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Conquering Europe


oneteaminglasgow

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Europa League - Second Knockout Round - March 2115

Well, we're in the (fairly) big time, and facing the thirteen-time French champions, who also appeared in three consecutive Champions League finals (winning one) a decade ago

Spoiler

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As I suspected, Lille are really quite good. The tie being effectively over after 23 minutes isn't really what I was hoping for, but these things happen.

Spoiler

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A better showing than the first leg, but we still never laid a glove on them. They're simply too good for us.

Oh well, onwards and upwards. Focus is always domestic anyway.

 

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March 2115

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Another mostly good month, but these consistent 1-0 losses are really starting to annoy me. We only lost once all of last season, and that's our fifth this season so far.

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Thankfully, none of the teams challenging me are particularly consistent. If we were up against the LKS Lodz team of last season, it'd be wrapped up by the already.

Mexico

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A successful tour of North Africa.

Not sure when we'll play some competitive fixtures, but no signs of it yet.

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April 2115

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We won't be retaining our cup title, but that's just what I needed on league form. Particularly those last two games we were genuinely sensational, and would've thumped any side in the league.

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We are a whisker away from the title.

A single point from our remaining two games will do it.  

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Matchday 33 - May 2115

Our first chance to secure the title here, and we're away to GKS Katowice. They're a bang average midtable side, but we have a few boys injured so who knows. We should be wrapping it here though.

Spoiler

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Hahaha.

Completely outplayed, and got exactly what we deserved. It'll roll onto next week unless Pogon have handed us the title...

Spoiler

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Which they have, because they're just as shite as we are! Playing against 10 men for 35 minutes and still couldn't make us earn it properly.

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We've got the title done with a game to spare, which is just excellent stuff.

One more game to go. 

 

 

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Matchday 34 - May 2115

Spoiler

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A nice, if ultimately meaningless, win to end the season, and my time in Poland. 

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We finish up 5 points ahead. The league's top scorers and the second best defensive record, with Pantovic getting 15 in the league for us.

I've enjoyed my time here, but I'm moving on to pastures new. Next to be loaded up is Czechia. 

 

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The North American Gold Cup - 2115

Winning this competition is what I took the Mexico job for, and I'm looking to add it to my European championship, Copa America and African Cup of Nations titles. As I posted earlier, Mexico have become pretty dominant in this competition, looking to make it 6 in a row here, and having won 39 in total (the USA are the next closest with 15).

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Some nice, casual warm up games, and a lovely bit of stat padding for Hector Santacruz. Bit of a waste of time to be honest, but there we go.

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Omar Escobedo is our best player, and among the best players on earth, but the whole squad is excellent and we really will be firm favourites for the competition.

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And that group won't be problematic. We start with El Salvador.

Spoiler

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Maybe playing against total dross was an appropriate warm-up for this after all.

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Spoiler

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We've scored 40 goals in 3 games. A nonsense.

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Spoiler

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This tournament is an absolute nonsense. A goal difference of plus 34 in three games. An absolute nonsense. Would've been 15 but I missed a penalty because I got my goalkeeper to take it.

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And we'll be in the quarter finals, obviously, where we're facing...

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A team that we beat 5-0 in the warm ups for this.

Should get through that.

The other groups ended up like this:

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Spoiler

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A much closer game than any of the others that we've played, but straightforward nonetheless. They didn't lay a glove on us, so the match was effectively won after the 7th minute.

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They're an alright side, but still shouldn't be anywhere near our standard.

Spoiler

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If we'd taken our chances, it'd have been more comfortable but ultimately one goal will do it and we're in the final.

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Where we'll be playing against the hosts.

Spoiler

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And just like that we've won it. Opened the scoring after 16 seconds, and that pretty much set the tone for the rest of the game. They scored with the last kick of the game, and that was pretty much their only attack of the match.

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I'm away to Bulgaria for now, and the Northwestern city of Vratsa.

