On a quest to be the best. [FM15]

Seven six!? now thats a game for the neutral!

It's been an absolutely easy season for us KEZ, better than I could have ever hoped. Cheers though.

Good for the neutrals but not good for the supporters Dan as our unbeaten streak unfortunately had to come to an end.


Come the end of the previous month, our unbeaten run in the Championship had come to an end following a seven six defeat away to Kilmarnock but now it was time to move on, forget about that game and return to winning ways as February only saw us play four games, three of those being in the league as we looked to bounce back.


The second month of twenty twenty seven would begin with a Scottish Cup fifth round tie against Alloa Athletic as we advanced to the next round following a 4-2 victory as central defender Asier Nunez scored twice in the second half and they came after Mark Fotheringham and Ross McCluskey had scored in the first period.

We then travelled to Livingston and were involved in a nine goal thriller, winning six three - Alan Fleming own goal, Chris Hutcheon with two, Graeme McManus with a spot kick, Aiser Nunez and Ross McCluskey all got on the score sheet at The Energy Assets Arena.

One week later we faced bitter Highland rivals Ross County at the Caledonian Stadium and defeated them 3-1 as Steven Wilson scored on thirteen minutes and that was followed by an own goal three minutes later, Inverness then sealed the points with a Greame McManus goal six minutes into the second period.

February would conclude though with an 'unforgivable' defeat at home to basement boys Dumbarton, Dionysis Fotis scored on seven minutes.


Just eight league games are remaining and my Inverness side are currently sitting thirteen points clear at the top of the table as the league is being closed in upon and it's just a matter of time before it's secured. A remarkable season has seen us score over one hundred goals and concede forty four to date.

Wont be long till its wrapped up now mate!

I'm surprised you haven't been confirmed as champions yet

Still doing very well.What a match against Kilmarnock.Not seen such a high scoring game for years.

Nah, I hope the league is wrapped up as soon as possible Dan.

Only a thirteen point lead at the top Johno, yes unlikely but we can still blow that easily.

That game against Kilmarnock was frustrating to say the least SBR, especially considering we had scored five goals in the first half.


With a thirteen point lead at the summit of the Championship table, it's surely only a matter of time before we're crowned champions and I secure trophy #2 this season and the most important one, the month of March saw us play three league games and also have a Scottish Cup quarter final against League 2 side Elgin.


A trip to Queen of the South began the third month of the calendar year and despite dominating the side could only manage a one one draw as a Steven Wilson goal, six minutes from time, saw us avoid a defeat.

Just four days later and we faced League 2 side Elgin City in the quarter finals of the Scottish Cup and demolished them 6-1 to advance to the semi finals as star midfielder Javier Ruiz scored a remarkable four goals while Nestoras Fousouridis and Kevin Santos also scored.

Steven Wilson then scored a hat trick of penalty kicks to help us to a four goals to two victory away to Alloa Athletic, Mark Fotheringham scored our other goal of the game after twenty seven minutes.

We then finished the month with a deserved 5-2 victory over St. Mirren at the Caledonian Stadium in a game that saw us FINALLY crowned as champions as right winger Steven Wilson scored back-to-back trebles, Nestoras Foustouridis and Ross Ridgers also scored in the title winning game.



With only five league games remaining this season, we have been crowned champions and I'm delighted as league success has been deserved from the get go, so far we have scored one hundred and eleven goals and conceded forty nine and the amount of goals we've conceded is a little 'disappointing' as we've yet to keep a clean sheet in twenty twenty seven.

Well done mate, another one ticked off!

Cheers Dan mate, it's been a remarkable season for the club but that's me because wherever I go usually (same as you I'd guess) I have success.


The league has been secured following that five two win over St. Mirren at the Caledonian Stadium and with just five league games remaining, the pressure is now off us but I refuse to put out 'weakened' sides as I HATE losing games, we are also in the Scottish Cup semi final and will face Dundee who are second in the Premiership currently.


The penultimate month of the current campaign began with a trip to Forfar Athletic and we returned to the Highlands with a 2-0 win and our first clean sheet of the calendar year as winger Steven Wilson scored a goal in either half to seal the maximum points.

It would then be back-to-back away games as we made the trip to East End Park to face Dunfermline and drew one one, Ross McCluskey bagged our goal on fifty three minutes.

Despite going two goals down iirc, we demolished Kilmarnock 6-2 at home as Steven Wilson successfully converted two spot kicks while Gabriel Vargas, Asier Nunez, Stewart Inglis and Kevin Santos also scored in the home rout.

We then went on and shocked Premiership side Dundee in the Scottish Cup, sealing a single goal win after extra time as Kevin Santos was our hero.

