[FM16] "That was only a yard away from being an inch perfect pass"

[Cougar2010]

Save Specs

Game: FM16

Leagues Loaded: All leagues (playable)

Database Size: Small

Start Date: July 2015

The Manager

Name: Alex Dewitt

Age: 35

Nationality: Canadian

Experience: Sunday League

Qualifications: None

Languages Spoken: English & French

[Cougar2010]

***reserved for summary***

[Cougar2010]

***Unlike previous saves I've posted on here I'm actually a few seasons into this one so will summarise what has already happened***

The Story So Far

With applications sent the first job offer came from Belgian

Team: VW Hamme

League: Belgian Third Division

Started: 10th September 2015

VW Hamme were out of the Belgian cup after making it to the 5th Round but what cost the previous manager his job was no points from their first four league games.

The squad looked a little thin in defence but it had quality & depth going forwards. Four points from two league games with no manager was encouraging and I was confident we could climb off the bottom up towards the expected mid table finish. Four wins from my first seven league games saw us rise up the table but the team couldn't keep it going picking up just three points from the seven remaining games before the winter break.

With no money for transfer fees or wages I couldn't improve the squad and the poor results continued in the new year. With no win in ten matches a 3-0 defeat away to Acren was the straw that broke the camels back as VW Hamme accepted my resignation.

***Resigned 24th January 2016***

[Cougar2010]

The Story So Far cont.

Just two weeks after leaving Belgium I put pen to paper on a new deal halfway round the world in Malaysia.

Team: Perlis

League: Malaysian Premier League

Started: 7th February 2016

League Structure

12 teams in the league who play each other twice (22 matches) between January & June. Bottom two relegated into the regional leagues while the top two are promoted into the top tier Super League.

Cup Competitions

The Malaysian FA Cup is a straight knockout cup running alongside the league campaign from January to June.

There is also the Malaysia Cup which is played after the League & FA Cup are completed. A preliminary round is played amongst the lower ranked clubs to reduce the teams to 16 for a group stage that starts in August. Four groups of four leads to the top two going forward to the knockout stages that follow.

Club History

Founded in 1963 Perlis FA represent Malaysia's smallest state which lies in the north west of the country bordering Thailand to the North and they are based in the State Capital, Kangar.

Footballing history in Malaysia is sketchy with several changes to the League system. The Super League & Premier League was founded in 2004 when Perlis were among the top teams in the country. Three trophies followed in the next few years before their fortunes changed. They dropped into the Premier League in 2011 & into the regional leagues in 2014. Last year they won their regional league to return to the Premier League at the first attempt.

Club Honours

Malaysian Super League: Winners (2005), Runners Up (2009)

Malaysian FA Cup: Runners Up (2003, 2006 & 2007)

Malaysia Cup: Winners (2004 & 2006), Runners Up (2005)

Stadium & Facilities

The club play their home games at the 20,000 capacity Tuanku Syed Putra Stadium (Formally Stadium Utama Kangar) which is owned by the local council.

Corporate Facilities: Adequate

Training Facilities: Poor

Youth Facilities: Basic

Junior Coaching: Basic

Youth Recruitment: Above Average

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

The 2016 Season

Perlis had returned to the Premier League at the first time of asking but with a young squad lacking quality the media expected them to go straight back down. Initial results were poor as they lost their first five games before putting four points on the board from the next three:

Although I had spare wage budget I had no money for transfers and a lack of time to scout suitable signings which left me to make best use of what the club had. Three players had been picked up in pre-season and it was clear they would play a major role in the team.

S. Kumaresan (27yo Malaysian DR)

The new club captain is something of a journeyman but is a star player for this level. What he lacks in technical skills he makes up for with speed & hard work.

Jabar Nasir (23yo Malaysian DC)

After failing to breakthrough at his first club, Johor FC (Super League), he is looking to rebuild his career. Seems to have good all round ability and at 6ft is much taller than the average Malaysian which is useful in his position.

Nur Arif Nor Azman (22yo Malaysian MRC)

Another who is looking to rebuild his career after failing to make it at Super League level. A hard working attacking player who is happy either in the centre or on the wing. Mixes a little speed with good technique and is a solid team player.

February

We made a poor start to my time in charge as we lost heavily to Johor DT's reserve team before an unlucky home defeat to Kuantan in a match where we deserved at least a point. The FA Cup didn't give us any respite but we put up a good performance again a top Super League side in a match where 19yo homegrown youth star, Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (MC) showed his quality.

March

Two home games saw the team score their first goals for me as experienced 30yo ST Anas Shaharom found the net twice in an AF role. The first earned us a somewhat lucky win while the second ended up worthless from a match we deserved to win.

April

Two months into the job and its already looking like my stay will be short after we pick up just the one point from three more games. An even draw against PBDKT saw 18yo ST, Hamid score his first career goal while another young striker, Radzali scored in a one sided defeat. With relegation looking odds on the defeat against Melaka was a real kick in the teeth after a good performance.

May

Hope arrived for the supporters and the catalyst was 21yo Mohd Syafiq Azmi who moved from covering his secondary position on the left wing to his natural striker role as he scored five in three games. He started by scoring a hattrick against Sime Darby in a match where we didn't deserve to score six before grabbing a consolation against DRB where the story was us giving up two second half penalties to gift them the win. His 5th was a late penalty as we stole the points from UITM after a close game before the month ended on a low as we lost to Selangor.

June

With nothing to lose and relegation all but sealed the team played with freedom in the last three matches. Ahead of us UITM picked up just the one point from their last three matches while we put together three solid wins to complete one of the greatest escapes in Malaysian history with Syafiq Azmi & Shaharom again amongst the goals.

Awards

None of the players were recognised at League level but the club awards were:

Fans Player of the Year: Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (19yo Malaysian MC)

Top Goalscorer: 7 - Anas Shaharom (30yo Malaysian ST)

Most Assists: 5 – Wan Khairul Faiz Kamaruddin (29yo Malaysian ST/MLC)

Most Player of the Match Awards: 2 – Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (19yo Malaysian MC)

Highest Rating: 7.24 (20 apps) – Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (19yo Malaysian MC)

Season Review

Of the three new signings the club had made before I took over Kumaresan (DR) & Nor Azman (MR) both had solid seasons but in the middle of defence Nasir proved to be very inconsistent and overshadowed by homegrown 20yo Mohd Ashraf Hamidi who made the breakthrough as a regular starter.

In midfield there was no doubt who the star of the team was as 19yo Haziq stood head & shoulders above everyone as the playmaker partnering former Malaysian International MC 30yo Azi Shahril Azmi.

On the left two natural strikers (29yo Kamaruddin & 21yo Syafiq Azmi) shared covering duties which gave some of the other strikers a chance up front. While 30yo Shaharom got the bulk of the goals homegrown 21yo Mohd Firdaus Zulkaffli also impressed.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

2016/17 Off Season

Players Out

With the whole squad working on one year contracts it gave me a good opportunity to clear it out and trim it down to a workable level. In total 34 players weren't offered new deals and left the club. These were mostly fringe/backup former youth players or those that didn't perform during the season. There was one notable name on the list and that was the top goalscorer Anas Shaharom. With lots of younger strikers pushing for places I felt I would be proactive and cut him now before he declined too much.

Anas Shaharom (30yo Malaysian ST)

Time at Club: 2 years, Appearances: 33, Goals: 8, Assists: 1

We also sold two players during the off season. Super League side, Polis DRM took an interest in Mohd Syafiq Azmi (21yo Malaysian ST/ML) and when he expressed a desire to leave my hands were tied. The second sale was 16yo AML Amin Azahari, I'm not keen to sell the talented youngsters but when you talk a Super League club into offering you a record amount for a player who is yet to make his debut I couldn't say no.

Mohd Syafiq Azmi (21yo Malaysian ST/ML) – Sold to Polis DRM (Super League) for £1.7k + Loaned back to us for one season.

Time at Club: 3 years, Appearances: 37, Goals: 18, Assists: 0

Amin Azahari (16yo Malaysian AML) – Sold to Pahang (Super League) for £7.5k + Loaned back to us for one season.

Time at Club: 1 year, Appearances: 0, Goals: 0, Assists: 0

Players In

With plenty of scouting done I had options for filling the holes in the squad while I was looking for some of the talented youth players to provide backup. Four unattached players accepted contracts:

Che Khairul Syafiq (20yo Malaysian DC) – Unattached

Probably the best signing of the off season for us. A big, strong DC who is good in the air and has some pace. Not the best technically but having already been capped at U20 level I was a little surprised that Pahang (Super League) didn't persevere with him further.

Muhd Yusri Tan Ser (19yo Malaysian GK) – Unattached

We were a little lacking the the GK department so Tan Ser joins us to provide competition for our No 1, Azahari and hopefully continue his development after being released by Johor DT (Super League).

Nur Shamie Iszuan Amin (21yo Malaysian AMR) – Unattached

Another younger player who failed to make the breakthrough, this time at Super League side Sarawak. Initially he'll provide backup for Nor Azman on the right but with bags of speed & potential I hope he can kick on.

Mohd Hafifi Mohd Salleh (19yo Malaysian DM/MC) – Unattached

We were lacking a proper DM last season with former Malaysian International MC Azmi covering in the BWM role so Salleh joins us as an option. He is another who failed to make it at Super League level as Pahang released him. A hard working, tough tackling midfielder he is a bit of a one trick pony but fills a gap in the squad.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

The 2017 Season

Having trimmed the squad down I felt we had better balance and improved quality which gave us a real chance to move up the table. Seven wins from eight friendlies indicated that we looked ready to pick up where we left off last season while there were goals throughout the team.

January

Young strikers Zulkaffli & Zakaria got on the scoresheet to seal a confident opening day win but luck wasn't on our side as we picked up just three points from the other six league games despite playing fairly well in all of them. The month ended the way it started as Zulkaffli & Zakaria made sure we despatched lower league side UKM in the FA Cup.

February

We tightened up in defence but it blunted our attack as the poor results continued until we finally secured our first win in ten league games to keep in touch with teams just outside the relegation zone. A non-league side were once again our opposition in the FA Cup and we secured a morale boosting win to end the month.

March

We put together a good run of form picking up another seven points from the three league games which sees us climb away from DRB & KL SPA who are adrift at the bottom of the table. The FA Cup draw is once again in our favour as we win a close match against lower league, UiTM which sees us make the Quarter Finals for the first time since 2009.

April

The win over KL SPA was vital as it opened up a significant gap between the two in the relegation zone (DRB & KL SPA) and the rest while we put up a respectable fight against Super League side Lions XII over the two legged FA Cup Quarter Final. The month was marked though by a falling out between myself and No 1 keeper Azahari who wasn't happy with my teamtalks. With Azahari relegated to the U21s new signing Tan Ser got the opportunity for a run of games but it didn't start well as he conceded four to MIFA.

May

The lesson I learnt here was that Tan Ser wasn't ready for first team football on a regular basis as our form took a turn for the worst. With us safe from relegation though I started tinkering with the team giving some of the fringe players a chance as I started to plan for next season.

June

We finished the season on a high but at this stage were just going through the motions.

Season Summary

Malaysian Premier League - 10th

Malaysian FA Cup – Quarter Finals

Awards

One of our players really made an impact this season and that was 20yo MC Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul who was named in the “Premier League Team of the Year”

Fans Player of the Year: Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (20yo Malaysian MC)

Top Goalscorer: 9 – Mohd Nor Hamizikri Hamid (19yo Malaysian ST)

Most Assists: 5 – Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (20yo Malaysian MC)

Most Player of the Match Awards: 5 – Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (20yo Malaysian MC)

Highest Rating: 7.59 (25 apps) – Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (20yo Malaysian MC)

Season Review

A good solid season performance wise even if it didn't always translate into results. 20yo MC Haziq once again carried the team with a number of stunning performances turning himself into a club icon with the fans.

