Getting Around Europe Quicker Than Shedender

I would have resigned mate as soon as I won the league title, playing the rest of the season was just pointless.

Ha Thanks Miimma!

Shedender it was pointless leaving as Bulgaria wasn't even loaded and plus I had to remain unbeaten till the end of the season now didn't I!

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Following what can only be described as a thrilling end to life in Belgium remaining unbeaten with Antwerp I boarded the plane to Bulgaria. However life wasn't going to be easy over there and despite my growing reputation, I struggled to find a job. I touched down in Bulgaria on the first of July 2022 however I have only just found a job now and we sit in


Deep into the season this is the first job that became available. Etar parted ways with their manager Tsvetanov who had been in charge for ten years. Etar currently sit in the lowest playable division and were expected to walk the league, still a harsh departure but it seems that he did actually decide to leave rather than be sacked. However it won't stop me hunting for the job.


As usual I didn't wait around and with this being the first job which has came available in almost nine months I thought I had to go for it quickly. Almost immediately I declared my interest in the post before applying and to my joy Etar were more than interested in my services too. Things were starting to look a little brighter here in Bulgaria, however we were still awaiting the contract offer.


And they provided one within a week of me applying for the job, but then someone with the growing reputation I've got should be offered the deal. Initially they offered me a three year deal on four hundred and twenty found pounds per week, I swiftly changed this to four hundred pounds per week because of some OCD! A small transfer budget available which I won't dive into now and plenty of wages spare to improve next year should we not get the finish we want. As you can see the board want promotion from the "B" PFG which will be a little tricky.


But despite them wanting immediate success I couldn't turn the deal done and after of searching for a job for eight months here in Bulgaria I am finally off the dole and able to pay for my weekly rent for my one bedroom flat. Now I am manager of Etar and will look to get to work here at the club immediately!


Here are the current standings in the "B" PFG so far this season and at the half way stage Etar are sitting up in third now but are someway off the pace of league leaders Lokomotive (Sofia). Although we are predicted to win the league we will search for second spot and try our luck in the playoffs as I feel the sixteen point gap that separates us from the top will be too hard to get back now!

Great career story. Trophy cabinet is shining with silver already, but so many leagues and prices to win....... it will be great to follow your next steps.

Good luck with it.

Finally got a job, the 2nd place is possible I think. It is just a half of the season; we have seen bigger miracles done by you.

I'm pretty sure Dan will win the league, otherwise he has failed.

It's good to see that you have finally got a club in Bulgaria and it's one who looks quite useful, maybe not applying for those "dead end" jobs were worth it.

Who cares about second place, we want the title and we want it now!


Except for Shedender of course

Wow thanks Benniewijs! Its always nice to find new followers and I appreciate you going through and reading! We certainly have a 'gleeming' trophy cabinet and will constantly look to improve that!

Miimaa it took a fairwhile to find a job but as you said finally I return to management and with a very nice job indeed. Second place is what I am aiming for however we won't give up on a shot at the title till the very end. The top spot isn't a miracle, its something far more which I can't think of a word for

Then I will fail Shedender, however you would enjoy that! I'm glad I didn't take the deadend jobs! This is promising here if not this year then next!

BOWC we will take what we can! First or second I will be happy with as long as we compete. I would be slightly annoyed if we miss out this year but it would give me a stronger chance next year!

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So here it was, I was about to take my first few steps into Bulgaria and the football here and it was another exciting country to add to the list. With Etar sitting third and six points off second place, a massive eighteen off the title it would be hard to reach the boards high expectations of winning promotion. But my opening five games shows the fighting spirits inside this club!


Life in Bulgaria began with a trip to Chavdar and immediately we were on the front foot as Pivaty netted after just five minutes. However before the break a strong attack from Chavdar saw them level. Second half we went on to play good football and give me an opening win to my reign. Stankev doubled our lead nine minutes after the restart before Pivaty doubled his tally and a last minute goal from Gudzhev secured a four one win.


My first appearance at home in charge of Etar saw me also hit another milestone. Only my second game in charge in Bulgaria saw me hit game number three hundred and despite the huge milestone I failed to get a second win. A nil nil draw was written all over the game as we ended level.

Back on the road we traveled to Lyubimets and recorded our first defeat in my reign. A poor showing from us saw us slip to the narrow one nil defeat and we didn't really warrant a point.

