FM18 - The Rise of Sepsi: Romania Strong - FINISHED!!!

[Abe Sargent]

Basano, Game #9 –Home vs U Cluj – I start Mitrea, Viveros, and Eckhardt at AMC to give Lupu a rest too. We win 4-1, with goals by Boka, Ivanx2, and Gimenez. MOM is Boka.


Basano, Game #10 –Away vs Arad – Kubik and Viveros start, and Lupu returns. We thump them 4-0. Mom is Lupu. Two goals by Lupu, as well as Boka and Ivan.

[thehitcat]

What a start to the season. Including a win and a draw as Romania coach in Euro qualifying, a 1-nil win in Sepsi's first ever Champion's League group match and an unbeaten start to the Basano season. On such foundations magical seasons are born. Hope you are able to keep it up, keep your players off the trainers table and keep Card-agena from giving away too many free kicks in dangerous locations.

[Abe Sargent]

CHAMPIONS GROUP STAGE GAME #2 – Away vs Sparta Prague - Can I get four (or six) points from Sparta Prague? That begins today. Can I continue the 1-0 initiative begun at home by defeating Benfica? Our U19 team just beat them 4-2 in a friendly before the main team. Can our senior squad follow? I start my best XI including Etebo who returns. I’m not going to bore you with the details. We get thumped 3-0. That’s our 2nd loss of the season and the 2nd in the Champions group too.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by thehitcat

What a start to the season. Including a win and a draw as Romania coach in Euro qualifying, a 1-nil win in Sepsi's first ever Champion's League group match and an unbeaten start to the Basano season. On such foundations magical seasons are born. Hope you are able to keep it up, keep your players off the trainers table and keep Card-agena from giving away too many free kicks in dangerous locations.

I hope so too!!!

[Abe Sargent]

October

Oct 3 – Away vs Voluntari
Oct 10 – Romania vs San Marino, EURO QUALS
Oct 13 – Romania vs Latvia, EURO Quals
Oct 17 – Away vs Timisoara
Oct 21 – Away vs Juventus
Oct 24 – Home vs FCSB
Oct 28 – Home vs Concordia, Romanian Cup
Oct 31 – Home vs Cluj

Good Training – Lupu, Adam, Prodan

Andrei Ivan was Man of the Month, and Boka 2nd.

For my Romanian squad, I call up Mitrea and an older ST named Keseru as a backup.



Basano, Game #11 –Away vs Voluntari – We win 3-1, Ivan is MOM with all 3 of our goals. Cartagena has too many cards and will miss the next Basano match.

Viveros gets his first goal for Columbia and I congratulate him.

[Abe Sargent]

ROMANIA vs SAN MARINO – I start Dima and Mitrea to give them their first caps, and Petre remains in there. This is the best time to get some caps and experience – against San Marino. They get a red in the 33rd. We score a few minutes later, Dragus to Ivan for goal. Dima to And one for another goal. Ivan to Dragus in extra time. Half, 3-0 us. Dragus to Ivan waived offsides. This line is something you’ll love – Petre to Lupu, goal. I send in Man. Then Tiru at DC. Hagi to Petre for a goal. Other than Lupu, Petre might be my favorite player in this dynasty. MOM is Petre. This was Dragus’s first goal for us too by the by.


ROMANIA VS LATVIA – Today I have pulled Mitrea for Screciu. I start Matin at ML as well. This is a boring match. We win 1-0, with Ivan our loan score and MOM is Lupu, the only person with at least 7.0 rating for either team.

Basano, Game #12 –Away vs Timisoara – A boring 1-0 game, one goal by Gimenez. We won. I subbed in other players to give rests prior to the BIG game next.

Our upgrades have finished to our training facilities.

[Abe Sargent]

CHAMPIONS GROUP STAGE GAME #3 – Away vs Juventus – Can I get a respectable result here? I blanked at Sparta Prague. It sees us head to Juventus and take on Zidane’s squad. We have everyone starting today that you would expect, and I am starting Boka on the left wing for Stoian. Our U19 team tied theirs 2-2 today. I begin controlling and I’ll show you why later if it matters. I want to knock Juventus around a bit at the beginning. They expect me to come in and play defensive football. Nope. Lupu to Martinez for a goal in the 16th:



That’s what I wanted to see. Push Juventus around in their own turf. I don’t think they are stable, and I want to take advantage of that. We have three great chances go begging and they have just one that Colombi gobbles up. They crawl one back and it’s tied at the half. You can still win this! Cartagena with a card. They injure Gimenez and I send in Raul. They grab two cards. In the 66th, off a corner kick by Boka, he finds the head of Balasa, who is covered and thus heads it to Tonelli who sinks it. Goal. Here comes Juventus.




