The journey of a lifetime: Part 1

Just look at that. Out in the fourth qualifying round of the Europa Conference League this season.

Screen Shot 2022-06-16 at 2.22.19 PM.png
 
I am not joking. I did this for real. I resigned as Besiktas manager within 43 DAYS. The club is just not that attractive anymore. I need to see progress on the pitch. That was not happening. We got a few wins in the Europa Conference League but played badly when it mattered. I managed 8 games in total. And won 4. I have a 50% win rate. I know I can do a job. The players fight on the pitch, but they are not good enough. Will not fault the players' commitment at all.

Screen Shot 2022-06-16 at 2.25.41 PM.png
 
At Wigan, I had a 44% win rate. After managing 63 games. I have some success as manager. But, that loss against Larne over two legs as Besiktas manager, it was humiliating. My first real failure as a manager.

Screen Shot 2022-06-16 at 2.31.06 PM.png
 
I am still managing UAE though. It is a more attractive project at the moment to manage UAE.

Screen Shot 2022-06-16 at 2.37.37 PM.png
 
MidKnightDreary said:
Good results in the international friendlies, and a real shame about Besiktas, but I don't blame you for leaving.
Click to expand...
Thank you. It is even more surreal getting the UAE job by chance on the save, as I am a resident of Dubai, UAE in real life. So helping the country's national team of the place I grew up in, in real life within the game is great. Well, about Besiktas, the players bottled it and I am still livid about the second leg against Larne where we drew 0-0 in the Europa Conference League and Cyle Larin kept missing chance after chance for Besiktas. I was convinced that in the league also we would also have these kinds of inconsistent results and I did not want to be associated with that. Basically I needed a platform to build on and Besiktas appeared to be that club, competing in the Europa Conference League after falling on hard times financially, so it looked like a decent base to build from. The departure was not about money available for transfers unlike Wigan, in fact that is the one positive we can talk about, getting the finances in order to a certain degree at Besiktas after they were completely messed up financially. I planned to leave if I did not have a good summer transfer window. But the mentality of the players, it was fragile. Even though they fought for the shirt on the pitch, they just lacked the quality and the mental toughness to get through difficult situations within and after the matches.
 
Last edited:
Khalifa Mubarak Al-Hammadi, the 28 year old centre back is injured for 10 days.

Screen Shot 2022-06-17 at 2.34.42 AM.png
 
The Wolfsburg job became available so I applied for it. They are a big team but they are struggling in the Bundesliga. I want some success as that defeat against Larne with Besiktas has messed me up, so now my mentality is slightly different. I want to get some quick wins in football management. I would be open to taking over a struggling club, turning things around and leaving the club. I don't know, maybe develop a reputation as a survival specialist. But you know when the right job comes, then there can be a chance that I stay for longer. But for now, I am looking to develop my managerial reputation by trying to make almost an instant positive impact on clubs/countries that I manage.

Screen Shot 2022-06-17 at 2.49.43 AM.png
 
I have also applied for the PAOK job in Greece. It is a big club. The sacking of their manager was a bit of a shock as they are in 2nd place in the Greek League.

Screen Shot 2022-06-17 at 2.57.16 AM.png
 
I applied for the QPR job too, in normal circumstances I probably wouldn't have. But like I said, quick wins in management. That's what I want at the moment. If I can turn around a struggling team in the Championship and leave them in a better position at the end of the season that will be an achievement.

Screen Shot 2022-06-17 at 3.16.26 AM.png
 
I also applied for the Al-Urooba (UAE) job. They are currently the worst performing club in the UAE and my reason for applying for the job is to develop grassroots football in the UAE as I am the UAE national team manager currently and make them competitive. It will help me develop talent within the UAE and give them a chance to help players land a move to European football.

Screen Shot 2022-06-17 at 3.18.55 AM.png
 
Last edited:
Possibly off to the US? I have applied for the Houston Dynamo and New York Red Bulls job in the MLS. The MLS is a league which has some very interesting players. It has interesting rules. Very American in its way of working. And it will be a unique experience.

Screen Shot 2022-06-17 at 3.23.43 AM.png
 
I applied for the Hannover 96 job in Germany. Quick wins, like I said is what I am looking for.

Screen Shot 2022-06-17 at 4.06.03 AM.png
 
Al-Urooba have offered me a job interview. Now this is an intriguing job interview, to develop grassroots football within the UAE.

Screen Shot 2022-06-17 at 4.23.04 AM.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

FMBase

Beta

Resources

Top