[FM17] The Journeyman Jock

The Journeyman Jock - Lemme' talk to ya'

27/12/19 - conversation 1 of 3

I walked into the office at the end of the corridor. Stefano de Luca, the San Marino Calcio chairman and owner is sat in his high backed chair. The office window looked out over the San Marino skyline like a modern day citadel really, like he was the king of this small village / city. Ominous is the word I’d probably use to describe it.

I felt an air of tension in the room as soon as I came in, I got bad vibes from the atmosphere and the steely look on Stefano’s coupon boring down on me didn’t fill me with confidence. He’s well known around here with interests in multiple businesses and as such is highly respected but has the ability to instil fear into other business heads, so I’m told.

‘Jock, welcome’ is how he greeted me. I returned the gesture and we made small talk before digging into the real reason for our meeting.

‘I have supported you and David all summer, regardless of the accusations…’ I cut him off

‘Unproven accusations boss. They will always be unproven because we’re innocent’

‘I know that Jock, but regardless of that I am under a lot of pressure from people in higher places’

Confused, I asked him ‘Such as?

‘The league for one, they’re pressuring me to relieve you both of your positions. They say you being hired in Italy is bringing unwanted attention. Not to mention the sponsors, our kit sponsor as you know have pulled out of the agreement because of your situation’

I didn’t know anything about that and was taken by surprise by it, so I just said ‘right, but we’re a pro club, playing well and progressing. You won’t be short of sponsorship offers I’m sure’

‘Be that as it may, I’ve got our accounts team pressuring me to make some moves and get more money into the club as sponsors are a big part of that, as I’m sure you know’ I did, so I let him continue ‘but I have full faith in you and the team and do believe we’re going to finish strongly by seasons end’

The meeting was going as I expected it would. We’re playing well and winning games and only lost a handful of times. As a club we’re in a better position than we were this time last season. We’re on course to reclaim the Coppa Lega trophy we won last season too, so it came as a bit of a shock to hear him say ‘but you need to know that every decision I make has the teams best interest at heart’

It was a bit of a weird thing to say and I instantly thought that I was getting sacked so I asked him ‘you’re sacking me?’

‘What?! Absolutely not Jock why would you think that?’

‘Oh, right, good, it’s just the way you said about having the teams best interest at heart got me worried’

‘Your job status isn’t going to be reviewed until the end of the season, and even then the way you’ve got the team playing we’re going to finish in the play offs I’m sure’

I felt a weird sense he was holding something from me so I asked him ‘is there anything I need to know? Anything that might affect the team going forward?’

His eyes shifted slightly before he said ‘No Jock, I’ve been honest with you from the start, if I hadn’t I would have terminated your contract already’

‘Right, it’s just this meeting hasn’t really covered anything other than we’re doing well, will probably finish in the play offs and my jobs safe for now’

‘Correct. Once we finish in the play offs and get the financial rewards for that we can get the club pushing on for automatic promotion next seasons can’t we’

‘Well one step at a time I think. Let’s get to the play offs this season first before talking about going up automatically next eh’

‘Yes but the sponsors are going to want assurances to want to pay us, so when we say we managed a playoff finish this season and the aim is to get promoted next season, we’ll be over run with sponsorship applications. I may even charge a fee to apply to sponsor us on the back of those aims’

‘That’s not my concern of course, but surely promising promotion next season without this season even ending may be the wrong call’

‘Leave the office side to me Jock and I’ll leave the playing side to you’ and on that the meeting ended. I felt a bit weird coming out of it, there was nothing discussed that I didn’t already know and he was being a bit shifty talking about money and sponsors. But I’ll take his lead and just stick to the playing side of the club.

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27/12/19 - conversation 2 of 3

That meeting was followed by a chat I had with Vamara Sanogo our main forward. I knew from the end of last season keeping him would be a struggle. Chinese side Changchun were credited with an interest in him and Polish side Katowice actually sent an enquiry to us, but I rejected it straight away. Small teams never really keep their best players unless they get promoted or go on a magical cup run do they. I mean we’re looking good for a play off finish at the minute, but do I genuinely believe we’ll get to Serie B just 1 season after promotion and surviving relegation in Serie C? No is the straight answer. A good top ten finish and a playoff run will do us the world of good but we are in no way ready to make that step up just yet.

With that in mind Sanogo came to me and told me that SM Caen in France are interested in him. I told him that’s not surprising, he’s good enough to go play in Ligue 2 and I wouldn't stand in his way to leave and go there, on 1 condition.

‘Before you tell me the condition, I would just like to point out that I greatly respect you and you have got my career back on track’

‘That’s great to hear Vammy I really appreciate it’ Between us, as you know Sanogo was just sprung on me, I never knew anything about him until the club signed him. I still never found out how that deal was done.

‘So what is the condition of the transfer?’

‘Well as you know and are a big part of, we’re looking like we’ll finish in the play offs’

‘Yes but I don’t think….’

‘Let me finish mate. You could go on to score 100 goals this season but I genuinely do not think we as a club are ready to play in Serie B, and I do not think we’d get through the play offs anyway’ He just looked and smiled as I continued ‘so here’s my condition. You stay with us until the end of the season, and if Caen or another team in France come in with a bid this month I’ll accept it but the deal goes through in June, what do you think?

‘Okay that sounds good to me. I do not want you to price me out of the move though…’ I cut him off

‘Way ahead of you. The club has benefitted from you being here already, but in terms of transfer fee, we paid 47 for you, so I think anything less than 200k would be an insult to us as a club and you as a player that’s improved every week since joining us’

‘Thank you, that’s a relief that’s all I needed to hear’

‘200k is fair and will benefit us and them. But as I have said all season so far, just keep playing like you have been, and we’ll be fine. Caen are in a similar position to us in that they’re in the top half of their league and will probably make that extra step next season’

We shook hands and he left the office and me to my thoughts. I knew this would be coming at some point anyway so was braced for it. Part of me was hoping the Changchun interest would come to something, they’d have a lot more money to spend and would pay any stupid price that we ask for, but Caen in France’s second division is nothing to turn your nose up at, and I’d be very happy for him going there and progressing a a player. 

Not only that but a fee of 200k would scratch my Moneyball itch just right. A profit of 153k plus a lot of games and goals from a player that hardly played in Poland. Plus the money will go towards getting a replacement in, win win all round.

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27/12/19 - conversation 3 of 3

As I was walking out of training that afternoon my phone rang and it was a number that hasn’t called me for some time

‘Well well well, long time no speak’

‘Hey you, how you been?’

‘I’m good, would be a lot better if I saw you though, what's it been, 18 maybe 19 months since I was whisked out of Turkey the last time I saw you?’

‘Something like that, we’ve spoke in that time though’

'Twice, once when I got to Milan and once not long after I got my feet under the desk here in San Marino. Not that I’m keeping track or have it in my mind’ A lie. I missed this woman quite a lot.

