Feature Dynasties

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Fort Collins, CO -- In a battle of the unbeatens early on this college season, Texas A&M came out on top of a 41-28 game vs. Colorado State.

Texas A&M took advantage of some CSU missed opportunities in the 2nd to score 27 points in the quarter. The defecit proved too large for Pete Thomas and team to come back from.

The Aggies were lead by Jr HB Mister Jones, who ran for 173 yards and 2 touchdowns on the day, backup Ben Malena added 82 yards to the Aggies offense too."I had a few big openings that I took advantage of, but overall this Colorado State team has my respect, Their young D-line will be something not to mess with in the next couple of years, I'd hate to be in the Mountain West and have to face them again." Jones commented after the game.

Jr QB Matt Joeckel was 18 of 26 for 186 yards and 4 TDs. The receiving corps was lead by Nate Askew and Alfred Moore who both tallied 2 TDs.

CSU took a while, but in the second and third quarters their rushing game started to click, too bad for Nwoke as they were so far behind and trying to play catch up through the air as Nwoke was limited to 56 yards on 14 carries.QB Pete Thomas threw for 346 yards however it was on 18 of 50 passing, with 3 TD and 2 INT.Touchdown catches were by Matt Weems, Freshman Derrick Rhodes and Andre Gill who added 157 yards receiving. "I was ready for this game, I knew I could get out into some spaces with their secondary being a little weak. Once I got past any linebackers who dropped back, I was wide open. They do have a couple great LBs though."Gill commented.

This is the first time this season that the Rams defense has been unable to force any turnovers from the opposition. Pete Kontodiakos did continue to have a strong year with a 3 for 3 FG game with a long of 59 yards, and 1-1 XP. If he continues these strong performances, we will get to watch him on Sundays next fall.

We will find out just how good this years Ram squad is over the next few weeks as they face TCU, @ #12 Utah, home against BYU.

Dynasty: gilla

17.6.2010
29 year old Luke Chadwick is still tired from Wednesday's match so I instruct him to spend extra time focusing on his stamina training. I suspect it will take longer for him to achieve match fitness than the rest of the squad, who appeared more fresh on match day morning. I leave him on the bench again with plans on substituting him in during the second half. I plan on starting Sam Baldock in place of Jermaine Easter due to Baldock's strong performance last game. Peter Leven will replace Dietmar Hamann as starting midfielder. The rest of the starting eleven will remain unchanged.

Match Day:
"I'm predicting a win for MK Dons. I believe they have enough about themselves to see off Alfreton today."
- Thenonleaguefootballpaper.com

The media once again pegs The Dons as 1-4 favorites to win, with Alfreton getting 9-1 odds and a draw 4-1. Left back Dean Lewington is again mentioned as the media's Key Player for The Dons while striker Liam Hearn earns the nod for Alfreton. Jon Moss, who was the referee for our friendly against Havant & W, returns for this match. The weather is 13 degrees Celcius and dry at Town Ground, which should help both teams.

Alfreton appear to plan on lining up in a 4-5-1 formation, replacing one striker with a defensive midfielder behind their center four. I am tempted to change our strategy to an attacking mindset but elect to stick with our current counter attacking tactic so the squad can continue to become familiar with it.

Overconfidence did not seem to be as much of an issue during pre-match warm-ups. Only backups Luke Howell and player/coach Dietmar Hamann showed any signs and that could be addressed individually with pep talks. Before the match start, I reminded the team to keep their eyes on the prize and work to impress me and show why they each deserve a spot on the starting eleven squad.

First Half:
Central defender Mathias Doumbe is issued a yellow card in the 6th minute for a foul against Alfreton striker Liam Hearn in the middle of the pitch. In the 14th minute, Angelo Balanta streaks passed the last defender to catch a header by central defender Sean O'Hanlon which he puts into the net for the first goal of the game. The 39th minute sees a yellow card warning issued to MK Dons striker Sam Baldock for holding back Alfreton right back Chris Lane. Chris Lane returns the favor a minute later by holding back Sam Baldock as he just before he enters the Alfreton penalty box with the ball. As the first half comes to a close Alfreton supporters show strong emotions when central defender Aden Flint is sent off with an immediate red card for tripping Sam Baldock when he breaks away and connects with a solid through ball.

