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

[Dixie Flatline]

What a way to enter the second leg of the third round of the Copa del Rey against Barcelona! I officially warn Jaliens and Michel about their poor performances, but they say nothing to indicate that they’ve taken my frustrations on board and are going to do something about it. At least Verón and Alfonso, the two players who tormented us last time out, are injured and will sit in the stands - but that brings back Luis Enrique and Patrick Kluivert.

Interesting, on a head-to-head comparison, we’ve actually sneaked ahead with the last victory - we’ve taken two wins, a draw and two losses from five games (as have had Barcelona), but we’ve outscored them ten goals to nine!

17th of January 2005

“… AC Milan manager, Signor Oscar Ruggeri, announced this afternoon that his club will sign one of Italy’s hottest properties, Udinese striker Vincenzio Iaquinta, on a Bosman free transfer this summer. He will replace the outgoing Yugoslav international striker, Savo Milosevic, who is resigned to leaving the club at the end of the season when his contract expires. Recently, the powerful forward has been linked with moves to Cartagonova and Dutch club AZ. AC Milan fought off the attentions of Lazio to attract Vincenzio Iaquinta to them, but Oscar Ruggeri’s squad is struggling to escape â€

19th of January 2005

“… Associated Press reports this morning that Cartagonova defensive midfielder, Fernando Couto, wants to leave the club in a £140,000 move to Deportivo La Coruña. Apparently also interested in the Portuguese veteran is Real Vallodolid. Fernando Couto and manager, Señor Dixie Flatline, fell out the previous weekend after the midfielder requested a transfer away from the club. Couto was left out of Cartagonova’s 4-1 loss to Deportivo on the weekend, but club officials, speaking on behalf of the manager, deny that any rumour of an imminent transfer deal was the motivation for the influential midfielder being overlooked. Señor Flatline could not be reached for comment about the story…â€

Bástard. Couto has now alienated a couple of players in the squad, including the influential player/coach Romário, who is happy that I’ve taken action against him.

[Dixie Flatline]

Copa del Rey - Third Round, Second Leg: Barcelona v Cartagonova

“…In a major upset, Cartagonova knocked out the defending champion Barcelona as both sides played out a 0-0 draw in the Nou Camp in Barcelona. Trailing 3-2 on the first leg, Barcelona needed to win by at least one clear goal but new Cartagonova captain, Iván Vidal, threw up stout resistance to deny Barcelona time and again. Interestingly, Señor Serra Ferrer, boss of Barcelona, decided not to play star striker Patrick Kluivert, and the lack of a cutting edge up forward seemed to be Barcelona’s downfall, time and again. But when Cartagonova’s defensive midfielder, Gavião was sent off after 36 minutes, it seemed that the win was for the taking. Yet, Cartagonova managed to battle their way to the break still deadlocked with their opponents. In fact, if Filipescu had been on target, Cartagonova may have taken a 1-0 lead into the break.â€

“After the break, Barcelona continued to batter away at Cartagonova’s defence but Vidal continued to defy the odds and push, smother and catch every shot that came his way. But when Vidal brought down Ortega in the area on 79 minutes, it seemed that Cartagonova’s brave resistance would finally crumble. Yet the keeper was let off with just a yellow card and then proceeded to deflect away Nedved’s weak penalty shot. The efforts of two new signings for Cartagonova, George Clegg and Axel WingÃ¥rd, in injury time denied Luis Enrique and Nano and when the referee blew his whistle to end the match, the only noise coming from the crowd was the delighted cheers from the small band of Cartagonova supporters. Señor Dixie Flatline was understandably delighted to knock out the club that had defeated his 4-3 in the Copa del Rey’s final last season and to move into the quarter-final with a 3-2 aggregate victory. Señor Lorenzo Serra Ferrer refused to comment on why he left out prolific hit-man Patrick Kluivert in favour of Dani and Ariel Ortega…â€

If I was furious on the weekend, today I’m the happiest man in Spain!

Barcelona (3-5-2): Laínez; Villena, Luis Enrique, Abelardo; Sergi, Davids ©, Nedved, De la Peña (Gabri 83), Varela (Puyol 75); Dani (Nano 56), Ortega.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Ãlvarez, WingÃ¥rd, Ballesteros; Gavião; Michel, Clegg; Morán; Redondo, Esposito (Filipescu 36).

Final score: Barcelona 0:0 Cartagonova

Aggregate: Cartagonova 3:2 Barcelona

MoM - Iván Vidal (of course!)

[Dixie Flatline]

20th of January 2005

Villarreal’s manager, Señor Víctor Muñoz, hopes to take advantage of my newfound desire to remove Fernando Couto from my squad by offering me a cut-price £130,000 for the Portuguese veteran. But I’m not stupid enough to go for a bid like that, and I immediately respond by demanding £375,000.

In the evening’s training session, Fernando Morán sprains his ankle and rules himself out of contention for three weeks. That’s too bad, because he was close to recapturing his form from two seasons ago. But I guess that gives either Vucko, Clegg, Miranda or Esposito the opportunity to impress me in the AMC position.

21st of January 2005

More transfer speculation revolves around the club, with a local paper reporting that Getafe is ready to bid £525,000 for Francisco Ãlvarez. I immediately move to hose down that rumour before it starts any fires around the club. The young midfielder isn’t going anywhere just yet, except home to sleep after the latest training session.

I’m beginning to think that the Spanish FA doesn’t want us to have another crack at winning the Copa del Rey after they drew us with Athletic Bilbao in the quarter-final stage. At least we have the comfort of playing away first, so if we can sneak a goal away from home, I’ll feel happier about it. But Real Betis and Málaga got the sweet end of the deal, with ties against second division opposition in Real Oviedo and Ourense.

22nd of January 2005

Villarreal doesn’t like the money I want them to pay for Fernando Couto, so the club pulls out of the chase for the moment. That’s too bad, but I’m not willing to let him go for just £130,000.

[Dixie Flatline]

23rd of January 2005

Sevilla’s manager, a certain Señor Carlos Tornadijo, still remembers that I was willing to deal over a possible transfer of Oliver, my left winger, to his club and he returns today with a bid of £1.8 million which is slightly more than double his nominal value. For a player who has played just once this season, I think that’s a good price, and I’m very tempted to take it, given the wealth of midfield options I already have and will have at my disposal. At 25 years old, there is still time in his career to visit a couple of clubs after Cartagonova, so I whack in a 10% sell-on clause and see if Sevilla goes for it.

While I’m haggling over Oliver’s potential transfer, news flashes up on my office television, tuned of course, to ESPN. The anchorman announces that Lazio has confirmed the signature of one Róbson Ponte from Bayer Leverkusen for a disgusting £16.75 million. It’s disgusting because I can’t afford that.

Primera Liga - Game 20: Alavés v Cartagonova

The season turns today as we visit Basque country and more specifically the Mendizorroza stadium in Vitoria to play Alavés, whom we defeated 2-0 on the first day of the season thanks to goals from Michel and Esposito. I want that scoreline to be repeated to put the distaste of the bad performance against Deportivo far behind us. We’re in seventh going into today’s fixture, but we lie just two points (and goal difference) behind Sporting Gijón in fourth place, so I can see the incentive there for a good result today.

And we indeed do get the victory, but only after an unexpected second-half struggle. After Contra forced a corner from Vidal, we sweep the ball away from the corner kick and it lands at the feet of Redondo, who jinks his way through the defence (including old boy José Tárraga, who played in 87 appearances, scored 9 goals, created 9 more, won 2 MoMs and averaged 6.98 during his career with us) before lashing a fierce shot past Jerzy Dudek. But we don’t build on our lead and indeed we’re indebted to Vidal for the clean sheet at the break with Juan Carlos, Juanjo, Lakis and Epitié all wasting good opportunities to equalise. I emphasise to the defence that they need to concentrate more on their jobs, while I ask the forwards to grab another goal to make the points safe. But Juan Carlos finally equalises for Alavés on 70 minutes. That sparks us into action and we go on the rampage around Alavés’ goal. On 75 minutes, Gavião kept up his scoring record by picking up Tárraga’s clearance and thumping it in low past Dudek! We could have, and should have had more, but in the end I’m happy to settle for the three points the way they are.

Alavés (4-2-4): Dudek ©; Pérez (Castaño 51), Tárraga, Mayo, Contra; Ismael Ruiz (Patri 59), Lakis (Wisio 51); Juan Carlos, Juanjo, Javi Moreno, Epitié.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Ãlvarez, WingÃ¥rd, Ballesteros; Gavião; Michel, Clegg; Vucko; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Final score: Alavés 1:2 Cartagonova

MoM - José Manuel Redondo

[Dixie Flatline]

The board of directors is delighted with the fact we’ve achieved the double over Alavés this season, but I’m more delighted that José Manuel Redondo finally broke Stan Collymore’s league goals record. Redondo made the bench of the Team of the Week, while Gavião and Kokmeijer are in the starting eleven.

That was the twentieth league match of the season, so here is the current ladder:

24th of January 2005

Michel bruises his shin after a particularly nasty tackle from Jaliens in training this evening and will sit out of the action for about ten days. That gives Miranda the opportunity to shine down the left flank for us.

25th of January 2005

Sevilla’s manager thinks my terms are reasonable so offers me 10% sell-on clause. I almost regret the decision to name such terms, but it’s too late now and I let Oliver decide his future fate with the Sevilla crew. It takes him about six hours to make up his mind and he will leave in the summer for Seville.

Keep smiling!

Dixie Flatline

[Dixie Flatline]

Back in the harness for more tall tales from Cartagonova!

29th of January 2005

Another game live on national television, and I’m not surprised, because it is seventh versus second on the ladder. Only a week or so after we dumped their side out of the Copa del Rey, Barcelona supporters will be waving the Cartagonova flag this afternoon as we attempt to stop Celta Vigo drawing level on points with the league leader. We take the lead efficiently when Gavião seeks out Redondo with a long ball through the defence. Redondo takes the ball in his stride then slams home a long-range rocket into the top of the Celta Vigo net after six minutes! Clegg, playing this afternoon behind the strikers as I swapped him with Vucko, picks up Miranda’s nice pass before tucking it into the back of the net! But Celta boasts the most dangerous striker in the division and sure enough Diego Ribera quietens the crowd’s cheers when he holds off Ballesteros before driving an arrow into our net. I immediately tell Gavião to concentrate on putting the screws on the Spanish international and it seems to keep him quiet for a while. Of course, I want to re-establish our two goal buffer and Clegg satisfies my demand when he advances from deep to pick up Redondo’s lobbed pass and volleys it home! Six minutes before the break, we extend our lead when Vucko crosses into the box where Redondo lurks and the striker shows he is right back in form by thundering home an unstoppable header to make it 4-1!

