Don't Take Me Home

Hello and welcome to the return of myself to the career's section, this will probably be my one and only Football Manager 2018 career on the forums, mainly due to time constraints, and for the first time as a career for me on here I am going to attempt to not only conquer Europe but the entire World, managing one country and take them to the brink of world domination ...

Not really like any previous saves I have done, I will be starting with someone who is quite familiar to international football, a player who has been a captain, who has led from the back and a talisman ... none other than ... the man ... the myth ... the legend ... your favorite USA mens national team player ... Jimmy Conrad ...



Conrad is an ideal replacement for the outgoing Chris Coleman. Both centre halves and both inspirational in their own right. Who can forget what Coleman has done for Welsh football and that Summer of 16, when Wales came close to going all the way to the Euro's Finals. So now... Jimmy has wondered into management by taking over the now vacant Wales job ... however. Jimmy has a chance to do something that Chris Coleman couldn't do ... take Wales to a World Cup.



No previous managerial experience bar from helping out as Assistant Manager to the now defunct Chivas USA side, it might seem a bit of a gamble. But knowing the international game might give Jimmy a chance ... a fighting chance of that at getting Wales through the group stage.



Ireland and Moldova first up ... wins give Wales a strong chance of qualifying ... a loss could prove fatal, in particular against Ireland. As we know, no game is easy and Austria and Georgia should not be underestimated. With some promising youngsters in Brooks, Ampaday and Woodburn the future is bright for Wales ... Jimmy is got to hope that the likes of Joe Allen, Aaron Ramsey and Gareth Bale will help bring through the youngsters and get Wales to the World Cup ... so without further or do ... "Don't take me home, Please don't take me home ..."

Good luck Cymro!

Nice to see you back @Cymro, just make sure you don't finish above Ireland and I'll probably follow this story.

@Dan Cheers.

@DNZY Challenge accepted.

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So Qatar 2022 is not happening ... Welcome Australia 2022! #LandDownUnder



Not played a game but my impact has meant we have gone to 6th in the list.

Wouldn't mind him selecting Wales ... if he selects England all the best. We have Hennessey, Ward and Maxwell's Silver Hammer.



Rather Darlow stay with Wales and this guy switch ... not going to be a world beater so interesting to see why Portugal want him.

Dralow says no ...

You know how this goes ...



So Sani says yes ... we say ... sigh!

Being a former international centre half means we seem to attract, One of those players, if he sticks with us great, if not then we move on.



Again not fussed, don't think he would get capped but an option if so.

Emyr Huws is a blow, like the looks of him and if Allen goes down then he was going to by our guy.

The side selected to take us through these two qualification games.

Thrown in the youngsters ... Woodburn and Ampadau and hopefully they will gain good experience from being in and around the squad, who knows Ampadau might get a shot off the bench against the Irish. No space for the artist formerly known as Dangerous Dave. Worrying is the lack of real options upfront ... Watkins hasn't hit a barn door yet and Vokes isn't a regular. Lot of hopes pinned on Woodburn and Bale.

Marley and me is out so Bradders is in #StrikeforceIssues

Leadership is at the back ... Bale will no doubt pull out injured and some point and Rambo will be in the jungle soon enough. Down to Ash.

Not expecting anything else but a point / win here ... ambitious.



All to play for, time for an upset or two ... "U .. S .. A" ... urrrrmmmmm I mean "Wales, Wales ... Wales!"

Went confident with this 5-2-3 formation ... and it backfired spectacularly. Players struggled to adapt and were overawed by the occasion. In the pre-match interviews I tried taking the heat off the players. Sadly it seemed it created more pressure than it was worth. Without Hennesey it could have been a different kettle of fish. A reactionary sub to get Bradders on saw us take a vital point. Not a classic game by a long stretch of the imagination.



The stats look quite interesting ... lucky to get a draw.



Moldova up next ... we are 3 points ahead in the group. We can't rest on our laurels and we need to do a demolition job on Moldova.

Goals and more goals. We came and scored. Okay, not to get carried away, this was Moldova. Not exactly Brazil but a strong win. However, there seems some issues at the back. I don't think we have the defence to operate a back three, so might have to look at changing the formation. Hennessey saved a brilliant penalty in the first half only for the defence to concede another penalty in the second half for Moldova to score. Vokes was banging them in and Bale looked dangerous.



Sam Vokes was literally on fire, two goals and two assists. Still much to be improved upon.



Still three points clear and a handy goal difference over Austria. Still two games to go, fate is in the hands of our lads. Could the boys be on their way to a World Cup?

