. That meets his minimum release clause amount! But they wish to pay over 18 months, which gives me my usual escape hatch. I leap gratefully through it and reject the offer.

Primera Liga - Game 30: Cartagonova v Athletic Bilbao

We’re live on television for this encounter in the league, and I have to say, if it is not for Iván Vidal, we would have been dead and buried by half-time. Our captain saves Ignacio Arteaga’s free kick on 3 minutes, and then saves his header from the resulting corner. On 8 minutes, he smothers Lambea’s free kick and then jumps on the rebound before Ion can reach it. Then my defenders start to wake up and begin controlling the opponents they are assigned to take care of, so Vidal’s work is lessened as the half wears on. Thirteen minutes into the second half, however, everybody thinks that our resistance finally crumbled when Jorge Pérez pounces on the rebound from his own shot and puts it in the net, but I’m highly relieved to see the linesman wave his raised flag - off-side against the Bilbao striker. Athletic Bilbao redouble their efforts to score, and Vidal pulls off a great double save from Lambea and Solaun.

All this time, we’ve done nothing up forward, so I decide to swap things around and see if we can spark into life. Notman and Vucko replace Kokmeijer and Clegg, and it pays instant dividends when Michel’s fine pass is excellently controlled by Notman and the big Scot thunders an unstoppable drive into the top corner! The goal increases our confidence and as the match wears on, we finally put real pressure on the Athletic Bilbao defence, but no further goals are scored. Thanks to Notman’s goal, we cut Barcelona’s lead to five points, but the Catalan club has two games in hand on us.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Michel, Livermore, Clegg (Vucko 68); Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer (Notman 68).

Athletic Bilbao (5-2-1-2): Imanol Etxeberría; Lambea (Idiákez 91), Karanka, Carlos García (Aitor 78), Larraínzar, Edu Alonso; Roberto Ríos, Jorge Pérez; Joseba Etxeberría ©; Arteaga (Solaun 46), Ion.

Final score: Cartagonova 1:0 Athletic Bilbao

MoM - Iván Vidal

[Dixie Flatline]

So, we have now played thirty games this season in the league, and the table has taken almost its final shape:

2nd of April 2006

I have a double reason to celebrate this morning. Not only is it the birthday of my long-suffering partner, I also have the opportunity to announce to the local press one of the biggest signings in the history of Cartagonova. There is little that this man has not won, both for his country and his clubs. In a highly decorated career, he has played 114 times for his country and won silverware in Italy, amongst other things. His full name is Marcos Evangelista de Moraes, but he is better known to his fans in Brazil, Spain and Italy as Cafú. For a 35 year old, he has kept himself in remarkable shape after being released by Parma on a free transfer, and I swooped when he became available, beating off the interest of Vicenza to sign him to a player/coach role with the club. He becomes the third Brazilian to join the coaching staff, after Romário and Toninho, both of whom urged him to join Cartagonova. I’m not sure how many games he will play for the club, but he is a big-name signing, despite his age.

[Dixie Flatline]

5th of April 2006

European Champions’ League - Quarter-final, 1st leg: Parma v Cartagonova

How ironic is that the first game we play after we conclude the Cafú deal is against Parma, his most recent employer? Last season, Parma did the double over us, thereby denying us the opportunity to advance to the quarter-final stage. Therefore, I believe that tonight’s game and the game in a fortnight will be a good barometer of how far we have progressed since last season. With a critical league game against Barcelona to come on the weekend, there is the need to juggle priorities. Fortunately, we’re well entrenched in second place in the league, so even dropped points against the leader, while snuffing out all chance of winning the title, won’t harm our chances of finishing high on the ladder too much.

So I name a side with two changes to it. Livermore drops out to be replaced by Gavião, while Alex Notman is given his opportunity to partner Redondo at the expense of the disappointed Kokmeijer. Both sit on the bench. But it turns out to be an inspired choice of striker. Notman fires wildly over the bar on 14 minutes from Michel’s cross, but that only serves to set his radar right. Redondo also misses a difficult chance on 20 minutes, while Vidal does well to cut out Appiah’s little pass to McClenahan. Buffon then saves from Redondo on 28 minutes and the crowd is certainly getting its money’s worth at the Tardini stadium. But on 40 minutes, the sparring ends as Clegg intercepts Amoroso’s pass intended for Lamberto Zauli and flicks it into the path of Morán. The playmaker seeks out Michel, who heads it into the path of Redondo. The striker controls it with one touch and lobs it up to Notman with his second, and the Scot doesn’t hesitate, striking the volley first time. It whizzes past the stranded Buffon and into the top of the net! Four minutes later and another intricate team move involving Clegg, Gavião and Redondo sets up Morán, who times his jump to perfection to edge out Buffon and put the ball into the back of Parma’s net for the second time!