Celta obviously come out after the break looking to regain some pride and respectability, but Iván Vidal parries away Morales’ shot on 51 minutes, but we’re back on the attack and Kokmeijer, conspicuous by his quietness this afternoon, forces Erwin Lemmens into a good save on 58 minutes. But that almost wraps it up for the second half action, although Casquero gives Vidal some work late in the game when our newly installed captain pulls off a double save to finish off a highly satisfying match. I am happy to see that Gavião carries off my instructions to the letter, keeping the dangerous Ribera very quiet in the second half.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Óscar Ãlvarez, WingÃ¥rd, Ballesteros; Miranda, Gavião, Vucko; Clegg; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Celta Vigo (4-3-2-1): Lemmens; Numan (Roger 57), Quique Ãlvarez (Bravo 51), Wörns, Jaime Quesada; Vágner, Xavi © (De Pedro 57), Morales; Gustavo López, Casquero; Diego Ribera.

Final score: Cartagonova 4:1 Celta Vigo

MoM - José Manuel Redondo

[Dixie Flatline]

The victory pushes us into third place, but only temporarily as the rest of the league plays tomorrow. Surprisingly, though, we sit just two points behind Barcelona and Celta Vigo who fill first and second respectively - I didn’t think we were playing that well this season! Then again, this time tomorrow might find us as low as seventh - it’s very tight up there in the nose-bleed section!

30th of January 2005

As I suspected would happen, we’re bumped back down the ladder to sixth as Athletic Bilbao drops two points on the road to Atlético Madrid. But there is a serious log-jam building at the top of the ladder, with Barcelona leading Celta Vigo, Valencia and Espanyol by a point, and Sporting Gijón, my club and Athletic Bilbao by three points. Barcelona has lost only one game in the league this season, but nine draws from 21 matches gives them 42 points when they could be so much further in front.

But the real surprise this season is seeing how poorly Real Madrid is performing, lying eleventh in the league some 14 points off the pace set by Barcelona.

Great news for players at the club as almost half the Team of the Week’s first eleven is filled by Cartagonova players, including Lacruz at left-back, Gavião and Clegg in centre midfield, Vucko on right wing and Redondo being partnered by Patrick Kluivert in attack. Iván Vidal is the substitute keeper. Bravo is the only Celta Vigo player capable of holding his head up high as he is named at right-back.

[Dixie Flatline]

1st of February 2005

I finalise my squad for our assault on the Champions’ League:

Goalkeepers

Iván Vidal (26 y/o, ESP, GK): 96 apps, 116 conceded, 10 MoMs, av. rate: 7.34

Francesc Arnau (29 y/o, ESP, GK): 12 apps, 11 conceded, 2 MoMs, av. rate: 7.25

Joaquín Moso (26 y/o, ESP, GK): 1(3) apps, 1 conceded, av. rate: 7.5

Defenders

Juan Carlos Castro (18 y/o, ESP 1 cap, SW/D C)

Iulian Filipescu (30 y/o, ROM 40 caps, 1 goal, SW/D/DM C): 50(5) apps, 4 goals, 4 assists, 1 MoM, av. rate: 6.71

Ballesteros (29 y/o, ESP, D/DM RC): 63(1) apps, 1 goal, 3 assists, av. rate: 6.90

Kew Jaliens (26 y/o, NED 2 caps, D RC): 16(1) apps, 2 assists, av. rate: 6.88

José María Lacruz (26 y/o, ESP, D RL): 68(3) apps, 5 assists, 1 MoM, av. rate: 6.70

Curro Torres (28 y/o, ESP, D/DM L): 11(2) apps, 1 MoM, av. rate: 6.92

Mariano Fernández (26 y/o, ARG, D C): 6 apps, 1 assist, av. rate: 7.17

Óscar Ãlvarez (27 y/o, ESP, D C): 61(1) apps, 3 goals, 1 assist, 2 MoMs, av. rate: 7.11

Alex Wingård (24 y/o, SWE, D C): 3(1) apps, av. rate: 7.00

[Dixie Flatline]

Midfielders

Fernando Manuel Couto (35 y/o, POR 82 caps, 7 goals, D/DM C): 140 apps, 4 goals, 10 assists, 13 MoMs, av. rate: 7.34

Francisco Ãlvarez (18 y/o, ESP, DM C)

Gavião (24 y/o, BRA, DM C): 4 apps, 2 goals, 1 assist, av. rate: 7.75

Pablo Box (26 y/o, ESP, M RC): 18(15) apps, 7 goals, 6 assists, 3 MoMs, av. rate: 7.03

George Clegg (24 y/o, ENG, AM/F RC): 5(2) apps, 3 goals, av. rate: 6.86

Paulo Miranda (25 y/o, ARG, AM RLC): 18(17) apps, 6 goals, 5 assists, 2 MoMs, av. rate: 7.26

Fernando Morán (28 y/o, ESP, AM RLC): 127(4) apps, 39 goals, 29 assists, 8 MoMs, av. rate: 7.34

Rufete (28 y/o, ESP 1 cap, AM R): 49(1) apps, 13 goals, 12 assists, 3 MoMs, av. rate: 7.18

Jurica Vucko (28 y/o, HRV 12 caps, AM/F RC): 25(5) apps, 3 goals, 6 assists, 1 MoM, av. rate: 7.00

Michel (29 y/o, ESP, AM L): 114(4) apps, 18 goals, 27 assists, 3 MoMs, av. rate: 7.22

Keith O’Neill (28 y/o, IRE 27 caps, 4 goals, AM/F LC): 3(7) apps, 1 goal, av. rate: 6.80

[Dixie Flatline]

Forwards

Mauro Esposito (25 y/o, ITA, AM/F LC): 12(6) apps, 4 goals, 5 assists, 2 MoMs, av. rate: 7.17

Juan Eduardo Esnáider (31 y/o, ARG 2 caps, 1 goal, AM/F C): 17(7) apps, 5 goals, 6 assists, 3 MoMs, av. rate: 7.50

Niels Kokmeijer (25 y/o, NED, S C): 32 apps, 11 goals, 8 assists, 2 MoMs, av. rate: 7.53

José Manuel Redondo (28 y/o, ESP, S C): 108(2) apps, 65 goals, 30 assists, 19 MoMs, av. rate: 7.91

2nd of May 2005

Copa del Rey - Quarter-final, First Leg: Athletic Bilbao v Cartagonova

I believe that if we get over this hurdle, then we should be considered the favourite for the Copa del Rey, but getting a result out of San Mamés will always be a difficult prospect. A tight first half is illuminated finally by Arteaga setting free Jorge Pérez who beats second-string keeper Francesc Arnau with his shot, but thankfully it rebounds off the bar. We sweep the ball away from the goalkick towards Kokmeijer the Dutchman sets up Redondo. But Redondo wastes the opportunity when he hits his drive wide of the mark. Just when I think we’ll get to half-time with a blank scoreline overlooking us, Athletic Bilbao win a free kick, quickly taken by Arteaga who finds Jorge Pérez. The attacking midfielder turns straight towards goal and then drives a shot into the corner of the goal.

I emphasise to the players the importance of taking a precious away goal out of the stadium but we’re under the cosh early in the second half when Arteaga advances unhindered on Arnau but thankfully wastes his opportunity by hitting the bar. I decide that I’ve had enough of Box’s poor performances and I introduce Filipescu and O’Neill for Box and Miranda. But Athletic Bilbao is in complete control at the moment and Francesc Arnau for some time is the busiest man on the pitch when he saves from Felipe and Carlos García around the hour mark. But against the run of play, we sneak an equaliser when Kokmeijer finds Redondo unmarked in the box and he punishes Bilbao’s slack defending with an excellent volleyed goal! But the defence cracks one more time and we fail to defend a corner cleanly. Orbaiz whips in his cross and Tabuenka rises above his marker, Óscar Ãlvarez, to thunder home his header.

Athletic Bilbao (4-3-2-1): Imanol Etxeberría; Lambea (Aitor 62), Orbaiz, Larraínzar, Kortina; Carlos García (Tabuenka 68), Punal, Felipe; Jorge Peréz (Solaun 81), Idiákez; Arteaga.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Arnau; Lacruz, Ãlvarez, WingÃ¥rd, Ballesteros; Box © (Filipescu 57); Miranda (O’Neill 57), Vucko; Clegg; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Final score: Athletic Bilbao 2:1 Cartagonova

MoM - Ãñigo Larraínzar

[Dixie Flatline]

In other results, Numancia simultaneously booked its place in the semi-finals and shocked high-flying Espanyol 4-1 in Soria, despite conceding a goal inside the first sixty seconds. Second division Ourense overcame Real Betis 2-1 in Orense. Real Oviedo has a foot in the semi-final stage after defeating Málaga 3-1 in Oviedo.

4th of February 2005

“… The book on one of the most highly decorated club careers was closed this afternoon as Celtic completed the purchase of Manchester United’s David Beckham for £15.5 million. Beckham was one of former manager, Sir Alex Ferguson’s most famous youth team products and appeared in the Manchester United colours 374 times while he has also represented England in 62 matches, scoring 4 goals. But a lack of success in Manchester since the acrimonious departure of Sir Alex Ferguson early in 2002 has seen the club’s stocks plummet recently and the balance of football power in the British Isles has shifted north towards Glasgow. The purchase of Beckham brings Martin O’Neill’s spending this season to a whopping £45.5 million, as the English midfielder joins Chilean striker Marcelo Salas and Dutch winger Marc Overmars at the club, although Celtic has recouped £32 million from sales of players including Ariel Ortega, Christian Vieri and Pavel Nedved.â€

[Dixie Flatline]

6th of February 2005

Primera Liga - Game 22: Numancia v Cartagonova

We’re in Soria to play our opponent Numancia today, who sits comfortably in mid-table and looks rather hard to dislodge. But we have the prolific striker José Manuel Redondo on fire at the moment and after playing a neat one-two with Lacruz, he launches us into the lead with an unstoppable rocket on 13 minutes! Yet, the lead lasts only six minutes as veteran playmaker Pedro Riesco plays the ball at the feet of Dani Torres and he crashes a drive past Vidal into the top corner. Then, unbelievably, Numancia takes the lead as Vidal’s fumbled punch from Dani Torres’ cross lands at the feet of Lunari and he makes no mistake, tucking the ball past the fallen keeper. But their lead lasts only forty seconds as straight from kick off, Clegg jinks his way through the Numancia defence before laying off a pass to the unmarked Esposito and the Italian curls a beautiful shot into the top corner!

That brings the first half’s action to a close and I tell the players I would be very disappointed if we threw two points away this afternoon. True to my word, my players are on the front foot early in the second half when a beautiful team move sees Redondo chipping a pass into the path of Esposito and the fleet-footed Italian volleys home a piledriver from twenty yards! Redondo almost makes it 4-2 on 62 minutes when he drifts past and through desperate tackles, but Ãlvaro Núñez does well to block his shot. On 79 minutes, substitute Iulian Filipescu again inflames my anger with him when he gets himself sent off for a professional foul. I strengthen the defence by taking off the impressive Clegg for Jaliens but Numancia are already beaten in their own minds, and we play out the ten minutes quite comfortably. It doesn’t stop me from dishing out yet another official warning to the Romanian, who is fast trying my patience.

