Red Bull Adventure – Brasil – Part 3

Not a very good start to the 2015 season. We were just crushed in the state league. I will give the team credit. At no time did they give up. Even when they were out classed, they still kept the competition close. We could have had a bit better luck. The team road in 15th place most of the time until dropping to 17th with the last two matches. Actually, the last to matches were winnable. We just couldn’t get a good result. The team has been relegated to a lower State league level. I have to admit having such a rough time has been tough on the team and myself. It takes the fun right out of the game.

Well, at least someone is happy on the team. The board is not that concerned about the State league so my job is not in danger at the moment. As we get into the Serie D matches, I will start being scrutinized.

Serie D is next…

Red Bull Adventure – Brasil – Part 2

The second half of the 2014 season went a lot better. I guess we were a little out classed in the state matches. Victories started to come our way as we entered Serie D competition. We actually won every match in Copa Paulista getting us into the finals. The team played well and we were barely beaten by Guaratingueta in the quarter finals. So, so close to making the finals in Serie D. Copa Paulista finals kind of shoved my Serie D matches back to a point that I had three of them in one week. We were able to get pass Paulsta and Ituano but Bangu has been a thorn in my side. Bangu is a team I should be able to put away but after seeing them twice this year, we couldn’t get more than a draw. That draw cost us dearly.

That is how close it was. Hopefully next year we will see the finals.

Off season time. I am planning on changing the whole team bring in some fresh talent. It’s a gamble but I am going to give it a try.

2015 Season starting next…

Red Bull Adventure – Brasil – Part 1

I am a big New York Red Bull fan. I have been following them since first getting into football (soccer) a few years ago. Actually, it wasn’t until I found Football Manager that my love for football really exploded. Yeah, I am going to blame my addiction on FM. Anyway, this is a new save after the bad attempt at managing A. C. Milan. I pretty much could not get a handle of the game and paid dearly, getting sacked. I am going to start with Red Bull Brasil and see were it leads. My hope is to get into a stable championship form in the top tier and win Brazilian top honors. After meeting these goals, maybe moving to another Red Bull team and seeing what I can do. However, I suspect that is a ways off because Brasil is in the D league and has quite a climb to the top.

 I going to take a kind of Journeyman Career to my save. Even though I’m not starting my career unemployed, I will be starting at the bottom of my skill level with my stats and will need to build it as I progress. It makes it more realistic I think.

Here we go. As I looked over RB Brasil’s team. The stats look really good. Some times these lower league teams have a ton of not so promising players but not this one. Woohoo, lets get the show on the road.

Yikes! Yeah, it was a rough time in the Sao Paulo State. I worked hard to get the team to push through but we kept coming up short. Yes, it was very frustrating. The odd thing the board was satisfied. I guess they are more interested in me doing well in the Serie D and Copa Paulista that is coming up. I thought for sure that was the end of me. What a short career that would be.

Stay tuned – I think there is a Red Bull storm coming.

A. C. Milan – Return to Glory Part 7

 

After some rough months during the winter, it looks like things are getting better. We did suffer from bitter loses but we fought back and got some good wins in.

I received this email after the Napoli match;

Is this my demise?

Yes, I am sacked. I’m a little disappointed by this. They were satisfied with my performance during the rough times and didn’t say much. They didn’t even give me a chance to set things right. I need another transfer window to get fresh talent to improve the team. Heck, I even begged them to let me keep going. They didn’t seem to think I could do that. Their loss really. It’s Ok, still trying to get use to the game play. What worked in Football Manager 14 doesn’t seem to work as well in 15. I guess I’m still learning the ropes.

Here is the standings as of the day I was sacked. I was still on the top half of the standings. I realize it was not great for a team like this one. I was just a tough season.

I think I might give it a go again. I might get some more experience first before tackling this challenge again.

A. C. Milan – Return to Glory Part 6

Fernando Torres second hat trick of the season.

I don’t know what to say. I had one hell of a poor streak going. Its my fault really. I couldn’t get the team past all the drama. At the beginning of the season I made Diego López Rodríguez the captain of the team. This player was truly the anchor of the team. Unfortunately, something happened in his personal life around December and he asked to go back to Spain on a leave of absence. I guess it shook the team up. Milan just could not get back into game winning form. Christian Abbiati took over Diego’s starter position and has been up to the task, thankfully. I ended up letting Diego go and he was transferred to a Spanish team. I wish him luck in his future there. No ill feelings about him leaving.

