From Madeira With Love (FM2014 Dynasty) Finished!!! Check out stats and final stuff!!

[Abe Sargent]

[Abe Sargent]

Let me step back and explain how I came upon this idea for my next FM dynasty. I picked up a copy after a discount from vex (thanks again!). Then I downloaded and got it all ready to play, but as who?

My favorite genre of music is electronic music. Seriously, my five favorite artists are Pet Shop Boys, Depeche Mode, Echoing Green, Schiller and DJ Roger Shah. Of the countless sub-genres of electronic music, one of my favorites is Balearic Beat, which comes from the island of Ibiza. It’s a more laid back version of club music, often with acoustic instruments tossed in. From Solar Stone’s Seven Cities to Roger Shah and Zara’s Lost, I adore this group of music.

Now, I don’t know a lick about Spanish football. If you put a gun to my testicles and promised to blow them off unless I could to name 10 Spanish clubs, odds are I’d be singing soprano. So, is there a club from Ibiza? Because that’d be really cool. Playing a club from the Balearic Isles in Spanish Football, and taking it up to the big leagues.

So I looked. Nope, no Ibiza club in the first three levels of Spanish football. Ah well. But there are some other clubs from the Balearic Isles, such as 2nd Division Mallorca, and 2B Division clubs Constància and Atlético Baleares. So I looked, and Atlético Baleares looked like a nice shot. It’s not in too bad of a position, and just two levels from the Real Madrids of Spanish football.

But the promotion system is wonky. See, there are 80 clubs in the 2B level, and each has 20 teams. And the top team isn’t even promoted – there are playoffs. So there’s just a one in four chance that you’ll make it to the next level if you finish in a top spot. Just one team is promoted out of each of these four leagues – but three or four are related from each one. Lots of teams finish in the top four over a few seasons and never make it out because of the playoffs. That would be quite frustrating, since there’s just one ticket out and it comes via playoffs.

What about Mallorca, which is already out of this labyrinthine setup? That’s fine. I really liked the idea of playing from an island against the mainland. I also looked at fellow folks from the Canary Islands – Tenerife and Las Palmas from the same division. I wasn’t sure though, so I moved to the Portuguese area.

We have a team from the Azores in the 2nd division - C.D. Santa Clara, from the Azores, is currently in the Segunda Liga, with a value of $0 and insecure finances! Predicted 14th – tough place to begin a dynasty due to financial situation.

And I found my team shortly thereafter.

[Abe Sargent]

Clube Desportivo Nacional de Madeira



In the Premier League, expected to finish 8th, with 11.5 million value, and superb facilities. Okay finances. Very small stadium. But it’s in balmy Madeira.

Why did this club hit me all of the sudden?

Well, I’ve done two types of games in every FM game I’ve ever played. I’ve either taken a lesser known club in a smaller European top flight (Slavia Prague, Kaiserslautern, Metalurh Donetsk, Cercle Brugge, and others.) and tried to turn it into a major power, or I’ve taken a lesser known British club and promoted it up through the system as far as I can get before I get tired (Crewe, Carlisle, Wrexham, Yeovil, etc). So this gives me the chance to be another minor team in a major conference.

[Abe Sargent]

Here’s the problem with Portugal.

They have a Big Three consisting of Sporting, FC Porto, and SL Benfica. These three clubs have won the league every single year of its existence since the 30s. Except for 45-46 season (Beleneses) and 2000-01 season (Boavista). Boavista fell hard and are back in the National Championship C – the third level of football. Meanwhile, after a few years in the second level, Beleneses was just promoted back to the top flight. So there’s no competition for the Big Three from those two clubs. In every season, you tend to see the Big Three locking up the top three spots.

In the last ten years, 6 of the seasons the Big Three held all three spots. In the other 4, just one team came in. So of the 30 places in the top three over that time, the Big Three held 26 of those spots. Braga finished second and third once each, Ferreira was 3rd last year, and Vitória de Guimarães was 3rd back in the 2007-08 season. Note that all four times, it was Sporting that failed to hit the top three, so Porto and Benfica have hit Top Three every season for the last ten years.

In its entire history, Madeira has finished 4th twice, and never cracked the top three. It finished 5th once.

Note that there is another Premier League opponent right here in Madeira – Maritimo. Our rival. Maritimo was the first of the clubs to reach European Competition, but Madeira have had some nice successes in the 2000s in European play. Promoted in 2002, we’ve been as low as 12th and as high as 4th. Our last three seasons were 6th, 7th, and then 8th.

What the team needs is consistency. Here are my goals for Madeira.

1). Secure ourselves and our future in the league by acquiring and improving our talent.
2). Qualify for European Play by getting in the top 6.
3). Do well in the European Leagues (the best we ever did before was making it to the group stage of Europa League)
4). Crack the Top Three of the League and Finish in Champions Qualification
5). Win the League

[Young Drachma]

Good luck.

[Abe Sargent]

I have no idea how far we’ll get in the plan. Here are the values of the top three clubs:

FC Porto – 127m Euros
SL Benfica – 266m Euros
Sporting – 111m Euros

Us? 11.5m Euros

Anyone else of worth?

Braga – 16.25m
Vit. Guimaraes – 11.5m


Everybody else is lower than 10 mill

So this would not be a major shock to the sporting world if we managed to gain consistency and move up. Even cracking the top three would be great, but not the biggest news item in football. Edging out Sporting has happened four times in the last ten years. It could happen right here in Funchal Madeira. Now, if we had a higher place than either Benfica or Porto, that’d be interesting. Porto has won 8 of the last 10 seasons, and Benfica the other two.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

Good luck.

Thanks!!!

[Abe Sargent]

Now, let’s talk a bit more about the club:

Our stadium is just 5142 strong, and was built in ‘98. We have nothing special – no underheating or roof, just a grass pitch. Not like you need it here in the balmy island.

We have superb training and youth facilities. We are known as developing and finding a lot of young talent. For example, we are the club that developed Cristiano Renaldo. No surprise here, we call the youth stadium and junior coaching program the Cristiano Renaldo Campus Futebol. We have good junior coaching and above average recruitment.

We are affiliated with Camacha, Freamunde, and Santana, all Portuguese clubs. These are just loan clubs, nothing major. Camacha and Freamunde are in the National Championship (level 3) and Santana is lower.

[Abe Sargent]

Born in the city of Xai-Xai, in the lower part of Mozambique, James Essex was the son of a missionary pastor who married a local woman. Biracial technically, his dark composure is often darker than most pure Africans he grew up with. After eleven years of living in Xai-Xai, James Essex and his love for sports, including local football played in the tight streets, went back to his native father’s England. He spent a few years playing ball there before being spotted by a Swedish scout. At the age of 16, James Essex was signed by Osters IF for their youth squad, and he traveled there. For the next seven years, James moved to two other clubs in Sweden and grew up there, gaining Sweden as his second nationality.

