AdamRK - Comments

Right up there early days, fingers crossed you’ll be there come the end of the season!

@Suffolk Seasider, @tongey a lot of fixtures to play to build fitness and earn some cash! Hopefully it pays off!

Storming the league again this year, but what has happened to Bali United?! A good win over Persib in the cup surely proves you’ve got an edge on them!

Fingers crossed next month goes as well as previous months have, you can do this!

@Dan we're definitely there or thereabouts, it'll make for an interesting end to the season

Thanks for the faith @bigmattb28, let's just hope we can keep the pressure on!

Thanks @SrWerGaming the form has been good of late I hope we can continue it

It would do wonders for the reputation that's for sure @Looch!

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Going in to the winter break and our form for the season looks like this, eleven wins, four draws and four defeats in the league after nineteen games. What a turn around in fortunes this is after taking over the club in the relegation zone just under a year ago. A lot of this, I feel, is due to the change to a 4-4-2 and sticking to it rather than changing every three or four games. I guess this has to do with me now understanding the squad and its strengths and weaknesses. And the numbers show how important a change this has been too, in my fourteen games in charge at the end of last season we picked up seventeen points, whereas this campaign we've secured thirty-seven points in nineteen games. This takes our points per game total from 1.2 up to 1.9, which is an impressive jump for half a season. If we had beaten Middelfart earlier in the season then we would be top and clear, but the newly promoted side played some fantastic football and these things happen in football so I can't have too many complaints.



This all leads to the league looking like this. Second place and one point behind first we find ourselves pushing for promotion to the SuperLiga. Are we ready for such a big jump? Absolutely not, at least, not with the current squad, the right additions may well do us wonders but it is a surprise that we are so high in the league, promotion would likely only seen us become the league punching bag. Taking a look at the player stats and it becomes increasingly clear how we have done so well. Tukiainen and Alex top the goal scoring charts as their partnership is now in full effect after Tukiainen's slow start to the season. This further confirms the idea that playing a 4-4-2 has been an important change as it allows both strikers to get in and amongst the goals. Meanwhile Mathias Pedersen sits top of the assist charts. Naturally an attacking-midfielder, Pedersen was unhappy about a lack of game time and so I shifted him to the right side of our midfield as he has the right attributes to play there and his performances have justified my decision. If we could keep more cleansheets, or just concede less goals, I feel as if we would be clear in the league by now.



The winter break started with some good news for myself and for the club as I was rewarded with a new two-year deal only six months after extending my previous terms. This shows the club's faith in my abilities as a manager and also brings some attention from elsewhere as the news reaches the media, making people more aware of the project we are undertaking here at Thisted. Delighted to sign it and delighted to see what else is instore for me here in Denmark.



And on the back of the new contract, it seems that I am linked with a move to SuperLiga outfit AGF, who sit 11th in the league despite being predicted to finish 6th. To be mentioned in the same sentence as Gennaro Gattuso so early on in my career is flattering and hopefully its a sign of good things to come.



Not a lot to report on the transfer front with three deals being completed.



Jannich Storch - 26, GK - with substitute goalkeeper Paul Iakob completing a prearranged move away from the club, we found ourselves looking for a new player to sit on the bench. Jannich is the best of a very bad bunch of 'keepers available for free and interested in coming to Thisted so the deal made sense to bring him in.



An outgoing transfer this time as aged midfielder Jeppe Mehl leaves the club. Originally Mehl was playing in the centre of my midfield last season but as his legs left him and other players joined the club he became surplus to requirements. Over the summer a yearly wage increase in his contract took him up to one-thousand pounds a week, which he was unwilling to negotiate down. We still find ourselves paying a fraction of his wages but to get nearly eight-hundred pounds a week off of the wage bill makes a lot of difference at this level and would allow us to bring better players in should we want to.





Sakari Tukiainen - after a poor start to the season Tukiainen finds himself top of the goal scoring charts with twelve goals in eighteen appearances in the league. My concerns with Tukiainen are his age, fast approaching thirty, his consistency (he has a knack for going missing for a game or two then popping up with three or four goals) and that he attracts interest from better leagues. Now, if a team were to come in for him for one-hundred to two-hundred thousand pounds I've no doubt the board would accept, but for the time being, I'd rather keep him here whilst he's in his prime.



Mathias Pedersen - as I've said earlier, Mathias isn't a natural left-midfielder but he possess good pace, physical attributes and technical attributes making him a perfectly adequate player in that position. In just eleven appearances he has ten goal contributions, making him one of the most, if not the most proficient players in the league at the current time. Since his shift to the left has brought with it such good performances, he has been rewarded with a new contract lasting two more years.



Alex - a late arrival to the squad, Alex found it tough to find the back of the net at first, especially from open play. But once he found himself scoring he hasn't looked back, developing a partnership with Tukiainen to rival any other in the league. Coming off the boil ever-so slightly now, I've no doubt he will continue to find the net in the back-end of the season. Almost contributing to a goal every game, I'm absolutely delighted with him since his arrival. Interestingly, he has never exactly been prolific in his previous teams so he may well be perfectly suited to our set-up here.





As the winter break dawned upon us, I arranged a series of friendlies for the team to play to stay fit. Some against teams I'd deem to be equal to us, some against teams we should beat with ease, and some against teams who would offer us a challenge. Left for assistant manager Peter Stephansen to manage, the boys did ok and should be fit and raring to go when league action commences again.





Our annual youth intake occurred during the break too, although no players particularly stand out. Dan Frederiksen is a quick and physically gifted striker that my coaches like the looks of but past this he offers nothing else. We're not in a position to churn out star after star and nor are the finances in a position to develop the youth system to do so.



March 2020

Some quality signings over the summer, it’ll be interesting to see how the younger additions develop too! Great start in the league, it’s looking tight at the top as well

MATCHDAY 19



We entered the festive period with an away tie against underachieving HB Koge, who find themselves keeping the wolves from the door this season after looking like on of the stronger sides in the division last season. After having our fair share of luck go against us during my time in charge of Thisted, we had a long overdue dose come our way sixteen minutes in as Alex's volley from a corner was well saved but not cleared, with the resulting clearance crashing off of Dyhr and finding its way into the back of the net. A minute later and there would be no such luck, as Pedersen got to the by-line and dinked the ball back to Tukiainen who hit a sweet volley on the turn into the far corner to double our lead. Half an hour had been played before summer signing Mads Schafer Bak would power a header in at the near-post after a neat exchange down the right flank. HB Koge looked as good as beaten as a majority of their shots came from range, leaving Due a spectator for the most part. Just under an hour had been played when Schafer Bak set Alex through on goal only to see his shot saved, but we recycled possession excellently and Alex would convert on the second chance after a great cross from Pedersen to break his mini goal drought.





Just the one game played this month as the squad leave for the Winter Break. We almost found ourselves top of the league going in to the break too, but two late goals in Hobro's game saw them snatch three points and sit at the summit instead. Regardless, to be second in the league in just under a year in charge shows remarkable progress and justifies my decision to come to Denmark with no prior experience or qualifications.