Back at home welcoming Chavdar (Troyan) we picked up all three points once again. Kamburov gave us a strong lead and two minutes later we found ourselves two goals to the good when Zehirov doubled our tally. Five minutes before the break we confirmed the win as Adzovic netted our third and final goal.

We ended the month in good fashion as we traveled to relegation threatened Dobruzha and recorded back to back wins with a narrow two one victory. We slipped behind after just seven minutes but moments before the break pulled level as Gadzhalov made it one a piece. Moments after the restart we managed to snatch the lead and all three points as Stankev nodded home.


The title race itself is almost out of the picture as we sit eighteen points behind league leaders Lokomotive (Sofia) with twelve league games to go. Sure its doable but the form they are in we would need a huge slip up. Second place we have knocked a point off as we now sit just five points behind Vidima-Rakovski and should be able to catch them. A strong start to my reign here.

I expect that you win the top league with this team on their 100th anniversary, I guess!

Didn't even think of that Cheik! However that is my aim, should we get out the division this year!

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April was the penultimate month and it was a fantasticly huge month for us. We faced no less than eight games in just four weeks which saw us playing a game every three or four days! With pressure on us to jump to second and pressure to keep fitness up this was a month of rotation and aims.


The penultimate month began at home as we welcomed Neftohimik and recorded a narrow win in a nine goal thriller. We were behind after nine minutes and two down in twelve as we looked poor. Just after the half hour mark Pivaty pulled one back for us before we went three one behind. We made it three two before the break as Adzovic netted. After the break Zahirov leveled things for us. We finally took the lead when Pivaty made it four three and then sealed his hatrick fourteen minutes from time making it five three. We conceded another in the last ten minutes but held on to the narrow five four win.

A bit of a quieter game was due when we traveled to league leaders Lokomotive (Sofia) and we played very well but failed to make our chances count. We conceded a second half goal as we fell further behind the league leaders in a close one nil defeat.

Back at home we welcomed fourteenth place Spartak (Plovdiv) and once again not taking our chances cost us. We were behind in the first half despite dominating and we pulled one back after the break with Pivaty netting but we fell to just a single point.

Halfway through the month we faced Svetkavitsa away from home and finally returned to winning ways. Zehirov got things on the go after just seven minutes before we waited seven minutes from time to add the second, once again it was Pivaty who netted for us.

At home we welcomed second place Vidima-Rakovski and a win could of seen us jump them. However a n equal performance from both sides saw it end level. Pivaty once again on form for us to give us the lead before we conceded in the second half.

We then fell to a heavy defeat against Kaliakra despite taking the lead. We were ahead after nineteen minutes through...yes Pivaty. But two goals from the host in the second half was enough to secure them the win and treat us another harsh lesson of football.

As we welcomed Sliven 2000 we managed to return to better form as we smashed five goals in at home. Kamburov gave us the lead after twenty three minutes to give us a one goal lead at the break. Second half we dominated and Zehirov doubled our lead before he netted his second and our third. Chervenkov made it four nil before Pivaty got on the score sheet to make it five nil.

We ended the month with back to back wins as we traveled to fourth place Pirin and continued to open the gap up on them. A close game saw us take our chances to win the game. Pivaty netted after just eight minutes to guide us into the lead before Dimitrov doubled our lead six minutes from time to end April on a high.


Lokomotive Sofia are confirmed as league champions two games aga as they now sit eighteen points ahead of second place Vidima-Rakovski and are twenty one points infront of us as they've just ran through the league this year. We have cut the difference on Vidima-Rakovski as we sit just three points behind them now however our poor goal difference means we need them to slip up twice in the last four games really.

I'm pretty sure you can at least finish second mate but if you don't then you will win the league next season.

I think it will be possible to become second but you can't make any mistakes anymore. Vidima-Rakovski only wins half of there matches and two draws out of four games would be enough for you.

Second would be ideal Shedender and its not out of the question just yet!

Thanks again Benniewijs! Second is still our aim right till the last game now!

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With the league title already out of question all I focused on was trying to earn second place but it wouldn't be easy. We still trailed Vidima-Rakovski by three points but with four league games to go all we needed was a perfect month from ourselves and a couple slip ups from the side in second place!


