From Studio to the Stadium

NOVEMBER

MATCHDAY-13

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A disappointing draw against bottom team Bournemouth as Hernandez grabs a late equalizer due to a lapse of concentration. We are making it a habit to concede these late goals and even adding a DM hasn't made much difference. A change of personnel is needed and the squad is in need of a huge overhaul!

MATCHDAY-14

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Another game where we dropped points later in the match after taking a lead but this time we didn't even manage to grab a single point! A decent first half was not good enough as late goals by Mina and Sandro meant we left Goodison park empty handed. Our lack of concentration is a disgrace and the players have been told about the same.

MATCHDAY-14

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ARGH!!!! Another point lost as Chelsea leave the Boundary park with all 3 points! Giroud scores the goal in the 95th minute as we are left to rue another good performance made useless by momentary mistakes and lack of maturity by the players. Our defence has been hampered recently forcing me to play Williams and Adarabioyo in the middle but it still doesn't excuse the woeful goals that we have let in!

LEAGUE TABLE

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We slide down the table after a terrible month where our lack of defensive cohesiveness and mistakes cost us 4 points. We are still 8 points ahead of the relegation spots but these mistakes are not worthy for a team who want to stay in the Premier League and eventually battle for the title. The title is our ultimate aim.

We are also closer to European spots than the relegation ones and that is a very proud moment for us in our first season of Premier League and the quality of players. While I have lambasted them, they have been performing admirably against high-quality players.

IN OTHER NEWS

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Having a young team means we always have someone or the other in the Young players' award! Brewster and Coyle make us proud this time around!

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DECEMBER

MATCHDAY-16

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FINALLY A VICTORY! It has been more than 30 days since our last one and despite a late goal by Muto it proved to be only a consolation as we walk away with a very important 3 points in the start of a busy month! Brewster carried his form over from last month and is thriving in the strikers' role while Roofe has moved to the left side of the attack.

MATCHDAY-17

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A frantic first half saw us score 2 screamers before we managed to not concede a goal for the first time in 2 months and 9 matches! Watford tried really hard but our defence held steadfastly and finally earned a clean sheet! Goss has been brilliant on the Freekicks and I like to put him in the team in these close 50-50 matches where it can make all the difference! GET IN! We sit 10th now and it couldn't get any better!

MATCHDAY-18

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Am I dreaming or what? 2 clean sheets in a row! We somehow manage to hold Manchester United at our home and I must admit it was a Sunday league type match! Tackles were flying, yellow cards were flying and we just scruffed out all the technique out of the United players! A typical Mourinho performance by both the teams :D

CARABAO CUP QUARTERFINAL
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As scrappy as you like them as we manage to outlast Middlesborough in the Quarter-Final and book a place in the Semis! We have had an easy draw this year and we have made a meal out of it. I will be the first to admit that Middlesborough deserved a draw at least but I am not complaining. Both teams tried their shots from differences and very few chances were created with the players relaxing after taking the lead. I would have liked more attacking swerve but I will take the win!

MATCHDAY-19

View attachment 20026A bit disappointing after our ascending form as Southampton held us to a draw! The Saints have been around the relegation spots all season and this was there for the taking. We did manage to grab a point after going behind and that will have to do!

MATCHDAY-20

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I love derailing someones' title bid and especially Liverpool's' as a surprisingly subdue Liverpool were defeated by us. We took an early lead and while they threatened in pieces we were mostly comfortable with most of their chances coming from distance! I think Gary will be the happiest by this and I am expecting him to call/text!

MATCHDAY-21

View attachment 20024 A dominant performance as any as all the players turned up and showed their class! It seems the players have started to gel well and it is showing on the pitch now as we absolutely hammered hull!

SUMMARY

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December often defines a season and that could be it for us as we go unbeaten in December and are now 16 points clear of the relegation zone and only 1 off the Europa league spots! What a brilliant month! We managed to defeat Liverpool, hold Manchester United and score 5 past hull along with progressing to the semis of Carabao Cup! I couldn't have asked for any more from the team! Absolutely brilliant!

