The Life and career of a Football manager

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flamindamon said:
Too used to typing in 2010 lol
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LOL yeah something like that. Plus I was just writing the next "flash back scene and got all confused to where I actually was when i posted it. Confused.com! ;)

And writing the next flash back scene shouldn't have confused me between 10 and 11, coz its set back in 07. so..................Just tiredness i guess. I dont know.............anyway.Enjoy everybody. Next update soon.........ish?!?!
 
Fantastic story just read the whole thing through, just incredible! Can't believe what alice did :( and there were some spine chilling moments in there :'(

Keep it up mate :D
 
Chapter 21
Wednesday 12th January 2011
Roma Vs. Atalanta​

I stood on the side of pitch as my team lined up, knowing we were going in to this game off the back of another disappointing draw in the league. This time a 1-1 draw away at Palermo (Baptista (72)). We were sitting in fourth place on thirty nine points, one point behind Juventus and Fiorentina both on forty and two points behind top side AC Milan. But the day wasn’t about the league, today we started our third competition, that we started our TIM cup campaign at home against Atalanta.

I hadn’t managed to sign anymore players, budget restraints not allowing me to bring in the players I desired. The only transfer dealing I had to deal with was a one point four million pound bid for Antunes, which as he hadn’t even come close to featuring in the first team under me, I accepted and Antunes had moved to the South Coast of England.
Away from football, the day to day running of the club was keeping me focused off of my personal problems, although I still hadn’t slept at home since I managed to gain a sofa in my office. Using the showers in the changing rooms, of the training ground and stadium before and after training was keeping me going. The suits and training gear I had in my office keeping me going. In fact going into the Atalanta game I hadn’t actually been home for a week. Sarah had kind of realised it, by the fact I was at the club before anybody and staying later than most. The only person who knew for sure was the night guard.

The game kicked off and the crowd was electric. Hopeful that with, in their eyes, our title challenge stuttering, that the cup could bring serious silverware to the club. And whilst I disagreed that our league challenge was fading, I did agree that the cup would be a great source of silverware. But in my mind, we were still in with a chance of winning all three competitions. Serie A, TIM cup and the Europa League were all realistic goals in my eyes.
I had started with Bobby Zamora upfront for the first time and ten minutes in it looked like a good decision, as Bobby combined beautifully with Totti and struck the ball perfectly. Unfortunately it flew past their keeper and the post. But I wasn’t down hearted, and my faith in Bobby was repaid in the thirty third minute as Motta bought the ball forward, he played a great through ball for Bobby to run on to, he skipped past two of their defenders and slotted the ball home. Bobby Zamora’s first goal for Roma on his first star, in front of his home crowd. A great way to make the doubters think again.

We took control of the game, hitting the post through Derossi, Totti going close from a corner and Mexes having a header cleared off the line. At half time we led 1-0.
The second half carried on the same way the first had ended, with Baptista hitting the bar, Mexes going close from a corner again and Gibson going close from thirty yards. Finally in the sixtieth minute we got our second goal. Our corner came in from the left from Totti, finding Baptista perfectly, who in turn struck the ball on the volley. It went like a rocket until it struck Manfredini on the knee, the power all gone from the shot, and their keeper stranded the ball trickled toward the goal, and went in. I didn’t care how we scored, the crowd didn’t care how we scored and the players didn’t care how we scored all of us celebrating our second goal.

We went close through Totti again and through substitute Gudjohnsen but we couldn’t find a third goal, but to be honest I didn’t care as the ref blew the full time whistle. Our first win the TIM cup, was also our first win of 2011.

It felt great to finally be underway in the New Year. After the post match press conference, where I praised the whole team for sticking to the game plan and grinding out the result I headed up to the players lounge, where I was greeted by Sarah and a huge hug. The entire team, backroom and support staff all celebrating the win. But I knew in the back of my mind it meant nothing if we didn’t push on from it in the other competitions, and our next big test would come the following Saturday, when we played host to title rivals Juventus, in what was fast becoming a must win game, especially if we wanted to be considered serious title challengers.
 
Good signing Zamora was then, to score on his debut!
Hopefully you can beat Juventus on your next game ;) And hopefully Zamora getting the winning goal? lol
I feel like starting a Roma game now.
 
