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A New Era In Akademisk Boldklub

Ozzy Boudreaux was presented to the news media on a sunny afternoon in Gladsaxe. The 60 year-old has taken a huge leap by taking the reigns with the professional team in Denmark. What makes it more interesting is that Ozzy does not have the foggiest idea of how to speak, or understand, the Danish language. Luckily, most of the people he has encountered so far speak English, but it will be interesting to see how he handles it when the language is more of a barrier then an aid to communication.

Boudreaux entered the press room to take a few questions from the press. Ozzy sat down and took a sip of his coffee before taking his first question.

“Mr Boudreaux, how does it feel to be taking over a football club in a country where you do not speak the language?”

~ The classic answer is that ‘football is a language unto itself….’ but the truth is, I am not sure how to deal with this. I hope to learn as much as I can as quickly as I can. I will also have to rely on players who speak English to relay my instructions to the other players. We will figure something out. Also, please call me Ozzy…all of you. 'Mr Boudreaux' makes me sound old.

“Mr Boud…I mean…Ozzy…you said that calling you ‘Mr Boudreaux’ makes you sound old…but you are just 6 days short of your 61st birthday. So doesnt that make you a little old?”

~Okay, that is a legitimate question, but isnt age just a stage of mind? I dont feel old, I feel ‘experienced in life’ and I feel that experience can assist me in building this team back into what it used to be.

“Ozzy. What do you think about the history of the club? Have you had a chance to research it?”

~ I had the interview via Zoom while I was at home in North Carolina. It was sort of out of the blue…kind of unexpected for me to be honest. They called the next day to offer me the job and even booked my flight here. So I spent the flight reading up on the team. What a history! I am ready for the chance to write a new chapter in this inspiring story. Yea, things have been tough for the last few seasons, but that is what is going to make the success we achieve even better.

“What are your plans for the squad?"

~ I am not sure what say at this point. I have not had a chance to evaluate the team on the pitch yet. I have not had a chance meet the coaches either. That will be the first thing I tackle.

That' was the end of the press conference. Short and sweet. We were told that he would be doing one of these every week. Hopefully he can provide more of an analysis than what we got today.

Start of the Career

Loaded Leagues

Team Profile

Manager Profile

Start of the Career

Boxing Day…the day before my 1st match.

I have been scouring the free agents and have brought some in, if I can get them signed, would be a huge upgrade on the team. One cool thing about this league is that 2 trialists can plan in each match, up to 3 matches each. So even though the side is weak I can use trialists until I can hopefully bring in some new blood.

I will also need to try to sign players to amateur contracts. I hate that money is going to be the deciding factor about the players I decide to sign, but that is the reality of it.

The match tomorrow is away at Burntisland, who are currently 3rd in the table. Only 19% of our supporters think we have a chance of winning. I hope to prove them wrong!

Match Day!

I have to admit that they played much better than I had expected. I hate to park the bus but with the squad and against the quality we were facing I felt it was the only way we had a chance. Luckily, in the 26th minute we caught them off guard and were able to score a lovely goal from a cross from the right side. We withstood their onslaught and the team never cracked, until the 49th minute when they fired the ball over the wall and into the back of the net from a free kick just outside of the box. We actually had a chance to win it in the 81st minute on another counter, but Faulds sent the ball just wide of the net. We only had 21 supporters at the match. Hopefully they enjoyed it as much as I did! That made 13 in a row unbeaten for Burntisland, wish we could have stopped that streak…

We remain 11th in the table, at least we didnt lose any ground! Now on to next month, lets see if we can actually win a match or 2!
 

23 Dec 2025
Got in town last night and I think I slept 2 hours since then. Luckily I dont start my security job until after the new year, so I have some time to take a look at the facilities and the squad.

The facilities are what you would expect for a club like this/ Nothing to write home about, you take what you can get.

Now for the squad analysis…….

Goalkeepers: There is only one, and he isnt that good. He is complaining about not getting to start much, but his reflexes are atrocious so I will be looking to bring in someone to replace him. He is on an amateur contract, so no biggie if I can replace him.

Fullbacks: There is 1 right back and 1 left back. They are good players so I will look for a fringe player or 2 that can back them up. I dont want to spend anything to bring in these backups.

Central Defenders: There are 3 on the team, one that can anchor the back line and the other 2 are not good enough to sit in the 1st row of the stands. So this will be another target area.

Central Midfield/Defensive Midfield: Once again, only 3 on the squad. One is serviceable and the other 2, well, they can join the central defenders in the stands. So this is another area of need to add to the list.

Attacking Mid Right: There are 2 that will be joining the spectators as soon as I can find anyone to join the squad, they are basically bench-fillers for now.

Attacking Mid-Left: This is the strength of the squad. Luckily one of these 2 top-class players can play on the right. But I still need to bring in some fringe players, just in case.

Strikers: It appears they were playing a 2-striker formation because there is a really good striker, a somewhat good one and one that would be lucky to hit a barn wall that was right in front of him.

Looking at the players and what they are good at, I finally settled on a formation. I had been reading a book about different roles and formations on the train journey, hopefully I can apply some of what was in it. I decided to use a 4-3-3 counter-attacking formation.  The book did a good job explaining the roles and specific tactics to use, but, based on the players I have and their skillset, I am going to have to tweak those a little bit. The president had forwarded me a file with the player reports for me to review before I got there…which helped alot.

Staff Additions
I hit the web and found some staff that are at least not “unsuited” for their roles and offered them amateur contracts. Hopefully I get positive responses to those offers.

Lots got done, but more to do! 
 

21 Dec 2025

I had let it be known that I was interested in this job. I was starting to think that even though the supporters considered me a great candidate that the board had other ideas. But then 2 weeks later they finally interviewed me. The interview went great (I even told them I needed a much more substantial payroll) and was hired by Dalkeith Thistle in the EoS 2nd Division (185th ranked competition in Europe) in Scotland. They are in 11th place. 11 points from 13 matches, 3 points above the relegation spots (14th & 15th) which are relegated to EoS 3rd Division, which the objective is to avoid relegation. They offered me a contract until May 2027 with a salary of $6K per year, promotion raise of 20%. I was told the language in the contract about them not being able to retain me if we are relegated….I hope we dont have to use that clause!

I thought that this was so crazy because the regiment that we were providing support to at the army base was from Scotland. I told the lads that I would be transferring to Scotland and taking the job with the club while still working full-time in security. I know it is going to be tough, but what better way to see if I am up to this!

The club was founded in 1892 and plays home matches at King’s Park, which holds 2K supporters. They last won a competition in 2012. So lots of history…without much history at all.

The bank balance is $57K and the payroll is $33K while we are spending about 76% of it. I will need to bring in some more players though, and half of the squad is wanted by other teams. There are 2 coaches on the staff (no assistant or HOYD) and no medical staff, which will be a huge need! I also have a Chief Scout and can hire a GM as well as 2 scouts. I wont fill all of those openings as the players are the top concern. I will probably hire a physio, another Scout and a HOYD, but I want to make sure I have youngsters that need to be developed first!

The supporters, well, there are 641 social media followers, 70 season ticket holders and we average 79 per match. So definite room for improvement there. There may only be a small number of supporters, but they exert immense influence on the board, so definitely need to keep them happy.

The season goes until 2 May 2026 with 15 teams in the division, playing each other twice. So almost half of the season is already gone. The transfer window opens on 1 Jan and closes 1 Feb. So hopefully some time to get some improvements in the squad.

My first match will be in 6 days so no time to even unpack! I loaded everything I owned into the back of the taxi (it was only a couple of bags) and headed to the station to catch the train to Scotland.

Here we go! Once I get there and get a chance to evaluate the squad I will update this documentation. 

Oh yea, I have decided to keep a record of my experiences, so maybe it will be something to look back on and say “this is where it all started” or at worst…"this is where I went wrong…"
 

Hired!

Ready or Not World - Here I Come!

Manager Setup

I hope you find it interesting, this one is going to have a different feel as well. I am going to be writing it from the perspective of, well, me. It will be more like diary entries, my notes while managing. So except for the league tables, maybe some player profiles, and anything else I find interesting, I wont be relying alot on screenshots.

If it doesnt develop the way I am hoping, I may change the direction I take with the save, we will see.

I also hope that I dont have any issues with the save as well. 

Anyway, here we go! Thanks for following along!

7 Jul 2025

Well, here I am, not sure of what is going to happen next, but I definitely wont know unless I take this first step. I was born in Defiance (is that a place or a state of mind?), almost 23 years ago. After high school I couldnt figure out what to do so I joined the US Air Force. My Dad had been a volunteer firefighter and I even went on some of his runs and I saw the sense of pride those guys had when they successfully battled a fire and I knew I wanted to be a part of that. So I told the recruiter that is what I wanted to do. He tried to change my mind, I had done so well on the tests, but my mind was made up. So there I was. I served in England for a while and fell in love with it. I traveled as much as I could, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and to the continent. I knew this is where I wanted to stay. After I got out, I got a job with a security firm near Cambridge, guarding a British Army base of all places and started to settle into my new life.

