Being Bastian... (A Bayern Munich Story)

Just one question though. Did FM actually say Ribery got injured in a car accident while you were playing, or was it truly your own story? I just wanted to know which of the events you mentioned were FM based and which ones were your own storytelling. Your story was so good that I got the two mixed up in this story.
 
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MisterStubbs said:
updates just get better and better pal, keep up the good work
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Cheers m8, thanks very much :) should be another one this evening hopefully.

Toronto_FC_RULES said:
Just one question though. Did FM actually say Ribery got injured in a car accident while you were playing, or was it truly your own story? I just wanted to know which of the events you mentioned were FM based and which ones were your own storytelling. Your story was so good that I got the two mixed up in this story.
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Cheers m8, and in answer to your question... The car crash was made up. Ribery was actually injured in training, but seeing as he was supposed to be in Manchester at the time (according to the story) I had to change it to fit in better with the storyline.

Took about 7 or 8 bids to get Sami Khedira too -- so a bit annoyed I had to pull the plug on that transfer :(
 
27th August 2009...

fuelledbypassion said:
great story mate. I voted for you :)
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Cheers m8 :) I noticed you've started a story of your own -- I haven't got around to reading it yet (not all the way through -- you've been pretty productive :)) but after reading the OP (and liking the style of writing) I've bookmarked it to go back to. Looks very good from I've read so far.

Last update for today...

***​

27th August 2009.

Franck is recovering well and is expected to leave England in the next few days. He’ll be out of action for at least a month, though six weeks is a more likely timeframe for him to work towards. After that, it depends on how hard he trains.

*​

The UEFA Champions League group draw took place today. It’s a grand affair and an honour to sit in the audience.

As usual, the UEFA Club Football Awards ran alongside the draw:

Edwin Van Der Sar of Manchester United picked up the Best Goalkeeper Award -- preventing Chelsea’s Petr Cech from claiming the title for a third consecutive year; John Terry, Chelsea’s captain, claimed the Best Defender Award for a second successive year; and Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez deservedly added his name to the Best Midfielder Award. As expected, the mercurial talents of Xavi’s team-mate, Lionel Messi, didn’t go unnoticed -- the little magician stood head and shoulders above his competition and rightly claimed both the Best Forward Award and the coveted UEFA Club Footballer of the Year Award. Messi finished the competition (last year’s Champions League) as top scorer with an impressive haul of 9 goals (and 6 assists) in 12 appearances. He also took the Spanish League by storm and ended his campaign of domination with a great return of 38 goals and 18 assists in all competitions.

As far as the draw for this year’s competition is concerned, we have been drawn in Group B -- a tough group that includes FC Porto of Portugal, Dynamo Kiev of the Ukraine and Zurich of Switzerland. The matches will commence on the 15th of September.

The bookies have already made us favourites for qualification, but we mustn’t take this for granted. If we do, we could find ourselves in a perilous position -- facing early elimination -- an embarrassment that would surely end my Bayern career.

“There are no easy games in the Champions League,” I said to the Sky Sports reporter, in reaction to our ‘favourites’ tag, “Not as far as I’m concerned. We will need to show respect to our opponents and work hard to overcome them. Winning the group would be a great achievement, but simple qualification will suffice.”

The draw in full.

Group A: Maccabi Haifa, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Rangers.
Group B: Porto, Zurich, Dinamo Kiev, FC Bayern.
Group C: Fiorentina, Manchester United, CSKA Moscow, Unirea Urziceni.
Group D: Barcelona, Marseilles, Wolfsburg, Inter Milan.
Group E: Sevilla, Standard Liege, AZ, Olympiakos.
Group F: Lyon, Kobenhavn, Besiktas, Chelsea.
Group G: Bordeaux, Liverpool, Juventus, Rubin.
Group H: Stuttgart, Real Madrid, Debrecen, A.C. Milan.

Our fellow countrymen, Stuttgart, have been handed a particularly tough group.

*​

On the way home, I stared blankly out of the aeroplane window and thought about the group draw. All of the games have their appeal, but one in particular sticks out from the crowd -- reigniting my earliest footballing memories…

May 27th 1987.

