Rising from the Abyss

Steve*

Steve*

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Prologue
13/5/2010
​


"You have no ambition, I need a man thats going places!" said my girlfriend. Or to put it more accurately, my now ex- girlfiriend. I stare across the table at her, barely able to fathom what she just said. I feel my head is about to explode with all the thoughts running through my head. Why do this to me, were we not happy and most importantly where did it go wrong... I snap back to reality before Sorcha leaves the cafe and do the only thing a man can do in this situation. "You know I've been having it my way with your best friend" I say. Sorcha looks at me with a look of pity on her face and walks away before I have a chance to say anything else. So this is really the end after 3 years... I sit at the table a little longer and order another coffee to wash down my breakfast. Bacon, eggs, pudding and sausage if you must know. Its the breakfast of champions my father would say.

I think back to when I met Sorcha. I was a handsome 22 year old, fresh out of college. I did what most young men dreamed of, I was a pro footballer. Athlone Town had given me an opportunity to play for them years before and i quickly moved up the ranks to become vice captain. The gaffer called me into his office and told me that my performances hadnt gone unnoticed and that Liverpool and Tottenham have been enquiring about me and decided to send scouts to our next game against Bohemians. On the match day i was acquitting myself well, we were underdogs but thanks to my leadership we were still in with a chance. I was nervous but it didnt stop me upping my game to try impress Rafa and Harrys scouts. Then it all started to go wrong... 80 minutes gone and we were deadlocked on no socre. Then a sweet pass came straight into my feet and i was through on goal, I pulled back and was about to blast the ball into the net when it happened. 'Snap'..was the horrible sound as I crashed to the ground. I was in agony. Just as I pulled back my foot Owen Heary the Bohs captain went studs up straight into my shin. I looked at my leg as I lay there in shock. I could see blood everywhere and to my horror my leg had broken in two and was sticking out through my skin. I was rushed to hospital but I didnt have to hear what the doctor was about to tell me next. "You will never play football again", I already knew this deep down within myself but it was still hard to hear. Anyway enough about that, I still had my degree in financial marketing. I would have no problem getting a top job in a bank.

Three years later I still hadnt found a job. The global recession meant that it was impossible to get a job. My only joy was that I could coach a team of u14's every week. There quite a good bunch too and sit top of their group this year.I had always wanted to do some coaching but I intended that would be when I was in my 30s after my playing career. Anyway enough about my past, im more focused on the future now.

I have decided enough is enough and I'm going to relocate. I finally decided to settle in Italy due to me being fluent in Italian and there being a shortfall of top financial experts in the country.Upon arriving in Milan Airport I hobbled to the nearest cafe to get my fix of coffee. My leg barely able to support my weight, I order a grande skinny latte and take a seat, I look at a newspaper on the table and immediately flip it over to look at the back page. Atalanta manager Bortolo Mutti resigns over boardroom squabble, was the headline.I had heard that Antonio Percassi wasnt the most reasonable chairman in the league but I didnt think he could be this bad. The article read that they are welcoming applications and that most well known managers have distanced themselves from the job as they dont need the hassle of dealing with Percassi. I think to myself for a minute before I pay for my coffee and rush home to type up my CV. This could be my chance to follow my dreams and I wasnt willing to let it slip by.

*for those concerned about the date this is a story for FM12 but I am doing a bit of a background before the story actually commences.


Next update later today, please leave feedback :)​
 
Chapter 1: Onwards and Upwards

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1/7/2010
A lot has changed since that monumental day I met with Antonio Percassi. I remember arriving in Bergamo and making my way to the clubs stadium. Upon arrival I met with Percassi and a few board members. Despite me not having any real coaching experience they seemed happy with my enthusiasm and my plans if I were to become successful. They told me that they were looking for somebody who could balance the books and help them regain their position in the Serie A. The board said they would consider any other applications and inform me of their decision within a week.

Sure enough four days later I got the call and immediately I recognised the voice as that of Percassi. He wished to thank me for applying and also that the other board members had been complimentary on my interview. "Due to your excellent financial qualifications I firmly believe you have what it takes to steady our ship and make us a force to be reckoned with. Hereby I am offering you the position of manager for two seasons worth €10,000 per month" said Percassi. I thanked Antonio for the offer and said I would be thrilled to take up the offer.

