ptfc1876's Travels
A Football Manager Career by ptfc1876League
Hong Kong Premier League
Nation
Hong Kong (China PR)
ptfc1876
Every year on FM, I basically play the same save where I attempt to get Partick Thistle to the top of the Scottish game. I don't often deviate from this, and I'm starting to get slightly bored of it. Therefore, I've decided to give something entirely different, and travel the globe attempting to win everything and anything that I can. And I've decided to share it with you fine ladies and gentlemen. I'm starting unemployed with no qualifications and Sunday League experience, which will make it more challenging I'd hope. I've taken a bit of inspiration from Shedender's quest for World Domination, so props to him on that. Anyway, onto the important bit...
These are the leagues I've chosen to start with. That I can remember I've never managed in any of them before, bar Ireland, so I'm sure it'll be interesting, for me at least and hopefully for some of yourselves.
There's nothing available to start with that I either have a chance of getting (Penarol & Start) or an interest in (the international teams). Hopefully, something comes up soon. I'll let you all know what happens.
01/09/2017 - 21/10/2017 - Skeid (Sacked)
11/06/2018 - Present - Tai Po
ptfc1876
Off to the Norwegian Second Division (Group 1), and I've taken the first job that was offered to me in Skeid. One look at the league table...
suggests to me that my reign will be a short one, as there's only 7 games left and we're 4 points adrift. My first game will be at home to second placed Asker, but we do have a couple of games against fellow strugglers so hopefully I'll be able to save this. I'm not holding out much hope though...
ptfc1876
An excellent first month in charge, considering we'd only had 3 wins all season before I turned up. We started off with a 2-0 loss away at Asker, who were second in the table at that point, and were comfortably outplayed by a far superior side. We followed this up with a disappointing loss at KFUM Oslo having lead when Jonas Bergson got the first goal of my managerial career, but an own goal midway through the second half lost it for us. We then won 2 back to back, firstly through an early header from a free kick, and then through two excellent Orjan Hopen goals. These wins were both at home, and both particularly pleasing as they were against teams at the same end of the table as ourselves. The month ended with us taking a bit of a doing on the pitch if not the scoreline at Alta.
All of that leaves the table looking like this. We've managed to climb out of the bottom 3, on goal difference, with 2 games left. We face fourth place Grorud and then bottom side Valarenga 2, so hopefully we can stay up, and I'll try to build a decent team for next season. It all comes down to these two games. If not, it'll be back to the Job Centre for me...
ptfc1876
Well, we had two games left to try to save ourselves. First up was Grorud, a team who could still theoretically reach the playoffs, so I had my work cut out for me.
We got off to an appalling start, and then recovered and looked like we had a decent shot of holding out for a point before a bit of shambolic defending let them in for a winner win ten minutes to go. I didn't expect anything from this match, but to have been level for so long made it pretty difficult to take. Next up, bottom side Valarenga 2...
Sickening, Two penalties in quick succession had us in control, but we completely threw it away in the second half. An own goal, and a close range header were our downfall, and despite throwing everything at it we didn't manage to reclaim the lead that would have secured safety. This left us needing results elsewhere if we were to stay up.
Damn. Didn't quite happen for us, and we all know what that means...
Back to the drawing board only 7 games into my managerial career. There's not many jobs going at present, and none that I would think I'll have any chance of getting, so it'll be a wee wait to find out who I'll take over next, but we shall see where it goes.
TinakoFM
Dan
ptfc1876
After 8 months, countless knockbacks without interviews and somewhere approaching 10 failed interviews, an opportunity to attempt to build something of a reputation, and maybe get some silverware under my belt...
The glamour of the Hong Kong Premier League, and the might of the team who finished one place above the relegation spots. It'll be a challenge, but I'm sure with a couple of additions, we can mount a better campaign than they managed last season, and that I can survive longer than in my previous job (which wouldn't exactly be much of an achievement, but still). My immediate problem is that 3 of my 4 star players want to leave, and I need to improve the rest of my squad pretty drastically, but I'm hopeful that I'm up to the challenge and we'll be fine.
