Dans Journey Around The World [FM15]

It's A big gap to make up so early on shedender but we do have a good side

Well another calender year tipples out of sight and moves into the past as does the league season here in South Korea. We had a tough start in the league and found ourselves a long way off at the halfway stage however we were competing in the Champions League and KFA Cup brilliantly and could do with some extra silverware.


We've managed to reach the Final of the AFC Champions League despite never really hitting any constant form in the competition outside the group stage. In the Quarter Finals we beat Austrian side Melbourne City, winning four nil at home before slipping to a two one away defeat, still heading through five two on aggregate. The Semi Final then drew us with fellow South Koreans Seoul. We drew two a piece at their home before welcoming them and taking a three one win to head through, five three on aggregate. Onto the Final, the first leg saw us travel to Japan to face Urawa Reds where we lost out two one, leaving it all to do in the second leg...


And we did it, by no means was it a thrilling Final but a one nil second leg saw us win the competition on away goals after drawing two a piece over the two legs. We scored the only goal on the night in the sixty fourth minute through Sellami before having a penalty appeal turned down, we held on though, my first Champions League trophy!!


Now for KFA Cup action and as you can see we had a home route all the way through to the Final. We beat my former side Daegu in the Quarter Finals as we won four one, comfortable victory. This scoreline was then repeated in the Semi Final against Pohang. Bermudez adding three more to his two in the previous round to help us through, could we beat Seoul in another competition...


Now this was a proper cup Final and it proved to be a thrilling one for the seventy six thousand fans that travelled to watch it. A six goal thriller which in the end was decided by a penalty shootout where we held our nerve to beat FC Seoul. We had the lead in the twenty eighth minute, before heading two up ten minutes later. Seoul had one back before the break. Second half we went three one up, before Seoul netted twice in ten minutes, heading us to extra time. Very little happened in Extra Time, seeing it go to a shootout which we triumped 6-5 after eight penalties to claim the trophy.


You look at our form in the first half of the season and it wasn't very appealing at all, you look at it now, in the second half of the season and what a change that has occured here! We were simply superb this time around, in twenty league games we won sixteen of them, drawing twice and losing twice as we really set our sites on claiming that title back, would it be enough to secure the treble...


No is the answer! Seongnam continued their superb season and absolutely stormed away from the competition to take the league title. They finished on eighty six points, twelve ahead of us in second as we pipped Pohang to the second placed spot. They finished third whilst Ulsan finished in fourth a further point behind. Suwon Samsung had a season to forget without silverware and finishing down in fifth!


And to end the calender year we faced the FIFA Club World Cup after winning the AFC Champions League a couple months ago. We produced a stunning display to beat Auckland City five nil before Real Madrid taught us a footballing lesson, beating us seven one. We'd go on to finish in fourth after Boca beat us in the Third Place playoff two nil.

Next Post: Jeonbuk - Mid Season Update 2086

It's a shame you couldn't win the league but the poor form in the first half of the season ultimately cost you.

At least you won the KFA Cup and Champions League although the latter wasn't important but still well done nonetheless.

We weren't expected to win the league Shedender, the board wanted us to compete for the title and we done that so I'm more than happy with the season we produced. The Champions League was important for us, it now completes Asian competitions now.

Halfway into the 2086 football campaign and so far things haven't been going too badly. We've produced some good results to date as we've started our campaign in all three competitions with a strong start in the league, Champions League and the KFA Cup, although we only need the first of those three competitions. Lets see how things are unravelling to date...


The Champions League is back in full swing and we're trying to retain our success in last years competition and try to bring it back home once again. We topped our group with thirteen points from a possible eighteen as we won four, lost one and drew once. Its a strong squad we've got this year and we battered our group. We then brilliantly came back form three nil down first leg against Al-Nassr to win five nil in the second leg, at home, to head into the Quarter Finals where we face Grampus.


The KFA Cup has again been simple to date. Two wins from two games and into the Quarter Finals we go. A comfortable four nil home win in the Third Round before we beat Suwon FC away from home four goals to one to send us into those Quarter Finals. There we face Seoul away from home, hoping to get one over on last years runners up.