I’m extraordinarily happy at half-time. We’ve blitzed Parma with two goals and hardly let Delvecchio and Amoroso, the Parma strikers, have a sniff of the action in the first half. If we keep this up, then I think we can practically book ourselves a berth in the semi-finals. But we need to ensure we don’t get ahead of ourselves. Two goals on the road is an excellent achievement, but if we could get a third at least, then that surely would be the icing on the cake…

Rui Costa breaks free from midfield on 61 minutes, but the Portuguese’s shot flies high over the bar, not troubling Vidal at all. Catanha then wastes a golden opportunity by trying the spectacular overhead kick when a header could have sufficed on 66 minutes. We should have had a penalty on 78 minutes when Rui Costa slides through Gavião with the ball a good foot or two ahead of the Brazilian midfielder, but the referee turns down our perfectly valid appeals for the spot kick. But we get ever closer to that third goal. On 84 minutes, Notman’s half-volley needs a good save from Buffon and a minute later, from the corner, Buffon does even better to deny the Scot his second goal of the game. But the Scottish striker won’t be denied and in injury time, he does indeed grab his second goal, curling in a delicate chip from 25 yards to cap a wonderful evening for Cartagonova and everybody associated with the club! Sometimes I have to pinch myself that this incredible run of form is happening to Cartagonova! The board is happy, the supporters are ecstatic and I can’t help grinning from ear to ear.

Parma (4-4-2): Buffon ©; Lorenzini, Lassissi, McClenahan, Bonomi; Zauli (Catanha 56), Appiah, Giannichedda, Sérgio Conceição; Delvecchio, Amoroso (Rui Costa 56).

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Gavião; Michel, Clegg; Morán; Redondo, Notman.

Final score: Parma 0:3 Cartagonova

MoM - José Manuel Redondo

[Dixie Flatline]

9th of April 2006

Primera Liga - Game 31: Barcelona v Cartagonova

This is it. The game that will determine who will win the Primera Liga. Lose this one, and we can kiss goodbye to whatever chance we have of taking the title. Win it, and suddenly we pull Barcelona back into the pack. This is what I tell the boys before the referee calls them out for kick-off in this crucial Sunday afternoon match. The Nou Camp is not quite fall - in fact, only 91,000 turn up for this table-topping clash. That’s a little disappointing, but I’m sure it’s more disappointing for my counterpart, who no doubt wants the help of the crowd to gee up his troops. Edgar Davids, however, almost puts Barcelona into the lead on 10 minutes when he picks up Ãlvarez’s tackle on Alfonso, but Vidal does well to turn the fierce shot aside. Ãlvarez picks up the ball and feeds it out to Michel, breaking down the left of the midfield. Michel sends the ball into the path of Redondo and the striker lays it off to Morán. The midfielder finds Notman, only to have the Scotsman blocked by Rivaldo. However, we quickly regain control of the ball and Clegg’s cross is superbly controlled by Notman who then thunders a drive off the post into the back of the net! But we have no time to celebrate as a deceptively simple move allows Kluivert to rise unchallenged in our box to head home Verón’s cross. However, twenty minutes later, Notman and Redondo combine well together to justify leaving Kokmeijer still on the bench when Redondo puts a drive into the back of Barcelona’s net! But that wakes up Barcelona, and they go awfully twice before the half-time whistle is blown.

Then a turning point is encountered early in the second half. Morán gathers up Laínez’s poor goal kick and feeds Notman, but the Scottish striker misses his shot. Barcelona’s players take control of the game by the scruff of its neck and don’t let go - we hardly get a touch of the ball in the next half-hour, and it turns out to be disastrous. Beginning deep in their own half, Barcelona moves the ball efficiently into the path of Edgar Davids and the Dutch midfielder fires accurately a half-volley into the back of our net, tying the scores at 2-2 apiece. Two minutes later, Verón puts his club into the lead. I’m highly disappointed by this turn of events, considering that we had worked so hard for the lead. I make two changes, bringing on Livermore and Kokmeijer for Lacruz and Michel, but they make no difference to the outcome of the game and to make matters worse, we concede a fourth goal on 86 minutes to Patrick Kluivert. We don’t deserve to be beaten like this, but it just goes to illustrate the enormous gulf in class between Barcelona and the rest of the league.

