vjcsmoke

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Backstory: The year is 2014. AS Monaco makes a shocking announcement -- the sacking of Manager Claudio Ranieri. The same man responsible for advancing the club into Ligue 1, and the same man who also just took the club to a second place finish in Ligue 1 overall and qualifying his club for Champions League play.

The frontrunner favorite rumored to replace Ranieri is Leonardo Jardim who currently holds the reins at Sporting FC.

A darkhorse candidate however has appeared at the last minute. My name is Boss Smoke, I'm an American manager who believes strongly in an aggressive attacking style of football.

In a total surprise move, as unexpected as the dismissal of Ranieri, billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, appointed me, a relatively unknown American as the new manager of AS Monaco.

As the new Boss I cleaned house, bringing in a brand new hand-picked staff. I also made wholesale changes to the roster, hoping to find footballers who can execute my vision of beautiful football. My most notable pickups are Memphis Depay, Alvarez Balanta, and Lucas Romero.

Unfortunately, my first season in charge of Monaco comes off to a rocky start. After 11 games, AS Monaco has won only 1 game, and scored only 15 goals in 12 games played, which places Monaco in the 15th position. Shortly after the Winter break, I am unceremoniously sacked!

I'll admit, I was feeling despondent. I had botched a huge chance to make an impact at a major club. I had to take a long look in the mirror and question deep down inside if I had what it took.

The club just did not perform up to my standards. But I couldn't just blame it on the players. No, in truth, I only had MYSELF to blame. Well now I am unemployed and searching for a chance to prove myself once again. I have to believe that chance will come... And if i get that chance, no, when I get it, I cannot afford to **** it!
 
I knew that my chances of catching on with a major club are low because of my poor results with Monaco. Nevertheless, undaunted I continue my job search. My ambition is to manage the side of a major league. I am prepared to accept relegation candidate clubs, because honestly, those are the only sides that would consider me at the moment. I applied for job openings at Cagliari (Series A), West Brom (English Premier League), and Espanyol (La Liga).

In the end only two clubs offered me a job. And as expected each club was facing the dreaded specter of Relegation. I made my choice.

An announcement on a chilly December day from West Brom Chairman Jeremy Peace was about to shake the foundations of the English Premier League:

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JP: "I am pleased to announce a change in leadership for West Brom. We feel that this manager can move our club in the right direction. Please give a warm welcome to Boss Smoke!!"

BS: "I know full well the challenge that I am presently facing. Even knowing that, I promise one thing, we will avoid Relegation at all costs! This season, I will save the club. Next season, I intend to challenge for honors. Mark my words for this day will go down in history as the turning point for West Bromwich!"

And with those bold words, my Management Career with the Baggies began!

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Despite my audacious promises, just a few weeks into my tenure, I knew that I was in trouble. This club was in deep trouble. After the 19th game of the season, the midway point we were in the relegation zone. In fact we were DEAD LAST in the entire Premier League, 20th position.



And I had very little money to work with. I needed to deliver a Miracle!

I went to work on the transfer market. In the winter it is tough to fund purchases and tougher yet to find willing sellers of talent. But I needed to find bargains and find them fast.

First I plundered Manchester United for a pair of young talents. ST Will Keane for 350k and Midfielder Ben Pearson for 425k respectively. To bolster my left back position I coaxed Bayern's Ylli Sallahi to West Brom and paid a fee of 300k for the privilege.

Next I plunged into the loan market, desperate to improve my squad. I found some answers in the form of Ajax' DM Riechedly Bazoer and Stade Rennais' RB Steven Moreira.

I sold Luke Daniels for 39k to Man City and Gareth McAuley for 78k to Burnley, more to save on wages than anything else.

I then held an emergency meeting. With all staff, present players, and new additions, I made the following announcement. "Men, I am aware that we are currently dead last in the Premier League. But let me tell you something, this is NOT where we are going to stay! There is a time when men must step up and prove they are better than what others believe. It is the strength of our WILL that will determine our final standing!"

Taking a deep breath, I stared each of them in the eye. "Prepare yourselves men. Harden your resolve. I am taking you up with me. Now who wants to climb to the top? Because on this BUS we have no room for passengers, we need DRIVERS!" With a defeaning roar, that would be heard round the world, or at the very least in the dingy confines of our lockerroom, each of my men shouted their committment to the cause.

Well then, I thought to myself, if I go down, at least I'll go down fighting. With each and everyone of this lot working together, maybe we can even pull this off!
 
Renaissance: Our Drive to Avoid Relegation

A curious thing happened in January. A squad that everyone had written off as useless began to make some noise.