Half Time:
At half time I tell the team to keep going, as their execution of our counter attacking strategy is solid. In the first half, Alfreton had been held to only 1 shot that was off-target and only had a 66% pass completion rating. Dons shots were still largely off target or blocked though our ability to create chances shines. I bring in Jermaine Easter to replace tired Sam Baldock, whose yellow card warning makes the decision all but automatic. I decide to keep Mathias Doumbe in despite his own yellow card due to his otherwise solid play. Luke Chadwick replaces Jemal Johnson at left wing, Daniel Powell takes over at right wing for Stephen Gleeson, and Dietmar Hamann replaces Peter Leven and Mark Carrington comes in for trialist Stefani Miglioranzi at midfield.

Second Half:
The cards continue to fly right at the start, as Dean Lewington receives a yellow for holding back Alfreton's Liam Hearn in the 47th minute. Jermaine Easter increases the lead to 2-0 with a 60th minute header that hit off of the underside of the bar during a congested shuffle in front of Alfreton's goal. Easter doubles his tally with a 70th minute close range kick into the net off of a short cross from fellow striker Angelo Balanta. During the pause, I sub in Adma Chicksen for Dean Lewington at left back and pull a tired Angelo Balanta out, moving right winger Daniel Powell to the attacking striker spot and bringing in right back Luke Howell to replace Powell at right wing. Howell has some familiarity with a winger roll and receives instructions to play a simple defend and pass game. The Dons hold Alfreton up and prevent them from taking a single shot throughout the entire half and the game ends with a 3-0 away victory for Milton Keynes.

VS.

Jul 17, 2010 - MK Dons vs Alfreton
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
MK Dons ()	1	2	3
Alfreton ()	0	0	0

Team Stats Comparison
MK Dons		Alfreton
3	Goals	0
16	Shots	1
6	Shots on Target	0
68%	Tackles	75%
15	Fouls	11
3	Yellow Cards	1
0	Red Cards	1
0	Injuries	0
37%	Shot Accuracy	0%
87%	Passing Percentage	64%

Match Summary
MK Dons	Alfreton
14' Goal - Angelo Balanta	40' Yellow Card - Chris Lane
60' Goal - Jermaine Easter	45' Red Card - Aden Flint
70' Goal - Jermaine Easter
6' Yellow Card - Mathias Doumbe
39' Yellow Card - Sam Baldock
47' Yellow Card - Dean Lewington

"MK Dons have not raised any eyebrows with their superiority over Alfreton today. They've achieved exactly what was expected of them with this three goal winning margin."
- Thenonleaguefootballpaper.com

I let the team know they did a job well done and show my delight with Man of the Match Sean O'Hanlon for his solid game as well as Jermaine Easter who came off last Wednesday's mediocre performance with a smashing one today.

We are notified after the game that Carlos Merino has accepted our offer to come on trial for two weeks. This will give us enough time to get a closer look at Carlos Merino as a potential midfield option should negotiations fail with Stefani Miglioranzi, whose agent we have yet to hear a response from. We have also not yet heard back from Bristol City Reserves right midfielder Pat Hoban on whether he will agree to come to our team on loan. Despite this, I am beginning to see the final starting eleven come into place. We are only half-way through our pre-season fixtures so there is plenty of time to solidify the squad before opening day.

Our next friendly is in three days on Tuesday, July 20th against npower League 2 side Port Vale.

Dynasty: Joby21

Dynasty: DNutty 01

15.6.2010
According to Thenonleaguefootballpaper.com, Havant & W head coach Shaun Gale spoke in glowing terms of the depth available to Carl Royce, indicating that he was perhaps rather jealous of having such a squad to work with. I made a brief response in kind, stating my respect for Shaun and that I thought he was a fine head coach and person.

Club scout Jordan Bryant provided a scouting report on our next pre-season friendly opponent, Blue Square Bet South side Alfreton. Bryant believed that Alfreton were likely to field a 4-4-2 formation and that the field at Town Ground was on the short side, causing congestion in the middle of the pitch. Bryant also believes that central midfielder Anton Brown is a real driving force for Alfreton, while left midfielder Anthony Howell and right midfielder Simon Hollis are listed as injured. This scouting knowledge may lead me to instructing the squad to play more to the flanks on match day to take advantage of both the pitch size as well as their lack of solid wingers on each side.

In preparation of the match, I instruct the team to participate in a series of drills that will better blend them as a squad. I plan on going into the next match with my prospective starting eleven, including trialist Stefani Miglioranzi at midfield, and want to make sure they develop enough chemistry before the start of the official season.