Numancia (4-1-3-2): Ãlvaro Núñez; Gustavo, Babangida (Curro Montoya 83), Juanma ©, Pedersen (Santana 69); Marini; Lunari, Gorka, Acuña; Riesco, Dani Torres.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Ãlvarez (Filipescu 46), WingÃ¥rd, Ballesteros; Gavião; Miranda, Vucko; Clegg (Jaliens 79); Redondo, Esposito.

Final score: Numancia 2:3 Cartagonova

MoM - José Manuel Redondo

Surprisingly, the victory catapults us to third place on the ladder, ahead on goal difference of Espanyol, and suddenly we’re only three points from top spot and Barcelona! Redondo is steadily climbing the league goal-scoring charts, with 8 goals this season so far from 15(1) appearances. But Patrick Kluivert is again way out in front with 17 goals from 20 league appearances.

Keep smiling!

Dixie Flatline

[Dixie Flatline]

9th of February 2005

Copa del Rey - Quarter Final, second leg: Cartagonova v Athletic Bilbao

Normally on my birthday you’ll find me relaxing down at a nice restaurant with a good glass of wine or beer in my hand. But this evening, I’m on the touchline hoping my players can win by one clear goal to put us into the semi-finals and the chance of having another crack at the Copa del Rey. Athletic Bilbao come out looking to preserve the goal lead it holds over the first leg but that is just an invitation for my players to attack fiercely. Redondo should have scored on 20 minutes, but his delicate header is superbly stopped by Imanol Etxeberría. On 29 minutes, we finally have the breakthrough when Esnáider picks out Esposito with a perfect pass and the Italian does the rest! But Joseba Etxeberría runs straight through the heart of my defence before lashing home the equaliser. I’m on the touchline screaming at my players to pick up those runs from deep while also setting free Redondo and Esposito, but nothing of note happens until the second half.

With my harsh words still ringing in their ears my players take the field in the second half looking to bury Athletic Bilbao. Ten minutes after the restart, we have our second goal when Esnáider dribbles his way through tackles from Aitor Karanka and Roberto Ríos before thundering an unstoppable drive past Etxeberría! But we still need another goal to avoid extra time. The Argentine midfielder has a gilt-edged opportunity to give us that goal on 67 minutes, but his drive went inches wide.

So, with little else happening in the second half, we move into extra time, and suddenly the match changes complexion completely. Redondo puts us 3-1 ahead on the night and 3-2 on aggregate after we string together almost a dozen passes! Four minutes later, our corner is lifted into the box by Michel where Esnáider outjumps the keeper to make it 4-1 on the night! Two minutes later, Couto scythes his way through Athletic Bilbao’s defence and then smashes home our fifth goal of the evening! Six minutes into the second half of extra time, Esnáider completes his hat-trick and the scoring for 6-1 on the night, which is the greatest ever victory under my stewardship! The Estádio Municipál de Cartagena is rocking as the crowd chants each player’s name!

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal; Lacruz, Stubbs, WingÃ¥rd, Ballesteros; Michel, Couto ©, Rufete (Vucko 46); Esnáider; Redondo, Esposito.

Athletic Bilbao (5-2-1-2): Imanol Etxeberría; Lambea, Karanka, Roberto Ríos, Larraínzar, Chema; Óskar Vales (Orbaiz 62), Solaun; Jorge Pérez; Joseba Etxeberría ©, Kaiku (Arteaga 53).

Final score: Cartagonova 6:1 Athletic Bilbao

Aggregate: Cartagonova 7:3 Athletic Bilbao

MoM - Juan Eduardo Esnáider

The Argentine deservedly souvenired the match ball, but he wasn’t the only one to earn full marks from the neutral judges with Redondo and Michel also grabbing perfect marks.

What a way to celebrate my birthday!

In the other results, Real Betis overturned a 2-1 deficit to win 4-2 on aggregate as they defeated Ourense 3-0 in Seville. Despite winning 2-1 in Barcelona, Espanyol crashed out of the competition 5-3 on aggregate to Numancia. Málaga and Real Oviedo drew 1-1 in La Rosaleda, but the Segunda Liga club walked away with the pass through to the semi-finals 4-2 on aggregate.

[Dixie Flatline]

11th of February 2005

Espanyol’s manager, Señor Ramón Díaz, offers me £1.6 million for Paulo Miranda. I reject his offer.

12th of February 2005

Primera Liga - Game 23: Cartagonova v Málaga

We have the opportunity to move into second place on the ladder if we can defeat Málaga this afternoon in Cartagena. But we’re made to wait a long time to open the scoring today. And that’s not to say we don’t create plenty of chances, as we do, but Pedro Contreras has decided to play well this afternoon and manages to keep the scoreline at 0-0 at half-time. We also help our opponents when some of our shots hit the bar or the post or go wide entirely. But I encourage the boys to keep it up in the second half and that sooner or later, we’ll get that breakthrough. And on 58 minutes, we do get that breakthrough - Michel picks up Clegg’s hopeful header and squares it for Kokmeijer who crashes an unstoppable drive into the top corner! A second goal would be lovely. Alex Wingård steps up to deliver it, slamming home a wicked free kick on 81 minutes for his first ever goal for the club! Looking over the stats page, I’m pleasantly surprised to see that Málaga’s forwards are so inept that they could not even manage a shot on Vidal’s goal!

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Ãlvarez, WingÃ¥rd, Ballesteros; Michel, Gavião, Rufete; Clegg; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Málaga (1-2-5-2): Contreras; Ramón; Zepeda ©, Nakazawa (Edgar 65); Agostinho (Rui Jorge 60), Quino, Jorge (Sandro 78), Darío Silva, Okunowo; Gomez, Ismael.

Final score: Cartagonova 2:0 Málaga

MoM - Michel

We climb into second place, at least temporarily, and only one point behind Barcelona who were again held to a draw by Real Sociedad and are now in real danger of dropping the lead of the division. As we record our fourth victory in succession in the Primera Liga, the media suddenly fastens upon the fact that we have steadily climbed the ladder and they inquire at the press conference whether I believe we can keep up our ‘unlikely’ title challenge. I politely ignore the question and move onto talking up our chances of taking maximum points from Bayer Leverkusen as the Champions’ League restarts on Tuesday.

[Dixie Flatline]

13th of February 2005

“… There is a real traffic jam brewing at the top of Spain’s Primera Liga, as Barcelona holds a slender one point lead over three clubs. Valencia leads the chasing pack, but only ahead of Cartagonova and Espanyol on goal difference. Celta Vigo lies a further three points behind and within striking distance of the top four clubs. Real Madrid may have left its run too late for this season, but it is now beginning to climb the ladder, being ninth after dropping as low as twelfth earlier in the season.â€

More players make the Team of the Week’s first eleven, with Alex Wingård, Michel, Rufete and Niels Kokmeijer all taking spots in the first eleven. José Manuel Redondo sits on the bench.

15th of February 2005

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

If we want to have any chance of qualifying for the knock-out stages, we need to take a victory against our German opponent this evening. But it’s going to be difficult, as we’re required to back up just three days after our game against Málaga and several of my current first choice team aren’t exactly one hundred per cent fit at the moment. So several changes are made, including the return of Couto to the centre of midfield. This also happens to be Iván Vidal’s 100th appearance in a Cartagonova guernsey.

But we get off to a great start when inside ten minutes, we have the lead. Ãlvarez finds Redondo with a nice pass into the area and the striker latches onto the pass before blasting it home! Galletti and Guerrero are Leverkusen’s most dangerous players and they both miss tough chances to bring the German club level but we make it to half time with the scoresheet still reading 1-0. At the break, I tell my players that a second goal would be much appreciated but Butt manages to deny Kokmeijer the opportunity to deliver my demand. On 56 minutes, however, Redondo has better luck - Clegg finds him with a good pass (just as I was about to take him off, too!) and the Spaniard does the rest! Patient probing from Leverkusen is finally rewarded late in the match when Galletti gets his reward for tireless work in front of goal, but it is no more than a consolation.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal; Lacruz, Ãlvarez, WingÃ¥rd, Ballesteros; Miranda (Michel 80), Couto ©, Rufete; Clegg (Vucko 67); Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Bayer Leverkusen (4-3-2-1): Butt; Gresko, Meißner, Nowotny ©, Hopp; Dittrich, Vranjes, Ramelow; Neuville, Guerrero; Galletti.

Final score: Cartagonova 2:1 Bayer Leverkusen

MoM - José Manuel Redondo

[Dixie Flatline]

16th of February 2005

There is an amazing match played in Group B, where Anderlecht prevailed over Bayern München in a nine-goal thriller. Alexander Zickler opened the scoring on 24 minutes, but within sixty seconds the Belgian club was level through Berrettoni. Walter Baseggio then gave Anderlecht the lead on 36 minutes, only to have Sergei Rebrov equalise on the stroke of half-time. Christer George put Bayern back in front with a goal on 50 minutes and Zickler extended that lead to 4-2 on 74 minutes. But just when it seemed that Bayern would cruise to an easy victory, Berrettoni pulled it back to 4-3 on 80 minutes. Lamine Traoré then equalised on 86 minutes for Anderlecht and Berrettoni completed his hat-trick in injury time to defeat Bayern München. Olivier Kahn played a dismal game, earning a rating of just 3 for his efforts this evening.

17th of February 2005

Alavés is the latest club to try to tempt me with a laughable bid of £130,000 for Fernando Couto. I laugh pretty hard down the phone at that one from my counterpart in Basque country before I demand £400,000 for the right to talk to the Portuguese midfielder.

19th of February 2005

Alavés gives up on Couto. That’s not my problem.

20th of February 2005

Primera Liga – Game 24: Mallorca v Cartagonova

It isn’t a pretty game by any stretch of the imagination, but a moment of brilliance from Redondo gives us the narrowest of victories. Clegg dazzles his way through the Mallorca defence on 36 minutes before laying off a pass to Redondo. The striker turns on a thrippence before thundering an unstoppable drive into the top corner of Roa’s net. Mallorca hammer fruitlessly at Vidal’s net, and aren’t helped by their forwards’ complete lack of composure in front of goal – only half the shots actually end up on target! To make things easier for us, Mallorca’s Michel is sent off for shoving the grinning Wingård on the hour mark. I’m happy to take the three points today and leave the entertainment to other sides. The victory puts us in third position, level on points with Valencia (ahead) and Celta Vigo (behind), with Barcelona clinging to a one point advantage at the top of the ladder.