Barcelona (1-2-5-2): Laínez; Gerard; Thuram, Cannavaro; Zé Roberto, Davids ©, Rivaldo (De la Peña 68), Verón, Zanetti (Varela 85); Alfonso, Kluivert.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz (Livermore 62), Gershon, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Gavião; Michel (Kokmeijer 62), Clegg; Morán; Redondo, Notman.

Final score: Barcelona 4:2 Cartagonova

MoM - Patrick Kluivert

Keep smiling!

Dixie Flatline

[Dixie Flatline]

And now that everybody's Christmas is finally over for another year, it's time to head back to the south of Spain and catch up with Cartagonova!

After the match, I’m informed that the board is unhappy with our performance against Barcelona. Well, I personally disagree with their assessment of our performance. Barcelona simply have the better players, and class prevailed on the day. At least we have a chance of revenge when we host Barcelona in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final on Wednesday.

The media begins the World Cup hype this evening as a few of the so-called ‘experts’ tip the Netherlands to go all the way in Germany in the summer. Does this mean that Kew Jaliens will come back from his German odyssey with a World Cup winners medal around his neck?

12th of April 2006

Copa del Rey - Semi-Final, 1st leg: Cartagonova v Barcelona

So, three days after we just faced Barcelona, we line up against them again, only this time it is at the famed Estádio Municipál de Cartagena. But Barcelona respect our forwards enough to begin the match defensively. So it takes us about 20 minutes to really attack our opponents, when Ballesteros advances from right back to test Laínez with a long range drive which the keeper turns away with the tips of his fingers. But Barcelona strangle the life out of the midfield and the next time an attack is formed, it is by our illustrious opponents, when Sergi finds Davids with a header, and the Dutch midfielder crosses for Dani to head home on 31 minutes. However, seven minutes later, we have our equaliser when Laínez brings down Redondo inside the box. The referee promptly blows for the penalty, but unfortunately does not flourish any type of card. Redondo coolly sticks the ball in the back of the net and we’re all square. A minute later, and we miss an opportunity to take the lead when Redondo’s header flies wide of the mark, with pressure applied by Cannavaro. So it remains equal at 1-1 apiece at the break.

It’s imperative that if we are to win this tie, we need at least one more goal in the second half. That’s something I emphasise to my players at the break. They respond with a goal on 53 minutes when Michel rises above Barcelona substitute Pablo Paz to head Javier Zanetti’s ball down to Redondo. The striker evades a couple of Barcelona tackles before lashing a drive from outside the box into the top right corner of the Barcelona net! This is his 100th goal in Cartagonova colours, and could not have come at a better time! The trick is now to hang onto the lead, and possibly extend it if we can. It’s not going to be easy doing that, but somehow we hold Barcelona at bay and Kokmeijer misses a chance to push us further in front. In the last minute of play, we give away a free kick, giving Barcelona the last-ditch opportunity to equalise, but fortunately Verón misses it.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, Ãlvarez (Jaliens 50), Ballesteros; Michel (Laurie 70), Clegg; Morán (Notman 70); Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Barcelona (4-3-2-1): Laínez; Sergi, Thuram, Cannavaro, Zanetti; Davids ©, Astudillo, Gerard (Paz 52); Verón, Dani; Kluivert.

Final score: Cartagonova 2:1 Barcelona

MoM - Patrick Kluivert

[Dixie Flatline]

A hearty congrulations to José Manuel Redondo for his one-hundredth career goal with Cartagonova. He has done well to reach the milestone, considering that I’ve had him play with a host of different strikers, including Collymore, Kokmeijer, Esposito, Rivera and Notman. His statistics make for good reading for all Cartagonova fans - 100 career goals (including 75 in the league) from 169(5) appearances, which is a goal every 1.74 appearances. As a (ridiculous) comparison, Patrick Kluivert at Barcelona has scored 310 goals from 342(15) appearances, which is a goal every 1.15 games. Elche’s Pedro Guede has scored 118 goals in 247 appearances, which means he scores a goal every 2.09 games. Celta Vigo’s Diego Ribera has hit the back of the net 66 goals in 132(2) games, or in other words, a goal every 2.03 games. Niels Kokmeijer has scored 34 goals in 90(5) appearances for Cartagonova, which is one goal every 2.79 games.

Of course, statistics don’t tell you everything about the player. He has been a shining example of loyalty and integrity for the club. He hardly ever lands himself in trouble either on or off the field, and is a genuinely liked man around the club. I think he’s unlucky never to have pulled on the national jersey, but he has never complained about the size of the club he plays for.

International call-ups are made this evening, and I’m contacted by the Spanish manager, Señor Javier Clemente, who wants two of my young players, namely Francisco Sanz and Ramón Salas. I ask whether he wants Ballesteros to report to the training camp, but he tells me that he has decided not to select the defender for the squad to face the Czech Republic. I break the news to the defender, but he takes it in his stride as he had suspected this would occur somewhere down the line after not playing when in the squad.

