Blue Sea of Ibrox [FM14]

The budgets are quite good for Scottish football Dan chum but once again I will use it wisely, as for the game against Yeovil, well, I can't promise anything.

Season 2016/17: Pre season round-up.

I'm pleased with the signings I've made this summer as I've spent less than what I've brought in from sales. Tom Cairney, Stefan Scougall, Marvin Ducksch and Ricardo Tavares all signed when the Scottish transfer window was open while Jake Cassidy, Sam Johnstone, Abdul Razak, Ravel Morrison and William Troost-Ekong also joined the club and I feel our business is done.

Several "big" names left the club in this window - Vitalijs Maksimenko, Filip Kiss, Ross Perry, Dan Gosling, Nicky Law, Alan Smith and George Baldock were all sold for cash - Andy Little and Charlie Telfer got released while Sergey Kundik, Robbie Thomson and Tom Walsh left on-loan.


On the field pre season wasn't the worst as we only suffered one defeat and that was a five two loss at home to Braga while we were victorious against Benfica, Salzburg, Arbroath and Yeovil Town. Jake Cassidy scored four times in pre season but I'm still not sure if he'll be our first choice striker this season.

Good to see little old Yeovil put up a battle at Huish Park! Good pre season, some good names brought in there pal!

Yeovil actually didn't play that badly Dan and as for the signings, well I'm delighted with the work that I've done this transfer window and don't think anyone else is going to join this season.

Seventeen Champions League goals scored in three qualifiers.

Life back in the Champions League couldn't have gotten off to a better start as we defeated Kukesi 10-0 at Ibrox with winger Barrie McKay scoring a first half hat trick while we won the second leg four nil. Sparta Prague were beat three nil at home in the next qualifying stage first leg while our title defence started with a four one win over Inverness.

*No league table is going to be posted in this update as it's pointless since their has only been one league game played, the table will be posted from the August update and beyond...

Good signings mate especially Cairney who is excellent for Blackburn! Lets hope Ravel Morrison can make a better impact for you. Alot of money brought in and fantastic results especially 10-0!!

I'm still unsure if Tom Cairney is going to be a first choice in the team yet George but he's a good player to have on the books regardless but I'm pleased with the signings I've made as we look to retain the league title but it's going to be difficult.

Making a solid start to the league campaign.

We've made it into the Champions League group stages after seeing off Romanian side Steaua Bucharest seven four on aggregate, we also made it five league wins from five games before suffering a disappointing two nil defeat to league favourites Celtic in a game that we weren't great but they scored two first half goals.


Still top despite that loss at Celtic Park and two points clear of that loss from across the city, we've scored seventeen times in six games, conceding six times. Kilmarnock are bottom and win-less.

BREAKING NEWS: Late transfer news.

I've decided to let Dedryck Boyata leave the club after only one full season at the club as he's headed to Italian club Catania for a fee of four million pound and that's a huge profit as the defender, who signed from Nottingham Forest, cost one hundred and forty thousand quid.

And I've brought in a replacement:


Twenty four year old Kevin Kraus has arrived on deadline day for one hundred and ninety thousand after German side Koln had placed him on the transfer list and after a quick scout on him I had no problem in signing him up on a three year deal and he could be a starter for us immediately.

Brilliant but expectedly good start to the season chum, did well with that late deal too

Cheers Dan, was pleased to have signed a replacement so quickly, and cheaper too.



Our league form in September was excellent as we won all three Premiership games against Hearts, Dundee United and Aberdeen as we had to come from 2-0 down to defeat the Dons four two while the first Champions League group game saw us go down two one at Juventus and then drew two two at home to Galatasaray.


We're still sitting top of the table and three points clear of fierce rivals Celtic who are in second place. I'm still not overly happy with our form this season to date as we still haven't kept a clean sheet in the Scottish Premiership, something we'll need to try and make happen as soon as possible.


I've been named September's Manager of the Month after I guided my side to three consecutive league wins and they weren't against anyone "easy" as we defeated newly promoted Hearts, Dundee United and Aberdeen as we remain at the summit of the Scottish Premiership table.

Tough start to life in Europe pal, hopefully your able to turn it around!

I really don't understand selling Boyata and then signing a worse replacement. Why hoarding all that money, you need good players for CL

Unfortunately it was always going to be tough Dan as we were drawn in a tough group and the best we can hope for is a third place finish and Europa League football in the New Year but even that's a tall order to achieve.

