From Borussia With Love; A Borussia Dortmund Story

rossoldiniho

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A footballers career is usually full of phone calls. A telephone call between me and a football agents based in Birmingham set off my career with me signing for Kidderminster Harriers and making my debut at just 15, 2 years later and 55 appearances as well as 20 goals later it was another phone call that sealed my move to my boyhood club Birmingham City. By the time I was 19 years old I had played for England 8 times and "Clarke, 24" was a name proudly displayed on the back of many Birmingham City fans shirts. A few years later when I was 23 there was another conversation between me and my agent; S.C. Braga an ambitious club in Portugal had made an approach for my services and my cash-strapped club accepted a bid of around £2m.

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When my knee and ankle injuries I suffered with in my youth returned I started to fall out of love with the beautiful game and left Braga and it took another phone call, this time between me and my mother,to get me to stay in the game. It worked, playing for Birmingham once again, overcoming the injuries, falling back in love with the game,becoming a player worthy of the fans appreciation once again.. all this gave me the strength to attempt to crack football abroad once more.

Another telephone call, between me and my agent, to inform me that my father had died of a heart attack when I was just 28 and now plying my trade for A.C Milan in Italy that saw me become an expensive flop transfer. In the next transfer window my agent called; saying A.C Milan have accepted a £17m bid from FC Barcelona as they attempted to resurrect my career, they were a club that I fell in love with,but didn’t fit my style of play. When I left after two seasons,to finish my career in Brazil, people accused me of coasting- they saw images of me shopping and loving life in Brazil, talking to the youth players constantly; they thought I was already thinking about coaching. I didn’t think I was, I never thought I was a manager in the making, but when I was playing my final seasons in Brazil, as a veteran holding midfielder playing for Botafago, I realised that I was more interested in giving young players opportunities.

Soon I was head of youth development at Botafago, then I became a football consultant; I was really interested in day-to-day management of senior squads but didn't get given a chance, so it was all about the youth team. Eventually I was the head of youth development at Birmingham City, although I spent time as a consultant for Udinese but I proved more useful to Barcelona when I was providing them with English youngsters to test out.

A few months after I leftBarcelona to come back to England I received another phone call,probably the most interesting yet, it was from the chairman ofBorussia Dortmund, a team who's manager had recently left afterwinning the Bundesliga with them.


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Mr Clarke, we would be extremely interested in your services in a very flexible capacity.”


What do you mean?”


"We want to Borussia Dortmund one of the best teams in the world, not just Germany. We would be very interested in your services not only as a direct football consultant for the football club in terms of our youth development, but as the manager of the senior squad.”


I don’t manage senior teams; I’m 54 years old, I have never been given a managerial position before…”

“We have followed your career, and we know that you are what we need, the missing piece of our puzzle. You can lead us to the Club World Cup,I'm sure of it."


“Well,I can’t say I’m not flattered…”



We are also willing to offer you a contract of £1,500,000 a year, with personal bonuses depending on how well we do in domestic competitions.”


That is an exceptionally generous offer; will you give me time to consider?”


I’m afraid time is of the essence, we will need a response within 48 hours.”


Then I don’t need 48 hours. I’m your man.”


That was it. A new team, a new country and a new job...
 
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Can BVB Do It Again?

-A Borussia Dortmund Season Preview-


​Last season was defiantly one to remember for fans of Borussia Dortmund as
Jurgen Klopp navigated the team to their second successive Bundesliga tittle but this year
there is an Englishmen at the helm of the Borussians and Bayern are looking stronger.

images


Key Players:

View attachment 335138

Mario Gotze

With 6 goals in 17 appearances the young German impressed considerably
last season. The attacking midfielder will no doubt play a key part in Dormunds
tittle defence next season. However with Bayern Munich due to sign the 20 year old
for £32.5m next season Dortmund will be on the look out for a replacement over the
upcoming season.

View attachment 335142

Marco Reus

The 23 year old has only recently joined Dortmund from fellow Bundesliga outfit
Gladback for £14.75m adn we have no doubt that Clarke will wish to see
Marco repay this fee with performances that replicate his last two seasons at
Gladbach.