TinakoFM
ptfc1876
Well, my regime in Hong Kong is under way, and the first thing I noticed was that out of the 4 five star players in my squad, 3 want to leave immediately. They're all high earners, the clubs finances are poor and they can't be reasoned with, so I've let them leave. All 3 are heading to the Brazilian second tier, which should boost the finances and allows me to sign some foreign players as there's a limit on the amount I'm allowed in my matchday squad. With that in mind, I've made a couple of transfers after having every man and their dog in on trial...
Fabricio Lopes was arranged by the manager before me, a centre half who should be fairly alright. But my two signings are Darren Meenan, a Northern Irish winger who's been an Irish league journeyman, and James McFadden, the bloke who did this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nmtB7rBs3M
Pick it out Landreau.
Anyway, they'll both be good players for this season, McFadden is probably (definitely) on his last legs but still...
I'm still looking to add a fair amount of players, as we'll need a lot of depth. They'll need to be locals as we've used up our quota of foreign players.
In any case, with the season not starting until mid September we've had a busy schedule of friendlies...
All wins, but we've been up against total dross for the most part so can't read too much into it. The real stuff starts now, so hopefully they'll be up to the required standard.
Big expectations considering the season they had last time out, but we'll have to go for it. Hopefully get some silverware to my name. There's a tonne of competitions to be won, better get started.
ptfc1876
Yuto Nakamura is the absolute boy. It's been an excellent start to the season, an 100% record so far, and 6 goals in 3 for the main man. Eastern were runners up last season, while Fuli and Yuen Long occupied the positions directly above ourselves, so great results. The first two followed the same script, we took the lead, were pegged back and then won it fairly late, while the 3rd was a first half rout and a solid display of game management in the second half. Great start to my reign, if the rest of it goes anything like this we'll be golden. All of that leaves the table looking like this...
Early days obviously, and we've played two of the weaker teams (I think) but that makes great reading. We've got a double header with Dreams FC next month, once in the league and once in the league cup group stage, before a much busier November.
In other news, I added a couple of players on deadline day.
Jaimes McKee probably isn't really good enough, but I desperately needed someone to cover as I play with two strikers, and had two strikers. He's experienced and should be capable of filling in when required. I'll need to reassess this in January as one of my strikers is heading to Brazil, but this'll do for now.
Apparently I'm allowed 5 foreign players, plus one foreign Asian player which allowed me to sign Masoud Shojaei. Looks like a great player, getting on a bit, but he'll be more than good enough for this league. I'm planning on him being a mainstay in my central midfield, but may also stick him up front when needed.
Overall, a great start to life in Hong Kong, and hopefully we can push on.
ptfc1876
The honeymoon is over. We really, really should have beaten Dreams FC, we had the better chances but were very wasteful with them and couldn't get back into it from 2-0 down. The next match against Kitchee was a pretty poor game, even but low on quality and decided by a goal from a corner. We should have held on for our win against Citizen but threw it away at the end, before managing to round off the month with a sensational last minute win away at Pegasus. Nakamura's goals have dried up a bit in the league, but hopefully that goal at Pegasus can get him back on track.
All of that means we've dropped down to fourth in the table, but again, we've been pretty good overall. and look like we've got more than enough to achieve our target of a top half finish.
Our League Cup group stage campaign kicked off with an emphatic win over Dreams FC, just a week after the loss to them in the league. We came back with a bang, Nakamura and Martins on form, and Shojaei pulling the strings in the midfield. Excellent start to the campaign, and with reigning league champions Southern District the other team in our group, it was important to get this win.
Boom. Being drawn away to the league champions in the quarter final of the Senior Cup looked a challenge, but apparently not. Nakamura is quickly cementing himself a place in my heart, 4 goals here takes his tally for the season in all competitions up to 13 in 9 games. We face Citizen, who we really should be beating, in the semi final but nothing is certain so we'll have to wait and see.
Overall a mixed couple of months, pretty poor in the league but outstanding in cup games. We only have one league game in December, but also have a league cup game, 2 sapling cup games and our semi final against Citizen, so still a busy month to come.
ptfc1876
We only had one league game this month, and it was a disappointing and agonising loss against Southern District, whom we had thumped just a month earlier. Jaimes McKee got his first for the club and we looked good for the win when Sean Tse scored a rare goal from centre midfield, but we threw it away at the end with two very preventable goals. We're going to need to address this as our league form has been very poor since our blistering start to the season. We therefore find ourselves fifth, a fair bit clear of the teams below us, but with an awful lot of work, and realistically nowhere near enough games to catch the teams challenging at the top.