1/6/2011
That faithful day was almost a year ago now and I again found myself sitting infront of the man they call 'bastardo spietato'. I was suprised when I was summoned to his office this morning. He greeted me with a handshake as he always does and began to speak " I wish to congratulate you for the teams excellent performance this year in getting us promoted to the Serie A again. I had faith in you and you repaid that faith by your performance. However we do have a current issue that we need to address". My heart sunk, I was thinking to myself surely he cant fire me after all that I have done for the club over the past year. However with his next words I was left in shock. After an awkward silence Antonio said to me "I regret to inform you that news is about to break about the club, Doni and Manfredini have been caught up in a match fixing scandal which has a strong possibility of the club being docked points or even being relegated back to Serie B. Following the scandal we wish to offer the chance to you to resign as manager and distance yourself from the clubs scandal to protect your own reputation. However if you decide to stay you will have the full boards confidence and we will be expecting you to maintain results". The look of shock was evident on my face at what I have just been told. I didnt want to leave the club but with circumstances the way they are I felt I had no option but to leave before the scandal became public. After all I had won the Serie B comfortably and there were rumours of a few top clubs in both Italy and England interested in my services. I couldnt risk damaging my chance at the top.

Percassi was very understanding and said it was with great regret that he would accept my resignation. He asked me to stay in the stadium for a few hours while he organised a for the players to come in and explain my decision and also to attend a press conference. The players were gutted that I was leaving as they enjoyed the way we played and our coaching sessions. The press on the other hand had a field day. I didnt want to put the club up **** creek and say why I was leaving so instead I just said
"It is with great regret that I today announce I am to leave as manager of Atalanta, I have enjoyed my time here and wish to thank all involved with the club for giving me this chance. However the past year has been tough for me as I havnt settled in the area as much as I would have liked to. I also think I have taken Atalanta as far as I can and I wish them well in their new venture in Serie A."


As expected the press didnt believe a word I said and there were so many rumours floating about.
La Gazzetta dello Sport
It is widely believed that Stephen Murphy had been forced to resign from the club after reportedly been caught sleeping with chairman Antonio Percassi's wife. Percassi apparently forced Murphy to resign or he would be sacked.
La Repubblica
Murphy has resigned because of a training ground fight earlier in March in which he threw a football boot at captain Giampaulo Bellini in a fit of rage. The board kept the incident quiet intil the end of the season as not to disrupt the team.
Leggo
Disgraced football manager Stephen Murphy has left his position at Atalanta following an investigation that the popular manager has been caught by club officials to be taking Class A drugs. The board seen this as detrimental to their reputation and acted swiftly to remove him.


Two weeks later the papers got wind of the match fixing scandal and suddenly I was old news. When Percassi addressed the media he informed them that I was in no way implicated and I left to distance myself from the controversy. I was glad that I was now cleared of any wrongdoing. My new priority was to now look for a new club who would be offer "the new Bill Shakley" a chance. That media comparison made me chuckle but it did wonders to my reputation. There were rumours that several clubs were lining me up including Werder Bremen, Parma, Wigan, PSG and Porto.

Where would I end up, only time will tell...

*comments, feedback and suggestions would be welcome. ​
 
I was only waiting for you to start a story... Great read, keep it up mate :D
 
Chapter 2: Rise of the Crusaders
1/7/2011

I sit nervously infront of the TV cameras for the first time in a month. However this time it is to announce myself back in management. I sit beside my new chairman and the camera flashes are making me dizzy. The chairman stands up and announces " Welcome ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to be here today to introduce our new manager for the forthcoming season. Stephen Murphy has shown great character in his short career to date and we believe it is important for the club to have a young and talented individual in control of the club. Stephen will now be taking questions from the media"

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Messani: How does it feel to be sitting here as the new Parma Manager?
Murphy: I am absolutely thrilled, I have always had an affinity for Parma and I am hoping my arrival can re-establish the club among the top in Italy.

Poli: How do you rate your teams chances over the coming season?
Murphy: I firmly believe with the squad we have here we should be in the top half of the table and that is where were aiming to be at the end of the season.

Messani: What is your tactical approach to the game?
Murphy: I want to play fast attractive football while also remaining tight at the back. I also like to pass the ball about and exploit the flanks.


Vieri: Parma have a tradition of nurturing young talent, do you plan to continue this philosophy?
Murphy: I am hoping to continue this tradition but we will not be forced to sell our prized assets like we have done in the past. Developing youngsters is great but we want to keep them at our club and have them challenging for honours.


Vieri: Do you really think that Parma can begin challenging for trophies again as it has been 9 years since they last won a major cup?
Murphy: I believe that we should always strive to compete for cups and I firmly believe by the time I leave this club we will have many more competitive trophies in our cabinet.

Murphy: "This concludes the press conference for today, I look forward to sitting here again soon with possibly a few new signings."