Mallorca (3-5-2): Roa; Uribarri (Carlos 72), Merino, César ©; Ramirez, Cuéllar (Michel 59), Kühbauer (van Gastel 53), Jensen, Pablo; Losada, Luque.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal; Lacruz, Ãlvarez, WingÃ¥rd, Ballesteros; Couto ©; Miranda (Michel 74), Rufete; Clegg; Redondo, Kokmeijer (Esposito 74).

Final score: Mallorca 0:1 Cartagonova

MoM – George Clegg

[Dixie Flatline]

21st of February 2005

Word reaches me from Germany that there are reports circulating surrounding the future of Ghanaian right back, Stephen Tetteh. He is apparently about to become the focus of a £1.6 million transfer bid by SSV Ulm and the German media wants to know my reaction to such speculation. To tell you the truth, I have seen some shadowy figures lurking around our (shabby) training facilities whom have later been revealed over a few drinks down at the local to be scouts working on behalf of Ulm. They do seem to be most interested in what Tetteh does on the training pitch – Heaven knows they’ve had no chance to see him in action this season because I haven’t played him so far this season! If he was an EU national I think I’d play him every game, but that lack of a passport, forged or otherwise, is holding his career back at Cartagonova and I fear that he may have to move on to find regular football. I decide to confirm with the press that I would certainly give due consideration to an offer in the speculated region for the defender.

22nd of February 2005

They are a demanding set of fans who support Deportivo La Coruña as the chairman, citing their ‘overwhelming pressure’, sacks manager Señor Miguel Casquero just months after he turned around a crippling financial situation and simultaneously guided the club to third in the league. But lying eleventh in the division after half-way with little evidence of a turnaround in the club’s fortunes motivated the fans to produce the white handkerchiefs and the manager was soon shown the door. It could so easily have been me, because you may remember that I was offered the job at Deportivo at the beginning of last season. But I turned it down, thankfully!

Fernando Couto may have played recently, but his agent is still busy looking for the exit door out of Cartagonova. Today he releases to the public what I consider to be private details of negotiations between Villarreal, Alavés and myself, and throws in for good measure a fabrication about Braga being interested in the Portuguese midfielder. I confirm the rumour, but there is nobody currently interested in the moaning midfielder.

At the ripe old age of 30, Sol Campbell finally leaves Spurs for the ‘fallen giant’ of English football, Manchester United. Manager Simon Hunt used £9.25 million of the £15.25 million generated by the sale of David Beckham to swoop on the English defender. The former Spurs captain hopes that the move to the Lancashire-based club will rekindle his England career as new English manager, Kevin Keegan, has so far ignored his claims for a recall to the national side, preferring to use Chelsea’s Gareth Southgate, Rio Ferdinand of West Ham, Jonathan Woodgate of Rangers, Sunderland’s Ugo Ehiogu and West Ham’s Ian Pearce in the middle of defence.

[Dixie Flatline]

23rd of February 2005

The scowling voice of Kenny Dalglish, once again manager of Newcastle United, brightens my morning as he offers to wire the club £525,000 but only if we consent to selling the Magpies Francisco Ãlvarez. Despite the fact that Cartagonova’s uniform bears some resemblence to Newcastle’s strip, I don’t particularly like any type of magpie. And that makes it much easier to reject Kenny’s offer.

European Champions’ League – Phase 2, Group C, Game 4: Bayer Leverkusen v Cartagonova

I conduct the above business from my hotel room just outside the BayArena in lovely Leverkusen. But it isn’t so lovely after the referee blows his whistle for full-time, as we’ve been comprehensively outplayed and exposed at the top club level in Europe. Time and again, Leverkusen’s forwards and midfielders punch holes through my defence, and I’m not helped by a nightmare performance by Óscar Ãlvarez, who completes just one tackle out of the eight he attempted in the first half. I don’t let him have another chance in the second half, but Filipescu, his replacement, doesn’t do much better.

In any case, the damage is done by the second half, with former Athletic Bilbao midfielder Julen Guerrero delivering the knock-out punch just seconds before the break. My players proceed to ignore my instructions in the second half and go for the flashy and flamboyant, including hopelessly executed overhead volleys which leave the crowd in stitches and me glaring daggers at the offenders, including Redondo and Esposito. Bayer Leverkusen are just more composed on the night and we slip back into third place with two games left to play.

Bayer Leverkusen (1-2-4-1-2): Butt; Ritter; Meißner, Nowotny ©; Gresko, Guerrero, Vranjes, Neuville (Dittrich 65); Schneider (Ramelow 54); Urzáiz (Solari 91), Galletti.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal; Lacruz, Ãlvarez (Filipescu 46), WingÃ¥rd, Ballesteros; Gavião; Miranda (Michel 62), Rufete; Vucko; Redondo, Kokmeijer (62).

Final score: Bayer Leverkusen 1:0 Cartagonova

MoM – Julen Guerrero

[Dixie Flatline]

In the other group match, unlucky Besiktas still remains without a point in the second phase as Parma held out for a 5-4 finish at the Tardini stadium. Stephen Appiah put the Italian club in the lead early, while Catanha extended it to 2-0 on 57 minutes. But Münch pulled a goal back for Besiktas within 40 seconds and they levelled on 72 minutes through Nihat. But Parma restored its lead a minute later when the Spanish international striker Catanha added his second of the game. Yet Münch scored his second goal to make it 3-3 apiece. Two goals in the space of five minutes seemed set to seal Parma’s victory – both scored by Catanha to give him four for the game – but the Italian fans were made to sweat when Nihat scored again in injury time. But the gallant Turks ran out of time, and Parma was mightily relieved to take all three points.

The Italian club is three points clear of Leverkusen and only needs a point to ensure qualification for the knock-out stage. Leverkusen is a point clear of Cartagonova, while Besiktas remains rooted to the bottom with no points at all. Parma hosts Leverkusen while Cartagonova braves the cauldron of Turkish football in the next round.

25th of February 2005

In a replay of last season’s Copa del Rey quarter-final stage, we travel to Oviedo to play Real Oviedo in the first leg of the semi-final.

26th of February 2005

Mallorca is the next club to enter the competition to throw money at me for Francisco Ãlvarez as Señor Juande Ramos offers £650,000 for the defensive midfielder. But I’m still not interested.

27th of February 2005

Primera Liga – Game 25: Cartagonova v Sporting Gijón

I decide to drop a couple of players this afternoon as I’ve finally grown tired of their poor performances. That means there are no spots for Paulo Miranda and Óscar Ãlvarez, and it allows George Clegg and Kew Jaliens to return to the first eleven. And it is Clegg who opens the scoring on 10 minutes when he capitalises on some good work by Jaliens and Vucko to tuck home another goal! Then 16 minutes later, he picks up Ballesteros’ free kick before finding Redondo with a lofted cross. The sharpshooter aims a header towards the top corner and to all our satisfaction, it sails over the finger-tips of Bizzarri and into the net!

Farinós wastes two good opportunities to bring Sporting Gijón back into the match, and at the break I caution the defence that they should fall into complacency just because we enjoy a two-goal buffer. But in the second half, we have great difficulty lifting out of first gear and Sporting Gijón control most of the play. But for some superb marshalling of the defence by Gavião and some great keeping by Vidal, we could have conceded a goal and I think that at least one goal would have been a fair reflection of Sporting Gijón’s level of control of the play in the second half. But they can’t find the back of the net and we run out 2-0 winners!

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Ballesteros, WingÃ¥rd (Ãlvarez 77), Jaliens; Michel, Gavião, Vucko; Clegg; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Sporting Gijón (5-2-1-2): Bizzarri; Quique Martín (Calvo 82), Sergio, Damiani, Otero, Ettien; Barselleta ©, Martín Rivas; Farinós; Rubén, Madsen.

Final score: Cartagonova 2:0 Sporting Gijón

MoM – George Clegg

[Dixie Flatline]

Around the Leagues

Starting with the English Premier League, Arsenal leads the way with ten matches to play. It enjoys a narrow one point lead over Bolton Wanderers, with Newcastle United a further point behind. Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland are the leading candidates to drop to the Nationwide league. Portsmouth and Everton fill the automatic promotion places in the first division.

In Italy, the chase for the Scudetto sees Fiorentina and Parma jousting for top spot. Fiorentina leads Parma by a point after 23 matches, while Roma needs to string some wins together if it wants to close that 4 point gap to Parma. But a lot of interest is in whether manager, Signor Oscar Ruggeri, can avoid relegating AC Milan. Along with Salernitana, Vicenza and Verona, AC Milan is seven points behind Venezia and needs to put some wins on the board. In Serie B, Foggia and Napoli are locked together on 50 points, five clear of Bologna and Cosenza.

Across in Spain, Barcelona has led for most of the season, but it has difficulty escaping the attentions of Valencia, Cartagonova and Espanyol. For a long time, Barcelona has had only a one point lead over its closest rivals. It is set to meet Cartagonova in Cartagena in a fortnight, which could be a make-or-break game for both clubs in their bid for the title. Espanyol, despite dropping two points last weekend, still remains in the hunt for title glory, while Sporting Gijón and Celta Vigo are beginning to fall off the pace. At the bottom of the ladder, Osasuna, Atlético Madrid and Real Sociedad have a lot of work to do if they are to avoid relegation. In the Segunda Liga, Real Vallodolid, Tenerife and Rayo Vallecano lead the charge towards promotion.

Finally to Portugal now, and Marítimo leads Vitoria Guimarães by three points, but the latter club has a game in hand over the leader. Rio Ave and Sporting Lisbon are the clubs with the biggest chance of reeling in the top two, while Estrela da Amadora, Académica and Naval have a lot of work to do in order to avoid relegation. Belenenses, Gil Vicente and Beira-Mar lead the way towards promotion from the Second League.

Keep smiling!

Dixie Flatline

[Dixie Flatline]

Back in Spain once again!

Primera Liga – Game 26: Real Madrid v Cartagonova

A visit to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium is always a daunting prospect, despite the fact that Real Madrid is surprisingly struggling to kick-start its season as it is in a lowly ninth position. But Redondo gives us a flying start on 4 minutes when he volleys Vucko’s cross over his left shoulder into the top corner! A spectacular finish for the striker who is sky-high in confidence. But our defence is pierced all too easily by Fernando Morientes who collects Vivar Dorado’s long pass before crashing it between Vidal’s legs. Real Madrid, having learned the early lesson of giving Redondo too much time and space, shackles my strikers all too well and concentrate upon taking the lead. They’re given the opportunity by Gavião’s foul on Stankovic, and the little Brazilian wizard Ronaldinho easily converts from 25 yards. Kokmeijer hits the bar when earlier in the season he would have scored, but apart from that, there’s little to illuminate the rest of the half for Cartagonova supporters.

