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bigmattb28
Dan
Not a huge points gap @bigmattb28 considering we've a game in hand, its vital we win that one.
Roma - End Of Season Round Up - May 2027
Second half of the season is upon us, it was time to see what we could do. Fighting on three fronts still this season with the league not out of our grasps just yet, Italian Cup set to start in January and the later rounds of the Champions League to play, we were hopeful for some sort of silverware this year. Having won the league once so far in two seasons, but not the Italian Cup at all, could we tick that one off this time around...
Oh dear, the Italian Cup continues to evade my grasps! Three seasons now, we've failed to win this cup, we've failed to even reach the final! A home leg in the First Round against Bologna saw us run to an easy win, four nil. The Quarter Finals up next, a tougher task in welcoming AC Milan, but it was to be our exit point once again, losing out one nil.
WHAT A RUN! From the Champions League group of death, to sitting in the Final, waiting to play Spanish giants Barcelona! The First Knockout Round had us drawn at home to Real Madrid for the first leg, where we ran riot, taking a five two victory with us. A trip to Spain saw us on the wrong side of a seven goal thriller. Losing out four three after a very slow start from us, but enough to advance, winning nine five on aggregate. We kept with a Spanish feel for this competition, being drawn away in the Quarter Finals to Atletico Madrid. We were poor this time around, losing out three one in Spain and looking at another exit. But the boys turned it around brilliantly in the second leg as we ran riot to a four one win. A ninety first minute goal from Anderson saving us from Extra Time and sending us into the Semi Finals. Rich, English giants Manchester City awaited us here. At home first leg, it was important to get the win, and a clean sheet on top was an added bonus as we won two nil. The Second leg we were nowhere near as good, or intensive. We lost two nil in the ninety minutes, pushing us into Extra Time. Where we pulled it back. Goals from Foucher and Scantamburlo levelled things on the night and sent us to the Final, against Barcelona. More to come on that shortly...
Did somebody say unbeaten second half of the season? Fantastic form from the boys. 21 games in the second half of the league season and we won 18 of these, drawing the other three. All three draws 0-0 as well. Our defence was rock solid, conceding just four goals along the way. This was form I wasn't expecting especially after we were a bit hit and miss last season and a little slow starting this year again, but this really picked things up. Chasing down the likes of AC Milan and Juventus, would it prove to be costly that we drew against both of the sides. A massive six nil win against Lazio along the way, as well as two four nil wins against Pescarra and Sampdoria. Did we do enough to claw back a second league title?
CHAMPIONS! We've done it, and only thanks to Juventus slipping up in two of their last five games. Drawing one and then losing their penultimate game, ultimately costing them the title as we clawed back a ten point deficit at the halfway stage to Juventus, to take our second league title in three seasons, by just two points. We scored the second most goals along the way this season, just one short of Juventus, whilst keeping the best defensive record, conceding just sixteen goals, six less than the next lowest, third place Inter Milan.
This is why I delayed the Champions league Final match, it marked my 400 game in management milestone! But the statement also informs you of the trophies I've won along the way, including now two Serie A titles, so I didn't want to spoil that before posting the fixtures and the league table. Its been a very enjoyable 400 games, from Belgium with Genk, to the streets of the English capital when we won the Championship Playoffs with Fulham. And to our most recent adventure in Rome which has seen me now lift two Serie A titles, the Italian Super cup and the Euro Cup ll. Could we add the elite trophy to the collection, the Champions League?
WE'VE ONLY GONE AND DONE IT! CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE!! We started very well, dominating the game and finally got the chance to take the lead when we were awarded a penalty in the thirty first minute, dispatched by Vocaturo, we led! We held on to this till just after the hour mark. Sixty six minutes on the clock, Amine Gouiri scruck from fifteen meters out, into the bottom corner to level things up. We had so many chances inside the final fifteen minutes, the best falling to Samuel Morin, but he failed to find the back of the net. Into Extra Time we went, and it was Barcelona doing all the pressing, I was sure we were going to concede, but we kept doing everything we could at the back to keep them out, 120minutes up, it was down to the luck of the spot kick. Andre Anderson missed our first one, which had me worrying as Gouiri had buried his already. A save from Bentaleb's kick followed up by Vocaturo netting leveled things up. Jesus kept the pressure on us but Amoroso was calm. It was Barcelona' Gomez who missed their fourth spot kick though before Bernat netted for us. Coman had to score, and he did, leaving it down to our fifth and final penalty taker, Forte, who kept a cool head to smash home the winning spot kick, guiding me to the first Champions League trophy of this career!
