Thank mate - personally I felt robbed as he had been killing it all tournament (with the exception of the quarter final - not sure what happened there)!!
The Ballad of Charlie McGhee
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Thank mate - personally I felt robbed as he had been killing it all tournament (with the exception of the quarter final - not sure what happened there)!!
Not wrong! By the time he finished up at OM I would have been happy with first team football anywhere!!
PatrickLFC
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Congrats on the medal!! Hopefully someone takes notice and can offer a large contract with first team football!
Thanks mate! I had a few premiership clubs interested in me just after the Asain Cup (Leicester actually so I would have joined forces with Anthony Stewart at club level too which would have been cool) but it died off pretty quickly. Next update will explain why!!
Year 13 - End of Season Summary
Upon arriving back at Leeds after the Asian cup I was immediately called into Manager Danny Guthrie’s office. He said he had been impressed with my performances at the Asian Cup and wanted to offer me a new contract. The catch was they weren’t really willing to up my wage. I reiterated my stance on playing more and being on at least the same money as Tariqe Fosu. I looked Danny straight in the eye and said if my demands weren’t met I would be leaving on a free transfer at the end of the season.
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Moving along I am the first to admit that when a contract gets put in front of me I check the main details are right and then skip the fine print and move straight to signing. I had asked my agent (at the time) Nicky Griffiths what he thought of it and he told me everything was kosher so I signed it. Anyway it turns out that Leeds had slipped a 1 year club option in the contract and after I told Guthrie effectively to get stuffed they went ahead and exercised it…
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Note to self: always read the fine print. Shortly after this Australia’s world cup qualifying group was drawn. The group itself is actually very easy and we should get through no worries but the thing that caught my eye as I scanned the email was that after our Asian Cup success Australia is now ranked 10 in the world. An extraordinary effort for a nation without the pedigree in football of many others.
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I flited in and out of the team for the remainder of the season and ended up appearing in 25 matches. I played a mammoth 10 internationals though this year! Leeds didn’t have the best of seasons in the end though finishing 20th in the Championship. Danny Guthrie is on borrowed time it would appear.
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Finally I feel like I am determined as ever to play well. As a player I haven’t had any real recent physical or technical growth but I feel I am see in the game better than I ever have.
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Year 14 goals,
- Focus on that which I can control. Guthrie may or may not pick me. I just need to be at my best when he does.
Upon arriving back at Leeds after the Asian cup I was immediately called into Manager Danny Guthrie’s office. He said he had been impressed with my performances at the Asian Cup and wanted to offer me a new contract. The catch was they weren’t really willing to up my wage. I reiterated my stance on playing more and being on at least the same money as Tariqe Fosu. I looked Danny straight in the eye and said if my demands weren’t met I would be leaving on a free transfer at the end of the season.
View attachment 275015
Moving along I am the first to admit that when a contract gets put in front of me I check the main details are right and then skip the fine print and move straight to signing. I had asked my agent (at the time) Nicky Griffiths what he thought of it and he told me everything was kosher so I signed it. Anyway it turns out that Leeds had slipped a 1 year club option in the contract and after I told Guthrie effectively to get stuffed they went ahead and exercised it…
View attachment 275014
(If you are keen pop back to year 11 and check out where I've put my stats up - end of contract there was 2017)
Note to self: always read the fine print. Shortly after this Australia’s world cup qualifying group was drawn. The group itself is actually very easy and we should get through no worries but the thing that caught my eye as I scanned the email was that after our Asian Cup success Australia is now ranked 10 in the world. An extraordinary effort for a nation without the pedigree in football of many others.
View attachment 275013
I flited in and out of the team for the remainder of the season and ended up appearing in 25 matches. I played a mammoth 10 internationals though this year! Leeds didn’t have the best of seasons in the end though finishing 20th in the Championship. Danny Guthrie is on borrowed time it would appear.
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Finally I feel like I am determined as ever to play well. As a player I haven’t had any real recent physical or technical growth but I feel I am see in the game better than I ever have.
View attachment 275010
Year 14 goals,
- Focus on that which I can control. Guthrie may or may not pick me. I just need to be at my best when he does.
Year 14 – End of Season Summary
I’d had my run ins with Danny Guthrie since he took over. His continued preference for playing Fosu over me was what baffled me most. So I can't say I shed any tears when after a torrid start to the season Guthrie was given his marching orders.
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Ian Ferguson, who cut his management teeth in the A-League, took over and it seemed his familiarity with Australia was a positive for me as I played more under him than I had at any time under Guthrie.
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Although I continued to struggle with groin and hamstring issues I played 25 times for Leeds this season and had a slightly better time of it in front of goal bagging 6 for the year. Thankfully Ferguson was able to get a lot more out of the squad than Guthrie and we finished the season in 20th spot.