League Cup:
A draw was all we needed to progress straight to the semi final, and that was what we managed to get. An own goal was enough, and we held on despite some ropey moments. Unspectacular, but we got the job done.
Sapling Cup:
Gave a few of my players who aren't registered for the league a run out, and it paid off as we did a professional job in our opening group stage match. Two of our Brazilians soon to be departing gave us the win, which just left us with our senior shield semi final against the same opposition to play this month
Senior Shield:
What a way to sign off for Dhiego Martins, his final game for the club and he was on a one man mission to send us to the final. Citizen couldn't handle him, and it was, in truth, a rout. We'll face Sun Hei in the final, and will be Martins-less for that occasion, so we'll need to find someone to step up to the plate. But still, it'll be the first cup final of my career, and given Sun Hei's struggles should present a good chance to win a bit of silverware.
ptfc1876
A pretty quiet month with no league business, just the two Sapling Cup Group games to occupy ourselves with. Up first were Fuli, who're currently bottom of the league with just 3 points from 9, and it was an absolute rout. Nakamura got 4, McFadden got his first and second for the clubs, with McKee adding the other. Was a pretty odd feeling being 6-0 up by half time, and all of this without some of our more important players who've been away on international duty. We then drew with Dream FC, who we've struggled against before, and we did again here so a draw Nakamura getting the goal was a decent result.
We're sitting second in our group, and have all but qualified from the group with just one game versus Eastern to go. Dreams could theorectically catch us, but I'd be pretty surprised if they managed to overturn our goal difference advantage.
With the 3 Brazilians finally leaving for a combined total of just over 130K, it meant that I needed to acquire a new striker, as McKee isn't really good enough to be first choice. With that in mind, we brought in a fair few players on trial and a young Paraguayan called Santiago Martinez came out on top...
He's not as good as the player he replaces, but he's a good technical player and should hopefully be a solid choice, and able to bang in goals on a semi regular basis. I really need some more depth, but the standard of local player available at present is generally pretty shocking, and I don't want to sign anyone just for the sake of it.
February looks to be a busy month, with our Senior Shield Final, the start of our FA Cup attempt (versus lower league Wong Tai Sin) before we get back to league business and conclude our Sapling Cup group.
ptfc1876
The first cup final of the season comes round in Hong Kong, and it's ourselves and Sun Hei, a side struggling just above the relegation spots, fighting it out for the Senior Challenge Shield. Tai Po had lost the cup final last season, and many of the players in my side had played in that game, so we were determined to get our hands on the trophy this time around. We went into the game without Shojaei in midfield who was away on international duty and with Martinez unable to play due to not having been at the club when the competition started. We went into the game favourites, but knew it would be a tough game...
Or apparently it wouldn't. Yuto Nakamura is now n 19 goals for the season, and Darren Meenan had apparently been saving that performance for the right moment, as those 3 were his first goals for the club. Not a bad time to get them I suppose. One look at the stats below shows all you'll need to know about the game, we were pretty happy to let Sun Hei have the ball, but they never really did anything with it, while we were incisive, and clinical.
All in all, an absolutely brilliant way to get my first piece of silverware, and hopefully we can push on and grab a few more trophies this season!
ptfc1876
Well, the shortest month of the year has also been our busiest so far, with seven matches including the cup final against Sun Hei. It was also a successful month for us for the most part, with us getting back on track in the league and also progressing to another 2 semi-finals, this time in the FA Cup and the Sapling Cup.
We started off with a hard fought win against lower league opposition. Twice we took the league only to be pegged back, before Santiago Martinez made his mark on his debut with the winner and a very late second to make sure. We followed this up with a complete rout of Eastern, the current league leaders, where we were 4 up within 13 minutes and Martinez bagged himself a hat trick to make his tally for the club 5 in 2. Martinez was unfortunately injured just 4 minutes into the next game, a tough 2-2 draw in the FA Cup, with us conceding a 92nd minute goal to take it to extra time and, eventually, penalties. We managed to prevail in these though and got through, which is the only thing that matters really.