A soft giggle and then ‘behave you, us politicians are as busy as you football managers ya’ know’

After a few minutes of idle chatter she got to the point ‘look I’m sorry to spring this on you but Stefano has got money troubles, big money troubles’

‘I had a feeling there was something up with him when I saw him earlier’

‘I don’t want to sound like I’m stirring the pot here but he owes a lot of money out’

‘Right, so is that gonna affect me in any way?’

‘It might, I won’t lie. I’m not sure what, if anything he’s got leveraged against the club but it might affect the team somehow’

‘I really hope not. We’re doing well, Baz or the Doctor haven't’ done anything stupid in a while, the police have left me alone, even Guinness has been fine since he's been here, everything's going right’

‘It sure is, I’ve been keeping an eye on how you’ve been doing’ without giving me a chance to say anything she continued ‘and look, if anything Stefano does affects you or the team, don’t worry about it. I’ve got contacts in football you won’t struggle, I got you there at San Marino’

‘Struggle how? I asked, confused by this ‘We’ll get the play offs this season but don’t know how far we’ll go, but it’s a process. I’ve told Stefano that and that we’re not ready to go up yet anyway’

‘Just keep doing things as you have been and everything will work itself out. Speak soon’

== == == == ==

The Journeyman Jock - The betrayal

We’d had a good first half of the season heading into the new year. We did have a bit of a bumpy time from November though, 6 losses in the 12 games from November to end of December which is a concern considering we only had 3 in the previous 14 games

With that said we’re good for a play off place heading into a short break despite being way off automatic promotion. Our 36 points are 24 off unbeaten Ascoli in first place, but we are still in the Coppa Italia Lega Pro, the quarter final no less, going up against Venezia at the end of the month looking to defend it after winning the whole thing last season. That 2 legged final is still fresh in my memory.

There’s a lot to be optimistic about too. Against Reggiana Davide Murelli got his second goal of the season as we beat them again to remain unbeaten against them in my time at the club. His first being the opener in a routine 2-0 home win over Alto Adige earlier in the season. As well as those 2 he very nearly could’ve had a couple more against Fiorli, the team we signed him from in the summer. The second goal he got was from a corner in the Reggiana win, an in swinger from Severini to the near post he nodded in. 

In the Fiorli game the opening goal went down as an own goal. It was another near post corner which Davide got his head to, just the same as the goal against Reggiana in the game after this one, but the ball came off the defender marking him unluckily for both players. The second own goal from the same game was slightly different, this time an out swinger from the right by Severini went to the far post, Anibal heading it back across goal and young Murelli hit it on the half volley. This shot, while it took more technique, positioning  and precision than the header, also took a deflection on its way past the keeper for another own goal. Unlucky on both counts but shows the progress he’s made already. 

Sanogo is on 19 in the league so far and interest in him is still present. We’ve agreed we’ll accept any deal that is at least 200k from Caen and he will leave in the summer, but surprisingly no offers had come in for him from Caen or China as was reported. That was until the morning of 13th January.

I’d noticed a headline saying Dijon had made an offer of 140k to us and that had been accepted by the club. I thought this is just the media doing their usual tricks or that it would probably be Sanogo’s agent making things up to get more interest in him, which would mean more money for us, despite us agreeing 200k.

I didn’t think much else of it until Baz came storming up to me at training yelling ‘the fucking chairman’s accepted the offer for Sanogo’

‘Calm down sugar tits, we’ve agreed he’s leaving in the summer, don’t worry’

‘Don’t worry ya’ bollocks! He’s accepted it for 140 big ones and the guys off this week!’

‘Get to fuck’

‘Nah go speak to him yourself’

I did just that. I wasn’t on the war path just yet though although I soon would be. I went to his office with the intention to speak with Stefano about the rumored approach from Dijon in France and the transfer fee being accepted as Baz had said.

‘Yes the fee was accepted late last night’ Stefano said in the most laid back I couldn’t be arsed tone I’d ever heard out of him

‘Why wasn’t I told or even asked about this?! We had a…..’ he cut me off

‘The fee is nearly triple what we paid for him, it is a great offer’

‘Aye it is, but I’d agreed we’d sell him for no less than 200k!’

‘But I’m getting my money back plus interest on the player’

‘Right, but 140 is less than what I’d agreed with Vammy we’d sell him for’

‘I need the, I mean the club needs the money now Jock, I can’t hang around waiting for sponsors to agree to deal with us or the money from the play offs to come in’

Annoyed I said ‘I get that, but come on man, we won’t get anywhere near the playoffs without him’ I knew I was clutching at straws here so I said ‘look, I lied to you and to Sanogo when I said I don’t think we’d win the play offs’ the look on his coupon changed at this so I continued lying through my teeth ‘I said that as a motivational tool, to get them to perform even better, I know we’ll get a top 5 finish to get home advantage in the play offs and ya’ know what, I’ve had an epiphany that we’re going to win it. We just need to keep the squad as is until then. Sanogo won’t leave when we’re in Serie B will he’ There it was, a lie, a lie fabricated from desperation. Your move mister chairman.

‘I can’t leave this offer out there Jock. I need the money from the transfer now’

‘Dijon aren’t even a team Vammy would go to’ another lie, he’d not said he wouldn’t go there, they just weren’t interested in him when we spoke, at least not publicly ‘his hearts set on Caen for now’ I realised instantly this was the wrong thing to say so hastily added ‘until we get promoted in the summer of course then he’s staying with us’

He shook his head, took a sip of his coffee and said ‘I’m sorry Jock, this club is one of a few  businesses of mine and I’m doing the right thing for the business side of the club. I’ve got to make ends meet and…’

Fuming I cut him off before he could say anything else ‘make ends meet? The ends won’t fucking meet if you sell the clubs best player this month! I shouldn’t be reminding you he’s the highest scoring player in all of fucking Italy!’ True, he’d scored 24 in all competitions, more than Ciro Immoblie at Lazio with 14 league & 4 cup goals, Federico Parill, the young wonderkid Roma had signed from Boca Juniors this summer who’s on 13 league and 2 cup goals, and Raul Jimenez at Atalanta on loan from Newcastle, 12 league & 4 cup goals

I felt he was going to say something stupid, or spit out a load of business jargon to try and shut me up so I got up and said ‘I had a deal with Vammy, so I am going to smooth this out so we can honor that deal’

I got up and left before I gave him a chance to say anything else. I knew my hands were tied and that I would be fighting a losing battle, but I had to do something. As much as I want Sanogo staying, if he goes in the summer I’ll have longer to scout and sign a replacement, who probably won’t be as good but it’s better than having the less than 2 weeks left in January to do that in I currently have, and I don’t want to make a rash signing. 

As I stormed out the room, slamming the door behind me I took a moment to compose myself and think about what I was going to say to Sanogo when my phone rang. Usually I’d be happy to speak to Alexa but not at the minute ‘I’m sorry Alex I can’t talk right now darl, I don’t have…..’