Can we hold?

I send in Stoian for Etebo, who’s tired. I send in Mitrea for Cartagena and move Strobl to the DMC spot. I want fresh legs at the back. We hold and win. Gone down is Juventus! They still had the MOM, grr.


The good news is we caught Juventus in a free fall. Here:



8 Games in and they barely have showed up in Serie A. They have just 2 wins in 8 Serie A games.

Group C before the game:




It was tough. Everyone had one win and one loss.

After the game?



I felt that their defense wasn’t very good so I wanted to emphasize my attack, and I wanted to kick them in the teeth. I think that happened.

[Abe Sargent]

Basano, Game #13 –Home vs FCSB – We win 3-0, MOM is Gimenez with two goals and Raul a 3rd.

Not that it really matters, but here is our table, halfway through the regular season:

[Abe Sargent]

Romanian Cup, Home vs Concordia – We barely win after Cartagena is sent off with a 2nd card in the 53rd, 1-0. MOM is Boka.


Basano, Game #14 –Home vs Craiova – I handed out some rests. Viveros starts for Cartagena. I am giving Kubik a start too. We win 3-0. MOM is Gimenez with two goals to Ivan’s one.

[Abe Sargent]

November

Nov 3 – Home vs Juventus
Nov 8 – Away vs Cluj
Nov 11 – Away vs Concordia
Nov 13 – Romania vs Kazakhstan, EURO GROUP QUALS
Nov 16 – Romania vs San Marino, EURO GROUP QUALS
Nov 21 – Away vs Dinamo
Nov 25 – Away vs Benfica
Nov 28 – Home vs Astra

Good Training – Lupu, Raul, Boka

Gimenez wins Player of the Month, and I congratulate them.

Oh, Schlocobiert was Player of the Month for Russia, by the by.



CHAMPIONS GROUP STAGE GAME #4 – Home vs Juventus – This is a big game. If we win, then we stole 6 points from Juve and are likely out. Our youth tied them this morning 1-1. I suspect that Zidane is going to put it all on the line here against us. Cartagena is back, I sent Viveros to the bench for now. They score in the 9th, and then in the 29th, they get a red card after some early pressure, Cartagena got someone mad at him on the pitch. Etebo a card. Ivan grabs a goal before the half, and it’s tied. Don’t get complacent! Get that goal! Get that win! I send in Stoian for Etebo, and then Mitrea and Viveros. In the 89th, Viveros final breaks through and we score. We win 2-1, and MOM was Ivan.



Ivan was injured and will be out a week. Raul starts until he returns.

Benfica and Sparta Prague tied, and that pushes us hard into the driver seat

[Abe Sargent]

I don’t call up Mitrea this time for Romania. My backup ST is injured so I call up Raul. I also call up Marin at the M spot.

31 of our players are called up for international duty

Tonelli is injured for a few days in training and will miss the Cluj game.

Zenit just fired their manager after not liking him. Cough….shouldhavehiredme…cough.

Basano, Game #15 –Away vs Cluj – They score first, and then we return and win 2-1. MOM is Raul with both of our goals in the 70s and 80s. We also got four yellows. But any win in a win is a win.




Basano, Game #16 –Away vs Concordia = We have a bunch of international call ups today so it’s basically a B Squad playing today,save for Gimenez, and my GK/DCs. We win 2-0 with goals by Gimenez and Ivan after I sub him for a few minutes at the end of the game as he returns from injury. Strobl was double yellowed and sent off.

