Earnie is God!

2022 End of Season Award Ceremony

September/October 2002 Just 3 games in each month to finish the season with and we remained unbeaten although didn't quite manage to win every league game. Instead, we rounded off the season with 4 wins and 2 draws to give us a total return of the season of 24 wins and 2 draws in our 26 matches. I guess we are the invincibles and it does feel good but not as special as I thought it might. Cuesta failed to score in the final 4 matches of the season and I think the 33yo is at best a season away from retirement now. That didn't stop him being the top scorer this season though. In the final game, I started 37yo GK Farro who had lost his place to Gobetti for the majority of the campaign. But I thought it was apt for him to play and captain in what will be his final match for us. And he didn't let us down either, with a solid performance and a clean sheet. I subbed him off for Gobetti in the final few minutes so that the fans could give him the round of applause he deserved.

Youth Recruitment 2022 Looks like we may have a little superstar on our hands A couple of others look pretty good too. Not sure about it being a 'golden generation' mind.

August 2022 (part 2) Back to the league for the rest of the month and we are playing a bit of catch-up after our exploits in the CL so it's two games a week, every week this month. I need to find a way to beat the big teams like Boca, Flamengo, etc as they just tear us apart and so I had a bit of tinkering with the tactics. Out went the ultra attacking mode, in came stealth mode 😃 It's an asymmetrical 4-1-4-1 formation. Easier to show you... As you can see on the left, plenty of chances, although not so many on target and the CCCs were low. However, the xG is pretty good. The best thing is how we closed the opposition down and gave them next to nothing. This has largely been down to switching the fullbacks to being more defensive. RB Ramos is now more like Ben White rather than before when he was trying to play like Trent 😄 The 2-0 win above was followed by 2-0, 2-1, 5-2 and 3-0 victories. Danilo (3 goals) has thrived in the AM role while Iberico and Cuesta also scored 3 each in total for these games. Galeano came up from the back to score twice from set pieces and there were also goals from Percy, Mendieta and Quevedo This means, with 6 games to go, we still haven't dropped a point in the league! Not only that, this run stretches back to last season I think I need to move on after this season for sure. Not only due to the bugs in this league but also because it's become a little too easy to win the league.

August 2022 (part 1) A big month with plenty of action, none more so than the QF tie v Boca Juniors. Really looking forward to testing ourselves against one of the best sides in South America. 🤨 Boca were up first for us and, despite going behind, we battled back to earn a draw thanks to an 82nd minute strike from Iberico 🙂 A rotated squad for the home league match v Cantelao but it didn't stop our 100% record as we ran out 3-1 winners. Montoya, Vidales and Percy Lopez on the scoresheet A valiant effort from our boys in the 2nd leg but Boca were just too good. Losing 1-0 with 35min left, I went more attacking but they scored almost immediately and then notched the killer 3rd with 3min to go, a 3-0 loss We earned £1.07m in prize money for making the QF though and I didn't hesitate to ask the board to improve our facilities once more, as well as the transfer kitty They took a bit of persuading on the youth facility side of things but in the end I got my way there too 🤗

July 2022 Melgar lost 3-2 in the cup semi final, same stage as last season, to UTC But then bounced back with 6 wins on the trot, including this beauty The transfer window came to a close and we failed to get rid of winger Guedes who has been moaning non-stop about everything. He's now in a huff that I didn't sell him and announced he's leaving on a free at the end of his contract. 33yo Joel Sanchez has been a good servant to the club but is past it now and he moved to 2nd Division Mexican club Leones Negros for £40k. On the eve of Transfer Deadline Day (TDD) we signed a young Brazilian AM who hopefully will be good enough to break through next season, as well as a very good CB, also Brazilian, called Edu who can play as a DM too. He has taken Guedes' place in the squad as my 5th foreign player. He cost just £36k and was immediately valued around 4 times that. As usual, the fans aren't happy with my signings but I know what I'm doing here.

From my Melgar, Peru save... My scout thought he was going to be World Class and he does look great so we'll see how he turns out. I paid £300k for him from fellow Peruvian side Sport Huyancao. They have basic/below average facilities so really struck lucky with this one. Typically, our fans weren't happy we spent almost our entire transfer budget on him but 3 sub appearances and a goal has changed their minds slightly and they are warming to him. It was also great to see him come off the bench to set up our equaliser v Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores.