I sat in front of the television -- my father beside me, “Come on Bayern!” we called out in unison. It was the Champions Cup Final and our heroes had travelled to the Prater Stadium in Vienna to take on the mighty Dragoes.

With 12 minutes remaining Bayern led 1-0. My heart beat faster than I ever imagined possible; my hands were clammy; and sweat built on my brow. My father looked at me from across the room and winked, “They’re going to do it son,” he announced with a broad smile, “I told you, we are the best!”

But twelve torrid minutes followed… my hopes and dreams smashed; my father’s head buried deep in his hands, weeping as the final whistle sounded.

Rabah Madjer and Juary had won the game with two late goals -- FC Porto, not our beloved Bayern, were European Champions…

View attachment 106061
Porto celebrate their famous victory.​


I have never forgotten that day and the emotional rollercoaster I experienced. To be honest, I doubt I ever will.

***​
 
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Not a bad draw there. Porto will always be tough to beat though. I love the added memory of the '87 european final too. I hope you get a minute to read my story but I'd be far happier for you to continue updating yours ;) It's brilliant
 
fuelledbypassion said:
Not a bad draw there. Porto will always be tough to beat though. I love the added memory of the '87 european final too. I hope you get a minute to read my story but I'd be far happier for you to continue updating yours ;) It's brilliant
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Cheers m8 :) Should have an update tomorrow hopefully. I'll definatley get around to reading your story -- the OP is really good and grabbed my attention.
 
28th August 2009...

GCFCconner said:
brilliant updates mate! loving the twists with ribery
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Cheers m8 :) Good to see you're still following :)

***​

28th August 2009.

The Allianz-Arena is bouncing with anticipation -- the Bochum result has certainly wet the fans appetite and now, as a team, we must stand tall together and produce the goods at home.

I’ve selected a strong team for this game. Gladbach are no pushovers (a 1-0 away defeat to Freiburg, sandwiched between two home games in which they gathered 4 points against Stuttgart (0-0) and Frankfurt (2-1) proves they are capable on their day) and we will need to be at our best if a positive result is to be garnered. I’ve told the players to keep a close eye on Oliver Neuville who, even at 36 years of age, still has the ability to punish the tightest of defences.

New signing Marek Hamsik will start on the bench. He is fit and has impressed in training, but other players are slightly ahead of him at the moment -- mainly because of their extra knowledge and playing time in the Bundesliga. Our other expensive new-boy, Roman Pavlyuchenko, has not made today’s squad. After assessing him in training, he appears to be lagging behind in terms of fitness. He suffered an injury mid-way through Tottenham’s pre-season campaign and requires more training before he is ready for action. He is disappointed not to be included, but what can I do?

Mario Gomez returns today -- he is another player who has struggled for fitness since I’ve been here and is yet to make a competitive start for the club since signing in the weeks prior to my own appointment. He’s big, strong and frightens defenders. Perhaps, if the situation is right, he will come off the bench and make his league debut in the club‘s colours. Christian Saba also takes his place on the bench and completes our squad changes for the day.

The three young lads (Daniel Sikorski, Björn Kopplin, Mehmet Ekici) miss out today and return to the reserves. They’ve done well with the first-team, but they’re still learning their trade and I don‘t want to put too much pressure on them just yet.

Bayern: Hans-Jörg ****, Christian Lell, Philip Lahm, Daniel Van Buyten, Holger Badstuber, Anatoliy Tymoschuk, Mark van Bommel, Bastian Schweinseiger, Thomas Müller, Miroslav Klose, Arjen Robben.

Substitutes : Michael Rensing, Andreas Görlitz, Danijel Pranjic, Christian Saba, Marek Hamsik, Mario Gomez, Ivica Olic.



Bayern Munich 3 Borussia Mönchengladbach 0.​

(Venue: Allianz-Arena. Attendance: 69,901.)​


The evening sky was cloudy and dark -- constant drizzle proving an annoyance throughout the game. Drizzle is irritating and lethargic in it’s manner -- I’d rather the heavens opened and soaked us quickly.

I sat back in the dugout and enjoyed a brilliantly efficient display from the team -- tough defending, sublime midfield movement and intelligent forward play keeping the fans, pundits and coaching staff (well, our coaching staff) entertained throughout the 90 minutes.

