Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 Just a few notes about the story... Football, it transcends love and hate - life and death. Broken hearts and shattered dreams... ...or everlasting happiness and realised success... How far would you go for your family, for love, for football, for your team...would you even sacrifice your soul? <Player Naming in this Story> The football side of this story will try and stick as much as possible to real life. This means the pressure, frustrations and football stress will be evident in the story with minimal fantasy and comedy attached. Depending on club stature, I will allow players to leave as per upmost realism to the real footballing world. I would like to show a darker side to football. There won't be much in the way of comedy. The actual story itself is based on a short script i once wrote (although it was not completed, it was mainly a brain strormed story idea), and I am slowly molding it around the FM Story and it WILL be completed this time around. I won't give too much away, but it may seem a bit surreal, frightening and will make you judge you life, the meaning of life and the reason behind existance. So take a seat, bring a flask of coffee and take a read. <Italics are story items> <In game information + news and announcements may be shown in non italic bold titled text> <Location and town information will be taken from Wikipedia. Details of these will be edited to add fantasy information according to the FM game world.> <Annual reports will have the main club's final ladder position, scorers and cup and league winners and possibly awards> I aim to play this game for a LONG time, thus will try to play my entire managers career. 30-35 seasons, depending if he decides to retire earlier. This means that there may well be multiple parts and maybe even multiple stories stemming from the one FM game. We will follow not only my career as a manager, but also player careers, fantastic debuts, retirements, club heroes etc! Hope you will enjoy this game with me. I tend to finish a season once a week, and will update this story accordingly. There will be portions of this story that will be entirely FM based and then periods of complete story based ideas. As stated, if you think this is going to be any ordinary story, best approach this story with an open mind. Football, it transcends love and hate and life and death. How far would you go for your family, for love, for football, for your team...? Game Information FM2009 9.3.0 Custom Database, improved a lot of the big clubs and big name players, nerfed a lot of over-rated players. The entire German league has been revamped. Many Serie A clubs have been weakened in order to stop small clubs winning the League early on in the game. The game also includes many new promising stars that the last data update of 9.3.0 failed to capture. Large Database Leagues : Italy, Germany, England, Spain, Portugal, Scotland, France, Holland, Brazil and Argentina. Top 2 divisions in each league. No particular rule-set. Where FM takes me, thats where I will go. Manager Status : Start Unemployed - Former Star The Author : My name is Tony, I used to be a tester for SI (Beta/Volunteer) a few years ago. I actually have another ID (Sydney666 with 6000+ posts) but it was lost in time. I have also released a few sound packs for older versions of FM & CM. This is my first attempt at a story. I did have a fantasy team website once that while was not a story, posted pretend articles and story themes to one of my CM games back in 2002. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Broken Hearts & Shattered Dreams... :o A constant steady beep can be heard in the background. Footsteps can be heard, slowly getting closer to you. You try to open your eyes, but the light is blinding. You try to speak, but your throat is dry. You lick your lips - that will help. You feel something in your throat. You try to reach to it, there is no response from your body. Where are you? Many beeps, all from different machines can now be heard - machines that are constantly monitoring the lives of each individual in this Hospital Ward. This heartbeat, is yours. It is distinctly slower than all the others, a lot slower. This is the heart of a champion. The heart of an elite athlete. You hear a voice of an elated nurse, calling to her staff. A patient has awoken from a Coma... ...It has been 3 months, 14 days, 6 hours and 14 minutes since you collapsed during a Serie A match for Napoli. You were the clubs captain, the heart and soul of the club. 162 goals in all competitions. At 27 you were meant to be at the peak of your career. You nearly died scoring your last goal for the Partenopei, a knee to the chest, a cracked sternum. Heart failure, swallowed tongue, 9 minutes without oxygen. Why would anyone have to endure such an ending, why would the footballing Gods allow this to fall upon a Legend of the game? You shouldn't be alive, but you are. You struggle to move your hand and you almost forget how to move your legs. You want to get up, but you can't. You manage to move a toe. There is still life in this champion. Your career as a player has come to an end, but your life has just begun... 2 years later... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bergtaur Posted May 3, 2009 Share Posted May 3, 2009 An interesting idea and I love the drama of the opening. I'll keep a watch on this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 3, 2009 Author Share Posted May 3, 2009 "Tony!, how are you my friend! You are out early this morning." You are startled for a moment as you were interruped mid-thought. "Sorry if I startled you son, you look worried. Can I help you with anything?" You take a moment for the thought process to begin and with a small effort you reply. "Hey Enzo..." You take a deep breath, the air is cool and crisp. You can almost smell your way back into time. The grass, the flares, the fans... "Yes I am fine, I was just reminiscing the times Maradona ran on this pitch" Enzo chuckles. "Maradona who?" He is an aging grounds keeper at the San Paolo, Napoli's home ground. Short white hair with natural black streaks, you can almost forgive him for having Juve's colours in his hair. You know he thinks the world of you. He is a good man and loved by all at the club. You turn to Enzo and smile. "Don't you start again." "Son you have been out on this pitch every day without fail for a year, you spend more time here than any player, and hell, more time than me and I am the groundskeeper." You try to change the subject and poke fun at Enzo. "This pitch needs to be relayed, it looks terrible." "They held another concert here, they ruin all my good work..." Enzo begins a monologue and your mind begins to wonder. You do spend a lot of time at this field, but sadly not a minute of it on the pitch since that fateful afternoon. "Colella, good luck for tonight! " Once again you are interrupted, this time by a fan, shouting from the stands. The Napoli grounds are open to the public during the week and this fan has reminded you of the events which are to unfold later tonight. 60,000 fans will be here to welcome you back on the pitch for a charity event with former greats. You are actually terrified of walking back on the pitch, to be reminded you are nothing compared to who you were. You believe that you lack courage, the spirit and everything that made you the champion of this club. However you also want to taste success once again. You believe you no longer have it in you, you feel bitter that it was all taken away from you. However, destiny and fate unfolds in mysterious ways and this random universe still has plans for you. "o! ooo!! Antonio! " - You regain your trail of thought, to Enzo gesticulating madly at you. " I understand what is wrong with you my friend. Tonight will be a special moment, you need to enjoy it - not fear the love of your fans. They still respect you, regardless of your injuries. All you have to do is kick off the match and confront your demons. Once you hear the cheers of the San Paolo and you do your lap of honour we will have the old you back, I am sure of this" "I want to play" you reply abruptly. "Che? are you crazy?" "I want to play one more game and retire on my terms, I want to play tonight and farewell my career" "You are still doing physio therapy Tony, your..." Enzo's words fall on deaf ears as his words turn to mumbling, which turn into silence. Your mind is made up and you will play tonight. You will wear the captains armband in this testimonial. You will make your fans cry, you will inspire your entire home city. Regardless of your shaking hand. Regardless of your poor vision. Regardless of your fear of losing everything that you were. You are a champion...the heart of the Lion still beats within. You will be a champion again. 19 months later... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 It is nearing midday and you almost feel a sigh of relief that you can actually have a coffee in Naples without being surrounded by a mob of fans. However the Partenopei do not forget their legends so easily. "They just hired Donadoni... that bafoon!" "Che merda! Prendi Colella!" "Serie B this year!!!" "Donadoni will do great things! He is far better than Reja. Colella was unproven" You sit at Caffe' Dante, out in the open air and listen in to all the different discussions about Napoli. You too, are now just a fan of the club. You have not been to the stadium since the testimonial. You watch your games from your satellite TV, or should we say "analyze the games". "Mr Colella, may I have an autograph for my son?" You sign your eleventh autograph of the morning. You have finally mastered to write with your left hand, you were always an ambidextrous striker - pity you rarely scored with a header - you think and chuckle to yourself. You hold up your coffee and take a sip - something that was virtually impossible only 2 years ago and something that you did not even think about a season or two before that... The body is a great thing, but the mind is a lot more powerful. That is why you are now a certified Manager, the body may have sufferred but the mind is still at its peak - you knew you would become a Manager one day, you just did not think it would happen so soon. You look around at the people around you, your city - your people. After 31 years, you will be leaving your home town for good, to embark on your first Managerial role. Your dream to Manage Napoli will not happen today, It will not even be guaranteed for tomorrow. There are no certainties in this world. You were dissapointed when you were not even considered by the Napoli board as a Manager, even though you heard the rumours and had the discussions. It would have been a fairy tale moment, however this world is cruel and people ultimately think of the bottom line. You learnt to let go when you said goodbye to your home town in your testimonial match. You promise yourself you will one day return to Naples and bring them a scudetto, something you failed to do at your time with the club as a player and something that no one has achieved since Maradona as captain. It is time to begin a new chapter in your life....as a Manager....this path will not be easy, however it should be a walk in the park, compared to what you have endured in the last 4 years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT In a short statement this morning, Watford announced former Napoli great Antonio Colella as their new Manager. The 31 year old is a new-comer to management, with this being his first role as a first team manager. Watford are expected to reach a play-off position this season and the young Italian manager should be the right man to bring the best out of the current Watford Squad. Colella, who retired at 27 due to horrific injuries obtained in a Serie A match between Napoli and Chievo Verona, has said to be delighted to have the chance to make his mark on English football. If all goes well, he should be able to see out his 2 year contract at Vicerage Road. No players were available for comment at this stage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spav Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 One of the more promising beginnings I've read - let's hope you can keep it going like you said you will. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 Watford - Location Watford is a town and district in Hertfordshire, England, situated 19 miles (31 km) northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough lies just to the north of Greater London. The parish of Watford Rural covers an area to the south of the borough of Watford (which is largely urbanised), in the Three Rivers District. The nearby areas of Bushey, Rickmansworth, Chorleywood, Kings Langley, Abbots Langley and South Oxhey, located in Three Rivers and Hertsmere districts, also form part of the Watford postcode area. The most recent official estimates put the population of Watford at 79,600 at mid-2006.The borough had 79,726 inhabitants at the time of the 2001 Census. The Watford urban area, which includes much of neighbouring Three Rivers, had a total population of 120,960 in the 2001 census, making it the 47th largest urban area in England. Watford was created as an urban district under the Local Government Act 1894, and became a municipal borough by grant of a charter in 1922. Watford - Football Club Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. They play in the Championship. The club was founded in 1881, first playing at Cassio Road ground, before moving to Vicarage Road in 1922, where they remain to this day. Since 1997, they have shared the ground with Saracens Rugby Club. The stadium currently holds 20,500 seats. The club has the nickame of The Hornets due to its yellow and black strip. Watford have a long-standing rivalry with Luton Town. The club is best known for its two spells under the management of former England manager Graham Taylor. The first lasting from 1977 to 1987, when the club rose to the old Division One from old Division Four, also reaching the FA Cup final in 1984 and competing in the UEFA Cup. The second lasting from 1997 to 2001, when Taylor took the club from new Division Two to the Premiership in successive seasons. During both of these eras the club was owned by Sir Elton John, who has continued a long association with the club. He was made the club's honorary life president, a position he resigned in November 2008 and which he re-assumed in late March 2009. Current Chairman - Jimmy Russo Current Manager - Antonio Colella Club Captain - Jay DeMerit Major Club Issues : Currently talks of a board take-over. Funds Availability : £250,000 + 30% of transfer income. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark wilson27 Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 Good luck with Watford and a good start to the story, hope you keep it up Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 Your first day at Watford Football Club Your heart rate is a little faster than usual, actually - it is beating nervously. You are being taken around the club facilities and getting introduced to all the staff members from the trainers to the cooks and cleaners. Your English is fine, adapting to England should not be an issue, but something has not felt right from the moment you arrived in England. You smile to most of them, sometimes you struggle to grip with reality that this club is now under your manegement. It feels surreal and sadly it shows in your lack of communication and chitter-chatter. "Maybe I shouldn't be doing this, I will make a fool of myself" you think negatively. "Welcome to the club Mr Colella" - You are greeted by Steven Pressley, a former Scotland International and current youth team coach. You nod and say "Thank you." then smile and turn akwardly and grasped by the shoulder by Alec Chamberlain, the clubs goalkeeping coach. "We will take care of ya. I have been at this club for over a decade, lots of good people 'ere.". Alec seems very confident of his surroundings and at that moment, you wish you could have his knowledge of the club to help you settle in easier. You are shown around the grounds, the training facilities and you meet the chairman Jimmy Russo. It seems at any given moment the chairman you met yesterday might step down and jump off a sinking ship. The club is once again voting on a new chairman and it seems the club has many internal problems and it is already a pressing issue for you. The club seems to be thrown around from person to person like a hot potato. You like loyalty and have a strong love for your club colours and you expect nothing less from everyone around you. The facilities seem fine and you are happy you could build something from this. You then wonder, you could probably afford to purchase the entire club if you wanted to - which brings a smile to your face. You remind yourself that you cannot control everything, and that you are here to train the players and worry about on the park issues. "Breathe in - Yes that will help" - you think to yourself. Your heart slows down to a normal pace. You have 6 weeks to get this team in order and you have watched the DVD's and have spoken to the club captain Jay DeMerit via telephone from the USA, where he is currently playing the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Even Jay seems some-what distant - answering most of your questions with a simple yes or no. Tomorrow you will meet with the rest of the squad, and you are hoping that you will be more warm and welcoming to them than you were today. 6 weeks later... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
M0nk3yFac3 Posted May 4, 2009 Share Posted May 4, 2009 this is a great start, interesting read, will be watching Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 Transfers & Squad News ...from day one, the squad always looked unmotivated and even the club captain Jay DeMerit seemed unconcerned with the season at hand. It was already a bad start to know that your club captain is unsure if he should stay on with your club or leave under the bosman ruling at the end of the season. This has already unsettled many players and thus you decide to build your squad not around talent and names, but people interested in a long term project and ambitions similar to yours. You want a team of young players and you hope the board will allow this period of transition. You speak with your board and they agree to offload as many players as possible in order to bring the clubs finances under control and use the income to purchase young and promising players. This is a good start and you begin to feel motivated. Players In (Name>Age>Nation>Position>Fee) Alvaro Novo (30) Spain (Right Midfield) - Free Transfer - Alvaro is a decent right midfielder with great vision, crossing and creativity. He has over 150 appearances in the Primera Liga with Real Sociedad, Mallorca and Atletico Mardid. Matais Lequi (27) Argentina(Centre Defender) - Free Transfer - Matais is an extreemly strong centre back who should be feared by opposition attacks. He has experience at the highest level in Italy (Lazio) and Spain (Celta and Atletico Mardid). Tom Van Bergen (27) Holland (Left Midfield) - Free Transfer - Technically gifted player who might struggle to adapt to the English game. A real gamble as he has not played many games over the past 3 seasons. Vincenzo Renella (20) Italy (Right Midfield) - Free Transfer - Italy under 19's International. Agile and technically gifted player who still needs to mature physically. Vincenzo was recently released from Cannes (France) Seyfo Soley (28) Gambia (Centre Defender - Defensive Mid) - Free Transfer - A brick of a defender, similar to Lequi. Gambian International. Alfredo Padilla (18) Colombia (Striker) - £175,000 from Junior (Colombia) - Padilla is the most promising striker in Watfords recent history. He is dubbed the next Faustino Asprilla. This mazey forward has dribbling, speed and finishing. However he is only 5'5'' and his small Gianfranco Zola-esque stature might be a target of some of the more brutal defenders in England. Padilla does come with a history of injuries at his former club and thus will need to be carefully monitored by the clubs Physios. Rodrigo Rojas (19) Paraguay (Centre Midfield) - £14,000 from Olympia (Paraguay) - Another talented midfielder from South America. A complete unknown but with surprising skill. Also lacks a lot on the physical aspect of the game and can be a little slow off the mark. His play style can be compared to that of Riquelme. Idir Ouali (20) Algeria (Striker) - £35,000 from Mouscron (Belgium) - Yound and talened Striker from Algeria. Hard working, a strong finisher and composed in front of goal. He could be a leading striker for any championship side in the future. Indridi Sigurdsson (27) Iceland (Defender left) - £115,000 from Lyn (Norway) - Iceland International Left back. Extreemly experienced player. Will add strength and stability to the Watford back 4. Ian Walker (37) England (Goal Keeper) - £145,000 from Bolton (England) - Experienced former Tottenham goal keeper. Richard Hinds (28) England (Defensive Mid - Defender Centre) - £475,000 from Shef Wed (England) - Strong defensive player. Will be the clubs starting Defensive Midfield player, holding the line between defense and midfield. His job will be to nullify opposition creativity. Dawda Bah (24) Gambia (Striker - Left Mid) - £175,000 from HJK (Finland) - Can play as a striker and as a left back. Not the most gifted players technically, however he is explosive off the mark. Main Transfers Out Jobi McAnuff to Birmingham £1,000,000 Tommy Smith to West Brom £1,000,000 Al Bangura to Leicester £300,000 Lee Williamson to Shef Wed £500,000 Tamas Priskin to Barnsley £1,100,000 Mathew Sadler to Blackpool £350,000 The Watford Starting 11 Formation : Defensive to Balanced : 4-4-2 (Depending on location) Goal Keeper : Ian Walker Left Back : Sigurdsson Right Back : Doyley Centre Back : DeMerit Centre Back : Lequi Left Mid : Van Bergen Right Mid: Novo Defensive Mid: Hinds Attacking Mid: Rojas Foward : Padilla Striker : Bah Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 4, 2009 Author Share Posted May 4, 2009 Squad Update & Harmony. A lot of new signings for Watford and a huge profit of over 5 million pounds was made from a large number of sales. This will really help the club over-come financial problems and also helped the new Manager, Colella to make decent purchases on the Transfer Window. Over 15 players were also released from the club, mostly young or aging players at the end of their contract. There seems to be, however, a problem with squad harmony. 