IN OTHER NEWS

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Brewster has hit form at the right moment for us and it's paying dividends!

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A very proud moment for me and the club as we sweep the young players' of the month awards!

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My first appearance in the Managerial awards for the season which caps off a truly brilliant month for the club.

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JANUARY

F.A. CUP 3RD ROUND

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I am still scratching my head over how we didn't win this as we absolutely battered them but couldn't find a goal even if our life depended on it! An unnecessary additional match will put additional stress on our players!

CARABAO CUP SEMI-FINAL LEG 1

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Morata, who can't score in real life, scores the winner as Chelsea deservedly win! Our defence was wonderful but the offence couldn't string passes together to put up a decent attack!

MATCHDAY-22

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Super-sub Guidetti destroys us as a 3rd match in 7 days is too much for the players' legs! January signing Eiting gives us the lead before the combination of Yarmolenko and Guidetti coupled with Ben Sheaf suddenly losing his composure and wit means we left London with nothing to show for our efforts and after a stellar December, start January on a sorry note.

F.A. CUP 3RD ROUND REPLAY

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A late victory for us once as 2 goals after falling behind ensures that we aren't embarrassed with Sekine scoring in the 96th minute! I love an injury-time winner more than anything and we win a match we deserved to. I would like to keep up our tradition of performing well in the F.A. Cup and thankfully for me, we just about managed it!
MATCHDAY-23

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We drop points again as 10 men Brighton somehow hold us off and cling on to a draw! Fabian Delph's red card in the 49th minute meant we had them on the edge for 40 minutes and some but couldn't take advantage of the same as our attackers just failed to find the net which is becoming a huge concern now as our dour start to the month continues!

CARABAO CUP SEMI-FINAL LEG 2

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A semblance of form as we bow out of the Carabao Cup on a disappointing night! I was hoping we would reach the final against Manchester United who most probably would qualify for the Champions League and give us a shot at Europa League even if we lose but it wasn't to be. We fell behind before scoring twice to take a lead but ultimately a Pereira OG condemned us to defeat! I must say it feels surreal to be defeated by an OG as it was our own mistakes that have hurt us this month rather than the play of the opposition and the trend continued here!

F.A. CUP ROUND 4

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Revenge is ours as we coast past West Ham and book our place in the 5th round of the FA Cup. It was on loan Brahim Diaz who put on a match winning performance this time around as his off the ball movement continuosly irritated West Ham and they never could find a solution to it as he created 2 goals! This victory brings us...

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My Alma matter!

MATCHDAY-24

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Finally the Oldham we saw in December as we demolish Burnley to return to form along with Brewster who scores a hat-trick! His form upfront has been absolutely critical for us and we were missing his clinical touch the last few matches but he seems to have finally found it! He has entered the race to win the Golden Shoe and it would be phenomenal if he manages it! It was an injury to Weah and Roofe which forced me to play him up front and he has vindicated it and how!

MATCHDAY-25

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An unfortunate return to our old ways as we surrender a 2 goal late on and deny ourselves a memorable victory at the Emirates! We need to work on our consistency and I am sure we will be able to challenge for Top-7 easily! Of course, we also need our own players and stop relying on loans too!

SUMMARY

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19 points off the relegation zone, 3 points off our season target and 1 point off Europa League spots! Do we dare to dream?

IN OTHER NEWS

TRANSFER

We signed 7 players in the January Window to boost our team and also signed a few pre-contracts for next year!

So in came Ze Gomes and Victor Sousa from Portugal to provide cover for our forward line which is very injury prone! Ze Gomes hasn't been performing well but Sousa has caught the imagination with his important goals for the club!