Mid-Season Review and Winter Break!

I have to admit @KEZ_7 I've not seen too many Team of the Weeks like it!

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MATCHDAY 15



The month of November kicked-off with an away trip to promoted side Middelfart in a game that pitted us against one of the teams who look condemned to relegation already. Standing on the touchline, these beliefs were confirmed within a minute of action, as Tukiainen continued his revival with a first-time placed-volley from around twelve yards. No less than seven minutes later and we had doubled our lead and the hosts looked to be sinking without a trace, as Pedersen steered a header into the back of the net from a corner. Middelfart would pull a goal back within the first half after a fantastic save from Due rebounded at the feet of Hajdarevic who converted at the second chance. It was past the hour mark that we secured the victory, as Tukiainen converted from the spot again. A thoroughly professional performance from my semi-professional Danish side.

MATCHDAY 16



Our next game saw us travel to high-flying Hobro IK in a top of the table clash that could add some mid-season drama into the title chase. For the duration of the game Hobro gave it all they had and looked threatening on every chance they had as they showed us why they were favourites for promotion as well as their SuperLiga quality. But for all there promise going forward we were equally as good at the back, preventing their ten shots on target from finding the back of our net. Our hard work would be rewarded late on too as loanee Nicolas Madsen would strike a low-drive from outside the box which the Hobro goalie could only push further into the bottom corner. What a result and what a way to symbolise the turnaround I've overseen at this club since arrival!



The win against Hobro would also see us go top of the league (would you believe it) with other results going our way too!

MATCHDAY 17



Following our win away to Hobro, we welcomed yet another team pushing for a surprise promotion as Hvidovre walked through the doors of the Sparekassen Thy Arena. We would find ourselves a goal up within the first quarter of an hour, as Tukiainen latched on to a fine through ball after some neat build up play to slot the ball past the onrushing Hvidovre 'keeper. We had chances to double our lead throughout the game too, however we were denied by a string of fine saves from a 'keeper making up for his prior mistake. And then the Hvidovre pressure was piled on and we looked like the team I took over and not the team I've build this year. Pushing up two strikers to sit on our two centre-backs, Hvidovre hit a long ball over the top which Amankwah failed to deal with, mistiming his jump horribly, allowing our opponents to go two vs one and score from a smart cutback. Minutes later and the tie had been flipped on its head as Hvidovre showed why they are in such a strong position, a corner swung in was headed down to one of their players, who volleyed home from close range.

MATCHDAY 18



After our disappointing collapse against in our last outing, we faced off against relegation candidates Vendsyssel in a nice change of opposition quality. Before the half-hour mark, Brazilian striker Alex found himself played through on goal before playing the smart pass across to Tukiainen who hammered the ball home from close range to continue his goal-scoring streak. Vendsyssel would make the scores equal ten minutes later, as midfielder Basse curled a shot into the top-corner from outside of the box. Jeppe Illum would add to Vendsyssel's good performance by drilling a low shot into the bottom corner from outside the box himself. At this point I thought that we would experience an awful drop-off in form after losing our last match, but these fears were put to rest at the seventy minute mark as Tukiainen pounced on a mistake at the back before placing the ball into the back of the net to level the scores for us this time. We regained our lead ten minutes later as Amankwah headed into the top corner from a corner, only for Pedersen to grab his first and our fourth not long after. A superb comeback, but in all honesty we should never have put ourselves in this position.





We ended the month of November sitting high in the table in second with a game in hand around teams around us. Its tight at the top too, as only four points separate first and fifth, whilst just one point separates first and fourth. Its inevitable that teams will drop off as the season progresses, whilst it must only be a matter of time until there is a runaway leader in the league. Had we beaten Hvidovre we would have ended the month two points clear, but these things happen for a reason in football. Overall, another solid month as we only lost one league game and won the remainder of our fixtures, with the goals not showing any sign in dropping off any time soon.



December 2019

It was especially frustrating as the player had just recently withdrawn a transfer request to stay with us @bigmattb28, but like you said, it is what it is. Hopefully we can continue to be right there or there about in the league and show a good account for ourselves in the cup, if only to boost my own rep when job hunting!

That’s some great form @Dan! Heartbreaking not to win anything but congrats on the continental qualification, excited to see how you get on!

It’s a shame that your stint in Portugal didn’t bring with it opportunities to progress up the leagues, but it’ll be very interesting to see how you fare in Poland!

MATCHDAY 11



We entered the winter period with a home game against FC Roskilde. After impressing in recent games, Alex and Assaisi were given the nod ahead of Tukiainen who has been off the boil so far this season. This would prove to be a master-stroke as just twenty-two minutes in to the game we found ourselves three goals to the good. Just over ten minutes had passed with Assaisi's deep free-kick found Alex free in the box, and the Brazilian met the ball with a first time volley in stride, Van Persie-esque almost. Minutes had passed when Assisi found himself over another freekick just over the half-way line. His devlivery was superb again as this time Alex met the ball at the back post and calmly passed it in at the near post. Three points were sealed soon after when Assaisi planted a header past the visiting goalkeeper. Roskilde would manage to pull one back before heading into the dressing room but it proved to be a consolation and nothing else.



Following this impressive victory, I asked the board to fund a coaching course and they duly obliged. If we are to climb to the top this will certainly act as the next step, allowing me to gain some valuable credentials.

MATCHDAY 12



We hosted fellow high flyers FC Fredericia as we looked to upset the apple cart and take points off of a team performing above expectations. We looked to be doing just that eight minutes in when Alex scored another goal for the club, this time getting himself ahead of his man in the box to sweep home from close-range. Fredericia looked like threatening from here on out and too our credit we held them for some time. We sat back and looked to protect our lead which in hindsight may have been a mistake to not chase the game and look to put it to bed, but these things are valuable learning experiences. The visitors would leave with a point come full time, as young striker Aral Simsir would rise highest in the box to head past Due, who for some reason had dived far too soon and was on the floor by the time the ball connected with Simsir's head. What may seem like two points dropped, but against good opposition I'm happy with one point gained.

DANISH CUP 4TH ROUND



One of the few teams left in the cup that we can consider inferior to ourselves, Brabrand IF were looking to shock the nation by progressing to the Quarter Finals of the cup. After a dull first half in which a heavily rotated side looked sluggish, we would finally find the breakthrough in the second half, when Alex picked the ball up in the left hand channel, before bursting into the box and placing the ball into the far corner. We should have found ourselves two or three goals ahead over the coming minutes, however it was not meant to be as Tukiainen missed a slew of chances against lesser opposition. For all his hard work, Tukiainen would eventually be rewarded, heading home a Pedersen cross to confirm our progression to the next round.

