STAND FREE WHEREVER YOU MAY BE - And you thought Celtic beating Barca was something!

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Champions League Final 2022

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At Luzhniki

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Aberdeen Vs Barcelona
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Both of tonight finalists were eliminated at the last 16 stage but have regrouped to reach the final this time round. Barcelona will be looking to retain the Champions League for the first time since 2015/16, there longest gap in Champions league wins in the last 20 years.






Team News
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Aberdeen
The Dons are missing two massive players for there second final in three years. Center Back Max Lecomte and Midfielder Araund Bamba, who is rumored to be leaving Pittodrie after tonight final both failed in there attempts to recover in time for the final meaning David will step into the midfield and 18 year old defender Liam Fotheringham will start in a champions league final. Spare a through for Chris Keogh who was sold in January. If that sale hadn't taken place he would be starting here.


Barcelona
Vilas Boas has dragged Barcelona back to the Champions League final in his 2nd season at the club. Amazingly Messi is still racking up average ratings over 8 and hit 20 goals this season. However Barca usually have a bigger threat in Horacio Merlo who the lord in his wisdom gave him the flu till tomorrow
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--- The Match ---



1st Half


2 - Goal - Soldan
What a start. Our vice captain hits a free kick to stun the favorites


3 - Goal - Cabestany
Barca didn't get the memo. They kick off and we've doubled our lead after only 3 minutes. Amazing


14 - Goal - Loeffen
Right this is getting ridiculous. Everything we touch is turning into goals. Barca took control of the game in the run up to the goal too


26 - Goal - Soldan
All i can think of is the 1993/94 final where Barca turned up expecting to win the tournament just to be turned over by the underdogs AC Milan now disguised as Aberdeen


30 - Goal - Loeffen
This will be a half hour that the football world will talk about forever. It must be the cold weather and Drizzle that has brought out the greatest half hour in Aberdeen history




HT Aberdeen 5-0 Barcelona




2nd Half




74 - Goal - Loeffen
It had gone rather quiet in typical football manager style after a dominant 1st half We've been time wasting since half time and now have a shot of having the biggest winning margin in a Champions league final ever!


86 - Goal - Messi (pen)
Barcelona and Messi get there consolation to go with there losers medal




FT Aberdeen 6-1 Barcelona

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The FM gods were looking down on us tonight. How we achieved such a crushing victory in the biggest match of them all against Barcelona is totally beyond me. Didn't even have us down as favorites for the final after our easy run to the final. As Barcelona's player ratings show they did not show up and defense especially were totally awful. If it had been my team doing that I'd have cried. Soldan wins my man of the match for scoring twice and setting up one of Loeffen's hattrick strikes.



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Congratulations from the Evening Express


A city stopped for an evening as there team Aberdeen returns to the Champions League final. Before hands the streets were awash with dons shirts "Loeffen" "Elias" and "Soldan" were all popular choices but the home grown hero "Derek Sneddon" was the man creating all the buzz becoming the first Scot since the 80's to win a 2nd champions league medal. "Barca was always going to be a tough game but all the Aberdonians who flew out to Moscow for the final encouraged our side to come out on top and put on a display to reward the great fans of this great team" As well as the citizens of Aberdeen the whole of Scotland have a team which has done there country proud and success for a Scottish team can only do wonders for the league and international team going into the world cup.


Wild Scenes
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2021/22 Season Review




SPL - Winner
Scottish Cup - 5th Round
League Cup - Quarter Final
Champions League - Winner




Season Stats
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Final team talk
"Boys that was a special way to end a special season. Unbeaten in the league, 1st time since 1915. Were the most unbeatable team in the last 100 years and to top it off we won our second champions league and this time in perhaps the most dominating way in history"






SPL
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36 wins from 38 games, 110 points +93 goal difference Longest winning run in SPL history, Longest unbeaten run in SPL history. Incredible!


Elsewhere Hearts took over the mantel as the No2 team in the country as Celtic slipped further back towards the midfield pack.


At the bottom Dunfermline had a terrible second half of the season and were relegated comfortably






Scottish Cup Final
Kilmarnock 1-0 St Johnstone
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The Perth side just don't like winning this one do they. Not that i should mock. Our run ended with a thriller at Parkhead where they scored a stoppage time winner and eventually going on to loose to winner Kilmarnock




Scottish League Cup Final
Dundee Utd 1-3 Celtic
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Celtic retain there League cup to make up for there poor season. Again they knocked us out of this competition.






2021/2022 Awards




Footballer of the year
Mark Loeffen - 35 Games - Ave 7.86
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Top Scorer
Mark Loeffen - 35 Games 33 goals
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Young Player of the year
Oscar Nanclares
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Team Of the year
9 players in team of the year
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Darran Donalds player of the season
Elias
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What a superstar. Joining the ranks of players i would never sell after this seasons efforts. Over 20 goals and most of them must have been important strikes as that usually what they were when Elias scored.




Manager of the year
Darran Donald
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Match of the season
Aberdeen u19's 1-1 Motherwell u19's
Aberdeen win 17-16 on Pens
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Wouldn't ever look at a U19's game but this one was insane!