Where does football come into all of this? I played in high school and wasnt too bad, even if I say so myself. Once I got in the service, I found out there were teams on the bases I was on and I played in those as well. I had also started coaching some of the youth teams on the bases, and even ventured into managing in the local communities. The first couple of years were not anything to write home about. But as I talked to other managers and watched the wonderful game on TV, I started to get better and really enjoyed myself.

The guys on my security team would kid me about being the “Yank” and encouraged me to try to find a gig managing an adult side. I would tell them that I had just started my job and didnt want to go through that process again. One day, the team chief pulled me aside and told me the company was throughout Europe and he would endorse me transferring to another site if I could get a manager’s gig.

So here we are, I am working 12-hour shifts at the base and spending my free time managing a local U-13 side (we have only lost 3 matches) and scanning the boards looking for a gig that I might be interested in.

Hang on….here we go!

Save Update

I am sorry to report that my save file has become corrupt. I do not know for sure what has happened. It may be due to the updates to FM that along the way, something broke. I knew it was a risk to try to keep a save going with the number of updates the game had gotten, but it had been working well….up until today.

So thanks to those who followed along. I think I am going to give it a go again, just somewhere else.

It was fun while it lasted.

2027 - 28 Roster

Goalkeepers

Ricardo Morias: 26 yrs old. His status as an important player seemed a forgone conclusion. He was making great progress and had just signed a new contract through 2029…and then he got injured. There was no one available to bring in on a short-term loan. So it looks like I will have a position battle when he returns from injury.

Joao Bravim: 29 yrs old. Signed as a Star, was tough negotiating the contract with him and ended up signing the largest contract on the team, $119K through 2029. But he will be a great piece in case Morias struggles.

Diogo Pereira: 19 yrs old. A break-through-prospect, who will have a hard time getting any playing time. He just isnt good enough. Once Morias is back from injury, he will be moved to the U-19 squad.

Joao Ventura: 22 yrs old. On the U-29 squad, just isnt good enough to be with the main squad. But does a good job holding down the fort with the U-19s.

Right Fullback/Wingbacks

Nelson Sousa: 21 yr old future prospect. Will be on the U-19 squad unless there is a dire emergency. He is on the loan list to allow him to get some playing time.

Tomas Marques: 22 yr old who can play both right and left back. He is not quite ready to be in the starting 11. But will be a great option on the bench in case he is needed.

Nuno Correia: This 21 yr-old break-through-prospect is a great addition to the team. I think he might well develop into our best fullback.

David Monteiro: I signed this 23 yr-old to step into the starting 11. Marques is just not ready and Monteiro has some great mental capabilities which lead me to think that Merieles will not be missed long.

Central Defenders

Bernardo Fontes: 26 yrs old and a great asset to have on the bench. He can step in as a central defender or a defensive midfielder. Played great last season, just not sure about him being able to match the level of play in the 3rd Division.

Goncalo Zuzarte: 24 yr old who will be a good asset to have on the bench. May make him available for the U-19 squad to keep him ready to play, just in case.

Vinicius Bertuchi: I still cant believe I was able to sign him last season. He is by far the best player on the squad. 22 yrs old and signed through 2030, yea, he is a one to build that back line off of.

Octavio: I needed to upgrade the other central defender and was lucky to find him. 25 yrs old and also signed through 2030, but at a much higher contract than Bertuchi.

Carlos Semedo: 18 yrs old and a fringe player who will be on the U-19 squad. He has alot of potential, I just hope he lives up to it.

Left Fullback/Wingbacks

Simao Melhor: On paper, not the greatest player, but he seems to play beyond his ratings. At 25 yrs old, a solid fullback who is signed through 2029.

Sylvestre Costa: 24 yrs old, not a great asset, will be on the U-19 squad, Marques can play both fullback spots and Costa is injured, so not sure he will get much playing time.

Defensive Midfielders/Central Midfielders

Vasco Gomes: 26 yrs old and a solid member of the midfield. He earned his starting spot last season and I dont see any reason to change that. He is only signed through this season so he has a chance to play himself into a new contract.

Mario Borges: 26 yrs old and somehow seems to play beyond his ratings. He has a great relationship with the rest of the midfield and I plan to take advantage of that. It will be interesting to see if he continues to play at such a high level now that the competition has gotten better.

Wendell: The 3rd member of the starting midfield. The youngster of the bunch at 21 yrs old who I am glad is under contract through 2030. He can actually get better and I cant wait to see how much more he improves.

Diogo Freitas: A good option off of the bench. This 22 yr old can play as a defensive midfielder or a central midfielder, so nice option to have to fall back on, if needed.

Dani Carvalho: 23 yr old fringe player signed through 2029. He has a pretty high ceiling and I will be looking to see him develop. Plus, he can step into the midfield if needed.

Durante Goncalves: 21 yrs old and on loan. Not in my plans so glad to see him getting some playing time.

Right Winger/Inside Forwards

Goncalo Vidazinha: 24 yrs old and a great asset to have on the bench. I just hope he continues to be able to contribute against better competition.

Mozino: The 30 yr old starter. He did a great job last season and if the pre-season is anything to go by, he will not be slowing down this season.

Hugo Ferreira: 22 yr old that needs to be sent out on loan, not in my plans and wont be seeing the pitch.

Left Wingers

Henrique Fonseca: Fonseca played good last season, in spurts. So even though at 24 yrs old, he can still improve, I wanted to see if I could get someone just a little better into the squad. He will be a great asset on the bench and will be asked to carry on like he did last season, if needed.

Julio Vitor: This 26 yr old was a big signing for us. I think he will be a great addition to the starting 11 and once he settles in a little better, then I think the sky is the limit for him.

Fabio Martins: 22 yr old who I will try to send out on loan, just not in my plans, not good enough.

Jude Larver: This 17 yr old break-through-prospect will be on the U-19 squad, but will be a great asset in case he is needed. I think he has great potential and I cant wait to see him develop.

Samuel Nettey: This 17 yr old has been signed as a fringe player and he will get a chance to play, at some point this season. He can play on the right as well so he will be given his time to shine and continue to develop.

Strikers

Pedro Pauleta: 29 yrs old, the “grand-daddy” on the squad and the captain as well. His prowess last season is well documented, I just hope he continues to score with the same regularity that he did last season.

Gustavo Lobo: I needed someone to have on the bench that could step in, just in case something happened to Pauleta. Lobo is 23 yrs old and has some room to develop. I am going to try to get him to continue his growth so that we have a solid bench asset, in case he is needed.

Pre-Season Report

More Coaches

Merchandising 

Television Funds

3rd Division Scoring Leader Odds

Promotion Odds

Roster Moves

PLAYERS IN

ST Gustavo Lobo: 23 yr old, on a free from Leixoes, good backup for Pauleta, $27K until June 2028
FB/WB Tomas Marques: 22 yr old on a free from BRG. He can play right or left FB/WB and while he isnt as good as Meireles, he isnt far off and he has room to develop. His $16.75 a year contract until 2029 will allow him to do so here
DM/MC Dani Carvalho: 23 yr old on a free from VTSC B . He can play both midfield positions and has room to get better. His $19.75K per year deal until 2029 will provide good depth for the team.
FB/WB Nuno Correia: 21 yr old on a free from BRG. I was looking at depth and development with this signing. I wanted to lock him in for longer, but a 1-year deal on $13.75K is team friendly.
Two players purchased from Brasiliense (BRA) that will improve the team (I hope)
W Julio Vitor: 26 yr old who can play either left or right winger was purchased for $13.5K. I wanted to try to improve the attack and even though Fonseca played well, I am just not sure about him doing it at a higher level.
DC Octavio: 25 yrs old, an upgrade for the central defenders and a steal for only $4.1K. Fontes and Zuzirta are not bad, but I felt that to have a solid pair in the middle of the back line was essential. So I am pleased to get him on the squad.
GK Joao Bravim: 29 yr old from Brazil. He went crazy with his contract demands, but with Merias out for at leas the start of the season, I knew I couldnt rely on my backup. I am going to have an issue because he demanded to be a Star player and Morias is an Important one. Life is going to get interesting…
FB/WB David Monteiro: 23 yr old from Brazil. I bought him for $20K from Leiria in the Premier League. He is an upgrade over Marques, which after watching the first 2 friendlies, is a definite need. His $47K per year until 2029 is higher than I wanted to pay, but I think he is going to be worth it in the end…at least I hope so.