17.6.2010
Assistant Coach John Gorman compiles a match report from the England Academy Trial match. The most promising candidate appeared to be young Canadian goalkeeper Adam Street, who plays for the Canada Under 20s squad. I ask Jordan Bryant to compile his own scouting report on Adam to get more information. We are not hurting for depth at the goalkeeper position, though Adam is younger than current backups Stuart Searle, 31, and Willy Gueret, 36, and with Gueret's contract expiring next year a move may be beneficial in the long term.

I have decided on making an offer to midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi. I approach Stefani's agent, Adam Thompson, with a $2,200 per week 2 year contract offer. Additional stipends include a $10,000 sign on fee, $400 Appearance fee per game, and $100 bonus per goal scored. I also a $14,000 bonus if Stefani makes Team of the Year and the standard 25% promotional salary raise and %10 sell on fee clauses. If the contract goes through, agent Adam Thompson will also receive $8,250. Adam Thompson states that the deal works for his client and that they will take time to consider everything then get back to us.

To free up more salary room I decide to try to offer reserve striker Jabo Ibehre to other clubs, or release him entirely if I am unable to find a new home for him. Jabo Ibehere appears to be a decent player but lacks in the physica pace and agility I like to see in a striker. He is getting up there in age so it is unlikely he will further develop in those areas. Blue Square Premiere side Wrexham have shown interest so I hope a transfer can be agreed upon that will keep us from having to pay a release fee. Jabo is valued at $45,000 but initial offers at that price went unanswered. I lower our asking price to $20,000 in hopes of drawing an offer and intend on reducing our offer to a free transfer should noone bite.

With that business aside, we load the team onto their bus and proceed to our afternoon match against Alfreton at Town Ground.

Dynasty: Joby21

I have always wanted to do one of these, but I guess I never actually just sat down to do one. I have taken a different approach to this than your usual modern day dynasty. I went out on sportsconnect for MLB 10 The Show and found a roster set that had all the 40 man rosters for the 1988 season. I decided to start a dynasty or franchise from that year, 88', in hope to change history a little bit. 88' for those Tigers fans that know, was really the last year where they competed for a division title until 2006. I am a MOM player and hope to take them to a division title and a WS championship as they are a veteran team with a lot of older guys so its a win now mentality. I believe this will play out well and for you baseball historians, and a love for classic baseball this dynasty will be a fun one to watch. Stay tuned for how the Roster Shapes up.

Dynasty: Rwings832

14.6.2010
On match day morning agent Gonzalo Hita approached us with a report on his client midfielder Carlos Merino, formerly of Albacete in Spanish league LIGA adelante. Merino showed promise so I put in a request to have him join The Dons on a two week trial so we can get a closer look during the rest of pre-season. Also, Bristol City accepted my loan offer on right midfielder Pat Hoban, who just has to agree to the deal before he can join The Dons. The move will help us two fold by allowing Hoban to take over at right wing while Stephen Gleeson opens up more options in midfield.

Match Day:
"MK Dons will have too much quality for Havant & W today and I believe we'll be looking at a comfortable win for them."
- Thenonleaguefootballpaper.com

The media has us as 1-4 favorites to win, with Havant & W's odds set at 9-1 and a draw at 4-1. The media also states that key players would be left back Dean Lewington and right midfielder Wes Fogden for The Dons and Havant & W respectively. Jon Moss will be our referee.

Luke Chadwick and Peter Leven looked a bit overconfident during warmups, which adds to my earlier concerns about complacency against teams that the squad perceives as lesser opponents. I will address that in my pep talk to the team.

I decide on starting Jemal Johnson at left wing in place of Luke Chadwick as Chadwick appeared a bit too tired before the match again. I will have to evaluate his fitness over time to make sure that it is not an on-going issue. Trialist Stefani Miglioranzi will start in midfield as our ball winning midfielder while Dietmar Hamann will begin in our midfield player maker role. The remaining line-up is according to my current starting eleven.

In the first half, the defense is still proving strong and creating good counter attacking opportunities though we still struggle to take advantage of them. Left with six shots on goal and only one on target. We dominate possession at around 60/40. Strikers Angelo Balanta and Jermaine Easter need to work harder. Stefani Miglioranzi looks good so far with a 75% pass completion ratio, and having won two out of two headers, one being a key play that setup an Angelo Balanta attack.

At half-time I tell the team that I want to see more from them. Striker Sam Baldock comes in for Jermaine Easter, and I also replace Jemal Johnson with Luke Chadwick at left wing, Peter Leven in midfield in place of Dietmar Hamann, and Daniel Powell in for Stephen Gleeson at right wing.

