[FM24] The Fourth Glass, Vol. IV: Those Who Play With The Devil's Toys Will Be Brought By Degrees To Wield His Sword

[TheLutterworthFox]

There's only one GIF that is required at this time

[ManUtd1]

One match.  Win or draw and we are promoted.  Lose...and we will need some help from Imereti, who travel to Gori to face Liakhvi.

[ManUtd1]

December 2026 -- Georgian Regional League, Group A, Matchday 39.

Enguri sit 7th, a remarkable showing following their promotion from the lower leagues.  They are no pushover.  But we need to seize the moment.

Tsilosani takes the initiative with a mazy run and speculative blast in the 11th that finds the back of the net.  We aren't playing well.  We are tentative.  The weight of the moment perhaps resting heavy on our shoulders.  The pressure may be getting to Liakhvi as well, who are level despite scoring early in a must-win situation.  

Kaldani rises to claim our 2nd off a Samadashvili cross after Mchedlishvili played him in behind the lines.  We're 30-odd minutes from promotion, regardless of what happens in Gori...and Samadashvili claims his due 10 minutes later.  It's 3-nil, as news begins to filter through the ground that Liakhvi have claimed the lead. 

It matters not.  We're going up, lads.

   

  

[ManUtd1]

A full-blown season review will follow, but this says it all.  Especially when contrasted with the 2025 campaign when we couldn't keep a cleansheet to save our lives.  Literally and figuratively.

Edited October 28, 2023 by ManUtd1

[TheLutterworthFox]

7 minutes ago, ManUtd1 said:

December 2026 -- Georgian Regional League, Group A, Matchday 39.

Enguri sit 7th, a remarkable showing following their promotion from the lower leagues.  They are no pushover.  But we need to seize the moment.

Tsilosani takes the initiative with a mazy run and speculative blast in the 11th that finds the back of the net.  We aren't playing well.  We are tentative.  The weight of the moment perhaps resting heavy on our shoulders.  The pressure may be getting to Liakhvi as well, who are level despite scoring early in a must-win situation.  

Kaldani rises to claim our 2nd off a Samadashvili cross after Mchedlishvili played him in behind the lines.  We're 30-odd minutes from promotion, regardless of what happens in Gori...and Samadashvili claims his due 10 minutes later.  It's 3-nil, as news begins to filter through the ground that Liakhvi have claimed the lead. 

It matters not.  We're going up, lads.

   

  

Congrats mate!

[Rikulec]

That's better. 

[ManUtd1]

4 hours ago, TheLutterworthFox said:

Congrats mate!

Thanks, man! A welcome result after the slow (yet competent) start to the campaign.

2 hours ago, Rikulec said:

That's better. 

Indeed 

[ManUtd1]

It is never too late to be what you might have been.

2026 Season Review - Gldani Tbilisi

The sweet taste of success lingers in my mouth as the sun rises the morning after our triumph.  I can't sleep.  The lads have finally made their way home for a well deserved rest.  An epic campaign that will forever live in their memories.

We have a big task ahead of us.  Many of the clubs in Liga 4 are fully professional, whereas our lads have to hold down second jobs to pay the bills...at least, those who don't live with their parents still.

Lest anyone think that a repeat of Abuli's title-winning campaign at the first asking is in the cards, they'd best remember that those ****s were fully professional even in the 5th tier, thanks to obscene investment from their owner.  That we have the talent to compete in Liga 4, I have no doubt.  It's the challenge of competing as semi-professionals that gives me pause.  Our primary target is a goal-scoring attacker.  We need to be more ruthless.

   

[ManUtd1]

April 2027.

Like Abuli before us, we are taking Liga 4 by storm.  We're in form.  In stride.  Romping to 6 wins from our first 8 matches.  

Credit in part to Beka Bunturi, a Samgurali academy graduate, signed on a free after his contract with Liga 3 side Machakhela expired.  He's performing well, even if the end product isn't quite what it needs to be.  With 22 matches to play he has time to come good on that xG.

 

[ManUtd1]

Meant to highlight our other signings -- Saba Goglichidze, Giorgi Metreveli, and Shota Igitkh...Igit...Ig...Isn't going to be playing for me. 

Suffice to say, my coaches rate Saba and Shota.  I don't.  Also, my coaches are idiots.  These 3 provide much needed depth/coverage in our 18-man first team squad, but that's all.

  

Edited October 31, 2023 by ManUtd1

[ManUtd1]

I wish I could be mad at Sergi.  Truth be told, I'm not even a bit bitter.  He performed for me during my tenure at Duruji Kvareli.  No one in the back line did.  But Sergi?  He's good people.

[ManUtd1]

August 2027.

Life's a laugh when you're sitting on top of the table.  We are not perfect.  We are fallible.  Yet we continue to march onwards towards possible promotion, playing silky, saucy football. 

The media have ben aflutter about possible attempts to sign me away -- the first major one comes in from Meshakhte.  Tempting, insofar as they play in a massive, crumbling concrete cauldron that pays homage to an era long since passed.  It is an easy "no," though, thanks to their seemingly inevitable relegation from Liga 3 -- they sit 15th and have a uniquely awful squad.  But the rumors persist, as other managers are given the dreaded vote of confidence.

As much joy as I've found here at Gldani, the question remains whether the ****s at the GFF will tolerate a Tbilisi side rising up to challenge their favored sons.  Or if we must march on the capitol (figuratively), from an outside setting.

Only time will tell.

 

 

Edited November 1, 2023 by ManUtd1