It would then be back-to-back 6-2 home league victories as we'd beat Livingston at the Caledonian Stadium in a game that saw attacking midfielder Chris Hutcheon scored a hat trick, Stewart Inglish bag two and back-up left back Jamie Robson net our first goal of the game.

The league season would them come to an end in emphatic style as Ross County were beaten 6-1 in Dingwall, Kevin Santos netting a first half hat trick while striker Gabriel Vargas scored two second half goals and then Ross McCluskey completed the derby humiliation against a Ross side who I believe we've beaten in all games this season.

We then had to wait three weeks until the Scottish Cup final as we'd face Motherwell in the 'show-piece' and shocked them 2-1 much to my delight as it capped an absolutely tremendous season and also sealed a place in next seasons Europa League as Steven Wilson scored twice, including one spot kick as my Caley Thistle had to come from behind.



Season has been completed and what a season it has been, not only have we sealed the league title but we also won the Challenge Cup and Scottish Cup much to my delight. We ended up bagging one hundred and twenty three goals in the league and conceded fifty five as we finished eighteen points clear of runners-up Alloa.

And the final piece of news this month:


I have received two jobs interviews without applying for them and they're with Championship duo Swansea City and Blackburn Rovers but I don't know what to do but truth be told, I'm seriously considering rejecting them and taking Inverness into the Scottish Premiership but it's a very tough decision.

2 cup wins and the league.Great season mate.

So by the end of the 2027 season you have won 22 trophies to my 17!! Well done mate

Cheers SBR, it was a season to remember for the Caley Jags.

To be fair Dan, I've made some smart switches at the correct times and that's helped me get the trophy count up - example: departing Shelbourne when the vacant managerial job became available.


Last season was a season to remember for Inverness Caledonian Thistle as I guided them to a 'treble' as we secured the Championship trophy, the Challenge Cup and most shockingly, the Scottish Cup but now that's behind us the side have returned to the Scottish Premiership but now the pressure is on us as the media are expecting an eighth place finish.

But I needed to post some 'breaking news' to begin this update.


I have declined the job interviews at both Blackburn Rovers and Swansea City but it was tough as I really felt like taking the managerial post at Ewood Park as they've a good squad (and George would've loved me, ha) but c'est le vie, I decided to turn both down and remain at Inverness...for the time being.


As I've previously stated the pressure is on this season as the board are also expecting a mid-table finish and that's the option I've selected as I don't want too much pressure on me or the players.

In return for selecting the 'mid-table finish', I have received a transfer budget of four hundred and twenty five thousand pound and a good wage budget as well but I don't know how much of that to use as I don't want to 'disrupt' the squad too much this summer, the club have some quality players who could make or break this season.


Lastly, five games have been arranged as part of our pre season with two of them being at home and three away games will be in between. We'll be at home to English Premier League club Norwich and French side Troyes while we'll be travelling to Morton, Oxford and Linfield.

good luck this season mate.not necessarily a bad thing being predicted 8th . less pressure.

Good luck for the new season mate. I'm really enjoying this, good to see you scoring so many goals last season.

It's just I expected us to be predicted something like tenth since we'd only have been promoted SBR.

Cheers Fola, the amount goals we scored last season was absolutely insane and the defence wasn't too bad either, until the second part of the season.


Despite being happy to remain at Inverness for at least another season, two jobs became available that I felt the need to apply for as this trophy is all about trophies and not loyalty to clubs. The job vacancies were at English Premier League side Arsenal and Austrian Premier Division club Salzburg.


Of course I decided to apply for both jobs and both teams came back and offered interviews and I 'promised' to myself that I'd take the first job offer from the two, if I had wowed them enough to actually be offered the job but if I haven't then I'm happy enough to remain at Inverness Caledonian Thistle for the foreseeable future.

The previous Arsenal manager Ernesto Valverde retired from football management all together at the age of sixty three years old while Julian Bigger left Salzburg to take over the vacant managerial post at Italian club Napoli.


As much as I'd have liked a return to management in England, I was unsuccessful in the interview to manage Arsenal and I'm a little disappointed but c'est le vie. The man who has been chosen is Michael Skibbe and no, I haven't heard of him either but sure. I'll need to return to English management eventually.

But I was successful in the Salzburg interview and they've offered me a three year contract and that'll see me get paid fourteen and a half thousand pound per week at the Red Bull arena. They expect me to win the Premier Division so the pressure is on and failure will, more than likely, see me get the chop from the club.


Conformation that I have been appointed the next manager of Salzburg, leaving my managerial post at the Caledonian Stadium, I can't remember how much compensation Invernesss received from Salzburg but I believe it was around one hundred thousand pound but I could, and most likely, am wrong. It's taken over four years, but I have returned to manage in Austria.

Good luck at Redbull mate, its a great place for trophies!

Unlucky with the arsenal interview and good luck in Austria.Im sure you will do well.Probably a good time to leave inverness really.

