2019
PROGRESS REPORT FROM PARKHEAD
Thought it was time for an update after 13 games at the helm:-
When I took over one of the biggest issue was the number of goals against tally, not far behind the lack of goals at the other end. I decide to change the formation to fit in with the fact we had 3 good rated strikers and only one winger. Although in most matches we are conceding possession we at least have reduced the goals against. Of course still an issue up front (30 goals in 30 matches). So in summary we have only lost twice, and drawn 7 times. In terms of drawn matches this seems a general SM pattern at least for Division 4
We are currently 1 place above the trapdoor and with 8 games to go I still think 4 from a possible 10 could go down.
The revolving door continues here with 16 coming in and 24 leaving.
No major signings (rating wise) since my last report. The main aim has been to recruit players who are under 27 and (I hope) have some potential.
The weakest area has and continues to be in the youth department where I managed to recruit just 4 players so far. Currently as of January the 1st I will have just 7 under 21 players at the club. But I will not rush to recruit just any players and like many managers here aim at long term potential risers.
My key player so far is Lucas Alario, who without him I am not sure where any of our goals would have come from.
No predictions from me as to whether we escape relegation. It may well go down to goal difference. But I will continue to try and develop the club for the future.
Next report at end of the season.
Transfer Dealings...
Afternoon guys,
After today's external business in the GW I just wanted to get your thoughts on how we proceed in future over players who go external after a squad cap breech by a manager. Now Mark Stewart went over the squad cap and had to sell both players external (Gedson and Barbosa for those who have been asleep the last 24 hours) and I'm sure it was a genuine mistake, Mark's a top lad, but seeing Nuno shouting from his high horse saying he's selling straight back to Mark for cash(and backed up by a few others saying the same) just seems like no Punishment at all, is this going to be the case for every manager who breaks a squad cap because if i see a new player added and I'm on 50 you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be bidding if it means I still get the player back after my ban. I personally don't think that any club( this isn't aimed at Benfica) should simply be awarded the player back once bans are up.
The second point I'd like to make is I wonder why Nuno is all angry about the situation? I didn't see him shouting the odds calling managers Greedy, Motherfuckers and telling us all to fuck off over any other player sold external at any point in the past.
Back To The Future At River Plate
Home of River Plate
It was an absolute easy decision for both River Plate board of directors and Norman Little himself to link again in T100. The most successful manager in River's history left for personal reasons last year but was back in the game and when MaggioGod decided he needed to take a break himself it seemed as if the footballing gods aligned to allow Norman Little an emotional return to River.
I was just drifting along at Stuttgart, I was trying to build something but I didn't have to same emotional attachment to the club. As soon as the River Job became available I jumped at the chance to return, It was like a fire which had gone out had reignited inside me. I couldn't wait to get here once the board had agreed on my return. The club agreed that promotion by the end of season 14 was the target but in truth I would of agreed to any target they had set.
Norman Little on his return
As always when I take over a club I immediately set to work, The core of what I had left behind was still here but I like a freshness when I start at any club. In just 2 weeks at the club 21 players have left and 23 have arrived as we look to the future. The transfer activity is almost at an end for this season with just a couple of targets in mind. The players all arriving are u27 years old and will be the future of River Plate, some of the youngsters signed into the youth team are of high quality, all playing regular 1st team football for their clubs in real life and I will do a full "club in review" guide to my squad to welcome them in a separate blog piece.
I have had my interest awoken in SM recently and have the bug fully back, I am so happy to see an increase in activity on the blog, newsfeed and the FB page and want to just say lets keep it up. These competitive GW's are such a challenge and having an active community behind them makes all the difference.
Augsburg On The Rise
[AUGSBURGER ALLGEMEINE]
Special Edition!
Before;Now;After
Augsburg have enjoyed a great season in the league so far, sitting at the top of Division 5 after 21 matchdays, while predicted to finish 15th. Out of both Cup and Shield, although those were never the main objective in the first place as there's a lack of depth in the team. The Youth team is in the knockout stages of the Youth Cup, while also finishing in the 3rd-4th position in the SAX Regional Youth Cup. So far so good...
