[FM 17] If You’re Not First, You’re Last Redux – Redemption For The “Nearly Men” Of Europe

[Fer Fuchs Ake]

On 23/06/2017 at 21:02, ManUtd1 said:

sing with me now...  This is the save that never ends, it goes on and on my friends...

“People started reading it not knowing what it was. And they'll continue reading it forever just because...”

To the 100!

Edited November 21, 2017 by Fer Fuchs Ake
Fixed the lyrics

[ManUtd1]

45 minutes ago, Fer Fuchs Ake said:

“People started singing it not knowing what it was. And they'll continue singing it forever just because...”

To the 100!

99 pages of nonsense on the board, 99 pages of nonsense... You take some meth, write some more...100 pages of nonsense on the board...

To prove we're back...here's the Champions League draw we just pulled.

 

Brutal group.  West Ham have been one of the top clubs in Europe for ages, having won 11 of the last 15 PL titles.  Inter are a tycoon-fueled beast, having won 3 of the last 4 Serie A titles behind the talents of mustachioed Walter Jofre and Ivorian Brice Kone.  

The poor Austrians...

[noikeee]

I hadn't yet read all about the World Cup glory with Ivory Coast, that was pretty epic.

But this is mostly just a spam post to nudge it closer to the 100th page. 

[ManUtd1]

28 minutes ago, noikeee said:

I hadn't yet read all about the World Cup glory with Ivory Coast, that was pretty epic.

Thanks, man!

28 minutes ago, noikeee said:

But this is mostly just a spam post to nudge it closer to the 100th page. 

[noikeee]

12 minutes ago, ManUtd1 said:

Thanks, man!

Is this a hint that the save will end with blood and violence?

Will we discover that Gunnar is actually a bot?

[ManUtd1]

1 hour ago, noikeee said:

Is this a hint that the save will end with blood and violence?

[ManUtd1]

I don't have a girlfriend.  But, I do know a woman who'd be pissed if she heard me say that.

Stade Rennais 

December 2074 Mini-Update

Les Rouges et Noirs are doing their best Jekyll & Hyde impersonation.  We're on form (generally) in Ligue 1, and have beaten Dijon twice this year.  On the other hand, our European form has been...what one might charitably describe as "inconsistent."

I shouldn't have laughed at the Austrians.  Buggers showed up with a point to prove on matchday 1, securing a draw.  Those dropped points would prove costly.  At home, we were indomitable -- with 3 massive wins, including a 5-1 drubbing of West Ham.  But our away form was dire, including a 1-5 reverse in London.  Leaving us 3 points clear of Inter on matchday 6...heading to Milan.  They raced out to a 4-0 lead, taking the head-to-head advantage, which meant we had to press for a goal.  Oh, we got one.  Problem being, they got another 3.  Buried, 7-1.  Possibly the biggest loss of my career, as we crash out of the Champions League.  Perhaps we were too aggressive, but at least we went down in a blaze of glory.

Yeah, I just started singing the song, too.  Bon Jovi, you ****ing genius.  "Shot dowwwwnnnnn...."

Into the Europa League we go.  We have to be one of the favorites.  Up first?  A trip to the Wankdorf in Bern.

 

 

Edited November 22, 2017 by ManUtd1

[BoxToBox]

2 hours ago, ManUtd1 said:

Shot live from Burnley's training ground.

[ManUtd1]

Young man, there's no need to feel down... I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground...

Stade Rennais 

February 2075 Mini-Update

Relegated to the Europa League, we need to make the most of it...  A run to the final would do our coefficient (and confidence) a world of good.

Up first?  Young Boys at the Wankdorf.  Once the juvenile jokes had run their natural course, I realized something about my squad selection.

I'm afraid I prematurely shot my wad on what was supposed to be a dry run, if you will, so early in the second half I was afraid I had something of a mess on my hands.

I told Kononenko to stop effectively hiding his thunder, and with deep, deep concentration and great focus, he'd be able to achieve an erec... Errr....find the man inside himself...his own Leather Daddy.

And now we'll see if some sparks fly...  ALL HAIL DOROTHY!!!

Hey...WHERE THE **** ARE MY HARD-BOILED EGGS?!

 

This post has been brought to you by Dr. Tobias Fünke.

