From Surviving to Surprising

[Milleg9]

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The Aim of this Story is to sim forward until December 31st 2014 - Take over a club in the relegation zone ( will upload a screenshot when the game has loaded to the date and show the Premier League table)

This is more of a brief insight into the plan and will be looking into a bit more detail after this first post.

My goals will be :

Season 1 -

Premiership survival at all costs in the first season - But sticking to my principles of attacking football and earning our stay in the Premiership.

Season 2 - This is where it gets interesting....

If we are in Prem aim to consolidate status and avoid relegation , Whilst starting to look to develop youth at the club.

If in the championship - only immediate return to the prem will do


Season 3 -

Top 8 or Resign that is the only acceptable outcomes and start over with a new team in bottom 3


Season 4 -

European football and cup run



Season 5 -

Title contenders and trophy



First update will come tonight - with club announcement and strategy for survival


I hope this is interesting and you like the idea!

 

[Lippo255]

Sounds interesting to me, challenging too!

Good luck with it.

 

[Claud]

In my opinion you have patience. Usually, I want to obtain all those in only two years and I did it with Burnley.

 

[Lippo255]

In my opinion you have patience. Usually, I want to obtain all those in only two years and I did it with Burnley.

Did you wait until the january window to take over?

All the best free's will have been snapped up, the bargain transfers gone & chances are morale will be terrible & the budget all but gone.

I think it will be tough to beat the drop from there imho.

 

[Milleg9]

A New Hope


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"In a Shock announcement today STOKE CITY Have announced that they have dismissed manager Mark Hughes and have appointed the Clubs Sports Science/ Sports Analysis Gavin Miller a young 26 year old Scots man in Charge until the end of the season"

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Stoke City Chairman Peter Coates has today said that with Stoke City currently bottom of the table that they needed to do something different with the money we have invested in the club 14 points and bottom of the table is not good enough.

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Gavin has been working upstairs for us and we have seen the data he has sent across to the previous regime which they chose to ignore - With more focus on opposition weakness and ability to adapt in situations - that is why this gamble is worth taking.


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Ladies and Gentlemen please welcome the new Stoke City Coach Gavin Miller - We will be accepting questions for Mr Miller

Press : "Gavin how does it feel to be in charge of a premier league club as your first job and with expectations that you are bottom of the league and you need to keep this club in the league"

"I feel that I can do it , I have been watching tapes of this team for the last 6 months and I know these players are strong enough to keep us up and I believe a new set of eyes and a new regime can do it"

Press : " What are you going to do first?"

"I need to talk to the players - I need to understand who is ready for a fight and who i need to let go and I have to do this pretty quickly i have 31 days to get my squad together and get us back to where we need to be"


Press: "What kind of football are you going to play?"

"I am my own man and I will find a formation and tactic that suits the team to get what we need out of the players"


Press "Will you be ready in time for the FA cup game against Fulham"

"I Can't wait , what a way to make your debut in one of the most famous competitions in the world"

"Thank you for your time today you will hear again from me soon"



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SQUAD ANALYSIS

We have quite an ageing squad and a few players who I do not see lasting But I will be arranging a few bounce games as I want to see every player get an opportunity

I Need to give this team a new lease of life and inject some new energy and Idea's



KEY PLAYERS


Asmir Begovic

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He is going to be so key to our survival, He is a top quality keeper and I believe he can make it at the top level if he helps us stay up


Marko Arnautovic

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He is a great player and is very technically gifted and has the ability to unlock almost any team

Huth & Shawcross

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Huthcross - are two of the strongest and hard working centre backs in this league and we just need to get these guys back to basics


I will be working on the squad and players over the next few days and will be looking to get a understanding of what I need the charimen to do for me in the transfer market.


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I hope you like the first update and find it an interesting start and Feedback is always welcome!​

 

[Milleg9]

Did you wait until the january window to take over?

All the best free's will have been snapped up, the bargain transfers gone & chances are morale will be terrible & the budget all but gone.

I think it will be tough to beat the drop from there imho.

Yeah all free transfers gone , Bargains gone

and yeah took over on January 1st - I have a budget of 2.5 million and only 14k available on wages - This is going to be tough!

 

[Lippo255]

Only 3 points from safety though, could have been worse. Lol

 

[Milleg9]

Only 3 points from safety though, could have been worse. Lol

Yeah not the worst to be fair but I can't see me being able to do much change in the window and squad is pretty poor to be honest mate!

 

[Lippo255]

squad is pretty poor to be honest mate!

Suppose you had to expect that. There are some positives there, sure if you can just survive this year you will find a decent base to build on.

 

[Zlatan Lumic]

I don't think you actually have it that bad...
Sure you didn't luck out with Stoke, but it should be workable.