12 signings for Watford, it will take a long time for these guys to gel as a working unit. Ouali has already advised the management that he is struggling to fit into the English lifestyle. He was allowed to return to his home land for 4 weeks, to be with his family. Jay DeMerit is constantly being praised by other managers in the Premier League. He constantly welcomes their praise and lists them as their favourite personnel. He has also refused to sign a new contract. Rodrigo Rojas and Padilla seem to be struggling more than others with the English Language. They tend to stick together in social gatherings and tend to be isolated from the squad. There have also been rumours of grandiose thinking, with Padilla hinting to Rojas that they should be moving to a bigger club sooner than later, even though they have yet to even make their debut for the club. The fans were also upset at the signing of Seyfo Soley. They advised that the player could disrupt the harmony of the club and his previous turbulant history at club football with Preston should have been enough reason for not signing the Gambian International. Soley has not played at the professional level for over 12 months but will be used as a backup for Watford. Colella will have a difficult task at hand if he cannot keep his players motivated and focused. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 5 Months Later... December 2008. It is 7am and it's not even the crack of dawn. This darkness and gloom, is this life in England, or is this life in general? You inhale the freezing air that is surrounding you, holding your breath for as long as you can. You wonder how you managed to do this for 9 minutes and still survive. "I could have died" you think. "I should have!" you stubbornly say to yourself. After 2 minutes and 27 seconds, you almost exhale a blizzard. Your finger tips are frozen numb, your legs feel like pins and needles. You sit in the middle of a football field, but it isn't that of your home town. It isn't that of Watford's. You are no longer welcome on that pitch. You can hear the ocean in the distance and hear a singular seagull nearby. Sitting in this small field in Sussex, you once again think about the past. Some habits die hard. (fade to flash back) You hear the crowd cheering, you can smell the grass, the sweat - you can smell the fabric on your skin, you can smell your club colours. You adjust your captains arm-band. You look the goalie in the eyes. You know he has had limited play time and your confidence is high. You step up, swing your hips and power a shot down low. He hasn't fallen for the hip movement and has stayed his ground. Your shot heads directly for the goalie, who manages a weak block. The goalie has saved it, you must make amends. Slide, slide for it now! You cannot breath. You hear your heart beat ringing in your ears. Silence. "....83rd minute here Napoli 0 - Chievo 0..... Colella has the chance to make it 1-0 from the spot......Colella from the spot, SAVED by Squzzi, Colella tries to slide in the rebound.... GOOOOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLl!!!!!!!!!! GOOOOALL GOOAAALLLL.....!!! " Silence. 41,782 fans silent. "...these are terrible scenes we are witnessing here, as paramedics are trying to perform CPR on the Napoli captain...we can see from the replays, he received a kick to the chest from Squizzi as he slid in to score from the saved spot kick..." A loud horn from a truck passing by breaks your concentration. This is probably a good thing, dwelling on the past is not of the best paths to recovery. You consider retirement...actually you are now adament you will never manage again. The frustration inside of you is affecting your decision making. You stumble back to your feet, kick at the grass in frustration. You are on the verge of quitting, but as before the fighter in you will march on regardless of how much life throws at you. You know you are a good manager, you could play football before you walked, you could cheer to football before you could speak... Watford was not the home for you... 1 Month Earlier... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 Press Announcement November 8th 2008 Watford have stumbled to their 3rd consecutive defeat this afternoon with a 1-0 loss to Derby at Vicerage Road, going down to a 16th minute strike from ex Watford man Nathan Ellington. This makes it the third 1-0 loss in a row, with the other two games being against Plymouth away and Charlton at home. Things now look bad for Colella with many pundants stating he doesn't have what it takes to manage a club like Watford. Colella has adopted a very defensive and Italian style of football which has been dubbed unattractive and not suitable for the English game, especially that of a physical league like the Championship. "We win games by quick and smart counter attacks. It does not matter if at home or away, I want swift counter-attacking play. We lose games, like we have done today, because my players have their minds on other things and our chairman has his mind away from the club." - Colella had stated only moments after this afternoons 1-0 loss. Normally not one to be outspoken to the media, Colella looked some-what disheartened by recent events and by the obvious lack of support he has had from his players and staff. After 20 games in charge of the Hornets, Colella's men have one of the best defenses in the Championship, only conceeding 18 goals. Their attack however, is the poorest of the championship with a mere 13 shots finding their way into the back of the net, with 2 being from the spot. With Hoskings out injured, Ba playing as left midfielder and Ouali currently on leave in Algeria, the entire forward line has been led by Alfredo "la bomba" Padilla. The "Minature Atom Bomb", as he is fondly known by fans, seems to be more focused on trickery and dribbling than actually focusing on direct root to the goal. There are also many talks of Padilla already moving away from Vicerage road with serveral clubs in the Premier League wishing to secure his services in the January transfer window, however Padilla has advised he is willing to remain for the entire season. In a recent interview only a fornight ago, Padilla stated in his first press release that he has no immediate plans to leave Watford int he January window. "I play for Watford, I new to this club yes? I will play end of season, see future from after this season. Is professional way ok." 18 year old Padilla has only netted 3 goals this season, but his potential is akin to that of a once naive Cristiano Ronaldo, always smiling and bubbling with over-confidence. Watford now linger in 14th spot in the Championship, only 2 points from relegation but amazingly only 4 points from 6th place Preston. Things look far from over here at Vicerage Road, however harsh words from the manager, and a lot of internal debates could exacerbate issues at an already shakey period in the clubs history. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCIAG Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Great start E_L :thup: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 Thanks for the kind words. Hope there arent many spelling or grammatical errors, Microsoft Word isn't functioning on my pc. I like to put the reader right into the shoes and in fact the mind of the manager. The actual story has some sense of truth to it. The actual character is a real person who instead of suffering physically, suffered mentally, but is slowly beating the odds to getting back to his former self. Even the best of us start at the bottom, and sometimes we need to re-invent ourselves numerous times. We live in an age where people want instant gratification and no one plans for the future. While this story does not prove success is guaranteed, it shows that sometimes if you are persistant in reaching your goals, while your main goal might not ever be achieved - you may learn a thing or two about life in the process. I will probably reveal more about the truth behind the story the longer the story goes on. Anyway I hope you enjoy my attempt at time lapse story writing. I also like to write movie scripts for fun, so I am trying to make this seem a lot more visual and atmospheric. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 Watford Player Interactions.. Jay DeMerit - Watford Captain - USA International Centre Back. You remember your time as a club captain, the importance of the role and the dedication you used to put forward. You could have played for free at Napoli if you had to, anything to help the colours you loved dearly. You think back at some of the club captains during your spell as a player. You know you were never as talented as Francesco Totti, a player whom you never got a long with on a personal level. You did however, admire him immensely for his passion and dedication to the club. Maldini, another great of Italian football. "God.." you think to yourself. "I couldn't get past that guy even when he was 37..." Jay runs past you, you nod as he continues on with his morning drills. You know that Jay has no heart towards the club and that in June 2009 he will leave Watford - you have a sixth sense for these things. "Hey Guy!" exclaims the so called club captain. You have tried to like the "guy" and you can understand his point of view of wanting to further his career, however you do expect the player to perform to the best of his ability, not to be the cause of nearly every goal your club has conceeded. Jay has been stand-off-ish towards you and his team mates from day one, and has not gelled with new signings. A poor captain can be the catalyst for a distasterous season, but Jay is the only man amongst boys in this club, pity he is blinded by the stars in his eyes. On a positive note, he does get a long very well with Alfredo Padilla. Alfredo Padilla - 18 year old "Wonder Kid". "What a signing..." you smile to yourself. The kid may be cocky as hell, but he is going to be a star. You wish you had a bigger man up-front to help out the young gun, but things have not gone as planned. You knew of Padilla from your time at Napoli. He was already a possible target by that club as a 14 year old. You were extreemly surprised he was still a relative unknown at 18, but he did only just return from a knee operation. You also know that Watford have no chance in