Edited November 22, 2017 by ManUtd1

[ManUtd1]

They can make me do it, but they can't make me do it with dignity.

Stade Rennais 

March 2075 Mini-Update

That wasn't quite in the script, but I'll take it.  Compete dominance at home in the 1st leg, with virtually nothing to show for it...followed by a solid defensive performance, in a European tie away from home?  We haven't seen much of that this year. 

Like I said, I'll take it.  As it stands, the Belgians are the only thing between us and a European semifinal.  We've also got 8 matches to gain an edge on Dijon...who we'll host in early May on matchday 35.

Dijon have won 11 straight Ligue 1 titles.  We're the last team to bring it home, back in 2061/62, what was at the time our 9th title in 11 years.

The usurpers must go down.  Hard.

 

[ManUtd1]

They can make me do it, but they can't make me do it with dignity.

Stade Rennais 

April 2075 Mini-Update

Yilmar Mosquera.  Remember him?  Partizan and Colombian lad.  He's off the Christmas card list.

The first leg in Belgium was decided by his strike, whereas in the 2nd we couldn't score if our lives depended on it.  Crashing out at the quarterfinal stage is not the finish I had in mind after our run to the final last year.

But there's no time for wallowing in our sorrows...we've got back-to-back matches against Dijon.  Away in the Coupe de France semifinal, then home in Ligue 1.  We're one point clear, with 4 matches to play.

 

[ManUtd1]

If good things lasted forever, would you appreciate how precious they are?

Stade Rennais 

2074/75 Season Review

I don't know how you feel, but it certainly seems to me as if time is moving slower as of late.

I only wish it would pick up a tiny bit, as I cannot bear this feeling.  This disappointment.  2 points clear on Matchday 38, away to Nancy...and we bottle it.  Dijon win, and claim their 13th straight Ligue 1 title.  We blew it.  Plain and simple.  Having beaten those mustard-loving ****s 3-0 only a few short weeks earlier.  Utterly unacceptable.

Something needs to change, but as I look through the teamsheet at half-past 3am, having left the Girl Who Smells Like Peanut Butter at the pub several hours ago...I'm at a loss.  We're more than capable of taking those next steps, domestically and on the Continent.

We just need to persevere.  Next year is our year.

Just don't say that to Urbano...he's a Liverpool supporter for some reason, and he keeps saying it no matter how far down the tiers they drop.  He's not right...in the head.

Goals for 2075/76: Win the Ligue 1 title.  Make a run in the Champions League knockout rounds.  At this juncture, anything less would be a complete disaster.

Squad|League Overview|Finances Overview|Income Detail|Expenditures Detail|Transfers

Ligue Un Fixtures 1|Ligue Un Fixtures 2|CdF Fixtures|CdL Fixtures|Champions League Fixtures|Europa League Fixtures

Champions League Review

At this point I don't feel so bad about going out at the Group Stage, finishing 3rd behind the giants of West Ham and Inter.  That's right, they wound up facing off in the Final, with Inter prevailing in the end.

West Ham's manager was sacked after the match.  4th place finish in the PL and runners-up in the CL?  Nowhere near good enough, in light of their dominance over the last 20+ years.

 

Challenge Overview

Edited December 9, 2017 by ManUtd1
Fixing save overview screenshot

[ManUtd1]

If good things lasted forever, would you appreciate how precious they are?

Stade Rennais 

June 2075 Squad Review

On the heels of our Champions League Group Stage dismissal, the failure to score against Zulte Waregem (a fellow eligible side!) at home in the Europa League knockout stages, and our bottle-job on the final day of the Ligue 1 season, it seemed appropriate to finally get around to putting together a (long-overdue) squad review.

As indicated above, we're good enough.  There's no doubt.  It seems like, at times, the luck that Hakan and Gunnar have enjoyed throughout this save has run out...RNGeebus finally giving up on me.  We'll see.  This next season will tell me everything I need to know -- start culling, or stick with this lot.

So, without further ado...I'm running a squad of 23.  2 full XIs with an auxiliary attacking midfielder, heavy rotation throughout the season.  The tacts are pretty heavily covered above, as we're playing the Cafetero Aguardiente suite of tactics Gunnar has employed since taking on the Colombia job. 

