Road to Glory : The Manager

[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

Tottenham at home was a big one, this was the Christmas period that would made us or break us. Make or break me, it was weird I had been here just a month and I actually felt I'd lose my job. Some people, just thought it was stupid to sack me since I had not only just been here 1 month but also because I hadn't touched a transfer window. Yet here was Solbakken saying that I should be gone. We got off to a solid start, when Steeve Yago who like myself, has also received critics for his poorer performances, smashed a header in off the underside of the bar to give us a lead after 20 minutes. From here, we continued to press. Holloway had a few chances that went begging and then half time arrived. We started well again, Cerruti, funnily enough also had critics for failing to find the net, managing to score from a wide angle after a darting run that put him passed two white shirts. 2-0. Solbakken slumped before rising to his feet and coming right at me after a crunch of a tackle from Garbutt that didn't see a booking. "What are you gonna do?" I yelled at him as he was dragged away by the fourth official and his back room staff.

Tottenham scored almost directly after the incident. A corner was headed clear but worked back into the box and Nikola was there to poke his toe at the ball and past Krul. We held well though, and managed to see the game out. Solbakken again started to wave and scream towards me after Garbutt went hard into Nikola for the second time, this time getting a booking. But there it was. A win, Solbakken and I didn't shake as a few players on the park pushed and brawled at the final whistle.



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[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

Oh ho ho ho!!​

 

[xtremeRED]

wow... just wow!
KIU!

 

[JamesScott2908]

Tough start mate!! Pleased to see you get the back to back wins though! I'm sure you will soon have SJP a fortress once more!

 

[PatrickLFC]

No shame in losing to the world's best team great win against Tottenham though, must have felt so good! Funny that both the other candidates for the Newcastle job have subsequently been sacked!

 

[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

No shame in losing to the world's best team great win against Tottenham though, must have felt so good! Funny that both the other candidates for the Newcastle job have subsequently been sacked!

You couldn't write it, let's hope neither take my job! Got smashed by Liverpool, nothing to say!

Tough start mate!! Pleased to see you get the back to back wins though! I'm sure you will soon have SJP a fortress once more!

Yeah, real dogfight. Realistically would be stupid if I wasn't given money to spend, the world can see we need to invest!

wow... just wow!
KIU!

Thanks, actually feeling like I am really getting going writing wise too. I liked my Newcastle - Before James McKenzie update! Enjoying this save and story so much now!



Thanks all body for the support!

 

[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

"Hi, Flavio! Great to see you, how's it going?" I said as I entered St James' Parks reception. He was talking to an expensive looking man and didn't look too happy.

"Oh hello, Mr McKenzie. Meet Davide, he's just doing some marketing work. Thought it was a day off today?" his beaming smile and buoyant voice echoed. Greeting me with a handshake was Davide.

"No days off for the manager, need to make sure we keep going. I would actually like a word if you were free at all today?" I enquired, as he glanced back nervously and ushered me into a small meeting room by the reception.

"What?" He said, perched over hands rubbing together. It was informal but I guess a chat is a chat.

"Well, I need a bit more money for January. As you can see results haven't been great and I feel a few additions could be big." I rose my eyebrows anxiously, hands still full of papers and plans.

"No. The squad is good enough, you have £5million or so to work with and a decent wage budget if anything comes up. Get through this season with our expectations fulfilled and we can then trust you with money." he was assertive, it was usually the chairman who was assertive and serious, but Flavio quickly changed his way.

"Really? I really feel it can propel us in the right direction.." I insisted, losing grip of my paper and it became an awkward plea.

"Ask all you like, do you need anything else? I can make a more wage budget, ey? But I am busy. Good luck." he nodded and was away and I dropped all my papers.

Lovely. Absolutely f*cking lovely. I did receive a call about a certain, cheap English midfielder though..

 

[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

"Yeah, Flavio?" I said, as there was a silence on the other end of the phone.

"If you are after more money, we can't do.." I cut him short. "No, it's not that. Jack Wilshere. Completely lost his way at Arsenal. He's still quality and cheap, it's just the contract terms now. I want you to work with the agent, or at least be there. It happens at most club.." and he cut me short..

"Don't tell me how to run my club, his agent there now?! I'll be an hour." and he hung up. Whoops. Scary.

Anyway..

27 year old Jack Wilshere fell out with numerous bosses at Arsenal after the departure of Arsene Wenger and couldn't find his spot in the side.


