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(FM13) Super Caley go ballistic or they are atrocious: a Scandinavian Shankly story


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Apologies for this, but with (unexpected) work and general family life limiting my game-time, I've had to have a change of plan. 

I like to have a good 3-4 hour chunk of time to play when I move clubs, to help me understand the club, set training plans, decide my strengths and weaknesses in the squad and to go into the transfer market where I can. Unfortunately, I'm not able to find that kind of time at the moment, it's more an hour here or there, but I want to play the game in those odd hours I do get. 

The best way for me to do that is pick the game back up the day after the Scottish Cup final, and before I've left Scotland. Apologies again, but I'd rather jump back than not be able to play. 

Cheers

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Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Season preview - SPL 2019/20

Media expectation: 2nd
Board expectation: win the title

Transfer budget (remaining): €13.25m
Wage budget: €500,000p/w (€150,000p/w under budget)

Apologies again for the change, but the new season is just about good to go. Luckily I didn't down tools when I decided I was leaving, so I didn't have any issues picking things straight back up again. You may have noticed though that I've switched from GBP to Euros, that's simply because I tend to flick it over when I move to a mainland European club. When I resumed at Inverness and started my transfer activity though, I hadn't changed it as I simply didn't notice, so all the fees I'd written down to prepare this post were in Euros. I actually thought I'd sold a player for a new record fee in this window, but it wasn't to be! Ah well, no big deal, but I'll stick to Euros everywhere in future, I guess. 

The board have announced the stadium will be expanded to its full-size this summer, so we'll have a capacity of 20,000 by the time the Champions League groups start in September. They also spent around €5m on another youth upgrade, but they refused my request for an increase in youth recruitment funding. 

I mentioned that Celtic won a second Europa League last season as well as our progression to the last 16 of the Champions League, and that seems to have been recognised with the competition rankings. The league has jumped from 16th to 11th, which puts us hot on the heels of the Eredivisie, the league I'd planned to move to. Maybe we can get beyond it in the next few years? The club have also jumped, we're now 33rd in the coefficient ranking. Not bad at all. 

We have had a busy transfer window, which is why there is quite as much cash hanging around the club at the moment (the current bank balance is a little over €27m, and that's before we get our Champions League payment.) Brazilian Wanderley had been adamant that he wanted to leave, and as I couldn't get a work permit to offer him a new contract, I didn't mind selling him. I had wanted £10m, which would have been a record. Instead I got €10m (just shy of the €10.25m received for Araújo last season) so Wanderley is taking a well-trodden path from Scotland to Southampton. Another big-money deal going out the club was for defender Florian Heinrich, who joins Stoke for €8m. Full back Ben McLaughlin is back off to England just a year after heading north, he joins Forest for €2.5m, and Sean Murray is off to Fulham for €1.5m. The final fee received was for David Wotherspoon, who joins Coventry for €450,000. We also sent out three youth prospects for the year on loan deals - Neil Wilson is off to Leeds, Daniel Greig joins Stoke after impressing at Aberdeen last year (he scored 19 times for the Dons) which is where young Stephen Johnston is off to for this campaign. That's over €22m in transfer fees this summer. 

We've spent around €7.25m ourselves this summer, most of that on one player. German defender Rudi Krause is an upgrade on Heinrich, and he comes in from Grasshoppers for a joint-record fee of €5.75m, while full back Ashley Smith-Brown was transfer listed at Everton for €1.4m. Bargain. My other arrivals were both on frees, with Dutch central midfielder Rico Smith coming in from AS Nancy Lorraine, and young German keeper Marius Sidke, who had been released by Schalke. He'll come in as a very promising number 2. 

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9 hours ago, kidthekid said:

really  good signings

Yeah, we've done some good business. My second XI is probably better than three quarters of the league now, which might allow me to keep players fresher for Europe.

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One more transfer, but not one I'm especially thrilled with. Striker Martin Nilsson has started grumbling about a lack of game time, which left me with a decision: sell him, or sell one of the other three in the first team squad. I made the decision to sell Johnny Russell, who only arrived 12 months ago for €2.2m. We let him go to Reading for €4m, which is decent enough. That meant that Daniel Greig's loan has been cut short, so he'll be in and around the first team squad for the rest of the season. 