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As the season wore down Leeds made some half hearted attempts to convince me to re-sign but it was clear to both parties that my future lay elsewhere. After sitting down and listening to a number of clubs I ended up having to choose between League 1 high flyers Bristol Rovers and Qatari side Al-Arabi. At the end of the day Rovers simply didn’t have the financial clout to compete with Al-Arabi.
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It’s the best contract of my career. £845,000 a year was just too good to turn down. This will set me up for life.
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Season 15 goals,
- Justify my pay packet!!
I’d had my run ins with Danny Guthrie since he took over. His continued preference for playing Fosu over me was what baffled me most. So I can't say I shed any tears when after a torrid start to the season Guthrie was given his marching orders.
View attachment 274993
Ian Ferguson, who cut his management teeth in the A-League, took over and it seemed his familiarity with Australia was a positive for me as I played more under him than I had at any time under Guthrie.
View attachment 274994
Although I continued to struggle with groin and hamstring issues I played 25 times for Leeds this season and had a slightly better time of it in front of goal bagging 6 for the year. Thankfully Ferguson was able to get a lot more out of the squad than Guthrie and we finished the season in 20th spot.
View attachment 274996
As the season wore down Leeds made some half hearted attempts to convince me to re-sign but it was clear to both parties that my future lay elsewhere. After sitting down and listening to a number of clubs I ended up having to choose between League 1 high flyers Bristol Rovers and Qatari side Al-Arabi. At the end of the day Rovers simply didn’t have the financial clout to compete with Al-Arabi.
View attachment 274997
It’s the best contract of my career. £845,000 a year was just too good to turn down. This will set me up for life.
View attachment 274995
Season 15 goals,
- Justify my pay packet!!
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Year 15 (2028/29) – End of Season Summary
I ended up having statistically a much better season this year. The Qatari league runs from Jan-Dec so I joined Al-Arabi halfway through their season. I would go on to play 23 games, scoring 13 goals and making 4 assists in that season. I have also played in 5 games so far in their new season. The slightly easier league coupled with the less strenuous scheduling is definitely agreeing with my aging body.
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I still feel that I am playing well. I had been selected in the upcoming Confederations Cup squad so that gave me a chance to add to my 35 caps for Australia.
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In the Confederations Cup we were drawn with Argentina, England and New Zealand in our group. We easily accounted for New Zealand and then were hammered by Argentina leaving the final pool match against England to effectively be a one game playoff for qualification to the knock out stages. We managed to pip the motherland 2-1.
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Our reward for making the semi’s was a date with Brazil. Quite simply we played the best game I have ever been a part of for Australia winning 3-2. The feeling in the dressing rooms after the game was one of pure ecstasy.
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Onto the final against Spain we marched at the supposed ‘neutral’ venue of the Camp Nou. We ended up being defeated 2-1. This time I started the final but unfortunately an injury meant I needed to be subbed off after only 10 mins and was left wondering what could have been. I ended up paying every game bar the New Zealand game in which Okon experimented with some fringe players.
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Season 16 goals,
- The world cup is on at the end of next season. I would dearly love to help Australia qualify and then play at my second world cup.
I ended up having statistically a much better season this year. The Qatari league runs from Jan-Dec so I joined Al-Arabi halfway through their season. I would go on to play 23 games, scoring 13 goals and making 4 assists in that season. I have also played in 5 games so far in their new season. The slightly easier league coupled with the less strenuous scheduling is definitely agreeing with my aging body.
View attachment 274637
View attachment 274636
I still feel that I am playing well. I had been selected in the upcoming Confederations Cup squad so that gave me a chance to add to my 35 caps for Australia.
View attachment 274638
In the Confederations Cup we were drawn with Argentina, England and New Zealand in our group. We easily accounted for New Zealand and then were hammered by Argentina leaving the final pool match against England to effectively be a one game playoff for qualification to the knock out stages. We managed to pip the motherland 2-1.
View attachment 274639
Our reward for making the semi’s was a date with Brazil. Quite simply we played the best game I have ever been a part of for Australia winning 3-2. The feeling in the dressing rooms after the game was one of pure ecstasy.
View attachment 274640
Onto the final against Spain we marched at the supposed ‘neutral’ venue of the Camp Nou. We ended up being defeated 2-1. This time I started the final but unfortunately an injury meant I needed to be subbed off after only 10 mins and was left wondering what could have been. I ended up paying every game bar the New Zealand game in which Okon experimented with some fringe players.
View attachment 274641
Season 16 goals,
- The world cup is on at the end of next season. I would dearly love to help Australia qualify and then play at my second world cup.
Year 16 (2029/30) – End of Season Summary
My contract ended with Al-Arabi at the end of December this season. I had enjoyed my time there but felt a new challenge was needed.