Probably because the money I received for Dedryck Boyata was quite a bit for Scottish Premiership standard and it's all about getting money into the club so I can strengthen the training and youth facilities along with expanding the group especially for European nights. As for his replacement, have you ever managed Kevin Kraus? He's good enough.



October saw us keep our first clean sheet of the league season after a five nil win at home to Kilmarnock but that was followed by an easy Barcelona win as the Catalan's won six one at the Nou Camp - Marvin Ducksch scoring our consolation goal but we did win three straight matches, two in the league and the other in the League Cup.


We've opened up a slightly bigger gap at the top of the table as we're now six points ahead of rivals Celtic but they've a game in hand but we've scored quite a few goals so far this season, more than I expected as we've netted forty one times in thirteen games and conceded just the twelve.


The worst replacement for Dedryck Boyata (according to sanka) Kevin Kraus was named Player of the Month as it was a Rangers clean sweep in this award as attacking midfielder Fraser Aird who has been in excellent scoring form came second and winger Barrie McKay rounded up in third place.


Just like the PotM award, the Young Player of the Month accolade was also swept up by Rangers players as Fraser Aird won the award after his excellent form saw him score three times in four appearances, Barrie McKay came in at second place with central defender Ricardo Tavares completed the top three.


And to complete the "treble" I've been named October's Manager of the Month after winning all four league games this month including a five nil success against Kilmarnock that saw us keep our first Premiership of the current campaign while we we're also victorious against St. Mirren, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Hibernian.

Another great month! Champions league was always tough! But 12 wins out of 13 is very good! Kraus seems to have started well

Going well in the league bud. Pity about the Champions League drubbing at the Nou Camp but I guess that's to be expected given the gulf in class. It's a learning curve and I'm sure you'll narrow that gap once you've had time to build and mould a squad your way over the coming years.

KIU

Quite enjoying this thread, even if it's with those dirty blue scumbags!!

A grande month in the league chum but a six one drubbing at Nou Camp...ouch!

don't be bitter , I didn't say he was a terrible player, I was just wondering why would you sell an excellent player for some cash since you don't have cashflow problems? and currently, Boyata is a better player than Kraus, and you're currently in the CL league. You could've brought Kraus and a more experienced defender as well.

EDIT: I noticed that you really can't take a different opinion from someone, chill, this is a game after all

Aye I always expected the Champions League to be tough George, as I do for seasons to come if we continue to qualify. We're doing very well domestically at the moment too which is good to see.

We are expected to go well in the league K3VO so it's no real surprised that ourselves and Celtic are in the top two currently. You're absolutely correct about the Champions League situation, it's because the players aren't used to it. Oh "blue scumbags"? I'm not managing Inverness chum haha.

Dan, I'm almost sure everyone (you included) expected a Nou Camp drubbing - they're just so much stronger and better than us.

I'm not bitter sanka, the reply was posted in sarcasm (although hard to tell on the worldwide web), like I said I sold him because the money for a Scottish Premiership side was too good to turn down and I risked him becoming unhappy even though he's a quality player, I can't have unhappy players screwing up team morale. I've got a better defender coming in the summer for free so it's all good. Where is the proof that I can't take different opinion from someone?



The penultimate month of twenty sixteen started with a sensational one nil win over Spanish giants Barcelona as Lewis MacLeod scored the winner on the half hour but we were dumped out of Europe, finishing bottom of group D after Galatasaray defeated us one nil in Turkey. Domestically we managed to defeat Livingston and Ross County in the league and Clyde in the Scottish Cup.


We remain six points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table as we look to retain our title but second placed Celtic still have a game in hand and I'm unknown on when that's going to be played. Killie remain bottom with just two wins from fifteen games.


For the third straight month I have been named Manager of the Month after guiding the Teddy Bears to two league wins from as many games and didn't concede a goal - defeating Livingston 2-0 and Ross County 1-0 in November, a very short month domestically but the final month of twenty sixteen is going to be busier.

What a win over Barca that is. All the more impressive after they hammered you. If you manage to win the league again I expect you'll perform a lot better in the Champions League next time around!! KIU




Yes I said blue scumbags!!!

when he wins the league*

Great win over Barca pal!

It was indeed a great win over a strong Barcelona side K3VO who I expected to defeat us after that mauling away from home. It'll be nice to win the league chum but their is still LOADS of football this season.

