Chris' Pentagon Dream

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Mirrorboy

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My story starts back when I was young, I remember having a vivid dream - and the Image stuck with me ever since. The Image: a pentagon. For years I contemplated its meaning, never being able to place it - I even visited a shrink to help intepret it. The response was that maybe I was going to work for the US government at the pentagon or something, but I knew this wasn't right.

It was one day at university when I was talking to a friend about football manager, as I had recently purchased FM 2012. Then he said three words "The Pentagon Challenge", and it was then that I realised what i must do. I must start unemployed with a sunday league reputation and from there I must manage my way to winning the champions league on 5 continents - the pentagon.

So I will document my attempt on here, I will post season by season, as I have already started this challenge I will post the first lot of seasons at once.
 
This post will document the trophies won/almost won.


Trophies: Loosemores League Cup, Welsh Cup, Corbett Sports Welsh Premier League, South African Knockout Cup, Korean League Cup, Korean FA Cup, K-League

Runners Up: K-League, Asian Champions League
 
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2011/2012 - Finding my feet

Teams Managed: F.C.A.K.

Being just a Sunday league footballer I knew it would be hard to break into the management circuit. I decided to find my fortune in South Africa, straight away there were 4 teams with no manager. Promptly I handed my CV into these clubs, and awaited there reply. To my delight, I received 3 job offers - then I had the choice of which to take up. After studying the teams and offers, I decided my best job would be to manage F.C.A.K. in the South Africa National First division. And so, the dream started to take shape.

The season itself, mediocre - but what is to be expected from such an inexperienced manager. Knocked out in both cups at the first round. However, acheived a respectable 6th place in the League, missing out on the play-offs by just a minute margin. And

It was early days, but signs had shown that maybe more was to come.
 
2012/2013 - A Season to Forget

Teams managed: F.C.A.K.

Perhaps what I needed was a kick up the *** to get myself into shape. My head was in the clouds, and maybe should've realised that glory and riches would not come so easily. Again, no progress in any cup competition and a very poor 11th placed finish in the league. I had a lot of work to do.
 
2013/2014 - A Season of Almosts

Teams Managed: F.C.A.K.

After last season, I knew I needed to buck my ideas up. And that I did, reached the FA Cup Quarter final and lost 1-0 against Orlando Pirates, a very repectable result. The league brought better fortunes, a 4th place finished and my first Play-Off appearance; nerves were high. Yet the play-offs did not go well, and we were knocked out in the first round by MP Black Aces.

On a higher note, I won Manager of the Year - my first award. I was very happy, and excited for next season.
 
2014/2015 - Football is a Cruel Game

Teams Managed: F.C.A.K. , Australia Under 23s

After finishing 4th the previous season, the board had certain expectations, expectations I was unable to reach. Again we reached the quarter final of the first division cup, but were struggling in the league; and in November the board made the decision to sack me. It hit me hard, but I guess it was a fair decision.

My time with F.C.A.K. didn't shake any foundations, and I was then an unemployed manager and having a hard time finding a job. I knew I had to look elswere, it was in January that I noticed a place open as Australia Under 23s manager, a good opportunity I thought - too keep me in the game and hopefully build up my reputation. I was offered the job, and took it.

Australia were in the Olympic Games Asian Qualifying Second Round, beating Bahrain 7-5 on aggregate put us into the group stage of qualification. Our group contained North Korea, Uzbekistan and Syria. And we managed to finish top - so along with South Korea and Iran - we were going to the 2016 olympics!
 
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2015/2016 - Back in the Game

Teams Managed: Australia Under 23s, Dynamos

I had a while to wait for the Olympics and was anxious to get another club job. In January the opportunity arose, in Dynamos. I was offered the job, and was managing in the South African National First Division once more. We were not in a great postition, and I had little time to change their fortune, in the end it was another 11th placed finish. However we did give a better showing in the FA Cup reaching the quarter final (again), this time losing to the eventual winners - Bidvest Wits.

I was looking forward to the next season, so I could make my mark with Dynamos properly
 
2016/2017 - The Big League Awaits

Teams Managed: Australia Under 23s, Dynamos

The Olympics were here, Rio de Janeiro was waiting for us. I was excited about the olympics, hoping to prove my managerial capabilities on an international stage. But then, we were handed the group of death - I never planned to make a big impact on the games, so this didn't phase me. In our group was, Spain, Argentina (who fielded Ageuro and Messi) and Papua New Guinea, with 4 points we failed to qualify - but a more than respectful showing. I subsequently left my post as manager.

The league itself went brilliantly, in fact, for some time it looked almost as if we may win it. We reached the quarter final of the First Division Cup and thanks to a few inspired signings, we finished third in the league, qualifying for the play-offs. We beat Thanda Royal Zulu 5-2 in the semi, and then faced Atlie FC in the final - we won it, 4-2. We were promoted, I was exstatic I was going to be managing in the South African Premier League! I also picked up another manager of the year award. The next season was going to be a big one.
 