It began with a bang, an Away game at Villa Park. Normally, the chances of a last place squad winning on the road are pretty dreadful. Luckily on this day, Aston Villa was by far the more dreadful side!

For this road trip, we unveiled a counter-attacking deep 2-3-1 formation. And despite being visitors we dominated possession and shot taking by margins of 57%-43% and 17-9 shots respectively. Victor Anichebe scored a brace, and Scott Brown capped the blowout with a deftly placed strike in the 91st minute in the penalty area off a corner kick setup. We emerged deserved 4-1 victors and felt a lot more cheerful about our prospects that day.

In the 3rd round of the FA cap, we clashed with Watford at the Hawthornes. New acquisition, Ylli Sallahi contributed with a goal, as we triumped over the visitors in a 5-2 goalfest. I was pleased with the team's effort. And more importantly we had a little momentum going now with 2 wins in a row.

We continued our homestand by hosting West Ham. Berahino showed his class by scoring a brace, and newcomer Riechedly Bazoer endeared himself to Baggies fans by adding a pair of goals in the second half. The 4-0 win certainly gave our fans something to cheer for! We were on a 3 game winning streak!

Next we faced Man City away from home. And alas, reality bit us hard. The citizens delivered a drubbing as we suffered a heavy 0-4 road defeat.

Our road doldrums continued as we lost to Burnley in an uninspired fashion, 0-2.

"Look, are you women, are are you men? You should take up knitting, if you aren't going to take football seriously," I exclaimed, letting my displeasure be known after the loss. "I'm changing up the starting XI!"

Perhaps it was home cooking, or perhaps it was my new lineup, my new gameplan, or some combination of the above. But the men came out raring to go in our showdown against Crystal Palace. We played aggressively and gave no quarter! We put up the highest tally of the season with a full half dozen goals! Berahino scored another brace and Scott Brown contributed 2 as we plucked the Eagles feathers in front of a delighted home crowd. 6-2 was the final result as we finished the month off strong.

"9 out of 12 points men. We just DID THAT. Now let's get out of the cellar and make some people stand up and take notice! We're not dead yet!"

 
What can Brown do for you?

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Premier League Player of the Month - Scott Brown


Scott Brown enjoyed a torrid January, scoring 3 goals and creating multiple chances for his teammates, as the Scottish midfielder earned the highest honors for the month, beating out the likes of Sergio Aguero and Diego Costa. The former Captain of Celtic and current Captain of the Scotland National football team joined West Brom on August 25th, 2014 for a transfer fee of £1.5m.



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Talksport Reporter: "Boss Smoke, how do you feel about Scott Brown's contributions in January and his addition to the West Brom side as a whole?"
BS: "He has simply been immense. Brown's addition to the team actually predates my tenure. But I'm glad that he is on the squad now. Scott has a mental toughness and confidence that rubs off on teammates. He is a leader of men and his award is well deserved. I have nothing but respect for him on the pitch. He's exactly the type of player you want to go to war with, week in and week out."
Talksport Reporter: "And speaking of January, before this month your side was firmly in relegation territory, but now there appears to be a ray of hope?"
BS: "I'm glad you brought that up. Every one of us, to a man, has pledged to fight to the very last breath in every single match. I made a promise when I took over West Brom, and I intend to keep it. Keep an eye on our boys, because we are headed on the way UP, not OUT of the Premier League."
 
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The Winter of our Discontent: A Cold Hard February

The month started auspiciously enough. We were still carrying over the momentum of January. James Morrison scored a hat trick against South Hampton as we earned road honors at a hostile Saint Mary Stadium. Morgan Schneiderlin's lone strike for the Saints served little consolation as it was too little, too late.

But just as the Baggies looked to be flying high, a run of bad form hit us. Perhaps the boys were drinking a little too, hard, celebrating a bit too late. As a manager I should have kept a tighter rein.

We hosted a winnable game against Swansea at home. Ylli Sallahi struck quickly in the 4th minute, on a well executed team move, taking the feed from Sebastian Blanco before slotting home our sole goal of the match. Wilfried Bony equalized for Swansea with a towering header on a well-placed pass from Jefferson Montero in the 17th minute. Despite outshooting our opponents by a margin of 31-7 we struggled to put the ball in the net. Bottom line only 1 point gained due to poor finishing.

Our next match took us to Newcastle where our offensive woes continued. We failed to register a single goal as Tim Krul and his defense pitched a shutout in the unfriendly confines of Saint James Park. Zero points came out of the disheartening 0-2 loss.