A perfect month for us began with us welcoming Spartak (Varna) and grabbing us win in a five goal thriller. Despite being behind early on we were level through an own goal before taking the lead through Pivaty before the break. Second half Spartak leveled but Zehirov went on to find the net to seal the win for us.

Pirin were next on the agenda for us as we welcomed them in what proved to be a one goal game. We managed to grab the win when Mishev netted after just half an hour as we continued our fine form.

Our only away game saw us travel to Suvorovo where we smashed them four nil and kept on track for a possible second place finish. Stankev took the match ball home after putting us infront after twenty minutes and grabbing his second just five minutes later. Second half Zehirov made it three nil before Stankev made it four from the spot as he secured his hatrick in a fine showing.

We ended the month back at home welcoming Septemvri and recording a two one win to end the season on a high. After just two minutes Lyubenov put us ahead before Pivaty ended the season on a high by doubling our lead. We conceded in the second half but held on to the win...But was that enough.


Promoted! I thought we would of gone into a playoff but this message came in the last game of the season and we would be going straight up with no more matches to play. This has done wonders for us and we can already begin to look forward to next season in the top division/


Since I took over a couple months ago I have barely moved from third place and I've always targeted second place. Come the end of the season we managed to end up in the targeted second place and despite expecting a playoff we actually will be going straight up. Vidima-Rakovski lost twice in their last four, including one to Lokomotive (Sofia) which saw us jump them with our perfect month!

fantastic tense season, your doing well here already

He'll now manage a big team, win the league and cup(s) and be Croatia bound while I'm trying to survive in Belgium.

Thanks Zan! Its good to have the first here even if it was through second in the league!

Oh Shedender you are so wrong! However I did look to see if any big clubs were becoming available but nothing as of yet!

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We had an extremely quick turn around this summer and with just over a month off in the summer we are already back to training and looking forward to beginning the pre season and our steps into the top division. Before we get started with pre season though I will quickly run down the season expectations, our current financial situation as well as the fixture list for the summer.


Despite the board being very ambitious expecting promotion as I took over last year, we achieved it, this year they seemed to have lost all their ambition and only expect us to fight bravely against relegation. However this could be wise as it will be a very tough season for us ahead! A very nice budget they've given us with twenty thousand to spend on transfer and another twenty one thousand for wages!


Here are our finances. Following a take over we now have a massive four hundred thousand pounds in the balance to rely on and just short of half a million so we can build on it for sure. With that twenty thousand to spend to improve the team and a further twenty thousand for wages will do wonders. We are only currently spending just under two thousand on wages at the minute so have plenty of room to improve.


The next couple of months will see us face no less than nine games seeing us play almost twice every week with a variety of games at home and away from home we can try and build a team ready to compete to stay in the division when the league season kicks off. A mixture of tough and easy games to get the team ready for the physical battle we face and find the net a few times.

You will stay up mate, I've no doubt in that.

Breezing through this challenge! Bulgaria? No problem~~

I will beg to differ this year Shedender! Having played through pre season I am nowhere near confident!

Its about to get a whole lot harder I assure you BOWC!

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This was my first summer here in Bulgaria with a team, last year I didn't have a job at this time but this year I am in charge. But following the promotion we had to strengthen the side and this saw a very busy pre season. With plenty of comings and goings in the transfer window along with a fair share of friendlies I looked to make the most out of the healthy finances as I could!


As already stated a very busy transfer window. We lost eleven players this summer including both our keepers which left us short! This meant I went on a signing spree and had players joining that the previous manager had arranged. Thirteen new faces join on permanent deals as well as a loan deal for Luis to strengthen the back line a little. We signed three or four Brazilians who at first glance look to be big part players for the future!


This gives us a squad report looking a little like this. Both our goalkeepers are new and are both Brazilian with lots of potential so it was great getting them two in. Our defence and midfield are both a little stranded and weak but we have money left to look for a new player. Upfront we will rely on Brazilian Caio along with our highly rated striker Petrovic and hopefully can find the net enough!


Here is our financial overview a month on from when I last showed it to you. Our balance has dropped slightly but we did release a fair few players to get the deadwood out the way. Balance is still over three hundred thousand pounds which continues to look very healthy for us being newly promoted. We are still spending under half the wage budget we are allocated which is good financially but not so good for the squad as I struggle to find new faces let alone any decent players.


