[FM'16] The Impossible Dream. An International Football Experiment.

neilhoskins77 · June 11, 2017

January 2016.

The new year begins with new starts for some of the Kyrgyzstan players. 27 year old centre midfielder Anatolii Vlasichev is back in the game after signing for Alay Osh. Now he has a club, he will be looking to quickly regain match fitness and his place in the National Squad. Leaving Alay Osh is centre back Shuhrat Rahmonov, the centre back is looking to make the grade in the Kazakhstan Premier League, as he has signed for FK Kaisar Kyzylorda. Another midfielder hoping that a move will enhance his International prospects is uncapped 24 year old Murolim Ahmedov. He has decided to try his luck in Azerbaijan, with Araz Naxcivan in the top tier Topaz Premyer Liqasi. Winger Raul' Dzhalilov has picked up a new club, in fact, two, within weeks of each other. He headed to Uzbekistan, where he signed for Mash'al Muborak in the new money Oliy Liga. He stayed for a fortnight, before jumping straight into a move to join the relegation fight at bottom club Metallurg Bekobod. It wasn't all good news of course, Rustamjan Zakirov and Yevgeniy Malinin are both without clubs as we head into the new year, released by Alay Osh and Abdysh-Ata Kant respectively. The profile of domestic football in Kyrgyzstan has improved across the continent in 2015, with the High League improving nine places to the 52nd ranked League in Asia. The First League Zone A and Zone B are in 95th and 96th spots, maintaining their spots from last year, while the National Cup moves up ten spots to the 65th highest profile Cup in Asia, the Super Cup is up seven spots from 81st to 74th. The FIFA World Rankings are released once more, and we remain in 147th place. It's an increase of eight places from where we were this time last year, but more impressively, it's a climb of almost twenty spots from our record low of 165th in May and June of 2015.

It might be the off-season, but there is still plenty of football to be played. Dordoy Bishkek are in Yemen, where, as Runners-Up in the High League, they need to make their way through an Asian Confederations Cup Qualifying Group. They'll start again Karachi ESC of the Pakistan Premier League, earning a 2-0 win. They followed that up with a 1-0 win over hosts Al-Ittihad Ibb, and completed their Group A campaign with an easy 3-0 win over Nepal club side, Machhindra FC. They have progressed into the Western Preliminary Round, where they will face Solid Sports Club of Sri Lanka in early February. The League Champions of Alay Osh will also join the competition at this stage, and they will face the Yemeni side that qualified behind Dordoy.

The Under-23 Asian Nations Cup Finals are taking place in Qatar. The hosts had a poor tournament, finishing bottom of Group A with just a point, joined by Kuwait, as Vietnam won the Group, and South Korea went through with them. Things were a little more expected in Group B, though there was still surprise. North Korea finished bottom of the Group, and Australia went through. But they were Runners-Up to an Uzbekistan side who knocked out Saudi Arabia. At least Group C saw the nations that should have gone through do the business, United Arab Emirates winning the Group, and Japan joining them in the last eight. That meant Bahrain and Oman headed home. Group D finished the opening stage, where holders Iraq won the Group, and Iran joined them in the Quarter-Finals, with China and Chinese Tapei exiting the tournament.

Knockout football is underway, and Iran claim the first place in the last four, with an Extra Time win over the United Arab Emirates. Later in the day, Japan advance in the tournament too, as they dump the holders Iraq out of the competition. The second day of the last eight started as expected, with South Korea beating Uzbekistan, who can certainly be happy with their tournament despite the defeat. The Quarter-Finals ended with a shock, as Vietnam, the surprise package of the event, scored a late winner to get past Australia and go into the Semi-Finals in midweek.

Tuesday sees the tournament move to Doha, where the remainder of the competition would now be played. Two heavyweights started the day, with Japan squeezing past South Korea to move into the Final which will be played on Sunday. In the battle of the underdogs, Iran failed to reach their first Final at this level, as Vietnam made it through to the Final, something that no-one would have confidently predicted before the start of the tournament. And in the Final in Doha on Sunday, they completed the job, and didn't they do it in style too. They ran out 3-0 winners, aided by a pair of penalties. Don't be mistaken though, they counter attacked Japan to perfection, ending up with double the chances and shots on target. It's their first continent wide Title at an level, with only regional wins before now. With players now plying their trade in top Leagues such as Spain, France, England, Holland and Denmark, the football fans of Vietnam may well be seeing the start of a golden generation for football in their country, and it's hard not to be envious of the position they find themselves in. Young striker Nguyen Chi Bao wins the Golden Boot with six goals in six matches, while Iraqi full back Mohammed Jabbar Zerjawi wins the MVP of the tournament award.

It's been great watching the action unfold, and I can't wait to get stuck into our next calendar year and see what it brings. I resolve to increase our reputation in the football world, and start planning for the Senior sides Friendly commitments for later in the year. I organise three competitive double headers, and I'm keen to get us some matches against European nations. In September, we'll host Moldova and India in a Friday-Tuesday fixture set. In October, we'll travel, staying in Asia with a Wednesday-Tuesday double header against Nepal and the Philippines, which will give us some valuable time together. In November, we'll spread our wings a little, and head to Europe for the first time since I took charge, another Wednesday-Tuesday schedule see's us take on Andorra first, before a game against the higher ranked Luxembourg.

neilhoskins77 · June 12, 2017

February 2016.

Alay Osh have begun their quest in the Asian Confederations Cup, as they started their campaign against the visitors from Yemen, in the shape of Al-Ittihad Abb. They were pushed all the way, and needed a winner with just over five minutes to go to eventually take their place in the West Asian Playoff, where a win would see them move into the Group Stages, and the chance to start earning some money for the club. There were no such problems for Dordoy, where a hatrick from Pakistani International striker Kaleemullah and a header from our very own International Captain and centre back, Davron Askarov, gave them a very comfortable 4-0 win over Sri Lanka side, Solid Sports Club.

By mid February, the press in the country are starting to look eagerly towards domestic football in the country starting up, and they are predicting a miserable season for top tier new boys, FC Kara-Balta. Meanwhile, I have my latest crack at attempting to coax arguably the nations best left back, Emil Kenjisariev, out of his massively premature International retirement. He is keen to talk, but when push comes to shove, once again he is reluctant to commit to pull on the red jersey of the Kyrgyzstan National side, and says that he is focussed on his club career right now. For a fourth month in a row, we remain where we are in the FIFA World Rankings, retaining our 147th place, with Puerto Rico and The Gambia now the nations right behind us, and we're only a couple of spots behind New Zealand, who have slid down the rankings recently.

Both of our clubs in the Asian Confederations Cup would need to travel to earn their place in the Group Stages. Newly acquired midfielder and a man hoping to earn a recall to the National Side for the next match, Anatolli Vlasichev, opened the scoring early on, and a goal from forgotten man, Cholponbek Esenkul in the second half had Alay Osh in a comfortable position in the Syrian capital, Damascus. But Al-Wahda would make life uncomfortable, pulling a goal back. The National Champions would hold on though, and they would be in the draw for the Group Stages. They would be joined by Dordoy, who had made their way to Oman where they faced Fanja Sports Club. In a very tight game, where chances were at a premium, Faruh Abitov popped up to break the deadlock with just fifteen minutes remaining. Any hopes of seeing the game out easily were blown when Nwanko Chinedu was sent off in the 83rd minute. Dordoy had to close ranks and withstand a late barrage, but they did just that, and they also progress.

When the draw is made for the Group Stages that will start at the end of the month, Alay looks like they have been handed a challenging Group A, but one they might like their chances of getting through. They'll face up against FK Ahal AK-Dasayak for Turkmenistan, back to back National Champions of neighbouring Tajikistan, in the form of Istiqlol Dushanbe, and Bahrain's Premier League Champions from last season, Al-Muharraq Club. For Dordoy, there is a spot in Group C, which on paper at least looks more difficult. Oman Pro League Champions from Al-Orouba SC look to be the weakest link in a Group that will also contain Al-Faisaly of Jordan, and one of the clubs that most would like to have avoided, current Kuwait Premier League Champions of three times winners of this very Asian Confederation Cup competition, Kuwait Sporting Club.

Things are looking fairly rosy for the sides who are expected to once again challenge at the top of the Higher League. Nationwide though, things don't look quite so good, speaking from the National Team's manager's point of view at least. Two players who have been involved with the Under-20's have retired at a young age, Orozbek Japarov retiring at 21 after making 27 appearances in two seasons for Ysyk-Kol Karakol. He had a long career compared to Artur Il'yaev, who retires at the age of just 19 after making only one Senior appearance for Ala-Too Naryn.

We don't have the depth in our National Pool to be able to lose players at the rate we have done over the winter months, and the following day, the last straw occurs. First there is the announcement of Temirlan Kenjebek hanging up his boots at the age of twenty, another player who played fairly consistently for Ysyk-Kol Karakol, but failed to find a move to a club higher up the pyramid. But even worse was the next announcement later in the day, when one of the brighter young hopes in the nation, Dastan Kylychbekov, who scored for the Under-20's as recently as mid November out in Malaysia, announced he was also packing in football aged just 20. This can't continue, every time we appear to take a step forward, we then shoot ourselves in that foot and move right backwards again. It's time to step up and do something pro active. The opportunity to do just that presents itself within days.......

neilhoskins77 · June 13, 2017

February 2016 (cont).

FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye avoided relegation from First League Zone A last season purely because RSDYuShOR Bishkek had to go down as KG United had come down from the High League. They had managed just 11 points from their 16 match season, and sacked Roman Barykyabasov as soon as the season finished. The job has been vacant ever since. I made contact with the Chairman at the club, Azamat Samsaliev. I told him why I was interested in the job, and what I had planned. He wasted little time in calling me in for an interview, though it never felt anything more than an informal chat. The job had been vacant for so long, I wasn't quite sure who was doing the favour for who, but there never looked like there was anyone else in the running for the job.

Samsaliev was back in touch within a day, and I was being offered the job. If I had done this a couple of weeks ago, I could have saved the careers of some good young players potentially. Now, it was a mutually beneficial arrangement. He wants a manager who knows football in this country and can keep his club in the second tier. I'll use his club as what I can only describe as a Battersea Dog's Home for the football players of Kyrgyzstan if you will. He has given me a contract for two seasons, and will pay me £160 a week, almost as much as the National Side pay me. There are no conditions, no stipulations. Just avoid relegation, and reach the Second Round of the National Cup.

We won't be signing foreign players, and we won't be signing players who are no longer of use to the National Side at any level. I'll be looking to bring in players who can play for the Senior National team, or who are still eligible for one of the three age group sides. We'll basically be a nursery side for Kyrgyzstan, and I won't make any apologies for that, it might turn out to be the best thing that has ever happened to this club. There is a wage budget of £1,620 a week, which is very generous for a club of this stature. We won't be paying wages, we'll be paying appearance fees, with some bonus money for clean sheets and goals, with some players getting unused substitute income. There are just seven players in the squad, all of whom are teenagers. There is very limited staff already at the club as well, the Head of Youth Development is currently doubling up as Assistant Manager, there is a Chief Scout, and a Head Physio. The Chief Scout in particular is pretty poor quality. The players at the club already are barely earning £20 a week between them, there is plenty of money in the budget, and a squad of players to be built.

It might be a Saturday, and there might be a match on later today for me to oversee, but I'm quickly to work, starting my looking at players in and around the National Side and age group sides who are currently without a club, and draw up a shortlist of players we can target. I discover right away that being adopted into the new sanctuary known as Urozhay isn't a particularly appealing option for a lot of players who have played International football under me, most believing that we don't have the financial clout to meet their demands. I try to persuade a couple of them to sit down and talk to us, we might surprise them, but I'm peeing into the wind, and we'll have to move onto new targets. I send out five offers right away, and one accepts immediately and will arrive in time for the afternoon Friendly match. The newcomer is 17 year old Taalaibek Jamshidov, a centre midfielder who can also play behind the striker. He has some ability when it comes to passing a football around the park, and combines that with good stats for determination and work rate. We'll pay him just £2 every time he plays for us. There lies the tale of why players are dropping out of the game I suspect. He joined Zhivoye Nivo Kant four years ago, and has now decided to move on.

Saturday 27th February 2016 - 15:00pm.
Pre-Season Friendly.
Urozhay, Belovodskoye, Kyrgyzstan.
FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye v FC Shopokov.
Attendance :- 47. Weather :- 11c.

With a fair few greys in the squad, I wasn't expecting to learn much here. Truth be told, if I'd got here a few days earlier, I'd have cancelled this Friendly match. I've got a goalkeeper, three defenders, one playing out of position. Then we have two centre midfielders, one right winger who shouldn't be playing anywhere other than centre midfield, and an attacking midfielder behind the striker. The system will be the same one utilised with Kyrgyzstan throughout the majority of last year. This is my first visit to Urozhay, and it's a very primitive, but quite atmospheric ground.

We had to go with a grey striker up front, but he opened the scoring in the 7th minute. The left winger was also a grey, and he jinked into the box, but the ball was taken off his toe with a tackle. But the ball rolled into the path of Valeriy Jumagulov, and slipped it under the keepers dive to put us ahead. We passed the ball around nicely, taking two thirds of the possession, but as half time approached, Roman Karlov played a long ball down the right channel for the non-Leaguers, and Erzat Pozilov made the wrong decision, backing his own pace to get him into the box to block off Abdigani Matyash instead of angling his run to keep him out of the box. Matyash got to the corner of the box, and struck an early shot that flew into the near top corner, though Arstanbek Agzamov should have done a better job with it, no keeper likes to get beaten at his near post. We would get that lead back right on half time, new signing Taalaibek Jamshidov slides a pass through to Jumagulov, and a shot on the turn finds the bottom corner to put us back in front.

