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#291608 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Djebi-Zadi was hugely popular with Cowdenbeath fans and won Fans' Player of the Year for the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons. Lionel made 100 appearances in all competitions for The Blue Brazil, scoring 21 goals.
Liam Callaghan has also been released from his contract and has left the club immediately.
#291607 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Absolutely gutted to be out without even losing. I thought we had it in the bag after Bannon scored but only for them to score right at the end.
More bad news from this game is that new signing Bob McHugh is injured for 5-6 weeks.
Now it's time to focus on the league and the cups!
#291606 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
The players leaving weren't up to the standard that we need here and I'd signed players far better than them who can offer a lot more.
A lot of youngsters again going out on loan to get experience.
Two more players have joined the team. 18 year old German defender Daniel Büttner joins on a free transfer and can provide cover at center back and right back. He made 13 appearances for Schalke 04 last season and is looking very promising.
21 year old striker Zach Clough joins on a free transfer from Bolton to add to the squad depth.
Also, great news for Elliot Bannon as he has earned his first call up to the Scotland team.
Next update will be the next European adventure against Dinamo Moscow.
#291605 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
A brilliant first leg at home meant we could lose the away leg and still progress. Alex Davey and Bob McHugh had superb debuts in the home leg.
I've been drawn a tough game against Russian giants Dinamo Moscow in the 3rd qualifying round.
#291604 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Really happy with some of these signings. They will really strengthen my squad and I should be able to match my position last year.
As always, I shall go through each player individually:
Chantler - A 25 year old utility player who can play left back, left midfield and centre midfield. Should be a good player for us and good cover in positions we didn't have much cover for last season.
Francis-Angol - A really promising 23 year old left back/left midfielder who should have a good season.
Lawton - was delighted to be able to sign him permanently after two loan spells where he played really well consistently.
Davey - a product of Chelsea's academy and should provide good competition and depth at center back.
Magnin - A product of Lyon's academy who should have a great future at the club at centre midfield.
McHugh - I've been trying to sign him a few times and am delighted to have got him now. Previously a one club man at Motherwell but hoping he can take us to bigger and better things.
Bonner - looking for him to becoming our first choice right back for this season. The 23 year old Northern Irishman has played in Scotland previously for Kilmarnock and Dumbarton.
Tennant - another one for the future and I couldn't resist after a scout recommended him as one for the future.
Gilks - our new first choice goalkeeper for this season, at the age of 34 I'm hoping he can do a job for a season or two.
#81835 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Thanks mate, I'm hoping for one of the cups this season which would be good.
#291603 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
A brilliant end to a brilliant season. We sealed second with our marvellous 3-0 victory over St Mirren.
Here's the table in full:
I now need to look at signing back up players for the squad and I need to strengthen certain areas but I am very happy with the squad I have at the moment. The youth intake this year hasn't brought in anybody special so I won't bother uploading a screenshot.
End of season awards:
Very well deserved after a great debut season.
Some superb performance this season, really hoping I can keep hold of him. I've upped the asking price to £2.5m to try and put teams off.
Extremely happy to get recognition for the marvellous season we've had.
Now onto the next season...
#81810 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
I can't believe it either to be honest, I really did not expect to finish that high in just my second season in the SPL!
Don't know how I can beat it next season though, especially with Rangers joining the SPL.
#291602 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
A superb month, especially with wins over Celtic and St Mirren not to mention Bannon's 4 goals against Dundee. The win against Celtic was the best result of the month as it shows that we can beat them with the squad we have (even with a few injuries), and Kai Simon made his debut in that game and scored the only goal.
Beating St Mirren meant that we went back to 2nd place and we will hopefully hold onto that.
Here's the table:
Hoping to hold onto second. We've also guaranteed a place in the Europa League qualifiers next season which is brilliant news.
Hugely deserved for him, he's been superb. Sergen Burdak also claiming second place - those two have been phenomenal this season.
Great month.
#291601 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
A superb win against Hamilton to kick off the month followed by two draws against Hibs and Dundee Utd, but they weren't enough to hold onto 2nd place.
Here's the table:
We look set to finish 3rd at least if we can keep this up which would be a brilliant finish for us, and would get us into the Europa League.
#291600 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Was disappointed to lose to Inverness in a game that we dominated but that's football. Lewis Milne and Sergen Budak impressed again this month, and they came second and third in the young player of the month award. Elliot Bannon also had quite a good month and is really impressing.
Here's the table:
10 games to go and we look certain for a top half finish. It would be brilliant to finish in the top 4 and get in Europa League qualification.
#81722 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Thanks mate, looks like Europe League may be in reach for next season!
I'm really happy I've stayed too, I was tempted to take the Kilmarnock job but glad I turned them down!
#81720 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Thanks mate, it's been a great season!
#291599 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Apart from the disappointing game with Celtic, a good month with some good wins.
Back second in the SPL and hoping to hold onto it.
Also:
Very well deserved. I came second in manager of the month but ah well!
Signings:
I made three signings during the January window, all for free. The first being Villyan Bijev, a 22 year old American striker. I also signed 29 year old Stuart Anderson from Oldham on a free transfer to help support us in midfield. My final signing was another German defender who hopes to follow in Sergen Budak's footsteps. Right back 18 year old Kai Simon joins from Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer.
#291598 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
I've rejected offers recently from Nottingham Forest, Wigan and most recently Motherwell.
I'd love to stay with Cowdenbeath and carry on with this remarkable transformation that I've done.
#291597 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
A few good results in with a few bad ones. A real mixed month in terms of results and points.