Player stats for the season, take of it what you will. A few players in the squad are approaching time to be moved on whilst some of the younger stars will begint to come through. Disappointed in Forte and Amoroso' such low conversion rates this season to see them only bag eleven goals each. Riccardi was superb in the middle of the park, knocking in ten goals from fifty appearances along with eleven assists whilst Vocaturo also netted nine and assisted eleven. Audero played all 53 games of the season in goal for us this year. Keeping so many clean sheets in our way to the double.
Shortly after the season come to a close, transfer whispers began and it wasn't long before our players were being picked at, who can blame them hey, we are champions of Europe. The biggest bid (to date) saw Chelsea produce this stunning offer. £136million for our superb midfielder Antonio Vocaturo. The young twenty two year old is valued at sevent two million and has only recently signed a contract extension which keeps him at the club for another four years. I, of course, negotiated the offer, telling them we'd accept £200million, which they quickly rejected, I'd rather he stayed anyway.
Finally, to end this update and round off the season, German side Borussia Dortmund have approached me for my services. You may remember last season I turned down the chance to jump ships to Germany and manage Bayern, and at the time said I was more a Dortmund man than a Bayern one. Now I've got an offer to join Dortmund. They finished 5th (I think, game isn't currently loaded) last season and will be heading into the Euro Cup ll next season, a chance to scoop a second one of those perhaps? But the aim would be to get them back into the Champions league the following season, and to do this, I've been offered £138million transfer budget, along with a £3million wage budget. Time to do some thinking...
Next Post: June 2027
TinakoFM
Dortmund would be a nice next step, unless you want to try to win the Club World Cup with Roma?
tongey
Shedender
Time to move?
RumDrunkRaccoon
bigmattb28
Dan
Dortmund are one of my preferred teams too @tongey so to have the chance to manage them already is a dream, its just annoying we've got a potential Club World Cup at Roma next season and the European Super Cup.
Thanks @Shedender, it sure was a dream season!
@RumDrunkRaccoon you're right, I could be swayed...
Indeed I have @bigmattb28, earlier than I imagine.
Decision Day - June 2027
I was forced to leave the save on a cliffhanger following my last post. Contract running down at Roma and a huge offer on the table from one of my favored sides, Dortmund. But having moved house over the weekend and therefore not having internet for a few days, the save was left in the balance of what was next. Do I leave European champions Roma, following our very successful season which saw us crowned Serie A Champions for a second time in three seasons? Or do I stay. Dortmund had a very tempting offer on the table, a return to the Euro Cup ll which I once won with Roma and plenty of money to spend...
Was it ever in doubt? I've jumped ships again, leaving behind Roma, the European Champions, and with that a chance to win my first ever European Super Cup and Club world Championship. And now head to Germany to take the reigns of Dortmund at the Signal Iduna Park. This has been seen as a 'coup' for Dortmund according to the media, and quite rightly so with a whole host of trophies in the cabinet wherever I've gone.
Here are the first set of expectations the board have given me for the season. The main importance is focused on the Bundesliga and rightly so. After finishing down the table last year, they expect me to get the boys in yellow back into the Champions League next season, through the league, so a top four(?) finish has to be our main aim. They've also like to see us reach the Final of the DFB-Pokal which could be a struggle, unless we get a favorable draw. The final cup competition we're in and least important to the board is the Euro Cup ll, where they also want us to reach the Final as a minimum expectation. To do this, they've given me a warchest of £137million to spend on new faces as well as a wage budget hitting nearly £3million, currently spending £2.3million of that, so plenty of room.
Here are the full club visions for the three years that I've signed a contract for, I tried to get a five year deal but they didn't want to commit that long. I would love to be here more than three years though. Play attacking football, thats entertaining. On the transfer front we need to priorities German players, under the age of 23 but also aim to develop our own using the clubs facilties, which I will be requesting get upgraded. Obviously I have to work within the wage budget whilst increasing the commercial revenue but strangely, offering a minimum of a 4 year contract to first team players. By the end of the next season they want us to be challenging for the Bundesliga title and by the end of season three in charge, winning it.
Here is the squad that I take control of, I've already searched my youth and B team to try and find any 'talent' that is ready for first team action down there. Top of my shopping list this summer has to be a new Goalkeeper, neither of mine are going to be that 'good' that they'll be standouts. I'm quite happy with our options in defence, midfield is a bit more sporadic but still a few good options, whilst up top it looks like we could have a few special talents. I've already located a new goalkeeper who we enter talks with, and a wonderkid striker who could be in for a huge deal.
Finally, to give you a bit of an idea what Dortmund have been up to over the last eight seasons. They've failed to win a league title, meaning I'm up against it already, the Bundesliga has been won by three different sides over the eight years of this save, Bayern Munich winning it six times whilst Wolfsburg have won it once and Bayer Leverkusen have also won it two seasons agin. Dortmund won the first DFB Pokal of the save, but have since failed to win it, finishing runners up three of the last four seasons. And in the German Super Cup, Dortmund have been runners up three times. Work to do.