I’m not happy in the dressing rooms, particularly with the defence, as we’ve been too easily cut apart by Real Madrid’s skilful forwards. If we could tighten up, then we could start distributing the ball towards our strikers, but unless we get the back-line right, there’ll be hell to pay come this evening. Michel could have equalised on 54 minutes, but his header from Clegg’s cross goes terribly wide. Ronaldinho should have settled the affair in Real Madrid’s favour, but Vidal manages to get behind his strong shot, while a few minutes later, he needs to deny Stankovic the opportunity to score. Redondo is our best bet to score, but apart from his early goal, he’s left his shooting boots behind in the bus because his shots continue to spray all around the net, not inside it! But just when I think the points are lost, Redondo finds Esposito, and the Italian launches a rocket from more than 30 yards which flies unhindered into the top corner!

Real Madrid (3-4-1-2): Casillas; Grillito, Iván Helguera, Bornes; Munitis, Stankovic, Simeone, Vivar Dorado; Olivera; Ronaldinho ©, Morientes.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz (Livermore 88), Ballesteros, WingÃ¥rd, Jaliens; Gavião; Michel, Vucko; Clegg (Morán 69); Redondo, Kokmeijer (Esposito 69).

Final score: Real Madrid 2:2 Cartagonova

MoM – Joaquín Bornes

[Dixie Flatline]

8th of March 2005

European Champions’ League – Phase 2, Group C, Game 5: Besiktas v Cartagonova

Despite the fact that Besiktas is yet to gather a point in the second phase, I still consider a visit to their stadium to be a tough assignment. Lying a point behind Leverkusen, we need to take three points away today to have a chance going into the final match day, where we host Parma. But we mainly spend the early exchanges on the back foot as the Turks look to beat Vidal and establish early superiority. Esposito tests Fevzi with a sharp shot on 16 minutes, just to break up the pattern of play, but it’s no surprise to see Besiktas finally get a reward when on 27 minutes Ibrahim gathers the ball from Ahmet Dursun’s pass before driving it low through the goalkeeper’s legs for the opening goal. And to make matters worse, my strikers seem to have left their shooting boots in the dressing rooms as my midfielders fashion chance after chance for them, only to see Esposito and Redondo waste them with profligate finishing. But when Michel breaks past the Besiktas right back and sends over an exquisite cross that completely cuts out the keeper, Esposito can simply tap it in and equalise! In the same way, Michel opens up the Besiktas defence but this time, Esposito mis-hits his shot and we enter the break deadlocked at 1-1 apiece.

The second half is a trial for Cartagonova fans to watch as Redondo and Esposito continue to squander perfectly good chances with terrible finishing. I’m almost tearing my hair out with the inability of my strikers to hit the broad side of a barn from any distance. Eventually, however, the pressure has to tell on the overworked Besiktas defence and we get our reward with 8 minutes to play. Fevzi’s poor clearance is flicked on by substitute Fernando Morán into the path of Redondo and in the one-on-one situation, the striker is still deadly. He makes no mistake and we leave Turkey thankful for the three points.

Besiktas (4-1-3-2): Fevzi; Münch, Erman, Halilagic, Orhan; Tayfur (Kazim 38); Ibrahim, Hoseth ©, van der Gun; Ãœmit Karan (Nihat 30), Ahmet Dursun.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Curro Torres, Ballesteros, Fernández, Jaliens (Ãlvarez 71); Gavião; Michel, Vucko; Clegg (Morán 71); Redondo, Esposito.

Final score: Besiktas 1:2 Cartagonova

MoM – Gavião

[Dixie Flatline]

12th of March 2005

Primera Liga – Game 27: Cartagonova v Barcelona

Here is a prime opportunity to push Barcelona back into the pack even further and give cross-town rival Espanyol the chance to go top again. But injury robs me of several key first teamers, while the situation with Couto means I have to go with a less than fully fit Gavião in the middle of the park – not the situation I really want to have.

And we pay dearly for it. In terribly wet conditions, Barcelona’s greater ease on the ball sees them dominate the play for the entire 90 minutes, putting Vidal under too much pressure. My defence is all over the place this afternoon and ends the afternoon in complete shambles, while the midfielders and forwards continue to rub the water out of their eyes and watch in horror what is going on. The scoresheet will record that Barcelona scored twice without reply, but in truth we really should have lost by four or more goals. Nothing much happens in the first half, apart from a Morán free kick that almost finds its way past Laínez, but the keeper is anxious to make up for his howler the last time he was here and he stops it fairly comfortably. In the second half, Barcelona scores its first goal directly after Esposito’s terrible shot skies way over the bar. Laínez kicks the ball back into play where Luis Enrique finds Astudillo. The Argentine finds compatriot Ariel Ortega who lays it off to Varela. The ex-Betis winger swings in a deep cross where Luis Enrique has sneaked in unnoticed to head home Kluivert’s knock-down. Five minutes later, the Dutch striker gets his mandatory goal when he escapes my defenders to thunder home Luis Enrique’s cross. We have no chance against this well-oiled machine and it makes me wonder why Barcelona has drawn so many games this season.

In the comfort of the dressing rooms, the players dry themselves out rather slowly listen to me ranting about how we blew the opportunity to show to Spain just how good we can be. My defence was cut to ribbons by Luis Enrique’s incisive play while my strikers were completely inoffensive. I dish out four official warnings while Stephen Tetteh gets the harsh news that I’ve immediately transfer listed him after he played a shocker on the right.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Curro Torres, Ballesteros, Ãlvarez, Tetteh; Michel, Gavião (Esnáider 70), Clegg; Morán; Redondo, Esposito (Kokmeijer 70).

Barcelona (4-3-2-1): Laínez; Sergi, Thuram, Cannavaro, Varela; Pablo Paz (Luis Enrique 52), Astudillo, Guardiola ©; Verón, Ortega; Kluivert.

Final score: Cartagonova 0:2 Barcelona

MoM – Patrick Kluivert

[Dixie Flatline]

13th of March 2005

I’m still sore at my players for letting me down yesterday. Therefore, I’m almost tempted to accept Servette’s £775,000 bid for Stephen Tetteh at face value. But I would like to get more than a million pounds for him, so I tell my counterpart at the Swiss club that I would like £1.2 million now and £250,000 if he plays 10 league games. I feel comfortable in that, because there are quite a few clubs queuing up to take him off my hands.

Better news for some of my players as Keith O’Neill is called up to Ireland’s squad despite the fact he has only made one substitute appearance for me this season, Juan Carlos Castro is called up to Spain’s U-21 squad (but interestingly, not Francisco Ãlvarez), Jurica Vucko has the opportunity to shine for Croatia, Fernando Couto’s international career continues, while Axel WingÃ¥rd’s move to Spain means he receives the invitation to train with Sweden’s squad ahead of the Scandinavian country’s World Cup qualifiers.

I stay away from the radio and television because I don’t want to know whether we lose third position to Valencia, who play at home against Real Madrid. But I’m pleasantly surprised to find out in the evening when I’m phoned by Luis Sosa that Real Madrid did good by us as they defeated Valencia 2-0. That means we stay a point ahead of Valencia, while Barcelona and Espanyol edge further away – we’re now 6 points from the peak of the league, while Espanyol enjoys a three-point buffer over us. Thankfully, we have some easy league matches all the way until May, when we travel to Valencia.

After the weekend’s fixtures are concluded I see that a Spanish football web site has again focused upon the rare form that José Manuel Redondo is currently enjoying. I again praise my striker, hoping that the Spanish manager will notice that Redondo should again be in the frame for selection for the Spanish side. Again, the club’s fans are happy that I’ve found time to acknowledge the contribution of the prolific striker.

15th of March 2005

Servette responds to my demand favourably, offering me £1.2 million now for Tetteh and a further £250,000 if he completes 10 league appearances.

16th of March 2003

My preparations for our crucial match in the Champions’ League against Parma are interrupted by news that Tetteh has agreed to a move to Switzerland and Servette: Stephen Tetteh (24 y/o, GHA 12 caps, D R): 5 apps, av. rate: 6.60.

[Dixie Flatline]

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

We’re only one point behind both Bayer Leverkusen and Parma, so there is plenty to play for in this evening’s fixture. If we win, we’ll swap places at the very least with Parma and move into the knock-out stages. But anything less will see us bid goodbye to the competition for this season. So I’m very disappointed to see my defence gift Catanha so much time and space on 4 minutes and I’m thankful to see his drive hit the post. But I’m immediately on the touchline bellowing instructions to my defenders to keep a close watch on the Spanish international. So of course, he gets free six minutes later and forces Vidal into conceding a corner. Amoroso’s corner is bundled over the line at the second attempt by Lassissi, and it’s been a terrible start to the match for us.

Matters aren’t helped when my only fit left back, Curro Torres, needs to leave the pitch for treatment and doesn’t come back on. I shuffle my defence as Ballesteros switches to the left, while Filipescu has to adapt to a right-back role. That gives Parma plenty of licence to get forward at every opportunity and we could easily have been three or four goals behind by the time they actually score their second. A sikly smooth team move finishes up with Amoroso and the Brazilian makes no mistake from inside the box. But Kokmeijer gives the home crowd some hope when he takes Redondo’s pass in his stride before driving it low beneath Buffon. Michel then forces the Italian international keeper into a fine save and we almost score from the corner to level the scores, only to see Lorenzini clear before Morán can get there.

So I emphasise the good points about our first half in the break - it takes about five minutes, and then I let the defence know exactly what I thought of their performance. It has to improve, else we’re out of this competition. Does it work? Of course not. But for Montaño’s woeful finishing, we could be even further behind with only 8 minutes of the second half on the clock. It takes them some time to break us down, but they do succeed when Cafú curls an inviting cross over our box, cutting out Vidal and eluding my defenders. It doesn’t elude Appiah, however, and the Ghanaian international heads it home. We now need two goals in double quick time to get over the top of the Italian club, and even though I change to 3-3-1-3 formation in the hope of getting ahead, it’s not going to help us. Redondo finishes off well from Gavião’s cross, but Amoroso has the last laugh when he heads home Catanha’s cross. Simple, efficient and ruthless. We’ve been cut apart this evening and the crowd leaves very unhappy. So am I.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Curro Torres (Filipescu 23), WingÃ¥rd (Clegg 71), Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Michel, Gavião, Vucko; Morán (Esposito 46); Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Parma (4-4-2): Buffon ©; Candela, Lorenzini, Lassissi (Júnior 36), Bonomi; Amoroso, Appiah, Giannichedda, Falsini (Cafú 54); Montaño, Catanha.

Final score: Cartagonova 2:4 Parma

MoM - Amoroso

Here is how we finished after the second phase:

[Dixie Flatline]

20th of March 2005

Finally, a serious bid for Fernando Couto! It comes from Sevilla, as it offers me £350,000 for the Portuguese midfielder. But I try to see if Sevilla will respond favourably to a price of £500,000 for him. The same club also bids £1.4 million for Ballesteros, but I’m less inclined to entertain that bid.