Meanwhile, Mozambique came calling, and at the age of 20, Essex agreed to play for their national club and was capped for the senior squad. Over the next ten years, Essex would play 26 games for the squad at his natural central defender position. He would leave Sweden at the age of 24 for England, where he played for two clubs over the next four years. Finally, he returned to Sweden and finished his career there at the age of 31, when he broke his back in the brutally cold game and was wheelchair bound for two years until he recovered.

He used his time to develop skills with the local coaching staff in Sweden, and became more of a mentor and coach for the other players. By the time his injury was finished, he was promoted to a role as Assistant Manager to a club in the Allsvenskan. After assisting the team reach higher than expected, his name was circulated as getting his first manager position, but none came in Sweden.

So he reached out to see if he could find another fit. And he did – in Portugal. As a native of Mozambique, he speaks very good Portuguese. He also knows English, Swedish and Norwegian. He was tapped by Madeira to come in and stir things up and get them to the next level. It hoped that his experience getting a club to outperform expectations in the Allsvenskan as an Assistant Manager will help here in Portugal as well. Plus, the senior squad has three fellow Mozambiquean players – Zainadine Junior, Reginaldo, and Marcio Madeira.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

Born in the city of Xai-Xai, in the lower part of Mozambique, James Essex was the son of a missionary pastor who married a local woman. Biracial technically, his dark composure is often darker than most pure Africans he grew up with. After eleven years of living in Xai-Xai, James Essex and his love for sports, including local football played in the tight streets, went back to his native father’s England. He spent a few years playing ball there before being spotted by a Swedish scout. At the age of 16, James Essex was signed by Osters IF for their youth squad, and he traveled there. For the next seven years, James moved to two other clubs in Sweden and grew up there, gaining Sweden as his second nationality.

Meanwhile, Mozambique came calling, and at the age of 20, Essex agreed to play for their national club and was capped for the senior squad. Over the next ten years, Essex would play 26 games for the squad at his natural central defender position. He would leave Sweden at the age of 24 for England, where he played for two clubs over the next four years. Finally, he returned to Sweden and finished his career there at the age of 31, when he broke his back in the brutally cold game and was wheelchair bound for two years until he recovered.

He used his time to develop skills with the local coaching staff in Sweden, and became more of a mentor and coach for the other players. By the time his injury was finished, he was promoted to a role as Assistant Manager to a club in the Allsvenskan. After assisting the team reach higher than expected, his name was circulated as getting his first manager position, but none came in Sweden.

So he reached out to see if he could find another fit. And he did – in Portugal. As a native of Mozambique, he speaks very good Portuguese. He also knows English, Swedish and Norwegian. He was tapped by Madeira to come in and stir things up and get them to the next level. It hoped that his experience getting a club to outperform expectations in the Allsvenskan as an Assistant Manager will help here in Portugal as well. Plus, the senior squad has three fellow Mozambiquean players – Zainadine Junior, Reginaldo, and Marcio Madeira.

Good background story.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Young Drachma

Good background story.

I appreciate it!

[Abe Sargent]

It’s the 26th of June, 2013, and Rui Alves, chairman, escorts Essex into the room for a quick meeting.

I just have a one year contract, for 5250 a week.

Director of Football Bruno Patacas will handle our transfer activity I send him.

I agree to take a full report on the club’s history, They want a comfortable mid-table finish (There are 16 clubs, so our previous positions of 7 and 8 would fit.) I agree. We get 55k in budget and 150k in transfer. The club has no philosophies, but I ask for a meeting in a few days time to discuss them. I agree to a press conference.

In walks our Assist Man, Basilio Marques. I agree to an intra-squad friendly tomorrow, I take a report of all of the players, arrange a meeting with the staff, and agree for biweekly reports from him.


We are currently spending 46k a week on budgets.

I meet with our players. I begin by calmly introducing myself, then assertively saying we can finish in the top-half, which gets mixed results. One is passionately and agrees (Rondon) and another (Djaniny) calmly things its too ambitious. How do I handle Djaniny? He’s disagreeing with me five seconds into our first team meeting? I don’t back down, but calmly disagree with him. Another, Bruno Maura, cautiously agrees with my expectations. I affirm his reaction.

Eighteen players reacted well, Four not at all, and three worsened – Freire, Djaniny, and Kayke.

Freire, in particular, was bad.

[Abe Sargent]

I look at my staff first.

I move myself in charge of negotiations for our youth players. I also set assignments for scouts now.

We have:

Director of Football – Bruno Patacas
Manager - Me
Ass Man – Basilo Marques
Head of Youth Development – Ricardo Vieira
GK Coach – Emidio Junior
Coach - Jose Augusto
Head Physio – Rui Bettencourt
Physio – Joao Luis Alves
Physio – Filipe Mendes
Chief Scout – Antonio Pinto

And that’s it.


Basilo is not too bad, he’s not a target right now.

Vieira has a 2 out of 20 in working with youngsters. That seems just uncannily off.

Our GK coach is adequate

Jose doesn’t suck

But we have just one scout.

So I need to hire some folks here.

(By the way, these leagues are active – Brazil, Sweden, Spain, Argentina and Portugal)

I terminate Mendes immediately – he was the priciest of the lot.

[Abe Sargent]

Scout First:

We have a good understanding of Portugal, Brazil, Sweden, Mozambique and Greece (via our Ass Man).


So I look for scouts with other areas of interest, I am searching for non-Portuguese unemployed scouts. Who looks good? I like Romerito, from Paraguay (a former international with 66 caps). He has good judging abilities. We come to a deal.


I also like Rustu Recber, a Turkish international with 120 caps who knows Spain decently too. But he’s not interested. I’m also turned down by Danish scout Soren Lerby and German scout Norbert Ziegler

I go for quality and sign a great scout, Ayres Morais de Albuquerque who is Brazilian.

Next up other staff:

I sign Junior Fontoura to be our fitness coach. I also offer to Marcus Vinicius Tondato and Sergio Araujo – all Brazilians.

[Abe Sargent]

I begin to review our senior squad. I start with the report that Marques sent me.


According to my Ass Man:

4 Stars – Dejan Skolnik (ML), Mario Rondon (ST)
3.5 Stars – Mexer (DC), Freire (DC) Claudemir (DR), Daniel Candeias (AMR),
3 Stars – Eduardo Gottardi (GK), Zaunadine Junior (DR), Marcal (DL), Diego Barcelos (AMC), Joao Aurelio (AMR), Djaniny (ST)
2.5 Stars – Ricardo Baptista (GK), Kayke (ST), Rafa (DM)
2 Stars – Sequeira (DL), Jota (MC), Reginaldo (AMR), Nuno Campos (DR)
1.5 Stars – Miguel Rodrigues (DC), Bruno Moura (WBR),Saleh Gomaa (DM) , Dejan Skolnik (AML)
1 Star – Joao Barreto (MR), Ali (DC)
0 Stars – Rui Silva (GK)


That’s all 26 senior squad folks!