PLAYERS OUT
DM/MC Vander: let go on a free to Cava de Piedarde. It was time to renew his contract and his salary demands were nuts, so that was an easy decision
FB Hugo Meireles:  He signed during the season and went to Real. I wanted to keep him, but he wanted to go to a more prestigious team….that is still in the Championship. Oh well, his choice.
MC Durante Goncalves: On loan to Unao Lamas
ST Rodrigo Moreira: 20 yrs old, just wasnt developing as I wanted and his ceiling started to drop, so when I got an offer from Espinho for $13.5K, it was easy to let him go.
DC Alexandre Marques: $19.5K to Oliveira do Hospital. I actually didnt want to sell him but once the offer came in he was adamant that he be allowed to leave, so he is gone.
 

Match Results

13 Jul (H): Salgueiros, W:4-2. Att: 720 (20 away)
I played the 1st team for 60 minutes. Mozino scored from the right side in the 21st minute, but the rest of the time was what I had seen as a trend at the end of last season, shots but no quality finishing. I was trying out a new FB to replace Melhor, Bright Godwin, he made a good impression by bringing the ball down to the edge of the box and firing a strike that beat the keeper right before I made the change. Fonseca added a 3rd in the 73rd minute and FB Nelson Souza got into the action by scoring in the 85th from a free kick. However, I sent in the backup keeper with 15 minutes left in the match and he gave up 2 goals, 81st and 91st minutes. I will need to bring in someone new, he just isnt good enough.

18 Jul (H): Fafe, D: 3-3. Att: 743 (49 away) 

Our finishing was atrocious. Our shots (19/9) and shots on target (10/5) when compared to theirs with the fact we both scored 3 goals. That HAS to get better! Ironically 2 of the goals were from the players who I put in after the 60th minute. I dont know if they had replaced their starters as well, so I dont know how impressive that was. At least they are in the 3rd Division, so it matches our competition level.

20 Jul (H): Casa Pia, W: 3-0    Att: 716  (29 away). Much much better, especially since it was a club from the Premier League. Pauleta beat their central defenders twice on the counter while trialist Bruniho scored from the spot in the 2nd half after a harsh tackle just inside the box. They had 2 goals disallowed for being offsides, one of them I felt he was, but the other, to be honest, I thought he was on-side. But it is a friendly, so no biggie. But a nice team effort on this one.

31 Jul (A): Juventude Evora, W: 3-4  Att: 282  (19 away). Mozino put on a scoring clinic as he scored 2 from the run of play in the first 10 minutes and added his 3rd from the spot in the 12th. We let them back in the match with bad coverage of their wingers. We almost gave it away in the last 30 minutes, but after letting a winger grab a brace and the other one snag one of his own, well, it will be something I will need to keep an eye on. 

Team Injuries

GK Ricardo Morais: Sports Hernia on 10 Jul, out for 8-10 weeks. After how I saw how badly my backup keeper was, I signed Bravim. 
FB Tomas Marques: Groin strain on 23 Jul and will be out for 2-3 weeks.

Competition Rules

First Stage runs from 8 Aug 2027 to 23 Jan 2028
20 teams, 2 Divisions - Alpendorada is in the North Division
Top 4 teams move to the Championship Group
Positions 5-10 move to the Relegation Stage

End of The Year Awards and Recognition

Team Stats

Team Shutouts 

Assists Record

Player of the Match Awards

Scoring Record

Manager Performance

Head Coach of the Year

Tax Bill!

Thoughts and Considerations

We had a really good season, record setting in fact. But the challenge will be to keep it up. I hated we got hit with that tax bill, I still am not sure how we made enough to be taxed! But I guess I didnt watch that closely enough. I will need to keep an eye on that for sure. 

I am really pleased with how the season ended and cant wait to start the new one!

Thanks for reading along and following my adventure!

Promotion - 3rd Division Here We Come!

More Coaches

Increased Budget

Thoughts and Considerations

The board has also decided that the team is going to turn professional. I wish I had more Scouting budget, I mean, having $135K transfer budget is find and dandy, but what am I going to spend it on? 

I know there are going to be some changes in the squad, just not sure about them yet. Morais has earned a new contract, and he has played very well, but how will that translate to the 3rd Division? I need to take a hard look at that so I am sure we have the best keeper we can get. I would also like to bring in another Central Defender that is an upgrade, just dont know if I can find one or not.

Time to start digging!

I am also tempted to ask for a better contract, just not sure how the board will take it. I just think it is crazy that I will now be managing a professional side on $4.2K a year salary.  I guess the worst they can say is no. Maybe wait until we are actually professional? 

Yea, that is one to think about for sure.

Anyway, thanks for reading along. We have had a hell of a run in the Championship, I dont honestly see that run continuing in the 3rd Division, but hopefully we do well enough for me to keep my job!

And the adventure continues!

Championship Cup Final

We faced off against Louletano, the winner of the Group A Playoff Group, in a neutral site. The match actually had us pegged to loose (Alp: 34%; Draw: 37%; Lou: 39%) was one of the toughest matches we had played all season. There were 1269 people there, 594 away fans made the trip, who watched the battle. It was one of the matches that either team could win, or lose. Wendell was forced off in the 26th minute with a tight calf. So with him and Borges out, the midfield looked completely different. The Asst and I had numerous disagreements on who we should start and what the mentality should be. This time, I wondered if he was right. But I went with my gut and sent Frietas in to try to help us win the match. Then in the 33rd minute I thought Pauleta had scored a great goal, but it was flagged off by the linesman and then it was confirmed by VAR. It was the first time I was in a match that used VAR. The match went back and forth, until finally in the 54th minute Pauleta headed a Mozino pass past the keeper into the back of the net. Once again, VAR was called in, this time to confirm that no one had strayed offsides and the goal stood.

We won the cup, 1-0. Awesome result!

Images from Cup Ceremony

May 2027 Update

Match Results

9 May: (H) VTSC B. Pre-match odds: Alp:43 %; Draw: 26%; VTSC: 31%. Att: 615 (29 away). W: 2-0
In the 24th minute, sheer magic, Bertuchi lobed it forward, Gomes tapped it to Pauleta who set up Fonseca and he slammed it into the bottom right corner of the net past the keeper. 29th minute and Merieles brought it down the right side, short pass to Gomes who lobbed it to Pauleta, slammed it into the net from 2 yards out past the out-stretched arms of the keeper. GK Morais, FB Melhor, W Mozino, MC Gomes, ST Pauleta all named to the Championship TOW.

16 May: (A) Leca. Pre-match odds: Alp: 38%; Draw: 27%; Leca: 35%. Att: 708 (35 away). W: 0-2
6th, Bertuchi intercepted a pass from the keeper, headed it to Wendell, passed it to Gomes who set up Mozino who fired a missile into the net from 30 yards out, beautiful setup play! 17th minute, Mozino played a give-and-go with Gomes to set up Mozino who fired from the top of the box past the keeper for our 2nd. 65th minute, they had a goal disallowed for tripping a player. FB Melhor and MC Gomes named to Championship TOW.

23 May: (H) Ovarense. Pre-match odds: Alp: 45%; Draw: 26%; Ova: 29%. Att: 623(30 away). W:2-0
In the 34th minute, Zizurte lobbed it over the center backs and Pauleta headed it over the keeper for our 1st goal. Then in the 44th minute, Gomes took it down to the baseline, passed back to Mozino who beat the keeper for our 2nd. Solid match, pleased with the results.

30 May: (A) VTSC B. Pre-match odds: Alp: 38%; Draw: 27%; VTSC: 35%. Att: 485 (34 away). W: 0-1
In the 21st minute we sent in a cross from the left side of the box by Fonseca to Pauleta, he headed it to Mozino who tapped it over to Gomes, then fired it into the bottom right corner of the goal. Zuzarte, Bertuchi and Gomes selected for Championship TOW.
 

Promotion Group Table

Borges Injury

Manchester City Wins the UEFA Champions League

Team Performance

Team and Player Accolades

Contracts and Other Financial News

FB Simao Melhor: Signed a new contract, $34K per year until June 2029
FB Sylvester Costa: Got an automatic 1-year extension….and promptly fractures his back…lower back stress fracture, out 2-3 months, at a minimum.  He will be going out on loan. 
MC Durante Goncalves: Signed a new contract, $4.25 per year until June 2028
 

Thoughts and Other Considerations

I cant really complain, things are going well, the team is playing well and the board and the supporters are happy. 

We have a chance to win the Championship Cup, so that would be the icing on the cake for this season.

Here we go, one match to go this season!

April 2025 Update

Match Updates

4 Apr: (A) Marialvas (6th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 51%; Draw: 26%; Mar: 23%. Att: 269 (20 away). (3- 1 win in home leg, 22 Nov) W:1-3
In the 10th minute, their keeper cleared a corner to Pauleta who brought it down to the touchline on the right side then passed the ball out to Mozino and he caught it on the bounce and hit it into the back of the net. The 25th minute saw another goal as Fonseca brought it all of the way down on the left side, and fired it past the flat-footed keeper. Our final goal came in the 62nd minute when Wendell picked up a loose ball at the top of the box and left-footed it into the back of the net. We got sloppy in the 89th minute and let them draw one back.