Despite hardly playing a game since the beginning of the season, Iulian Filipescu is still a required player for Romania.

Athletic Bilbao believes they can tempt me with a bid of £1.1 million for José María Lacruz. They are sadly mistaken.

[Dixie Flatline]

16th of April 2006

Primera Liga - Game 32: Cartagonova v Mallorca

The chase for the title resumes as the foremost task on our minds. We need to get back onto the winning list as soon as possible and hope that Celta Vigo does right by us by at the worst holding Barcelona to a draw in Vigo. Morán almost sets us on our way on 3 minutes when his free kick is well-saved by Felip, but it only takes us another ten minutes to force the breakthrough. Ballesteros wins the aerial contest against Garitano and finds Gustavsson with his clearance. The Swedish midfielder coolly nutmegs Camps inside the box before driving a low shot with his left foot into the far corner, completing cutting out the goalkeeper! It’s his first goal for Cartagonova, and it is a vital goal. But our lead is almost cancelled on 23 minutes when Daniel Jensen picks up Gershon’s tackle on Celades and tries a shot which Vidal saves spectacularly. Kokmeijer should have extended our lead on 31 minutes, but he watches as his header agonisingly clips the post and goes wide with the goal gaping at his mercy.

We continue to trade blows as the minutes tick away, and I have my heart in my mouth more than once as half-time approaches. But another goal would settle my nerves a little more and Kokmeijer duly delivers for his manager, striking his 20th goal of the season in injury time at the end of the half. This simplifies my team talk at the break as I ask the defence to deny Mallorca a way into the game. But my plans are slightly thrown out by the injury to Clegg which necessitates the introduction of Vucko on 52 minutes. On 69 minutes, Lacruz does excellently well, breaking forward with the ball at his feet before he crosses into the box where Redondo is lurking, looking to begin his second hundred for the club. But not today, as the prolific striker heads the cross just over the bar. Four minutes later, and Mallorca threaten to make us pay when they halve our lead. Celades efficiently breaks past Gustavsson before letting rip with a thundering, swerving drive which Vidal can only parry into the path of Daniel Jensen, and the Dane gleefully tucks away the rebound. But it only serves to double our intensity and Morán is unlucky to see Felip superbly save his goal-bound drive a moment later. It takes until the end of the game, but we do indeed grab our third goal when Kokmeijer scores a great solo goal from wide out in the area.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, WingÃ¥rd, Ballesteros; Michel, Gustavsson, Clegg (Vucko 52); Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Mallorca (3-5-2): Felip; Hibic, Celades, César ©; Ramirez, Garitano (Santamaría 89), Camps (Castillo 52), Jensen, Lauren; Losada (Carlos 83), Michel.

Final score: Cartagonova 3:1 Mallorca

MoM - Kenneth Gustavsson

Unfortunately, Celta Vigo fails to hold Barcelona in Vigo. A cracking match saw Barcelona race to a 2-0 lead inside ten minutes, but Celta Vigo reels them back in with another two goals in a ten minute period. However, Patrick Kluivert scores the winner on 53 minutes. The victory helps Barcelona maintain the 11 point gap at the top of the ladder, and we only have six games left to overhaul the Catalan club. Conversely, Barcelona’s victory means our lead over Celta Vigo and Villarreal is back to 8 points, and we still hold a game in hand over Celta Vigo and Villarreal.

Iván Vidal, Niels Kokmeijer and Kenneth Gustavsson all make the bench for the Team of the Week.

[Dixie Flatline]

In England, the Premier League looks like going down to the wire with Liverpool, in the Nationwide League only two seasons ago, leading Tottenham Hotspurs by three points. Manchester United and defending champion West Ham are a further three points behind. Blackburn, Chelsea and Brentford need to score points quickly to avoid relegation. The Scudetto in Italy also is a tight affair. Fiorentina leads defending champion Parma by three points after 30 games, while Roma is another three points further behind. Cesena’s paltry 18 points from 30 matches means they are already mathematically certain of relegation. At the moment, Treviso, Foggia and Empoli are the leading favourites to join Cesena in Serie B. Finally, to Portugal, and Porto enjoys a comfortable six point break to Salgueiros, and indeed has a game in hand on their closest rival. Marítimo sits in third place, three points behind Salgueiros and two points clear of fourth-placed Rio Ave. Imortal, Farense and Aves are in the drop zone.