Goalkeepers

 

Rojas is my starter in goal, without any doubt.  Ella is no bad shakes, but he just doesn't look likely to push Rojas for a spot in the first XI.  I've scouted like crazy for a young player to groom...but haven't found one that I'm dying to have just yet, and any that would arrive would be a long-term replacement, to develop to the point where he could legitimately challenge for a spot in the squad (much less the first team).

Liberos

 

For the past 2 years, Besnard has been the man at libero.  I began retraining him right away...but always knew that Tomas would surpass him in the not-too-distant future.  Tomas is a Hadjuk lad that will take over in the 1st XI going forward.  He's going to be a beast.

Defenders

       

My starting centerbacks are the Spanish duo of Soto and Maldonado, flanked by Le Roy and Francois.  I'm very pleased with them, overall.  Eksi and Martinez are arguably my best young players -- they're going to be immense, with Eksi already demanding more playing time.  Diomande and Jaadi join them in the 2nd XI, with the former being an Ivorian signing that I'd planned to develop for the national side...he's sticking around for now.

Central Midfielders

   

Some solid depth here.  Fabre and Kouakou are my starting pairing, with Kouakou taking up the right-sided/defensive-minded midfield slot.  Kouakou hasn't hit the heights I expected of him when he first appeared years ago, but is still a top-notch player.  Van Krimpen and Grassi are the backups, with the latter being one to watch.

Attacking Midfielders

      

Up top, Kononenko is flanked by Spaniards Narvaez and Rodriguez.  Haalke and Pantazis are tremendous off the bench (or in the 2nd XI), but neither looks capable of making the 1st XI without someone leaving.  I also have Ivorian prospects Tape and Diarrassouba, but will likely look to move them on in another year or two.  They're excellent prospects, but I don't see them becoming elite first-team players.

Final Thoughts

As indicated in the season review, this side should be able to compete.  Seeing how the last Champions League played out, it is clear we aren't that far away from our ultimate goal.  West Ham and Inter are arguably 2 of the best sides in-game right now, with Dijon close on their heels and Zulte a massive force in Belgium.  Being pipped to the post by all 4 was brutal, but really isn't anything to be ashamed of.

Next year is our year.  Just don't tell Urbano...

[ManUtd1]

Dijon's manager is off to London, to take the reigns at West Ham...and perhaps Gustav will leave Chelsea...?!  Could this finally be the time when the half-brothers meet on the pitch?!?

 

Edit: the very next day...he voiced an interest:

 

Edited December 7, 2017 by ManUtd1

[ManUtd1]

A week later, and there's still no decision...but the speculation continues...

  

[ManUtd1]

AND THERE IT IS!!!

We'll face off at least 3 times this year, beginning with the season-kickoff Trophee des Champions in August.

[BoxToBox]

[ManUtd1]

For years, the pundits have delighted in the notion that Telleus' sons would, one day, face off.  

Much to their chagrin, the chances fell by the wayside until the stories simply stopped being printed.  Our paths never crossed, and it seemed like they never would.

Now, it all begins with a "friendly."  The lads are up for it.  Ready to unleash the dogs of war on my behalf, as they were already primed to view Dijon as our mortal enemies this coming year.  Desperate to slap them down.

Make no mistake.  The brotherly pact of hatred that Gustav, Linus and I entered the moment they shunned me has only fueled my career.  While I bore the doubts and snickering, they were handed a place in football history on a silver platter.

Even when I was hired at Partizan, no one took it seriously, least of all the Partizan chairman. 

Nearly 15 years later, and some still see me as a second-class citizen when compared to the likes of my half-brothers.

No more.  This is our moment.  Our time.

And no one will stand in our way, least of all my snide, arrogant brother.

[Rikulec]

Oh ****. This was bound to happen, wasn't it? Oh boy, the potential here...

[ManUtd1]

10 minutes ago, BoxToBox said:

1 minute ago, Rikulec said:

Oh ****. This was bound to happen, wasn't it? Oh boy, the potential here...

 

[ManUtd1]

What have I done?!

While I had no plans to make big signings, Gustav throwing down the gauntlet got me thinking.

A little time and countess grapefruit martinis later...and the arms race has begun.  Let him sign expensive players that someone else has shaped...we'll develop our own.

Brilliant young winger from Argentina with a $9.25M release clause?  Sold.  Brilliantly-named, talented midfielder from Denmark...and Dortmund only want $22M for him?  Sign him up.