18 Apr: (H) Ovarense (2nd/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 46%; Draw: 26%; Ova: 29%. Att: 627 (24 away). (2-0 loss in away match, 20 Dec). W: 2-0
FB Ferreira was injured the day before the match, and got a bruised ankle. I decided to have them give him an injection so he was available in the match. He is going to be out 3-4 days after the match, but will be available for the following match. 
Their Head Coach thinks we have been underestimated and are not that good. I guess we will see?
We started off the scoring in the 7th minute, Melhor sent the ball in from the left corner, Gomes headed it into the crossbar and Meireles headed the loose ball into the net as the keeper was laying on the ground from his fall when he attempted to clear Gomes’s header. We added our second of the match in the 39th minute, as there was a harsh tackle on Gomes in the box, Melhor beat the keeper who went the right way, the kick was just too powerful. It was nice to get a win over the only team to beat us.

End of Group Stage League Table

Goal Record

Group A Final Top of Table

Group Draw

Promotion Group Match Results

25 Apr: (A) Ovarense. Pre-match odds: Alp: 32%; Draw: 27%; Ova: 41%. Att: 418 (38 away).
Not picked to win against a team we beat last week? Odd! 
They scored in the 38th minute as they finally cracked us and scored. We are doing nothing in this match. Finally, in the 56th minute, Pauleta got a pass from Fonseca and was able to beat the keeper to level it up. Melhor took a free kick from the left flat and Burtuchi headed it into the net in the 90th minute! We had the lead, the question was if we could keep it. In the 91st minute, they had a free kick from the same spot as us, even brought up their keeper, but it sailed wide of the net.
Hugo Meireles, Vinicius Bertuchi, Simao Melhor and Pedro Pauleta are selected in the Championship TOW.

Promotion Group Table

Team Performance

Manager Performance

Contracts and Other Financial News

 Club President Jorge Ferreira will retire on 7 June 2027 which I assume will require another election, hopefully we get someone who wants to invest in the club.

Thoughts and Considerations

First off, it was awesome to beat Ovarense, not once, but twice. I thought it was really odd that after we had beaten them in the last game of the season, they were picked to beat us the next week. But we took care of business and that is what matters the most. 

I have tweaked the tactic some over the last couple of matches, making the passing shorter and having us be a little more patient when we are on the ball. I think it is giving us more possession and allowing us to control the matches a little better. I hope that continues.

I know it may be a little early to discuss this, but here are some rules for the Promotion Stage:

1. We play the teams twice (home and away) so I will have 5 more matches in May to finish of this stage.
2. The top 2 teams in each of the Promotion Groups (A & B) are promoted to the 3rd Division.
3. The 2 teams that finish top of the Promotion Groups will play a Championship Match, I assume this will be the 1st weekend in June.

I know there is still another 5 matches to go, but I figured it might help to understand what comes next. 

I have to make some decisions about the squad for next season. I am planning on asking if I can hire a coach if we do get promoted. I dont think it will hurt to have another set of eyes on things. I would also like to hire a scout, but I wont get too greedy.

As far as the roster, the big piece that I havent resigned yet is Morias, my GK. He is good, done a great job for us this season, I just want to compare him to some other 3rd Division keepers, if we go up that is. I am holding off on making him an offer. I want to see if I get any more wage money to make sure I stay under the cap.

Five more matches this season….maybe six. It has been a hell of a run so far, I cant wait to see where we go.

Thanks for reading along, been interesting for sure.

Youth Intake

Thoughts

Another good intake for us. I have been really lucky to have 2 deep youth intakes. Now to hold on to all of them so they can develop!

March 2027 Update

Fan Day and Results

Match Results

7 Mar: (H) Uniao Lamas (3rd/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 54%; Draw: 25%; UL: 21%. Att: 615 (49 away). (1-1 draw in away leg, 8 Nov) D: 2-2
In the 18th minute, Melhor brought it to the touchline on the right side, passed it to Gomes who slammed it into the net. Sadly, in the 39th minute, they crossed to the right side and with a  header beat Morais, leveled it up. There was a rebound from a keeper’s punch to clear a corner shot, Mozino, 30 yards out, fired a missile into the bottom right corner in the 50th minute to take the lead. 87th minute, another cross and header to level it up.

14 Mar: (A) Martagua (8th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 48%; Draw: 26%; Mart: 26%. Att: 218 (27 away). (won 2-1 home leg, 29 Nov). W:0-3
We started the scoring in the 13th minute when Melhor threw in to Mozino who passed it back to Melhor who then crossed it to the far post, where it was headed in by Pauleta. In the 58th minute, Pualeta tried again and fired from the left side, the keeper cleared it out, but Gomes was in the right place at the right time and headed it in. In the 73rd, Mozino fired another rebound into the net from 35 yards out for our 3rd of the match.

21 Mar: (H) Florgrade (12th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 60%; Draw: 24%; Flo: 16%. Att: 727 (11 away). (0- win in away leg, 6 Dec). W: 2-0
Finally a goal. In the 58th minute, Mozino fired a rocket from the top of the box as we had a free kick from the persistent fouling. In the 59th, Melhor brought it down the left, crossed it in to Gomes who headed it in and I finally started to feel comfortable. But 22 shots, 12 on target, 11 corners and only 2 goals. Totally unacceptable. Melhor and Gomes selected for the  Championship TOW
 

League Table

Team Performance

Attacking Team

Manager Performance

Financial News

ST Pedro Pauleta: Awarded $260 for 15 league goals.

Thoughts and Other Considerations

Fan Day was a great success, would be wonderful if we get could that kind of attendance every week. We have seen an increase in attendance over the season though, so that is great, just want to see it continue.

We didint loose this month, but we have not been playing as good as we should. Our Finishing has taken a huge drop-off. I cant figure out what has caused this to tank. But I hope it gets figured out before we get into the Promotion Playoffs.

It looks like we have won the group. Only 2 regular season matches left and we are 7 points ahead so the math appears to show we have done it. But then it isnt over yet, we still have to win those playoffs. 

I have been looking for the replacement to Meireles, no luck so far. It stinks that I dont have any transfer budget, it would be nice to be able to buy some of the players on the teams that are getting relegated from the 3rd Division. But I dont know how many will be available on a free.

Thanks for reading along, been a great season so far. I am glad that it seems to have continued…

On we go, seeing where this adventure takes us!

February 2027 Update

General Notes

After completing my National C license I asked for permission to start on my National B. The board readily agreed and I am excited to keep that side of things moving forward.

Match Results

7 Feb: (H) FC Foz (10th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 59%; Draw: 24%; FCF: 17%. Att: 530 (20 away). (won 2-3 in away leg, 13 Sep). W: 4-0
In the 12th Mozino crossed into Pauleta as he split the centerbacks and beat the keeper to score, it was a tight angle shot that bounced in off the left post. During the 15th minute, Pascal made a hard tackle on Pauleta in the box, Melhor sent the keeper the wrong way to increase the lead. In the 27th, Mozino crossed from the right touch line to Pauleta who once again split the centerbacks for his 2nd of the match. We were carved up in the 56th minute, they set up a beautiful counter, split my centerbacks but the striker sent it wide of the goal. The final goal in the 85th minute, Frietas passed to Pauleta who was right in front of the goal, 2 yards out and he slotted it past the defenders to get his 3rd of the match.

14 Feb: (A) Gouveia (7th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 53%; Draw: 25%; Gou: 22%. Att: 711 (27 away). (3-0 win in home leg, 11 Oct) W: 1-2
In the 2nd minute, Melhor crossed from the left side, Pauleta got an easy tap-in past a flat-footed keeper. Extra time, in the 46+1 Melhor crossed it from the right side, Fontes climbed the wall and headed it in at the far post. Extra time again, in the 90+2, Vidazina lost possession, they crossed it and it was slotted into the net, our keeper never made a move. Melhor was selected to the Championship TOW.

21 Feb: (H) Marco 09 (5th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 49%; Draw: 26%; Marco: 25%. Att: 817 (263 away). (1-2 win in away leg, 16 Aug) W: 3-1
We started the scoring off in the 10th minute, Gomes passed it from the top of the box to Mozino, slammed it into the net for our 1st goal.  Then in the 12th minute, they sent it past our keeper, they equalized. During the 29th Mozino sent a long pass to Fonseca, who took a tight angle and beat the keeper for our 2nd. The last goal was scored in the 38th minute, lots of pushing and shoving during a cross into the box, penalty given, Melhor at the spot, sent the keeper the wrong way, and slammed the ball into the bottom left of the net.

