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Shedender
Cheers Dan, I'd love this to be a quick stint but don't think it will be somehow.
Last season Utrecht were relegated from the Eredivisie, losing to Vitesse in a two legged relegation/promotion play-off and because the club suffered the drop, they parted company with their manager and I had no hesitation in applying for the post - I expect the minimum expectation from the board to be to win the league and I proved to be correct.
I've had to rely on loan signings this summer as five of the clubs seven signings proved to be season long loan deals. Pau Castillio has joined from my former employers Frankfurt while Piergiorgio Cuomo, Samuele Bianchera, Max Milton and Strahinja Gardinovacki has also joined on loan - Henri Lambrecht joined on a free transfer while Massimillano Pasqua cost the club £210k from De Graafschap.
All the players who departed the club were all agreed before I joined the club . . .
And I can't complain with how our pre season preparations went on the field as we won all six friendly encounters - We won our four home friendlies against Aberdeen, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Argon and Elinkwijk while we also beat Westerlo and Waasland-Beveren on our travels.
Shedender
I've reached the winter break here in Netherlands it hasn't been a bad campaign to date in the league as things are looking promising on an immediate return to the Eredivisie but one way or another, I probably won't be at the club next season - I, along with the board expect the league title but I don't know how well or bad we're going to do in the Dutch Cup;
Dutch Cup:
It was quite a poor run in this seasons Dutch Cup as we crashed out in the third round, losing to Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle 5-3 after extra time in a competition that the board expected us to reach at least the fourth round but it wasn't too bad this time around. We had knocked out Rijnsburgse Boys in the second round before our round three exit, also at home.
League - Jupiler League:
The league form has been quite good despite those three defeats to MVV, Jong Ajax and Cambuur but we've been scoring goals freely to date and I'd love that to continue in the second half of the Jupiler League campaign. Yet despite being top of the table, my job is "very insecure" and if I hadn't beat Excelsior then I would have probably been sacked . . . pretty mental!.
So we'll be heading into the second part of the campaign seven points clear of second placed VVV-Venlo as we became the first team to secure a play-off spot (well, twice) after winning periods one and two while FC Oss's 'third period' win means they've secured a play-off spot as well regardless in what position they finish the season. We have scored 66 goals in 22 league games (averaging three goals per game) while we've only conceded nineteen times.
Dan
Shedender
Lying top of the table at the winter break, it's been a good season to date here at Utrecht and I'm hoping we'll be top of the table come at the end of the campaign but if the worst comes to the worst and we don't win the league then at least we've already secured a minimum play-off spot.
League - Jupiler League:
The second half of the season was quite successful despite a stuttering start that saw me two wins from the first six games but I refused to change the 'style' of play but we recovered well and went on and secured nine wins on the bounce before ending the campaign with back-to-back draws. Did we secure the league crown?
Well, we are the champions of the Dutch second tier league but flipping heck, it was tight as we secured the league on goal difference but I honestly thought we were going to lose the title on the final day as we led, fell behind, equalised, fell behind again and then equalised in a thrilling 3-3 draw against Jong Ajax. We couldn't do things simply but I blame VVV-Venlo for 'refusing' to drop points.
I've resigned as manager of Utrecht after just one season in charge at the club and I've stepped down for a few reasons - 1 we have secured the league title in the second tier and the most important one is 2 we're going to end up losing around seven or eight players this summer against my will and I doubt finance would let me replace them all so I'd struggle next season, if I remained at the club.
Pippadoc
Dan
SBR
Shedender
It was close in the end Dan, really thought we were going to mess it up.
Appreciate the comment SBR and I'm still 'chuffed' that I've only done the one career for Football Manager 2015 and I'm not finished yet. Cheers nonetheless mate.
Despite winning the Jupiler League, I had to remain at Utrecht for like a month afterwards just so I could new job could be delayed for quite a while longer but the club in question decided to approach me with two games remaining and basically 'made' me accept the deal even though I tried to delay it again.