Our league run has been absolutely superb to date with us picking up fifteen wins, one draw and just three defeats in our opening nineteen games to reach the half way stage of the season, much better than last seasons first half of the league campaign. Despite the heavy five nil, freak defeat against fierce rivals Jeonnam, we've been contesting in every game and thats helped us on our way to the victories. A couple of real strong victories, Two five one wins as well as a four nil victory.


Top of the pile, nineteen league games to go, hopefully we can really crack on from here on in and open up a bit of a gap at the top of the pile. We currently have four points clear of Jeju in second place, surprising the competition up there. Suwon Samsung are struggling again this year, sitting in third whilst last seasons title holders are down in sixth, Seongnam really struggling this year and unlikely to defend their title.

Next Post: Jeonbuk - End Of Season Update 2086

Strong start to the season, but what happend to Seongnam?

Congrats on your first Champions League ... taken you long enough

Thanks Itchycoo, I couldn't say, it seems like 'second season syndrome' after winning the league, it was the same for Suwon Samsung last year finishing down in fourth IIRC.

Thanks Cymro, I honestly can't believe its taken this long to finally get my hands on one

Well my second season here in charge of Jeonbuk has now concluded and if all went right, well, not even all, if the one competition we required, the league, went to plan and we kept our good, early season form, then we'd be crowned champions and I could depart South Korea and not have to come back. We were still competing in the KFA Cup and the Champions League as well...


We stormed past Grampus in the Quarter Finals, in the first leg at least anyway. We won six one at home before a boring, goalless nil nil draw away from home sent us through comfortably. We faced Al-littihad there who we scrapped past with an away win. We lost three two away from home but returning home to a one nil win was enough to send us to a second final in as many years where we faced fellow South Koreans Seongnam. We lost the first leg, away from home one nil, leaving it all for us to do second leg, just like last year...


This year we blew it, blew the chance of bringing the trophy home and retaining it for a second year running. We took the lead on the night ten minutes after the restart which brought the scores level at one a piece on aggregate and sent the game into Extra Time. And thats where Seongnam went on to claim the AFC Champions League, netting ten minutes from time to claim the big piece of silverware. A hard trophy to miss out on.


Despite winning the first two rounds we entered with ease and bossed past the two sides we faced. However the Quarter Finals were our tipping point this year after a remake of last years KFA Cup Final. Seoul knocked us out after we took the lead. Again we lost out in Extra time.


Our great league form continued in the second half of the season as we held our nerve and didn't bottle it this year round, finishing the league season with a seven game unbeaten run and would go on to end the league season with a seven one thumping at home against Suwon Samsung who couldn't cope with our pace up top.


Champions! The final trophy here in South Korea now ticked off and all done! We won the league comfortably in the end as we hit the ninety point mark! We beat second place Suwon Samsung to the title by thirteen points. Last seasons league winners and this years Champions League winners Seongnam finishing down in seven and thirty one points off the top spot in a horror league season.


And so on the first of December, after the final league game I went to speak to the board and handed in my resignation later. I lasted six hundred and ninety four days in charge in the end and then departed the club with two cup wins and a league win over two years. One hundred and fifteen games played, seventy four won (sixty four percent) seventeen drawn and twenty four lost. Scoring two hundred and sixty six whilst conceding one hundred and thirty seven in my time here.

Next Post: Back on the move - 2087

Seongnam are the most ridiculous side in Asia. One second they were world class the other they are dire. I hold my FM14 stint there as one of my most painful. Unlucky in the final. Congrats on your stint in South Korea.

Well least its accurate in FM then Cymro, it seems they aren't having a great season yet still managed to beat us in the AFC Champions League unfortuntely!

My final stop, hoping all goes well, is here and started as I move to Singapore with one league title and one cup left to try and win and then that would be the whole of Asia completed and not too bad timewise either. Its not the job I was originally looking for here in Singapore, its not the Home United job, but its one I think I'll still grab my targets with.


In a strange switch, Tampines hired current at the time Albirex manager Chua Weng Fei and this left the current champions post open and I couldn't help but apply and get my name in the hat for the job. The board quickly came running back and offered me the contract with the expectation for us to win the league, I'm thinking its more than doable.


Over the past seven season Albirex have claimed four league titles and last season lost it to Home United, this year I want to win it and try to scoop the league cup which they are still in to try and wrap up Asia. Currently taking charge with eleven league games to go and joint top having played a game more, its definitely doable!

