Flez85's Trot Around The Globe

Final First Stage Match

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A solid win and Chunnam stood no chance in this one. Looks like the players are finally putting it all together but was it enough to make the top half?

League Table

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So close yet so far away. It all goes back to the match against Seongnam, if we were able to get the result we deserved in that one we would have made my goal of top half for the league split.

Upcoming Fixtures

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Planning on doing the next update after two months this time. The only good thing about not making the top half is that we should have an easier time of it for the last 10 matches, hopefully taking advantage of the weaker competition and ending the season on a high ready to come back next year and take a big leap.​
 
I used the tiki taka tactic too before I was drawing games like 1-1 with 18 shots on target, got so frustrated, i remember beating Sunderland 1-0 with 44 shots and 26 OT, and have a screen shot to prove it
 
Jasonlfc96 said:
I used the tiki taka tactic too before I was drawing games like 1-1 with 18 shots on target, got so frustrated, i remember beating Sunderland 1-0 with 44 shots and 26 OT, and have a screen shot to prove it
Click to expand...

Yeah, still think it's a good tactic but I'm working on creating one myself. I figure it's about time I learn the new system anyway.
 
September-October 2018

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So with going up against bottom half teams the remainder of the season I decided it would be a perfect time to learn the new tactic system and try to come up with something myself. I'm playing a deep 4-2-3-1 and so far so good, though I'm still trying to sort out the defence as highlighted by the 3-4 loss against Incheon.

Squad

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Kakuta's been knocked out for the rest of the season, but Hang-Soon has outperformed him so far stepping into the first team. I don't expect that to last so not thinking he'll oust Kakuta for playing time. With the new tactics I'm trying to find a way to get Muso more involved in his natural AMC position (I retrained him to MC when he was in the youth team at Jomo Cosmos) but not getting the output from him I was hoping for, not that he's been doing poorly I just want better!

League Table

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With just 3 games remaining it looks like Sangju are the only ones that could mount a challenge against us to claim top spot in the bottom half (7th). Mathematically Seongnam could take it but it's not likely.

Congo Results

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Decent campaign so far, just wish we could have beat Guinea at home so we could control our own destiny.

African Cup Of Nations Qualifying Group

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Reminds me a bit of the WCQ group earlier, not as bad but we could win our final two matches and still not come out on top if Guinea do the same. We need at least second to remain in the competition which would see us play in a 12 team group with six games played in which the top 3 qualify for the main tournament.​
 
November 2018

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Another good period of play and we end the season on a 9 match unbeaten run. I'm liking the tactical change and everything seems to be good, right, a promising run to end the season and it looks like I've got the club going in the right direction and will have a good season next year...?

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Ummm, okay...

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Hey guys, you know the season is over? Guess you must mean for next year then, kind of harsh but sure I can do it...

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DAFUQ!?!?!

League Table

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African Cup of Nations Qualifying

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Completely outclassed by Angola then couldn't get anything on target against Central African Republic./

Group Final Standings

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Angola used their win over us to spur themselves on and win away at Guinea and claim top spot. We couldn't even claim second for a chance to stay alive.

I decided to resign from Congo right before I was fired by Jeonbuk. Even though it was a disappointing end to my time there, I can feel good about what I accomplished. They were ranked 54th in the world when I took charge and took them to new heights, including a first time ever World Cup appearance and a world ranking of 22nd.

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Shortly after resigning the Nigeria job opened up with them failing to qualify as well, and though it seems like a lateral move at best I feel like they're squad is much stronger than Congo's and they have the players that just happen to suit my new tactics. When I joined Congo, Nigeria were ranked 42nd and seemed to be one of the teams I would have to compete with the most to become the best of Africa. However they've been nowhere near their potential and at the time of appointing me were ranked 84th.


On the club front, there's a few different directions I could go and I'm not quite sure which path I want to take. I'd really like to take charge of another Korean team to avenge Jeonbuk's decision to let me go. However I'd also like to take over somewhere I could either win another champions league or go for a hero achievement (for that, it would have to be either Brazil or England since those are the only leagues I have loaded that suit the challenge at the moment). Problem is, I've tried to apply at a couple of Brazilian Third Division clubs but I'm assuming they think they can't afford me because I've been passed over.​
 
Job Offer

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Been keeping an eye out for a club that I can either win another Champions League with or one that would allow me to unlock a Hero achievement, Gateshead fits the latter with them residing in the Skrill North. Haven't decided for sure I want to take them up on the offer, that will be a lot of work and a challenge that I was going to put off until later because I really wanted to return to the K League Classic to put Jeonbuk in their place.

Anyone have an opinion?​
 
September 2019

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So I decided to turn down the Gateshead job and wait until a position opened at another South Korean club. I had to wait all the way until September for it to happen, but when Busan fired their coach I immediately applied. For some reason after the interview it told me they "laughed off" my interest then the next day I was offered the job.