I have been named the new manager of Spanish second tier side Elche who are currently trying to avoid relegation but isn't 'in their hands', I have agreed a one year deal at Martinez Valero but I won't remain at the club...unless they get relegated to the lowest playable league in Spain. The club don't have a transfer budget and are currently near fifty grand over the wage budget.
The club do have some 'big earners' on their books and they'll be gone in the summer. Guaranteed!
Numancia's 3-0 win at home to Leganes confirmed that it would the end of the road for Elche as relegation to the Spanish Second Division B3 was confirmed, we had lost 3-1 at home to Huesca which didn't help matters. I'm hoping I can strengthened the squad next season in an attempt to win the B3 title, which I'm sure the board will expect.
Dan
Benniewijs
SBR
Shedender
Oh but remember Benniewijs, it's hard to detect sarcasm on the worldwide webverse. I was surprised to see they ended up being relegated but don't forget that I'm well in the future therefore the leagues may be slightly different. Cheers, I ended up selling a player who was on an obscene amount of wages for a second, soon to be third tier club.
Cheers SBR.
Following Elche's relegation to the Second Division B3 league it meant I could remain at the club as I would've resigned if the club had survived in the LIGA adelante, the pressure is on me though because the board are expecting the league title to be won while they're expecting me to reach the fourth round of the Spanish Cup and the Federation Cup isn't deemed important but I need to win it.
I've ended up bringing in nine players this summer and that's only because you need to have a maximum of sixteen over 23 players and I wanted some experience on the books. The signing of Pablo was arranged before I arrived but I signed Jeroen van der Laan, Stefan Woudenberg, Juanma Martin, David Weir, Ruben Pascual, Sebastian Alonso, Shemuel Lake and Ales Svoboda.
The one major departure saw Salvador Botella depart the club and join Stade de Reims for three million pounds, the amount of wages he was on, I simply couldn't afford to keep him at the club while Carlos Mestre, Gerard, Abel Velasco and Juan Contreras didn't get their contracts renewed - Ismael Garcia joined Eldense on loan and Aritz Celihueta went to Albacete after they matched his release clause.
On the field, the season preparations were quite good as we won all five of our friendlies including an excellent 5-1 win at home to LIGA adelante side Cadiz but of course the results in pre season mean nothing and it'll be interesting to see how we cope in the competitive fixtures but I'm expecting a good start.
Benniewijs
Shedender
We have reached the middle of the current campaign at Elche and with the club in three competitions this season it's important we don't suffer any major injuries or fatigue if we are to have a successful campaign - the board expect the league title, to reach the fourth round of the Spanish Cup while they don't consider the Federation Cup important but I still want to win that as well.
Spanish Cup:
I'm a little frustrated that our run in the Spanish Cup came to an abrupt end as we crashed out in the second round (our first hurdle) losing to Murcia at home. As much as I would have liked a slightly longer run in this competition, we had a difficult second round tie. Jesus Angel Villegas (pen) and Jose Carlos were our goalscorers.
Federation Cup:
However, we still remain in the Federation Cup after securing a two legged first round victory over Torrevieja, we'll face Zamora in the second round and just like the first round, the first leg will be away from home with the return leg at our venue will be a fortnight later.
League - Second Division B3:
We have had a tremendous first part of the league season despite losing twice on our travels (Barcelona "B" and Ontinyent) and in the first twenty games we have scored goals freely while keeping eight clean sheets in the process and if the form can be kept up then we should end the season as champions but the top four go into a play-off, I believe.
And we'll be heading into the remaining eighteen Second Division B3 games seven points clear of second placed Castellon. Elche have scored sixty two goals in our opening twenty games so I'm delighted with how attacking playing and we've conceded sixteen times I believe so we've been great defensively as well.
Benniewijs
Shedender
The first part of the season has been done and dusted and it's been a great season to date in both domestic competitions as we are sitting top of the table and still in the Federation Cup and that's a cup, as previously stated a few times, I'd love to go the entire way and secure this campaign but it's going to be tough.
