Travelling across Europe - proving I'm better than Dan!

I started life at Slavija Pleternica with two league games and a Croatian Cup preliminary round clash with non-league Medjimurje and the league campaign started disastrously but we bounced back to complete the month with our first league point but we didn't go far in the cup, unfortunately.


We couldn't have asked for a tougher start to the league season as we had to travel to the favourites Zadar and they smashed five goals past us as the home side picked up a five one win. Cindric scored twice and Sopic also found the net to have the hosts three nil up but Tezak pulled a goal back on his debut but Agbonifo scored on seventy six minutes to make it four one and the scoring was complete in stoppage time when Cindric converted a penalty to complete his hat trick.

We then travelled to non-league Medjimurje in the Croatian Cup preliminary round and they embarrassed us following a one nil win as the home side scored the only goal of the game on twenty three minutes as Ban found the net to break the deadlock and we were out.

My first competitive month came to an end with my first home league game since arriving at the club as we entertained Pomoric and we picked up our first league point as Blaskovic put us into the lead on thirteen minutes but we were unable to hold on because Vozila equalised on thirty six minutes to end the scoring.


Just the two league games were played in August and we're in eighth place and now I'd love the season to come to an end because that would mean that we would have survived and I would have been delighted, sadly their is around another thirty three league games to be played but at least we don't have any cup distractions.

Thats not the prettiest starts to the league season I've seen! Sure it won't be long till you get them firing!

Looks like the other team have started without you.

Indeed a bad start of this campaign. Hope the best is yet to come!

It's not been the easiest of starts I've ever had and it shows in the two results - it's very important that we start picking up points in September.


You should look at it this way, we're predicted to come tenth out of ten but we're currently eighth. OVERACHIEVERS!


Please don't be expecting too much from my team while I'm here, they still haven't gelled and it could be a long season unless we start picking up points and fast.

It's been a slow start to the league season as we picked up one point from a possible six available as well as crashing out of the Croatian Cup. September saw us play four league games as our awful start to life in Croatian football continued with four defeats from the four games.


Our first game saw us travel to one of the league favourites Dugopolje and they easily beat us three nil as all the goals came inside the opening ten minutes, Jazbec struck twice inside the opening four minutes while Vukman's goal on ten minutes ended the scoring - it was an unacceptable start to the month.

We then entertained Vinogradar and suffered another game without a victory as the visitors picked up a well deserved three one win as Misic broke the deadlock for Vinogradar on nine minutes and that's how it remained until the same man doubled the lead on sixty six and then Bosec made it three with three minutes left. Mrsic scored a consolation goal for us in stoppage time.

A trip to Cibalia didn't bring any rest bite as the home side won four one and took a two goal lead inside ten minutes through Nilton's double before Juros added a third on twenty one minutes, the home side had a goal disallowed in the second half before Djalminha made it four on eighty six minutes.

The month concluded with our fourth straight league defeat (and fifth in six games) as we hosted fellow strugglers Sibenik and crashed to a four goals to one defeat that yet again saw us go two down inside ten minutes as Anic and Zupanovic scored before Tomljenovic pulled a goal back for us early in the second half but Jorge and Sladakovic scored in the second period to seal a convincing win.


Isn't it just as well Crikvenica are just as bad as us? Well, I think so as they're keeping us from crashing to the bottom of the league as we've only managed to pick up a single point and score the four times in our opening six league games while we've conceded twenty and lost five (including four on the bounce) and this is already destined to be a long, hard season.

I'm not being funny but I seriously can't see when we will win a league game this campaign.

September was a month to forget as we crashed to four league defeats out of four games and now we are enter October still looking for our first league victory of the season. Five games awaited us in the month with three at home and two away and yet again it was a month to forget.


We started with a home game against Radnik Sesvete and crashed to our fifth straight defeat as Marcijus scored the winning goal for the visitors on seventy two minutes. We missed a first half penalty on another day to forget.

The club crashed to their sixth straight defeat (seventh out of eight games so far) as we made the trip to Lucko and another limp and spineless performance saw us go down four nil as goals from Maloca and Krznaric had us two goals behind after twenty three minutes before second half goals from Marinovic and Krznaric's second completed the hammering.

We then hosted one of the league favourites Zadar and suffered a SEVENTH straight Second Division defeat as the away side eased to a three one win with Matas opening the scoring on sixteen minutes b efore Jurina made it two but Rogic pulled a goal back for ourselves but it meant nothing as Jurina's second of the day delivered another league defeat.