‘You do have time for me, you always do, I know what’s going on. Don’t speak to Vamara, it’s a lost cause Jock you’re wasting your time. I need to tell you something’

== == == == ==

The Journeyman Jock - One man's action, another man's reaction
 

‘How fucking much?!’ I asked Alexa again, despite her telling me three times already

‘But you must promise you won’t tell anyone Jock’ she said to me, a pleading tone in her voice

‘Well who does he owe, actually how does he owe that much money anyway’

‘Business loans for things like marketing, stock and so on. You don’t need to know, all you do need to know is he owes the money to quite a few people in Italy. People you really do not want to be upsetting’

‘Right, so fucking up his own teams chances by using money from it is gonna help him?’

‘It is a business he owns I suppose’

‘I get that, but what do I do? I can’t even be optimistic about keeping us in the play offs without Sanogo’ I said before adding ‘the tight cunts said only 23 grand is going back into the transfer fund from the sale’

‘I know that, that’s what I’ve already told you. I also said not to worry about a thing’

‘How can I not worry? If he’s taking things out of my hands and into…..’ she cut me off

‘He’ll do that until he’s paid his debts off. If you check your phone after this conversation you’ll see your name has been linked to a team in Spain’

‘I doubt Real are gonna wanna take me on’ I said trying to be funny

‘Not Madrid, not yet at least’

‘I’d turn Madrid down for Motherwell ya’ know’

‘I wouldn’t expect anything less, but the job in Spain is yours’

‘Right, there just happens to be a job opening up right at a time when my current role is up in the air’

‘San Marino just happened to come up when you needed it’

I didn’t know what to say to that comment other than ‘yeah I guess’

‘The team aren’t doing too well at the minute, although some of the players had lost faith in the boss who has just been sacked’

‘And my name is linked to a team there?

We spoke for a while longer and I kept thinking about what to do, so I told Alexa I’d think about it.

I got Baz and the Doctor together in the meeting room at the San Marino Stadium to let them know what I was thinking, and as expected Baz didn’t take the Sanogo transfer news too well
 

‘That little Mario and Luigi looking twat! He’s shafting us on purpose’

‘Aye Baz as I said…’ the Doctor cutting me off

‘Reminds me of that cunt Mike Ashely. Did ya’ nah he forced King Kev oot wor club cos of transfers an ahl’

‘Did I ever tell ya’s about the Stranraer chairman, he done summat to us with transfers one season too an’ all the cunt’

‘Aye Baz corse’ the Doctor started then said ‘ye’ just wanna get Stranraer into every bastarding conversation we have’

‘Massive club Stranraer mate’ 

‘Aye, aboot as big as Sun’lands under 9’s reserve side ya’ mug’ The Doctor said

Baz just rolled his eyes at this and carried on ‘so this new job then Jock lad, where’s it at?’

‘I didn’t wanna mention it, not yet anyway’ I put a hand up to stop Baz from butting in and continued ‘it’s change again. I’ve been here just short of 18 months, that’s the longest I’ve been at any job, not just football but my full life I don’t feel like I wanna just leave again’

‘But the chairman’s shafting us man’

‘He’s doing what’s right for the club. Without him we wouldn’t have a job’ I said trying to justify the chairman’s actions

‘Fuck him’ the Doctor said. Me and Baz just looked at him, waiting for him to continue

When he didn’t Baz said ‘well I’ve scuttled worse I guess. Are you being literal or not Bob?’

‘I swear yu’r the gayest straight gadge a’hve ever met!’

‘Right, look’ I said stopping these 2 from going at each for the next hour, which they’re wont to do ‘the job I’ve found, or has been found for me looks decent on paper but…’ Baz cutting me off as usual

‘Fuck it then we’re off. Where is it?’

When I told Baz and the Doctor both their eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas

‘You’ve got to be shitting me’ Baz said giggling

I shook my head and said nope. As I did they both started acting like little school children and started making plans for when we get there, what we’re going to be doing and how it’s all going to go, pretty much making all my plans for me. When I sat back down trying to decide what the best thing to do would be, Guinness had sat next to me, and I won’t lie I’d gotten use to not hearing Runner Up take a week saying hello that I’d forgot that Guinness was even here

‘You can’t be serious going there?’

‘Why not?’

He looked a bit uneasy before saying ‘well, I mean you with your, erm, issues like’

‘What fucking issues?’

‘Not issues, as in proper issues, I mean, it’s just you like getting on it don’t ya, and the amount of times you’ve got in trouble being spangled off ya' face on Molly or acid, especially with these loons here I mean’ he kept stammering between words as he tried to dig his way out of the hole he’d started digging

‘You sound like Runner Up stuttering all the time, sort yourself out you…’ I was gonna verbally assault him before he finally grew a pair and said ‘hang the fuck on ya' prick’ he stood up, I forgot he was nearly as tall as me, and with his red eyes and white hair he looks a bit menacing

‘I’m your pal right, not these 2 fucking low lifes (he nodded to the other side of the room) especially that Geordie fuck he don’t give 2 squirts of piss about you’

‘Fuck off ya’ pint of shit tasting beer’

‘Is that the best you’ve got?’

‘Obviously not, I’m just getting started. Go on say what you really think’ I was ready to start going for his throat at this point

He cracked his neck and said ‘As your friend, your only actual friend here’ I cut him off there

‘Sorry to but in, it is 1 of my pet hates, but if you’re my only friend how’s it taken you 3 and half years to come out here to me?’

‘You didn’t say a word when you fucked off to Ireland, I didn’t know you were in Turkey until the FBI went after you, me and Double 0 7 genuinely thought you were dead! The only time I’ve spoken to you since 2016 was at Stantons fucking funeral! The phone number we had of you hasn’t been used for years, you don’t use Facebook or Twitter. Anyway, back to my point’ He took a moment then said ‘The best way I can put it is like this. You’re a waster, Jock. A drunk. A substance abuser. A painkiller addict. Every time we used to see you’d be off your nut on some powder, or pill or whatever else. You’ve been ran out of Turkey cos you’ve been on it with that Geordie prick, fuck knows what Baz has even been doing here for the last 18 month other than getting steaming drunk out his brain every day and and fucking anything that charges a fee and that has a pulse. That Mark seems sound though, but it won’t be long before he sees you for what you really and gets a job at a club with a proper football manager that’s actually going places in their career’ all said with a venom I’ve never heard from him, and without taking much of a breath between words

‘Fuck me Guinness ya’ prick don’t hold back pal say what’s really on your mind won’t ya!’

‘Aye I will, pal, and I use the word pal loosely’

‘What the fuck has gotten up with you anyway where’s all this come from?’

‘You Jock, you wouldn’t know a good thing if it came up to ya, got it’s muff out and face fucked you for a week and said my name’s Betty and I’m a good fucking thing! How many people just happen to walk into football, management at that, and actually do alright at it? I’ll tell ya how many, none, fucking none! And you just happen, somehow I’ll never know, but you’re doing alright. Winning a cup with San Marino, San MA-FUCKING-RINO!!’ and he stood up and walked out the room.

I just looked at him as he left, and wanted to swing for this bastard, but you know what, he’s right. I am a decent manager, I’ve won more games than I’ve lost, I’ve taken San Marino from relegation fodder last season to cup winners and probably play off bound this season, despite the chairman now deciding to fuck me over with money.