Elsewhere in the team club captain S. Kumaresan was impressive at DR while homegrown 20yo Mohd Aizat Mokhtar made his debut and didn't look out of place backing him up. Of the four new signings 20yo DC Syafiq was the pick of them solidifying a place in the starting lineup but Tan Ser, Amin & Salleh all struggled a little for form.

[endtime]

Will you be staying or looking for a new job?

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

2017/18 Off Season

Players Out

With the foundations in place I was now looking to improve the squad particularly in terms of personality where a few too many negative ones were rubbing off on the younger members of the squad. In total eleven players left the club, ten were released while another left on a bosman. Five were worthy of note:

Mohd Shukor Azmi (24yo Malaysian DL) – Joined Sime Darby (Super League) on a bosman

Time at Club: 4 years, Appearances: 35, Goals: 2, Assists: 2

Had a pretty good season sharing the load at left back but has a poor personality and is being pushed for the starting role by a younger & better player.

Wan Khairul Faiz Kamaruddin (30yo Malaysian ST/MLC) – Released

Time at Club: 9 years (2 spells), Appearances: 41, Goals: 5, Assists: 5

A former youth player who returned to the club three years ago. Lost his place on the left to more natural wingers while up front he couldn't compete with the younger generation.

Muhd Nasri Ahmad Thauhid (29yo Malaysian MR/DR) – Released

Time at Club: 5 years, Appearances: 51, Goals: 1, Assists: 5

Had a solid season providing backup down the right but with youngsters Amin (MR) & Mokhtar (DR) developing he will be surplus to requirements next year.

Mohd Ikmal Ibrahim (22yo Malaysian ML) – Released

Time at Club: 3 years, Appearances: 29, Goals: 2, Assists: 0

Poor personality mixed with average performances meant I felt we could do better on the left.

Mohd Aliff Fitri Marzaini (22yo Malaysian DM) – Released

Time at Club: 3 years, Appearances: 30, Goals: 0, Assists: 0

Did a job for us in a weak area of the squad the past couple of seasons but as I look to improve Marzaini is surplus to requirements.

Players In

I was in a much better position this season with plenty of scouting done I had already identified my targets early as four joined the club.

Demas Duon Lusong (21yo Malaysian DM/DC, MC) – Signed on a bosman from DRB (Premier League)

One of the better players in the relegated DRB squad as he had a decent season in the middle of the park. A hard working, professional team player is just what we need to protect the defence and I'm expecting Lusong to be the preferred DM ahead of last season's signing Salleh as my revamp of the position is completed.

Mohd Ikhmal Akid Bahari (21yo Malaysian ML/DL) – Signed on a bosman from Sabah (Premier League)

Left wing seemed the weakest area of the squad and it got heavily revamped during this off season. Bahari was my first signing as we stole him away from Sabah. A hard working, athletic player who is well suited to the ML or WBL role (for when we play 3232). At 6'2” his height will be a bonus as we are quite a short team.

Aiman Amran (23yo Malaysian ML) – Unattached

The second part of my ML revamp is a player who failed to make the breakthrough at PBDKT. Still developing I'm hoping regular football will see him kick on as he competes with Bahari on the left.

Muhd Shafiq Safaruddin (23yo Malaysian DL/DC) – Unattached

A straight replacement for Azmi who left on a bosman. Seems a well balanced player who just didn't get a chance at Penang before being released. Will compete with homegrown Podzi for the starting role.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

The 2018 Season

After last season I'm hoping the new signings along with a little more luck will see us improve on the 10th place we've finished the last two seasons. We've won five of eight friendlies in pre-season and confidence is high as the League gets underway.

January

In a complete flip from last season we start with a disappointing performance where we are heavily beaten by the newly promoted Real Mulia but the team respond going unbeaten for the rest of the month.

February

We faced Tentera Darat for the second season in a row in the FA Cup but the outcome was the same as Zulkaffli grabbed a brace. Sabah managed an undeserved win but the team responded with three of their own to put us well in the title picture half way through the season.

March

The month started with a shock defeat to lower league USM in the 2nd round of the FA Cup and that signalled a downturn in form as we struggled to find the net.

April

We remembered how to score again in April as two wins from three saw us back in the title race.

May

Two wins from three keeps us in the promotion race but Selangor PKNS have all but sealed the title. This leaves the second spot between ourselves & Kelantan and it will go down to the wire as we face each other in the last match of the season.

June

A big win over MIFA leaves us going into the last match needing a win to seal promotion. After a couple of friendlies to keep fitness up it comes down to us vs Kelantan and when they score first I fear the worst. The team roar back though with four goals in 21 minutes to put us in control. Kelantan respond in the second half to put themselves within one goal of a draw which would see them take the promotion spot from us by a point but we hold on to return to the Super League for the first time in seven years.

Malaysia Cup (August-November)

2nd place in the League qualified us for the Malaysia Cup and we got a bye straight into the group stage. We were drawn into a tough Group B alongside three Super League teams – Lions XII (2nd), Terengganu (4th) & Kuantan (11th). I felt we might have a chance against Kuantan otherwise it was a good preview of what we would face next season.

It started badly as a goal deep into injury time saw Terengganu take the points when we looked to have secured a defensive draw. Home & away wins over Kuantan were sandwiched by a clear defeat to Lions XII but it was enough to give us a chance going into the final two games. A draw at home to Terengganu left us needing a win in the final game against Lions XII. They fielded a weakened team having already won the group and it cost them as Amran & Zulkaffli scored first half goals to book our place in the Quarter Finals.

If the group wasn't tough enough it got harder in the Quarter Finals as we drew the Super League Champions for the past two seasons, Selangor. We gave them a game home & away but they were just too good as we bowed out.

Season Summary

Malaysian Premier League - 2nd (Promoted)

Malaysian FA Cup – 2nd Round

Malaysia Cup – Quarter Finals

Awards

Malaysian Premier League Player of the Year

1st Nur Arif Nor Azman (24yo Malaysian MRC)

2nd Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (21yo Malaysian MC)

Malaysian Premier League Team of the Year

Nor Azman & Haziq were joined by three other Perlis players in the “Team of the Year”. Che Khairul Syafiq (21yo Malaysian DC) made the first eleven while Muhd Fakhrul Ikram Azahari (25yo Malaysian GK) & Mohd Ikhmal Akid Bahari (22yo Malaysian ML/DL) were included amongst the subs.

Fans Player of the Year: Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (21yo Malaysian MC)

Top Goalscorer: 14 – Mohd Firdaus Zulkaffli (23yo Malaysian ST)

Most Assists: 8 – Nur Arif Nor Azman (24yo Malaysian MRC)

Most Player of the Match Awards: 6 – Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (21yo Malaysian MC)

Highest Rating: 7.54 (25 apps) – Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (21yo Malaysian MC)

Season Review

Haziq moved from Icon to Legend with the fans as he was once again the star performer in the team. He wasn't the only one though as several players really stood up this season in particular the wingers (Amran & Bahari on the left, Nor Azman & Amin on the right).

Mokhtar continued to impress backing up Kumaresan at DR despite my staff not rating him while another youth player made the breakthrough centrally – Razali Sudhir (17yo Malaysian DC/DL).

Up front Radzali missed a fair chunk of the season with three separate injuries. With Hamid also struggling to find top form Zakaria got plenty of game time but it was Zulkaffli who was the pick of the strikers.

[Cougar2010]

Will you be staying or looking for a new job?

Staying for a little longer

[Bobby_Zamora]

How long does it take to simulate a week in your save?

[Cougar2010]

How long does it take to simulate a week in your save?

Depends on the week obviously but atm in May its taking about 5 mins.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

2018/19 Off Season

Players Out

Ten players were released at the end of their contracts including two from the main squad.

Azi Shahril Azmi (33yo Malaysian MC) – Released

Time at Club: 8 years (2 spells), Appearances: 72, Goals: 4, Assists: 10

After starting his career at Perlis Azmi returned four years ago and was the only full International on the books. At 33yo he has declined significantly and lost his starting place which means he is surplus to requirements as an upcoming youngster will take his place.

Muhd Shafiq Safaruddin (25yo Malaysian DL/DC) – Released

Time at Club: 1 year, Appearances: 8, Goals: 0, Assists: 0

Joined just one year ago but he was poor on the pitch. I decided to keep a home grown 23yo as the rotation option & I'll look for a new starter.

Players In

At the end of the season I promised four players (Amin, Nor Azman, Radzali & Kumaresan) that I wouldn't replace them and give them a chance in the Super League. In the end it wouldn't have made any difference as signings that would significantly improve the team were hard to come by. Potential targets were either not as good as they first looked or simply not interested in joining.

In the end just the one player arrived as a replacement for Safaruddin at DL:

S. Harivarman (28yo Malaysian DL/ML) – Signed on a bosman from MIFA (Premier League)

Harivarman was about the best of a bad bunch from those that were interested. A consistent performer over the last two seasons for MIFA in the Premier League. I'm not pretending he is anything special but he'll compete with Podzi for the DL position.

Pre-Season Friendlies

Having played in the Malaysia Cup I opted for a shorter pre-season with my AM organising five away friendlies. Results were good as we went unbeaten notching up four wins as we built match fitness.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

2019 Season Preview

Malaysian Super League

We might have been promoted but the media are adamant that both ourselves & Premier League champions, Selangor PKNS are going straight back down. Up the top Johor DT, Lions XII and current champions Selangor are the big three in the league having won the last six titles between them. The rest seem stuck in no mans land but having competed reasonably well against Terengganu in last years Malaysia Cup I'm hopeful we won't be out of our depth.

Perlis Squad

Goalkeepers

Aside from a short spell when he fell out with me Azahari has been our main GK for the last four years. Good handling and reasonably consistent but lacks the quality we need to progress. Backing him up is Tan Ser who two years ago wasn't quite ready when I threw him into the first team but has improved since then and looked solid in the pre-season friendlies.

Muhd Fakhrul Ikram Azahari (26yo Malaysian GK) – 2*CA

Muhd Yusri Tan Ser (21yo Malaysian GK) – 2*CA, 4*PA

Fullbacks

On the left new signing Harivarman will compete with home grown Podzi for the starting role. My staff feel Podzi has the potential but with little improvement over the last couple of seasons this one is really his last chance. On the right club captain Kumaresan has been a star for the last couple of seasons but signs are he is starting to decline. Backing him up is the home grown Mokhtar who my staff feel I should have got rid of a couple of years ago. I persevered with him due to his performances on the pitch and I've been rewarded with a player who is improving later than others.

S. Harivarman (28yo Malaysian DL/ML) – 2.5*CA

Muhd Hafizi Mat Podzi (23yo Malaysian DL) – 1.5*CA, 3.5*PA

S. Kumaresan (30yo Malaysian DR) – 3*CA

Mohd Aizat Mokhtar (22yo Malaysian DR) – 1*CA, 4*PA

Central Defence

Former U20 International Syafiq is the pick of the DCs and a regular starter for us while Nasir & home grown Hamidi compete to partner him. Nasir should be the easy choice on paper but his performances on the pitch are rather average while Hamidi's strength in the air covers up some of his weaknesses but the Super League might be a step too far for him. Youth star Sudhir was added to the main squad last season to provide cover but he is improving fast and could well be challenging for a starting role sooner rather than later.

