Narrator C
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Posts posted by Narrator C
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On 30/11/2021 at 08:14, Mandy42 said:
good start. Nice to see you back and wanting to write again. Hope you enjoy it
Thank you, Mandy. It's good to be back. Reading the stories here--including yours--helped put me in the mood to try again. I'm glad I did.
June 2021
The manager’s office at Birkelund stadium was not elegantly appointed, but it was comfortable. It took Tobias very little time to unpack his things and settle in. A humble man, the only evidence of his distinguished playing career on display was a framed Denmark shirt, the one he had worn in his first international game, signed by his teammates and manager.
His first official meeting with Mikkel Jeppesen as Svendborg’s manager went well. The chairman made it clear that a top-half finish in the 2. Division was a requirement, and although Toby had not seen the players in person, he had watched enough video to realize Jeppesen’s expectations were reasonable.
Toby spent most of the rest of his first day getting to know the staff the club had assembled around him. Two of the three first-team staff members had international experience. Assistant manager Theis Petersen had won 10 Denmark caps in the 1980s and 1990s. Foday Njie, who would be working with the goalkeepers, represented The Gambia 25 times before retiring three years ago. Njie, in particular, was a terrific hire for a growing club. The final member of the team, Emil Lorentzen, was a well-rounded coach who could fill a variety of roles.
Jonas Møller Nielsen would manage the B team, and Jan Jeppesen (no relation to the chairman) took the Under 19s. Jeppesen would be assisted by Christian Kirchner. All three coaches were especially adept at working with young players.
Toby also had a chance to chat with Bjørn Lauritsen, his Head of Youth Development. Bjørn seemed competent and professional. In fact, Toby was pleased with every member of his staff. The only thing that concerned him was the fact that, apart from Theis Petersen, all of them were working on a volunteer basis. They could come and go as they chose, and Toby hoped he would be able to keep them on board.
The next day, Toby met with the team. The reputation he had acquired as a player preceded him, and his expectations of a top-half finish seemed reasonable to the team. Toby left the meeting feeling good about his relationship with his players.
Preseason training began in earnest that day, too. It would be two weeks before the team played its first pre-season match, so Toby arranged for a closed-door friendly on the last weekend of June.
That gave him several days to put his squad through their paces, and several evenings to compare notes with the other members of his staff.
Peter Rasmussen would wear the number one shirt. A veteran at the top of his game, Peter possessed the savvy that comes with years of experience while he retained most of the athleticism of his youth. Promising Bo Nødgaard was a backup for now, but he showed signs of a future first choice ‘keeper. Mads Madsen, a unicorn who could play in goal one day and do a credible job as a wide defender the next, was also in the team.
Toby was delighted to discover he had the personnel to play his favored 5-2-3 shape. The best of his three center halves was Magnus Ipsen, already a commanding presence at age 21 due to his strength and speed. Ipsen liked to drift wide when his team were in possession, often venturing deeper than the midfielders on his side. Christian Kristiansen was a more traditional center half. He was less mobile than Ipsen, but he was brave and tough. The final member of the trio was Dennis Søndergaard. Toby liked Dennis’s leadership qualities as well as his composure. He modeled his game after that of Porto’s imperious Inácio Moreno. Magnus, Christian, and Dennis were at least 6’2”, and all of them were comfortable on the ball. Hulking Tommy Larsen, who was bigger still, was the best option among the reserve center backs.
Wing backs Oliver Vilfort and Kim Teilmann were similar players from very different backgrounds. Vilfort was 28, born in Copenhagen to Gambian parents. Teilmann was nine years younger, and his ancestors had lived in Denmark for centuries. Both had been trained at big clubs: Vilfort at FC Nordsjælland and Teilmann at FC København. Both men had warm, engaging personalities and enjoyed speaking with the media. On the pitch, both Oliver and Kim were fast, physical players who enjoyed making marauding runs up the flanks. Lasse Rasmussen was the best of the backups here, but young Søren Truelsen’s promise made him well worth watching, too.
Toby set up his central midfield with an all-purpose player and a ball-winner, who was given a more defensive brief. Simon Jensen served as the team’s heartbeat, a tireless worker whose fitness and savvy more than made up for his almost complete lack of flair. Even his attire was rather bland and unexciting. Rangy Anders Nielsen brought the requisite aggression and bravery to his role, but he was more than merely a destroyer. Anders saw the pitch well, and was a solid, efficient passer. The third man who would see significant playing time in the middle of the park was American Aaron Castellanos, whom Toby knew from his years in the United States. His veteran presence and leadership were his greatest assets; any young player would benefit from watching the way Aaron went about his business.
Søren Secher was first in line to start on the left wing. He liked to cut in on his stronger right foot, and his pace enabled him to gain an advantage on all but the fleetest defenders. Søren was also particularly dangerous on free kicks. Peter Skibsted lined up on the right; he wasn’t as quick as Secher, but he was more technically skilled, and he was an especially unselfish player. Shifty Torben Tønnesen was able to deputize on both flanks.
The center forward would be Lasse Frederiksen, who had been with OB while Toby was on their staff. Big clubs had tended to look at what Lasse couldn't do–despite being over six feet tall, he wasn’t good in the air and he lacked strength–rather than focusing on his quickness and finesse. This would not be the case with Svendborg. Frederiksen was also Toby’s choice for club captain. Mikkel Henriksen and youngster Nicolai Hansen were also available, and Skibsted or Secher could lead the line if necessary.
The 2. Division programme began in early August, so Toby and his staff would have several weeks to become better acquainted with their players and prepare them for the season. In the meantime, Toby began to settle into his new life, too. He rented a flat on a quiet street, not far from Svendborg’s town center. He could bike to Birkelund and back if he wanted to, and he often did.
There was something about his surroundings, about the place he was in at that moment, that invited him to breathe. That’s just what he did, knowing the unknown, unknowable pressures of his first season as a manager were about to begin.
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December 2018-May 2021
Toby had never spent money recklessly, so he was in the enviable position of never having to work again unless he wanted to. He left Boston in early December, 2018, and spent the holidays with his family in Copenhagen. He took courses in philosophy and history at the University of Copenhagen that spring. And he spent time reconnecting with former teammates all around Denmark.
Jacob Skov had lined up beside Toby the day he made his debut, way back in April 2000. Jacob appeared over 400 times for OB, mostly at left back, and few players had worn the blue and white stripes with more distinction. He now served the club he loved at assistant manager.
On a cool evening in March, 2019, Toby watched his old club and joined Jacob for a post-match drink. "I'm not sure if I'm supposed to tell you this, but we're going to lose our Under 19s manager at the end of the season," Jacob confided.
Tobias smiled. "So why are you telling me?"
"You know as well as I do. As soon as it becomes official, you should send your CV over."
Two weeks later, Toby was announced as OB's new U19 manager.
He'd had an idea he would enjoy coaching, but he was still unprepared for how much he loved it. His young players knew and respected him from his playing days, and they responded well to his training. Toby impressed his fellow coaches, too. The first team manager, a gruff, no-nonsense Swede called Kenny Arvidsson, began inviting him to join the team's tactical briefings. And, although Toby didn't like Arvidsson's overly defensive style of football, he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut, and he found himself learning a bit in the process.
As it turned out, the most important thing he learned was that Arvidsson had played eleven seasons for IFK Norrköping. Among his teammates was Mikkel Jeppesen, a Danish midfielder from the city of Svendborg. They were an odd pair of buddies: Arvidsson was a star, and Jeppesen was not; Arvidsson was grumpy, and Jeppesen could charm apples off a tree. Jeppesen lasted only one season with Norrköping, but he turned out to be an unqualified success as a businessman. He returned to his home town and became one of its most dynamic young leaders, a tireless promoter of Svendborg's charms.
Several smaller clubs called Svendborg home, but Jeppesen believed the city deserved a top-flight team. He also believed he was just the man to bring it there. Once Mikkel Jeppesen decided on a course of action, things tended to happen, and Project Football Club was no exception. Svendborg FC had to start out small; they made their debut in Denmark's Series, the fifth level of Danish football, in 2015. But the people of Svendborg began to support their new club, and Jeppesen's pockets were nice and deep. By 2018, Svendborg FC had been promoted twice, had gained semi-professional status, and appeared to be well on their way to making Jeppesen's dreams come true.
One of the reasons for Svendborg's success was the skill of its manager, Søren Henriksen. Jeppesen had opened lots of eyes with Henriksen's appointment; he was nearly seventy and had been out of football for seven years, but he had managed in Denmark's top flight for over a decade. The wily veteran had promised Jeppesen two years when he was hired. He ended up giving him six. Finally, on 9 March 2021--Henriksen's 73rd birthday--he informed his boss he would be retiring at the end of the season. That would give Jeppesen several months to find his replacement.