I said all I could think of saying to Guinness before he left the room ‘Okay, you’re right. You’re always right, I get it now’ and walked the opposite way to him, passed Baz and the Doctor in the corner with a pen and pad out writing down things and making plans for when we leave here, if I actually do leave, and I sign on at my new job, and on my way to Stefano’s office, where I’d have a decision to make.
 

Do I stay or do I go?

== == == == ==

Scotsman under investigation leaves Italian league side, reaction - ESPN Europe

Jumped or pushed? Match fixing probe continues in Italy as accused coach leaves San Marino based team - News of the World online

Motherwell native leaves club job amid match fixing rumors, refuses to comment - Scotland Today

Opioid painkiller and steroid distribution among the charges aimed at match fixing football coach who has finally been relieved of his duties as manager - MONDA Italia

Scot, born and bred in Motherwell, who we believe is innocent of rumors leaves current job, new job already lined up - The Motherwell Chronicle

Disgraced football coach travelling to Spain for new job - MARCA Sports

The Flying Scotsman has landed in Spain to take on surprising new job - East Scotland Fitba online

The Scottish Mail. Rory Simpson reporting.

Unknown Scottish football manager Jock McGhee has recently left his post as San Marino Calcio (football club) manager. The club, whilst based in San Marino, plays in the Italian league structure, much like Cardiff and Swansea of Wales play in the English league pyramid. The official word from the club is that Jock and the board had come to a mutual agreement, however sources close to the club have given conflicting information.

One source claims McGhee had been sacked due to mounting pressure from the Italian Football League regarding the ongoing match fixing scandal and other allegations aimed at McGhee. However another source close to Mister McGhee and his staff claim he left of his own accord due to disputes over transfer fees. Another source, apparently close to both parties say it is a mixture of pressure on the board which is now being pressed onto the manager and his staff, as well as the recent transfer of star player and leading scorer Vamara Sanogo to French side Dijon, and lack of investment which has caused the shock dismissal / resignation.

Shocking that it may be to some of McGhee’s leaving, although it was probably coming, claims Reggiana manager Leo Mechinini. San Marino had gained promotion to Serie C last season and were widely tipped to go straight back down. However shrewd transfers from the club, most notably the aforementioned Sanogo, to go with loan signings of Mirco Severini (from parent club Cesena), Fillipo Berardi (from Rimini), Guinea international players Pavel Vieira & Anibal on free transfers, to go with the signing of Jock McGhee as manager and his back room staff meant the club finished in 14th, well ahead of the automatic relegation places.

To go with the league survival Jock McGhee pulled off a real ‘Cinderella Man’ story as the club won the Coppa Italia Lega Pro, which can be likened to the Italian version of the Johnstones Paint Trophy in England, or the Irn Bru League Cup in Scotland, beating Reggiana in the final over 2 legs with an aggregate score of 4-5.

Despite the rumors of match fixing following Jock McGhee as he left Turkish side Etimesgut in June of 2018 to take the San Marino job, the club were praised for their performances in both the league and cup last season. The Italian FA have denied to comment on whether they did their own investigations into the match fixing allegations, although from what has been reported there is no hard evidence to confirm McGhee has indeed been involved in fixing matches.

There are also rumors McGhee has either taken performance enhancing drugs (PED’s) himself or distributed them to his players, this has come up in Turkey only and not in Italy or  San Marino, as well as being involved in a narcotics distribution ring. Again nothing has been proven on this count and is still just rumor and innuendo. Both accusations are still being investigated by the relevant authorities.
 

If everything is taken into account from his start as a manager in July 2016 at Northern Ireland club Bangor, to his dismissal / resignation from San Marino in January 2020 the argument could be made that his leaving isn’t all that surprising, though his rumored next steps might be. His timeline as a manager reads as follows:
 

• Hired by Bangor July 2016
   
• Sacked by Bangor June 2017. Club finished third in the third division, missing out on the automatic promotion place as well as the promotion play offs. Knocked out of the lower league trophy in the semi final.
   
• Hired by Ankara, Turkey based team Etimesgut FC August 2017
   
• Etimesgut sat fifth in the league heading into the winter break in December and are considered to be overachieving, leading to allegations online that some of their games had been fixed
   
• Jock is seen mingling with members of a Turkish political party multiple times over Christmas 2018 and New Year 2019. Rumors of match fixing start to pick up around this time although nothing explicitly relating to McGhee yet
   
• January 2018 the match fixing allegations are made public, with teams in Turkey, Spain, France, England and Greece being targeted
   
• Jock McGhee was interviewed by the FBI and Turkish police in February 2018. Nothing further comes from this interview at that time
   
• McGhee resigns suddenly as Etimesgut manager in June 2018. The team finished a respectable fifth but lost in the first round of the play offs to Aydinspor FC over 2 legs
   
• Almost as suddenly as his resignation from Etimesgut, McGhee is mentioned in various press releases across Europe as being involved in a narcotics distribution ring, as well as being involved in the political scene in Turkey which ties into the match fixing allegations. No comment from McGhee or Etimesgut at this time
   
• Jock is hired by San Marino Calcio in June 2018, newly promoted to Serie C in Italy, the third tier. Some reports say no due diligence was done on his hiring and that the ownership of the club is linked to the allegations aimed at McGhee. Nothing official is released to counter that point from either the club or McGhee
   
• At some point between being hired by San Marino and New Year 2019 Jock is apparently interviewed by the police, it is not disclosed if this is the Italian or Turkish police, as well as the FBI. No official comment from Jock or his employers on this was ever released
   
• 24 April 2019 was the second leg of the Coppa Italia Lega Pro and San Marino draw 2-2 away to Reggiana, but win the tie on aggregate 4-5 to win the cup. Jocks first trophy as a manager
   
• Jock McGhee and his first team coach David Barron are arrested by Scotland Yard in Aberdeen to be questioned about the match fixing allegations. Both are released pending further investigation, although neither are on bail or charged at that time
   
• From being arrested in May 2019 to January 2020 Jock remains out of the public eye in regards to the match fixing allegations. The San Marino squad is complemented with new signings, and they go on to sit 7th in the league in January 2020 and looking a safe bet to finish at worst in the play off places in Serie C
   
• January 2020 Jock McGhee is either sacked by or leaves San Marino of his own decision, depending on which source you read

Considering the above timeline, one assumes Jock to be a bang average football manager, however he has improved each season up until his leaving this month, but he does so with an ever growing spotlight around him. The spotlight in his case is a light of negativity and disturbing allegations, which beg the saying there’s no smoke without fire. A handful of Jocks former players have commented publicly on his leadership and management abilities and the general feeling is that he is liked by his players.

There are however a number of positives to come out of his short managerial career. Success stories from his 3 and a half years as a manager up to now include Fatih Aktay’s consistent goal scoring form in the 17/18 season. His 24 league goals helped Etimesgut to that play off finish, although this stat is tainted by the match fixing allegations. Aktay has gone on to first division side Osmanlı FC (managed by Patrick Vieira)  since leaving Etimesgut, not replicating that goal scoring form from his time with McGhee. In the time since leaving Etimesgut to January 2020 he has scored 8 league goals.