Che Khairul Syafiq (22yo Malaysian DC) – 3.5*CA, 4.5*PA

Jabar Nasir (26yo Malaysian DC) – 3* CA

Mohd Ashraf Hamidi (23yo Malaysian DC) – 1.5*CA, 2*PA

Razali Sudhir (18yo Malaysian DC/DL) – 2*CA, 4*PA

Central Midfield

The more defensive role is shared between Lusong & Salleh while Haziq is the star as playmaker. Home grown Roshid has been added to the main squad for this season to provide cover but he needs to show quick improvement if he is to play a part long term.

Demas Duon Lusong (23yo Malaysian DM/DC, MC) – 3.5*CA, 4.5*PA

Mohd Hafifi Mohd Salleh (21yo Malaysian DM/MC) – 3.5*CA, 4*PA

Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (22yo Malaysian MC/AMC) – 2.5*CA, 4*PA

Mohd Nafis Roshid (21yo Malaysian MC) – 0.5*CA, 3*PA

Wingers

On the left Bahari & Amran competed for the starting role last season. Bahari has improved while Amran hasn't but he still performs well on the pitch. The right has been the domain of Nor Azman for the last few seasons but Amin has been pushing hard on & off the pitch for playing time which might mean Nor Azman moves infield to cover Haziq some of the time.

Mohd Ikhmal Akid Bahari (23yo Malaysian ML/DL) – 2.5*CA, 4*PA

Aiman Amran (25yo Malaysian ML) – 2*CA

Nur Arif Nor Azman (25yo Malaysian MRC) – 4*CA

Nur Shamie Iszuan Amin (23yo Malaysian AMR) – 2.5*CA, 4.5*PA

Strikers

Over the last few seasons I've phased out the older strikers in favour of a new generation. Radzali & Zulkaffli have made the most of the opportunities while Hamid & Zakaria seem to have stalled a little but they are slightly younger.

Muhd Azahari Radzali (23yo Malaysian ST) – 3*CA, 4.5*PA

Mohd Firdaus Zulkaffli (24yo Malaysian ST) – 2.5*CA, 3.5*PA

Mohd Nor Hamizikri Hamid (21yo Malaysian ST) – 1.5*CA, 2.5*PA

Mohd Zulkifli Zakaria (21yo Malaysian ST) – 1.5*CA, 3*PA

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

January 2019

Home to one of the big three is a tough way to start the campaign but we put in a good performance and really deserved at least a point but it wasn't to be as a goal in each half sealed the points for Johor. With a big gap to the next match we played three friendlies to keep fitness up and look at a few youngsters. The most noteworthy event was a six week injury to club captain Kumaresan (DR) while Zakaria (ST) also joined him on the sidelines. We finished the month away to fellow promotees Selangor PKNS and should have been out of sight in the first half. They nick a late goal to make it a nervy finish but we hold on for our first win in the Super League.

With Kumaresan on the sidelines and the transfer window still open I look for options to provide cover. The clear target is 23yo Australian Chol Nyok who is on an amateur contract with Western Suburbs (Australia) but just days after I make him an offer he picks up a sports hernia which will keep him out for two months. With a lack of other good options I settle for bringing in a player on trial for four weeks:

Muhd Arip Amiruddin (26yo Malaysian DR/MR) – On Trial for four weeks.

Something of a journeyman who was with PBDKT for the last couple of seasons. Performances seem to have been average but he could perhaps fill a squad role for us which would see Mokhtar possibly head out on loan.

Player Profile

The first name on the team sheet is a 22yo who is already a legend at the club. According to my staff he isn't anything special lacking both intelligence & consistency but his performances on the pitch over the last three years tell a different story. A hard working, athletic, team player with good technique & passing ability make him an ideal fit as the playmaker. When we play 442 he is at his best as an AP(a) but isn't as effective when we play 3232 (wingbacks). Doesn't have the defensive side of his game to play as the DLP which leaves playing as the MC(a) but doesn't suit him anything like as well. Capped at U20 level but seems to be getting reasonably close to his best according to my staff. As long as he keeps performing on the pitch though I won't be too worried.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

February 2019

A fantastic month for us on the pitch as we win four of five league games to defy the media's prediction of us being relegation fodder. 18yo DC Razali Sudhir headed in a late corner to seal a deserved win over Polis DRM before he did the same days later to steal the points from Felda Utd. Next we produced a dominating win over our fierce rivals, Kedah before Perak put an end to our four match win streak. The team bounced back though with a solid 4-1 win over Terengganu to end the month.

Off the pitch though it was a different story as seven different players picked up injuries. GKs Azahari & Tan Ser both picked up knocks but thankfully at different times while Hamidi (DC), Haziq (MC) & Hamid (ST) also missed odd games. Two players suffered fairly bad injuries though with both Harivarman (DL) & Radzali (ST) out for six weeks.

I did consider a replacement for Harivarman before the transfer window shut but with a lack of good options & decent gaps between matches I decided to just stick with Podzi with both Bahari (ML) & Sudhir (DC) able to cover.

Player Profile

According to my staff Azman is arguably the best player in the team and after a slow start for us he was outstanding last year which saw him win the “Malaysian Premier League Player of the Year” award. Despite having a little speed he isn't what you would call an athletic player but what he lacks physically he makes up for mentally. A decent touch & a good footballing brain make him an ideal fit for the WM(s) role in our 442 where he makes an excellent foil for Haziq inside him while he can also move infield to fill the playmaker role himself. So far this season he has spent more time than usual on the bench with Amin in top form but I hope he rises to the challenge.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

March 2019

We started the month with a FA Cup 2nd Round match against our fierce rivals Kedah. A slow start saw us behind but we improved as the match progressed with Haziq scoring a penalty to send us to extra time where we found our rhythm to cruise through. Another late penalty from Haziq sealed a win away to Lions before injuries took their toll and our form took a dive. We were lucky to take a point off Pahang and crashed out of the FA Cup before ending the month scraping a draw against Selangor.

Injuries continued to be an issue this month and this time much more serious. Striker Zakaria had just returned from injury when he tore his calf muscle at the beginning of the month (Out for season) while the end of the month saw us lose two starters long term. GK, Azahari picked up a back strain (6 weeks) just as Tan Ser recovered but DR, Kumaresan was worse off as a lower back stress fracture means we'll be lucky to see him again this season.

With two strikers down, the transfer window shut & a lack of decent youth I was forced to turn to unattached players. The pick of them was an experienced Malaysian International who joined us on trial to provide cover:

Mohd Safee Mohd Sali (35yo Malaysian ST/AMC) – On trial for four weeks

A journeyman striker who at his best was one of the top strikers in Malaysia. He has declined since then though with his last couple of seasons in the Premier League being less than impressive. I'm hoping I can make good use of his technical & mental skills in a deeper role until Radzali returns.

Player Profile

The club captain has been one of our best players since joining with speed, work rate & team work amongst his strengths as he raids down the right. He is arguably our most consistent defender rarely having a bad performance and what he lacks in technical skills he makes up for mentally. Was a 4* player but injuries have taken their toll over the last six months and he seems to be declining. With a lower back stress fracture now ending his season it remains to be seen if he can come back from it later in the year.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

April 2019

With Azahari injured & Tan Ser away with Malaysia U23s I have no choice but to face Sarawak with 17yo Amirul Hakim Salim in goal. With form far from good I fear the worst but Salim pulls off a confidence building early save and with good protection in front of him we see off the best Sarawak have to offer. With a 0-0 looking the likely outcome a corner sees Haziq force a good fingertip save from their keeper but Nasir is on hand to tap in a winner. We build on that result against Johor DT when they pick up a red in each half to finish with nine men before our improved standing sees us drop points against the more defensive Felda & Selangor PKNS.

Off the field injuries finally seem to be clearing up with Kumaresan & Zakaria our only long term issues but several players are close to suspension due to cards.

Player Profile

My first signing when I took over has proven to be a good choice. Regular improvement along with solid basic skills have made him a reliable performer on the pitch. While passing & ball control isn't his thing speed, strength and defensive ability is. Although he seems a natural for the stopper role he generally performs better at cover where his reading of the game come more into play. A former U20 International as he is still improving a possible full International in the future.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

May 2019

With a gap in the fixture list I organised a friendly to keep match fitness up & give some gametime to those coming back from injury. After a good start it ended in a disappointing draw against a lower league Thai side. Our poor form looked to be continuing when relegation threatened Polis scored early but the team responded putting us in control by the break before shutting down in the second half. A top of the table clash away to Perak saw us well beaten with two late consolations making the result look much better than it was before. With teams showing us much more respect recently I decided it was time to tweak the tactics and take a more patient approach against those further down the table. It worked as we confidently despatched our fierce rivals before early goals saw us hold on for a deserved win away to Terengganu.

Up front Zulkaffli once again found good form alongside Radzali as the pair found the net seven times in the four League games while Amin continues to push Nor Azman really hard for the starting spot on the right. Bahari (ML) & Haziq (MC) have also been in good form along with young defender, Sudhir who has been knocking on my door demanding more football.

Player Profile

Initially a young fringe player when I took over before being given a chance when I moved on the older strikers. Of the four younger strikers I had at my disposal my staff felt he was the least likely to push on with their reports reading “Blinkered, lacks intelligence, inconsistent, unprofessional, injury prone”. In the early days I had him down as a second choice target man to Radzali but over time he has improved, stayed injury free and pushed Hamid out of the starting poacher/AF role. He might be decent in the air but that only adds to his other strengths - A hard working, team player who uses his speed & strength to get on the end of chances and when he does he is earning a reputation for being a clinical finisher.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

June 2019

With Perak having virtually sealed the title we were really competing with the three big teams (Johor DT, Selangor & Lions) for a continental place. Just as I thought we were hitting good form we failed to find the net at home to Pahang as we lost a close game before a terrible, lazy performance saw us make it two defeats in a row against a Selangor team who had several first teamers away on International duty. Better performances saw us match Lions & Sarawak but two draws were ultimately a disappointing way to end the season.

As the season drew to a close I started to plan for next year. In goal Azahari has struggled at this level which saw me give Tan Ser more game time as I look to help him improve while at DR Kumaresan picked up his third serious injury of the season which more or less signals the end of his career with us. Jabar Nasir (26yo DC) also picked up a bad injury this month as he dislocated his shoulder and he could be another with question marks over his future as I look to improve the squad.

June is also the month I turn my attention to possible bosman signings for next season and I'm looking for at least four first team players – GK, DL, DR & ST. With potential signings not as well scouted as I would have liked at this stage my indecision costs me as I miss out on several players who sign new contracts with their current clubs. I do manage to agree contracts with two though – A 27yo Singaporean GK who I have some doubts over but seems a step up from what we have and a 19yo Malaysian U20 International striker.

On a personal level the media link me with the Johor DT job but its not one that interests me at the moment. Days later the Selangor manager takes the job and the media immediately install me amongst the favourites to take over but I never hear anything.

