djchapsticks Posted January 7, 2022 Author Share Posted January 7, 2022 Persebaya Surabaya The Green Force, The Green Crocodiles (that's a yellow croc mate). Formed in 1927, they play in Surabaya, East Java. The second largest city in Indonesia behind Jakarta. Their badge is dominated by the Tugu Pahlawan (Heroes Monument) in the city. The club itself plays in the 45,000 seater Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium and the supporters definitely seem the kind who'd show up at training and body me into the nearest volcano if not happy. As for the squad I inherit Not great truth be told. Central midfield is a fucking nightmare. Well let's see how much money we have to make improvements.... Shite...ah well my plan to bring some Eels players with me is dead in the water, I'll need to get an assistant manager and then see who fancies joining me in going for what would be a great escape. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 8, 2022 Author Share Posted January 8, 2022 July/August 2026 A bit of chopping and changing. The Indonesian 'January' transfer window takes place in August and I decided just to play through the 2nd half of July and 1st half of August to combine results with bodies in an out. In terms of results, it's not a bad start at all. The new manager bounce kicked in straight away as we beat 5th placed (at the time) Borneo with ease for the first win of the season and that was followed up with two quick defeats to Persipura and Persija. The cup games have provided a bit of a booster as well against lower league sides and although we're still right in trouble, we're definitely good enough to survive. September is going to be rough with 6 first team regulars away with Indonesia U23s in the Asian Games. The transfer window was interesting. No money, no budget, no scouting team. So I brought in a scout and set them to work. Turns out we are only allowed 3 foreigners in the squad and one more from within Asia. So my outgoings went as follows: Only Hayes of those was a bugbear but he took up one of the foreigner slots by way of being English so it was definitely time to move him on for good money. In their places came: Ebby Roy is 19 years old with 25 caps for Malaysia and fills that 'Asian foreign player' gap nicely for now. He is short for a CH, very short at 5ft9 but he's come in and handled it well. Spoiler The right was a problem area, particularly with Hayes leaving and Ismaila Joof fills that nicely. 4 goals in his first 3 games as well means he's had no bedding in period. Spoiler Santiago Torres is Hayes direct replacement at AMC and he's a clear upgrade. Once it was obvious he was coming it wasn't as big a bugbear to sell Hayes on. Spoiler Doni Ahmad came up strong from the scouts and has the bonus of being Indonesian so I've had to go ahead and get him in, even if it meant blowing the rest of my budget without improvements to the tragic situation in centre mid, which is throwing up very little in the way of talent. Spoiler So at the end of the window, we are £2k over budget, have no money, no central mids and half my team are traipsing around Asia. I do have one space for another foreign player but I've no budget and I don't want to waste it on someone who isn't a centre mid. Good times! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsimButtHitsASix Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 What about that wee guy from the Solomon Islands who ditched ye early on? Where's he ended up? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 6 hours ago, AsimButtHitsASix said: What about that wee guy from the Solomon Islands who ditched ye early on? Where's he ended up? Amazingly, he's STILL without a club. I did offer him a contract but pulled back a bit as it's starting to show in his stats as well. Scouts are still well into him though. There's another boy from Solomon Islands, Severino Ray who has had no club for last two years who could definitely do a job (though the game is trying to wind me up that PSG and Spurs are sniffing about). And when I was with the Eels, I also signed an Indonesian lad Hari Setiawan late on in my time who is genuinely shit hot and I want to bring over but has no interest whilst we're not playing AFC Champions League football. Looks like big EPL sides are also sniffing about this lad and no wonder, there's genuine potential there. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 Thing is though, they are all forwards and wingers and centre forwards aren't what I need with so little budget, though I'd jump at chance of Setiawan. My first choice striker though is pretty good, 17 and potentially going to get much better. He was already here when I joined and I was delighted as he's already 4 star and there's a 4.5 star current ability LB who is 15 (now just turned 16) and playing every week too. ST LB 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 September 2026 The team are starting to find their feet with a bit of outstanding form that has taken us from rock bottom safely into mid-table. In fact, whisper it given we're still only 3 point off the relegation spots but given the form we're in, with 14 league games left, there might even be a late push on for a continental spot. Unthinkable after the team picked up 3 points in their first 10 matches and were on 6 points after 13 games. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 13 hours ago, djchapsticks said: Amazingly, he's STILL without a club. I did offer him a contract but pulled back a bit as it's starting to show in his stats as well. Scouts are still well into him though. There's another boy from Solomon Islands, Severino Ray who has had no club for last two years who could definitely do a job (though the game is trying to wind me up that PSG and Spurs are sniffing about). Update - Le'ai has now chucked it without ever finding a club. What a waste. I was happily going to build Henderson Eels around him and instead he chucked it and dossed about for 2 years, could have won 2 O-Leagues and ended up with nothing. I've also caved and offered Severino Ray a short-term deal. He is potentially too good not to be playing for anyone. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 16, 2022 Author Share Posted January 16, 2022 Oct/Nov 2026 The season is now reaching its peak and Persebaya are motoring along rather nicely. The season finishes at end of December and staying up from a quite futile position is the key - anything else this season is a bonus. October results A massively strong month with 4 league wins on the spin and movement into the Indonesian cup semi-final. November results Significantly weaker but we're at least still not losing. We also just eked Borneo out of the cup semi to set up a two-leg final with Persib. How are we looking in the league? With 5 left in the league to play, we're all but safe from going down and it's going to be a tall order to get top 3. Only hope of continental football is a two leg cup win over the league leaders. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 16, 2022 Author Share Posted January 16, 2022 First leg of the Indonesian cup final. A brilliant win in all honesty only slightly tarnished by losing a late goal that gives Persib a real way back into the second leg. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 16, 2022 Author Share Posted January 16, 2022 Second Leg Spoiler An early setback and reply and then had the most glorious of things, something you never see when you're on a knife-edge. A second half with no highlights at all. So fucking good! Which also means What a turnaround. Delighted given I would have taken staying up. We've also been given and extra £8k a week in the wage budget for next season and I've a lot of high earning, low performing players leaving so I've a chance at a proper rebuild of Indonesian talent. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 17, 2022 Author Share Posted January 17, 2022 End of season 2026. Very respectable. We only lost 4 league games since I took over. We were bottom on 3 points after 10 games so reaching 4th and a cup win can be seen as a really successful season. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 18, 2022 Author Share Posted January 18, 2022 Before preseason 2027 truly gets underway, we have the small matter of qualifiers for the AFC Champions League. All qualifiers are single legged affairs and Persebaya, having qualified by virtue of winning the cup and no via the league, enter at the first Eastern prelim round. Two qualifying rounds followed by a playoff are needed to advance to the group stage. So how did we do? Spoiler Straightforward victory against Myanmar's champions Yagon Utd sees us set up with 3rd Placed Thai side BG Pathum Utd, formerly known as Bangkok Glass (which sounds painful) Spoiler We went in as slight underdogs and to be fair, they gave us minimal of trouble. A great wee win that leaves us one game away - however, it's against a J-League side Mitaka Discovery. Spoiler This one was very much in the balance the whole match but we just did enough in the end to qualify and that in itself is a massive success. Spoiler We're up against some far better teams than us and I believe only the top team qualifies automatically so this is likely the end of the line for us but given the BoD wanted us to get as far as the 2nd prelim round, they are also pretty delighted at this return. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsimButtHitsASix Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 I had some enjoyable AFC runs while managing in Hong Kong. I found that no-one is unbeatable even as a wee team. I would usually finish 2nd behind a big team from Japan/Korea/China but it'd often be after drawing with the big team at home and losing the away game or dropping stupid points elsewhere. It's not the chasm it seems queue Chapsticks getting absolutely Celtic'd in the AFC Champions League 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 18, 2022 Author Share Posted January 18, 2022 (edited) New Job Klaxon!!! After the AFCON and AFC Nations cup wrapped up, there were plenty of international jobs which came up and I decided it was time to dip my toe into part-time national management. I was given two offers in the end, one from Africa - Congo (Not DR Congo) which I rejected in favour of..... Makes sense, already managing at club level in Indonesia to stay with my finger on the pulse of Indonesian football. Plus I get to manage my boy Hari again. Look at how fucking good he is! He won't sign for me at club level though as apparently Liverpool, Arsenal and Leicester are looking at him. So what's next for Indonesia? Rivetting - hopefully WC qualifiers get drawn soon or something. Edited January 18, 2022 by djchapsticks 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 19, 2022 Author Share Posted January 19, 2022 Pre-season 2027 Bit of a strange one, this as I'm playing CL group games whilst my players are in pre-season mode. I suppose I'd better show where we are on that front first of all and see if Asim Butt's premonition came true. A mixed bag but yeah we're holding our own. Was a belter to open with beating Perth and was gutted not to hang on at Pohang after being 2 up in 20 minutes but a draw was excellent. We also had the Supercup to come as we played our rivals Persib - I've a feeling we're going to be causing them trouble this season. How did we get on? Spoiler First kick of the baw, last kick of the baw. Everything else matters not a f**k. Another trophy to the collection! In terms of transfers out, I got rid of some relatively high wages and was happy to do so. I'm pretty gutted about Andriawan leaving though. He became unhappy out of nowhere and decided he wanted out. I wanted 100k for him but no takers and I already had his replacement lined up and wasn't letting him leave for nothing. So I ended up strengthening my rivals with an 18 year old full internationalist who knows where the net is (though I got a bit of retribution as I'll show you soon) In terms of incoming, I'm really happy with what I've got. Diego Kitching - Young Aussie Goalie with a cracking name. He'll go straight into being my number 1. It's a shame we're only allowed 4 foreigners as CU Academy is a total goldmine. Spoiler Yohanes Priyatna - Finally I'm strengthening the CM position. Another youngster on a decent wage but players in this position in Indonesian football seem to be at a premium. Spoiler Asnawi Mangkualam - Very capable first choice international full back. Couldn't really say no