The Ballad of Charlie McGhee
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You'll enjoy the next update then!
Year 11 - Half Year Summary
What an ordeal!! After my contract at Bastia ran out I went to stay back in Scotland with Dad for a while. In early July Bordeaux came calling with a contract offer. Whilst it wasn’t the worst contract I felt I could do significantly better, especially given there was plenty of interest around at the time, so I declined their offer.
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I figured it wouldn’t be long until there were more offers – WRONG! Everything went silent after that. Although there was sniffs here and there from some clubs in Greece nothing eventuated. By the beginning of December though the interest began to build again as teams looks to fill holes they may have in the January window.
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Right before the window opened there was a veritable smorgasbord of clubs interested in me.
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In January a number of clubs would end up making formal offers but there was one that stood out head and shoulders above the rest. Leeds United, a chance to join a club with an extremely strong following in Australia thanks to their success with former Socceroos was too good to pass up. Given I am a left winger/striker down from down under the inevitable Harry Kewell comparisons were raised but if I’m honest I’m nowhere near as good a player as he was at his peak.
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That’s ok though because at his peak he was helping Leeds to Champions League qualification whereas I’m coming into a side currently sitting 10th in the Championship. I just want to go give it my all and hopefully give the Elland Road faithful something to cheer about.
View attachment 275643
Remainder of the season goals;
- get fit,
- push myself back into the national team conversation.
What an ordeal!! After my contract at Bastia ran out I went to stay back in Scotland with Dad for a while. In early July Bordeaux came calling with a contract offer. Whilst it wasn’t the worst contract I felt I could do significantly better, especially given there was plenty of interest around at the time, so I declined their offer.
View attachment 275650
I figured it wouldn’t be long until there were more offers – WRONG! Everything went silent after that. Although there was sniffs here and there from some clubs in Greece nothing eventuated. By the beginning of December though the interest began to build again as teams looks to fill holes they may have in the January window.
View attachment 275649
Right before the window opened there was a veritable smorgasbord of clubs interested in me.
View attachment 275646
In January a number of clubs would end up making formal offers but there was one that stood out head and shoulders above the rest. Leeds United, a chance to join a club with an extremely strong following in Australia thanks to their success with former Socceroos was too good to pass up. Given I am a left winger/striker down from down under the inevitable Harry Kewell comparisons were raised but if I’m honest I’m nowhere near as good a player as he was at his peak.
View attachment 275645
View attachment 275644
That’s ok though because at his peak he was helping Leeds to Champions League qualification whereas I’m coming into a side currently sitting 10th in the Championship. I just want to go give it my all and hopefully give the Elland Road faithful something to cheer about.
View attachment 275643
Remainder of the season goals;
- get fit,
- push myself back into the national team conversation.
willmolly3
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A Move to Leeds Leeds Leeds maybe? History of Aussies there!
Would love to do one of these stories myself but I fear any more than playing now and then and checking these stories out would lead to divorce
willmolly3
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A Move to Leeds Leeds Leeds maybe? History of Aussies there!
Would love to do one of these stories myself but I fear any more than playing now and then and checking these stories out would lead to divorce
Lol I was typing this post before your last update!
A Move to Leeds Leeds Leeds maybe? History of Aussies there!
Would love to do one of these stories myself but I fear any more than playing now and then and checking these stories out would lead to divorce
Wow - if you were typing that up as I was loading my post that is freaky!!!! Great pick!
Also I find, because you sim so much, you can actually do a bunch of other things (like talk to the wife, play with kids etc) and come back to it just from time to time so it works really well like that. I am also doing another Uni degree so I am studying whilst it is simming away right now! (well not right now - cause I'm on FM base, but will be studying again soon!)
willmolly3
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I was secretly hanckering for Leeds as well as its my team. ;-)
I may well give this a spin at some point then.
CantGetEnoughOfJelavic
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A half-successful player story here as I rot away in lower tier Scottish football!!
Good luck, hopefully notch up a few games before really pushing on next season!
Good luck, hopefully notch up a few games before really pushing on next season!