The second half goes much better than the first. Havant & W player Mustafa Tiryaki receives a yellow card for tripping Daniel Powell in the 53rd minute. In the 60th minute, Peter Leven creates an excellent opportunity with a defense splitting through ball that Sam Baldock collects and puts passed Havant & W keeper Aaron Howe to put The Dons up 1-0. The 67th minute Leven creates another play with a long lobbed through ball that Baldock curves just off one side of the goal post from long range while under pressure. 70th minute sees Baldock get his second goal off of a Luke Chadwick cross that rebounded off of Havant & W defender Sam Pearce, making the score 2-0.

I make more substitutions, bringing in Adam Chicksen to take over Dean Lewington's left back position, swapping Luke Howell for Dan Woodards at right back, and bringing in Mark Carrington for trialist Stefani Miglioranzi, who continued to show promise. The 72nd minute sees an Angelo Balanta goal after he hustled on a counter attack and stole the ball from the last defender, Michael Cunningham, making the final score 3-0.

VS.

Jul 14, 2010 - MK Dons vs Havant & W
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
MK Dons ()	0	3
Havant & W ()	0	0

Team Stats Comparison
MK Dons		Havant & W
3	Goals	0
14	Shots	6
4	Shots on Target	1
57%	Tackles	71%
11	Fouls	11
0	Yellow Cards	1
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	0
28%	Shot Accuracy	16%
74%	Passing Percentage	64%

Match Summary
MK Dons	Havant & W
53' Yellow Card - Mustafa Tiryaki	60' Goal - Sam Baldock
	70' Goal - Sam Baldock
	72' Goal - Angelo Balanta

"The MK Dons have not raised any eyebrows with their superiority over Havant & W today. They've achieved exactly what was expected of them with this three goal winning margin."
- Thenonleaguefootballpaper.com

I tell the team that I am pleased while reserving special praise for Sam Baldock, who was today's Man of the Match, telling the young striker that I am delighted with his role in today's win. Stefani Miglioranzi showed a lot of potential in midfield before coming out in the second half, finishing with an 81% pass completion rating. Luke Chadwick's fitness remains a slight concern after he showed signs of tire again. Will see if he is ready for the next match in three days against Blue Square North side Alfreton.

Dynasty: Joby21

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. -- In a rivalry game that didn't amount to much, Colorado State walked away with a fairly easy 48-20 victory over Air Force.

CSU Sr QB Pete Thomas, got to hold th ram-Falcon Trophy for the 4th year in a row as he was named player of the game after completing 10 of 19 passes for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns while also running in a touchdown from 8 yards out. "It feels great to have experienced winning every time I have ever played for this trophy. Our receivers made some great plays today and found open space for me to hit them all game."

Sr HB Chris Nwoke added 117 yards on the ground, while Tony Drake added a TD on the ground too. Bernard Blake lead the receivers with 101 yards and a TD, Tight Ends MAtt Weems and Jameson Gann both added TD catches too. Weems commented after the game,"If we could get past their D-line, then we had all kinds of space, Nwoke was able to get around my block for open space all day long, I made the defense pay for the one time the lost me with my career long catch and run of 67 yards."

The CSU defense put together a strong game too as they were lead by All-American DT Courtney McCarthy who tallied 8 tackles, 4 TFL and 2 sacks, Sr DE Kharyee Marshall also collect 2 sacks, Soph Mark Leonard added 1 sack. OLB Mike Orakpo started the game strong with a 22 yard interception returned for a TD, and both TJ Brown and Anthony Lyles added spectacular interceptions to their resumes today too.

Air Force was lead by Jr HB Marquez Jones who rushed for 236 yards and two touchdowns.

Dynasty: gilla

12.6.2010
Our next pre-season friendly match is in a couple of days against Blue Square Bet South side Havant & W, a team that the media predicts will only reach mid-table in their competition. I will use this match as an opportunity to evaluate squad complacency when facing a perceived lesser team. For match preparation, I've instructed the team to focus on attack movement so we can better capitalize on our counter attacking opportunities.

Brazilian defensive midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi officially began his trial today and I plan on starting him in midfield against Havant & W so the staff can get a good look at him. Player/coach Dietmar Hamann will move to the deep lying playmaker position while midfielder Peter Leven will sit on the bench. Stefani is not the fastest player and may be susceptible to injuries. His age also means that he has likely reached his potential so any contract offers would be on the short side.

