Jeisson Vargas - Chilean Slums to World's Best Manager?

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Hello,
I had a few days to think of your offer for an autobiography of my success throughout the years as a football manager and how it all started. Of course I want you guys to edit my own words and fix the mishaps of my english writing. My passion for the sport all started back when I was 5 years old, in Chile there are only 3 major clubs people were huge fans of. Though this is obviously removing teams from providencias and all time family teams. My club just happened to be Universidad de Chile, ever since the day I felt a bond with them my life changed. I always believed that I would grow up to be another hooligan with the belief that their is no other way out of poverty but this. Though football got me out of it! I was always a healthy kid playing the sport and making sure I would make enough money to be able to see my beloved team at the stadium. I always knew that I was not good enough to play pro, but I always seem to be in the same page as great managers, analyzing the game and what can be changed to improve the result, what substitutions are required. Usually when the manager did what I believed would help the team by half time or throughout the game, the team would improve and turn around the result for triumph. Though no one in Chile was interested in teaching me the ways, it made me go into a bad track record. Getting lost in my ways I started stealing for survival until one day I got caught. I went to jail for 3 weeks and one person showed me the way. He made me realize that I had more to give in life that steal until I get killed. From that day on I changed my perspective and went back to reality. I decided that I would work at less than minimum wage, since it was the only type of job that would hire me and make myself a football manager. I never studied for a licence in coaching, but made enough peas to send an application to any job opening. This is where my real football managing story starts!
- Signing out Jeisson Vargas.
 
Wow. After reading my first email, I clearly realized many mistakes I made, but I will go back and edit them myself later. Well like I stated before once enough money was made, it did take me one whole year to achieve, I was able to send my CV to many clubs around the world. In fact to this day I still have my first documents I ever sent world wide.


I never thought i'd actually get any offers or interviews, but I was imidiatly proved wrong. Looking at my CVnow I can see why some clubs would take a gamble on me, I did already have 3 languages under my belt and with double nationalty it would be a nice risk to take. After sending my application to all clubs looking for a manager, I got 5! yes 5! job interviews. Most profilic being League 2 Cambridge United.

I did wanted all of them, anything to take me out of the slums. So I attended all of them, they all seemed worried that I was applying to so many jobs, but I was determined to tell them the truth. That it should only be my problem or I am trying to get my career forward any way possible. I remember after attending all meetings, being worried and waiting for a job offer to come.
- Jeisson Vargas​
 
FC Cape Town

And It wasnt very long till I get my first job offer. FC Cape Town was already taking a gamble in hiring me, already knowing that Cambridge and Vasco (Cape Town) withdrew their offers as my interviews did not go well, I decided to take the job with no questions asked. They invested their trust in me, so I repayed them by accepting the offer right away. Not to mention I did not even go to Berwick Rangers interview even if it was a better league. Further more Cape Town allowed me to eliminate the whole working staff except both Director of Football and Head Scout. This was an even bigger trust show to me, and made me go and sign the contract with not a single problem.

Once I signed, I was honest with the chairman and told him to send me information about the clubs history and facilities. To my amusment the club had nothing! They have no honours won, they are a brand new club founded in 2006 but with all that said they have avarage youth facilities and adequate training facilities. Not only that their stadium is quite decent size, so I was ready to get the club their first silverware.


Lastly the assistant manager helped to analyze the squad and tell me what players are essential. The main man of the club was Andile Khumalo, a 23 year old South African whose main role is a central midfielder. This was a major issue for me as I always believed that I would be the new type of manager, that implements new tactics and do not use old school ideas.


Once the club was complete in breafing me in, I sent a job search to find all the staff members I needed as I was not going to hire my mates into the job and I needed profesionals doing what I need to succeed. Also in honesty I was looking for someone to be with me my whole career span and make a best friend.


​- Jeisson Vargas
​
 
Pre-Season & Aug. Fixtures

Once I got my staff, not many that I would mention to this day but one that did stand out was William Shongwe a very good goalkeeping coach on the teaching part of thing but very bad in the tactical and technical area, I started shaping some tactics together. 4-2-3-1 wide and 4-2-3-1 DM wide were the ones I would implement and tweak during pre-season. To this day I believe the results were trash, I mean my first game managing though it was not for any competition, ended in a 0-0 draw against the reserves... I mean I should win those games, but instead that day I took it as I have a great depth of a team overall. Looking to this day pre-season must not have been the greatest as both Sphamandla Sithole and Andile Khumal got offers from clubs worldwide, and I decided to not accept one single one. This led to obvious squad harmony, and both these players were bigger than me, probably as I was still unknown at the time. It only lasted till August, as I got Andile Khumal to believe in me again. Then came Xakane, who to this day I will still tell him he can go f*ck himself. He believed he was greater than me, and I needed him more than he needed me. At 30 years old you're in your last years, not much he can give to many teams, but I made sure to make him understand that I saw him as an important 1st team player but he wouldnt take it, and I was tired of the unprofessional players I managed so I sold him.

The transfer window I believe went well, but can see my new boy mentality and error to this very day. On deadline day I made 4 signing out of stress and not knowing if my squad was complete. I dont think it was very necesesary but I did get Carlos Lobos a very good young promising talent to give a run for his money here in South Africa, as you can see my last minute signing were all Chilean as I believed I knew them better. The only problem was that my DM was always a ball winning one, but I thought I could work things around it to incorperate him into the squad.



Well it was not all signing the month of August, but also my first games as a professional football manager. I got both wins, one against Mbombela United who I tacticaly outplayed as they were dead favs and played prettier football but goals win games and it was Meyers' month as not only did he perform in this match but also had a great game against Santos F.C. (South African), scoring 2 goals giving me a 100% record. I mean what a great start, this also lead the club giving me funds to go get my first coaching licence. Well thats just a quick catch up to my start as a manager, now things will get more intresting.

- Jeisson Vargas
​
 
Month of September

There is not much I could say about the month of September in 2015. I mean we got 4 point out of 9, I guess its not bad but the Swallows game was one that should have been an easy win if you ask me. During the game I could make 11 man substitution as not 1 single player from my squad was playing to par. Reading the online review my highest rated player was a 6! That is so low meaning none were to par to be in the 1st team. This game did make me change the tactic a bit as my DM (Ball Winning) was Bongani Nkosi, who just played a horrible match, which made me change the role to a Deep Lying Playmaker. This way we can build more from behin and build up the play. Though the main reason was to corperate Carlos Lobos who I rated much higher than Bonga Nkosi. It seemed to work within the game but struggling to score. This made me look into striker options on a free, in which I did not find anyone that stood out. Though Maboke Matlakala, came to me with a chance to get into the first team. In which I told him ill try him out since the strikers are not performing at all. We are currently 4th in the league, which is not a bad start for a team that is predicted to finish mid table, made me belief that we could see a promotion this year.


 
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