MATCHDAY 13



We returned to league action for another game against fierce rivals Skive, who sit bottom of the league. This game also marks the start of the second set of fixtures against teams in the league, meaning my one-year anniversary as Thisted manager cannot be too far away. We got off to a fine start too, as Mathias Pedersen got himself on the end of a cross to head across goal and for the ball to nestle into the side-netting. Not long after and Sakari Tukiainen, who had made his way back into the starting eleven, justified his inclusion by scoring a header of his own from close-range. We looked a far better side and were putting together the sort of performance that had been coming. Someone didn't pass this memo on to Kim Nygaard, who picked the ball up after kick off to bend a shot around Amankwah and past Due at his near-post to bring Skive within one goal. However, Alex would restore our two goal lead before the half was over, opening his body up and passing the ball past the onrushing 'keeper after some tidy build-up play. The Brazilian would bag his second of the game on the hour mark after the ball ricocheted around the box after a corner, before falling to Alex who hit a first time volley in from close-range. With one of the last kicks of the game and Skive would give away a penalty. Would Alex step-up to complete his hat-trick? No. Tukiainen took the ball off of his strike-partner and sent the 'keeper the wrong way from twelve yards. I was surprised to see Tukiainen take the penalty, but shy of goals of late it was perhaps in his best interests to add to his tally.



After the game, we would find out that nine (yes, 9!) of our players made it into the Team of the Week, what an achievement for the boys as they've worked tirelessly in training and in games of late!

MATCHDAY 14



For the second time this year, Viborg sought to be a thorn in our side. We went in to the game against Viborg their complete opposite. We would be doing well to avoid a relegation scrap this year, whilst Viborg should be right up there challenging for promotion, yet we find these roles swapped fourteen games in. And we looked good money for our position too, as two minutes in a Tukiainen shot, which was heading for the post at best, took a wicked deflection to leave Jacob Dehn red-faced and us a goal up. The game had a real ebb-and-flow to it for its duration, with both sides stringing together some good sequences of play, yet lacking any real threat. We continued to look the better side and I couldn't have been happier when we were awarded our second penalty in as many games. Up stepped Alex to show Tukiainen why he should be the main man on penalties only for him to roll the ball wide of the right-post. Usually clinical from this range, clearly the competition to be the club's penalty taker had gotten to Alex. Despite this, Viborg couldn't find a way back into the game and the early own-goal would prove to be the winner.





October was kind to us, we finished unbeaten and were one-goal shy of winning all our fixtures this month. What has been particularly impressive is the form of Alex, who in ten league games has hit nine goals and is the league's top goal scorer. It is also worth noting that kept a clean sheet and looked a lot better as a defensive unit this month and hopefully we can use these two factors to push for the top-spot, although that would be a best-case scenario. Our form this month has seen us move up to third in the league, admittedly on goal difference, but we are only three points off of first as the race for promotion looks like it could well and truly go down to the wire! A very good month for TFC and I couldn't be more proud of this team!



November 2019!

The top three are certainly playing better than the chasing pack @Dan, although Fredericia and Hvidovre are definite examples of making the right additions to a squad!

We started the month off with news that the board had agreed the sale of Asger Bust Sorensen, undoubtedly our best central midfielder. Whilst the board justified their decision by saying his contract was running out in a year, I fully intended on renewing his deal and so this was a big blow to lose a player of his quality and for such a little fee too.



In need of a ball-winner now in the middle of the park I turned to the shortlist and approached free agent Kasper Povlsen, who agreed an amateur deal to come to Thisted. Good defensively, though lacking in the physical department, Kasper would be ideal as a player to sit in front of the defence and break-up attacks before they progressed.



However, a day into training with his new team, Kasper would break his leg after a challenge gone wrong. Clearly he hadn't given the best first impression or had previous with one of the players in the squad. Either way, it wasn't meant to be and his contract was ripped up shortly after.

MATCHDAY 7



Bottom side Vendsyssel were the next obstacle in our way. We arrived in good spirits on the back of some decent league results, however the squad turnover in the past few days would prove to be a thorn in our side. We missed a presence in the midfield and failed to get a grasp of the game. The hosts would eventually breakdown our defence before the half-time whistle as pacey striker Adekoya out-jumped his marker to plant the ball into the back of the net. We were better in the second-half, but not good enough to deserve all three points. We would leave with a solitary point however, as Alex dispatched a penalty to claim his first league goal for the club. A fair result in all honesty.

MATCHDAY 8



Back-to-back away games in the league saw us travel to FC Helsingor as we looked to bring all three points back to the Sparekassen Thy Arena. Half an hour in and we would find ourselves trailing for a second game running, as Ramkilde calmly slotted past Due after we failed to clear the ball. Not long after and the home-side doubled their advantage from a corner after we failed to pick up their player, allowing him to convert a free-header past an unmoving Due. We would pull one back however, as Alex again converted from twelve yards. Helsingor would seal all three points late in the second half as they made full use of their advantage in possession. At this point we looked a defeated team and a far cry from the one that kicked off the season just a month ago. The game still had life left in it however, as Andreas Holm was shown a straight red late in the half, and just minutes later Alex would bury another penalty to cause a nervy finish for the home-side. Not a result to be happy about at all, and alarmingly we had failed to score from open play this month. The only positive is to see Alex scoring, which should do wonders for his morale and confidence.



After the game, we would find out that substitute goalkeeper Oliver Ottesen had been recalled by his parent club. A decision I did not see coming but as he wasn't playing I can't complain too much.

DANISH CUP 3RD ROUND



Moving away from league action now and returning home for a game, high flying Hvidovre would be our opponents as we sought to put together a nice cup run. The visitors were looking like a team full of confidence, whilst we looked shaky every time they advanced past half-way. This would all soon change as Alex was sent racing through on goal before taking a clever touch inside to open up an angle to curl the ball past the opposition goalie to give us an early lead, scoring his first goal in open play too. Immediately Hvidovre were all over us, and they were rewarded with a quick equaliser as Bjur got ahead of Olsen at the back stick to poke home. Back to square one. From here on out we played with our backs against the wall and our rotated team looked like conceding at any opportunity, which surprised me when we went into half time even. This was the same story for the second half before Plagborg Christensen curled home a freekick from twenty-five yards to restore our lead and seal our progression to the next round!

MATCHDAY 9



We aimed to build upon our new-found confidence against perineal promotion chasers HB Koge, who truth be told have players good enough to play in the SuperLiga. It was a testament to our team then, that at half-time both teams were level after trading headed goals in the last minutes of the first forty-five. The game would end like this after an uneventful second-half, giving us a well deserved point.

