Slaying The Dragons -- The English Youth Academy
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Not entirely sure what you mean?
500 posts.
And now, 500 replies.
He's talking about my diary entry, which i have now edited, he's spot on.. i meant November (being the 11th month) not October (being the 10th) i got it from your screenshot:
Well done on the 500 mark, BUMP, 501 replies/ 502 posts..
Do or die.
"Mr. Brooking, I don't want to have to tell you again, please, do it, or I have to fire you."
"This is ridiculous, why are you doing this?"
"We need to take the club forward."
"This is an English club, for British players. Why are we breaking the tradition?!"
"Look, Trevor, please, just do it. Please."
The phone went dead.
"This is ridiculous, why are you doing this?"
"We need to take the club forward."
"This is an English club, for British players. Why are we breaking the tradition?!"
"Look, Trevor, please, just do it. Please."
The phone went dead.
David Triesman had sounded under severe pressure. Stressed, anxious. The FA had recently been doing their best to secure the 2020 European Championships after the World Cup 2018 had been lost to Russia. That must be it.
Sergio Canales and Iker Munian were two very good players. Both would cost me the best part of £10million each. But what, most importantly, it would do, is push existing Brits out of the starting lineup.
Triesman had been forceful, yet sounded resentful. I needed to think. It was November, after all. There were a few months until the dreaded January Transfer Market opened and there was time to settle things out.
I could imagine all the public pressure being on myself, but also on Triesman. The only reason he was allowed to bring us into League 2 was to bring an English Academy into the game. The press will have their fangs ready. And when these signings are announced, if I can't prevent them, there will be blood.
Managers before me, had resigned from their roles due to not having enough control. Was that an option for me? No, of course not. This is my club. Not Triesman's. Mine.
We were certainly capable of European qualification, and therefore the Championship was top priority, for November. Ipswich, Bristol, Doncaster and Charlton was always going to be tough, and prepartions needed to be perfect.
A trip to the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven was going to be seriously tough, and the Dutch crowd are some of the best in the world. The 2000 travelling Dragon Slayers were going to need to be in fine spirits to compete.
Our games in hand were obviously vital in the league and these were the sort of games we were not only capable of winning, but we were expected to win. And with our team, in rampaging form, anything was possible.
European qualification was all but ours and something terrible had to happen for us to come 3rd, a point against Basel would see us through. But the loss against them a few months ago had put doubt into my mind.
This month was really a step up in terms of team peformances. The team has been together for a while now, but was really starting to gel. These aren't individuals anymore, they're Dragon Slayers.
Kwaeme Atta was a lad who had appeared in our first team at 15 years of age after his move from Norwich. He's been solid in any of the central roles and can do a very good job, certainly one for the future.
Chris Smalling's also been back to his best, and has put in some phenomenal performances as well as breaking the League Appearances Record that was set by Michael Mancienne.
Five games in hand against the majority of teams certainly put us in a good position, but there was no way we could get complacent. The board were demanding results, as were the fans. The next couple of months were key to both European and Domestic success. Can we step up to the plate?
Let's hope so 
Very good update Ed, superb away result against PSV, and obviously the 6-1 victory over Burgas. Good to see Smalling back to his best, and Delph looks beastly, can i see a screenshot of him? He scores so many goals..
Very good update Ed, superb away result against PSV, and obviously the 6-1 victory over Burgas. Good to see Smalling back to his best, and Delph looks beastly, can i see a screenshot of him? He scores so many goals..
I this this is the last season I will carry on this story. It's getting a tad boring and repetitive, and I've got another good idea for a story I'd like to do.
Thanks to everyone that's followed, and you've still got about 5 more updates of this. :wub:
Thanks to everyone that's followed, and you've still got about 5 more updates of this. :wub:
:'(. Pity, but it's gone on for a while, and it is and has been a terrific story. What's your other idea mate?
You'll have to wait and see. Not quite as creative as this or my old Arsenal one, but I think I'll enjoy it.
Remind me after the season, and sure, course.
Poobington
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Awww I have loved seeing this story progress, its a shame that its going to end> I really wanted to see British youth being able to challenge for EPL!
I will be following your next story, and if its half the story then this it will be miles ahead of the other stories in this forum.
Keep Up the Good Work!
I will be following your next story, and if its half the story then this it will be miles ahead of the other stories in this forum.
Keep Up the Good Work!
Up, up, up 'nd up.
The bitter wind lashed against the back of my old, tired neck. The tide was in, and the waves were smashing against the hard rock at the bottom of the cliff. I wore a grey overcoast, my favourite. The buttons were done up, tightly, as to stop me from shivering. But it help. I was still shivering; not because of the cold.
No-one was around, and the only form of life came in swarms of seagulls, lurking, just in case I had some food. But of course, I didn't. I was here on a far more sinister matter. I never thought anything like this would happen to me. Me, Trevor Brooking.
The headlights of a small van were coming in from the distance. It was him, it must be. The van is off the road. They blared towards me, those bright headlights, and the person driving was certainly not who I expected it to be. Well, I couldn't exactly tell.
The masked man driving the van grew ever closer and eventually was within ten metres of me, before he parked the van; making sure to turn the headlights off. He stepped out and opened the back of the van, and grabbed out an old, exhausted, battered and bruised David Triesman.
The month of December was certainly going to be very tough. Nine matches were crammed in, and this was sure to result in all sorts of problems. The games in hand we beginning to catch up with us, and now we had to play a game every four or so days.
There were some very tricky match-ups. Man City, Everton, Portsmouth, Basel were all games aginst very good sides. I was looking to get 2 wins, a draw and a loss, from these four matches, ideally.
As ever, these Championship games were crucial. If we won the majority, we would be pretty much on course to head the table by the end of the season. The hard work needed to be put in, and it would certainly pay off.
In the end, the month went better than originally expected. There were some more than pleasing performances both domestically and in Europe. And some players were breaking into the team, with others not up to full fitness.
Fabian Delph has always been key to the team. And therefore, he plays the majority of important matches. These seemed to have caught up with him this month, as he was extremely tired, and eventually, I had to send him on a 2-week holiday, as to build back his energy.
But that certainly paved the way for Henri Lansbury. The young ex-Gunner slotted into Delph's old role, and seemed to shine straight away. Along with his tremendous amount of assists, he also added a few goals to his tally.
Fabio Capello had also come along to watch the game against Everton (which sends us through to the Semi with Arsenal), and was rumoured to be scouting Alex Smithies for his next England squad. Great news!
:O Great update Ed... Great to see the twists coming back into play, does the win against Basel put the team top of their Europa League group? Either way i'm assuming you've qualified? Also nice to see Henri get some games, and goals, as an Arsenal fan, and after is goal against PSV. (Hope you had a good birthday)
Yeah, we finished top and now we've got Olympiakos next round. If we beat them, we get either Porto or OM, if I remember correctly.