/

I also had calls regarding Senegalese central defender called Marian Sarr. He had been in Germany at Cologne and Dortmund before the move to Real Madrid beckoned, but playing there stopped after a fall out with Carlo Ancelotti. He was already in England after apparent talks with Leeds United but they couldn't help him financially. He would cost me the rest of my available funds but if I worked quickly..

24 year old Marian Sarr was playing well at Real Madrid but became available after falling out with backroom staff. Not cheap though.

 

[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

"Right lads we were poor against West Ham, that's fine they are flying high but today we win, nothing less. Blackburn are in the exact same situation as us, but we are at home. The fans are excited by Jack , Bradley and Marian. This is our day." It was January first, 2020. Jack Wilshere, Michael Bradley (signed before I arrived, now 31) and Marian Sarr were shown off to the St James' Park loyal and we were setting up to play Blackburn. We weren't able to push our Tottenham win onto West Ham, they were too good as they chase Liverpool at the top of the table.

I was confident today though, Wilshere would actually make the bench due to our injuries in midfield but I had no intentions in sending him out, he hadn't worked with us too much over Christmas but we really were desperate and he was desperate to pull on a Newcastle United shirt and prove doubters wrong.

Prior to the game, there was huge news as Josep Guardiola took over at Tottenham, but the big thing was when I received a quick text from Anibal Rouxinal to say that financially the club could easy splash a little, and trust me with a little and said I could play with £20,000,000. Nice. Hopefully get a few real good players in.

Anyway, Blackburn. Colback and Anita would remain as the two holding midfielders. Remy Cabella would play just ahead of them with Cerutti and Marechal out wide. Krul would of course be in the sticks despite a few dodgy performances and Efe Ambrose and Winston Reid would be joined by full backs Luke Garbutt and Steeve Yago.

Blackburn put us under some pressure early on, however we fought back and a scary Garbutt crossed somehow found Holloway in amidst 3 Blackburn defenders - 1-0! Keeper crumbled. Ten minutes. The second half dragged on, Cabella continued to impress and Winston Reid had to be replaced due to an unfortunate injury after going for a header. Half time arrived. All good thus far.

We went out fighting again, ready and hungry - our pace completely through off Blackburn who couldn't hold the ball and continued to make mistakes before one cost them a goal. A Galloway pass back was latched on to by Cerruti who finished coolly. 2-0. Fifty minutes. Unfortunately, after half an hour Cabella had to be replaced by Julian Green through injury.

Julian Green came on and really fought, there was competition being created through some big performances and his hard work paid off early. He won the ball deep in our half, played it to Cerutti who held and then released for Green to latch on to, his one way sprint took him from one 18 yard box to another where he finished. 3-0. 20 to go. Wilshere debut? The day he showed up? Why not? Anita was tiring and he was the best option on the bench.

Unfortunately, moments after that third change was made Garbutt made an awful decision that lead to him doing a stupid foul in a stupid area for his second yellow. We should manage to hold on nonetheless.

Nothing came of the free kick, however after time went on a little more. A Blackburn corner did manage to find a Jordan Rhodes shin at the front post. 3-1.

Decent way to start the year.

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[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

We managed to underestimate an away FA Cup game against MK Dons, we had to fight for a 3-3. But there's no way we will let slip at home after the FA Cup Fourth Round draw..

You couldn't write it, Crewe was a big part of my life and the reaction to me leaving was mixed. None of them were happy with Stuart Pearce and while they were happy for me they were angry that I went to Newcastle, since the mess they are in with the media.

Anyway, let us just hope they hold up their end of the bargain.​

 

[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

"Definitely delighted in signing Zidane, he can add something new to us up top. I am excited by what he'll bring to ourselves and the Premier League. He can do a lot for us."​

 

[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

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[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

Inconsistent

January continued, we had Julian Green on his way out shortly too and with that I'd look at some young talent but the big thing to focus on was the football. After our win at Blackburn on January First, we had an FA Cup encounter with MK Dons - of course as previously noted, we drew 3-3 with a rotated squad. Either way, it should have been a win.

But instead, of course, we relied on a late goal in a dismal performance. From here we had to focus on Chelsea, we were at home but Eden Hazard, Martin Odegaard and the likes were scary. Zidane got his debut, Sarr and Wilshere both featured from the start too. Of course, we managed to hold for the first 45..

Eden Hazard and Diego Costa moved about incredibly for the first and a Tim Krul save from an Eden Hazard free kick found the feet of Juan Jesus. From there they sat on their result while we couldn't get going. Shame. And then we had the worse result of our term.

