FCSB (Steaua Bucharest) - Aiming To Be Kings Of Europe Again!!!

[Klippybo]

FCSB - Aiming To Be Kings Of Europe Again

Well I wanted a challenge!!!!! Domestically it wont be a challenge as FCSB are the most successful side in Romanian football but to conquer Europe? Now that's a different story!!!

I have always considered taking a team from a lesser country and to try and regain their glory years and after considering Red Star Belgrade I decided to plump for FCSB mainly because Dennis Man and Florinel Coman impressed me in my short Hertha BSC save lol.

So I will be managing in a country where I know maybe 6 teams and little or no players at all. Should be different.

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FCSB - The Club

Founded - 1947
Nickname - The Red and Blues
Ground - Arena Nationala
Capacity - 55,634
Rivals - Dinamo Bucharest (The Eternal Derby)

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FCSB - The History

Liga 1 Winners (26 times) - 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956, 1959-60, 1960-61, 1967-68, 1975-76, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 2000-01, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15

Cupa Romaniei Winners (22 times) - 1948-49, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1955, 1961-62, 1965-66, 1966-67, 1968-69, 1969-70, 1970-71, 1975-76, 1978-79, 1984-85, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1991-92, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 2010-11, 2014-15

Supercupa Romaniei Winners (6 times) - 1994, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2006, 2013

European Cup Winners - 1985-86

European Super Cup Winners - 1986

Until 1998 Steaua Bucharest were the army club of Romania until the football club separated to meet UEFA rules but then the army sued the club and so in 2017 Steaua Bucharest changed their name to FCSB. Their golden period was in the 1980s when they won 5 league titles, 4 cups plus the European Cup (beating Barcelona on penalties when their keeper saved all 4 penalties in the shoot-out!) and Super Cup. They were also runners-up in the European Cup in 1989.

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THE LANDSCAPE IN ROMANIAN FOOTBALL

The league has 14 times and everyone plays each other twice before the top 6 and the bottom 8 get split into the Championship and relegation group. Naturally I expect us to be in the Championship group so we would play the other 5 times twice again for a 36 game season.

The rules for registration is mind boggling at first...…….
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Obviously I will have to keep in mind the 4 non-eu players policy. However I like to develop my own and it seems as though it could be like managing Athletic Bilbao in a way so that appeals.

As for the clubs I am competing against CFR Cluj are my main rivals and reigning champions. Dinamo Bucharest aren't up to much these days and I have at least heard of Astra Giurgiu, U Craiova and FC Viitorul (owned and managed by Gheorge Hagi). As for the other 8 teams I don't have a clue. If you ask me about the 20 team 2nd division - well if FC Arges is Arges Pitesti I have heard of them but nobody else. I thought Rapid Bucharest would be somewhere but they don't exist anymore apparently and are reformed and now play in the 3rd division - along with my reserve team and the only other Romanian team I have heard of - Otelul Golati.

Sorry for my lack of knowledge of all things Romanian football!!!
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[WeArePalace]

Excited to see how this will go! I'm very intrigued to see what sort of signings you can pull off and how the side can do!

 

[Klippybo]

PRE-SEASON

So what to do when I (since I am in Romania I am Kris Stuartescu lol) rock up in a country where I don't have a clue who plays there and I only have £1m to spend? Not much is the answer!!!!

I ad to do a complete overhaul of my backroom team and although the quality I brought in was better it is still not high enough for my liking. As for signings I haven't spent a penny and within a week one of them wanted to leave!!!

As for the board they wanted me to play attacking football and possession based football and I ramped it up by wanting to develop young players using the youth system. They did agree to find me a senior affiliate but even that failed.

So here is a very brief roundup of my transfer activity.

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PLAYERS OUT

I sold a 31y/o left back valued at £675,000 for £38,000 lol. That's it!!!! I also released one of my few CMs but he was 37y/o and so therefor I felt he had no business being anywhere near my squad.

I have 2 33y/o players transfer listed but nobody is interested.