Both are in the squad, and will play off the bench with the 2nd XI for now.  

The biggest worry is Bach's tendency to be a tad...predictable on the pitch.  Kind of a hard thing to instill in a player, some would suggest.

Not me.  I've got a plan.

  

 

 

[ManUtd1]

2075 Trophée des Champions

Stade Rennais FC v. Dijon FCO; Stade de La Meinau, Strasbourg

 

A montage of the greatest moments from Hakan Telleus' career plays on the screen, the audio mixing with Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Goals scored.  Indelible moments.  Trophies raised.

The video fades to black, as the music fades and is replaced by the opening refrain of Elton John's Tiny Dancer.  The video fades back in, to an aerial shot of smoldering wreckage on a remote Scottish airstrip, the desolate landscape behind.  Newscasters express disbelief, as the camera focuses on a distraught, broken Ludwig Hammar.  Entire nations and a sport in mourning.

Eventually, the video fades to black once again.  To be replaced by black and white images of a young Gunnar Vikander, early in his coaching days, as the first notes of Kasabian's Club Foot begin.  The Quintino-Watson twins playing in the youth sides at Monaco.  The beginnings of a rivalry that has captivated the Continent for nearly a decade.

Clips of the three brothers now roll.  Different talents.  Different paths.  Each claiming glory for themselves.

THIS IS THE MOMENT, GARY!!! THE MOMENT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR.  FINALLY...AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF DOMINATING THE CONTINENT, TWO OF TELLEUS' SONS WILL FACE OFF!!!

MOST WOULD HAVE PREDICTED THE SETTING FOR TONIGHT'S MATCH TO BE A CUP FINAL...AND IT IS, OF SORTS...THE TRADITIONAL CURTAIN-RAISER HERE IN FRANCE, THE TROPHY OF CHAMPIONS!!!

Yes, Gary, yes, I -- I know it's French.  Just -- just, enough.  Gary.  You're killing the moment.  Again.  Have anoth-- yes, that's a good lad.

While Gary tucks into another Sizzurp, let's get right to it, shall we?!?

While typically a low-key affair, tonight is a different story altogether.  Tonight is a historic night.

Brothers by blood, but never brothers in the heart.  These two giants of the game...vying to honor the father they share, and vanquish the other...a relationship defined by bitterness and disdain...truly the match everyone has been waiting for!

Dijon have to be favored on paper, yet Vikander's men defeated them no less than 3 times last year, in this Cup and twice in Ligue 1.  The loss?  A match where Vikander played a reserve squad, to preserve his side's legs for the run-in.  Yet, Dijon nevertheless claimed the title on the final day of the season, in incredible circumstances, as Vikander's men were shutout by a valiant Nancy XI.  Tonight, everything has been reset.  A new year.  A new manager for Dijon.  A new --

GARY!!!  WHAT DID WE DISCUSS?!?!  PANTS ON, AT LEAST UNTIL THE SECOND HALF!!!

I ... I ... can't.  Gary.  Stop.  Please.  For the children, Gary.

[ManUtd1]

Any other year, you would have called this a meaningless Friendly.  Not this year.  No, no.  This year, it is anything but.

Traditional pre-match handshake?  Not a chance.  I'll gladly play the pantomime villain to his narcissistic, Johnny-Me act.  The ****.

Even his tactics...what a laugh.  A narrow 41212?  Dad wouldn't have even let Leto played that on FIFA.  We start in Cafetero Aguardiente, aiming to take the game to them and exploit the flanks.

Yet...Dijon control the early stages, and a miscommunication between Rojas and Maldonado allows Wiesner to sneak a goal in the 20th.  An alarming start. 

For the love or urCristiano, lads!  Get it together!!!  But we cannot.  We're hanging on, unable to get anything started.  After 30 minutes, we change to Foquiado...while we do not create any chances in the last 15 minutes of the half, we begin to maintain possession and assert some control.  The hairdryer is out for halftime...here's hoping it makes a difference.  It doesn't.

We come out flatter than Linus' wife, and give up a goal on the counter in the 47th minute.  Not acceptable.  Now we have to push forward.  But a silly foul results in a free kick for Dijon 18 yards out...dead center.  3-nil.