The city itself was originally founded by the Thracians, apparently, and was where something called the Rogozen treasure was found - which is supposedly "the find of the century" as far as Thracian treasure goes. Since then, it's been part of the Byzantine empire, various Bulgarian empires and the Ottoman empire, before ending up in modern day Bulgaria (obviously). These days, it has a loaf of caves and waterfalls and that which are supposedly good for tourism, and a massive chemical plant. According to wikipedia, the City's motto is "A city like the Balkan - ancient and young" - whatever that means. It actually looks like it'd be very nice.

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The team itself are Botev Vratsa, named after Hristo Botev who was a revolutionary and poet, and is considered to be something of a national hero in Bulgaria - a fair few football clubs are named after him, as is a city not that far from Vratsa. The club finished third in the top flight in 1970, but that seems to be their best season by a considerable distance. Most of the time, they hover around the middle to bottom of the top flight, or even in the lower divisions. Never won the Bulgarian Cup either. They were the very first club that Martin Petrov played for, and he was a really good player, so that's something.

This season, we're back in the big time having won the second tier last season. The manager that took them there has gotten the Slavia Sofia job, so he's away, and we've started the season basically ok - one win and two losses from our opening three.

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The way the league works is we play 26 games, then the league splits into top six, middle four, and bottom four. Bottom two go down, and third bottom have a relegation playoff. There's also playoffs for European spots. Not to worry about those just yet though, as we're going to have a tough time just staying up.

Anyway, here we go.

Oh aye, I packed in the Mexico job too, done what I was wanting to do. 

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Botev Vratsa - Meet the Team

4 stars is a decent player for the top flight, 3 stars is a leading player in the division below

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Yotov is a good striker, and Minev is a decent enough back up.

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Prsir is good as well, as is Minchev. It'll likely do for now.

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Left midfield is a real worry, but the rest of this is basically alright. None of the guys will be good enough for the long term, but that's not a concern just now.

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I desperately need another player who can play left back, and another one who can play right back as well given the Prsir is due to play elsewhere. I can make an acceptable centre half pairing though.

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Olczyk is the best player in the team, and we'll likely need him to show it consistently.

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August 2115

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A couple of draws to start my reign. We got a couple of late goals to draw the first one, and then conceded a couple in the second one. 

Decent enough.

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I forgot to get a screenshot before my first game in September (which we lost), but we're around where I'd expect us to be. 

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September 2115

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The first loss was comprehensive, and fair enough, but the next two we lost 94th minute goals in. A fucking nonsense.

Got over the line in the cup game, and then a lovely way to get my first league win against Slavia Sofia. Thoroughly deserved from us.

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We're not a great side, but I guess we might have enough about us to stay up. Bottom spot looks sewn up by Pirin, but we're needing to avoid the other relegation spots.

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October 2115

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A good draw, and then we were completely outplayed by Beroe. They're one of the better sides in the league, so I'm not all that fussed there.

Absolutely thumped Pirin which was ideal given that they're the bottom side in the division, and it was essentially a must win. Put out the cup unfortunately, but I'm focused on the league this season.

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If we finish here, I'll be pleased. 

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On 30/10/2023 at 20:39, oneteaminglasgow said:

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I'm away to Bulgaria for now, and the Northwestern city of Vratsa.

The city itself was originally founded by the Thracians, apparently, and was where something called the Rogozen treasure was found - which is supposedly "the find of the century" as far as Thracian treasure goes. Since then, it's been part of the Byzantine empire, various Bulgarian empires and the Ottoman empire, before ending up in modern day Bulgaria (obviously). These days, it has a loaf of caves and waterfalls and that which are supposedly good for tourism, and a massive chemical plant. According to wikipedia, the City's motto is "A city like the Balkan - ancient and young" - whatever that means. It actually looks like it'd be very nice.

jYlC1bW.jpg

The team itself are Botev Vratsa, named after Hristo Botev who was a revolutionary and poet, and is considered to be something of a national hero in Bulgaria - a fair few football clubs are named after him, as is a city not that far from Vratsa. The club finished third in the top flight in 1970, but that seems to be their best season by a considerable distance. Most of the time, they hover around the middle to bottom of the top flight, or even in the lower divisions. Never won the Bulgarian Cup either. They were the very first club that Martin Petrov played for, and he was a really good player, so that's something.