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Only a couple of weeks later Melbourne Victory approached me to be their Australian marquee player and I jumped at the chance to return to Australia and be closer to my mother. Also I expect to get the chance to work closely with manager Lucas Neill on developing my own management skills.
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We completed World Cup qualification and again managed to qualify for the World Cup although this time we did it directly. It was always going to be between us, Iran and the Saudi’s for the 2 auto qualification spots and it ended up being Us and Iran that went through direct. Saudi Arabia will have to do it the hard way.
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We ended up being drawn in a very tough group. It will be difficult to get the better of Chile, Croatia and Serbia but the opportunity to represent our country at the highest level means we are going to do all we can to get out of that group.
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I ended up playing 14 times for Victory following my midseason arrival. Prior to that I had played 21 games for Al Arabi. Melbourne finished the season in 3rd easily qualifying for the end of season finals series.
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In our first finals series match we needed penalties to get past our city rivals Melbourne City. I actually missed my shot in the shootout but thankfully my team mates bailed me out. In the our elimination Semi we then took on Brisbane where I had a player of the match performance in our 2 nil victory.
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That meant we faced premiers Wellington in the final. We had a game to forget with the Pheonix winning 2 nil. As Wellington can’t qualify for the Asian Champions League however it will be us and Brisbane Roar representing the A-League next season.
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In late May I got the call I had been waiting all season for. Paul Okon rang to let me know I was in the squad for the World Cup!!!
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My contract ended with Al-Arabi at the end of December this season. I had enjoyed my time there but felt a new challenge was needed.
View attachment 274612
Only a couple of weeks later Melbourne Victory approached me to be their Australian marquee player and I jumped at the chance to return to Australia and be closer to my mother. Also I expect to get the chance to work closely with manager Lucas Neill on developing my own management skills.
View attachment 274614
View attachment 274613
We completed World Cup qualification and again managed to qualify for the World Cup although this time we did it directly. It was always going to be between us, Iran and the Saudi’s for the 2 auto qualification spots and it ended up being Us and Iran that went through direct. Saudi Arabia will have to do it the hard way.
View attachment 274615
We ended up being drawn in a very tough group. It will be difficult to get the better of Chile, Croatia and Serbia but the opportunity to represent our country at the highest level means we are going to do all we can to get out of that group.
View attachment 274616
I ended up playing 14 times for Victory following my midseason arrival. Prior to that I had played 21 games for Al Arabi. Melbourne finished the season in 3rd easily qualifying for the end of season finals series.
View attachment 274618
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In our first finals series match we needed penalties to get past our city rivals Melbourne City. I actually missed my shot in the shootout but thankfully my team mates bailed me out. In the our elimination Semi we then took on Brisbane where I had a player of the match performance in our 2 nil victory.
View attachment 274619
That meant we faced premiers Wellington in the final. We had a game to forget with the Pheonix winning 2 nil. As Wellington can’t qualify for the Asian Champions League however it will be us and Brisbane Roar representing the A-League next season.
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In late May I got the call I had been waiting all season for. Paul Okon rang to let me know I was in the squad for the World Cup!!!
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Yeah mate loving it. I'm also really enjoying the club career arc he has had. A lot like a number of other Australians over the years. Go overseas, don't do a lot early, find your feet, settle down later, go to middle east for a payday and then back to Oz to finish up.
PatrickLFC
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How did Zia Martindale score 2 goals and get a rating of 6.9??
Year 16 (2029/30) – World Cup Review
Our form in the warm up matches was very up and down. We had a win against Romania but had losses against Slovenia and Bulgaria. Prior to the first group match Okon held a team talk where he outlined his tactics for Croatia. He was going with his 4-3-3 tweak that meant I would be left out. Again wanting to be the good soldier I didn’t way anything. In reality I couldn’t see why we were going away from what had been so successful for us and was even less impressed when we were duly thumped 4-1.
View attachment 274574
Needing a win then in the second game we reverted to the tried and trusted. We eventually played out a draw but it was very disappointing as we had our chances in this match to win.
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Desperate for a win then against Chile we started in the 4-3-3 but when that didn’t work we switched back to the 4-4-2. As such I only made a late substitute appearance. The game finshed nil all but we were far from disgraced going out at the end of the group stage. In the end Chile would win the World Cup beating Brazil in the final.
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It wasn’t the worst of results for Australia but I really feel that if we had stuck to the 4-4-2 that had worked for us then we would have had more success. I guess that’s just part of getting old too. You just want to play each and every game because deep down you know it might be your last.
Season 17 goals,
- Break the half century of caps. I'm sitting on 47 after the World Cup so only 3 more needed!!
Our form in the warm up matches was very up and down. We had a win against Romania but had losses against Slovenia and Bulgaria. Prior to the first group match Okon held a team talk where he outlined his tactics for Croatia. He was going with his 4-3-3 tweak that meant I would be left out. Again wanting to be the good soldier I didn’t way anything. In reality I couldn’t see why we were going away from what had been so successful for us and was even less impressed when we were duly thumped 4-1.