Joao Felix has been the main driving force for the team so far, but what enabled him to be the main man is the many seasons/years that Ivan Anić spent preparing and building the team - which is still happening - so that one day that same team can revolve around Felix - that would today be the playmaker even from the centre forward position.
When Anić first took over the team, they were sitting in the bottom 3 in Division 5. That was back in Jan 2017. That team back then had a couple of good players, but no sync, no chemistry. Higher rated players such as Phillip Max and Kamil Glik, that would slot right into this team today were sold in pursuit of new and younger options.
Anić’s first signings, or one of the first ones were Joan Jordan and Declan Rice. 22 at that time and only 80 rated, Jordan endured a good 2 years of build up before becoming one of the better outside-the-top-clubs Spanish midfielder. Rice on the other hand was bought simply on a hunch that he’ll rise quickly in rating and potential, which proved to be correct.
The only 2 players that “survived the purge” are Dominik Kohr, who’s currently a sub, not being able to find much game time, and Jose Campana, who is an irreplaceable piece of a stellar midfield trio alongside Joan Jordan and Benjamin Bourigeaud, a trio that’s working their way through D5 as we speak.
Augsburg so far enjoyed 2 out of 5 seasons of a good finish, or rather an objective/goal set by their manager, a top 10 finish. 8th place a couple seasons ago and a 10th position just last season after having a massive resurgence in the second half of the season to bring it back from relegation spots, much to the effort of Joao Felix who was only a star in the making then, rated 85, now rated 90.
Joao Felix is currently sitting at 9 goals and 10 assists in 20 games so far with 7 MotM rewards and an overall rating of 7.55 occupying the position of 4th best rated player this season in Division 5.
Declan Rice, to get back to him, is another star in the making. The current captain of the German club has suffered a serious injury about a month and a half back which could’ve set the team back a lot, but instead the team fought back stronger for him. In a few days he’ll be able to slowly make his return to the first team and make the defensive line again in pair with Fernando Calero.
30 year old Kevin Theopile-Catherine was a panic signing to cover Rice’s position since Augsburg didn’t have a spare centre back. No doubt Kevin will stay at the club as a sub with his performance being a great and pleasant surprise, such help that couldn't be described with just words.
Augsburg recently broke a record that was set a couple of seasons ago - 4 wins in a row. They’re now on 8 wins in a row, with another record broken in shape of record crowd that watched them triumph against Cruzeiro with a 3-0 win. Mendez, just 22 with a great career in front of him, enjoyed 2 assists from Felix to clinch the win after an early goal from Davie Selke put them in the lead.
An exciting young squad has been built at WWK ARENA, and more is to come. Players such as Marco Richter, 21; Adrien Fein, 20; Cody Gakpo, 20; Domagoj Bradarić, 19; Max Aarons, 19; Ridle Baku, 21, players who will all soon be on the brink of the first team in just a couple of seasons. If promotion is achieved, it will definitely be easier to breath for the Croatian expert and the rest of his squad who have been waiting on this for a while now. D5 has forever been a place of residency for Augsburg, and now it is finally appearing as if the Germans will escape it.
As it shows, Felix and Rice are excellent leaders on the pitch even without much experience. This shows and carves a path to other exciting prospects in the youth team mentioned above to show themselves in the near future as worthy contestants for the first team. No doubt that the team will continue to build around Felix, but all players above and many others in the youth team were identified as the suitable companions to the Portuguese wonderkid.
Future is now, as they say and it’s exciting to think what Augsburg has in store for us from here on out.
PARKHEAD UPDATE
Firstly I have to say that of the 5 clubs (FC Twente, WBA, Montpellier and Crystal Palace) I have managed in T100 this looks to be the toughest assignment to date.
I guess the reason why you are asked to take over mid-season for any club.
So after 3 games - 1 win, 1 draw and 1 defeat.
For me the priority is to rebuild this club and ensure that the building blocks are in place for the future.
So I started by selling 20 players (so far) and bring in 7. I think at this time I have one of not the smallest squads in T100 – 31 players.
So who are these new players?