Stefani Miglioranzi - Defensive Midfielder, Central Midfielder
Age: 32 years old (20.9.1977)
Nationality: Brazil
Height / Weight: 186 cm / 73 kg

Contract: On Trial
Estimated Value: -

Personality: Fairly Determined
Strengths: Athleticism
Weaknesses: Speed
Current Ability: Not much difference between Miglioranzi and Luke Chadwick in the midfield role. Would be a leading star for most npower Leage 1 sides.

13.6.2010

13.6.2010

A loan offer for Leeds Reserves right midfielder Andy Robinson was rejected by Leeds due to the salary contribution being too low for their tastes. Sent a loan offer out on 18 year old Bristol City Reserves player Pat Hoban after a scouting report listed him favorably.

Physio Paul Collins filed an injury update:

MK Dons Injury Report
Player	Condition	Date Injured	Expected Return
Aaron Wilbraham, ST	Back strain	1.7.2010	7 weeks - 3 months
Jude Stirling, D(RLC)	Groin strain	1.6.2010	4 months - 5 months
Gary MacKenzie, DC	Damaged knee cartilage	30.3.2010	8 weeks - 3 months

The return of Stirling and MacKenzie will bring some depth back to our Central Defender positions while Aaron Wilbraham will add more options in the front line once he is back.

The club secretary passed along a fax from the England Players' Association inviting The Dons to attend English Trial Day. I opted to send scout Jordan Bryant before having him return to his task of scouting our next opposition.

I took the rest of the day to evaluate the team's training assignments and took note of some potential improvements in the future.

Tomorrow is match day away from home with our next home game not occuring until after the official start of the season.

Dynasty: Joby21

9.6.2010
With only two days between our intra-squad friendly and our first pre-season friendly, I elect to give the squad a day of rest to avoid risking an injury from fatigue.

The draw for the first round of The English League Cup took place in the late morning and The Dons drew npower League 2 side Southend United. We will face that side on Tuesday, August 10th in an away match at Roots Hall.

The English League Cup has been running for 49 years and was first won by Aston Villa in 1961. It's most recent champions are The Red Devils, Manchester United.

10.6.2010
"I fancy Cardiff to win this one. Having looked at the line-ups, Cardiff seem to have more about them than MK Dons and I expect this quality to show through during the match."
- BBC Three Counties

Today we face npower Championship side Cardiff City in a friendly match that will likely put our counter tactic to the test. Our chances look pretty low though with the media having made the above comment. I went in confident that we had a chance at a draw or even win, though my main goal for the match was fitness and player training.

Several squad members are still tired from the intrasquad friendly so I elect to make a few substitutions to the starting squad.

Jemal Johnson starts in place of Luke Chadwick at the left wing, Mark Carrington replaces Peter Leven in the midfield, and Sam Baldock replaces Jermaine Easter as supporting striker.

Cardiff's midfielder Stephen McPhail was singled out as their key man and appeared to be a well rounded player, though not the fastest. Assistant Coach John Gorman recommended that we instruct the players to show McPhail onto his weaker foot, which I obliged, as well as push for harder tackling and tighter marking on right side striker Jay Bothroyd.

The first half started off well with The Dons retaining a slight edge on possession while holding Cardiff City to only a few long range shots. Our overall strategy continued to look sound though the squad failed to take advantage of the scoring chances provided by our counter attacks. Sean O'Hanlon did give us the lead with a 28th minute header off of a corner kick by Jemal Johnson. Daniel Powell was subbed in at right wing for a tired Stephen Gleeson and we went into half-time up 1-0.

More substitutions were made during the half with Jermaine Easter replacing Angelo Balanta at attacking striker, Peter Level coming in for Dietmar Hamannm in midfield, Luke Chadwick replaced Jemal Johnson at left wing, Adam Chicksen took over left back for Dean Lewington, and Luke Howell replaced Dan Woodards at right back.

The second half started off the same as the first, including our inability to capitalize on our scoring chances. Cardiff City right winger Danny Drinkwater tied the game with a 73rd minute strike from just outside of the box. A close shot by Jermaine Easter would have tied the game in injury time had it not bounced off of the cross beam.

Final score: 1 - 1

VS.