Our final match of the month brought us back to the Hawthorns where we hoped to recover from a 176 minute long goal drought. We did manage two goals. Unfortunately our Defence played poorly, allowing 4 goals to visiting Queens Park Rangers. Another pointless result, and we were now reeling. At the close of the month, our hopes of avoiding Relegation were looking ever slimmer.





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Sky Sports Reporter: "Rumor has it that the West Brom Board is not pleased by your results in February. Your job could be on the line if your side does not bring results in the upcoming month of March. Comments?"
BS: "I won't deny we've had a poor run of form. But this rumor-mongering is baseless. I've talked with Mr. Jeremy Peace personally and he assures me that I have his backing."
Sky Sports Reporter: "West Brom appears to be wilting under pressure as of late. What do you plan to do to turn around the fortunes of your club?"
BS: "All great things come to those willing to fight through challenges. We are going through a rough patch now, but this will pass. Every single man on this club needs to buy into our core values. We stand together and we fall together. Most importantly, we can also RISE together. I challenge my side to answer the call. Only by working together as ONE can we RISE UP out of this slump!"
 
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Rising Star Spotlight - Saido Berahino

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This month, we place the spotlight on West Brom's 21 year old starlet, Saido Berahino. Despite his tender age, he is already well known nationally due to being named to the English U21 squad. This promising young player features blistering pace on the field paired with an uncanny ability to finish. His renowned ability at the penalty dot highlights his all-around skills as a dangerous scoring presence on the pitch.

Skill Highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYf4Jjuh8lI

A History of Finishing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ekw_1egjt8I

BS on Berahino: "If he can harness all that talent, the sky is the limit for this youngster. I expect big things from Saido. But he also understands that he has to constantly work at his craft to continue to earn first team minutes. Nothing is given away, but everything can be earned here at West Brom Albion."
 
Believe: From Dream to Reality

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Baggies fans around the world have been waiting for something to cheer for. A brilliant January stretch however was followed by a mediocre month of February. Feast followed by famine. I gathered round the men and shared with them this above picture of the fans, the ones with the passion to root for this club year round. The little ones who cheered blindly, as well as the older ones who had experienced past disappointment.

"Men, we are standing at a precipice. I want you to clear your mind of all distractions. We became complacent in February and we suffered our just desserts. We are not a good enough side to win by 'just doing enough'. That is for giants like Barcelona, or Chelsea, or Bayern. To win we must work, and bleed, and sweat, and give every last ounce of our strength! Play every game like it's your last! If we don't, we're back down to the championships. I pledge to you that I will never give up as long as you don't give up. Now let's give OUR fans something to finally cheer about!!"

Captain Chris Brunt: "You heard 'im lads! It's time to do battle! Don't matter who we face, we know we're all warriors in 'ere. On three, we gonna do our shout... One, two, three... "

Team: "WIN! WIN!! WIN!!!"

The men were pumped. We came out ablaze in our match against Tottenham. 4 goals in the first half alone! The usual suspects contributed, including Scott Brown and Berahino. However a costly lapse of concentration in the 41st minute of the 1st half allowed Soldado to cut the gap to 3 goals. In the second half, we just ran out of steam and the defense conceded a costly equalizer to Soldado. What looked like a sure 3 points for most of the first half resulted in a 4-4 draw.

Boss Smoke: "We deserved better men, but again, we relaxed our guard near the end of each half. Make this into a lesson learned. We need full honors to make good on our promise to our fans and to ourselves."

The next match was a HUGE one and nobody gave us a snowball's chance in **** of winning.
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Sky Sports Reporter: "Boss Smoke, today your side faces off against a heavily favored Manchester United Side who currently sits 2nd in the table. Your thoughts on your chances of getting points out of this matchup?"
Boss Smoke: "I have challenged my men to be Giant Slayers today. Nobody else believes in us. But after today, everyone will be talking about West Brom."

Today, I unveiled an aggressive 4-3-3, triple striker formation. The Red Devils entered the pitch in a 4-3-1-2, dual striker formation. An exceptionally placed free kick by Yllhi Sallahi led directly to a Riechedly Bazoer header and the first goal of the evening in the 5th minute! My men were fully backing my ambitious statements of intent!

However Van Persie equalized for Manchester in the 29th minute on a beautiful killer ball sent through by Mata, silencing the Baggies crowd. A crisply executed set piece started from a corner kick as Will Keane threaded the ball to Graham Dorrans who beat De Gea with a shot to the bottom left goal corner in the 35th minute. The Hawthorns was rocking as our fans chorused their appreciation!