The world is crashing down around us, and the lads look devoid of spirit.  Thus far, only one side has showed up to play, while shades of Brazil 2014 are found wearing white.  This is an utter and complete shambles.  An embarrassment that defies description.

In the end, we're lucky that Dijon don't embarrass us further.  3-0, when it could have been 5 or 6.

I ignore the flashing lights, and the arrogant **** celebrating like he's just won the World Cup...at least until we lock eyes.  A cold fury.  

He knows this is nothing.  He knows I've won two World Cups, while he was sacked by Degerfors.  The posh ****. 

This isn't over.  Not even close.

Tomorrow is a new day.  And we've got work to do.

       

[ManUtd1]

 

They're lucky they aren't still locked in there.

[ManUtd1]

As the highest-placed third-seed, I'm pretty happy with this draw compared to what I could have ended up with.  At the same time, I was begging RNGeebus to draw Malmo.

 

[BoxToBox]

Still bizarre to see Oostende as a first seed.

[ManUtd1]

Just now, BoxToBox said:

Still bizarre to see Oostende as a first seed.

They offered me $107M for Narvaez over the summer.  That was equally weird.

[Fer Fuchs Ake]

Gutting loss against Dijon. Still though, when you beat him to the Ligue 1 title you can have the last laugh.

[ManUtd1]

4 hours ago, Fer Fuchs Ake said:

Gutting loss against Dijon. Still though, when you beat him to the Ligue 1 title you can have the last laugh.

It was really just a glorified friendly, after all!

[BoxToBox]

2 hours ago, ManUtd1 said:

It was really just a glorified friendly, after all!

One mans glorified friendly, one mans career highlight.....

[ManUtd1]

19 hours ago, BoxToBox said:

One mans glorified friendly, one mans career highlight.....

[ManUtd1]

Van Gogh would’ve sold more than one painting if he’d put tigers in them.

Stade Rennais / Turkey

November 2075 Mini-Update

Inconsistency has been the hallmark of our side ... yet again.  We're not quite firing on all cylinders.

To try and shake things up, Haalke is in for Narvaez in the 1st XI, with Urbano taking over for Le Roy.  Van Klimpen is also going to get a run, at the expense of Fabre.  The result?  A solid draw away to Dortmund, where we outplayed them comprehensively.  It feels like we're in a bit of a run, but hopefully we'll pull out of it now.

But then...an opportunity I didn't expect arose.  Turkey lost their final 3 Euro qualifiers, leaving them in 4th...rudderless, and in need of a new manager.  I didn't even blink, before calling my agent and getting my name in the mix.  I couldn't miss the opportunity to work in a country my father once called home, Fener being his final club side.  And if rumors are true, one of his favorites.

It's a big job, but no bigger than the likes of Colombia and the Ivory Coast.  And, we've got a very straightforward World Cup qualifying group, for Germany 2078.  World Cup runners-up more than 40 years ago...can we get back to those lofty heights?

 

 

[ManUtd1]

 

 

 

[ManUtd1]

Several months into the season, and Dijon are flying high ... it's got nothing to do with that **** ****, though.  No matter what he says.  They were a continental powerhouse before he arrived. 

And there's little chance the Turks would have taken him on board!  Hah!   As if...

Yet, they're unbeaten.  2 points ahead of us in the table.  And we have to travel...it's time for some revenge.

I stick with the side that dominated Dortmund and Oostende.  A side that will hopefully be augmented over the next two windows with bright young Turkish talent.

This already was a rivalry, before Gustav's arrival.  Now?  It's virtually madness.  No quarter given.  The crowd, a seething cauldron of hate.  Kononeko nearly silences them in the 2nd, as he smashes the post...that mustard-loving keeper well-beaten.

They take a lead in the 7th with a devastating counter...our chance perhaps having passed us by.  We go down 2 in the 27th.  A nightmare...made all the worse as Haalke misses when clear on goal, moments later.  On the counter, Dijon make it 3.  What is happening?!

We've had our chances.  We've blown them.  There are no excuses.  A complete shambles.

 

 

[BoxToBox]

Just lulling him into a false sense of security, surely....

[ManUtd1]

Just now, BoxToBox said:

Just lulling him into a false sense of security, surely....

That's exactly what I'm telling the Board...

[ManUtd1]

Nothing spoils fun like finding out it builds character.