MATCHDAY 10



Along with ourselves, Nykobing FC are the surprise package of the season, flying high in fourth position and looking to be an outsider contender for promotion. They showed this as they sliced open our defence four times from four different positions in the first half alone. We clung on to a shimmer of light however Aziz Essaisi curled a shot into the top corner from the edge of the box after turning his man. Alex would continue his fine vein of form in the absence of goal0shy Tukiainen to hammer the ball in past the 'keeper at the near post to cut the deficit in half. I believed in my boys to get something from the game after Nykobing seemed to switch off or assume the game was over and done with at half-time. Essaisi would punish the visitors for this change in approach twenty minutes later, toe-poked a pall past the 'keeper who could only watch as the ball trickled over the line. The young Swede was not finished here however. In two minutes he would score two more goals, the first a header into the far corner and the second a sublime finish after Alex had sent him clean through with a neat pass. The comeback was completed and travelling fans were heading for the door much like our fans did in the first-half. To their credit, Nykobing did come looking for an equaliser but it was all too little too late as they had ran out of steam. What a day for our boys and what a day for our fans, who were applauded at full time by the players after enduring a torrid first half. I have to say, the partnership between Alex and Essaisi in this game was incredible and should worry Tukiainen, who has looked a shadow of himself so far this term.





We end the month sitting fifth. Interestingly we find ourselves closer to relegation than promotion despite four places separating both outcomes. If we were to finish fifth at the end of the season I wouldn't be too disheartened especially after the drama of last season, but I feel like we have played better than this on occasion this year. Inconsistency and players out of form may be the tune of this month, as Tukiainen was unable to score against the likes of Vendsyssel, whilst the defence shipped ten goals in five games, failing to keep a clean sheet all month. Overall I would say its been a disappointing month and one I'm learning from and hope turn those draws into wins.





October 2019!

You know the way FM works @bigmattb28, Vendsyssel will no doubt hit us for three or four!

Thanks @Dan, I think the squad overhaul has been a big factor and (finally) being allowed to change up the backroom staff too! We’ll just have to see how the season goes.

@bigmattb28, @Dan and @tongey I'm not sure I could sum up our summer window any better than the three of you, let's just hope the squad can jel and push on!

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Oliver Ottesen - 21, GK - Off the back of beating Viborg in the league, young 'keeper Ottesen made his return to the club on a successive loan spell. He finished the last season as our number one, however this year will provide excellent depth in this position and will likely find minutes in cup games.

DANISH CUP 1ST ROUND



Third-tier side Dalum played hosts to the travelling Thisted fans as this seasons Danish Cup got under-way. A heavily rotated side saw a few of the young talents we acquired for free this summer find their way into the starting line-up. But it was the experienced players who rightly so took control of the game. The result was never in doubt as we headed into the dressing room with a four goal lead at half-time. Olesen sealed the victory with a fine goal in the second half as we progressed to the next round with ease.

MATCHDAY 2



Rivals Skive IK made their way to the Sparekassen Thy Arena looking to secure bragging rights in the first of three encounters between the two sides this season. And five minutes in they took the lead as the ball rolled to an unmarked Bersang Sorensen at the edge of the D to rifle a fierce shot into the top corner. No complaints with the goal as no 'keeper in this league would save the shot. Our wing play showed early signs of being key to winning the game when Mads Vang got himself in space before cooly bringing the two sides level. Vang would be involved again as his cross was diverted into the net via a Skive defender. In the midst of this, one-time target Oliver Klitten received his marching orders after a late lunge. Wing-play again was the phrase of the day as five minutes later a ball across the box from Vang found Dyhr unmarked, who controlled the ball before putting the game beyond doubt to continue our fine start.

MATCHDAY 3



FC Fredericia played host to our new-look Thisted side as we sought to make it three from three in the league and four from four in all competitions. We started brightly, creating chances in all sorts of manners with the wide players again causing havoc. But we couldn't put any chances away as Tukiainen endured an indifferent game. Just before the hour mark however and Fredericia failed to clear a corner, Olesen kept the ball alive on the by-line and laid if off to Schafer Bak, who controlled the ball with his left foot before passing the ball into the far corner for the lead. With ten minutes to go the hosts pushed on looking for an equaliser. A fine ball into the box led to a great save from Due, but he could only parry it wide into the path of Holvad who took advantage to steal a point for his team. Despite this, we played really well but we lacked a killer-instinct. This view is echoed by the fans who, although in disbelief in our inability to bring home three points, they did however recognise our performance.





Alex - 28, ST - before our next game we were met with the news that Brazilian striker Alex was granted a Work Permit and would be linking up with the squad. His arrival should lessen the burden on Tukiainen and provides us with a fourth striker in a system that plays two. On the face of things, an absolutely quality player who could be the missing link in our attack.

MATCHDAY 4



Hours after Alex linked up with the squad, he found himself starting against newly promoted Middelfart, in a move which retrospectively may have been naïve. Middelfart ended up leaving with all three points and all credit goes to them for this too. They bossed the midfield and some of the football they were playing was arguably the best they'll play this season. Admittedly we were not at our best, but when a team plays as good a standard of football as Middelfart did, its hard to do anything but applaud the opponents.

MATCHDAY 5



From one team new to the division to another, as recently relegated Hobro IK were our opponents for this one. From the off the quality they had was clear to see and it was evident as to why they are favourites for the title this year. To our credit we looked to be matching their tit for tat. The second half rolled about and the visitors did what any team used to playing a higher quality did. They dragged us out of position, the were quick on the break and they looked assured of scoring. And that they did fifty-free minutes in as a scramble in the box from a corner led to the ball nestling in our goal. We pushed on and looked for an equaliser, which came back to haunt us with five minutes remaining as Hobro came at us with a quick counter, passing the ball in triangles around our lone-defender before putting the game to bed through Gotfredsen's neat finish. Not long after and Tukiainen found himself racing through on goal, creating a tense end to the game as he brought us within one goal. Nothing more would come however and the visitors would run out eventual winners as we fell to our second defeat in as many games.

DANISH CUP 2ND ROUND



It was our turn to be the visiting team from a higher division as we switched attentions from the league to the cup. A heavily rotated team with one eye on the next game faced Marienlyst as the hosts looked for a cup-set. Andreas Heimer opened the scoring in the first half, controlling a ball outside the box before letting it drop and hitting a curling volley into the top corner. A real collector's item. The hosts never looked like troubling us in all honesty and a one-goal lead flattered them for the most part. Ten minutes before time and Heimer grabbed his brace, firing a left-footed shot past the 'keeper after a good tackle from a Marienlyst defender saw the ball roll loose to the edge of the box. Progression in the cup secured, we put our attentions back to the league.

MATCHDAY 6



The last game in a busy month saw a lot of players start the game with heavy legs, which Hvidovre took full advantage of, scoring twice within twenty minutes as we looked to be heading to another defeat and fall off the pace early-doors. Immediately I told the boys to start playing wider, which is something we'd been lacking in recent games. This began to pay dividends as the Hvidovre defence looked stretched trying to deal with our midfield spraying balls around the park. Eventually this would lead us to get not one, but two penalties as our crosses from wide caused real havoc. Up stepped Tukiainen to send the first penalty into the far left corner, before placing the other in the far right corner. Game on. The game fell into a lull as the second half progressed but we kept at it with our wide game, with Mads Vang sending a whipped cross into the box which Sorensen put past his own 'keeper. Comeback completed. Left back Davidsen sealed the victory with a right-footed shot from outside the box which could have taken the 'keeper's head off, after some nice work by Dyhr on the left. Back to winning ways in the league against a team right up their this season!