hell of holding on to him for much over a season. Things have not gone well at Watford, however you are happy that at least with Padilla, you have made a strong connection and have been able to keep him motivated and his mind on the game. "Hold your run for a little long Alfredo, like Pippo Inzaghi. Knock it forward a little, then full sprint.. NOW NOW NOW....." you yell, during the session... "I am better than Inzaghi! I can dribble!" - Padilla laughs, after breaking through and netting the goal in the drill, dribbling the goalie and back-heeling it into the back of the next... "Inzaghi has scored over 200 goals in his career, most of them in an offiside position...you have been caught offside this season more often than you have scored goals. Keep working." Padilla kicks a patch of grass at you and gives you an American Salute. You both chuckle as the session continues. You have been training Alfredo on the mastery of beating the offside trap, and he is a quick learner. He already scored a wonder goal this season, nodding the ball past a defender, then breaking through the offside trap with that single touch. You are born with that sort of class, that sublime technique. Witnessing goals like that nearly bring a tear to your eye. You have a sense of a uncle-nephew relationship Alfredo and while you know both will not be at the same club for long, you can be said to be the one who kicked off his career, shaping this raw talent into something useful. "You know, he might well be better than Inzaghi one day..." you quietly mutter to yourself.. Idir Ouali - 20 year old Algerian Striker. Idir is currently spending time with his family, battling depression and home sickness. Idir is actually a strong person, stronger than he believes and you see yourself in him, especially during his difficult moment. He is extreemly professional and very polite to you, his team mates and unfortunately hes also a gentleman on the pitch, even when he shouldn't be! From the time you have been at Watford, you have nothing but respect for the player and you hope once his problems have settled, he can be a huge asset to the club. The board and fans are unhappy with the signing so far, as he has only played 3 games from the bench... You know there is a future in this boy, and like you, it might lay away elsewhere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubey84 Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 I like how the main character comes across like a right b*st**d in this ^^ Nice angle, really enjoyable read - my style is completely different, yet I think those who can take a 2-dimensional text based game and breathe a life and history into it deserve real credit. KUTGW Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 Press Conference November 26th 2008 Watford Sack Colella It comes as little surprise that Watford Manager Colella was shown the door today as Watford went down 3-2 at home to Crystal Palace overnight. Watford lay in 15th position, however only 6 points from a playoff spot, the minumum expectations of the club. There have been unsettling news from the Watford camp since day one, especially the manager-player rifts between Colella and Jay DeMerit and a host of players losing confidence in the manager's ability. The board thanked Colella for his time at the club, stating in a short press conference that they were happy with his sound scouting and finanical control, however the club believed that his style of play and man management were not what the club required to move forward. Colella was not able to be reached for comment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubey84 Posted May 5, 2009 Share Posted May 5, 2009 Whoopsiedaisy ^^ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 Press Conference November 27th 2008 Joe Hackett announced as new Chairman of Watford Only 24 hours after the sacking of Manager Colella, Joe Hackett has been appointed as the new chairman of Watford. With this internal promotion, Hackett is said to want to quickly stabalise the clubs finances. It is almost certain now that most of the clubs star players will be offloaded at the end of the season to keep the club afloat. In other news, Idir Ouali has returned back to training with Watford after a four week spell back in Algeria to be with his family. Ouali is currently battling personal issues but is expected to play for Watford Reserves this weekend. Padilla Set to move to Sunderland In other news, Sunderland have had a bid 3.8 million pounds accepted by Watford. The transfer of the 19 year old Striker is set to be completed at the end of the season. Padilla has scored 5 goals in the Championship this season and has impressed with some fantasic solo efforts. Former Manager Colella had signed Padilla for a mere £175,000 from Junior after a personal scouting trip. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 Quick Manager Profile Update Name : Antonio "Tony" Colella Age : 31 Previous Club : Watford (Sacked in November 2008) Watford Record : 26 games 10 wins 6 draws 10 losses. 22 goals for - 25 against. Final Position : 15th at time of sacking. Key Players : Rodrigo Rojas & Alfredo Padilla Bonds formed : Alfredo Padilla, Rodrigo Rojas and Idir Ouali Negative Experiences : Watford Board & Jay DeMerit - Lack of squad harmony. Colella will now be looking for a new club. Current available jobs. (Most Notable Clubs) Stuttgart - Currently 2nd last in the German Bundesliga Fiorentina - Currently 10th in the Serie A West Ham - Currently bottom of the EPL Sevilla - Currently 11th in the Spanish Primera Division Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 Press Announcement December 1st 2008 Rodrigo Rojas signs for Derby County. Disgruntled Watford youngster Rodrigo Rojas has signed for Championship outfit Derby County for £250,000. Rojas will be moving to Deby during the January window. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 5, 2009 Author Share Posted May 5, 2009 Press Announcement December 1st 2008 Paco de la Fuente new Watford Manager. 45 year old Spanish Manager, Paco de la Fuente has been named the successor to Antonio Colella at the Watford helm. de la Fuenta has risien through the ranks at Valladolid as a youth coach, then managing the Valladolid reserve teams for over a decade. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 Watford spell comes to an end... The short spell at Watford has ended, we now look on to the future. How will Padilla fair in the Premier League next season? Will Rojas become a leading star with Derby County as predicted ? Will DeMerit stay with Watford or move to a bigger club as predicted? Will Ouali over-come his personal problems? Will Colella find a new club or will he retire? We will follow up all of these questions in the coming days... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 Colella linked to Fiorentina Job. In a recent article posted on the Gazzetta dello Sport, it seems former Napoli captain Antonio Colella could be the successor to Cesere Prandelli. Colella who was recently released from his position at Watford is said to be extreemly interested in joining with the Viola club, especially during a transitional period. Fiorentina currently sit in 10th spot in the Serie A, and the club is requires a manager who can begin rebuilding the player squad. Adrian Mutu (Real Madrid), Gamberini (Man City), Kuzmanovic(Valencia) and Montolivo (AC Milan) have all recently left Fiorentina to move to bigger clubs and Fiorentina's new signings have been inept to say the least. Rosina (Torino), Sammarco (Sampdoria) Brighi (Roma), Zaccardo (Wolfsburg) and Geromel (Koln) have all failed to make an impact this season. Other managers also linked to the job are Luis Van Gaal, Thomas Doll and Assistant manager Gabriele Pin Colella unsure of Stuttgart Challenge. In recent news, Stuttgart have openly described how they have contacted former Watford Manager and ex- Napoli legend Colella to take the helm at the club. Talks have supposedly begun for a long term plan to bring a cash striken Stuttgart back to the heights of German Football. However Colella has been said to be weary of accepting any deal without knowing what furture plans the club has. Stuttgart have an aging squad and limited funds, however Chairman Erwin Staudt has been said to be planning for the future and is willing to invest in improving the clubs fortune and bring the club into the Champions League in the coming seasons. Staudt has openly declared his interest in signing a young manager who enjoys a strong tactical approach to the game and one who is already adopted the modern game's mentality. Stuttgart have recently signed a major sponsor deal with Mercedes Benz, and with huge profits expected from TV revenue and season tickets, the club should be able to turn around their recent fortunes. With the club only 5 million Euro in debt, it is estimated the club will be out of debt completely by mid 2010. Armin Veh was recently sacked as manager of Stuttgart and Marcus Babbel has been care-taker of the club now for the past 3 weeks. Things are not looking well however as Cottbus fired 5 past Stuttgart in their last Bundesilga game, stumbling 5-3 away. With Lehmann, Gomez, Boka and Hilbert out with injury, Stuttgart has struggled to get their campaign back on track. Another issue is the lack of squad management from Veh who has left the club with a lack of options up front and on the left side of midfield, following the depature of key men in the summer. The club is still in contention for this years UEFA cup, although 4th in Group G with 1 game remaining. Their last game is at the Mercedes Benz Arena vs Sparta Prague. If results go their way, Stuttgart should go through, but will require some help from Group G Leaders Sampdoria. Colella will be thinking over the prospect of managing in Germany, however it seems he may be keeping his options open. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 London 6:15am - 11th December 2008. (Pager Beeping) "Ahhrrggg" , who would be paging you at this time of the morning. <Antonio, Please Ring Gino> You shut off your pager and allow it to drop on the floor. "I am already a millionaire, leave me alone..." - you place the pillow back over your head. London 8:27am - 11th December 2008 There is a knock on the door of your hotel room. "I DONT WANT HOUSEKEEPING!" you yell, throwing your pillow at the door. "I AM NAKED!!" There is a long pause then you hear another knock. "Antonio, its Gino, your Agent. Open up, I have important news." "Vafanculo Gino!" - There is a smell of alcohol and cigarettes in your room. You never drink. You never smoke. You never yell at people in a pre-madona way. This is probably the lowest point in your life. You are beginning to give up. You never give up. You have overcome so many obstacles, yet you still feel as though you are a fish out of water. You have not found your place in this world, and you certainly do not want to return to Naples as a failure, especially not for a second time. "Come in. Come in!" - You say to Gino. You are a tad grumpy and in your opinion rightly so. However Gino is also a friend and you feel bad for treating him like you did. Gino is a 42 year old agent, and has been your agent for a number of years now, 13 years to be exact. Even though you have never really needed his services, he has surprisingly been very active since linking you to the job at Watford. "Sorry Antonio, this is imporant. Stuttgart want to talk to you" "Who?" you answer in a confused state... "What the hell do Stuttgart want? I paid my taxes." "Ma che dici!!?!? What the hell are you saying? Stuttgart! Germany Stuttgart, Napoli - Stuttgart, UEFA Cup 89, STUTTGART!!!" You sit up in the bed and try to sober up with a good cough and a few slaps of your face. "Antonio, Stuttgart have asked if you can go to Germany tomorrow to negotiate a contract." "What the hell do they want with a Manager like me, I couldnt put 11 chickens on the park at Watford." Gino looks at you and smiles. "They have a 55,000 stadium, a 14 million Euro Striker and you get a free Mercedes, now stronzo, get dressed." You take a sip of a glass of Scotch that has been sitting on the floor next to your bed for the past 3 hours. You do not even notice there is a cigarette butt in the glass. "Interesting". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 Contract Negotiations... Stuttgart 12th December 3pm. You are surprisingly motivated and free of any nerves coming into the negotiation table. So much so, you decide to go into this negotiation without Gino. Money is not a factor, you are just looking for a home. You try and remember the the few words of German you know, sadly all that comes to mind is "Danke" and "Bitte", the latter instantly reminds you of your time at Watford. You expect nothing from this talk. Those who set low expectations are less likely to be upset when things do not go their way. This should be your new motto. You feel calm and collected and you do not feel intimidated by the clubs stature. "Mr Colella! Ciao!!!" - A firm hand shake comes your way from Stuttgart Managing Director Horst Heldt. You are a little annoyed, as you hate being caught off-guard during a primal moment such as a hand shake "We will not be conducting business in our offices today. Do you like Sausages, Pork knuckle and warm beer?" You politely smile. You only drink beer during summer, when the beer is served chilled, straight out of the bottle. Sausages give you heart burn, you prefer Chinese food. You do not even want to speculate what a beer knuckle is, but you hope it isn't as bad as chicken feet. "Sure, what do you have in mind?" - You should win an oscar for this performance, it has been better than some of your dives. "Come, we will go to Westhauffsen Beer Hall and talk business." Westhauffsen Beer Hall ...7 minutes later. "Welcome to the Westgauffsen Beer Hall, Mr Colella" - you see a lot of smiles about as people greet you as you walk by. It seems your astonishment at a beer hall being located on the clubs office grounds have shocked you, and by their reactions it seems like you were not the first. "Wow I did not know you had a Beer Hall within the office complex, very handy." - This place is almost as surreal as Amsterdam, but you cannot tell if the people here are actually serious or just acting extreemly sarcastic. Over some small chitter-chatter, a stein of beer and what looks like a giant bone with pork sparingly melted to it, you begin to discuss the matter at hand. "So Mr Colella, do you like Germany?" You finally get to answer a question honestly, and you are actually quite fond of Germany, being an avid collector of Beer Steins. "Yes Yes I am. I actually have been to Munich quite a number of times, but this is my first time to Stuttgart." "Hopefully we can keep you hostage here for some time..." - as Horst Heldt gives you a smile, you sinceerly hope that was just a poor choice of words. "All I expect is clean water, some bread and a roof under my head and I will work hard for you" you reply, hoping that the joke will stick. You then remember that the comment could be taken right out of context and you begin to feel anxious. "Mr Colella! You are a very funny man! Let's hope your wit is matched by your tactical decisions!" You cannot help but feel that no matter what you say, the Stuttgart director holds you in the most highest of regards. "Mr Heldt, can I ask you a simple question?" "Sure, fire away...." Once again you mind begins to wonder, and you try your hardest to not break out in laughter. This has got to be the strangest job interview of the decade. As more moments pass, you feel more and more that this just might be a good working environment. "...I only ask of one thing. I am willing to listen to a contract offer, but on one condition. I would like time to build a squad if I am offered the position as Manager. I cannot perform a Miracle in 6 months." Mr Heldt wipes his hands, takes a sip of beer and wipes his lips. He reaches over to his suit - case and pulls out a contract. "This is for you. Read it. Tell me what you think. I do not want to pressure you, but we would like a new Manager within 24 hours. To be frank, if you do not accept this proposal, we will more than likely keep Marcus at the helm." You are surprised at the open nature of his comments and take a look at the contract on display. The Contract. VFB Stuttgart have offerred Colella a 1 year contract with option to extend the deal for another 2 years. The extention is completely the VFB Stuttgart's board's decision. 1st Year Contract : Salary 1.1 million Euro 2nd and 3rd Year Extension : Salary 1.4 million Euro Current Transfer Funs Available : 3.5 million Euro, which can be used in the coming January trade window. VFB Stuttgart expects the club to quickly move out of relegation zone in the Bundesliga. The club hopes you can help the club progress through the group stage of the UEFA Cup and reach the knock-out rounds. Although the club is currently 4 million Euro in debt, the financial status of the club is extreemly secure. Chairman Erwin Staudt has advised he has great plans for the club, which should see VFB Stuttgart enter the European Champions League by 2012. The current stadium is Mercedes Benz Arena, which holds 55,000 spectators (of which 4,000 are terraces). The club has excellent facilities from training grounds to youth academies. You read through the contract and you begin to smile uncontrollably. You promised to not get in over your head, or not expect anything. However, you already feel at home and all you have done is cracked 2 bad jokes and sipped on warm beer. "Mr Heldt, where do I sign?" you smile. "Welcome to the club Antonio." - Heldt reaches out his hand to you. This time you return a strong handshake with added confidence, vowing never to be outshaken again. You once again laugh at yourself and think how things can change so quickly in the world of football. You think to yourself... "Welcome to Stuttgart Tony". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 Press Announcement December 13th 2008 VFB Stuttgart have announced Antonio Colella as their new Manager. The 31 year old Italian Manager, has been named the successor to Armind Veh and will take over the helm from Markus Babbel who has been care-taker for 3 weeks. Babbel will remain at the club as Assistant Manager and will also be helping Colella settle in at his new club. Colella won't have much time to settle in, as he has his first match in 24 hours, vs FC Koln at the Mercedes Benz Arena. Colella will have most of his players back, including German International and Power Striker, Mario Gomez who returns after a 4 week absence through a muscle strain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 Stuttgart - Location Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 590,497 (June 2008) while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million (2008). The city lies at the centre of a heavily populated area, circled by a ring of smaller towns. This inner urban area called Stuttgart Region has a population of 2.7 million making 'greater Stuttgart' the fourth biggest city region in Germany after the Ruhr Area, Frankfurt, and Berlin. Stuttgart is spread across a variety of hills, valleys and parks - unusual for German cities and often a cause of surprise to visitors who primarily associate the city with its industrial reputation as the 'Cradle of the automobile'. Stuttgart has the status of Stadtkreis, a type of self-administrating urban county. It is also the seat of the state legislature, the regional parliament, local council and the Protestant State Church of Württemberg as well as one of the two co-seats of the bishop of the Roman Catholic diocese of Rottenburg-Stuttgart. The city's motto is "Stuttgart is more" (to tourists; to business it describes itself as "Standort Zukunft", translated by town hall marketing as "Where business meets the future"). In 2007 the Bürgermeister marketed Stuttgart to foreign investors as "The creative power of Germany". Under current plans to improve transport links to the international infrastructure (as part of the Stuttgart 21 project), in March 2008 the city unveiled a new logo and slogan, describing itself as "Das neue Herz Europas" ("The new heart of Europe"). Stuttgart is nicknamed the Schwabenmetropole (Swabian metropolis), a reference to the Swabian dialect spoken by the locals. VFB Stuttgart - Football Club Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. With 43,000 members (as of September 2007), VfB is the largest sports club in the state and the fifth largest in the country. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons. The team has won the national championship five times in total—most recently in the 2006–07 season—and the DFB-Pokal (German cup) three times. The home ground of VfB Stuttgart is the Mercedes-Benz Arena which was originally built in 1933. It lies close to the River Neckar on Bad Cannstatt's Mercedes-Straße near the new Mercedes-Benz Museum and Mercedes-Benz factory. After being renovated several times, the stadium can hold a maximum capacity of 55,896 spectators, of which 5,896 are standing/terrace areas. (50,000 for international matches). Unlike most other Bundesliga stadiums, the former Neckarstadion retains the traditional athletic track around the playing field despite intentions to convert it into a football-only stadium. As for the 1974 FIFA World Cup, Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion was one of the venues for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, hosting five preliminary round matches, a First Knockout Round match (England vs. Ecuador) and the third place play-off (Germany vs. Portugal). From the 2008–09 season, the stadium was renamed the Mercedes-Benz-Arena, starting with a pre-season friendly against Arsenal on July 30, 2008. This new deal will see VFB Stuttgart increase their annual profits considerably through advertising. It is famous for its talented reserve team, VfB Stuttgart II, which currently plays in the 3rd Liga, two divisions below the first team, in the highest division allowed for a reserve team. In addition to the successes of the professional, amateur and youth football teams, athletes from the club's athletics department have won numerous titles and medals. The club also has departments for fistball, hockey, table-tennis and football referees. These five departments only compete at amateur level. The club also maintains a social department, the VfB-Garde. This also contains a small beer hall, used for social events. The club currently has a rich side full of International Talent. More notably German Internationals such as club Captain Thomas Hitzelsperger, Striker Mario Gomez, Defender Serdar Tasci and Winger Roberto Hilbert. The club also boasts 38 year old talented goal-keeper and former Arsenal Man, Jans Lehmann and a host of young U21 Internationals. On December 13th 2008, Stuttgart announced former Napoli Star, Antonio Colella as their new manager. The club currently sit in equal bottom place in the German Bundesliga with a mere 10 points. Bundesliga champions 2006–07 Despite early-season losses and ensuing criticism in 2006–07, including a 3–0 loss at home to Nuremberg, Veh managed to turn the collection of new players like Mexicans Pável Pardo, and Ricardo Osorio, and Brazilian Antônio da Silva and fresh local talents, including Mario Gómez, Serdar Tasci and Sami Khedira, into a strong contender that led the league on 12 November 2006 for the first time in two years. Stuttgart established themselves among the top five and delivered a strong challenge for the Bundesliga title by winning their final eight games. In the penultimate week on 12 May 2007, Stuttgart beat VfL Bochum 3–2 away from home, took the Bundesliga lead from Schalke 04 and secured a spot in the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League. After trailing 0–1 in the final match of the season against Energie Cottbus, Stuttgart came back to win 2–1 and claim their first Bundesliga title in 15 years. The victory celebrations in Stuttgart (250,000 people) even topped those of Germany's third place win over Portugal in the 2006 World Cup. In addition, VfB had their first ever chance to win the double as they also reached the final of the German Cup for the first time since their victory there ten years ago. Their opponents in the cup final in Berlin were Nuremberg, a team that had beaten them twice by 3 goals in regular season, 3–0 and 4–1, but last had won the cup in 1962. With the game level at 1–1 in the first half, Stuttgart's scorer Cacau was sent off. Nuremberg gained a 2–1 lead early in the second half, but the ten men of VfB managed to fight back and equalize. In the second half of extra time, with both teams suffering from exhaustion and the humid conditions, Nuremberg scored the winning goal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 Added Information : Current Chairman - Erwin Staudt Current Manager - Antonio Colella Club Captain - Thomas Hitzlsperger Major Club Issues : The side currently sit equal bottom of the League. Morale is poor, there has also been an injury crisis at the club, but players are now returning to the side. They will need a few games to return full match fitness. A number of players have asked for a transfer away from the club. Some of these include, Lanig (lack of play time), Khehdira (lack of play time), Pardo (lack of play time), Del Pierre (Wants to move to a bigger club) and Trasch (Wants to move to a bigger club). Most of all the other members of the playing staff believe the team is under-achieving but thankfully the squad is "very determined" and are willing to fight their way out of trouble. Funds Availability : €3,490,000 + 60% of transfer income. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Your first day at VFB Stuttgart... No beer hall today, you are taken right down to the clubs training facilities. Straight away you know they mean business. You have not met the grounds keeper, or the pretty Filipina cleaner. The board want results and you only have 24 hours to get your mentality across to the players and get a general understanding who you can work well with. Marcus Babbel is currently running the drills and you sit and watch until the session is over. You can already see some highly motivated players. "Good Morning Boss, I am Mario - Welcome to the club!" - you are greeted by Mario Gomez, who has just returned from some gym work. He has been training aside due to a small injury that has kept him out of action for the past couple of weeks. He already has a big smile and you instantly feel an aura of a champion that surrounds him. You remember Gino's words "They have a 14 million Euro Striker" - well here he is, he seems like a very physical person with more than likely very low body fat and a high muscle definition. From what you have seen, most of your squad seem strong, agile and work hard on the ball. "We will win tomorrow vs Koln" - Gomez confidently remarks. "We are focused and Thomas has already taken the men aside and told them we need to begin to play like we know how to. No more ********! I am also fit, you can play me!" "Good, Good, I like a winning mentality!" - however you also want that mentality to generate points, and this club is equal bottom. You are under no illusions. With a pat on the back, Gomez gets up and states he is off to have a shower. You hear the sound of a few whistles and the training session ends and all of the Stuttgart playerss, your players, walk towards you and greet you one by one. Many of the players look you straight in the eye, a sign of confidence. Some, in particular Lanig, seems a tad distant. You will need to have a chat with Lanig, to see if your intial vibe about the player is a correct one. A chat with the captain, Thomas Hitzlsperger and Assistant Manager Markus Babbel. Once again you are sitting in the centre of a football pitch. The sun is setting and it is actually quite breezy and cold. However you are used to these conditions, your heart has been frozen for over 4 years. This is your place of solice. You always feel at home in a football pitch, no matter how far you actually are from Naples. It can be cold, but in these moments, you recharge your energy and balance your emotions. Every time you think about your first game in charge of Stuttgart, you belly turns inside out and the hairs on the back of your neck stand erect, like Rooney at a titty club. "Hi Antonio, mind if I join you?" - Club captain Thomas Hitzlsperger has actually taken his time out to come talk to you. This is already a good sign. "Sure, if you can brave a cold ass, take a seat." "Ha, nooooo, I have a small seat boss. " You notice Thomas has the strangest English accent you have ever heard coming from a German, but at least he is easier to understand than Robbie Fowler. A moment later you are also joined by Marcus Babbel, the clubs Assistant Manager and you begin to talk tactics. "Tell me Markus, why are we sitting bottom of the Bundesliga. Just an honest opinion between you, me and Thomas". "Ok. The situation with Armind and the players were not so good. We sold many of our good players and also to save on fees, he was playing a few out of position. I am playing Thomas on the left wing, as we sold Magnin. "I am happy to play here, it is ok with me - even though I feel more comfortable in the centre." - Interrupts Hitzlsperger. Babbel continues "We have some talented players like Lanig and Khedira, but Veh was not playing them, going for more experience in the middle of the park. Simak, Yildiray & Gebhart have been rotating with Thomas in midfield, in a 4-3-3. Cacau, Gomez and Marica have been up front. The formation and the tactical balance was not there...and after a while, neither were the results. In recent weeks I tried 3-5-2 and 4-5-1 due to injuries and suspensions, but results have not gone our way." "I see, I would like to adopt a 4-4-2 - with counter attacking..." - You would really like your balanced 4-4-2 approach to work, and you dream of fast pace counter attacking football. "That would be more beneficial to us, we have a lot of strong midfielders but maybe not enough creative minds. Yildiray is good for that only and Simak, but Simak has not been happy at the club for some time and wishes to return home to finish his career. We also have some very very fast players. Hilbert, Gomez, Marica, Boka and a few of our boys can really work well on the counter - It would be good to try this." After a near 2 hour talk with Thomas and Markus, you notice they are extreemly switched on and both might one day make very good managers. You have come to a deep understanding of who you will be playing tomorrow vs Koln and it will be a 4-4-2 with Lanig and Khedira both in the heart of the midfield. You hope that the rest of your star players are fit enough for the match, especially Gomez. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Press Announcement Stuttgart thrash Koln 5-2 at the Mercedes Benz Arena It seems new Manager Colella has brought new life to the Stuttgart side after they broke their 4 game losing streak with a brilliant 5-2 win vs Koln this evening. Stuttgart got things under-way after only 9 minutes when a powerful long range effort from Hitzlsperger was wickedly deflected in to his own net by Christian Kum. 20 minutes later, it was once again Hitzlsperger direct from a free kick from the edge of the area. Only 3 minutes had past when a surging counter-attacking run by Marica and Gomez, saw the score rise to 3-0 when Marica squared it to his team mate Gomez who strolled the ball into the back of the net. Stuttgart looked to have already gained the 3 points but as we have seen often this season, their defence were left scratching their heads when first Kevin McKenna at the 36th minute and Youssef Mohammed, at the 41st both scoring with powerful headers from consecutive corner kicks. Colella made two changes at half time with both Trasch and Lanig taking the place of Yildiray (who was carrying a small knock) and Hilbert who had been ignoring much of his defensive duties in midfield. At the 51st minute, with a cross from Hitzlsperger, Gomez chested down and toe poked home his 2nd goal of the match, and Stuttgart were now 4-2 to the good. Man of the match Hitzlsperger then pile-drived a long range shot that first deflected off the post, then hit the ususpecting goalkeeper Mondragon in the back, which resulted in the ball to trickle into the net for a 5-2 scoreline. The score coulld have been greater, but a number of clear cut chances missed by the Stuttgart strikers. Only 41,000 fans showed up for the encounter, a low turn out for a club that usually fills out every seat in the stadium, but many more will turn out if Stuttgart can keep up this scintillating display of fast pace attacking football. Things are looking good for Stuttgart with a number of good performances from their key players. Most promising was the superb defensive effort from Sami Khedira, who played only his 5th match of the season and his first start. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 The Stuttgart Squad. Armind Veh has left you with a rather strong squad, but it is also extreemly weak in terms of depth. It will be difficult to manage if you do not sign a defender and a striker soon. If there are injuries to the current squad, Stuttgart will begin to struggle. Goal Keepers : Lehmann(38), Stolz (25) and Ulreich (21) Jans Lehmann is truly the talented goalie of this club. His contract runs out at the end of the season and he is not interested in renewing. Jans is currently out injured for 2 months with a dislocated shoulder. Stolz has shown he is unhappy at the club and would like more play time. Ulreich has been dubbed "the next Jens Lehmann", although you see he still has a lot to learn. Especially since he was poor in the air in your first game in charge. Defenders : Osorio RB (28) - Boularouz DLRC (27), Tasci (20), Del Pierre (27) The defence is missing a left back and some depth. At this stage Boularouz is playing in the left back position, but he is actually a natural Centre Back. Tasci is a wonderful talent in defence, but he is not yet physically matured in defence and thus has been caught out a number of times in physical encounters. He has already been capped for the German senior side, but thus far has had a poor season. Del Pierre is a very decent centre back, but he is poor in the air. He too is having a poor season. Stuttgart have the worst defence in the Bundesliga. Midfielders : Boka LB/LM - Yildiray - AMC (29) , Hilbert RM (24), Hitzlsperger LM/CM (26), Simak AMC (30), Khedira DMC (21), Lanig DMC/AMC (21), Trasch RB/LM/RM(21) and Pavel Pardo RM(33) The midfield is full of hard working men, but lacks creativity and flair. You seem to have too many Central and Attacking Midfield options, and not enough wingers. Hitzlsperger is the leader of the midfield and of the club. A very talented individual. You also see huge potential in Khedira. He has great heading and tackling with wonderful long range shooting and he is also a great finisher. To your surprise, he however, has hardly played a game this season. Some members of the midfield like Pardo, Simak and Yildiray are aging and will need to be replaced in the coming seasons. It might be a good idea to offload them before their contracts expire. Attackers : Gomez(24), Marica(24), Cacau(27) and Schipplock(20), Luboja (30). The forward line already has three talented strikers, however only one is a known goal scorer and that is Gomez and what a scorer he is!. It is quick and agile but lacks a talented big man with aerial prowess, however Gomez and Marica are decent in the air. Marica has only scored 3 goals this season, and Cacau has 1. Gomez only has 5 goals this season, but scored a wonderful double in your first game in charge. He has missed quite a few games this season through some nagging injuries - but he seems to have overcome them. Thankfully. Luboja is a 30 year old Serbian striker and currently he has been dubbed the biggest cause of dressing room unrest. He demands more playing time and has been asked to be transfer listed. He scored 8 goals for Stuttgart in 2005, but after numerous loan spells and injuries, he has only managed to secure 2 games for Stuttgart this season. Schipplock is a youngster and still unproven. Squad Harmony You have just made your debut on the Stuttgart bench and you were impressed with the way the side responded to your counter attacking 4-4-2. Straight away you notice your team requires two new players on the left. A left back and a Left midfielder, that can allow Thomas Hitzlsperger back into his natural role. However Thomas was brilliant this evening and you wonder if you can just keep the lad there. You also need a physical defender, someone who has courage and physical prowess, as all the options at hand lack aerial ability. You have a very determined bunch of players at your disposal and this is very pleasing indeed. While there is some dressing room unrest, it seems to be more because of their competitive nature and stress, rather than because anyone truly believes they do not want to be at the club. You have also noticed after the match during celebratory drinks, Gomez, Marica, Tasci, Khedira and Hitzlsperger all seem to be very friendly with eachother. It is always a good sign to have players in good spirits. You notice Hilbert and Lanig keeping to themselves..and Osorro and Pardo also quietly chatting aside. Things look actually better than expected here at Stuttgart, you know you have a good solid group to work with and it will not take much to get this group going again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 VFB Stuttgart's starting 11. 4-4-2 formation. Counter attacking. Goal Keeper : Lehmann Left Back : Boularouz (Boka) Right Back : Osorio (Trasch) Centre Back : Delpierre (Boularouz) Centre Back : Tasci (Bikey) Left Mid : Hitzlsperger © (Boka) Right Mid : Hilbert (Pardo) Defensive Mid : Khedira (Lanig) Attacking Mid : Yildiray (Simak) Forward (Drops back) : Marica (Cacau) Striker (Stays forward) : Gomez (Schipplock) This team urgently requires some added depth to defence. Signings: Andre Bikey 22 year old CD/RB/DMC €2,400,000 from Reading. You were offerred Bikey by Reading and after watching numerous DVD's of the player, you were immediatey impressed with his physical presence. Sure he pushed over a few team doctors and has more red cards than he has received yellow, but he scares attackers and this is someone you want to bring to the club. He also has the potential to be a club favourite with his antics and he has a wonderful shot on him. Best of all, he can play Centre Back, Right Back and Defensive Midfielder. His signing alone will cover half the roles required. Marcus Schneider Age 15 Striker €900,000 This is a huge gamble but a player which Stuttgart scouts were already watching. This 15 year old is the captain of Germany Under 19's. He has blistering pace, great technique and a wonderful shot and when the scouts have dubbed him as the next Klinsmann, you could not resist and spend the €900,000 it took to bring the player to the club. He has scored 19 goals in 15 matches this season at the school boy level. He is already very matured physically and can easily pass off as a 17 or 18 year old. You might actually give Marcus a few runs in the first team this season. While the hype may not help the player, it sure will sell some shirts and bring some media spot-light to the club, increasing revenue. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Players Sold : Luboja - 30 year old Striker to Duisburg €450,000 Pavel Pardo - 32 year old Mexican Winger to Porto €1,350,000 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Press Announcement Sporting Lisbon offer a staggering €8,950,000 for Stuttgart Striker Cacau! It seems set that Cacau will be leaving Stuttgart, after a surprise offer of nearly 9 million euro was received by the club this afternoon. The 27 year old striker, has spent the last 5 years at Stuttgart and was one of the main reasons Stuttgart won the Bundesliga in 2007, where he scored 13 goals - most of which, decided the outcome of match. While he has not been able to capture that form ever since, Cacau still has a healthy scoring record at the club, netting 46 goals in 167 appearences for the club. Fans will undoubtedly miss the player if he chooses to leave the club. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Transfer News : Cacau moves to Sporting Lisbon for €8,950,000. You were very surprised when you heard of the offer for Cacau. He is a very talented striker but one you feel, would be rotated rather than used on a constant basis. Quickly management advised you that this offer was to be accepted and that they would make 4 million euro of the transfer fee available to purchase a new player. You now have your eyes set on a number of well known strikers in Germany and also on a talent from Brazil, whom you believe can make a difference... Players short-listed. Available funds : €5,350,000 Lukas Podolski - German International of great stature in the World game. A born scorer at International level, but poorly utilised it seems at club level for Bayern Munich. This player is definately a top priority for you. You have good connections with Jurgen Klinsmann and while Stuttgart and Bayern are rival clubs, you feel you could work out a deal. Lukas is actually struggling for play time this season and a mere 5 million Euro could bring him to the club. However it is unsure if Lukas would be willing to join Stuttgart. Keirrison - 19 year Brazillian striker from Coritiba. This striker is a specialist from set-pieces, can also score with both feet, is lightning quick and has a brilliant first touch. He has 12 caps for Brazil Under 21'S and has scored 12 times. He has scored 28 goals in 59 appearances and you know that this player would be a brilliant addition to the squad. You know he will be a star of the future and many clubs are watching him. He may come with a hefty price tag, even though he is only valued at 3.8 million Euro. Diego Buonanotte - 20 year old pocket rocket from River Plate, Argentina. He has scored 5 goals so far this season. He can play on the wing or add creative flair in the centre of the midfield. He is currently worth 4 million Euro, however your scouts have advised you River may want anything between 9 to 15 for the player, well out of your reach. Andres D'alessandro - 27 year old attacking midfielder, and a player similar to Buonanotte. He failed to make an impact in Germany when he last played for Wolfsburg. He may come as a bargain for 3 million Euro, and you know you have the ability to motivate such players. Idir Ouali - 20 year old Algerian and your former pupil has now begun playing for Watford and has scored his first goal at the club. He is only valued at 175,000 Euro and you are keen to bring his potential to your stuttgart bench. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Colella frustrated at lack of interest from players & excessive player valuations. You have been working all day with the clubs agents, players agents and your managing director. You have enough transfer kitty to purchase a very decent winger or a powerful scorer, but things are not going as planned and the transfer window is closing. No from Podolski. - Bayern had accepted the 5 million Euro offer, however Podolski was interested in a 3 million a Euro per season deal, and at the moment, Stuttgart was only prepared to rise to 2 million. This left a lingering bitter taste in your mouth. Keirrison too expensive : Coritiba want 15 million for Keirrison. They lowered down to 12, but negotiations stalled completely. He will more than likely end up in Milan as they are currently interested in the player Buonanotte out of reach : Riverplate have advised they want 14 million Euro for Buonanotte - they would not budge. Most clubs in Europe are interested for the player, but not for that price range. You notice that Manchester City is interested in him, and they will probably purchase the lad, and fly him over in a gold plated personal jet. No to D'Alessandro and Ouali After some long thoughts you decide against both D'Alessandro and Ouali. Anders has already failed in Germany, and he is currently 27 years old and carries an expensive contract demand. Ouali has finally over-come his home sickness, and settled at Watford, it is best to leave the player be for the time being. In 24 hours the transfer deadline will be up and you have that dreaded feeling that you will be making no further signings this season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 The transfer deadline ends. Only two signings, both complete unknowns. You feel a tad dissapointed that you did not capture the names you would have liked and it also seems fans were dissapointed. You sold Cacau, and no one has come to replace him. You now have 2 main strikers and 2 children to play in their spots if they are injured. Bikey is a decent player who can fill many roles, he also seems to have a lot of potential. You hope for no more injuries and suspensions. Lets now focus on getting our players fit, motivated and ready to go during this 4 week winter break. Christian Trasch to leave Stuttgart To top things off, talented youngster, Defender/Midfielder Christian Trasch, will leave the club at the end of a season, and join Hertha Berlin on a free transfer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 I hope people are enjoying the story. Any comments and suggestions welcome and I will keep going if people want to. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Perfect-Fm'er! Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Best peice of advice I was given when I started my first story was to enjoy my writing and story and look at views rather than comments. I used to post 7 or 8 posts a day, some people will only catch up later on in the day as there only at certain points in the day. The story is a very good one, just keep going and enjoy your writing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 I am certainly enjoying the story, it has added life to my career game. I noticed my style is a little different to the other stories I have been reading, so I was wondering if people had any main suggestions for change. I will keep a tab on views, hopefully its going up. Ta. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Rampant Stuttgart soar up the ladder In an amazing 3 months at the club, Colella has turned a limping Stuttgart side into the best attacking force in the Bundesliga. Colella had taken over Stuttgart in an equal bottom spot on the ladder with 10 points but has since won 9 matches and drawn 3 and has pushed the club to the 40 point mark. Vfb now sit in 6th spot in the Bundesliga and look odds on to achieve a Uefa Cup position with 7 games remaining in the League. 16 games without defeat in all competitions, scoring 38 goals in the process Stuttgart has turned in some devastating performances and shown some deadly counter-attacking play that has torn their opponents apart. Some notable performances include the match against Borussia Monchengladbach, who were romped 6-0 in their own home ground and the fantastic 4-2 come back victory against Dortmund. Impressive performances from Thomas Hitzlsperger (10 goals 17 assists), Mario Gomez (26 goals in all competitions) and above all Marica (24 goals in all competitions) has led to these fantastic results. Other impressive players come in the form of Khedira, who has been outstanding in a defensive holding position in midfield, and that of new signing Bikey, who has scored 2 brilliant goals from range this season. Stuttgart have also done wonderfully in the Uefa Cup, reaching the Quarter Final, where they will meet Liverpool next week. One worrying sign however is the Stuttgart defence, which is still conceeding a worrying amount of goals. While they have scored an amazing 60 goals already this season, they have let in 45, which is the 3rd worst defence in the Bundesliga. The club were also dissapointingly eliminated from the German Cup recently with a 5-3 penalty loss to lowly Cottbus after a 3-3 draw at the 3rd round stage. With the season coming to a close, it seems the Stuttgart board may indeed exercise its option to extend the contract of the 31 year old Italian manager. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubey84 Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 It's really well formatted and easy to follow. If it's getting viewed its getting read; it's just that people don't like to post too much or it'll complicate the story structure on the forums! KUTGW Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Thanks The first year in FM is coming to an end. It has been turbulant to say the least. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Injury crisis hits Stuttgart ahead of Liverpool clash. Bad news in the Stuttgart camp with long term injuries to Hitzlsperger, Yildiray and Boularouz. Sadly for Hitzlsperger, he is unlikey to return this season after the Stuttgart captain tore a calf muscle. He is expected to be out between 2 and 3 months. This is a huge blow for Stuttgart as Hitzlsperger has been in the best form of his career and has been a major motivational factor behind his clubs resurgance in the league. Yildiray will also be out for 3 weeks, after the midfielder sprained an ankle during training. Yildiray has been in great form recently, contributing 4 goals and 8 assists to the Stuttgart cause this season. Boularouz is expected to miss up to 4 weeks with strained knee ligaments but may play with a course of pain-killers. Hilbert and Osorio are also suspended for the coming clash against Liverpool and with player numbers running thin, it seems Colella will have to work over-time to get his team prepared for the battle at hand. It seems Stuttgart now face an uphill battle to qualify to the Semi-Finals of the Uefa Cup and maintain their good league form. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 England. You do not like England. It seems to you, every time you step in this country, things go wrong. 2 days and you already have 3 injuries and things had been so perfect up until now. This country must be cursed. "I will be taking the club to the Vatican for a blessing" - you think to yourself, even though most of your players are Protestant, Jewish or Muslim. Religion is not your strong point, in fact you are agnostic, but you would do anything for a bit of prolonged good luck. You will miss Thomas in the heart of mid-field, and regardless of his injury, you will be taking him to matches as he can keep players motivated, even from the sidelines. You have formed a friendship with Thomas and if things were to ever go sour at Stuttgart, he would be the first name on your shortlist at any other club. There is this sensation that Thomas would be hard done by, if the club were not to reach Europe this season. He is a talented player and you know he would love to play in the Champions League in the coming seasons. He is now 28 and at his peak and you do consider allowing him to move to a big club. The interest is there from a number of clubs. Do you hold on to the player, or think about his future and allow him to experience football at the highest level? You know that a lot of your players have clubs knocking at their door step. Gomez, Marica and Hilbert also have interests from Italy and England. Marica has really exploded under your guidance. He only had 9 goals in 2 seasons before you joined, but he now has 24 goals in this season alone. He fits so well in your style of play. Already AS Roma want to pry the player away from you. Hilbert has had a terrible season and even under your guidance he is still struggling with his form. You know Manchester City and Bayern are interested in his services and as it stands right now, you would sell him without batting an eye. Even when the club won the Bundesliga in 2007, half the squad was sold or moved on to bigger things. The stuttgart board believe they can take this club to the Champions League and you know this is possible. However at this rate, it is 2 seasons away and Thomas will be nearing 30 and you will have an up-hill battle to keep players on. In 20 years only 2 German clubs have won the Champions League and the idea of actually doing well in that tournament excites and motivates you. However you know players will want to move to England, where the EPL is the flavour of the moment... ...You hate England... To win that cup however, you need to hold on to your best players and you know, Gomez and Hitzlsperger will more than likely generate some large offers and the board will not hesitate to tell you the bid must be accepted. Ok... You take a deep breath. Take a couple of pills for your headache, and start to think about the Liverpool game. On a positive note, you are thinking far into the future, something you had not done for a long time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Press Annoucement Liverpool thump Stuttgart 3-1. Anfield, Uefa Cup Quarter Final 1st Leg. Liverpool completely ran riot over Stuttgart this evening creating chance after chance in their 3-1 victory over the Bundesliga outfit. Stuttgart at times, struggled to get out of their own half and were lucky to get anything out of this game, let alone a vital away goal. Liverpool opened their account at the 41st minute mark when Torres took advantage of some sloppy defending at the back, to easy pass Stuttgard defender Del Pierre and notch his 5th goal in European Football this season. Winger Albert Riera then made it 2-0 at the 57th minute, latching on to a ball from the edge of the area and firing it past Jans Lehmann who was rooted to the spot. Liverpool could have been up by 4 or 5 at this stage, but some terrible finishing prevented this from looking embarassing for the away side. Surprisingly Stuttgart hit back at the 61st minute when Gomez then made it 2-1, running onto a long ball, after a missed interception in defence by Andrea Dossena. Gomez came one on one with Riena and fired home with a powerful strike. With only 9 minutes to go, Liverpool solidified their foothold in the tie, with a goal from Lucas who turned on his marker Tasci, and hit a low and weak shot that still managed to beat Lehmann in goal. Stuttgart ended the match with 10 men after Jan Simak was sent off for a deliberate elbow and may be now side-lined for a long period of time due to disciplinary action. Liverpool amassed a staggering 18 shots on goal, with 8 clear cut chances and Stuttgart should count themselves lucky for managing to escape with only a 3-1 loss. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezequiel_Lavezzi Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 England.... ....you still hate England... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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