Player Profile

Joined two seasons ago after being released from his first club Sabah to compete for the left side role. I couldn't have wished for a better signing as he slotted in straight away looking a different player from the one he was at Sabah. Solid improvement saw him make the step up to the Super League with ease as he established himself as the first choice on the left. A hard working, physically athletic player whose adds much needed height to the squad. Offers a constant threat going forward while also having the energy & determination to track back & defend.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

August/September 2019

Before the Malaysia Cup got underway I made use of the transfer market signing another striker on a bosman (Joins December) while two players join us straight away:

K. Prabakaran (28yo Malaysian DL/ML) – Signed for £0 from Tentera Darat (Malaysian Lower League)

Came through the youth team at Harimau Muda (Premier League) before quickly moving to Selangor (Super League). A year later he settled at Sime Darby (Premier League) where he made his debut and established himself as a fringe player during his five year stay before moving to Tentera Darat where he has impressed over the last three years. With home grown Podzi failing to make any progress over the last couple of years I'm looking for Prabakaran to compete with Harivarman at DL. Poor in the air and lacks a little physically but seems fairly solid with good levels of team work, work rate & professionalism which are a feature of my signings since I took over.

Muhd Aqil Irfanuddin Mohd Sabri (22yo Malaysian DR) – Signed for £0 from PBDKT (Premier League)

Came through the youth team of PBDKT making his debut at 17yo & quickly establishing himself as a regular starter which saw him capped 18 times for the Malaysian U20 team. With three bad injuries putting pay to Kumaresan this season I'm looking for Sabri to step up and be our number one DR. His height is an issue aerially while historically he is a bit inconsistent but like previous signings work rate, team work & professionalism are amongst his strengths.

We also have a good reputation for bringing through youth players and this season our intake was blessed with 16yo ST Ibrahim Mohd Shukri. Although a natural AMC/ST which suggests a deeper role his skill set is more akin to a winger or poacher. Already on a par skill wise with Hamid & Zakaria he could well make his debut sooner rather than later.

Malaysia Cup Group Draw

Not really sure how the seedings work here (Maybe regional?) but we get drawn in Group B along with Lions XII (5th in Super League), Kelantan (Premier League Champions) & PBDKT (3rd in Premier League). Not a bad group for us and one we should be aiming to progress from.

We make a horrible start to the group as a poor performance sees us lose 1-0 at home to the weakest team and it doesn't get any better as we also lose away to Lions. With our backs to the wall we finally put in a decent performance away to Kelantan and luck swings our way with a soft second half penalty. Good performances in the return matches against Lions & PBDKT put qualification back in our hands while 16yo Shukri scores his first career goal. Going into the last match ourselves, Lions & PBDKT all have 9 points but with Lions playing PBDKT even a narrow defeat at home to Kelantan would see us through to the quarter finals. A good performance sees Shukri add to his quick growing reputation with the only goal of the game to make sure we top the group while PBDKT record a shock win over Lions to finish second.

We get a decent draw in the quarter finals as we face Sarawak who finished 8th in the Super League this season. At home in the first leg we play fairly well edging the match but a goal against the run of play just before the break sees us needing a late equaliser to keep the tie level. I'm confident going into the second leg that we can get a result and the match swings our way when Radzali gives us the lead. Sarawak respond though raising their game and quickly turn the game around. We push in the second half for the goal which would see us through but Sarawak are well in control as we go out in disappointing fashion.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

2019 Season Summary

Awards

Manager of the Year: Justin Ganari – Perak

Goalkeeper of the Year: Milos Peric (28yo Serbian GK) – Selangor

Defender of the Year: Zain Azraai Sulaiman (25yo Malaysian DR) – Felda Utd

Midfielder of the Year: Muhd Hadin Azman (24yo Malaysian MR) – Perak

Striker of the Year: Bruno Castanheira (29yo Japanese ST) – Lions XII

Local MVP: Matthew Davies (24yo Malaysian DR) – Johor DT

Most Promising Player: Mohd Ikhmal Akid Bahari (23yo Malaysian ML) - Perlis

Golden Boot

1st Pedro Henrique (27yo East Timorese ST) – 13 goals in 21 apps for Perak

2nd Florijan Ovcar (23yo Croatian ST) – 12 goals in 22 apps for Ternegganu

3rd Mohd Firdaus Zulkaffli (24yo Malaysian ST) – 11 goals in 21 apps for Perlis

Goal of the Year

1st Muhd Akhir Bahari (25yo Malaysian AMC/AMRL) – Terengganu vs Sarawak

2nd Amirul Adli (23yo Singaporean DM) – Lions XII vs Kedah

3rd Muhd Syafiq Ahmad (24yo Malaysian ST) – Kedah vs Pahang

Team of the Year

GK Milos Peric (28yo Serbian GK) – Selangor

DR Matthew Davies (24yo Malaysian DR) – Johor DT

DC Fahmi Mohamad (25yo Malaysian DRC) – Polis DRM

DC Muhd Hafizal Mohd Alias (26yo Malaysian DC) – Perak

DL Mohd Zamri Ramli (28yo Malaysian DL) – Perak

MR Muhd Hadin Azman (25yo Malaysian AMRL/AMC) – Perak

MC Muhd Khairu Azrin Khazali (28yo Malaysian DM, MC) – Perak

MC Rostam Osman (32yo Malaysian MC/DM) – Johor DT

ML Mohd Ikhmal Akid Bahari (24yo Malaysian ML/DL) – Perlis

ST Pedro Henrique (27yo East Timorese ST) – Perak

ST Bruno Castanheira (29yo Japanese ST) – Lions XII

Sub Izwan Mahbud (29yo Singaporean GK) – Lions XII

Sub Mahalli Jasuli (30yo Malaysian DR) – Selangor

Sub Mohd Nazrin Mohd Nawi (31yo Malaysian ML/MC) – Perak

Sub Jordan Webb (31yo Singaporean AMRL) – Lions XII

Sub Sahil Suhaimi (27yo Singaporean ST) – Lions XII

Sub Zain Azraai Sulaiman (25yo Malaysian DR) – Felda Utd

Sub Harry Edge (25yo Malaysian ST) – Selangor

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

2019/20 Off Season

Players Out

Sixteen players were released at the end of their contracts including five from the first team squad as I look to take the club to the next level:

Muhd Fakhrul Ikram Azahari (26yo Malaysian GK) – Released

Time at Club: 5 years, Appearances: 95

Did a decent job for us when we were in the Premier League but has struggled a little more this season. Simply not good enough to be number one at this level while I've chosen to keep the younger Tan Ser as backup.

Muhd Hafizi Mat Podzi (24yo Malaysian DL) – Released

Time at Club: 6 years, Appearances: 67, Goals: 1, Assists: 3

I gave home grown Podzi a real chance to make it over the last few seasons but a lack of improvement means his career lies at a lower level.

Mohd Ashraf Hamidi (24yo Malaysian DC) – Released

Time at Club: 6 years, Appearances: 66, Goals: 3, Assists: 1

Another home grown player who was given a real chance despite my staff feeling he didn't have the skills. On the field he performed better than his attributes would suggest but he just can't cut it at this level.

Mohd Nafis Roshid (21yo Malaysian MC) – Released

Time at Club: 5 years, Appearances: 17, Goals: 0, Assists: 0

Has been on the fringe of the first team for a couple of seasons but a lack of progress means he is now under pressure from younger players.

Mohd Zulkifli Zakaria (22yo Malaysian ST) – Released

Time at Club: 5 years, Appearances: 46, Goals: 9, Assists: 2

Another former youth player who has been on the fringe of the first team for the last couple of seasons. Lack of progress had already made it unlikely that he would be offered a new deal before a torn calf muscle confirmed it.

In other news I turned down nothing bids from Polis DRM for first Nor Azman (MR) & then Amin (MR) while Felda Utd tested my resolve by bidding twice for our U20 star DC Razali Sudhir. They were decent offers but with very little up front selling one of our best defenders to another Super League club doesn't seem like good business.

With several players incoming I also manage to trim the fat with three more leaving:

Mohd Nor Hamizikri Hamid (22yo Malaysian ST) – Sold to Johor DT II (Premier League) for £1.6k

Time at Club: 5 years, Appearances: 67, Goals: 16, Assists: 7

Another home grown player who has gone backwards in the last couple of seasons. With two strikers joining & 16yo Shukri making an impact there simply was no room for Hamid in the squad.

Aiman Amran (25yo Malaysian ML) – Sold to KL SPA (Premier League) for £0

Time at Club: 3 years, Appearances: 38, Goals: 4, Assists: 10

I actually feel a little sorry for Amran because he was a good performer on the pitch but with Chitti joining he was another that would struggle for match time. He threw a tantrum about being transfer listed and I was on the verge of just cancelling the last year of his contract before KL SPA made an offer for him.

S. Harivarman (29yo Malaysian DL/ML) – Sold to Kuala Lumpur (Lower League) for £0

Time at Club: 1 year, Appearances: 15, Goals: 0, Assists: 1

After just one year at the club Harivarman was nothing but a fringe player for us. He expressed a preference to leave if he wasn't first choice and I was happy to let him go.

Players In

Two fullbacks joined us before the Malaysia Cup and while DL, Prabakaran looks nothing more than a rotation player for us Sabri (DR) seems the real deal if we can keep him injury free. I also agreed three bosman deals as I looked to improve the squad:

Khairulhin Khalid (28yo Singaporean GK) – Signed on a bosman from Kuantan (Premier League)

We needed a number one GK and Khalid was one of four I was targeting. Now that he has joined I'm beginning to question my decision to sign him over the other options. Started his career at Lions XII (Super League) before moving to Perak (Super League) when he didn't make the breakthrough. Lack of game time saw him move on again and spend last season with Kuantan (Premier League) where his league performances were less than stellar but he looked good in the Cups. Really trusting my scouts on this one that he is a step up from Azahari.

Mohd Radhee Aziz (25yo Malaysian ST) – Signed on a bosman from Kedah (Super League)

Came through the youth team at Polis DRM but had to drop down to lower league football with Real Mulia to get games. Our fierce rivals Kedah paid £3k for him three years ago and since then he has been something of a fringe player for them. Last season he looked good when used and he fits the role I'm looking for. The fans might not like that he came from Kedah but I honestly don't care as long as he performs for us. Big & strong I'm looking for him to compete with Radzali for the target man role.

Mohd Fikri Naim (20yo Malaysian AMC/ST) – Signed on a bosman from Negeri Sembilan (Premier League)

The second part of my revamp up front sees us with a big signing as I secured the signature of one of Malaysia's most exciting young strikers. A product of the Negeri Sembilan academy Naim quickly established himself in the first team and has already scored over 20 goals in 70 odd appearances for them as well as becoming a regular for the Malaysia U20 team. Lacks the work ethic of my previous signings but with plenty of speed & an eye for goal we have space for a greedy poacher in the squad.

With the initial comings & goings dealt with I turn my attention to where we can improve. DL continues to be a problem and with Harivarman moving on we really need a good first choice. In the centre of defence we have two youngsters on the fringe of the first team (Nasir & Nathan) but with the added Champion's League games I should maybe consider adding another first teamer. We also have a few youngsters pressing for a chance at MC & MR and I need to decide whether to give them one or bring in more quality. Finally Amran at ML has been performing well but my staff feel he is out of his depth and we need to sacrifice him to move forwards.

With the scouts busy looking at options my first signing is a young Australian I scouted heavily last season and he becomes my second foreign signing (4 allowed).

Peter Chitti (19yo Australian ML) – Signed for £0 from Westside FC (Australian Non-League)

Learned his football at Westside FC and went on to make over 100 appearances for them as he grew as a player. Mentally still has a lot to learn but already has the quality to challenge Bahari for the starting role on the left.