​Tomasso Ghiradi invites me into his office after the press briefing. Decked out with Renaissance art and a large oak sculpted desk he asks me to take a seat on the soft Italian leather couch. Tommaso then proceeds to pour himself a drink, Scotch by the looks of it and asks me would I like one. Despite not really liking it I accept a glass and sip from it. It burns my throat on the way down. Tommaso informs me he will be asking me to call in every week to give him progress on how team affairs are and we can discuss any issues we have each week over a drink. I say this is fine and we will both know where we stand. Now there are only two matters left to attend to said Ghiradi " We will take a trip down to the training ground and will formally introduce you to the players and staff, and there is also the issue of your wages". "Issue with my wages?" I reply. "Yes we have already agreed on €40,000 a month but as we didnt handle your sign on fee" announced Tommaso as he handed me a cheque. I look down and see it is written for €120,000 and suddenly i have a grin on my face that would make the cheshire cat envious.

The training ground is a mess. I had been told that it had fallen into dissaray over the past few years and Tommaso has promised me this will be addressed over the coming months. On the positive side I am impressed with the players. Especially the likes of Giovinco, Mirante and Morrone. I call Stefano Morrone aside and reassure him that he will remain on as captain for the upcoming season with Giovinco being his vice captain. I then leave the training ground by taxi for my hotel, the plush Palace Maria Luigia. I sit down and open up my macbook and get busy looking for possible additions to the squad...and suddenly the room gets dark....
​
 
Chapter 3: Finding my Feet
5/7/2011

"It's a beautiful day,
Sky falls, you feel like
Its a beautiful day,
Dont let it get away"

The lyrics to U2s song Beautiful Day wakes me on my alarm clock and the song couldn't be more apt for today. I pull the sheets off the bed and wrestle to get free from them. I can already see the sun beaming in through a small gap in the curtains. I walk towards my wardrobe and I peel off a cover on my Armani suit which was a gift from Tomasso. It is a snug fit which is the least you can expect from a hand tailored suit. I pull back the curtains and I stare out at the almost blinding sun and the street below which now starting to come to life with market traders setting up. Today is an important day for me as it is the first day that I officially start work. Despite being summoned before the press I was told I would have a few days to settle in the area before I was required to start work. The workaholic that I am, I spent the past four days scouring out potential targets. I have already begun to draw a list up of potential targets with my scouting team via e-mail. I walk down to reception and ask the valet driver to fetch my car.

The driver arrives right outside the front door with my 2004 Alfa Romeo Spider and opens the door for me. I step inside and immediately turn on the radio and Rolling in the Deep by Adele is on. I pull out onto the main street and then I hear a loud bang and there's lots of smoke billowing from the engine. I edge the car towards the footpath and call my new secretary Alba. " Hi, I need you to call me a cab and pick me up on the main street, my car has stalled. A also need to have my car collected and brought to the garage. Can you do that for me?". Alba replies in her sultry voice " Yes, that will be no problem Mr. Murphy". Cool as a cucumber I say "Please less of the formalities, call me Stephen". Alba giggles and tells me " Ok Stephen, The taxi should be there in ten minutes or so and the truck should pick the car up before that". Sure enough both the taxi and recovery truck arrive soon as Alba had told me. The taxi drops me off at the front entrance of the stadium where there are a few photographers waiting for me to get a few snaps of me on my first day. I meet and greet them before coasting past the security guard and meet with Alba who walks me towards my office. The girl is seriously a ringer for Bianca from home and away. As were walking to my office I barely hear a word she says as i cannot pull my eyes away from her ample ******* which are well on display in her low cut top. I eventually break my stare before it becomes too noticeable. We arrive at my office and Alba tells me she will leave me to get accustomed to it. I thank her and as she walks out I cant help but stare at her *** before she closes the door behind her.


I have a quick look around the room and I am impressed, its much more luxurious than I had expected. Smooth red walls, walnut desk and a selection of walnut furniture to match my desk. I turn my attention to the PC on my desk and load it up. Straight away I load up my emails and get a pleasing message. I had been busy with looking out potential targets and I had offered a former Italy international a trial at the club. Antonio (De Vitis) has also returned from a scouting mission in North America and had a few interesting prospects of me to look at. One youngster in particular had impressed him and that was Erick Torres. He attached a few clips of him playing and I must say I was very impressed with what I had seen. The 18 year old had great skill for his age and Antonio told me he may cost in the region of €5M to secure a transfer. Once I seen the price I made an offer to his club Chivas. I offered €2M upfront with add ons totalling another three. Then I got a phone call "Hello Stephen, I am Andrea Monica. I am one of your scouts, I'm sorry I didnt have the chance to meet you personally but I was sent on an assignment to England to look at potential loan signings. I have two high recommendations for you. The first is left back Jack Robinson from Liverpool and the second is Federico Macheda of Manchester United. Both clubs have been offering the youngsters to other clubs on loan for the season." I thank Andrea for his call and tell him I will be sure to check out these two youngsters and wish him well in the rest of the assignment.