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August

SPL: Inverness 2-0 Dundee United
A comfortable opening day win, with Ryan Gauld bagging both of them against his former club. 

SPL: Hearts 1-3 Inverness
We fell behind early on, but responded magnificently. Stuart Armstrong levelled on the stroke of half time and Johnny Russell put us in front with 20 to play, his last goal for the club. The points were secured in the dying seconds by a thumping Krause header. 

SPL: Inverness 4-0 Kilmarnock
After a dreadful first half, I tore into the players at half time. Luckily they responded in the right way: Gauld, James and a double from Parratt secured us a thumping win in front of over 19,000 fans. 

SPL: Inverness 3-0 Rangers
Our best performance so far, Rangers simply couldn't live with us. Stuart Armstrong powered us in front after 15 minutes, and a double from Parratt before half time put the game to bed. 

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The Champions League draw is in:

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Getting out the group will be tough, but I'll be bitterly disappointed if we aren't playing European football after Christmas. 

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I've just served the first touchline ban of this career, and my assistant didn't make a single sub despite one serious and two minor injuries. The bloke is no longer my assistant, despite us winning the game. A shame, he's been with me since my second day on the job - but that's unacceptable behaviour. 

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Also, the club's money is burning a hole in my pocket. We've got €34m in the bank, so I find myself looking at players I don't really need and considering offers. 

Look at this youngster:

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Central midfield is possibly my strongest area, but look at him! My scout thinks he'll cost between €5.75m-€7.75m, which means breaking my record. I've got to bid, haven't I?

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2 hours ago, withnail316 said:

Also, the club's money is burning a hole in my pocket. We've got €34m in the bank, so I find myself looking at players I don't really need and considering offers. 

Look at this youngster:

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Central midfield is possibly my strongest area, but look at him! My scout thinks he'll cost between €5.75m-€7.75m, which means breaking my record. I've got to bid, haven't I?

Kid's gonna be a wonderful playmaker.

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September

SPL: Falkirk 0-1 Inverness
A very average performance, but Martin Nilsson's header on the stroke of half time was enough for another three points. 

SPL: Dundee 1-0 Inverness
All good things must come to an end, and this was the end of our unbeaten record in the league, stretching back to May 2018, a run of 44 games. 

Champions League Group H: Inverness 3-0 Austria Wien
An outstanding performance in our first group game, Rudi Krause powered us in front inside 6 minutes from a corner, and Luke James slotted home a second just three minutes later. Parratt secured the points late on. 

SPL: Inverness 2-0 Hibernian
A simple job against Hibs, so much so that my team-talk for these games is essentially "lads, it's Hibs". Murray Wallace and Parratt with the goals, but we should have had more than two. 

League Cup 3rd round: Greenock Morton 0-0 Inverness (aet - 3-4 on penalties)
Very close to an embarrassing defeat against the second tier side, who knocked us out of this competition back in 2015. We should have won the game in stoppage time, but Luke James' Panenka penalty was saved easily by their keeper. I had changed all 11 players for this game, and it was only the four defenders and the keeper who came out of it with any credit. 

SPL: Motherwell 0-3 Inverness
One from Armstrong from distance and two Luke James headers were more than enough to see off Motherwell. 

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October

CL Group H: Manchester United 2-0 Inverness
It took them 65 minutes to break the deadlock, but in the end it was a bit of a routine win for United. We're still quite a way short of the bigger sides in Europe, but we'll get there in time. 

SPL: Inverness 2-0 St Mirren
A double from Luke James was more than enough to see off the Buddies, but we could probably have had five on the day. 

CL Group H: Inverness 0-0 Juventus
If you'd offered this to me before the game I'd definitely have taken it, but this is a missed opportunity. We were superior to Juve in every part of the game, but we just couldn't finish our chances. Still, we're 4 points clear of Austria Wien in the race for the Europa League. 

SPL: Celtic 1-1 Inverness
This wasn't a game I wanted straight after a European night, but we stood up to the challenge at Parkhead. Murray Wallace nodded us in front after 38 minutes, and we stayed in front until the 75th minute. A point gained rather than two lost, though. 

League Cup quarter final: Inverness 4-3 Motherwell
We made life difficult for ourselves here, but fortunately we were 4-0 up by that point and Motherwell's attempt at a come back was beaten by the clock! Two for Parratt, one for Gauld and another for Nilsson booked us a date with St Mirren at Hampden in January's semi final. 