Maitland-Niles and Harvey Barnes sign from Arsenal and Leicester respectively as Niles becomes the club record signing as I splash 5.5 Million to sign him! A versatile player, he provides us cover at every position and could be possibly our midfield talisman unless we find a better one :D

Brahim Diaz joins on loan from Manchester City to provide depth and cover to the squad while Eiting who was supposed to join in July joins us early and prove much-needed steel and depth to our midfield!

Our most important signing though has been Niclas Lundberg from AIK for whom I beat AC Milan and Monaco and he has the ability to my defensive midfield lynchpin for years! Perfect for my new formation, the team will be greatly benefitted by his arrival!

TRANSFER WINDOW ROUNDUP

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Manchester United inexplicably sell Rashford as my hatred for Mourinho continues to increase!

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Brewster wins the award courtesy his hat-trick vs Burnley while Lundberg enjoys a succesful start to his Premier League career.

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FEBRUARY

F.A. CUP 5TH ROUND

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The closest we have gotten to beat Manchester United but in the end, their class showed as they were able to take their chance and we weren't! It was a good performance by the boys and as they mature and get better, we will be able to take control of these close matches! We, unfortunately, bow out in the 5th round unable to continue our tradition of the 6th round!

MATCHDAY-26

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A dire match with nothing to write about! Just thinking about the match is giving me headaches!

MATCHDAY-27

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I love traditions, in fact, I am an orthodox man who likes to not only love tradition but see them being carried on day in and day out but what I would love is for my team to stop the ****** tradition of losing to sides in the relegation zone! Aston Villa took a 2 goal lead before a brilliant fightback saw us equalise in the 83rd minute but of course, we had to give it all away! Absolutely garbage!

MATCHDAY-28

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We return to winning ways as we defeat a team above us after losing to a team in the relegation zone! The inconsistency is very frustrating and what I would love is a leader next year around to lead these young idiots on the pitch! They have got the talent but they let it go to their heads easily! In my time as a player, I would have been whacked but these players are a bit too soft for that!

SUMMARY

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An inconsistent month sees us fall back in the race for 7th and it is going to be a brilliant and thrilling race with 5 points separating 6 teams with 8 matches to go! We also manage to reach the famous 40 point mark!

IN OTHER NEWS

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Brewster and Ferraz continue to lead our charge in the youth awards!

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MARCH

MATCHDAY-29

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A good start to march as we look to regroup and kickstart our campaign for the 7th position and possibly Euro Cup. A part of me says we should be satisfied with avoiding relegation which we have mostly ensured and only mathematical confirmation is left but the competitor in me wants to go for the kill and at least try to qualify for Europe! It would be a brilliant achievement and might help us attract better players. We took control of the game after a tepid first half as Brewster, Aarons and Diaz ensured a comfortable victory for us!

MATCHDAY-30

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A late late loss as both defences go off to sleep in an entertaining match in London! Tottenham started quickly in the 3rd minute before Brewster equalised, the blows continued to be exchanged until the 70th minute when the match transitioned into a scruffy match with no rhythm and I was settling in for a draw and was about to make my last roll of dice to grab a winner when Promes hit the sucker punch! This could be a defining moment for us as Tottenham are one of the teams we are up against for the 7th spot!

MATCHDAY-31

View attachment 19818A tepid boring draw! Not the kind of words often used for a Manchester City match!

MATCHDAY-32

View attachment 19817ARGH! ANOTHER LOSS TO A SIDE IN THE RELEGATION ZONE! THIS WAS FOR THE TAKING AND WE SHOULD HAVE WON IT EASILY BUT NO! A TERRIBLE END TO THE MONTH AND POSSIBLY OUR CHALLENGE FOR THE 7TH!

SUMMARY

View attachment 198166 points off the 7th position leave us with a little too much to do going in the run-in! The Bournemouth loss was a huge blow and it will take some luck and a terrible form for others to see us grab the 7th now!

IN OTHER NEWS

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A new contract as I stay on for another 2 years! For the work I have done, I should be given a 10-year contract!