A few days after the Dutch media talked up the chances of their country taking home the most prestigious prize in world football, the Argentine media hit back with their own campaign to reduce the odds of Argentina retaining the title they won against the Netherlands four years ago.

19th of April 2006

European Champions’ League - Quarter-Final, 2nd leg: Cartagonova v Parma

By the end of this game, I’m one part relieved, the other part absolutely furious. I’m relieved we scored three times in the first leg away from home, and I’m absolutely furious because we let Parma walk all over us in this leg. Our home crowd is completely neutralised as Parma take control of the game straight from kick-off. Losing Ãlvarez on 37 minutes doesn’t help us, either, forcing Jaliens onto the pitch and Ballesteros into centre-half. Parma scores its first goal on 40 minutes when Portuguese winger Sérgio Conceição waltzes through my defence to plant an unstoppable drive past Vidal. Five minutes of injury time added by the referee allows Parma to score its second goal when Stephan Appiah plays it through the legs of Gershon and then lays it off to Delvecchio and the former Roma striker comfortably converts the opportunity.

We’ve barely had a sniff of goal, and a goal in the second half would be nice, at least to calm the nerves. But it doesn’t come as we’re all hands to the pump when Parma treat us with contempt. Thanks to a sterling display from Vidal, who finally steps up to the plate after a poor first half, we somehow manage to not concede that crucial third goal and we manage to scrape into the semi-finals 3-2 on aggregate. But I’m very disappointed with the way we played.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, Ãlvarez (Jaliens 37), Ballesteros; Michel (Vucko 66), Gustavsson, Lua-Lua; Morán; Notman, Kokmeijer (Sabino 66).

Parma (4-4-2): Buffon ©; Candela, Lorenzini, McClenahan, Bonomi (Falsini 84); Espinal, Hugo, Appiah, Sérgio Conceição; Delvecchio, Amoroso (Catanha 55).

Final score: Cartagonova 0:2 Parma

Aggregate: Cartagonova 3:2 Parma

MoM - Fabrizio Lorenzini

So, if the odds of us winning the Champions’ League plunged with our big victory in the first leg, they would have immediately shot out again upon the conclusion of this match. We barely deserved to make it to the final four, especially since Parma had thirteen shots at goal, compared to our five shots. They won 62% of the aerial contests, which is worrying, since a similar figure was seen against Mallorca.

[Dixie Flatline]

21st of April 2006

I thought that everybody had left Ballesteros alone, but no, Barcelona resumes the chase, offering me £3.9 million straight up for him. I wearily tell my counterpart at Barcelona that only an offer of £4.8 million now and £2.2 million after 20 league games will do for me.

“…It’s an all Spanish affair in one of the two semi-final ties for the European Champions’ League as Cartagonova will host Celta Vigo at the Estádio Municipál de Cartagena on the 3rd of May 2006, with the return leg to be played at the Balaidos one week later. The other tie matches together Paris-Saint-Germain with Borussia Dortmund.â€

Unfortunately, our success in the Champions’ League has forced the Spanish FA into once again rescheduling league and cup matches. The latest fixture list sees us play Barcelona in the second leg of the Copa del Rey in the Nou Camp on the 17th of May, and then just two days later we meet them at home on a Friday! Then, two days later, we finish the league season against Numancia. Wonderful.

23rd of April 2006

I fear this morning that my worst nightmare has come true. Celta Vigo offers me £5 million for Ballesteros, and they are joined by Real Madrid. The difference is that Celta Vigo wants to pay the money over 18 months, while Real Madrid is happy to pay up immediately. I feel that this means the loophole cannot function, but to my surprise, our lawyers advise me that I can reject both bids without problems, should I choose not to pursue the bids. I immediately contact my colleagues at both clubs to inform both of them that they should not pursue their current bids at this time. They aren’t happy, but that’s not my problem. My problem is that Ballesteros is again unhappy that I’m not allowing him to follow his dream of playing for a ‘big club’.

At the same time, Barcelona pulls out of the negotiations to purchase the defender.