Primera Liga - Game 28: Real Sociedad v Cartagonova

After the debacle against Parma, I think what we need is a trip to the bottom club in the league and we start the game on fire when on 19 minutes, Morán finds Kokmeijer with a slide-rule pass and the Dutch striker curls a delicate shot into the top corner. Moments before half-time, we grab a second when Kokmeijer turns provider for Morán and the midfielder grabs his 11th goal of the campaign. But we inevitably lose concentration, allowing Llorente to escape his marker and rattle home Cachorro’s cross. I’m not a nice person at the break, because I thought that goal was a very soft goal to concede and it gives Sociedad hope they have no right to hold. So you can imagine the rage I feel inside when my defence caves in again to allow Llorente to score the equaliser 8 minutes into the second half. But Kokmeijer is the man today and he returns us back into the lead on 64 minutes when he takes Oliver’s pass at his feet before driving it home off the post! Ten minutes from time, Alberto catches Morán as the midfielder looks to sidestep him. Everybody can see the penalty is there, as does the referee, and I’m interested to see whether the keeper stays on the pitch. To my disappointment, the referee is very lenient - not even a yellow card for his deliberate foul - but Filipescu calmly nestles the ball in the net. Two minutes later though, celebrations turn to remonstrations when Gavião petulantly shoves Rodrigo over right in the view of the linesman who immediately draws the attention of the referee. Once the explanations are made, the red card is flourished and we’re down to ten men. This isn’t good enough, but we’re good enough to live to the final whistle. Still, I’m very unhappy with the win - if we’d faced skilful and tougher opponents we would have paid.

Real Sociedad (5-3-2): Alberto ©; López Rekarte, Schürrer (Pikabea 53), Antía, Corino (Gurrutxaga 53), Pilipauskas; Cachorro, Rodrigo, Guerrero; Biagini, Llorente.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Livermore, WingÃ¥rd (Filipescu 57), Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Gavião; Oliver, Vucko; Morán; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Final score: Real Sociedad 2:4 Cartagonova

MoM - Niels Kokmeijer

Although I’m unhappy with the way we played today, I’m pleased to see that Espanyol lost to Mallorca this afternoon, which means we draw level on points with the second Barcelona club. We’re both four points behind Barcelona and two points clear of Celta Vigo. Kokmeijer and Redondo sit on the bench for the Team of the Week.

Keep smiling!

Dixie Flatline

[Dixie Flatline]

22nd of March 2005

Sevilla doesn’t like the fact I want them to pay £500,000 for Couto. But that’s okay. I don’t like the fact I might need to sell him.

24th of March 2005

After Celta Vigo defeated Porto 3-1 in the first leg of the UEFA Cup quarter-final, everybody thought that it was all over for the Portuguese club. But this evening, Celta crashed 4-0 in Oporto. They had keeper Mattias Asper sent off on 29 minutes and that opened the floodgates for Porto. Ricardo Jorge converted the resulting penalty on 30 minutes, then in the second half, Porto went on the rampage as Paredes, Maric and then Ricardo Jorge again scored to complete the demolition. It was enough for a Portuguese paper to claim that Porto would bring the UEFA Cup back to Portugal and after tonight’s showing, I don’t think that’s an idle boast.

26th of March 2005

World Cup qualifiers from the UEFA zone occur this afternoon. Here are some highlights. A brace from Christian Vieri helped Italy overcome Nikos Machlas’ early goal to defeat Greece 2-1 in Athens. The same scoreline was repeated in Ljubljana as a double from Todorov meant that Bulgaria defeated Slovenia 2-1. Bulgaria lead Italy on goal difference as both countries have ten points from four games. France did enough against Georgia in Paris to win 2-1, although Kinkladze’s goal on 79 minutes did cause the former world champion some nervous moments in the final minutes. Group 3 sees Ireland top the group by five points after they triumphed 3-1 over the Czech Republic in Dublin. Keith O’Neill played the last ten minutes.

[Dixie Flatline]

In Group 4, the Netherlands comfortably defeated Wales 3-0 in Amsterdam with the goals shared between Kluivert, van Bommel and Theo Janssen. Scotland came back from 1-0 and 2-1 down to triumph 3-2 over Romania at Hampden Park in Glasgow. VfB Stuttgart striker Alex Notman and Everton’s Christian Dailly were the goalscorers for Scotland, with the defender’s goal the winner. It was a tight match between Spain and Northern Ireland in Valencia, but substitute Pedro Munitis’ 82nd minute goal helped ease the pressure on manager Javier Clemente, but Spain still trails Poland, the group leader, by five points, although the Poles drew 2-2 with Austria in Chorzow.

Portugal was pushed all the way by a plucky Bosnia, but the Portuguese eventually won the game 3-2. Valencia’s Hugo Leal opened the scoring on 16 minutes, but Edin Dzafic equalised on the hour mark. Lazio’s Nuno Gomes immediately put Portugal back in front, but Kulenovic again equalised for the Bosnians. But Portugal’s captain, João Pinto, scored the winner on 73 minutes. Cartagonova’s Jurica Vucko couldn’t prevent Croatia go down 1-0 to Turkey in Istanbul. Group 8 saw England consolidate top spot with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Belarus at Wembley. Manchester United’s Keith Lyons marked his debut with a goal after just five minutes. Fiorentina’s playmaker, Joe Cole, added a second in a man of the match performance on 38 minutes, while Sean Evers scored the third on 88 minutes.

Keep smiling!

Dixie Flatline

[Guest]

Keep going Dixle great story But I would like to know how albion are doing in your game thanks.

[Guest]

Keep going Dixle great story But I would like to know how albion are doing in your game thanks.

[Raptor]

I still love the sound of Cartagonova in the Champions League

[Dixie Flatline]

Thanks guys for your comments and patience. I'm flat out doing assessment for my final three weeks of university ever ( ) and I haven't had a lot of time to play any games. Jordaowba, your question will be answered shortly. Raptor, I'm still disappointed that we couldn't emulate Leeds IRL, but hopefully we'll be back there next season, if everything goes our way...! My computer has finally been repaired properly too, some 2.5 months after I first went to have it fixed ( ).

Anyway, it's time to escape once again to Cartagonova's adventures...!

27th of March 2005

Ballesteros continues to attract the attention of other clubs. Today, he is made the subject of a £1.7 million bid from Sevilla. But I’m not anxious to show him the door just yet, so I decide to turn down the offer.

28th of March 2005

Sevilla’s manager feels he is on firmer ground offering me £325,000 for Fernando Couto. I want more than that, however, for the Portuguese midfielder. So I turn around and ask for £500,000.

30th of March 2005

Real Vallodolid joins the chase for Couto, but with an offer of £170,000 on the table, they’re unlikely to capture him, especially when Sevilla is offering double and I still want more!

Then I discover that Sevilla no longer wants to pursue its interest in Couto.

More World Cup qualifiers from Europe take place this evening. Italy slaughters Slovenia 4-1 in Ljubljana, with Vieri and the unlikely goalscorer Moreno Torricelli, 35 years old and still going strong, grabbing two each. France survived a fast-finishing Iceland to outlast the Scandinavians 3-2 in Paris. Ireland maintained its great qualifying form with a 2-1 victory over Luxembourg in Dublin with Birmingham’s Stephen McPhail and Inter Milan’s Robbie Keane scoring the goals for the Irish. The Dutch were hardly troubled by Hungary as they strolled to a 2-0 victory in Amsterdam. Patrick Kluivert and Mark van Bommel scored the goals in the second half. Finland scored three times in four minutes to bury Romania 3-1 in Helsinki. Scottish football entered another dark period when they were beaten by Estonia 2-1 in Glasgow.

On the other hand, Northern Ireland is celebrating this evening with a comfortable 3-0 win over Azerbaijan. Spain easily accounted for Austria, defeating them 3-1 in Barcelona. Bari’s Rubén Navarro, earlier this week praised by World Soccer Magazine, scored his first goal for his country on 13 minutes. Old hands, Raúl and Angulo scored later in the game to make it safe for the Spaniards. Bosnia upset neighbour Croatia 1-0 in Sarajevo thanks to Mirza Mesic, while Cartagonova’s Jurica Vucko suffered a slight injury.

It was another stroll in the park for the Ukraine as they easily overcame Andorra 4-0 in the principality, while England replicated that score at Wembley stadium. Newcastle United’s Trevor Benjamin marked his debut for the Three Lions with a goal, while Michael Owen scored a brace. They were joined by AC Milan’s Paul Scholes on the scoresheet.

[Dixie Flatline]

31st of March 2005

Torino’s manager, Signor Marco Tardelli, must be sending his scouts far afield, as this morning he faxes a bid of £575,000 for my promising prodigy, Francisco Ãlvarez. But this has not been successful in persuading me to sell the midfielder, and it is not successful this morning, either.

In the evening, I discuss the results of the day’s work with my assistant, Luis Sosa, who still refuses to sign a new contract and therefore currently works for free! But don’t tell anybody about that, otherwise there’ll be hell to pay for it. Anyway, he draws my attention to the hard work put in by Rufete to take back his right wing spot from Vucko, who currently occupies that place. In fact, he urges me to give the former Málaga winger a second chance at holding down the right wing position in our next match at home against Real Betis. I say non-committedly that I’ll consider Rufete’s form along with everybody else in line for stepping in for the injured Croatian, but I suppose I might just turn to Rufete in the end.

1st of April 2005

Obviously nobody values Couto as much as I do, as Real Vallodolid finds the £500,000 price tag I’ve slapped on him to be too much to stomach. It’s unfortunately not an April Fool’s Day joke - they’re really not interested in him at that price.

3rd of April 2005

Before I summarise our latest match, I’ll briefly pause to discuss the fortunes of West Brom for the benefit of jordaowba. Albion is lucky to still be in the first division after flirting dangerously with relegation last season. Gary Megson, who still runs the club, took them to a low of 19th place at the end of the last season after some disappointing mid-table finishes of 11th in 2000/01 and 12th in 2001/02. But this season, with seven games of the season remaining, West Brom looks on course for at least a playoff place, lying fifth in the league on 65 points, 10 points behind Portsmouth who is second. They signed some good worth players this season, but none better than the much-travelled John Hartson from free after the volatile Welshman fell out with Burnley’s manager, Alan Shearer earlier in the season. He has scored 23 times in 32 appearances, but has also contributed to 16 further goals being scored and it’s little wonder that West Brom are looking good for a chance at shooting out for promotion.

[Savi]

Excellent story Dixie

Very well detailed and entertaining

[Guest]

great Shearer and hartson up front

[Dixie Flatline]

Back for a short time!

Thanks guys for your comments. They're much appreciated. I was drawn away by other commitments last night, so I didn't actually get the chance to summarise the next match. Jordaowba, it might be a while before WBA get Shearer - he's still player/manager of Burnley, and doing quite well, managing to keep them comfortably mid-table in Division One.

