Getting Around Europe Quicker Than Shedender

Top of the table as the year comes to an end although don't get too carried away as it's awfully tight at the top.

Hey Dan great story i was wondering how much have you spent on transfers since you started the career and how many players have you brought in? I'm curious to see which of you and Shedender spends more in your quests to complete it the fastest.

Just read through this really good work Dan I will now continue to Follow

Great way to end before the winter break. Keep up the good work

I was off for a few days and you already bounced onto a huge club! Making big progress here!

Slightly off topic but do you edit the size of your images before you upload them??

Laudrup, its great to see you back on the forum! Would be fantastic to see you back in writing action too!

Thanks Shedender as always we do sit top but it wont be easy to keep it!

Thanks Zeonflux, as you know I have already posted it now on Shedenders' thread, however for anyone else enquiring here is my financial status and transfer status.

Brilliant George, appreciate you taking your time out and reading thanks mate

Thanks Sayeth, sometimes I edit the image size if they are too big, just makes it look smarter

Thanks for catching up BOWC! its certainly been an eventful few days

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We went into the winter break with plenty of ambition for this season. Into the Kupa Bulgaria quarter finals as well as sitting top of the league with not too much more to play. We have began to open a gap at the top and need it to continue, however the winter break will allow us to take our mind off competitive action.


As I stated a busy pre season but one which allowed us to experiment a little and try some new things. It was a rather pleasing winter break too. Eight games over the last two and a half months allowed us to get some further action. Two defeats, two draws along with four wins was pleasing enough, our defeats were horrendous however we were able to bounce back and are now ready for the remainder of the season.

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The winter break was done and dusted and with eight friendlies played we now need to turn our attention back to competitive football and try to keep our fine form going. The league saw us go in top with four points clear whilst we were also still in the Kupa Bulgaria. This month saw us return to busy weeks as we faced seven games, five league games along with two Kupa Bulgaria quarter final clashes.


We returned to competitive action by welcoming former employers Etar and making sure we done the double over them as we secured two nil victory. Jorge continued his fine season as the nineteen year old put us ahead just a few minutes before the break. We doubled our lead late on as Baytech came off the bench and netted late on into injury time.

We then faced three games on the bounce all against Chernomorets, the first saw us travel to them in the first leg of the Kupa Bulgaria quarter final. A game of highs and lows began with us falling behind after ten minutes however we were level before the break as Lazarevski netted. Second half we went behind gain before drawing level through Mishev. However the first leg wasn't to be ours as Chernomorets won it with a goal four minutes from time.

We traveled to them for the second time in three days, this time the league encounter and with them chasing us at the top we had to be at our best. This time there were no goals for either side and the game ended as it started at nil nil, a fair result really.

Back at home and welcoming Chernomorets for our third clash in seven days we looked to take the spot in the semi final of the Kupa Bulgari. And we did that following a narrow two one win sending us through on away goals. Once again we started poorly and come the break Chernomorets led one nil on the night but four two on aggregate. Luckily we had a stronger second half in process and an own goal brought us level on the night before Pavlovski's goal eighteen minutes from time saw us confirmed our spot.

We returned to league action with a tough trip to Levski and it was one to forget for us as once again we fell to defeat. Levski netted two first half goals as they showed they were no pushovers. We pulled one back with just under half an hour to play through Petkov but were defeated.

We went two defeats on the bounce when we welcomed Lokomotiv (Plovdiv). Despite it being a game we should of won comfortably we managed to slip to defeat. Our first halves were continuing to course us problems as we were two down inside thirty five minutes however before the break we had one back as Stanchev netted. However conceding a third after the break saw us fall short again.

We ended the month with just our second win in the league this month as we traveled to Lokomotiv (Sofia). A more pleasing performance for us saw us early ahead when Jorge put us infront with a comfortable slotted finish.We waited till the second half to secure the win, Stanchev netted his second in as many games to make it a two nil win.


So with nineteen league games down we continue to sit top but have thrown away a huge part of our lead at the top of the table. The end of March saw us pick up just two wins in the league this month but with three league games left before we enter the split table we are looking good to hold onto the top spot for now by a single point. We are also into the Kupa Bulgaria semi final

Won on away goals in the cup again! The other clubs are slowly inching their way back!!

Wasn't the greatest of month mate but at least you're just about top. I'm sure you can still win the title and cup.