Jeppesen, as per usual, wasted no time. He wanted a manager who could build on the successful foundation Henriksen had put in place. Surely his old pal, Kenny Arvidsson, would know someone. He gave Kenny a call.
"Sure, I know someone," Kenny told him. "You ought to give Tobias Mathiasen a call."
Jeppesen paused. "Toby Mathiasen? The center back? Played for Ajax, right? He's a manager? Where?"
"He's our Under 19 manager," Arvidsson explained.
Jeppesen paused again. "And you're telling me to try to lure a coach away from your club? Are you afraid he'll take your job?" Jeppesen laughed. Arvidsson didn't.
"He's good. Very smart. Very good with young players. Works hard. He's ready for a team of his own, honestly."
When Jeppesen hung up, he knew he'd found his man. And when Arvidsson hung up, he went down the hall to the small office where Toby worked.
"I think you're about to get a big opportunity," the gaffer explained. "Your contract's up at the end of the season. If I were you, I'd wait to renew it. Something better might just come along."
Jeppesen did things the right way. He called OB's chairman and technical director, and received their permission to talk to Toby about a job. Then, one rainy May morning, he surprised Toby with a phone call.
Three days later, Toby was meeting with Jeppesen at his office in Svendborg.
"I don't want to play the kind of football they're playing at OB," Toby confessed.
"I don't want you to play that kind of football, either," Jeppesen quickly replied.
Toby explained his vision of how he wanted his team to play. "I want my team to set a higher defensive line than we do at OB. I want us to keep the ball, and press to win it back when we lose it. I don't want to pass for passing's sake, but I don't want to simply whack it up the pitch, either."
Jeppesen nodded. "Like Christiaan Hartog plays at Ajax."
"If we can," Toby admitted. "Let's just say that's an aspiration."
Jeppesen took Toby on a tour of the club's facilities. The Birkelund stadium wasn't new, but it was in very good shape. Toby was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the training facilities, especially the setup that was available to Svendborg's youth players. It wasn't Ajax, or even OB, but for a third-tier club, it was more than adequate.
As he was leaving the stadium, Toby looked up at the large club badge mounted above the entrance. He noticed the club's Latin motto.
"Fortes atque fidelis," he read. "Strong and faithful."
Jeppesen stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening. "I wonder how many managers can read Latin," he mused. "Some of them can't read Danish."
They continued to talk on their way back to the chairman's office. "You understand I can't pay you much," Jeppesen told him. "Managers in this league don't make €100 a week."
Toby smiled. He'd earned €14,500/week at Ajax, and pocketed a million dollars more for two years in the United States. Even OB were paying him €475/week. But while a high salary would be nice, he didn't need it. "I understand," he replied, very simply.
The two men shook hands. "I will be in touch," Jeppesen said.
The offer became official the next day. Toby was surprised when he saw Jeppesen was offering him only €55 per week. He wasn't kidding, he thought.
Toby made two phone calls that afternoon. The first was to Jacob Skov.
"You have to give this a go," Jacob told him. "You're ready. You've been ready.
The second call went to Emil Hansen. Toby had been partnered with Emil at the center of the Denmark defense nearly a decade ago. Now Emil was plying his trade with AC Milan. Emil considered Toby to be a mentor, even though he was only a few years younger and, even then, a more talented player. "I learned a lot about how to be a professional from Toby Mathiasen," Emil had once told an interviewer. Now Toby was asking for Emil's advice.
"Congratulations!" was Emil's response when Toby told him about the offer.
"You sound like I've already taken the job."
"That's because you should take it." Emil replied. "You've always understood the game at a deeper level. You helped me so much when we were playing together. You're a good motivator, too. You should have been captain of Denmark."
Those words made Toby smile softly. He had been OB's captain for three years and New England Revs' for both his seasons there. He'd even captained Ajax a handful of times. But he'd always wanted to lead his national team onto the pitch, and he'd never had the chance. Emil Hansen was Denmark's captain now, and to hear from him that he deserved that honor warmed Toby's heart.
"The contract is for only one year," Toby told him. "I'm not sure about that."
"This contract is for one year. I'm betting you'll get another one. And another. And they won't be one-year deals."
The next morning, Toby called Mikkel Jeppesen. When he hung up, he was the manager of Svendborg FC.
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Prologue
When Tobias Mathiesen wasn't kicking a football, he was reading a book. Sometimes he tried to do both at the same time.
He was good at both; good enough to play in Odense Boldklub's youth team and earn high marks at one of the city's best schools. A tall, powerful center back, Toby debuted in OB's first team at seventeen, and within three years he was a regular starter. While he put his formal studies on hold as he pursued his football career, his desire to learn never lessened. Toby was more likely to visit a museum than a nightclub, and while most of his teammates passed the time by staring at their phones as they traveled to away matches, he usually chose to read.
Toby became a star. He was among the few Danish internationals who played their club football at home, passing up several lucrative opportunities with larger teams to remain in Odense.
Then came the event that sent his life careening along another path.
Toby and Danielle Hansen fell in love when they were fifteen years old. Toby proposed to her on Christmas Eve 2011, and they planned to marry in late summer, right before Toby's season began. Danielle was visiting her sister in Copenhagen when, on a brilliant July morning, she was riding her bicycle along a busy street. The driver of the car, momentarily blinded by the sun, never saw her. Danielle was gone before the ambulance arrived.
Stunned and grief-stricken, Toby would have retired from football had Niels Hansen not reminded him that his daughter would want her fiancé to leave the game with his head held high. Toby also faced the hard reality that football is a business when OB, needing an infusion of cash, accepted a seven-figure offer from Ajax for his services.
Toby liked playing and living in Amsterdam. He learned Dutch, and while he was at it, picked up German, too. He quickly became a favorite at the Johann Cruiyff ArenA; a mature player, polished, confident, and authoritative. And, to the surprise of nobody who knew him, he began to study for his coaching badges. "Toby was a natural," remembered the director of his coaching course. "But he also out-worked everyone in the class."
After four years at Ajax, Toby moved across the Atlantic for two seasons in MLS, with New England Revolution. He played his final match a few weeks before his 35th birthday, closing the books on an 18-year professional career. He played 30 times for his country and established warm relationships everywhere he went. And, while he was at it, he developed his ideas about how football was supposed to be played.
Toby didn't know it at the time, but he was about to take the next steps in his footballing journey.
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Hello, again.
I'm going to take another shot at writing a Football Manager story. I've had fun with FM 22 so far, and next thing I knew, the urge to write had returned.
This tale will be completely fictional, based on a made-up manager who takes a job at a created club in Denmark, in a world filled with players with made-up names. I hope the lack of familiar names won't make the story less fun to follow. I'm choosing Denmark as my setting as a tribute to my mom, whose parents were both born in Denmark.
And, just like last time, my daughter Zoe will be a big part of the process. She's 12, and she loves contributing her talents as a kit designer, tactical advisor, recruitment specialist, club motto researcher, and just about any other aspect of Dad's Football Manager experience.
I'll be back shortly with the first chapter of the story.
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Let the Fun Begin!
The first match week of the Championship season is before us. We make our debut in the second flight away to Milwall. We are not expecting a warm welcome there.
The media think we're a League One club. They predict we'll be headed straight back down at the end of the season.
They figure Hull City will be the only newly promoted club to stay up, and to do so with some room to spare. Blackpool are tipped to accompany us back down, with Wycombe, who survived by five points last season, facing the longest odds to stay up.
The Media Dream Eleven contains some familiar names, doesn't it? Billy Gilmour is spending the season on loan at Swansea City. Rory Delap is the pundits' choice for Young Player of the Year, on 9:2 odds to capture the prize.
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Meet the Gardeners, Part 4
Forwards
The name you would expect at the top of this alphabetical list is indeed not there. Bárður Abrahamsen is no longer with us.
As soon as the transfer window opened, a dozen clubs began to circle Remembrance Park, waiting to carry off our Faroese forward. We watched as the offers came in...and the numbers grew larger and larger. Bárður liked Brighton & Hove Albion best, and we upset him when we rejected their first offer. We promised him that if they came back with a better one, we'd let him leave.
When Zoe and I saw how much the Seagulls were willing to give us, we looked at each other in disbelief.
"Does that really say £4.3 million? He's not THAT good, is he?" my daughter exclaimed.