I tried to keep some positivity in the room at the break, while I wasn't especially happy with our performance in that first half, it was a scratch side playing a brand new system that they hadn't had any training time on. So I simply asked them to keep their legs moving, and keep the intensity as high as they could. Jumagulov found the net in the 54th minute, this time slotting inside the near post after grey right winger Aziz played him in, but the striker started his run a fraction of a second too early, and he was flagged for offside. With the hour just about to hit, another ball down the right channel cut us open, and sub Sharshenbek Sydykov chased it down to the byline, and then whipped it into the six yard box, Maytash volleying in from close range to level the game up once more. I decided there was no benefit in me making changes, and more grey players coming onto the park. In the 77th minute, when the same move from the same players cut us open one more time, Agzamov made ammends for his failiure to keep the first half effort out, making a fine point blank save to prevent Matyash from netting his hatrick. Instead, it would be Jumagulov who would net a treble in the final minute, as Aziz's cross sparked a challenge between Jamshidov and Islamkulov, the ball spinning to our striker, and he slammed it home from six yards out to earn us a hard fought victory on the opening day of my reign.

FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye (2) 3 - Valeriy Jumagulov (7,44,89)
FC Shopokov (1) 2 - Abdigani Matyash (42,59)
Arstanbek Agzamov; Sergei Keneshov, Igor Abdullaev, Erzat Pozilov, Sergey Otrep'ev; Omurbek Talantbekov, Vitaliy Akmoldoev; Azamat Aziz, Taalaibek Jamshidov (capt), Bahadyr Korzanov; Valeriy Jumagulov.
Unused Substitutes :- Azamat Akulenko, Sarinji Kenjebek (GK), Yevgeniy Yrysbek, Aybek Tynarov, Georgiy Bektemirov, Pavel Ermekov.
Possession :- 64% - 36%. Shots on Target :- 3 - 9. Man of the Match :- Valeriy Jumagulov (FC Belovodsk).

I finish my first day in charge at Urozhay by placing adverts for some backroom staff. We're looking for an Assistant Manager, a Director of Football, a Coach, a Scout and a Physio. After a hatrick in that match, Valeriy Jumagulov has earned himself a contract, where he'll be paid £1 per appearance. In my press conference to introduce everyone to Belovodsk's new manager, I announced that we had plans to make this club the best they could be in the coming years. There is scrutiny of the signing of Taalaibek Jamshidov too, with the media believing that the player could only ever see our club as a stepping stone to bigger things. I tell them that he is an ambitious young player, and there's no reason why he can't realise those ambitions at Urozhay.

There's still time to complete one more piece of business as well, as 18 year old goalkeeper Georgiy Slavnyi signs for us late on Saturday night. He was a regular feature of last year's Under-19 squads, and has joined us on a Free Tansfer from Ala-Too Naryn, where he spent last season playing regular football in the non-League ranks for their Reserve side. It's a very good signing for us, as I believe he has what it takes to develop into a very capable goalkeeper.

Monday was the final day of February, and it was announced that the club lost £12k during 2015, which was 76% of the turnover through the club. It was announced that part of that cost was caused by changing managers. Two more players were signed before the month ended. 16 year old Vladimir Ryzhenko is considered one of the best young prospects in Kyrgyzstani football. He signs on a Youth Contract, which will then become a Semi Pro Contract on his 17th birthday in October. He signs on a Free Transfer from Abdysh-Ata Kant, and our fans believe we have landed ourselves a gem of a player. Left footed, and he can play wide as well as through the middle, he could certainly be one to watch develop. Also brought into the club is 21 year old Nursultan Aripov, a right back who played seven games at this level last season after signing from Nashe Pivo Kant after joining from Ala-Too Naryn. A hard working full back who is very capable of getting past a player as well, and is good crosser when moving into advanced positions. He has been capped by our Under-19's, and can still represent our Under-20's this year.

neilhoskins77 · June 14, 2017

March 2016.

Tuesday, the first day of a new month, and the next day in our recruitment drive. The day starts with our most extravagant purchase so far, as we bring in 20 year old attacking midfielder, Azamat Usubakunov. Capped twice at Under-20 level last season, he failed to make the grade at now extinct Dinamo Bishkek, before spending last season with Abdysh-Ata Kant without getting any First Team football. He had agreed to sign for High League new boys FC Kara-Balta, but when we stepped in to offer him a chance of regular First Team football and £20 per appearance, he decided to make a very quick switch. He's a bit raw, and has a lot to learn, but in the role behind the striker, he's a player who could flourish here.

Enter signing number two of the day, another player I have worked with in the Under-20's last season. Odiljon Abdurahmanov is tall, and has great physical attributes, but needs to work on the technical side of being a centre back. That didn't prevent him being capped four times for the Under-20's last year, and he joins on a Free Transfer from Adlier Kurshab, where he had a very busy 2015, playing 45 matches between the First Team in the third tier, and their Reserve side in the non-League ranks. He'll get £6 a match, with an extra £1 for every clean sheet he is a part of.

We missed out on a more experienced goalkeeper, but did get another in through the door. 17 year old Farukh Mayrambekov joins from Dordoy, where he spent last season with their Reserve side in this League, but didn't manage a First Team performance. He might already be technically better than Georgiy Slavnyi, and he is certainly taller by several inches. He'll get a fiver per match he plays in, and an extra £2 for every clean sheet he produces. It will be an interesting battle between the two young keepers, plus we already have the youngster he was already here, Arstanbek Agzamov. We missed out on a fourth signing, 21 year old centre back Marat Kadinov chose Zhivoye Pivo Kant over us.

By the time we get to Wednesday, we're just a day away from our final pre-season match, and I sign up uncapped 21 year old right winger, Alexandr Merzlyakov. He was part of last seasons Kara-Balta side that won this League in 2015, and the lad has an engine that will allow him to go up and down the right wing all afternoon. He could certainly do with adding a yard or two of pace, and his crossing accuracy is far from perfect, but lets see what Alexandr can do. At £6 a game, and £1 a goal, he's certainly worth any risk. Following him in through the door is yet another player from Kara-Balta. In fact, Bahtiyar Duyshobekov has followed exactly the same career path as his best friend in football, Azamat Usubakunov. The determined ball winning centre midfielder was capped by the Under-19's last season, and the now 20 year old is a born leader, who has a big presence in the dressing room. He'll be a vital cog in the middle of the park for us I'm sure.

Just because there is a match on Thursday, it doesn't mean that the recruitment drive stops. No sir. In fact, with half a dozen new signings completed, Thursday would be our biggest recruitment day so far. 16 year old centre back Eldiyar Alimov is a very exciting young talent. The problem is, that the only one not excited about his future in the game, is Eldiyar himself. It might be a sign of how unambitious he is that he has given up on making the grade with Alga Bishkek after just a few months of being part of their Youth Intake, and decided to drop down into the second tier where we're expected to be fighting against relegation. He's already better than a lot of players older than himself when it comes the technicalities of defending. Add in his leadership, work rate, team work, positioning and jumping, and we have a potential International player of the future. He will be on a Youth deal until he turns 17 in September.

Next through the door is the oldest player we have brought in so far. Nazar Isakov is a positively ancient 26 years old, but the deep lying striker is the perfect player to Captain this group of young players. Adept with both feet, and deceptively good in the air despite being only 5'10 tall, he was a member of Kara-Balta's Title winning side last year, and will be a great mentor for the players we're bringing in. One of those will be a player looking to keep him out of the side, 21 year old striker Oleg Popov. The 6'0 tall forward can play a wide variety of roles at the sharp end of the park, and he has been capped at Under-23 level. After failing to make the grade at Abdysh-Ata Kant, he moved on to Ala-Too Naryn, where he made three appearances in the High League last season. At £20 a game and £5 per goal, he is set to earn more money than Isakov as well, with the older player only being paid £15 per appearance.

By the time the morning was out, two more had arrived to bolster our rearguard in the side. 19 year old Azim Azarov is a left footer who is equally comfortable at left back or centre back. He has played four times for the Under-20's, which is combined with a lot of football for Ala-Too Naryn, playing four times in the High League, and another 16 games for their Reserve side. Quick, and blessed with good positioning, he needs to do some work on his anticipation and vision, and is also prone to lapses in concentration. He'll earn a couple of quid a match more than 20 year old centre back Aleksandr Bochkarev. The uncapped 6'2 defender was also at Ala-Too Naryn last season, but played a lot less football, selected just once for the Reserve side. He is one who would almost certainly have retired had we not stepped in and offered him a deal. He could do with improving in the air, but he looks like he'll be a good fit for us.

Time was running out before kick off in today's match, and I had just named Nazar Isakov as Club Captain for the 2016 season, with 20 year old midfielder Bahtiyar Duyshobekov named as his Vice Captain. There was time for one more player to sign on the dotted line though, and it was our most extravagent signing to date. 21 year old Nursultan Aripov is an attacking right back who has been capped for the Under-19 squad. He spent his formative years with Ala-Too Naryn, but never managed to break into the First Team. This time last year, he moved to Nashe Pivo Kant, and played in this very League for them seven times last season, returning two goals as well. In a position where even young players are scarce, we had to pay a bit more, to the tune of £40 a match, with an extra £5 for every clean sheet, and £5 for every match he remains on the bench. He loves to get forward, and can certainly send in a cross, though many think it's to the detriment of his defensive play. Hopefully, we can find a way for the youngster to strike a balance for us. All of our new signings are available to play at home to non-League side, Say Sokuluk in our final Pre-Season match.

Thursday 3rd March 2016 - 19:30pm.
Pre-Season Friendly.
Urozhay, Belovodskoye, Kyrgyzstan.
FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye v Say Sokuluk.
Attendance :- 61. Weather :- 15c.

I doubt there are many clubs that have had the player turnover that we've had, or had so many new faces arrive in such a short space of time. With the start of the domestic season only nine days away, I had no choice but to do that though. So now we would have an almost brand new squad going headlong into a match with a side who were playing their sixth pre season match, and my lads would be asked to gel immediately and hook up to a brand new system. My expectations were not high, and I asked the players to simply play for their places.

Georgiy Slavnyi was called into action early on, Ulugbek Joldoshov played through, and our young keeper made a good save with his legs to prevent us going behind early on. We would give our guests a chance to counter attack in the 11th minute, Taalaibek Jamshidov misplaced a pass, and Say countered at pace, Ivan Valiev picking out Nursultan Abdraimov, and he swept his shot low into the net from 15 yards out. That was a poor start, and it was about to get worse, as with quarter of an hour on the clock, Mustafa Smatov sent a long ball upfield and over our defensive line. Valiev showed good pace to race onto it and into the box, drawing out Slavnyi, and then squaring it to Joldoshov, who tapped it into the unguarded net.

We settled down a little bit after that, and with just under ten minutes left to the break, we launched a counter of our own. After a nice tackle and then a drop of the shoulder, Bahtiyar Duyshobekov sends us up the park. Nazar Isakov held the ball up nicely, before it found it's way into the area. The ball pinged around a bit before finding it's way back to Duyshobekov, and he struck a firm left footer high into the top corner. Now we were playing nicely, stroking the ball around with some confidence. A ball into the opposition box was just too far ahead of Isakov, and Kayrat Bel'dinov hoisted it up the park. It bounced beautifully for Valiev, and he struck a shot that Slavnyi saved. It went back towards Valiev, and Nursultan Aripov executed a perfectly timed slide tackle, but it knocked the ball right across the face of his own goal, past the still prone keeper, and right to Joldoshov, who for the second time this evening had an open goal to fire into and restore the non-Leaguer's two goal lead. We'll have to put that one down to being a bit unlucky, but we showed a bit of fight. and 45 seconds later, we had scored another goal ourselves. Aleksandr Bochkarev was given the ball from kick off, and he sent it into the right channel for Alexandr Merzlyakov to chase. He won the race, held it up, cut back onto his left foot, and chipped a cross into the centre, Isakov taking it down with one touch, and then using a second to slam it low into the far corner. 2-3 at the break, and it had certainly been entertaining, but that couldn't mask the fact that we were losing at home to a non-League side.

I changed both my centre backs at half time, not that it made a huge difference. Ten minutes after the restart substitute Bekmyrza Drozdetskiy curled a cross into the six yard box, and Joldoshov was in the right place once again, glancing a header into the far corner and completing his hatrick. I played with the tactics, asking my defenders to sit a little deeper, and close down less. That worked for a little while, but then when we didn't make the most of a corner, Maka Smatov won the ball and found Joldoshov, who had moved wide. He cut back infield, and sent the ball to Beris Kaliubin. He aimed his cross towards Azamat Majinov, who was clattered by young defender Eldiyar Alimov who went in with a high boot, and the ref pointed to the spot. Sherzod Bel'dinov punished us with the penalty, firing it to Slavyni's right, and finding the net. We were in a right mess. I made five more changes, and that influx of fresh legs seemed to steady the ship at least a little. But we weren't creating any chances, and with only a minute or so left, Smatov sent in a cross from the left, and Valiev turned the ball towards goal, Farukh Mayrambekov making a superb reaction save, and Alimov getting in front of Joldoshov to prevent any further damage. The final whistle brought nothing but relief that it was over.

FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye (2) 2 - Bahtiyar Duyshobekov (37), Nazar Isakov (44)
Say Sokuluk (3) 5 - Nursultan Abdraimov (11), Ulugbek Joldoshov (15,43,56), Sherzod Bel'dinov (67 pen)
Georgiy Slavnyi (Farukh Mayrambekov 69); Nursultan Aripov (Igor Abdullaev 69), Aleksandr Bochkarev (Odiljon Abdurahmanov 45), Erzat Pozilov (Eldiyar Alimov 45), Azim Azarov; Bahtiyar Duyshobekov (Vitaliy Akmoldoev 69), Taalaibek Jamshidov (Omurbek Talantbekov 69); Alexandr Merzlyakov, Azamat Usubakunov, Vladimir Ryzhenko; Nazar Isakov (capt - Oleg Popov 69).
Unused Substitutes :- Sergei Keneshov, Valeriy Jumagulov, Arstanbek Agzamov (GK).
Possession :- 55% - 45%. Shots On Target :- 3 - 13. Man of the Match :- Ulugbek Joldoshov (Say Sokuluk).

Well, that was nothing short of an absolute disaster!! There are nine days until the season starts, and we're so under prepared it's not even funny. We have some serious hard work to do over the coming weeks, and we have to be careful not to panic, but right now, things do not look good for us.

neilhoskins77 · June 15, 2017

March 2016 (cont).

16 year old centre back Erzat Pozilov has rejected a move to third tier side, FC Tokrogul, and instead signs a pre-contract agreement with us, a deal that will come into play when he turns 17 in early August. By the time the weekend had finished, we had been the feature of the latest Division 1 Zone A preview. They have picked out Oleg Popov and young midfielder Vladimir Ryzhenko as the potential players to keep an eye on. They believe we have certainly built a squad capable of avoiding relegation. Another player has joined our bid to stay up, 22 year old Elaman Sarbaev gives us a legitimate option to use a defensive midfielder, the Under-23 International excels in that role. He brings more leadership to the club, and is actually one of the oldest players in the squad. He'll be an interesting one to watch I think.

The new weeks starts with us missing out on an attacking left back who I felt would have potentially pushed for a Senior International call up down the line, and still might if he gets enough football. We did bring in two more players before the day was out though, starting with another highly ranked teenager. 16 year old Isa Filatov gives us another option as a defensive midfielder, and he can also play in the centre of the park. He signs from leading side, Dordoy, though he currently has a hip injury, and will be out until late April or early May. He will be joined by a team mate from Dordoy, in the tall shape of 6'5 teenage centre back, Veniamin Akbaraliev. He's not as good in the air as he should be for a lad that tall, but we have older players around to take him under their wing. I wish we had a Reserve or Under-19 side so that all of these players could play week in and week out at some level.

Attention turns to our opening League match, a trip to MIS where we will face Zhivoye Pivo Kant, who are expecting a crowd only just north of 100 for the first day of the season match. This will be my 11th Senior match as a manager, and my first at club level.

Saturday 12th March 2016 - 15:00pm.
Kyrgyzstani Division One, Zone A.
MIS, Kant, Kyrgyzstan.
Zhivoye Pivo Kant v FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye.
Attendance :- 182. Weather :- 17c.

It's the opening day of the season, a time of excitement for football fans. Not quite the case for us however, there is obviously some trepidation after that apalling outing last time out against a non-League side. It's been a hard week of training as we try and get some cohesion going into the new campaign. I keep the tactics fairly simple, as we look to get back to basics with a game plan aimed at keeping us tight at the back, with the opportunity for getting players up the park when the chance presents itself. There are five teenagers in our starting eleven, and if you take out striker Nazar Isakov, a pair of 21 year olds are the oldest players in our side.

We don't start well, Maxim Ablakimov sends a long ball down the Zhivoye right touchline, over the head of Azim Azarov, and Bakyt Ismailov chases it down. His cross looks pretty harmless, but Nursultan Aripov tries to control the ball, and his first touch is poor, Sergei Bochkarev arriving and firing a shot that squeezes between Georgiy Slavnyi and the near post, putting us being within two minutes. I'm pleased to report we settled down a bit after that, and some tenacious midfield work and some nice short passing led to Taalaibek Jamshidov sending a pass through the home defender for young Vladimir Ryzhenko, who's effort was just wide of the near post, though he was flagged offside anyway.

We reached the break without being seriously threatened any further, and I rallied the players at the break, telling them that we will get chances, we just need to make sure we grasp them. Clearly Zhivoye were not too concerned about us coming back into the game, they made two changes at the break to forward players, and then made a third midway through the half. I made all three of my changes in the 69th minute, one in centre midfield, another on the right wing, and a final one up front. As time ticked by, we started to push up the park a little more, and ratchet up the pressure as best as we could. We would receive a helping hand from lady luck in the 77th minute, when one of the Zhivoye subs hobbled off injured, and was unable to return.

I took that as an open invitation to heap the pressure on, and pushed some more players up to support Oleg Popov. I also asked the players to now get the ball into the box at every opportunity. Bahtiyar Duyshobekov moved right to support Omurbek Talantbekov, and when the ball was played back to him in space, he launched a high cross towards the far post. The Zhivoye defenders, to a man, had all gone towards the near post with Popov, and that allowed Ryzhenko the freedom of the park to arrive at the far post and connect with a header that just stayed under the cross bar, the 16 year old marking his Senior debut with a first Senior goal. It might be the opening day of the season, but right now there is no way of knowing just how important that goal might end up being for us.

Zhivoye Pivo Kant (1) 1 - Sergei Bochkarev (2)
FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye (0) 1 - Vladimir Ryzhenko (86)
Georgiy Slavnyi; Nursultan Aripov, Aleksandr Bochkarev, Erzat Povilov, Azim Azarov; Bahtiyar Duyshobekov, Taalaibek Jamshidov (Vitaliy Akmoldoev 69); Alexandr Merzlyakov (Omurbek Talantbekov 69), Azamat Usubakunov, Vladimir Ryzhenko; Nazar Isakov (capt - Oleg Popov 69).
Unused Substitutes :- Odiljon Abdurahmanov, Farukh Mayrambekov (GK).
Possession :- 43% - 57%. Shots On Target :- 6 - 2. Man of the Match :- Vladimir Ryzhenko (FC Belovodsk).

Ok, that wasn't earth shattering, but there was no wiping the smile off my face after that late equaliser. That week had clearly done us good, and pundits believed that both ourselves and Zhivoye would be in the mix when it came to the relegation fight. Taking a point from them on the road will be a very good point, as long as we can improve ourselves and make sure we take points in our home matches, particularly against the clubs we are expected to be battling against relegation with.

Vladimir Ryzhenko was born in Kant, and now he got to make his Senior debut in his hometown, and scored his first ever goal there too. The staff are delighted with the progress he has made already, and are convinced we have a future star on our hands. I'm keen to make sure the teenager is not put under any undue pressure, and when we have a squad at full capacity, I'll ensure he is brought along at a natural pace, rather than risk burning him out. With our first competitive match out of the way, I intend to get right back into looking to strengthen our squad options.

neilhoskins77 · June 16, 2017

March 2016 (cont).

On Sunday we get word that our season ticket sales have stayed around the same level as last season, with 64 tickets sold at £9 each. Yesterday saw the opening Round of the Kyrgyzstani Cup, and now the draw will be made for the Second Round, where the remainder of the clubs will enter the competition. There are no expectations on us in this competition, with the club not expected to progress beyond this point. A kind draw would be a bonus, though with thoughts of the end of pre season debacle still fresh, I'm not even entirely sure what a kind draw would be. We're drawn away from home against third tier side, Energetic Kara-Kulja, who finished 7th in last season's Division One Zone B, and have added only one player since then.

Speaking of adding players, I'm looking to do just that, and after moving some money around, I make transfer bids for last season's International Player of the Year, for the National Team, attacking midfielder Baktay Taalaybek, and the teenager who may be looking to push to join him in the Senior squad in the future, Almaz Omoraliev. The transfer offers are accepted, but neither player has any interest in moving to us.

When the new week dawns, we get to work on making improvements to our backroom staff, and filling in some gaps. 40 year old Nursultan Omurzakov has joined us as a Scout, and is quickly joined by Erkinbay Maylybaev, a 37 year old who is already the best talent spotter available to us in the backroom staff. There is not such good news in the hunt for a Director of Football, as we have no applicants for that position.

The squad is improved a little more on Tuesday, with the signing of Free Agent left back, Bakyt Shershenbek. The 21 year old, who has previously been on the books of both Abdysh-Ata Kant and Zhivoye Pivo Kant without managing to break into the First Team, brings some pace to our left flank, and could push for a place in the Under-23 setup if he flourishes with some regular football. Should he achieve that feat, he may well find himself linking up on the left with our latest signing, and new top earner at the club. 22 year old Ermek Nusubaliev has been capped by the Under-23 side, and raises the bar in the quality of player we're now looking to attract to Urozhay. He's quick, he can cross a ball, and he can score goals. He played seven times for Alga Bishkek in the top tier last season. He's going to cost us £65 per appearance, but I have a feeling he'll be worth the money.

More money leaves the coffers on Wednesday, when we finally get an actual Assistant Manager in place, leaving the Head of Youth Development to, well, develop our Youth players I suppose. 34 year old Ruslan Fayzulin is my new number two, it's his first job in football, and he was easily the best candidate that applied for the role. He'll have a new colleague in the backroom in Sergei Ivanov. The new Coach brings some International experience to our backroom too, he earned 15 caps and scored once for Kyrgyzstan before finishing his playing days in Kazakhstan. He instantly makes our Coaching team the best in the League for both attacking and defending.

Good news is always welcome, and we receive some more just as we're about to name our squads for the next International Window. The March edition of the FIFA World Rankings has pushed us up a couple of spots to 145th, which is a nice bit of encouragement before we conclude our World Cup Qualifying campaign in Tajikistan next week. One of the countries we have now moved above is North American nation, Aruba, which shows how much work we have to climb these rankings and move away from the nations I have no doubt we would beat convincingly if we played them. With the Rankings done, it's time to name the squads. This time, I'm only naming squads for, and taking charge of, the Senior side and Under-20's, with the Under-19's having their own designated manager. If his squad is not picked apart, I'll look to take charge of them again from the next fixtures.

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Friday 18th March 2016.

Squad Announcement for Kyrgyzstan Senior National Team
FIFA 2018 World Cup Qualifying, Asian Section Second Round, Group 2
To Play Tajikistan (A - 26/3/16) at Central, Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Goalkeepers
Mazim Agapov. 28 yrs old. 6'1. Dordoy Bishkek. 7 caps/0 goals.
Pavel Matyash. 28 yrs old. 6'6. Abdysh-Ata Kant. 8 caps/0 goals.
Vladislav Volkov. 35 yrs old. 6'1. Dordoy Bishkek. 15 caps/0 goals.

Defenders
Marat Ajiniyazov. 25 yrs old. 5'9. Abdysh-Ata Kant. Uncapped.
Daniel Tagoe. 30 yrs old. 6'2. Turan Tovuz Idman Klubu (AZE). 10 caps/0 goals.
Davron Askarov. 28 yrs old. 5'9. Dordoy Bishkek. 21 caps/0 goals.
Faruh Abitov. 27 yrs old. 5'9. Dordoy Bishkek. 9 caps/0 goals.
Shuhrat Rahmonov. 27 yrs old. 6'2. FK Kaisar Kyzylorda (KAZ). 4 caps/0 goals.
Tamirlan Kozubaev. 21 yrs old. 6'4. FC Siauliai (LIT). 4 caps/0 goals.
Valery Kichin. 23 yrs old. 5'11. FC Tyumen (RUS). 21 caps/0 goals.
Yury Chukov. 25 yrs old. 5'4. Alay Osh. Uncapped.

Midfielders
Ahletdin Israilov. 21 yrs old. 5'7. Dynamo Kiev (UKR). 5 caps/0 goals.
Anatolii Vlasichev. 27 yrs old. 6'0. Alay Osh. 17 caps/0 goals.
Anton Zemlianukhin. 27 yrs old. 5'9. FK Radnicki Nis (SRB). 23 caps/7 goals.
Baktay Taalaybek. 23 yrs old. 6'5. Neftchi Kochkor-Ata. 9 caps/0 goals.
Karim Izrailov. 29 yrs old. 6'0. Pyunik Yerevan (ARM). 13 caps/3 goals.
Yevgeniy Malinin. 29 yrs old. 5'10. Alay Osh. 5 caps/1 goal.
Nurbek Joldoshov. 26 yrs old. 5'9. Dordoy Bishkek. 1 cap/0 goals.
Raul' Dzhalilov. 21 yrs old. 5'10. Metallurg Bekobod (UZB). 2 caps/1 goal.
Rustamjan Zakirov. 26 yrs old. 6'0. Alay Osh. 10 caps/0 goals.
Viktor Maier. 25 yrs old. 6'0. SV Meppen (GER). 11 caps/1 goal.