28 Feb: (A) Salgueiros (7th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 45%; Draw: 26%; Sal: 29%. Att: 554 (30 away). (4-2 win in away leg, 1 Nov). W: 0-1
Cant hit the back of the net…shots off the post…off the crossbar…nothing but woodwork. Finally in the 92nd minute Melhor passed to Wendell, turned and fired it into the net from 20 yards out. Talk about leaving it to the last minute, 3 minutes of stoppage time, just enough to score the winner!
 

League Table

Team Performance

Manager Performance

Contracts and Other Financial News

FB Hugo Meireles: Rejected our new contract and signed with Real - Championship - Group C, currently 3rd (at the time of signing)
W Mozino: Signed a new contract, $12.5K until June 2029, agent was demanding a new contract.
 

Thoughts and Considerations

I am kind of shocked that Meireles rejected our contract. He said he wanted to play for a more prestigious club. We are only regionally know while Real is nationally known, but we are improving and will, hopefully, be in the promotion playoffs. I have instructed the scouting team to be looking for a replacement for him.

Mozino was going to get bent out of shape if I didnt give him a new contract. I didnt need to upset the mood of the club and his demands were not reasonable, plus I got him locked in until 2029.

We are still rocking and rolling along. There has been a noticeable drop-off in our shots, let alone on target.  I hope it is just a bump and not an indication of things to be worried about. I will continue to monitor that, especially as we are hoping to make a promotion push.

Speaking of, we are 13 points ahead of the team in 3rd and there are only 5 matches left, so if things go well, we should secure a playoff spot with the next result. Fingers-crossed that we can keep things rolling along.

So on to the next month, I hope you are enjoying things. I did want to ask if the images are still readable, I decreased the size that I have been saving them at but they dont do any good if you cant read them. If you get a chance, drop me a message and let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading along…I cant wait to keep the adventure going!

January 2027 Update

General News

Team President Jorge Ferreira is retiring from hands-on role and will only accept part-time roles. I am not sure if that means we will be having another election soon. Since it didnt say that in the message, I am assuming no. But we will see!

I completed my National C badge! Now to pick the right time to ask to start on my National B.

Match Updates

3 Jan: (H) Sabugal (14th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 78%; Draw: 16%; Sab: 6%. Att: 545 (31 away). (0-5 win in away leg, 16 Aug) W: 5-0
In the 14th minute, Gomes got a pass from Wendell, 30 yards out he hit a rocket that hit the top right corner of the net. In the 18th minute, our second of the match, Melhor took a  free kick from the left side, crossed it to the far post and Borges headed it into the net, the keeper was flat-footed and all he could do was watch the ball hit the back of the net. 23rd minute, Melhor from the right side, crossed it to the far post, Bertuchi headed it in, the keeper cleared it, right to Borges where he tapped it in for his 2nd of the match. During the 26th minute, Merieles brought it down the right side, passed it into the middle where Gomes slammed it into the open net past 2 defenders for his 2nd. Two minutes later, Gomes brought the ball down the right side, moved to the middle and passed it out to Mozino in the right flat who played a beautiful ball into Pauleta who scored an easy goal. I thought he might have been offside, but the flag had stayed down. No shots on goal. Mozino and Gomes were selected for the Championship TOW.

13 Jan: (A) FC Porto (2nd - Premier/1st. Pre-Match odds: Alp: 14%; Draw: 23%; Porto: 63%. Att: 25643 (203 away). L:0-2
They made 3 changes, I stuck with my starting 11.
In the 19th minute, they scored their first goal from a header from a cross. During the  47th minute, Meireles was muscled off of the ball before they brought it along the touch line, tapped it in past Morais. Porto had15 shots, 8 on target, 7 corners, so I think it is a credit to Morais that they didnt score more. We had 7 shots, 4 on target and 3 corners. I think our finishing is great for the Championship, but we are still a ways away from being able to hang with the big boys.

17 Jan: (A) Lusitano Vildemoinhos 10(th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 61%; Draw: 23%; LV: 16%. Att:  ( away). (4-1 win in home leg, 9 Aug) W: 1-3
In the 18th Melhor crossed from the left flat, Pauleta headed in near the far post. Then we went quiet. I got nervous because they came close to leveling it on more than one occasion. Then in the 73rd min, there was a harsh tackle in the box and we gave up a shot from the spot. They scored from the spot and it looked like we were heading to a draw. Until in the 90th minute, Gomes played a “give and go" to Pauleta who passed it back up the middle to Gomes, he had the instruction to shoot less often and of course, slammed it into the net from the top of the box. We got our 3rd in the 93rd minute, Melhor brought it down the right, passed to Borges at the top of the box who beat the keeper. Nothing like waiting until the last minute! Melhor and Gomes were selected for the Championship TOW.

24 Jan: (H) Tourizense (13th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 71%; Draw: 19%; Tou: 10%. Att: 514 (12 away). (1-4 win in away leg, 23 Aug). W: 5-0
In the 3rd minute, Mozino brought the ball up the right side, along the touch line,and beat the keeper with a tight-angle shot. During the 15th minute, Borges played a lovely lob pass to Mozino on the right side, he caught it on the bounce before slamming it into the back of the net. Wendell was taken off in the 34th minute with a tight hamstring (later proved to be nothing). At the end of the 1st half, during the 45th minute, Gomes bounced it off of both posts….how did that not go in? In the 55th minute, Mozino brought the ball down the right side, beat 2 defenders and slotted it home past the keeper for his 3rd! Hat-Trick! A harsh tackle in the box during the 63rd minute sent Melhor to the spot, the keeper guessed correctly but Melhor slams it past him into the bottom left corner of the net. During the 87th minute, we had a disallowed goal from Gomes, said he was off-sides, dont think he was, but oh well. Pauleta finished the scoring by taking a lovely pass from Fonseca into the middle of the box and had an easy tap-in to score the 5th of the match. Meireles and Mozino were selected for the Championship TOW.

31 Jan: (A) Cinfaes (5th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 45%; Draw: 26%; Cin: 29%. Att: 963 (326 away). (2-0 win in home leg, 6 Sep). W:0-1
We were just playing flat, not taking shots and letting them dictate the match. Luckily they didnt seem to have much interest in scoring as they rarely took a shot. But then in the 68th minute, Pauleta clanged it off of the left post, should have been an easy goal, we couldnt hit the broad side of the barn in this one…. Finally, in the 83rd minute, Vidazina crossed from the right side and Mozino beat the keeper for our 1st goal! Not our best match, by a long shot, but it was good enough to get us the 3 points.
 

League Table

Team Performance

Manager Performance

Financial and Contract News

MC Vander: Signed by Cava de Piedade at end of contract. Not a big loss, was not planning on resigning him
MC Wendell: Signed a new contract $13.25K until June 2028
DC Vinicius Bertuchi: Signed a new contract, $13.5K until June 2028
DC Joao Alves: Was sold on a free to Vila Mea - Championship: Group A. He had not broken into the 1st team, spending his time with us on the U-19 squad. So not a huge loss. I have some good youngsters that can step in if need be.

Gate Receipts: $666K, not sure where this came from, did we get money from the gates of the Porto match?

Cup Money: We received $13.82K from cup match 

TV Money: We were given $65K in TV money from cup match
ST Pedro Pauleto: Was awarded a $1K bonus for 10 goals

Thoughts and Considerations

The gate receipts was a HUGE shock! A nice one for sure! I think that will come in handy next season, if we get promoted or not. We are 7 points clear of dropping out of the promotion spots, so that will bear watching as well.  At the start of the season I didnt want to think that promotion was a possibility, but we are definitely trending that way.

Our match performance has been a real “Jekyll and Hyde” type of thing. We need to make sure we are performing at a consistent level to maintain our promotion chances. I think if we slip up, in just one match, there is a good chance we will be out of that conversation. 

Just to clarify, those top 2 spots gets teams into the promotion playoffs, so even winning the Group doesnt guarantee a promotion. But we will give it our best! There are 9 Group matches left, so it will be here before we know it.

I cant really complain about anything, we are playing good enough to win matches, the morale and locker room are good. 

One thing that sucks is that I dont have anymore scouting money. So it will just be random recommendations for the rest of the season.

Anyway, thanks for reading along. I am really enjoying this save, I hope you enjoy reading along!

December 2026 Update

Match Results

6 Dec: (A) Florgrade (11th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 57%; Draw: 24%; Flo: 19%. Att: 254 (30 away). W: 0-4.
Match started well with us scoring from a corner that was cleared to Pauleta, he took the shot but it was going wide before Meriles tapped it into the right side of the net off of the bounce in the 21st minute. After a harsh tackle on Pauleta in the box in the 31st minute, Melhor scored from the spot. The keeper guessed correctly, but it ricocheted in from the right post. Melhor brings the ball down on the left side, shoots and the keeper clears out to be headed in by super-sub Vidazinha in the 56th minute. Another Melhor free kick from the right side, richocetes off of the left post and Bertuchi heads it in 2 minutes into the 4 of stoppage time. The Florgrade manager was fired after the match due to poor performance. Meireles and Bertuchi were selected for Championship Team of the Week.