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Chapter 22
Saturday 15th January 2011​

And here’s Iaquinta with the header and Juventus have stole a point here in Rome tonight!​

I sat in the player’s lounge with Sarah, watching a re-run of today’s game. Watching as Iaqunita scored Juventus’ late equaliser, stealing a win from us in the ninetieth minute. At the time I felt Juventus didn’t deserve their point, and watching it again just proved it. We had taken the game to them, Zamora (who scored our goal), Totti, Van Der Vaart, Benjani, Baptista and Gibson all going close. But once again we still couldn’t get that second goal. Had we of got it, we would have leap frogged all three teams above us and gone a point a head of AC, having played a game more. Instead I sat in that bar, in the knowledge that a win for AC and Fiorentina the following day, and we would start to become a drift of the leaders. And also knowing I was now having to look over my shoulder at Inter. After three draws, Inter were now four points behind of us, and they to played the following day.

After watching the highlights of the 3-3 draw between Ascoli and Livorno, me and Sarah headed out into Rome for a bit of dinner. Sat with the coliseum clear in sight, we ate and chatted for the remainder of the night, before finally when we sat in Sarah’s car the question I had been dreading finally got asked.

“So why are you sleeping at the club?”​

I lowered myself into my seat, embarrassed to answer. But I got the feeling I wasn’t going to be allowed to leave the car until I did. So I answered. We sat there in a car park in the middle of Rome as I explained to her that I just couldn’t face being in that flat, I didn’t want to be alone, not again. Staying at the club was keeping me focused and I had to remain focused to stay strong. If I showed any weakness to the team, to the fan, to the media, to anybody, I would feel that I wasn’t just letting me and my career down, I would be letting Hannah down. And she was the main reason why I was doing this, doing anything. It was all for her. But the chat with Sarah in that car suddenly made me realise how stupid I was being. How pathetic i was being to stay away from my home because of some cheating *****. I wanted to go home.

We pulled up outside my flat, the flat I hadn’t been into for over a week, the flat I didn’t really want to call my own. I asked Sarah to at least come in for a coffee after my ear bending in the car, and so around midnight, I opened the door the door to my flat. It was flooded in darkness, and was pretty much empty. Alice had been in and cleared the place.
I switched the lights on to reveal, at least she had left the sofa, but the TV, the Hi-Fi, pretty much everything except the sofa was gone from the lounge. But at the very least she had left the coffee, so me and Hannah sat on the solitary sofa drinking a strong cup of Italy’s finest, when Sarah realised the time. She got up to leave. As she walked to the door, I got up and grabbed her hand. I pulled back round toward to me, and in the middle of the empty lounge, I kissed her. The kiss seemed amazing, the world slowed down around us. Without saying a word, clinging on to Sarah’s petit hand, I walked over to the bedroom. Hoping that Alice had left the bed, I opened the bedroom door, I didn’t turn on the light, seeing the bed in the moonlight, I turned back to Sarah and kissed her again.
 
wow, this story is amazing, think I'm hooked on it.
unlucky about the juventus game, at least Zamora is scoring though ;)

keep it up mate :)
 
Didn't notice this last night, but as soon as I got home it was the first thing i checked, and I saw it was updated :)

---------- Post added at 11:32 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:52 PM ----------

This has inspired me to make a Roma career now, I think I might. :)
 
Mate I thought being Roma manager was going to easier than this. When I took I've I thought, both Milans and juventus would be the only real challenges but there Napoli, udinese, fiorentina, Catania, lazio, bologna! All are difficult and capable of beating Roma. Hardly any money, so limited signings, plus the players are getting old ie totti. Good luck if u do, so Roma.

Oh yeah, thanks for Reading! Next update coming soon!
 
scuk08 said:
Mate I thought being Roma manager was going to easier than this. When I took I've I thought, both Milans and juventus would be the only real challenges but there Napoli, udinese, fiorentina, Catania, lazio, bologna! All are difficult and capable of beating Roma. Hardly any money, so limited signings, plus the players are getting old ie totti. Good luck if u do, so Roma.

Oh yeah, thanks for Reading! Next update coming soon!
Click to expand...
Ok, thats just put me off being them now. lol
 
Chapter 23
Saturday January 2011
Roma Vs. Inter​

I'm on it, get on it! The troops are on fire! You know I need it, much closer, I'm treading just a little more! Step on it, electronic, The troops are on fire! I'm much deeper, a sleeper, Waiting for the final trip!​

Kasabian was blasting out of my cars stereo as I pulled in to the ground. The crowds slowly gathering around the stadium. A mob of happy Roma fans greeted me as I tried to enter the stadium. For nearly half an hour I chatted and joked with the fans as I signed autographs. Finally I managed to enter the ground, and I entered an exceedingly happy man.