Forwards
Mirlan Murzaev. 25 yrs old. 6'0. FS Metta/Latvijas Universitate Riga (LAT). 18 caps/7 goals.
Vitalij Lux. 27 yrs old. 6'0. 1.FC Núrnberg (GER). 4 caps/1 goal.
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Suspensions and injuries mean that changes are required for a match that is essentially a dead rubber. Not that you'll hear that phrase from me in the build up to the match with Tajikistan. There was regional pride at stake when we crossed the border to face our neighbours, and even more important than that, the third place finish in the Qualifying Group, which would be used as a barometer of how successful our campaign had been. We were fourth seeds when the matches started, if we finish third, we have overachieved to a degree. Two uncapped defenders are brought into the squad, while I only select two strikers with David Tetteh's absence. It is noticeable that our squad has a more cosmopolitan look with more of our players than ever before earning their living outside the domestic Leagues of Kyrgyzstan now. One of those is our talisman, Anton Zemlianukhin, who is in poor form for his club side in Serbia right now. The media pundits believe he shouldn't be called up, but when you have a National Pool with as little quality as we have, you have to select the best players. I'm accused of picking him on past glory, but I can't leave him out, and have to trust that he'll still do the job when he wears the National shirt.

-----------------------
Squad Announcement for Kyrgyzstan Under-20 National Team
International Under-20's Friendly
To Play Sri Lanka (A - 24/6/16) at Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Goalkeepers
Arstanbek Manasov. 19 yrs old. 5'9. Neftchi Kochkor-Ata. Uncapped.
Georgiy Slavnyi. 18 yrs old. 5'11. FC Belovodsk. Capped at U-19.
Ramazan Adigamov. 21 yrs old. 6'0. Ysyk-Kól Karakol. Capped at U-20.

Defenders
Aleksandr Bochkarev. 20 yrs old. 6'2. FC Belovodsk. Uncapped.
Almazbek Malikov. 19 yrs old. 6'4. Neftchi Kochkor-Ata. Capped at U-20.
Andrey Dolzhenko. 20 yrs old. 5'9. Dordoy Bishkek. Capped at U-19.
Azim Azarov. 19 yrs old. 5'11. FC Belovodsk. Capped at U-20.
Boris Drozdetskiy. 19 yrs old. 5'6. Ala-Too Naryn. Capped at U-20.
Elhan Temirbaev. 20 yrs old. 5'8. Dordoy Bishkek. Capped at U-20.
Nursultan Aripov. 21 yrs old. 6'0. FC Belovodsk. Capped at U-19.
Mayrambek Orozbek. 20 yrs old. 6'0. Neftchi Kochkor-Ata. Uncapped.
Rustamjan Renat. 17 yrs old. 6'1. Abdysh-Ata Kant. Uncapped.

Midfielders
Kayrat Ahmedov. 17 yrs old. 5'9. Nashe Pivo Kant. Uncapped.
Azamat Usubakunov. 20 yrs old. 5'11. FC Belovodsk. Capped at U-20.
Chyngyz Idrisov. 20 yrs old. 6'3. Ala-Too Naryn. Capped at U-20.
Eldiyar Sardarbekov. 20 yrs old. 5'9. FC Kara-Balta. Capped at U-23.
Gamzi Nabiev. 19 yrs old. 5'7. Neftchi Kochkor-Ata. Capped at U-20.
Manas Karipov. 21 yrs old. 6'2. FC Kara-Balta. Capped at U-20.
Semetey Daniyarov. 19 yrs old. 5'6. Ala-Too Naryn. Capped at U-20.
Pavel Shakirov. 17 yrs old. 5'9. Nashe Pivo Kant. Uncapped.
Yegor Naydenov. 20 yrs old. 6'0. FC Kara-Balta. Capped at U-20.

Forwards
Beris Tynarov. 20 yrs old. 5'10. Dordoy Bishkek. Capped at U-20.
Ergeldi Kuldyshev. 19 yrs old. 5'9. Ala-Too Naryn. Capped at U-19.
-----------------------

It's a strong looking Under-20 squad that will make it's way out to Sri Lanka. The mix of elder players in the twilight of their eligibility at this level, and players who have bypassed the Under-19 level, isn't intentional, I've just selected the best players available. If everyone was fit, the 17 year olds would likely have been left out of this squad, and put into the Under-19 squad that also looks strong ahead of it's match with Oman. I'm leaving that one in the capable hands of Vladimir Taalaybek. I'll be keeping an eye on how that one goes, and also if the squad is kept together. If that is the case, expect to see me leading the Under-19's again very soon. After all, one of the main aspects of this save was to build through all of the age group levels in Kyrgyzstan.

neilhoskins77 · June 17, 2017

March 2016 (cont).

In all, six of our FC Belovodsk players have been called up for International duty, the five I picked for the Under-20's, and one who was selected for the Under-19's, centre back Veniamin Akbaraliev. While it's great that our players are able to represent their nation, which was the main reason for me taking the job at Urozhay, half a dozen players is a lot to be missing as we have a League game next weekend slap bang in the middle of the International Window. And we have another one right after the squads are announced too, our first encouter with one of the Reserve sides that are predicted to dominate the League this season.

Saturday 19th March 2016 - 15:00pm
Kyrgyzstani Division One, Zone A
Urozhay, Belovodskoye, Kyrgyzstan
FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye v Alay Osh Reserves
Attendance :- 202. Weather :- 17c.

It's my first game at Urozhay, and I select the same side that earned a point at Zhivoye last weekend. It started quite similarly to last week, unfortunately for us. At least this time we held out for nearly ten minutes rather than less than two. Then a route one ball from Ulan Ahmedov down the middle of the park was not dealt with by our defence, who watched as it bounced, and Cholponbek Esenkul decided I needed a reminder as to his credentials for an International call up, racing onto the ball and tucking it past Georgiy Slavnyi to open the scoring. I was of course delighted to see a Kyrgyzstani player getting amongst the goals, so delighted that my teeth hurt from gritting them. Maybe Esenkul was worried he hadn't quite made his point. So when Bahtiyar Duyshobekov tried a diagonal pass to Vladimir Ryzhenko that was easily cut out, International midfielder Yevgeniy Malinin sent another ball through the middle for Esenkul with the outside of his boot, and he walked in on goal again, sliding his shot under the onrushing Slavnyi this time, and low into the bottom corner to double Alay's lead. If he was using this game as an audition, he wasn't doing a bad job at all.

In my opinion, Erzat Pozilov should have been the defender dealing with Esenkul on both goals, so I took the young defender out of the firing line and replaced him with Odiljon Abdurahmanov. Right away the replacement centre back put his foot into a challenge with Esenkul on the edge of his own box and took the ball away from the dangerous striker, who was eyeing up a hatrick. Moments later, Esenkul took advantage of our defence converging on him by slipping a pass to Malinin, who let fly with a shot from the edge of the box, Slavnyi showing what he can do with a superb show of agility to push the shot away from goal. I made two more changes on the hour as I got the players starting to think about trying to haul ourselves back into this match, Duyshobekov coming off with Vitaliy Akmoldoev replacing him in midfield, with Nazar Isakov coming off for Oleg Popov. We were coughing up the ball too much in midfield though, and that led to Esenkul being able to stretch his legs again, before cutting inside Aleksandr Bochkarev and sending in a low show towards the far corner, Slavnyi again making a save, this time sprawling across his goalmouth to push the ball away. When Alay Osh did a poor job with a corner in the 79th minute, we countered at speed. Oleg Popov holding the ball up and then sending it through to Azamat Usubakunov. He held the ball up well on the edge of the box while the cavalry arrived, sending it square to Akmoldoev. He didn't have a route to goal, so sent it square himself to Ryzhenko, and the young winger sent a shot towards the far post that looked like it was going wide, that was until Tahir Achiev stuck out a boot and deflected it past his own keeper and halved the arrears. But despite pushing players forward and asking for the ball to be sent up the park quicker, we never looked like creating an equaliser, with the closest to another goal coming when a dipping long range shot from Malinin forced Slavnyi into a save that resulted in our young keeper injuring his wrist and having to play in pain for the final few minutes. It wasn't the home debut I was hoping for.

FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye (0) 1 - Tahir Achiev (79 og)
Alay Osh Reserves (2) 2 - Cholponbek Esenkul (9,37)
Georgiy Slavnyi; Nursultan Aripov, Aleksandr Bochkarev, Erzat Pozilov (Odiljon Abdurahmanov 45), Azim Azarov; Bahtiyar Duyshobekov (Vitaliy Akmoldoev 60), Taalaibek Jamshidov; Alexandr Merzlyakov, Azamat Usubakunov, Vladimir Ryzhenko; Nazar Isakov (capt - Oleg Popov 60).
Unused Substitutes :- Farukh Mayrambekov (GK), Omurbek Talantbekov.
Possession :- 53% - 47%. Shots On Target :- 1 - 4. Man of the Match :- Cholponbek Esenkul (Alay Osh Reserves).

There were nearly 40 attempts at goal overall in this match, with an almost equal split as well, which just goes to show how poor the shooting accuracy was, ours in particular. That said, I'm not too disheartened at the moment. These are the kind of games that we are expected to be easily beaten in, but my young side put up a decent resistance, especially in the second half when Odiljon Abdurahmanov came on. All four of the Reserve sides won today against the clubs expected to prop up the Division. It feels like a 'them against us' situation in this League.

We have lost Georgiy Slavnyi though, the teenage goalkeeper has sprained his wrist while making a late save, and will be out for the next couple of weeks. That means he has to withdraw from the Kyrgyzstan Under-20 squad, and is replaced by Dordoy Bishkek Reserve keeper, Sergey Skorik, the 19 year old is uncapped so far. The Senior squad has suffered an injury as well, with right winger Nurbek Joldoshov, who won his first Senior cap in the last round of fixtures, suffering a torn groin muscle. He is replaced by Murat Madaliev, a player who I brought into the squad early in my time in charge, and is still considered by many domestic pundits to be not good enough for International football. With injuries the hot topic as the weekend comes to an end, it's perhaps ironic that a new physio arrives at FC Belovodsk, with 27 year old Maka Kurmanbekov taking up his first role in Senior football.

neilhoskins77 · June 20, 2017

March 2016 (cont).

On Tuesday, our Under-20 and Under-19 squads meet up ahead of their Thursday fixtures, with the Senior squad meeting the following day ready to cross the border into Tajikistan ahead of Saturday's final FIFA World Cup Qualifier for the next few years. Both the Under-20 and Senior sides that I'm looking after in this window of fixtures as said to be in optimistic mood, though a handful of Senior players will be meeting us in Dushanbe as they have club commitments.

One of the players doesn't even make it across the border, with goalkeeper Maxim Agapov breaking his hand in a training session, and we call up Alga Bishkek's 25 year old custodian, Ruslan Amirov to replace him in the squad. It never rains but it pours of course, and the Under-20's lose two players while training in Sri Lanka, and don't have enough time to call up replacements, with Pavel Shakirov suffering a dead leg, and Eldiyar Sardarbekov catching an accidental elbow in training that has cut his face and means he also misses out. We need another player to make his way over the border for the Senior's as well, as Yevgeniy Malinin twisted his ankle in a training session, meaning a first call up into the squad for uncapped Murolim Ahmedov, who was maybe a little unlucky to miss out in the first place and has been playing regularly and well for Arax Naxcivan in Azerbaijan's top tier.

All of the teams that I am currently looking after, the Senior National Team, the Under-20 side, and my club players at FC Belovodsk have spent some time training on a revolutionary new formation. You won't have heard of it. I think I'm going to call it the '4-4-2', the patent is pending, they think there may be some issues. My teams leak goals from crosses on a consistent basis, and this is partly to do with my wingers being pushed too high up the park. By reverting to a more traditional and functional 4-4-2, and deploying defensive wingers, I'm hoping they will be able to help out the full backs and stem the flow at least. The plan is that what we lose going forward from the wings, we'll gain back in having two strikers at the sharp end of the park instead of one. We'll have to see how that plan works out, and maybe make modifications to it as we go along. The first opportunity to test it is when my National Under-20's side play their Friendly International out in Sri Lanka.

Thursday 24th March 2016 - 19:30pm
Under-20's International Friendly
Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Under-20's v Kyrgyzstan Under-20's
Attendance :- 109. Weather :- 32c.

Sri Lanka have a shorter bench than us, naming just six substitutes, while we have ten on the bench including two goalkeepers. It wasn't a good start for the new system though, as we fell behind with just two minutes on the clock. An attempted through ball past our back four was partly blocked, and Azim Azarov attempted to take a touch and then look at his options. That plan didn't account for his poor first touch though, and he pushed the ball right into the path of Hasitha Samarathewakara, who curled a first time 20 yard shot beyond the reach of Ramazan Adigamov, and into the top corner. At least it hadn't come from a cross I suppose. Despite that early goal, the match was fairly tight, and we had a chance to level things up with a counter attack midway through the half, Azamat Usubakunov sending a long diagonal pass over the head of the Sri Lanka defence, Beris Tynarov racing onto it and angling his run at goal, maybe taking one too many touches that narrowed his own angle. Nonethless, he got his shot past the body of Prithika Manu, but it came right back off the near post, hitting the back of the keeper and then going behind for a corner. The next time we ventured forward was in the 38th minute with a passing move from the back and down the right side of the park. Chyngyz Idrisov dropped a ball into the right channel, and Usubakunov out sprinted a defender, and reached the ball first, crossing towards the penalty spot, where Tynarov connected with a downward header across goal and inside the far post to level the match up. When the front two combined once more moments before the break, Usubakunov was just offside.