Our next game was a crunch game as we hosted bottom of the table Crikvenica and things were looking up when Tomijenov and Gulic had us two nil up after thirty one minutes but Ban pulled a goal back on the stroke of half time before Datkovic rescued a point for the visitors. Disappointing.

And the month concluded with a trip to Pomorac and yet again we failed to win despite taking the lead after only three minutes through Gulic but we were pegged back on thirty one minutes through Grabovic as the game ended one all.


We're still struggling. Eleven games played and we still haven't won a single league game, nor have we even looked likely and now I'm seriously considering my future at this club. They are hopeless.

Isn't looking too good at the moment for you! I'm sure you will be able to turn it around though!

Near time that jumped ship I believe mate? This form looks rotten!

I doubt I can turn it around, as I don’t even know how we’re going to win a league game this season. Eleven games, no wins, three draws I think and the rest are defeats – we’re lacking confidence and can’t defend at all.


I’ve actually considered jumping ship because I think I could be sacked within the next couple of months since I can’t win a game, we are getting relegated at this rate and despite it being early days it’s a matter of when we’re relegated and not if.

Worst form I’ve ever had on this game if I remember correctly.

Ouch form is everything in FM13. Get it or leave it I say!

I've just sent a PM to Dan saying once a bigger club comes available, I am applying for it and hopefully I will get it.

On the back of eleven games without a win at Slavija Pleternica that was irritating me I decided that I needed to get out of the club before they sent "me" into a mental institution as I don't like losing games, especially almost week in and week out like I was currently doing. A top club in the First Division sacked their manager and I had to apply for it.


Once the previous manager's job became "precarious" I kept on checking to see if he had been given the boot and once he was I immediately declared interest in the vacant managerial post. They're struggling in the First Division and are down in eighth I believe and that made them have enough of their manager as they were predicted to come third in pre season. I've only been at my current club Slavija Pleternica for just short of four months.

Me applying for the Hadjuk post hasn't been received well from my current employers.


They're disappointed with my lack of professionalism but quite frankly if I get the Hajduk job then I couldn't care less about what Slavija's board have to say about me.

Pundits are already making speculation that if I don't join Hajduk then I could see myself sacked.


Like many a club they're flattered by my interest because it says they'd be foolish not to consider someone of my calibre as I've been a success at most clubs I've been at. I'm sure quite a few managers are interested in taking the job as it's a big Croatian club but whether they're willing to pay compensation remains to be seen.


Hajduk's chairman has contacted me about taking over the job and I just need to sign the contract and then I will be announced as the clubs new manager, taking over immediately. I've been offered a four year contract that will see me at the club (maybe) until 2030 and I'll be getting paid one point seven thousand a week throughout the duration of my current contract.

The main reason why I'm considering the job is because of the £10 million transfer budget and a hefty wage budget too. Would I be stupid if I turned this job down to remain at Slavija Pleternica? At least the board aren't expecting much from me this season as the minimum expectation is for the club to achieve a mid-table position.


Did anyone seriously think I would have said no to joining a top Croatian club in Hajduk? Of course I accepted the job and I'm sure they're pleased to have got me at the helm on an initial four year deal. Apparently I command the deepest respect throughout the footballing world, sweet. The Hajduk board have had to pay one hundred and forty thousand pound in compensation for my services and now it's up to me to pay them back and ensure they don't regret employing me.

My first game at the club will be a trip to bottom of the tabls Istra 1961 I think and that will be a tough start despite them being at the foot of the table but can I win my first game in Croatian football? We're also still in the Croatian Cup too but I don't know if we can win that as Dinamo are still in it too.

Shame to see you leave that club, but it looked like you had little choice! At least you have fallen on your feet landing the job at Hadjuk! Can see you storming through Croatia now before moving onto Czech Republic!

Knew you'd follow in my footsteps, however you'd never live up to my name! Very nice budgets to work with matey! bet you go on to win that cup now!

Looks like a move opened up just in time. From a sinking ship to a spaceship. Atleast that high they should go with you as the captain. Mega budget will make it possible to fill in the weak spots fast. Good luck.

This way you can keep the preasure on Dan!

Hajduk Spilt..... great name and club with a really good budget. My hands are itching to spend that money for you!

They were a dead end club who were heading to relegation and I'm not a miracle worker. Once the relegation happened then I would have been the first one between Dan and myself to be sacked and he would have laughed.

I'm pleased that I received the Hajduk job as they could have went for someone with a lot more experience, or a stupid newgen with no experience as that usually happens in the future. I'm sure I can win the Croatian Cup but it's going to maybe take a while to end Dinamo's domination on the First Division.