Let’s begin by looking at my two four star players:

Mario Rondon, 27, Venezuelan, 14 fin, 13/13 speed, 15 head, every physical stat is between 12 and 14, every mental stat is between 10 and 14 (save leadership at 8), drib 12, 1st touch 12, long shots, 12, pass 11, techni 12, penalty 13. Not a bad player at all. Currently on 2.6k weekly contract for three years. Last two years for us had 4 goals in 28 games and 10 in 29 the year before, with 0 assists. Not the goal machine I would hope for.


Dejan Skolnik, injured for 7 to 9 months with torn cruciate ligaments. 24, Croatian, we have for two years, at 2k weekly. We’ll look at him more closely when he returns from injury. So basically, due to the injury, he’s not on my team as far as I’m concerned.

[Abe Sargent]

Our current tactics are a 4-5-1. We played a dmc, 2 middles, and an AMR and AML to assist Rondon.

I don’t see Rondon as pulling that off well. We have a weak center midfield. But Diego Barcelos, a natural AMC, is at a position we don’t even run. He’s just competent at the AMR. Meanwhile, Daniel Candalais is our best midfielder, and also suited for the AMR role (and just competent at AML). So if we run it, we run Daniel and Diego in positions that are not natural fits. A bit awkward. The same is true of Joao Aurelio.

So we have some good attacking midfielders. Daniel had 6 goals for us last year and Diego Barcelos had 4. Joao Aurelio is a new signing. I’m confident in the AM battleplan – more than I usually am. So this team has that going for it.

Where I am concerned is at MC and defense. Rafa is not too terribly bad at DM. As a new signee, he’ll suffice for a year until I can get a better feel for him. Loanee Saleh Gomaa, an Egyptian from ENPPI is not good at all. I don’t want to start him at either MC or DM. Everybody else I have that can play MC (Jota) does not inspire either. We have a poor number of MCs (and one on loan).

So I need some center midfielders. Badly.

Then for defense, we have two players – Nuno Campos and Zainadine Junior that can only play right fullback. They cannot play DC, they are unconvincing at DL, and awkward at WBR. Junior’s not a bad player, he’s starting caliber, but there’s not a not of flexibility. And then Claudemir, and Bruno Moura (on loan from Angra dos Reis) can just play WBR or DR. That’s a weak amount of flexibility in the roster – four players can just play one position on the pitch. Joao Aurelio is accomplished back there, although an AMR. Then for DL, I have just two players who can play it – Marcal and Sequeira , Marcal is fast (16/15) and adequate skills. He is unconvincing anywhere other than WBL. Sequeira can play AML and DL and WBL all easily, but has more backup like stats.

As for DC, I have five players who can run it – Mexer, Freire, Ali, Miguel Rodrigues and Diogo Coelho. Diogo would be horrible at it, Ali does not inspire confidence, Mexer is fine, and Freire isn’t that hot either. His technical attributes are not where I would like for a DC.

What should I do for my tactics? I agree my team is currently not built for a 2 ST system, but I could easily sign another and be fine. Meanwhile, perhaps what my team really wants is to move to wingbacks. They are not my style, but they fit this roster. Would a 5-3-2 work? Although I don’t have good DCs to run 3. Could I just do 4 at the back but move them from FB to WB? Would I need a DMC at that point? Could I run 3 MC, 2 WB, 2 DC, 2 AML/R, and 1 ST? Or could I just do a 4-4-2 with both FB and MR/L pushed forward?

So, I’m playing around with formations. One is a 2 DC, 1 DMC, 2 WB, a MC, 2 AM, 2 ST. That’s odd. Or I could drop the DMC to DC, but then I have just one person in the middle, and that’s weak. I like having two STc. But I could pull one for another MC, which gives me 2 WB, 3 DC, 2 MC, 2 AM, and 1 ST. Basically that just takes our current formation, drops the DMC to DC and raises the DR/L to WBR/L. That’s not bad, although I like the lack of ST options, and I have two groups that attack down flanks – is that odd? Would it perhaps not be better to move those to two AMC roles? That would give me a 5-2-2-1 formation. (Or I could move one AM to ST and another to AMC, giving me a 5-2-1-2 formation – similar to the 3-2-3-2 in the game except move the SW to general DC)

Nothing works. So forget it. I’m building a team around a formation I like and am comfortable with, like 3-5-2 or 4-4-2 Diamond. For right now, let’s just sign some folks, and I can worry about tactics later.

So, I’d really like to target at least one major DC and at least two major MCs. I also want some more sauce for the pitch, perhaps a nice ST.

Let’s go shopping

[Abe Sargent]

I send out a bunch of scouts from locals to Brazilians, we’re doing a ton of scouting.

I offer a few trials to some unsigned youthers.

I also make offers to a variety of youthers, including a few hot ones.

We’ll see what happens with my scouting, trial offers and major offers.

Our current youthers aren’t very good at all. So I need an injection of quality. We only have four under contract right now – ugh.

There’s a ST out there I really like who I can swing for a year or so at the age of 36, for about 5500 or so a week, but that’s most of my extra salary, and I’m about to bring in more staff, so nope.

Alright, I fast forward a bit in time.

One day passes.

[Abe Sargent]

Press Conference Time –

No major issues. Whew!

Sergio Araujo joins us – Junior Fontoura as well. I massage some of their assignments for training.

We sign de Albuquerque. He comes with a scouting report already compiled. I take a look and find a few intriguing folks. I add them to my shortlist. He has a great scouting knowledge of Argentina and Mexico too. He knows of a guy named Gonzalo Pineda, a 30 year old DM and MC from Mexico who’s pretty good and currently off a contract. He want sot be a kye player for 6000 in his initial stuff, so I just add him to my short list for now.


Friendly Scrimmage between our teams time. 2-1 at the half us. We score again and win 3-1.

Romerito joins us and we get his scouting report, which includes the US, Chile, Paraguay, Mexico. Yay!

He has a few nice players too. It includes a great, currently unattached Brazilian 29 year old Gk named Fernando Henrique. He also knows of an unattached middle named Hugo, 32.

[Abe Sargent]

One of my staff offers was rejected by the board. Stupid board. Our first trialist arrives – a 14 year old GK. He’s not good enough to keep. Another Trialist, 16 year old Portugese middle is good enough to sign. 2 more trial folks arrive. I sign both. Even more show up (the 29th of June) and I sign another.

As of today, the 29th, we have signed many youth players. Now its time to look at other players.

I offer three tirals to older folks to see what they have too. All can play the MC role.

One of my hot prospect guys signed on the 30th. 15 year old Jose Carneiro, a Portuguese guy, for 300 weekly. He’ll be one with my eyes on.


Time for our philosophy talk with the chairman.

They have agreed to my new philosophy of signing your players who will play a role in the 1st team squad and grow.