Next Post:: BVB Dortmund - Pre Season Round Up - August 2027
lolmappo
Seems like you've had plenty of success thus far in your career, excited to see how you fare in the Bundesliga
RumDrunkRaccoon
Dan
Had to @RumDrunkRaccoon, was always going to be tempted by Dortmund and the earlier the better. Lets hope we can add some trophies to their rather empty cabinet as of late.
Dortmund - Pre Season Update - June 2027
Welcome to Germany. Summer has been and gone, it wasn't an overly big summer, nor overly busy but I done what I set out to do. I had plans in the transfer window and made sure I stuck to them. I also realised I had limited staff so I got stuck straight into the staff transfer window to fully pack out the backroom. Leaving me with a full coaching team, scouts and an assistant that I bought in myseld. Anyway, heres how the summer panned out.
Not loads to report here. A couple of exits bringing in some money. Lopez joined Villarreal for £10,5million whilst Klostermann was a later departure, heading to Atalanta for £15million. This helped raise another £27.5million to go onto our already very large warchest. First up, I wanted a new keeper. And I spent god money for one. Bringing in Lyons Fabian Hanslimann. The twenty four year old cost me £40million but will prove to be worth every penny I feel. Better than what we already had at least. I couldn't pass up the chance to sign Aymeric Laporte, thirty three years old but will still do a more than solid enough job in the back line. Whilst Christian Bala was my third and final signing of the summer window. A young attacking midfielder costing us just £5million.
The sumemr was very pleasing on the pitch. Getting use to the formation, the normal one from VP. that seems to work everywhere so far! Plenty of clean sheets as well as a draw against French giants PSG. Things looking promising on the pitch.
We've won our qualifying round game which put us into the group stage. I will post the qualifying results at the halfway stage update but always like to post the group before in the pre season update. A group we should be winning and hopefully going through unbeaten. Spartak Moscow could prove a tricky tie in Russia, but the rest should be more than straight forward. Bring on the season!
Next Post:: BVB Dortmund - Mid Season Round Up - January 2028
Dan
BVB Dortmund - Mid Season Round Up - January 2028
Got through the first half of the season here in Germany pretty quickly and I've been enjoying it this far. Pre season was strong for us and so I hoped we would take that into the season. Fighting in three competitions straight off the cuff this year it was important we started well in all three, to prove we are still a force and that silverware won't be evading us for much longer. With league and cup action commencing, we also had an early start in Europe, playing in the Euro Cup ll, lets start there...
We almost didn't even make it to the group stage, following a disastrous first leg against Nice in France in the Best placed playoffs. Losing two nil away. But second lef Jonathan David struck a hatrick to help us on our way to a four nil win and secure our place in the group stage of which I've already shown you our draw. We smashed our way through the group, as we were expected to do so, winning five and drawing the other of the six games we had. The group stage started with a huge win, beating Welsh side TNS in Germany 11-0! Yes, 11! A trip to Bulgaria saw us beat Ludogorets two nil. The hardest tie of the group was what I expected, a trip to Russia to play Spartak Moscow, where we drew 0-0. Back at home we beat them four nil, before putting another eight passed TNS, this time in Wales in an 8-1 win. Finishing our group demolition with a four one win agaisnt Ludogorets.
On to cup action, and its been a while since we've had cup action in the first half of the season, but so far, so good. We were drawn away to Bochum in the First Round of the DFB-Pokal, my first competitive game in charge of Dortmund. We beat them four nil to comfortably process to the next round. The Second Round also saw us away from home, this time at Hamburg who we snuck passed with a two one victory. Leaving us with a Third Round tie against Nurnberg which will come in February.
We started off quite well in the league, despite an opening day goalless draw against Stuttgart, things got better with four wins on the bounce and seven wins from eight games. In fact, we went nine games unbeaten in the league before we faced our first defeat, away at Koln. This led to back to back defeats as we lost at home to Schalke the game after. A couple wins followed, but this winter period our form was really beginning to slip, four defeats from seven games. Away from home we're looking ropey however playing against sides like Bayern Munich and Leipzig, perhaps we expect to lose those. Jonathan David scoring for fun.
So far, so good. Remember, the board are expecting us to finishing in a Champions League rewarding place, so a top four finish. We're currently sitting up in second but its close. Wolfsburg are top, four points clear currently looking to better they're runners up position from the season before. Its close behind us too. Leverkusen in third level on points with us and then just two points adrift are Schalke, Bayern Munich and Stuttgart. Leipzig a further three points behind. Koln at the other end are the early league strugglers it would seem.