No less than eight games were played in a busy opening month as we look to upset the pack and finish in the top-half this year. A strong start and finish either side of a patchy few games mid-way through the month and overall I'm happy with what I've seen. The loss to Middelfart was simply a case of a team playing out of the skin and a team not living up to the challenge, whilst the loss to Hobro saw us play a superior side. Ending the month with a win against Hvidovre could really help us going in to September, as we discover that playing wide could be the key to beating teams this year. A good cup-run may help raise my reputation and bring in money to the club, with our next game yet to be drawn.



We find ourselves third in the league at the end of the month, however teams around us have a game in hand and so will be sure to send us down a place or two come the start of September. Overall a huge improvement on last year I'd like to think we could maintain this position in the league. Our next game sees us play bottom-side Vendsyssel FF in a game we'll be sure to lose if my time in management so far has taught me anything. Plus, for whatever reason there seems to be double the amount of relegation places this year so we'll have to be even better this year to avoid the drop!



September's Fixtures and Results

That's some turn around in fortunes @Dan! Looking forward to seeing what the pre-season brings and how the next season pans out

@jameo_94 Ross and Amankwah could be the partnership of dreams if all goes well! Still not a clue how or why Anankwah was convinced to join but as soon as Insaw he was available I offered him as much as I could and good signing on and agent fees to boot! Let’s not jinx anything it’s still early doors, just know now that failure to make the playoffs falls on your shoulders!!!

Thanks @bigmattb28, pre-season is all out of the way and I've got to say I'm feeling optimistic so far.

Ahhhh @Suffolk Seasider a man of good taste and culture - a connoisseur of a DF. Now the summer is out of the way I can say that I've built the best team I could for the coming year AND I've managed to sort out an Assistant and a Coach. Go big or go home mentality.

@jameo_94 Scenes indeed, and sending Fremad down was my pleasure!

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We got straight into action this preseason. Identifying players to bring to the club as soon as the curtain came down on last year's competition. No less than twelve players came into the club with five leaving for another club, with more players leaving on a free with no club in mind. Of those twelve incomings, two go straight into the Under-18s having been released by top teams on the continent, whilst experienced goalie Vavilin was released when I realised there was better options available.







Nicolas Madsen - 19, DM/MC - the first of four signings from parent club FC Midtjylland, Nicolas will be a player to mostly make an impact off of the bench, whilst also deepening our options in the middle of the park. No monthly fee or wages to be paid for the robust midfielder is a major plus against his name too.



Nicolas Dyhr - 18, MR - the second player to come from our parent club and the second Nicolas too. You'd be forgiven for thinking we were going to sign a team of all Nicolas' this year based on these dealings so far. Brought in to provide competition for Mads Vang on the right side of midfield, Nicolas possess all the right qualities to stake a starting berth for us. Versatile enough to play further up the pitch or even in the middle should the 4-4-2 not work out, I look forward to seeing what he brings to the team.



Mattaeus Andersen - 18, DM/MC/DC - the third of our quartet brought in from Midtjylland, Mattaeus is a very similar type of player to Nicolas Madsen. Blessed with good physicals and pace, with good defensive capabilities too. Able to play up the spine of the team he should add some good quality depth to the team and may even find himself getting a good amount of minutes from the bench.



Lukas Giessing - 20, DR - the fourth player to arrive from our parent club, Lukas' transfer comes with some bad news. We've lost Glenn. He's gone, but he served a noble cause of freeing up wages and transfer budget space. Truly a modern martyr. Back to Lukas and I feel like we've secured a starting quality right-back, allowing Olsen to drop to the bench. A quick and technically gifted defender, Lukas adds some real quality to our new-look backline!



Mathias Ross - 18, DC - compared to what we had available last year in the centre-back position, Mathias is a whole level above. Standing at six-foot-three, Mathias possess excellent aerial ability and has a good amount of pace to boot. The first natural Central Defender in the squad he forms a brand new partnership at the back and could prove to be an excellent acquisition should we survive this season.





Mads Schafer Bak - 29, MC/AMC - capable of playing a wealth of positions, Mads was plying his trade in the Third Division until this point. An all-round midfielder who, when compared to our options from last year (i.e. Tved Hansen) is absolutely leagues above. Natural in attacking midfield, Mads will find himself predominantly playing in the centre of the park as a Deep Lying Midfielder, though truth be told I'd be happy playing him in any role in the middle. A real coup for the club, I'm very excited to see what he can bring to the table this year.



Viljormur Davidsen - 28, DL - a clear starter at this level if ever I had seen one, Vilj had previously been playing in the top division however had found minutes hard to come by. His signing paved the way for Broder Nielsen to turn his back on the club and leave for free but when a player as good as Vilj is in the team these things tend to be less of a worry. Attribute-wise, Vilj is quick and physical, whilst also possessing great mentals and defensive abilities too. As with most of our signings this year he is a real step up in quality compared to last year and a player who could be massively important too.



Yaw Amankwah - 31, DC - turning our for Hobro IK last year as they were relegated, Yaw joins the club for free after not renewing his contract. I'd been following his situation for a number of weeks and once he was available I offered him a bumper deal to fend off competition from clubs dotted around Europe. Undoubtedly the best centre-back the club has seen since my arrival, Yaw is big, strong, quick and maybe, just maybe, too good for this level in all seriousness. Partnering Ross at the back this year, I feel like we have one of the best centre-back partnerships in the league. What a coup!!!



Frederik Due - 27, GK - it was midway into my tenue last season that I realised two things. The first was that then first choice 'keeper Rosenorn wasn't a stand-out player for this league (though that didn't stop Arsenal, yes Arsenal, from snapping him up once listed). Secondly, our other goalie last season was on loan and so we were left without a quality player in that area of the park on a permanent basis. Frederik has amassed over one-hundred appearances across his career, which although not the best for a player entering his late twenties, it is enough for me to decide to sign him up. Again fitting a trend of players who are huge improvements on last year, he should be our number one for years to come.



Confirmation then of Rosenorn's strange move to Arsenal. Listed to free up room in the squad for Due, as well as acting as a straight swap in terms of wages, I'm still not too sure why the north London club plumped to sign him but these things happen. Best of luck to the lad, however I think he'll find minutes hard to come by.



I'm very happy with how this window went for us. Players left that needed to, whilst deals to take other players way from the club are still in the works. The club entrusted me with a budget and I decided to make full use of this to sign good quality players and pay them money to reflect this. In essence, we were given money to spend so why not spend it. Saying this, I feel as if the contracts given out aren't extortionate either, as player demands were initially higher. In terms of the quality brought in to the club, its there to see how good some of these players are compared to others in the squad. The first XI has improved drastically however this may affect performance to begin with as players learn to gel with each other. I couldn't be happier with the signings made and there may yet be one or two additions to come.