Here is our very busy pre season on the fixture side of things. With nine friendlies we gave it our all but against bigger teams and sides the same league as us we struggled. We won five, drew one and lost the other three seeing us not have a bad pre season but struggled a little. We ended the pre season with a fantastic six one win. However we faced a huge defeat against Lokomotive (Sofia) who were also promoted with us and now we face them on the opening day of the year!

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Following a very big pre season for us with a lot going on with transfers and friendlies. We now faced life in the top tier and we knew it would be very difficult. We faced three games in the opening month of life in the top tier and looked forward to what was happening. However we knew it would be a tough month and a threat of relegation was doomed on the club already.


Life began against fellow promoted side Lokomotiv (Sofia) and we got one over on our relegation rivals right from the start as we began the season with a fantastic one nil victory. Petrovic was our man to guide us to a victory as he netted the only goal of the game nine minutes before the break.

We then faced our only home game of the month as we welcomed Slavia (Sofia) and with us being underdogs we knew this would be one of the hard games. Luckily following a strong defensive showing we kept Slavia at bay and managed to see out a nil nil draw with back to back clean sheets.

Our third and final game of August saw us travel to Cherno more and snatch all three points. Pivaty gave us the lead after just five minutes as we were in control before Gadzhalov doubled our lead. We conceded four minutes later as it turned into an entertaining game. Pivaty made it three one before the break. Second half we were reduced to ten men and went on to concede one but managed to hold on to a vital three points.


We've ended the opening month unbeaten however I can assure you its all about to get a whole lot tougher. We opened the season with three of the easier games and despite being unbeaten with two wins and a draw we sit third. Things will drop soon and we will turn into a relegation battle.

Great start of the season. Your striker and your goallie definitily has to bring points in the bag for you this season.

Promising start to the season mate. See, I told you the league would be a piece of piss.

I need to play more, you're in Bulgaria already, I'm still fannying about in Austria lol

I can just tell by the first 3 games, you're gonna win this league.

Yer our striker and goalie are standouts Benniewijs! But we mustn't just rely on them two to get us through a tough season!

Hahaa the league is difficult mate!

Maiden you do need to catch up a little, make it a little bit more of a competition!

Afraid I can't see that BOWC!

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We had made an absolute storming start in the league winning two of our opening three league games and sitting in a very strong position from the start. However September was about to be a lot harder as we opened the month against Litex! We were battling for survival but the strong start we had made could see us secure a top half finish come the end of the football season.


We began September at home welcoming Litex where we were dealt our first big blow of the season. Despite being major underdogs we went into the game confident but came away without a point. A close game saw Litex take their chances and end two nil winners.

A second at home on the bounce saw us welcome Botev where we snatched a one nil victory and our decent start to the season was back on track. Petrovic was the only man to find the back of the net again as his goal with just short of half an hour remaining saw us win.

Traveling away to Chernomorets we returned to winning ways as we failed to score for the second time in three games as we fell to another two nil defeat. Two goals before the break were enough of a blow for us to go down to a strong performance from Chernomorets.

We ended the month with our third defeat in four games as we welcomed Ludogorets in a two one defeat. A strong performance from us saw us take the lead six minutes after the restart through Petrovic before we conceded six minutes later. Fifteen minutes before the end of the game we slipped away from a point and fell to a two nil defeat.


One win in four this month has seen us slump way down the table this month moving from fourth down to sixth in the league and the gap at the top is really growing now. CSKA (sofia) are cruising at the top of the table remaining unbeaten whilst we are ten points behind now. However we are now six points clear of the relegation zone where we are expected to finish so we are doing very well.

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Here was October and despite a slightly poor month of September we went into December still sporting a midtable spot much to our credit. October was a very short month as we faced just two games but with a clash against CSKA (sofia) we knew it wasn't going to be easy.


October began away from home as we traveled to Beroe and slumped to our third defeat on the bounce. We were behind after just ten minutes as we looked slow to get off the blocks. Moment before the break Petrovic was once again on the scoresheet with a goal four minutes before the break. Second half we conceded a second and fell to another two one defeat.

We then faced one of the biggest games of the season as we welcomed league leaders CSKA (Sofia) and snatched a more than creditable draw. Thirteen minutes into the game we were ahead as Stankov netted from a corner. However we weren't going to win as CSKA (Sofia) struck back in the second half to hold us to a one all draw.