Sri Lanka brought on five of their six available subs at half time, while I settled for just one, Azim Azarov coming off from his left back spot, and Boris Drozdetskiy taking over. And our sub started a significant 58th minute move, taking a quick throw in to Elhan Temirbaev, who sent the ball down the left touchline for Tynarov. There was plenty of pace on the ball, and the striker had to haul his backside to keep the ball in, but he managed that, and had plenty of time to measure his cross, lifting it over the keeper and finding Usubakunov at the far post, who managed to guide his header into the net despite the very acute angle. Just like that, we were in front....briefly. One of Sri Lanka's subs was fouled near the dugouts and came off injured. With their final sub on to replace him, Mihidukulasuriya Anton Mohamed Amsar sent a free kick into a crowded penalty area, and fellow defender Madawa Ruwansiri Ajith Priyankara rose highest, guiding his header away from the dive of Ramazan Adigamov, and the ball crept inside the far post to level the scores once more, just a minute after we had taken the lead. I had plenty of players on the bench eager for a chance to try and turn this match back into our favour, and I made a treble change with twenty minutes to go, and then another five with just under ten minutes left. But the deadlock would remain in place, and it would be a draw that both sides would think they could have won.

Sri Lanka Under-20's (1) 2 - Hasitha Samarathewakara (2), Madawa Ruwansiri Ajith Priyankara (59)
Kyrgyzsyan Under-20's (1) 2 - Beris Tynarov (38), Azamat Usubakunov (58)
Ramazan Adigamov (Arstanbek Manasov 81); Rustamjan Renat (Nursultan Aripov 70), Alamzbek Malikov (Aleksandr Bochkarev 81), Mayrambek Orozbek (Andrey Dolzhenko 70), Azim Azarov (capt - Boris Drozdetskiy 45); Kayrat Ahmedov, Chyngyz Idrisov (Semetey Daniyarov 81), Manas Karipov (Gamzi Nabiev 81), Elhan Temirbaev (Yegor Naydenov 70); Azamat Usubakunov, Beris Tynarov (Ergeldi Kuldyshev 81).
Unused Substitues :- Sergey Skorik (GK).
Possession :- 53% - 47%. Shots on Target :- 3 - 3. Man of the Match :- Hasitha Samarathewakara (Sri Lanka Under-20's).

There isn't much doubt that in a Senior International, we would be favourites against a nation like Sri Lanka. But their Under-20's side are a bit more competitive than their Senior counterparts, and that was a decent match up, though I'm a bit disappointed we didn't come out of it with the win. The 4-4-2 went quite well though, there were less crosses finding their way into out box, and when they did come in, they were coming from much deeper, which was making it a bit easier for our defence to deal with. All in all, it was a very worthwhile exercise.

Also worthwhile in the perspective of the game, was our Under-19's playing a Friendly at the 5,000 capacity Abdygany Radzhapov Central Stadion in Kara-Suu. They faced up against a very strong age group side from Oman, and were beaten 1-4. But the squad selected stayed together for the match, and included a first appearance in an International jersey for our own 16 year old centre back, Veniamin Akbaraliev, who played the entire match. With the news that the squad has stayed together and not suffered any mass withdrawls, I'll now once again take over the Under-19 squad, and see what happens next time around.

neilhoskins77 · June 22, 2017

March 2016 (cont).

The Under-20's squad leave Sri Lanka for home in reasonable spirits, and as their time together comes to an end, things are just getting started for the Senior squad in neighbouring Tajikistan. A couple of nights ago, our hosts were beaten 3-1 in Jordan, while Australia were comfortable winners in Bangladesh. That means the minnows have finished their campaign with no points on the board, while everything is set up very nicely for the Saturday finale. Australia and Jordan will go head to head to decide the Group winners, while our match will resolve the issue of third place. Home advantage gives Tajikistan the advantage according to the bookies, albeit a slim one.

In the press conference, the home media believe I have thrown away our chances of a third place finish by selecting an inexperienced squad for the final match. They then contradict that by suggesting that I shouldn't have included Anton Zemlianukhin in the squad due to his poor form. Go figure. Even one of our own former players thinks I've got it wrong, suggesting it's going to be a tough ask to come away with a result. Current player and striker Mirlan Murzaev doesn't necessarily agree, though he tells the press that he is expecting a close game.

Before we could worry about that match in Dushanbe that would take place later, attention would return to domestic matters, as in Kant, my club side of FC Belovodsk would travel to face Abdysh-Ata Kant Under-18's. It's another chance to test out the 4-4-2 formation with some small adjustments.

Saturday 26th March 2016 - 15:00pm
Kyrgyzstani Division One, Zone A
Central, Kant, Kyrgyzstan
Abdysh-Ata Kant Under-18's v FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye
Attendance :- 197. Weather :- 16c.

Farukh Mayrambekov takes over in goal from the injured Georgiy Slavnyi, while the change to 4-4-2 means Oleg Popov partners Nazar Isakov up front, with the latter asked to it in the slightly deeper role, and Popov playing the advanced striker role. In midfield, the more experienced Ermek Nusubaliev is asked to play in the middle of the park with Bahtiyar Duyshobekov, which allows youngster Vladimir Ryzhenko to play in his favoured role on the left wing. The other wing also sees a change, with Elaman Sarbaev drafted in on the strength of his better defensive capabilities as we continue to search for ways to stop crosses coming into our penalty box where possible.

We need to do something else about our other perennial problem as well, conceding early goals! After a nice start with some slick passing, an attempted long ball down the touchline from Nursultan Aripov was picked off pretty easily, though he did his best to make amends as he had got himself into a good position to head away the cross that came into our box. It went out to Rustamjan Renat though, a man who's passing ability I know about from his age group duties with Kyrgyzstan. He slid a pass into the box for Marat Kadyrkulov, and the striker curled his shot past Farukh Mayrambekov and inside the post to open the scoring with 8 minutes on the clock. I was disappointed to see my side go behind, but they knuckled down, and midway through the half, when Renat slung in a cross from the right touchline, Abay Aziz managed to bring the ball down, but then found three blue shirted players in front of him, shutting down his space and giving him no time, or options. Our young opponents continued with their attempts to break us down with more crossing, but the defenders coped very well. Mayrambekov in goal however, not so much. He tried to push one over the bar, managing to only put it against the frame of the goal, and needing help from the defence to avoid conceding another goal. Not long later, he dropped an easy catch at the near post, and a quicker reacting Abdysh striker would have been left with a tap in. Hopefully, it's nothing more than debut game nerves from him. We are a little fortunate to be only one behind when the first half ends.

The second half started with some peculiar going's on. Ernis Bolotbaev was replaced at the break by Kayrat Ahmedov, who was replaced himself just three minutes later. With no apparent injury, he looked as bemused as everyone else when his number was held up and Aziz Kazakbaev replaced him. Maybe that contributed to an all around confusion in the Abdysh ranks, but Elaman Sarbaev wasn't waiting to find out. He took the ball from Nazar Isakov's knock down and made ground down the right wing. A diagonal cross was aimed at Isakov, but the ball went between him and a defender, and continued on it's path, taking keeper Ulugbek Valiev out of the equation as well, and leaving Oleg Popov with a tap in to open his account for us, and he looked delighted to get off the mark as well. But the madness from Abdysh's management team would plummet to a new depth, as just six minutes after replacing the replacement, Kazakbaev would then also be substituted, with Salamat Aziz coming on in the 55th minute. The home side had managed to use all three subs in just ten minutes, while actually only making one change. Popov nearly got himself a second moments later, Isakov the provider from an almost identical ball, and Popov taking up the same position, this time Valiev flinging himself across goal to make a point blank save. With just over an hour gone, Ermek Nusubaliev drifted in a corner, and Odiljon Abdurahmanov met it with a powerful header that went between the keeper and defender, high into the net, and we have turned the deficit around. It was nearly three just moments later, Sarbaev again exploiting that right wing, and sending in a cross to the middle. Popov was more heavily marked this time though, but in their haste to keep the ball away from him, the defenders only manage to get the ball to Isakov, but his effort to put the ball inside the near post in foiled by Valiev making a great save with his legs. He was called into action again from the corner, Aleksandr Bochkarev's effort blocked, but the ball fell to Sarbaev, his shot making it through the crowded penalty area, Valiev holding onto it well. I made a pair of changes, with Azim Azarov feeling the effects of a busy week and being replaced by teenager Eldiyar Alimov, who would play out of position. In midfield, Taalaibek Jamshidov would replace Bahtiyar Duyshobekov. With time starting to run out, a corner down at out end picked out Kadyrkulov, and his header flew across the face of the goalmouth, Temirlan Grischenko arriving at the far post to apply the finishing touch, Nursultan Aripov coming to our rescue and making ammends for his start to the match, clearing the ball off the line and preserving our advantage. With time running out, Popov earned his ovation as he left the park and Azamat Usubakunov replaced him, playing a deeper role, while Sarbaev attempted to complete his impressive outing by beating Valiev from out wide at his near post, the keeper shovelling it away at the last second. No matter, we're off the mark and have a win in the books.

Abdysh-Ata Kant Under-18's (1) 1 - Marat Kadyrkulov (8)
FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye (0) 2 - Oleg Popov (48), Odiljon Abduhrahmanov (62)
Farukh Mayrambekov; Nursultan Aripov, Aleksandr Bochkarev, Odiljon Abduhrahmanov, Azim Azarov (Eldiyar Alimov 67); Elaman Sarbaev, Ermek Nusubaliev, Bahtiyar Duyshobekov (Taalaibek Jamshidov 67), Vladimir Ryzhenko; Nazar Isakov (capt), Oleg Popov (Azamat Usubakunov 88).
Unused Substitues :- Arstanbek Agzamov (GK), Omurbek Talantbekov.
Possession :- 50% - 50%. Shots On Target :- 6 - 5. Man of the Match :- Ermek Nusubaliev (FC Belovodsk).

It was an impressive first outing in our colours for Ermek Nusubaliev, despite being moved into the middle of the park instead of playing in his usual left wing role. With an assist on the winning goal, hopefully the Under-23 International can continue the form he showed in his debut. I'd like to be see a bit more of the same from Oleg Popov up front as well. I firmly believe that our young striker has the goals in him to make sure we stay out of the relegation battle this season, and now he is off the mark, hopefully he'll be able to kick on from here. He will have to do so wearing a protective cast on his arm for the next few weeks though, he sprained his wrist after landing awkwardly a couple of minutes before being substituted in that match.

neilhoskins77 · June 23, 2017

March 2016 (cont).

With the domestic action taken care of for the day, attention quickly turned to the evening's events over the border in the Tajik capital of Dushanbe, where the neighbouring countries would battle it out for the bragging rights of third place as the FIFA World Cup Qualifying campaign came to a close for both nations.

Saturday 26th March 2016 - 19:30pm
FIFA 2018 World Cup Qualifying, Asian Section Second Round, Group 2
Central, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Tajikistan v Kyrgyzstan
Attendance :- 13,969. Weather :- 11c

There is a rare start at right back for Faruh Abitov, who's morale went through the roof when he was selected to start this game. Murat Madaliev gets a recall to the side to play on the right wing, while we go with a centre midfield pairing of Anatolii Vlasichev and Rustamjan Zakirov. Further up the park, Mirlan Mirzaev leads the line, with Ahletdin Israilov joining him at the sharp end of the park in the Senior side's first match with the 4-4-2 setup.

It's happened again! For god's sake, why can't we get through the opening stages of a game with parity, just once in a while? After build up play on the left wing, Farhod Vasiev sends a cross into the box, that Daniel Tagoe should have headed away easily. But he got nothing more than a glancing header to the ball, and the ball fell to Akhtam Khamrakulov, who even had the time to pull the ball down, before picking his spot, high into the net, and putting us behind with just 63 seconds on the clock. And the same due had the ball in the net just before the quarter of an hour mark, Vasiev sending the ball through our defensive line, Khamrakulov smashing the ball into the top corner from ten yards out, though the offside flag brought an abrupt halt to his celebrations this time. We didn't manage to create anything of note in the first half, but I was pleased to get the players back into the changing room only one goal down, and we can regroup while still in the game.

I told the players that we had done well so far in this Qualifying Group, and we had come too far to throw away a decent starting achievement right at the last, especially against our nearest rivals. They looked like a team who had just had a kick in the backside when they emerged for the second half. With two of the hosts back four already booked, we needed to put some pressure onto them in this second half. Instead Tajikistan made a triple change in the 56th minute, and a minute later, one of them, Mahmadali Sodiqov launched a cross towards Manuchehr Jalilov, and it took a monumental effort for Faruh Abitov at the far post to prevent him from winning the header and potentially making it 2-0. Five minutes later, they went down the same route, and this time Abitov wasn't there to save us, fortunately the post was, as Jalilov's shot thumped right back off the base of the near upright. I made two changes for us in the 63rd minute, replacing Rustamjan Zakirov and Ahletdin Israilov with Baktay Taalaybek and Vitalij Lux. We would be rewarded within moments. On the right, Abitov and Murat Madaliev exhanged passes to make some room, and the latter whipped in a cross. The ball ricocheted off one of our players, possible Baktay Taalaybek, and ran right into the path of Mirlan Murzaev, who slotted the ball low into the bottom corner, to get our travelling supporters behind that goal jumping up and down with delight. I now really fancied our chances of winning this match, and with just over ten minutes left to play, I made my last change, trying to bring us more into the game down our left by switching Karim Izrailov for Raul' Dzhalilov. But it was Tajikistan who would create the game winning chance in the second minute of injury time, Muhammad Sultonov lifting the ball over our defence and Khamrakulov held off the efforts off Davron Askarov to force him wide, and got in his shot, fortunately Vladislav Volkov positioned himself well, and made the save look pretty easy. We had our point that we came for, and would stay above Tajikistan.