Emre Ozturk had a career resurgence under McGhee at Etimesgut as he posted his best season as a player, stat wise in the 17/18 campaign. He managed 18 goals and 20 assists. He joined McGhee at San Marino and was named the clubs vice captain and was a key part of the 14th place finish.

Ugur Turk played on loan from 1860 Munich to Etimesgut, scoring an impressive 9 goals in 13 games and has gone on to be a regular in the 1860 first team, managing 17 goals in 34 games last season and is currently on 12 goals in 21 appearances this season.

Vamara Sanogo, at the center of McGhee’s leaving San Marino has felt the biggest impact from McGhee’s management. From joining from Polish side Legia Warsaw to leaving for Dijon in France, he has played in 77 games and scored an eye watering 55 goals. Unfortunately for him this gained reputation, much like Aktay’s is soiled due to the match fixing allegations. If Sanogo, or Aktay for that matter can replicate this goal scoring form without McGhee will remain to be seen.

Anibal and Pavel Vieira are both regular Guinea international players since making the move to San Marino. Anibal scored the equaliser in the first leg of the cup final, and Vieira has played almost every possible minute under McGhee in San Marino since joining the club shortly after McGhee.

Mirco Severini, a squad player in his previous 3 seasons at Cesena & Santarcangelo is one of the reasons San Marino survived relegation last season, and along with Sanogo has been part of the successful first half of the season this. 2 goals and 13 assists, to go with 7 man of the match performances shows how good he has been under McGhee this term.

In closing, while Jock McGhee can still be classed as an up and coming manager at the age of 34, the fact remains is he has faced more negativity in his short career than a lot, if not most managers see in their full career. Match fixing, drug use and distribution, ties to political parties which may or may not be linked to the match fixing rumors are just the tip of the ever growing iceberg of this mans career. It doesn’t matter that he has won 35 of a possible 77 games in San Marino so far, or that the players that have spoken publicly like him and his assistant from his time in Turkey is still working with him now, and he has a loyal backroom team, the fact remains that bad press follow this man wherever he goes.

If the rumored approach from a club in Spain proves true, then the Spanish FA are implored to keep a close eye on that as yet unnamed club, as well as doing their own due diligence on this manager. His credentials aren't in doubt, at least not yet, it's everything else that surrounds him that is the issue.
 

== == == == ==

The Journeyman Jock - It was all a dream

I opened my eyes and the first thing I noticed was how bright it all is. I managed to stand up and find where the light was coming from so headed in that direction.

After a few moments or so I got to a set of gates with a sort of desk in front of them, and a small guy sat behind the desk who looked up as I approached

‘Name?’

‘Jock McGhee, who’s asking?

‘One moment’ he said and turned and looked at something I couldn’t quite make out entirety but looked like a stack of papers.

After 20 seconds or so he turned back around and said ‘ahh yes here we are, John McGhee, of Edin….’

I cut him off and said ‘erm, no pal, I said Jock not John’

‘Oh, my mistake. One moment’ he said with a smile and he went back to his stack of papers, then came back and said ‘right, sorry, Jock McGhee, account manager from 

Scotland’

‘What? Account manager, no I’m a football manager’

‘Accounts, football, what difference does it make now, eh? He said laughing and pointed ‘through the gate, last door on the left but don’t go peeking down the forbidden stairway’

‘Right’ I said and went through the gates. As I passed the first room on the left I couldn’t stop myself from looking in. I had a hard time believing it at first but I saw Homer Simpson laying back on a mattress, or was it a fluffy sofa bed? With a remote in his hand saying ‘cloud goes up, cloud goes down’ over and over whilst the fluffy sofa bed was going up and down in time with his words. 

At the other side of the room I noticed a sign that read - LANDMARK 1 of 12 and an arrow pointing with the caption FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH. I looked at the way the arrow was pointing and the fountain of youth looked an awful lot like a kiddies water slide.

After that I walked by a coffee machine where 2 guys, clearly older than me were talking to each other, the shorter of the 2 I heard say ‘dammit Gordon no one wants to here your stupid Vietnam stories!’ to which the other, Gordon presumably said ‘shhhh will, you canny go around saying things like that’ ‘Why not’ the other quipped ‘Nam’s done and dusted ain’t it.

I walked on and saw a sign that read LANDMARK 3 of 12 and an arrow pointing to my right, which was pointing towards another room. I read the plague and it read ELYSIUM’S PETTING ZOO. I looked inside and there was a child riding a unicorn, Spyro the Dragon was letting other kids stroke him and I even saw a Griffin getting a belly rub from someone that looks like the guy from the Witcher games. As I walked on I also noticed a set of stairs on my right that was closed off with a red stop sign with the words HALT NO ENTRY printed on it, and couldn't stop myself walking closer to get a look

‘Told you not to look’ the guy from the front of the gates said as he appeared out of nowhere, like Leb usually does.

‘Sorry, couldn’t help myself. What’s down there?’ I nodded toward the blocked off stairs

‘Oh that’ he says, hesitating ‘that’s where you go if you don’t get accepted up here. It’s a long way down’

‘Right, where are we again?’

‘Not in heck that’s for sure’ he said laughing

‘Right’

‘Can’t say what the mortal’s usually call it, where the red guy lives. The boss doesn't allow curse words up here’

'Okay, what happened to the second landmark? I passed the first and there’s the third’

‘Oh that, it’s in for repairs’

‘What is it?’

‘The halo hula hoop park. One of the dancers got a bit carried away when Freddie came by for karaoke night, and well, it’s out of action for now’

I just nodded, not really knowing what else to say  as I carried on walking, the short guy following me, and made our way to the last door on the left. This one was a bit less elegant than the others that I’d passed, and it just had a sign on it saying NEW ARRIVALS in blue ink. We went in and the guy sat behind the desk in the room and pulled out a laptop.

‘Remind me, McGirk wasn’t it?’

‘McGhee. As in Mc Ghee’

‘Right, John was it?’

‘Fuck sake mate, no, Jock. J-O-C-K’

‘Whoa whoa whoa, don’t say any curse words, you’ll get sent down there’ he said shifting his eyes left to right ‘if the big guy hears ya’ you’ll know about it’ I just composed myself as he pulled out a box from the under the table, rifled through it and said ‘right you are, McGhee, Scottish, account manager. Looks like you had a long career here’

‘Right, yeah I did, I guess’

‘So pig farming eh, in Oklahoma in America’

‘America?

‘Yes, United States of, to be precise’

‘I’ve never been to America, but I have been in some states hahaha’ I said, no reaction from the guy. ‘Get it, some states? Some absolutely tragic states an all. Come on man you must get it’

He didn’t look amused before saying ‘Tragic accident it says here. What happened?’