Alba calls my desk phone and tells me that my assistant and first team coaches are waiting for a proper introduction and to have a pre season meeting. I invite them all in and we have a nice discussion on how I wish training will be prepared and the intensity. The staff seem happy with my direct approach and advise me about what players they are most impressed with since they returned to training. They also advised me of a few players who may benefit from some individual training also. The meeting lasted about two hours in total and I was just about to go for lunch when Alba came into my office. She told me that the Garage that my car was at had called to inform her that the head gasket has blown and it has damaged a piston. They said it wouldnt be practical to fix the car as it would cost more than it was worth. I thanked Alba for passing on the message and decided I must go to the dealership. Alba offered me a lift and I gladly accepted. Twenty minutes later we arrived at the dealership which had a few brand new Alfa and Fiat models. However I looked across the road where there was a Porsche dealership. I smiled at Alba and we went across the road and instantly I fell in love with a black 911 in the showroom. The salesman came over and after a few minutes I had agreed to buy the Porsche. I had spent practically all my sign on fee on the car but it was always a dream to have a car like this.


I offer to bring Alba for a spin and she nearly bites my hand off shes that keen. Were cruising around the town and she is well impressed with the car and me too. She offers to take me out for dinner and said that La Chez Noveaux has lovely steak. Surprised I say " Thats the restaurant in my hotel". I drop Alba back to her car and tell her I will meet her at seven for dinner. She said thats perfect and gives me a kiss on the cheek as she gets out of the car. I arrive back to the hotel pretty pleased with myself. I have a car that can do 190mph and a date with somebody with the body of a model.

I realise that me and Alba have great chemistry while we have our meal, we never speak once about work. She is a really down to earth girl. After our second bottle of wine it is quite evident that she is flirting with me. I bring the conversation onto relationships and am thrilled when she says that she is single. Well almost as thrilled as when she slipped her foot out of her shoe and played footsie with me. I call the waiter over and pick up the cheque and asked Alba if she would like to come up to my room for Coffee. Alba says "Sure, why not". We both hurry to the lift and can barely keep our hands off each other as me burst in through the door and slam it shut.​
 
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Nice to see a written story for once. Not so keen on the random pictures but that's just me.
 
Kris said:
Nice to see a written story for once. Not so keen on the random pictures but that's just me.
Click to expand...
Cheers Kris, was just trying it out but it doesnt really suit it. Will revert back to no pictures now.

Chapter 4: The hard work starts now


13/8/2011

I must say, I have been impressed with the team in my first few weeks in the job. With a sucessful pre season behind us we are looking much fitter and stronger. What surprises me the most is the ambition and drive in the players, most notably Sebastian Giovinco. We won four out of seven games, only conceded 4 goals and Sebastian scored 5 goals. After our pre season win over Brescia a few of the boys brought me out on the town for my birthday. Sebastian, Antonio (Mirante) and Gabriel(Paletta) and myself hit a few bars. The lads feel close to me due to us all being a similar age and im delighted that they bond well together. I say nothing to anybody but I feel that they can become the spine of my team and it is encouraging stuff.

Over the pre season games we have had several new faces come in. The first new face came in the form of Marco Materazzi. He initally arrived on trial but I was so impressed I offered him a one year deal. He knows he will be cover for the first team and will be a valuable asset to teach youngsters. Another free transfer, this time a talented Dutch youngster called Luigi Bruins would be a welcome addition to the midfield. Then there were the loan signings of Federico Macheda and Jack Robinson. Both add quality and youth to the team. My marquee signing Erick Torres arrived for a fee of almost €5M and great things are expected of him. I have been told my next signing could be the bargain of the window. Pablo Dametto arrived from Cagilari for a fee of €1.5M and is an extremely talented youngster. Although I had signed 6 players already I was hoping for at least one more signing before the end of the window.