Jul 10, 2010 - Cardiff City vs MK Dons
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
Cardiff City ()	0	1	1
MK Dons ()	1	1	1

Team Stats Comparison
Cardiff City		MK Dons
1	Goals	1
14	Shots	11
6	Shots on Target	1
65%	Tackles	70%
9	Fouls	10
0	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
0	Injuries	0
42%	Shot Accuracy	9%
73%	Passing Percentage	77%

Scoring Summary
Cardiff City	MK Dons
Danny Drinkwater 73'	Sean O'Hanlon 28'

"MK Dons will have the happier set of supporters this evening after gaining a draw against Cardiff. The Bluebirds head coach however is likely to be wondering why they weren't able to win the game."
- BBC Three Counties

To avoid excessive over analysis, I aim to walk away from each game with three key points. For this game, my key three points were.

1. Too many long shots.

1. Need more match fitness.

1. Fundamentals of counter tactic are showing promise.

Based on these points, I need to find better ways for the squad to get the ball in closer before shooting if we are to increase our shot accuracy and take better advantage of our counter attacks. The squad also needs more time to return to a respectful level of fitness so I should be weary about including any more friendly matches in their pre-season schedule. Lastly, the basic fundamentals of our counter attacking strategy are showing promise. I shouldn't change too much just yet.

After the match, Cardiff head coach Dave Jones reserved some praise for our side, admitting that our passing game was truly something to behold and that every team should endeavor to follow our lead. I responded to the media in kind by stating that Cardiff City should be proud of their head coach as he's doing a wonderful job. It seems that Mr. Jones and I are on good terms after our match and it may work out in my favor in the future if I am plying the transfer or loan markets.

11.6.2010

In other news, Brazilian defensive midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi agreed to a three week trial with The Dons. That will give me plenty of time to evaluate him in consideration of a longer term contract to help bolster our midfield.

Dynasty: Joby21

Monday, January 3, 2011

Jul 8, 2010 - MK Dons Reserves vs MK Dons
TEAM	1	2	SCORE
MK Dons Reserves ()	0	1	1
MK Dons ()	3	3	3

Team Stats Comparison
MK Dons Reserves		MK Dons
1	Goals	3
4	Shots	13
1	Shots on Target	6
60%	Tackles	65%
13	Fouls	9
0	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
1	Injuries	0
25%	Shot Accuracy	46%
66%	Passing Percentage	73%

Setting the squad up for the intrasquad friendly brought emphasis to the lack of depth in midfield, which lead to me deciding to give Reserve Squad members Mark Carrington and Luke Howell each a shot at the Senior Squad based upon their performances during the pre-season.

Assistant Coach John Gorman submitted his Loan Report for Right Midfielders and I selected 6 candidates for further scouting, with hopes of having a loan offer sent to the most promising candidate within a few days.

Our intrasquad friendly took place during the afternoon and the squad showed a lot of promise during the first half. The philosophy behind the tactic proved sound as the team remained strong defensively, holding the Reserves Squad to only one long shot the entire half.

Angelo Balanta scored twice off of assists from Luke Chadwick and Jermaine Easter, while Sean O'Hanlon scored off of a header from a Luke Chadwick free kick giving the Senior Squad a 3 - 0 lead going into half-time.

The second half was without a goal on the Senior Side where as Joel Gyasi scored a Reserves goal from a deep free kick that curled out of reach of goalkeeper David Martin. Reserves player George Baldock had to leave the game with a damaged elbow.

78th minute substitutions were Jemal Johnson for Luke Chadwick, Daniel Powell for Stephen Gleeson, and Mark Carrington in for player/coach Dietmar Hamann.

Man of the Match went to Angelo Balanta for his two goals while Sean O'Hanlon (MK Dons) and Lewis Guy (MK Dons Reserves) proved to be Key Players for their respective sides.

Dynasty: Joby21

"Royce delighted with defensive options."

"Carl Royce faced the media for the first time as MK Dons boss today as he attended a press conference to announce his new role. Royce fielded a range of questions such as the new job and Milton Keynes Dons from The League Paper and BBC Three Counties.

A journalist from The League Paper chose the main focus point for the conference, asking, "That certainly suggests you have confidence in your players. What do you consider to be your strongest area of the team?"

Royce's responce was, "Defense.""

- The League Paper

After my introductory press conference I set to work developing the main tactical approach I wanted to take this season. The MK Dons will be sticking to the basics at first and take a more defensive approach while attempting to catch opponent's off guard and score through counter attacks down our strong left side. As the squad gets comfortable with the baseline strategy, I plan on expanding it to take advantage of the good link between Dean Lewington at left back and Luke Chadwick at the left wing.