Later on I sign another hot prospect for 475 weekly – Striker,16, Portuguese named Joaquim Sousa with fast (15/14), good finishing (13), and decent work rate (11), has . One more comes through for 925 weekly but comes in later August.

[Abe Sargent]

Welcome to July 1


I ask for a Trial Day, they initially balk, but I stress its importance, and Rui Alves relents and grants it.


I begin to look at some of our new signees all youth folks.


Alright, time to look for folks for my team more seriously.

I finalize a deal with Juan Antonio Zamora, an Argentinean.


Our first older trailist has arrived, Botti, who’s 32 and plays middie. I like and might move for him later.

July 2 has arrived and a 27 year old guy, Costinha, arrived with his trial. I like Botti better. Although this guy is available for a cheap backup role.

[Abe Sargent]

Trial Day will be tomorrow. 34 players have signed up!

I decline to extend Trial Offer for a nice Swedish player after he arrives. He came back not as good as I had hoped. We brought in a 25 year old Brazilian striker – Adriano on a trial. I like him. He’s just 3.5 stars by my scouts, but he’s fast, (16/16), and has good technical skills, but not good at heading or jumping, sort of a fast


After the Trial Match, I look at every player:

I make offers to nine youth players.

I make a backup offer to Costinha for just 200/week. Another older Middie trialist, 30 year old Marco Pidocha came in, but he’s way too slow for me. Great passing – 15.

[Abe Sargent]

Our first friendly arrives, home against Wolfsburg on the 6th of July.

I decide to make that offer for Adriano. I want to run two strikers, and I like him enough to do it.

Not really that concerned about the friendly, only half watching it. Replaced an injury early. It’s 0-0 at the half but they go up 0-3 later on.


Costinha signs the next day. Not great. 11/10 speed, 12 passing, stamina, a handful of other low double digits. But a backup at the MC spot is vital for this time. So welcome our first, admittedly small, signing of a non-youth player:


Costinha:

[Abe Sargent]

Our final major trialee arrives – Eusebio Manuwere, 27 year old MC. His physicals are good, and his mentals don’t suck. Passing is 12, tack 13, tech 13, and mark 11 but that’s it for technical attributes that are above 9. I need more. He doesn’t have it.


Botti’s trail is up on the 8th, but I still have him on a shortlist of answers for the MC.


Adriano accepts. Our second major transfer of the window arrives.


Adriano, 25, Brazilian:

16: Agility, Acc, Pace, Flair
15: Determination
14: Off the Ball, Stamina
13: Fin, Aggress, Antici, Brave
12: Technique, Long Shots, First Touch, Drib, Fitness, Penalties
11: Pass, Cross, Concentra, Creative, Decision
10: Heading, Free Kick, Composure, Teamwork, Work Rate

We liked him enough to sign him for 5.25k a week for three years.

[Abe Sargent]

Reginaldo busts his toe in practice and is out for 2-3 months.



I hold the typical presser and then move to change tactics. Time to move to a 2 Striker set up, which I’m more comfortable with anyway.


We are sliding to a 4-4-2 diamond for now, because I still have weak MC stuff. I don’t have a good ML, as the only person who can play that position well is my injured for months Skolnik. So I need to get one. But this formation currently starts Adriano, Rondo, BArcelos, Barreto, Sequira, Rafa, Marcal, Friere, Mexer, and Aurelio in the field.


I hold my first meeting with the staff and even get some tutoring and such going.

Our target, Sanchez Prette, went to another team and turns us down in the 11th.

So, who next? With the 4-4-2 diamond, MC isn’t as much of a need, so that plays to our strengths, but we need at least a temporary ML for the year. Right now we are at 53.875k and I moved the wage budget to 55.48k. We weren’t signing anyone.

Sounds like we could use a loanee.


Our team is placed at 50-1 to win.


Today we host Hannover, with our new tactics to unveil.

0-0 at the half. And at the end of the game too.

[Abe Sargent]

A loan offer for a great guy fell through at the last moment on the 17th. What else can I unearth?

I have a guy in my sights, but my folks wont let me sign him for the 700 he wants. We have the money. I make him a first team offer and dicker him down to 425 weekly (our max right now) for a year after I increased of offer in several bonuses.



The most notable players in the last year of their current deal are:

Diego Barcelos
Daniel Candeias
Joao Battero
Joao Camacho
Rui Silva
Edgar Costa, Marcio Madeira (On Loan)




The 20th arrives and we are hosting OM

After being set up by Diego B., Rondon scores in the 15th minute. Halftime, busy, but no more scores. We hold off more barrages and win 1-0.

[Abe Sargent]

On the 22nd, our last target signs.


Say hello to Carlos Mariano:


37, Portuguese, Plays DL, MC, ML, paying him 425 a week. He hasn’t played in the Premier League since 2004-05 with Penafiel. He’s just a body for a year, nothing major.

For example, passing? 11, crossing, 13, 10/12 speed, yadda, yadda, and I expect those to drop forthwith. He had been delegated to playing part-time football as an Amateur last year.

Well, welcome back to real football!



He’s older than me!


He’s our one-year patch while our guy heals.

[NoSkillz]

I will be following along!

[britrock88]

Ditto.

[ntndeacon]

As am I!

[Abe Sargent]

Welcome one and all!

[Abe Sargent]

Alright, let’s head to training.


I can’t figure this crap out. I’d rather just have the old training where you created a few schedules, and put people in whichever schedule suited them.


The 27th of July is here, and with it a friendly hosting Werder Bremen, in what my previous manager clearly thought was a fun little trend.

Mariano will start tonight. I move to a base 442 in the halftime after we are losing it in the midfield. They score easily at the 58th minute. We are unable to fight back and lose 0-1.

I accept a loan offer for Rui Silva, GK. I keep our pitch at the normal size.


Welcome to August:


3rd – Friendly at Santana
10th – Friendly at Freamunde
13th – Friendly at Camacha
18th – League Begins – Away at Sporting
25th – Host Braga


Rough first two games to begin the season.


Stupid FM – I’ve put 8 hours into the game and haven’t even reached the regular season yet!

[Abe Sargent]

Of the youth players I signed (many) one of my favorites is GK Jose Moreira, who played in the Trial Game, and then we signed him. Let’s take a look at this 16 year old Portuguese fella:

Physical Stats: 9 Acc, 12 Agi, 11 Bal, 15 Jum, 12 Fitness, 8 Pace, 7 Stam, 13 Str, 7 Technique
GK – 10 Aeriel, 8 Command, 7 Commun, 12 Eccen, 3 First Touch, 9 Free Kick, 10 Handling, 7 Kick, 10 1:1. 1 Penalty, 12 Reflexes, 17 Rushing Out, 14 Tend to Punch, 9 Throw
Mental – 11 Agg, 6 Anti, 10 Brav, 10 Compos, 8 Concentration, 5 Creative, 9 Decision, 13 Deter, 2 Flair, 5 Leader, 2 OTB, 10 Position, 8 Teamwork, 14 Work Rate

We think he’s good solid 4-star potential, according to my scout.