Mid-Season Transfer Window I hate this one, a time when clubs come in and try to steal all your best players. But it can also be good if I've spotted a player or two I want; swings and round-a-bouts I suppose. And that's exactly what has happened here as I spotted this 16yo already playing regularly in the top division here in Peru. He looks fantastic already and my scouts think he can be one of the best in the game! OK, so yes this is my crappy scout speaking but boy, does he look good. He's going straight in the first team to see what he can do. The fans, however, are not so pleased. Probably seeing as he cost us £300k, the most I've spent on any player in this save. Eek!

Youth Intake Preview 2022 Started off well but I remember getting excited last season when it looked good too Was waiting to scroll down and see my HoYD tell me it was an overall poor group of youths though But even though it looks, if anything, worse than last year he's telling me it's a terrific group coming through 😏🥳🎈

June 2022 June saw us extend our unbeaten run in the league to 30 games and we thrashed Universidad Cesar Vallejo 4-0 in the Apertura Champions playoff. Cuesta scored twice, on loan CB Montoya bagged another with a header and Iberico rounded it off in the 78th minute for a very comfortable victory and title Ceara loom large at the end of the month in the CL but we have the mickey mouse cup to toy with until then. Will be resting most of my stars, especially for the 1st round at lower league Deportivo Coopsol and we came through that tie very easily, another 4-0, with goals from Quevedo, Ramos, Cuesta and Iberico 2nd round was simple too; Cuesta, Arriaran and Joel Sanchez scoring in the 3-1 win over 4th placed Ayacucho. Alianza Lima away in the QF next 🤨 Slightly fortunate to come through that tie on penalties after a 3-3 draw. I'd rested players for the upcoming CL match but we got through thanks to Ibanez, Joel Sanchez and an own goal Now was that CL 1st leg v Ceara. Could we exact revenge for them knocking us out the EL last season?

In one of the other CL groups, our rivals here in Peru, Universitario de Deportes, have also qualified and will face the daunting task of taking on River Plate in the knockouts. Still, this could mean that Peru's reputation improves significantly, with two of us through the group stages

And if we somehow get through that one...

May 2022 (part 2) Normal service has been resumed in the league as we beat Alianza Atletico 3-1 away from home with goals from Iberico, Figueroa and Percy Lopez. Great to see the youngsters doing well I would have taken a point at Flamengo but it wasn't to be. A tight first half but they were much the better side after the break and deserved their 2-1 win. Vidales from the penalty spot for our goal. Squad rotation for our final Apertura match and we scraped home 2-1 v Sporting Cristal. Arriaran and Joel Sanchez netting us the 3pts and a 100% record in the league Into the final CL game, we knew we had to win to finish 2nd behind Flamengo. Any slip up by us would let in Tachira if they beat Flamengo. After a nervy start, there were 3 goals in quick succession. Joel Sanchez gave us the lead but that was short lived when they equalised. But on the stroke of half time Lujan came up from the back for a corner and nodded us back in front. The CB wasn't done there though and just after the break repeated the feat to give us a 2-goal cushion, and that's how it remained. We'd qualified for the knockout stages of the Copa Libertadores! Then the draw was made... 😥 The team who knocked us out of the EL last season are back to haunt us.

May 2022 (part 1) A stonking 6-1 win over promoted Union Huaral kicked off May for us. We were 6-0 up by HT thanks to a brace from Vidales and one each scored by Lujan, Cuesta, Iberico and Danilo. The players were given a talking to at FT though as our performance in the 2nd half, losing it 1-0, simply wasn't acceptable They seemed to accept that talk, some were even motivated by it, but we just couldn't get going in the return fixture at Deportivo Táchira and we went down 1-0 😥 Injuries are also piling up now and it's becoming difficult to put out a starting XI I'm happy with