Then we looked more closely at the offer. When Abrahamsen next plays for his country, we'll bank another £1.4M. Other clauses might make the deal worth over £10 million!! Now that he's with Brighton, he's valued at £4.9M, so perhaps their offer wasn't out of line. Perhaps he'll go on to establish himself as a Premier League star. Maybe we'll look back and think Brighton got a bargain. But, for a club who've just been promoted to the second flight, a pile of cash like this was impossible to resist. Best of luck, Bárður. We hope to see you in the Premier League one day.
While we'll miss him, we could sell him because we have a variety of dangerous forwards still on hand. Three of them--Christensen, Shackell, and Curtis--had a part in 20 goals apiece. All three can play on either the left or the right, while Shackell and Curtis can play up front.
We weren't completely satisfied with the situation at the top of the formation, so we looked for a bona fide hit man. The players we liked enough to consider buying were either too old or too expensive. One or two decent options were available on free transfers, but their wage demands were too high. So we decided to try the loan market.
Zoe's delight at Rory Delap's long throw prowess made him a household name for us. When we saw his son, Liam, on Manchester City's loan list, we had to check him out. It turns out that the younger Delap is an ideal fit for our team; he is fast and physical, technically sound, and unselfish. We're paying Liam's wages (£5K/week) for the remainder of the season, and City get the benefit of a year's worth of development for him, as he plays against grown men at age 18.
Depth is provided by Blume and Edwards, although we're not sure Bror will tolerate not being an automatic first choice. Sørensen, whom we nearly let go over the summer, earned a new contract because his potential was too good to toss aside. We are going to give him an opportunity to show what he's made of in the cups, and he'll be our first option should Delap not be available.
Tavernier and Mbah are the best of the young attackers. If Tavernier can score at anything close to the pace he established last season, we've got ourselves a player.
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We're back! It's been a while, hasn't it? We hadn't anticipated being away so long. We're nearing the end of a very busy few weeks. Zoe has been running track for our school's Grades 6-8 team, and enjoying it very much. I've been helping coach the varsity track team, and it's the end of the school year for all three of us (my wife is a teacher, too).
Zoe and I also started another Football Manager project. We're managing Hearts in a FM 15 save, and writing about it on the FM Stories forum. If you'd like to follow it, too, we'd appreciate the support!
Anyway, we were last seen presenting the 2021/22 Kedleigh Heath team to you, and we'll pick that back up again with a look at the men who ply their trade in the middle of the park.
Meet the 2021/22 Gardeners, Part 3
Central Midfielders
Captain Sparv returns to reprise his Half Back role, perhaps for the final time. He's in the last year of his contract and, at 34, his skills are beginning to erode, but we remain confident he can handle the rigors of the Championship season.
Rossiter is one of the first names on our team sheet. Right now, we envision him as our all-purpose CM, but if Sparv fades too fast, Jordan can drop into the holding role. He'd play it differently--more speed, less aerial prowess--but he's able to carry out all the basic DM tasks.
The emergence of Børkeeiet was one of the big stories of our 2020/21 campaign. This season, he'll be counted on to be a key player from Day One. We've signed him through 2025, so we're looking forward to his authoritative presence in our engine room for several seasons to come.
Leighton Clarkson would certainly have been in the mix, but West Ham came calling for him and offered us £800K, plus a variety of incentives that can raise the total to a tidy £1.4M. If the Hammers sell him on for a profit, we'll take 20% of that. We like Leighton, but the deal was such a good one, and the player wanted to try his hand at the highest level of English football. We wish him well.
Another veteran, Gerson, is available for duty here, as well as at center back or right back. The Luxembourg international is also drawing considerable interest from MLS, so he might be heading off to the United States this summer. For now, his balanced, composed approach to the game makes him an excellent, versatile squad player.
Koopmeiners, whom we had envisioned as a reserve last year, ended up starting a lot of games for us. According to the "quality chart" Zoe made, he should be able to handle the Championship, and since he's young, he is a player we'll keep our eyes on.
Speaking of young, Kolawole and Raymond look like future stars. The former, who has expressed his desire to play for Nigeria, is on his way to becoming a smooth playmaker. The latter shows signs of developing into a destructive DM with the passing range of a Regista. O'Rourke isn't far behind them.
On paper, Close shouldn't be able to cut it in the Championship, but his attitude and intangibles have made him a favorite.
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I'm one of those who has been reading since I joined the forum, but has never taken the time to post and let you know how much I've enjoyed it. I figure the occasion of your first top flight title is as good a time as any! Congratulations, both on your championship and on a long-running, very enjoyable chronicle.
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Inside the Club Offices
I'm stepping out of character for a moment to explain a few of the ideas behind the project Zoe and I have created. I
I've already explained how Heart of Midlothian became our featured club. If the Create-a-Club feature had been developed for FM15, we would probably have used it to pick our squad. We started our save using the team that came "out of the box," using the database from the game's latest update. Then, during the first game week, the board decided to accept transfer offers for two of our players, midfielders Prince Buaben and Morgaro Gomis. There was nothing we could do about the deals. I suppose they made sense; Hearts were just coming out of administration in the summer of 2014, after all, and the club needed the money to pay down its debt. Still, it frustrated us, especially Zoe, who liked these players and wanted to keep them. The fact that the "real" Buaben and Gomis signed for Hearts in June 2014 and would never play a game for us made it worse. And, with a transfer budget of zero, we couldn't buy replacements for them, either.
We based Cameron Reilly's heritage on our own family's roots--my wife and I both have quite a bit of Dutch lineage. The journey Cameron took during his playing career, with stops in Norway and Denmark, was inspired by another vacation our family took, along with my parents. My Mom is a first-generation American, the daughter of Danish parents. One side of Dad's family is largely Norwegian, and the other is Dutch. We loaded Holland, Denmark, and Norway, along with Scotland and England, when we started the save.
When the AI-directed board started disassembling our team before it had a chance to take the pitch, Zoe and I decided to rebuild it using similar players from countries where Cameron would reasonably have connections. That's how Steinar Strømnes, Steef Nieuwendaal, Sander Duits, Simon Tribbling, and Wout Weghorst came to Hearts. We'll probably always keep an eye out for players from these countries as we progress.
Bobby Convey was a sentimental choice. My brother-in-law went to school with Convey in Philadelphia before he joined the US Soccer residency program in Florida. When I saw him pop up in a player search, I added him to our team. Zoe "drafted" a very young Mason Holgate, because he is one of her favorite players. She also chose Ben Purrington, because she thinks his surname would be a very good name for our family's next cat. We signed Tom Gardiner on a free, based on a tip from one of our scouts.
Watching our club produce talented youngsters who go on to distinguished careers, either at Hearts or elsewhere, will be part of what makes this project fun. Boosting our youth program's ratings so they're as good as Hibs' are ought to give us some future stars to follow, without turning us into the world's greatest football factory.
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6 hours ago, neilhoskins77 said:
Narrator C, Welcome to our little corner of the Boards!
This already looks like a very interesting start, and I'm looking forward to seeing what yourself and your Director of Football can do here.
If she's found in the Boardroom telling the Chairperson (Wife) that you're not up to the job, then you know the pressure is on!
Thanks, neilhoskins! I think I'll tell the story somewhat organically. I'm envisioning it (hopefully) as a long-running story, the kind that might last for decades. If that's the case, I'll probably write yearly, or semi-yearly, updates, rather than match reports. There's also the story behind the story, where Zoe and I create our club's philosophy, build our squad, develop our tactic, etc. That might be fun to add to the tale, too.
The Chairperson is also a football fan, and she enjoys the fact Zoe and I have fun with FM together. I hope the DoF will give me time to bring our vision to life!
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Preseason 2014/15: The Cast of Characters
Some long-time Hearts supporters wondered if their club had gone too far in its attempt to usher in a new Golden Age. With the exception of Director of Football Craig Levein, whose relationship with the team went back three decades, the staff that had taken shape around Cameron Reilly was young and, largely, unproven.
Cameron met Tony Tomlinson when both were studying for their Continental A license. He had never played above the semi-pro level, but he was clever, and had already spent four years as a coach at age 30. Cameron had to talk the Hearts board into hiring Tony as his assistant, but he was adamant that the young Englishman should be his second-in-command. The other coaches--John Hill, Sam Tindal, and Neil Alexander, who was coaching the goalkeepers while still a regular player--were all under forty.
The success of the Hearts experiment would be largely dependent on the skills and performance of the Head of Youth Development. The club's directors had studied Dutch clubs closely, looking at the ways they developed young footballers. Even before the club hired Cameron, whose footballing skills had been polished at the most storied club in Holland, they'd chosen Michiel Rook to head their youth program. Rook wasn't well-known, but like most of the men in the Hearts back room, he was eager to make a name for himself. Cameron liked him.