Manchester United further dug a hole for themselves as Luke Shaw dragged down West Brom wingback Cristian Gamboa inside the penalty area. Saido Berahino coolly slotted home the penalty to push the lead to a 3-1 margin before the half.

Boss Smoke at Halftime:"Men, I told you this match features David vs Goliath. And guess what, we are David. We are halfway to a Giant-Slaying. Let's FINISH THE JOB!"

The Second Half started auspiciously for the Red Devils as Van Persie pounced on a loose ball rebound to pull one back for United as he reduced the deficit to 3-2 at the 50 minute mark. Baggies fans sweated bullets as they wondered if Manchester was poised to pull off a comeback.

However, Manchester's comeback hopes took a serious blow, as a long ball delivered from Dorrans to Gamboa, led to a killer cross, and 22 year old youngster Will Keane slotted home his first ever goal as a Baggie!! What a perfect occasion for a debut goal! And to do that against his former club, what a magnificent irony. Our fans rejoiced racously as the youngster pumped his fist upwards in triumph! It was now a 4-2 lead in the 59th minute? Could we hold on for glory?

To their credit, the Manchester United side showed their professionalism by fighting on. However in the 71st minute, lightning struck. A beautiful display of passing led to a fierce close range Berahino shot. When De Gea failed to secure the rebound, Brown Ideye banged home what was surely a back-breaking goal!

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Ideye could not hide his delight as 20,000 odd Baggies fans roared their approval!

Surely, some pent up frustration must have led to the egregious foul in the danger zone, as Manchester's Rojo dragged down Saido Berahino quite late in the match. Central defender Craig Dawson capped off the Demolition Job with his deftly placed penalty shot in the 90th minute.

Post-match comment by Louis Van Gaal: "I am very disappointed, the result was simply not good enough."
Post-match comment by Boss Smoke: "This is the shot heard round the world. Today, we put West Brom football on the map."
Post-match comment by Will Keane: "To score my first goal for my new club is pretty special. But to do that against Manchester United. Well, to be honest, doing it against my old club made it that much sweeter. Best of all, we won."
Post-match comment by Chris Brunt: "We got an amazing result today. Every single man on the pitch was doing their job out there. Right now we totally buy into our manager and our football. I'm proud to say we gave our fans their money's worth!"

 
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Ascension: Building from Momentum
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Our victory over Manchester United gave the entire side a huge boost of confidence. This enormous result PROVED that we could beat one of the top clubs in the entire Premier League! In the months of March and April we would build on that momentum and go on to play some of our very best football.

On a blustery, wet day, we faced off against Leicester at King Power stadium. James Morrison led off the scoring in the 9th minute by banging home a goal off his own rebound. The Foxes equalized however in the 25th minute as Argentinian Vecchio easily converted a goal off a well placed lead pass from Drinkwater. The match stood even 1-1 at halftime. We were in need of a hero, and Saido Berahino answered the call in the 50th minute by beating the keeper with a laser shot at the near right side post off a chance created by James Morrison. We came away with a well deserved 2-1 road victory.

We opened April at home against the Stoke Potters. The men were well rested and raring to go. And it showed as we scored 3 consecutive goals to open the first half. Young defensive midfielder Youssuf Mulumbu led off the fireworks with a powerful strike set up by Saido Berahino. A costly mistake by Stoke's Caicara led to an easy goal by Sessegnon off the turnover in only the 17th minute. Craig Gardner effectively salted away the match with a long range strike from 35 yards out in the 33rd minute. It was his first ever goal for West Brom. Diouf scored a consolation goal for the Potters with a well placed header in the 46th minute but that was the last goal of the match.

Our good fortunes continued on the road as we faced off against Everton. Gamboa's skillfull cross found Saido Berahino's equally devastating strike. The lone goal in the 34th minute was all we needed to defeat the Toffees.

I was concerned about fatigue coming into the away match against Burnley as it came right off the heels of playing Everton. Fortunately even though we had tired legs, our men gutted out a very close match. Will Keane's missed penalty in the 48th minute gave cause for concern. However Will redeemed himself by providing the key assist on Graham Dorran's deciding goal in the 76th minute.

I advised Will to brush up on his penalty taking technique. And that turned out handy in our next match against Hull. At the 14 minute mark, Scott Brown banked in a goal off Robbie Brady who was credited with an embarrassing own goal. Michael Dawson cost his team by committing a yellow card foul in the box. Practice paid off on this occasion as Will Keane slotted home the penalty in the 17th minute. Our wingbacks showed our forwards how to score when Cristian Gamboa's sizzling cross found a streaking Yllhi Sallahi on the opposite side for our 3rd goal of the game only 23 minutes into the match. The shell-shocked tigers could not recover as we closed the month of April with a convincing 4-1 home victory.