A week previous we had finally got our first win of 2011, beating Genoa 2-0 (Van Der Vaart (53), Pizzaro (pen)(86)) and then just four days later we demolished Reggina 3-0 (Cerci (50, 81), Pizzaro (86)) and we went in to the game against Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan side sitting in second place, one point behind Fiorentina and one point ahead of AC Milan and Inter. Suddenly the pressure I was feeling at the start of the month had been lifted. We had once again found some form. The only problem we were still having was our strikers were still not scoring.

All the goals we had scored in the last two league games were scored by midfielders, so, after the sales of Antunes (£1.4m) to Portsmouth and Brighi (£2.8m) to Genoa, I was finally in a position to try and bring in some strike power. I had launched a bid for Michael Owen, who I had wanted at the start of the season, and who had become unhappy at Manchester United, I had also sent scouts out to find me a striker as well, but so far they had come back with nothing.

The only downside to the week, was the fact we had crashed out of the TIM cup, losing in extra time to Udinese 2-1. (Totti (68)). But going into what was a huge game for us in the league, against one of our biggest title rivals I was confident we could get a result. A point would have been good, but a win would have been better. Unfortunatly for us, I feared that Jose felt the say way.

And my fears were realised as I had to sit and watch Jose jump up out of the dug out as Balotelli put the ball into our net after just six minutes, Inter hitting us on the counter attack from our corner, which Mexes had, had cleared off the line. We tried to bounce back immediately as Zamora broke through their defence, but couldn’t get the ball past Cesar in the Inter goal. Inter hit the bar in the thirtieth minuta and Zamora struck a post straight away, but we still couldn’t break through. Until finally, Zamora connected with a cross perfectly and out the ball into the net. I jumped up, just as the ref blew his whistle, and disallowed the goal. Jose looked over at me and shrugged, my players surrounded the ref and the fans were stunned into silence as none of knew why the goal had been disallowed. Inter took a quick free kick as I was trying to find out from the fourth official why Zamora’s goal had not stood. As he told me it was disallowed for hand ball, Eto’o flicked the ball past Mexes and Doni all in one movement, the ball nestling in the back of the net. Jose celebrating, his team celebrating as our water bottles once again flew into the side of the dugout, having left my right foot moment earlier. 2-0 down at half time. And as it stood, slipping down to third, two points behind Inter at the top.

I tried to inspire the team at half, and thanks to a rash, clumsy challenge by Lucio, Zamora had to be replaced. So I bought on Benjani. The game was a stale mate for the first fifteen minutes of the seconds half, no real chances, until a Pizzaro’s corner was met by Mexes once again, the ball cannoning off the bar, but not getting the break we needed, we once again found ourselves under pressure, Eto’o putting the ball inches past the post. We seemed stirred by the ball hitting the wood work, Vucinic, Benjani and Van Der Vaart all going close, but then Inter struck another blow. Eto’o had another shot, it flew past Doni and hit the post, the ball ricocheted off the post and hit our keeper on the back, trickling over the line and making it 3-0. Inter were really gathering pace as Eto’o and Zanetti combined beautifully to make it 4-0 after seventy six minutes.

I was devastated, losing 4-0 to Inter, and now down to fourth with AC and Inter both winning and going above us. I shook Jose’s hand and stormed down the tunnel. I wasn’t happy, as I walked straight past the press and went straight up to the players lounge.
I sat there for two hours, making small talk, trying to hide my disappointment at my players. Before finally Sarah came over. For the first time since the final whistle I felt slightly happier. We didn’t kiss, in fact we hadn’t told anybody about that night when I finally went back to my flat.

I had perked up a bit as me and Sarah finally got to my flat that night. I could finally kiss her as we walked in to the flat. I turned on the brand new TV, and turned it off pretty much instantly as our highlights were on. Instead I hit the remote for the Hi-fi.

Handle bars, and then I let go, let go for anyone. Take me in, and throw out my heart and get a new one.
Next thing we're touching, You look at me it's like you hit me with lightning!​

Sarah’s Ellie Goulding CD started playing, not one of my favourites but I didn’t care, I was sitting next Sarah on my couch and dispite the result today, I felt good. For the first time in nearly a month, sat on the couch listening to Starry eyed, my lips pressing against Sarah’s I felt at home again.
 
Chapter 24
Roma Vs. Fiorentina
Saturday 5th February 2011​

I stood on the edge of the pitch waiting for the game to start. I looked out over the pitch, and at two of the four new signings had made, just five days earlier on deadline day. After Chelsea had come in with a fourty million pound bid for De Rossi, which was far too good to turn down, I had some money to spend.