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PLAYERS IN

3 players came in, all on free transfers. I needed 2 centre halves and another CM so without knowing who to bring in domestically I just scoured the free agent market but I could only offer about £5k a week so the better players were not interested.

At CB I brought in Cedric Mongongu and Philipp Wollscheid. Mongongu immediately complained when I signed Wollscheid and then said he couldn't settle in Romania - despite his last club somehow being in Romania - so he requested a transfer and tbh he will be leaving on loan soon lol. I wont even bother posting a screenshot of him.

Wollscheid is a decent defender but very slow. However we will have loads of games this season so he will get a chance to impress.
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My only other signing so far has been a CM called Silviu Pana who last played for a club who I have never heard of. He is here just to make up the numbers in CM.
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FIRST TEAM SQUAD

For domestic football we are ok. A good solid side although a bit heavy in attacking midfielders and wingers. Obviously Coman and Man are my main two prospects who are contracted until 2023 (with huge release clauses) but also I found a decent looking AMC in the shape of 19y/o Olimpiu Morutan.

I do have a couple of decent looking DMCs in the squad but I don't play with them so I am trying to retrain the best one as a CM. Up front I have a French striker called Gnohere who was the previous seasons top scorer and also Raul Rusescu who I think was a wonderkid back in the day.

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SEASON AIMS

Win the championship domestically and reach the group stage of the Europa League (which is also the boards expectations) where we start in the 2nd qualifying round. I have little squad depth as nearly all of my reserve side are out on loan and the U19s are not up to much.

I also will have the headache of replacing Mongongu when he leaves as I will need another CB. We are nearly at the end of July so I have plenty of time in the transfer window but have about a dozen games before it closes.
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[Klippybo]

Florinel Coman

JULY

​​v
FC Hermannstadt 0
FCSB 2 (Coman 47, Nedelcu 53)

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar, Balasa, Planic, Stan, Popescu (Filip), Nedelcu, Stoian, Morutan, Coman*, Rusescu (Gnohere)

We win my first match in charge but I was worried at half-time as we were pretty poor but Florinel Coman turned it on in the 2nd half. We even had a goal disallowed in stoppage time.

My 1st impressions of FC Hermannstadt - sounds like they should be playing in Germany lol.

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UEFA Europa League Best Placed 2nd Qualifying Round 1st Leg
v
FCSB 8 (Rusescu 3, Stoian 7, 41, 90pen, Planic 14, Coman 18, Balasa 22, Morutan 25)
OFK Titograd 0

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar, Balasa, Planic, Stan, Popescu, Nedelcu, Stoian*, Morutan, Coman, Rusescu

Naturally I am delighted to win so handsomely but to be 7-0 up at half-time and only score 1 more goal in the 2nd half when they played the last 25min with 10 men is a disappointment.

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v
FCSB 4 (Coman 30, Rusescu 62pen, Man 82, Balasa 86)
FC Botosani 2 (Fabbrini 36pen, 65)

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar, Balasa, Planic (Wollscheid), Stan, Popescu, Nedelcu, Stoian (Man), Matei, Coman (Tanase), Rusescu

The goals kept on flowing here although Botosani proved to be a tough nut to crack. Dennis Man, who was injured at the start of the season, came off the bench to grab the winner. Unfortunately Coman got injured and is out for a few weeks.

Botosani actually have 2 players I have heard of!!! Diego Fabbrini who somehow won a cap for Italy back in the day and Hervin Ongenda.

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SUMMARY

3 wins out of 3 for us at the start of the season. In the league we defeated 2 of the teams I have never heard of before and in between we demolished Titograd 8-0 in the Europa League 1st Leg. Florinel Coman has started the season on fire and we shall see what surprises lie in wait in August.