Next up was our only blip of the month, and it was another match with Eastern, this time in the Sapling Cup, where we rested a fair amount of players and it showed. In any case, other results put us through, as Dreams FC below us weren't able to overturn the goal difference deficit. 4-1 and 4-0 victories rounded off the month, and all that leaves the league table looking like this...
We're up to third, but the 5 point deficit means we'll need favours elsewhere. Southern also have 4 games in hand, I think due to their involvement in Continental Competition, so they could still be players in the title race. We've 4 games in March, including a trip to second place Kitchee so it could be a big month as well.
ptfc1876
After a very solid February in which we got back on track in the league, pulling ourselves back into contention for the title, and ensured that we'll be in at least the semi's of every cup we've entered, March got off to a poor start with some pretty devastating news.
While he's not irreplaceable by any stretch of the imagination, he has been a good performer for us all season, a reliable source of assists, and even grabbed the odd goal. He's also a personal hero of mine for his exploits in a Scotland top. However, at 35, almost 36, this will probably spell the end of his career and certainly the end of his time at Tai Po, due to the need to ensure that my limited foreign players are as high quality as possible. Goodnight, sweet prince.
Anyway, onto the fixture front, and it was a good month for the club with 4 league games, and a League Cup semi final which we'd been waiting for since December.
We started with what looks to be a convincing win over Sun Hei, although the score line almost certainly flattered us to some extent. 3 second half goals wrapped it up, after going in at 1-1, but they threatened to get back into it a couple of times. We then had the only blip of the month against League leaders Kitchee. Two late-ish goals gave the result an air of respectability, but in all honesty I went with too attacking a lineup and we were punished by a clinical side. They scored early, and were then content to soak up pressure and hit us on the break, which they did to great effect.
We got back on track with a scrappy and frankly fortuitous win over bottom of the league Fuli, where we struggled to break them down and Martinez had to take it into his own hands with two almost identical goals from Nakamura's crosses, and Chiu Sui Wai scored a screamer to wrap it up.
The win against Citizen was the first game we've looked convincing in all month, and although it took a while to get the goals that won it for us, it never looked like we weren't going to take all 3 points. A bonanza in the last 10 minutes was more than enough to take the points, and ensure we stay in the hunt. Next up, we were in the League Cup semi final, and booked our place in the final. We were organised, and clinical going forward, and more than deserve our second final of the season. We'll be facing Sun Hei, the team we've already beaten to win the Senior Challenge Shield, so that'll be interesting.
All in all, other than the slip up versus Kitchee, we're looking alright, but as there's only 3 games remaining, and both Eastern and Southern can overtake us with their games in hand, I think we've got too much to do. We'd also need Kitchee to slip up again, after surprisingly losing to Pegasus, which I can't see happening.
ptfc1876
Well, it's been another big month for us, with 2 semi finals, a final and an important league match in the run up to the end of season. With one trophy already this season, we remain in the hunt for 3 more and this month will see whether we can achieve those goals. First up, we faced Pegasus in the semi final of the Sapling Cup, a club who we'd beaten in another semi final only a week earlier.
And it was another convincing win for us this time around. They never really got going to be honest, and made our lives pretty easy. Meenan continued his knack for scoring in big games, and Nakamura continued his knack for scoring whenever he feels like it really! Even after Lopes was dismissed, which was definitely a red card, they couldn't really create anything of note. And so we march into the Sapling Cup Final, to be played at the beginning of May against Eastern. That'll be tough as they've a good team, but we also demolished them earlier in the season so anything's possible. Next up, we had our third semi final in a row, and this time it was the FA Cup...
Damn. A blistering start to the game with goals for both sides within 5 minutes, before absolutely nothing at all happened for the next 85. Extra time beckoned, and as our side clearly tired they took control and deservedly booked their place in the final. We didn't ever look like winning, and so it's no surprise that we didn't but still highly frustrating.
