On a quest to be the best. [FM15]

I'm hoping it is KEZ, that's the main only reason why I headed to Salzburg.

What double Dan? Still hasn't been secured but I'm hoping it will be and then I can move onto 'pastures new', but I can't think about that yet.

So do I Johno.


Following our return from the winter break, it was important that we maintained our league form as I looked to secure the league title as soon as possible. Our first competitive month of twenty twenty eight saw us play four games and all of them were in the Austrian Premier Division.


And our first competitive game after the winter break saw us welcome Ried to the Red Bull Arena as we eased to a 3-0 victory as Spanish striker Rafa Urbano score a goal in either half while Lluis Ruiz scored in between Urbano's double.

Four days later we then crashed to a three nil defeat away to Sturm Graz, shocking result.

But the side manage to bounce back in our next league game, beating Altach 3-0 at home as we bagged all goals in the space of eighteen first half minutes as Rafa Urbano, Libor Novotny and Caio netted.

The short month then concluded with a straight forward four goals to nil victory away to struggling Wiener Neustadt - Sebastian Ortiz, Libor Novotny and Caio all scored in the first period before striker Emerson added a late fourth goal with four minutes remaining to seal the points.


Because of that one defeat away to Sturm Graz, the lead at the top has been cut to just the six points but at least we are still sitting top of the table and I'm hoping we can find some consistency in the final three months of the campaign as the league must be won or I'll probably get the chop.4

The most pleasing thing about the month (bar that defeat) was keeping three clean sheets in those four games.

I reckon the title should be yours mate.Bad defeat to sturm graz though.

Impressive month with only 3 goals conceded!

Aye but sure, you can't win all the games SBR. I still expect us to end up as champions though.

Cheers Johno, disappointed with the loss to Sturm Graz though.


Last month was arguably my best month since arriving at Salzburg, even if we did suffer a disappointing league setback against Sturm Graz but we did manage to keep three clean sheets in the four games and that can't be 'sniffed' at. Just like last month, March produced four games, all in the Premier Division.


We'd begin March with a disappointing home defeat against Austria Wien as the second placed team recorded a three one victory at Red Bull Arena, our goal arrived from the penalty spot after twelve minute that Sebastian Ortiz converted.

Three days later and the side would bounce back, beating Austria Lustenau 3-1 away from home - Emerson, Libor Novotny and Sebastian Ortiz the goalscorers.

Our next game was at home to Admira Wacker Modling and we would demolish them 7-1 as we would score six goals in the first half as striker Emerson scored a hat trick, winger Libor Novotny would score twice and the other was an Alferdo Pisoni own goal. Caio would add the seventh Salzburg goal on fifty seven minutes.

And the month would conclude with a three goals to one victory at home to Mattersburg as our three goals arrived in the second period. Attacking midfielder Sebastian Ortiz would score in between an Emerson double as the side would record back-to-back victories at Red Bull Arena.


With a twelve point lead at the top of the Austrian Premier Division, it's surely just a matter of time before the league has been secured and then we can fully concentrate on trying to win the Austrian Cup.

Not surprised to see you opening up 12 points gap

I'm just pleased that we've found some sort of consistency Johno, we should wrap up the league all being well.


We have now approached the penultimate month of the campaign and we still find ourselves with a great chance to secure a league and cup double but we need to plough through seven games this month, six of those being in the league as we look to wrap that up.


The penultimate month of the campaign began with a home fixture against Rapid Wien as we eased to a 5-0 victory at the Red Bull Arena as we also had five different goalscorers - Libor Novotny, Sebastian Ortiz, Lluis Ruiz, Caio and Emerson all scored.

Just six days later saw us slip to a disappointing three two defeat away to Ried, Rafa Urbano scoring twice.

We then advanced to the semi finals of the Austrian Cup after easing past Austria Salzburg five goals to one as striker Emerson bagged a treble while Sebastian Ortiz scored twice in the one sided quarter final.

Emerson would then score his second hat trick in as many games as Sturm Graz were beaten 5-2 at home, Joakim Andersson and Caio also found the net.

We then made the journey to the Cashpoint but could only manage a one all draw as winger Caio scored our only goal of the game after sixty minutes.

Four days later we welcomed Wiener Neustadt to the Red Bull Arena in a game that saw us secure the Austrian Premier Division as the trio of goals arrived in the final thirty one minutes courtesy of Lancinc Kone, Lluis Ruiz and Emerson.


The final game of the month of April saw us make the trip to Austria Wien and actually managed to beat them three two. Star striker Emerson scored twice in between a Fran Soler goal.


So with only three league games remaining this season we have been crowned champions and I couldn't be happier as Austria Wien can no longer catch us (can only finish on a maximum 72 points) and we have bagged over one hundred league goals this season, fantastic stuff.