This season, we're back in the big time having won the second tier last season. The manager that took them there has gotten the Slavia Sofia job, so he's away, and we've started the season basically ok - one win and two losses from our opening three.

bSB3f2f.png

The way the league works is we play 26 games, then the league splits into top six, middle four, and bottom four. Bottom two go down, and third bottom have a relegation playoff. There's also playoffs for European spots. Not to worry about those just yet though, as we're going to have a tough time just staying up.

Anyway, here we go.

Oh aye, I packed in the Mexico job too, done what I was wanting to do. 

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Cairn O'Mohr Wine Tasting

nice

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November 2115

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A poor month. That Cherno More game was infuriating. 2-0 down in the 82nd minute, we bring it back to 2-2 and then concede a 94th minute winner. We also conceded in the 94th minute against Ludogorets. A really unpleasant habit we've developed.

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I have to admit that I'm worried about us this season.

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December 2115

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An absolute calamity of a month. Other than Botev Plovdiv, none of these sides are among the league's best, and we've taken three absolute pumpings, and scraped a draw.

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Beginning to look very bleak.

Next month is the transfer window, and I will be bringing in some reinforcements. 

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February 2116

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No games in January, but the transfer window was open and some moves were made - both in and out. The main leaver is Yordan Minchev, who was a very good player for us, but understandably wanted to head off to Ludogorets. The others are young players with no future here.

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And the incomings. As I said, I needed reinforcements, and I've managed to bring in quite a few.

Eryk Szandroncho was the first in the door, joining on loan for the rest of the season from my old club Zalglebie Sosnowiec. He has played a lot of football on loan at various levels, usually with a decent enough goalscoring return. He is a good finisher and a bit of pace and movement. I think he should be a more reliable source of goals than anyone I had at the club previously.

Spoiler

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Cristian Sanchez joins us after leaving America de Cali in Colombia. The 18 year old right winger certainly has the attributes to be  very good player in the Bulgarian league. A good delivery, good on the ball and fairly quick. He also works really, really hard which will be extremely important as we struggle down the bottom end of the league.

Spoiler

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Michal Tupaj was the other guy to join from my old club. The 23 year old centre half has made almost 200 league appearances, so he's got plenty of experience for someone his age, but most of those have been on various loans. I'm hoping he'll make himself at home here. Not the best in the air, but other than that he has a lot of good attributes.

Spoiler

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Siviwe Coetsee is here on loan for the season. He's good on the ball, and works hard. He hasn't played a lot of football professionally but he'll provide some good depth in the squad, and in a position we needed.

Spoiler

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Carlos Niera is a left winger. He's joined us from Czech side Dukla Prague, and, while he didn't make the cut there, his technique and dribbling ability should make him a good player for us. Better than anything else we had.

Spoiler

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The final player is Desislav Andreev on loan from Levski Sofia, who spent 11 and a half million pounds for him. We have the option to get him for 450k. He's a technically gifted player, who's numbers suggest that he maybe lacks something to really kick on but I'll hope to get more out of him than other teams have managed. 

Spoiler

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Szandroncho getting off the mark with a couple of quick goals for us (although we lost both games) was good to see, and we managed a frankly stunning win against top of the table CSKA-Sofia. We were defensively brilliant, and they probably still should've scored a few but we held firm, and their keeper chucked one in. A delightful win.

Made it two clean sheets in a row in the game against Slavia Sofia as well.

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We're still second bottom, but four points in the last two games has given me a bit of hope. 

Edited by oneteaminglasgow
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March 2116

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We were never going to get anything from Beroe, but two excellent wins have given us a real chance at staying up now. Particularly the Cherno More game I was pleased by, as I didn't really expect the win there.

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It means that the 'preliminary stage' of the table finishes up like this, and we go into the relegation group.

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Six games to save our season. Last place is clearly wrapped up, but there's two more danger spots to avoid. 

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