April 2022 An excellent month which saw Melgar go unbeaten in 6 games. Iberico, Cuesta and Vidales secured a 3-0 win in the league at Juan Aurich My Copa Libertadores debut as manager was fantastic as we thumped Emelec 5-0 at home, thanks to Cuesta, Quevedo, Vidales, Arias and Arriaran Flamengo put a halt to our winning run in the next CL match but we scraped a point against our much superior opponents. A very entertaining 3-3 draw with Quevedo, Arriaran and youngster Ccahua scoring on his debut Vidales, Mendieta and Ramos then secured the win over Cienciano in the league, 3-1 the final scoreline 😨 1-0 and 2-1 down at Alianza Lima but fought our way back, not only to make it 2-2 but to snatch a 94th minute winner from Iberico. Ortmann and Figueroa with the earlier goals. The Fig man had been away on loan last season and this was his first for the club since returning. Plenty of players scoring their first goal(s) for the club this season which is great to see. A 2-0 home win over Venezuelan outfit Deportivo Tachira in the CL made it an unbeaten start to life in the CL, 7pts and behind Flamengo on goal difference. Cuesta and Arriaran the players who found the back of the net. Things were looking sweet.

Pre-season 2022 We started pre-season with an 18-2 win! Boca Juniors of Peru were the unfortunate victims. The rest of pre-season and early season went as you'd expect with plenty more goals scored and fitness regained. Always Ready failed to live up to their name. On the transfer front, not a great deal I'm afraid. My scouts keep recommending these wonderful young Brazilians who I can't sign because of the 5-foreigner limit. I eye other clubs with envy and am starting to wish I was somewhere else. Three 16yo Peruvians, Percy the most exciting as an AM who looks like he might actually be pretty decent. Mendieta, another Peruvian, is my new backup LB and can also play LM. Bordacahar departed for a decent £200k and his fellow Argie Orzan also left. This provided two new foreigner spots in our squad and they have gone to two new Brazilians: Gobetti, the GK I have mentioned before, and Danilo who we picked up on a free last season but only turned 18 recently and therefore only then was eligible to officially sign for us. We have high hopes for both.

I've had worse rejections

😥😥😥😥😥

Yeah good question, should have kept quiet about it 🤫

And just a few days later... I probably won't get it but have to give it a go. Just hope I don't annoy too many people at Melgar.

February and still no decent job available. Been keeping my eye out for something in Chile perhaps. Then I noticed this Santos job might be opening up soon!

Back to reality, I'm still boss of Melgar and it's the Copa Libertadores draw! Was looking great until Flamengo joined us. Not bad though

Back to the more familiar ground: Argentina and Brazil. Argentina - Feb-May, League Cup Group of 13 teams (12 games) plus Copa Libertadores. July-Dec 27 league games, no more than 5 foreigners in the match squad (same as Peru). Max 6 total registered in up to a 99-man squad. Brazil - 38 league games, simple. Max 5 foreigners in a match squad. Squad registration, max 50 players, no mention of foreigner limits. Jan-Apr, State Championships, a bit like regional cup competitions. I'm tempted with Chile but would also try Uruguay. Brazil's a bit of a failsafe if nothing else comes up.

Chile and Colombian leagues now added. Chile looks very simple. 16 teams, you play the other 15 home and away, job done. But then they have a slightly ambiguously worded rule about U21 players who apparently need to play in 70% of the team's minutes but not sure if that's 70% in comparison to the rest of the team e.g. roughly 5 out of the 11 playing, or 70% total which would be ridiculous as 8 out of your 11 would have to be U21. However, failing to do that would result in a 6pt deduction and a small fine so might be worth just ignoring it if they expect the latter 70%. Max of 5 over-21 foreigners allowed to register but no mention of U21s so presume you can have as many as you like. Colombia, on the other hand, is a bit mad. 56 games! A max of 3 foreigners on the pitch at any one time but only a max of 4 registered in your squad of up to 30. That's even worse than Peru! Uruguay - 37 matches. No more than 3 foreigners on the pitch, youth contracts not allowed to play. Max of 6 foreigners registered in up to a 99 man squad. Getting better. USA - 34 games followed by the Cup/Playoffs. But that's about as far as I understood as the rest of it is bewildering... No wonder I've never bothered with the MLS before

Roll Up, Roll Up, come and see Melgar play pre-season friendlies against: Boca Juniors* Atletico Mineiro* San Lorenzo** Nacional* Making sure they are Always Ready** to entertain you! * from Peru 🤪 ** from Bolivia 😂