I also set my 'Pending Starting Eleven' which will grow more solid as the pre-season progresses.

MK Dons Rigid Counter:

Team Instructions:
Philosophy: Rigid
Starting Strategy: Counter

Passing Style: More Direct
Creative Freedom: Default
Closing Down: Default
Tackling: Default
Marking: Zonal Marking
Crossing: Default
Roaming: Stick To Position

Starting Eleven Player Positions/Roles:
David Martin: Goalkeeper / Defend
Dean Lewington: Left Full Back / Automatic
Mathias Doumbe: Central Defender / Cover
Sean O'Hanlon: Central Defender / Stopper
Dan Woodards: Full Back / Defend
Luke Chadwick: Winger / Attack
Dietmar Hamann: Ball Winning Midfielder / Defend
Peter Leven: Deep Lying Playmaker / Support
Stephen Gleeson: Winger / Support

This will be the baseline team and strategy that we take into the July Friendlies.

Dynasty: Joby21

Fixture Schedule - July 2010
Date/Time	Opponent	Home/Away	Type
Sat, 10.7.2010 15:00	Cardiff	Home	Friendly
Wed, 14.7.2010 19:45	Havant & W	Away	Friendly
Sat, 17.7.2010 15:00	Alfreton	Away	Friendly
Tue, 20.7.2010 19:45	Port Vale	Away	Friendly
Sat, 24.7.2010 15:00	Wrexham	Away	Friendly
Mon, 26.7.2010 19:45	Thurrock	Away	Friendly

Our pre-season friendlies begin in only a few days when we welcome npower Championship side Cardiff to stadium:mk in what is currently our only scheduled home game before the regular season begins.

I set three primary goals for the pre-season. My first goal is to use our pre-season fixtures as a tool for developing the main tactic I plan on employing, a rigid counter attacking 4-4-2 that takes advantage of our strong back line. I plan to tweak the basic tactic after each pre-season game to plug up holes in the defense while also developing better counter attack strategies utilizing Luke Chadwick on the left wing and our strikers.

My second goal is to assess the performance of each player in the pre-season fixtures to help me identify the regular season's starting eleven. Some positions seem all but locked, though I am still uncertain about assignments in other positions.

The third goal is to make sure all players on the Senior Squad are fully fit and ready for the regular season. With just a few days to go, I concur with John Gorman's suggestion about arranging an inter-squad friendly prior to the rest of the matches to help get a kick start on our upcoming season.

Dynasty: Joby21

My first day as head coach of The Dons was a busy one and started with a meeting with the chairman and management director where we agreed on a payroll budget of $73,000 per week and a transfer budget of $0. The payroll budget was on condition that The Dons achieve a top half finish in npower League 1, which is in line with my plans for the club this year.

The late morning and early afternoon was spent meeting with the staff to discuss the team. The best player on the team appears to be central defender Sean O'Hanlon who has one year left on his contract, while left-back Dean Lewington, and Left Midfielder Luke Chadwick round out the top 3. The weakest link appears to be Right Midfielder Stephen Gleeson, who naturally plays as a midfield center, and I make note to look at the free transfer market to help solidify that side of the midfield so Stephen can return to central midfield where he is comfortable.

Sean O'Hanlon - Defender (Center)
Age: 27 years old (2.1.1983)
Nationality: England
Height / Weight: 188cm / 79kg

Contract: Full Time, $4,100 p/w, Expires 30.6.2011
Estimated Value: $375,000

Personality: Resilient
Strengths: Team Player
Weaknesses: Speed
Current Ability: Better than next strongest central defender Mathias Doumbe, would be a good player for most npower Championship sides.

Dean Lewington - Defender (Left)
Age: 26 years old (18.5.1984)
Nationality: England
Height / Weight: 181cm / 70kg

Contract: Full Time, $5,000 p/w, Expires 30.6.2013
Estimated Value: $825,000

Personality: Fairly Determined
Strengths: Team Player, High Workrate
Weaknesses: Speed
Current Ability: Twice the player of second best left-back Jude Stirling, would be a good player for most npower Championship sides.