I continue to press on with signings as I strengthen the squad with two more:

Mohd Fareza Amar Khasim (25yo Malaysian DM/MC) – Unattached

Aside from a year on loan he has spent his career at his first club, Penang. Over the last few seasons he has established himself as a regular starter for them but relegation from the Super League followed by a poor performance last year in the Premier League has seen him leave on a free. With good Malaysian players a bit thin on the ground I'm pleased he chose to sign for us over five other clubs. He'll join Haziq, Lusong & Salleh in competing for the MC roles which gives us a strong core in the middle of the field.

Mohd Arif Fadzilah Abu Bakar (23yo Malaysian DL) – Signed for £1.5k from PBDKT (Premier League)

With options limited at DL I choose to spend a little money to bring in a player who has done a decent job in the Premier League and looked solid in last season's Malaysia Cup. Started his career at amateur side SSBJ before moving as a 17yo to PBDKT where he has gone on to establish himself in the first team. Lacks aerial ability and isn't as professional as I would have liked but I hope he can do a job and compete with Prabakaran for the DL spot.

As pre-season came to a close I was only really short of a DC and having been scouting hard the pick of the targets was a 19yo Australian who lacked a little mentally but was big & strong which would really see him dominate in the air. Unfortunately he can't join us until June so for now I put him on the back burner and will give an opportunity to two of the youth players.

Pre-Season Friendlies

My AM had trouble organising friendlies this year as several sides turned down his offers so I stepped in and arranged a few myself. Nothing fancy as we faced mainly lower league Malaysian sides but we secured the expected wins with no injuries for once.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

2020 Season Preview

Malaysian Super League

3rd last season has seen our odds freefall from last season's 2000/1 but at 300/1 we are still amongst the relegation favourites as the media clearly think we'll suffer a backlash this year. The big three (Johor DT, Selangor & Lions XII) are the favourites to lift the title again but reigning champions Perak have narrowed the gap.

Perlis Squad

Goalkeepers

I had doubts over new signing Khalid but he has looked solid in pre-season and a step up from Azahari. Backing him up is Tan Ser but after a real chance last season its looking like reliable backup is about the best he'll ever be.

Khairulhin Khalid (28yo Singaporean GK) – 2.5*CA

Muhd Yusri Tan Ser (22yo Malaysian GK) – 1*CA, 2.5*PA

Fullbacks

My problem position on the left seems to be improving as Prabakaran has proven to be solid since joining last summer while new signing Abu Bakar has impressed in the friendlies. On the right three bad injuries last season have wrecked Kumaresan's career leaving him spinning his wheels for the final year of his contract but on a positive note his replacement Sabri has looked really good since joining. That leaves Mokhtar continuing to provide reliable backup but he needs to push on if he is ever going to be any more than that.

Mohd Arif Fadzilah Abu Bakar (23yo Malaysian DL) – 3.5*CA, 5*PA

K. Prabakaran (28yo Malaysian DL/ML) – 2*CA

Muhd Aqil Irfanuddin Mohd Sabri (22yo Malaysian DR) – 2.5*CA, 4.5*PA

S. Kumaresan (31yo Malaysian DR) – 1.5*CA

Mohd Aizat Mokhtar (22yo Malaysian DR) – 1.5*CA, 3.5*PA

Central Defence

U20 International Sudhir has come on in leaps & bounds over the last year and is now arguably our best defender although his performances last season were more average than impressive. Syafiq continues to be a regular although his improvement seems to have stalled while Nasir offers decent but limited backup. My failure to bring in another DC leaves two home grown players a chance to offer cover – 19yo Yussof Nasir & 18yo Krishnan Nathan.

Che Khairul Syafiq (22yo Malaysian DC) – 2*CA, 3.5*PA

Jabar Nasir (27yo Malaysian DC) – 2* CA

Razali Sudhir (19yo Malaysian DC/DL) – 3*CA, 4/5*PA

Yussof Nasir (19yo Malaysian DC/DR) – 0.5*CA, 4/5*PA

Central Midfield

New signing Khasim joins Salleh, Lusong & Haziq to compete for the midfield roles. Salleh has improved well last season but Haziq seems to have stalled which is a problem given he is a legend with the fans. Our main problem in the middle is that we are weighted towards the defensive side with Haziq the only natural attacker but Azman can come infield from the right while 19yo Hamzah is also more attacking.

Demas Duon Lusong (24yo Malaysian DM/DC, MC) – 2.5*CA, 4*PA

Mohd Hafifi Mohd Salleh (22yo Malaysian DM/MC) – 3.5*CA, 4.5*PA

Mohd Haziq Mu'iz Abdul (23yo Malaysian MC/AMC) – 2*CA, 2.5*PA

Mohd Fareza Amar Khasim (25yo Malaysian DM/MC) – 3.5*CA

Wingers

On the right Amin continues to push Nor Azman hard for the starting role while on the left new signing Chitti should be first choice according to my staff but Bahari is proven on the field. Youngsters Hussin (right) & Jalil (left) are fast improving in the U21s and offer cover.

Mohd Ikhmal Akid Bahari (24yo Malaysian ML/DL) – 2*CA, 3.5*PA

Peter Chitti (20yo Australian ML) – 4*CA, 5*PA

Nur Arif Nor Azman (26yo Malaysian MRC) – 3.5*CA

Nur Shamie Iszuan Amin (23yo Malaysian AMR) – 2.5*CA, 3.5*PA

Strikers

New signing Naim looks the real deal up front with four goals in two friendly appearances but Aziz is a little slow to react on the pitch which might see Radzali start ahead of him. Zulkaffli provides good cover for either role while 16yo Shukri proved in last season's Malaysia Cup he has the ability as well.

Muhd Azahari Radzali (24yo Malaysian ST) – 2.5*CA, 4*PA

Mohd Firdaus Zulkaffli (24yo Malaysian ST) – 2*CA, 3*PA

Mohd Fikri Naim (20yo Malaysian ST, AMC) – 4*CA, 5*PA

Mohd Radhee Aziz (25yo Malaysian ST) – 3.5*CA

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

January 2020

After a good pre-season our form seemed to be carrying through to competitive games when new striker, Naim gave us an early lead against Terengganu but that didn't tell the story as both defences were still on holiday as we came from behind three times to earn a point. By the second game though things were back to normal as good defence saw us earn a deserved win over Kelantan and a battling draw away to Lions. We had more than enough chances to beat Kuantan before a defeat to Selangor made the dropped points look worse but we bounced back against Johor DT as we held on for a narrow win.

Really pleased with the new signings who are mostly settling in well. Khalid has impressed in goal, Khasim looks comfortable in midfield, Aziz seems more on the pace up front while Naim scored on his debut before getting injured. DL continues to be an issue as Bakar is looking no better than previous signings in that position which leaves Chitti on the left who looks a little lost but I'm hoping thats a language thing.

In random other news we have gained a new parent club which seems to have been instigated by them – Viking (Norwegian Premier Division) who now have first option on our players.

Player Profile

This month the focus is on the player who is pushing Nor Azman hard on the right and doing a good job of keeping him out of the team. Signed as a backup option with potential I didn't hold out much hope when my staff listed big matches, intelligence & consistency amongst his weaknesses. After a season to settle though you wouldn't guess he had any of them as he provides a constant threat down the right as I make good use of his speed, dribbling ability & work rate.

[HeyyImRyan]

Great work with Perlis and an impressive first season in the Superleague!

Do you plan on leaving soon or staying to make them a household name in Malaysia?

[Cougar2010]

Great work with Perlis and an impressive first season in the Superleague!

Do you plan on leaving soon or staying to make them a household name in Malaysia?

I have news on that in the next couple of updates, its fair to say my experience in the Asian Champions League helps me decide

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

February 2020

My first venture into the Asian Champion's League was always likely to be a short one when we drew Chinese Super League side, Shanggang whose backup players earn more than the whole of our squad put together. We built on our good performance against Johor DT though by holding them to a 0-0 draw before going out on penalties when Nor Azman saw his saved. Our good form continued as we despatched Felda in confident style before Nor Azman made up for his penalty miss with a late long shot to seal a close win over Perak. Against our rivals, Kedah the defence played well to make it five clean sheets in a row but it was only a point as Khasim saw the best chance of the match saved. The final game of the month was another tough one as we drew one of the title favourites, Selangor in the 2nd Round of the FA Cup. It was easily our worst performance of the month as we crashed out with a whimper.

Chitti (ML) missed most of the month through injury which saw 19yo Jalil called up from the U21s and he slotted in well making a couple of appearances. Elsewhere Sabri (DR) & Naim (ST) both picked up their second injury of the season which will see them miss several weeks.

Player Profile

One of our hottest youth prospects in years has quickly gone from average youngster to regular starter & U20 star. A good attitude mixed with consistency & solid all round skills has seen an amazing improvement with virtually no weaknesses. Now a fixture in the middle of the defence he could easily be the next club icon but unfortunately he is quite demanding as shown by his current refusal to discuss a new contract due to the club not matching his ambitions.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

March 2020

We bounced back from the Cup defeat to Selangor as we controlled the match against Pahang but our failure to find the net for the third match in a row saw another tick in the draw column. With the strikers firing blanks 17yo Shukri was given a chance and he found the net to cancel out Sarawak's early goal but despite finishing strongly we couldn't find a winner. The last match of the month was another home game and when Chitti fired in an early rebound it looked to be going our way but the team took their eye off the ball allowing Ternegganu take control which saw us needing a late equaliser. Its seven matches unbeaten in the league but with the last four being draws our form is less than steller.

The big news this month was star MC, Haziq picking up a sports hernia which will keep him out for 6-8 weeks and with both U21 understudies also injured it meant a chance for 18yo winger Faizal Hussin as Nor Azman moved infield.

Player Profile

A home grown player who my staff have never rated as anything more than a decent backup. Took his chance when it came his way to establish himself as a reliable backup. An athletic player with good team work & work rate means a player who consistently gives 100% and rarely has a bad game. I did wonder how he would cope when we got promoted but he took it in his stride and we didn't miss Kumaresan when he was injured.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

April 2020

After five matches without a win I was hopeful we could put our poor form behind us against Kelantan who are propping up the league. We played well in the first half with Zulkaffli giving us the lead but Kelantan fought back in the second as we were holding on somewhat towards the end. With a win under our belts it seemed to go to the player's heads as they turned in a terrible performance against an under performing Lions team before we returned to winning ways as we converted our chances away to Kuantan. A months gap between games followed as we ended with a confident friendly win which saw the return of Haziq from injury.

April also saw me apply for the manager's position at Adelaide (Australia) and given the progress I have made in Malaysia I thought I had a chance of being in the mix. It turns out I was nowhere near as they blew me off which leads to me reviewing my career path. Even if I win the title in Malaysia unless I have some success in the Asian Champion's League my chances of moving up in the world are slim and the chance of success in the ACL are extremely limited when you look at the richer teams. With that in mind I've decided after five years this one will be my last in Malaysia and I'll leave for pastures new when my contract expires in November.

[Cougar2010]

Malaysia

Perlis

May 2020

The month starts with another friendly to keep fitness up but its not as successful as the last one as we return to firing blanks as an even match ends in a draw. We return to league action at home to our bogey team, Selangor and once again we find ourselves behind but a good performance by Khalid in goal sets up a late push with Naim claiming a deserved equaliser. Its close at the top and next up is a massive match against 2nd placed Johor DT. We play well limiting their chances and grab a second half lead when Chitti arrives late in the box but it doesn't last as we leave a man unmarked during a late corner. The last two games of the month sees our season crash & burn in style as bad luck, poor finishing & clinical opposition all rear their head. Both matches are fairly even but both teams nick the first goal and then punish us as we go chasing the game.

