DazRTaylor Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 Exciting result! I drew Mlada Boleslav of the Czech Republic in the 3rd Qualifying Round of the Europa League. I lose 1-0 away and then had a man sent off in the return early on. I took the lead which is how it stayed until extra time. We score to go 2-1 up on aggregate but they score, to take the lead on away goals. Then we score a winner! I was screaming at my monitor haha :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
abulezz Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 God bless results like that Congrats on the promotion Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 Well done on the promotion Thanks God bless results like that Congrats on the promotion Thank you Now, the difference in standard between the Portguese top division and the second tier is a chasm I am finding. Just played my first home game against (I thought), a relegation threatened team. Feriense. I lost 4-0. And was lucky to get nil. Another cracking tie in the Europa Lerague though. I was drawn to play Lausanne of Switzerland in the 4th Qualifying Round. I won 2-0 at home, quite comfortably and am then on a hiding away, until this happened (look at time of last goal): I have drawn Sampdoria, FC Twente & Dynamo Kiev in the Group Stage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 Gutted. Absolutely gutted. But I wont stand for it either. I lost 6 games on the trot - two in Europe and 4 in the league (including Porto, Benfica and Braga) and my job is suddenly listed as "Very Insecure". The board's confidence was unhappy with me and the pressure was on. After winning promotion, qualifying for the Europa League, reaching the group stages, I am under pressure. So I resigned. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I can imagine that it looked bleak. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diesel16 Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 ooft big decision, you would have probably turned it around imo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotChocolate Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 I think you may have made the wrong call in resigning, they probably wouldn't have sacked you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 All is not lost. Within 1 month, I was offered and accepted: SPORTING LOKEREN OVI Lokeren are a traditional top flight club in Belgium, with top ten finishes for the last 3 seasons. Two years ago they finished 4th so they have plenty of potential. Looking through their squad, they have some real classy players. Havn't got a clue why they have struggled, a bit like Regensburg. I fully expect a top 8 finish this season. I have been given a healthy transfer budget, £3.2m, but I cant see myself spending all that. I may need to adjust the budgets anyway as, although I am not over my wage budget (£71k per week), I am close to it. Board Expectations League - The board expect a respectable position. I take over with the side second from bottom. As I say above, I fully expect to finish in the top eight. Belgian Cup - The board expect a quarter final spot. If the draw is kind, I would like to win it. I may prioritise this, once league safety is guaranteed. Final word on my youth team. Some decent youngsters here, the best of which I fully expect to become a superstar: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 First problem I have is that the club has 41 professionals. Way too many. I need to shift at least 15 out in January. I also plan on freshening up the squad a little. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
abulezz Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Karaisaridis is absolute class. Look to the future - unappreciative boards are best dealt with swiftly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotChocolate Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 41? Wow. Good luck getting rid Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 10, 2011 Author Share Posted December 10, 2011 Karaisaridis is absolute class. Look to the future - unappreciative boards are best dealt with swiftly Exactly what I thought too. Unappreciative and I walk And he does indeed look awesome. I immediately promoted him to the senior squad but he just got injured and is out for 2 months though before I could give him his debut 41? Wow. Good luck getting rid 12 of those were earning under £200 per week so I have just released them. Something funny happened though. Jose Enrique has gone to the press and said he is unhappy at Liverpool...because he wants to move to a bigger club. Hahahaha. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotChocolate Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Typical Spanish. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.W.G Posted December 10, 2011 Share Posted December 10, 2011 Congrats on promotion and finishing runner up in the Cup with Santa Clara. Good luck in Belgium with Lokeren Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cerud Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 41 pros? Time to clean house. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRL88 Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Nice move there mate. Good luck . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roganp Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Good luck in Belgium Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 11, 2011 Author Share Posted December 11, 2011 SPORTING LOKEREN OVI MID SEASON UPDATE League - As you can see from the table above, I still have a lot of work to do. I need to get into the top eight by game 30, otherwise I am in the bottom half when the league splits. Belgian Cup - The good news is that I am in the Quarter Final. The bad news is that I have drawn Anderlecht. My new signings will be here by then though so I have a chance. Squad As I said, I inherited 41 professionals. About 15 of those were patently not good enough and were on less than £200 per week so after trying to shift them without much joy, I released them. Five others were out of contract in the coming summer and two of those can go. The other three refused to sign new deals so I have arranged transfers for them as I found buyers. Agents offered me some players for free within a few days so I snapped up five on frees, three of which will go straight into my squad: Davino Verhulst - Pretty good keeper, my new number 1, replacing Copa, who refused to sign a new deal. Claudio Beauvue - Right winger who has done okish but I expected more. José Shaffer - Argentine left back who my scouts raved about. I am yet to share their enthusiasm. Clément Job - May not look like much by my scouts rate him as 4.5* potential. One for the future. Alban Bunjaku - Young Albanian signed for the future. Currently on a break as has struggled to settle. My scouts also found some genuinely classy youngsters from South America. So the following have all come in and I fully expect some of them to become superstars: Andrey - Striker and left winger. 