Cheers Dan, I'm confident I can chalk off the two trophies 'needed' at Salzburg.

Getting rejected is all part of football management, isn't it SBR? So it'll be taken on the chin. Didn't really want to leave Inverness though but decided I 'needed' too.


Following my arrival in Austria, I had to go and find a place to stay and get settled before my first competitive game in charge and that would turn out to be a trip to Rapid Wien, but when I had arrived the first round of the Austrian Cup had been played, they progressed to the next round and I am glad they did or I would've rejected the offer.


As I stated in the 'bolded introduction', my first game in charge of Salzburg was on the road with a trip to Rapid Wien and it was a successful first game as they side recorded a 2-0 victory thanks to two second half goals from Dimitris Assariotis and a spot kick from Caio five minutes from time.

I was then 'introduced' in front of the Salzburg supporters before the clubs first home league game of the season as Ried were beaten three one in a game that saw us come from behind to record victory - Lancine Kone, Mattia Boncompagni and Emerson all scored in the second half.

The short month would then come to an end with a 3-0 away victory at nine man Sturm Graz as once again the side failed to score in the first half and all the goals came when Sturm Graz were at a players disadvantage, Joakim Andersson scored twice on his debut while Lancine Kone sealed the points with eleven minutes remaining.


It's been a perfect start to the league season, even including the lack of goals in the first half which is currently at zero. In our first three games I have saw the side score eight goals and concede just the once and that was from a penalty kick.

Sure you'll wrap up the double this season

Good move to Austria

Just like you did Dan? We'll see what happens though.

Cheers Johno.


It has been a promising start to life in Austria as I have guided my new side to three wins from the opening three league games as the board and media expect the league title to be wrapped up this season while they also expect me to secure the Austrian Cup as well, no pressure.


We began the second month of the season with a home game as Altach visited the Red Bull Arena and were beaten 5-1 as star striker Emerson scored twice, as did winger Caio and then Joakim Andersson also found the net as it was the first time this season in the league that we'd find the net in the first half.

The side then easily beat Austria Wien 3-0 at home, Lancine Kone scoring twice while Mattia Boncompagni opened the scoring.

Our only away game this month would complete the month as we'd beat bottom of the table Wiener Neustadt three one thanks to three second half goals - Mattia Boncompagni, Joakim Andersson and Zoran Mihaljevic scoring in the victory but it should have been so much more as we dominated.


Another unbeaten short month has seen us now make it six league wins from as many games as the side are sitting three points clear at the top ahead of Austria Wien who we had defeated this month. Nineteen goals have been scored and just the three conceded in our opening six games.

Perfect start mate.I reckon you'll get whats needed this season.

It's been a great start to the season SBR, long may it continue.


With six league wins from six games, it has been a great (but maybe expected?) start to the league campaign as we entered the month of September looking to maintain our great start as we also began our run in the Champions League as we've been drawn alongside Ajax, Juventus and Barcelona.


We'd welcome Admira Wacker Modling for the opening game of September and record a 2-1 at the Red Bull Arena thanks to goals from Mattia Boncompagni from the spot and Zoran Mihaljevic who scored the winner in the third minute of added time.

Our first Champions League group game saw us face Dutch side Ajax and we beat them five goals to two as Joakim Andersson scored twice while Gomes, Lancine Kone and Emerson also scored.

We then travelled to my former employers Austria Lustenau, the game ended 0-0, nothing else to say.

A trip to non-league Wels was next in the second round of the Austrian Cup and the side advanced to the third round following a 3-1 - Lluis Ruiz, Gomes and Mattia Boncompagni scored.

The final league game of the month saw us welcome Mattersburg to the Red Bull Arena as we recorded a deserved 4-1 victory as Emerson, Mattia Boncompagni and Gabriele Di Santo scored in the first half before midfielder Lancine Kone added a fourth goal in the sixty third minute.

September would be completed though with a 'daunting' trip to Italy to face Juventus and the Italian side recorded a six four victory in Turin in a game that we played so well in - attacking midfielder Mattia Boncompagni scored twice, Emerson and Caio were also on target.


The remarkable start to the season continues as we have won eight out of our opening nine league games, drawing the other one while we've scored twenty five goals in the process and conceded just the five goals as we lead the table, three points ahead of Austria Wien.

Great season so far.That juve game looked a good one for the mutual.

Aye it was good for the neutral but not for me SBR, disappointed we lost as we scored four times.


Despite only having a three point lead at the summit of the Austrian Premier Division, it has been a fantastic start to the league season as we're predicted win both that and the Austrian Cup this season so the pressure has been on me from the beginning of pre season.


A home game against Rapid Wien began the month of October as a single second half goal from striker Emerson on sixty four minutes ensured a 1-0 victory.