@Sr Wer Thanks fella! Hope all is well.

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So after our last games we dropped a position and found ourselves in 7th. Pressure is on to maintain a top 10 ranking. Results against the Republic of Ireland will not help.

Some changes in the squad, took the recommendation of the old Kit man. No place for players like Tom Lawrence and Neil Taylor. Some tough competition for places. Paul Dummett got the nod over Taylor because of his versatility and also the fact that he is playing at a higher standard. David Brooks has jumped in for Tom Lawrence, want to get the youngsters involved in as much as possible. Lawrnece hasn't been great for Derby. Also a space for Marley and Me in the squad, looking forward to seeing the hype around this fella.



Guess Tom Lawrence wasn't happy and not being dropped ... lucky for me ... I have convinced him that it was for the best.



Mainstay Neil Taylor also not pleased ... same talk as Lawrence ... he's contempt.

Ampadau out ... paging Neil Taylor now.



Lawrence in for Woodburn.

Don't see what they are complaining about now?

Big, big, big victory. Vokes scored and we were away. We had some early chances which we couldn't finish. Bale took the game away before the Austrian's scored again. Lawrence came in and sealed the victory, his celebrations much to be desired after giving it large in front of us, giving it the big one that we should have picked him ahead of others.



Stats look interesting ...

World Cup bound ... Russia 2k18 ... the Dragons are coming!



From one legend to another ... Gareth is on fire.

Clinical 2-0 win over Sweet Georgia. Yet I feel we should have and could have scored more. More possession and ultimately more shots on goal, yet couldn't finish our dinner. When Vokes scored his second was really expecting a few more goals. After the second we really struggled, not a good sign.



A change in formation and some personnel changes. Gave Danny Ward a start, he knows mind that if he doesn't start playing regularly these token caps might not happen. David Brooks made his debut in the hole and gave a good account. The game also marked a change in formation where we adopted a 4-2-3-1 wide formation. Marley and Me came off the bench and offered one key pass in the middle of the game, which I hoped would end as a goal ... how wrong was I. The World Cup campaign closes, we now look forward to friendlies and now a World Cup.

Instant decline ...



4th in the world and we will be facing off against Argentina later on ... battle for the world.



Look son, you either want in or you want out. Not chasing.



Treat them mean ... keep them keen.



Some new faces ... new goalkeepers, full backs and a chance for highly rated Tyler Roberts and the keenest Scottish Welshman ... Jack Hendry.

Peru up next ...

Disappointing and lucky to win 2-0 ... Peru couldn't hit a barn door with a banjo.



Rely heavily on Vokes scoring at the mo ... he's not even playing regularly for Burnley. Nevertheless a young side that has done well.

Clash of the titans for the Best Team Since September in the World Trophy ...



What a thriller, cannot defend for toffee but at the mo we seemingly can score goals. Score goals it seems against the stronger nations. Bale was electric and ran the show for us. Vokes set up two goals before half time, again on fire. Argentina got lucky for their fourth when James Chester at the back forgot he was James Chester and decided he was Pirlo, tried spraying the ball out to the wings ... instead sprayed it into the path of a grateful Argentinean strike force. Adam Matthews ... played only 5 times for Sunderland this season ... never scored a goal for Wales, scored two. What a time to be alive.



How the stats panned. Some youngsters got a run out. We learnt a lot.

Defeated the number 1 side ... still stay in 4th ... say wha ...



I'll leave it here for now ... we will find out tomorrow what fate has in store for us ... one more day ... one day more ... hmmm.

Not the easiest of groups ... Chile and Spain are going to be a real tough task. South Korea will be a challenge also. Be nice to get a win, realistically we are in for a real rocky time. But, I will always back the boys.



Still 4th in the World ...



So being 4th in the World and still get sub standard facilities at the World Cup ... Russian lads not a fan of us.



Not a loss ... if he want's to travel to the land down under, you go. Don't think he would have been a regular with us mind.

Some job offers have come in ...









West Ham tempting ... but all rejected. Have a mission with Wales.

Starting to build a squad of regulars. Trying to find space for David Brooks is the next task.



Massive blow, been crucial with Dummett and Williams at the back. Gives a chance to Ampadu and Hendry.

Difficult group but I expect at least third.

One of those games ... we took our chances. Scored a couple and sat back. Not ideal but still building nicely for the World Cup.



Injury to Bale was a blow, lost our main attacking threat. Constrained also by some players only being allowed 45 mins. Great for Ampadu to come off the bench and win his first cap too.