HATRM BEN ARFA (32/88) – No club at present
Not normal for me to sign anyone over 30, but felt that if I get 2 seasons out of him with his experience and hopefully not too much rating drop then I am happy.
BEN WHITE (21/80) – On loan at Leeds United.
As with all my buys a bit of a gamble. But having a good season so far.
CAMERON CARTER-VICKERS (21/80) – On loan at Stoke City.
Again looking at championship loan players and he has done ok in a poor team.
WESLEY HOEDT (25/88) – On loan at Royal Antwerp
Struggled to say the least at Southampton, still young enough to develop (I hope).
DAN CROWLEY (22/82) – Birmingham City
Another player who perhaps should be doing better, another gamble by me.
MICHAEL KARDOWNIK (18/73) – Legia Warszawa
Not much to say about this lad but a promising youngster.
DAVID BARBONA (24/83) – Racing Club
When looking in Argentina and he is having a good season with his club.
There are still a number of players on the transfer list and even the rest could go for the right price.
I will give a further progress report in about another 10 games.
Last night's Cup win over Newcastle
Just trying out a feature on a video recording app I used for the first time yesterday, but I didn't realise then that you can do this with it.
XRecorder, it's called, although I'm sure there are other similar apps that do the same thing.
Liverpool Down the Toilet!
Update on Top 100 and Hamburger's season.
Adios, Aduriz!
Hamburger have said goodbye to veteran striker Aritz Aduriz. The 38 year old stalwart and club captain fell down the pecking order at the Volkparkstadion, after Manager Marsden signed Sandro Wagner from Liverpool, and made only three starts this season - all in the cup competitions.
Indeed Aduriz's last appearance was captaining the Cup side to victory over Barcelona in front of his adoring fans.
It's also rumoured that the Red Shorts' boss felt Aduriz's stubble was unbecoming and a bad example to some of the younger players. That said, the gaffer wished Aritz well and noted that he believes he can still do a job for someone in the lower divisions.
Aduriz started his Top 100 career with his home club Athletic, of course, but was soon shipped out to Shakhtar Donetsk for a bargain £8m. That disrupted first season, was the only one where he failed to score at least ten league goals.
Perhaps more of a creator of goals than an out and out goalscorer in the Ukraine, Aduriz moved south-west across the Black Sea to Istanbul where he had his best ever goals per game ratio - 15 in 27 starting appearances for Galatasaray.
A brief and unsuccessful stint at Olympique Marseille was followed by a return to Spain and arguably his most successful period with Celta Vigo. 26 goals, 14 assists over a couple of seasons, including promotion from Division 5.
That got him a big move to Italy and Division 2 Internazionale under Alex McLean's stewardship.
Aritz was a godsend for us when I was at Inter. He had just entered his 'golden age' and I was very happy to play him up top. He scored many a goal for Inter and kept us competitive. Because of his age I was happy to sell him, believing his scoring run couldn't go on - but it did! A superb player who fought against the dying of the light.
Alex McLean, Manchester City manager
Aritz moved from Milan to Verona, and dropped down the divisions again, and another promotion.
Hellas 1st priority after my return was to sign a top striker. Once we saw Adúriz was available we didn't blink. The basque was exactly what we needed despite the age handicap & delivered what he was requested: goals & assists. Also brought us leadership & became one of our captains & a reference for our young talents. Key player in a campaign that culminated in the D4 playoffs win for the gialloblù. Long live to The Great Basque!
André Libras-Boas, Hellas Verona manager
Aduriz's most sustained and successful stint was still to come, however. Desperate to get out of Division 3 after seemingly becoming becalmed in the still waters of mid-table, Hamburger boss Marsden gambled the then still raw potential of the untested Karl Toko-Ekambi, for the proven goal menace that was the aging Basque.
Aritz recorded his best ever goal haul in his first season in northern Germany with 17, and formed part of the now legendary HSV VAT (Vazquez-Aduriz-Teixeira) attacking trident that won promotion to Division two the following season.
Although he never played in Division 1, Aduriz had a great Top 100 career, being a model of consistency throughout his ten full seasons.
Adios, Aritz!