View attachment 335151

Mats Hummels

A product of Bayern Munich's youth academy the center back joined BVB
in 2007, originally on loan, and has amassed well over 100 Bundesliga
appearances despite being just 23. We have no doubt that Clarke will be looking
for Hummels to be a rock at the back and command the back four but wether
or not Clarke can fight off interest from big European sides remains to be seen.

The Rival:

220px-Logo_FC_Bayern_M%C3%BCnchen.svg.png


Jupp Heynckes side boast a roster containing a variety of household names;
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Bastian
Schweinsteiger and the list goes on. Bayern are also likely to step up their
hunt for the league tittle with new signings having not got their hands on the
Deutsche Meisterschale for the past two seasons.


Our Prediction:
1. Bayern Munich
2. Borussia Dortmund
3. Schalke





 
First of all need to say I was disappointed when I opened the story as I thought it was from a member 'FuelledByPassion' who I always followed his dortmund story. (I never checked the thread owner)

But have read through it and did enjoy the start to your story well done, I'll follow when i can. good luck.
 
First of all need to say I was disappointed when I opened the story as I thought it was from a member 'FuelledByPassion' who I always followed his dortmund story. (I never checked the thread owner)

But have read through it and did enjoy the start to your story well done, I'll follow when i can. good luck.

Just searched for him and I have found that he has a thread by the same name so I'll ask him if he wants me to change it. But thanks for reading and following
 
Following a short taxi trip, a few conferences and the signing of some legal paperwork after arriving in Germany, I was sitting in my temporary office pondering my first moves.

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At every club I've worked at the willing players are the local young players; respectful and hardworking players that would run around and give you everything every training session, with a passion for the sport and excited about the club’s future, and normally it is, rather unsurprisingly, the foreigners that are lazy and sit around feeling sorry for themselves, strutting around with arrogance, taking there place in the team for granted and not understanding what winning means to the fans.

Luckily at Dortmund it was different and there was a sense of togetherness unlike at the other clubs I've worked at. Everyone gave 110% effort and everyone helped eachother out. I can instantly tell that BVB is the right club for me.

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After watching the first team train for the first time I was very pleased with what I saw and it was a good job I was pleased too as I have only been given a transfer budget that will allow me to bring a handful of players in at most. During the afternoon I watched 'Dortmund II' train. Dortmund II is basically a glorified reserve squad and after spending a few hours watching over them I soon came to the conclusion that for all their hard work none of the players would ever make it at Borussia Dortmund so I immediately put every single one of them on the transfer list.​

I also made my first two signings after watching these training sessions and I am very pleased to welcome 15 year old striker Neal Maupay and 16 year old attacking midfielder Maximillian Meyer to the club. Talented young french man Maupay arrived in Germany from OGC Nice and is already a member of the France U-19s squad at just 15, whereas Meyer joined Dortmund from league rivals Schalke. Both players have very bright futures ahead of them and arrived at the club for minimal compensation as they were both on youth contracts.

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This was it. My first competitive match in charge; the German Super Cup final. It was us against Bayern and all eyes were firmly on Dortmund, we were the underdogs after all. I had lead the team to friendlies prior to this and we didn't win either but I didn't care and neither did the fans, this was the important game for the fans, for the players and for me.

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As I stepped onto the sideline at the Allianz-Arena and began to watch Buvac put my players through their pace before the match all I could think about was how the media and fans would feel if we lost. Its the most nervous I have ever been and that's not what you expect from someone who has played for his country and scored penalties in the biggest cup of them all, the Champions League, for two teams.

But 8 minutes was all it took to calm my nerves when my star striker Robert Lewandowski put us 1-0 up and he then, much to my relief, doubled his tally on the 20th minute mark. Finally, fellow Polish international Jakub Blaszczykowski scored on the 53rd minute to put us 3-0 and that's how the game finished.

Despite us playing away from home our fans were showing the passion they have became renowned for doing and everytime we scored I felt as if I was in the stands with them.

So, its first blood to us and lets hope we can beat Bayern to the Bundesliga tittle come May..