Next Post: BVB Dortmund - End Of Season Round Up - May 2028
tongey
Excellent work in the league, that Jonathan David looks like a hell of a player! Now, go on and win it!
lolmappo
Dan
No idea @lolmappo but I certainly don't mind them being here when its us that face them! We're still fighting on all three fronts.
BVB Dortmund - End Of Season Round Up - May 2028
And we're there, end of season nine of this career, I don't get to play quite as much as I used to and therefore not completed as many seasons as I'd of liked, but we still have over eight months until the next release is likely so a long way to go to continue to try and grind out the seasons. My first season in Germany has come to an end and when I last updated you, we were still fighting for trophies on all three fronts of the competition side of things. Would that continue into the second half of the season, an unlikely treble on the cards?
Lets start here, with the DFB-Pokal, the German Cup in simpler terms. We extended our good form in this competition and managed to reach the Final in reasonably easy conditions. Beating Nurnberg three one away from home at the start of February in the Third Round before traveling away to Heidenheim at the end of February, beating them three nil in the Quarter Final. The Semi Final looked to be a tougher task, a trip to Wolfsburg, but again we got over it relatively easy, a couple late goals helping us to a three one win and a spot in the Final against Hertha BSC.
First chance at silverware here in Germany and we take full advantage of it. A dominant showing saw us lift the DFB-Pokal. We had a chance to take the lead after just nine minutes when we were given a penalty. Unfortunately Aymeric LaPorte stepped up to take it and saw it saved. We only had to wait seven minutes later till we took the lead, Pongracic heading home. Our second, and the final goal of the game came four minutes before the break when our left wing back, Christian Bala scored a 'thumping header; Hertha poor discipline cost them late on when Roman Reinert saw red.
To Europe and again a very successful run sees us reach a second Final this season. As you'd expect, playing in the Euro Cup ll, we never really faced a 'big' side in the knockout rounds. Having won the group stage we miss out the first Knockout Round and faced Portugal side Sporting CP in the Second Knockout Round. A two one win away in Portugal set us up in good fashion. Unfortunately the second leg was a bit stale, a nil nil draw, but enough to see us into the Quarter Finals. Here we returned to Belgium again, facing AA Gent. First leg in Germany we done the work. Won four nil and put the tie to bed there. Away from home a two one win followed to see us through, a six one aggregate win. The Semi Final posed the biggest challenge to date, staying in Belgium to face Anderlecht. A narrow one nil win thanks to a late Karatas goal in the eighty second minute left the tie on a knife edge. But a one all draw in Belgium set us up into the Euro Cup ll Final, a competition I won in the my first year at Roma, fate to repeat itself...?
Dammit! That's not ideal, I didn't see us losing this one as we faced Real Sociedad in the Final. We played well, despite having less possession we managed to work fifteen challenges to the Spanish sides four. But they took one of their chances. Abdulkadir scoring from a tight angle in the thirty fourth minute, enough to deny us lifting a second trophy here.
We returned to league action from the winter break very fresh faced, winning our first five games of the New Year and keeping four clean sheets in the process. It would be Borussia Monagladbach to send us to our first league defeat of 2028, beating us five three. And only a couple games later Hoffenheim beating us two one, both away from home. Struggling Koln grabbed a point from us at home, our biggest win of the season perhaps, a five nil home win over struggling Bayern Munich. Whilst we also put RB Leipzig to the slaughter with a four nil victory late on in the season.
CHAMPIONS! Just like in Italy with Roma, I wasn't expecting to life the title first season in Germany, I was expecting to have to work for it a little bit. But I feel we've almost been gifted this, by Wolfsburg having a shocker second half of the season and FC Bayern Munich haven't a complete write off season as they finish down in sixth this season. Surprised to see both Koln and Werder Bremen in the bottom three. But we have a league title in Germany!
Next Post: BVB Dortmund - Pre Season Round Up - August 2028
HockeyBhoy
bigmattb28
Dan
Thats the plan @bigmattb28, shame we couldnt get that Euro Cup ll but the ultimate prize anywhere is that Champions League.
BVB Dortmund - Pre Season Round Up - August 2028
Back to summer time and we raced through it, continuing strengthening the squad as we looked to build on a very good first season. Scooping a double in my first year in charge, the first trophies Dortmund have seen in a while. I wasn't expecting to clinch both the League and cup trophies last season but its a welcomed surprise. The trophy I expected us to win, the Euro Cup ll we could only finish runners up in. I had an offer to head to Barcelona this summer, however at this stage it didn't interest me, I've got more work to do at Dortmund before I plan to leave yet.