"You wanted to see me?" I said as I walked into Tomassos office. "Yes,please take a seat Steve" replied Mr. Ghiradi. He has an air of pleasantness about him that made me feel comfortable. "I just called you in to see how things are going with the team and your new signings". I replied " Everything is going great, the players are really keen to start the season and want to impress. The guys know what I expect of them and they wont let me down." "good,good" said Tomasso who seemed pleased with this, " Now, do you have any requests you would like the board to consider?". I thought to myself for a minute before saying " Yes, I do have a few ideas I would like to run by you, firstly I would hope we can improve our training facilities to match our youth facilities". Tomasso isnt phased by this and agrees with me and says he will set the wheels in motion. " I would also like for us to associate ourselves with a smaller club to give us first option on their players and to share scouting knowledge". Tomasso replies "I actually know the chairman of Clairfontaine academy in France, I will get in touch with him and ask him if his club would be interested, is there anything else?". I decide to chance my arm and ask Tomasso "I think the club should look into the possibility of purchasing Il Tardini from the council as it would stop us having to pay rent and give us the possibility of expanding the stadium in future". Tomasso agrees that it would be of benefit to buy the stadium however funds wernt in place to secure such a move. He says that concludes the meeting and that if there was anything else I knew where to find him. I thank him and leave his office thinking "Well two out of three aint bad".

31/8/2011

The next 2 weeks flew by there were only 2 events that were of any significance. Firstly we won our first competitive game against Latina in the Italian Cup. We won the game 3-1 with goals from Galoppa, Torres and Macheda. However the scoreline wasnt flattering and we could easily have won 6-1. Before the match my chief scout Antonio(De Vitis) called me and informed me of an excellent talent he has discovered. He told me to keep an eye on Milans friendly that day against some smaller Italian team. I watched the match and was impressed with the youngster and I got in contact with Antonio to sound the player out about a move. The player showed definite interest so I then decided to contact the club and tried to agree a fee. Just over a week later young Marco Verratti joined up with his new team mates at Tardini for a fee that could cost us in the region of €3M. I was delighted with the addition and believed we now had enough quality to secure a top half finish in the league.

Now the transfer window was shut I looked forward in anticipation to beginning our Serie A campaing in a week to Napoli. September hadnt been kind to us as we had 5 games in the space of 3 weeks and faced trips to Napoli, Inter, Lazio and Palermo and also had a tricky tie against Genoa. How will we fare? Stay tuned and find out :)​
 
Loving the story mate. Keep it up! :D
 
Awesome! Thinking of starting one myself because of this! :)
 
Thanks for the comments guys, its greatly appreciated. :)

Chapter 5: Bad weather, even worse results...
31/10/2011

I struggle free from the bed covers of the apartment. I finally found my feet in the city and found a little apartment on the edge of town. I walk to the front door and see the stack of newspapers pushed in through the letterbox. I sweep them all up in one arm and proceed to the kitchen to make myself a coffee to have while I examine the papers. The front pages are all about Italys borrowing costs and talks of going into recession. However that doesnt interest me anymore and flip the paper over to read the sports pages. And I am less than surprised to see my picture and the headline "Crespo saves Murphys job...for now". It has been a tough two months for me. If it wasnt for a brace by Crespo and superb performance from Mirante yesterday we would have remained in the relegation places. The fans have already been heard calling for me to be axed but this latest result has instilled a bit of confidence in me. I proceed to read the papers and they all say pretty much the same thing.

We started off the season promisingly by losing 2-1 narrowly to a strong Napoli side in San Naples. It was a great occasion for Federico (Macheda) who came off the bench and scored on his debut. However after that we failed miserably winning only three of our next ten games. We lost heavily to Inter Milan (5-1) and Fiorentina (4-2). However there were some positives with good results against Lazio(1-0) and Palermo(3-0). The reason the fans were upset that we failed to beat Caligari, Atalanta, Lecce and Genoa. With 9 points in 9 games we were under pressure and sitting in 18th place in the league. We headed into the game against Siena on a bad run of form and rumours that my time may be up if we failed to win. But the players pulled together and battled for a 2-0 victory. The fans went ecstatic as the win put us pack up in 12th place and back in contention for a top half finish.

I headed for the training ground hoping that yesterdays win has brought a bit of life back into the squad. And its safe to say I wasnt disappointed. The players are in superb form and are already having a kick about when I arrive. However I look around and there is no sign of youngster Ze Eduardo who I had promoted to the first team. I ask the boys if they had seen him and nobody had. I then proceed to talk to my assistant Giovanni (Mei). He seems pleased with the boys playing and I tell him he can take over training for the day. "When Eduardo shows up send him straight to my office" I say. Giovanni says that is fine and tells me to have a good day.