[Dixie Flatline]

Primera Liga - Game 33: Real Madrid v Cartagonova

“…This match may well be regarded as the final straw that broke the back of Señor Vicente del Bosque. Only three days before, Cartagonova had been humiliated by a rampant Parma at its own stadium, but today they came to humiliate Real Madrid in front of their own disbelieving supporters. José Redondo scored first for the visitors on 11 minutes, turning in the rebound from Michel’s volley which was not saved effectively by Cañizares. Real Madrid should have levelled the scores two minutes later, but Raúl’s header was hopelessly off target and instead Cartagonova extended its lead on 28 minutes when Cañizares again failed to hold a shot, this time the ball spilled at the feeet of Fernando Morán and the midfielder scored the easiest goal of his collection of 20 for the season. Then Real Madrid gave away a free kick 9 minutes from half-time and Morán made them pay, thundering home a curling, dipping free kick that Cañizares had no chance of saving.â€

“The second half was for most of it a repeat of the first half, with Cartagonova completely dominating their demoralised opponents. Niels Kokmeijer scored the club’s fourth goal on 64 minutes, curling a delicate shot into the top corner polishing off excellent work by Morán. Twelve minutes later, Redondo made it 5-0 on the afternoon when he played a clever one-two with Gavião before crashing a drive into the far corner of the net. Real Madrid were then hit for six by Niels Kokmeijer who picked up Makelele’s errant pass in the middle of midfield then dribbled his way through the Madrid defence before letting fly with a curling shot that again Cañizares could not get near to.â€

“Real Madrid achieved a modicum of undeserved respect late on when they scored twice in two minutes. Gershon gave away a penalty for a reckless challenge on Totti, which Helguera easily converted, while Raúl, one of Real Madrid’s few players to show up for the full 90 minutes, scored in the last minute of play. However, the afternoon belonged to Cartagonova and its players, while the Real Madrid fans - those still left after this carnage they witnessed - booed and jeered their own team off the Santiago Bernabéu pitch. It’s a match that nobody here will forget in a hurry.â€

What an amazing game. There is no way I could have predicted we would have thumped Real Madrid 6-2 on their own patch after we were so thoroughly outplayed by Parma just three days earlier. But obviously recalling Gavião and Redondo to the starting eleven had the desired effect. Both were instrumental in our victory, while Jaliens did well to cover the absence of Ãlvarez. Unfortunately, the magnitude of our victory is overshadowed by news filtering through from the Nou Camp that Barcelona thrashed Sporting Gijón 4-1. But the board is still delighted by the way we played, and we can now look forward to hosting Real Betis next weekend before preparing to take on Celta Vigo in the Champions’ League.

Real Madrid (5-3-2): Cañizares (Franco 76); Roberto Carlos, Iván Helguera, Bornes, Grillito, César; Stankovic, Totti, Makelele; Raúl ©, Ronaldinho.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, Ballesteros, Jaliens; Gavião; Michel, Lua-Lua (Vucko 62); Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Final score: Real Madrid 2:6 Cartagonova

MoM - Fernando Morán

Iván Vidal, Fernando Morán and Niels Kokmeijer are all awarded starts in the Team of the Week. Shimon Gershon has to make do with a place on the bench.

[pooscalery]

What an amazing result

Still reading Dixie, KUTGW

But keep posting-

Keep Smiling!

[Dixie Flatline]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by pooscalery:

What an amazing result

Still reading Dixie, KUTGW

But keep posting-

Keep Smiling!

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks pooscalery! I would have liked the referee to have blown three minutes early so we wouldn't have conceded those two goals which made the scoresheet rather flattering for Real Madrid. But I have to admit that I'm amazed with the way we played that day. Everything we did turned out right, so it is little wonder that we put six past them!

[Dixie Flatline]

There is more speculation in the football press that Croatia, featuring Jurica Vucko, will not win the World Cup in Germany in the summer. However, Italy joins the Netherlands and Argentina as a country who has more than an outside chance of winning the prestigious trophy.

26th of April 2006

I’m contacted by the manager of Glasgow Celtic, Mr Martin O’Neill, who wishes to pay me £6.25 million for Niels Kokmeijer. I inform Mr O’Neill that Niels is still a very important player to me and that I don’t wish to sell him. However, that doesn’t go down well with Niels, who makes it clear in training this evening that he thinks he should have been allowed to discuss terms with Celtic.

In the evening, international friendlies are played in Europe. Here is a round-up of the more interesting results. Spain defeated the Czech Republic in Prague 3-1 with goals from Barcelona’s Iván De la Peña and Real Madrid’s Raúl (2). Tottenham’s Patrik Berger gave the Czechs some hope of salvaging something from the game after Spain raced to a 2-0 lead, but Raúl’s second goal 17 minutes from time sealed the result. Croatia dealt comfortably with England in Split, winning 3-1 over the Three Lions. Veteran striker Mario Stanic, now playing with Lazio, opened the Croats’ account on 22 minutes, then Bayer Leverkusen’s Goran Vlaovic made it 2-0 11 minutes later. Ipswich’s Matt Taylor pulled it back to 2-1 on 47 minutes, but Vlaovic’s second goal of the game sealed the result.