It may, however, have served as just the rocket to the arse that we needed before the League Cup Final, which we played against familiar opponents Sun Hei(although I suppose so is every opponent). We'd thumped them in the last final we played, and in the league so I suppose it's absolutely no surprise that we did so again. We lead within 18 seconds, and doubled it within the first ten minutes. Nakamura had his hat trick just 4 minutes later, which forced them to try desperately to score, and allowed us to sit back and hit them on the break, putting us 5 up by half time. We completely eased off in the second half, and they got one back, but the contest was long since over. Still, it's nice to see these words....
To round the month off, we returned to league action in convincing fashion with another demolition job against Pegasus.
Nakamura is an absolute goal machine, two hat tricks in 2 games, 38 goals for the season in all competitions. In the end we were comfortable, but Pegasus made life hard at times in the first half and it wasn't until Shojaei's goal that we could relax a bit. All in all, a solid months work, that leaves the league table looking like this...
We're still in with a shout, but I think it'll come down to Eastern's games in hand, where they play Pegasus and Citizen. I'd think they'll win, but you never know. Next month we'll wrap up the season, and also start off the month with the Sapling Cup Final.
ptfc1876
Well, May came round and with it the business end of the season really arrived. The Cup final of the Sapling Cup, and the last couple of league fixtures with the champions and continental qualification still on the line for us. First up was the Cup Final, and we faced Eastern...
A terrible first half, in which the only moment of note was Jaimes McKee getting injured which, with Martinez ineligible for this competition, meant that we were forced to change shape to a more unfamiliar 4-4-1-1 with no striking options on the bench. The rest of the first half passed with literally nothing happening, we seemed to struggle to find our rhythm, and Eastern likewise as we cancelled each other out. The second half was significantly more entertaining, with them opening the scoring while the half was still young before we equalised 13 minutes later. Nakamura had an absolute shocker in this game, missed several chances as the half wore on, as, to be fair, did Eastern. Into extra time and it was a repeat of the first half, with nothing of note happening. Our bottle completely went in penalties. 4-1 as they scored all of theirs and we missed our first 2 and didn't get the opportunity to take a fourth.
With the Cup treble out the equation, all eyes returned to focus on the league, and our crunch match with fellow title hopefuls Southern. Realistically, only a win would see us retain any chance of remaining in the title race, but we've beaten Southern before this season...
Genuinely harrowing experience, that. Outfought, outplayed and well beaten. We won't be league champions this season. So, so frustrating to go like that, we've performed brilliantly all season, but this performance was a complete write off.
We rounded off (or so I thought) the season with a thumping win over Sun Hei, again, which means my aggregate score against them this season has been 19-4... The Tai Po Sports Ground for Thrills anyone? We played with the freedom of a side who knew it really, really didn't actually matter and scored goals for fun. It all left the league table looking like this...
So, so tight at the top. Bodes well for next season if I can get the recruitment right as I should be able to hold onto my most important players (except Shojaei, who thinks I'm not at the standardto match his ambitions, which is a fair position, because I'm not).
I had thought that would be me done for the season, but then this pooped into my inbox...
Whatever the season playoff is, we're playing Eastern in it... Another shot at a medal I suppose...
ptfc1876
Well, the Season Playoff was a waste of time. We were pretty evenly matched throughout the first half, and then collapsed in the first few seconds to allow them to take the league. We pushed forward to try and get the equaliser, which allowed them the space in behind to grab a second. We pulled one back, and should have forced extra time in the dying seconds, but McKee couldn't his second and we fell short in the end. A bit of a sour note to end the season on.
Well, it's been a productive first season in Hong Kong with 2 out of the 6 honours won, a third place finish in the league, and either semi finals or finals of the other competitions. It was a historic season for Tai Po as a club, as we achieved the highest ever finish for the club, which was nice. We also, obviously, won the Senior Challenge Shield and the League Cup. We had quite a few top performers for us this year, but Yuto Nakamura, in particular, was a stand out with 38 goals in all competitions.
Meenan also played excellently throughout the season, and with performers like this, I was a bit disappointed to learn that neither of them were player of the season...
Then I saw who was, and it made sense I suppose.
Anyway, onto next season and if we can recruit properly and add depth as well as a few first team players in notable positions, then we'll have a good season. Shojaei is away, and McFadden has retired, which allows me some foreign players but mostly it'll have to be homegrown players.
On the final note, we were the least dirty team in the league. Tai Po - winning matches the right way...