Mate I know the pain - when McGhee was at OM I was just praying for him to get some game time. I guess thats the beauty of the PA/CA's we've chosen for these guys. Some could be Premier League quality others like Charlie and Callum battle away in the lower leagues their entire career.
Year 11 - End of Season Summary
It took me a while to get accustomed to professional football again. I’d been out of the game for some time so the body needed a few weeks before my fitness was up to scratch. I ended up making my debut against Birmingham in early February.
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Not too long after that I was pleased to score my first goal. I tracked the deep cross and headed in from close range before sprinting off to celebrate in amongst the crowd in the Revie stand.
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I would end up playing 10 games for Leeds this season following my arrival. I was also fortunate enough to gain another 2 caps for the Socceroos. I got the start against Lebanon where we won our World Cup qualifier 3 nil and made a substitute appearance against Brazil in a friendly. The World Cup is at the end of next season and a good year with Leeds will put me firmly in the frame to feature in Argentina 2026.
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Ian Holloway had us paying nice, if inconsistent, footy as we battled away to a 10th placed finish this season. Hopefully with the advantage of a full preseason I can help create stability.
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Finally, I’ve hit 27 now. I don’t know that I’ve got a lot of improvement left in me but I feel I should be able to hold this level for a few more years at least.
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Season 12 goals,
- Do everything I can to be on that plane to Argentina with the Socceroos!!
It took me a while to get accustomed to professional football again. I’d been out of the game for some time so the body needed a few weeks before my fitness was up to scratch. I ended up making my debut against Birmingham in early February.
View attachment 275634
Not too long after that I was pleased to score my first goal. I tracked the deep cross and headed in from close range before sprinting off to celebrate in amongst the crowd in the Revie stand.
View attachment 275633
I would end up playing 10 games for Leeds this season following my arrival. I was also fortunate enough to gain another 2 caps for the Socceroos. I got the start against Lebanon where we won our World Cup qualifier 3 nil and made a substitute appearance against Brazil in a friendly. The World Cup is at the end of next season and a good year with Leeds will put me firmly in the frame to feature in Argentina 2026.
View attachment 275632
Ian Holloway had us paying nice, if inconsistent, footy as we battled away to a 10th placed finish this season. Hopefully with the advantage of a full preseason I can help create stability.
View attachment 275631
Finally, I’ve hit 27 now. I don’t know that I’ve got a lot of improvement left in me but I feel I should be able to hold this level for a few more years at least.
View attachment 275630
Season 12 goals,
- Do everything I can to be on that plane to Argentina with the Socceroos!!
CantGetEnoughOfJelavic
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Looking very decent, Premier League football could await you!
Love reading these player stories ahaha
Love reading these player stories ahaha
Year 12 - End of Season Summary
This year started on a sour note. Some of the boys got to talking about their contracts at training and I heard Fosu is on 13k a week. That ****** me off as I think I am every bit as good a player as he is!!
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Things quickly got better after that however. As we had finished 3rd in our Asian World Cup qualifying group we were required to playoff against Jordan with the winner earning the right to play off against Colombia for a spot at the World Cup. We easily dispatched of Jordan and then were at our absolute best to beat Colombia 5-2 on aggregate.
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I would go on to make only the 19 competitive appearances for Leeds this season as they finish 10th in the Championship for a consecutive season but as well I was selected to play in 7 games for the National side.
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It was largely due to injuries that I only played the 19 games for Leeds and I suffered a serious one at seemingly the worst possible time!!!
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Thankfully though I showed enough signs of recovery to earn my spot in the squad to go to Argentina!!!!!
View attachment 275586
This year started on a sour note. Some of the boys got to talking about their contracts at training and I heard Fosu is on 13k a week. That ****** me off as I think I am every bit as good a player as he is!!
View attachment 275594View attachment 275593
Things quickly got better after that however. As we had finished 3rd in our Asian World Cup qualifying group we were required to playoff against Jordan with the winner earning the right to play off against Colombia for a spot at the World Cup. We easily dispatched of Jordan and then were at our absolute best to beat Colombia 5-2 on aggregate.