Except for Communication and Distribution, he’s better than Rui Silva. (Better at Shot Stopping, Aerial – same in physical, speed, mental).

Expect to see Moreira

I register my squad today and I add Moreira, Mariano, Costinha, and Adriano to the squad. I also hand out numbers:

Jose Moreira, 99
Carlos Mariano, 30
Freire, 25
Saleh Gomaa, 37
Costinha, 32
Adriano, 18
Kayke, 24


On the 2nd I get a call from a local report – Mexer is a transfer target for Vit. Guimaraes. I say I’m not discussing transfer stories today.

[Abe Sargent]

I also have a lot of hope for Douglas Jardel, the 17 ST joining us in a couple of weeks. He’s a hot prospect too.


The only other youther we have anywhere near high hopes for is 3.5 star hopeful Jose Pedro Cardoso, 16 year old Portuguese man who plays DC/DL:

Physical – 9, 9, 11, 14, 5, 8, 12, 12
Mental – 17, 6, 16, 6, 6, 4, 6, 12, 3, 7, 7, 10, 14, 16
Technical – 2 Corners, 2 Crossing, 2 Drib, 2, Fin, 6, First Touch, 2 Free Kick, 12 Head, 4 Long Shot, 2, Long Throw, 10 Mark, 9 Pass, 5 Penalty, 10 Tack, 11 Technique

We’ll see. He’ll need some growth. And perhaps a spot of luck too.


We loan list him.


The 3rd arrives and I get my squad ready for today’s friendly. Most of my guys are fit. I elevate my two youther folks of interest to the first squad for today’s friendly. I start both of them. I massage other starts too to give other folks a chance to play.

We’ve had four shots on goal in the first 16, so let’s hope to continue the pressure. Mariano with a beautiful cross to Kayke who heads it in for goal at the 35th minute. Halftime. We foul a player in the penalty box in the 90th minute and they score the penalty kick to tie it 1:1.

I hand Cardoso the 40 shirt.

[Abe Sargent]

On the 6th Djaniny resumes training.


I get some call ups – Mario Rondon for Venezuela and Saleh Gomaa for the U20 Egypt club

Time for a little friendly with Freamunde. I move around some people for more experience. 0-0 at the half. Mariano gets a score in the 72st minute off a strong shot that was put back to him after he found Adriano who bounced it back and freed him. Marcal gets a goal in the 75th minute after I subbed him in at ML for Marciano. Rafa set him up. We win 2-0.


Time to choose the captain. The best choice is Skolnik, but he’s injured for a long time to come. I choose Rafa instead as the captain. Skolnik will remain the vice captain.


And now the 13th is here, and our final friendly, this time against Camacha, I made a few set piece changes to get ready for the season.

I move José Moreira back to the U19 squad. I have about 4 or 5 people who think they were better options than Rafa. They are not happy right now. They can deal. I move several players into normal starting positions, and only Rondon is out (international) and I’m leaving in my youther for today too.




In the 3rd minute, Joao Barreto at the MR crosses the ball from deep, is off target, but manages to be on target for the goal and scores. In the 18th, Barreto has a shot on target with fierceness. He’s up. Kayke scores in the 25th minute on a set piece. He was taking a free kick and shot for target. I moved him to Free Kick and it worked. At in 27th minute, Rafa, taking a corner (whom I also moved up) sets up the ball, it bounces in the box, and Adriano finishes it. Adriano is fed the by by Kayke and runs in, and scores from outside, but is injured. I sub in Djaniny. Kayke has another DFK on target but collected by the GK in the 46th minute. Halftime. I pull anybody tired at all – we have a real game in four days against Sporting. They score off a corner in the 47th minute. Djaniny scores in the 61st. I move to a 451 and pull Kayke. Then Djaniny gets another score. We win 6-1.



I send DC Jose Pedro Cardoso back down to the U19 squad as we prepare for our match against Sporting.

[Abe Sargent]

Our starting day roster:


GK – Eduardo Gottardi
DC – Mexer, Freire
DR – Joao Aurelio
DL – Marcal
DM – Rafa
MR – Daniel Candeias
ML – Carlos Mariano
AMC – Diego Barcelos
ST – Mario Rondon, Adriano

Backups:

GK Ricardo Baptista
ST Kayke
DL/AML Sequeira
DC Miguel Rodrigues
MR Joao Barreto
DR Zainadine Junior
ST Djaniny


I look at squad statuses of these folks. Everyone listed as key player (Daniel C, Mexer, Adriano, Mario Rondon) are starting. I move Jota to squad rotation from first team.

Joao Aurelio is listed as rotation, as is Rafa. Both are starting. Sequeira, Djaniny and Zainadine are listed as first team, but on the backup list. We might have issues there later on, but not yet.

[Abe Sargent]

I tell the lads to continue where they left off and we begin in a counter set up away in Sporting’s house. They are pushing forward in the first ten minutes and have a couple of shots on target but easily answered by us. Flowing move by Adriano to set up Rondon, but his shot is blocked in the 19th. I make adjustments in the 20s as pressure mounts as per my Assistant Manager’s suggestions. Despite a metric tonne of pressure, we finish the half 0-0. Stats for the first half – They’ve had 12 shots, 5 on target, we’ve had 3 and 2. Adriano gets free and scores at the 53rd minute but is called offsides. I pull Mexer for Rodrigues. Rondon is injured so I pull him for Kayke. Sequeira for Mariano. Game is over we tie 0-0. Not a bad result for on the road, against Sporting. That’s something to build on. Especially with Freire being the man of the match!

In the six matches today, there were just 8 goals scored.

I offer a few players for loans, and one gets a loan offer – Nuno Campos, a DR for me. I accept the offer.

During weight lifting, Miguel Rodrigues got a back strain and is out for two months. Ali will replace him in the backups.


Despite being at home against Braga, we are still expected to lose.

We have sold 900 season tickets.

We are ready to host Braga – we expect 3200 seats to be sold for today’s match.

We’ve had a pair of close calls by the 21st minute that almost went in. We’ve been controlling much of the tempo early on. I move from Standard to Control. After a quick 16 minutes of that, I go back to Standard. We get a header on target by Aurelio off a set piece but their GK stops it. Then they push forward off a counter and almost get a shot off before Mexer tackles the ball. Half. I tell them to keep it up and we can win tonight. We stop another counter, on target, by by GK. We make our first sub – Carlos, a bit banged up, for Sequeira. I then pull an injured Marcal for Zainadine Junior and I order us into more Controlling again. Our final sub is Kayke for Adriano. After a set up, Kayke has a beautiful shot on goal from about two yards out but the GK just manages to push it aside at the 82nd minute. Kayke pushes another shot on target for a corner in the 87th minute. We do nothing with it and end up as a draw. We should have won that one, we were dominant for much of the game. Ah well, MOM is Joao Aurelio.