Federation Cup:
I'm delighted to announce that trophy #1 in Spain has been signed sealed and delivered as the Federation Cup was won this season and it's a competition I feel we deserved to win after dumping B1 side Tenerife out of the competition, winning 3-0 at their place but the sensational second leg victory in the final topped that as we hammered Mirandes 5-0 in the second leg of the final, overturning a 4-3 first leg defeat as the cup was won.
League - Second Division B3:
If I take out the five game win-less run that saw us fail to beat Barcelona "B" (again!), At. Baleares, Castellon, C.E. Sabadell and Hospitalet it was still a good second part of the league campaign as we looked to not lose top spot at any stage - I'm just a little frustrated we could only keep a further two clean sheets though against Eldense and Palamos. Shemuel Lake was an outstanding signing if I do say so myself, banged the goals in left right and centre and he was free.
So at the end of the league campaign we were crowned Second Division B3 winners, finishing six points clear of Hospitalet and truth be told the league was never really in doubt, even when we went five games without maximum points.
Even though the league title was secured, we still had to play four games and I believe this was to determine who got promoted although I'm not one hundred percent because I didn't read the league rules. Alcorcon were the first team to be beaten 5-1 on aggregate (4-0 at our place, 1-1 away) before we lost both legs in the next stage to Jaen but I couldn't care less because the league title was already secured and that's what is important at the end of the day.
Just one season was spent at Elche but what a season it was as the club did the double but because I felt too much work needed done to the first team in the second tier, I have decided to tender my resignation, which has been accepted by the Elche board and now I'm unemployed but I'm hoping not for too long.
Benniewijs
Shedender
It's time for another chapter in my long and epic football management career and after winning both the Second Division B3 title and Federation Cup, I resigned as manager of Elche citing they'd be too much work to do to make them survive in the Spanish second tier and that's the main reason I've parted company. I've decided to head to a brand new country in an attempt to start chalking trophies off here but once again I've missed out on the possibility of managing Barcelona, oh and I was also unsuccessful in the Ajax post, a post I really needed.
Because they failed to win the Czech Second Division last season, Sigma Olomouc parted company with Martin Molcan with a close source stating "the players had lost confidence in their manager, effectively making Molcan's position untenable" and because I don't think they'll be expected to win the league next season, no serious pressure may be on me.
And so I have been offered the chance to manage Sigma Olomouc after being offered the managers job after impressing them in the interview but they sure don't ask for much - part of the deal I have to sign players from the chairman's own nation, sign young players for the first team, develop playing using the clubs youth system and also play attacking football - I don't know how many of them I can achieve but I've only signed a one year deal at Andruv Stadion.
This is perhaps why the previous manager lost his job, the club ended last campaign in third place and a staggering seventeen points behind the champions Kladno while Slovacko also won promotion to the top flight after finishing runners-up.
Benniewijs
Shedender
With my first ever season in the Czech Republic upon me, I really don't know what to expect from this team. Sigma are predicted to end the campaign in fourth place so I'm pleased enough their isn't much pressure on the club and I hope we can pick up the Second Division title but it's going to be very, very tough.
I've brought in eight new faces this summer including Jake Perrin from Portsmouth for £135k and the centre back will be first choice while Simon Kennedy, Vaclav Novotny, Jesus, Ivo Holomek, Tomas Fiala, Marek Novak and Robert Rivas have also joined the club while no one has departed the club.
This was probably the worst pre season I've encountered for quite a while results wise as we won just three of our seven friendlies and those wins came against Cigand, Podbrezova and Unicov while we drew against Celje - our three defeats in pre season came against Aluminij, Prostejov and Hungarian side Honved.
Buzzindave
TheMazzeRunner
Benniewijs
Shedender
Cheers TheMazzeRunner, it's hard to believe this has been my one and only FM15 career.
Ha Benniewijs, Jesus should be a good left back for the club, pleased to have got him through the door this summer.