MATCHDAY 1



Viborg were the last team we faced last year and so it was only fitting for them to be the first team we played this year. In both of my encounters with them we failed to register a win, with the hosts almost relegating us last term lest we forget. So we know they have quality and will be right up there, or thereabouts, come the end of the season. Immediately we seemed a different beast, passes were pinging about the pitch and players were striding forward with a new confidence. We had a great spell of dominance in the first half an hour which resulted in who else but Tukiainen getting across his man at the near post to turn a Dyhr cross past the Viborg 'keeper after Schafer Bak set the young winger free with a looping header. But would you believe me if I told you we conceded late in the first half? Frustrating yes, but whereas heads would have dropped last season, the players seemed unnerved and in the second half maintained a good, positive style of play. Just after the hour mark, debutant Davidsen saw an opportunity to release substitute Essaisi with a long-ball over the top. The young striker raced on to the ball and prodded home over the onrushing goalkeeper to secure all three points. A stark contrast to last season, and a performance to be proud of. I can't wait to see what the rest of the season has in store for us!



August's Fixtures and Results!

Thanks @Dan, I'll be hoping to avoid the same again next year! It can't be good for the heart!

If they've got Spoons in Denmark @tongey, mine will be a Dark Fruits from the fans I think definitely time to build!

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What a year we had on a personal level. Getting our first job and steering a team rooted to the bottom of the table to safety if only by head-to-head results! Having managed fourteen games now I feel as if I have a better feeling as to who the better players are in the team and who to keep in the side going forward next year, but more on that later. Similarly, I feel as if I have a better understanding of the set-up required to get players firing on all cylinders. This year we cycled between three systems but I think that for the foreseeable future we'll channel our inner Mike Bassett (albeit his Danish counterpart) and play a 4-4-2. My decision for doing so is based on three factors. Firstly, it provides us with enough structural stability at the back and in midfield to not have any glaring holes in the team. Secondly, it allows us to play two strikers in an attempt to overcome the lack of goals we faced at times this season, or at the least it allows us to take the pressure of Tukiainen to some extent. Lastly, as you'll see from our Team of the Season, we played our apparent best football in a 4-4-2.



Awards-wise it comes as no surprise to me that Tukiainen was the runaway Player of the Year, although I am somewhat shocked that veteran Jeppe Mehl came in second place, with his physicals fropping off due to his age it may shock fans to know that his spot in the squad next season is not a guarantee. Alexander Tved Hansen picked up the Signing of the Season and in all honesty it could have been a toss up between him and Broder Nielsen as a lot of our signings in the winter either failed to perform or we only ever brought in to provide depth. Right-midfielder Mads Vang picked up the Young Player of the Year award after putting in some impressive displays since we took over. He's one player who will have locked down their position in the team for next year and a player who I am all too happy to have in the squad.





Overall this season has to go down as a disappointing one. Dumped out of the cup before I had even arrived and only securing our status in the league on the last day. Having been predicted to achieve mid-table safety this is a sign that there is quality in the squad greater than what has been shown this year and should act as a platform for us to gauge our predictions for next season from. Undoubtedly the best and worst performances came within a number of days against Silkeborg and Lyngby at the back-end of the season. Shockingly however we had an average attendance figure of only 9% our capacity. This is obviously in part due to our poor performances but may suggest an underlying problem at the club. Abysmal yet equally interesting too.



On the Job Security front it seems the board are yet to really make up their mind about my position and hold a generally indifferent view on my reign so far. Notably they are less pleased with the tactics used (perhaps in part due to the changing of system regularly) whilst the Dressing Room Atmosphere was already poor when I took over, saw a slight renaissance at the end of April-early May before recent performances have dropped it down slightly. The dressing room and dynamics in general may all be subject to change this summer depending on how our window goes, which leads nicely on to the next topic...



This is the squad we have here at Thisted at the end of the season. All the players highlighted are ones which I am open to either releasing or selling them on due make room in the budgets and free up some squad space. On first glance this seems to be about half of the current playing squad and so I am sure that not all players will be moved on as there are some who only just make the list. Supplement this with the promotion of players from Thisted II and from the Under-18's there are players already in the club capable of replacing some of these squad players. Additionally too there will be some incomings, with some deals already edging over the line. Loan deals will end, whilst the players not even on the bench never really played under me and some of the winter transfers just sadly didn't pan out.



What's next for Thisted FC I hear you ask? Well, some contracts will be renewed and the hunt for players will begin immediately. Over the season we've developed a growing shortlist with players who could become available this window or who are deemed to need experience via the loan system. Tactically, we will need to play a full preseason under our preferred 4-4-2, though a back up plan will be drafted up in the event this doesn't work out for us. For me, I am quite looking forward to a full season in the NordicBet Liga developing my skills as a manager and studying for our qualifications. Past this, if a team do come knocking over the foreseeable future then why not entertain it?



Summer Deals and Pre-Season!

The biggest month of my career in charge of Thisted, this isn't hard mind you I've only been here for three months but if things don't go to plan I won't last another month past this.

MATCHDAY 29



The month started with a huge game away to fellow strugglers Naestved. Winning this game after beating Fremad Amager would be a huge sign of our desire to stay afloat in the Nordicbet Liga. Both teams went for it, though it became evident for all to see why both teams had fallen upon tough times with neither team creating any chances of quality. The game could have been much different however had midfield anchor Asger Bust Sorensen converted from the spot but he was denied by a fine save from the opposition 'keeper. Just how much would we come to rue that miss? Just how much would we regret not putting clear daylight between ourselves and the drop-zone?



Hours after the draw to Naestved I was presented with this piece of news. Four clubs who could all mathematically occupy the two relegation places, two sets of fans would be relieved come the end of the month whilst the other sets of fans gear up for life in the third-tier. Clearly, we find ourselves in the toughest position. We quite literally could not have a tougher run-in of games. For me in my first job in management, with no qualifications or past experience it would take a miracle to overcome the odds and finish with the team still in the league. We have it all to do that much is for sure.

MATCHDAY 30



League leaders Silkeborg IF made there way to our place as they looked to secure the league-title whilst we aimed to avoid defeat. Ten minutes in and we found ourselves back at the spot, and this time Bust Sorensen stroked the ball into the far corner to send the goalie the wrong way. A minute later and second-striker Essaisi raced through on goal with the angle against him, but he drilled the ball along the floor with some pace to keep the 'keeper unawares at his near post. This is exactly the performance we needed. The opposition offered little to nothing in the first half and their ears must still have been ringing when the whistle blew for the second half and they wasted no time in restoring parity between the two sides. From offering nothing to looking much the better team all in the space of seven minutes. Changes needed to be made and fresh legs, fresh ideas were needed in midfield. Thankfully this paid off after some neat build-up play led to Tukiainen tapping in at the near post after latching on to a low cross. Though not shown on the review, goal-scored Bust Sorensen would go on to pick up a second yellow card with some twenty minutes to go. We put everything we could into stopping their advances with substitute Olesen acting as a lone striker and the only player given the license to attack. To his credit, he held the ball well, chased down the opposition and was duly rewarded when Mads Vang crossed from deep for Olesen to plant a header in past the 'keeper to secure a massive win! Strangely enough, this result was enough for Silkeborg to win the title.