13 Dec: (H) Marialvas (5th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 56%; Draw: 25%; Mar: 19%. Att: 520 (17 away). W: 3-1.

Another rival? Why? HC Durante thinks opponents have been underestimating us so complacency from opponents, not anything I have done. Mozino fires into the bottom right in the 11th minute after controlling a sweet pass from the middle, beating the keeper as it bounces in off of the post. They scored before Gomes came down the right side after a sweet through ball, fired it at the goal from a tight angle, the keeper knocked it straight back to him and he headed it into the net. Crazy goal! Mozino brought the ball down the right side and took a shot, the goalie blocked it and it rebounded off of a defender into the net in the 76th minute. Durante still says they are superior but we just worked harder, what???

16 Dec: (H) PT Cup - Farense (14th - 2nd league/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 33%; Draw: 27%; Far: 40%. Att: 588 (64 away) W: 3-2e
I made 5 changes in light of the upcoming match in 4 days. They made 8 changes for the match. In the 3rd minute, Vidazina brought it down the right side and sent a low cross to Fonseca who tapped it in for the easy goal. In the 11th minute, we let them score an easy goal that beat our keeper. In the 48th minute, they once again beat our keeper on the counter. VAR confirmed a penalty in the 78th minute, Melhor sent the keeper the wrong way, leveled it back up. Extra time again, Fonseca brought it down on the left side, came up along the touch line and tapped it past the keeper in the 106th minute.

20 Dec: (A) Ovarense (2nd/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 42%; Draw: 26%; Ova: 32%. Att: 430 (29 away) L: 2-0
We couldnt hit the board side of a barn. 23 shots, 14 on target and no goals.  They finally broke the deadlock with a corner that was cleared, but they were able to hit a 30 yard strike that hit the cross bar before falling into the goal in the 89th minute. Another bad clearance,  it rebounded out to an Ovarense player who slammed it into the net in the 2nd minute of stoppage time…way to fall apart…Our 1st loss…
 

League Table

Team Performance

Manager Performance

Youth Intake

Financial Update and Contract News

5 matches were selected for TV broadcast, $50K paid
MC Emmanuel Adeyemo: out 2-4 weeks calf strain
AML/ST Henrique Fonseca: Signed a new contract, $8.5K per year until June 2028
DM/MC Diogo Freitas: Signed a new contract, $4.5K per year until June 2029
W Goncalo Vidazinha: Signed a new contract of $7.5K until June 2028
DM/MC Vasco Gomes: Signed a  new contract of $15.25K per year until June 2028
Received $10.37K for cup match victory
 

Thoughts and Considerations

The loss, that is on me. I put a weaker team in the cup match, telling myself that I would be okay with losing it. But the more the match went on, the more I felt that we could win it in the 2nd half. So at half-time, I swapped 4 of the starters back in. I didnt realize that they would in essence be playing a full match after they were subbed on. So we won the cup, but the players were tired for the league match and just didnt seem like they ever got started. The fact they are 2nd in the table, that was in essence a 6-point match, and they climbed to only 1 point behind us. We are safe from the 3rd spot by 7 points, but that match showed how much that can disappear.

I cant help but think that not going up this season wont be such a bad thing. We need to get more supporters in the seats. If we cant do that we will start leaking money like a sieve once the players start demanding a higher salary….which I think would happen if we get promoted to the 3rd Division. 

I had to sign some players to new contracts sooner than I wanted to. But Fonseca was getting all kinds of interest, as well as Vidazinha. I couldnt let them go, so I pulled the trigger on getting them confirmed here for a few more seasons. Frietas, not a starter, but a great depth player and with the team-friendly contract, that was an easy decision. Gomes was getting all kinds of interest and he is a solid part of our midfield, not ready to let him go yet.

The Youth Intake was not as good as last season, but I think we still can get some quality from them. The down-side is how they are constantly being raided by other teams and I dont have any choice to let them go on a free transfer, even though I know they have some really good potential, just not 1st-team ready so they demand to go somewhere else, a lower division, and I dont want them to get unsettled and cause problems.

It will be interesting to see how we bounce back from the loss. We have a couple of weeks off before the next match so hopefully we get rested up and get back on our winning ways.

Yea, the next month will be interesting for sure. We are the only non-Premier league club in the Quarter-finals of the PT Cup. There is no way that I think we can actually win this thing, but this has been a hell of a cup run, no matter when it is over!

The adventure continues for sure! 

Thanks for reading along, I hope you are enjoying reading as much as I have been playing it.

November 2026 Update

Great News!

Funny how things happen, after our 3rd match this month I got offered a new contract. It was an easy decision to make, plus I got a pay raise! So looks like I will be here until June 2028.

Match Results

1 Nov: (H) Salgueiros (5th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 37%; Draw: 27%; Sal: 36%. Att: 405 (27 away).
Salfueiros took the lead in the waning seconds of the 1st half (I mean, literally with 10 seconds left) and Pauleta got his 1st of the match in the 49th to level us up and then took a sweetly placed kick from Meireles at the top of the box, beat the last defender and slotted it past the keeper to give us the lead. Our lead lasted all of 2 minutes before Coutinho from Salgueiros nabbed his 2nd to level it up again. I took the advice of the Assistant Manager to play for set-pieces and it paid off as Borges got a header from a free kick in the 75th minute to give us a 1 goal advantage and Bertuchi added his own header in the 77th to secure the win. Gomes was forced off in stoppage time. Luckily it is just a bruised ankle and will only be out 1-3 days.

8 Nov: (A) Unao Lamas (3rd/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 46%; Draw: 27%; UL: 27%. Att: 569 (37 away). Draw: 1-1.
This was an ugly match, no other way to put it. We had shots (16) but they were of very low quality. Things were not helped by the incessant fouling by UL. I lost track of the number of times my build-up play was stopped by a silly foul. Vidazinha scored a lovely header in the 72nd minute to give us a glimmer of hope of pulling off the victory, but we were cut apart in the 86th minute to allow them to level it up. I was starting to get concerned when we were in the 4th minute of 2 minutes of extra time before the final whistle was blown and I breathed a sigh of relief to head home with a point. 

22 Nov: (H) Malveira - PT Cup (8th - Champ (Grp C)/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 47%; Draw: 26%; Mal: 27%. Att: 228 (3 away). W: 3-1 
I thought this was going to be a shoot-out. All 4 goals were scored in the first 16 minutes, then crickets. But I wont complain, at all. Gomes started it off with a lovely rebound shout in the 3rd minute, Malveira scored an own-goal in the 4th off of a low cross that was badly cleared and Pauleta finished off our scoring in the 16th minute with rocket into the open net after the goalie was pulled out of position. Melo for Malveira scored their only goal in the 6th minute from a lovely set of passes that had him waiting in front of the goal unmarked to receive the cross. They were robbed of a goal in the 2nd half as a shot hit both posts before rebounding harmlessly out of play. 

29 Nov: (H) Mortagua (6th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 56%; Draw: 24%; Mor: 20%. Att: 503 (9 away). W: 2-1
This was a match that I thought could go either way. Gomes finally scored in the 15th minute from a rebounded shot that the keeper couldnt handle well. Melhor added our second goal with a header into the top left in the 21st minute. Then we forgot how to hit the net. Gomes from Mortagua scored a beautiful goal in the 48th minute (I hate to admit that) but sadly was taken off later in the match with what I think, was a knee injury. The differences in shots/shots on goal/corners in the match was staggering. We had 24 shots, 9 on target and 10 corners. They had 4 shots, 1 on target and 1 corner…with the score of 2-1. Yea, the win was nice, but I hate stats like that.

League Table

Team Performance

Manager Performance

Contracts and Other Financial News

DM Mario Borges: I signed him to a new contract, through June 2028, at the same salary. There had been some interest in him from other teams and I wanted to put any rumors to rest.

Cup Win Reward: As a result of the cup win, we were given $6.91K. Nice to get that money in.

Thoughts and Considerations

First off, the new contract was a nice surprise for sure. I had actually looked to see how the club and my stability was on the Managerial List. Even before the new contract I was listed as “Untouchable” and that is pretty awesome. I am sure that hasnt changed now that I am locked in for a little longer.

The winning streak had to end, but that draw, we should have won that match (I guess everyone says that after all of their losses, haha) but we should have won, even though we didnt play well enough. At least it wasnt a loss….

The cup match, that was a good match and result. The Mortagua match, that was ugly, even though we won. I hope that isnt an harbinger of things to come…

I dont like the cup-match schedule for next month. It falls mid-week and I only have 4 days for the match before it and 3 days after it. It is against a 2nd Division squad. I am considering fielding a weaker squad to allow the starters to be ready for the league match. I will see how we are doing before the match.