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November

SPL: Inverness 5-1 Hearts
A stunning performance against the Edinburgh club, who are generally a pretty tough nut to crack. Luke James had us in front in a lightning-fast start, and Parratt rifled in a second after 25 minutes. Stuart Armstrong slotted home a 3rd 10 minutes later and then a Nania header made it four before the break. Hearts pulled one back with 10 to go which spurred us on again, and Nilsson grabbed a fifth in stoppage time. 

SPL: Dundee United 1-4 Inverness
An average performance, but some clinical finishing from Nilsson made the difference. The big Swede bagged all four in a rare start - perhaps he needs to play a few more games!

SPL: Kilmarnock 0-1 Inverness
One of those games where we simply had to grind the result out, and it looked for 85 minutes that we'd leave with just a point. Struan Parratt had other ideas though, he followed up another goal for Scotland by bagging his 10th of the season from close range. 

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Champions League

CL Group H: Juventus 0-1 Inverness
I can't quite figure out what happened here, but defensively we were simply magnificent. Brian Jenks had the game of his life in goal (9.3) while the rest of the back four were magnificent too. The game's only goal arrived 10 minutes into the second half, Luke James slotting home from 12 yards after good work from Fischer and Armstrong. 

CL Group H: Austria Wien 1-3 Inverness
A victory in Austria that puts us in touching distance of the knock-out - or dropping into the Europa League, as you'll see in a moment. Gelson Geraldo scored a double on a rare start, and Martin Nilsson secured the points with three minutes to play. 

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The situation then is very simple: if we avoid defeat against Man United, we'll qualify for the last 16. If we lose, we'll need a miraculous performance from the Austrians in Turin to see us through, but more likely we'll drop into the Europa League. 

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I didn't really want to accept this, but Fischer has been unsettled since we lifted the title back in April. I can't grumble about the €14.5m fee either, which is a new club record. 

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City are getting a very tidy player who has improved considerably since we picked up for €1.4m in the summer of 2017. 

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December

Scottish Cup 4th round: Ayr United 0-5 Inverness
A comfortable game in the cup as Struan Parratt ran riot. He bagged a hat-trick, and made two more for Luke James and Geraldo. 

SPL: Aberdeen 0-2 Inverness
Should have been far more than two, but it was more than enough. Parratt bagged two more, his 48th and 49th for the club. 

SPL: Inverness 2-0 Falkirk
We seem more comfortable than ever in domestic games, and again Falkirk simply couldn't live with us. Parratt and Geraldo on target in a much-rotated side ahead of United's visit in midweek. 

CL Group H: Inverness 0-0 Manchester United
Another brilliant defensive display to go with the two games against Juventus, and we progress with the Italians at United's expense. Incredible. We'll meet Chelsea in the last 16.

SPL: Rangers 0-1 Inverness
Rangers are so ordinary, and once again we caused them all kinds of problems. Martin Nilsson grabbed the only goal, but we could have had four or five. 

SPL: Hibernian 1-3 Inverness 
Hibs could easily get relegated this season. They are absolutely terrible! Parratt (2) and Armstrong with the goals. 

SPL: Inverness 1-1 Dundee
I switched system to a 4-2-3-1 for this one, and although we didn't pick up all the points, we played some really good football. Parratt scored our goal on the stroke of half time after we'd conceded early on. 

SPL: Inverness 1-0 Motherwell
The goals have dried up a little, but we got the job done again. Martin Nilsson scored the winner four minutes from time. 

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I'm going to have a decision to make over Luke James very soon. He may have scored 225 goals for us, but he isn't performing in training, he's out of contract next year, and I've got three youngsters who need game time. Any offers around €5m and I think he's gone. 

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January

SPL: St Mirren 0-3 Inverness
It was nearly three weeks between this game and the win against Motherwell, and we seemed to really benefit from the short winter break. Murray Wallace nodded us in front after just six minutes, and an OG 10 minutes before half time put us in complete control. Ryan Gauld curled in a peach on the hour to seal the points. 