I've been in the Czech Republic for half a season and it's the first time I've ever managed in this country or so I believe so I don't know what to expect from this football team but they're predicted to finish fourth so I don't have much pressure on me this campaign but I'd love to try and beat expectations as per usual.
FA Cup
Our run in this seasons FA Cup ended in the third round as top flight side Pribram won 3-1 at our place with our goal coming from Roberto Rivas who is on a season long loan from Ukrainians Dinamo Kiev - we beat Slavicin and Frydek-Mistek both away from home in the previous rounds.
League - Second Division:
We have stuttered in the Second Division so far as we just can't seem to stop drawing games as we've drew our last four games before the winter break - drawing against Usti nad Labem, Taborsko, Caslav and Karvina. In our opening sixteen games the side have won just five times and that's absolutely frustrating and that's why we're struggling in the league but I'm not under pressure . . . yet.
Just fourteen league games are remaining this season and we are lying down in seventh place and I'm a little disappointed with that as I thought we'd have won a few more games but c'est le vie and I should be satisfied I'm not under pressure at the moment. The club have also struggled to score goals with just twenty seven being scored and we've annoyingly conceded twenty four as well.
Benniewijs
Shedender
A mixed first half of the season has come and gone and it was pretty mental how many league games we have drew so far (8!) but we've only lost three times and that's the important statistic as we aren't losing many games, we have won five games so far this season and that's frustrating as we'd be higher in the table if we could have turned some of those draws into wins but c'est le vie!
League - Second Division:
It was a much better second half of the Second Division campaign as we managed to win 7 of our remaining 14 league games, drawing 1-1 four times against Zlin, Ceske Budejovice, Opava and Trinec while we only suffered three defeats against leaders Jihlava, Kolin and Caslav - it was quite a poor and inconsistent campaign for Sigma.
We finished the 2068/69 campaign down in fifth place and I've to admit that I'm a little disappointed with that because I really thought we could have a charge at the title or at worse a runners-up (promotion) spot but it didn't happen unfortunately.
Because I decided to apply for a job at a much bigger team in a much bigger league, the Sigma Olomouc board gave me an ultimatum - apologise or resign and of course I chose the latter so my time at Sigma has come to an abrupt end but I didn't overly enjoy this campaign and perhaps the amount of draws didn't help but I'll need to return to the Czech Republic at a later date.
And just to have a laugh at my expense, the job I applied for was at Ligue 1 side Monaco and the pricks didn't even offer me an interview, for shame!.
Benniewijs
Shedender
Because I was 'forced' to resign by the board at Sigma Olomouc after applying for the Monaco job in which I didn't even receive an interview, as soon as I saw a certain club got promoted to the Challenge League after a 14 year absence I felt I HAD to apply for the post in an attempt to get Switzerland chalked off once and for all, whether that happens or not this season remains to be seen . . .
Yep, after being laughed off by Real Madrid when that post became available (hate them now, ha!) I applied for the vacancy at
SwissLiechtensteinianLiechtensteinian based Swiss club Vaduz and the board expect us to fight bravely against relegation which doesn't bother me because I've come to Vaduz for one trophy and one trophy only and I'm sure everyone knows what that is...Benniewijs
Shedender
I've arrived for what I'm hoping will be my last ever job in Switzerland - Vaduz is my destination and the Liechtenstein Cup is the only competition I need to require and then that'll be Switzerland chalked off and conquered once and for all but it's going to be easier said than done.
The eight players in the black box are players that I've brought to the club in an attempt to avoid relegation - Luca Sablet, Guillermo Pons, Victor, Juan Carlos and Modestino Ciaramitaro (Aarau) all join on free transfers while the trio of Oscar Rodriguez, Inigo Diez and Raul Romero arrived on loan. Killan Bertrand left the club and joined Chiasso before I arrived at the club.
I just had one pre season game remaining before the league campaign began when I joined the club and the side recorded a three nil win away to Bad Ragaz - Ivan Perkovic (pen), Franz Kratz and Elton Gavazaj were on target at Giessenpark.