Chief scout John Murray was a veteran, but the five scouts working under him were all thirty-somethings. Two were English (Elliot Firth and Ellis Freeman); two were Scottish (Ali McLean and Graeme Polworth); one was Dutch (Arie Lourens). Cameron's knowledge of Scandinavian football would come in handy, too.
The young manager arrived with a clear vision of the way he believed football should be played. A Cameron Reilly team would have more than their share of possession. They would play from the back, but they wouldn't simply tap the ball back and forth in the midfield without purpose. The wide men, full backs and wingers, would challenge the defense with incisive runs; creative midfielders would deliver dangerous passes; hard-working center forwards would play in their teammates and take their chances themselves. The team would play enterprising football, counting on a resolute holding player to guard the back four. Reilly was pleased to see that many of the Hearts players should be able to adapt to this style of football fairly successfully.
It had been nearly a decade since Neil Alexander had been his team's No.1, but that was the job he would be doing for Hearts this season. Now 36, he was certainly more valuable in the long run as a coach than a player, but for now, his savvy and composure would give the team stability in goal. Alexander would be asked to play with the ball at his feet more than he ever had; his ability to play as a sweeper keeper was far from certain. His backup, recently-arrived Scott Gallacher, was not quite as good a shot stopper, and he was just as new to the style of play Cameron wanted to see.
The center backs were more comfortable as ball-playing defenders, especially Danny Wilson. Already the captain at age 22, Wilson was an ideal fit for his role. His partner, Norwegian Steinar Strømnes, about whom Cameron learned from his connections in that country, was a steady, reliable center half. Teenagers Jordan McGhee and Mason Holgate were both full of promise.
Right back Callum Patterson, a home-grown lad, would be out of commission for as long as two months with a damaged kneecap. In the meantime, Liverpool loanee Ryan McLaughlin would be more than adequate as his replacement. Both Patterson and McLaughlin could fly, and both were only 19. The starter on the left would be Adam Eckersley, whose travels around European football reminded Cameron of his own. A Manchester United schoolboy, Eckersley had turned out for clubs in Belgium and Denmark before making his way to Tynecastle.
Steef Niewuendaal's bald head made him look older than his 28 years. But his energy and stamina were those of a young man, and his defensive nous and the calm efficiency of his passing made him a natural choice to play in front of the defense. Steef's fellow Dutchman, Sander Duits, was an all-purpose central midfielder and, like Nieuwendaal, he was a natural leader. Some might say he reminded them of Cameron himself.
Clever playmaker Simon Tibbling arrived from Djurgården soon after Cameron took over. He could play on either wing as well as in the middle of the park, and anywhere you put him, he bedeviled opponents with his dribbling and picked out his teammates with sharp passes. Cameron envisioned him as the conductor of Hearts' offensive symphony. Kenny Anderson could do a job here, as well as taking a more defense-minded brief.
Cameron had four players from which to choose for the wide forward spots. The veteran newcomer was American Bobby Convey, a former DC United starlet who spent five years with Reading before returning to the USA. The local youngsters were Billy King, Sam Nicholson, and Jamie Walker. Convey and Walker had been particularly impressive during the preseason, especially Walker, who scored five goals in five games.
Three center forwards with slightly different skill sets were in the team. There was Wout Weghorst, a powerful 6'6" striker who was a productive scorer with Emmen in the Dutch second division. There was James Keatings, a tricky, unselfish speedster. And there was Género Zeefuik, who had been brought in on loan from FC Groningen before Cameron was hired. All three of them expected to play regularly. The young manager might have his hands full trying to accommodate all three of them.
The Under 20 side contained several exciting prospects. Versatile Ben Purrington could literally play all over the pitch. Jack Hamilton might turn out to be the sweeper keeper Cameron was looking for. Alastair Roy, only 17, was a promising striker. Tom Gardiner was a smooth, left-footed center half, a younger version of Danny Wilson. And, from all accounts, the young teenagers who were being trained at the Riccarton Campus Playing Fields were an impressive bunch.
Cameron's managerial debut came in a Challenge Cup tie with Albion Rovers. A healthy crowd welcomed him back to Tynecastle with a warm ovation before the match, and they cheered even more loudly at the final whistle, delighted by their club's 5-1 rout of the League Two side. Danny Wilson took home the game ball after scoring three times--all on set pieces--while playing center half. Weghorst and his substitute, Zeefuik, got the other goals.
Hearts' first league fixture would the most formidable assignment the Scottish Championship could offer: a trip to Ibrox to face Rangers. Despite the presence of the big Glasgow club, who were climbing back up the pyramid after their liquidation in 2012, the Hearts board expected Cameron to lead the club to promotion...as champions.
"Cameron Reilly is a winner. That's what winners do," Ann Budge stated, very simply.
Time would tell if she was right.
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This will be my first FM Stories contribution. It was inspired when my wife and I were looking through some pictures we took on a visit to Scotland in the summer of 2014. Our daughter Zoe was fascinated by the Heart of Midlothian mosaic on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. My wife took an adorable picture of Zoe looking up at us while she pointed at the heart, a huge smile on her face.
That favorite moment happened almost seven years ago. Zoe is 11 now. She enjoys playing for her school side and serving as her dad's "Director of Football" while I play FM. Zoe is looking forward to participating actively in this story. Since she discovered the Heart of Midlothian in the summer of 2014, we're going to use FM 15 and begin our story at that time.
We have used the in-game editor lightly as we've set up the story, giving Hearts a better youth program and making a few transfers that reflect the connections our manager character would have in the world of football.
Prelude: "He's Coming Home!"
Nobody could say the board at Heart of Midlothian lacked ambition. Tiring of a situation in which Glasgow held pride of place as the center of Scottish football and eager to establish themselves as indisputable holders of the title of Edinburgh's top club, the Tynecastle brass unveiled a forward-looking plan for Hearts' future.
Rather than seeking a quick fix through the purchase of star players, the club invested its resources in its youth program. The Hearts academy at the Riccarton Campus was modernized and upgraded, and it was now comparable to any in Scotland. Better youth coaches were brought in, and Hearts became a more desirable option for promising footballers from all around Edinburgh. By the spring of 2014, the first players who were able to take full advantage of the club's new emphasis on youth were nearly ready to make an impact upon the first team.
Now, the club needed to find the right manager to turn all this promise into success on the pitch.
Had he been twenty years younger, Cameron Reilly might well have been the poster boy for Hearts' project. He joined the club at age eight and quickly established himself as a player to watch. Even as a young teenager, Cameron demonstrated the ability to control a match from the midfield, either through asserting his will as a box-to-box presence or by coolly directing the action when the game called for a more measured approach. He made his senior debut at eighteen, in the spring of 1996, and as that season ended, he had seemingly established himself as part of the club's future plans.
Then Ajax came calling. The Dutch club spotted Cameron's talent and, as they often did, moved to secure him while he was still young and fairly affordable. Cameron's mother was Dutch, so he was comfortable in Amsterdam, even though he remained on the fringes of the first team. Still, he earned his first full international cap in March 1997, and he was considered one of Scotland's brightest young stars.
Cameron enjoyed his time with Ajax, and he was privately disappointed when they sold him to Rosenborg before the 1999/2000 season began. Several things changed his mind about his Norwegian experience. He was one of the first names on the team sheet. He got to lift a league trophy, and he played in the Champions League. A star for Rosenborg and Scotland, Cameron was enjoying his football very much.
After five seasons in Norway, Cameron moved on to FK København, where he would spend the rest of his career. He retired in June 2013 after nearly a decade in the Danish capital, a club icon, captain of club and country.
Cameron couldn't remember when he first became interested in coaching. He took his badges while he was in Denmark, and during his last three seasons there, he served as a player/coach. His mentors noticed he was especially skilled with young players, who respected his standing in the game and to whom he could explain its intricacies in a clear, understandable manner.
The Hearts board knew they were taking a chance, hiring a manager who had never led a team of his own at any level. But that was actually one of the reasons why they thought Cameron Reilly was perfect for the job. He was smart and energetic. He loved the club and the city of Edinburgh. "He's Coming Home!" was the slogan the club chose to herald Cameron's return to Tynecastle Stadium.
And, as chairman Ann Budge pointed out at the news conference that announced his hiring, Reilly had been a winner everywhere he went. Twelve clubs for which Cameron played had won league titles. Eight times, he had led those champions as their captain. But, at the same time, he had never displayed the obsession with winning that might cause him to lose sight of a long-term plan in his pursuit of short-term gain.