‘Never been pig farming, been on some chicks you could call a pig, but never as a job’

‘Okay, maybe the trauma has erased that part of your memory and that it's.…’

I cut him off ‘whoa hang on pal, my memory hasn’t been erased’

‘Okay, well I need to go over your file before I can let you in, procedure you know, you get it I’m sure’ not waiting for a response he continued on ‘so you had some big contracts, spent a lot of money, other peoples money of course, being an account manager’

‘Well transfers and agent fees I never pay out my own pocket, not on principle I just can’t afford it, but then again when we signed Sanogo I don’t know what went to his agent, I didn’t know much about that deal anyway but it worked out alright in the end’

‘And this slight blemish on your record, the one about financial mishaps, can you shed any light on this?’

‘Oh aye, nout to do with me that one pal. The only transfer fee I’ve spent so far is on the young lad Murelli, signed from Fiorli and what a boy he is’

‘I’m not sure what that relates to in your file, it just says there has been some unanswered transactions during your career that never got cleared up, down there I mean, so we need to get to the bottom of it really’

‘Ooooh you must mean the match fixing bollocks right I’ve…’

Cut off ‘The swearing must end John, otherwise I can’t let you through regardless of your record’

‘Right, sorry, and it’s Jock not John’ He nodded and wrote something down so I carried on ‘I never had anything to do with fixing the games. My pal, the Doctor, Bob Robson he’s probably in your file as, he was apparently behind it in Turkey but he wasn’t. He’s a waster and a wreck head but he can’t fix a decent cup of tea so he definitely couldn’t fix football games. Mark and Baz, my 2 most trusted colleagues they definitely weren't in on it either’

‘Okay, so you’re denying all accountability for the laundering of government funds into and out of Langley, Washington?’

‘I’ve told you I’ve never been to America. Also you keep calling me John, are you sure you’ve got my details right?’

‘Yes I’m absolutely sure. Let’s go over then together’ he took a moment then said 'just nod for correct or shake your head for incorrect to each of these questions.

I nodded

‘John Albert McGhee’

Shake

‘Arbroath Scotland’

Shake

‘3 children’

Shake and a look of anger on my coupon

’Married 4 times to 3 different women’

Shake

‘Interests include trains, Tupperware and vintage Primark brand clothes’

A lot of head shakes at that one

‘Right, let me just check with the girls on this, 1 moment’ and he went through the door to the back of the desk. It was about a minute, minute and a half before he popped back through and said ‘okay, the big guy will see you now’

‘Right on’ I said and walked through the door. The next room was deceptively big. The door was only small but the room opened up and I saw a throne about 30 yards in front of me, a guy was wearing a pair of neon purple shutter shade glasses, like those Kanye used to wear before he turned weird, a wife beater vest, his arms had tattoos all up them, a pair of black shorts and a pair of Lacoste sandals on. I couldn’t make out his face but he said in a strong Geordie accent NOW THEN BONNY LAD. NOW IS YOUR TIME

I thought here we go again, it’s the bloody Doctor and another of his antics, but the figure in the chair said YOU SEEM TO HAVE PLENTY OF WOMEN IN YOUR SHORT LIFE. 4 MARRIAGES TO 3 WOMEN. YOUR CHILDREN HAVE DISOWNED YOU AND YOU WERE EXPELLED AND BARRED FROM 5 FOOTBALL GROUNDS. I WILL NEED CONVINCING OF YOUR…..

I cut him off ‘whoa there pal. Firstly, I ain’t got any kids, none that I know of. Plenty of people have disowned me though. Second, I haven’t been married and don’t intend to, not any time soon, I’ve not been barred from any football grounds that would make my job quite hard wouldn’t it’

WHY WOULD BEING BARRED FROM A FOOTBALL GROUND MAKE AN ACCOUNTANTS JOB HARD?

‘I’m not a fucking accountant! I’m a football manager, and before this little episode I was on my way to a new job in Spain’

DON’T USE LANGUAGE LIKE THAT IN FRONT OF YOUR MAKER

‘Sorry’

IT’S OKAY. THIS IS A LOT TO PROCESS.

‘But I’m a football manager, nothing to do with accounts’

OKAY LET ME CHECK SOMETHING

He disappeared from the throne but came back 2 moments later

IT SEEMS THERE HAS BEEN A MISTAKE. NEW ANGELS IN PROCESSING. WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM ON THE JOB LEARNING NO TIME FOR ANY CLASSROOM STUFF. LOTS OF NEW ARRIVALS DAILY. YOU ARE JOCK MCGHEE FROM MOTHERWELL CORRECT

‘Aye’

OKAY. I AM CHECKING THE RECORDS HERE. FIRSTLY, NOW IS NOT YOUR TIME. BUT MY WORD WE DO HAVE A GOOD ONE COMING IN WHEN YOUR TIME IS UPON YOU

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

IT SAYS HERE AFTER YOU LEFT SAN MARINO YOUR CAREER REALLY TOOK OFF AND YOU WERE…

I cut him off ‘whoa don’t tell me what happens after San Marino! I’m just on my way out and I've not even started in Spain yet

MY BAD. IT DOES LOOK GOOD THOUGH. COUPLE OF RED MARKS HERE AND THERE. A LOT OF UPS AND DOWNS. OH I BEST NOT READ THAT PART OUT LOUD JUST IN CASE YOU STEW ON IT

‘Appreciate it, so can I get going now? I’ve got a plane to catch’

OH YES PLEASE DO. WE WILL SPEAK AGAIN THOUGH JOCK. NOT FOR SOME TIME BUT WE WILL, EVENTUALLY.

And with that I left the room, woke up in my flat in downtown San Marino, Baz was yelling ‘get up ya’ prick, we’ve gotta make that stop before we head off to the airport!!’

== == == == ==

The Journeyman Jock - What will be, will be

‘I’m still not sure’ I said, still wrestling with the idea of more change ‘if it is the right thing or not?’

‘There are pros and cons to every one of life's moments’ he started ‘and for any person in any job, especially for every football manager there’s the job that makes you, the one that gets your name out there and gets you recognized as the new shining star of the job I’m sure. The job that you do well in that shows you’ve got the sagacity, the aptitu….’ he was cut off

‘What tha’ fuck does sagacity mean?!’ the Doctor quipped

‘Shut up ya’ doss cunt let the man finish’ Baz said angrily

‘It means wisdom, something young Mister Robson lacks’ the man said looking at the Doctor as Baz chuckled. The man carried on ‘as I was saying, there’s that one job that shows everyone you’ve got the aptitude to make you stand out from the rest of your peers’ he took a moment, had a sip of water and continued ‘it seems as though the job here in San Marino was that job for you Jock’

‘Right, but no one will look at it like I did a good thing here, or at Etimesgut because of the f*cking match fixing sh*te’

‘Ahh but one has to look past other people's feelings, and keep his own at the forefront of his mind’

‘Heya he’s proper radgy this auld gadge in’t he Baz’ the Doctor said whilst picking up a book and taking a look inside it

‘Pass us that here’ Baz said and snatched the book, then said ‘ahh the Bible, I’ve read this one, the guy comes back at the end, don’t he Father’

‘Nice one Baz y’uve gan and spoilt it fur us ya' prick, ah wa’ gannin’ to read tha’ on the flight ower’

‘Corse ya’ were you silly twat, you can’t even read!’