Only two games in October as the fixture list narrows down a little but we didn't do the best. We picked up a point against league leaders CSKA but are still nowhere near the top. However this isn't important as we continue to battle through the league and sit a strong mid table side.

The top three are starting to pull away.

Hopefully you can turn your form around and push on up the table.

They certainly are Sayeth however we knew this would happen, our first season in the top tier we just want to survive relegation really.

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Finally a busy month but with us not winning in four games and picking up just one point from a last twelve possibly we are in trouble. But November will be a really busy month for us and for ocne we were tied down with games. Five games in four weeks including our hunt for the 'Kupa Bulgaria' began now.


November started with a trip to giants Levski and its fair to say we were expected to be beat heavily and were. A poor performance from us as we had no resistance against them. They netted two goals in the first half and two in the second half to breeze past us with a four nil win.

We made it six without a win in the league as we welcomed Lokomotive (Plovdiv) and it was another game for us where we just failed to convert any chances. We conceded two second half goals which cost us as we failed to score a single one and fall to a two nil defeat.

Our Kupa Bulgaria run began with a trip to non league side Minyor and they gave us a run for our money. In the first leg we took the lead through Pivaty before going two up through Petrovic. We conceded almost immediately after before adding a third before the break as Stakev netted. We conceded another in the second half but held on to a vital first leg win.

The second leg saw us welcome Minyor and it proved to be another goal thriller where we came out on top. Pivaty gave us the league again early on before we conceded. Stankev made it two one however come the break it was all square again. Piaty made it three two before a late goal from Kamburov made it four two and we were through. We may of conceded another late consolation but grabbed a seven five aggregate win.

We ended the month at home welcoming Lokomotiv (Sofia) and we confirmed the double over them as we grabbed our first league win in seven in a two one win. For the third game running Pivaty had found his shooting boots giving us the lead after eleven minutes before Lokomotiv struck back before the break! However we grabbed all three points when Ivlev struck with seventeen minutes to go.


Only one win in three again but we continue to steer ourselves away from the relegation zone thanks to a win against Lokomotive who look like they are definitely going down this year. We are over halfway through the normal league routine before it will turn into a top half and bottom half battle. We are sixteen points off the top but any finish above eleventh will be fantastic this year! Aiming for about thirty points to stay up.

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The final competitive month of another calender year was upon us and it was a very short one for us. Despite November being a five game month, we returned to the minimum games again with just three games and two of them were the third round ties in the Kupa Bulgaria. One league game which would be a strong game against Slavia which we could really do with winning.


Our only league game saw us travel to Slavia and lost a close game. We could of jumped them in the league but weren't good enough. Falling behind after three minutes was bad and being two down at the break made things worst. Kamburov pulled one back for us but it wasn't enough, slack defending at the back saw us concede a third.

We then traveled to "B" PFG side Svetkavitsa in the Kupa Bulgaria third round and looked favorites to win. We took the lead before the break through summer signing Guilderme. Second half we doubled our lead with Gazhalov netting fourteen minutes from time. Svetkavitsa netted a late goal but we were favorites for the return leg.

We ended the calender year against Svetkavitsa in the second leg of the third round tie. Kamburov once again found the net for us, his second of the month. A second half strike from Svetkavitsa saw them almost break back into the game but we held strong to book our place in the quater finals.


Just one league game to update the league table and another defeat was on the cards for us. We are still five points ahead of the relegation zone though but Slavia was a game I would have liked to win. We will face Slavia in the quarter finals of the cup too so hopefully a little bit more progression.

We now go into a two month winter breaks! Transfers and friendlies to be reported back soon!

Its nice to see you struggling at last, hope you survive mate

Hahaa thanks Zan! It certainly is a struggle here this year!

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The winter break is done and dusted and following two months away from the competitive action I'm hoping the boys are more than ready to get back to action and come back stronger for the second half of the season. During the winter break we faced no less than seven games and it was fair to say we did struggle a little bit.


With a mix of friendlies we didn't really do that well but we continued the matches and got the fitness in we needed. We began the new year in winter break action and drew to Lokomotive (Plovdiv) before losing two on the bounce respectively against Levski and CSKA. Two more draws followed as we saw us face two sides from our league against Chernomorets and Botev. We ended on a high though as we won two. A one nil win against Beroe before Pobeda in a three nil win to secure to clean sheets too.

Now we head back to the league action and hope to grab something to steer us away from the relegation zone.