Tajikistan (1) 1 - Akhtam Khamrakulov (2)
Kyrgyzstan (0) 1 - Mirlan Murzaev (65)
Vladislav Volkov; Faruh Abitov, Davron Askarov (capt), Daniel Tagoe, Valery Kichin; Murat Madaliev, Rustamjan Zakirov (Baktay Taalaybek 63), Anatolii Vlasichev, Karim Izrailov (Raul' Dzhalilov 79); Ahletdin Israilov (Vitalij Lux 63), Mirlan Murzaev.
Ununsed Substitutes :- Marat Ajiniyazov, Pavel Matyash (GK), Shuhrat Rahmanov, Tamirlan Kozubaev, Yury Chukov, Murolim Ahmedov, Viktor Maier, Anton Zemlianukhin, Ruslan Amirov (GK).
Possession :- 43% - 57%. Shots On Target :- 5 - 6. Man of the Match :- Murat Madaliev (Kyrgyzstan).

The fans are pleased, not just with the point in Dushanbe, but with the Qualifying campaign as a whole. The Kyrgyzstan FA are also pretty pleased, stating that we were more competitive than expected, and they hoped we would be able to push on in the coming months and years. We may have failed to progress into the next stage of the World Cup Qualifiers, but the FA are pleased with the emergence of players such as Baktay Taalaybek, and the form of Valery Kichin.

Murat Madaliev's performance as a defensive winger was a revelation in Tajikistan according to the media, while the decision to leave Anton Zemlianukhin on the bench and not bring him on at all has left plenty of speculation as whether the 27 year old may now struggle to get into the Kyrgyzstan side in the future, a scenario that seemed impossible to imagine for football fans in this nation just over a year ago when I arrived.

Australia win the battle to top the Group, and we leave to head back to Bishkek with the Senior squad in buoyant mood after their third place finish. In a team meeting held when we arrive back in the capital city, I tell the players that I am proud of their efforts in Qualifying, but exceeding expectations will only heighten the demands from both the FA and the fans, and they will now be under pressue to reach the next level.

FIFA 2018 World Cup Qualifying, Asian Section Round 2, Group 2. Final Standings.

| Pos   | Inf   | Team       | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | GD    | Pts   | 
 
| 1st   | Q     | Australia  | 8     | 7     | 0     | 1     | 18    | 4     | 14    | 21    | 

| 2nd   | Q     | Jordan     | 8     | 6     | 1     | 1     | 17    | 4     | 13    | 19    | 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 3rd   |       | Kyrgyzstan | 8     | 2     | 3     | 3     | 11    | 8     | 3     | 9     | 

| 4th   |       | Tajikistan | 8     | 2     | 2     | 4     | 10    | 14    | -4    | 8     | 
 
| 5th   |       | Bangladesh | 8     | 0     | 0     | 8     | 1     | 27    | -26   | 0     |

neilhoskins77 · June 26, 2017

April 2016.

I was left wondering when the next spell of competitive International football would be. I would not have to wonder too long, and got my first clue that our fixture list was about to be filled out somewhat when our Friendly fixture against Nepal was cancelled. That fixture would be replaced by a trip to Iraq, which would be our first Qualifier and only one scheduled for this calendar year for the 2019 Asian Nations Cup, which would be held in the United Arab Emirates. A fixture against Iraq away stirs notions of another difficult Qualifying campaign to come. But maybe not. As the other two nations that would fight against us would be the minnows of Cambodia, and the nation we would likely be battling against for the second Qualifying spot, Turkmenistan.

So we're the second seeds in a Group of four, with two places available right into the Continents showpiece football tournament for International sides. Kyrgyzstan have never been to the Finals of a major football tournament. Surely, we will never have a better chance than this? The matches start in October, and over the next two year period we'll play six games. We start with the hardest match of the schedule, facing Iraq in Basra. We'll then wait a year before facing Cambodia and Turkmenistan at home in consecutive months. Iraq will travel to Bishkek in March of 2018, and we'll play our penultimate match in Turkmenistan in June. The final match will be in October, and we might find ourselves needing a win in Cambodia to secure a passage to the Finals in the UAE in January 2019, probably depending on how our matches against Turkmenistan have gone.

In Bishkek, a press conference had been held, where I told the media that Anatolii Vlashichev had performed well in his return to the side, and that in a team meeting before everyone returned to their clubs, I congratulated the Senior Squad on their achievement in coming third in that FIFA World Cup Qualifying Group, and then told them that we now needed to push on, and we had been handed a draw that made a first ever appearance in the Asian Nations Cup a very real and achievable target. I tell the press that while we'll some tough challenges in that Qualifying Group, I'm optimistic.

Let's tie up the loose ends of World Cup Qualifying at this point. There are twelve nations still left in the running for the five spots available to Asian nations for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. They are split into two Groups of six, with the top two in each Group taking their place in the Summer showpiece. The two nations who finish in third place would meet each other in a Playoff to settle the fifth and final spot. There are two nations who might have been expected to get into the Final Stage that haven't made it. The first of those were Iraq, who missed out on Qualification as a result of the rise in prominence of the Vietnamese. The South East Asian nation will take a spot in Group B, where they are joined by Oman, South Korea, United Arab Emirates, and also Australia and Jordan, paired together once again after both coming through our Qualifying Group. The other side who may have been expected to be present in this stage, are Kuwait, who failed to Qualify and sacked their Coach immediately. On the other side of the draw, Group A would see Japan, China and Saudi Arabia renew their triangluar rivalry, joined by Iran and Qatar, and finally the potential dark horses, and the only nation to post a 100% record in the Second Stage of the Qualifying process, Uzbekistan.

With no more International action scheduled until September, the focus would now very much return domestic club action. With no Director of Football on board yet, the Chairman has decided to keep an eye out for players for the First Team, and he is has brought in 22 year old left back, Kayrat Akparali, on a two week trial. He was released by Ala-Too Naryn at the end of last season and has yet to make his Senior debut. He can't play for us while he is on trial, and there is no Reserve or Youth team to allow him to have a run out in, so we'll be relying on training reports to make a decision on whether he stays with us or not. He'll be watching from the stands as we face KG United at home, the side relegated from the High League last season.

Saturday 2nd April 2016 - 15:00pm
Kyrgyzstani Division One, Zone A
Urozhay, Belovodskoye, Kyrgyzstan
FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye v KG United
Attendance :- 181. Weather :- 16c.

Oleg Popov passes a fitness test and is able to play with a lightweight cast on his injured wrist. In the end, I make the decision to leave him on the bench, while Georgiy Slavnyi, who only started training again on Thursday, is left out of the squad altogether for this one. So it's Azamat Usubakunov who starts up front for this match alongside skipper Nazar Isakov, while Arstanbek Agzamov remains on the bench as our substitute keeper. We're very much second favourites for this match despite the home advantage.

We were under pressure from the start against a side that were hoping to bounce right back into the top flight at the first attempt. Odiljon Abdurahmanov had to put in a well timed early tackle with just minutes on the clock, and Aleksandr Bochkarev had to make a brave block when Dilmuradjon Pozilov headed down a free kick that came into the box, and Mustafa Ismailov let a shot at goal go. Midway through the half, left back Vladimir Kholkovskiy stopped Elaman Sarbaev's run down the right, and turned defence into attack by lifting the ball over our defence and sending Bekmyrza Sagynbaev in clear on goal. The striker got into the penalty box, and attempted a low shot, but Farukh Mayrambekov had come off his line and saved well with his legs. The good news was that we made it through the opening spell of the match without being broken down, though we were most certainly riding our luck at times, Sagynbaev forcing another save from Mayrambekov with a shot from the edge of the box, and from the resulting corner, Kholkovskiy headed the ball back across goal, and Sagynbaev should have buried his header, but he headed it right at our keeper. We had spent a lot of the first half on the back foot, but I was fairly pleased, we had shown a defensive resiliance that I hadn't seen from us before, and we were doing it against a club how had been playing top tier football last season.

Of the three strikers that United had playing, they changed two of them at the break. But we started much better after the break, with Nazar Isakov and Azamat Usubakunov were finally getting some service, though we were lacking with the final pass. That lad to us being counter attacked five minutes into the second half, and newly introduced striker Vyacheslav Kazakbaev took advantage of Abdurahmanov's lack of pace, getting a touch to the ball in front of our defender, and getting in on goal, once more forcing a save from Mayrambekov. The ball was booted behind by Azim Azarov, but nothing came from that corner. Their next corner would come in the 72nd minute, a little while after we'd made our first change. Dilmuradjon Bolotbaev drifted a corner into the box, and Kazakbaev arrived to connect with a bullet header that found the net. Young defender Veniamin Akbaraliev had replaced Abdurahmanov ten minutes or so earlier, and it was he who lost his man at the set piece. Moments later, after we tried a counter attack that Ismailov broke up in the centre of the park, we were caught ourselves. Nazar Duyshenaliev was sent away down the left, and he crossed it deep to the far post, where Bolotbaev connected with a header that again beat Mayrambekov. After holding them out for three quarters of the match or more, we had been opened up twice in the space of a few minutes. I made a pair of changes, Vladimir Ryzhenko came off, Ermek Nusubaliev moving to the left, and Taalaibek Jamshidov coming on to go into centre midfield. I also brought on Oleg Popov, with Isakov going off. Late on, Sagynbaev passed up a chance to shoot himself, squaring the ball to Kazakbaev, who should have scored, but fired the wrong side of the near post. We had never threatened enough at the other end of the park to win this match, and if we had held out for a point, people would be saying how lucky we were.

FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye (0) 0
KG United (0) 2 - Vyacheslav Kazakbaev (72), Dilmuradjon Bolotbaev (75)
Farukh Mayrambekov; Nursultan Aripov, Aleksandr Bochkarev, Odiljon Abdurahmanov (Veniamin Akbaraliev 61), Azim Azarov; Elaman Sarbaev, Ermek Nusubaliev, Bahtiyar Duyshobekov, Vladimir Ryzhenko (Taalaibek Jamshidov 77); Nazar Isakov (capt - Oleg Popov 77), Azamat Usubakunov.
Unused Substitutes :- Arstanbek Agzamov (GK), Omurbek Talantbekov.
Possession :- 55% - 45%. Shots On Target :- 5 - 9. Man of the Match :- Dilmuradjon Bolotbaev (KG United).

6'5 teenage centre back, Veniamin Akbaraliev, didn't have the best experience in his first ever Senior outing, and he looked a bit despondent sat in the dressing room after the game. We might have a young squad, but they certainly rallied around the youngster, and the smile was back on his face a hour later. I'm going to have to show some patience with some of the lads that we're hoping to make solid footballers out of. If I started dropping players or handing out the hair dryer treatment every time one of them makes a mistake, we'd soon have no players left.

Neftchi Kochkor-Ata look like they might be striking out as the main challengers to move up into the top tier next season. After taking runner's-up spot in last seasons third tier, they are chasing a second consecutive promotion, and continue their impressive early season form with a win over one of the sides currently dwelling in the relegation zone, Zhivoye Pivo. They won't necessarily need to win the Title to go up, but if they have their hearts set on that, they'll be chasing Alay Osh Reserves, who remain a point ahead of them with a win of their own away to Nashe Pivo. In the other match of the days fixture list, Alga Bishkek Reserves earned a win against Abdysh-Ata Kant Under-18's.

neilhoskins77 · June 30, 2017

April 2016 (cont).

Into the new week, and we're given another clue as to how unfashionable it is to play for this club, as Bekmyrza Duvanaev, the Under-23's International striker, who has been without a club now since November, and has since had two failed trials with Dordoy, spurns our attempts to interest him in a move to our club. He states his reason is that he doesn't believe we can offer a financial package that would be good enough for him. I ask him to allow us to prove him wrong, knowing full well that I still have around 80% of my wage budget available to use. He isn't budging, though he then leaps at the chance to become a backup player for Alga Bishkek. Very frustrating. Even more so when it happened again the following day, with another Under-23 International player Ilgiz Ermekov, with Alga Bishkek once again the club that have jumped ahead of us in the queue.

Despite the continued knock backs, I persisted with my tactic of attempting to convince higher profile players to make the move to Urozhay. I was firmly of the mindset that if I could get one to sign up, others would follow. Even I'll have to admit my next target was a bit too ambitious however. Anatolii Vlasichev had refused to even discuss a contract with us when he had been without club, now I was trying to pinch him from the League Champions where he had only recently signed, Alay Osh. Predictably, he wasn't interested, but Alay were concerned enough to give their midfielder a new 18 month contract that nearly doubled his wages overnight.

Our Scouting team were still doing what they could to unearth some talent for us, but that's a tough ask in a country with limited football resources such as this one. Any player with real potential has long since been spotted by the larger clubs, and taken into their systems. The only chance a club such as ours has of attracting them is if they get spat back out of those systems a year or two down the line. Even our Chairman is continuing to try and help us out in that regard, as he makes an offer to bring in 17 year old Ala-Too Naryn striker Davranbek Kol'baev on a loan deal. I suspect that right now, he isn't a player who is going to help us too much, and veto the deal, though I do ask our scouts to keep an eye on him over the coming weeks and months.