to snapping him up on a freebie. Spoiler Jamie Roeffen - His arrival has rendered Yoof a bit of a surplus which is fine as I was looking to free up a foreign spot anyway. Any 4 or 5 star local talent I can get in is well appreciated. Spoiler Severino Ray - At long last he arrives! And he's probably my 5th best foreigner now. Shit... there are 2, maybe 3 strikers ahead of him as well. Spoiler Yoga Efendi - Relatively talented, potentially good centre half. I've almost certainly paid far too much for him though. £70k FFS. He's 5ft9 Robert you bellend. Good mentals though. Spoiler Todd Ferre - The 2nd piece of my fix the midfield jigsaw, he pulled in better scout reports than coack reports though I think he'll do a decent job. Spoiler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 19, 2022 Author Share Posted January 19, 2022 So at this point, the squad came to me raging about how there was no depth up front. We had Severino Ray and Andriawan wanted to leave. So I overcorrected a bit and signed a full strikeforce. David Pratama - Persib take my young highly regarded striker, I'll return the favour. Spoiler Andriawan is still better than him but is a year or so ahead. Indonesian? Check. Plays for Henderson Eels....CHECK!! YASSSSS WE SIGNED SETIAWAN?! Naw - it's his less good club and country compatriot Akbar Rambe. He'll still do for us in a pinch though. Spoiler Jaelani Yarangga - Apologies for his face, I've not run the AI face generator for the season yet. Potentially this lad is exellent. He's 16 and will be given game time. Spoiler Lucas Koyama - This young talented Japanese-Brazilian became available just as I was preparing to sell Andriawan and it was at the point when weighing him up with Severino Ray that I decided he was far better and our pal Sevvy will just need to bide his time. This lad comes in as first choice, I think. I hate giving a CF the number 10, but he asked for it so who am I to tell him no? Spoiler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted January 21, 2022 Author Share Posted January 21, 2022 April 2027 Season started as last season ended, with plenty of wins. 5 out of 5 to begin with including and excellent victory away to last season's champions and the main rivals, Persib. In the CL, it was in our hands with one game left to qualify but we lost quite comfortably to Pohang which meant we finished 3rd and out of the competition at the group stage. Please with the efforts put in though, we did pretty well to get that far in the first place. Disappointed in losing out to Perth Glory as well, we were comfortably better than them over the two games in the group. The table is making for good reading at this early stage. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted February 15, 2022 Author Share Posted February 15, 2022 Back to this after a few weeks away and I've powered through some of the season. Our results after last season's great escape are looking pretty good. Spoiler As a result, we're comfortably leading the way at the top of the table and I've already decided I'm moving on once again after this season to pastures new. As for the national team, it's been a good start to life as Indonesia manager. 2nd in our WC Group to an Australia team who are clearly going to stoat it, I'll be happy if we can finish 2nd ahead of UAE. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted February 18, 2022 Author Share Posted February 18, 2022 End of 2027 Season I've been keen to blast through this and move onto somewhere new. Persebaya has been OK but I'm no a fan of hanging about another year. I fancy a job somewhere a bit bigger now. So how did the season end? Well... I'm leaving Persebaya on top after taking over when they were rock bottom and destined to get relegated. They'll also find passage into the Champions League again next season but it won't be me guiding them. In the end, the league was a canter and we won the cup 6-2 on aggregate, saving the best performance of the season for a 5-0 first leg win. And as it always the case: I will however, carry on as Indonesia gaffer for now - we finally lost out first match and I was agonisingly close to a massive upset by beating the Aussies having been 2-0 up. Qualification for the WC is still a very outside chance as I still have a shout at 2nd to put us in the final group stage. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djchapsticks Posted February 18, 2022 Author Share Posted February 18, 2022 Time for a brief career retrospective whilst I'm between club jobs. My reputation is increasing as I work my way through SE Asia into my next job. I'm also as one dimensional as f**k and don't bother my hole changing anything about the tactics really. Safe to say when plan A is to batter them, I've not bothered with a plan B. Stats are increasing nicely given I started with lowest rep possible and least experience possible. Load of shite that I'm not adaptable though, I've been halfway round the world in the last 5 years. Been places.....dun hings. As for the match stats: Shocked I've not even managed 2 years at a club. I was sure Henderson Eels was longer than that. Still. That win percentage is pretty good and I've not even spent £400k of transfer budget in my cruise through footballing backwaters. Been an entertaining jaunt across the world so far and I'm happy that it's living up to the journeyman tag. To update from page one, there are a lot of different leagues now loaded that weren't there are the start. Here's what I'm running just now, with some pending to be added and removed. As you can see, it's still a very Asian flavour with a view to moving to Africa or Central America/Caribbean again. I've made decision to always keep Scotland and England active as well. On the managerial front, it's March and nothing is jumping out. Pakistan are going in June so not interested and Henderson have never replaced me, just deciding to win everything on the go without anyone at the helm. They will also sadly be gone by the time July rolls around. So what's left is slim pickings to say the least for now. I'll stick it out to June/July when a load of jobs will come up and see what I can get from there. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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