It would take some time for Hearts to rise to the top of Scottish football. Cameron Reilly knew that, and he was both honored and delighted to be the man his boyhood club picked to lead it as it began that process.
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Meet the 2021/22 Gardeners, Part 2
Center Backs
We build our defensive line around Whatmough, who bossed League One and should be good enough to make the step up to the Championship. He might have more work to do, since I don't expect us to have 60 percent possession this year. We replaced Charlie Cresswell with another loan player, promising van den Berg, in from Liverpool.
The Dutch teenager's arrival allows us to use Sandberg in a backup role, and/or utilize Sparv as a half back. I'll profile the captain along with the midfielders in my next post.
We still have Clarke, who contributes more as a leader and a mentor than he does on the pitch these days. A number of our defenders can play in the center or out wide, such as Gerson, Purrington, Kasteren, and Droste. We shouldn't have any problem filling these spots, even if the fixtures are coming at us fast and furious.
The most promising youngsters include Tucker and Hall, who are both on loan, and van Meurs. Raymond is seeing more action as a defensive-minded midfielder.
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Meet the 2021/22 Gardeners
Zoe and I are proud to introduce to you the 2021/22 Kedleigh Heath FC squad. You'll meet some new faces, and you'll learn about some former Gardeners who will be playing their football elsewhere this season.
Goalkeepers
We couldn't be happier with our number one. Kelleher did everything we asked of him last season, and more. We feel much better about our chances in the Championship knowing we can count on the man between the posts.
Zoe and I decided to loan out Christensen, so he could get the playing time he needs to develop. He'll spend the season back in League One, with Rochdale. He will be their first choice keeper. Right now, we'll roll with youngster Davis as Caoiminh's backup. He played well with our Under 18s, and he has impressed our staff lately.
We have former Notts County man Luke Pilling in camp on an extended trial; he could possibly join us as well.
Full Backs
Let's start with Cirkin, who was valued at £275K a year ago. Now he's a £2M player, a full Ireland international, and a hands-down choice for us at left back. We ask hiim to play a wing back role, which suits him perfectly.
Kasteren, too, has developed significantly, so he's now our clear first choice at right back. Adding 26 pounds of muscle to his frame has turned him into a dangerous, marauding wing back, and the value of his long throw is already well-known.
Behind them, we have Purrington on the left and Droste on the right. I would have no problems calling on either of them in an important fixture. We'll need four wide defenders as the season progresses, especially if we remain in multiple competitions for a while. Randall and Seddon are also available. Seddon, in particular, is promising enough to hold on to.
There are also a number of exciting prospects, led by The Very Gifted James Jones. We still say this with tongues in cheeks, but he really does have the potential to become a star. For now, he'll feature in the Under 18 side so he can play regularly, but we'll bring him up to the senior team for cup ties. James can also play on the left, which creates room for Chambers, who is almost as promising. Book is still a good Book, but possibly not the classic we hoped he would be.
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30 minutes ago, anagain said:
If he goes abroad maybe he'll take Claudia with him...
Congrats on the L1 title.
I might well be wrong...it's been known...but I think the favoured means it's something the board would like to see but will more than likely understand if you find yourself haveing to defend against the top teams. I managed to escape punishment for signing players in their mid 30s when the board wanted U23 signings. I like to think they understood the need for experience.
Best of luck in the CH. It's a tough league.
Thanks, anagain. Living in the USA, I had no idea who Claudia Winkelman was. At first I assumed she was also Pete's wife. Google informed me I was incorrect.
We were constantly being reminded to play more attractive football, because we didn't score as often as the other top sides. I was surprised to see we were fifth in goals scored. I was expecting us to be closer to the middle of the league in that category; we scored 69 goals in 46 league games. We simply didn't allow the other team to score.
We got high marks for playing possession football, because we had the ball more than any team in the league; our average possession was 58% the last time I checked it. We also completed well over 90% of our passes, best in the league as well.
It's going to be rather difficult for us to play such expansive football while we're also "fighting bravely against relegation." We'll see how it works out.
We'll have no problem fulfilling the requirement to make use of our youth system. That's something I probably would have added to my contract anyway.
Thanks for stopping by!
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Takeover!
We just received news that our chairman, Pete Winkelman, has decided to leave the club. Pete has apparently decided to pursue his dream of becoming a football scout, or perhaps a Director of Football. Apparently it's a natural next step for a pop music producer to become a property developer and then a football man.
The new chairman is a local businessman called Don Scott. We think he might be a newgen character, but we're not sure. He seemed very happy to keep me on as the manager, and he then loaned about £6 million to the club.
Scott also tweaked our Club Vision a bit.
Zoe and I are wondering how we can manage to put together a side that will play attacking, entertaining, high-tempo, pressing, possession football. That seems like a big ask for a newly promoted team!
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To the Next Level
Winning promotion to a higher league is fun, but it brings with it a challenge I've always found to be a tough one. What, if anything, do I need to do to make sure I have a squad that's strong enough to stay up, rather than going straight back down to the level we've just "beaten?" I suppose every "real" manager faces this same question.
We decided to see how well our staff think our players might fare in the Championship. We went through the profiles of the players who were on our squad list at the end of the season and ranked them accordingly. Then Zoe made these colorful charts that summarize our findings.
We identified ten players whom our assistant manager, Nick Haycock, believe are good enough to play in the Championship. That's fairly good news!
Unfortunately, Charlie Cresswell is a loan player, so unless Leeds United will extend their agreement with us, we won't have his services next season. That gives us nine Championship-caliber players. All of them except Tim Sparv are 24 or younger, and might still improve.
The rest of the squad looks like this:
Again, this looks a bit better than we thought. The players with Gold current ability are all League One standard. We think they'd make decent squad players, if they will be willing to accept that role. Eight of them--the eight younger players--are all projected to be Championship quality or better. Rodel Richards, of course, is a loanee.
The Grey group are suited to play two levels below us. That doesn't bode well for their success in the Championship. However, five of these lads are very promising. This group includes James Jones, who is now considered our best prospect.
We were surprised to see Ben Close in the Grey/Blue tier. Our staff don't seem to rate him, but they think he has some upside. We like him, so we think we might keep him around.
Kevin van Veen and Tom Muyters are the Grey/Grey guys. Tom is retiring, and Kevin is drawing some interest from Dutch second division clubs. Perhaps it might be time to sell him, even if we can't quite recover the price we paid for him.
Zoe's tables make it a lot easier for us to evaluate our needs in the summer transfer window. We have £3.3 million available to spend.
Do we make a move for a striker who is ready for first team duty? Or, do we roll the dice with Spencer Shackell and young Bárður Abrahamsen?
Do we stand pat at center back, using a combination of Lars Gerson, Tim Sparv, Ben Purrington, et. al. beside Jack Whatmough? Will Erik Tobias Sandberg grow into his potential if we allow him to see regular duty? And will he stay healthy enough to do so? Or, do we make a move for an established, Championship-quality center half?
We have a lot to think about, don't we?
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19 hours ago, Jogo Bonito said:
True, the worst thing about any League 1 or 2 club is having to play that competition. It wouldn't be so bad if the big clubs under-age teams weren't in it. But once you get to the latter stages, it's well worth winning. Your run of form kept getting stronger, promotion is the most important but trophies are nice. You two just have to take turns in polishing it each week...
I'm confident in the pair of you avoiding relegation, good luck with the summer transfer window. Not sure the FA Cup Final dress code will be an issue just yet
That's how Zoe and I viewed it, and why once we found ourselves progressing well, we decided to go all in. Fortunately, we didn't pay a price for it by falling away from the pace in the League!
It's admittedly easier to succeed with our created team, because we started with an idea of how we wanted our team to play, and then picked players who would suit our style well. We want to play from the back, so we picked center halves who are good Ball-Playing Defenders. We made sure we had a right-footed left winger. We wanted full backs who are comfortable joining the attack.
I hope you're right about us staying up in the Championship! The pundits aren't so sure, as you will soon see...
And, as for the FA Cup Final, neither of us is under any illusions that we should pick an outfit just yet.
Thanks for stopping by!
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27 minutes ago, Jogo Bonito said:
Great success, well done to you both! The league win is well deserved, and although many of us EFL managers call it the Pointless Pizza Trophy, it's still worth a trip to Wembley and lifting any silverware is always a pleasant feeling.
Thanks, Jogo! Zoe will undoubtedly giggle at the Pointless Pizza Trophy name. In a way, we're almost glad that, as a Championship club, we won't be eligible to defend it. You're right, though, a trip to Wembley is definitely worth it. I've never managed a club that got to a Wembley final in FM.
We've already decided that if we make it to the FA Cup final at some point, we will dress for the occasion. I might not go as far as a full suit (I don't wear one to work), but I'll put on a tie.