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THAT'S WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT! A HUGE DAY FOR US AND THE SUPPORTERS AS WE OFFICIALLY AVOID RELEGATION! PROUD OF THE PLAYERS AS WELL AS THE CLUB!

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Our domination of the young players' awards continue!

YOUTH INTAKE

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Only Leek stands out a bit and he might make it to the first team someday but a disappointing intake otherwise! I am hoping our investment in recruitment and youth levels eventually pay off!

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Fantastic read, Paul Scholes ! Unreal back to back promotions and smashing the premier league!
 
Jedd95 said:
Fantastic read, Paul Scholes ! Unreal back to back promotions and smashing the premier league!
Click to expand...

Thank you so much! I have been very surprised that we managed it at all but some of the loan signings have proved to be gem for us and I always go for the kill in winnable matches, given me mixed results but worked so far!
 
APRIL

MATCHDAY-33

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A good start to our fight for the 7th as we defeat rivals, Everton, after a Ramsey red card meant that we had the upper hand. Sekine once again comes up with the winner while Dasilva manages to find the back of the net as well. We dominated the match completely but only just squeaked through but in moments like these and in a run in, even such victories are very important.

MATCHDAY-34

View attachment 19742A match which represents both progress and the amount of hard work we need to put in. We dominated the match but Chelsea were more clinical and ran out winners easily in the end. We had the possession, we took more shots but we also didn't test their Goalkeeper enough which is something that needs extensive work on.

MATCHDAY-36

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We stay consistent to our inconsistency as we run out 3 Nil winners against Newcastle and keep our hopes up of securing the 7th place. Brewster continues to be a menace as he leads the Premier League for most goals scored. We weren't as dominant as against Chelsea but were more clinical here.

MATCHDAY-37

View attachment 19737A win here would have ensured the 7th spot for us so obviously, we go out and lose! Manchester United were too strong for us in the end as we take the fight for the 7th to the final day.

SUMMARY

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The 4th and the 7th spot along with the 18th and 19th spot means it will be a compelling final day of the season. Our destiny is in our own hands but will we live up to the expectations or shoot ourselves in the foot? It's very difficult to say but it's a very nervous final day for me and the team.

IN OTHER NEWS

View attachment 19735 Our continued representation in the young players' award makes me proud and I am hoping it soon translates into the player of the month awards too!

FINANCES

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I am pleased to report a profit even before the Prize money as our first season in Premier League and at least a second one will ensure the long term sustenance of the club.

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MATCHDAY-38

The nerves are on an all-time high as we travel to Boundary Park today. At the start of the season, if anyone had told me that we will finish in Top 10, I would have bitten his hand off and taken it right there but after the campaign that we have had, it would be a disappointment if we are unable to grab the 7th spot and the final Euro Cup place and it is between 3 teams right now and I would argue that we have the hardest match.

Oldham (7th) Vs. Southampton (17th)

Wolves (10th) Vs. Everton (8th)

Manchester City (3rd) Vs. Brighton (9th)

We start the match on equal points with Everton while Brighton are 2 behind! Only a win is must for Brighton against Manchester City but they have nothing to play for (City). Everton just have to better our result and they also face an opponent with nothing to play for. And then there is us as we face relegation-threatened Southampton, a side motivated to defeat us and see us lose. We need a win or we need to better the results of Everton and Brighton and it is not going to be an easy take.

KICK OFF

15' Babagele Gomes scores for Manchester City as Brighton fall behind while fans at Everton and Oldham rejoice. 1-0 to city

15' Lundberg scores for Oldham and as it stands, they are qualifying for Europe! 1-0 Oldham

16' Setback immediately as Januzaj equalises for Southampton and it is status quo again! Oldham still lead the charge! 1-1 Oldham

21' A setback for Oldham as Everton take the lead in the match and grab the 7th spot for now as Oldham struggle against Southampton! 0-1 Everton

22' Ceballos equalises for Wolves and Oldham are the holders for now again! 1-1 Everton

33' Embolo scores for city and is it game over for Brighton? 2-0 City!