Not entirely convincing, but good enough to keep the top spot in the league, and reaching the semi final of the cup. Well done

Yer away goals seems to be the way of doing it BOWC!

We are still alive and kicking in both competitions Shedender, just need to keep that going.

Its not brilliant is it Itchycoo but we are still here and still competing in both competitions!

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So we didn't return to competitive action brilliantly in March and we needed to hope for a better month in April. However it was going to be a very busy month for us as we faced the Kupa Bulgaria semi final, both legs as well as seven league games. This month would see us fully tested with nine games in just four weeks and our title bid was looking rocky as we started.


We began April with a clash against CSKA at home, not an easy game but when you face them four times this month we had to chuck down the warning. The league clash went well and we found ourselves on the right end of a one nil victory thanks to a tenth minute penalty from Raynov.

A second at home on the bounce saw us welcome Slavia and we got away with a nervy performance. We went behind in injury time before the break which gave us a small shunt, however second half pulled out an equaliser as Baytchev netted ten minutes after the restart.

The Kupa Bulgaria semi final saw us face CSKA and the first leg saw us welcome them for our third home game on the bounce. Unfortunately it wasnt to be our leg this time as we fell to a harsh one nil defeat through an eighteenth minute goal from CSKA.

The cup defeat seemed to affect our league form as we traveled to Cherno More and got smashed four one. We just weren't in the game and found ourselves two down inside half an hour, Stanchev revived a bit of faith netting from the spot but a further two goals came from Cherno more in the second half as they grabbed a four one victory.

The second leg of the Kupa Bulgaria semi final saw us travel to CSKA and go through on away goals....again. A better showing against them saw us lead on the half hour mark when Nikolov netted for us and a minute later we were two nil up as Pavlovski found the net. We conceded one after the break but the two away goals were enough for us to progress following a three all aggregate score.

We then returned home to welcoming Chernomorets and they were now on our tail but a defeat today saw us lose our small lead at the top. They grabbed a one nil defeat as we slipped from the top spot.

We then traveled to CSKA (Sofia) as we faced them for the fourth time this month! This was our most convincing game for us as we smashed four past them without a single reply. Petkov gave us the lead just two minutes after half an hour with the only first half goal. An own goal twenty minutes before the end saw us double our lead before late goals from Nikolov and Mishev secured a four nil win.

Our final home game of the month saw us welcome Levski and the title challengers played out a nil nil draw. Neither side made the breakthrough as it ended all square.

Our final game of the month saw us travel to cherno more and despite losing heavily to them last time earlier in the month this time we stayed a little stronger but could only manage a draw. Meaning we ended the month with back to back draws but how was the title bid looking.


With the league now split and our form since the winter break being very woeful we slip down to third in the league now as Levski go top and Chernomorets sit second. Only two points separate the top three so it certainly is all to play for still. Levski and Chernomorets both sit on forty nine points whilst we sit in third on forty seven. Fourth place CSKA sit back on forty one points now.

A difficult April, hopefully you can keep the pace with the top two.

You must have thought no more Cherno More or Chernomorets last month. Ok 4 times against CSKA Sofia in one month is also insane but at least you one them all (one on away goals but still a win over 2 matches) Hope you can still grab the title!

April was certainly turn Sayeth! But hopefully its not over yet!

Benniewijs get bored of playing the same team buddy! But We till have another meeting with CSKA this month! All to play for now though!

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A couple of fairly busy months have past and since the winter break its fair to say we haven't been at our best. But now we were heading into the final part of the season and the last month provided more good football in two competitions. We had the Kupa Bulgaria final along with six league games. Could we turn it around and save our season late on or had our form blown us out?


We began the month at home welcoming Lokomtiv (Sofia) where we narrowly managed to return to winning ways. Nikolov gave us the lead moments after the half hour mark. We doubled our lead twenty minutes from time as Lazarevski netted for us. Lokomtiv had a late consolation but we were home and dry.

We won two on the bounce when we welcomed CSKA again, fifth time in two months. Jorge gave us the early lead before Pele made it two inside twenty minutes. We conceded one but Pele doubled his tally and made it three one before the break. Second half we went on to concede another but stayed strong for the three points.