[Abe Sargent]

ROMANIA VS KAZAKHSTAN – I start Dragus on the ML and Dima is benched for Balasa. Here we go! On a IFK, Petre hits DC Chiriches for goal in the 4th minute. Ivan to Lupu for goal in the 24th. They foul Petre in the box and up steps Ivan. He sinks it in the 27th. Petre to Lupu goal, 35th. Half. Petre to Ivan goal, 56th. Ivan to Lupu, goal, 61st. I send in Man and Raul for And one. Tiru at DMC for Nedelcu. Raul to Lupu, goal in the 84th. Petre to man, goal, 88th. We win 8-0. MOM is Lupu’s 4 goals over Petre’s 4 assists.

These guys have played together for Sepsi, I know they know how to play with each other.

That is Romania’s biggest win ever, by the by.

[Abe Sargent]

I like this Romania side so far. They could be a golden generation in a few years. Lupu? A developed Raul? Farcas? Folks on this squad like Hagi, Dragus, and more at their peak?


ROMANIA VS SAN MARINO – I make no changes to my starting XI. Ready? Petre to Ivan in the 23rd for goal. 10 minutes later, Petre to Ivan again. Half. Just say no to complacency. I send in Raul. Hagi jumps on the ball for a pick and scores. I send in Romario Benzar. Man in for a tired Petre. Raul to Man for goal. They get a random goal late in the game. We win 6-1. MOM is Ivan.


That was Raul’s first goal for Romania


Basano, Game #17 –Away vs Dinamo – Strobl is out for today’s match with a red. I have Mitrea starting and Ivan is tired, I leave him on the bench. Tonelli returns from his injury. We win 3-1, Raul is MOM with 2 goals, and Mitrea sunk a PK.

Margeman is jaded and I’ll start Eckhardt a few games for him in the MC spot.

[Abe Sargent]

CHAMPIONS GROUP STAGE GAME #5 – Away vs Benfica – Earlier today, Juve beat Sparta Prague, so we are guaranteed to make it out. Benfica isn’t. They have Juventus last game, so they need points today against us. I suspect they’ll be playing an aggressive game against us. It’s driving rain today as we get things started here. Lots of Benfica pressure the first 30 minutes but no goal. On a counter started by Colombi, Gimenez finds Ivan at the 41st minute. Half. It’s 1-0 at the half and Colombi is the only reason we are in this right now. Don’t get complacent out there. I doubt 1-0 is the final score. More pressure ensues. We injure one of their middies and they sub him out. They power a shot to goal in the 63rd, I send in Mitrea. They power in another goal. Stoian and Viveros are also heading in. In extra time, Gimenez feeds Ivan for goal.




Good jorb. Can we hold? Tie 2-2. Take it and leave.

[Abe Sargent]

The only way we’ll lose the top spot in the final game is if we lose to Sparta at home and Juve loses to Benfica. We took four points from Benfica and six from Juve.



Basano, Game #18 –Home vs Astra – I rest Boka on the ML for Stoian. Eckhardt remains at the MC for a jaded Margeman. We win 3-1, MOM is Lupu, we had 1 OG b them, goals by Stoian and Gimenez.

[Abe Sargent]

December

Dec 3 – 6th Round, Away, Romanian Cup – Voluntari
Dec 8 – Home vs Sparta Prague
Dec 14 – Away vs Medias
Dec 18 – Home vs Botosani

Good Training – Boka, Raul


Romanian Cup 6th Round – Away vs Voluntari – We win 4-1. MOM is Ivan. Goals by Ivan, Stoian, Gimenez, and Lupu.

Training injury for Cartagena. I give him an injection for next game, and then Viveros will finish December.

[Abe Sargent]

CHAMPIONS GROUP STAGE GAME #6 – Home vs Sparta Prague – Ideally, we need points to advance here. In the 9th, Gimenez to Ivan for goal. In the 36th, Gimenez is on a nasty attack run, dribbles past three Spartans, feeds the box, and then eventually Etebo hits him back on an attack run for goal. That was all Gimenez. Half. Don’t get complacent. Benfica is up on Juventus. We need to hold. I send in Eckhardt, Viveros, then they crack goal in the 73rd. Boka heads in after Stoian gets a yellow card. They have 4 cards to our one. In the 84th, Eckhardt intercepts the ball and scores. They score in extra time, and then Ivan hits Eckhardt in extra time back and we win 4-2. MOM is Gimenez.

Lupu was banged up for 3-4 days.