All the games are becoming tepid and feisty affairs as agitation and frustration sets in!

43' SEKINE SCORES! How many times has this man stood up on important occasions for Oldham! 2-1 Oldham

HT

Oldham - 56
Everton - 54
Brighton - 51

55' - Diogo Jota scores for Wolves and they lead at Molineux and a huge blow for Everton as they slip behind! Wolves 2-1 Everton

58' - Milner for Southampton! The well-travelled Englishman equalises for the saints and the former Liverpool player gives a ray of hope to Everton! Oldham 2-2 Southampton!

76' - SANDRO for Everton! An equaliser and it is game on with 15 minutes to go! Wolves 2-2 Everton!

77' - JAAAANUZAJ! The former United player puts a huge blow to another United players' ambition as Scholes' side drop to 8th with Everton now leading the race! Oldham have looked out of sorts since the restart and the nervousness finally gets to them!

85' Everton are grabbing the last spot as it stands and as it stands Oldham will be disappointed to lose against Southampton!

89' - ANOTHER TWIST! KRUNIC SCORES FOR WOLVES AND EVERTON GO BEHIND! Oldham back to 7th! Is there more to come or is that it?View attachment 19732

FULLTIME! AND OLDHAM HAVE MADE SOME RETURN TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE AS THEY QUALIFY FOR EUROPE!

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FINAL TABLE

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I WOULD HAVE GIVEN AN ARM FOR THIS AT THE START OF THE SEASON! EUROPE HERE WE COME! Also it saddens me to see Liverpool on top of the table!

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Great final day post there with the real time updates :)
 
END OF SEASON REVIEW PART-I

View attachment 19388
THE LEAGUE

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Would you believe me if I told you that I am afraid I will wake up and realize its all just a dream? Because that is what this feels like! Never in my wildest dreams had I thought that we will qualify for Europe 4 seasons after being relegated to League 2 and that too by our League position in the Premier League! I am chuffed, elated and all the words that mean the same. This season and last season have been pure overachievement and we might have not been able to achieve so if one or two things would have gone the other way.

We won 15 matches and we lost 15 matches and unfortunately our losses many times came against teams in the relegation zone and it often makes me wonder what could have been if we won those matches and the close ones but this is not the time for that! As usual, our profligacy hurt us the most and it is a wonder that our defence didn't concede many goals because it wasn't good enough for the Premier League but they worked hard and blocked and put their bodies on line and somehow got us through this season.

The attack as well, it would score freely a match and bottle everything the next match! IT IS AN ABSOLUTE MIRACLE HOW WE PERFORMED CONSIDERING THE TEAM WE HAD! But it is often better to have hard working average players rather than a team of superstars who dislike each other! And that is what worked for us. The fans played their part of course! Our home games were sold out 15 times out of 19 and they often acted as the 12th player even when we played ridiculously!

FOOTBALL ****** ****!

F.A. CUP

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Another year and another loss to a Top-6 side as the draw never gives us an easy go! But what is important has been our increasing fight and the improved quality of play we have put forward each season! We had a chance this time with Manchester United working hard and sweating for the win and that is what counts! Sooner or later luck will favour us and we are going to smash our way to the trophy!

CARABAO CUP

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Our best performance so far in the Competition and we were a whisker away from qualifying for the Final! Chelsea has been one of the Top 6 teams that we have been able to deal with more comfortably than others and it was only some silly mistakes which let us down! I am hoping the loss in semi-final and some investment in the summer will help us go all the way very soon!

This is the first year of my career where I won nothing and I hope to change is next year! A drought is unacceptable!

STATURE

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The most disappointing thing about the season! Despite a brilliant campaign where we qualified for Europe, our stature increase doesn't even see us in the Top 20 clubs in the country which is very sad! I hope, like last year, this doesn't affect our transfer strategy this time around!
We are going to have a lovely run in Europe and break in the Top 10 next year! WATCH IT!