Boss Smoke: "I'm proud of every single one of you. It has been a long uphill climb. But we have moved out of the relegation zone and firmly into the mid-table. There's still 4 games left to go, but you can feel proud of what you've accomplished so far over the past 2 months. Let's close out the season by give our devoted fans even more to cheer about!"

Fixtures for March and April:


Our Ascension from Dead Last to 10th position in the Premier League:
 
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Baggies Player Awards:

In March, our own Saido Berahino, put on a scintillating display of skill and dominance on the way to scoring 3 goals in 3 league appearances. He has duly been awarded English Premier Division Young Player of the Month. Saido beat out fellow Baggie Ylli Sallahi and Southhampton's James Ward-Prowse for the honors.



For the month of April, the roles reversed. As Sallahi's continued superb play earned him English Premier Division Young Player of the Month. Ylli won out over fellow teammate Saido Berahino and Manchester United's Luke Shaw.



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Goal.com's Exclusive Interview with West Brom Starlets Berahino and Sallahi

Reporter: I'm very pleased to sit down to talk with two rising Stars of the Premier League. Can I ask how did it feel to earn Young English Player of the Month Honors for March and April respectively?

Berahino: Well, it is really a great honor. But aside from personal laurels, the most important thing is that my contributions have helped my team to win. If I am earning honors but we are bound for relegation, the award is not nearly as meaningful.

Sallahi: For me it was a totally new situation. I was with a great club before in Bayern. But they really did not feature me much. I am grateful to get the opportunity to have first team minutes here and help our side win. To get recognition this early in my career with West Brom. I am very happy.

Reporter: How do you feel about Boss Smoke's methodology. His football philosophy. And how has he helped you reach where you are today as a footballer?

Berahino: There is no doubt, Boss Smoke has made a great impact on my career. I enjoy the aggressive style of football that he runs. He has told me not to be afraid to make mistakes, but to learn from them. I would not be where I am today without his great mentorship.

Sallahi: I am in agreement. Boss Smoke has the vision, and we just go out on the pitch and try to make plays. He has encouraged each one of us to be the best that we can be. And the entire lockerroom is united in our support for Boss Smoke. We buy into him, and we are now tasting the fruits of success.

Reporter: Thank you for your time. There you have it. These two young starlets are heading on an upward trajectory. And the Baggies along with them. Who would have thought just a fews months previously, West Brom Albion was nose-diving towards relegation. It is truly a wondrous turnaround job and his players credit their manager for it.
 
Finishing Strong: The Final Month

At the start of May we sat in 10th position on the table. We were mathematically safe from Relegation. However I urged the players to continue giving their best. I knew that if we continued to play well and finished the season strong, we could attract better and better players to the club. That would be key to our long-term success.

Boss Smoke: "Men, we're not just playing for a position in the table. We are playing for pride. We want the world to know that we are a legitimate squad. If we continue to win, we will earn respect. We can hold our heads high. Right now consider the teams ahead of us to have a bullseye on their back. I challenge you to overtake them. They are Liverpool, Hull, and Swansea. Believe it or not we have a legitimate shot at a top 8 finish. Now who's up to the Challenge?"

The resounding roar from my men was like music to my ears. We had set our goal, now it was up to us to get after it!



Our fixture list for May was nightmarish. We had to face Arsenal, the 3rd position club at Emirates stadium, we would face Sunderland at home, then Chelsea, the top club in the entire league at Stamford Bridge, and finally Liverpool at home.

The road test against Arsenal quickly got off on the wrong foot. Podolski's strike put the gunners ahead in the 14th minute as Kampi found the striker camped out front in an unmarked scoring position. Our side found a glimmer of hope when Chris Brunt equalized at the near left post in the 49th minute, after we hit Arsenal on a lightning counter. Another goal by Podolski however pulled the Gunners ahead just 3 minutes later. And then two consecutive goals by Giroud put the game out of reach. Cristian Gamboa pulled one back in the 80th minute to make the final score a little more appetizing in a 4-2 road loss.

Boss Smoke: "Look lads, it was a tough loss. And we have another monster of a game ahead of us against Chelsea. But in the meantime we have Sunderland in front of us. Let's get the 3 points and bounce back from this loss with a win."

The Hawthorns homecoming seemed to rejuvenate our men. We seemed to have an extra spring to our step and even a dash of swagger. Our side burst out of the gates firing on all cylinders, scoring 3 goals in the first 34 minutes. Gardner, Sessegnon, and Bazaoer all got on the score sheet. I warned the men at half-time not to get complacent. And this time they heeded my advice.