View attachment 275591
View attachment 275590
I would go on to make only the 19 competitive appearances for Leeds this season as they finish 10th in the Championship for a consecutive season but as well I was selected to play in 7 games for the National side.
View attachment 275589
It was largely due to injuries that I only played the 19 games for Leeds and I suffered a serious one at seemingly the worst possible time!!!
View attachment 275587
Thankfully though I showed enough signs of recovery to earn my spot in the squad to go to Argentina!!!!!
View attachment 275586
Bullardinho
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That would have been a right ***** if you missed the World Cup! Here's to hoping you have an awesome tournament and boost your profile further!
Year 12 - World Cup Report
We had a few trial matches in the lead up to the World Cup. We easily accounted for Cyprus before going down to Portugal. I had to miss both those games though as I was still injured with the groin. I played in our final warm up match against Lichtenstein who I had played against in my first international and scored. This time round I just didn't want to get injured! I managed to get through the game unscathed and was selected in the run on side for our first group game against the Netherlands.
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We were beaten but far from disgraced. I could only run out the first half before the groin started to tighten. This result meant that our 2nd game against Turkey became a must win.
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I pushed through the pain barrier and played out the full 90 but alas it was to no avail. We had been eliminated with a game to go. The final group match was against Morocco. I was still tight from the Turkey game but I could have been missing a leg and I would still have gone out there. That was, until, Paul Okon took me aside at the hotel on the day of the game to tell me I wouldn't be playing against Morocco. Ian Holloway had rung him overnight to request I not be risked now that we were eliminated. I was hurt but I could see everyone's point of view. At the end of the day I can now say I have played at a World Cup!!
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When I take stock of my performance at the tournament I am 'only' 28 so if I can stay playing at a high level there's every chance I could get to play in a another World Cup in 4 years time!!
We had a few trial matches in the lead up to the World Cup. We easily accounted for Cyprus before going down to Portugal. I had to miss both those games though as I was still injured with the groin. I played in our final warm up match against Lichtenstein who I had played against in my first international and scored. This time round I just didn't want to get injured! I managed to get through the game unscathed and was selected in the run on side for our first group game against the Netherlands.
View attachment 275580
View attachment 275579
We were beaten but far from disgraced. I could only run out the first half before the groin started to tighten. This result meant that our 2nd game against Turkey became a must win.
View attachment 275578
View attachment 275577
I pushed through the pain barrier and played out the full 90 but alas it was to no avail. We had been eliminated with a game to go. The final group match was against Morocco. I was still tight from the Turkey game but I could have been missing a leg and I would still have gone out there. That was, until, Paul Okon took me aside at the hotel on the day of the game to tell me I wouldn't be playing against Morocco. Ian Holloway had rung him overnight to request I not be risked now that we were eliminated. I was hurt but I could see everyone's point of view. At the end of the day I can now say I have played at a World Cup!!
View attachment 275576
View attachment 275575
When I take stock of my performance at the tournament I am 'only' 28 so if I can stay playing at a high level there's every chance I could get to play in a another World Cup in 4 years time!!
CantGetEnoughOfJelavic
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Wish Calum James could experience a World Cup but he struggles to make it into Challenge Cup squads!
Good stuff making that squad.
Good stuff making that squad.
Thanks guys. I was hoping he would get through to the world cup without reinjuring it and was glad to see him get a couple of games.
Year 13 – Half Yearly Summary
I didn’t have the greatest of starts to this season as, after the World Cup, I needed some rest and missed quite a few of the early games. In December the Socceroos squad for the Asian Cup was named and I was ecstatic to be part of another tournament with the boys. We had been drawn in pool E alongside UAE, Iran and Hong Kong.