Primera Liga - Game 29: Cartagonova v Real Betis

In a fairly boring match, we take the points after a 2-0 victory. Iván Campo set us on our way when he deflects Redondo’s shot into his own net on 30 minutes. Then on 74 minutes, Filipescu’s free kick hits Nagore in the arm inside the Real Betis box. The referee unhesitatingly points to the spot and the Romanian has no trouble converting. We actually create 12 chances to score goals, although we’re particularly profligate in front of goal. José Redondo is the worst culprit at this, while Iván Pinel does particularly well for his own club. We leave the stadium satisfied with the three points from a rather underwhelming performance this afternoon.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Livermore, Filipescu, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Michel, Gibbens, Rufete; Morán (Clegg 60); Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Real Betis (3-5-2): Pinel; Rivas ©, Iván Campo, Gilmar; Sun, Chippo, Mario, Ballack, Rodriguez; Casas, Parrado.

Final score: Cartagonova 2:0 Real Betis

MoM - Iván Pinel

[Dixie Flatline]

6th of April 2005

Fernando Couto, not happy with his chances of leaving the club currently at the end of the season, decides to give me a prod to see if I’m willing to sell him by claiming to the local press this morning when they bail him up outside our training facilities that he wants to move to Sevilla for £500,000. Well, it isn’t my problem that his suitor isn’t willing to pay the price I’ve set upon his head. If they come up with the money, then they can talk turkey with him, but not a moment before. I’m quite happy to confirm the talk that he may leave the club soon, as I’m becoming sick of his histrionics.

In the evening, I settle down in front of the box to take a gander at the European Champions’ League quarter-finals. Spain’s viewers are treated to an inspirational display by Patrick Kluivert in particular and Barcelona in general. The prolific Dutch striker scored twice within two minutes early in the game to put Arsenal on the back foot in the Nou Camp. He completed his hat-trick on 68 minutes when he was fouled inside the area by Wayne Bridge and he scored his fourth on 72 minutes defeating Henchoz in the air to head home Guardiola’s cross. At 4-0, Arsenal has it all to do in the return leg. They did not even manage one shot at Barcelona’s goal!

Our conqueror, Parma, collapsed at home to two goals from Dejan Stankovic as Real Madrid scored twice at the Tardini stadium to set themselves up nicely for the return leg. Roma will still manage to have some help after Jari Litmanen’s late goal condemned the Italians to a 1-0 loss in Amsterdam. But if it was not for Walter Samuel at the back, it could have been a lot worse for the Romans. Finally, in Leverkusen, Fiorentina will be happy to return to Florence with a 1-1 draw thanks to Raúl Estévez cancelling out Oliver Neuville’s opener.

[Guest]

COME ON Cartagonova

[Guest]

Class. As usual

[Dixie Flatline]

8th of April 2005

Sevilla renews its formal interest in Couto, offering me only £300,000 for him. Didn’t they read the papers I did? Obviously not, so I feel constrained to point out to my counterpart that I really want £500,000 plus £100,000 after ten league games. That’ll show them all up!

10th of April 2005

Sevilla again fails to believe that £500,000 at least is a good bargain for Couto.

Primera Liga - Game 30: Osasuna v Cartagonova

But I’ve got better things to worry about than the future of Couto. For instance, our thirtieth league game of the season takes us to Pamplona and El Sadar. Osasuna is flirting all too hard with relegation and needs to cause an upset to get their recovery act back under way. I, on the other hand, want to keep the pressure up on Barcelona and Espanyol. I’m happy to see Finidi George, the Nigerian winger, limp off after just 3 minutes, as that removes one creative outlet for today’s opponent from the fray. But Oktay gives the home crowd hope of that upset when he breaks through my defence and tests Vidal with a stinging drive on 9 minutes. Kokmeijer then fires at Ramón’s goal on 12 minutes to hopefully give them a warning of what will come. Morán follows that up on 16 minutes with another drive. But we have to wait until the 39th minute for the opening goal when Michel and Redondo play the one-two before the winger finds some space and drills home the shot! It’s just reward for our domination of the play and I’m quite happy with our performance in the first half.

In the second, Jofre comes on to replace Ricardinho, so it’s eleven Cartagonova players versus ten Osasuna players and one Cartagonova player! He doesn’t have anything to do with Osasuna’s equaliser on 52 minutes. Oktay again gets the better of his marker before laying it off to Quique, and the veteran striker helps the crowd find their vocal chords with a bullet header into the top corner. I’m furious at this turn of events and I urge my players to find the second goal to kill off all resistance. Redondo promptly hits the post and I hope it won’t be one of those days. On 74 minutes, I make a double substitution as Clegg and Jaliens replace Morán and Lacruz. Seven minutes later, Redondo puts us back in the lead, taking Kokmeijer’s finely weighted pass in his stride before lashing it beneath Ramón! Three minutes later, we have a two goal buffer when Clegg makes space for himself and then drives home a crashing shot into the bottom right corner! That is just what I ordered!

Osasuna (4-4-2): Ramón; Ibán Pérez, Josetxo, Mateo, Ferrer; Ãngel Luis, Rousel, Astrada, Finidi George (Ricardinho 3 (Jofre 46)); Quique, Oktay.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal; Livermore, Filipescu, Ãlvarez, Lacruz (Jaliens 74); Gibbens; Michel, Vucko; Morán (Clegg 74); Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Final score: Osasuna 1:3 Cartagonova

MoM - José Manuel Redondo

[Dixie Flatline]

As I mentioned above, that was our thirtieth league game of the season and thanks to Espanyol crashing 4-2 at Real Madrid, we enter the home stretch in second place, just four points behind Barcelona!

José Redondo and Michel are starters in the Team of the Week, while Óscar Ãlvarez sits on the bench.

11th of April 2005

I laugh the manager of Real Vallodolid off the dog and bone this morning when he offers me £95,000 for Fernando Couto. The Portuguese midfielder and I might have fallen out over his future direction in football, but I’m not willing to let him go for such a ridiculous amount. I advise my colleague to come back with a serious bid then he might get some serious consideration.

I receive a serious bid of £700,000 for Francisco Ãlvarez from Nantes. But I still reject the offer because I’m still grooming the nineteen year old midfielder.

After dealing with my own transfer activity, I sit down with the papers and I’m stunned to see that Lazio might sign former striker Marcelo Salas for £36 million! If that is true, then Celtic would gain £17 million on Martin O’Neill’s initial £19 million investment in the thirty year old Chilean striker who has done moderately well in the Scottish Premier League. But the shrewd Irishman denies strenuously to the press that the striker is available for transfer, especially now that Christian Vieri and Ariel Ortega have left the club.

Keep smiling!

Dixie Flatline

[ghostwriter]

good luck with the run-in, great story

[Guest]

can you tell me dixle what divsion Las Palmas have you read my story

[Dixie Flatline]

Wow, I step out for a couple of days, and I return to find a lot of people writing positive comments! Thank you all for that, even though I managed to miss you when I was updating the story. To answer your questions, Jordaowba, I have been reading your story. Second, Las Palmas currently languishes in 14th position and they aren't likely to move much higher, given that they are officially rated as being bankrupt.

[Dixie Flatline]

Vamos, vamos, Cartagonova!

13th of April 2005

Copa del Rey - Semi-final, First Leg: Real Oviedo v Cartagonova

Once again, Emmanuel Petit and his well-organised Real Oviedo stands between us and advancing in the Copa del Rey. Like last season, where we met him and his boys in the quarter finals, we play them first in their backyard, the Nuevo Carlos Tartiere in Oviedo. Oviedo lies sixth in the Segunda Liga, seven points from third-placed Tenerife with eight games to play, so they certainly won’t be a pushover, and I remind my chosen eleven that they should not be complacent about this fixture. Soria gives them the warning they need when he advances unhindered into a position to shoot, but fortunately for us, his strike thunders into the post rather than the net. Two minutes later, we’re lucky to escape when Livermore’s robust challenge brings down Roman in the box, but the referee thankfully judges it as legal and waves play on. But then we have our own cause to complain when the referee shakes his head to a legitimate appeal when Emilio seems to take out Kokmeijer when the Dutch striker was looking to get past the Oviedo keeper in the box.

I’ve assigned Gavião to look after the influential player/manager Petit, but on 22 minutes the ex-French international slips the Brazilian and threads the ball through to Amieva. Amieva finds Ramón and the striker crashes the shot into the bottom right corner. But Oviedo lets slip Ballesteros, and the right-back finds sufficient room to volley home Clegg’s beautiful pass seven minutes later. On 41 minutes, the tie begins to swing in our favour when the referee flashes a red card to Pulido for a professional foul on Kokmeijer. Emilio does well to push aside Filipescu’s rasping free kick and I hope that we can find the winner in the second half. Clegg tries hard to deliver on 52 minutes, but Emilio knocks that one around the post. On 65 minutes, Kokmeijer wastes a good opportunity, turning his marker but flashing a drive over the bar. Redondo heads a chance into Emilio’s grateful arms, and that about wraps it up for the game. Not bad, but it could have been better.

Real Oviedo (5-3-2): Emilio; Carreras (Docando 60), Rasovic, Pepe Galán, Sündgren (Jáuregi 52), Soria; Petit ©, Amieva, Pulido; Ramón, Roman.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Livermore, Filipescu, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Gavião; Michel, Vucko (Miranda 60); Clegg; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Final score: Real Oviedo 1:1 Cartagonova

MoM - Emilio

In the other semi-final, Real Betis will take a 2-0 lead to Soria when they play Numancia in a fortnight.

[Dixie Flatline]

14th of April 2005

I’m flabbergasted to see in the papers this morning speculation upon the future of goalkeeper, Iván Vidal. According to his meddling agent, he is about to commit himself to the cause of Sevilla in a move worth £1.2 million to us. There is no way he is leaving for that ludicrously low amount of money. None at all. And that is made perfectly and loudly clear to the ‘journalist’ who reported the story in the first place.

17th of April 2005

Primera Liga - Game 31: Cartagonova v Elche

After travelling to Oviedo for a Copa del Rey fixture, we play mid-table Elche at home on a cool afternoon in Cartagena. For the crowd in attendance it’s a very boring match. For me, it’s a very frustrating game. Elche seeks to frustrate my midfielders and deny service to Redondo and Kokmeijer while looking to hit long balls forward to Guede and Nano. And the Elche players do it well, although diabolical finishing from my midfielders - Redondo and Kokmeijer are so strangled they don’t even manage to have a shot - also helps out Elche. And when I find out that Espanyol defeated Barcelona 3-1, I’m very annoyed because we’ve blown a chance to cut the gap at the top to the point. Instead, Espanyol closes to within a point of us after this weekend.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Livermore, Filipescu, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Michel (Miranda 78), Gavião, Vucko (Morán 78); Clegg; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Elche (4-2-4): Jonathan ©; Manusovich, Hélder, Cuadrado, Zé Maria; Witschge (Pablo 54), Martens; Roy González (Esteve 65), Guede, Nano, Juanjo (Grønkjær 59).