View attachment 274574
Needing a win then in the second game we reverted to the tried and trusted. We eventually played out a draw but it was very disappointing as we had our chances in this match to win.
View attachment 274573
Desperate for a win then against Chile we started in the 4-3-3 but when that didn’t work we switched back to the 4-4-2. As such I only made a late substitute appearance. The game finshed nil all but we were far from disgraced going out at the end of the group stage. In the end Chile would win the World Cup beating Brazil in the final.
View attachment 274572
View attachment 274571
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It wasn’t the worst of results for Australia but I really feel that if we had stuck to the 4-4-2 that had worked for us then we would have had more success. I guess that’s just part of getting old too. You just want to play each and every game because deep down you know it might be your last.
Season 17 goals,
- Break the half century of caps. I'm sitting on 47 after the World Cup so only 3 more needed!!
CantGetEnoughOfJelavic
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Huge few seasons!! 1 more WC? 
Huge few seasons!! 1 more WC?
I'll definitely get the next Asian Cup in. Next World Cup would be awesome if he is still around then!!
Ahhh WC could have gone better, still plenty of time for another
Thanks mate. It was a bit disappointing how it ended up - not sure about if he'll be round for the next (will be 36 by the time the next one rolls around) who knows though, he might be managing by then!
Cheers Lippo! He certainly seems to have found his level. When I started this, like most, I wanted him to be world class and star at a huge club but I have really enjoyed the way it has played out. I think he's ended up being good enough that when the times comes I hope he gets considered for some reasonably prestigious managerial roles.
Season 17 (2030/31) - Half yearly summary
I was very happy to be selected in the Australian Squad for the Asian Cup. We had been drawn in a group with Jordan, Oman and Singapore.
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We started off the Asian cup in great style easily handling Jordan 3-0.
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We then had Singapore who were clearly the worst team in the group. As such Okon took the opportunity to rest most of the first choice team as we easily dispatched them.
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We'd already qualified for the knockout stages by the time we played Oman. Okon made another boneheaded decision and started all his first choice team. Nic Skull who, along with Anthony Stewart are our two best players, was injured and would now miss the next game...
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Thankfully though we were drawn against Lebanon in the 2nd round knockout game and won again with ease.
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In the quarters we were up against China. With Skull back we were far too good.
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Nic Skull was our saviour again against Iran in the semis grabbing both our goals as we won 2-1. Okon reverted to his 4-3-3 formation again so I missed out...
View attachment 274262
We found ourselves up against tournament hosts Japan in the final. Okon had another one of those moments that he is fast becoming known for starting Nic Skull on the bench. His replacement, who had barely featured all tournament, Van Paridon decided to get himself sent off just after half time putting any thoughts of a comeback we may have had to bed. At least I got this start this final.
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Again I don't know what Okon's problem is with picking a best 11 and sticking with it, especially once we have reached the knockout stages... It's not as if Skull was injured for some reason he just decided not to play him. It was almost exactly the same as the situation I found myself in last Asian Cup. I mean who in their right mind would sit this guy!?!?
View attachment 274254
I was very happy to be selected in the Australian Squad for the Asian Cup. We had been drawn in a group with Jordan, Oman and Singapore.
View attachment 274270
View attachment 274269
We started off the Asian cup in great style easily handling Jordan 3-0.
View attachment 274271
We then had Singapore who were clearly the worst team in the group. As such Okon took the opportunity to rest most of the first choice team as we easily dispatched them.
View attachment 274268
We'd already qualified for the knockout stages by the time we played Oman. Okon made another boneheaded decision and started all his first choice team. Nic Skull who, along with Anthony Stewart are our two best players, was injured and would now miss the next game...
View attachment 274267
Thankfully though we were drawn against Lebanon in the 2nd round knockout game and won again with ease.
View attachment 274266
In the quarters we were up against China. With Skull back we were far too good.
View attachment 274264
Nic Skull was our saviour again against Iran in the semis grabbing both our goals as we won 2-1. Okon reverted to his 4-3-3 formation again so I missed out...
View attachment 274262
We found ourselves up against tournament hosts Japan in the final. Okon had another one of those moments that he is fast becoming known for starting Nic Skull on the bench. His replacement, who had barely featured all tournament, Van Paridon decided to get himself sent off just after half time putting any thoughts of a comeback we may have had to bed. At least I got this start this final.
View attachment 274257
Again I don't know what Okon's problem is with picking a best 11 and sticking with it, especially once we have reached the knockout stages... It's not as if Skull was injured for some reason he just decided not to play him. It was almost exactly the same as the situation I found myself in last Asian Cup. I mean who in their right mind would sit this guy!?!?
View attachment 274254
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