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Thanks mate and what do you mean?[/QUOTE]

i mean maybe add some screen shot ?
 
After spending the past few months living in a cramped office or being half way around the globe playing meaningless friendlies I have finally brought a house and it by far out-shines anything I have ever owned before. Yeah, anyway back to football..

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Pre-season for us 4 friendlies, 3 of which were in my homeland England. I let my assistant take control of my pre-season as I would much rather spend time looking at ways to spend my very limited transfer budget than leading out one of, in my eyes, the best teams in Europe out for a friendly against Aston Villa on a dark, rainy and dull night in the Midlands.

My lack of enthusiasm about pre-season seemed to have rubbed of on the players and our pre-season kicked off with a 2-2 draw with French side AJ Auxerre which was followed by a 2-1 defeat to my boyhood club Birmingham City.

The final two games were both played in England too and were both draws; 0-0 and 2-2 against Fulham and Aston Villa respectively. Despite our poor results I have nothing to worry about in my eyes as between our 4 friendlies a German super Cup triumph over rivals Bayern Munich took place.

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- Not my idea of a summer holiday. -

Now that's pre-season rounded up its time for more important matters; transfers. My first ever two signings as a manager, Maupay and Meyer, were finalised on my first day at the helm but due to a rule in the Bundesliga players under the age of 17 can not play so I have loaned out Maupay to Ligue 1 side Olympique Marseille.

Ignoring the players from Dortmund II who left the club, all but two on free transfers, the only other departure was that of Brazilian center-back Felipe Santana. The commanding center-back had always been used sparingly during his time at BVB and I felt it was time to let him go. He joined Russian giants Zenit St. Petersburg for £2.5m.

The departure of Santana was offset by the arrival of two new center-halfs; Jores Okore and Ricardo Carvalho. Youngster Okore joined from Nordsjaelland for £4.4m and he has already played for his national side 3 times at the age of just 20 and I have no doubt he has the potential to be one of the best defenders in the world. Veteran Carvalho was brought in partly to help Okore reach his potential, well that and who in their right mind would turn down a 75-cap former champions league winner when they are offered him for free?

The only other signing I made was that of 21 year old midfielder Jordy Claise who I found on the transfer list after his now former club, Feyenoord, listed him for £11m. Claise already has one cap for Holland and I have no doubt he will add to that soon. His fee was largely payed the same wasy we payed for Okore and both will be payed for over 48 months.

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Thanks mate and what do you mean?

i mean maybe add some screen shot ?[/QUOTE]

I'm sorry but I disagree, How can more detail be adding screenshots ? My personal opinion is screenshots ruin storys, if anything from in game screenshots should be like someones stats, the league table and maybe just the result of your fixture. But I don't think it adds 'more detail'

storys good as it is keep it up its better than a picture story thats age 3 appropriate.
 
i mean maybe add some screen shot ?

I'm sorry but I disagree, How can more detail be adding screenshots ? My personal opinion is screenshots ruin storys, if anything from in game screenshots should be like someones stats, the league table and maybe just the result of your fixture. But I don't think it adds 'more detail'

storys good as it is keep it up its better than a picture story thats age 3 appropriate.[/QUOTE]

Thanks mate, I'll keep it as it for the moment
 
I have just finished my first two months in charge of BVB and I honestly couldn't have wished for it to go any better. As a new manager I wasn't sure how the players would react to me, my tactics, my transfers or my team-talks However, they all seem to be paying dividends as we finish August and September with five wins, two draws and just one loss.

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20.8.2012
Offenbach 0-6 Dortmund
(German Cup 1st Round)
Reus x2, Lewandowski, Blaszczykowski, Gundogan, Subotic

A good result and I am very pleased that we aren't having to rely on one man for the goals but it was only a cup against a lower side so I've made sure the lads don't let it get to their heads.

24.8.2012
Dortmund 2-0 Nurnberg
Lewandowski x2

The team spirit I noticed in pre-season was evident here as the whole team played a part in ensuring our tittle defence got off to a good start.