Here is what the board are expecting for the season ahead. Progression through the Champions League group stage, into the First Knockout Round, and to retain our Bundesliga crown, these are top requirements from the board this year. Reaching the final of the DFB-Pokal is a preference but one we'd be looking to do, whilst winning the German Cup isn't too important to them. We were given a lot more than the transfer budget shown in the bottom left, I've already spent it as you'll see...
Throwing the money around whilst I've got it. Spending £121million whilst bringing in an extra £42million on player sales, which could have been more but a couple of rejected contracts meant we were left with them as squad players. We lost Aymeric Laporte on a free transfer to Monaco, he wasn't interested in signing a new deal which is a shame as he was a useful player to us. Our noticeable exits were Turski heading to Leicester for £8million. Chabot to Liverpool for £15million and Olsen to Frankfurt for £17.25 million, potentially rising to £21million. On the other side of the door I think we've done some very good business. First in was Cristian Simplicio, getting this man on a free from Spurs is huge, valued at £67million shows his worth. Lefteris Papadopoulos joins us from Euro Cup ll winners Real Sociedad in a sixty million pound move. The twenty two year old central midfielder will really pack our midfield with quality. Petar Markovic signs from inter for twenty seven million, potentially rising to thirty million. We then looked towards younger players, signing eighteen year old Benjamin Cornelis from former club Genk for seventeen million. Eighteen year old Dmitry Nikolaev from Desna for £8.5million. Finally two more young players through the door, twenty one year old Jens Gruber from Hertha BSC for £3.9million and last but not least 15 year old Resul Demir from Mainz for £5million.
Here is the very 'youthful' looking squad that we now take into the new season, I'm exciting to see how it progresses over time. We currently have just seven players in the mains quad that are older than 25! And a couple of them I have tried to move on this summer as well. This youthful team looks very promising according to the assistants report on current ability, but even more promising if you check out the potential ability column. Especially when you look to the front line, the bottom four players on the screen shot look very bright. Also the goalkeeping situation looks to be sorted at the club for some years, with Hanslimann our current number one who I bought in last year and Nikolaev next in line with a huge future.
I didn't arrange many friendlies this summer, perhaps could of done with a couple more and given my younger players and signings more of a run out but we remained unbeaten in our five friendlies we did play. Only Lazio were ever going to be a real challenge, and we drew to them one a piece. We won our remaining four games without conceding a goal. The last three games all three nil. All five of our friendlies were played away from home.
Our first shot at a trophy for the new season has not been taken as we lose out in the German Super Cup to RB Leipzig on penalties. It proved to be a fairly even game with the eventual winners just nicking the better share of possession and creating a few more chances. They picked up four yellow cards in the opening twenty two minutes as it would appear a discipline issue was around. I was hoping it would lead to a sending off which never happened.Leipzig took the lead in the twenty fifth minute when captain Konate fired home a volley from close range. We pressed and finally got a reward when out of favor centre back Pongracic, who was linked with a move to PSG this summer but fell through, popped up with a header with twenty eight minutes remaining. The game finished level and moved straight onto penalties. This proved to be our downfall, losing out 4-3 after five penalties each. It would be Jacques Ngombe who missed the final penalty.
Next Post: BVB Dortmund - Mid Season Round Up - January 2029
tongey
It's a shame to lose the season opener in the SuperCup, but it's not too important! Nice to see the board backing you in the transfer market as well.
Dan
Mid Season Round Up - January 2029
We go into the league season in a slightly weird position. We won it last year, and the German Cup, despite not being favorites for either or expecting to win either. However we have also lost our last two games we've played competitively and they're both Cup Finals. Which will hurt the lads. The Euro Cup ll Final saw us lose out against Real Sociedad to finish last season on a sour note. And then we lost the German Super Cup against RB Leipzig which leaves us in a weird state. But we now move into the season, where we've already played half the league season, a couple German Cup games and the Champions League group stage, heres how its panned out this far...
Defending our DFB-Pokal crown is something I am definitely looking to do this season and so far, so good as we are into the Third Round. We began back in August, beating Velbert 02 in the first round with a dominant 5-0 win. Saracchi hitting a brace inside the opening fifteen minutes, but not to be outdone as Jonathan David went won better and sealed a hatrick fro a spot kick two minutes from time. Hertha BSC awaited us in October in the Second Round, who we beat three one. We will now wait till the end of January where we will welcome Schalke 04 in the Third Round.
I never got around to posting the Champions league group in the pre season post like I normally do, mainly because I wanted to get that update out and hadn't got to the draw date by then. But we faced a relatively tricky group which contained Juventus, Chelsea and Fenerbahce. I was expecting a third place finish was likely but we went on to top the group, picking up three wins, two draws and one defeat from our six games. We beat Fenerbahce in both head to heads, four nil in Turkey to kick the group off and then one nil back at home in our penultimate group game. We failed to beat Juventus and they're the side that ended up dropping out from the group stage into the Europa League. Despite drawing 1-1 in Germany and then beating us in Italy, they only finished third with nine points. Our back to back games in the middle of the group were against Chelsea who we beat two nil in Germany and on my return to London, drew two a piece with.