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END OF SEASON REVIEW PART-II

PLAYERS

View attachment 19383View attachment 19382
None of our regular players had a rating of more than 7.22 but neither did any player have a rating of less than 6.5 and its something which defines our team perfectly! A bunch of middling players who are meddling with everyone above them just by sheer perseverance!

Every player contributed in some or the other juncture of the season and shared the burden of the team with only Pereira the ever constant in this team!

Galloway and Sheaf started the season for us before injuries meant Adarabioyo came in and performed admirably while an injury for Dasilva meant Borthwick-Jackson and Niles rotated in and performed when the team needed it while on the other side Ferraz firmly established himself as the best right back of the team.

In the midfield, Roles and Hetemi started off the season along with Ejaria before a change in formation meant they gave way to Goss, Niles and Coyle before Lundberg made the midfield marshal position his own!

In attack, Weah started off the season brilliantly with Roofe playing a bit part role before Brewster took over and never looked back! Players like Sekine who joined the club in summer and Barnes who joined in Winter were a constant menace from the wings and gave us a goal scoring threat while Dummigan was our defacto leader!

A season which entirely defined what we are as a team and I am proud of us!

AWARDS

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Only a single player in Team of the Year but he surprised everyone including myself! Fully deserved for the young player!

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It was injuries to Weah and Roofe which forced me to play him upfront but boy did he grab his opportunities! He was an absolute delight up front with his goal scoring and speed causing many problems to defences! The only thing which irritated me was that he will score 3 in one match and disappear the next! Like our team, he also needs to work on his consistency!

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Honoured to win this award! I would love to dedicate this to my support staff and players who do most of the hard work out there!

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The only thing I would change is putting Harvey Barnes in for Aarons who helped us become an even more cohesive unit! While Aarons has talent, Barnes is just much more consistent!

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Overall XI for my time at Oldham so far!

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END OF SEASON REVIEW PART-III

FINANCES

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SUCH A BRILLIANT FIGURE TO SEE! WE PAID MORE TAXES THAN WHAT WE HAVE EVER HAD BALANCE BEFORE THIS YEAR!

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Look at the sponsorship and Broadcast revenues!

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Something which makes me even prouder! We spent the least amount on wages compared to our turnover and yet we performed admirably this year!

IN OTHER NEWS

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The cohesiveness and trust is brilliant among the team, although we need more leaders in the team!

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A strong budget! But the question remains if I will have players to spend it on! I am looking to scout Scandinavia and Easter Europe to scour for players. They will accept Oldham and we might not have to shell out high amounts on average players!

DEVELOPMENT

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A step in the right direction as we expand our capacity by 60-70%! But it also means that we won't be able to play our first season in Europe in our home stadium unless we reach deep in the competition! We share the stadium with Huddersfield and that is a bit of cold water on my plans for the season! Nonetheless, an exciting time for the club as we are able to do this without taking a loan.

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If we survive another season in the Premier League and I fully intend to, all these developments will see us progress further and further!

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The aim is to take it to the highest category!

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Our Junior coaching is now comparable with the best in the country and the world!

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While not very far off in Youth recruitment! Let us all hope for a better Youth Intake this time around!

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Season 4. Fin.



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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SCHOLES: FIRST IN FOUR YEAR



Sky Sports is pleased to announce this exclusive interview as the reclusive Oldham Manager gives his first interview in 4 years as he sits down with ex-teammates Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher (England Teammate) and opens up about his management career and lots of other fun questions!

GN: So Paul, this is your first interview in 4 years as Manager?...

PS: Yes.

GN:...Well, the question wasn't over yet but anyhow talk to us about this total avoidance of Media? You have always been a shy guy but as a Manager, you are obviously expected to give such Press Conferences.