Two goals in the space of 3 minutes from Bayern München’s Jens Jeremies and VfB Stuttgart’s Carsten Jancker dented Italy’s hopes of claiming outright favouritism for the World Cup as the Azzurri crashed 2-0 to Germany in Berlin. But the Dutch consolidated their reputation as the premier European country as they defeated France 3-1 in Amsterdam. Goals from Ajax’s Theo Janssen and PSV’s Ruud van Nistelrooy made it 2-0 to the Netherlands by the 22nd minute, but PSG’s Sylvain Wiltord halved the Dutch’s lead on 39 minutes. However, Barcelona’s Edgar Davids made the game safe on 57 minutes.

Like England, Northern Ireland and Ireland did not fare well this evening. Northern Ireland had Aaron Hughes sent off after just 10 minutes for a straight red card and then proceeded to lose 1-0 to Cyprus thanks to a goal to Mihalis Georgalis. At Landsdowne Road, Ireland crashed 2-0 to Greece with goals to Karagounis on 52 minutes and Iordanidis on 90 minutes. But Scotland and Wales did better. The Scots, without Cartagonova’s Alex Notman, defeated Turkey at Hampden Park 1-0 thanks to Spurs’ Gary McCutcheon, who scored on his debut. Wales defeated Lithuania in Vilnius with goals to Craig Bellamy of Manchester United on 45 minutes and Portsmouth’s veteran John Robinson on 70 minutes.

Cartagonova only had one international representative this evening. Iulian Filipescu played 90 (poor) minutes for Romania as his country defeated Russia 2-1 in Moskva.

[Dixie Flatline]

27th of April 2006

I’m woken this morning to news from Osasuna that they wish to purchase my Swedish defender Axel Wingård from Cartagonova for £2 million over 18 months. I turn down the offer, but Axel, like Ballesteros, Francisco Sanz and Niels Kokmeijer before him, is not happy about it.

28th of April 2006

News reaches my ears that the Dutch media is spreading rumours that promoted Atlético Madrid will sign Kew Jaliens for £4.9 million. I discredit these rumours as absolute rubbish.

30th of April 2006

Primera Liga - Game 34: Cartagonova v Real Betis

Real Betis, fresh from losing in the Copa del Rey semi-final to Real Vallodolid, comes to the Estádio Municipál de Cartagena with little to play for. Sitting in eleventh place before the game kicks off they are probably too far off the European spots to think about mounting a serious charge, nor are they threatened by relegation. We, on the other hand, have everything to play for. If Villarreal can do the unthinkable and defeat Barcelona at El Madrigal, then we have a slight chance of overhauling Barcelona by the time the season ends. We can only dream!

Betis’ negative tactics are rewarded after just six minutes as Morán gathers up Gavião’s knock-down from Miki’s clearance and sends in a crashing drive past the Betis keeper from 30 yards! But our joy is shortlived. At a Real Betis corner, Gavião’s clearance only goes as far as David Rivas, who fires it back into the area where he finds Youssef Chippo. The former Arsenal and Coventry midfielder swings his foot at the ball speculatively, but makes sweet contact and sends it beyond Vidal. We waste a couple of opportunities to take back the lead. Michel’s excellent run culminates in a drive at Miki’s goal, but the keeper does well to knock it aside. Morán picks up the ball, but his pass to Redondo is not smart and the Real Betis defence clears the ball away. But we regather possession and Redondo’s cross is volleyed fiercely by Kokmeijer, and the Betis keeper is working overtime to keep it out of the net.

Free-flowing play sees both my side and the opposition spurn golden opportunities at both ends of the pitch thanks to excellent keeping from both Miki and Vidal. We’re unlucky to not enter the half-time break with a lead, as Redondo and Michel send shots just inches over the bar. Our search for a second goal continues in the second half, with Michel seeing his drive half-smothered by Miki on 55 minutes. Only five minutes later, and we have the goal our work deserves. Gavião takes the ball from deep inside our half and nutmegs his counterpart, Txomin Nagore, before lobbing the ball into the area where Kokmeijer dives onto it to score with an excellent header! But Gavião is powerless to stop Mexican international Omar Rodriguez from ghosting past him and trying his luck. Fortunately, Vidal manages to save his shot. We lose Redondo to injury on 73 minutes, which allows Notman to come on to impress me. We have a few more opportunities to extend our lead, but Kokmeijer can’t hit the back of the net for the second time in the game, and in the end we are indebted to Vidal from preserving our victory when he saves well from Chippo’s long-range effort.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz (Livermore 66), Gershon, Ballesteros, Jaliens; Michel, Gavião, Lua-Lua; Morán; Redondo (Notman 73), Kokmeijer.