To be fair mate, you followed in my footsteps when you took the Torpedo job so I thought I'd return the favour and manage the third best club in Croatia. I'd never live up to you? Correct. I'd surpass everything you did at the club, couldn't turn down a £10m transfer budget, could I pal? I'd love too win the cup but Dinamo are still in it, unfortunately.


It's a great career move in Croatia and one I simply couldn't turn down. I won't regret making the move. I'd love to bring in a few transfers during the winter break as I hope to move away from the bottom half of the table but I have one priority and that's a left back as the only one I have, who came from my youth (I think it was) team is rubbish.


The budget, for a Croatian club is remarkable and I do plan on using the transfer budget throughout the transfer window. The budget is down to about £8m due to me bringing in some staff members who I consider better than I previously had.

With me taking over the reigns at First Division club Hajduk Split, my first month in charge would be a November month that will see me play six matches - four in the league along with the Croatian Cup quarter final first and second legs against Second Division club Zadar. Bar one slip up at the end of the month, it's been a decent start to life in Split.


And my first game in charge of the club saw me travel to bottom of the table Istra and we were underdogs for some strange reason, I got off to a dream start with a sensational five one away success as attacking midfielder Basha opened the scoring on four minutes but we were pegged back on seven before Barisic and Wanderson both scored to give us a three one half time lead. A penalty from Sablic on fifty one minutes made it four before substitute Silva added a fifth with ten left.

I was unveiled to the home crowd before our Croatian Cup quarter final first leg affair against Zadar and we will take a two nil advantage into the return leg as the win was sealed inside the opening half an hour with Barisic breaking the deadlock on thirteen minutes and then Vukusic made it two on twenty six.

We then had a possible "relegation six pointer" as we entertained Zagreb in Split and defeated them two nil with both of the goals arriving in the second period. Following a scoreless first forty five minutes we took the lead three minutes into the restart courtesy of young striker Tesija before substitute Nwaogu sealed the win with a second on eighty five minutes.

We then visited Lokomotiva and picked up our third straight two nil win in all competitions as we struck twice in a sixteen minute period as the lead was given to us by Brazilian winger Wanderson on twenty four minutes before Tesija struck for the second game in succession on forty.

The return leg against Zadar in the Croatian Cup quarter final saw us drew one all against the Second Division team but we progressed three one on aggregate to advance to the semi finals as right winger Tomas saw the deadlock finally broke in the sixty seventh minute but we couldn't hold on for a fourth clean sheet in all competitions as Cindric struck in the second minute of stoppage time.

Our final game of my first month in charge was a Split Derby as we hosted RNK and suffered our first defeat as the high flyers edged a five goal thriller and took the lead against the run of play on thirty nine minutes through Grgic and then the same man struck early in the second half to double the lead. We pulled a goal back on fifty five minutes as Nwaogu found the net but then RNK Split made it three one before Saric scored a second for us but the visitors held on for the points.


With the first month at Hajduk behind me we have started climbing the table, albeit slowly. When I took over the club were in eighth place and following three wins out of four games we are now up to sixth. We won't win the league this season but I'd be delighted if we could at least equal our media expectation of third this season.

The final month of twenty twenty-six saw us face just the one game, in the league away to Slaven Belupo before we headed for the winter break. Once we reach the winter break then I can properly evaluate the squad and see who I am willing to keep and ship on - expect some changes, I hope.


Just the one game was played this month as we made the trip to Slaven Belupo and played out a one all draw and the draw flattered the home side more as Val gave them the lead on the quarter hour but we pegged them back from the penalty spot as Sablic converted on fifty eight minutes. We were simply the better side but were unable to take our chances and now I think that's told me, I need to buy a striker in the transfer window.


The first round of league fixtures after the winter break will have us starting in sixth place despite the draw away from home. We are something like seventeen points behind leaders Dinamo Zagreb so I've ruled out us going for the title, although stranger things have happened, I can't see it happening.

Let's Hajduk them! Good to see you moved on to a better club with a great potential. GL in the cup.

Looks like your in a similar situation with Hajduk as I was when I took over! Still in the cup but way off the league pace!

As soon as the league, cup and super cup has been wrapped up with Hajduk then I hope a bigger Second Division club will be available. I'm not sure how long it'll take me to concur the top flight.


They struggled on your game and they've struggled on my game too. You got a job there and so did I.

With the winter break upon us I found it necessary to enter the transfer market as I've brought in nine new players in an attempt to strengthen my squad - this could go two ways, it could make the squad stronger or it could backfire while two players left. Eight friendlies were also played during the break.