I expected more from Gladbach to be honest -- after all, they’ve been our rivals since the 1970s, but they froze out there today. Mind you, the Allianz-Arena scares me when it’s full, and I’m the manager of the home team.

We broke the deadlock early. A quality goal, which showcased the quick, accurate passing we’d practised in training. Robben, our flying Dutchman, left the defence for dust and fired past the onrushing keeper. Unfortunately, the goal was disallowed for offside -- sometimes, Arjen is too fast.

We continued to pressure the opposition and carved out a couple of good opportunities before Schweinsteiger finally fired us into the lead. Dante tugged on Klose’s jersey as he swivelled on the ball and moved into the penalty area -- Schweinsteiger placed the ball on the spot and readied himself. He had a fearless look in his eyes and I never doubted his ability to beat the keeper from 12 yards. If there’s one thing us Germans do better than anyone, it’s scoring penalties.

At half-time, I praised the players. They’d done well during the opening period and deserved their advantage.

“It’s not over though,” I warned, “A one goal margin can be nullified in an instant. We’ve got to carry on working hard for each other.”

The players agreed -- it would be foolish to throw away our advantage through complacency.

Of course, they didn’t disappoint and Klose doubled our advantage after 58 minutes -- coolly stroking the ball past a desperately exposed Gladbach keeper. It was a calm and clinical finish, but what else should be expected from Germany’s top marksman?

Four minutes later, I made our first substitution -- Ivica Olic replacing Thomas Müller. The youngster has put in a good display today, but tiredness has taken its toll -- cramp, even the slightest touch of it, can be very painful indeed.

Van Bommel, a solid performer on the day, had to leave the field after 73 minutes after falling awkwardly. He seemed to be in a lot of pain, clutching his arm as he got to his feet -- I hope it isn’t serious. I decided it was time to introduce Hamsik to the Bundesliga (there’s no better time than when 2-0 up at home, I suppose.) Robben had also begun to tire, so a double substitution seemed the best option, “Go on Mario,” I said, “Show me what you can do.”

The fans cheered the two new lads onto the pitch -- it’ll be interesting to see how they get on. Hamsik was solid, as expected, and won the respect of his new team-mates after only a few minutes -- when someone runs about the park and battles for every ball like he does, it doesn’t take long for those around him to show their appreciation. Mario got off to a flier too -- scoring a debut goal on 84 minutes to seal our victory. It was a clever goal too -- his well timed run breaking the off-side trap, before he nodded home past the advancing keeper.

The fans celebrated Mario’s goal with extreme enthusiasm -- I’m glad the Allianz is nailed to the ground, otherwise we might bounce all the way to Berlin before the night is over!

The final whistle sounded soon after and was met by a deafening roar from the crowd -- another good display; plenty of goalmouth action; and three points in the bag. It’s been a good night for us and the fans will go home happy.

I rushed to shake the hand of referee Knut Kircher and complemented him on his performance. He had an excellent game today, and I’m not just saying that because he gave us a penalty.

Afterwards, in the dressing room, I praised the efforts of the team. In particular, Daniel Van Buyten, who organised the defence well and deserved a little extra praise. We’ve had our defensive problems, but Daniel has been a stalwart for us and always tries to lead by example. He certainly deserved the Man of the Match award handed to him at the final whistle. His performances of late have certainly helped Hans-Jörg reach an impressive 292 minutes without conceding a goal and our pre-season defensive frailties appear to be nothing more than a distant memory -- ‘touch wood’ it remains that way.

*​

After the match, Andries and I attended to our media obligations. In the main, our trigger-happy friends appear content, perhaps even a little buoyed by today’s result. Dominik Blum is in better mood, but, still, he couldn’t help but take a sideswipe, “After the recent displays of our midfield players, do you think the signing of Hamsik will prove a waste of the club’s hard-earned money?”

Sure, Hamsik didn’t set the world alight today, but he played well enough when stepping off the bench. He is a good technical player with the added bonus of possessing a combative mentality. He will be a star for this club, I am sure of it. Another thing I’m sure of, is I won’t be rising to Dominik’s goading -- especially, since we’re now top of the Bundesliga.