I walk to my office and say hi to Alba. She looks mighty fine today I say to myself. We hooked up a few times since that night in the hotel and fair play she doesnt let it affect her work. I walk inside the office and theres a small box on my table. I proceed over to the desk and open the box and surprised at what I see. Inside there is a silver rolex and a little note that says "Great work yesterday, keep up the good work, Tomasso". Im thrilled with this showing of support from the board and put on the watch knowing that its worth about a months wages to me. I then focus on my mac book on the desk. I open up my emails and see two messages from Antonio. He informs me that there are a few targets that we have looked at that are approaching the end of their contracts. Arne Freidrich and Rivaldo are proven internationals and would offer valuable experience to the squad. Sure they will be past their prime but I feel they can still perform at this level for another season at least. I decide to do the smart thing and offer both a 6 month deal which would see us out until the end of the season. I am distracted from my work when I get a knock on the door. " Who is it?" I ask. A soft voice replies "Its Alba, Ze Eduardo is here to see you". I say "Send him in, thanks"

"WHAT THE **** ARE YOU PLAYING AT???" is the first thing I say at the top of my voice when he closes the door. "I'm sorry gaffer, I tried phoning ahead to say I would be late, see my father had a stroke over the weekend and I had been in the hospital with him and lost track of time". I feel bad now for lashing out at him when suddenly I realise it.
"What is that smell?" are my next words. Eduardo pauses for a minute and says " Em...its my new cologne boss, do you like it?" Then I get even more furious than before and shout " Dont ******* lie to me, that is the smell of alcohol. I dont want any more excuses. I am giving you an official warning and fining you 2 weeks wages.". "Thats a bit extreme gaffer". I actually laugh in his face and say " Extreme?? Im being quite lenient considering one of my staff turn up 2 hours late, reeking of booze and then lies to me...TWICE. I will say this once, if anything like this happens again you are out the door. Do I make myself clear?"
Eduardo is shocked at my grilling of him as up to now I have never lost my temper with a player. He says ok reluctantly and I tell him to get out of my sight.
Im sitting in my chair shaking, still barely even able to believe how I reacted. Part of me thinks that I lashed out because I was jealous of how Ze Eduardo takes his playing career for granted. I would give anything to be still able to play the game but I was forced to stop. I wasnt going to sit and watch a player **** his career away infront of me. If he wanted to do that he could do it with another club.​
 
But... What if his dad actually had a stroke, and he was so depressed he had to drink his sorrows away?! You bad, bad person! :O


Kidding, great update mate! :)
 
*I would like to apologise for the lack of updates the past few days. I will be updating whenever my time allows.

Chapter 6: Mistletoe and Wine
22/12/11

"Hard luck boys, you did us proud out there today. We can look forward to next year now and push on for a top half place." were my words to the squad after our disappointing 1-1 draw with Cesena. It was a match we really should have been winning but I wasnt going to be too hard on the boys after that display and the fact it was almost Christmas. "Lady luck just wasnt on our side today but I just want you all to know you have played well recently and I believe in you". The team were encouraged by my words and are looking forward to a break for a few weeks. I called Alba into the room and asked her to hand out an envelope to each and every player. I told the lads there is a small letter I wrote to each of them individually and a small token of the boards appreciation. There was just one small detail to tend to now and that was to inform the players Tomasso has arranged a Christmas dinner for us for that evening and the players were allowed to bring their partners. I thank the players and tell them I will see them later before leaving the room to return to my apartment.

I am surprised when I enter my apartment and see a large box on my table all wrapped up. I walk over and open it and see a brand new suit staring back at me. I look extensively for a note however there is not one to be found. I wonder who could be so generous and not wish to be known. I leave the suit aside and sit down to reflect on the previous two months. We sat comfortably in 11th place in the Serie A and we were only 4 points behind 6th place Lazio. This was a good standing considering the teams we played. We lost narrowly 3-2 to Juventus, won 3-2 against Roma thanks to a superb hat trick from Federico Macheda and drew 0-0 at home to leaders AC Milan. There was also a win against Udenise thanks to Crespo and Sebastian. We then drew with Chievo and Novara. Macheda and Crespo were doing well up front and had both hit double figures for the season. While at the back Pablo Dametto and Paletta forged a good connection with Mirante. Things were looking promising and the team were gelling well. I look outside and it is already dark and realise I spent longer than I thought reflecting on our season so far. I rush into the bathroom for a shower and just as I button up my shirt the doorbell rings. I open it and there is Alba standing infront of me. She looks beautiful in the long black dress she is wearing. Before I can compliment her she says " Im glad the suit fits, I had to guess the measurements. I hope you dont mind but I would like you to be my date tonight". I thank her for the suit and tell her she shouldn't have. I say I would love to be her escort for the night and give her a kiss on the cheek. We spend a few minutes inside talking while we wait on a taxi to bring us to the hotel.