On a good note. Our loan from Chelsea, Fernando Torres, has done us proud. With Giampaolo Pazzini’s 3 month absence do to injury, Fernando has stepped up as a league leading striker. I know the fans had high hopes for Pazzini this season and I’m glad Fernando did such a good job filling in.

We did pick up a player in the mid season transfer window. Newcastle’s Rémy Cabella was my choice. Not the greatest at transfers but I gave it a lot of thought. Yes, he wasn’t cheap. His estimated worth is 32m. I got him for 20m. Granted he was injured at the time of transfer and wouldn’t play for us for another few months. I still thought it would be a good value to the offense for the future.

After a poor few months, we are still in the top half of the standings. What’s really interesting is we lead the league in goals at 50. Its too bad we concede our fair share.

Honestly, if I was the board, I would have sacked me. I just can’t believe they are satisfied with our current poor form.

Fernando Torres has a great league performance going.

Congrats Keisuke Honda

A. C. Milan – Return to Glory Part 5

Didn’t struggle as bad as we did the last couple of months. There was couple of comfortable wins against Naloli and Atalanta. Verona loss was a little disappointing. The guys played their heart out to get the match to a tie but it just wasn’t meant to be.

Still hanging in there. Juventus looks to be trying to check out. They are working on their 4th Serie A championship in a row. Something I’m planning to stop in the near future.

A. C. Milan – Return to Glory Part 4

Another tough month. Sure, we will take three wins but they were close. The loss to Juventus was unfortunate. They are on form and headed to another championship. It was be nice to topple that but at the moment no such luck. More injuries. Stephan El Shaarawy has been on and off the injuries list the whole start of the season. We also lost Giampaolo Pazzini for most of the season. There has been a bright light in all of this. Our player loaned from Chelsea, Fernando Torres, has filled Pazzini’s position nicely.

3rd in the standings is still good. The media keeps saying we are playing above expectations. I disagree, I think we are a good enough team to stay on the top half of the standings. Yes, we had to fight hard for it but that makes it that much sweeter.

A.C. Milan – Return to Glory Part 3 (The season starts)

September was a tough month. If Jake still has hair I would be surprised. I was pulling my own hair out. Milan faced some injury so the club had to scrap it out to get wins. We really blow it when the club faced Roma. We had them by 2 in the first 45 but they clobbered us the second 45 and we couldn’t stop it. It was so disheartening.

we are looking good in the standings. I know Jake is working hard to keep that way.

Well, glad the board is satisfied with Jake. Yeah, the Roma defeat was tough on everyone.

A.C. Milan – Return to Glory Part 2 (Preseason)

Personally, I thought preseason was a little rough. Sure, what would be a challenge if the team was great from the start. Loosing too Leverkusen to start the season was hard to take. It was a goal fest and to lead 80 minutes of the game to loose in the last minutes, that was bad. I guess the high light is smashing Juventus at the close of preseason. Wow, we crushed them. We gave the home crowd quite a game to watch.

A.C. Milan – Return to Glory Part 1

Hello everyone, welcome to the start of my new project. Recording my misadventures on Football Manager (FM). Started playing FM a few months ago and just can’t stop. Gosh, I should have known it would be addictive. I managed pretty decently with FM 2014 but have moved to FM 2015 when it was still in beta. For my latest adventure as an arm chair manager, I am going to take on the Italian team A.C. Milan. I got the idea of taking on this team from a website post on FM 2015 must do challenges. A.C. Milan is going to be quite the challenge for this manager. I am going to take this currently lackluster team and bring it back to it’s former glory.

Here we go;

Starting the new save with all the transfers done for Milan. Jake O’Malley takes the head coach position for the 2014 – 15 season. The young manager is taking a big leap in his career while Milan is taking a crazy risk hiring this Irishman. However, seeing that last season Milan sacked and lost managers, what the heck, they could do worse.

Jake drafted a new tactic for the team;

As for Jake’s transfers for the new session, I guess he is as much of a greenhorn as I am. He tried to get rid of some deadwood but couldn’t get them out of the locker room. So he is just going to have to deal with his predecessor’s transfer decisions.

Preseason is next – Stay tune.