Now that is a tie I'm more than happy with. In the First Knockout Round of the Champions League we will face Portuguese side Porto. A tie we really should be winning. We wait till February where we will travel to Portugal for the First Leg, which i prefer, meaning the all important Second Leg will be back at home infront of our own fans.
Well, our league form has been very good with just one defeat slipping into our run in our first sixteen games. However we have drawn a lot of games and that could be our undoing this season. We're not putting games to bed, potentially due to the now 'youthfulness' of the side I have. But its a work in progress. At least we're drawing these games and not losing them. Our only loss to date in the league this season came in our penultimate game of 2028, losing one nil away at Fortuna Dusseldorf of all teams. A couple good wins on the way too, beating Hannover 96 4-0 in the opener of the season and Wolfsburg 5-0 away from home.
Sixteen league games played, eighteen to play and we currently occupy third place. The board are expecting us to win the league this year and I think our six draws could be costly early on. We already trail RB Leipzig by seven points as the league leaders look to steal our crown. Bayern Munich, in much better form this year around than last, sit second, four points ahead of us and three off the top spot. If we can turn some draws into wins in the second half of the season then we'll still be in the running. A long way to go, but fighting on the fronts of three different competitions, we'll see how it pans out.
Next Post: BVB Dortmund - End Of Season Round Up - May 2029
Dan
BVB Dortmund - End Of Season Round Up - May 2029
Second half of the season has come and gone and once again we were looking to add trophies to my personal trophy cabinet. Not only that, continuing to add to Dortmunds following last seasons success. Still fighting in three of the four competitions we entered at the start of the season, could we scoop all three? Would it be a trophyless season? We had already lost the German Super Cup. And had to make up a seven point deficit in the league at the halfway stage, work to do.
We've made it to the Final of the DFB-Pokal for a second season running under my charge. I left it with us welcoming Schalke 04 in the Third Round, where we won two nil with Quaresma and Karatas providing our goals either side of the break. Quarter Final saw us welcome Augsburg, where we won four one, didn't really need to get out of first gear here. The Semi Final, again at home, saw us beat Wolfsburg two nil to set up a Final against RB Leipzig.
Champions! We defend our DFB-Pokal crown as we run riot with a three nil win over RB Leipzig in the Final. We got off to a blistering start when Jonathan David struck the opener in the tenth minute, curling a shot in off the post. It was two nil seventeen minutes later when captain Gedson Fernandes struck home a penalty. And the rout was completed two minutes from time when David grabbed his second of the night with a placed shot into the bottom corner infront of nearly seventy five thousand fans.
Our return to the Champions League has also gone down very well. After playing Euro Cup ll football last season and finishing runners up, we've waltzed our way to the Final this year. Porto were our opponents in the First Knockout Round where the first leg involved the trip to Portugal, losing one nil. But back at home, confident as ever, we won three nil to advance. A return to Italy was next as we faced Inter Milan, again, using our home fortress, a three one win was followed by a one nil away loss, enough to advance through to the Semi Finals though, three two on aggregate. Manchester City were our Semi Final opponents, and I thought we had blown it following the first leg, at home. We led two nil inside thirteen minutes, only for the traveling English side to claw back a draw and see it end two a piece. Second leg, out of nowhere we put them to the sword, taking our chances in a four one win. The Final sees us play Athletic, a tricky tie, especially as we were denied the Euro Cup ll to a Spanish side last year, in Real Sociedad.
Champions!! Well, just like at Roma, I wasn't expecting this one! I knew we were in for a tricky tie and the shots showed that, fairly even, despite Bilbao having the much better share of possession. It was an exciting start to the game, with the deadlock finally broken in the thirty second minute when Jens Gruber got on the end of a cross to volley home from close range. And it was our main main in form who sealed the deal, striker Jonathan David scoring with a close effort seventeen minutes from time to fire us two nil up and to the Champions league trophy!
Our form continued to be very impressive in the league as well. @VP.'s Definitely maybe 3-2-3-2 continuing to do the work across all competitions at whichever clubs I've tried it at now. Providing plenty of wins but also clean sheets. Very rarely would we concede more than one goal per game. Disappointed to lose out one nil to a side like Nurnberg, they are games we should be cruising to wins. We finished the season very strongly though, winning six on the bounce and keeping five clean sheets in that run, but would it be enough to catch up and overturn RB Leipzig, who we beat 2-1 in March...