We draw Valencia. As you can see, we are the only Eastern European club to make it out of the Group Stages. At this point there are no easy games, obviously, but I’d prefer Porto/Benfica to Valenica, but I prefer it to lots of other teams there. We’ll take it.

[Abe Sargent]

Basano, Game #19 –Away vs Medias – Today Gimenez will set the record for most league starts for a Sepsi player. He has played with strike-mates like Dodoi, Simonovski, Hadnagy, Schlocobiert, Ivan, and Raul. But he’s been muh guy. I start Eckhardt and Viveros today as per recent injuries. Well I wasn’t expecting that! We won 5-4. MOM is Ivan and his hattrick. Goals by G and Tonelli off a corner.

We will be heading to Spain for training camp.


Basano, Game #20 – Home vs Botosani – Lupu is back. We win 3-1, with two set piece goals by Strobl and a goal by Lupu. Mom is Strobl. Card for Viveros.


Alright, Winter break is upon us.

[Abe Sargent]

I want to find another strong DC

Here is Kubik:



He might have strong physical stats, and solid mentals in the right places, but he’s not good. He underwhelms. He hasn’t developed into something more.

What I’d like is a Antov or Palenik that is young and I can develop with more chance of growth and doing something. I offer Kubik for loan. Anyone on my youth team at DC to update?



This is Pagano. Not really. Too uneven at this stage.



Sure, he’s on loan, but Baturina is one of my better options out there. That’s pretty much it on my squad.

Any major youth I can tap in?





Mitrea is just a backup but he’s dropping at 33 years old, which is to be expected.

I need another strong youth candidate to replace Kubik/Mitrea on my squad as my 4th DC of choice.

[Abe Sargent]

Who do I like?

Actually, nevermind. I could try to bring in a stud young DC or something, but what am I doing?

I have my guy…


The offer is accepted…

Welcome back to Sepsi Dima!




Ah, look at how happy the lad is!

[Abe Sargent]

Cartagena talks down Margeman from wanting to leave.

Although I might want to do that if I get a nice offer. I have Viveros and my new stud who is about to join us next month as well as Eckhardt who can play there at the MC or AMC fine.

My top ten current players, by current ability

Lupu
Viveros
Eckhardt
Ivan
Etebo
Colombi
Tonelli
Boka
Strobl
Margeman

Margeman is worth keeping around, but if I get a big, nice deal, I won’t lose any sleep. I can continue without him.

By value:

Ivan, 9.5 mill
Lupu, 2.5 mill
Etebo, 2.2 mill
Gimenez, 1.8 mill
Stoian, 1.8 mill
Margeman, 1.7 mill
Cartagena, 1.5 mill
Strobl, 1.4 mill
Balasa, 1,4 mill
Tonelli, 1.4 mill
Viveros, 1.3 mill

Those are my folks with a 1+ mill value

[Abe Sargent]

January

20th – Friendly
23rd – Friendly
25th – Friendly
30th - Friendly

Player of the Month was Strobl, and Ivan 2nd.


Eckhardt won the Slovakian Young Player of the Year award

Gimenez is Player of the Year.

Schlocobiert won the Best Europe-Based Player for Brazil award and the Russia Player of the Year.


Gimenez is now Romanian. I cap him and send him to my national squad. I pull Raul off of it for now.

I have offers for Etebo and Balasa.

Several of the best Romanian youth are now more than happy to come back to Romania for us, such as Romanian national Screciu, who’s worth 10 mill at Newcastle and would come to us for around 17 mill. He was signed by a team in the EPL three years ago, but they were relegated last year and now he’s languishing in a lower level league. I start him at DC on my squad, but he’s like Strobl and could play in lots of places. Hagi? Man? Dragus? Sure. They’ll come.

I think that would be an interesting way to use my oil baron reserves.

But I have a stud coming that can change everything for Sepsi…

[Abe Sargent]

Huh. I hear of reports that connect me to some great youther in Serbia who I’ve never heard of, and I take a look, and I actually like him. I scout him.

Huh. I get a offer from AC Milan to loan one of my youth on my U19 squad to them on a first team basis. Okay! Sounds good to me!

I decline a job interview from Burnley in the EPL. I wish Zenit had called. I get offers from Southampton and Watford and I decline those as well. I sign a few Turkish folks and send them to get EU stuff out in Serbia.