Our next league game was a fortnight later as a trip to Ried awaited us as the side recorded a five one victory on our travels. Emerson scored twice while the other goals came from Zoran Mihaljevic, an own goal from Cesare Curatolo and Lancine Kone.

We then would suffer a heavy defeat against Barcelona as the Spaniards won six two at Red Bull Arena - Caio and Libor Novotny scored our goals but we were humiliated against the La Liga side.

The month would the end with three consecutive home games in all competitions and the first of the trio saw us win 7-0 against Sturm Graz as both Caio and Libor Novotny hit doubles while Lluis Ruiz, Zoran Mihaljevic and Lancine Kone scored in the seven goal victory.

It would then be a straight forward Austrian Cup third round victory against first division side Grodig, goals from Rafa Urbano and Zoran Mihaljevic saw us take a two goal lead into the interval before defensive midfielder Ferrugem added the third a minute into the second half.

The month would then end with a [b]4-2[b] success at home to struggler's Wiener Neustadt in a game that'll be remembered by star striker Emerson as he bagged a treble, midfielder Lancine Kone was also on target.


The remarkable start to the campaign has continued as we've now picked up twelve victories and one draw from our opening thirteen games and we have been scoring goals freely in those thirteen games as forty two have been scored and just eight conceded, that won't last though as I'm sure we'll concede more goals as the season progresses.

We have now approached the penultimate month of twenty twenty seven and with a ten point lead at the summit, it's important that the side at least maintain the gap if they're to win the league this season. Just three league games were played this month while two Champions League group ties were also played.


This month would see us play FOUR straight away games in two competitions and the first of the quartet was away to Barcelona as we suffered a three one defeat at the Nou Camp and deservedly so, Emerson scored what turned out to be our consolation goal two minutes from half time.

Despite producing arguably our worst performance to date in the league, we somehow beat Altach 3-1 at the Cashpoint thanks to goals from Mattia Boncompagni, Lancine Kone and Emerson.

But then came our first league defeat of the season and it was a humiliating defeat as Austria Wien beat us by goals to one in an unforgivable performance, Emerson, just like the game against Barcelona, scored our 'consolation' goal on forty three minutes.

We would then suffer our third defeat of the month and back-to-back-to-back-to-back Champions League group games as Ajax defeated us two one at the Amsterdam ArenA - Emerson (who else?) scoring on twenty three minutes.

November would conclude though with a 4-2 win over Austria Lustenau at the Red Bull Arena as the returned to winning ways domestically and I'm so glad we did and also produced a good performance as well. Gabriele Di Santo, Lancine Kone, Zoran Mihaljevic and Mattia Boncompagni all scored in the victory but we couldn't keep our first clean sheet of the month.


So despite suffering our first league defeat the side haven't suffered too much 'damage' as we still lead the league by nine points ahead of second placed Austria Wien who was the team to cause us our first setback of the current campaign after they won five one. We have now conceded sixteen times in as many league games and have scored half a century to date.

Still in a great position despite that loss mate.I think you were always going to struggle against the likes of juventus and Barcelona.

Oh absolutely SBR, but I felt we could've beat them at least at home, but the Champions League isn't important in this career, it's a 'luxury'.


It's now the final calendar year of twenty twenty seven and with a nine point lead at the summit, it's technically our league to throw away even though their is still five months still to play so it's going to be tough, very tough but I'm confident we can secure the league and cup double I need before heading to 'pastures new'.


We started the final month in the calendar year with a 4-0 success away to Admira Wacker Modling in a game that'll be remembered by left winger Gabriele Di Santo who bagged a second half hat trick while Lluis Ruiz got us off to a dream start after three minutes.

Just three days later the side then suffered a three one defeat away to Mattersburg, our only goal came on thirty one minutes and it was an own goal from Corrado Di Luca.

Our final Champions League group game saw us crash to a three one defeat at home to Juventus, Libor Novotny scoring on sixteen minutes.

And the last game before the winter break saw us record a 4-2 victory away to Rapid Wien - striker Emerson, winger Libor Novotny and midfielder's Ercole Verratti and Sebastian Ortiz scored our goals in the victory against Rapid as it was important to return to 'winning ways' in the league.


Nine points clear at the summit despite another league defeat as we have started to concede goals regulary (minus the Admira Wacker Modling game) and we have now found the net fifty nine times in those nineteen games, conceding twenty one times. At the bottom, Wiener Neustadt (predicted pre season to finish sixth) continue to struggle.

Please note: Because we have now entered the winter break, some mid-season friendlies will be played before we resume our league campaign in February but I have decided that I'm NOT going to post the 'winter break' update as it's irreverent in my opinion and I just want the league to resume so that can be wrapped up as soon as possible.

Looks like it could be a great season for trophies here!

Congratulations on the double

Hope you can run away with the title