TREBLE CONFIRMED! What a season its turned out to be! We take the league title by five points in the end over RB Leipzig who finish second. Bayern Munich return to the form you'd expect from them and were just seven points off us this season, much closer than last year around. RB Leipzig perhaps feel hard done by, having scored seventy seven goals along the way, unfortunately for them a poor run in the middle of the season has cost them the title. Nurnerg, who won just five games this season, one of the five over us, go down at the bottom of the pile whilst Hoffenheim go down by goal difference alone. Back to back league titles, we now look to build a force here in Germany.
Next Post: BVB Dortmund - Pre Season Round Up - August 2029
tongey
I think Jonathan David is my new favourite player. What a legend! What next though?
VP.
KEZ_7
Cracking season that
TinakoFM
Tremendous stuff, congrats!
DNZY
lolmappo
Dan
I think mine is still on an old patch @VP., My games just stayed loaded for ages on the home screen so I never really come out of it to update it. Maybe I should soon.
@KEZ_7 thanks man!
Thanks @r96Skinner
No idea @DNZY, there seems to be a strong showing in Spain lately!
Sure is @lolmappo!
Who is Dan? 10 Years into Management - 2029
Current Borussia Dortmund manager, Dan, has been at the helm for two seasons now in a managerial career that's already spanned a decade. Its time to recap on the ten years of management hes been through, from starting in Belgium, to the dizzy heights of winning the Champions League, twice! Wherever he has gone, hes found success and its not been your normal 'typical' managerial route hes taken on. Heres a quick recap on the career this far.
3rd June 2019 - 4th July 2022
KRC Genk
2019/20 - Belgian Super Cup - Winners
2020/21 - Belgian Super Cup - Winners
2021/22 - Belgian Super Cup - Runners Up, Belgian Cup - Runners Up, Pro League A - 1st (55 points)
Genk was the first stint in this managerial career and we got off to a fantastic start, winning trophies from the start. Spending my first three seasons in Belgium, we won our first seven trophies of my career here. This included the league all three seasons, as well as two Belgian Cup titles and two Belgian Super Cup titles.
Since his departure, the last seven years have continued to be a success on the field for KRC Genk, winning four of the last seven League titles, one Belgian Cup and four Super Cups. But still failing to make much on an impact in European football.
14th January 2023 - 5th July 2024
Fulham
2022/2023 - FA Cup - Fourth Round, Championship - 6th (82 points), Championship Playoffs - Semi Finals
2023/2024 - Carabao Cup - Quarter Final - FA Cup - Quarter Final, Championship - 5th (86 points), Championship Playoffs - Winners
Fulham was a short stint which saw me stay in London for just over eighteen months. The first six months here saw a very heavy FA Cup exit by Chelsea and then losing in the Playoff Semi Finals. Second season here was much better, we reached the Quarter Final of both the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, whilst finishing fifth in the Championship, a place and four points more than the previous season, whilst going on to win the Championship Playoffs.
Since leaving, Fulham went straight back down to the Championship and have failed to gain promotion since, finishing in the playoffs just the once.
5th July 2024 - 29th June 2027
Roma
2024/2025 - Italian Cup - Semi Final, Serie A - 1st (94 points)
2025/2026 - Italian Cup - Quarter Final, Italian Super Cup - Winners
2026/2027 - Italian Cup - Quarter Final, Serie A - 1st (92 points)
Italy proved to be a very fun place, scooping two Italian Cup titles in three years as well as claiming our first ever European trophy, in fact, make that two. We won the Euro Cup ll in 2025 and then the big one, the Champions league in 2027. Winning the league first season was never expected, but helped by Juventus poor season. Winning the Champions League within three seasons was never something I imagined we would do.
Since leaving Roma, they've finished second and then third in the League with Inter Milan taking both titles. They have however won the last two Italian Super Cups whilst typically, finishing runners up the last two seasons in the Italian Cup, a trophy I never got my hands on either. In Europe they reached the First Knockout Round of the Champions League two years ago and were knocked out the Semi Final of the Europa League, on penalties last season.
29th June 2027 - Present
Dortmund
2027/2028 - DFB-Pokal - Winners
2027/2028 - Super Cup - Runners Up, DFB-Pokal - Winners
And so that takes us to our current job, Dortmund where we line up to take charge for a third season.
