Mike7077 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 "You Don't Know What You're Doing!" Mike7077's latest Football Manager journey The Man, the Aspiring Manager - An unremarkable playing career (let's face it, how often do you imagine your in-game persona was a world-beater?) featuring a bit of top-flight experience in his native England, plus a couple of seasons abroad. No England caps. No Poland caps either, despite eligibility. - Retired through injury at 28. Now 32, desperate for first chance at management. A handful of coaching roles in the past four years plus time spent acquiring coaching badges mean now is the time to get started. - Pictures himself as the modern, shirt-and-tie wearing tactical manager with a belief in tidy football. Possibly in the mould of Brendan Rodgers (only less annoying) or Roberto Martinez (only less awesome). - Fluent French speaker. Will this ever come into play? We don't know. - Still loves his local club, Southport. Played for them a handful of times as a youngster before rising through the divisions. Spent a season at Haig Avenue as a coach. Ambitions - To find a club! - To do the best he can (cliché, I know, but what else is there if not this?). Where might he go? - Belgium (Second League and above) - England (Vanarama Conference North/South and above) - France (Ligue 2 and above) - Germany (2. Bundesliga and above) - Greece (National B Division and above) - Italy (Serie B and above) - Netherlands (Jupiler League and above) - Portugal (Liga Orangina and above) - Russia (First Division and above) - Scotland (Scottish League 2 and above) - Spain (LIGA adelante and above) - Australia (Hyundai A-League... but not above) --------------------------------------------------- Having committed myself to finding a club, there were only a handful available at the start, and none of them appealed, so I did not apply. But by October, the managerial sack race was under way and I applied for a few positions. In the end, I had three interviews: Torquay United (England/Vanarama Conference) Recently relegated back into Non-League football, the Gulls were on a poor run and had slumped to 15th by the time I interviewed for the position. With a good squad and an excellent infrastructure for the level, this looked like a mouthwatering opportunity. Forest Green Rovers (England/Vanarama Conference) The village club owned by eco-millionaire Dale Vince have lofty ambitions, but a poor start meant they were miles off the pace and ready to find a new manager. Rather like Torquay, it was a hard job not to fancy. Would be a great place to start a career, especially if I could take advantage of the resources on offer. Volga Nizhniy Novgorod (Russia/First Division) Arguably the biggest club to talk to me, but also arguably the most daunting challenge. Relegated from the top flight and struggling at the wrong end of the second tier, Volga are in financial difficulty and morale at the club is on the floor. Am I brave enough to kick my career off in provincial Russia? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason the Yank Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Torquay would be a good shout, IMO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Share Posted November 9, 2014 FC Volga Nizhniy Volgorod (Russia/First Division) Decision Made Well, sort of. The two Conference clubs seemed to take exception to something about me and decided not to offer me the positions. That left me hoping that the Russian one would come off. Come off, it did. In truth, I'm quite daunted by the prospect. Perhaps I should have held off and waited for something more suitable. Or perhaps it's right to make the brave decision. It could be the making of me... Information Despite hailing from Russia's fifth largest city, the club does not have a history of success and are a long way from challenging the Moscow clubs or Zenit St. Petersburg. Last season, they were relegated from the top flight and are in horrible form in the second tier. The board want a safe mid-table finish, which does look achievable if I can sort out the morale and get some wins under our belt. The big worry will be the finances, which aren't healthy. Current League Table As you can see, the club, which is one of the larger ones for the level, is not where it wants to be. Relegation is unthinkable, but form is so bad, it will be hard to turn around straight away, especially for a novice. But I'm relishing the challenge. Ambitions - Short term: To meet the board's demands, which are to finish safely in mid-table, and thus avoid the sack. The cup is not a priority at this stage. - Medium term: To get promoted back to the Premier League and find a way to stay there. - Long term: To build the club up into one fit to represent such a big city and to become competitive nearer the top level of Russian football. Of course, were I to be at all successful, you'd have to imagine it would generate interest from other clubs, and I would certainly consider the right kind of opportunity. Right, let's get started... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Share Posted November 9, 2014 Torquay would be a good shout, IMO. Swines didn't want me. I wanted them... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason the Yank Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 At least you're now at a place where you can make the players do laps if they eff up or otherwise displease you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deisler26 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Good luck in Russia. I'm thinking I may head out there after Holland.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Good luck dragging them up the table. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Share Posted November 9, 2014 FC Volga Nizhniy Novgorod Season 2014/2015 OCTOBER This Month's Fixtures The team is in such bad form that the hard work really does start right away. My first two fixtures see us take on sides in the relegation zone. Ideally we'd be taking six points from those two games. After that, we face the side who came down with us last season, Anzhi Makhachkala. No longer the moneyed upstarts of the Samuel Eto'o days, they nevertheless represent a tough fixture early on in my tenure. This Month's Results Sunday October 12th, 2014 Russian First Division Lokomotiv Stadium, Nizhniy Novgorod Volga Nizhniy Novgorod 2-0 Khimik Dzerzhinsk An excellent performance against our near neighbours (a rare thing in a country the size of Russia!), who never caused us any problems. I was pleased with how well we kept the ball and how dangerous we looked going forward. Tougher tests than this lie in wait, but I have no complaints with the way this one went. It was our wide players who did the damage, both goals coming from superb cross from the byeline. A great way to