We went from being delighted at the thought of making the Playoff to being equally delighted at the prospect of automatic promotion. We wouldn't have been too gutted if Hull City had pipped us for the title--they were favored to win it, and we were picked to battle in mid-table--but we're thrilled that we pulled it off.
Now, we'll have to see if we can manage to keep ourselves in the Championship, or if we'll go right back down again.
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2020/21 Statistics
I put together little spreadsheets that include some key statistics for the 2020/21 Kedleigh Heath squad. I've grouped the players four ways: goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards. Zoe enjoys doing things like this, so she helped me put them together.
Goalkeepers
We could not have been happier with Kelleher. We chose him to play a starring role, and that's exactly what he did. By any measure, he was the best gloveman in League One this season. Caoiminh's ability to pass confidently was crucial to our possession-based playing style, and he stopped shots at a higher rate than any regular 'keeper in the league.
In our push to win the Papa John's Trophy, we departed from our plan to play Christensen and Muyters in cup ties. Both of them, especially Christensen, played exceptionally well. The young Dane's statistics look even better than Kelleher's, but he didn't face the same level of opposition.
Muyters has expressed his desire to retire, and we appreciate his year of service to our club. He was a good teammate and a positive role model.
Defenders
Whatmough was an absolute rock for us in the middle of our defense. He was a deserving choice as our Supporters' Player of the Year, and as a member of the League One Players' Select Eleven. Some of his statistics don't leap off the page at you, but remember how much of the time we had the ball. A defender can't record an interception if his team is already in possession.
Left back Cirkin seized a starting position early in the season and held onto it. By New Year's Day, he had developed into one of our best players. Still a teenager, we see him as a crucial part of our plans. Dennis required regular rest, so there were still opportunities for Purrington to show what he could do. Ben's versatility allowed him to feature as a center back and even, on occasions, in the middle of the park.
In the same way, Droste found himself coming on as a substitute more often as the year went on. He never complained once, and he was always reliable when we called upon him. Knowing we had the steady Dutchman around, we felt free to let Kasteren try his luck in the senior team after he bossed the Under 18 league. Thor proved he was more than a long throw specialist, even if most of those assists came via that route. We like the fact that a 5'7" right back won 82% of his aerial contests.
Gerson battled some minor injuries and was occasionally away on international duty, but when the Luxembourger was available, we had a place for him somewhere. As a full back, a center back, or a midfielder, he gave us a cool, assured veteran presence, and he converted all four of his penalties.
Our decision to bring Cresswell in on loan in January turned out to be a wonderful piece of business. The Leeds man paired perfectly with Whatmough, giving us the top center back tandem in the league. He recently renewed his contract with the Whites, but we still view bringing him back to Remembrance Park as a goal.
Veteran Clarke (so good in the air), oft-injured Sandberg (still promising), handy Seddon (even more promising) and steady Randall (exemplary teammate) were all valuable to us in their way.
Midfielders
All six of these versatile players could play in any of the three spots in our midfield. That's exactly what we hoped we would get when we selected them.
The popular Børkeeiet, whose shirt was the most popular at the club store, was durable, composed, and skillful. The young Norwegian was especially effective in a box-to-box role, where his stamina and tenacity were on full display.
We discovered that Rossiter, too, could do a job anywhere we put him. While he was rarely spectacular, he provided us with the steady midfield presence a good team needs. We worried that the injury bug might bite him hard and often, but he turned out to be ever-present.
Koopmeiners turned out to be an ideal Regista. From the base of our midfield triangle, he could display his passing range and make good use of his ability to read the game. He's only 21, and his best football is very likely ahead of him. That's good news for us.
Our captain, Sparv, was more than an inspirational leader. Whether he was employed in midfield or as a center half, the Finland international was an imperious presence. Many of his eight goals came on set pieces, where he made excellent use of his aerial ability. At age 34, we wonder how much longer he'll be able to do Tim Sparv things, and we hope we get at least one more strong season from him at the Championship level.
Clarkson is the opposite: a dynamic young talent whom we believe will grow with the club. This year, he was our super sub, coming off the bench 35 times to fulfill a variety of midfield duties. Several Championship and Premier League sides are courting him; they apparently see the same potential we do.
On paper, Close shouldn't have been able to do much in League One, and he certainly doesn't look like a valuable Championship player. However, we sense that Ben is a powerful example of a footballer who is better than the sum of his parts. On closer inspection, Close possesses the key attributes for a midfielder in our system. He'll stay with us next year, and I wouldn't hesitate to give him playing time.
Forwards
Zoe has decided Christensen is her favorite player. The left winger contributed to 20 goals, a total that tied him with the next two players on the list for top honors in this department. We've secured his services for the next four seasons, so unless a team matches his £13.25M release clause, we'll have him in Gardeners colors for a good, long while.
Shackell, our erstwhile Raumdeuter, has also learned to play on the left and as a central striker. The latter talent has made him an even more valuable member of our club, as we're still a bit thin in this department. Shack is still a teenager, and could still improve.
Even though he didn't work out too well as a center forward, Curtis ended up being a very valuable player for us, able to do a job on either flank. He led the team with 14 goals in all competitions, and made the Players' Select Eleven--the only Kedleigh Heath attacker to earn this recognition. Blume, another versatile forward, carried the scoring load for us at different times during the season, finding the net when it seemed nobody else could do so. We're squabbling a bit with him over the terms of his next contract. He and his agent want him to be recognized and paid like a star. We're not sure if he's good enough for that status in the Championship. Edwards looks like he can do anything Blume can do, and he's happy being a squad player. A broken toe interrupted the Welsh wide man's season.
For a while, we thought Richards would be a bust, another marginally effective number nine without the inclination to do much else. Then he found his scoring boots, which he had apparently packed in the last bag he brought with him from Tottenham. Even if he never did anything else, though, we'd always love him for that glorious day at Wembley.
We're not sure what to make of Sørensen. Our staff think he has the makings of a productive Championship striker. On the pitch, he came across as a bit of a flat track bully, unable to score against teams at our level. Which assessment is right? He's out of contract at the end of the season. What shall we do with him?
Quietly, van Veen was our most productive player, measured in terms of goals/90 minutes. A low-cost option for the bench, the well-traveled Dutchman did exactly what we asked of him. Several clubs in his native country paid attention, and it's rumored that one or more of them might make a move for him in the summer window.
There are already lots of big clubs swarming around Abrahamsen. We like him a lot, but if a Premier League side approached us with a million-pound offer for the Faroese teenager, should we accept it? If we did, would we be saying goodbye to a striker who could lock down his position for a decade or more?
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Here's our Best Eleven for 2020/21. There are no real surprises here. I suppose you could make a case for Bror Blume replacing Rodel Richards, which would make Ronan Curtis the center forward.
Jack Whatmough was the supporters' choice as their Player of the Year. Dennis Cirkin and Caoiminh Kelleher finished second and third. All three of these players, plus several other Gardeners, were named to the League One Players' Select Eleven.
Not surprisingly, the team was full of players from the 100-point Kedleigh Heath and Hull City sides. Congratulations to the six Gardeners who impressed their peers enough to receive this honor.
Interestingly, another set of players proved to be the most popular among fans who bought Kedleigh Heath shirts. Here are the five players whose shirts sold the best:
I'll be back soon with all the numbers a stats nerd could ever want.
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April-May 2021
Honestly, we were surprised and delighted to enter April with a real chance at promotion. Our board had figured it would take two years for Kedleigh Heath to reach this point, and here we were, our fate in our own hands, with ten matches to play.
We didn't look like a promotion-worthy side away to Lincoln on 2 April. It took a late equalizer from Tim Sparv to salvage a point. Even more ominous was the fact that Sparv's effort was the only shot we put on target all day. Hull won, away at Crewe Alexandra, putting them four points clear with a game in hand.
The next week, we faced a tough test against Ipswich Town at Portman Road. The Tractor Boys were battling for a Playoff spot, while we could clinch one with a victory. Goals from Tobias Christensen and Rodel Richards (!!) were enough to see us through, even though we allowed a late goal to Spurs loanee Troy Parrott, the League's top scorer.
Hull City kept winning, too. With each match, our chances of going up looked better and better, and so did theirs. But which one of us would win the league? The Tigers suffered a setback on the 17th, when they lost a shocker, 1-2 at home to relegation battlers Fleetwood Town. Meanwhile, we were beating Portsmouth, 3-0, with Kevin van Veen hitting a brace.