PS: Well you know me. I like to work, I like to get things done and not talk about it. I am not exactly a brilliant presence in front of the Camera and I am sure Jose (Mourinho) will agree with that :D. When I agreed to join Oldham, that was one of my pre-conditions that I won't be doing press conferences, while my stance has loosened a bit, I would still prefer talking to the boys in the dressing room rather than addressing the press.

JC: That was the most words I have heard out of you since you quit being a pundit. Well Paul, apart from Oldham being quite close to your heart? Why choose them? Wouldn't a Premier League or Championship club with funds been an easier start to your career? Also, you succeeded where your ex-colleagues like Gary failed, what do you think about that?

PS: Well, apart from being better and all than them, I don't see any other reason :D. But jokes apart, in contrast to what you are saying, I felt the Oldham job was the easiest. There wasn't much pressure, the club was in a bad place and I was sure I wouldn't make them worse. We had players with League 1 quality competing in League 2 so it was quite easier for me. Plus I took over at the beginning of the season. Gary or Thierry, they took over at First Division clubs mid-season with expectations to deliver immediately which I didn't have. I had time by my side and I had chosen favourable cards to start my career with. If I had taken a job at let's say a Premier League club mid-season or something like that, I would have probably failed to.

GN: Well, I should have taken your advice before taking over eh? Let us talk about the second season and beyond then. In League 2 I agree you had the players but beyond that, your achievements have been miraculous.

PS: I didn't anticipate any of this. My plan was Premier League in 7-10 years and Europe in a further 4 but here we are 4 years in our plan and already achieved what should have taken 7-10 years more and while it is an achievement it also comes with many problems which people don't see at all. For example, last season. We had the money, we could offer wages and we were in the Premier League and yet I could hardly convince any players to join us because they were sure we were either going down or they weren't sure of the club and it was a huge blow for us. It was our good fortune as well as sheer hard work by the players because in terms of skills we were far behind the Premier League level.

JC: You and the club have regularly touted and spoken about Hard Work. Can you elaborate on it?

PS: Certainly! The first thing I did after I joined was to surround myself and build a brilliant support staff. According to some report, Oldham as the best overall First Team Coaching staff in the Premier League. Imagine, better than all the clubs, even the Top 6 who can pay anyone anything. The staff play a very pivotal role in working day to day with the players and teaching them ethos like I was taught along with Gary, Becks and others. How and what we convey to them is very important and thankfully the Chairman agreed with me which allowed me to spend a bit more on staff than normal and the players were receptive to their ideas which helped us reach where we are today.

JC:...Any regrets about where you are today?

PS: In terms of achievements? No, although I would have loved to continue my streak for a trophy a season but one thing I regret is being unable to develop and nurture young players. We signed a variety of Premier League rejects who were very good and I wanted to develop them and do justice to their talents but our own success haunted them and us. Players like Williams (Liverpool), Barlow (United), Nmecha (City) and many others were signed up by us with a vision and we failed that vision and failed those players and I do feel bad about it.

GN: I can see a bit of Harrison in you right now. He would have felt the same. Now one thing everyone is curious to know about is your tactical philosophy and your blueprint for the club.

PS: Well you would be able to decipher it better with all your fancy analysis but the philosophy is simple, it's relentless pressure. It is about taking risks, trying to find that pass and trying to score that goal. Until Championship, I had 5 players attacking all the time while a midfielder would forever be in transition but I had to tweak it a bit in the Premier League and add an additional layer of protection. But it is very simple, the full backs attack and exploit pace, the IF's cut in and provide me basically with 3 strikers while the midfield joins in if possible. So that is a lot of bodies in the opposition half and eventually, we are able to capitalise on a mistake.

I have always encouraged them to have long shots as well. You can see it, we hit a lot of shots but we need work on how many are on target or how to put them beyond the keeper. I have been trying to find a proper coach for them and hopefully, the young players will learn. The Gegenpress from Klopp, the vertical passing of Guardiola, the defensive cohesiveness of Mourinho and Sir Alex's attacking verve have all been mixed and matched and thankfully it has worked.