get things started Att: 7,252 MotM: Luton Shelton (Volga Nizhniy Novgorod) - 7.8 Sunday October 19th, 2014 Russian First Division Lokomotiv Stadium, Nizhniy Novgorod Volga Nizhniy Novgorod 1-2 Sokol Saratov Such a painful way to lose! Sokol are in dire straits and we really shouldn't be losing games like this. Whatever bounce we got for the first match, it wasn't there today. We just weren't at the races, but a point was still well within our grasp. Perhaps it was my fault in showing naivety by not playing out for the draw. Instead I pushed forward for the win, and we did hit the post late on, but in the end we got caught and it really hurts. We have quite a few injuries and I'm desperate for some of those players to get back because I can see that some just aren't good enough. Att: 5,472 MotM: Mikhail Kozlov (Sokol Saratov) 7.3 Sunday October 26th, 2014 Russian First Division Anzhi-Arena, Kaspiysk Anzhi Makhachkala 3-1 Volga Nizhniy Novgorod The pre-season favourites for promotion, who still possess a number of good players for this level, put us to the sword with a minimum of fuss. We tried to play tighter and restrict them, and for 45 minutes it worked. I was thrilled with 0-0 at half-time, but we fell apart thereafter. Despite a good first half, I can't deny that Anzhi deseved their win, but at 2-1 we gave them something to think about, and it was pushing for an unlikely equaliser that left us exposed to conceding a third, which we duly did. Att: 4,001 Motm: Shamil Asil'darov (Anzhi Makhachkala) 8.8 League Standings We're lucky that nobody below us has picked up much in the way of points. This has allowed us to move up a place despite losing two out of three since I took over. The problem is one of injuries, desperate morale and long-running poor form. It's going to take time to turn it around. I'm sure I can do it, but Russian chairman are not the most patient bunch. Up against it already. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Share Posted November 9, 2014 Good luck in Russia. I'm thinking I may head out there after Holland.. Years of FM have taught me that Russia and Greece are my favourite places to manage. Couldn't tell you why. Good luck dragging them up the table. Cheers. Dragging is the right word. The club is a mess. At least you're now at a place where you can make the players do laps if they eff up or otherwise displease you. On the downside, it also looks like quite an easy place to escape from if you've had enough! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcidBurn Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Didn't know Anzhi were in the 2nd tier! I think Russia would be tough long term anyway so I'd build my rep than get out Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielgear Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Found your threadGood luck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK22 Posted November 9, 2014 Share Posted November 9, 2014 Good luck, Mike. Tough season ahead, by the looks of it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Share Posted November 9, 2014 FC Volga Nizhniy Novgorod Season 2014/2015 NOVEMBER This Month's Fixtures Three fixtures to negotiate and a chance to rack up a few points before the winter break. However, November provides a testing run of games, particularly with an away trip to league leaders Krylja Sovetov, who have lost just once. Assuming the 'Soviet Wings' will have too much for us, I'm looking to take a minimum of four points to get a bit of a gap to the relegation zone and hopefully start climbing the league. This Month's Results Sunday November 2nd, 2014 Russian First Division Lokomotiv Stadium, Nizhniy Novgorod Volga Nizhniy Novgorod 2-2 Sibir Novosibirsk Fifteen minutes in and everything was going swimmingly, but then Sibir scambled a goal on the stroke of half-time and you just knew what was going to happen. We flew out of the blocks and fully deserved our 2-0 lead, but after that second goal we didn't seem to know what to do with it. Sibir grew into the game although the didn't manage to threaten us until they got one back. The second half saw us put under pressure. I tried to learn from previous mistakes and just see it out, but it wasn't to be. The fact we haven't won this mean the game against Krylja Sovetov, top of the league, takes on extra importance. Att: 5,219 MotM: Luton Shelton (Volga Nizhniy Novgorod) - 8.3 Sunday November 9th, 2014 Russian First Division Metallurg Stadium, Samara Krylja Sovetov Samara 1-2 Volga Nizhniy Novgorod Football is unbelievable sometimes. With our hosts cruising at the top of the table and with just one defeat to their name, and us struggling for form, I didn't see how we could get anything from this. I set about trying to adjust our play to soak up pressure and hit them on the break. I had no idea it would work so quickly. A first minute lead followed up by a second goal in the 17th minute and we had something to defend. The goal we conceded came earlier than I would have liked, and really should have been dealt with, but we managed to hold out thereafter. We came under sustained pressure in the second half and perhaps rode our luck at times, but I'll take this! Att: 10,278 MotM: Artem Danilenko (Volga Nizhniy Novgorod) - 8.8 Sunday November 16th, 2014 Russian First Division Central Stadium, Krasnoyarsk Yenisey Krasnoyarsk 1-1 Volga Nizhniy Novgorod In the wake of our heroics last time out, I couldn't help feeling optimistic as we arrived in deepest Siberia. But in typically Siberian conditions, we couldn't reproduce the same level and it was no surprise when Yenisey got themselves in front. We were second best for much of the game and I thought we were going to come away with nothing, but a late equaliser from captain and midfielder Shulenin at least cheered me up a little. A hard-earned, battling point that at least means we go into the long winter break unbeaten in three. Att: 2,147 MotM: Vadim Gagloev (Yenisey Krasnoyarsk) 8.3 November Standings I may only have secured two wins since taking over, but it's translated into us climbing the table and we're now roughly where I want us to be. We're top of the mini-league of strugglers with a bit of a points gap to the sides above. I want us to at least maintain this, but to do so, we'll need to bag a few more wins and find a bit more consistence. The highlights of November has to be the win away at Krylja Sovetov, a big club and top of the league. I also have to mention Jamaican winger Luton Shelton, who may be familiar to one or two having played in England in the past, and has been absolutely brilliant since I came in. A top player in this league. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 9, 2014 Author Share Posted November 9, 2014 Didn't know Anzhi were in the 2nd tier! I think Russia would be tough long term anyway so I'd build my rep than get out Yeah, the guy who was splashing the cash decided it was proving too expensive to get them to the top so he slashed the budget and they got relegated. Still competitive in the second tier, though. I think you can do long term in Russia if things go well, but I don't know if Volga is the club to do that with. Found your threadGood luck Cheers! I'm sure I'll need it. Good luck, Mike. Tough season ahead, by the looks of it. Didn't realise we were under a transfer embargo (why did the board not bother to tell me this?). It's just been lifted and the board are putting cash in, but the financial situation is perilous. In other words, I am indeed up against it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 12, 2014 Author Share Posted November 12, 2014 FC Volga Nizhniy Novgorod Season 2014/2015 WINTER BREAK New Signings Rachid Bouaouzan Age: 30 Nationality: Dutch Position: Attacking Midfielder (Left)/M (RL), AM ® Fee: Free Bouaouzan had an inauspicious time with Wigan Athletic, which made him a familiar name to me. Despite making little impact in England, I'm sure he's got enough about him for Russia's second tier. Quite an exciting signing. Igor Semshov Age: 36 Nationality: Russian Position: Attacking Midfielder (Centre)/M © Fee: Free A fantastic signing. Semshov has nearly 60 Russia caps to his name and a long career at the top of Russian football. A midfield general with plenty left to offer a club likourselves, even at 36. Francis Jeffers Age: 34 Nationality: English Position: Striker (Centre) Fee: Free This was a farcical decision by myself. I think I was seduced by the name (or something like that...). Hard to believe journeyman Jeffers has much left in him, but perhaps he can have a bit of a swansong at this level. Have a feeling I'll be looking to offload him fairly soon. Pavel Dronov Age: 21 Nationality: Russian Position: Goalkeeper Fee: Loan (from Leiria) I wasn't intending to bring a 'keeper in, but my first choice broke his leg during the break so I was left without much choice but to try and find someone. Dronov looks okay, although I don't much fancy that 'Handling' attribute of 7! Hopefully won't be needed anywhere other than on the bench. Winter Break Results We played three fixtures to get us ready for the return of the football season, and it was a mixed bag. All three sides we faced play European football on a regular basis, so I suppose I should be satisfied with how it went. Czech outfit Mlada Boleslav made short work of us, and we looked very rusty. We raised our game to come from 2-0 down to win 3-2 against fellow Czechs Viktoria Plzen, but we were outplayed for much of that game too. The third game was the most disappointing, a 2-2 draw with Bulgarian side Ludogorets after a really poor display. The results look okay overall but we need to play much better when the fixtures that matter return. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
megadan777 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Good luck with Volga. Looks like it will be an interesting save. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcidBurn Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Semshov looks decent at least for this season, didn't expect to see Jeffers in this thread Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 16, 2014 Author Share Posted November 16, 2014 FC Volga Nizhniy Novgorod Season 2014/2015 MARCH This Month's Fixtures As the winter break gives way to the first stirrings of spring across icy Russia, we get back underway with two home games, which means I'll be looking for a positive couple of results to keep putting distance between us and the relegation zone. I saw some good signs before the season shut down so I'm looking forward to getting started again. This Month's Results Sunday March 15th, 2015 Russian First Division Lokomotiv Stadium, Nizhniy Novgorod Volga Nizhniy Novgorod 2-1 Luch-Energia Vladivostok A brilliant result, but a very tense affair. With Luch directly below us in the table, three points were essential to keep us moving in the right direction. It's clear that I've had an impact on team spirit. We were not particularly impressive for long periods after conceding an early goal, and it was a late cavalry charge that secured us the points, but I'm happy with what we showed overall. And a win is a win. Att: 5,566 MotM: Artur Sarkisov (Volga Nizhniy Novgorod) - 8.3 Sunday March 22nd, 2015 Russian First Division Lokomotiv Stadium, Nizhniy Novgorod Volga Nizhniy Novgorod 3-1 Sakhalin Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk It looked like our encounter with strugglers Sakhalin was heading for a dour 0-0 draw, but then a flurry of late goals saw us walk away with a good home win. Once again, we've needed late goals and I have to ask myself if I'm sending the players out with the right mentality and tactics. But clearly the spirit is good. It's the best it's been since I arrived. Only downside was losing Igor Semshov to injury on his first start. I was looking to build the team around him. Att: 5,836 MotM: Andrey Kozlov (Volga Nizhniy Novgorod) - 8.8 Sunday March 29th, 2015 Russian First Division Baltika Stadium, Kaliningrad Baltika Kaliningrad 1-2 Volga Nizhniy Novgorod I don't know what it is about us at the moment - we seem to wake up at the end of games. I would have happily taken a point from this one, a tough away fixture against a side doing well, but it didn't look likely. Although we were never outplayed, I felt Baltika looked comfortable after taking the lead. However, we came to life in the last 20 minutes and completely turned it around. Phenomenal stuff. Att:4,905 MotM: Denis Kolodin (Volga Nizhniy Novgorod) 7.1 March Standings I can't have too many complaints about a really good month and real progress made in the league. That said, I'd like to see us control a match and not rely so much on late charges. We've also had a few injury worries. But I didn't expect three wins out of three so I'm feeling really positive about us at the moment. Special mention to 26-year-old striker Andrey Kozlov, who's battled his way into the team with a run of goals and always looks dangerous. BIG NEWS TO FOLLOW SOON Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 17, 2014 Author Share Posted November 17, 2014 FC Volga Nizhniy Novgorod Season 2014/2015 Yep, I'm out of a job. Seems fair enough. The truth is, I saw a job come up that really appealed, so I applied for it. The financial instability at Volga means I will only ever be able to do so much with them. The question is... where is the new job I applied for? And did I get it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidBeckham Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Good start mate, definitely will give this a follow. And I didn't know Francis Jeffers is still in the game Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason the Yank Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Harsh about the sacking. I pretty much never apply for jobs whilst employed because it seems to always get back to your current club. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Rarely a good idea doing that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 17, 2014 Author Share Posted November 17, 2014 Don't be fooled by the title of the thread, lads. I've been at this long enough to know the risks. I knew what I was doing. All will become clear soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cardiovascular Posted November 17, 2014 Share Posted November 17, 2014 Shame about the sacking Mike. Jeffers to go next? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 17, 2014 Author Share Posted November 17, 2014 FC Shinnik Yaroslavl (Russia/First Division) What on Earth Happened? The problem at Volga was financial. It's a big club but it's not going back up until it sorts out its financial difficulties. I wasn't looking to leave, but the Shinnik job was too good not to go for. The league table at the bottom of this post demonstrates why. Shinnik lost their manager to Tom Tomsk for some reason, but with the team lying in 2nd, it means I get a short run at promotion and, in the best-case scenario, would have found my way to a top flight by the start of next season. Shinnik aren't rich, but tthey are financially stable. They can even offer a transfer budget. As soon as I applied, I was sacked by Volga. But I wasn't worried. I suspected Shinnik would be interested, and so it proved. I was also interviewed by Port Vale, who offered me their job as soon as I became available, but I wasn't really interested in that at this stage. So here I go... the Russian adventure continues. Information By Russian standards, I'm not moving too far. Just a short-ish hop northwestwards along the course of the might Volga river. Shinnik Yaroslavl haven't won a great deal, but they have reasonable top flight pedigree. It's a club of similar size to Volga Nizhniy Novgorod, but with more potential and more stability. It makes sense to do this. Current League Table Ambitions - Short term: To keep the club in the top two and get promoted. - Medium term: Once up, to stay up. - Long term: To progress from being a club that treads water in the top flight to a save Premier Division outfit. And maybe win a cup. Easier said than done, I'm sure... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamillePunk Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 I'm in! Going for the Shinnik job was risky but looks like it could payoff big with the chance to get a promotion under your belt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason the Yank Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Looks like a good move after all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 FC Shinnik Yaroslavl Season 2014/2015 APRIL One thing I didn't fully appreciate when I took this job was how bad the club's form is. I don't get how they're second. They haven't been winning matches. As a matter of fact, they're in relegation form. Perhaps that's why the manager jumped when he did. Maybe he felt it was getting away from him. The morale is even lower here than it was at Volga. It's not going to be easy even to qualify for the playoffs. This Month's Fixtures It's typical that one of my first matches is against Volga Nizhniy Novgorod. It just had to happen! But before then, we need to negotiate a tricky fixture against Sibir Novosibirsk, a really a good side on their day. I probably would have chosen to start with two home games, but I wouldn't have chosen to play talented Sibir or the still in-form Volga. It won't be easy, but I'm aiming for at least four points. This Month's Results Sunday April 19th, 2015 Russian First Division Shinnik Stadium, Yaroslavl Shinnik Yaroslavl 1-2 Sibir Novosibirsk It couldn't have gone much worse, really. For 62 minutes, it was a dull, turgid affair, and I didn't like the look of us at all. Nevertheless, we managed to get our noses in front... for all of 60 seconds. It was so frustrating to throw the lead away so quickly, but to then go on and lose the match was unforgivable. I saw little to convince me that we're going to turn the club's poor form around. If we keep playing like this, we'll quickly slip away from the promotion positions. Att: 2,788 MotM: Alan Gatagov (Sibir Novosibirsk) - 9.0 Sunday April 26th, 2015 Russian First Division Shinnik Stadium, Yaroslavl Shinnik Yaroslavl 1-1 Volga Nizhniy Novgorod Well, we didn't lose it, but endearing myself to the fans of my new club. We came out of the blocks quickly and held a lead into half-time, but I never felt we were in control or comfortable. It was a better performance than the first match and we probably shaded it, but once again wesn've thrown away a lead and that promotion chase I liked the look of could be hanging by a thread. Att: 2,158 MotM: Vladimir Koryt'ko (Shinnik Yaroslavl) - 8.4 April Standings A disappointing start to my Shinnik career has seen us slip out of the automatic promotion spots and I don't look like I'm about to turn around the club's form. The players are all down in the dumps and I worry that I'm in over my head. It doesn't get any easier, either - three away games up next and first up are league leaders Krylja Sovetov Samara. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 23, 2014 Author Share Posted November 23, 2014 FC Shinnik Yaroslavl Season 2014/2015 MAY My managerial career is less than a year old, but already I go into this final month with the possibility of a real achievement within my grasp. Five matches to try and get promoted... This Month's Fixtures The form we're in doesn't fill me with confidence. Looking at the end of the month, it's clear we need to keep ourselves in the mix, because those are the most winnable fixtures I've faced since I took over. That run-in gives me hope, but we can't allow ourselves to fall away. We could do without having to begin with a trip to runaway leaders Krylja Sovetov, but I won there with Volga, so hopefully I can do it again. This Month's Fixtures Sunday May 3rd, 2015 Russian First Division Metallurg Stadium, Samara Krylja Sovetov Samara 2-0 Shinnik Yaroslavl I tried to beat them the same away I did with Volga - by soaking up pressure and hitting them on the break. But we'd already turned a corner at Volga, so I had determined players to work with. This time, I took a bunch of players who hadn't won since November to the league leaders, and although we didn't disgrace ourselves, we were pretty easily brushed aside. Truth be told, we created nothing and deserved to lose. It's a blow because we need to start winning or we'll miss out on promotion, but I wasn't banking too much on getting anything here. Att: 