Real Betis (3-5-2): Miki; Rivas ©, Iván Campo, Maínz; Sun, Chippo, Nagore, Mario (Ezquerro 61), Rodriguez; Garrido, Bolic (Casas 78).

Final score: Cartagonova 2:1 Real Betis

MoM - Iván Vidal

[Dixie Flatline]

Unfortunately, Barcelona all but wraps up the title for another year with a 1-0 victory over Villarreal, thanks to substitute Gerard’s goal on 55 minutes. It leaves Barcelona 11 points ahead of us with a game in hand. We have to win all four games we have to play (including a match against Barcelona), while we have to hope that Barcelona loses all five games it has to play until the end of the season. I think the odds of that happening is about a million to one.

Iván Vidal is the goalkeeper for the Team of the Week. Which is nice! Not so nice is the fact that our influential, prolific striker José Manuel Redondo is ruled out for a fortnight with a twisted knee.

Today’s victory is our 23rd win of the league campaign, and eases us past our previous high points tally of 73, since we are now on 75 points.

1st of May 2006

I’m invited to the palatial residence of Señor Florentino Manzano, like I am every month on a night like this, to have my performance reviewed. As usual, the wine and beer flow freely, while I enjoy the occasional Cuban cigar. This evening I am told that the board of directors, run by the Manzano family (Florentino’s brother, Antonio, is vice-chairman), is delighted with my performance as manager of Cartagonova. Then they add that they believe that Niels Kokmeijer is an invaluable member of the team. I agree with them enthusiastically, and ask them to have a word with Niels to calm him down, since he is still sore at me for not allowing him to talk turkey with Celtic.

3rd of May 2006

I announce to the Spanish press this morning that Cartagonova has agreed terms with Queens Park Rangers’ Philippe Mexès. The 24 year old sweeper originally commenced his career with Auxerre before joining QPR in 2003/04. But he has yet to play 50 games since he began his professional career back in 1999/00, so this might represent some type of gamble, particularly since he is not a natural centre-half, but rather a sweeper. However, I feel there is sufficient natural talent in the Frenchman that we can work upon his inadequacies and he should be a good addition to the squad.

Keep smiling!

Dixie Flatline

[Dixie Flatline]

7th of May 2006

Primera Liga - Game 35: Getafe v Cartagonova

Barcelona can wrap up the title today if they win at home against Extremadura, and let’s face it, the 18th club in the league isn’t likely to upset the favourites. But we have our own job to do - defeat Getafe in the grandly named Coliseum Alfonso Pérez. We should have taken the lead on 17 minutes, but after doing all the hard work in bullocking through the Getafe defence, Alex Notman’s shot clips the bar and goes behind for a goal kick rather than in the back of the net. Vidal then saves well from Otfors-Palmqvist on 25 minutes to preserve the clean sheet and prevent the inkling of an upset. But five minutes later, Getafe’s captain, Guillermo Varela, disappoints the home crowd when he thunders a drive against the cross-bar with Vidal frozen. Then old boy Marcelo Moya seems determined to remind us of old times when he advances from deep upon our defence before letting fly with a rocket that Vidal does well to get his finger tips to.

But like in the Barcelona game, class begins to prevail, and it is assisted by the red card dismissal of Rodríguez for a professional foul for a terrible tackle perpetrated on Notman five minutes from time. Kokmeijer, in the absence of both Filipescu and Redondo, takes control of the penalty and duly converts it. Five minutes into the second half, and Notman is unlucky not to add a second goal to our tally when he smashes a drive towards Valencia’s goal, only to see the veteran keeper use all his experience to keep the shot out. But when Kenneth Gustavsson picks up Moya’s tackle on Lua-Lua on 67 minutes and feeds Lacruz, the Getafe defence has no answer for the full back who punishes them with a searing volley from the edge of the area. We wrap up our work for the day on 78 minutes when Kokmeijer’s excellent pass is well controlled by Notman and the big Scotsman scores with a contender for goal of the week, at least, when he bends a curving shot towards the top corner and guides it all the way home. He could have had another just before the end of the game, but we’re content with a 3-0 victory and the clean sheet.

Getafe (4-4-2): Valencia; Moya, Rodríguez, Leo; Sancho (Paci 13 (Manuel 58)), Enguix, Varela ©, Solana; Otfors-Palmqvist, Silvani (Molina 40).

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Gershon, Ballesteros, Jaliens; Gustavsson; Mendoza, Lua-Lua (Vucko 80); Clegg; Notman, Kokmeijer.

Final score: Getafe 0:3 Cartagonova

MoM - Alex Notman