Signing of the season
No stand out this season. All were back up at best






European Cups




Champions League Final
Aberdeen 6-1 Barcelona
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Europa League
Benfica 1-2 Porto
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An all Portugese final in Germany was won by Porto led by Fierro


As for 2022/23
I will have a new feature for next season. i will have a complete review of the performance of Scottish Football in Europe and a review of the Dons finances as seen in a reply to gogogo golem



Other European Leagues




England
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Arsenal and London dominate the division while neither Manchester team make the Champions League




Germany
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There appears to be a new dominant force in the German game




Italy
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What a season in Italy. Roma win the league by 7 goals




Spain
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Not content with throwing away a Champions League final Barca finished 9 points behind Real Madrid






Going into the summer
Despite our form in the league this season im still taken aback that we won a second Champions League. The run in with Leverkusen, Marseilles and Tottenham would be a run anyone would have liked but still the result in the final was a freak!


This summer it will again be interesting to see who will stay and who will go. I Clung onto a few players by the skin of my teeth last summer and now having brought me further success there suitors will be chasing them even harder this summer.



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Scotlands World Cup squad
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23 man squad


Goalkeepers - Caps/Goals
GK Robbie Thompson - 15
GK Craig Reid - 9
GK Craig Crawford - 26


Defenders
DR Jack Grimmer - 46
DR Nicky Devlin - 0
DL Stephen Hendry - 37/1
DL Murray Wallace - 26/1
DC Danny Wilson - 81/3
DC Grant Hanley - 70/1
DC Fraser Hamilton - 0
DC Liam Fotheringham- 8


Midfielders
MC Stuart Lindsay - 30/2
MC Stephen McGinn - 10
MC Tom Cairney - 48/6
MC Scott Robinson - 15/1
MC Fraser Fyvie - 4
MR Derek Sneedon - 49/19
MR Matt Phillips - 40/7
MR James Forrest - 35/2
ML Craig Sibbald - 44/12


Forwards
AT Jordan Rhodes - 100/72
AT Stevie Cairney - 7/3
AT Steven Macari - 0




Outside our 1st 11 experience is VERY limited but this is just our 1st qualifying campaign so plenty to build on so we'll see how the team gets on in the World Cup.


Despite having 3 uncapped players and a further 4 with less than 10 caps there are players that will be in the squad for the next 10 years getting early experience of top level international football. They were helped by James McArthur and Liam Bridcutt retiring during the world cup.




Warm Up Friendlys


Scotland 0-0 France


We kept the ball well and despite having less chances at goal the draw was a fair results for us.




Ivory Coast 1-1 Scotland
Sneddon


Worrying stuff as Ivory Coast dominated the game and it look a late counter and strike from Sneddon saved face.




Ukraine 2-1 Scotland
Phillips


Matt Phillips gave us the lead after coming on for Sneddon who meant off with a minor injury before Ukraine came back with 2 late goals to give us a lot to think about!




Gabon 0-2 Scotland
McGinn
Grimmer


A win but still no goals from Rhodes as we get oh so close to the competition kicking off




Morocco 1-3 Scotland
S Cairney
T Cairney
Macari


Even with Scott Robinson getting sent off after 26 minutes we still easily beat Morocco



France 2-0 Scotland


France are arguably the best team in the world at the moment so no disaster



Scotland 1-2 Germany
Sneddon


A Solid performance and unlucky defeat as we say farewell to all the Scotland fans not making the trip to Dubai for the finals




Scotland had a mixed bag of results in the run up to the finals. Jordan Rhodes form leaves his place as our starting forward in question but elsewhere injury aside little has changed.



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Good luck at the World Cup. I'd also like to request a new feature in the end of season post, an account of he complete performance of Scottish football in Europe. Also, has the expansion to Pittodrie helped finances?
 
I've made a note in this years season review to add both next season. Here is a quick note on our finances


Dons Finanaces

2021/22

Income Profit gains from Stadium Upgrade
Match day income = +£500k
season tickets = +£1.9m
Gate Receipts = +£2.5m
Total = +£4.9m


However
Expenses on the up from mass contract extensions
Player Wages = -£9m
Total Bonuses = -£5.5m
Staff Wages = -£700k
Match day expence= -£600k
Total = -£15.8m




So we are making more money but still massive loss on the wages. This season we were saved by the prize money from winning the Champions league. up £11m and £34m profit in transfers saw a final financial result for 2021/22 of !!!!!!!

+£21m



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Post Season




Summer News


Again we had lots of contracts to renew. Soldan signs on till 2025 and Fotheringham 2027, Glowacki 2026, Craig Crawford 2026, Daniel Monnard 2027, Jens Kardum 2026 and Max Salomonsson 2026. Still working on deals for back up keeper Peter Vucic and Oscar Nanclares who are clearly looking for a bigger team to move to.




6/6/2022
Transfer Window opens



New Signings


I haven't added many new players as the youth team is full of 18 year olds so there getting there last chance to prove themselves with a big intake expected from March to May next summer


Liam Cameron - 3*
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Not expected to be a superstar but the best Scotsman on offer from this years youth intakes.