Stade Rennais / Turkey

December 2075 Mini-Update

Much to be thankful for this holiday season.  The Girl Who Smells Like Peanut Putter and the Girl Who Looks Like Rick Moranis have yet to discover each other, and I've found a path forward.

Change is in the air in Brittany, as I'm working to arrange for an influx of young Turkish talent ... it's looking like it will be costly, but worth it in the long run.  My first match will be in March against Slovenia, in the Euro qualifying playoffs against Slovenia.

The "real" question being bandied about by the media is what tactics we will employ...kind of silly, really.  We're going strikerless...but maybe, just maybe we'll invert the libero this time.

Before my Turkish side even step on the pitch, though, fate will have intervened.  We progressed in the Champions League, 1 point behind Oostende...and drew Valencia.  A brilliant draw, as a return to Valencia is always welcome.  Maybe less so for Bozidar, as I understand there was some "unpleasantness" between he and Ernesto.

No, Ernesto didn't figure out what is obvious to everyone else, with little Slobodan.  Something about cleaning bills associated with the hot tub, obstructions in the pump system.  I knew better than to ask questions.

 

[ManUtd1]

I'm not in denial.  I'm just very selective about the reality I accept.

Stade Rennais / Turkey

March 2076 Mini-Update

We're on a solid run domestically since the holidays, and remain unbeaten in all competitions.  Gustav's Dijon have dropped points, so we find ourselves 6 points clear with 6 matches to play.  Last year, we blew it.  This year, we're even more firmly in the driver's seat...and host Dijon on Matchday 34.

In Europe, we were held at home by Valencia...0-0.  Not ideal, but given the XI aligned against us I was happy to take it...far too many familiar faces from my time in Spain and the Ivory Coast.  An immense side.  We would have our work cut out for us in the return leg.

And we did.  But, we played on the counter and executed our game-plan to near perfection.  In the end, it came down to a counter and rare mistake from N'Guessan, letting Haalke's shot from distance sneak past him.  We held firm, and advanced to the quarterfinals.  A warm welcome and ovation for the lads at the end, as the raucous atmosphere was less partisan after the final whistle.

In the draw, we could have faced Dijon...but were instead drawn with Gustav's former side, Chelsea.  Gustav will face my former side, Leverkusen.  There's a nice bit of symmetry in there, if you choose to see it.

Amidst all of this insanity, I also had to prepare for my Turkish debut...a one-off semifinal qualifier against Slovenia...a match we should win, by all rights.  I could only hope that my father's influence on the Turkish game and tactics would prevail...it isn't like these lads have never seen a libero.

It was an auspicious debut, to say the least.  We controlled and smashed the post 3 times but couldn't find the back of the net, meaning that penalties would decide who would move on.  We held our nerve in front of the home crowd, advancing 4-2 on penalties.

We'll travel to Austria, who eliminated Romania on penalties.  The home side is favored narrowly.  Both sides will have tired legs.

A wet, blustery night in Vienna...very much the apocryphal "cold night in Stoke" that some laugh about...only with better beer and prettier women.

The first 45 are dreary -- all chances from a distance, neither side even coming close.  Austrian get more aggressive in the 2nd half, as we continue to seek chances in transition.  Yilmaz blasts our best chance of the match straight at the keeper, when clear on goal in the 74th.  More than three hours of football, and not a goal from open play to show for it.  Not quite what the FA had in mind, I'm sure.

But we can't start thinking like that...15-odd minutes to play.  A goal is coming.  Yilmaz comes close again in the 79th minute, forcing a solid save from an awkward angle...off the ensuing corner, the ball ping-pongs around, before falling to Yilmaz 20 yards from goal.  BURIED.  1-0.  We've got a foot in this summer's Euros...the **** scorekeeper has given it as an own goal, but we all know Yilmaz deserves the credit.

Yet the outrage must wait, as we've got a job to do.  10 minutes.  5.  The whistle blows.  And we're through to Wales and Scotland for the finals.  Not the most scintillating stuff, but the results are all that I'm looking at right now.  Qualification assured, after my predecessor had done all he could to blow it.

There's no time to bask in the glory, though.  I've got to catch an overnight flight to Lille for tomorrow' Coupe de France quarterfinal.