Three matches left in the season and we've dropped to midtable, out of the title race & not in danger of relegation. I was going to leave when my contract expired at the end of the season but with a huge number of jobs available at this time of year I decide to pull the trigger early and try my luck elsewhere.

***Resigned from Perlis 1st June 2020***

[Cougar2010]

New Horizons

Free from being employed applications go out here, there & everywhere as I look for my next project. I'm not short of interview offers from a wide range of clubs and as I sort through them I turn down four from Asian clubs where I'm not interested unless they come from the likes of the Chinese or Australian clubs:

KL SPA (Malaysian Premier League)

Persibangga Purbalingga (Indonesian Premier Division)

Semen Padang FC (Indonesian Super League)

Persebo Bondowoso (Indonesian Nuswantara League)

I make my way to nine interviews, all from clubs in Europe (Yes I know Israel technically aren't but they are members of UEFA):

Accrington Stanley (About to be relegated from the English League 2)

Bristol Rovers (About to be relegated from the English League 2)

Sintrense (Portugese National Championship)

Anadia (Portugese National Championship)

Red Star FC (French National)

Hapoel Haifa (Israeli National League)

WKS Slask Wroclaw (About to be relegated from the Polish Ekstraklasa)

IF Haga (Swedish Second Division)

KSV Roeselare (About to be relegated from the Belgian Second League)

I'm hopeful of getting an offer but most pass me over in favour of someone else until Swedish part timers, IF Haga offer me a six month deal. The Swedish Second Division is split into five regional leagues which is technically the 4th tier in Sweden while IF Haga are the very definition of part timers having just been promoted into the 4th tier last season. Favourites to go straight back down, already struggling 10 matches into the season, poor facilities, next to no money & crowds of less than 100 at home games means I feel I can do better so I turn down their offer.

Back to the drawing board and more applications go out and four more interviews attended:

Guizhou Renhe (Chinese Super League)

Southport (English Vanarama National League North)

Club Deportivo Nublense SADP (Chilean First Division)

CSM Ramnicu Valcea (About to be relegated to the Romanian Second Division)

As I was waiting for replies from the second wave of applications a job offer arrives out of the blue from Anadia. The Portugese part timers play in the National Championship (80 clubs split into 8 groups) which is the third tier of Portugese football where they have been stable in mid table for several seasons. Previous managers seem to have stopped around a couple of seasons before either retiring or moving on to other clubs which indicates the board haven't been overly demanding. Finances seem stable with players being paid a similar amount to those at Perlis while the club relies on loans & free transfers. They offer me a one year deal on similar money to what I earned in Malaysia and I'm leaning towards accepting but decide to delay it for a week to see if any others come in.

Delaying proves to be a good choice as I get a second offer, this time from Romania. CSM Ramnicu Valcea have been a solid Second Division club since being formed in 2004 before winning the Second Division title two years ago but their first attempt at the top tier saw them out of their depth finishing bottom. The manager was understandably sacked but prior to that had been there six years indicating a patient board but on closer inspection there was a takeover last season. The club have a loan debt (Maybe from the takeover?) but its well covered by the club value which leaves finances stable. The wages & transfer fees are slightly higher than I was used to in Malaysia but having been relegated these will no doubt drop. They are offering a one year contract on less money than Anadia but its a professional club built on solid foundations. The squad will probably need rebuilding having been relegated and a slight negative would be having to work with a director of football. I opt to delay this offer as well for a week to see if anything else arrives.

A third job offer arrives from Southport but after a quick once over its easier to see that although a solid part time club they aren't on a par with CSM Ramnicu Valcea.

I also receive a fourth offer from Belgium part timers, KSV Roeselare but having already managed in Belgium I'm not feeling a return, especially not to one with lots of debt & poor facilities.

With no more offers arriving my decision is made. I would have happily took on the challenge at Anadia but CSM Ramnicu Valcea are simply a bigger club and overall its a better offer so I pack my bags for Romania.

[Cougar2010]

Romania

CSM Ramnicu Valcea

Team: CSM Ramnicu Valcea

League: Romanian Second Division

Started: 25th June 2020

Contract: £1.2k per month until June 2021

League Structure

Pretty straight forward, at least in the Second Division. 22 teams who play each other twice with two promoted, a third going into a promotion playoff while six are relegated. The top tier is a little more complicated but we'll leave that for now.

Cup Competitions

Again straight forward with the Romanian Cup an open knockout competition while the top division also take part in the Romanian League Cup.

Club History

CSM Ramnicu Valcea rose from the ashes of Chimia Ramnicu Valcea who were dissolved in 2004 following serious financial issues. Under the guise of Chimia their most successful period was during the 1970s & 80s as they clocked up 10 seasons in the Romanian First Division and won the Romanian Cup in 1973. The new club have been regulars in the Second Division lifting the title in 2019 but their first season in the top flight ended in failure as they returned to the Second Division.

CSM are based in Ramnicu Valcea which is the capital of Valcea County which lies in the central/south area of Romania.

RAMNICU VALCEA

Club Honours

Romanian Second Division: Winners (2019)

Romanian Third League (Group 5): Winners (2005)

Stadium & Facilities

The club play their home games at the 13,500 capacity Stadionul Municipal (Râmnicu Vâlcea) which seems to be owned by the club (IRL the local council seem to own it).

Corporate Facilities: Good

Training Facilities: Good

Youth Facilities: Good

Junior Coaching: Average

Youth Recruitment: Above Average

Affiliated Clubs

Parent Club: Pribram (Czech Republic First Division) – First Option

Feeder Club: CS Sporting Pitesti (Romanian Lower Leagues) – Loan

Feeder Club: Atletico Arad (Romanian Lower Leagues) – Loan

Feeder Club: FC Unirea Dej (Romanian Lower Leagues) – Loan

Rivals

None

[Cougar2010]

Romania

CSM Ramnicu Valcea

Finances

My first job is to check on the money situation. Last season the club made a £480k profit but £673k of that income came from a 10 year loan to do with the takeover last season. Without that income the loss last year would have been around £200k and its clear that I'm going to have to tighten the belt following relegation.

The club have £76k in the bank currently and I've been given the following budgets which the DOF will be in charge of: Transfer £10k & Wages £47k.

Staff

We are short of several staff as I place adverts for an assistant manager, a fitness coach, a physio, two scouts and two U19 coaches.

My main issue will be working with a Director of Football but he has been in the role for seven years and seems fairly good at it so we'll see how things go.

Competition Rules

Before looking at the squad there are three main rules I need to be aware of and its clear that youth is key:

A) Maximum of two non-EU players starting a match.

B) At least two U19 players starting a match.

C) At least ten players trained in Romania in the match day squad.

Squad

Well on first glance we look to have a really good squad but on closer inspection we have huge issues. Last season saw seven players brought in on loan who will be returning to their clubs while eight more are set to leave when their contracts expire. While a few of them were fringe players it still meant the club lost virtually half of the first team squad while the other half are mostly unhappy about being relegated. All in all the biggest rebuild in FM history is needed which I hope the DOF is up for.

Over my first couple of weeks at the club there seems to be a constant queue of players at my door demanding a move and not just first teamers either but 17/18yo youth players as well. This is where I make a big mistake by actually talking to them when I'm not in control of transfers. This leads to more unhappiness and broken promises as me & the DOF are on different wavelengths. It comes to a head when offers come in for a star 17yo GK who I had down as one of those to take us forwards. Despite wanting to keep him I understood that if the offers were good I would have to sell him and they were decent at around £155k. Unfortunately the DOF took me at my word and rejected them which led to uproar in the squad. At this point I realised the problem and pointed any further players knocking at my door along the corridor to talk to the DOF.

With things settling down and transfers left totally to the DOF I focus on bringing staff in & working on the tactics. The DOF has mixed success attracting players to the club but I'm doing much better as I fill the staff quota with good quality.

As I turn to tactics I'm getting a feel for the squad as we approach the first friendly. The club have virtually no wingers which syncs with them playing 532 (Wingbacks) last season and with the DOF not showing any intent of bringing some in I'm looking at narrow formations. We are massively top heavily with three star players up front while no less than seven U19s are on the fringe looking for a chance. The club also have depth in midfield although with a few moving on the younger fringe players are already starting to step up.

Its fair to say I had huge concerns when I saw the scale of the rebuild required but fair dues to the DOF as he did a fairly good job in pre-season. Three further players ended up getting sold but the DOF got decent money for them while he brought six players in as well as missing out on several others.

Players Out

Mircea Soare (19yo Romanian AMR/AMC) – Sold to FC Ceahlaul (Romanian First League) for £71k + add ons

Time at CSM: 4 years, Apps: 103, Goals: 6, Assists: 11

The home grown winger was work in progress but already a regular starter so it was no surprise that he wanted to leave when the club was relegated.

Bogdan Mitache (26yo Romanian DC) – Sold to FC Ceahlaul (Romanian First League) for £54k

Time at CSM: 4 years, Apps: 138, Goals: 6, Assists: 8

One of the best players at the club when I took over and surely on the radar of the national team so I'm not surprised he wanted to move on.

Marius Caizer (17yo Romanian GK) – Sold to HNK Hajduk (Croatian First League) for £100k

Time at CSM: 2 years, Apps: 1

The club seems to attract good youngsters and Caizer is one of the best. Already capped at U19 level for Romania he would have been my second choice between the sticks had he stayed. Initial confusion over his transfer as the DOF turned down bids of around £150k but Marius eventually got his move later in the summer.

Players In

The DOF brought six players in, three on loan (two from our parent club), one on a free/bosman, one for a small outlay and a youngster for nothing. The youngster was an 18yo GK who played for an amateur club and seems to have a little potential while the first teamers were:

Filip Mracek (19yo Czech DC) – On loan from Pribram (Czech First Division) for the season

This will actually be his third season on loan with us and after playing a backup role for the last two he should get plenty of action this year. Inconsistent, slightly injury prone and lacks a little in the air but he has a good attitude & a good work ethic. Should be a good fit for the cover role in defence.

Lubos Kubik (18yo Czech DC) – On loan from Pribram (Czech First Division) for the season

Spent six months on loan last season in Bulgaria where he did a decent job as he got some first team experience. More of an old fashioned limited defender than Mracek but together the two loanees from our parent club should make a good partnership in defence. Just like Mracek injuries & consistency are a concern but he has good basic skills and has been capped at U19 level.

Andreja Petkovic (23yo Serbian MC/AMC) – On loan from OFK Beograd (Serbian First League) for the season

Has struggled to make the breakthrough at his first club which is slightly surprising as he seems to have the skills. Looks a solid all round midfielder who is comfortable in all the roles. With Beograd seemingly giving up on him a good season could see us offer him a full time deal next year.

Stelian Cuedan (20yo Romanian DL) – Signed on a bosman from Metalul Resita (Romanian Second Division)

Learned the trade at semi pro club Gloria Arad before he was picked up two years ago by Metalul Resita. Has been a fixture at DL during the last two years but has also been somewhat disappointing which is perhaps why they dilly-dallied over offering him a new deal. An athletic player with a good attitude, I'm hoping to get more out of him and if the friendlies are anything to go by he'll be a good signing.

Milos Podunavac (23yo Serbian DM/MC) – Signed from Sloga (Serbian Second League) for £10k

The only player to cost us money this summer could well be a jack of all trades, master of none type. Started his career at FK Cukaricki (Serbian Super League) but after failing to breakthrough Sloga picked him up for £2k a couple of years ago. Hasn't exactly been impressive but most of his appearances were from the bench and that could well be where he ends up here. Not quite a BWM, not quite a playmaker and not quite an AMC but he should do a decent job of providing cover for everyone.