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They won the Champions League for the only time in 1986 and haven't won the K League Classic since 1997. In 2013 they were relegated and spent three seasons in the 2nd division before returning and seemingly back on their way to the top until this year.

League Table

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Pretty much no chance of being relegated so it should give me an opportunity to get bedded in and try to build a good squad for next year. Jeonbuk would have been better off sticking with me, sure they're in the top half but I felt like I had brought in good enough players to be challenging for the title. Unfortunately all of the coaches I hired while there are still there, I'll keep an eye on them in case their contracts expire.

Depth Chart

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My scouts will be working hard in the off season. Figured out why Busan were doing so poorly, most of their top players are on national service duty and playing for either Sangju or Police. Even with them including it looks like almost every position needs an upgrade or at least some depth added for us to make a push up the table next year.​
 
September-December 2019

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Struggled with tactics at first, and it didn't help that we had a less than ideal squad with injuries and national service duties. Towards the end I think I started to get it figured out and am looking forward to next year as these games were nothing more than a test run. Interestingly enough it was a name I recognized that gave us a good run in the Seongnam match, Matsilele Sono scored a brace as the Jomo Cosmos youth product showed me why I should have tried harder to hang onto him. He actually spent a year with Busan back in 2016, and if the foreign player spots weren't filled I might look at bringing him back.

Squad

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A lot of these players will be leaving the club as they're making way too much money for their skill level in my opinion. However, all three foreign players currently at the club are among the best so I'll be trying to hold onto them. Ueland will be key for us and surprisingly enough the youngster has earned 11 caps for Norway and scored 7 times!

League Table

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We finished as high as we could have when I took over, and with two good teams in Chunnam and Suwon surprisingly in the bottom half it gives me hope for next year. Especially since we beat both of them en route to our top position in the bottom group.

Nigeria Results So Far

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Again still trying to figure out tactics. A disappointing draw against Malawi saw me change things on the attacking side, then while a draw against Cameroon was probably a good result I was disappointed in our defending. More tweaks and had to rely on two goals in the dying stages of the match against Morocco, within a minute of each other, to rescue a draw. Think I've found a better balance with our friendly win over Burundi and WCQ playoff wins over Tanzania to reach the group stage, but honestly probably should have beat them by more.

WCQ Group Draw

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If we don't qualify from this group I'll retire from coaching and apply for a job at McDonald's. We've hit a record low ranking of 103rd since I took charge but that's mostly due to not playing in any competitive matches since the last rankings. Meanwhile Congo have dropped from their record high ranking of 22nd while I was in charge all the way down to 49th in less than a year.

​
 
Pre-Season 2020

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Good preseason arranged and managed by my assistant, most notable win was over Renhe who are in the Chinese SuperLeague. The last game was disappointing against a lower division opponent but not too concerned.

Transfers

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Lots of deadwood and backups earning too much let go. Chang-Hoon probably would have been in or around the first team but had to sell him for twice his value, especially when he was one of the highest earners at the club. I didn't have nearly as easy of a time finding players to bring in here as I did at Jeonbuk which is disappointing but hopefully we'll have a good year to boost our rep and attract better players.

Ins

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Kwon Tae-Ahn- GK- Free Transfer

Needed a first team keeper and he was the best Korean out of contract that I could find. Not great but should get the job done for now.

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Ha Jung-Hun- AMR- Free Transfer

Pretty much the same deal as Tae-Ahn, would have liked better but he was the best available. He played a few games under me at Jeonbuk but mostly sat out of matches, he'll be a first teamer here so shows that we've got some catching up to do. The staff at Jeonbuk played him more than I did but released him anyway./

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Ya Yajun- DC- Free Transfer

This kid would be intimidating to meet, 6'4" 205lbs Asian would scare the socks off of me. Good enough for the first team now (sad) and has tons of potential according to my assistant.

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Noh Yeong-Gyung- MC- $98k from Seongnam

Another player I had at Jeonbuk except I brought him in there too. Needed a good replacement for Chang-Hoon and even though I had to pay three times the amount I got him for at Jeonbuk it's still a fraction of what Seongnam paid me for Chang-Hoon and less than half the wages. That and he's worked under me before and I think is just as good if not better than Chang-Hoon anyway.

Depth Chart

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Still needs work but hopefully this squad will be good enough to start the season. I'm trying to find a right winger and a left fullback to round the squad out.

Staff Brought In

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Jason Hernandez comes in as my new assistant when I let the last one's expire. Had to find new Americans to sign as my old staff from Jomo Cosmos are still with Jeonbuk and wouldn't listen to my approach. Eto'o comes in to ensure the backroom stays multicultural.

Season Expectations

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At least the board has faith in my abilities. Seems a little out of touch with reality for a club who's predicted to finish 7th and I'm hoping for a top 6 finish with, especially when there's no transfer budget to work with.