 

  

  

Edited December 11, 2017 by ManUtd1

[andychar]

Gotta love the back door of the European Championship Qualifying!

I smell another Champions League success. New teams cropping up seem to be few and far between which surely means you can see light at the end of a very long tunnel.

[ManUtd1]

5 hours ago, andychar said:

Gotta love the back door of the European Championship Qualifying!

I smell another Champions League success. New teams cropping up seem to be few and far between which surely means you can see light at the end of a very long tunnel.

Absolutely!  My predecessor finishing 4th, I didn't think it would even be possible. The news item was very welcome.

If I wasn't on the verge of a rebuild to assist the Turkish side, I'd agree. My initial strategy at Rennes had been to keep the existing core of the side, but the three changes I've made in the past few months have made a significant difference.

At the moment, a run of form in the last 2 months could see us challenge... But I'm not expecting it, and I'm already planning a large influx of Turkish youth in the summer.  Which will necessarily mean a fair number of new faces in the squad, albeit mostly from the second XI.

[ManUtd1]

I'm not dumb. I just have a command of thoroughly useless information.

Stade Rennais / Turkey

April 2076 Mini-Update

I've hit on it.  What, you ask?  The solution to all of our troubles.  See, while I had to travel with Turkey...the lads still had two cup matches to prepare for (including the Coupe de la Ligue final), followed closely by a the first leg of our Champions League quarterfinal tie against Chelsea.  So I did the only thing I could do.

I left Bozidar in charge while I was off with the national side.

After hiding all of the alcohol, naturally.  And tasking three of the interns with keeping him focused.

The result?  A win away in the Coupe de France.  The Coupe de la Ligue title.  And a dominant display over Chelsea in the 1st leg.  No quarter given.  The best football we've played all year.  2-0?  It could have been 4 or 5.  The woodwork was not our friend tonight, and I can only hope that it doesn't come back to haunt us.

The 2nd XI even followed that display with a solid trip to Nancy, to keep us 6 points clear of Dijon with 5 to play...with our next match against Gustav's **** side, in Brittany, 4 days after the 2nd leg at Chelsea (and 3 days after Dijon's 2nd leg in Leverkusen).  While we cannot mathematically clinch the title, we could stake our claim...and gain a measure of revenge for the humiliations we've suffered at Gustav's hands.

But first, we head to London.

We start the match in Foquiado, aiming to shut down the Brits and hit them on the counter.  Standard stuff, really.  At the Terry Arena...yeah, irony is dead, isn't it?  We are rampant.  A solid defensive display, hitting them on the counter, and we're through.

On the day, Inter's tie with West Ham -- a rematch of last year's final -- does not disappoint, as they prevail on penalties despite blowing a huge lead.  The biggest shock?  Leverkusen annihilate Dijon 6-nil in Germany, on the back of a scintillating display from none other than Australian Carl Reynolds, while Oostende comes back from 3 down.  Epic quarterfinals, all around.

We draw reigning champions Inter.  A big ask.  But a chance for revenge after last year's Group Stage drama -- a 5-1 win in Brittany, followed by a 7-1 loss in Milan. 

But first, Gustav's wounded Dijon are coming to town.  All to play for.

 

  

Edited December 12, 2017 by ManUtd1

[oriole01]

Rough draw against Inter, but to be the best, you have to beat the best. I'd fancy you to win.

[enigmatic]

On 07/12/2017 at 22:19, ManUtd1 said:

What have I done?!

While I had no plans to make big signings, Gustav throwing down the gauntlet got me thinking.

A little time and countess grapefruit martinis later...and the arms race has begun.  Let him sign expensive players that someone else has shaped...we'll develop our own.

Brilliant young winger from Argentina with a $9.25M release clause?  Sold.  Brilliantly-named, talented midfielder from Denmark...and Dortmund only want $22M for him?  Sign him up.

Both are in the squad, and will play off the bench with the 2nd XI for now.  

The biggest worry is Bach's tendency to be a tad...predictable on the pitch.  Kind of a hard thing to instill in a player, some would suggest.

Not me.  I've got a plan.

  

 

Bent Bach is such a great name! Do his teammates call him Quasimodo?

[ManUtd1]

9 hours ago, oriole01 said:

Rough draw against Inter, but to be the best, you have to beat the best. I'd fancy you to win.