SPL: Inverness 3-2 Aberdeen
Ridiculous game of football. Luke James ended a long goal-scoring drought with a double before half time, and it remained 2-0 up until the last 10 minutes. Out of nowhere, Aberdeen hit us twice and we were all square - but Luke James hadn't finished. He smashed home his third in stoppage time, and we'd got the points. 

SPL: Inverness 1-1 Celtic
A little disappointed with the result, especially as we played against 10 men for more than an hour. Celtic took an early lead which they held to the break, so I tore into the players at half-time. Ryan Gauld immediately levelled, but despite constant pressure for the rest of the game, we couldn't find a winner. 

SPL: Inverness 1-1 Dundee United
More than a little disappointed with this scoreline. United are so average, but they more than held their own here. Martin Nilsson got our goal (an equaliser again) but we needed a late penalty save from Jenks to even get a solitary point. 

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On 11/10/2018 at 22:11, withnail316 said:

Ooof. Despite having strikers coming out of our ears, this lad is available for €1.7m. He's injured at the moment, but I'm planning on a bid the very day he's back in training. 

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Deal agreed with club and player. Now I just need to keep my fingers crossed that his work permit appeal is successful. Oh, and he's another wonderkid!

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February & early March

Scottish League Cup semi final: St Mirren 0-0 Inverness (aet - 2-3 on penalties)
An incredibly tense semi final, but we got some kind of revenge for our penalty shoot-out defeat to the Buddies in last year's Scottish Cup final. I'd have wanted it to be a little more decisive, but we're through to meet Celtic in next month's final in an attempt to win it for a 3rd year running. 

SPL: Hearts 0-0 Inverness
We're struggling to find our stride at the moment, and in the end I was grateful to get out of Edinburgh with a point. Brian Jenks, our keeper, was man of the match - which really tells you all you need to know about this game. 

Scottish Cup 5th round: Airdrie United 1-3 Inverness
A much-changed XI for this one, and freshening things up seemed to spark us into life. Struan Parratt was on a 7-game drought, but that ended here as he bagged all three goals. 

SPL: Falkirk 0-4 Inverness
Much, much better. I'd called a team meeting just before to try and lift the players, and our performance was scintillating. Stuart Armstrong slotted us in front from the penalty spot inside 10 minutes, before Vasilev drilled home his first for the club just before the break. Xuxa made it three, rounding off a great team move from the back, before 17 year old striker Stephen Johnston scored his first league goal for the club with a close-range header at the death. 

SPL: Inverness 6-0 Rangers
Might have mentioned this before, but I'm never going to get bored of battering Rangers, and we simply tore them apart. Struan Parratt had scored three in the first half as we went into the break 4-0 up, Nania got the other. Johnston then followed up his first away league goal with his first two at our place, both in the final 15 minutes. 

SPL: Dundee 0-0 Inverness
Another mediocre performance, which was a shame as it came off the back of the European game (update to follow). 

SPL: Inverness 3-1 Kilmarnock
A third hat-trick of the update for Struan Parratt, who is certain to end Luke James' six successive season run finishing as the club's top scorer. A wonderkid indeed. 

Scottish Cup quarter final: Inverness 0-0 Ross County
Truly dreadful, and the last thing we needed was a replay with players on suspensions and rather exhausted. 

Scottish Cup quarter final replay: Ross County 2-1 Inverness
Another year that the treble will pass us by, and it's safe to say the fans and the board were not impressed with a defeat against our rivals. Our first half performance was diabolical, we were 2-0 down at the break and despite Luke James pulling one back, we couldn't find a leveller. 

Scottish League Cup Final: Inverness 1-0 Celtic
What we needed after the shocking defeat in one cup was a trip to Hampden to lift the place again, but I really thought we would fluff our lines after Celtic dominated the first half. They had a goal (wrongly) disallowed on the stroke of half time in a real stroke of luck for us, and with 15 to play, Tom Hateley slotted home his first goal for the club in four years, and we held on to win the fifth League Cup of my tenure. 

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UEFA Champions League
Last 16

1st Leg: Inverness 4-3 Chelsea
An outstanding first hour of this game, but a tactical error on my part let them back into it in the last 30. Struan Parratt fired us in front after just three minutes, and Mustafa Capobianco turned home from close range after 20 minutes to double our lead. I couldn't believe what I was watching, and the old Pep hands on head GIF would have summed up my body language when Banaei made it three before half time. Nilsson made it four on the hour, and it was at that point I took off both central midfielders, who were struggling for fitness. Neither Clifford or Polworth could stay with the pace of the game though, and Chelsea fought their way back into it. It's going to be a tense night at Stamford Bridge. 