[Cougar2010]

Romania

CSM Ramnicu Valcea

2020/21 Season Preview

Romanian Second Division

I really have no idea what to expect from the other teams in the league given its a new country for me. Three teams were relegated from the top division last season and its no surprise that they are the three favourites but its also clear that both Brasov & CSMS Iasi have suffered from players leaving as well which could lead to a really open season. Looking back at the table from last year it also indicates that this might be the case with just seven points covering 4th down to 12th. Top two are promoted, a third goes into a playoff while six are relegated so its all to play for.

Board Expectations

While the media see us amongst the favourites the board & players seem to have recognised the upheaval the club have gone through this summer.

Romanian Second Division – Fight bravely against relegation

Romanian Cup - 7th Round (We enter in the 6th)

CSM Ramnicu Valcea Squad

With the first league match approaching the main squad contains 22 players although ideally I would like the DOF to add a couple more before the window closes. Of the 22 there are 17 Romanians, 2 Serbians, 2 Czech and 1 Portugese while 10 of the squad qualify as U19 players.

In terms of shapes I'm restricted by the lack of wingers so have opted for three narrow formations. A 532 wingback system that CSM played last season, a 433 to make use of the numerous strikers we have and a 442 narrow diamond which gives us a DM & AMC position.

Goalkeepers

Iulian joined on a bosman last season from a second division club to play backup to a loan keeper. This year he'll get a chance to stake a claim for the number 1 jersey. Backing him up is Trif who joined the club four years ago as a 19yo but doesn't seem to have progressed. The club were planning to release him but I activated a one year extension in his contract to keep him around for one more year.

Iulian Trip-Anca (25yo Romanian GK) – 2.5*CA

Lucian Trif (23yo Romanian GK) – 1*CA, 2.5*PA

Fullbacks

On the left Grilo joined the club three years ago on a bosman but seems to have been playing in midfield. I see him more as a fullback although that could well change as the season progresses. He is also one of the unhappy players at the moment but I'm hopeful he'll settle once the window closes. New signing Cuedan will compete with him on the left but could easily find himself first choice if Grilo moves into midfield or leaves. The right is my main concern at the moment where home grown Stanescu is the best we have. Although he has done well in pre-season he is more of a rotation player and we are desperate for a first choice DR before the window closes but the DOF has missed out on two this summer and the options are getting really slim. 19yo Schiopu is currently providing backup but a new DR would allow him to drop back to the U19s which is more his level.

Paulo Grilo (29yo Portugese DL, MC/DM) – 4*CA

Stelian Cuedan (20yo Romanian DL) – 3.5*CA, 4/5*PA

Cristian Stanescu (19yo Romanian DR/MR) – 1*CA, 2.5/3.5*PA

Daniel Schiopu (19yo Romanian DR) – 0.5*CA, 1.5/2.5*PA

Central Defence

Home grown Dumitrascu has been a fixture in the defence for several seasons with over 150 appearances to his name. I've named him the new club captain despite him being another of the unhappy ones but I'm reasonably confident he'll settle once the season gets underway. The two loan signings from our parent club will have big roles this season and get plenty of match action while backup comes in the form of home grown Dozescu. He has a handful of games to his name and hasn't look very impressive so far but I think I can make better use of his height & strength in a stopper role.

Denis Dumitrascu (25yo Romanian DC) – 4*CA

Marius Dozescu (20yo Romanian DC) – 1.5*CA, 2.5/3.5*PA

Lubos Kubik (18yo Czech DC) – 3.5*CA, 4/5*PA

Filip Mracek (19yo Czech DC) – 3.5*CA, 4/5*PA

Central Midfield

The new look midfield is reasonably well balanced although all the players are at some stage of work in progress. Home grown Stanescu is the pick of the more defensive players and has already clocked up well over 100 appearances for the club (Mostly from the bench). He is one of those who wants to leave but he should settle and play an important role this year as either a BWM or DLP. New signing Podunavac is our jack of all trades DM who will provide cover while home grown Pop looks set to benefit from the U19 rule and could well cement a first 11 spot if the friendlies are anything to go by. Loan signing Petkovic is the pick of the offensive MCs and is likely to be a first choice whichever formation we play while three younger home grown players offer something different. Nastasie is more of a playmaker, Musuroia likes to run at the defence with his pace while Moldavan is more an all round box to box player. Another MC wouldn't go amiss and would allow Moldavan or Musuroia to drop back to the U19s while even possibly a DL could be the answer with Grilo moving to midfield.

Ionut Stanescu (20yo Romanian DM, MC) – 2.5*CA, 3.5/4.5*PA

Milos Podunavac (23yo Serbian DM/MC) – 2*CA, 3.5*PA

Flavius Pop (18yo Romanian DM/MC) – 1.5*CA, 3.5/4.5*PA

Andreja Petkovic (23yo Serbian MC/AMC) – 3*CA, 4*PA

Florin Nastasie (20yo Romanian AMC/MC) – 1*CA, 2/3*PA

Vlad Musuroia (16yo Romanian AMRC, MRC) – 1*CA, 3.5/4.5*PA

Horia Moldavan (18yo Romanian MC) – 0.5*CA, 3.5/4.5*PA

Strikers

Our strength in depth is up front although several of them want to leave. Balint, Markus & Martin have been fixtures for the last few seasons while Rusescu has been providing cover. Markus seems to have been the pick of the strikers while Balint looks to have been disappointing. I've also brought Barna up from the U19s as he can play both AMC & ST which suits our formations. With no less than five others strikers in the U19s pushing for a first team place we can afford to let one or two go if offers come in for them.

Valentin Balint (26yo Romanian ST) – 4*CA

Adrian Markus (28yo Romanian ST) – 4*CA

Madalin Martin (28yo Romanian ST, AMRL) – 3.5*CA

Razvan Rusescu (19yo Romanian ST) – 2*CA, 4/5*PA

Marius Barna (18yo Romanian AMC, ST) – 1*CA, 2.5/3.5*PA

[Cougar2010]

Romania

CSM Ramnicu Valcea

September 2020

As the season starts we have three injuries as fullbacks Cuedan & C. Stanescu are recovering from knocks but the bigger concern is GK, Trip-Anca who will miss the first month of the season with a hamstring injury.

Away to promoted Berceni I'm not sure what to expect but we start well with Balint looking much sharper up front as he opens the scoring. Its soon two as a quick break sees DR, Schiopu the furthest forward to score on his debut. We control much of the game but Berceni grab one back midway through the second half before a late corner sees them volley in an equaliser.

A late goal rescues an undeserved draw against Olimpia before CSMS do the same to us after Petkovic looks to have won the match. The run of draws continues against Clinceni when Mracek deflects a late cross past his keeper for an OG before we finally win a game with a controlled performance against Farul.

The team seem to be settling as I tweak the roles & players to get the best out of the squad and I feel like we've turned the corner but C. Stanescu gifts Poli an early goal when he plays a backpass short. Its a match we had more than enough chances to win but it took a Grilo rocket from distance to claim another point.

The 6th Round of the Cup saw the top division side pay us to switch the tie to their stadium which meant more money & a bigger crowd in a match we were always likely to lose. We rode our luck keeping them to one goal before going 433 to try to nick a late draw. It didn't come and it caused me to do more tinkering with the tactics as I looked to balance possession with creating chances.

Back to league action and I opt for the 3232 wingbacks which I think gives us the best balance. It looked solid defensively but it still took two penalties for us to find the net. It was the same story in the last match of a busy month where Balint missed the only good chance of the match before Mracek won a penalty protecting the ball in the box. Markus stepped up and tapped in the rebound after his initial effort was saved.

The last match was also notable for two reasons, firstly new loan signing Prokes broke his foot meaning he is out for six months while secondly I learned that the “two U19s in the first 11” rule is in effect the whole match meaning if an U19 gets injured you have to replace them with another U19.

Transfer News

With the season underway I'm concerned about our lack of quality & depth at fullback so take it upon myself to look at the shortlist myself. With time running out a few free agents are now open to talking to us and I suggest a couple to the DOF which is where I put my foot in it again.

The good choice was a former Romanian U21 International who was on loan here last season:

Nicusor Fota (23yo Romanian DL/DC) – Unattached

Started his career at Chiajna (Romanian Liga 1) but most of his substantial experience has come playing in the lower leagues for their reserves or while out on loan. Last season he was a fringe player for us but this year I see him competing for the starting role with Cuedan which means Grilo moving into midfield.

The bad one was when I spotted a good DR who had refused to sign a new deal in Portugal. On paper he looked a steal but only after the DOF had signed the contract did I realise he didn't have a second nationality & would need a work permit which he didn't qualify for.

Ezequiel Martino (24yo Argentinian DR) – Unattached

Learned his trade at Douglas Haig (Argentine Second Division) but never quite made the breakthrough. He did impress during loan spells in Israel & Portugal before signing for Penafiel (Portugese Second League) last year. He again ended up on the fringe of the team and chose to leave at the end of the season. I would love to have him start for us but as he has failed the work permit I have no option but to move him on as he joins Viktoria Zizkov (Czech First Division) on loan for the season.

I really need to learn to trust that the DOF knows what he is doing as three more players arrive on deadline day while he fails to agree contract terms with a fourth:

Jovan Krstic (23yo Serbian DR/DC) – Signed from Partizan Beograd (Serbian Super League) for £8.75k

I finally get a first choice DR that I can use and the third Serbian at the club looks to be a solid buy. Started his career at Partizan Beograd (Serbian Super League) but its while out on loan where he has gained his experience. A nicely rounded player whose lack of aerial ability seems to be his only weakness. With him slotting in on the right Cristian Stanescu will drop back to second choice while Daniel Schiopu moves down to the U19s.

Marko Stailkovic (23yo Serbian GK) – Signed from Partizan Beograd (Serbian Super League) for £3.7k

The DOF seems to have a thing for Serbians as a 4th one joins us. Marko like Krstic started his career at a top Serbian club but all of his appearances have been for their feeder club in the lower leagues. Looks like a quality keeper for this level and Trip-Anca may have to settle for being backup once again when he recovers from injury.

Vojtech Prokes (18yo Czech DM/DRC, MC) – On loan from Pribram (Czech First Division) for the season

The DOF tapped up our parent club once again for another quality player. Vojtech has a handful of appearances for Pribram but this will be his first time away from the club so we'll see how he does. Not sure where he fits into our squad quite yet but his ability to play a number of positions will be useful while its probably Pop thats most at risk of losing his starting place but for now I let 16yo Musuroia drop down to the U19s.

[Cougar2010]

Romania

CSM Ramnicu Valcea

October 2020

The month started well as we made it three wins in a row with striker Martin capping a dominating performance with a hattrick. Our form didn't last though as Afumati grabbed an early goal against the run of play, Fota quickly equalised but despite finishing strongly we couldn't force a winner. The strikers all seem to be struggling and this was evident again as we failed to find the net against Mioveni despite having several good chances. I've been giving 17yo Milhalache a few chances up front and he came off the bench to score his first goal for the club & rescue a point against Metaloglobus. That seemed to give him confidence as he started & scored early against Gaz Metan but they recovered to earn a deserved draw.

Overall we are the only unbeaten team in the league but we are becoming some sort of draw specialists which isn't helping. We seem to struggle going forwards but at least we seem secure at the back where we have conceded the least in the league.