[Abe Sargent]

I head back to the tactics a bit and try to tweak things some. I’m moving Rondon to a Target Man, Attack. Adriano is an Advanced Forward. I thought about pushing him to Poacher, but I don’t have a lot of experience with that. I move Daniel Candeias to a Winger, and pu Mariano on a Wide but automatic duty. I move Rafa to support from defend, since we have no one in the center.

SL Benfica just had their biggest win ever – 8-1 at home in the Premier League.

Campos was loaned away.

The 30th arrives and our final major acquisition of the season arrives:

One of my junior players, Joaquim Sousa, ST, was called up for the U21 Portugal Squad. Hmmm… He wasn’t on my list of hot prospects that we signed. I thought he was just a bum. Maybe I need to take a closer look at him later. I signed him because he had great physical stats, finishing and work rate, but little else. Maybe there’s something under the hood here.

Adriano has twisted his knee in the training session

I register Joaquim, another youther Cardoso, and our recent Jardel. I hand 42 to Jardel and 51 to Sousa.


Douglas Jardel, our final acquisition –

Hot Prospect, 925/weekly euros. 18, Striker, Brazil

His best skills are: 13 – Acceleration, Dribble, Finishing, First Touch, Long Shots, Work Rate; 12 – Pace, Agility, Head, and so forth. His weaknesses are in some physical stats (like stamina, strength) as well as many lower mental stats (Off the Ball, for example, is just a 7).


Douglas Jardel:



So, for example, he comes in and he is immediately compared to Djaniny by me. Who is better?

Jardel is better at…nothing. They are the same in aeriel, technical, speed. In others, Djaniny is better. So Jardel is not going to immediately be my 4th guy.

[Abe Sargent]

5 call-ups for internationals arrive:

Saleh Gomaa – Egypt U 20
Djaniny – Cape Verde
Mozambique – Mexer, Zainadine Junior
Mario Rondon – Venezuela

Three people come in on the 31st with loan offers for Jardel, but he’s not even listed for a loan. Let me see. Do I like Jardel enough as a 5th option, especially with Adriano injured and both Rondon and Djaniny prone to international call ups? I do actually. I decline the offers. Then I get an offer to cover 90% of his wages from a local team – Uniao Madeira, in the 2nd league. Because of the financial assistance, that I’ll take.

I get a last minute offer to loan Barreto. He isn’t listed for a loan and he’s currently on my squad, but he’s not a high caliber guy and will be moved later on. For now, I keep him.

[Abe Sargent]

September:


1st – At Arouca
15th – Host Estoril
22nd – Host Maritmo – RIVALRY GAME
29th – At Vit. Guimaraes


We think Rafa, Jose Pedro Cardoso and Joaquim Sousa really impressed in training last month. Yay!


Game Time!

I have both my young DC and ST in the subs. Remember we have injuries to ST and DC right now. Soon, our internationals will head away, but we don’t have a game during that period.

I start with a counter set up. Just to get things warmed up. Diego B wastes a noffensive opportunity with a long, poorly off target shot at the 8th minute. I slide back to Standard at the 2st minute. Another wasted offense at the 25th minute by us. Rondon’s header at the 27th is off target barely. Half time. I encourage them. We’ve had chances. They score strongly in the 46th minute as a player passes into a full box. Freire is pulled for JP Cardoso. I pull Kayke for Sousa. And then Rafa for Sequeiera. I move to attacking at the 86th minute. We lose and I express my disappointment.


Reginaldo is resumed training after his long injury. Because what I need for more fullbacks for my roster.

Since we’re not doing anything, I order my scouts to scout like 20 young unattached Portuguese players. You never know. None come back looking good.

Barretto had an injury that’ll knock him out for 10 days.

Portugal is pissed. Northern Ireland held them to a draw in the Group stage after Luxembourg beat them 1-0 a few days ago. This knocks Portugal down to 3rd place, and N Ireland is 2nd in the Group behind Russia. Russia Is now 7 points in front of Portugal, meaning it can’t be caught in the last two games of the Group by us.

[Abe Sargent]

I had posted a Scout job a while back, and the results are in. I like Jose Reis. He’s a bit expensive though. Instead I make an offer for 350/week to Andre Marques


We are favored for the home match vs. Estoril.


Alright, let‘s get our game on!

I begin controlling. They have a pair of DFKs early in the first 10 but nothing comes of it. They take a shot that is turned into a corner in the 11th, and I back off into standard. Kayke picks up a smaller knock but I’ll keep him out there. In the first -20 minutes, they’ve had 7 shots and 4 on target, we’ve had just one, so I pull back into Counter. We push back and have had a couple of good offensive efforts. 0-0 half. On the counter attack, Candeis hoofs the ball past the defense to an onside Rondon who rushes the ball in a 1:1 Vs their GK and scores. We are up 1-0. That’s also our first score in 4 games. Rondon missed another shot givien too him – really nice one – at the 54th minute. Mariano hoofs the ball from the left side to the right and finds Candeias, who pushes it right past a defender to Rondon, who scores again in the 55th minute. I make our first sub at the 61st – Sousa for Kayke. Diego has a lovely on shot target blocked. Rafa picks up a yellow and I pull him for Diogo Coelho.Final sub is JP Cardosa for Mexer. Coelho is injured in the 85th minute and I move my formation around to compensate for having one fewer person on the pitch. Then they get a score off a corner kick in the 87th minute. Drama Late!!! But that’s it, and we hold off a late surge for a win – 2-1. Mario Rondon was the MOM


Our latest Scout signs. I send him to Central Europe

Mexer named in Team of the Week for the Premier League

Adriano begins to return from his injury, and Rodrigues a few days later.

[Abe Sargent]

Today we host our rivals, Maritimo. Changes to the top 11 – Adriano back in starting role (J Sousa is back to the Junior Squad). Cardosa joins him. We massage our subs a bit and get ready for the fun to begin.

I begin controlling. I back off into standard after 12 minutes. I slide to counter at 25. At 26th, Rafa misses a DFK. Adriano can’t finish a cross by Daniel C. Maritimo scores on offside goal and we head into the half. I slide back to standard. I pull Mariano at the 52nd due to injury. Sequeira heads in. I pull Adriano for Kayke in the 68th. I sub and move to attacking in the 80th minute. I pull Rafa for Coelho. Nice shot by Daniel C at the 809th minute but stopped. Draw. We had 9 and 3 on target, they had 6 and 2. MOM was Mexer.

The good news is that through 6 games, we have 4 clean sheets and have allowed just two goals. The bad news is that we’ve only scored two as well. I can’t find a goal with a flashlight and a compass.


We draw Academica in the Taca de Portugal 3rd Round. We are playing in their place – a rough 3rd round match against a fellow Premier league team.

The final match of September is here. We are faced with Guimaraes.