Strong Swedish defender Jonas Olsson powered home a close-range goal on a well-executed corner set piece to push our lead to 4-nil just a few minutes after the break. Sunderland would not draw blood until the 60th minute thanks to Rodwell's seeing-eye header. Graham Dorrans quelled any hopes of a comeback for the Black Cats by scoring two goals of his own in the 63rd and 79th minute respectively. He punished the Sunderland defenders for failing to mark him tightly. The 6-1 victory clearly delighted the Baggies fans at the Hawthorns.

I would rather scrub away the memories of our visit to Stamford bridge. Suffice to say it was unpleasant. Chelsea demonstrated why they were top class in the entire Premier Division. Our side gave up the most goals we've ever surrendered in a season. Frenchman Roic Remy ran rampant as he scored a rare quadruple against us. Will Keane and Berahino were our sole bright spots as they each contributed a single goal against the Blues in a one-sided 6-2 loss.

And then we arrived at the final game of the season. We were facing Liverpool at home.
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Although Brendan Rogers had piloted the Reds last season to a scintillating 2nd place finish, such glory was a mere after image this season. The sale of Luis Suarez for an astounding £75m left a void that was not easily replaceable. We were within striking distance of the Reds. If we overtook them today, we would finish in the top 8!



I laid it out for the men clearly.
Boss Smoke: "If we topple Liverpool today, the deed is done. We are top 8. Don't worry about what West Ham does, they would need to score over 7 goals to overtake us, and that's not happening. Just focus on beating the foes in front of us. Now who is ready to Defend our Territory?"

Captain Chris Brunt: "Who are the warriors?"
Side: "We are!"
Captain Chris Brunt: "Who will fight with me for honors on this fine day?"
Side: "We will!"
Captain Chris Brunt: "Alright men, on the count of three, let's hear you..."
Side: "WIN! WIN!! WIN!!!"

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Pre-match Interview

Reporter: How would you describe your chances for this upcoming match against Liverpool?
Boss Smoke: Our chances are excellent. The men are confident and believing in one another. We badly want to win this game and achieve a top 8 finish.
Reporter: How would you describe the rival team's manager, Brendan Rogers.
Boss Smoke: I have a great deal of respect for what he has done with Liverpool. They are in good hands. With that being said, my utter focus today is on defeating the Reds.
Reporter: Was it a mistake to sell Luis Suarez?
Boss Smoke: You would have to ask Brendan that question. As I said, my only focus today is on winning.
Reporter: Thanks for your time.
Boss Smoke: A pleasure.

Game Day:
There was actually a light drizzle that day. But the weather was not enough to deter the over 26,000 strong Baggies fans from watching their beloved team take on the Reds at the Hawthorns. I secretly did not mind the weather, hoping it would work out in our favor, perhaps slowing down some of their speedsters such as Coutinho, Sterling, and Sturridge. It was a gametime decision but Sturridge did not see the pitch that day due to a nagging injury. For our side we would be missing the services of stalwart right back Cristian Gamboa. Loanee Steven Moreira would suit up in his place.

Lineup:


I was surprised to find that none of my top 3 feared Liverpool players were in their starting XI that day, but I would not question my good fortune.

First Half:
High off a brilliant month of April, Sallahi helped us burst out the starting gates with a brilliant cross to Scott Brown. Brown finished with aplomb, striking the ball with a scorching midair volley and just like that we were up 1-nil just 3 minutes into the game! The fans roared their approval! The Reds would answer however in the 24th minute. Wonderkid Markovic played a beautiful longball to Balotelli who managed to get past our defense. The streaking Italian forward delivered a powerful strike that our keeper Ben Foster was powerless to stop. And just like that the game was knotted at 1 apiece.

It would not take long for our side to deliver a response as we pressured Liverpool into giving up a corner. In this case our defenders showed our forwards how to score. Central defender Joleon Lescott simply tapped in the short range rebound after young defensive midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu delivered a cracking shot which riccocheted off Mignolet's hands. We would take the well deserved 2-1 lead into halftime.

Boss Smoke: "Often times the slimmest of margins separates the winners from the losers. Ask yourselves this men, which category do you fall under? All our fans are watching us on this day and in this hour. Let's make it our finest! Let's give them a good memory to take home and a result to shout about!"