We have our last League match for nearly a month next on the schedule, a trip into the capital city of Bishkek to face up to the Reserve side of Alga. No-one really has much in the way of hope for us in fixtures like this, as we're expected to be very much second best to a side that are predicted to be one of the front runners in our Division this season.

Saturday 9th April 2016 - 15:00pm
Kyrgyzstani Division One, Zone A
Trudovye Rezervy, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Alga Bishkek Reserves v FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye
Attendance :- 195. Weather :- 18c.

We were very lively from the off, and Vladimir Ryzhenko curled a through ball into the box aiming for Azamat Usubakunov, but he was just beaten to it Azamat Salymbekov, who almost knocked the ball into his own net, Edgar Karlov having to be quick on his feet to keep the ball out and prevent it spilling loose to the still lurking Usubakunov. The wings were a fruitful source of attacking for us in the early stages, and when Ryzhenko couldn't escape attention down the left, he passed it inside to Bahtiyar Duyshobekov who sent the ball right to Elaman Sarbaev. He crossed into the centre for Usubakunov, who connected with a powerful header, Karlov pushing it over the bar with a spectacular save. The tide turned somewhat after that, and Ulugbek Joroev crossed into the middle at the other end of the park, Bekmurat Subanov sent a half volley onto the target, Farkh Mayrambekov making a point blank save to keep us from going behind against the run of play. The attacking play quietened down after that, and the only other real action of the first half was shortly before the break, where Subanov and Ryzhenko collided, both players feeling the effects sufficiently to have to leave the park. Taalaibek Jamshidov came on for us, taking a place in the middle of the park, with Ermek Nusubaliev moving onto the left wing to take over from Ryzhenko.

I would love to tell you that in the second half, we defended stoutly against a superior opponent, and refused to allow them through. Fortunately, I don't have to report that we were battered by that superior opponent either. Frankly, the second half was a virtual non event. Alga made both their changes before the halfway point of the second half, while I waited till the 70th minute to make both of my remaining changes. Oleg Popov came on with his arm cased up in a lightweight cast to replace Usubakunov, while Sarbaev was replaced on the right wing by Omurbek Talantbekov. Neither side could create a chance to win this one though, a match largely dominated by two defences. As it goes, I'm pretty happy to be able to say that against one of the better sides in the Division.

Alga Bishkek Reserves (0) 0
FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye (0) 0
Farukh Mayrambekov; Nursultan Aripov, Aleksandr Bochkarev, Odiljon Abdurahmanov, Azim Azarov; Elaman Sarbaev (Omurbek Talantbekov 70), Ermek Nusubaliev, Bahtiyar Duyshobekov, Vladimir Ryzhenko (inj - Taalaibek Jamshidov 42); Nazar Isakov (capt), Azamat Usubakunov (Oleg Popov 70).
Unused Substitutes :- Veniamin Akbaraliev, Georgiy Slavnyi (GK).
Possession :- 42% - 58%. Shots On Target :- 3 - 4. Man of the Match :- Nursultan Aripov (FC Belovodsk).

Apart from a goal, I couldn't have asked for much more from my players. The formation is starting to come together, and defensively, we played really well today. I now just need us to find a way to remain that solid at the back, while becoming more of a threat at the other end of the park as well. We will be without Vladimir Ryzhenko for a couple of weeks, the youngster suffered a concussion after clashing heads with Bekmurat Subanov, who will miss ten days of action himself.

Nursultan Aripov took the man of the match award with a performance at the back that was mature well above his young years. His composure was certainly picked out as being a highlight, and the 21 year old his really starting to grow into his role as one of the older players on the squad. Alga weren't the only second string side to drop points today, in fact, the only ones who earned a win were Alay Osh, who's Reserves managed a 1-0 win away to their current huge enemies, Dordoy. There was also defeat for Abdysh-Ata Kant's Under-18's, who lost away to a Neftchi Kochkor-Ata side that really looking like they might be contenders this season. Nashe Pivo Kant managed to get their first win of the campaign on the board with a home win over KG United.

neilhoskins77 · July 2, 2017

April 2016 (cont).

My attempts to improve Kyrgyzstan's International football profile will continue in 2017, as we look to broaden our horizons when it comes to Friendly Internationals. We extend an invite to Cyprus to visit Bishkek in March next year, and they have accepted our invite. They will be, I believe, the highest ranked opponents we have faced in a non competitive match.

For the first time, players start to voice their discontent about their playing time at Urozhay. Sixteen year old centre back, Sergei Keneshov is quickly brought back into line. He stormed into the office and said he deserved a chance to play. I told him I didn't necessarily disagree, however Aleksandr Bochkarev has been playing well, and he needs to wait for his chance, and prove he deserves to play more regularly. He said he accepts that challenge, and left as quickly as he had arrived. It wasn't long before I received another visit, this time from 17 year old forward, Omurbek Talantbekov. He has had to make do with a couple of cameo performances from the bench so far, and I tell him that it's a long season, and that he should be patient. He isn't buying that, so I change tactic, and tell him that right now, Elaman Sarbaev is excelling in the defensive winger role that we have implemented. He is far more willing to accept that, but before he leaves promises that once he gets his chance, he intends to make sure I can't overlook him again in the future. I'm absolutely fine with that kind of attitude.

This weekend we will kick off our Kyrgyzstani Cup campaign with a trip to face third tier club, Energetic Kara-Kulja. With the Chairman of the club, Azamat Samsaliev, still doing the role of the Director of Football, I instructed him to try and land Energetic's 17 year old centre back, Erzat Jumashev. The youngsters performances in Zone B have improved steadily throughout the season so far, and he is going to start playing his way into contention for a place in the International Under-19 squad soon I believe. He isn't interested in speaking to us however, and the reason why soon becomes clear. We're not the only admirers of his talents, and he has decided to wait it out in the hope of getting an offer from either Ala-Too Naryn or FC Kara-Balta from the High League. The Chairman goes back to the same club and makes an offer for striker Islam Yrysbek. I feel we would be over paying for the youngster, and instruct the Chairman to withdraw the offer for now, but ask the Scouting team to add the player to the list of players we are keeping an eye on for the future.

Another striker would be handy though, especially with what I have planned by way of a new tactic for us to try. An offer of £1,500 to Alay Osh for Under-19 International striker Almaz Omoraliev is accepted, but the player has no interest in discussing terms with us at this point. Meanwhile, left back trialist Kayrat Akparali has impressed in training during his two week stint with us, though we have not come to an agreement with the former Ala-Too Naryn player at this point, his appearance fee demands are deemed to be excessive. The latest FIFA World Rankings are released, and we have retained the 145th position that we moved into last month. With no more International football until the late summer, I am expecting us to drop down the rankings over the next few months.

I have had the lads working on yet another new formation. The 4-4-2 is grinding out results, but we're not effective enough at scoring goals. So from the absolutely orthodox, we're going to try something much different. It's a very deep 2-4-1-3, with two centre backs, and two defensive midfielders right in front of them. They will be flanked by wing backs, with just one centre midfielder playing in front of them. At the sharp end of the park, we will go with three strikers. The idea is very clear, limit space for the opposition, and when we win the ball, thump it up the park to let our three strikers make the magic happen. It's not a complicated plan, but I'm hoping it's an effective one. It gets it's first run out in Saturday's match in the Kyrgyzstani Cup.

Saturday 16th April 2016 - 15:00pm
Kyrgyzstani Cup, Second Round
Energetic Kara-Kulja Stadium, Kara-Kulja, Kyrgyzstan
Energetic Kara-Kulja v FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye
Attendance :- 152. Weather :- 14c.

Farukh Mayrambekov keeps his place in goal for now, with Aleksandr Bochkarev and Odiljon Abdurahmanov selected to play at centre back. It's the same full backs that we've been using regularly this season pushed forward to the wing back roles, which comes a lot more naturally to Nursultan Aripov than it does to Azim Azarov, who will have a lot of work to do over the coming weeks. It's a similar situation with the defensive midfielders, as Elaman Sarbaev is a natural, while Bahtiyar Duyshovekov is pretty uncomfortable in that role, and will need to learn the intricacies of playing in front of the centre backs. Ermek Nusubaliev will literally perform any role asked of him in our side, and he'll sit in the middle of the park as our first line of defence, and first to try and support our trio of strikers.

The new tactic made a very promising start, as we took the lead in the 3rd minute with our first attack, albeit slightly fortuitously. From the left wing back spot, the ball was thrown to Abdurahmanov, and he did exactly what was asked of him, launching it straight up the park to Oleg Popov on halfway. After holding the ball up well, he spotted the overlap of Aripov, and the wing back sent over the ball, but it was overhit. It somehow dropped under the bar, and was fumbled over his own goal line by home keeper Syymykbek Kamilov, though Aripov was still credited with the goal. We were almost caught out just moments later at the other end, a pass was played into the right channel of the box, and Islam Yrysbek stood it up into the centre, Ergeldi Chynybekov glanced a header over Mayrambekov's reach, but it hit the underside of the bar before being hacked clear. We attacked again on the half hour, and Aripov was involved once more. He took a short throw in to Nazar Isakov, and then when he got it back, sent a deep cross to the far post, where Azamat Usubakunov half volleyed home his first goal for the club. So far so good when we reached half time.

Energetic made a change at the break, and then a second one right after we scored our third goal ten minutes later. Duyshobekov strode through the midfield, and picked out Isakov. The striker played a quick one-two with Aripov, and then struck a low left footed curling shot inside the far post and became the third player in our colours to open his account for the club this afternoon. They made their third and final change right after another goal, though this time it was one they scored themselves. Kayrat Akulenko took a leaf out of our new book, as he blocked an attempted ball through their defence, and smashed it up the park. Yrysbek chased it down despite struggling with his hamstring, and walked in on goal, surprising Mayrambekov with an early shot that he smashed into the top corner. The quality of the finish increased our admiration of his talent, and I will certainly be continuing to keep an eye on him, with a potential longer term plan to bring him to our club. Energetic were now in a spell where they were taking control, and only a superb close range stop by our keeper from an effort by Chynybekov prevented the margin of our lead being cut in half. Instead, just over midway through the half, the counter attacking that I planned this tactic to offer worked to perfection. When a cross into the box was headed away by Abdurahmanov, it was Nusubaliev who made sure he was first to it, and he sent the ball over the halfway line to Isakov. The striker rolled his marker, and then angled a diagonal through ball into the path of Usubakunov, the striker dispatching the ball under the keeper and inside the near post to put us 4-1 to the good with just over twenty minutes to play.

We weren't done yet though. Straight from the restart, Usubakunov tried an ambitious long range effort to complete his hatrick. That one was unsuccessful, but when Sarbaev played a long ball into the left channel, his header back across goal was perfect, and Isakov cooly sidefooted home his second of the match from ten yards out to make it 5-1. The foot came off the gas, which was a bit of a shame as we had two players on course to get their trebles. When Mayrambekov was called into action once more, I decided to make a triple change with the game very much out of Energetic's reach. That didn't quite have the desired effect when Kamilov launched a huge clearance down the park, and Yrysbek got there first, crossing from the left and finding Chynybekov who managed to get there in front of Veniamin Akbaraliev, who had only been on the field ninety seconds. Fortunately, it wasn't a goal that was going to spoil our day, as we ran out comfortable winners on a good day for the new tactic.

Energetic Kara-Kulja (0) 2 - Islam Yrysbek (59), Ergeldi Chynybekov (75)
FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye (2) 5 - Nursultan Aripov (3), Azamat Usubakunov (30,69), Nazar Isakov (54,71)
Farukh Mayrambekov; Aleksandr Bochkarev, Odiljon Abdurahmanov (Veniamin Akbaraliev 74); Nursultan Aripov, Elaman Sarbaev, Bahtiyar Duyshobekov, Azim Azarov; Erbek Nusubaliev (Taalaibek Jamshidov 74); Nazar Isakov (capt), Oleg Popov, Azamat Usubakunov (Valeriy Jumagulov 74).
Unused Substitutes :- Georgiy Slavnyi (GK), Omurbek Talantbekov.
Possession :- 49% - 51%. Shots On Target :- 6 - 9. Man of the Match :- Nazar Isakov (FC Belovodsk).

There was very little not to like about that performance. Against a club that are sat in third place in Zone B, and in decent form coming into this match, we sacrificed a bit of our possession with our new style, but still held a very slight edge. It was worth it for the big increase in chances created, with a lot of them being on target as well. We might need to do some work with the wing backs to try and stop the ever present crossing issue causing us problems in defence, but for a first run out, that will do nicely. It takes us into the Third Round, which means the Board are more than happy. The only thing the fans can find to complain about is Azamat Usubakunov being replaced when he had a chance of getting a hatrick. Aside from that, they are delighted with the performance and how much more dangerous we looked in attack, and also seeing Valeriy Jumagulov make his Senior debut after being signed from grey status back in pre season.

The Cup did manage to provide a few shocks, most notably High League side Abdysh-Ata Kant being knocked out away from home against Zone B side, Shakhter Kyzyl-Kia on penalties after a scoreless 120 minutes. Nashe Pivo Kant were also knocked out, losing at home to another side from the third tier, Aldier Kurshab. We're now without a match for three weeks, with the next date on the calendar being the following day, when the draw for Round Three of the Cup takes place. I was hoping for a home draw, and I wasn't too fussed who we would play against. As it was, I got the home draw, and we would have a chance to move into the last eight as well, as we would take on Division rivals, Zhivoye Pivo Kant. That match would take place on the final weekend of May, where the tie of the round would also take place, as Dordoy Bishkek are drawn to face Alay Osh at home.