Upcoming Fixtures

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Starting off with 3 of last season's top 5 finishers including defending champs Pohang. I'm not too confident about this.​
 
February-March 2020

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Great results to start the season, especially against teams that should be aiming towards the top of the table. It's incredible how easily we dispatched Seoul and Ulsan, and to draw last year's champions Pohang is good enough for me.

New Signings

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Ahn Ji-Sung- MC

Signed for a cheap $15k from Ulsan to provide cover at midfield.

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Lee Ho- DM

The third player to join that was with me at Jeonbuk. At 35, he's getting on in terms of age but should still be useful for one more season.

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Seo Jung-Hoon- DM

Snapped up from a semi professional South Korean club for a compensation fee of $7.75k, will see first team time this season and his future looks bright as my assistant believes he has the potential to be a star player at this level.

Squad

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Jung-Hun has had a spectacular start to life with Busan scoring 4 and assisting 2 in his first 4 games. Thierry has been good as well as the goals are flowing from the wingers and midfield though I'd like to see Ueland get more involved since I still think he's one of, if not the, best players at the club.

League Table

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Great to be sitting at the top even if there is a lot of time for things to go wrong. Maybe the board saw something in the team I didn't but I'm now convinced we can meet their expectations of challenging for the title. We shouldn't have a stretch of matches much harder than the last and hopefully they all prove to be that easy.​
 
April 2020

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Mixed month as we dropped back to back games and the loss against Daejon was particularly painful as it's one we should have won by all rights. We bounced back well however with wins over Incheon then our most impressive performance yet against over-achievers Chunnam.

Squad

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Ha Jung-Hun remains the club's top player, however Ueland has really come on this month and is starting to play up to his ability. Ahn Young-Gyu has been quietly impressive as well rotating in at DM.

League Table

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With the two losses we've fallen off the pace just a bit, but I'm not expecting teams like Chunnam and Sangju to hang around for long. Hopefully our prolific offense can fire us back to the top.

Upcoming Fixtures

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We have a good opportunity to separate ourselves from Sangju at the beginning of the month followed by what should be an easy cup game against Ulsan HMD. Then we'll play host to my old club Jeonbuk in a highly anticipated clash where I'll be looking to prove I'm better than my replacement. We face Seoul to close out the month and will look to pile onto their misery.​
 
May 2020

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Good results this month and couldn't have asked for a better result than 5-1 against Jeonbuk. All five American coaches I signed while there must have been looking on in disbelief as I showed that it wasn't the staff set up that brought success to Jomo Cosmos, it was me and me alone (insert evil laugh).

Squad

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I think that no matter where you go there's always that player that you don't think is much of an upgrade but you go ahead and sign him because you can't find anyone better, then you despair up until the season starts. Then he becomes one of your favorites as you watch him outperform everyone at the club and you pat yourself on the back and praise your ingenuity for recognizing a great player with sub-par attributes. At Busan that player is Ha Jung-Hun.

League Table

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I think it's safe to say that Suwon has recovered from their poor year and 10th place finish last year. We're sitting decent, higher up than I would have thought in the beginning, and will hope that Suwon will slip so we can take their place. We really need a good cup run and continental qualification this year due to the state of the finances, we're not attracting many people to the stadium and need something to make the people flock to us.

Finances

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So despite being well under the board's allocated wage budget we're still leaking money hand over foot. It's not that big of a deal at the moment but if I'm to strengthen the squad enough to be competitive in the Champions League (assuming we finish top 4) then this will need to get sorted.

Upcoming Fixtures

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Over a month long break before we come back to finish out the final 10 games of the first stage.

Nigeria WCQ Fixtures

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Piece of cake.​
 
And 30 seconds after I post about being under the wage budget...

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That's a $50k p/w cut. Now instead of being around $30k under I'm $20k over.​
 
June 2020

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3 wins from 3 games, couldn't have asked for more. The wins against Ulsan and Pohang were especially important since they were up there with the chasing pack in the league.

Squad

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Devastating news with Jung-Hun out for 4 to 5 months with a torn calf muscle. At his age I'm not sure he'll ever recover. Fortunately everyone else has seemed to up their game to make up for his absence. Ueland's been gone most of the month on Norway duty winning 6 more caps in the month of June competing in the European Championship. He should be returning soon as his lone goal wasn't enough in the second round where Norway lost to Wales in a penalty shootout.

League Table

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Top over Suwon on goal difference as we start to pull away from the rest.

Upcoming Fixtures

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Big match against Suwon at their stadium this month. They beat us at our place 3-1 earlier in the year so we'll be looking to return the favor. Also the end of the month will see me return to Jeonju World Cup Stadium for the first time since being fired for what will surely be an epic 전주 대결-Showdown in Jeonju (thanks kandersson, love the titles).

World Cup Qualifying

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As expected we showed our superiority in these matches, not much else to say.

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