2nd Leg: Chelsea 2-3 Inverness
Delighted. We're through to the quarter finals for the first time, and in the end it was fairly comfortable. I asked the players to play on the counter, and it was a break that lead to Martin Nilsson slotting us in front on the night after 15 minutes. Parratt made it two 10 minutes later from the penalty spot, and although Cheslea pulled one back by the break, Parratt smashed home again with 25 to go to ensure Chelsea needed three for extra time. They got just the one, and we were through to meet Benfica

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50 minutes ago, withnail316 said:

So the SPL cancelled my Saturday game before we play Benfica in midweek, then they schedule THREE league games between the first leg on Tuesday and the second the following Wednesday. Thanks lads, thanks a bunch. 

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this is some brazil level of scheduling

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8 minutes ago, rodesire said:

this is some brazil level of scheduling

I had occasional scheduling issues like this in Norway, but they'd probably have only made me play two league games between the two legs. Three is ridiculous!

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2 hours ago, kidthekid said:

I have had the issue many times managing in Scotland as well. The league cup is another one that messes scheduling

Luckily we have a solid lead at the top of the table, but I'll need some hardcore rotation skills to get through these games...

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55720598_LOGOCHAMPIONSLEAGUE.thumb.jpg.17df591f178bda9f5c19a2cb59600800.jpg

UEFA Champions League
Quarter Final

1st Leg: Inverness 4-0 Benfica
Much like the last 16 tie against Chelsea, we were magnificent for the first hour against Benfica (and for 30 minutes of that hour, we only had 10 men after Mustafa Capobianco had been sent off.) However, unlike the Chelsea game, we didn't give the visitors a sniff of getting back into the tie. We were ahead on 17 minutes, with Struan Parratt sweeping home a perfect left wing cross from Ryan Gauld. Gauld himself grabbed the second moments after Capobianco's dismissal, rifling home from 10 yards from an Armstrong cut-back. Parratt got his second and our third 10 minutes into the second half from the penalty spot, and a thumping Krause header two minutes later put the game to bed. I then decided to shut the game down and keep the ball, and Benfica simply lacked the tools to get back into it. 

2nd Leg: Benfica 0-0 Inverness
A lot of tired bodies for this game after the ridiculous scheduling, but defensively we were superb. We should probably have the won on the night too, with both Gauld and Nilsson striking the woodwork, but we sailed safely through to the semi finals of the Champions League. We'll meet Real Madrid, while Barcelona take on Bayern in the other semi. 

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Pre-split fixtures

SPL: Inverness 3-0 Hibernian
Man, Hibs are in such a mess. They simply didn't show up at our place, and it was as one-sided a game as you're ever likely to see. Nilsson, Wallace and Polworth with our goals. 

SPL: Inverness 1-0 St Mirren
This game came 48 hours after the home game with Benfica, so it was mostly a second string against a difficult side in St Mirren, but we had the quality to dig out a result. Geraldo got the only goal after 10 minutes, but it was pretty comfortable really. 

SPL: Aberdeen 1-2 Inverness
We rode our luck a little here, but two from Parratt were enough for the points. 

SPL: Motherwell 3-1 Inverness
This run was always going to cause us a problem, and Motherwell took full advantage. We didn't help ourselves getting a man sent off early on, but I can't complain at the defeat. Luke James with the goal on an increasingly rare start. 

SPL: Celtic 2-1 Inverness
Anything other than a defeat would have wrapped up the title at Parkhead, but we ran out of steam. Martin Nilsson had put us in front, but Celtic were the better side. Tony Watt's late winner has knocked the squad's morale ahead of the Real Madrid game, but we only need one point in the remaining five games to secure the title. 

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23 minutes ago, rodesire said:

Oh boy, this is getting real interesting, very well done navigating the scheduling hell.

Thanks man, I expect Madrid to be far too strong for us, but I thought that of Chelsea, so who knows? 

27 minutes ago, kidthekid said:

fantastic result. 

It really was! Great fun to watch. 

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