2017/2018 - Reality Calls

Teams Managed: Dynamos, Pakistan

Well, the SAPL was a real shock, such a step up for Dynamos. And we did not perform as well as I had hoped, we battled hard and at times it looked as if we may have stayed up. But a poor run of results in the new year sealed our fate, we finished bottom and were relegated. To add to that, I was sacked. The only positive I could take was that I may have gained some reputation for managing in the Premier League, it was little consolation.

In that year I took over Pakistan as manager, not a brilliant team, but my first international senior squad. Incredibly we managed to qualify for the Asian Challenge Cup, but did not make an impression when we got there. I resigned in august 2018.
 
2018/2019 - Glory in Wales

Teams Managed: Carmarthen

I wanted to change direction, move away from South Africa. I saw a vacation at Carmarthen in the Welsh Premier League, I applied for the job. Initially they laughed me off, however something made them change their minds. And there I was, a manager in the welsh premier league. I was excited at working in a new country, a country close to home as well.

Caarmarthen themselves, were not the best club in the league, but had managed to qualify for the Europa League by finishing an impressive 3rd place the year before. In the first qualification round we were knocked out by Aalborg, a very tough opposition.

I had a transfer budget to spend, and that I did. I brought in many new faces and was ready to take on the league. We were winning a lot of matches - we were pretty much unbeatable. We won the League cup, then won the League and after that the FA Cup, we did the treble! It was unbelievable, I had brought glory to a little known welsh club, their first league title and second cup. I had gained some serious rep aswell, and claimed another manager of the year award. Also, nine of our players were named in the team of the year. I was even inducted into the Welsh hall of fame.

Here is a note I saved from the season:

Victorious Carmarthen celebrate famous treble!
Carmarthen completed a magnificent treble after their 3 - 1 extra time win over Neath in the Welsh Cup Final at Parc y Scarlets.
The likes of Dalton Harris and Daniel Hanford were key to the Loosemores League Cup holders' remarkable success this season, with 50 goals from Harris in all competitions and a series of superb performances from Hanford.
 
2019/2020 - Headhunted

Teams Managed: Carmarthen, Supersport United

After last season, we had managed to qualify for the Champions League second qualifying stage. However, we lost 6-3 on aggregate to HJK. Obviously, I wasnt going anywhere with Carmarthen, but I had gained serious rep. We started the season the way we left the last one and were top of the league in November when I was headhunted by supersport Utd in the South African Premier League. It was an offer I couldn't refuse, and so I became the manager of Supersport Utd.

When I took over we were 12th in the League, however I managed to change our fortunes and ended up with a 3rd place finish. I had finaly made my mark on the SAPL.
 
2020/2021 - Another Season to Forget

Teams Managed: Supersport United, Bosnia and Herzegovina

This season did not go as well, despite reaching the final of the SAKO cup poor results in the league saw us lying around 8th and I was sacked.

Before this I had taken over as manager of Bosnia and Herzegovina. But I had to wait till march for my next club job, Golden Arrows in the SAPL. I had little time to make in impact this season and finished 10th.
 
2021/2022 - Steady Progress

Teams Managed: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Golden Arrows

It was a good season, for Golden Arrows, solid performances helped us finish 5th in the league. And we also made it to the semi-final of the FA cup, but lost 1-0 to the eventual winners FS Stars. All-in-all a good season, but nothing special.

With Bosnia & Herz we were in the World Cup Quals, in a group with Holland, Scotland, Ukraine, Malta and Moldova. We failed to qualify by finishing 3rd, just 4 points off top.
 
2022/2023 - Switching Teams

Teams Managed: Colombia, Bloem Celtic, Brisbane Roar FC

After the World Cup in Qatar many managers left their roles. One being, runners up Colombia. I applied for a job, and left Bosnia to join Colombia in July. I also did the same with Golden Arrows, before the season began I took a vacancy at Bloem Celtic, a bigger team.

With Bloem Celtic I managed to win the SAKO cup, and was performing steadily in the league, but I wanted a new challenge. So when the opportunity to manage Brisbane Roar in March arose, I took it and so I moved to Australia.
 
2023/2024 - Managing Down Under

Teams Managed: Colombia, Brisbane Roar FC, Gold Coast United

In the Summer it was the Copa America, and with my Colombia side we qualified from our group by winning all our games against Chile, Bolivia and Argentina. It was looking promising, however we were disappointingly knocked out in the Quarter Final by U.S.A. on penalties.

In the league, I decided Brisbane Roar were not for me, and so I resigned. A few months later I joined Gold Coast United, but just missed out on the play-offs. I wasn't really enjoying managing in Australia, so I was looking to move club.
 
Thanks Bennie, it's been a wild ride so far :) Thanks for reading and ejoying
 
2024/2025 - Back to South Africa

Teams Managed - Colombia, Gold Coast United, Orlando Pirates

With Gold Coast we were just in the play-offs, but in December when a job arose at Orlando Pirates I jumped on it and became there new manger. Back in the SAPL. We had a mixed season and ended up finishing 7th.

I was in the World Cup Quals with Colombia, a group of 10 teams were 4 go through and one goes to a play-off. We were hanging around mid table, but I wanted to qualify automatically. We were pushing for fourth, but I would have to wait to next season to see if we could make it.
 
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