I decline a job interview with Hull and the Wolves.

An offer is made for Attila Hadnagy to come manage a club in the Liga II here. He is hired!

Good luck Hadnagy!

I got an offer for Etebo, Strobl, Raul, and others. Nothing sell-able though.

Training Camp has begun.

Colombi is injured in training camp and out a few weeks. We’ll start Maio until he returns.

Friendly #1 – We win 5-0

[Abe Sargent]

I reject a Newcastle interview. Since when did I become the hot English candidate?

My two new signings arrived, Dima, and the other.

A few years ago, this young, Brazilian stud, was catching the eyes of everyone, and my squad was currently finished so I spent the rest of my cash to get him to come to us when he turned 18. That was January 23. Here he is, today. Get ready. Get set. Explode your mind

They have worked on him, given him years of starts, probably a mentor, and more.

Ready?





There you go. The media calls him a wonderkid, no doubt. We bought him for 5.5 mill years ago, and that was clearly a good investment. Even then our scouts were screaming their head off. He’s already a good First Team player. Because he was transferring to us years in advance, he already learned Romanian and Hungarian.

[Abe Sargent]

Friendly #2 – We win 9-0.

Friendly #3 – We win 5-2.

Training camp ends



One of my Turkish signings, I just found this.





I link up Colombi and Senol.


I offer a deal to Razvan Rat for our U19 AssMan gig here at Sepsi. I loan out Kubik

Friendly #4 – We win 4-1.

[Abe Sargent]

February

Feb 7 – Home vs Arad
Feb 10 – Away vs U Cluj
Feb 13 – Home vs Voluntari
Feb 17 – Home vs Viitorul
Feb 20 – Home vs Timisaora
Feb 23 – Away vs Valencia, Champion
Feb 27 – Away vs FCSB

Good training – Lupu, Raul


I get my first real offer for Raul – 4.1 mill from Koln.

I get offers for Ivan as well. I even get an offer for Tonelli from Sampdoria.




Basano, Game #21 – Home vs Arad – Colombi is back from his injury. I start Christiano at ML. We win 3-1, MOM is Ivan, 2 goals by Gimenez, 1 by Ivan, and cards by Cartagena.


Basano, Game #22 – Away vs U Cluj - Cartagena has too many cards and I start Viveros today. I move Christiano to MR today. We win 4-0, Lupu’;s hattrick gets him the MOM and Strobl with a set piece goal. Margeman was injured for a few days and will miss the next game.

[Abe Sargent]

I connect Tonelli and Dima in mentorship.

Basano, Game #23 – Home vs Voluntari – I start Dima today. We win 4-1, MOM is Gimenez, and goals by Dima off a set piece, Ivan, Lupu, and big G.

Ever since I took over as a national manager, everyone has been treating me more nicely in press conferences. Local Romanian Basano managers are much more friendly than before, and even two or three that would talk tough have stopped, and two of them (including next weeks Viitorul) have cooled the war of words.

Basano, Game #24 – Home vs Viitorul – We win 5-0. MOM is Raul. After I subbed him in in the 69th, he notched THREE Goals! I thought that Raul might, might, might have been a potential Schlocobiert and good option moving forward, and he is showing class right now, and I suspect that he’ll move into Gimenez’s spot in 18 months or so when Gimenez begins to fade. Boka and Big G with the other goals. Cartagena with the matches lone card. He’ll miss the next Basano game.

[Abe Sargent]

Lokomotiv Moscow have made an offer of 6 mill for Margeman, which is his Min Release fee. It is automatically accepted.



Basano, Game #25 – Home vs Timisoara – I start Christiano and Viveros today. I also move Eckhardt into the MC spot for now. This is the one team that kept us from a Romanian Triple last year, as we won the Supercup and Basano but lost in the finals of the Romanian Cup to Timisoara. I come out full on. We win 3-0, MOM is Dima, with a goal, and Strobl another goal, and Lupu the final one. As long as Dima continues to play well, and he is, I’ll leave him in my blank spot with Tonelli and Strobl.