Final score: Cartagonova 0:0 Elche

MoM - Iván Vidal

19th of April 2005

Sevilla seems to be desperate to land at least one of my stalwarts, as Señor Carlos Tornadijo puts a bid of £2 million on the table for Ballesteros. This is coming uncomfortably close to his £2.5 million min. release clause amount, so I might have to start renegotiating a contract with him. That of course implies that I reject Sevilla’s offer without any compunction.

[Dixie Flatline]

20th of April 2005

An amazing result stuns the football world this evening as Arsenal crashed 7-2 at home to Barcelona. The Highbury faithful began filing out of their ground as goals to Edgar Davids after 6 minutes, Patrick Kluivert on 39, Gerard on 42 and Kluivert again on 59 minutes put Barcelona 4-1 to the good. Thomas Gravesen had managed to pull Arsenal level at 1-1 apiece on 15 minutes, but the Gunners’ defence fell apart inside the last ten minutes. Gerard added his second goal of the game to make it 5-1 on 79 minutes, then Juan Sebastián Verón scored twice in seven minutes to put the tie beyond any doubt. Thierry Henry scored a consolation goal at the end of the game, but the big screen at Highbury said Arsenal 2, Barcelona 7, as the Catalan club advanced to the semi-final stage 11-2 on aggregate!

Almost as bad was Fiorentina’s capitulation to Bayer Leverkusen in Florence. Returning from the BayArena with a 1-1 draw, it seemed that the ball was in Fiorentina’s court, only to have it smashed past them thanks to a hat-trick by Luciano Galletti and a brace to Oliver Neuville. Cristian Bardaro scored on 60 minutes for the home side, but the Italian club crashed out of the competition 6-2 on aggregate. Real Madrid advanced to the final four stage at the expense of Parma. The Italian club couldn’t match it in Madrid, losing 3-1 with a brace to Spanish international striker Fernando Morientes and a further goal by Brazilian wizard Ronaldinho. Roma is the only club carrying the Italian flag into the final four as it overcome a 1 goal deficit on the first leg to overwhelm Ajax 3-0 in Rome. Goals to Rui Costa, Francesco Totti and Vincenzo Montella guaranteed passage through to the lucrative stage of the competition.

21st of April 2005

Sevilla makes a bid of £1.1 million for José María Lacruz. I refuse to entertain such a bid for a useful and serviceable player for the club without the possibility of gaining much more money for him. So I turn down the offer.

[Dixie Flatline]

24th of April 2005

Primera Liga - Game 32: Cartagonova v Real Zaragoza

After our disappointing match against Elche where we dropped two points, we need to take the victory today to keep back Espanyol while putting further pressure on Barcelona. Against Real Zaragoza, struggling in 16th position, we should be capable of winning the game. That’s why I’m glad to see the referee rightly give a penalty in our favour when Redondo is fouled inside the box and Filipescu convert the spot-kick. But the Ecuadorian international striker, Iván Kaviedes - also a naturalised Spaniard - levels the scores on 19 minutes when he drives Iván Rosado’s pass low through Vidal’s hands into the corner. We should have had a second penalty in our favour when Gavião’s excellent run with the ball from deep is crudely brought to an end inside the penalty area by Zapata, but the referee staggeringly points for a goal kick rather than to the spot.

It doesn’t matter because two minutes later, Vucko’s race down the right causes all types of havoc inside Zaragoza’s defence and his cross allows Kokmeijer an easy opportunity to score! On 58 minutes, I’m forced to withdraw Michel from the field of play when he limps off with a deeply bruised shin thanks to constant kicking by Zaragoza’s defenders. Miranda comes on in his place. I’m extremely disappointed to see my defenders gift Kaviedes too much time and space to line up his angles, and to my dismay the Ecuadorian gets it right from 35 yards! I’m mollified when Vucko applies the finishing touch to a brilliant Clegg through-ball with just seconds remaining on the clock, but I get the feeling that we stole this match from the fire rather than waltzed out with it.

Cartagonova (4-3-1-2): Vidal ©; Livermore, Filipescu, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Michel (Miranda 58), Gavião, Vucko; Clegg; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Real Zaragoza (4-4-2): Juanmi ©; Placente, Morquio, Cuartero, Ferrón; Zapata, Martinovic, Ognjenovic (Marcos Vales 69), Rodriguez; Kaviedes, Iván Rosado (Manel 81).

Final score: Cartagonova 3:2 Real Zaragoza

MoM - Jurica Vucko

In the meantime, our next opponent Valencia crashed alarmingly away to Elche 5-0. More significantly, Espanyol was upset by bottom side Real Sociedad 1-0, which gives us a nice four point cushion back to Espanyol. Ballesteros, Gavião, Vucko and Kokmeijer are named in the starting eleven for the Team of the Week.

27th of April 2005

Three Cartagonova players take part in international friendlies over the world. Jurica Vucko returned to Croatia to help his country defeat England 2-1 with goals to Mario Stanic of Lazio and Monaco’s Igor Biscan sealing victory. Newcastle’s Kieron Dyer pulled a goal back late in the match, but it was too late. Keith O’Neill played only twelve minutes in Ireland’s 0-0 draw against Greece. He came on as a substitute on 54 minutes, only to be taken off again on 66 minutes. Iulian Filipescu’s international career seems far from over as he helped Romania hold out a fast-finishing Russia to score a morale-boosting 2-1 victory over their eastern European cousins in Bucharest. Captain Christian Chivu led by example, opening Romania’s account on 42 minutes. Benfica’s Adrian Mihalcea added the second on 57 minutes, but Borussia Dortmund’s Vladimir Bestchastnykh gave Russians hope on 61 minutes when he halved Romania’s lead.

[Dixie Flatline]

28th of April 2005

Well, it looks like I’m going to lose Ballesteros to Sevilla as Señor Carlos Tornadijo offers me £2.5 million for the full-back. That matches his min. release clause, so I’m reluctantly forced to accept the offer. But moments after informing Ballesteros that I have accepted an offer for him, I immediately table a new, improved contract in order to keep him at the club.

Sevilla also offers me £700,000 for Argentine defender Mariano Fernández. If I could get £1.2 million for him, then I’d feel a lot better about letting him go.

29th of April 2005

I’m happy to see Ballesteros sign on the dotted line on the new, vastly better contract (for the player). It ties him to the club until he is 32 and raises his min. release clause to £5 million.

30th of April 2005

It’s obvious that success is breeding envy amongst my colleagues in the managerial game, as Athletic Bilbao wants to sign an old boy, José María Lacruz, for £1.3 million. But I’m not willing to let the full-back who has played 40(1) times this season already go at the end of the season. But Sevilla is happy to part with £1.2 million for Mariano Fernández. I uphold my end of the bargain and clear the decks for the defender to talk with the Segunda Liga club.

30th of April 2005

“…Cartagonova has the opportunity to close Barcelona’s lead to just one point tomorrow when they travel to Valencia as Deportivo La Coruña held the visiting league leader, Barcelona, to an exciting 3-3 draw at the Riazor. Patrick Kluivert put the Catalan club in the lead on 32 minutes, but David Cano equalised for the home side on 44 minutes. Barcelona came out firing early in the second half and were rewarded when Kluivert added his second on 48 minutes. But former Spanish international Mista scored a brace to give Deportivo the unlikely lead. Yet, Dani rescued a point with his goal on 88 minutes.â€

[Dixie Flatline]

1st of May 2005

The squad and I are resting in the hotel we’ve booked for our game against Valencia in Valencia when I’m phoned by Mariano Fernández. He tells me that he is delighted to have agreed terms with Sevilla and he will leave the club at the end of the season. I wish him well and congratulate him on being positive about his future. I’ve never really given him the chance to shine at the club, but he’s been happy with his lot at the club so far.

Primera Liga - Game 33: Valencia v Cartagonova

“… It was an amazing match in Valencia this afternoon. After watching Barcelona drop two precious points yesterday against Deportivo, Cartagonova manager, Señor Dixie Flatline, knew that if his side could get the result against fifth-placed Valencia this afternoon, then the pressure would really be on Barcelona to keep up the momentum in the run-in to the conclusion of this exciting season in Spain’s Primera Liga. So he would have been ecstatic to see George Clegg, the wonderfully gifted English forward, waltz through the Valencia defence like they weren’t there before rocketing a swerving drive through the fingers of Santiago Cañizares after just 45 seconds of play. Valencia kept the pressure on Iván Vidal, the Cartagonova keeper and captain, for the remainder of the half, but with able assistance from Iulian Filipescu, the visiting keeper managed to keep the Valencia strikers at bay. Some of the saves he pulled off to keep his club in the lead were simply amazing as he bent his body at angles one wouldn’t have thought possible for it to go to stave off the waves of attacks.â€

“But just as stout the defence was in the first half for Señor Flatline, it was as shaky in the second. Valencia was worth the equaliser eventually scored by Juric on 61 minutes from Harold Lozano’s cross. But just seconds after coming on, Rufete gave away a penalty which was easily converted by Stankovic. The Yugoslav winger then proceeded to score twice more. His first goal is easily the goal of the season so far as he danced his way through, around and past several Cartagonova defenders, who were simply powerless to cut his run short. Then two minutes later, he thundered home a 25 yard free kick to cap a wonderful hat-trick.â€

“It left Señor Flatline furious, while his counterpart, Señor Guus Hiddink, will be delighted with the way his side bounced back after its 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Elche. It now trails fourth-placed Espanyol by three points with a Champions’ League spot up for grabs. Asked whether Cartagonova’s title challenge has faltered under the pressure, Señor Flatline denied that the title was ever a proper ambition for the club to hold and that his job this season was just to consolidate Cartagonova’s position as a respectable Primera Liga club. When asked whether he would take any disclinary action against players perceived to have under-performed this afternoon, he said that all such matters were dealt with internally and would not be exposed to the media.â€

I’m aghast.

I’m distraught.

This is unbelievable. I make the rest of the team apologise to George Clegg and Gavião, the only players to turn up this afternoon, for their diabolical performance, while I unhesitatingly dish out warnings to Lacruz, Kokmeijer and Ballesteros, telling them that I can just as easily sell them than sign them up to new and better contracts.

Valencia (3-5-2): Cañizares; Borja, Mendieta ©, Donnet (Björklund 61); Stankovic, Juric (Reyes 74), Hugo Leal (Gallardo 56), Harold Lozano, Mellberg; Vicente, Saviola.

Cartagonova (4-1-2-1-2): Vidal ©; Lacruz, Filipescu, Ãlvarez, Ballesteros; Gavião; Miranda (Esposito 68), Box (Rufete 68); Clegg; Redondo, Kokmeijer.

Final score: Valencia 4:1 Cartagonova

MoM - Jovan Stankovic