Several of my players liked my pre-game stuff. Allons-y! I open in a Standard set up, here on the road. We push forward early. Adriano feeds Ronton outside the box who takes a long shot and scores at the 9th minute to open up the lead. Then two minutes later, Aurelio intercepts the ball on the right wing and our DR dribbles way down and shoots, the bar recoils off the crossbar and Adriano is there to finish it. We are up 2-0 and Adriano has his first score of the season. We have another offensive drive stopped by their GK just a few minutes later. At the 29th minute, Aurelio knocks a corner to Freire, who heads it in for our third score. Adriano leads a break four minutes later, but feeds Marcal who shoots far and off target. 3-0 at the half. Rafa gets a yellow. I don’t want to be down a man. I yank him for Coelho. Another flowing move into a missed opportunity for us, They foul Adriano in their tackle box and give us a penalty. They get a yellow and Adriano is injured. Rondon sinks the P Kick. I sub in Reginaldo for Diego and then swap him and Daniel Candeias on the pitch. They get in a score at the 64th minute from a few passes to a guy who slips past Mexer. Adriano is tired, so I pull him for Djaniny. They have some nice pressure in the last 70s early 80s that results in a goal at the82nd minute off a corner kick. 4-2 is the end of the game, and we win. I remind them that was a bit of jeckyl and hyde game. MOM is Mario Rondon. Candeias is put for 3-4 weeks with a groin strain. We had two goals off set pieces this game, without them, this is a tie game.

[Abe Sargent]

October:

6th – Away at Ferreira
20th – Away at Academica, Taca de Potugal Match
27th – Away at SL Benfica

And that’s it. Not a busy month here in Portugal.

Marcal, Diogo Coelho and Carlos Mariano impresses in training and Rafa disappointed.

Joao Aurelio was in League Team of the Week,

Mario Rondon though, won Player of the Month for the league. Yeah! He also had the 2nd goal of the month too.

I speak to him to congratulate him. Remember Rondon? He played in 28 games for us last year and had just 4 goals. He had 10 the season before for us in 29 appearances. He already has 4 in 6.

We have more WC matches this week. Joao Aurelio has a sports hernia and will out for 6ish weeks.

Sousa is called up for the U21 squad again

Rondon was left out of the Venezuela squad and it made the news. Those called up are the normal suspects, plus Reginaldo for Mozambique.

[Abe Sargent]

We are favored to win in our clash against P Ferreira. Their boss praises Rondon in public. Porto have not been doing well (we have three points more than them) and their manager is coming under fire. Currently the manager of Ferreira and myself have been going back and forth in the media about how much w like each over. Ferreira has been high-flying at 5th, and I complimented their quick passing playstyle. Then the manager was happy since he admires me to hear my positive comments – etc.

Porto just beat Academica before our game starts on the 6th. So they got their win in. For our roster, due to injuries, we are starting Zainadine Junior at the DR and Reginaldo at the MR spot.

We begin countering. We fail to convert a corner early. They have a lovely shot on goal but our GK pushes it aside in the 8th. Mariano is getting schooled out there. Rondon is given the ball on the far right side dribbles down while Diego Barcelos makes and attack run. Rondon feeds him and he scores at the 18th minute. Counter is working so far. Rafa gets another yellow card – his third on the season in 7 games. That may be a problem. It’s just the 26th minute. He misses a DFK two minutes later. Reginaldo with an attack run finds Rondon in the break and he scores. 30th minute. Mexer injuries one of their players and they have to sub him out. They get in a score at the 35th minute off an extra pass by an unselfish forward who had a good shot, but passed to get an even better one. We have another good offensive run, and it’s the half. I tell them to keep it up. They shoot a very ambitious shot from very deep and manage to sink it. 2-2 at the 47th minute. We have a great moved stopped at the 57th minute. I pull out Rafa for Costinha and Freire for Ali. They score again. I pull Mariano. That’s a disappointing loss, to be up 2-0 and lose it. I get mad in the room, and they understand.

[Abe Sargent]

Mexer and Z Junior both had 7+ performances for Mozambique in their 3-0 win and Portugal managed to win against Israel, wonder of wonders. Sousa is injured in a game in the youth match for Portugal and will be out like two weeks. Portugal can’t even beat Azerbaijan and just tie them 2-2. N Ireland makes it to the playoffs and Russia qualifies from Group 6 from the World Cup Qualifiers. Man – Portugal is out!


Reginaldo is out for a few weeks with a injury away in international land when playing the DRC.




Alright, Cup Match time



Joao Baretto is starting in place of the injured Reginaldo and Daniel Candeias. Time to play. I begin defensive since we are in their place. I try to pull off the pressure – we are underdogs here. Joao Barreto scores after Diego B found him off the side. He drove down the center, passes to the right and we score. 8th minute. Nicely done lad. They have a nice go of things but we stop their shots in the 17-19 minute. Freire collects a yellow at the 20 mark. They miss the DFK that follows. At 23, Freire picks up a knock, so I pull him for injury and the card for Rodrigues. Mariano injures one of their players. On a throw in, Junior swings it to Rondon deep in the right corner. He crosses it deep to Adriano, who springs past the defender and knocks it in. That defender he beat was the one Mariano injured – which just be coincidence. Or may have helped us spring Adriano for a second goal. Rondon intercepts the ball and drives for a counter and hits Diego, who dribbles nicely, but then misses the net entirely. We have put back a lot of pressure so far. Half. I remind them to not get complacent. Already we’ve squandered good opening halves in the season twice. They understand, except for our GK who looks stressed. I tell him he was fine (he was) and he’s back and happy. WHOA! Adriano gets the ball on a break, jukes and causes a defender to fall, hits Rondon, who lobs it over the GK for a goal. NICE! Why can’t we be this good in the regular season? Sub 2 – Rafa out for Joti. They knock down a corner kick in the 68th minute. 3-1. Sub 3 – Mariano for Sequeira. We almost had another goal off a break in the 86th minute. Game. Nicely done fols. MOM is Rondon.

[Abe Sargent]

Daniel C is coming back from injury. We were drawn against Pampilhosa in an away match for the next Round of the Taca de Portugal. They are a semi-professional team in the Championship. Not a bad draw. A win there, likely, puts us in the Quarters.


We are NOT predicted two in our away game against undefeated Benfica. I wonder why not? But if we could… If we played like we just did, who knows what the results might look like. Daniel is back too. Let’s see what happens.

I begin defensive (no really?) Can we survive the onslaught of Benfica? This is the hardest match of the year, since Benfica is usually the best team in the league, as it is this year. I’ll be happy if we just don’t make a cock-up of things. Lose 1-0? Okay. 2-1? Okay. Just not 4-1 or something. For example, We just had a lovely move set up by Daniel to give Rondon the ball, who slipped behind the defense. He juked the GK, and a sliding tackle from behind dispossessed him. That’s a goal against every other team in the league. But here? Nope. An IFK results in a goal for them at the 30th. Adriano coming in off the corner, quickly, tackled in the box efficiently. No chance at anything. Half time. I tell the guys we’ve been unlucky, and they relax. I pull Mariano for Baretto in the 50s. They score again in the 60th minute. We stopped a bunch of attacks, but they got one through. After five shots in five seconds, without clearing,we allow another score at the 68th. Game. We lose 3-0.