Out

Ashley Blackburn & Rodolfo


Two youngster who never quite made it to the top team leave for Ross County. Blackburn might not be done yet look out for him in future Scotland squads.




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SPL Uproar




After Aberdeen Stunned the world by winning the champions league for a second time it was expected that the SPL would comfortably move into the top 10 competitions in Europe. They will be massively surprised to wake up to the news that the SPL has dropped from 11th to 14th behind Ukrainian and Greek premier leagues "This is a insult to our teams and our nation. What more does our nation have to do to get the recognition we deserve"




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World Cup Group D




Match 1


Tunisia 0-3 Scotland
Rhodes
Lindsay
Sibbald


Well despite having a decent squad Tunisia put in a toothless performance which makes me believe were already through to the last 16 after this was billed a "winner takes all match"


Other match
Canada 1-3 Italy


Top of the group after match 1 is just the start we needed.

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Match 2


Scotland 7-0 Canada
Wilson
Rhodes 2
Sibbald
Hanley
T Cairney
Fyvie


A total thrashing began with Danny Wilson opened the scoring while he picked up his 90th Cap and we went on leaps and bounds to secure a massive victory




Other Match
Italy 4-0 Tunisia


Brilliant were through to the last 16. Might have to play a different tactic to have a go at winning the group.

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Match 3


Scotland 2-1 Italy
Lindsay
Rhodes


What a day. We took a lead into half time but a dominant Italy pulled level before our main man up top Jordan Rhodes struck a late winner. Jordan Rhodes wins his 110th cap while grabbing his 4th goal of the tournament and his most important and final goal for Scotland. Murray Wallace won his 30th cap


Other match
Tunisia 3-2 Canada


The Tunisia match doesn't matter as they were out of it after loosing to Scotland in the opening game

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Victory over Italy keep our unbeaten run in competitive matches going and means we draw a 2nd place team in the last 16.



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Scotland stun the world


The world took notice when Scotland stuck 7 past Canada in a thumping attacking display but against Italy they showed they can also defend as Italy were in command against the Scots but could never take there chances as Scotland not only celebrate qualifying for there 1st knockout phase ever along with taking a massive international scalp



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World Cup Last 16


The Draw
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Defeating the Italians meant we get a huge boost by missing out on Group C winners Brazil and set up the tie of the round between those two teams.




Czech Republic Vs Scotland
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Line ups


The Czechs have plenty of familiar faces starting against us. Aberdeen legend Michal Soldan, former Aberdeen U21 player Victor Prihoda and Rangers Defender Jiri Pavlik all start the game.


Scotland drop Craig Sibbald to the bench after receiving a knock against Italy and not being fit enough to start. Matt Phillips has proven regularly that he's up to the job of playing on the wings for Scotland. Grant Hanley wins his 80th cap, Scott Robinson his 25th






The Match




1st Half


1 - Goal - Dolezal

22 - Goal - Pavlik

29 - Goal - Nedic



HT - Czech Rep 3-0 Scotland


The Czech totally dismantled us for the 1st half hour. Everything they touched turned to goals and the 3rd from Necid may have killed the tie




2nd Half


46 - Goal - Robinson


The one shining light from a very poor team performance and Robinson has got a goal that gives us hope




FT - Czech Rep 3-1 Scotland

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Well the Scots have waited 68 years to get to the knockout stags of a competition and it lasted all of 90 minutes. Brilliant in the groups but undone quite easily and prolific by the Czech attack inside the 1st half hour




Other last 16 results
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Serbia beating Germany would be the only shock while in the clash of the superpowers Brazil needed penalty's to beat Italy.



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Planned to have a right go at FM today but unfortunatly i got called into work for 10 hours. Dont think they understand i could have won a European Super cup and world club cup by now!
 

Rest of the World Cup




Quarter Finals
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Spain beat Brazil and the true shock being our old friend the Czechs beating France


Semi Finals
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Two upsets. The Czechs reach the final thrashing Argentina while England sneak a win against Spain




World Cup Final
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Well the worst result we could have got. The team that knocked us out get soundly beaten by England




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Scotland World Cup Review
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"The SFA Expect our team to be competitive in the World Cup"


Basically beat Canada, get a result against Tunisia and put on a performance against Italy




Well i and the SFA agree we exceed all expectations with our perfect record in the group phase. Minor disappointment with the 1st half hour against Czech Republic but overall everyone is happy enough with how we got on.




As soon as the final whistle went in suburbs of Khalifa my mind didn't register disappointment but went right to the Qualifying for the 2024 European Championships.


I will have to go through my squad and national pool of players and reorganize the squad. Stephen McGinn (33) and Jordan Rhodes (32) international careers are over as they will be too old in 2 years time. Tom Cairney and Matt Phillips (31) will only hold onto there spots if suitable youngsters aren't coming through both look safe as things stand. James Forrest, Grant Hanley, Danny Wilson and Scott Robinson (30) will still be in the squad but will they keep there starting spots after I've reviewed the upcoming youngsters? We'll find out before the Costa Rica Friendly in August


Our achievements at the World Cup see us rise to 11th best team in the world.




Thank you


Stephen McGinn
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Jordan Rhodes
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