Was just one of them games, 33 shots to 3. They scored early and sat on it, we still worked them but couldn't score despite chances. A looping header from Nugent from a deep free kick beat Krul too and we couldn't do it. Disappointing and generally just poor. No Crewe tie in the fourth round. Stoke away was next. They were after European qualification but I didn't fancy their squad so was hoping - and quite generally - desperate for a result.

And a result we got! Marechal and Zidane link so well but unfortunately Marechal will be missing for 4 months, so the season, after tearing his calf muscle. Everyone performed well, Zidane got a hat trick in his second appearance for the club and Marechal was just fantastic. We have a decent run now, we have 4 games before we play Manchester United so I am desperate to get a run together to throw us back into the mid table cluster and from there we can think about a top half and the 'expected' European push.

I mean, if we could get 9 points from the next 3 and then at least 3 from Manchester United, Everton or Arsenal then I'd be incredibly happy. But we will just have to see.


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[Yeti01]

Great result against Stoke - more of that please!

 

[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

Great result against Stoke - more of that please!

I do my best!

 

[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

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[PatrickLFC]

Trouble in paradise? :O

 

[JamesScott2908]

Zidane looks like a top signing as does Wilshere! £2.5m is a steal!

 

[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

Zidane looks like a top signing as does Wilshere! £2.5m is a steal!

Happy with Zidane and Wilshere!!

Trouble in paradise? :O

Quite a few players have asked for moves after the Djuricic incident, managed to control most!

 

[CantGetEnoughOfJelavic]

Progress?

After our win at Stoke we were feeling a little better, there was almost a new sense of energy around the place. Apart from the fact Djuricic was stirring the pot. I managed to win most of the players over but a few were inspired by him and decided to also ask for moves for football. And I mean, it is completely fine, I was never a player myself but sure if the boss decided I wasn't capable of winning games I'd want to leave - not try prove the manager or fans wrong! Walk out when it's tough, easy! Anyway, we continued to play with our happier set of players and an away trip to Bournemouth. Mid table and looking decent. Would be tough.

Zidane suffered a 4 week injury, while Sarr and Efe Ambrose were at centre back with Anita at right back and Garbutt chilling at left back. Michael Bradley, Colback and Wilshere made up a good looking midfield with Cerutti and Cabella wide. They won a penalty through a poorly-timed Sarr challenge directly on half time to give them the lead. Zidane had to be replaced by Paul Danvers, 16, for his first league appearance. He'd played 1 and scored 1 in the cup but here he was in the league - and he scored to secure us a point. Becoming the Premier League's youngest goalscorer.

Ultimately, I wanted 3 points. It was a good chance for us to climb on teams ahead of us with an away win but the point will have to do. Delighted for Danvers and frustrated about Zidane.

We moved on, Wigan Athletic were next. At home though, they were about the bottom 3 and I was of course after 3 points. Anything less wouldn't be enough. Anita would drop to the bench so he could become a quick replacement to tiring midfielders, while Van Rhijn came into right back. Danvers started in the only other change for the injured Zidane. We were pressing Wigan right from the off and some nice, albeit scrappy passes lead to a drilled effort from Cabella from close range - 1-0. A bit more work and job done.

Great performance from the two goalscorers and a strong defensive display were all highlights. Good, solid win. We were just generally better and we played well. We had West Brom away next, and I was confident of a win but playing away could be a little tougher, anything could happen.

Mehmedi would start up front in our only change, I didn't want to put too much pressure on Paul Danvers. Especially with so much media attention after his goal at Bournemouth. Mehmedi was decent too, just felt like he needed to score and this put his performance down a bit.

The game was dire, Cabella continued to look good as he played with his heart on his sleeve, backed me and wanted to do it for Newcastle United. Not himself, not his career. And he was doing it and I am almost desperate we win something, some time with him as he tries to etch his name into Newcastle United folklore. However, we couldn't win as a late goal grabbed them a point.

Disappointing. Boring. Manchester United was next, I had no real confidence as I was sure we didn't quite have the quality to beat Manchester United. And I was right, we just aren't there. Clearly - go back a few weeks to our 7-1 drubbing to Liverpool. We had some positives, Joachim Low told the Newcastle United board to stick with me - I am still worried about that, I shouldn't be close to the sack but who knows?

We had our chances and it was generally even on that front but they were clinical and just too strong, it happens. Whatever, at least it wasn't 7-1 and I know we can do better.

7 points has to be the aim, I mean 9 would be great but I will take 7 and aim for 7.


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