Our first capture of the winter transfer window saw Diogenes arrive on a free transfer from Internacional after he agreed a pre-contract with us. I'm not sure whether the twenty-three-year-old striker will be starter for us yet or not, I then signed twenty-six-year-old Ivcic for one point six million from Real Salk Lake, the left back will be first choice or so I thought, he got ruled out for three months before our first competitive game back.

I've captured a new central midfielder as Principe has arrived from Borca for four hundred and fifty thousand pounds, the twenty-year-old Peruvian can also play in a defensive midfield position if needed. Another striker has joined the club for a big two point eight million pound fee - Rufino has joined from Spartak ZV and the twenty-one-year-old is expected to be first choice and I hope he can bang them in.

Lucas was our next signing as he's cost two point two million from Brazilian side Sao Paulo. The Brazilian left winger who is twenty-year-old is expected to be first choice for the foreseeable future as my other top winger will be departing the club in the summer after agreeing a pre-contract elsewhere. One more central defender has arrived as Gomez has joined for a hundred and ninty thousand from Argentine club Newell's. Jimenez, a twenty-three-year-old goalkeeper has cost us two point one million from Olimedo and that's a risk because he's never played a league game for his former club but he could see game time here.

Our final two captures of this window has seen Appellaniz arrive on loan until the end of the season from Uruguayan club Danubio, the twenty-one-year-old attacking midfielder, who can also play in centre midfielder if required could be first choice during his loan spell and our last signing has seen another attacking midfielder enter the club with Rondinelli joining from fellow First Division club RNK Split for eighty thousand, the twenty-three-year-old will rotate.


Two players have departed the club this transfer window as striker Silva has joined Goias for half a million pound while Allan Dayvison has left the club to join First Division "rivals" Lokomotiva as the central defender was surplus to requirements at the club.

Other news: Five players have agreed to depart the club in the summer after agreeing pre-contracts elsewhere. Striker Blazevic will be heading to Norwich, goalkeeper Franjic will be Turkey bound as he's agreed to join Samsunspor, Saric is heading to Gradina, left winger Wanderson will be joining French side En Avant de Guingamp when his contract expires and attacking midfielder Basha will be heading to Dugopolje.


Only one slip up happened in the mid-season friendly fixtures as we lost to Sparta Prague at home but we managed to beat Zadar, Jadran, River Plate, Medjimurje, Val, Primorac and my former club Slavija Pleternica. We managed to score twenty four times in the eight games and only conceded the three times although the opposition wasn't the strongest bar River Plate and Sparta Prague.

I'm not going to get carried away though as they were only friendly games.

A good winter break against smaller teams nice to see you beat your previous employers, that wasn't hard though, they were shit!

A good form to carry into the competition.

Not just smaller teams you, we played very well against River and Sparta Prague. If I had lost to my previous employers, friendly or not then I should have just resigned as they're brutal - although they have won one league match so far this season and no, I wasn't at the club when that happened.

Like I have said Dan, I can't get carried away because they were just friendlies.


Don't expect me to win our first game back as it's just a small task of Dinamo away.

Our first month back following the winter break saw us play three league games and it was to be a tough month on paper as we faced league leaders Dinamo away from home before a home double against Istra 1961 and Osijek.


The first game since returning from a break saw us on the road to league leaders Dinamo and were defeated three two as the hosts took the lead on fourteen minutes through Erico before Marion gave Dinamo a two goal half time lead. We halved the deficit early in the second half through Tomas but they soon restored their two goal advantage before Radojcic made it a tense finish with our second goal of the game with thirteen minutes left.

We then had back to back home games to conclude the first and our first one was against Istra and it turned out to be a classic as we came out on top of an eight goal thriller, winning five three. Goals from Tomas, Sablic and Apellaniz had us three up inside the opening twenty minutes but Bourne pulled a goal back and then Tomas' second gave us a four one half time lead. Strok and Smith both scored in the second period to make it four three but we sealed the win as Diogenes scored his first goal for the club on seventy two.

And the month ended with a home game against Osijek as we surrendered a two nil lead to only get a draw as Rufino scored on thirty six minutes from the spot and then in the forty eighth minute to give us a two goal advantage but two goals in nine second half minutes from Novoselac and Novakovic salvaged a point for the visitors.


The league table hasn't changed much as far as I'm concerned as we're still in sixth place and don't think we can finish in our predicted third place finish unless we find some consistency through the final three months of the season.

Indeed 3th place would be difficult. 4th Place is more likely but also hard to achieve. Good luck with it.

3th doesnt seem likely unless you go on a winning frenzy. Well next season you start tied first