‘Gentlemen, I believe we’re here to discuss with Jock and the move over to Spain?’

‘Aye corse Father my bad, but I’m going too like, I’m on the coaching staff’ Baz said in a look at me sort of way, the same way a child does when they’ve done something good, like a paint by numbers picture

‘Aye, and Mark, and Luca and Matteo, they’re coming an a’hl’ the Doctor said and carried on ‘cannit forget the boy Armando can we, he’s a pure loon Father he’s joining us on this mission, Marco the center half turned scout he’s comin’ ah’long fur the sesh, the Turkish lad an a’hl, cannit remember his name help us oot Baz’

‘Emre?’

‘Nah he’s stayin’ he’s been made chief scout, the other fella, short gadge with a temper, great hair, howay man you know who I mean’

‘Nah can’t say I do Bob’

‘You mean Zafer?’ I said trying to get the conversation finished

‘Aye that’s him Zaffa he’s comin’ with, an’ the 2 youth team lads they’re comin’, oh how can I forget Raymondo he’s comin’ too, he said I owe him a thousand Euro for a game on Fifa tha’ other week, we did 100 Euro a goal, I let him win 10-0’

‘Yeah right, he smashed you I was there, you were Newcastle and he was Bristol City, remind me when we get there to play you on it again you’re terrible’

‘Lads shut it will ya, this is our last day here, make the most of it eh’ I said, and as I did they got up and left the pews in the church of Saint Peter.

‘Now, where were we?’ Father Domenico asked and continued on ‘I’m not going to try and change your mind, or try and justify your decisions my son, but this job, from what you’ve told me is more like a project than just another job’

‘It is that. The lass that sorted it for me, she reckons there’s change coming, and by the end of the season there’s gonna be things in place to get the club promoted’

‘Well then treat it as such. San Marino could be the one that got your name out there, positively or not, and this new job could be the job that shows you have the mental capacity to take a role on anywhere, as evidenced in your working in multiple countries, that you have the get up and go, the drive to make you stand out from everyone else. This could be the one that makes you Jock’

I spent a bit more time with the Father in the church, more out of curiosity than anything else, and by the time I left I thought leaving San Marino was the right thing to do. While discussing the job with Alexa and the board at the club in Spain, it was apparent that this would quite different from my time in San Marino.

Alexa had told me the club would be getting taken over by someone else before the season has ended. The reason for this, she tells me, is that the new ownership are going to be doing everything they can to get the club promoted, and the incoming chairman, on the back of being recommended to him, has had his eye on me for the past 6 months.

As we’ve been doing well in San Marino is just a coincidence I’m sure, but the fact that I’ve been wanted is certainly pleasing, considering what’s been going on.

Before leaving for the church I said my goodbyes to the San Marino players and the staff that wouldn’t be making the move to Spain with me. I had the players all line up for 1 last match instead of training. We didn’t do any tactics related stuff, or fitness or anything like that it was just a straight up game, I swapped players around here and there and it was fun just watching the boys have a kick around with no pressure.

As the game ended I shook every players hand and spoke discreetly to a couple who might be interested in coming with me. Obviously not very ethical and probably could be classed as tapping up, I just thought why not ask on my way out. The main 2 I asked were certainly intrigued by the move as well as a couple others, but nothing could be done until the summer. I knew leaving here and rocking up in Spain I’d have to deal with the team already there, and transfers would have to wait until the end of the season.
 

The rest of the afternoon went by in a blur. As part of the process of me leaving San Marino and joining my new team, I was asked by the current chairman, with input from the future chairman and board members about bringing my own backroom staff with me. At first I thought nothing of it, but Mark had said he’s coming with me & Baz, no matter how hard I’d try and lose him he’d find a way to tag along. When I had explained to the rest of the back room staff why I’m leaving and that the chairman is in money troubles, most of them in San Marino wanted to come with me for the next job. The list of staff joining me is:

• Mark Jaul - assistant manager
   
• David (Baz) Barron - first team coach
   
• Matteo Padovan - first team coach
   
• Raimondo Taras - first team coach
   
• Mirko Stefani - Under 19’s coach
   
• Alessandro Signorini - under 19’s assistant manager (current San Marino U23’s assistant)
   
• Luca Caboni - director of football
   
• Marco Gorzengo - scout
   
• Armando Perna - scout
   
• Zafer Sercek - scout
   
• Silvio Viligiardi - head of sports science

There were a couple of reasons why I wanted to bring just about the full team with me. The first idea was that I wanted people with me I can trust, so Mark and Baz fit that bill, Marco was a key player last season and became a scout for me so he can be trusted. Regarding Matteo and Raimondo they were at San Marino when I joined but we forged a great working relationship, and I wanted coaches that knew the tactics and the way I want training to be structured. We’re going with the 4-4-2 set up right away in Spain, I’ve looked at the team and already know my starters for the next 6 months. From the summer though, well that’ll be explained as we move on, things will be somewhat different.
 

Mirko, Alessandro and Luca are going to be in charge of the youth system when we get there. There is money to spend but I want to be able to work with the youth players and get them prioritized (Moneyball innit!), and having both of my youth team staff looking after them I can be confident. Luca is also going to be in charge of the scouting side of things as well. And as for young Silvio, well he sort of just turned up 1 day with the Doctor and said he’s a sports scientist, and he gives us regular reports on injuries and rehab and stuff. He’s a nice kid and I felt bad not asking him if he fancied coming along, so that’s why he’s joining us.

Finally, other than Baz and Mark who have both said they’re coming with me no matter where I end up, the rest felt coming with me would be the best thing for them personally and financially. Stefano came and spoke to us all before we did leave and confirmed he’s got money worries and that’s why he didn’t put up much of a fight for us either, and get this, all of us had some compensation paid for our services due to having time left on our contracts so he got money from us leaving! 
 

I do think, and I say this with a heavy heart and a guilty conscience, San Marino are going to struggle. Not only because I’m leaving but because there’s no direction if the chairman is going to constantly spunk the money up the wall. It does give me an idea for summer recruitment though and I know which players have expiring contracts and release clauses, so more on that as we get through the next few months.

But for now we leave the club in a much better place than it was 18 short months ago when I signed, to pastures new.

== == == == ==

The Journeyman Jock - No tellin' where this felon is headin'

I looked out of the window as the plane finally touched down on the tarmac, the echo of the wheels hitting the ground thundered through the cabin. ‘We’re here, we’re finally fucking here’ yelled Baz in an excited way I don’t think I’ve ever seen out of him. Even before I got off the plane I could tell the weather was scorching hot. My cheap shirt, Yankees cap (worn backwards) and Nike shorts would be doing the bare minimum to stop me sweating in the coming heat.

The club had arranged transfers from the airport to a housing complex not far from the stadium for me and my staff. By the time we’d landed and made it to the houses I was dripping buckets ‘I’m sweating like a blind lesbian in a fish market here man’ the Doctor quipped before adding ‘when we off the boozer than? I’m hangin' for a pint like’

‘Soon man, we’ve only just got here’ I said and adding ‘I need a shower, to get changed and we’ll have to meet the people from the club at some point too’

‘Ahh to bollocks wi' yous lot I’m off’ and he dropped his solitary duffel bag and left the room.