However as we traveled away for the first time this month to Chernomorets we were dealt a huge blow. A big five one defeat really shattered our title hopes. We were three nil down come the break, Chernomorets soon made it four nil, we had one back through Panayotov however it made no difference, Chernomorets strengthened their title bid when they added a fifth late on.

We then traveled to Levski before we would face them in the cup final. A good four goal thriller saw the game end level. We fell behind as usual when we travel away but before the break managed to claw a goal back through Panatoyov. We then took the lead after the restart with Stanchev finding the back of the net, but through that away late on to settle for a single point.


Next came the all important Kupa Bulgaria final and it was another close game with Levski. We took the lead in the final after thirty four minutes as Lazervski managed to break free and slot the ball into the net. We conceded in the second half and with that it went to extra time. No goals in the extra time period saw the game go to the luck of the spot kick, which we triumphed four two in to win the cup!

Returning home and to league action to welcome Cherno more and after a goalless first half we finally took the leda moments after the restart. Iliev was the man to put us infront within forty two second of the restart. However we went to blow our lead as a swift counter attacking move from Cherno more saw them snatch a point.


We recieved the good news come the end of the season, the title was ours as we confidently claimed a two nil win on the final day of the season. Nikolov put us infront after twenty three minutes before he secured the game and title with his and our second ten minutes after the restart.


As you've just seen we did claim the top spot and the champions status but it wasn't done easily. We won the title by a single point on the final day thanks to a slip up from Chernomorets. With just two points separating the top three the title could of gone anyway on the final day but it was to be ours. We've done the league and cup double but now need to turn our attention to the super cup come the new season.

Oh ffs. One more trophy and you'll be onto the next country, which I believe is Croatia? You're doing a wonderful job wherever you end up.

Croatia certainly would be next should we grab the SuperKupa Shedender, however it won't be easy but we will get on with life here before thinking about the next step.

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So with the season done and dusted and two trophies added to the trophy cabinet we now just searched for the SuperKupa. This would now see the draw made for the SuperKupa along with our financial report, the budget for the new season a well a the pre season run down for the new year! Lets hope we can get on with it and grab the last goal.


The SuperKupa has been drawn once again and this time we will face Levski. It will be my first appearance in the SuperKupa and with it being the only trophy left to win I can hope to wrap up Bulgaria. It won't be an easy game but I'm sure we can overdo Levski once again.


The ever ambitious board have once again set the targets for this season and with them wanting a big season this is what they've let on. They only want a Europa League qualification pot through the league so not a lot of pressure on us. They've given us a very nice budget of five million to spend along with twenty seven thousand pounds for wage this year. So we have a small budget to work within.


Here is the financial situation at the club, we sit very nicely in the black with eight million in the balance and with that we have five million to spend should we need it. There is very little spare in the wage budget at the moment with just six hundred and thirty pound spare. So we have room to manouvre between the two budgets should we need it but we will sell to buy this year should we need.


Here is the friendly run down for the pre season, we will currently play four friendlies but between them we shall also face a Champion League qualifier double as we face Skonto as well as ending pre season with the SuperKupa tie where the neutral ground will see the huge game between us and Levski. We beat them in the cup final at the end of the year in the cup final, we can do it again!

Didn't even know you moved sides, done wonders at Litex already and now looking at moving on

I haven't read your thread for a long time and opening now, I see you're playing in Bulgaria!!!

You did great at Etar. They're one of the oldest teams in the country, well respected with great history. Great job on saving them from relegation. It's a shame to see my hometown Beroe, going down tho. Well played next season with Litex. Congrats! Great career so far, stunning!

Thanks for catching up once again Zan! A lot has happened since you last read!

Very kind comment nikolayvanchev! Glad you caught up and give such kind words to the thread. I'm so into this career at the moment and even the hard seasons, like with Etar against relegation are enjoyable. I can only guarantee a harder set of seasons will be on their way!

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I raced through pre season with the hope we could finally wrap up Bulgaria before the league season would even kick off. A few transfers were made but I only brought in one player on a loan deal so I haven't really rounded them up yet, if we don't be successful in the SuperKupa and I make more deals I will run them through. However this is what happened during the pre season. *NOTE: For some reason the 'goal scorers' tab wont show on the fixtures?*


Pre season didn't go horrendously bad on the fixture looks whilst we also tried to compete in the Champions League too. Despite a strong defeat to kick off pre season against Dinamo we bounced back to grab two three nil wins before the first champions league qualifying round for us. We drew nil nil away in Skonto before facing the second leg and grabbing a one nil win to put us through to the third round of qualifying. Inbetween those two games we faced Wolfsburger who also dispatched of us easily. The final game of 'pre season' before the important SuperKupa clash saw us travel to Basel in the cup where we got destroyed six one and are all but out the Champions League already.