Next Post: Albirex - End Of Season Review 2087

Brilliant stuff man. Good luck in Singapore, this career just gets better and better.

Long-time lurker here, just had to register to leave a comment on this awesome career Dan, been reading up on it recently and it's absolutely brilliant
Have to say, as an Icelander i'm quite looking forward to you finally securing the icelandic competitions, great read.

It looks like you've got yourself another promising job on your hands Dan but best of luck, four league titles out of the last six can't be sniffed it and I'm confident you can add another league title. KIU chum and best of luck but it shouldn't be too long before Singapore (and Asia) is finally concluded once and for all.

As always thanks Fola, I'm hoping this will be my final stint in Asia!

I really appreciate you signing up to comment Simmi13, I will make it back to Iceland soon I'm sure, it wasn't to be in my initial stint there thats for sure, hope you stick around the site!

I sure do Shedender, now its making things happen and once and for all, wrap up Asia and get it out the way. That'll be an achievement in itself!

Well here it is, I had just eleven league games to fire through and the Singapore League Cup in order to do this update, it was always going to be a short report having signed on at Albirex at such a late date. We have just hit November and the season has ended, if we've lifted the two trophies we remained in when I took charge, then Asia would be complete...


The League Cup started poorly with a home defeat against Woodlands where we just never really took our chances and they did, this saw us facing the exit almost immediately. We then beat Geylang Int. and stole second place to advance from the group. Home United welcomed us in the Quarter Finals and put up no fight, we won three nil, three goals in nine minutes of football securing that win. Then a second visit from Woodlands in the competition, this time taking our chances and winning three one to set up a final with Tampines...


Champions of the League Cup! An easy final in the end where we eased to a three nil victory. We pumped the shots in on goal and I was surprised we only scored three in the end. We took the lead five minutes before the break. Second half it took a while but Hirosaki made it two nil with his second of the game, fifteen minutes to goal. And in the final minute Matsushima netted sealing the win.


And so here are the final eleven league games I took charge of and in all honesty, it was fairly straight forward.eight wins, two defeats and just the one draw was my record in the league and thats pleasing enough for me. I saw my side pick up a couple of comfortable pleasing wins, six nil against DPM, five nil against Young Lions and four nil against Warriors FC to end the season. But the two defeats in the Tier one stage could really go against us...


Champions and Asia wrapped up once and for all! We went on to win the league by six points over a challenging Home United side. The league leaders at the time I took over slipped down to third place. Surprised to see Tampines finish down in eighth despite reaching the final and Woodlands down in ninth.


On the second of November 2087 I stepped down from my post at Albirex after just one hundred and fifty two days and hope to never return to Asia once again. We've played sixteen games with twelve wins under our belt, one draw and three defeats. Netting forty five times and conceding just eighteen, it was an easy stint to cap of Asia.

With Asia now complete its time to head elsewhere and as always I'm open to opinions on where to head to so please feel free to state your views. Currently taking my fancy is North America, adding in both Mexico and USA as I'd feel it'd be another easy continent to tick off containing just those two countries.

Next Post: Back On The Move 2088

Good job on completing Asia!

North America sounds good. Shouldn't take too long to beat and then you could move south through Central America, if you have any installed, and then onto South America.

We only use the default nations so no Central America I'm afraid.

Thanks bmg033, as Shedender cleared up, we're only on the defaul database so no central America. I though North America would be easy to complete however after loading it up, I think I'll take that back...

Well well well, North America is going to take quite a while before I get it ticked off I feel. Mexico doesn't look too bad to complete, I'll aim to win the opening and closing stages of the cups and leagues as I feel I'll need both to be crowned champions and tick the country off as winning everything. U.S.A however looks like its going to be a lot tougher. Sixteen league and cup competitions to claim here and its not like I can win all sixteen at one clubs. A few cups are small 'head to head' cups based on location, so it could be plenty of moving around here to complete it.

I'm thinking for the USA to just aim for the main three competitions? Whats your thoughts on this

Next Post: Back On The Move 2088

Yeah with USA just go for the three main competitions. Would take too long to do all of the mini competitions.