It may be a way to silence some of the rumbling I am getting from players feeling like they are not playing enough. 

Overall, I am more than pleased with how we are doing. I appreciate yall reading along and hope you are enjoying it half as much as I am!

Thanks! Yea, still smiling from that one. I think she also was instrumental in saving my new laptop, haha. 

Random thought….

As I play these matches and watch us continuing to win…I cant help but think that there might be some questions about how I have been playing the matches:
A. Am I actually playing them, or am I taking advantage of the new “Instant Result” that SI has finally added after seeing how many previous skins had it?

B. Am I simming/saving until I get the result I like?

C. Is the Editor being used to make the players better or remove things like injuries, unhappiness or any other glitches in the player performance?

I wont lie, if I saw a winning streak like this with a lower level team, I would start to wonder these things about who was posting it.

But I can emphatically state that I have not done any of those things. I cannot believe that we are winning the way we have been. I mean, that ASV SAD match, I almost threw my laptop into the air when we scored the equalizer and thank goodness my wife was sitting beside me watching the extra time or it would have become airborne when we scored the winner.

I will also say that the Instant Result button has been tempting when I start thinking I want to see what happens in the match, but I enjoy watching the matches, so that has not been used either.

Every match has been played and the results have been accepted….luckily they have been positive for us so far. I know we will lose…and take them in stride. 

But until then, I am going to enjoy this while it lasts!

October 2026 Update

Match Updates

11 Oct: (H) Gouveia (11th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 50%; Draw: 26%; Gou: 24%. Att: 433 (47 away). W: 3-0.
Fonseca opened the scoring with a sweet finish from a cross in the 19th minute. Melhor had a chance to double the score in the 44th minute with a PK, but GK Bissoloti was able to tip the ball wide on the right side of the net. I started to get worried because once again our shots were not finding the back of the net. We had quite a few get tipped wide by the keeper while others we just didnt seem to have our heads in the match as loose balls rolled around in front of the goal and none of our players even made an attempt to get control of the ball. Finally Super-Sub Mozino tapped in a pass that was so sweetly moved from the left corner of the pitch until he was facing an open net that he was able to capitalize on. Gomes secured the 3 points for us with goal that once again was set up by a series of smooth passes that left Bissoloti flat-footed. Gomes selected for the Championship TOW

17 Oct: (H) AVS SAD - PT Cup.  (18th - Premier Div/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 34%; Draw: 27%; AVS: 39%. Att: ( away). W 2-3e. 

They had made 7 changes from previous match squad but even then, I just didnt feel like we had a reasonable chance. I felt that way the more the match continued. We actually got the lead in the 27th minute when one of their defenders deflected a cross into the net. Somehow we held them off until right before the end of the 1st half, literally in the 45th minute, they leveled the match up with a beautiful series of passes that culminated in a goal. We continued to take shots, but to be honest, none were really a threat compared to everytime they touched the ball I was expecting a goal. It finally happened in the 75th minute when they carved us up and took a 2-1 lead. At that point, with nothing left to lose, I turned them loose, very attacking, long passes and shoot on sight!. There were 5 minutes of stoppage time and as I watched the seconds tick away I saw us facing our 1st defeat. I guess Fonseca didnt get the memo has he carved up the defense and fired a well-placed shot into the bottom right corner of the net in the 3rd minute of stoppage time! Level at the end of regulation! Then in the 3rd minute of the extra time Fonseca took a lovely cross and tapped it past the keeper who seemed to have drifted off on a mental vacation. Holy #@$@ We just took the lead!! Okay, park the bus, short passing and waste as much time as we can to ride the ensuing onslaught. Yes, it came…and yes we withstood it! I was so pleased with the team. 

PS: My wife came rushing into the room when we scored the leveler and even sat and watched the rest of the match. I think she was as excited with the winner as I was! 

13 Sep: (A) Marco 09 (3rd/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 35%; Draw: 27%; Marco: 38%. Att: 642 (268 away). W 1-2. 

Both teams seemed to struggle to settle in to a solid performance. But Pauleta was finally able to break the deadlock in the 22nd minute with a nicely placed shot from the top of the box after controlling Vidazinha pass and after that, both sides settled into a game that lacked shots from either side. Marco was able to draw it level in the 71st minute. The pace of the match was starting to show on my players and I slowed the tempo down, shortened the passing and let them waste time in the hope that they could see out the match. It had the added affect of allowing Pauleta to score his 2nd of the match in the 77th minute as super-sub Mozino placed a perfect pass at Pauleta’s feet to let us take all 3 points against our bitter rival.

League Table

Squad Performance

Manager Performance

Thoughts and Considerations

We were awarded $5.18K for the improbable win against AVS SAD. I still cant believe we pulled that one off. We have a reasonable chance of making it into the next round as our opponent is another Championship side, albeit it from Group D. The expectation was for us to make it past the 1st round, so every victory is like icing on the cake.

One thing I have noticed, after our wonderful start the odds of us winning have dropped in every match. The Marco match was the 1st one where we went into the match as the underdog. Maybe it was because it was an away match against our fiercest rivals, but I thought that was really odd. 

Speaking of winning, we have actually broken the league record for matches won in a row. We currently are at 9, dating back to 5 Apr from last season. With every match, I feel like “this will be the one we lose” but I guess the players dont share my concern as they figure out ways to keep winning. Every match has a chance of being the one we lose but it also has the chance to be the next one that we win to keep the streak going. I just dont know how much longer we can keep this up.

The board and supporters are ecstatic, I think the win over Marco helped alot with that. There is a part of me that wonders if I should take advantage of this positive feeling and ask for a new contract, get more than a year commitment out of them…but then I think that we are only in November…maybe wait a while.

Anyway, here we are, keeping this streak going! Thanks for reading and following along…this is one that I am definitely enjoying!

September 2026 Review

After patiently waiting, I finally decided to ask the board if I could start working on my first National badge, I was concerned when I saw they wanted to talk to me about it. But it went very smoothly for sure.

Match Results

6 Sep: (H) Cinfaes (5th/Alp: 1st). Pre-match odds: Alp:41 %; Draw: 27%; Cinfaes: 32%. Att: 794 (404 away). Win: 2-0. The press and fans talked this up as a rivalry match, but I couldnt find out why. We controlled possession and made some great crosses. But they either bounced around everyone’s feet or were headed out of play. That is until the 44th minute when a low cross was knocked into the goal when a Cinfaes player tried to clear it. We took a 1 goal lead into the half, but I knew how precarious that can be. We kept up the pressure and finally added our 2nd goal when Borgias lobbed a pass over the defenders and Vidazinha caught it on the bounce with his right foot and slammed it into the back of the net in the 49th minute. The Cinfaes manager actually apologized to their fans for the results in the match. I need to figure out why this is a rivalry…

13 Sep: (A) FC Foz (8th/1st). Pre-match odds: Alp: 41%; Draw: 27%; FCF: 32%. Att:354 (28 away). Win 2-3. The match started well for us, Melhor scored from the spot in the 33rd minute and Wendell added our 2nd in the 37rd minute with a strike that just left the keeper as a spectator as it fired into the net off of the left post. The 2nd half we just couldnt hit the net, no matter how many shots we took. Fox scored from good set-up play in the 49th minute. Sadly, they took advantage of the few shots they took and leveled the match in the 77th minute. I made some subs and turned up the pressure. I was resigned that we would be lucky to come out with the draw, even though we had taken over 20 shots. But then super-sub Mozino came flying down the right side of the pitch in the 93rd minute, weaving past 2 defenders and sent the keeper flying as the ball slide past his out-stretched hands to give us all 3 points. Yea, what a feeling this is!

20 Sep: (A) Juventude Lajense (3rd Grp D/1st Grp B) - PT Cup. Pre-match odds: Alp: 41%; Draw: 27%; JL: 32%. Att: 122 (0 away). 8 out of 23 matches on Saturday were either a PK shoot-out or at least extra time. Great all-around match for us. 1st goal came from a free kick from the left side of the goal in the 18th minute, Pauleta took a shot, it was deflected back into the field of play where Vidazinha was able to score an easy goal as the keeper was still on the ground. The 2nd goal also came from a set piece, a beautiful pass into the box from a corner where Bertuchi scored his 1st goal of his Alp career as he headed the ball down into the left side of the net as the keeper was helpless to stop it. As a result of the win, we were awarded $4.32K. Pauleta had to be subbed off with a bruised ankle, luckily it was found to not be serious.
 

League Table

Squad Performance

Manager Performance

Thoughts and Considerations

I feel like this is some kind of dream. We cant seem to do anything wrong right now. We even signed a new sponsorship deal worth $8.5K a year for 2 years. Unfortunately it doesnt seem that are recent success has resulted in more supporters in the stands. Speaking of stands, the cup match, there were no stands at all, not even a bench to sit on. Guess that explains why none of our supporters were there. 