Off the field problems again reared their head as those trying to force moves away became restless at missing out in the summer. With several players having concerns others are now getting unhappy that others have concerns and are blaming me for the lack of harmony despite it having improved since I took over. Its possibly also partly the reason for our problems up front with all four main strikers unsettled. With us far exceeding expectations in the league I'm now seriously considering biting the bullet in January and clearing out all the unhappy players to fix the harmony issue. That would then give me January & the summer to build a new, happier squad for next season.

With that in mind the clear out begins with 19yo ST Razvan Rusescu agreeing a move to Split (Croatian First League) for January while Paulo Grilo (29yo Portugese DL, MC/DM) is talking terms with a Russian club as the month comes to an end. Several youth players also want moves and when an 18yo slack no hoper striker misses training I make an example of him as he finds his contract cancelled.

The boardroom though is a much happier place with the chairman seeing improvement since I took over which leads to him offering me a contract extension taking my current deal through to June 2022.

Finally in International news 20yo DL Stelian Cuedan earns his first call up to the Romanian U21 squad while on the flipside this seems to lead to him demanding more first team football. I agree to give him more but he is going to have to learn to share the position with Fota although with Grilo on his way out Fota could play some of the time in midfield.

[Cougar2010]

Romania

CSM Ramnicu Valcea

November 2020

Our tight defence continues against Baia Mare as they never look like scoring while a sweet strike from the edge of the box sees 18yo Pop secure the points for us. Another clean sheet a week later should have seen another win but we fail to take any of the chances we create against Bihor. Markus sets us on our way against Miroslava but the match sees our form take a turn for the worst as we gift them two second half goals before Markus rescues a point for us. Luck continues to go against us when a tight match of virtually no chances sees Mihalache miss the best one late on only to see Tarlungeni head in a corner in injury time to inflict our first defeat. As we head into the winter break Markus again sets us on our way but the team collapse in the second half as Rapid turn the match around to make it two defeats in a row.

Off the field Grilo agreed to join Russian club Sakhalin while young striker Mihalache had his choice of four clubs and decided to head to Greece with Xanthi, both transfers complete in January.

[Cougar2010]

Romania

CSM Ramnicu Valcea

Winter Break (Dec 2020-Feb 2021)

Seemingly Romania have a massive winter break of 11-12 weeks which virtually splits the league campaign into two three month periods where the games come thick & fast. Its a busy time on the transfer front as I encourage the DOF to get rid of some of the unhappy players while also looking for new ones. On the field a long winter break means several friendlies in the build up to competitive action again.

Players Out

In total five players left (Three previously agreed + two more) while home grown 21yo DM Ionut Stanescu signed a bosman deal with Sibir (Russian First Division). I was at least happy he was staying for the rest of the season but then he went and tore his calf muscle in the friendlies which means he has played his last game for us.

Razvan Rusescu (19yo Romanian ST) – Sold to Split (Croatian First League) for £12k

Time at CSM: 4 years, Apps: 50, Goals: 8, Assists: 4

Should have been the sort of player I built the new team around and would have been first choice once the first teamers moved on. Now playing youth football in Croatia rather than first team football in the Second Division but can't say I'm too disappointed as he had a few weaknesses.

Dan Mihalache (18yo Romanian ST) – Sold to Xanthi (Greek Super League) for £3.6k

Time at CSM: 3 years, Apps: 13, Goals: 2, Assists: 0

Before this season had only made one appearance and yet was another player who wanted to leave because of relegation. Just like Razvan should have been the sort of player that stayed and benefited from the older ones leaving.

Paulo Grilo (29yo Portugese DL, MC/DM) – Sold to Sakhalin (Russian First Division) for £7.75k

Time at CSM: 4 years, Apps: 128, Goals: 5, Assists: 29

Can't say I'm surprised he forced a move just disappointed with what we sold him for. Had he played in one of the bigger nations he would have cost £2-£3m.

Denis Dumitrascu (25yo Romanian DC) – Sold to Mordovia (Russian First Division) for £51k

Time at CSM: 9 years, Apps: 193, Goals: 5, Assists: 4

Our home grown captain will be a big miss in defence and the fans aren't happy but at least we got half decent money for him.

Madalin Martin (28yo Romanian ST/AMRL) – Sold to Mordovia (Russian First Division) for £30k

Time at CSM: 3 years, Apps: 92, Goals: 29, Assists: 14

Not the striker I thought would move but the one that the offers came in for which was disappointing as I thought there was a decent chance he might stay once others stopped making trouble.

Players In

Well to say I'm disappointed is an understatement but at least the DOF tried. We missed out on two transfers & two bosman deals but the DOF did manage to complete one loan & two other bosman deals. We have a DC & a ST arriving in the summer and both look useful while our parent club was again tapped up for another loanee:

Robert Marincic (20yo Bosnian ST) – On loan from Pribram (Czech First Division) for the rest of the season

Pribram picked him up on a free from the Bosnian lower leagues where he has a fair amount of experience. Hasn't exactly looked impressive but he is the type of striker we are short of – a quick poacher type. Hasn't exactly been clinical in the friendlies but has shown as eye for goal which is an area we've struggled with a little. At the very least adds depth up front where we've sold three strikers while a fourth is out with a bad injury.

Friendlies

I thought our form was on a downward spiral as we went into the winter break but I wasn't prepared for what followed. We were terrible in the early friendlies for no obvious reason, we couldn't pass, couldn't shoot & couldn't defend. I tweaked the tactics though and eventually we settled into something that looked like football but the signs are the rest of the season could be a struggle.

Squad News

The squad is looking a little thin on the ground with five leaving & I. Stanescu tearing his calf muscle but at least we brought a striker in while loanee Prokes (DR/DM/MC) is back from a broken foot. With no others signings I've had no option but to promote some of the U19s as cover despite the fact they don't look ready:

In defence 18yo George Scarlet & 17yo Adrian Descultu provide cover at DC while 18yo Gheorghe Radu is the pick of the promotees at DM. Up front the sales were made knowing we had depth but I couldn't recall 17yo Iulian Oprea from his loan while 18yo Marius Barna tore his hamstring. This leaves 18yo Robert Dulcea providing cover but he doesn't have anywhere near the quality of the other two.

[Cougar2010]

Romania

CSM Ramnicu Valcea

March 2021

The first half of the season saw us using a 3232 (wingbacks) system but with us looking thin in defence & up front I've used the friendlies to further develop a 4132/442 narrow diamond system. Its not as good as I want but usable as I look to get the best from it.

We make a terrible return to the league campaign as we find ourselves three down in the first half to Chindia. The second half sees an improvement as the team settles but we are well beaten. An early goal for Voluntari against the run of play sees us up against it and another match slips away as they catch us with a late break as we push for an equaliser. We are playing reasonably well but another narrow defeat against Balotesti means its an unwanted five defeats in a row. Although we pick up a point against Berceni its more points dropped as we hit the woodwork twice and had enough chances to win. Olimpia are next and while they have more possession & shots they create nothing of note as we are again unlucky to be behind. 18yo Marius Barna is back from a torn hamstring and comes off the bench to score a deserved equaliser but draws aren't really helping us at this stage.

I return to the 3232 (wingbacks) as CSMS go 433 and it proves to be a good choice as Markus bags a hattrick while Marincic comes off the bench to score his first for the club. Barna is having a positive impact on the team and he scores the equaliser which leads to us turning the match against Farul around after going behind early. He scores again against both Clinceni & Poli but late goals cost us as we give up winning positions.

Overall a poor month given our form before the winter break. We are staying ahead of the relegation scrap at the moment but only just and we need to pick up some more wins over the next couple of months.

Youth Intake

For a club with good youth recruitment and several good home grown players already in the squad I had high hopes but they were soon dashed when I saw the latest recruits. My staff think a few have potential but none of them are currently anywhere near the first team.

[Cougar2010]

Romania

CSM Ramnicu Valcea

April 2021

Games continued thick & fast this month with two every week which put a lot of pressure on the squad and meant plenty of rotation. We started at home to Calarasi where Markus grabbed a brace in a solid, controlled win and that looked to be continuing when Marincic scored in the first minute away to Afumati. We seem to struggle more away from home though and Afumati responded with a deserved equaliser in the second half. Away to Bacau was easily the worst performance of the month as we were terrible and I didn't hold back in telling the team that which perhaps contributed to the best one at home to Brasov days later. Mioveni were next & stole the points with an injury time winner which was a real kick in the teeth given how well the team defended but we bounced back with Markus scoring another brace to secure a narrow win over Metaloglobus. With more of a focus on keeping it tight away from home Markus scored again to seal the points against Baia Mare before a disappointing performance to finish the month as a long shot saw us chasing the game unsuccessfully against Gaz Metan.

Barna went off the boil this month as his purple patch came to an end but Markus found his groove with eight goals in eight games to take his tally to 20 for the season & set a new club record. Elsewhere the midfield has a much more settled look about it with Podunavac making the DLP role his own while out wide Krstic & Stanescu (right) + Cuedan & Fota (left) have been simply outstanding.

Transfer wise the DOF hasn't made any further bosman signings but I've been keeping the scouts busy looking at options. I'm a little disappointed with the quantity of potential signings they've found but I have been having a closer look at a handful of strikers & DCs to replace players who will be leaving in the summer. In terms of contracts several extensions were signed this month which is important given how many others will be leaving in the summer – 5 loans & one bosman (I. Stanescu) while strikers Balint & Markus aren't interested in discussing new deals.

[Cougar2010]

Romania

CSM Ramnicu Valcea

May 2021

Seven matches to go and we are in mid table but a couple of defeats could see us slide dangerously close to the relegation zone. Bihor are down the bottom and I'm looking for a win to give us a cushion. We don't play very well but Marincic gives us the lead in the second half before Bihor get a deserved equaliser. Late goals seem to be the bane of my life at the moment and there is another one here as Bihor win it in injury time. I demand a response and I get one as the team take the match to 2nd placed Tarlungeni. Markus fires in to open the scoring and we should have had more as Petkovic, Mracek & Marincic all see golden chances saved. Late in the game we have two goals ruled out for offside, Markus was but Marincic wasn't while a route one ball from the keeper sees Tarlungeni score in injury time as we drop more points. A tired team travel to Miroslava but they defend well keeping it tight but that doesn't tell the story as Balint won a penalty in the second half only for the keeper to save from Markus as another chance to win slips away while Cuedan is carried off with a broken collarbone to add to my woes.

We are four points above the relegation zone with four games to go and have a week to prepare for a massive six pointer against Rapid who are five points behind us. Losing isn't an option so we keep it tight and control possession. Rapid don't get a sniff and when Fota heads back towards goal Balint flicks the ball in for a massive three points. With a little pressure released we have nothing to lose away to Chindia. A rotated team plays with freedom and we have the lead when Barna cuts the ball back for Balint to fire in. I'm expecting the team pushing for a promotion place to respond but they don't and we claim a second 1-0 win in a row to virtually put us safe.

We have a week to prepare for Voluntari who are battling relegation as well but we go into the match knowing that just one point will mean we are 100% safe. We dominate possession and create the better chances but they score against the run of play with their first shot of the match after 26 mins. We seem to struggle once we go behind and although we didn't deserve to lose we do which is a huge disappointment.

The final match of the season sees us face Balotesti who are looking to seal the title. We are ahead early and looking good before the defence self destruct in the first half as they concede four. Balint one back in the second half but Balotesti grab a late 5th to round out our worst defensive performance of the season. On a positive note about eight other results would have had to go against us to see us relegated and that didn't happen so we'll be back next season.