There's no question we can do it, given last year's results and or current run of form. Bozidar's temporary sobriety is very much an edge.

2 hours ago, enigmatic said:

Bent Bach is such a great name! Do his teammates call him Quasimodo?

It bounces between that and Biggie Smalls. The kid's a player, no doubt!

Thanks for reading and commenting, guys!

[ManUtd1]

This is the moment, lads.  A chance for a bit of revenge, and to all but seal our Ligue 1 title.  They've humiliated us twice.  Payback is due.

Gustav comes out in his trademark, narrow 442...we look to dominate and attack via the flanks.  Who will blink first?

Dijon smash the crossbar 8 minutes in, but we draw first blood through Haalke in the 11th, although it is given as an own goal thanks to a rather nasty deflection.  Regardless of who it is credited to, we've breached their defense for the first time in 3 matches.

Barely a minute later and it's 2-0...Narvaez hammering home, making the most of his return to the XI after a demotion after the holidays (which coincided with the emergence of our consistent form...).  Not done yet, we rattle the crossbar in the 15th minute.  If Gustav's lads don't get their **** together, we could yet run away with this thing...

Kononenko is removed shortly before the half...clutching his lower back.  This could be dire.  Only time will tell.

An hour gone and Dijon have yet to put a shot on target.  We're not celebrating yet...oh, no.  Rodriguez hits the bar in the 87th...so close to burying our hated rivals.  

As the final whistle blows, the stadium erupts.  Our greatest domestic rivals vanquished comprehensively in the biggest match of the year.  A 9-point lead with only 4 matches to play.

For the first time in years, I look Gustav in the eye.  Make no mistake -- a pure, white-hot hatred burns within him.  This year, the spoils will be mine.  He's pulled a meaningless trophy.  We're on the verge of reclaiming our Ligue 1 title...from his side, no less...with a European semifinal on the near horizon.

Gods this feels good.  

No celebrations just yet, though.  There's still work to be done, and we'll be without Kononenko for the semifinal tie with Inter. Focus, lads.

And keep Bozidar off the sauce.

  

 

Edited December 12, 2017 by ManUtd1

[ManUtd1]

 

 

[Fer Fuchs Ake]

1 hour ago, ManUtd1 said:

And keep Bozidar off the sauce.

 

57 minutes ago, ManUtd1 said:

 

 

Uhhhh I think that's out the window...

[Rikulec]

100 pages.

[ManUtd1]

25 minutes ago, Fer Fuchs Ake said:

Uhhhh I think that's out the window...

Just wait until his "Pugs Not Drugs" and "#PugLyfe" campaigns get off the ground.

3 minutes ago, Rikulec said:

100 pages.

That is an obscene amount of evidence that can and will be used against me in my forthcoming civil commitment trial...

[ManUtd1]

Do you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real, and you're just a reflection of him?

Stade Rennais / Turkey

May 2076 Mini-Update

Before we can turn our attention back to the Champions League, we travel to Marseille where we can clinch the league with any result.  The 2nd XI stand tall, securing both a 0-0 draw and the Ligue 1 title.  After the shambles last year, this has been a glorious campaign...the question being, can we cap it with 1...even 2...additional titles?

We've got unfinished business with Inter after our elimination at the Group Stage last year.  A humiliation, really.  5-1 at home, all we needed to do was keep the aggregate score in our favor to proceed on head-to-head results...but no, that 1-7 loss was as comprehensively painful as possible.  In all fairness, they won the whole thing, but it left a bitter taste in my mouth.

We were far more solid on our return to Italy this time -- out-played, but walking away with a 1-goal loss wasn't that big of an obstacle to overcome.  Now, going down at home early in the 2nd leg wasn't our plan...but the lads showed tremendous character, fighting back to see us through with a 4-2 win.  We're 90 minutes from glory.

However, we'll be facing a rampant Oostende side -- top of the Belgian league, going through on a 94th-minute winner in Germany.  Sure, we played very well against them in the Group Stage -- drawing 1-1 away, and winning 5-nil at home -- but Old Trafford is set for an epic match.

 Bozidar is getting crafty.  He enjoys the clarity that comes with sobriety, but there is a side of him that still craves that a gallon of pungent Šljivovica with breakfast...

 

Edited December 12, 2017 by ManUtd1