[Abe Sargent]

CHAMPION KNOCKOUT ROUND, 1st Leg – Away vs Valencia – Are you ready? We are the last Eastern European club standing. For the 2nd World! Today I am starting hot Dima, Cartagena, Stoian on the ML spot as he’s experienced and veteran, Eckhardt in the middle, Etebo, Lupu, G, Ivan, etc. Here we go! Our double win against Juventus required a team that was floundering and a red card in a match. Can we get a result here? I couldn’t even beat Sparta Prague in their home place and lost 3-0 earlier in this campaign, and we lost 5-4 to Celtic on the road, and could just tie Benfica 2-2. But Valencia is better than those. And yet that 2-1 road win against Juventus was awesome and is always on the back of my mind. The early pressure mounts. We hold them off, and then Eckhardt scores in the 25th to get us started. They claw one back immediately in the 28th. And it’s tied at the half. Don’t get complacent. I send in Boka and Viveros. They get another goal in the 69th. An assault hits us, but we hold. A goal for them in the 78th is waived offsides. We give up a handball in our box in the 81st. Here comes Valencia and… Colombi stopped the PK. I send in Balasa. We lose 1-2 but the Mom is Eckhardt.


A narrow one-goal loss gives us a chance. I would haver preferred a bigger loss like 3-2 or 4-3 or something to give us an away goal padding, but it gives us a chance at home.

I reject an interview offer by Freiburg and another by Koln.

[Abe Sargent]

Basano, Game #26 – Away vs FCSB – This is the final game of the Basano regular season. I move Balasa to start. I start Boka too and move Stoian away. We win 3-1, MOM is Boka with a goal, Gimenez has two other goals. Strobl with our lone card.



Here is the league table after 26. We did not drop a point, and finished perfectly.

And the beginning of the Playoffs:



Enjoy!

Margeman heads to Russia.

[Abe Sargent]

March

March 4 – Away vs Astra, Cup Quarter Finals
March 7 – Home vs Timisoara
March 13 – Away vs Dinamo
March 17 – Home vs Valencia
March 20 – Away vs Viitorul
March 26 – Romania vs Northern Ireland – World Cup Quals
March 29 – Romania vs Macedonia, World Cup Quals

Good training – Maio, Boka, Prodan


Lupu is the Player of the Month. Gimenez 2nd and Strobl 3rd.

I have a job interview offer from Porto. Huh. That ain’t bad. I take it. The only request I put on the board is if I am the top candidate to finish the season with Sepsi. I doubt that makes me the best candidate for the role, but I want to finish the season. There’ll be other jobs out there if Porto isn’t the top choice.

QF Romanian Cup – Astra – Christiano is starting at MR for Etebo. We win 4-1, Ivan is MOM with 3 goals, and Raúl one in the 85th. No card for us, wonders ever cease.

[Chas in Cinti]

Question for all my FM players... how do you loan a player directly to an affiliate club? Can't seem to find that option...

Enjoying the dynasty!

-Chas

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Chas in Cinti

Question for all my FM players... how do you loan a player directly to an affiliate club? Can't seem to find that option...

Enjoying the dynasty!

-Chas

Thanks, I appreciate it!



If you click on a player's "Development" drop down from their tab, "Move to Affiliate" is the bottom option.

Abe

[Abe Sargent]

Our youth candidates arrive and I look around. Any good ones? Just one, but it was time we got a good youther. He is “has the potential to be one of the best of his generation” and it’s an awesome position for Romania, who could use a wonderkid –



Here you are Romania! Our scouts think he has a powerful future.

I decline a job interview offer from Ajax


Basano Quals, Home vs Timisoara – We win 3-1. MOM is Ivan, with Ivan, Tonelli, and Raul scoring.

[Abe Sargent]

I do not get the Porto job. I decline interview with Torino.

Margeman was MOM in his debut for L. Moscow by the way.



Basano Quals, Away vs Dinamo – I start Etebo and Christiano in the wings. Etebo is injured and will be out for two weeks. We barely win 3-2, MOM is Ivan, one goal by Balasa, and two by him.

Successful link with Etebo and Prodan.


Any other great Romanian youth in this intake? One. I send in scouts to see if he would be interested in playing for Sepsi. I think so, he’s at a lower level club. A different Timisoara. Same city, different team.

I call up Gimenez to the Romanian squad.