Second Half:
The beginning of the second half featured a struggle for territory, neither side gaining a marked advantage. But then Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard tripped up a younger and fleeter of foot Will Keane, desperate not to let the striker get by him. This drew a yellow card from the zebras. And with that the momentum shifted. Liverpool was on their back heel, and our side was growing more brazen with each attack run. A corner was earned, and our continual drilling at set pieces paid off. Youssouf Mulumbu's thunderous shot from the crown of the penalty area beat Mignolet to the bottom right corner and the Hawthorns erupted in celebration!

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Youssouf Mulumbu celebrates after his goal gave the baggies a commanding 3-1 lead.

Although we had struck a serious blow to Liverpool's hopes of victory, they were not quite out of it yet. To their credit, they fought back with Rogers immediately bringing on Borini and Emre Can in a bid to salvage the game.

The game was not sealed until a beautiful flowing team move, that brought delight to this manager's eyes and tears to Liverpool supporters. The crisp ball movement featured no less than 5 West Brom players touching the ball, with the ultimate setup by youngster Will Keane who found Ylli Sallahi waiting to deliver the last nail in the coffin. And deliver he did with a ringing top shelf shot, which sailed past the outstretched hands of Mignolet straight into the back of the net! The 82nd minute goal sealed the match and Baggies fans roared their approval! We capped the season with a memorable 4-1 victory at the Hawthorns.

Post-match Press Conference
Boss Smoke: "First I would like to thank the players who have made this wonderful season possible. We could not have accomplished what we did this season without everyone buying in. This is a team of warriors and I am thankful I was given the opportunity to lead them. Next I would like to thank all the ardent supporters of the Baggies. The fans support throughout this long season, has been tremendous, and every one of our players loves suiting up to play for them! Next, I would like to thank Chairman Jeremy Peace for believing in me, and sticking with me even through lean times. And of course, last of all, I want to thank my family for all their support and love. Without them, I would not be half the man that I am today. Much love to my mum!!"

And as expected there were countless additional questions I answered that day, about my players, about my coaching strategy, about Roger's curious decision not to play Sterling or Coutinho (which I sidestepped), but overall the feeling generated was that of excitement at our accomplishment. We had finished top-8 after being at the very dregs of the Premier Division!! I would sleep very soundly indeed that night.

May Fixtures and Final Premier Division Standings:


 
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Great story! What's that skin your using mate?

Glad you're enjoying the story! It's the football manager classic skin. I really enjoy it for its high visibility. I prefer light skins, to dark skins for that reason. Next up, I plan to discuss my offseason maneuvers going into Season 2. I've got a lot of innovations planned, so keep an eye out for the next chapter in the story!! Hopefully to be released sometime during the weekend. :)
 
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Prelude to Revolution: West Brom's Offseason (Starting Season 2)
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West Brom is a football club with a long history, but not a history of recent top success. The first and last time West Brom tasted championship glory was in the 1919-20 season when they won the Football League First Division, the predecessor to the modern day Premier League.

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Albion championship side, circa 1920.

As far as other non-league competitions go, West Brom last won the League Cup (now known as the Capital One Cup) in 1966 and last won the FA Cup in 1968.

Given the drought of competition wins in recent history, it is understandable if Baggies fans keep their expectations relatively low. But as the new manager of West Brom, I wanted to establish a new tradition of winning. As I had promised, in my first season I had kept the side away from Relegation.

In the current upcoming season I set my aims squarely on qualification for a European Competition. A Champions League qualification would require a top 4 finish. But even a Europa League appearance would be a major accomplishment, and would also bring in much needed additional revenues for the club.

To achieve my loftier ambitions, I would need to make significant renovations at the club. The West Brom Board announced the initial budgets, stating they would make £8.65m in transfer funds available and £875k per week in wages.

First I made a thorough review of the current squad, with significant input from Head of Youth development Dave Parnaby who possesses a keen eye for evaluating talent. Then I held extensive discussions with new chief scout Martyn Glover who had recently been released by West Ham over what players could be brought in to strengthen the side.

West Brom Squad Review:


My goal was to identify the key players that I would be keeping on the squad, as well as the areas of weakness that would need improvement for the upcoming campaign. In particular I desired to improve our back 4 performance. We had given up 66 goals in the previous season, tied for 4th worst in the entire league. In order to rise up the table, we would definitely need to address this issue head on. Fortunately, our 73 goals scored ranked 3rd in the league. However I felt a number of these goals were racked up against mediocre clubs. We would need to fortify our offensive talent to compete evenly with the stronger sides in the Premier League.

In the end I firmly believed that by preserving the core members, and making the right set of moves, we could challenge for European play. I sat before the Board and shared my vision for the future:

Boss Smoke: "Prepare for a Revolution! Last season West Brom flirted dangerously with relegation. However, I righted the ship, and managed to rescue this club from a dangerous 20th position all the way to a top 8 finish. Now I want you to put your faith in me again, as I aim to pilot this side to a top 6 finish, and qualification for European competitions.