Congrats on winning the league

Any ideas where you going next?

Cheers Johno, I'm delighted we have been able to wrap up the league and now all I'd love to win the Austrian Cup this season as well, just so it's 'chalked off'. For my next step in my career, nope I have no idea yet as it's something I haven't even thought about if I'm honest.


We have now approached the final month of the twenty twenty seven twenty twenty eight campaign and I'd love it to be my final month at Red Bull Arena as now I only have the Austrian Cup to secure before I can move onto 'pastures new', wherever who that will be with remains to be seen.


The final month of the competitive season started with an Austrian Cup semi final against fellow Premier Division side Sturm Graz and we managed to beat them 2-0 thanks to two early goals from Caio and Emerson inside the quarter hour.

Three days later the champions returned to league action with a trip to Admira Wacker Modling and we defeated them four goals to two in a game that saw Joakim Andersson scored twice, Lancine Kone and Emerson also netted in between the Andersson double.

Our next game was then the Austrian Cup final against Ried and we secured the Austrian Cup beating the fellow Premiership side 4-1 thanks to goals from Emerson, Lancine Kone, Caio and Mattia Bomcopagni.


We returned to league action with a home game against Austria Lustenau and they were beaten three goals to one as we netted our three goals inside the opening twelve minutes - Caio scoring twice after two and twelve minutes while Libor Novotny scored our other goal on ten minutes.

The league season was then completed at the end of May with a tough trip to Mattersburg as the season concluded with a one all draw, Rafa Urbano bagging our goal from the penalty spot on twenty seven minutes.


With the league season done and dusted it was already confirmed that we were the champions and have finished twenty two points ahead of the runners-up Rapid Wien as we also scored one hundred and ten goals in thirty six games and conceded just the forty two.

And now for the final piece of news:


I have stepped down as gaffer of Salzburg after just the one season at the helm and what a season it was domestically as we, as expected, wrapped up the league and Austrian Cup double much to my delight. I'm mainly glad the cup was secured in convincing fashion against Ried as I didn't fancy remaining at the club for one more season - it would be the best cup to win the trophy to be fair.

Congratulations on the double mate.Looking forward to seeing where you go next.

You heard it here first

It was a deserved double in the end SBR, as for my next step well Everton were relegated from the Premier League and then sacked their manager...could that be my next destination?

The same double you managed to secure in your one and only season at Salzburg too Dan, so you can't exactly say anything bad, ha!


Following my resignation from Salzburg I wasn't sure to where my next destination would be, whether I'd move onto another country in an attempt to complete it or remain in Austria in an attempt to try and wrap the country up in two full seasons, in the end I decided to go with the latter.


After the conformation that Wiener Neustadt were relegated from the Austrian Premier Division, they decided to sack their manager and I decided to apply for the job turning down the chance to manage now Championship side Everton and Wiener Neustadt offered me and interview and one I truly accepted.

Now all I had to do is once again 'wow' another chairman in an attempt to get offered the job.


And 'wow' them I have as they've offered me the job and they're predicted to win the First Division next season so once again the pressure will be indeed on me. They've offered me a transfer kitty of one point six million but I intend on trying to keep the majority of the squad from the Premier Division season bar some of the non-EU players due to rules in the league.


So this is just to confirm that I have indeed become the next manager of Wiener Neustadt, agreeing a three year deal at Stadion Wiener Neustadt and truth be told, I can't wait to get started in an attempt to secure another trophy in this epic career.

Good luck with Wiener Neustadt

Good luck in the new job mate.

Good luck mate, Im sure that promotion and top spot is on its way

Cheers Johno.

Cheers SBR.

They're predicted to win the league Dan so you've got to assume that we'll win the league but I can guarantee it won't be easy.


Since my arrival at Wiener Neustadt following the clubs relegation from the Premier Division, I at least had time to evaluate the players and consider what needed to be done as I attempt to get the club back into the top flight at the first time of asking and they're indeed predicted to win the league so once again the pressure is on me and once again I hope to thrive at that.

The one and only major thing that needed done this window was to 'dispose' of the foreigner's as the club have too many and there's a limit of three in a match day squad in the second tier.


Upon taking the job at Wiener Neustadt, I was told by the clubs board that they wanted me to sign more young players for the first team and I truly delivered on that one and only promise. Six players arrived at the club with only Jurgen Schumann costing money as we paid Salzburg thirty and a half thousand while striker Jannik Kempter arrived from Admira Wacker Modling on a free. Attacking midfielder Ronny Huber and central defender Philipp Stoglehner both came from Austria Wien, shot stopper Georg Scharschinger became the second player to arrive from Salzburg while our last signing was left back Tom Killen who joined from Horn.