1.9.2012
Gladbach 2-3 Dortmund
Lewandowski, Bittencourt, Schmelzer

My birthday, a win in the local derby was a nice little present too.

15.9.2012
Leverkusen 1-1 Dortmund
Reus

An absolute screamer from Reus put us in front but our fitness let us down and we lost a all winning start to the season thanks to a late goal.

19.9.2012
Dortmund 3-2 A.C. Milan
(Champions League group stages)
Lewandowski x3

The Lewandowski show. I hope he can play like that against the other teams in our group; Galatasary and Manchester City.

22.9.2012
Dortmund 0-1 Freiburg

I'm not too sure what happened here but lets just say the dressing room was not a place you wanted to be after the game.

25.9.2012
Werder Bremen 2-2 Dortmund
Lewandowski x2

Lewandowski again. Where we would be without him I don't know..

29.9.2012
Dortmund 5-0 Frankfurt
Lewandowski x2, Gundogan, Hummels, Bender

I demanded a performance to make sure that our last two results don't become a habit and well... I got it.

View attachment 337058
 
Another two months have gone and we played well throughout however we did lose 4 games, which dissapointed me as one of them was a 4-0 drubbing against Bayern but I have faith that we have the ability to turn it around and win the Bundesliga.

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2.10.2012
Galatasary 1-4 Dortmund
(Champions League group satges)
Lewandowski x2, Bender, Blaszczykowski

A great result that puts us in with a chance of reaching the knockout stages.

6.10.2012
Hannover 2-3 Dortmund
Lewandowski x2, Gotze

We left it late again but we came out with 3 points thanks to a late goal from Lewandowski.

20.10.2012
Dortmund 3-0 Augsburg
Lewandowski, Hummels, Gundogan

There's just no stopping Lewandowski! I'm gutted that he is still refusing to sign a new deal though.

23.10.2012
Man City 4-2 Dortmund
(Champions League group stages)
Subotic, Schieber

The pressure was just too much for us but it seemed to effect Gotze who came off on the 65th minute with a match rating of just 5.70.

27.10.2012
Dusseldorf 0-5 Dortmund
Reus x3, Lewandowski, Gundogan

I expected nothing less than a win and that seemed to inspire Reus to go someway to justifying his price-tag.

31.10.2012
Paderborn 0-6 Dortmund
(German Cup 2nd round)
Hummels x3, Subotic, Gotze, Reus

An easy game against lower opposition, we have been drawn against Bayern in the next round.

3.11.2012
Dortmund 0-1 Furth

Only our second league loss of the season but none the less it was completely unacceptable.

7.11.2012
Dortmund 0-1 Man City
(Champions League groups stages)

We failed to take our chance to redeem ourselves after the first match but our performance was much more pleasing this time round.

10.11.2012
Schalke 1-2 Dortmund
Lewandowski, Reus

A well deserved win the derby, this game lead to the sacking of the now former Schalke boss Jens Keller.

17.11.2012
Dortmund 3-0 HSV
Blaszczykowski x2, Lewandowski

An all round good performance and we could have won by 5 or 6 if we took our chances.

20.11.2012
A.C. Milan 0-4 Dortmund
(Champions League group stages)
Lewandowski, Reus, Hummels, Gundogan

Easily on par with our 3-0 victory over Bayern as the best result of my Dortmund career, also sealed our place in the knockouts.

23.11.2012
Bayern Munich 4-0 Dortmund

Disgraceful. However, when I make mistakes I do admit to them and for this game I got the tactics completely wrong and we conceded on the counter attack too often.

27.11.2012
Dortmund 1-1 Hoffenheim
Blaszczykowski

A solid performance but a goal conceded on the 84th minute from a corner cost us.

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So thats another two months as manager of this great team. In the six months I've been in charge I have so far lead the team to a German Super Cup victory, a German Cup quarter finals, the Champions league knockout stages and second place in the Bundesliga. Not bad for my first ever job if I do say so myself; here's to the rest of the season!