23/12/11

I struggle to open my eyes as I lay there in my bed. "What happened last night?" I wonder to myself. Its fair to say I enjoyed myself last night when I cant even remember. I look at my phone and see a message from Sebastian which said " Great night gaffer, hope you didn't enjoy yourself too much ;) Wishing you a happy Christmas, Seb.". Just as I put my phone back on the locker I hear the toilet flush and out walks Alba. She clearly put some make up on as I have never seen a girl look so beautiful this early in the morning. Alba struts over to my bed and lays beside me and cuddles into me. We were silent for a while and then she broke the silence "Last night was amazing and I'm glad you told me how you feel". We lay there and she drifts off asleep while I wonder to myself just what I said exactly what I said to her.

31/12/11

Christmas came and went as it always does. However this year I really had something to look forward to. I had a brilliant job, a beautiful assistant who was now my girlfriend and made some top friends. I can now look forward to the next year with optimism with my club and push on for a top half finish I know we are capable of. Tomasso has decided due to my strong performance he was extending my transfer budget by and additional €10M to spend on new recruits. I already had several targets in mind and awaited the January window to open eagerly.​
 
Just to let others know this story hasnt been forgotten about. I have been busy the past month or so due to it being christmas, sick and other priorities. I have about 9 seasons worth of material to write and I will begin updating again tomorrow. Hopefully will get through the first season before the weekend. If you are following please leave feedback.

And if you enjoy this story please have a look at my joint one with I7IDanny. Link here:http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/foot...ries/91056-espa%F1-love-hate.html#post1409970

Both stories shall be updated tomorrow :)
 
Chapter 7: New Year, New Hope
28-2-2012

"I think we're gonna make it
I think we're gonna save it yeah
So don't you try and fake it
Anymore, anymore"
Buck Rodgers by Feeder was playing on my CD Player as I drove into my parking spot outside the club offices. The chorus of the song couldnt be more apt for the club. We have started the new year off in style by winning 5 out of 5 games in January. Lecce stumbled 3-1, Palermo 4-2, Lazio 3-1, Roma 2-0 and Atalanta 1-0. This was a great result which had us 5th in the table at the end of January. Crespo and Giovinco were our stars as Crespo scored 6 and Seb scored 4 and assisted another 4. The January transfer window closed us and we seemed to have a much better squad on paper than before. The first arrival was Brazil legend Rivaldo on a free transfer. We wanted some extra creative spark to take the pressure off of Seb and hoped Rivaldo could still cut it at this level. Then mid way through the window we secured the permenant signing of Giovinco who we co-owned with Juve. It cost us €8M but from his performances so far it looks like money well spent. The final transfer was that of fragile German International Arne Freidrich on a free also who had been released by his club a few months previously. On the other side of things Daniel Galloppa left us for Catania for €4M while veteran Manuel Blasi left the club by mutual consent in search of first team football.


Then the dreaded month of Febuary came along and dampened our spirits as wel lost to Inter 3-1. We also struggled to draw against Cagilari, Napoli and Bologna. Even more worryingly we lost Hernan Crespo to a torn hamstring and we were told he would miss the rest of the season. The poor guy was so dejected he was considering retirement but after a quiet chat with me he reconsidered and signed a 1 year contract extension to stay with us for the next 2 years. This setback put us back in 9th place in the table and we had a tough journey ahead as we now had to face 5 of the top 6 teams in the next 6 weeks. Our only easy game in that period was against struggling Siena.

As I approached my office door I noticed that Stefanno (Morrone) and Gabby (Paletta) were already waiting outside for me. "Thanks for coming guys, please step into my office" as I motioned to the door. The lads know why they are here, we seem to be stuck in a rut and I just wanted to have a quiet word with my captain and vice captain. I explain to the lads that I know morale is down but I want them to take next monday off training to go on a team bonding retreat. " I know we have big games coming up that we should be training for but I need the team to be working together" I tell them. You need to pull together and battle through the final few months of the season. We are still in a good position and we are good enough to finish in the top half of the league. Morrone just nods his head in agreement with me. Gabby says "Great idea gaffer, I think this is exactly what the boys need". With that being said I let the boys get back to training.