Four players departed the Stadion Wiener Neustadt this summer and the first was Kevin Barth who joined Rijeka for £725k, Elvedin Ljajic headed to Scottish side Hearts for one and a half million, Wassim Yilmaz went to fellow First Division side SPG FC Pasching/LASK jrs. (say it when drunk, I dare you!) for just under fifty grand while Austria Salzburg captured right back Tomislav Rodic on a loan deal.


It was a short and mixed pre season on the field as we managed to win 50% of our games and both our wins came against 'poor' opposition (with all due respect to them indeed) as both Bad Voslau and Burgenland were beaten but we also suffered a home defeat to Tigers and a single goal away defeat to Poli.

Busy pre season, sure you'll get off on the right foot this year again

I'd love you to be correct Dan, especially considering the changes that I've made this summer. Needed changes I might add.


With a pretty dismal pre season behind us that only seen us win fifty percent of our games, it was time to approach the competitive stuff as the opening month of the First Division campaign saw us face four league games and an Austrian Cup first round tie against a fellow second tier club.


The competitve season kick started with a first round Austrian Cup trip to Austria Salzburg and we progressed to the second round after winning a nine goal thriller 6-3 as Matias Isidoro Gaitan, Ronny Huber and Aleksander Husic all hit doubles.

We could begin life back in the second tier of Austrian football with a home game against SPG FC Pasching/LASK jrs. and we would defeat them 4-2 to start the campaign with maximum points - Matias Isidoro Gaitan, Aleksander Husic, Mike Rosler and Paulinho all scored.

That would then be the last bit of happiness this month as it all went downhill, Austria Salzburg would get revenge for our cup win at their place by securing a two goals to nil victory in Salzburg but we deserved at leaast something from that game.

Our next game was then at home to Grodig as we could only muster a two two draw against them, our goals came from a Jesper Bredahl own goal and Matias Isidoro Gaitan who had both netted before half time.

The opening month of the league season would see us suffer a six three defeat away to Kapfenberger to ensure we were now three games without victory on our return to the division and our goals on the night came from Lennart Baier, Aleksander Husic and Matias Isidoro Gaitan but it's been a pretty dismal start to the season.


So yeah, this is just conformation that we have had a pretty dismal start on our return to the second tier of Austrian football with the side sitting down in seventh place after the opening four games, something I, nor I'm sure the board or fans expected. Goal scoring hasn't been a problem as we have scored nine goals in the four games but we have conceded twelve.

Ouch not a great start but im sure youll start getting some wins.

Expected such a better start to the season but c'est le vie, just hope we can turn it around SBR.


It has been a pretty poor start to the season for the pre season league favourites as we're currently three league games without a win and that can't be accepted and things don't improve then I expect to be under-pressure in no time. August would bring us five games, all in the league, as things needed to drastically get better.


Things did improve as we remained unbeaten throughout the month of August and the good month would begin with a 3-1 success away to St. Polten thanks to goals from Aleksander Husic, Jannik Kempter and a late Leonhard Grobl strike with ten minutes remaining.

A disappointing one one draw at home to VfB Hohenems would follow, midfielder Marcel Meixner scored our only goal from the penalty spot on twenty nine minutes.

We would bounce back from that draw to defeat Wolfsberger at the Stadion Weiner Neustadt, securing a 3-1 victory as Jannik Kempter scored a goal in either half while central midfielder Marcel Meixner netted in between when his goal came from the penalty spot just before the hour mark.

It was then a seven goal thriller against Leoben in which we edged four goals to three away from home - Stefan Bayer, Leonhard Grobl and a double from Aleksander Husic was enough to see us edge the contest.

August would then conclude with a hard fought three two win away to LASK Linz as our three goals arrived in the second period - Stefan Bayer and a double from striker Matias Isidoro Gaitan sealing the points and an unbeaten month for ourselves.


Despite that unbeaten month, I am still less than impressed this season as the team have been shipping goals like crazy this season - twenty goals conceded in our first nine league games just isn't good enough but yet we've scored twenty three times. Entertainment? Yes. Frustrating? You bet.

Coming together now, sure that top spot will be yours in no time!

Very good recovery month mate and only 4 points off top now.Keep it up.

I'm hoping you're correct Dan, I'd love to chalk off my second country come the end of this season but it's going to be tough.

Cheers SBR, I needed that unbeaten month drastically.


For my standards, it has been a shocking start to the league season but that unbeaten August ensured it wouldn't be an unforgivable start for my Wiener Neustadt side, who of course were predicted to win the league pre season but so far it hasn't exactly went to plan. Four more league games awaited us in September along with our second round Austrian Cup tie.