Luke Chadwick - Midfielder (Left), Attacking Midfielder (Center)
Age: 29 years old (18.11.1980)
Nationality: England
Height / Weight: 181cm / 70kg

Contract: Full Time, $4,100 p/w, Expires 30.6.2011
Estimated Value: $160,000

Personality: Fairly Determined
Strengths: Team Player
Weaknesses: Aerial Ability
Current Ability: A lot better than next best left midfielder Jemal Johnson

Stephen Gleeson - Midfielder (Center)
Age: 21 years old (3.8.1988)
Nationality: Ireland
Height / Weight: 181cm / 70kg

Contract: Full Time, $2,800 p/w, Expires 30.6.2012
Estimated Value: $210,000

Personality: Balanced
Strengths: speed
Weaknesses: Aerial Ability
Current Ability: Good central midfielder but below par compared to other npower League 1 right midfielders.

Assistant Coach John Gorman recommends that we pick either a narrow 4-1-2-1-2 formation or a 4-5-1 based upon the positional strength of the squad. I decide on a basic approach for now and choose to stick with a rigid 4-4-2 philosphy with an aim at counter attacking. The decision is made large in part to the strength of the defense and The Dons current weakness in midfield.

I took the time to ask John Gorman to compile a report on players available for loan who could fill our weak Right Midfield position and while also assigning scout Jordan Bryant to draft a report on Andy Hughes, a right midfielder on the Leeds Reserve squad who's contract is up in a year.

Dynasty: Joby21

6.6.2010 - Royce takes charge at MK Dons

In what may be seen as a surprise appointment, the MK Dons board has named a virtually unknown American as their new boss.

Carl Royce, who turns thirty-six next birthday, was introduced to fans and journalists alike at stadium:mk this morning.

Profile: Carl Royce

Nationality: United States
Games Played: 0
Games Won: 0

Contract Type: Full Time
Salary: $1,800 per week
Started: 6.7.2010
Expires: 30.6.2012

Dynasty: Joby21

An introduction to the MK Dons:

Founded in 2004, Milton Keynes Dons are a professional English club currently playing in the npower League 1. The club play their home games at stadium:mk and possess good training facilities and an average youth setup. The club also possess a youth academy and a fairly basic youth recruitment network. The club is affectionately known as The Dons and retains a fierce rivalry with AFC Wimbledon.

As a club which enjoyed its best spell of success during the 2000s and their last competition win coming as recently as 2008, The Dons are a club with a growing history. MK Dons won the English 4th tier for the only time in 2008, and won the Johnstone's Paint Trophy in 2008.

Senior Squad:
Willy Gueret - GK
Stuart Searle - GK
David Martin - GK
Jude Stirling - DR, DL, DC
Dan Woodards - DR
Dean Lewington - DL
Sean O'Hanlon - DC
Mathias Doumbe - DC
Gary MacKenzie - DC
Dietmar Hamann - DM, MC
Stephen Gleeson - MR, MC
Peter Leven - MC
Luke Chadwick - M/AM (RLC)
Jemal Johnson - M/AM (RL)
Daniel Powell - M/AM (RL), ST
Angelo Balanta (LOAN) - AML, ST
Aaron Wilbraham - ST
Jermaine Easter - ST
Sam Baldock - ST

Reserve Squad:
Jabo Ibehre - ST
Mark Carrington - MC
Luke Howell - DR, DM, MC
Charlie Collins - ST
Tom Flanagan - DC
Lewis Guy - ST
Adam chicksen - D/WB/M (L)

Under 18 Squad:
Daniel Glass - GK
Philip Andrews - GK
George Williams - D(RC)
Jordan Browne - DR
Steve McKoy - D(RC)
Liam McGovern - DL
Harry Milton - DC
Jordan Ivey-Ward - DC
Ben Walster - DC
Mark Lee - DM, MC
Stefan Powell - DM, MC
Denis Potter - MR
George Baldock - MC
Joel Gyasi - MC
Igor Coronado - M/AM (R)
David Ripley - M/AM (RLC)
Fuad Ahmed - M/AM(R), ST
Andy Beill - M/AM(L)
Hayden Carter - AM(RL), ST
Jason Lane - AM(C), ST
Andrew Rowlands - ST

Staff:
Chairman: Pete Winkelman
Management Director - Sue Dawson
General Manager - Mark Turner
Head Coach - Carl Royce
Assistant Coach - John Gorman
Player/Coach - Dietmar Hamann
Goalkeeping Coach - Paul Heald
Fitness Coach - Matt Hillyer
Youth Coach - Paul Mitchell
Youth Coach - Simon Dwight
Youth Coach - Mike Dove
Physio - Simon Crampton
Physio - Paul Collins
Scout - Jordan Bryant

Dynasty: Joby21

Starting Five

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