Van Veen's contribution was a dramatic example of a trend we'd been seeing all year long. Our crowded fixture schedule, which nearly always required us to play twice a week, required us to make use of our entire squad. It seemed that every time we called upon a squad player to step up, he did so.
That's how the situation looked after the matches of April 17.
We had a game in hand, but our upcoming opponents were, on the whole, a little tougher than Hull City's were.
We were surprisingly shaky at the back against Bristol Rovers. They became the first team to score twice against us in league play since Blackpool did it in October. However, we were one better. Ronan Curtis, Tim Sparv, and Spencer Shackell found the range. 3-2 to the Gardeners. Meanwhile, Hull had to come back from two goals down to salvage a point at home to Sunderland. We were now top of the league...but not for long. Four days later, Hull beat Lincoln County while we could only draw with Swindon Town.
As Zoe and I look back at the season, the Doncaster Rovers match always makes us smile. That was the day Rodel Richards remembered how to score. He knccked in three goals, and we needed every one of them as we won, 3-2. We weren't sure why we were suddenly allowing more goals than we had before, because we hadn't changed our tactic. Perhaps it was just a case of shooters' luck. Fortunately were experiencing some of the same thing!
On the first day of May, we and Hull both won, two goals to nil. That meant that the league would be decided on the final match day. Both teams would have a week to rest and prepare. Hull would be away at Charlton Athletic, while we hosted Rochdale. If we won, we were champions; if we did not, and Hull did, they would pull the trophy from our hands...and rightfully so.
Zoe made a list of the Gardeners who enjoyed big matches, and of those who did not. Armed with this information from our staff, we picked an eleven that we believed would thrive under the pressure of a title decider. Regardless of the outcome, we were going up to the Championship next season. But wouldn't it be more rewarding to go up as champions?
We went ahead through Toby Christensen in the sixth minute. Shortly after the break, big Tim Sparv got his head to a Thor Kasteren throw and powered it in. To Zoe's endless delight, the same two players worked the same trick half an hour later. Remembrance Park rocked with the cheers of over 27,000 Gardeners supporters, who barely stopped singing when Rochdale pulled one back on 88'. And then, the whistle blew. It was official. The underdogs in navy, orange, and white were the champions of League One!
It's a sharp-looking trophy, isn't it?
Our supporters took to social media to share their joy. Isla Currie won the day with this one.
We handled all our press conferences ourselves. It was actually fun to watch our relationships with the reporters who covered us regularly improve, but we noticed one particular pundit never seemed to warm to us. Amelie Trueman writes for The Blizzard. We weren't sure why Amelie never seemed to react positively to anything Cameron said during his pressers.
Sometime during the spring, Amelie had a change of heart. <3
Few people know she has two Kedleigh Heath shirts in her wardrobe.
Here are the results of our run to the League One title. We went 39 matches without losing, coming close to the League One record. (We won't be around to challenge it next season.)
Our 106 points is a new League One record.
Kudos to Hull City, who kept the pressure on us all season long and broke the century mark themselves. We'll see them in the Championship, along with Blackpool, the winner of the Promotion Playoff.
Remember Fleetwood Town's big result against Hull City in April? That kept them from going down! Nobody can say they didn't earn it.
And our double-winning Gardeners are going up! Thanks for following us this season! *claps to the stands*
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I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a number of our players are being coveted by bigger clubs now.
Many of the stars of our Under 18 side are now on the radar of Championship clubs. It seems that Mark Hughes wants to bring the entire Kedleigh Heath squad to Stoke City. QPR's Mark Warburton has also shown an interest in several lads who have played well for our Under 18s.
A few of the Gardeners are also being courted by Premier League teams. Goalkeeper Caoiminh Kelleher, Left back Dennis Cirkin and midfielder Leighton Clarkson are attracting major interest from Newcastle United. Crystal Palace's Roy Hodgson has his eye on Clive Adams, who has banged in 17 goals for the young Gardeners.
Two of our players are being pursued by at least ten clubs. Bárður Abrahamsen is the subject of considerable interest from three clubs currently in the Championship Playoff places (Bournemouth, Norwich, and Watford) as well as seven Premier League teams.
Then there's Thor Kasteren. Our young Norwegian has caught the eyes of eleven Premier League teams, including two who are currently in contention for European competition next season (Wolves and Everton, who have been in tremendous form lately). We've recently agreed to terms with him on a new contract, complete with a work permit, so we aren't in a position where we have to sell him.
It's interesting to see that a number of our players have retained the services of two newgen "superagents." James Jones and four of his teammates are represented by Ashley Harban, whose other clients include Eden Hazard, Thibault Courtois, Joe Gomez, and Jordan Pickford. And Declan Edwards, agent for Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Hugo Lloris, and David Silva, has seven Gardeners for clients, too. Among them are Spencer Shackell and Clive Adams.
We have our DoF, Ashley Kennedy, in charge of arranging transfers for now. We wonder if he'll be working out any deals?
P.S. Unless the board override us, we retain the final say on transfer decisions.
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February-March 2021
The Gardeners continued to play well during February and March. Our run of games without a loss stands at 17, and we've gone 29 games without defeat in League One competition. We're still some way off the league record--Huddersfield Town ran off a string of 43 matches without a defeat between January and November 2011--but I've never enjoyed a run like this before.
We continue to be very, very hard to score against. We let in only three goals in league play during February and March, never allowing more than one in a single game. That's one reason why we decided to extend the contract of our number one, Caoiminh Kelleher. He'll be in Kedleigh Heath colors through June 2024, unless a club comes with an offer of £7.5m that will trigger his release clause. His wages will go up to £6250/week, which we think is very reasonable for our team's best player.
Tobias Christensen was also happy to agree to a new deal that will keep him with us until the end of the 2024/25 season. Even more significantly, he received a work permit that will allow him to play in England for its duration! Perhaps Brexit won't hit us too hard after all. Toby agreed to a club-friendly £2900/week deal.
Toby's compatriot, Bror Blume, has become a dependable scorer this winter. Already known for his marksmanship in cup competitions, Bror has begun to find the range in League play, too. His strike against Plymouth Argyle was worth three points.
As good as Blume has been at scoring timely goals, Ronan Curtis has been better. His goal allowed us to salvage a point against Sunderland, in an otherwise sub-par performance. He then got the game-winners in two consecutive games, at home to Northampton Town and away to Shrewsbury Town. Ronan, Toby, Bror, and Spencer Shackell have given us several dangerous options on the wings, and our crowded fixture list has made them necessary.
We have needed to play as well as we have, because our competitors are playing just as well...or even better.
We have a game in hand against Hull and two against Ipswich, but that is small comfort when we see how often those sides are winning! Hull City have taken 38 of a possible 45 points since they lost at home to Charlton on 2 January. Our 0-0 draw against them at KCOM Stadium on 12 February seems like a fair result for both clubs. Ipswich Town have been less consistent, but you see they're on a run of five straight wins right now. They can't be overlooked, either.
Bristol Rovers and Sunderland are in a pitched battle for the bottom berth in the Promotion Playoff. With an annual payroll of £7.23M, Sunderland really should be able to put together a side worthy of promotion! Kedleigh Heath, on the other hand, pay our players a yearly total of £2.91M. We're eighth in the payroll table; interestingly, we're just below Hull City there, too (£2.94M/yr).
Wigan, Fleetwood, and Peterborough have lots to play for over the last weeks of the season, too. Two of those clubs are going down, and one will stay up.
Meanwhile, our Under 18 side has been very successful, too.
The Under 18 side will now play in Division 3 South, along with nine other U18 sides that played well in their first round of matches.
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[FM 22] Fortis Atque Fidelis
in FM Stories
Posted
Thank you very much! I appreciate the encouragement. I've had a lot of fun so far. Much of the story will be driven by events within the game, and since I'm writing as I play, I can't tell where things might lead right now. I suppose we will all find out together.
1 August 2021
Toby had always enjoyed a cup of good coffee before a match, and now that he was a manager, he was discovering a second pregame cup tasted even better. As he finished his second cup, seated on a bench in the visitor's changing room at the Semca Ground in Hillerød, he looked at the team sheet he had prepared for his first game as the manager of Svendborg FC.
The journey to this day had truly begun six weeks earlier. A semiprofessional club like Svendborg trained, at most, three days a week. It was therefore important for Toby and his staff to make the most of each session, and he was pleased with the way he and they had prepared.