If the SuperKupa wasn't enough of a big event and knowing the fact if we win it we can head to Croatia at last, it also turned out to be my four hundredth competitive game in the management history. It was going to go one of two ones, pure jubilation and we can get on a plane and go, or pure heartbreak which could see us sit needlessly in Bulgaria for another twelve months, However Levski wouldn't role over.


This was another classic Levski vs Litex clash and once again it came down to the luck of the penalties. As you can see here we started the stronger team as my inform Brazilian striker Jorge netted after sixteen minutes. However moments after Levski were level. Second half began and eventually a breakthrough was made again. once again we took the lead, this time Iliev nodding home from inside the six yard box. But Levski spoiled our party very late into injury time. A goal from Ishkov three minutes into injury time saw them take the game to extra time. No goals during extra time meant for the second cup clash in a row it would come down to spot kicks.

A thrilling shoot out it was, possibly one of the best SuperKupa clashes in recent years saw us take a five four penalty win and claim our final trophy here in Bulgaria! CHAMPIONS!

Phew..... One penalty between staying another year in Bulgaria and going to Croatia. Good luck with your next job.

Thanks Benniewijs! It was very close to be honest and we got lucky with the shootout for the second final running against them, but we are now Croatia bound!

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We had done it, claiming the SuperKupa and that meant just one thing, Bulgaria was the fourth country to be wrapped up on this crazy adventure! Only thirty one more countries to complete. But now it was time to look away from Bulgaria and head out to another country, but first I had to do one more thing.


Here it was, resignation day. Its been a fun season at Litex but with the squad we had and our league position predicted we were expected to win the league, the cup was an added bonus and going through on away goals in a couple rounds before claiming the final and the SuperKupa on penalties was fantastic. We can't forget about my season and a half at Etar too, a great season to win the league then I guided them away from the relegation spot.


Here is my overall transfer round up since beginning the career. I will add this as 'Zeonflux' wanted to see it and it would be a good comparison with Shedender after each country is complete. So as I head to Croatia I have signed thirty nine players whilst releasing forty four and selling just twelve. We've spent two point one million whilst receiving four point two. Not bad, but no huge signings as of yet!

You like the shootouts! Well done on clearing Bulgaria

Thanks Zan! Its nice to be onto Croatia, I would love to wrap up Croatia before the start Of February!

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I haven't touched down in Croatia for long but already we have landed a big job here! On the third of August I boarded the plane and left to Croatia, its now the twenty fifth of November and we are back in business, but the big question you are asking is who is this club...


Martinovic had been under pressure for some time, I declared my interest in the potential job a month ago where Hajfuk dismissed me. However a month on and they have finally given the under achieving manager the boot. Despite being predicted to finish second in the MAXtv Prva Liga this season, they currently sit down in eighth and are way off the pace of league leaders Dinamo.


As you do, I applied for this job, however I was half expecting them to snub my interest, I still hadn't been at a 'top team' so this would of been another step up and after they dismissed me a month ago I was a little worried. However they came out to the press claiming to be flattered with my interest in the job and would look into sorting a contract out over the next few days as I waited patiently.


And then it happened! A side the size of Hajduk were finally interested in me and went ahead and offered me a nice deal which I couldn't turn down. I shall be on just over four thousand pounds a week on a four year deal. The club have also offered me three and a half million to spend on transfers whilst we have over half the wage budget still free and at my disposal.


As I said, Hajduk were sitting down in eighth when they sacked Martinovich, they have slightly improved to move up to sixth but are still way off the pace. We are two games short of the halfway stage in the league where we will be able to adjust our goals for the rest of the season. We are however still in the cup and have a quarter final clash in the next couple of days, a respectable top half finish is my main aim now!

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So after just a few months in Croatia I already had a job and it was a big job in the top division. Now I was set to make my mark and wanted to open my account here in good terms. November saw me only face the final two games of the month. One cup game and one league game.