I will be making significant upgrades to make sure this happens. I will be spending for new players to bolster the club, players who fit my vision. And we will say goodbye to a few familiar faces but believe me this is all a part of my master plan. And it will be WORTH IT."
 
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Off Season Rumor Mill

West Brom Albion Manager Boss Smoke


Boss Smoke has been spotted jet-setting around Europe in rapid succession of late. He has made pitstops in Spain, France, and even Italy. Some confidential sources in the know contend that he will announce a shocking double swoop with Liga club Granada. Others insist that he has taken a keen interest in players from French Club FC Lorient. A Premier League insider dismisses the foreign interest as a smokescreen and reveals that the West Brom boss true designs center on luring underused players from the top sides of the BPL with promises of first team minutes and featuring roles.



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West Brom Albion Transfer News

Latest done deals:

Outgoing

6/13/2015 - Brown Ideye to join OL
26 year old Nigerian striker to join French side Olympique Lyonnais for agreed fee of £10m. Rumor has it that Boss Smoke did not see Brown fitting into his long term plans at the Hawthorns. West Brom will also receive 25% of the profit of any future sale of Ideye.

6/13/2015 - James Morrison makes switch to West Ham
The 29 year old Scottish AMC will make his new home at Boleyn Ground after being informed by Boss Smoke that a deal had been struck for the veteran player earlier that morning. West Brom receives £9.5m and a future 20% profit sell on clause for Morrison.

6/22/2015 - Craig Dawson joins Stoke City
The 25 year old English centerback joins the Potters after a £4.4m transfer fee was agreed between the two clubs. On condition of anonymity an unnamed source at West Brom revealed that Dawson fell out of favor after it became apparent over the course of the past season that he simply lacked the footspeed to properly contain the dangerous incursions of opposition forwards.

6/23/2015 - Youssouf Mulumbu cannot resist AS Monaco siren call
After intensive negotiations Money-rich AS Monaco finally lands the target of their pursuit, strong defensive midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu for a reported fee of £13m. Youssouf, age 28, was a Baggies fan favorite and they will be sad to see him go, but in this case Boss Smoke revealed he felt that giving into Monaco's persistent pursuit was better than trying to hold onto a player who would rather leave for richer wages and greener pastures.
 
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LATEST UPDATES

Boss Smoke Raids Chelsea's Cupboards!

West Brom Manager Boss Smoke has invaded Chelsea and returned from London with 3 new squad members to strengthen his side. 22 year old Czech central defender Tomas Kalas, 21 year old Nigerian central defender Kenneth Omeruo, and 19 year old attacking midfielder Alex Kiwomya will all be making the switch. The audacious triple swoop will reportedly cost a grand total of £4.9m.

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Boss Smoke: I am delighted to announce that, conditional on passing their physicals, Tomas, Kenneth, and Alex will be joining the Baggies. I have closely followed their progress and I believe they will strengthen our side significantly. I was searching for strong, athletic defenders with potential to grow into significant contributors for the club -- and Tomas and Kenneth are two such players. Alex might take a little more patience before he develops, but he already has blistering pace and bags of potential.
 
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"Ooooh La La! Boss Smoke double dips in France!"

Boss Smoke continued his relentless recruiting drive as he agreed to terms on a double swap with FC Lorient for a total fee of £6.9m. Jumping over the pond to England will be athletic 23 year old Ghanan striker Jordan Ayew and energetic 21 year old french-arabic defensive midfielder Raffidine Abdullah.

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Reporter:How do you see these two players fitting in?
Boss Smoke: Both Jordan and Raffidine are fine additions to the side. I expect to see Jordan to pose lots of headaches for defenses this upcoming season due to his rare blend of athletic abilities. Raffidine will help give us needed depth in the midfield.
 
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Transfer News

Boss Smoke Corrals Two Italian Stallions

West Brom has agreed with Sassuolo for the services of Simone Zaza for the fee of £7.5m. The Italian striker is known for his confident demeanor on the pitch and scored 11 goals for his side last season.

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West Brom also acquired the services of Fabio Borini from Liverpool for what is described as cutthroat rate of £4.4m. Less than half of the original price paid for the striker. Liverpool fans are said to be disappointed by the fee received, but were resigned to the loss after it became apparent that Borini would not feature significantly for Brendan Roger's side.

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Great season last season and some great transfer dealings for the upcoming season, good luck!
 
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