[Abe Sargent]

CHAMPION KNOCKOUT ROUND, 2st Leg – Home vs Valencia – We lost 2-1 there. That means we’ll lose with a tie, loss, or a one-goal win other than 1-0. A 2-1 is extra time. I need a two goal win. I start Christiano and Boka on the wings for the injured Etebo and all of my normal starters – Balasa, Cartagena, Eckhardt, etc. Vengeance! Early pressure by them and two good opportunities by us are nothing. Strobl a card in the 28th. We injure one of their players a moment later. Half, tied, 0-0. A low scoring effort with a 1-0 goal by us suits us, so I am not complaining. Let’s get the next half underway. We push back a big attack but fail to sink the counter. They collect a yellow back. We have a great shot by Lupu in the 64th, but it rifles off the crossbar and their GK jumps on the loose ball before Gimenez scores. Gimenez misses a sitter in the 68th. Lupu misses a great shot in the 70th. I send in Dina for Balasa’s card. Now Stoian for Christiano. I up our tempo and move forward. Can we get this goal? Nope. 0-0 tie. We are out.


Valencia has Paris SG next round.

[Abe Sargent]

I decline a job interview with Bochum.


Basano Quals, Away vs Viitorul – I start Dima and Viveros in the middle. We win 3-1, MOM is Gimenez, with goals by Raul, and two by G. Ivan is injured and is out for a few weeks. Cartagena with our lone card. As normal. I call up a new ST for Ivan at the national squad.



ROMANIA VS N. IRELAND – I start Gimenez for the injured Ivan. Gimenez to Neclecu for goal in the 25th. They score right back. Dragus to Gimenez, goal in the 38th. They knife a goal on us the next minute. Neclecu with a card. Petre with a nasty midfield cross to the box for Gimenez sets him up for goal in the 41st. In extra time, Andone to Lupu. Half, we are ahead 4-2. All four goals come through Sepsi players (Petre, G, Lupu). In the next half, Balasa hits Dragus for goal. They are starting to collect yellows, they are frustrated and disenchanted. Man for Petre. Tiru for Neclecu. Lupu with a card. I send in Marin for him. Tiru a card. This was Dragus’s first goal for Romania.




Isn’t it just, right, to see Gimenez starting on the international stage and netting two goals in his debut?

[Abe Sargent]

Kubik made his debut for the Czech republic. One of my youthers just got his first cap for Honduras.


ROMANIA VS MACEDONIA – I leave Gimenez in. We face angry spring rains today. Dragus is tired and I start Matan at ML for him today. Early pressure. Macedonia have been outplaying us today in the first 25 minutes or so. 0-0 half. Get out there and show me something else. In the 49th, Gimenez to Lupu for goal. Matan to Andone for goal in the 55th. I make some changes to protect our lead, like retaining possession and such. I remain Standard though. I send in Dima and Man. Man to Matan, goal. I send in Raul. We win 3-0. We survived the early Macedonian pressure and then scored three goals. Nice job lads. MOM is Matan. This is his first goal for Romania.

[Abe Sargent]

April

April 4 – Home vs Craiova
April 10 – Away vs Timisoara
April 18 – Away vs Astra
April 20 – Sepsi U19 in the Champions U19 Semi-Final vs RBL U19 from Germany.
April 21 – Cup Semi Final; Draw hasn’t happened yet
April 24 – Away vs Dimano
April 26 – U19 Champions Final


Good Training – Boka, Raul, Dima


Basano Quals, Home vs Craiova– This is my 200th game of the Sepsi/Romania career. Today we start Etebo, returning from his injury, Christiano, Eckhardt, Viveros for Carded Cartagena, and Dima. We win 2-1, MOM is Lupu, and him and G have goals.

We have won European quals.

[thehitcat]

Hey Abe, what a magical season for Sepsi, despite the loss to Valencia.

Can you put up the current Euro Qualifying Group table for Romania? Feels like you should be at or near the top. Is there another top team in the group that we haven't seen yet?

[Abe Sargent]

Our stadium expansion concludes. Our board agrees to undertake more expansion of our training facilities. We now have room for 7500, up 50% from 5000.


