Building a Nation: Northern Ireland

[Shedender]

Building a Nation: Northern Ireland

Unfortunately because I had the same issues at @[Dan] and @[tongey] my attempt to not only conquer Europe but the entire World has had to end and that's a **** shame as I was thoroughly enjoying it and had just completed an excellent season at Dundalk before the problem occurred.

So like Dan himself, I'm attempting to build up an entire nation but it won't be Gibraltar as that'll be boring but instead I've decided to choose my 'homeland', yes I'll be managing in Northern Ireland in an attempt to not just build the nation up but 'changing' the entire Premiership without using the editor.

Eleven leagues have been loaded but only all playable divisions in Northern Ireland will be playable as I've no interest in jumping to another country throughout this career but I will be jumping around clubs in Northern Ireland but it won't be every single season, unless I get sacked.

The plan is to start in the bottom tier (Premier Intermediate League) and try and build the club up until they reach the top flight and establish themselves there as well, once I feel they're established then I'll step down and take charge of another club in the bottom tier whenever one becomes available and then rinse and repeat until the majority/all Premiership clubs have changed although seems impossible but it'll be fun I'm sure.

There's three playable divisions in Northern Ireland just like always - the Premier Intermediate League is ranked three hundred and fifty seventh in the rankings, Championship is ranked two hundred and eighty second (three worse than the sixth tier in Austrian football) while the Danske Bank Premiership is currently ranked in one hundred and second position - these will be checked at the end of every season but I don't expect an immediate change.

But while there's three playable league, we still have cup competitions that could potentially be won.

And there's six overall that could potentially be won throughout our attempt at building up this nation. The major competition, Irish Cup is currently ranked at a "lofty" ninety sixth while the League Cup is four positions lower in one hundredth. Down in one hundred and eighteenth is the Co. Antrim Shield.

The Steel & Sons Cup, a competition for only Intermediate and some top flight reserve teams is ranked at one hundred and ninety second, the Intermediate Cup is one hundred and ninety third and the Mid Ulster Cup, a cup just for clubs from, well, the Mid Ulster area is ranked in one hundred and nineteenth.

Managerial History:

Sport & Leisure Swifts: 1 July 2016 -

Trophy Cabinet:
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[TheBattman]

will be keenly following this!

 

[Shedender]

Cheers for the comment TheBattman.

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It's time to meet the manager

Please note, this is not me.

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For me, this post is always the important(ish) one and it's time to meet the new manager in this career, a young manager who just wants to get his break in football management in his home country and I'm sure that's possible but whether I decide to begin unemployed or not remains to be seen, I had also considered beginning with the WORST predicted club in the bottom tier and trying to build them up as well.

So not only am I a twenty nine year old manager attempting to make a break in football management in my homeland, the problem is I've no coaching qualifications (for now at least) and a past playing reputation of a Sunday League Footballer but that's only because a Boys Brigade (the last time I played a game competitively) wasn't available. I was born in Dundonald which is located in east Belfast while I'm a fan of my local football club Bangor.

And if I'm to start unemployed then I've got my choice of three clubs - Dundela from the Premier Intermediate League but @[Dan] has already managed them so that'll be out but are favourites for the league, Newry City who also play in the Premier Intermediate League and predicted to finish fourth and the third club are Championship side Loughgall.

 

[Shedender]

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"Welcome to Glen Road Heights, the home of Sport & Leisure Swifts FC"

These kits are custom made.
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As you can see, I've made my decision on where I'm going to begin this career and an attempt to rise the football in Northern Ireland and I've decided to begin with the worst club in the bottom tier (going by media predictions) so I've chosen to take the reins at Sport & Leisure Swifts, a club from west Belfast who overachieved last season in real life, finishing the Premier Intermediate Cup (then Championship 2) in third position but despite that, they're predicted to finish this campaign rock bottom.

Here's a little information on the football for those who don't know them (which will be everyone I'm sure) but just like all the clubs in the Premiership, Championship and Premier Intermediate League's they're semi-professional and have a local reputation. Sport & Leisure play their home games at Glen Road (Heights) in west Belfast. The football club was founded in 1978 and played in the County Down Premier League and the Dunmurry League, before joining the Northern Amateur League in 1990 and had used Larne's Inver Park in 2009 while their Glen Road home was being improved to Championship standard.

And this is conformation that I've been appointed the first team manager of Sport & Leisure Football Club for the 2016/17 campaign and I cannot wait to get started as it's going to be a challenge not finishing bottom and getting the sack in my first season in management. Unless I'm mistaken, I've agreed a one year deal at the football club with zero philosophies so I won't feel the pressure on that bit.

Wow, the pressure is on because this is my ENTIRE first team squad, a whole fourteen players so I'll need to head straight into the transfer market and start looking for potential signings, especially centre backs and central midfielders as those are seriously lacking at the moment. I'd like to try and "edge out" the 30+ of age players which would be Darren Munster, Neil Corr, Kevin Duff, Ciaran Gargan and Tony McQuade but then again, they may end up being kept for not only experience but also if I fail to bring better players in to replace them.

This is the final piece of news, I asked the board for a 'laugh' if I could go on a coaching course expecting them to say "no, we don't have the money" but instead, they accepted and the first day on the job and I'm already heading to get my National C Licence and that will take approx. four months to study and S&L will be covering the six hundred pounds.

 

[Shedender]

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Sport & Leisure Swifts: Pre season round-up 2016/17

With my first preseason done and dusted and signings needed to be made, I had been expecting an almost new starting eleven before the campaign had begun and I didn't disappoint myself as I was "forced" to make over a dozen signings ahead of the new campaign in which we're predicted to finish rock bottom of the Premier Intermediate League but I'm confident we can avoid that.

We have made thirteen signings ahead of the new campaign with maybe a few more still to come throughout the month of August and bar Nicky Clarke (on loan from Premiership side Coleraine) all players are on non-contracts so can leave at any time. Gareth Agnew, Sam Knox, Luke McDowell and Danny Magill all signed from "unattached" hile Chris McElroy (Annagh United), Joseph McClenaghan (Brantwood), Stuart Millar (Portstewart), Matthew Clarke (Lurgan Celtic), William Kempton (Ballinamallard United), Glen Clarke (Coagh United), Ross Wilson (Annagh United) and Scott McMillan (Harland & Wolff Welders) all signed.

And this is how the squad looks going into the opening day of the Premier Intermediate League season and it looks a lot better than it did whenever I originally took the reins at Glen Road Heights, we now have depth although I'm still looking for at least one more central midfielder, attacking midfielder and striker but if I'm unable to find then whatever, I'm happy enough with the squad currently.

Bar the defeat at home to Glebe Rangers, pre-season went down a treat as we won our other four games and scored goals as well, only thing I'm a tad disappointed in was no clean sheets but c'est le view as it was pretty much a new back four + goalkeeper iirc. Following the home loss to Glebe we travelled to Ardoyne (won 3-1), Nortel (won 4-1), Bryansburn Rangers (won 6-3) and Newtowne (won 2-1). I feel we're ready.