It turned out to be another poor month as Wiener still seem to be struggling with the return to the second tier. The month would begin with a one one draw away to SPG FC Pasching/LASK jrs. in a game that saw our star winger Aleksander Husic net on twenty two minutes, I must keep a hold of him all season if we want to be somewhat successful.

We would then welcome Austria Salzburg to our Stadion Wiener Neustadt home in a game that was 'televised' and they'd be beat 3-1 to record our only win this month - Mike Rosler, Johnny Bechmann and Marcel Meixner scored our goals.

Our chances of winning the Austrian Cup ended in the second round as Premier Division side Ried won five two at their place, our goals came from Stefan Bayer on forty three minutes and Jurgan Schumann with only five minutes remaining.

The side couldn't recover from that cup defeat as our return to league action saw the side lose five goals to three away to Grodig - our three goals arrived in the opening half an hour as Stefan Bayer, Johnny Bechmann and Jurgan Schumann scored but it was the defending, our lack of it, that cost us once again.

Kapfenberger at home would then finish the month of September as we'd suffer a disappointing one nil loss to once again make it three games without a win in all competitions.


Despite suffering those back-to-back league defeats to Grodig and Kapfenberger - the top two sides, we have only slipped down one position and now into fifth place and we lye seven points behind the joint leaders. Shipping goals continues to be the main problem as we've now conceded twenty eight times in our opening thirteen games and that's frustrating because the defence looks good on paper.

Need to turn this up and down form around thats for sure!

Not the best month and the lead being at 7 points only makes it harder.Still plenty of time to go but as dan said you could do with turning the form around a bit more.

Ooooh, horrible month

Yes we do Dan and I'm sure hoping that'll happen. It's been a dreadful campaign by my 'standards' at the moment.

The problem is though SBR, I am too stubborn to change my formation even if we end up being in dismal form, that's just the way I am. Ha. I'd love to turn the form around.

Horrible month indeed Johno, I'm just glad we beat Austria Salzburg to ensure it wasn't a worst month.


Despite struggling in the league at the present, I'm surprised I haven't found myself under pressure from the board because after all, we were predicted to win the league in pre season following the sides relegation from the Premier Division, October proved to be a short month with only three league games played.


Conceding goals still proved to be a problem this season as the month began with a 5-4 win away to Hohenems, striker Jannik Kempter scored twice while Dinko Trajkovic, Jurgen Schumann and Bernhard Schmitt also scored but I was annoyed to have conceded four times in this fixture.

Despite scoring twice inside the opening nine minutes, we still struggled to overcome struggling St. Polten - Jannik Kempter scored after one minute while our second goal was an own goal through Thomas Albercht, I would have liked to see us score more goals but I should just be pleased with maximum points.

The month then ended with a one nil defeat away to Wolfsberger.


Those two league wins have seen us climb up to fourth in the table and if we had beaten Wolfsberger then we could have perhaps been heading into the final month before the winter break in third place but it wasn't to be. Conceding goals remains to be a problem as thirty four has been shipped while we've only scored thirty seven.

Much better month. Only few points off top 2 isn't bad

Can't complain about that month at all Johno but I need to find some sort of consistency in the team or the league isn't going to be won this season and I'll get the chop.


We have now reached the penultimate month of the calendar year and it hasn't been the best season to date but I'm still not under pressure which is surprising but glad. Three more games, all in the league were played this month with all three being at the Stadion Wiener Neustadt.


Our first of three consecutive home games ended in a three goals to two defeat against LASK Linz despite Aleksander Husic and Marcel Meixner scoring at the Stadion Wiener Neustadt inside the opening twenty eight minutes.

A fortnight later we welcomed Leoben and beat them 2-0 thanks to a goal from Jannik Kemper mid way through the first half and a late Mike Rosler goal who sealed the points with six minutes left.

The final game before the winter break saw us beat SPG FC Pasching/LASK jrs. 3-1 to ensure back-to-back victories - Aleksander Husic, Ronny Huber and Jannik Kempter all getting on the score sheet in this game.


So despite those back-to-back victories we still find ourselves down in fourth place but only four points behind leaders Kapfenberger SV 1919 so if we could find some sort of consistency then perhaps we could secure the league title but that's far fetched because consistency has eluded us this season.

And finally, just like last season, this season is going to be no different. I have decided AGAINST posting the winter friendly fixtures as I consider them a waste of time to be honest. Friendlies will be played, I hope friendlies will be won, I hope confidence will return and consistency will be found when we resume our league program in February.

Beginning to come together now mate, hopefully its a sign of things to come after the winter break

Not doing all that bad mate.Im sure you will pick it up more after the winter break.