4.5* potential Cristian Yacuzzi - Awesome looking striker. Already 4* ability with a potential of 5* Joab - Right winger who can also play in the support role behind the strikers. Already 2.5* ability and 4.5* potential Joginho Paulista - Sensational looking centre back who can also play in midfield. 4.5* potential though is already 2.5* ability. Ronaldo - Signed for his versatility as he can play on either wing or up front and I love my wingers! I am going to build a side around these South Americans - the league will not know what has hit them! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 11, 2011 Author Share Posted December 11, 2011 Typical Spanish. Indeed Congrats on promotion and finishing runner up in the Cup with Santa Clara.Good luck in Belgium with Lokeren Thanks 41 pros? Time to clean house. They have now gone Nice move there mate. Good luck . Good luck in Belgium Thanks guys Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raware Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 A shock resignation! But, as has been said, unappreciative boards are best to get away from. Looks like the grass is greener now though with a steady club move and some fantastic signings, especially Yacuzzi . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Belgium splits differently though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 11, 2011 Author Share Posted December 11, 2011 Belgium splits differently though. Yep, I meant top six for the top playoffs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 11, 2011 Author Share Posted December 11, 2011 The season is nearly over and now would be a good time to explain the league system in Belgium, because it is totally barmy. - 16 teams comprise the top division in Belgium. - You play each other home and away. So far so good. - The league is then split into four unequal groups. - Top six go into Championship Group. Positions 7 through 14 are split into two groups of four (European Playoff Group). The bottom two form the Relegation Group. You only carry half your points (rounded up) into the Groups. Championship Group - Play each other twice, home and away. - Winners are Champions - Runners up also go into CL - Third place enters Europa League. - Fourth place enters a playoff. European Playoff Group - The eight teams are divided into two groups of four. - Play each other in your mini group twice, home and away. - The two winners of each group play off, home and away. - Aggregate winner then plays the fourth place side from the Championship group. - Winner of this enters Europa League. Relegation Group - Bottom two sides enter this "group" - You play a best of five game series. Yes, you really did read that right. The best of five. - The loser is relegated. - The winner enters a playoff group with three sides from the Second Division (This division is even more mental). - The four teams play each other home and away. - Winner plays in the top division the following season. So, did everyone get that? Absolutely ridiculous system. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnakeXe Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 I've read that three or four times and it still is mental. I must go and manage in Belgium at some point! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 11, 2011 Author Share Posted December 11, 2011 SPORTING LOKEREN END OF SEASON REVIEW League - I finished 5th after qualifying for the Championship Group. No European Qualification from this route. I was quite a bit behind the champions, Club Bruges, too. Belgian Cup - VICTORS!!! Brilliant performance from my guys. Knocked Anderlecht out 8-6 on aggregate in the quarter finals. My first major trophy. Speaking of goals, my team are anything but boring. Over 150 goals in our games (combined for and against). Players Player of the Season - Tough one to call. I will go for South African George Lebese, whose stats speak for themselves. Six weeks ago I would of said Cristian Borja, but he has lost all form. Special Mention - Cristian Yacuzzi. Only managed 11 starts plus 1 as a sub as he got himself a nasty ankle injury resulting in two months out. Despite this, he still managed 8 goals in those 11 starts. Brilliant stuff from the 18 year old. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted December 11, 2011 Share Posted December 11, 2011 Yacuzzi should fire you far. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pangaea Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 With a league system like that, no wonder they couldn't get a government in place in 18 months or however long it was in the end. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 FORMER CLUB WATCH SVV Jahn 2000 Regensburg - Finished 13th in the German Second Division and once again, they survived quite comfortably. They also won the German Cup and qualify for the Europa League. Santa Clara - Recovered to finish a mightily impressive 6th in the top flight. They lost all 6 games in the Europa League group stage. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hursty2 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Great career so far! Makes me so keen to ditch my Stoke save and start a journeyman thread. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Great stuff from Santa Clara. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotChocolate Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Great league finish and add in the cup win a brilliant season Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletchdt Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 A good league finish in your 1st season. Plus a cup win. Well done. The Belgium league structure looks fun! Hopefully i get to manage there in my save. Cristian Yacuzzi looks like hes going to be a star. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