Thanks Fola, its probably the best way of doing it.

I'm not a huge fan of managing in the U.S.A simply because I can't be bothered to read into the draft rules and what it even means etc etc, but bare with me and I'll try and get it ticked off as soon as I can. The job I've just landed is a fairly big one with a great opportunity at winning all three trophies at over the next two or three years, I'm already writing off this season.


A big big job! New York Redbulls! There isn't loads of money in the club thats for sure but its a big club to take on and one I hope to take to the three main trophies I require here in the US.A. Now ninety six years old, turning ninety seven in just over a weeks time its sure going to be an enjoyable stint and hopefully I get to grips with the country soon. Heres the clubs competition history over the years. The club have been very successful. Three Champions League titles, four times runners up. Plenty of MLS cups, a couple of MLS Supporters Shields and a few MLS trophies along with a few others.


New York are the current holders of the MLS but it looks like they've had a horrible year this time around. With two titles over the last seven years LA Galaxy have claimed three titles whilst Seattle have the other two over the last seven years. We still have a chance to qualify for the latter stage of the competition, hopefully we can and compete for a bit.

Next Post: New York Redbulls - End Of Season Review 2088

US will be a tough test for you, with the added player rules and whatnot. I'd focus on the US Open Cup first next season, as that seems to be the easiest of the compeititons, then work up to the Supporter's Shield/MLS Cup. Good luck!

I've been reading your career (picked up when you were on page 47 I believe) and have loved every bit of it!

I'm just now posting, because I feel it's my duty as an American to inform you that everything on the above list below the US Open Cup is utter nonsense, and certainly shouldn't be included as a trophy. Also, if the game accurately reflects real life, then 'Major League Soccer' and 'MLS Cup' are the same thing.

From what I've seen from your career so far, you should have little problem grabbing the Supporter's Shield, as that goes to the team that finishes top of the table at the end of the season. The US Open Cup should be next easiest, but since it's a knockout tournament, it's always a bit of a toss-up. Same goes for the MLS Cup, but here you've also got home and away legs up until the final. Also, the best teams in the MLS are in the MLS Cup tournament, so it should be a bit tougher.

Anyways, keep up the awesome work!

Yeah I've never been a big fan of managing here Gendo but hopefully we can battle through it some how! I need to get through the player rules!

Thanks for reading it tinytimhawk, I always appreciate peoples comments so thank you. I will aim for the main three trophies here and just hope I can grab it.

The seasons come to a conclusion, it was always going to be a short finish for me with just five games left in the league and a game left in the CONCAF Champions League. We were all but not qualified for the MLS anyway but lets see what I managed to munster up here.


I really didn't get the team flying. My first appearance infront the home fans saw us crash to a two one defeat against Sporting Kansas City after going one nil up after seven minutes. We beat fellow New York side two one before losing out against San Joe and Vancouver. Winning in the Champions League before finishing our season at Montreal Impact with a two one win.


And so this is how it all finished for us and in all hoensty it wasn't that pretty was it. We finishing seventeenth in the Supports Shield competition and in the MLS Eastern competition we ended up finishing down in eighth place. The board had me on the insecure list after this.


On the fifth December I came across as unemployed after resigning from the New York Redbull spot. I noticed the LA Galaxy job, my dream job in America and despite them not having an MLS Title since 2084, I'm hoping it will be more than good enough for us to claw one back this year. Thats if they approach me...


Of course they did! A small two and a half million pounds to spend to strengthen over the next transfer window. A ninety seven year old manager who appears to be struggling here in America. Hopefully this will be a better stint for me and hopefully a trophy comes around this year.

Next Post: LA Galaxy - Mid Season Review 2089

97 Good call just going for the main 3, would have been well annoying trying to jump through all of the derbies

Good luck in LA. Looking forward to the 100 birthday game!

I'm getting on a bit now KEZ_7 it sure would have been annoying, its hard enough as it is!

Thanks Itchycoo! Not too many years away now!

Well well well, the season has come to the halfway point and to date we've kicked off in three different competitions and its not gone too badly. Definitely a better bit of form than I hit at New York Redbulls. With the CONCAF Champions League well underway as well I was hoping I could pick up my second Champions League title in this career...