Here's the table:
Dropped down to 3rd but we have a good chance of finishing in the top half of the table.
Greg Stewart has been ruled out for at least 3 months with injury so I've decided to sign American striker Villyan Bijev on a free transfer. I was looking for a new striker anyway but this injury meant I needed one desperately. Hoping to bring in some more new faces over the January transfer window as I've changed my season expectations to a top half finish.
#291596 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
A really good month. I decided to make Elliot Bannon a target man up front and it's really paid off with him scoring 5 goals in 3 games. Also, the defence has been really strong with no goals conceded all month.
Here's the table:
Looks like Celtic are gonna run away with the league but I'd be delighted if we could finish 2nd!
Also thought I'd note that Elliot Bannon came second in both player of the month and young player of the month.
#291595 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Our early form is starting to fade away unfortunately, but hoping we can pick it up again soon and aim for a top half finish.
The loss against Celtic was quite hard to take; they had a man sent off in the first half and we had a goal disallowed early in the second half but we just couldn't find the net again after that and they clinched a winner late on.
Here's the table:
Still second but if we don't start winning again I can see us dropping down quite quickly.
Very well deserved for him, he's been a star in defence for us and is picking up goals which are usually very important ones.
#291594 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Not happy to be out the cup, but hoping good league form and a good run in the Scottish Cup can make up for that. We were unlucky against Aberdeen to not pick up at least a point but made up for it against Hibs where we didn't deserve anything and came away with all three. Our first half performance was terrible and we were lucky to go into half time just 1-0 down, and we managed to turn it around in the second half.
Here's the table:
Still top! Can see Celtic overtaking us soon though. For a team to have only finished with 33 points last season, we are doing amazingly well.
#81535 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
I'm very happy with it, just hoping we can keep it up!
I didn't think I was going to stay up at some points of it, was happy to be in the SPL for at least another year though.
And it definitely looks like the right decision, and signing Sergen Budak looks to be a great decision too.
#291593 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Really really happy with the start of the season. Sergen Budak has been a great signing (I seem to be good at signing goal-scoring centre backs). The Motherwell game was probably the biggest disappointment, having been 3-0 up and 4-1 up to very nearly draw 4-4. Luckily, Ivor Lawton was there to win it in the 93rd minute.
Also through to face Hamilton in the 3rd round of the League Cup which we should win.
Hoping for a really good season here, maybe even qualification for Europe.
The table:
Feels superb being top of Scotland, even if it is early days!
Awards:
Very very well deserved for Sergen Budak and for Ivor Lawton to come second.
Again, very well deserved for both him and Elliot Bannon. Not sure how 19 year old Sergen Budak was overlooked for this despite winning player of the month?
Another 5 points closer to Fergie!
#81360 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Some great facts here! Haha
And yeah I did think that was a bit daft, but I suppose 7th are playing easier teams than 6th.
#291592 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Some of these transfers were very good. Some of the players who departed needed to go as they were signed for the first division but aren't needed anymore.
I was delighted with the loan players sent from Coventry and Everton - I had Ivor Lawton last season who did a very good job. I was actually looking for a replacement for him when I got the news that they were sending him for another season, which made my job a bit easier.
I will go through each signing briefly again:
Sergen Budak - A top quality centre back who I was delighted to sign. A product of Bayern Munich's youth system, and at the age of 19 is going to be our best centre back now and for years to come.
Junior Ogaga - A nineteen year old Nigerian back up midfielder, who could give some of the midfielders a challenge to keep their place in the starting line up.
Benjamin Siegrist - our new number one goalkeeper. He's Swiss, 23 and by far our best keeper. Hoping he can give us some good performances.
Andy Procter - a veteran midfielder who I'm hoping could provide back up.
Ben McLaughlin - with a free loan signing you can't go wrong, but looks like he may be our starting right back for the season.
Keith Yates - another good centre back who can provide good back up. Again, can't go wrong with a free loan!
Johan Hammar - Another centre back (I may have too many now!)
Ivor Lawton - delighted to have him back after he had a good season last year.
Alex Brister - a right back who can provide back up at right midfield too.
I am looking to sign a striker soon enough, but I've been unsuccessful so far.
A very good pre-season, not conceding goals in all but one.
Hoping to build on this and my first league match is against Kilmarnock! It's like it was meant to be...
#291591 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Was it time to move on, or give it more time at Cowdenbeath?
I couldn't walk away from Cowdenbeath after what I'd done for them so far.
I've hired some backroom staff and am looking for a few more to complete the crew.
Also signed some very good players. More info in a future update!
#291590 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
I will reveal all in my next update.
#81126 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Thanks! Was over the moon with it, didn't think I'd be anywhere near safety when I was 8 points behind!
#81125 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Thanks!
I was hoping for someone to give me advice on my stay or go dilemma, I'm still split minded and my week to think about it is up!
#291589 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
This is a huge decision to make. I've loved my time at Cowdenbeath, going against the odds two seasons running but I'm not sure what I could do for them next season.
The wage budget Kilmarnock have made available is the biggest thing that's tempting me.
I've delayed both offers for a week to assess my options and to have a think about my future.
#291588 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Steven Doris, Mark Taylor, Daniel Hall, Jamie Langfield and Arnaud Gastal are the biggest names amongst the fourteen players who have seen their contracts with the Blue Brazil end.
A lot of staff have also left as I look to completely revamp the backroom staff.
#291587 The SAF Challenge
jambowambo
Very well deserved, he's coped very well this season after being moved between centre forward and right midfield, and his performances are attracting a lot of interest and it's going to be hard to keep hold of him.