B.W.G Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 A very good first season and congratulations on the cup win Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 Great career so far! Makes me so keen to ditch my Stoke save and start a journeyman thread. I know what you mean - I never expected to have a game like this until I started reading this forum. Great stuff from Santa Clara. I was shocked when I saw their final position! Great league finish and add in the cup win a brilliant season A good league finish in your 1st season. Plus a cup win. Well done. The Belgium league structure looks fun! Hopefully i get to manage there in my save. Cristian Yacuzzi looks like hes going to be a star. A very good first season and congratulations on the cup win Thanks guys I have decided to add, from the start of next season, the two tiers from both Russia and Ukraine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raware Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 A more than respectable league finish . I said Yacuzzi was going to be a star . Any reason why you've chosen to add the Russian and Ukrainian leagues? Aspirations to manage there later on in this save or is just to see what's going on in those leagues? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 A more than respectable league finish . I said Yacuzzi was going to be a star .Any reason why you've chosen to add the Russian and Ukrainian leagues? Aspirations to manage there later on in this save or is just to see what's going on in those leagues? I have never played there and I am enjoying The save by TheSupremeNTM in video form. He has gone to Ukraine and seems to be loving it. IMO you can't have Ukraine without Russia Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 SPORTING LOKEREN SEASON PREVIEW 2014-15 So, a European adventure awaits! In the league, I have been made 4th favourites to win it though have long odds of 33-1. I hope to finish in the top three, but time will tell. Squad I signed only 2 immediate first teamers. I also signed a spate of youngsters, mainly on frees, in the hope they come good. If not, they were mainly free and are on low wages so there is no risk. All these youngsters have at least 4* potential. My two major signings are: Roy Beerens, signed for £2.2m from Zulte Waregem: Jaguaré, signed for a mere £800,000 from Sao Paulo: So my squad, which has plenty of potential as you can see, now looks like this: I am taking a risk though, as the squad is very young, with only 3 players over the age of 30. I hope they cope with the demands of up to 60 games this season. Before I forget, Argentina won the World Cup, beating Chile in the final, 2-0. I bet that went down well in Brazil. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
abulezz Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 That is a very young squad - but you definitely have alot of potential talent. Jaguare looks great! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
City2000 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Looks like you have put together a potentially great squad, cracking first season aswell, good luck in Europe! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotChocolate Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Good luck this season Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pangaea Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Looks like an amazing squad. Good luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Lokeren and load! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-Mon Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Good luck! Also, Jaguaré is one of the more badass common names I've ever seen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK22 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Crikey, I go away for a few days and all hell breaks loose! Promotion, European football, surprise resignation, crazy Belgium league structure, cup winners... all the makings for a great career thread Don't think I've ever managed in Belgium; the domestic structure looks like it was invented by a lost South American! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 That is a very young squad - but you definitely have alot of potential talent. Jaguare looks great! He does indeed - So far so good from him. Looks like you have put together a potentially great squad, cracking first season aswell, good luck in Europe! Thanks mate. Having a blast at Lokeren! Good luck this season Cheers mate Looks like an amazing squad. Good luck. I am having trouble keeping them all happy though... Lokeren and load! Haha - that would be a great thread title for a one club ga,e as Lokeren Good luck!Also, Jaguaré is one of the more badass common names I've ever seen. It is great isn't it? Crikey, I go away for a few days and all hell breaks loose! Promotion, European football, surprise resignation, crazy Belgium league structure, cup winners... all the makings for a great career thread Don't think I've ever managed in Belgium; the domestic structure looks like it was invented by a lost South American! Welcome back I dont do things by half! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 Quick question - I am apparently the leading contender for the Anderlecht job. TGhe biggest club in Belgium - big budget, big crowds, CL regulars. If offered (I haven't applied and nor will I), what would you do? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 I just turned Millwall down. Swapping the Europa League Group Stage for a relegation scrap in the Championship? Gee, let me think! But this just happened: As you can see, I have delayed it for a bit. I would be sad to depart from Lokeren as my squad is coming along nicely. I have lost only once in the league so far (after 17 games) and that was at home to...Anderlecht. They mullered me. My current wage budget is just over £83k. That is over £250k. I would probably win the league this season. I would be CL regulars. Your advice guys? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
roganp Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I would take it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 I was planning on playing until January 1 tonight, writing up my mid season report, then logging off for the night. But I have now logged off to think over the Anderlecht offer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I think it would be good to go there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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