Well not quite this year. I only had four games to take on here in the CONCAF Champions league. We beat Seattle over the two legs. Winning two one in the Quarter Finals before Meican side Cruz Azul went on to knock us out at home. A one all draw away from home I thought we'd head through. But losing one nil at home cost us.


The Lamar Hunt Open Cup has started and although a pointless trophy in all honesty but I'd like to take it home if possible. We won the first round, four one over Minnesota United and now face San Jose in the next round.


Our league form started off brilliantly and on the right foot to win the title. However as of late we've picked up just one win in our last six outings which has cost us a little bit but I'm hoping we can regain our early season form. At one point we went three games without conceding and had some great results including six two over Sporting Kansas City, five one over Real Salt Lake and a three nil win over fellow side New York Redbull helped things.


On the left, the supporters shield competition and as you can see NYCFC lead the way, sitting five point clears at the top ahead of us and our game in hand could see us cut that lead to just two points all going well. That means we're well in competition for it. On the right, the MLS Western Conference we lead on goal difference alone.

Next Post: LA Galaxy - End Of Season Review 2089

Pretty sure thats the Western Conference on the right Dan Good start to your Los Angeles career though!

You are correct bmg033, I was rushing out the update, its all changed now

And so this is my second end of season review here in the USA despite spending just over a year here now after a short stint with New York Redbull. LA Galaxy seemed to be going a lot better for me at the halfway stage and now we needed to make sure it continued in the second half of the season to try and wrap it up.


I said in the last update that this competition wasn't important to us. However I realised this was one of the three trophies I require here in America to wrap it up. The draws were kind to us, pinning us at home for four of the five ties we faced in the Open Cup including the Final where we'd go on to host D.C. United. We beat San Jose one nil away from home before beating New England two one and Columbus three nil in the Semi Final to get to that Final.


And so we were crowned Champions of the Open Cup in convincing fashion as we ran to a three one victory to take the title. Despite going behind in the twenty first minute we soon turned it on its head. Ballo netting in the twenty eighth minute and then Esquivel netting ten minutes later to take us two one up at the break. Wayne Lee wrapped up the Cup Final with his goal two minutes from time.


Here is our MLS form and the first thing you'll notice is that long run of draws and defeats without us claiming a win. This stretched to seven games without a win and some fans calling for my head however the board, despite putting me under pressure, allowed me to stay on. In my defence this was during the Gold Cup and I was left with 'greyed out players' playing so results did go down hill. However we recovered near the tail end of our season to finish strongly..


This is how the Western Conference finished, we took the top spot in the group by a single point over Colorado who lost on the final day of the season where we won to gift us the top qualifying spot. Colorado and Seattle join us with qualifying whilst Houston and San Jose will battle it out in the playoffs to reach the MLS Cup Final.


Houston went on to win the Playoffs and then face us in the Semi Finals which was straight forward for us. We travelled away from home well, beating them four one before returning to home for the all important second leg where we won four one. Then came the West Conference Final where we faced Colorado. First leg somehow we got beat and badly, losing out five two away from home and I felt we were all but out then. Despite these stats showing we probably deserved more out of it. Second leg we saw one of FM's finest 'freak results' as we stuffed Colorado eight one in superb style with Mike Hunt netting five for us! The stats on this game definitely show we deserved it. I used the normal formation however went overload from the start and it paid off! We were in the MLS Cup Final.


New York City who!? We beat them in the MLS Cup Final to secure the double this season and we definitely deserved this. Dominated the shots with eighteen to their four whilst we had the greater of possession as well. Davies got us off on the right foot, netting in the first minute. Lyons made it two nil twenty three minutes in. And finally an own goal, fourteen minutes from time would see us crowned as champions.

Oh but what about the Supporters Shield...


Booom! The perfect season! The board expected us to win the MLS Cup and Open Cup this year, we've added the much needed Supporters Shield to that but only just. We win this on goal difference over MLS Cup runners up NYCFC as our free scoring helped us on the way to the second league title here. Colorado in third finish just a point behind as well in what seemed to be one of the closest finishes in all time.


And so my time here in America is over and its a little quicker than I expected however I can't be too disheartened, I've never really liked managing here in the first place! I stuck it out at LA Galaxy for three hundred and fifty seven days which saw fifty two games played, thirty three wins, seven draws and twelve defeats. Two league wins as well as the Cup title.