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1.12.2012
Stuttgart 2-2 Dortmund
Lewandowski x2

5.12.2012
Dortmund 3-0 Galatasaray
(Champions League group stages)
Gotze, Reus, Clasie

8.12.2012
Dortmund 2-0 Wolfsburg
Okore, Reus

15.12.2012
Mainz 2-2 Dortmund
Lewandowski, Blaszczykowski

19.12.2012
Dortmund 1-1 Bayern
(German Cup 3rd round)
Lewandowski

Penalties:
Dortmund 6-5 Bayern

5.1.2013
Sandhausen 1-2 Dortmund
(Friendly)
Blaszczykowski x2

18.1.2013
Nurnberg 0-2 Dortmund
Subotic x2

26.1.2013
Dortmund 3-0 Gladbach
Gotze, Reus, Schieber

View attachment 338405

During the past two months I also experienced my first ever January transfer transfer window. However, as we had two weeks off in January and I was happy with the squad, which was a good job as we had no transfer budget, I spent most of the window back in England on holiday. But on the final training session before I left I noticed that, unsuprisingly, veteran center back Ricardo Carvalho seemed to be lacking in fitness and with his contract expiring at the end of the season I decided to use this to my advantage and look at a replacement who can come in for free at the end of the season when Ricardo's glass legs have finally shattered.

After a few days awaiting scout reports I came to the conclusion that 25 year old Holland international Douglas would be my best bet and after beating competition from the likes of PSG I got Douglas to sign a pre-contract deal and he will be joining BVB upon the expiry of his contract at FC Twente.

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Another two months have passed by and the lads are finally playing exactly as I imagined. Over Febuary and March we won every single game apart from one league game, which we lost, and one Champions League game which we didnt need to win anyway as a draw was enough to see us through to the quarter finals.

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2.2.2013
Dortmund 4-1 Leverkusen
Hummels, Gundogan, Lewandowski, O.G.

9.2.2013
Freiburg 1-3 Dortmund
Lewandowski, Okore, Gotze

12.2.2013
Dortmund 3-2 Arsenal
(Champions League first knockout round, first leg)
Reus x2, Blaszczykowski

15.2.2013
Dortmund 1-0 Werder Bremen
Lewandowski

23.2.2013
Frankfurt 2-5 Dortmund
Blaszczykowski, Lewandowski, Subotic, Gundogan, Hummels

27.2.2013
Rostock 0-2 Dortmund
(German Cup quarter finals)
Gundogan, Lewandowski

2.3.2013
Dortmund 4-2 Hannover
Lewandowski x2, Gotze, Reus

6.3.2013
Arsenal 2-2 Dortmund
(Champions League first knockout round, second leg)
Lewandowski, Subotic

9.3.2013
Augsburg 2-1 Dortmund
Lewandowski

16.3.2013
Dortmund 4-0 Dusseldorf
Gundogan x2, Reus, O.G.

30.3.2013
Furth 4-5 Dortmund
Reus x2, Gotze, Clasie, O.G.

View attachment 338671
(A few extra games have been played since this update and the screenshot)
 
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Clarke signs new Dortmund deal.

-English manager pens new 4 year deal-

Former England international Ross Clarke joined German giants Borussia
Dortmund at the start of the current season on one year deal at the
tender age of 54 and now, just under a year later, he has signed an
extension to his deal which will now expire in June 2017.

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The Birmingham City legend is making marks on German and
European football already despite this being his first ever managerial
position.

Clarke lead his Dortmund side to victory in the German Super
Cup in his first ever competitive game as a manager and Der BVB
currently sit second in the Bundesliga whilst still competing in
the Champions League and the German Cup.

Dortmund Director of Football, Michael Zorc, has released the
following statement:

"Manager Ross Clarke has shown outstanding commitment to the
club, the players, the staff and most importantly the fans by
signing a new long term deal and me and the rest of the
boardroom have no doubt in the mind that he is the man to lead
us to success and we wish him all the best."

Clarke is now believed to be earning around £21,000 per week
which is a huge increase on his previous deal.


 
hey bud, nice story so far :) looks very, very similar (layout and story wise) as my Ajax Amsterdam story from Fm12 :)

what tactic are you currently using?
 
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