For starters you still have Begovic, who is one of Premiership's best goallies hands down and should grant you quite the few points on his own.
(In most of my games Begovic almost always is sold in the first summer to either PSG, Fiorentina or Sevilla and almost never replaced (leaving Sorensen in his 38 years as first goallie) in such a fashion:
A) PSG sells Sirigu to Napoli, then buys Begovic
B) Fiorentina sells Neto to Napoli, then buys Begovic
C) Fiorentina sells Neto to Napoli, then buys Beto to Sevilla, who in turn buys Begovic)

Other than Begovic Stoke has quite a few pretty valid players for Premiership like the already mentioned Huth and Shawcross, Ireland and Sidwell on the midfield and of course Mame Biram Diouf as a striker (who is an absolute beast in this installment).
Not to mention some young talents worth developing like my fellow countrymen Muniesa and Bojan.

It's not a Top 10 squad, but you should be able to avoid relegation with what you have (I think).
Anyway, good luck with the Potter challenge.

 

[Milleg9]

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"What a big day for you all , Our season starts here boys , Lets see some of that grit and determination that I know you all have in you , Show me why you should be at this club!"


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"I want you to control the midfield - Charlie - I want you to be the funnel like you were at blackpool you can cross , shot , pick a pass and that's what we need to hurt Fulham "

"Marko , Victor - you have license to switch sides as you feel throughout the game I trust you that you will know when it's right to change"
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"Good performance boys , Bojan you were class! the supply was a lot better and that's the first time we have scored 2 goals in a match in 11 games good job!"

"Charlie that was spot on 2 assts , that's the Charlie Adam i want to see!"



Press: How does it feel after your first match?

"It feels great! We played well , solid at the back , scored 2 goals for the first time in 11 and a clean sheet , Fulham are a tricky outfit so I am happy with the result"

Press: Who was your stand out performer?

"There were two boys tonight who showed their true class - Charlie was at the heart of everything and Bojan was clinical and played the role of lone striker brilliantly and scored 2 - I can'y pick between them for me they both were outstanding "

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Press:Have you made any movement with your own backroom staff?


"Yes I will announce all my team in the next day or so I have spoken with some really good guys that I want to be part of this project"

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Hope you like the first update / feedback is always welcome​

 

[Milleg9]

The Staff

"I would like to introduce my back room staff who will be supporting me in the coming months "

My Number 2

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Billy Mckinlay - He has a wealth of experience and is his own man and is not scared to say what he thinks and that is what I will need , I have my idea's but i am still unexposed in terms of management

My Coaches

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Wally Downes - He is a defensive mastermind and that is something we will need to ensure we stay up , We have to stop losing sloppy goals and I believe Wally can help us solidify


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Jimmy Lumsden - He worked with David Moyes for all his period at Everton and Man Utd , Jimmy has been in the game for so long and I think he will be a good fit here

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Alec Chamberlain - Has been working with Watford for the last 7 years and has worked with keepers like Almunia , Gomes , Ben Foster and I think he will help young Jack Butland develop further


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Ron Bone - Will come in as a new scout - He has a keen eye for young talent and has been pivotal in the young talent Boro have brought through


"I believe that These guys experience will really work well with a new fresh approach I intend to bring to the club , they will give us that even keel that I think will be so important in our survival"



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[Milleg9]

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"This is a big day for you all lads , I believe you have the ability to beat this mob , Overall I think we are a better team - we just need to prove it"

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"I don't say this often boys but you were unlucky I felt we were the better team and at least deserved a draw from that! We just need to take our chances and we will get out of this mess!"

Press: Gavin what is your thoughts on that match?

"Well I think it shows in this game it only takes one chance to win a game , I felt we dominated the possession and were the better team overall and to come away with nothing is quit disappointing"

Press: Will we see any new arrivals to the stoke team?

"I have sent across a few names I want to the chairmen , Director of Football and Chief Scout - I hope to make announcement soon on those names"

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STOKE CITY have just confirmed the double signing of two players

[h=1]Etzaz Hussain[/h]
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[video=youtube;-5TD4t00FQs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5TD4t00FQs[/video]

"He is someone who I have liked for a while and he was actually a youth player at Man U before moving back home to Norway so I think he will be able to adapt to the English game pretty quickly"

"He is two footed , Has vision and can score a goal and I am really looking forward to see how he fits into the team"


[h=1]Yann-Erik de Lanlay[/h]
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[video=youtube;sTtETjTWxy4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTtETjTWxy4[/video]

"Yann is a tricky Winger and is very direct in his play and he has a lot of potential and has already played 5 full times for norway at a young age"

Press :Will these two young kids make it into your starting 11 and is this the kind of transfer that will keep you up?

"These guys can achieve anything , They both have bags of ability it is just about how you channel it and of course they can make a difference otherwise I would not have spent money on the pair"

Supporters Group :We are nervous that we have a new manager so young and he has lost his first game in charge and then he goes out and spends some of our limited resources on even more young kids

"Trust me I am the man for the job and these kids are also part of our future and We need to think beyond this 6 months"​