Each coach had his own areas of responsibility. Emil Lorentzen took most of the defensive training. To some, that choice might seem surprising, since Toby had himself been an international-calibre defender who had played in a World Cup. But Lorentzen was an innovative, highly competent mentor of young defenders, and Toby took advantage of the knowledge of fitness he'd gained, especially at Ajax, to coach his players in that aspect of the game. Toby did provide specialized technical instruction to the defenders. Theis Petersen was the staff's resident tactician. B team manager Jonas Møller Nielsen tutored the attackers, and Foday Nije trained the goalkeepers. The team worked well together, and the players responded positively. Kim Teilmann, in particular, earned praise for the dedication with which he applied himself to training.
Toby also kept a close eye on the way the team was coming together. They seemed happy with their training, and most of them seemed to get along well. Lasse Frederiksen had the captain's armband, but he was not the only squad member who commanded his teammates' respect. Peter Rasmussen and Peter Skibsted, two of the older players, fit into this category. So did the talented Simon Jensen. When Frederiksen twisted his ankle in training, these three men had the opportunity to take more visible leadership roles, and each grasped the opportunity eagerly.
The preseason schedule offered a mixture of small clubs with whom Svendborg should have little trouble and bigger clubs, usually a level higher on the pyramid, who would give Mathiasen's men a stiffer challenge. The results were, by and large, predictable. Svendborg handled the minnows, outscoring them 10-0 in aggregate. They lost to AC Horsens and Fremad Amager, 0-3 and 0-2, but Toby was quite satisfied with how his team responded--especially against the latter opponent, who played in Denmark's top flight. The highlight of the preseason was an 0-2 victory away to HB Køge, a bigger club whom they outplayed decisively.
Toby knew Køge's manager very well. Magnus Jakobsen had been one of three players who saw regular duty in the middle of Denmark's defense during the late 'Aughts; Toby and Emil Hansen were the others. Now Magnus was transitioning from player to manager in the second tier Liga. His pace was completely gone, but his awareness of the game was so refined that, at this level, it didn't matter. And he could put a pass anywhere he wanted it. Magnus wrote his own name on the team sheet for the Svendborg match, mostly because he wanted to play against a team managed by his former teammate. He played the first half, pulled on a tracksuit during the intermission, and spent the rest of the game on the touchline. Afterwards, he approached Toby, a smile on his face, his hand outstretched.
"Well done, gaffer," he said as he clasped Toby's hand tightly.
Toby pulled him into a warm embrace. "I appreciate it."
"You have those boys playing some nice football." Svendborg had played crisply and decisively, placing six shots on target while keeping Køge at bay so well that Rasmussen was only challenged once.
"They are coming along well," Toby agreed.
"I'm honestly glad I don't have to face you in the league," Magnus admitted.
"Maybe we'll see you in the Pokalen."
The Pokalen was the Danish cup competition. Svendborg drew Ringsted, a fourth division club, as its first round opponent. That match wouldn't take place until early September, by which time league play would be well underway.
Two weeks ago, the club released their shirt numbers for the season.
NO NAME POS HT WT AGE 1 Peter Rasmussen GK 6'2" 171 31 2 Oliver Vilfort D 5'11" 165 28 3 Magnus Ipsen D 6'2" 174 21 4 Kim Teilmann D 5'9" 141 19 5 Dennis Søndergaard D 6'3" 167 24 6 Simon Jensen M 5'11" 165 25 7 Søren Secher M 5'9" 145 25 8 Lasse Jørgensen M 5'10" 163 28 9 Lasse Frederiksen F 6'1" 176 25 10 Peter Skibsted M 6'0" 165 28 12 Omar Ndizeye D/F 5'7" 143 27 13 Marius Christensen GK 5'3" 121 17 14 Anders Nielsen M 6'1" 176 20 15 Lasse Rasmussen M/D 6'1" 156 23 16 Bo Nødgaard GK 6'0" 156 24 17 Mads Madsen GK/D 6'2" 176 25 18 Torben Tønnesen M 6'0" 169 26 19 Aaron Castellanos M 5'11" 158 34 20 Oliver Madsen D 6'3" 189 29 21 Asger Jørgensen D 6'1" 165 22 22 Tommy Larsen D 6'4" 196 21 23 Mads Andersen M 5'10" 152 19 24 Mikkel Henriksen F 6'0" 169 23 25 Nicolai Hansen F 5'10" 149 18 26 Søren Truelsen D 6'4" 178 18 30 Chris Kristiansen D 6'3" 182 28Skibsted, Ipsen, and Peter Rasmussen were the only players who requested particular shirt numbers, and Toby was happy to oblige them. Christensen, the pocket-sized goalkeeper, and towering defender Truelsen were particulary thrilled to receive first team squad numbers. While both teenagers would see more regular duty with the B team or the Under 19s, the pair--who had become almost inseparable--were proud to be picked out as future stars. So was Nicolai Hansen, whose place in the senior team had been secured, at least for the time being, when Frederiksen rolled his ankle.
Today, the captain was suiting up, cleared for action by physio Andreas Laursen. Even if Frederiksen couldn't last ninety minutes, his presence would be welcomed. So Toby was able to field the team he wanted: P. Rasmussen; Teilmann, Søndegaard, Ipsen, Kristiansen, Vilfort; Nielsen, Jensen; Skibsted, Frederiksen, Secher.
Despite the fact they were playing away, Svendborg wore their home strip: a rich dark green shirt with two horizontal stripes, navy and white; white shorts and, today, white socks. Their manager wore a sharp navy blazer over his crisp light blue dress shirt and khaki trousers. More than one of the club's supporters commented on social media about how fine a figure their new manager cut as he patrolled his technical area.
Toby later admitted his nerves jangled the most in the moments before kickoff. "Once the match began, I was too busy thinking about it to feel any nervousness," he told his father when they spoke on the phone after the match.
Four minutes in, his club had its first scoring chance, as Skibsted stood over a corner kick. Svendborg had demonstrated a real knack for scoring from set pieces during the preseason. Dennis Søndergaard had, in fact, led the team with three goals, all scored from corners. No wonder Toby thought something might come of this opportunity.
Skibsted's delivery was well-placed, and so was Magnus Ipsen's header...but the Hillerød goalkeeper got a glove to it and parried it out of danger.
Rasmussen was tested soon after, but he tipped a rasping free kick from Green over the bar. He made an even more impressive save five minutes later, when Peter Lund set Christensen free with a perfect long pass. Rasmussen went down and directed Christensen's shot past the post.
In the 39th minute, referee Jonathan Garcia Nilton showed Anders Nielsen a yellow card for a sliding challenge on Green.
"That didn't look so bad," Toby pointed out.
"Let's hope we don't pay for that one," Niels Petersen warned.
At the intermission, Toby told Nielsen and Oliver Vilfort, who had also been booked, to play it cool in the second half. He also checked with Frederiksen, who told him he felt good enough to return for the second half.
"Fifteen minutes, at most," the manager declared. Frederiksen nodded his assent.
As the hour mark approached, Toby had Mikkel Henriksen stood behind him ready to come on for Frederiksen. As he leaned over to say something to Mikkel, Toby he heard the whistle blow.
Just inside the center circle, Birkedal took a pass when, suddenly, Nielsen clattered into him from behind. To his credit, the Hillerød man didn't crumple to the turf. He didn't need to. Garcia Nilton reached for a yellow card and then, as the home crowd hooted, a red. Nielsen trudged off the pitch, afraid to meet his manager's eye.
The manager folded his arms and shook his head. "We didn't need that, Anders..."
Toby brought Henriksen on, as planned, and instructed Simon Jensen to play deeper, shielding the Svendborg defense. As Hillerød prepared to pour on the pressure, Toby began to think that escaping with a point would be a positive outcome.
That was exactly what happened, as Svendborg's back line held firm. Rasmussen made two more fine stops. Ipsen, who accounted for six interceptions and won all six of his aerial duels, was named Man of the Match. Nielsen, on the other hand, earned a one-match ban for his sending off. He'd also forfeit a day's wages, according to the Code of Conduct the players had helped Toby create.
But, as the team's coach rolled back down the E20 toward Svendborg, just over two hours away, Toby couldn't help feeling somewhat satisfied with the way things had gone. His team had played with energy. They had shown more than a little bit of steel. And while one of Nielsen's yellow cards--the second--had been well-earned, the first seemed to Toby to be a bit harsh. He'd rather see his players get stuck in, especially away from Birkelund, than play tentatively.
"We were a bit lucky to come away with a draw today," Niels admitted.
Toby nodded. "We were, but we also responded well when we went a man down. They had each other's backs out there."
At the end of the first matchday, the 2. Division table showed something Toby had never seen before. All twelve teams had one point. FA 2000 and AB finished 1-1...but the other five games were all goalless draws!
It was an unpredictable ending to a memorable day, and to say Toby would never forget it would be dangerously close to cliché.
Then, again, who cared?