No Dan, IF we win the league as it's still going to be difficult.



The final month of twenty sixteen started with a shock five two defeat away to Motherwell before bouncing back with five straight Premiership wins including a 4-0 win over Hearts, 5-1 against Aberdeen and a 2-1 Old Firm win over Celtic as Abdul Razak and Sammy Ameobi scored in the first half at Ibrox against the Hoops.


The gap at the summit has increased to thirteen points over fierce rivals Celtic who still have a game in hand as we have won nineteen of our opening twenty one games, not drawing one but losing two so far this season against Celtic and Motherwell.


December's Young Player of the Month award went to central defender Ricardo Tavares after he produced some consistent performances over the course of the month while team mate Fraser Aird came in a close second place.


So despite the five two defeat away to Motherwell I have been named Manager of the Month after bouncing back in style with five straight league victories including a stunning triumphant win over Celtic.

WTF happened against Motherwell??

You still think its going to be hard to win the laugue?

I've no idea K3VO, was frustrating but at least we bounced back in style.

Hmm, yeah Dyrim I do because we'd still have to face Celtic twice and they've a game in hand so the gap could be cut.



The New Year saw us remain undefeated as we won four out of five league games, drawing the other away to Hibernian two all while we also eat Aberdeen in the League Cup final and progressed in the Scottish Cup as two first half goals saw off Raith Rovers.


It's an eleven point gap at the top of the table but with Celtic having a game in hand and us playing them next month, I'm obviously not overly confident about retaining our title.

Another great month! I think you should be confident of retaining the title! You have done very well to only draw one game all season!

Don't listen to Shedender and his 'I don't think it will be easy to win the league' he says it every year and walks it every year

I should be confident but I'm still not, if we can beat Celtic next month then we'll feel more confident George.

Dan we won't "walk the league" as you put it because if we did then it would have been won by now haha, it's going to be more difficult.



Much to be annoyance the title race has been thrown wide open after Celtic defeated us four nil at Celtic Park, and won their game in hand. The other two league results in February were decent month as we defeated Motherwell and Hearts three nil while progressing in the Scottish Cup, defeating Ayr United at Ibrox.


So we have qualified for next seasons Europa League (to date) as we can no longer finish outside a European spot and that's excellent as we are still looking to defend our crown but the lead at the summit has been cut to five points with everyone playing twenty nine games each.

I see what you mean now! At least you still have a bit off a gap! Good luck in the Title race!

Still a 5 point gap and GD in your favour. Should be done.

Yeah George so if we can keep winning the remaining league games then we'll be grand but it's going to be difficult.

That's true Dyrim, the league should be won and it would take a monumental mess up for us not to be "celebrating" at the end of the season.



March turned out to be an excellent month as we looked to retain our league trophy with an three league wins from as many games as we defeated Dundee United, St. Mirren and relegation threatened Kilmarnock while we also won the League Cup, defeating Celtic three one in the final.


So with six league games remaining it's our league title to mess up as we are sitting seven points clear of second place and rivals Celtic as we look to beat the one hundred points and goals tally this season and it's definitely doable. Kilmarnock look doomed at the bottom.


I've been named Manager of the Month for March after I guided the side to three league victories from as many games this month as we moved seven points clear at the top of the table and looking good to retain our trophy.

I can't see Celtic catching you from here to be honest pal unless you suffer an almighty collapse!!

You're correct I suppose KEVO, looks like it's going to be back to back league titles at Ibrox but I expect next season to see Celtic come out "all guns blazing" to stop us making it three.



It was time to celebrate in the penultimate month of the season as we managed to retain our league title, beating Celtic four nil at Ibrox in the process as Sammy Ameobi, Fraser Aird, Barrie McKay and Ryan Hardie scored. The side also made it to the Scottish Cup final, beating Inverness one nil while we hammered Hearts 6-1 at Tynecastle.




So the title has been retained and it seemed pretty easy in the end as we have a ten point gap with two games remaining saw us retain the crown as we've beaten the one hundred goal tally and looking good to beat the hundred points as well.


Sammy Ameobi has been named Player of the Month for April as the winger was in outstanding form, scoring two goals in four games, Fraser Aird came in at second place while the third place went to Ricardo Tavares, also of Rangers.


Once again I have been named Manager of the Month, winning all four league games this month, including a 6-1 win away to Hearts and a 4-0 Old Firm victory over Celtic that saw us win the title for the second straight season.