With no match on the weekend, the players threw themselves into training, too much in the case of Odiljon Abdurahmanov, as the centre back damages his foot landing awkwardly after heading the ball. He is going to miss around a month, which isn't great news for us as he has been a regular in the side so far this season. There would be a second injury before the month was out too, as Elaman Sarbaev suffered a groin strain while attempting a sprint, so he will also be out for around a month as well.

In League action, the focus is mainly on Sunday's match, where the top two meet. As it was, Alay Osh Reserves and Neftchi Kochkor-Ata produced a bore draw, but they are still well ahead of the pack. KG United reduced the gap a little in their attempt to get back into the top flight at the first attempt with a win at home to Alga Bishkek Reserves, who they are now level on points with. Abdysh-Ata Kant Under-18's leapfrogged over us with a win over now bottom side, Nashe Pivo Kant. Their neighbours and our Cup opponents, Zhivoye Pivo, moved level on points with us with a win over Dordoy's Reserve side. The expected dominance of the second string sides is not materialising. Behind the top two, it's a very tight Division though, with only a win seperating third place from the bottom of the table.

2016 Kyrgyzstani Division One, Zone A Standings. Up to & Including Sunday 24th April 2016.

| Pos | Inf   | Team                | Pld   | Won   | Drn   | Lst   | For   | Ag    | GD    | Pts   |                              

| 1st |       | Alay-2              | 6     | 4     | 2     | 0     | 9     | 3     | 6     | 14    |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
| 2nd |       | Neftchi Kochkor-Ata | 5     | 4     | 1     | 0     | 10    | 3     | 7     | 13    |  
| 3rd |       | Alga-2              | 6     | 2     | 1     | 3     | 8     | 9     | -1    | 7     | 
| 4th |       | KG United           | 5     | 2     | 1     | 2     | 6     | 6     | 0     | 7     |  
| 5th |       | Abdysh-Ata U-18's   | 5     | 2     | 0     | 3     | 8     | 8     | 0     | 6     |  
| 6th |       | Dordoy-2            | 5     | 2     | 0     | 3     | 8     | 9     | -1    | 6     |  
| 7th |       | Belovodsk           | 5     | 1     | 2     | 2     | 4     | 6     | -2    | 5     | 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
| 8th |       | Zhivoye Pivo        | 5     | 1     | 2     | 2     | 7     | 10    | -3    | 5     |  
| 9th |       | Nashe Pivo          | 6     | 1     | 1     | 4     | 6     | 12    | -6    | 4     |

neilhoskins77 · July 4, 2017

May 2016.

The Board at FC Belovodsk are pleased with how things are going so far, and my job is ranked as 65% stable right now. This appraisal was helped by the very tight control I have on the financial side of things at Urozhay, though the club did lose just over £2,000 in April. Believe me, I'd spend the budget if I could get the players to come here. There was one negative though, the Board believe that centre back Aleksandr Bochkarev has been a poor signing. I don't agree with them. Playing centre back at a club such as ours is never going to be anything other than hard work. Despite being only 20 years old, he has to take on the role of being a leader in this side. I believe, and hope, he will continue to grow as a player under us.

After making his Senior debut for real off the bench in our last outing, seventeen year old striker Valeriy Jumagulov has told me that he was expecting to play a lot more football for us than he has managed so far. I'm stern with him, telling him he is a new player here, and has no right to expect to waltz right into the First Team. He reiterates his point, saying that he would some assurances that he'll get more game time. I told him to prove he deserves it, but he walks right back out, saying he has been treated unfairly. It looks already like his brief time at the club could soon be coming to an abrupt end.

We have a home League match on the weekend, as we are set to welcome Nashe Pivo Kant to Urozhay. After our outing in the Cup back in mid-April, we are now expecting our highest attendance figure for a home match so far this season, in a match that we must be looking to take a win from to ease ourselves away from the foot of the table. This match marks the start of three home matches this month, with Dordoy Bishkek Reserves scheduled to face us in a fortnight, followed by out home Cup tie the following weekend against Zhivoye Pivo Kant. The bookies have us as home favourites for Saturday's match, mainly down to Nashe Pivo's poor form on the road so far in this campaign.

Saturday 7th May 2016 - 15:00pm
Kyrgyzstani Division One, Zone A
Urozhay, Belovodskoye, Kyrgyzstan
FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye v Nashe Pivo Kant
Attendance :- 233. Weather :- 23c.

Despite the success of our new formation in Kara-Kulja last time out, I am not brave enough to repeat the tactic in a home match that we dare not lose. So it's back to the 4-4-2 for this one, with Farukh Mayrambekov still holding off Georgiy Slavnyi to take the place between the uprights. With Odiljon Abdurahamanov out, there is a start at centre back for Igor Abdullaev, while Omurbek Talantbekov replaces the injured Elaman Sarbaev on the right wing. Vladimir Ryzhenko returns to play on the left, allowing Ermek Nusubaliev to return to the centre of the park, while up front, Azamat Usubakunov is selected to play as our most advanced player, with Nazar Isakov behind him, and Oleg Popov waiting for his chance on the bench. Sergei Keneshov will be hoping to make his debut from the bench as well, while Alexandr Merzlyakov is also brought back into the First Team fold.

We made the early running, and created the first chance in the 8th minute. Nazar Isakov couldn't make room for himself, but did find a pass to Ermek Nusubaliev. He sent the ball square across the box, and found Bahtiyar Duyshobekov. A more accomplished finisher may have found the net, but our midfielder waited too long, and when he did let a shot go, Faruh Sydykov threw himself in front of it to block the ball away. The first half so no more significant goal action until half time had nearly arrived. At that point, Atay Jumashev chased down a long ball down the left, and did a great job to keep the ball in, and an even better job to pick out Murat Kaliubin, who's volley beat Mayrambekov, but came back off the upright. Nashe Pivo should have been a goal up, but instead found themselves a goal down just over a minute later. Mayrambekov collected a cross, and threw the ball out to Nursultan Aripov. The ball was played down the line to Omurbek Talantbekov, who involved himself twice in the build up, the second time finding Nusubaliev, who in turn found Isakov, and the ball was played to Usubakunov. With little in the way of options, he struck a curling shot from the edge of the box that Timur Talypjanov didn't read early enough, and the keeper was beaten by the shot that found the bottom corner to give us a priceless half time lead, though it could have been an even better situation if we had made more of the dominance we asserted in the final moments before we reached the interval.

Nashe Pivo made a pair of changes at the break, and one of the ones subs, Sergei Abdraimov, picked out Jumashev with a superb cross quickly after the restart, though it was wasted by the strikers poor header down that was easily cleared from danger. Instead, on the 51st minute, Azim Azarov reached a clearance and sent the ball down the left touchline for Vladimir Ryzhenko. He celebrated his return to the First Team by looping a cross to the far post, agonisingly out of reach of the Nashe Pivo defence, and Isakov guided his header beyond the reach of Talypjanov and high into the net to double our lead. That goal saw our visitors take one of those half time subs right back off as they changes tactic. We made our own first change just after the hour, with booked debutant Igor Abdullaev replaced by another debut maker, Sergei Keneshov. Moments later, we broke in a four on two situation, Ryzhenko sending Duyshobekov into space. The midfielder did everything correctly, drawing the defender before slipping a square pass to Nusubaliev, who didn't appreaciate how much room he had, and lashed an early shot just wide of the target. With around twenty minutes to go, Ryzhenko was guilty of trying to do a bit to much on his own, and Pavel Shakirov took the ball from him. Two passes later, and our defence was sliced wide open, with Kaliubin sending a pass to Ivan Ahmedov, and the forward lifting it over Mayrambekov's dive at his feet to close the match to just a one goal game. As Nashe Pivo poured forward, and Nusubaliev lost the ball in a dangerous place, I was looking at my options. Luckily, the assistant referee was looking across the line, and spotted that Ahmedov was just offside when he span and curled a shot into the net via the underside of the bar. I needed to find a way to refocus my side, and elected to go to five at the back with a defensive midfielder sat in front as well. Isakov was sacrificed, Duyshobekov moved into the rear guard, while Taalaibek Jamshidov came on to play the holding role. With only two or three minutes remaining, I took some time off the clock by replacing Talantbekov with Alexandr Merzlyakov on the right wing. When Duyshobekov swung in a free kick in injury time, the recently introduced sub was hauled back by his jersey by Kayrat Ahmedov. The ref pointed the spot, and we could now make the game safe. Talypjanov has other ideas though, and he flung himself to his left to keep out Usubakunov's fairly poorly struck penalty. Thankfully, we saw out the remaining minute or so, and that miss would not prove to be a crucial one on this day.

FC Belovodsk Belovodskoye (1) 2 - Azamat Usubakunov (44), Nazar Isakov (51)
Nashe Pivo Kant (0) 1 - Ivan Ahmedov (70)
Farukh Mayrambekov; Nursultan Aripov, Aleksandr Bochkarev, Igor Abdullaev (Sergei Keneshov 62), Azim Azarov; Omurbek Talantbekov (Alexandr Merlyakov 87), Ermek Nusubaliev, Bahtiyar Duyshobekov, Vladimir Ryzhenko; Nazar Isakov (capt - Taalaibek Jamshidov 77), Azamat Usubakunov.
Unused Substitutes :- Georgiy Slavnyi (GK), Oleg Popov.
Possession :- 60% - 40%. Shots On Target :- 8 - 2. Man of the Match :- Timur Talypjanov (Nashe Pivo Kant).

So that change of tactics came up trumps, and we created a lot more chances with that 4-4-2 than we would normally have expected. It's starting to look like we need to think about using the 4-4-2 for games where it's expected to be tight, while in matches where we are perceived to have nothing to lose, the counter attacking may be the way to go.

Two more of our young players have made their debuts for the club, and I when I pointed out how tight the League was, even I didn't expect us to leap right up into third place from seventh. Before you ask, no, I'm not expecting us to manage to get involved in the hunt for promotion, I'm just happy we're able to move away from the relegation fight, for the time being at least. Alay Osh Reserves have established a lead at the top after their home win over Zhivoye Pivo Kant, while their rivals for the Title at Neftchi Kochkor-Ata are held to a draw away to KG United. That means there is a three point lead at the top, though Neftchi have a game in hand, as do we, though we are six points adrift of the side that are currently looking favourites to be promoted, regardless of whether they win the Title or not. That third place would be ours for just 24 hours, as Dordoy Reserves won away to Abdysh-Ata Kant Under-18's on Sunday afternoon, moving a point ahead of both ourselves and KG United. We face the newly installed third place side in our next match in a fortnight's time at Urozhay.

neilhoskins77 · July 5, 2017

The first crash dump on this save occurred last night. Since then, I have attempted several changes to the database, including retrieving an older backed-up copy of the save that I had kept as a safeguard. No matter what I do, the game crashes on the same day at the same point. I'm pretty gutted that this one is stopping here. I was really enjoying this challenge, and I think over the coming years we would have managed to Qualify for a major tournament. I think I'll do some tweaking to try and sort out the problem with the database, maybe try and older version of the game, and then start up again. Maybe with Kyrgyzstan again, maybe with another nation of similar stature. Apologies to those who were reading, it's one of the pitfalls of using obscure Leagues and Nations. Cheers.

CFuller · July 5, 2017

It's a real shame to see yet another of your stories bite the dust, Neil. Using custom leagues can be a minefield, even if you have tested them beforehand.

For what it's worth, what files were you using for this save? I used claassen's Uzbekistan league file when I had a save with that national team in FM16, and I didn't encounter any problems in the 3-4 seasons that my career ran for.

neilhoskins77 · July 5, 2017

4 hours ago, CFuller said:

It's a real shame to see yet another of your stories bite the dust, Neil. Using custom leagues can be a minefield, even if you have tested them beforehand.

For what it's worth, what files were you using for this save? I used claassen's Uzbekistan league file when I had a save with that national team in FM16, and I didn't encounter any problems in the 3-4 seasons that my career ran for.

I used Claessen's files previously, and was told by the SI squad that it was the cause of one of my doomed saves. However, I suspect it might be the amount of them that I use, rather than the files itself. After doing some checking into it, there seems to be an opinion that when you use a large number of them together, they start to clash and cause the problems. As you know, I do have a fondness for obscure destinations, and making my games as realistic as I can. I wouldn't really want an Asia based International save running such as this one, and only have a fraction of the nations having detailed Leagues, as that would surely skew what happens in the game.

Diego Imposta · November 6, 2017

Great story. I've just finished your first year but I couldn't avoid spoilers. I used to love an obscure claassen save but when it goes wrong it rips your heart out.

As a reader, if I carry on with your FM17 story is it possible to suspend disbelief and stitch the two together?

neilhoskins77 · November 6, 2017

1 hour ago, Diego Imposta said:

Great story. I've just finished your first year but I couldn't avoid spoilers. I used to love an obscure claassen save but when it goes wrong it rips your heart out.

As a reader, if I carry on with your FM17 story is it possible to suspend disbelief and stitch the two together?

I've tried as best as I could to do the stitching together for you Diego. The first post in the reboot explains the changes, but essentially, it is a continuation as far as the reader is concerned, though it is International only for now at least. Glad you enjoyed it, cheers for the comment.

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[FM'16] The Impossible Dream. An International Football Experiment.

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