JC: The young players, you have the youngest squad and have been praised a lot for it. How difficult is it playing with such a young squad?

PS: It is very difficult. The talent is there but you need a bit of maturity as well and if you see any team of past or present it has always been a mix. In our case, we didn't have an option. Players weren't willing to join and it created problems. Hopefully, we can solve it this year with Europe and I can take a bit off the pressure of the young guys. It is difficult to get angry with them while they are still learning.

GN: You bring out the hairdryer?

PS: You will have to ask the players :D

JC: Oldham is being predicted to be involved in the relegation battle despite your season last year? What do you have to say about that?

PS:I think you should wait for the Transfer Window to be closed before making any such predictions. If our plans work out, I am aiming for qualifying next year too:D Watch the space for our transfers!

GN & JC: Thank you for this enlightening interview Paul and we are looking forward to your maiden sojourn in Europe.

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View attachment 15763

SEASON PREVIEW

View attachment 15764
Despite a stellar debut campaign the Media still doesn't rate us very high as Europe Commitments and our general lack of depth sees us being predicted to finish just above the relegation zone. This is something I am hoping to correct in the transfer window and our breakthrough campaign the previous year hopefully helps us sign some good players for the first team and as back up.

FIXTURES

View attachment 15762
Not an easy start! Chelsea and Liverpool first up as the season begins in July this time which means even less time to finish our transfers! Maybe I do need to hire a Director of Football!
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PRE-SEASON

View attachment 15760
A short and hurried pre-season which was left to the Assistant Manager as I travelled alongside the Chairman to sign some players before the July deadline! The Winter world cup this year has ruined our pre-season and summer and I hope we don't pay for the lack of match sharpness and cohesiveness later on in the season as we bring about a massive overhaul to our team! An unbeaten pre-season is sure pleasing though!

TRANSFER WINDOW

View attachment 15759We sign the most players as we strengthen our First team and B team while our neighbours and my ex-club throw around the money!

View attachment 15756
I raid Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and the free market to strengthen the team as we make some brilliant signings in the summer window and don't overspend our budget as well! We broke our transfer record thrice in one window and hopefully, all 3 can be instrumental in our rise!

Major Signings of the window:

1. Erwin Spiewak: A polish player, he is very polished and accomplished at left back as we break our transfer record for him! I accidentally stumbled upon him and activated his 6.5 Million release clause and giving him Key Player contract to beat other clubs to his signing! At 20, he could be our starting left back for years to come!

2. Jonas Lip: From Denmark, Lip is another player I found I searched through the 2 regions for hidden gems and I found a player who can rule the midfield for a decade at very least! He seemed a bit expensive but I don't think I am going to find a First-team midfielder in 8.25 Million as Spiewak's record doesn't last long!

3. Sergio Ramos: A coup and a free signing at that! The Real Madrid Stalwart retires at the end of the season but was willing to give us a season as we look to build our reputation in World Football. A mentor and leader, he will marshall our young defence.

4. Jan Vertonghen: Signed in a similar situation to that of Ramos, Vertonghen and Ramos will be rotated as we establish ourselves in Europe.

5. Erling Haland: The player who smashed our transfer record! I know him due to playing Molde once when FM released and he is a beast! Signed for 30 Million with 15 paid upfront, the 19-year-old is a perfect fit for my pressing formation! Physically a monster, and capable of scoring goals in a truckload, he and Brewster are tasked with providing the goals this season!

6. Ander Herrera: I am a huge fan of the Spaniard as he brings leadership, bravery and work rate to the team. He will be a key cog in our midfield providing calm to a young team.

SEASON PREDICTION

View attachment 15755We jump from 17th to 13th!

EARLY ODDS

View attachment 15754
Brewster amongst the mix! While its good to see young Nketiah here too!

View attachment 15753
Jonas Lip and Spiewak both amongst the running! Should be a great season!

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