Here is how that looks on the statistic side of things. Taken charge of four jobs now, all at club level with the longest stint being one thousand, one hundred and twenty seven days, whilst the shortest, my time at Fulham lasted five hundred and twenty eight days. I've picked up seven managerial awards along the way, earning a massive eighteen point seven five million pounds. During the career, I've purchased twenty six players worth a total value of £343 million, whilst selling fifty eight worth £288million. The biggest deal, a £60million fee for Papadopoulos whilst the highest fee I've receieved, that £39.5million for Schick. I've paid £18million to agents and released 21 players. Currently sit in all four Hall of Fames, my highest position being 2nd in the English nationality ranking whilst the lowest, bottom of the pile in twentieth in the World Ranking. Overall we've taken charge of 514 games, winning 338 of them (65%) whilst losing and drawing 88 each! Goals aren't an issue, scoring 1049 and conceding 421, giving us a goal difference of +628. 10 cup titles, 7 league titles and 1 promotion. No relegations yet!
Next Post: BVB Dortmund - Pre Season Round Up - August 2029
Shedender
Who is @Dan though? A prick.
Dan
BVB Dortmund - Pre Season Round Up - August 2029
A very, very busy pre season was about to commence which was very unepected. Having won the treble last season, including the Champions League, we were now set for the Club World Cup, which appeared to have a new format which I was unaware of, and was played through the summer. More on that to come, we've also played the German and European Super Cup following last years successes. Here is the normal round up of everything thats gone on during the summer.
Here is what the board expects this year. They want us to win the Club World Championship this season which is desirable for them and one I'd like to add to my trophy cabinet. Reach the Semi Final of the Champions League whilst retaining our Bundesliga crown for a third season running. They want us to win the German SuperCup, which we lost out to RB Leipzig last year and to reach the final of the DFB-Pokal, again, we'd be looking to win this for a third time on the bounce.
I've only made the one transfer this summer coming through the doors. Spending out ten million pounds on sixteen year old wonderkid Nils-Ole Montag from rivals Borussia Monegladbach. We beat the likes of Bayern Munich and PSG to his signature. Elsewere we didn't lose anyone either. Bantiakas left on a free, as did a few players from the reserves who were never going to make it. A batch of loan deals but nothing signifcant.
This is how our squad now looks going into this season. Hanslimann is still our number one and improving nicely since joining us. Elsewhere we've got so much talent all over the pitch with some of the players already hitting their peak. With three players at that five star rating and another two currently sitting at four and a half stars. Loads still to come from this squad as we continue to build for the future. I'd like to leave a squad behind that will dominate German football for years, that'd be nice.
Firstly, heres the non competitive side of the summer and again it proved to be very pleasing. Six wins and one draw (in our first friendly) from our seven fixtures. Once again keeping six clean sheets from those seven games. We drew 0-0 to Crystal Palace and beat PSG 5-3. Some pleasing results and signs to once again take into competitive action.
It wasn't to be in the Club World Championship this summer unfortunately. The group stage was rather straight forward as we faced Flamengo and Pumas. We beat Flamengo 5-0 to kickstart the group and secured qualifcation with a massive 6-1 win over Pumas in the second group game. This set us up a Quarter Final tie against Athletic, the side we beat in the Champions League Final last season. We needed a ninety first minute penalty from Gedson Fernandes to put us through into the Semi Finals. Unfortunately the Semi Finals were as far as we could go this year. Current holder Atletico Madrid beat us one nil. We moved into the Third Place playoff where we faced Spurs and unfortunately lost out on penalties, it'd be fourth place for us this year around.
Another trophy that avoids us, the German Supercup goes to RB Leipzig for the second year running. They deserved the win too, making more chances than us and having the better share of possession. Leipzig started very well, finding the net after just five minutes with Bernhart striking from 23meters out. Eight minutes later Borgmann struck a volley into the top corner to double the lead. 2-0 down at half time, the boys have a rollocking from me and it appeared this worked. Seven minutes into the second half Papadopoulos pulled one back for us. And with seventeen minutes remaining on the clock, striker Karatas finished in off the post to level things up. But we were denied, five minutes from time when wonderkid Horst Bromer clinched the winner for RB Leipzig with a close range effort which cannoned in off the post before crosing the line.
Champions! I have got my hands on the European Super Cup for the first time in my career. My first attempt in this competition too following leaving Roma before they played this game last time around. It proved to be a stroll in the park at the Sportni Park Stozice as we beat Manchester Ybuted 3-0 in a dominant display. A busy ref, handing out no less than eight bookings throughout the game. We took the lead through Hamed Junior Traore when he struck into the top corner after just eighteen minutes. Second half kicked off and we flew into action with Karatas striking within a minute of kick off. The game was wrapped up in the fiftieth minute when young Benjamin Cornelis headed home.
And finally, our Champions League group for the upcoming season. A group we should be winning really. We will face a return to both Italy and Belgium as we face AC Milan and AA Gent, whilst Monaco round off our group. Being the holders, its important we get through this group to show we deserve to be here, but we need to win it to show our true force.
Next Post: BVB Dortmund - Mid Season Round Up - January 2030