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
FLORINEL COMAN
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LIGA I
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[Klippybo]

Olimpiu Morutan

AUGUST

UEFA Europa League Best Placed 2nd Qualifying Round 2nd Leg

v

​​OFK Titograd 0
FCSB 5 (Wollscheid 16, Pana 30, Gnohere 31, 56, 74pen)
(Agg: 0-13)

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar, Balasa, Wollscheid, Momcilovic, Filip, Pana, Stoian, Matei, Tanase, Gnohere*

With an 8-0 advantage going into this game I decided to risk playing my backups lol. Tbh it was good that I did as I realised I need a backup RB!!! In the end we won comfortably with Gnohere getting the hat-trick this time. Once again they had a man sent-off in the 2nd half.

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v
FCSB 2 (Tanase 3, Morutan 90)
FC Voluntari 1 (Tudorie 43)

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar, Balasa, Planic (Momcilovic), Stan, Popescu (Filip), Nedelcu, Man, Morutan, Tanase, Rusescu (Gnohere)

We struggled to beat the side bottom of the table here and had to rely on Morutan's stoppage time winner for us to get all 3pts.

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UEFA Europa League Best Placed 3rd Qualifying Round 1st Leg
v

Atromitos 0
FCSB 4 (Tanase 34, Man 57, Morutan 68, Rusescu 72)

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar, Balasa, Planic, Stan, Popescu, Nedelcu, Man, Morutan*, Tanase, Gnohere (Rusescu)

I thought the Greek side Atromitos would prove to be stiffer competition but we swatted them aside easily here and with the 4 goals here we now have 17 in the competition - after only 3 games!!!

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v

FC Viitorul 0
FCSB 2 (Man 71, Stoian 74)

Lineup - Balgradean, Stan, Balasa, Wollscheid, Momcilovic, Filip, Pana, Man*, Matei, Stoian, Rusescu (Hora)

I am pleased with this victory as I was without several players due to them being unfit and tbh we weren't playing well at all until they had a man sent-off and from then on we took control.

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UEFA Europa League Best Placed 3rd Qualifying Round 2nd Leg
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v
FCSB 3 (Tanase 2, Wollscheid 26, Hora 72)
Atromitos 0
(Agg: 7-0)

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar, Balasa, Wollscheid*, Momcilovic, Filip, Pana, Stoian, Matei, Tanase, Gnohere (Hora)

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v

CSM Polithenica Iasi 1 (Flores 66)
FCSB 2 (Coman 10, Gnohere 16)

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar (Momcilovic), Balasa, Planic, Stan, Popescu (Filip), Nedelcu, Man, Matei (Tanase), Coman*, Gnohere

5 wins in a row in the league which is all good but unfortunately for us CFR Cluj are matching us step by step. Its a 2 horse race already as we are 6pts clear.

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UEFA Europa League Best Placed 4th Qualifying Round 1st Leg

v
​​FCSB 3 (Man 40, Miletic 47og, Gnohere 60)
Partizan Belgrade 1 (Zakaric 41)

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar, Balasa, Planic, Stan, Popescu, Nedelcu, Man*, Morutan (Tanase), Coman (Stoian), Gnohere

Fantastic!!! We get our first real test of the season and we came through it with flying colours - I just hope that their away goal wont come back and haunt us.

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v
​​FCSB 4 (Coman 3, Planic 9, Pana 75, Morutan 80)
Concordia Chiajna 1 (N'Guessan 22)

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar, Balasa, Planic, Momcilovic, Popescu, Filip (Pana), Stoian, Morutan*, Coman, Gnohere (Rusescu)

We are hitting top form so early on in the season as we get another big victory here. Even better - CFR Cluj drew!!

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UEFA Europa League Best Placed 4th Qualifying Round 2nd Leg
v

Partizan Belgrade 2 (Ivanovic 29, Gomes 43)
FCSB 1 (Coman 27)
(Agg: 3-4)

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar, Balasa, Planic, Stan, Popescu (Filip), Nedelcu, Stoian, Morutan (Matei), Coman, Gnohere (Rusescu)

Through but phew!!! We took the lead here and then thought the tie was over and we were awful. Partizan went in at half-time ahead and battered us in the 2nd half but somehow we held on.