View attachment 106311
The Bundesliga league table.​


***​
 
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Great update mate :) good result too, I hope you keep this up :)
 
toddzy said:
Great update mate :) good result too, I hope you keep this up :)
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Cheers m8 :) Yeah, I'll definately finish the story -- just hoping the release of FM 2011 doesn't stop people reading it.
 
nice update carine.This really is a fantastic story, well written and entertaining. It's one of only a few that I look out for
 
29th August to 2nd September 2009...

^^ Cheers for comments guys :)

***​

29th August to 31st August 2009.

We gave the players the day off -- yesterday’s game drained their energy levels and they need to recuperate. Andries, Christian, Franz and myself used the time to assess our early season form. Everyone is in agreement -- we have performed well and, bar the draw against Hannover 96, the results have been more than favourable.

*​

I received news from the club physiotherapy department -- Marc van Bommel could be out of action for up to two weeks after sustaining damage to his elbow. He hasn’t broken any bones, which is good news, but the joint has swelled and, depending on how he reacts to treatment, he could be missing for up to two weeks.

Rudiger Degwert, the club’s head physic, informed me that the player will be treated in-house, “There’s no need for him to see a specialist.”

*​

Christian also informed me of a last gasp bid from Gladbach (of 1,700,000 Euros) for Andreas Gorlitz. The transfer window shuts this evening and Andreas would be a good catch for most teams, but he’s our player and won’t be moving anywhere -- he’ll be a great asset for us, once he sorts his head out. Besides, there is no way we could let him leave for that kind of money, regardless of whether he is struggling for form or not. 1,700,000 Euros? Really, I thought it was a joke at first!

There will be no last minute fireworks from us as far as incoming transfers are concerned -- the collapse of Franck’s transfer to United has seen to that.

***​

1st September 2009.

Finally, the transfer window has shut and the merry-go-round of players has ground to a halt until January. Christian can relax and take a well-earned breather before returning to his scouting missions in time for the next window. I don’t envy his position during the transfer months -- it is a difficult, high pressure job and the quality of the side is, in a way, his responsibility.

The dealer has dealt everyone their hands -- now the real games can begin.

***​

2nd September 2009.

I received a quick call from Franz -- the monthly board meeting has just taken place.

My position appears safe for the time being -- the board are satisfied with the team’s start to the season and are looking forward to seeing how things play out over the coming months.

I must admit, in the main, the squad has welcomed me with open arms. It can be difficult for a young manager to gain respect from experienced players, especially when said manager has no professional playing experience to back up his ideas. But my work with the youth team is held in high regard here and I think that is why the players have afforded me time to prove myself to them.

Financially, things have not been so good -- the club made a working loss of just over 8.5 million Euros, but qualification for the Champions League will help to eradicate this debt.

Speaking of the Champions League, I have also been prompted by the club’s secretary to finalise our squad list for the fast approaching group stages. UEFA’s deadline for squad submissions is this evening so I’d best get down to business.

We’re allowed 25 players on list ‘A’ (including 4 players reared at the club and at least another 4 reared within Germany.) Thankfully, I didn’t have to leave anyone out -- the squad meets UEFA’s criteria quite easily and, with the added bonus of having a list ‘B’ to call upon, every player will have the chance to force their way into the team during our upcoming European campaign. List ‘B’ can come in very handy -- it can contain an unlimited number of players born on or after January 1st 1985, so long as the players concerned have been eligible to play for our club for any uninterrupted period of two years since their 15th birthdays. For instance, Thomas Muller, a first team regular so far this season, can be included on this secondary list.

My main concern prior to submitting our squad was Franck. Do I include him or leave him out? He’s a World Class player, there’s no doubting that, but, if he plays in the Champions League for us, he’ll be cup-tied -- something we must take into account if we’re looking to push through his protracted transfer to Manchester United in the winter window.

“Sod it!” I thought, after twenty minutes of deliberation, “He’s our player and we’ll use him if we need too.”

I detest administration work -- I really do -- and I’d much rather be out on the training pitch, but needs must. Anyway, I’ve included Franck in the main squad and emailed both lists to the German National Association for verification -- he’ll just have to accept my decision and get on with things.

***​
 
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