Alba comes into the boardroom and hands me the quarterly figures before walking back out the door. Thats why I love this bird. Strictly professional at work and great fun on a personal level once she leaves the office. I look over the figures and am pleased at what I see. Our revenue is through the roof which can be explained by the new Asian market we entered by linking up with Shandong in China. The bank balance is steadily increasing due to us being one of the few clubs in the league boasting an almost capacity crowd each home game. The fans have enjoyed our style of play and come out in their droves. The club now brings in about €1M more per month than when I took over while overall costs are down. This is the key for our future ambitions as I dont want to rely on player sales for revenue. I put the projections down just as the phone rings. The call is from my cheif scout Antonio who is informing me of targets I instructed him to persue. "Well i sounded out a few of the boys and they are showing a definate interest in joining us. Alberto is keen to rejoin us and there is intrest from the Georgian and other 2 Italians are intrigued by our plans for the club" . "Thank you Antonio, that will be all" and I hung up the phone. I rub my hands with excitement of the prospect of getting 4 excellent players to join us. Even better news is that all 4 are on free transfers and wont cost us a penny in fees.

I then clear up my desk and leave the office. What will the next few weeks have in store for us. Only time will tell...
​
 
Chapter 8: Back Where We Belong
14-5-11

"Bring out the champagne" was the first thing I heard from Tomasso, obviously thrilled with how we wrapped up the season. It had been a long journey but somehow I pulled it off. Parma sat happily in 9th position in the table. Our highest finish in 8 years I thought. The players had every reason to celebrate after all the hard work they put in over the year. Sebstian(Giovinco) and Federico(Macheda) had stepped up to the plate in the last 3 months in the absence of the injured Crespo. But it wouldnt be fair to single them out. The team go us where we were and they all deserved credit. All except for Ze Eduardo that was. I look over the far side of the conference room and there he was. Propping himself up against the bar with what looked like 4 jagerbombs in front of him. Typical, I thought to myself. When I arrived at the club that 10 months ago I was told he was my brightest prospect. A rough diamond who could be worth so much if given a chance. I had given him plenty of chances I thought. The final straw for me was 2 weeks ago when he was instructed to come off the bench to play against Brescia. He refused to warm up and simply zipped up his training top and went down the tunnel. I said after that press conference that he would never play under me again and would be flogged in the summer.


March wasnt a kind month to us as we lost all four games against Fiorentina, Juventus, Roma and Milan. This left us languishing in 14th place. We were starting to panic after the Milan game. We lost 1-0 but had 2 goals ruled off for offside and hit the bar. We outplayed them everywhere but yet Cassano popped up with a winner in the 91st minute. Our hearts sank after that result which left us only 4 points adrift of the relegation zone. I made sure to roast the team for the recent form. Even though it was a bit harsh I knew something had to be done to halt this slide. The lads seem to listen attentively to me as I explain they havnt been good enough. In the corner of my eye I notice Christian Lucarelli using his phone, clearly not listening to me. I take off my shoe and throw it full force at him. The mobile crashes to the ground and that isnt even the most sickening noise. There was a loud crack and it was indeed Christians wrist breaking. The rest of the lads looked astonished as christina winces in pain. I walk over and pick up the phone and hand it back to him. "Let this be a lesson to you all, if you dont listen to me when I speak you will suffer similar outcomes". Needless to say from then on nobody would be ignoring me when I speak.


April was the month where the lads responded to my battle cry after the Milan game. We came out of the month with 15 points from a possible of 15. We demolished Siena 3-1 with a hat trick from Federico. Udenise crumbled 4-0 at home to us with a brace from Seb and strikes from Verratti and Federico. There was similar faith for Cheivo, Novara and Cesena who we beat comfortably. We were now in 9th place just 1 point behind Roma. The final 2 games of the season seen us beat Bologna 4-0 with a hat trick from Giovinco on the left wing. He had done so well in crespos absense when given the permission to run forward. Our final game saw us play against Catania. We dominated the game and were rightly 1-0 up when disaster struck in the 94th minute Gabriel Paletta stumbled when defending a corner and back heeled the ball past our keeper Mirante. It was a freak accident and I wouldnt be too hard on him over it.

I now had the chance to push on for next season and with my scouts help I think I was on the verge of putting a squad together that could challenge for European places. There were already 3 players confirmed on free transfers. Alberto Paloschi was due to sign for us from Cheivo and would be welcomed back with open arms after his previous spell with us. Levan Kenia would join up with us in July after agreeing to come from Schalke. Also Andrea Seculin, the Italy u21 keeper would come in as back up to Mirante. To top it all off I had money in the bank to make further improvements if need be and would be sure to offload a few players I considered dead wood also. How would next year go, keep tuned in to find out.

I may breeze through the next 7 seasons in lighter updates to get me up to 2019 where I am now in my save. I will still hilight any important news and give it sufficient space in updating. If anybody is followig please leave feedback.
​
 
Is anybody following this anymore?
If not I may just leave this story and focus on my joint one.
If you are following please comment :)
 
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