Transfer deadline day had been one of the most hectic days of my career to date. I had bids for Joe Cole, Edin Dzeko and Gareth Bale all turned down. But I had been successful in signing five players in the January transfer window. To go with Bobby Zamora, I had finally signed Michael Owen from Manchester United (£1.3m) around two days before transfer day. Then as De Rossi parted ways with his beloved Roma, I bought in Central defender Nicolas Lombaerts (£9m)from Zenit. Young goalkeeper Matthieu Dreyer (£6m) from FC Sochaux-Montbe and what was being heralded as one of the clubs biggest signings, striker Giampaolo Pazzini for twenty million from Sampdoria. I was once again happy with life in Rome, despite the thrashing from Inter, we were still only two points off the lead and AC. With the extra strength in my squad I was confident that we could push on from where we were and be real challengers for the league title, and first came Fiorentina on my birthday.

But unfortunately for us, Fiorentina were in a similar position to us, and took the lead as Luiz’s header flew into the top corner from a corner. 1-0 down, even with Lombaerts and Owen in the team. But they all say new players need time to fit in to a team. It took Michael Owen just twenty five minutes to start getting the pace of the game, and in the thireth minute, Owen shot rebounded off the post and across the goal line, but never crossed it. Zamora went close two minutes later, and Pizzaro just put the ball past the post. Fiorentina weren’t creating chances, but a mistake from Mexes gave them another corner. The ball came in and Lombaerts rose highest, but the ball flicked off of Scocco’s head and connoned off Nicolas’ the ball flew past Doni into our net and made it 2-0. Nicolas sunk to his knees as he realised he’d just scored an own goal, in front of the his home fans on his debut. I felt for the guy as he wanted the ground to swallow him up. And as half time approached I wanted to disappear into the hole with him.

With our title hope starting to fade again, I had to make changes. One was forced tahnks to a knocked picked up by Pizzaro, so I replaced him with Gibson. And with Zamora struggling to create chances I bought on Pazzini for his debut. Gibson went on to the pitch first, before with me stood next to him, Pazzini went on. The crowd roared as the clubs record signing made his entrance.

We kicked off, and Pazzini quickly took the ball forward, he played it back to Gibson, who chipped it forward,a nd through to Owen. And in true Michael Owen fashion, he rolled back the years, rounded the keeper and slotted the ball home. After just eighteen seconds of the second half and we were back in the game. Five short minutes later, our corner came in and Lambaerts once again rose highest, this time connecting perfectly with the header, the ball flying toward the goal, but it was cleared off the line by Luiz. A header from Baptista, a curling shot from Motta all forced saves from Avramov. Pizzini had, had three shot on target when he finally got a real chance the ball hitting the outside of the post. But once again, for the umpteenth time this season we couldn’t get a second goal, losing 2-1.

Despite the result, I was still happy that with the performance, we had created chance after chance. And the spark between Pizzini and Owen seemed to have already sparked, the two combinding well all second half.

I had some business to do as the rest of the team left the ground. The ground staff finished for the night, the flood lights off and the in house lights all but gone, i sat alone in my office, starring at the laptop when there was a knock on the door. Sarah poked her head around the door her beautiful smile beeming.

“I can’t believe you’re still coped up in here. On your birthday! I knew you would be, so you’re coming with me right now. And I’m not taking no for an answer.”​

I apparently had no choice but to follow her, so I got up and walked behind her as she headed down the corridors, occasionally looking back and smiling at me. We were in the lift, as I leant over and went to kiss her. But she pulled away and giggled.

“not yet”​

We were at the highest point of the stdium as we left the elevator. But Sarah wasn’t done, she went through the board room, through a door I had never seen before,which lead to a small balcony like area at the back of the board room. On that ledge, there was a small table, a candle lit dinner and a small Hi-fi. Sarah smiled at me as she pressed play.

I sit and wait, does an angel contemplate my fate, and do they know, the places where we go? When we’re grey and old? ‘cos I’ve been told. That salvation lets their wings unfold.
So when I’m lying in my bed, thoughts running through my head, and I feel that love is dead, I’m loving angels instead!​

We stood there for over looking the Rome in the star light. The coliseum and St Peter’s square all visible from that point. Sarah grabbed hold of my hand and squeezed it, before finally she leant over and kissed me and whispered

“Happy Birthday”​
 
Nice signings you made there, hopefully they will help you a lot.
Unlucky about the result in that game though.
 
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