Next Post: Mexico Bound? - 2090

Well done! That first half of the season form saved you from that dodgy run in June and July. Hopefully Mexico will be just as nice for you!

Thanks bmg033, it sure did, the Gold Cup screwed us over completely though!

I took a short holiday until the end of May, which is when the Mexican season finishes and so this seemed the perfect time to find a job in Mexico and begin my hunt to tick off another country. It'd take longer than the USA did thats for sure with two divisions to tick off and two cup titles including the Super Cup, I'm hoping for around five years here in Mexico to tick it off.


Alebrijes is the side thats taken on the ninety eight year old English manager. Last season they finished in the Semi Finals of the Opening stage before finishing just outside the playoffs in the Closing Stage. Their history isn't the greatest and lacks a lot of quality, I'll aim for just the second tier trophy here.


I'm very happy with the squad I've acquired here too. With plenty of potential and already quality players I'm hoping we can really press on from here and show this division what we've got. I've not usually done too bad in the lower divisions, but this is my first ever time here in Mexico so hopefully I can take it by storm. A small transfer budget to help me strengthen this squad.

What do you guys think I should do for Mexico...win both opening and closing stages, or just go for one or the other?

Next Post: Alebrijes - Mid Season Update 2090/2091

How cool is that badge!? It would go on to prove that I've landed on my feet here in Alebrijes after we saw a very strong opening stage to the Ascenso MX. This would go on to leave me a tough decision, to stay here and work on through or to leave, but first, here is how the opening stage went.


A very strong campaign for us throughout the Opening Stage. A couple of dissapointing performances but in general it was pleasing. Four games without a win near the start of the season would go on to cost us our league position however we went on to recover it. A superb seven nil win over Zacapec in those fixtures too.


This saw the Opening stage finish like this, we'd go into the Opening Stage playoff Finals in third place after finishing four points behind top spot side Correcaminos and then a point behind Mineros in Second place. At. San Luis finished level on point with us whilst Altamira, Dorados and Estudiantes Tecos finished in the playoffs as well.


Well well well, weren't the playoffs exciting! In the Quarter Finals we faced Dorados who finished sixth, we beat them away four two before losing one nil at home, this was fine as we advanced to the Semi Finals four three on aggregate. The Semi Finals saw us face fifth place finishers Altamira and we seemed all but out first leg, losing three one. But A superb second leg saw us adavcne winning three nil on the night, a ninetieth minute goal helping us avoid extra time. Finally the Final saw us face Estudiantes Tecos, the side who finished in the Final playoff spot, we beat them two nil away from home...


And steamrolled past them in the second leg as the home side we completely dominated, winning five one on the day and seven one on aggregate. This confirmed we were champions of the opening stage which has really pleased the board. Felipe Rios with a hatrick in the final.


We also had a torrid time in the cup but I forgot to screenshot that. But heres my history. Winning the opening stage has counted as the league title. So I ask you, is it time to leave Alebrijes, as technically this confirms I've won the second tier?

Next Post: 2090/2091

Yeah, leave them man. Good work

Thanks Fola, that was my plan, just wanted to confirm it first!

1500 comments, you guys are the best!

Well having won the Opening Stage back with Alebrijes I decided it was time to move on and try to claim the top tier trophy as well as both domestic cups here in Mexico, including the Super Cup. The side I picked up didn't have the greatest Opening stage and nor did they in the cup. Hopefully we can turn it around this year and try and get competitive to earn it next year.


On the sixteenth of December I handed in my resignation form, with the Opening stage won in tier two it was time to turn my back, harshly, but needed to on Alebrijes. Now I've jumped to the top tier and with a big side, America (MEX). As I said, they struggled in the opening stage this year, predicted to finish third but finished down in eleventh. Now the board want me to reach the Quarter Finals, I'm more than confident we can do this. Their history shows they're due a title soon.


Happy with the squad we've got here, could do with a couple new faces but I doubt I'll have a chance to strengthen them now until the summer and the start of the new season. Hopefully my trusting tactics can come back and help turn this team around here.




Next Post: America (MEX) - End Of Season Round Up 2090/2091