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We didn’t get off to the best of starts as we lost to the UAE. We’d had the majority of the possession in that game but failed to create many meaningful chances. I took that to heart as I have been particularly tasked with providing the creativity in this tournament that Daniel Da Silva had to miss through injury. We found some form in the 2nd game of the tournament dispatching Iran 4-2 and then turned it on when it was most required hammering Hong Kong 5 nil in the final group game to qualify for the knockout stages. I was absolutely chuffed with my performance in the 3rd game. A number of leading Australian football publications awarded me a 10 for that performance.
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In the 1st knockout stage we had Anthony Stewart to thank for progression. The Leicester Striker bagged a hattrick (2 of which I provided as we got past Qatar 3-2.
View attachment 275270
Prior to the quarter final coach Paul Okon came to me and said he would be resting me for the upcoming game against Saudi Arabia. He had a tactical tweak he wanted to use, going to a 4-3-3 with 3 pure strikers, so I ended up being unused in this game. Who am I to argue though we got the result.
View attachment 275269
I returned to the squad for the semi final against Iraq and had a blinder. It was my corner that Brad Smith turned on for what ended up being the goal that put us through to the final.
View attachment 275268
Prior to the Final Paul Okon took me aside again and said he wanted to use the 4-3-3 against South Korea. I was heartbroken that I wouldn’t start but I did get on towards the end of the game to pick up my Asian Cup winner’s medal!!!!
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I was pipped to the player of the tournament award by Anthony Stewart but in fairness he fully deserved it, it was his goals that fired us to glory. I am personally really happy though with how I performed during this tournament and I was delighted to be named in the all-star team for the tournament! I feel like an integral part of the current Australian National team.
View attachment 275266
At club level my contract with Leeds runs out at the end of this season so I am glad I was able to have a great tournament to gain some extra exposure.
Remaining season goals
- Put myself firmly in the show window to get the best contract possible, be it for Leeds or someone else!
I didn’t have the greatest of starts to this season as, after the World Cup, I needed some rest and missed quite a few of the early games. In December the Socceroos squad for the Asian Cup was named and I was ecstatic to be part of another tournament with the boys. We had been drawn in pool E alongside UAE, Iran and Hong Kong.
View attachment 275275
View attachment 275274
We didn’t get off to the best of starts as we lost to the UAE. We’d had the majority of the possession in that game but failed to create many meaningful chances. I took that to heart as I have been particularly tasked with providing the creativity in this tournament that Daniel Da Silva had to miss through injury. We found some form in the 2nd game of the tournament dispatching Iran 4-2 and then turned it on when it was most required hammering Hong Kong 5 nil in the final group game to qualify for the knockout stages. I was absolutely chuffed with my performance in the 3rd game. A number of leading Australian football publications awarded me a 10 for that performance.
View attachment 275273
View attachment 275272
View attachment 275271
In the 1st knockout stage we had Anthony Stewart to thank for progression. The Leicester Striker bagged a hattrick (2 of which I provided as we got past Qatar 3-2.
View attachment 275270
Prior to the quarter final coach Paul Okon came to me and said he would be resting me for the upcoming game against Saudi Arabia. He had a tactical tweak he wanted to use, going to a 4-3-3 with 3 pure strikers, so I ended up being unused in this game. Who am I to argue though we got the result.
View attachment 275269
I returned to the squad for the semi final against Iraq and had a blinder. It was my corner that Brad Smith turned on for what ended up being the goal that put us through to the final.
View attachment 275268
Prior to the Final Paul Okon took me aside again and said he wanted to use the 4-3-3 against South Korea. I was heartbroken that I wouldn’t start but I did get on towards the end of the game to pick up my Asian Cup winner’s medal!!!!
View attachment 275267
I was pipped to the player of the tournament award by Anthony Stewart but in fairness he fully deserved it, it was his goals that fired us to glory. I am personally really happy though with how I performed during this tournament and I was delighted to be named in the all-star team for the tournament! I feel like an integral part of the current Australian National team.
View attachment 275266
At club level my contract with Leeds runs out at the end of this season so I am glad I was able to have a great tournament to gain some extra exposure.
Remaining season goals
- Put myself firmly in the show window to get the best contract possible, be it for Leeds or someone else!