10,986 MotM: Ibragim Tsallagov (Krylja Sovetov Samara) - 9.0 Sunday May 10th, 2015 Russian First Division Dinamo Stadium, Vladivostok Luch-Energia Vladivostok 7-4 Shinnik Yaroslavl What a ridiculous game of football our trip halfway round the world to Russia's distant Far Eastern seaport turned out to be. I don't even know how to describe it. If I'm honest, I actually saw some positives. We scored four goals away from home. The issue is clearly at the back, where we just went to sleep for 90 minutes. My centre backs were often caught too high up the pitch and just seemed to abandon their posts, which left us chasing the game, which made the matter even worse. Still, if I can sort the defence out, I have to assume we can start to move in the right direction. But it could be too late... Att: 3,981 MotM: Sergey Vaganov (Luch-Energia Vladivostok) 8.7 Sunday May 17th, 2015 Russian First Division Spartak Stadium, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk Sakhalin Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk 1-3 Shinnik Yaroslavl I don't know who arranged the fixtures this season, but to have to fly all the way to Vladivostok just to then have to fly even further to the island of Sakhalin is crazy! I know it sounds odd, but I went into this one feeling quietly confident. I could see the seeds of change in our 7-0 drubbing by Luch, and I'd made some defensive adjustments I hoped would work. When our hosts went in front, it was a blow, but even then I fancied us. We went on to play the better football and came away with a comfortable win. This really was a step in the right direction - one that made sure we kept our names in the hat for promotion. Att: 1,325 MotM: Vladimir Koryt'ko (Shinnik Yaroslavl) 9.3 Monday May 25th, 2015 Russian First Division Shinnik Stadium, Yaroslavl Shinnik Yaroslavl 3-0 Baltika Kaliningrad It took a long time to get the first goal, but in the end we won comfortably. This was the best performance by both the sides I've managed to so far. We dominated from start to finish, and after putting our promotion hopes in real jeopardy, we're now right back in the mix. It feels good to be winning again and, rather like with Volga, it looks like I've turned another club's form right round. Not a lot to say about the match itself - we were completely on top. Att: 2,275 MotM: Eldar Nizamutdinov (Shinnik Yaroslavl) 8.8 So this how it stands going into the final game: a draw could see us finish second and get promoted, finish in the play-offs, or even drop out altogether; defeat could end our play-off hopes depending on other results; a win guarantees the play-off but could mean automatic promotion in second place. And we're home to already-relegated Dinamo St. Petersburg, by far the worst team in the division. Saturday May 30th, 2015 Russian First Division Shinnik Stadium, Yaroslavl Shinnik Yaroslavl 4-2 Dinamo St. Petersburg An easy win and a superb performance from a side really responding to my methods. It took a while to click, but I got this team sorted out. Seems odd to talk that way given that the club was second when I took over, but their form was awful. It took time to fix it, but I did it. I think the biggest change was that I promoted a coach to assistant manager before the Sakhalin game, having been working without one. The change was instant. But what does it mean? Att: 2,912 MotM: Igor Gorbatenko (Shinnik Yaroslavl) - 8.3 SHINNIK YAROSLAVL HAVE BEEN PROMOTED TO THE RUSSIAN PREMIER DIVISION! May Standings I took a big risk walking out on Volga Nizhniy Novgorod and telling the Shinnik board I could get them promoted, but the chance to push for that goal was too much resist. It started out badly, but we turned the corner and, after dropping as low as 5th, I got us back into second and up we go! I know I was only manager for seven matches, but the club needed someone to sort it out and get it over the line, so I'm taking the credit here! Full end-of-season review to come. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Good to see it worked out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 26, 2014 Author Share Posted November 26, 2014 Good to see it worked out. Didn't look good at first but this is why I did what I did. Never in doubt... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 26, 2014 Author Share Posted November 26, 2014 FC Shinnik Yaroslavl Season 2014/2015 SEASON REVIEW It was an interesting debut season for yours truly that began in October with the decision to cut my managerial teeth in Russia. I took on the challenge of trying to turn around floundering Nizhniy Novgorod and managed to get them playing well and picking up points. Things turned sour when I applied for the job at high-flying Shinnik Yaroslavl, but it was the right thing to do. The club was in second place but in terrible form when I took over. This carried on under my management, but a run of three wins in a row at the end of the season made sure we reclaimed that runners-up spot and achieved automatic promotion. A nice achievement. Also promoted were Krylja Sovetov Samara as champions and play-off winners Anzhi Makhachkala. Player of the Season I was only in charge for seven games, so I can't really give a verdict on the entire season, but the following players impressed me the most after I took over (please note I took the screenshots after the season changed so there's no stats!): 3. Abdel Lamanje (Defender Centre/Defender Left) The Frenchman was mainstay at the heart of the defence, and it's true that we did concede a few too many goals at the start of my tenure. Nevertheless, Lamanje played well and really caught my eye, especially as we found our better form. At 33, I don't know how much longer he has, but he could be a key player if we're to stay up next season. Appearances (League): 27 Goals: 1 Avg. Rating: 7.11 2. Eldar Nizamutdinov (Striker Centre/Attacking Midfielder Centre) The veteran striker finished as top scorer in the league and also scored the most goals of any season in his career. At 34, I don't know how much I can ask of him in the top flight, but he deserves to be involved because his goals fired us to promotion. A real asset. Appearances (League): 28 Goals: 19 Avg. Rating: 7.19 1. Vladimir Koryt'ko (Attacking Midfielder Centre/Midfielder Centre/Attacking Midfielder Right) The ageing Belarusian midfielder was a bit-part player before I arrived, but he went on to be the biggest reason we got promoted. In my seven games in charge, he was the heartbeat of the team, potent from free-kicks and a real creative force. He even chipped in with a few goals. Even at 36, I wanted him to come up to the top flight with us, but he wouldn't sign a new contract, so it's with a heavy heart that I say goodbye. Appearances (League): 19 Goals: 6 Avg. Rating: 7.35 Favourite Match My first win as Shinnik manager, a strong performance and the first rung on winning back an automatic promotion spot. I almost went for our 7-4 loss to Luch-Energia Vladivostok, but I suppose you have to go for a win really! Thoughts on Next Season All I know is, it will be tough. Russian football is often thought of as wealthy, but in reality it's not. There is a huge gulf between the majority of have-nots and the tiny minority of haves. We'll be favourites for the drop next season and I don't have the resources to make the kind of changes to the squad I'd like to. All we can really do is try and find the best possible players and then give it our best shot... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 27, 2014 Author Share Posted November 27, 2014 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Season | Team | League | Country | Pos. | Notes | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 2014/15 | Volga Nizhniy Novgorod | First Division | Russia | n/a | Sacked in March | | 2014/15 | Shinnik Yaroslavl | First Division | Russia | 2nd | Promoted | -------------------------------------------------------- | | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD | --------------------------------------------------------- | M. Kobylko | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 32 | 27 | 27 | 5 | Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted November 27, 2014 Author Share Posted November 27, 2014 Former Club Watch FC Volga Nizhniy Novgorod --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Season | Team | League | Country | Pos. | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | 2014/15 | Volga Nizhniy Novgorod | First Division | Russia | 9th | My former club continued their good form after my departure. It was crazy that they were doing so badly when I took over. What I managed to do was improve the mood around the place and get them playing the kind of football they were capable of. Financially, they are still in deep trouble, but they have good players and I would expect them to challenge for promotion next season if not forced to sell. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK22 Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Well done on the promotion, Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AcidBurn Posted November 29, 2014 Share Posted November 29, 2014 Congratulations on promotion, next season should be interesting! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason the Yank Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 Good job on promotion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted December 18, 2014 Author Share Posted December 18, 2014 A belated thanks to you guys. So thrilled to have achieved a promotion. Been pulling some crazy shifts at work in the run up to Christmas so haven't played in a while, but I'm into this save and hope to get started again soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Good to see you Russianing up the league. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Good to see you Russianing up the league. I don't get it... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 FC Shinnik Yaroslavl Season 2015/2016 PRE-SEASON REPORT My first pre-season as a manager proved to be fairly busy as I set about re-shaping the squad in the hope of preparing us for life in the top flight. It became clear very quickly that we lack anywhere near the resources of even the middling clubs in this division, and as such, I simply couldn't attract the quality of player I wanted to bring in. Therefore, I just brought in the best that I could find. We're going to be in for a tough season. Transfers Players In: The most notable player to arrive is midfielder Barry Bannan from Crystal Palace on loan. He's struggled to hold down a regular place at his parent club, but my hope is that he will have a touch of quality to give us an edge over the other strugglers. I have no chance of ever signing him permanently, but if he makes the difference this season, he'll have been a good signing. Andrey Kozlov is a striker who impressed me during my brief tenure at Volga Nizhniy Novgorod. He scored a hatful of goals, but went very quiet as soon as I left, so it remains to be seen if he can handle the step up. The problem is I just can't afford better strikers. At 26, this represents a big chance for Kozlov. Another signing I'm quite pleased with is that of Mikhail Bakaev. The central midfielder from Kazakhstan is a full international and I need big things from him this season. Denis Terentjev is a young full-back who leaves Zenit St. Petersburg. I needed options in that position, and he has the right pedigree so hopefully he'll prove to be an upgrade on what we have. Samúel Kári Friðjónsson is another youngster - an Icelandic midfielder signed from Reading after his release. I'm taking a punt on him as he looks like he may have something about him. I also have new cover for the centre back position in the shape of recently released Krylja Sovetov Samara man Alexey Kontsedalov. My only other loan signing is Parma teenager Simone Russini, a striker who will start as back-up but has the potential to force his way into my thinking. Last, but not entirely least, we have a name that might be familiar to one or two seasoned watchers of Russian football - Nikhita Bazhenov - an attacking wide man who can operate as a striker and has been around the Russian top flight for a long time. At 31, I'm hoping he still has something left in the tank. Players Out: The vast majority of departing players are youngsters whose contracts were not renewed and fringe players with absolutely no future at the club. Just one player worth mentioning - Vladimir Koryt'ko. Despite being 36, I was desperate to keep him on. He's still a good player and his experience would have been invaluable. That said, I do feel his loss has been somewhat compensated for by the arrivals of Bakaev and Bannan. Friendly Results You can't learn a vast amount playing against such inferior opposition, but I tend to treat pre-season friendlies as a means to get players fit and to get them used to the tactics I'll be employing. Plus, the wins do their confidence some good. There's no point getting disheartened before the season's even started by getting torn apart by Zenit or CSKA. Suffice to say what I did see was satisfactory, although we laboured a little here and there. The true test of what we can do won't begin until the season starts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 FC Shinnik Yaroslavl Season 2015/2016 EXPECTATIONS AND BUDGETS Budgets Transfers: £498,000 Wages (and currently spending): £76,322 (£55,745) Balance: £2,814,186 There's enough in the budgets to work with, but it's a far cry from what's on offer at the top of Russian football. We're minnows in the top tier. Nevertheless, I still have room to improve the squad before the season starts. Not much, but enough. Board Expectations Russian Premier League: Fight bravely against relegation. Russian Cup: Reach the fifth round. My Expectations Russian Premier League: I suspect we'll not have enough to survive, but my hopes are that we'll somehow stay up. If that takes a relegation play-off, so be it. I desperately want to be the guy who took Shinnik up and then kept them there. Sort of like an English Tony Pulis. But in Russia. Russian Cup: At this stage, I can't feel too enthusiastic about the cup. I'd like to reach the fifth round, but it depends who we draw. The priority is always going to be the league. It would be nice not to tick the board off, though. So that's it, time to get the season under way. It could be one of the best in my FM-playing history, or it could be a long, hard, fruitless slog. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I don't get it... It's a play on rushing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Would have been better without the 'ing' I thought. It's close enough that you didn't need it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted January 18, 2015 Author Share Posted January 18, 2015 Come on, give me some credit. Obviously I got it. Geez... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
crouchaldinho Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Mike! \o/ Just read through your career thus far. Will be following from now on! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 FC Shinnik Yaroslavl Season 2015/2016 AUGUST This Month's Fixtures I cocked up and forgot to take a snip of the fixtures so I could only get part of the screen - all the fixtures in August are league fixtures. We've been given a baptism of fire in our opening two fixtures - away to big-spending Rubin Kazan, regulars in the Europa League, followed by a home fixture against Spartak Moscow - the biggest club in Russia. After that, it should get a bit easier, but Amkar Perm are no mugs, having been in the top flight for a while. Krylja Sovetov are the champions of the First Division and came up with us - we really need to be beating them. Then we round out the month against a tidy Krasnodar side. It's going to be tough. This Month's Results Sunday August 2nd, 2015 Russian Premier Division Kazan Arena, Kazan Rubin Kazan 3-2 Shinnik Yaroslavl I expected to be comfortably beaten in Tatarstan, but we ended up losing only narrowly in a really entertaining game. We fell behind in the 9th minute, but by the 13th, we were in front and I couldn't believe it. The problem was, we gave ourselves too long to try and hold on and we couldn't even maintain the lead until half-time. In the end, we couldn't handle their firepower and they sneaked the win, but there's plenty to be positive about here. Att: 10,631 MotM: Marko Devic (Rubin Kazan) - 8.9 Saturday August 8th, 2015 Russian Premier Division Shinnik Stadium, Yaroslavl Shinnik Yaroslavl 2-1 Spartak Moscow Off the mark in style! This match was all about Barry Bannan (honestly). He was magnificent. He pulled the strings in midfield all day and his 2nd-minute opener was a 35-yard free kick that found the top corner. He was brilliant and certainly showed that he has something to offer in this league. I thought Spartak were terrible, though. No drive, few chances created, poor at the back. The better team won on the day. Att: 15,303 MotM: Barry Bannan (Shinnik Yaroslavl) - 8.7 Sunday August 16th, 2015 Russian Premier Division Zvezda Stadium, Perm Amkar Perm 3-2 Shinnik Yaroslavl Back down to Earth with a bit of a bump after the fantastic result against Spartak. Amkar had started the season well so I knew we'd be tested. To be fair, we've given them a decent game, but we just couldn't land a glove on them and they always kept us at arm's length. It's games like these that show how hard this division is going to be for us. We've conceded another three goals and I'll need to find a way to tighten up at the back. Att: 12,421 MotM: Georgi Peev (Amkar Perm) - 8.8 Saturday August 22nd, 2015 Russian Premier Division Shinnik Stadium, Yaroslavl Shinnik Yaroslavl 1-4 Krylja Sovetov Samara Ever have one of those day's where everything just seems to go wrong? Two penalties needlessly conceded for challenges on forwards going nowhere in the box, and then debutante Jose Semedo - on as a substitute after signing only the day before - gets himself sent off with a wild challenge. I also made a call and changed one of my centre-backs, hoping to stem the flow of goals against us. We lost 4-1 and Nikita Timoshin had a terrible game, so it didn't work. This was one of the most winnable games we'll face all season on paper, but it turned into a nightmare. Att: 15,372 MotM: Stanislav Dragun (Krylja Sovetov Samara) - 9.2 Sunday August 30th, 2015 Russian Premier League Shinnik Stadium, Yaroslavl Shinnik Yaroslavl 2-2 FC Krasnodar Two-nil down at half-time and I was beginning to worry about what we were up against. However, a much better second-saved us, and a 93rd minute equaliser always improves your mood. Krasnodar have made a superb start so I knew we'd find them a tough nut to crack. It was so disappointing to see us just roll over in the first-half, but at least we dug in and secured a point. Sometimes you have to take what you can get. Att: 10,427 MotM: Pavel Mamaev (FC Krasnodar) - 8.5 August Standings We're right where you'd expect us to be, down at the foot of the table. I would say we took the bare minimum of what we could afford from our August fixtures, but there were some tough games in there. We showed we can score, but we're conceding too many, and it remains to be seen if I can sort that out. But whatever, it does look like we're in for a long hard season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted January 19, 2015 Author Share Posted January 19, 2015 Mike! \o/Just read through your career thus far. Will be following from now on! Welcome aboard, Crouchy! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 FC Shinnik Yaroslavl Season 2015/2016 SEPTEMBER This Month's Fixtures So.. what to expect from September. To be honest, it's a winnable run of fixtures. Dinamo Moscow are a good side on their day and have one of the biggest budgets in Russia, but they've made a poor start. Terek Grozny and Mordovia Saransk are the kind of teams we just need to be beating if we're to stay up. We also face a side in the Russian Cup who were relegated from the second tier last season, so we should be looking to progress there. I'm optimistic, but nervous. This Month's Results Saturday September 12th, 2015 Russian Premier Division Arena Khimki, Khimki Dinamo Moscow 4-1 Shinnik Yaroslavl I really don't feel that the scoreline tells the whole story. We created plenty of chances and I felt we could get something out of the game at half-time. As ever, we were let down by our inability to defend. When on top, we don't punish sides, and when under the cosh, we cave. I honestly feel we could make a claim for a draw being a fair result - and that's not a bad thing to say against one of the bigger sides - but in the end, you get nothing if you can't defend. I just hope the effort and the bit of threat we show here and there counts for something at the end of the season. Oh, and how it would feel to have a player like Mathieu Valbuena to call on. If only... Att: 8,454 MotM: Mathieu Valbuena (Dinamo Moscow) - 8.4 Saturday September 19th, 2015 Russian Premier Division Akhmat-Arena, Grozny Terek Grozny 2-0 Shinnik Yaroslavl I'm not sure anyone will relish a trip to Chechnya this season. Terek look a decent side and have a dangerous player in Brazilian forward Aílton. Nevertheless, we had to get something here to really kick-start our season, and it didn't happen. Again, I don't feel we were outclassed. But we have second tier-quality players up front and at the heart of our defence, and it's showing. It's going to be a long hard slog. Att: 20,337 MotM: Maciej Rybus (Terek Grozny) - 9.0 Wednesday September 23rd, 2015 Russian Cup - 5th Round Lokomotiv Stadium, Saratov Sokol Saratov 1-1 Shinnik Yaroslavl - aet - Sokol Saratov win 5-3 on penalties Just awful. I don't care all that much about the cup, but this is no way to go out. Yes, I rotated the team a bit, but it says little good about us if we're now failing to beat sides from two tiers below us. This was our worst performance of the season. We were lucky to draw 1-1 after 120 minutes. Sokol looked far the better side. It's getting really frustrating now, but all we can do is plough on. The players' morale is not on the floor, so there's something to work with there. I always expected a tough season, but I just hope today is out lowest ebb. Att: 6,991 MotM: Nikita Surkov (Sokol Saratov) - 8.4 Saturday September 26th, 2015 Russian Premier Division Shinnik Stadium, Yaroslavl Shinnik Yaroslavl 3-1 Mordovia Saransk With the way the month had gone, we just had to win this one. Mordovia made a good start but were in free-fall going into this match, so it was vital we picked up the three points. It was a good performance, although still no clean sheet. We were the better side from start to finish and it was nice to actually take our chances for once. The highlight would be a brace from striker Andrey Kozlov. We just don't have top-level strikers and it's hurting us, but he does look the best of an indifferent bunch. Att: 10,019 MotM: Andrey Kozlov (Shinnik Yaroslavl) - 8.8 September Standings As you can see, if we could defend, we'd probably be nicely placed in mid-table. As it stands, we're still in touch with safety, and that's enough for now. We're always going to be involved in the relegation scrap, so I'll settle for where we are just now. That being said, it was a really tough September. Going out of the cup the way we did was very unpleasant, but at least we had a good win to round things out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike7077 Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 FC Shinnik Yaroslavl Season 2015/2016 OCTOBER This Month's Fixtures I also have a fixture away to Zenit at the end of the month that I forgot to include in the screenshot. This month mixes really tough matches with those that we have to get something from. There's no gimmes here - no strugglers or relegation candidates. But in Anzhi and Arsenal Tula, we face sides that we have to believe can get something out of. Lokomotiv Moscow and Zenit St. Petersburg, on the other hand, have vastly better squads and much bigger resources so I'll accept it if we can't get anything from those two games. This Month's Results Saturday October 3rd, 2015 Russian Premier Division Shinnik Stadium, Yaroslavl Shinnik Yaroslavl 1-3 Lokomotiv Moscow It's frustrating how often we concede early goals. And own goals. We're not making it difficult enough for teams. Yes, Lokomotiv are better than us, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't make life hard for them. We have to be harder to beat. I cannot find a recipe for a tighter defence and it's hurting us. This wasn't one of those occasions where I can say at least we played quite well - we didn't. Att: 14,136 MotM: Nemanja Pejcinovic (Lokomotiv Moscow) - 8.0 Sunday October 18th, 2015 Russian Premier Division Anzhi Arena, Kaspiysk Anzhi Makhachkala 3-0 Shinnik Yaroslavl Anzhi, no longer the wealthy upstarts of a few years ago, were promoted with us last season, but they've adapted better to life in the top tier. Nevertheless, we had to target this as a winnable fixture, and we ended up letting ourselves badly. We were woeful and another one of our flaws - giving away penalties - was exposed - why does nobody ever miss against us? Anzhi outclassed us from start to finish and it's hard to know what I can do. Away from home we don't look like we'll ever get anything. Att: 7,541 MotM: Mikhail Komkov (Anzhi Makhachkala) - 8.1 Friday October 23rd, 2015 Russian Premier Division Shinnik Stadium, Yaroslavl Shinnik Yaroslavl 3-1 Arsenal Tula Still no clean sheet, but a really good performance. Easily our best of the season, we were on top from start to finish, and it was vital to get something from what was shaping up to be a desperate month. This win actually lifts us out of the relegation zone altogether. I feel sorry for Barry Bannan - he should be playing for a far better team than us. He's been brilliant. Att: 9,787 MotM: Nikita Bazhenov (Shinnik Yaroslavl) - 9.0 Saturday October 31st, 2015 Russian Premier Division Petrovsky Stadium, St. Petersburg Zenit St. Petersburg 2-1 Shinnik Yaroslavl Once again, undone by our inability to hold out and frustrate sides. Two early goals left us with a mountain to climb against title hopefuls Zenit. But I have to give the players credit - they were like lions in the second half, scrapping away and almost snatching an unlikely draw. If we could defend better we would have got something here. We were the better side in the second 45. Away to the big sides, we seem to do okay. It's games like this that give me that dangerous thing - hope. Att: 19,375 MotM: Hulk (Zenit St. Petersburg) 8.8 October Standings We're having a tough time, and I hoped to get more than one win from the month. I also feel we need to start scraping the odd draw here and there. Too many defeats. Nevertheless, we have climbed out of the trouble zone. If we finish where we are, I'll be delighted. Still glad to see the back of October. It wasn't great. Pleased to see the board are happy enough. It's nice to have a board that actually understands what we're up against. What a shame the chairman is looking to move aside. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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