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Conquering Britain & Ireland


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All Ireland Champions Cup

So, my final two games as manager of Cobh Ramblers, and it's the all Ireland Champions Cup against Larne.

History would suggest that we should be favourites…

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Almost always won by Dundalk. Hoping we can keep the Republics dominance going here

Spoiler

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A narroe away win, but we were the dominant side. Good platform for the second leg any way.

Spoiler

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Much closer this time, but we got there in the end. I had thought when we took the lead that we would go on to win very comfortably, but we didn't perform. Still, we've won so that's the main thing.

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Spoiler

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:lol:

f**k sake.

 

 

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Well, it's been almost a year since leaving  Cobh, waiting on a job coming up, but at long last something came along...

Spoiler

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Normally a top flight side, they currently sit midtable in the Northern Irish  second tier:

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A pretty dire season so far,  and I'm expected to win the fucking league this season, which seems ludicrous. Still, give it my best shot, but I expect to be looking for a job again fairly soon...

Oh, and before you ask:

Spoiler

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Devastating.

 

 

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Meet the Squad

3 and a half stars is "leading player for most Bluefin CH sides", 3 stars is good player for same

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Pretty good options up front, and I'll only be playing with one striker, so covered here I'd think.

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Need depth all over here, and could definitely do with a new right winger. An attacking midfielder would also be nice, but less of a priority.

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Again, depth required here, but my starting options look fine for the time being.

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Lots of work needed here.

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If Anderson gets injured, then we're fucked - but I almost always go with one good keeper and just dross in reserve anyway.

So, that's the team I've inherited at Dungannon. Improvements required, but for the most part it should be good enough to do better than they currently are.

This has also annoyed me:

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That's the guy who I've replaced, and who is entirely to blame for the poor run of form, saying I need to do something to sort it out. Absolute cheek.

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December 2032/January 2033

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New manager bounce, but it's all going well so far. Came back from 2 down against Ballinamallard, and then a comfortable win against my old team Knockbreda - it would seem that coming 6th in this league twice with me were their glory days...

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Means that we're in the top half, but 8 points off the playoff spots. 9 games to go.

Only one guy came in during the January transfer window - Phil Rice, a left back. He was signed by my assistant before I'd remembered to change the setting, but he actually looks alright compared with the absolute dross that my assistants usually sign if I leave them to it.

Spoiler

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February 2033

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 More mixed this month, although both losses were against the same team. Wins against Dollingstown and Donegal Celtic were big - they're both above us in the league so ideal to drag them a bit closer.

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Well, we're a place further back but now within 3 points of the playoff places. The title is almost definitely out of reach, but I'd like to hope we can get into the playoff from here.

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March 2033

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Good month - through to the final of the Mid-Ulster Cup and then 4 points in the league is pretty solid.

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Into the playoff spot with 3 games left - Moyola have a game in hand, but unless they win by 14 we'll be ok...

There's one game left in March, and it's a chance for some very quick silverware

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They're in the Premiership, but are cut adrift at the bottom and have won 3 league games all season. We've got a chance here.

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Mid Ulster Cup Final

Well, a chance at some silverware is always nice, and like with Cobh we're in the part of Northern Ireland that none of the actually good teams are, so we should be able to win this a couple of times - although we've still to do it this time.

Anyway, onto the game...

Spoiler

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We had a couple of long shots, then scored a tap in late on - and only after that did they do anything. Terrible game, but we won and that's the main thing.

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April 2033

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Still a game left this season, but we've won our first two of the month (with Watts being the top boy, as per), which leaves the top half of the table looking like this heading into the final day...

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We're playing Limavady, Dollingtown play Annagh and Donegal Celtic travel to Moyola. Depending how things go, we could finish top or drop out the playoffs all together.

Win and we're in the playoff minimum. Draw and we're basically there, unless Dollingtown win by 10....

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Final Day

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So, we've done our bit, and who else but Dave Watts to do it.

Means that I'm definitely in the playoffs, and if Donegal Celtic failed to win then I'm going up as Champions...

Spoiler

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Playoff it is then. Was looking good for a while, but they were simply better in the end. Given we were 17 points off top when I joined, some effort to take it to the final day.

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We'll play Limavady, and then the winner will play either Portadown or Ards.

 

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Playoff Semi Final

Limavady United - we've played them twice so far under my management, 0-0 draw and a 1-0 win so I expect it'll be tight.

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What the f**k was that? 

Absolute travesty of a performance, need a miracle in the second leg.

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So close, yet so far.

No promotion for us this season, but I'm hopeful that we can put a league winning side together next year. 

 

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Transfer Window

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Just the one player released - guy wasn't good enough. Most of the rest who would have gone have opted to hang around on a non-contract basis, which is fine. I'll punt them once I go up, but fine for some depth just now.

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Incomings up now - not as many as I'd have liked but, as I found with Knockbreda, talented players willing to come to the Northern Irish Second Tier are... let's say sparce.

First up, Ivica Lisica - my left back from Cobh, who has since been released and joins on a free. He's better than this division, so should be sorted there for a few years.

Spoiler

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Joining next, Jared Cox, a centre half. He looks pretty decent, and certainly a step up from what we had last season. Spent a while trying to find a partner for him, but couldn't convince anyone to join him. 

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Final player is a loanee from Larne, Ben Mullan. Looks good at centre midfield, and can cover attacking midfield as well, which is ideal. Have him for the season, should do a job.

Spoiler

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Anyway, onto the season we go. We're favourites to go up, and with Dave Watts up front, I'm pretty confident that we can. 

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