Basano Quals, Away vs Timisoara – Ivan is back from his injury. I have him on the bench as I want to ease him back in. We thump them 4-0. Mom is Big G, with a goal and 3 assists. Other goals by Raul, Lupu, and Ivan after we sub him in. Card by Lupu, he’ll miss the next Basano match.

We have won the Basano and qualified for Champions play next year!


Romania have risen to 22nd in the World Rankings.

I offer Raul Cabrazon a new rotation deal for 4 years. He accepts

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by thehitcat

Hey Abe, what a magical season for Sepsi, despite the loss to Valencia.

Can you put up the current Euro Qualifying Group table for Romania? Feels like you should be at or near the top. Is there another top team in the group that we haven't seen yet?

Yeah, it has been! o one else has a winning record in the Quals right now, they are all spinning their wheels.We started with 4 games over Craoiva, and have beat them and played 6 games, and no one else is even close to sniffing our lead.

[Abe Sargent]

Basano Quals, Away vs Astra – We win 3-1. I start Ivan and then will sub him out earlier to get him some rest. MOM is Raul who notched two goals after we subbed him in, Ivan one early. The only card is, GUESS? Cartagena!

It’s those sub-performances from Raul that really tempt me to give him like a ten game starting stretch, but I can’t pull Ivan or Gimenez when they are doing so well.


Romanian Cup Semi Final,, 1st Leg – Away vs Iasi. Today I start Maio, Dima, Raul, etc. Many backups and subs. We win 2-0, MOM is Boka with a goal and a card too. Ivan the other goal.

[Abe Sargent]

Our U19 squad tied RBK in ET and then won on penalties and is through to the U19 Champions Final.


Boka comes to me to get a new deal. I agree and make him an offer. It’s still a hot prospect deal, but we increase his salary to 6k/week.



Basano Quals, Away vs Dinamo – I leave Maio in, the rest of my normal folks are resting. Maio is better now than Rimniceanu was. This isn’t a big drop in quality. We win 2-1 with 2 goals, and MOM, by G.

[thehitcat]

Hi Abe, sorry, I didn't mean the Basano European Qualifying playoffs I meant the Euro Championships and how your National Team from Romania is doing in qualifying? I'd love to see the table for your current placement and any upcoming games you might have (qualifiers or friendlies.)

[Abe Sargent]

U19 Champions Final

Sporting U19

Vs

Sepsi U19

We win 3-2, MOM is Petr Adam with 2 goals.




Congrats lads!

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by thehitcat

Hi Abe, sorry, I didn't mean the Basano European Qualifying playoffs I meant the Euro Championships and how your National Team from Romania is doing in qualifying? I'd love to see the table for your current placement and any upcoming games you might have (qualifiers or friendlies.)

Got it!



Here you are. We got out.

And these are the just-started World Cup Quals:




EDIT

And the other games this year for Romania

[thehitcat]

That's not a terrible world cup qualifying group. Also I like the friendlies picking good and probably well ranked teams that you could potentially handle. I'll be honest I've never heard of the European International League. Wonder if you have to get out of that group to get into the WC qualification group or if it's something entirely different. Anyway excellent start to the campaign for Romania's golden generation.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by thehitcat

That's not a terrible world cup qualifying group. Also I like the friendlies picking good and probably well ranked teams that you could potentially handle. I'll be honest I've never heard of the European International League. Wonder if you have to get out of that group to get into the WC qualification group or if it's something entirely different. Anyway excellent start to the campaign for Romania's golden generation.

Yeah, the Quals are fine. I think Denmark is doable.

It's this:

UEFA Nations League - Wikipedia

[Abe Sargent]

May

May 1 – Home vs Viitorul
May 8 – Away vs Craiova
May 12 – 2nd leg, Semis vs Iasi
May 15 – Home vs Astra
May 30 – Romanian Cup Final

Good Training – Dima, Christiano, Maio

Basano Quals, Home vs Viitorul – I start Viveros at MC today. We win 2-0, MOM is Etebo with a goal. Strobl had a goal too.

Etebo comes to me and asks me to sell him to Sevilla if a good offer comes. I agree to move him if the right offer comes.

Basano Quals, Away vs Craiova – I start Christiano. We barely win 1-0, MOM is Ivan with the lone goal of the game and it’s only card as well.