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SUMMARY

August was a tough tough month but we came through it largely unscathed. We had 9 games during the month which was heavy going and with games coming every 3 days there wasn't a lot of time to take in what was happening and we were going through the motions - albeit winning motions.

We made it through to the group stage of the Europa League but that will be where our interest ends as we have been drawn alongside Chelsea, Rangers and Malmo.

I made one more signing during the month as I desperately needed a backup RB so I paid £39,000 to bring in Stefan Barboianu. Not often I sign a 30y/o.
View attachment 14423

Finally I just about died with first shock and then laughter when the board told me that we sold a whopping 45 season tickets for the season. Not bad considering the stadium holds over 55,000 people lol.

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
OLIMPIU MORUTAN
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LIGA I
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[Klippybo]

Harlem Gnohere

SEPTEMBER

v
FCSB 4 (Wollscheid 14, Luchin 28og, Popescu 47, Gnohere 52pen)
Dunarea Calarasi 1 (Souda 87)

Lineup - Balgradean, Barboianu, Filip, Wollscheid, Momcilovic, Popescu*, Nedelcu, Man (Stoian), Matei, Tanase, Gnohere

Another 4 goal haul - this time against the bottom side and we had several players missing. Goal of the game was Popescu's as he fired in from 30 yards. We had 28 shots on goal in the first half and ended up with 44 in total.

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v

​​Dinamo Bucharest 1 (Klimavicius 45)
FCSB 5 (Gnohere 1, 18, Man 29, Klimavicius 63og, Coman 89)

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar (Barboianu), Balasa, Planic, Stan, Popescu (Filip), Pana, Man, Matei, Coman*, Gnohere

Derby day victory for us as for the 3rd league game in a row we score 4 goals. We got off to the perfect start when Gnohere netted after 15secs and by the half hour mark we were 3 up. They had a goal disallowed and pulled one back but we strolled it in the end. Coman has played 5 league games this season and has scored in all 5.

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UEFA Europa League Group K
v

Rangers 1 (Goldson 63)
FCSB 0

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar, Balasa, Planic, Stan (Momcilovic), Popescu, Nedelcu, Man, Matei, Coman (Tanase), Gnohere (Hora)

Hmm. Difficult one to take as there was nothing between the 2 sides on the pitch. They got the opener and we just couldn't find a way through.

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Cupa Romaniei 5th Round

v

​​FC Botosani 1 (Bus 76)
FCSB 2 (Gnohere 52, 98pen)
AET

Lineup - Balgradean, Benzar, Balasa, Planic, Stan, Popescu, Nedelcu (Pana), Man (Stoian), Matei (Tanase), Coman, Gnohere*

Our 2nd game of the season against Botosani and our 2nd successive narrow victory against them.

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v

Astra Giurgiu 1 (Llullaku 31)
FCSB 2 (Man 6, Coman 32)

Lineup - Balgradean, Barboianu, Balasa, Planic, Momcilovic, Popescu, Nedelcu (Filip), Man, Matei (Morutan), Coman, Gnohere (Hora)

Our 100% record in the league continues with a tough victory against Astra Giurgiu here. Both goals were from long distance and Coman continues his run of scoring in every league game he has played.

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SUMMARY

Our strong start to the season so far continued this month as we won all of our domestic matches and narrowly lost out to Rangers in the Europa League. We are threatening to run away with the league which is not surprising considering we have won our opening 9 league matches.

We had a few injury problems during the month but we navigated our way through those obstacles ok.

Next month we have 6 games - all at home - and our first fixture of the next month is at home too!!!! Never seen a fixture list like it.

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH
HARLEM GNOHERE
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LIGA I
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[Muttley84]

There's also a Steaua in the 4th league and that divided the supporters a bit, between FCSB in the first (private owned and with controversy chairman) and CSA Steaua in the forth (military team). Thats why your attendances are low in the begining. Good luck, will be following!