MATCHDAY 31



Second placed Lyngby were our hosts as we looked to build from our impressive home result last weekend. They gave us a masterclass not only in creating chances, but in scoring them too. This is not to discredit our own performance however as the five shots on target we had were high-quality chances, either being met with a good save or a timely block but on another day we could have given them a run for their money. Truly, they got everything right whilst we could not match their quality.

MATCHDAY 32



We found ourselves equal on points with Naestved going into this one, with the missed penalty still clear as day in our minds. HB Koge were the next obstacle in our way and what a test they proved to be. Superb at the back and in midfield they suffocated our lads from the off, making it hard for us to create chances and get a good amount of touches on the ball. It was no surprise then, when Mohamed Daramy gave the hosts the lead. As the stats showed, we were heavily under the cosh and had our backs against the wall. The wolves were well and truly at the door, or so it seemed. Just before the half and we found ourselves on level terms when Tukiainen put the ball into the back of the net against the run of play. From here on out we offered very little in the game, with Ottesen in goal having to make a number of saves and the defence in general throwing their bodies in front of oncoming shots. Definitely one point gained. Naestved meanwhile lost their game, giving us a one-point gap going into the final game-week of the season.

MATCHDAY 33



An away game to play-off chasing Viborg FF who we had previously drawn against. Elsewhere in the league 11th placed Naestved faced 12th placed Fremad Amager with all three teams still in the mix for relegation. Nerves were high and this is exactly why I got into management. Games like this define a manager's credentials and all of this was in my mind when the referee blew the whistle for kick-off. We got off to the worst possible start after three minutes when the hosts took the lead after we failed to clear our lines and deal with successive crosses. Would you believe it, but in injury time of the first half we conceded another late goal, with Moses heading into the far corner (and not parting our defence like the red sea as you may imagine). Two down, forty-five minutes remaining with other games in play. It all came down to this. One last roll of the dice. We changed away from the 4-1-2-3 again to a 4-3-3 with Tukiainen, Essaisi and Olesen spearheading our attack. This looked to pay off for us when Tukiainen scored yet again the put us within one-goal of a point. But it was not meant to be. We fell to a 2-1 defeat against Viborg. It all came down to how the Naestved vs Fremad game played out, we left it out of our hands and we could live to regret this. We got into the dressing room and checked the scores around the leagues...





A draw between the two bottom sides meant that we managed to stay in the league by the skin of our teeth and a better head-to-head record than Naestved. Relief. We have a lot of work to do over the summer and a lot of work to do tactically. Maybe now the board will let me hire staff, we lack an Assistant, we lack Coaches, we lack Fitness Coaches, truly this has been a lonely job so far. What I have seen since coming in to the club has been a great deal of inconsistency on the pitch. Some games we will look bereft of confidence playing a lesser side, other games we will face a top side and put four or five past them in some instances. Tukiainen will score a hat-trick one game and then fluff his lines for the next two, despite finishing as the second top goalscorer in the league. We still have no set formation and we've been rotating between a 4-1-2-3, a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-4-2 for some time now. All areas need addressing, but for now we can relax for a day or two knowing we did enough.





We played our first game in charge at home to Lyngby at the beginning of March and since then have gone on to record seventeen points from fourteen games this amounts to just over half of the points for the season whilst also picking up four of the seven wins for the year. I believe that if given a full season we would certainly do better than this, especially when you consider the fact that of our fourteen games in charge, a majority of these games have seen last minute equalisers conceded or last minute winners conceded at such a high rate that I believe they should iron themselves out and become a thing of the past. Generally, the form did improve its their in the numbers although a number of factors did seemingly go against us. Good work I'd say, for a manager in his first job with no coaching experience.

Right then, pub anyone?



End of Season Awards and Plans for Next Season.

Never managed in Asia myself so I'll be rooting for you! The squad looks good enough to push on for top-half, mind it looks like its ever so slightly ageing in certain areas!

Some good performances in there despite the scorelines @r96Skinner! I'm sure you'll be able to crack on, good luck!

Good luck in Scotland! That Gary Fisher looks a player

@Suffolk Seasider a lot of action for just one game that’s for sure, would’ve been happy with a dull 1-0 win!

@r96Skinner it’s got to be one the tightest relegation scraps I’ve seen let alone be a part of!

Fingers crossed @Dan!

So then, I’ve just finished off playing the season and I find myself in need of a walk to get some fresh air! Make of that what you will...

@jameo_94 the late goals were particularly infuriating I'll admit! An ex-Nykobing manager, eh? Small world Who knows, maybe your wish will come true this update...

@Suffolk Seasider I think its a mix of concentration and the fact that the board won't let me hire any backroom staff due to an empty promise I made in the interview process. This has however left me without any coaches or replacements for my HoYD and Assistant Manager who have both left this month.

@Looch I'd have to agree, there is plenty of room to develop into good players for this league, that is of course, providing we can stay in the league!

@tongey the late goals don't do a great deal for the morale of the players and manager alike!

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MATCHDAY 25



FC Helsingor were our hosts as we looked to kick on and secure safety at the back-end of the season. If my tenue in Denmark has taught me one thing so far its that games are never over until the final whistle blows. Truth be told we never really started playing, I questioned whether or not we even travelled for the game, let alone got off of the bus. To the surprise of nobody, the hosts scored late on in the game as it looked like we might have been stealing a point until goalie Mathias Rosenorn punched a cross when he could've caught it, with the ball falling to a Helsingor attacker to tap home. However, it was finally our turn to score an injury time goal, when the opposing goalie spilt a cross himself, allowing Pedersen to score an equaliser. But things were not over. Helsingor played a fast cross into the box, one deflection and one failed clearance later and Hvidt was all too happy to stab home in the last minute of the game. A late goal conceded, points dropped, are we at all surprised?

MATCHDAY 26



Nykobing came to our place looking to take three points, but with a change away from our 4-1-2-3 formation to a more creative 4-2-3-1 due to a lack of chances created in recent games, were they going to be successful? The change of formation and the change of personnel saw us create more chances, more shots to test the opposition goalkeeper. But nothing to show for it. We looked promising with our wing-play, plenty of balls around the back or over the top, but yet again losing the battle in the middle of the park. As entertaining a nil-nil as we could've had and a point on the table too. Onwards and upwards.