We did damage the CL of one of their stars. Lazar Markovic, worth 8.75 mill and just 19 years old. He’s out for 8-10 months. So hey, there’s that I suppose.

[Abe Sargent]

November


3rd – Home vs Porto
10th – Away vs Pampilhosa, Taca de Portugal
24th – Home vs Academica


In training, improvement by Barreto, Rodrigues and Mariano

We are not expected to win the Porto matchup either.

I start the game, and we’ll begin standard. It’s our place, and I want to see how it plays outs. Let’s make them earn this. I move to counter at the 23rd minute. They score, but its called offsides two minutes later. Massive pressure ensues. They are too fast at snuffing out our passes. We’re taking long, desperate shots too frequently . I don’t want middies taking long shots when we have a good possession. Mariano’s passes have been intercepted too frequently. Half time. Stats – They have 20 shots with 9 on target. We have 3 with 1. We are going to lose this game – it’s fairly obvious. I move moving Rafa into a defensive set. I change our passing and shots taken. Can we hold on for another 45? We had an amazing opportunity but they tackled Rondon with the ball in the box. They score off the post in the 47th minute. We knew it was happening, based on how the game was going. Offsides, they get another goal called off at the 50. After being told to shoot less often, Mariano just ended a good attacking move with a shot from just at the top of the box on the corner. I pull him. He’s out of there. In goes Barreto. I also pull the uneasy Junior for Sequeira. I pull Rondon for Kayke after an injury. I move to Standard in the last 15. Can we steal a goal late and escape with a point? Barreto now pisses me off. He had a shot in the 91st minute on target, thought it was going in, and raised his hands to celebrate instead of chasing after in case of a rebound. Of course, the GK stopped the shot. No last minute magic. Game over, we lose 1-0. They had 16 shots on target, and we stopped 15. That was a great defense. We had 4 on target and 9 shot, that’s not too bad for a team on the defensive. This could have been ours. Ah well, Rondon will be out for a bit.

[Abe Sargent]

We’ve tumbled to 13th out of 16 in the league. But, we also have gotten through the rough opening patch. We have played Benfica, Porto, Braga, and Sporting. We even played the 4th place Ferreira. The next 6 games are against lesser folks. For example, we have not played #15, #14, #12, #11 yet. We get them in the next 6. We also have Rio Ave and Vit. Subal at 8 and a surprising 2.

So now let’s begin the easy part of the schedule, and see where we are then, at the half point.

Aurelio is back from injury. Reginaldo is too. Time for the Taca match:

Starting for us will be Aurelio and Kayke. I also send up my two major youth prospects.

JP Cardoso will start for Freire. I won’t bore you with the details overly much. 1-1 at the end of the match so extra time. We get a red card as Coelha collects two yellows. I have to move to counter. Kayke gets a yellow. Sousa gets a goal in extra time off a Mariano pass. His first for us. And we pull out in the 117th minute of extra time. We win. I tell them we got away with that one. MOM was Carlos Mariano. That’s a first… Diogo Coelha is banned.

Who is in the 5th Round?

We get a decent’ish draw at home against Vit. Guimaraes, who is currently 16th in the league. I’ll take that. Unfortunately, Porto gets a pass against a Championship team, while Sporting does as well hosting a 2nd division squad.

[Abe Sargent]

I move Djanany to rotation from first team. He meets with me the following day. I promise him some football play. I’ll toss him some games for a bit, especially since Kayke is better, but just on a loan, so its not like I need to develop him, or anything.

Rafa is injured for 2 weeks in training. Rough.


For our match today against Academica, Saleh Gomaa is starting for the injured Rafa. Everyone else is starting as planned. We begin standard. They’ve been talking us well in the early part, so I move ot Control. They foul Adriano as he charges in, and give a penalty, which Rondon sinks to put us up 1-0. I head back to Standard. Half time. Good move by Candeias ultimately falls short. First sub – Barreto for Mariano. 2nd sub, Jota in for Gomaa. They get a second yellow and a guy is pulled, and I move to controlling in the 65th minute. Final sub, I pull a tired Rondon for Djanany. We hold on for a win. MOM is Freire.


Sousa turns pro and 17 on the 30th

[Abe Sargent]

December:

Skolnik begins light training. He should be back in a month ish.


1st – Home vs Gil Vincente
8th – Home vs Rio Ave
14th – Away vs Olhanense
21st – Away vs Vit. Setubal


Best training – Diego Barcelos, Z Junior and D Coelho.



Match vs Gil Vincente – Rafa is back. Djaniny starts for a tired Adriano.,

We begin controlling. After all, we are favored by a bit – its our home, and this is the #15 squad. Rondon’s shot at the 2:12 is turned aside for a corner, which bounces around dangerously before picked up. It almost ends up another 1-0 game we win off a PK. Until Djaniny finds Rondon for a score in the 86th minute to put us up 2-0. Then they get a late score oo to make things interesting the next minute. Despite his assist, Djaniny did not play well to my mind, too many missed passes. Game. MOM is Rondon.

With everyone having 11 games down, we have moved up to 8th with our two, narrow, penalty kick driven wins. We have 15 points, and are tied with Maritomo, who has a lower GD (-2 to our -1)

[Abe Sargent]

Sweden is in World Cup Stage A with South Korea, Brazil and Slovakia. That’s doable.

We are underdogs vs Rio Ave this week. They are 3rd in the league.

Adriano is back in the lineup. We begin standard to get a feel for the game. Candeias crosses to Rondon who scores in the 1:12 mark, just as we begin the game. Rafa’s deadly long shot from the 12th minute is just pushed aside. But they counter and hit us for a score. Back to even. Rafa finds Rondon for a score at the 32nd mark after a lot of give and take. Half. Keep it up! Djaniny for Adriano. Prolly should have left him in with the hot leg from last week. Rodrigues for Freire. I move to counter for the last 10 minutes. Jota in for a tired and wounded Rafa. Djaniny hits a score at the 82nd minute after Diego B lifted a corner but the GK hit it away. We win 3-1. POM is Rondon


We have won our 3rd game in a row ,and against the 3rd best team in the league right now. Good result. Djaniny requests a transfer. Odd. He started once, subbed twice in the three games since we talked. Why get pissed off now? I reject his request.


We face Olhanense and move Djaniny to the starting spot (hot leg). We begin countering. Half time. Rafa gets yellow. 0-0 score, MOM is Freire. It was a game where nothing really happened. But Diego B I s out for six weeks with a twisted ankle.