Around The World II

Yeh I'm on FM08, got a few really good players atm but they're 24-28 so reaching their peak and with no replacements it's going to be hard to keep the pace.

I'll evaluate how things go in future months then see what jobs are available after the World Cup.

Let's just say I'm looking elsewhere for alternative's but not desperate to leave.

I knew we had it in us. A great win with my Nigerian born right back popping up for a corner to nod home.

I have a few immigrants in my squad now including a striker from Cameroon & a Montenegrin back up full back.

Looking at the table we look good, very good. I've got to play Russia and even if I lose that I will still be at least 2 points clear with the 3 'lesser' nations to play.

So then, only the top team go through down-right. I've taken another 4 points off of the big-guns and a win vs Scotland will put me in a very commanding position.

It may be my time!

Good luck mate. Looks like the Russians have really underperformed, their national team is usually full of decent players. Have you got the Hungarian domestic league loaded to help with your talent pool?

Yeh got it loaded but only get a few newgens through each season. I think my mistake was setting it to 'view only'

Another good win which means I only need another point to qualify for my first World Cup after 7.5 years in charge.

Scotland at home & Faroe Islands away to get that point.

Great job! Good luck in the World Cup!

Cheers man. A bit surprised really but 2 good results verses the Czech's and a faltering Russia was enough for me to capitalise.

My upturn in form could coincide with 2 things.

1: I now play three strikers in the AMC, AMR & AML roles and this seems to work quite nicely.

2:


Staff, I have some really good staff around me and these guys may help.

lol. Typical, that loss couldn't have come at a better time, there was nothing to play for and I didn't need the three points.

So the final league table looks like this...

Well done mate, good luck in the cup - hopefully the draw is kind!

Um, to answer I'd say yes that is a kind draw.

I need Spain to clean up and beat everybody else, then if i can get 4 points then it may be enough to sneak through on goal difference. I'll see what my FA think but I am guessing it'll be along the lines of:

"Don't get knobbed in every game"

...and that's my plan.

Operation #DontGetKnobbed is underway and the betting companies have the same idea.

Just think of Greece 2004...#impossibleisnothing

So in my first ever tournament in 7.5 years begins now, with South Korea. Possibly the second worst team in the group (behind me)



Wow, my right-back to the rescue. That 87th minute goal could be extremely crucial. Not only does it mean we gain a point but also S Korea lose 2. A loss there and I would've had to beat Paraguay and hope for a result against Spain.

Paraguay up next.

Huge, huge.



With Spain beating both the other teams it mean South Korea must beat Paraguay to stand any chance of getting through.

If Korea lose: We're through
If Korea draw: We're through
if I win: We're through
If I draw: We're through
If Korea win and i lose: It'll go down to goal difference.

I know I'm not normally an optimist but it does look like I hold the key. However if I get a good beating by Spain then Korea would only need a couple of goals to overtake me.

You now see why that 87th minute goal was so crucial, if we hadn't done that we'd both be on 3 points and they have to play the easier team.

It didn't matter in the end but a draw was a surprise as was qualification.

Next up Ivory Coast. I've already outshone my predictions to even get here so anything else is a massive bonus.

Not too disheartened, my luck ran out. That and an overrated Gervinho.




Satisfied? I just got Hungary to their first World Cup in 28 years and then get through to the 2nd round!!

Right time to see how the World Cup pans out then see what other jobs are about and see if anything tickles my fancy (and if they'll hire me of course)

Chile were the only team seemingly interested in me so I accepted. They have an interesting history but haven't won anything. They impressed me in the World Cup as they finished 4th, apparently that wasn't enough for Biela to keep his job.

First job... staff.

Got a very good range of talent there. I tried to get my ass man from Hungary but you can't poach from other nations, I must remember to sack all my staff next time I leave a job!

I worked out quite early that I could only get South American staff, hence the wide range of Brazilians!

I forgot about this guy, absolute beast.





So I've got quite a hard group in my second ever tournament although I am mildly confident I can go through.

A meaningless friendly but nevertheless a good training example and a sign of things to come, I hope.

Interestingly Matias Fernandez (who's amazing) has got 64 caps and only scored 5 goals! I can't possibly imagine how he's only scored a goal every 12.8 games!

I guess the previous manager wasn't getting the best out of him. However I have in my "striker" position (AMC - check tactics on the first page) so I am hoping he can do a bit more damage.

So then we move onto the Copa America

I didn't have to qualify for this but interestingly have been in this job for 1 Year & 2 Days, I just didn't have to do anything apart from 3 exploratory friendlies.

Anyways here's my first Copa game against a strong Uruguay side.



Obviously disappointed to lose after coming back from 2 goals down. We have allot to work on especially a lack of defensive options.

So the league table does lie. We're on the same points as Uruguay but we have to play the apparent best team in the league. If we lose this then I need Bolivia to give me a miracle.

Balls. They were too much for me and the own-goal was enough to sink us. We pushed but it wasn't enough.

The FA said they wanted me to reach the second round so this could have been my last game in charge after only 1 year!

Er... OK!

So I can lose two of my group games and still go through because I have a goal difference of 0 which is better than Peru's -1

God I love this competition. This means I have reached the FA's expectation. I have Brazil in the next round though who look in ominous form.

[sorry just wiping my drink from my screen and picking my jaw up from the floor!]

I am amazed we managed this result, Matias Fernandez is my hero and welcome to marry my sister any day. I set the team talk in the first half to "no pressure" and they seemed to play that way.

Next up is Argentina featuring Messi, Tevez & Aguero (gulp)

Also just noticed that the game is on the 29th of July... just two days away!

Well, I'll be. We've only gone and done it again. I went for "no pressure" again and got a cheeky headed goal from a corner. Our second was also from a corner, only headed in at the near post.

So my first ever final, against Colombia.

I've highlighted this part of the report as this was the crucial point in the game. I was doing my tactics so I have to admit I didn't see the incident but all I saw was the bar flashing Blue & Yellow. I then though, balls. I finished my tactics and then the bar flashed Red & Blue!

I thought "yes 1-1 good job lads". Quickly finished my tactics and came back out to the match screen and saw it was 1-0 to us!

So it looks like the goal was disallowed. My keeper hoofed the freekick long, Fernandez dispossessed their CB and drilled it home.

How a game can turn.

My first tournament win!!!!

Incredible results! Congrats to to the title, just amazing, the Brazil and Argentina games. What's your plan now? You're staying with Chile?