My reign began away from home as we traveled to lower league side Slavija Pleternica in the quarter final of the Hrvatski Kup second leg and we advanced through. They already had a one all draw from the first leg, we went and secured a two nil win on the night to progress. Blazevic was the man to guide me to an opening day win as he netted six minutes before the break and a second three minutes from the end of the day.

The only other game of the month saw us face league action and we traveled to Rijeka. And we managed to not only grab two clean sheets but also two wins. My first win in the league came thanks to Knezovic a minute after the restart to guide us to a one nil win.


Here are the standings after we played one more league game. We stay sixth but take a chunk out the guys infront of us. We may be fourteen points off the top spot as well as eleven points outside the relegation zone so we are sitting smack bang midtable. The league is very spaced out but as we grabbed two clean sheets we look to be going to right way as my reign begins confidently.

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I had made a steady start here in Croatia having settled easily in a big job. But now we had to face up to December and this saw us face three games. Two Europa League games where we would look to shock our group and sneak through, however we would have to do alot along with one more league game which would see us cross the halfway stage in the league. We were confident as ever.


December began in Europa League action as we traveled to France to face St Etienne.Unfortunately it wasn't to be our day as we slipped to a one nil defeat. Along with this we crashed out the Europa League which wasn't entirely a bad thing, we can now focus elsewhere.

Our only league game of the month saw us travel to Dugopolje. It was my fourth game in charge and fourth game away from home. A good game for us saw us win again. A strong performance from everyone involved saw us win three nil. Fagner gave us the lead after ten minutes before he doubled his and our tally in the second half. We made it three within the final five minutes as Oremus netted.

We ended the month and calender year with my first home game here in Croatia as we welcomed Italian giants Fiorentina. We stared poorly and come the break we were two down, however we were already out the competition so we weren't playing for anything. We managed to pull it back in the second half, Esquerdinho brought us back in contention before Oremus leveled things up. We grabbed a shock win thanks to an eighty ninth minute own goal to complete a wonderful comeback.


I've already been in charge here for five games but only played two in the league and have picked up two solid league wins with two clean sheets. Things are looking brighter however we still haven't moved from the bottom spot. Still trail Rijeka by three points and top side Dinamo by fourteen who are now under very heavy pressure from Slaven Belupo. We can now focus on a top half finish though.


Here is the final Europa League standings. Despite not needing the trophy I would have liked to go through but we had a lot of work to do and the defeat against Saint Etienne sorted out our fate. Despite picking up a battling win against Fiorentina we do crash out. We can now focus on our league form and our cup form as we look ahead to the semi final after the winter break

We now head into a two month layoff for the winter break as we try and avoid the snow before getting back to action. Our first competitive game of the new calender year will see us face Dinamo.

Good luck in Split

You seem to be flying through this at the moment.

Congratulations on reaching 400 games in management.

Good luck in Croatia.

Thanks again Benniewijs! I hope we can hit the ground running!

Appreciate you taking time and reading ShortSharpShock! 400 is a good number to reach but I can guarantee there will be many more! Thanks mate!

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So my first winter break was here in Croatia and it was my first chance to change things around here at Hajduk, however when viewing the side I realise we already had a strong foundation, it just seems tactics didn't work with the previous manager. This winter saw us add a couple players to the squad, lose a couple and play a whole host of friendlies to get us going again.


These are the only transfers made this January. We signed striker Carrellio to add to the strength up front and make up for the loss of our other striker Fagner who we lost for one point six million thanks to a silly minimum release fee. We also signed defender Golubovic on loan till the end of the season whilst losing Zagorev on loan to Zadar. It should be farily decent though.


Here is the financial rundown at the club. As you know Hajduk are a huge Croatian club so they were always going to be financially 'good'. They hold just under five million in the balance whilst I have just over two million pounds left to spend. The wage budget is still looking tidy as we half just under sixty thousand in the wage budget but it is certainly something we can strengthen.


Here is our busy pre season, over the last two months we faced no less than ten games and only lost one which was very pleasing. The one we did lose was against a lesser team and losing two nil was annoying but we managed very well in the other friendlies. Winning six whilst drawing the other three we couldn't complain. Five clean sheets including a fantastic eight nil victory.

Every time I catch up on your career you've moved to a new team.
Good luck with Hajduk mate, I doubt it will take long to cross of Croatia with them.