We were also given $4.32K for winning in the 2nd round of the cup. But I feel like our cup run is over, the next match is against AVS SAD, a premier league side. At least it is a home match so we might break our attendance record, well, at least try.

It feels like every time I start a match and see the players defending like their lives depended on it while we fire countless salvos at the opposition's goal with limited success but then with enough finding their way between the posts to keep our winning ways going. I dont know how long this formula for success will continue, but it is definitely fun while it is going on.

As the saying goes…let the good times roll! Thanks for reading along and I cant wait to see where this takes us.

So true, its crazy how well the team is performing. I am not going to claim to be a tactical guru or something, I feel pretty clueless when it comes to alot of the more technical stuff. But somehow we seem to have landed on a tactic that suits the team like a glove!

We will enjoy it while it lasts for sure!

August 2026 Update

Before getting into everything, I got the final season ticket sales numbers, not much of an increase, but at least it is one!

Match Results

9 Aug: (H) Lusitano Vildemoinhos. Pre-match odds: Alp: 58%; Draw: 24%; LV: 18%. Att: 385 (13 away). W: 4-1. The match started badly as LV moved the ball like a hit knife through warm butter and scored an easy tap-in from a cross in the 3rd minute. We leveled the match in the 16th minute when W Fonseca finally scored. I subbed Zuzarte off during halftime due to his poor performance. We finally put the match away when Pauleta was able to catch a long pass on the bounce with his left foot and beat the keeper. The scoring was completed with Fonseca scoring his 2nd in the 78th minute and Vasco Gomes scoring in the 82nd minute in his club debut. Pauleta had a lovely score disallowed in the 89th minute for offsides. Fonseca and Pauleta named to the TOW.

16 Aug: (A) Sabugal. Pre-match odds: Alp: 64%; Draw: 22%; LV: 14%. Att: 609 (20 away). W: 0-5. The match started off with a flyer as Fonseca (2nd minute) and Pauleta (7th minute) set the stage. Melhor added one from the spot in the 60th minute with the keeper guessing correctly, but the shot was too strong and slammed into the bottom right corner of the net. Vidazinha got into the action as he scored a quick brace (74th and 77th minutes) to complete the rout. Great all around result. Meireles, Melhor and Vidazinha in Championship TOW.

23 Aug: (A) Tourizense. Pre-match odds: Alp: 54%; Draw: 25%; LV: 21%. Att: ( away). W: 1-4. Really good match. Our movement of the ball is getting smoother and we are being more deliberate with our shots. Meireles started off the scoring by heading one in from a free kick in the 30th minute; Vidazinha got his goal in the 34th by being in the right place at the right time to snag a rebound off of the post. We allowed Tourizense to pull one back in the 65th minute. I wont lie, it was a nice buildup with a clean low cross that was easily tapped in. But we were able to pull another one to improve our lead when Gomes slammed a loose ball into the net as the keeper scrambled to get into position. Pauleta finished off the scoring with a sweet strike from a lovely cross in the 75th minute. Less of hitting the woodwork and more of being a threat of hitting the net, I will take that every day! Gomes and Pauleta named to TOW.

30 Aug: (H) Gouveia - PT Cup. Pre-match odds: Alp: 45%; Draw:26 %; LV: 29%. Att:218 (20 away). W: 6-2. I was sort of disappointed when I got a message that there was going to be low turnout for the match, with only 110 tickets being sold. So seeing over 200 there was a nice surprise. The match was a real joy to watch as we scored 6 goals in the 1st 40 minutes. W Fonseca got a lovely hat-trick (3rd, 13th and 30th minutes) from 2 set pieces and a lovely cross from Vidazinha. Melhor beat the keeper from the spot in the 17th minute. There was a heated discussion about who was going to take it with Fonseca making a powerful argument that he deserved the chance to get his hat-trick. He finally backed down because he admitted that PKs are not his strong suit. So I am pleased that he did get the hat-trick after being such a good team player. Gomes got a brace (34th and 40th minutes) to finish the scoring for us. We let our guard down and allowed them to slice up the defense in stoppage time for the 1st half and then 3 minutes into the 2nd half. We were not able to find the net again, but we also kept them from pulling any more back. On to the next round!

League Table

Team Performance

Manager Performance

Signings and Roster Moves

ST Pedro Pauleta: New contract, $12K per year. There was interest from some other clubs and I wanted to make sure they knew he was not for sale.
DM/CM Casco Gomes: 25 year-old who will take Adeyemo’s place in the starting 11. Sousa immediately raised a concern that the signing wouldnt impact his playing time. Nope, Sousa will still start on the bench. Adeyemo will be taken out of the starting 11. Gomes signed for $11.5K per year. 
W Mozino: 29 year-old from Ivory Coast who was signed for $8K to provide depth for both the left and right wing. After I offered him a contract, the wingers started to play like they were possessed, but having him there as a backup wont be a bad thing.
MC/AMC Duarte Goncalves: Loaned to Sobardo (POR) paying 100% of wages

Thoughts and Considerations

I wasnt pleased with our shot-to-goal ratio so I spent some time researching what would be the best roles for the 4-3-3 counter-attacking formation we are using as well as what would be the best roles for my players and how to make sure I was taking advantage of their strengths. It looks like that research has paid off in spades! I prefer the lower levels of the game because the demands are much less and there is time to learn things. But this fan-base is serious about stuff!

I know the good days wont last forever and we will play a whole match like we did both sides of the break in our last match. But I am hoping that the good times will allow us to make it through any rough patches. I know it is early days in the season, but I will never complain to having a start like this!

Thanks for reading along! This game is making me nervous for what will happen when the bottom falls out…and excited to see what happens…just one more day…

Pre-Season Complete

As we made it through the off-season, quite a few things happened, some good, some…well…I think I will need to keep an eye on and nothing that I can admit that is overly concerning…except our inability to score from the high number of shots that we have taken.

So here is a rundown of the happenings…

It finally came home! England won the 2026 World Cup! Nice to see that has finally happened after years of coming so close.

The financial picture continues to take shape as the season's sponsorship deals, scouting budget and the selection of some of our matches for TV broadcast, which will earn us $60K.

The club also saw a reputation increase, hopefully it will put more bodies in the seats of our 7,000 seater stadium!

I also found out the supporters have increased their influence on the board…and they react quickly to things they dont like!

Pre-Season Match Results

My strategy during the friendlies was to play the starting 11 an increasingly amount of time for each match. I started just playing them for the first half in the first friendly and worked up to 60 minutes in the final one. I had quite a few trialists in the 2nd set of players that I subbed on, trying to find some depth players and maybe an upgrade from Adeyemo in the midfield. One nice surprise is the continued success of Jony Sousa in the midfield, he is a creative breath of fresh air for sure.

Jul 15: Away. Aparecida FC: Win, 0-5. This is a match that we should easily have won and we did. No glaring issues with the squad. Nice match, good win.
Jul 20: Home. Gil Vincente. Win, 3-0. Att: 679 (269 away). This win was a real shocker. GV is a Premier league side in Portugal so I was expected us to lose badly (so did the pundits, 47% picked them to win) but our 1st team, which I kept in for 60 minutes, did a number on them. One of the trialist lit it up in the 30 minutes he was on, scoring 2 goals. I tried to sign him afterwards, but his $22K demand would take almost all of my remaining wage budget. I just couldnt pull the trigger on it. Really pleased with this win, I hope it bodes well for the season!
Jul 25: Away. Santacombadense.. Win, 2-5. Started great! Intercepted a pass from the opening kick and moved it down the pitch where Fonseca set up Pauleta for an easy tap-in. 37 seconds and 1st goal! Pretty much what I expected at this point, but giving up 2 goals in the last 3 minutes, both from set pieces, that is concerning. 
1 Aug: Home. Castro Daire: Win, 2-0. Att: 177 (36 away). I was glad we won this one, but was disappointed in our continued failure to be able to convert our high number of shots into actual goals. We should have won by more goals than we did.

Thoughts and Considerations

One of the shockers as I wrapped up the pre-season was the promotion odds that was released. Yea, not sure we are that good, but there it is!

I still have 2 spots left on the 25-man roster and am looking at another midfielder and a depth player for the wings. I have made an offer to a midfielder, I will see what he says. I am pleased with the squad and think the players I brought in has improved us. I hope it transfers into success on the pitch.

I am nervous about starting this season, even though we won the 4 pre-season matches, there were areas that I have to keep an eye on…giving up 2 goals to an inferior opponent in the last 5 minutes of the match…inability to convert shots into goals…yea, I will need to watch that stuff for sure. 

Team cohesion and locker room happiness is good. I hope that continues and is not only tied to the team performance. I am not sure about how much influence the supporters have, I know how fickle they can be and can turn on me in a second. Yea, this is going to be interesting.

Thanks for reading along, see what happens for sure. Here we go!