MATCHDAY 27



What a game this was by the way. Can we play with ten men every week? FC Roskilde came into this came comfortably mid-table, whilst we remained rooted to the foot of the table. Seven minutes in and the hosts found themselves ahead after Larsen was left free at the far post to head home. It was at this point that I realised something. Against the teams higher up in the league we will conceded goals, and on the rare occasions that we don't concede, we will fail to break them down. For the remainder of the game we pushed everyone forward to score as many goals as possible. This paid dividends when Finnish marksman Tukiainen got himself free in the box to score the equaliser. Straight from kick-off and the hosts played the ball down the left-hand channel only for Broder Nielsen to clothes-line his man on the edge of the box. No complaints from me, he had to go. On came Glenn to fill the void at the back. Roskilde took advantage of our attacking nature and man disadvantage to easily re-take the lead just four minutes later. Four minutes later and Glenn picked the ball up just over the hald-way line and played a deep cross to the back stick for Mads Vang who got ahead of his man before calmly beating the 'keeper. Tukiainen then decided to put the team on his back and scored twice more in the first half after two more pinpoint passes from Glenn. Whilst the second half was still young Roskilde found themselves one goal short after Alexander Tved Hansen got his goal-line clearance all wrong and instead slammed the ball further into his own goal. Tukiainen wasn't finished however, as mid-way through the second half he raced clear of the home-sides defence to loft a good finish into the far corner. If ever there was a game to kick-start our season it would be this. If ever there was a game to summarise our "you score three, we score four" mantra it was this. WHAT. A. RESULT.

MATCHDAY 28



Days after the scenes of the last game, fellow strugglers Fremad Amager came to town after surely hearing of Tukiainen's heroics. And it was Tukiainen who opened the scoring, latching on to a delightful ball over the top to caress a first-time volley into the far corner without even breaking stride. Half an hour later and Mads Vang picked the ball up from a throw-in before drilling the ball along the ground at pace where fellow winger Olesen duly applied the finish. Inevitably however, we would concede, and inevitably it would be in the later stages of the game. Brajanac got the better of on-loan goalie Ottesen, who has found himself in the starting XI of late, to give me a headache late on. But for once we saw the game out to claim all three points. You could argue this to be an even more important win than the last.





After picking up seven points from twelve this month we find ourselves safe of the drop for now. Beating Fremad Amager could prove to be huge and we'll need another performance against Naestved to give ourselves some breathing space. What a month this has been for the boys in blue, with Sakari Tukiainen already becoming a favourite of mine two-months in. Let's not get carrier away too soon as we still have to play some of the bigger and better teams in the league, but with momentum starting to build who knows how the season could end!





May's fixtures and results!

I’ll throw a spanner in the works and say take the Dergview job! Look forward to seeing how this goes on @DNZY!

That’s unlucky with the Boavista interview, but what will be will be I suppose! Fantastic few seasons in the books already, definitely have something to build from going forward! I’ll be following this!

@Suffolk Seasider thank you, and it's good to be back! Glad to have you along for the ride!

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MATCHDAY 20



So this was it, my first game as a manager, in a league I knew next to nothing about in a country where I didn't speak a word of the native language. What could go wrong. For the best part of seventy minutes seemingly nothing could go wrong. At home to second placed Lyngby (one of the few sides in the division I actually had heard of before) we found ourselves two goals up and playing some good football. This of course all changed when the defence all began to walk off down the tunnel for full time... or rather they may as well have because they had certainly stopped playing. Lyngby took full advantage and duly scored three goals in almost as many minutes. Furiously, I barked a set of instructions to the players and pushed the team up and it paid dividends when Olesen scored what I thought would be a dramatic late equaliser for us, only for the defence to fall asleep in the very last minute to concede a fourth goal in twenty-five minutes. Not the start I'd hoped for but I could take solace in knowing that there are goals in this team. Generally speaking though, absolutely fuming.

MATCHDAY 21



Another of the league's better sides travelled to the Sparekassen Thy Arena the following matchday as we looked to put the last game behind us. Falling behind before the hour mark was obviously not in the script I had planned, but we fought back with some excellent football of our own and a quickfire double saw us take the lead against Viborg. We looked set for all three points until we conceded yet another goal in injury time to ensure the visitors left with a point. It seems that seeing games out until the end may be a real problem for us and may be an indicator as to why we sit bottom of the league. Not a game we were predicted to win, yet a game we came so close to doing just that in. Positives to be taken for sure, but there's plenty of scope for improvement.

MATCHDAY 22



Our first away game as Thisted manager saw us travel south of Copenhagen to play HB Koge, another of the few teams I'd heard of before taking this job. As the stats show, it was a real backs against the wall type game for us and a game in which, truth be told, we were completely dominated in from the off. HB Koge kept two-thirds of the possession and took a staggering twenty-seven shots, but yet again it was our failure to see out a half that came to haunt us yet again. The opposition found the breakthrough on the stroke of half-time before sealing the game in second-half injury time. Admittedly we never looked like getting back into the game, but I can't help but wonder that if we had held on to end of each half we could have at least came away with a point. But ultimately it just wasn't in the cards for us. One point from our opening three games, things are looking bleak.

MATCHDAY 23



For whatever reason things just hadn't been going our way in recent matches. Opposition scoring late goals, goals that deflect off of one of our own and goals where the ball fires around our box like a pinball before falling to an opposition striker. Not an ideal start to my career in management. So, things needed to change. Personnel were swapped, roles were changed and key defender Sebastian Broder Nielsen was now fit enough to claim a starting berth. Twenty-six minutes in and Tukiainen got ahead of his marker to tap in at the near-post, whilst Asger BS got on the end of a deep Tved Hansen free-kick to head past the FC Fredericia goalie. Lets not get carried away however, we were again on the back foot for the majority of the game however the defence stood strong and played for their place in the league, blocking most shots that came at them and clearing the ball with equal efficiency. Could this be the catalyst we need to push on?

MATCHDAY 24



Following on from our win on our own patch, we travelled to Hvidovre looking to gain some momentum and push on in the league with results around us going in our favour. A bore draw is what we were met with however. On the plus side however the defence has tightened up with Maatsen and Broder Nielsen locking down their spots as starters. However, its becoming painstakingly obvious that we need to not only create more chances, but take them when we get them. Or at most, create higher quality chances.





Yep you guessed it, we still sit bottom of the league, however the gap between us Fremad Amager has been cut down to two points, whilst the gap to safety has been cut down to four points. Speaking optimistically, I think we have it in us to survive (although surely that's it jinxed now) with our run in being more favourable than those around us, with three of the top five teams played this month and our performance against a lesser side like Fredericia proving hope. For now though all we can do is focus on the next match and make every point count.







On a lighter note we had our Youth Intake day this month with two players having stand-out potential in this year's crop. Fifteen year-old striker Jesper Mortensen and fellow local lad Jes Gade certainly possess the potential to be first team players this year, and if we can secure safety with games remaining then they will certainly get a cameo at the back-end of the season.

Fantastic.