I got to the stadium, a short 5 minute walk from the house, and it wasn’t much to look at really. Slightly bigger than the San Marino Stadium at 4,000 seats, exactly 1,000 more than my previous home ground, it looked to be in okay shape, although the groundsman I met on my way in had told me, in broken English, that the ground hasn’t seen much glory over the years, even before this club was formed from the remnant of the previously disbanded team.

I wasn’t about to get into the history of the club, not yet anyway, so I left the guy to his sweeping and made my way into the stadium via a door with a sign above it that read jugador del equipo local y entrada de personal. My limited Spanish picking up jugador as player and entrada as entrance or entry.

This wasn’t a job I took on for redemption or even career progression at the minute, in all fairness it was probably a sideways step, leaning slightly down. I left San Marino in the third division in 7th place in group B of four groups. I was joining a team in the Spanish division, so the same tier in a different country, and also in the league’s group 3 of 4. Although they sit 15th upon my arrival, 3 points above the relegation zone.

I was asked in a Skype meeting upon accepting the job what my career aims are. Right off the bat I said I want to manage Motherwell. All young lads want to play for the team they support, and as a manager I’m no different. The incoming chairman had said ‘before then, you’ll need to build your name up, tell me, coming into the club I am going to be running before the end of the season, what do you think you can do with the team based off what we’ve told you?’ 

I thought about it for a few moments, and thought of the things Alexa had told me before having this interview. Buzz words like project, development, prosper and sustainability were mentioned and Alexa had convinced me the incoming leadership team as they’re known, would be building this club up for success, and I answered bluntly by saying ‘well we need to survive relegation first’. This appeased the new boss, he then said ‘and then what? What does season 2 look like to you? How will you build the team? Have you any plans for tactics, or transfers in the coming seasons?’

‘Ideally I want players I can trust, and that will improve this team’ was my first answer ‘people like Severini and Anibal who are key players for me in San Marino, they’re both good enough to come here from the end of this season and push this club on towards progression’ not really expecting that to be expanded on, I was shocked when the new boss replied

‘You think a promotion challenge is in reach for next season?’

‘Absolutely’ I said without hesitation but with a silent hint of doubt. I’m at a point in my career where I answer people with things I think they’ll want to hear. A bit of naivety on my part possibly, but I’m still being investigated for a crime I didn’t commit. I continued ‘I thought about it before attending this meeting, and if I don’t aim to get this club promoted, or if I’m just happy being a secure third division team then what will the players think? No one will put any effort in, no other players will want to join if we’ve not got a clear direction’

As a team this club had danced a bit too close to the flame, singed by the lure of night time antics, nefarious activities and quick cash at the bookmakers this place is known for, so the outgoing chairman had told me privately, and 1 of the few reasons he was selling was because he needed the money and could no longer afford to fund the clubs progression. The incoming chairman called the current board a motley crew of yes men and sycophants. But he assures me, as did Alexa, that the new board members coming in are there to ensure the club is in the best possible hands to make progress. I was a bit cautious that I’m leaving working for a chairman with money troubles to coming in and working with another with money issues, despite this new boss of mine being temporary and leaving before the season ends.

I didn’t want to, but I felt obliged to ask him about the match fixing allegations I’d been caught up in. He was gracious enough to say ‘I agree with the San Marino chairman, you’re innocent until proven guilty, but we want you as the first team manager based on your football credentials, not your reputation in the media’ I wondered what these credentials were, surely a lower league trophy in Italy wouldn’t be enough to be classed as credentials?

But from having that initial meeting a couple of weeks ago to today, I found the boardroom eventually, and walked in. The current chairman Antonio Perez was sat there, as was the soon to be installed chairman Gerard Hernandez. Antonio welcomed me with a hand shake said ‘welcome Jock, I for one am happy that you’re here, and look forward to you steering this club away from relegation, in time for Gerard to come in and progress the club forward’

He didn’t look anything like I was expecting. He was a shorter man than me, wearing a shirt fully unbuttoned and balding. He was maybe in his early forties I guessed. ‘I’m happy to have been offered the job, thank you both’ I replied with a smile

‘Your staff are with you?’

‘They’re here, mostly. Settling in at the minute. We’ll meet up and start things properly tomorrow’

Gerard then said ‘I’ve told you this already, but I’ll say it again. I wanted someone that could achieve things with a modest budget and keeping expectations to a manageable level. I like what you did in San Marino, taking a no hope club away from relegation and winning the cup. I liked that you have had the team in the playoffs all season so far. It is convenient for me that the chairman there has money worries that would affect your job there’ I didn’t really know what to say, so I just smiled, and he continued ‘I’m not expecting overnight success, but you seem to be able to get a team of no named players and turn them around in a short space of time. I can assure you that we’ll support you all the way and realise the dream of taking this club places’ Another person I didn’t think looked anything like what I was expecting. He was as tall as me, skin sun tanned from years in Spain and a face that looked carved from granite. I felt I was going to get along with this man.

We went for a short walk around the island, a place I’d never been before. I was taking in all the vibrant colours and the salty scent of the Mediterranean air. My old man had told me that the island was a contradiction, a paradise masking a battleground. How? I asked him. He said the line between right and wrong in that place is as thin as a game of Chinese whispers. I didn’t push him on it any further. He just said congratulations on getting a new job, but wished it were somewhere more reputable and less of a negative environment.

We walked down some windy streets opposite plenty of sun soaked and sandy beaches, I was already planning my first day off down there on the beach. I noticed a nightclub called The Velvet, a spot I’m sure the Doctor has already earmarked as a destination we’re going to be frequenting.

Gerard said ‘now that it’s just us, I want you to know I don’t normally put as much faith in people as I have with you’ his English as close to perfect as can be for someone whose first language is Spanish

‘Why am I so lucky?’

‘Alexa and her colleagues, the ones who helped set up my purchase of the club, they think very highly of you’

‘All that about my credentials, that was bullshit?’

‘Oh no Jock, I meant what I said. I do rate you as a manager and do believe you’re going to take this club, my club to the next level. If you go on to become an elite manager and move on for better things, I am sure you’re going to leave the club in a better place than it was today when you arrived’

‘I’m flattered, and honored actually. I’ll give everything I’ve got for this team. I need success as much as you’

We left it at that and went our separate ways for the day. I felt leaving him that afternoon that our relationship, and time at the club is going to be a success, match fixing allegations be damned. But I was here now and ready to get to work. I went into a corner shop for a can of Red Bull, and as I made my way to the left side of the store, there was one of those little metal newspaper stands you see outside newsagents in Scotland that read:

El Escocés acepta el puesto en Ibiza y habla el presidente entrant

I translated it on my phone as Scotsman agrees Ibiza job, incoming chairman speaks. 
 

Ibiza, the party island of the world, where hedonism, constant drug use and bad vibes are rampant. And it’s where Jock McGhee is about to start work.

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