The Ballad of Charlie McGhee

Season 20 (2033/34) - Hangin' them up

Football can be a harsh mistress - I should know I've been married to the game for over 20 years now and I hope to remain so for a while longer yet - but as she giveth, so she taketh away. I've often heard it said that its the player themselves who are the last to realise they are past it and it would appear that I haven't been immune to such hubris. The season didn't start so bad, at least for me personally, but the team struggled mightily and early on Josh was given his marching orders.

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Davide Petermann would take over and, in a move I felt designed to begin stamping his authority on the team, shuffled me out of the first team. I would only feature 10 times in total for the Victory this season, the majority coming whilst Josh was still in charge.

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The club would make the FFA Cup Final but I would miss it through injury. They would lose to Central Coast 3-1. We would also finish 4th in the race for the Premiers Plate but be knocked out in the Semi Final by Adelaide.

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The world cup groups were drawn halfway through the season and the Socceroos were drawn with Belgium, Colombia and Holland. When the preliminary squad was announced I didn't hold any hope really of being in it. Okon was nice enough to call my personally to let me know I wasn't though. It would prove to be too difficult a task for the Socceroos as they would crash out at the group stage without winning a game.

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So that is it. The ballad of Charlie McGhee the player had drawn to a close. But, as a good friend of mine CJ who plies his trade for Oss mentioned to me, it shouldn't be seen as the end, rather, it should be seen as a new beginning. My story is not yet complete!

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Gutted the boots have been hung up and there was no last world cup!! Brilliant career though!!
 
Great story mate, you played for a random and strange array of clubs in you long career mate but it will be the making of a legendary Manager I reckon. Looking forward to the continuation of McGhee's career!
 
Timmzeh said:
Great career, but this is only the beginning!
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CantGetEnoughOfJelavic said:
Needed a fairy tale ending with the WC squad! :(

Maybe one day McGhee will manage them in a WC?!
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Bullardinho said:
Great story mate, you played for a random and strange array of clubs in you long career mate but it will be the making of a legendary Manager I reckon. Looking forward to the continuation of McGhee's career!
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JamesScott2908 said:
Gutted the boots have been hung up and there was no last world cup!! Brilliant career though!!
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I appreciate all of your sentiment. Rest assured Charlie will be continuing his journey as some point. I have decided to take a hiatus from this story for a while though as I have been engrossed in the world for a while now and need a change! There will be one more update showing Charlie's manager profile and where he has started his management career.
 
Bravo mate, fantastic career, brilliant story! Have really enjoyed it!

Looking forward to seeing where you will start your management career but for now mate, take a well earned break.

After 20 years you've earnt it! ;)
 
Season 21 - The Manager

Wow, I must admit I'm not quite sure how to feel. As soon as the season with the Victory finished I shouted myself a 3 month round-the-world holiday. It'd been so long since I've been able to have more than a few weeks off at a time!!

The problem was that when I did return most of the job openings were filled. Given my lack of managerial profile and frankly my lack of skills I knew I would be starting at the bottom.

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I was considering jobs as far afield as the Conference North/South leagues in England, the 3rd division in Germany, the French CFA division, Jupiler League, Belgian 3rd division and Scottish League 2. It was Newcastle Jets though who offered me my first taste of management in May. It makes sense as this is where my star has been brightest so now it will fall to me to revive the fortunes of a club who finished 2nd last in A League the last season. Newcastle is a beautiful city and I have picked out a nice apartment up near Flagstaff Hill with views over the beaches. Should be good fun!

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Lippo255 said:
Bravo mate, fantastic career, brilliant story! Have really enjoyed it!

Looking forward to seeing where you will start your management career but for now mate, take a well earned break.

After 20 years you've earnt it! ;)
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Thanks mate! I will be following CJ's story with keen interest!!
 
xJamieWilliams said:
Briliant Story mate! So will you be starting off as them on the next FM?
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Depends - I've started an unemployed story and I had a QPR one going that I wouldn't mind getting back to at some point but if I find those getting stale I might start up a story this FM.
 
Just finished reading it after I had gone through the rest of another story and this one had come up. What a great story.
 
Great story, really inspiring! I hope you decide to start a save as a manager and not simulate his managerial career, he deserves more silverware as a manager! ;)
 
Just finished reading the story and I loved it!!! I hope you start a save with the Jets as they are my hometown club :)
 
bnpwp1979 said:
Just finished reading it after I had gone through the rest of another story and this one had come up. What a great story.
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BillHoudini said:
Great story, really inspiring! I hope you decide to start a save as a manager and not simulate his managerial career, he deserves more silverware as a manager! ;)
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DanosFC said:
Just finished reading the story and I loved it!!! I hope you start a save with the Jets as they are my hometown club :)
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Cheers gents. Its always been my intention to use this as a base for a manager story at some point. Might not be till fm16 though.
 
Just finished this story in one big go. What a colourful career McGhee had.

You have to get back in the game Yeti.
 
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