WelshCrusader
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This will be a story using an Azerbaijani database I have constructed as recent 'oligarchs' have began 'pumping' money into many Azeri clubs to improve their domestic and european fortunes. The database I shall upload later on tomorrow will reflect that, also a kitpack and logopack will be made available for use on request.
The Caucasus'... throughout history the site of many civilizations and many wars and conflicts and now home to a young Welshman whose luck finally seems to have run out. In the UK a young man in the prime of his footballing career was broken. The news he had not wanted to hear had arrived;
"Look Ryan... your knee is shot and your ankle is bust up bad, I'm sorry but it's game over for you. You try to play again and you'll be crippled, you can exercise as hard as you want, do all the rehab and physio that's out there but it wont help.. I'm truly sorry"
"Blunt... cheers though doc. Guess It's back to the daily grind for me then..."
"Not necessarily, how old are you now? 28? 29? You thought about doing coaching badges and trying to stay in football?"
"I'm 31... Not really thought about it. Always wanted to play and then make money. Simple as to be honest, I just wanted a career and enough to retire on without resorting to being a taxi driver or god forbid running a pub like a cliche"
"You're a smart lad Ryan. Here's a number of a friend of mine, he can help you out, his name is Dougray Wallace, he runs a coaching school for ex footballers looking to further their careers in the sport...he's based in Azerbaijan though.. fair trek but hey, give it a shot"
The day was young, a 9am appointment with the doctor and a half hour chat led me to this opportunity. Head to Azerbaijan and have a holiday and chat to this Dougray about coaching, might as well, my contract has been paid up in full, had two years left to run but ah well, some new hotshot can take my place now.
The first flight I found was to Ankara in Turkey, from there a connecting flight to Lankaran, Azerbaijan where I was to meet my mentor in waiting, Dougray Wallace.
---------- Post added at 04:18 PM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 07:43 PM ----------
Lankaran Airport, Lankaran-Azerbaijan
The warmth I feel as I step off the plane overwhelms me, my leg still stiff from the injury I sustained a year ago hinders me. Is this my future, stuck in no mans land waiting for some Scottish expat to 'show me the ropes' of football coaching..great.
"Are ye Ryan?"
"Yeah. Dougray Wallace?"
"Aye correct. Welcome to glorious Azerbaijan my lad. The place is for lack of a better phrase, a dump. But where better to learn the trade of real football, away from the moral cesspool of the United Kingdom"
"So the place to learn the glorious game is at the end of Europe and in a pretty much third world country?"
"Why not.The game over here has gotten better, owners are getting richer and more interested and the calibre of player is steadily increasing... they just lack the man management skills..and that is where I'm gonna mould you boy"
"Seriously? You think I'm gonna be management material?"
"I saw that tackle that you did against Chelsea boy. Took Lampard AND Terry out at the same time, that took guts and brains. You've got the raw materials, I'm just going to put them together correctly"
The Caucasus'... throughout history the site of many civilizations and many wars and conflicts and now home to a young Welshman whose luck finally seems to have run out. In the UK a young man in the prime of his footballing career was broken. The news he had not wanted to hear had arrived;
"Look Ryan... your knee is shot and your ankle is bust up bad, I'm sorry but it's game over for you. You try to play again and you'll be crippled, you can exercise as hard as you want, do all the rehab and physio that's out there but it wont help.. I'm truly sorry"
"Blunt... cheers though doc. Guess It's back to the daily grind for me then..."
"Not necessarily, how old are you now? 28? 29? You thought about doing coaching badges and trying to stay in football?"
"I'm 31... Not really thought about it. Always wanted to play and then make money. Simple as to be honest, I just wanted a career and enough to retire on without resorting to being a taxi driver or god forbid running a pub like a cliche"
"You're a smart lad Ryan. Here's a number of a friend of mine, he can help you out, his name is Dougray Wallace, he runs a coaching school for ex footballers looking to further their careers in the sport...he's based in Azerbaijan though.. fair trek but hey, give it a shot"
The day was young, a 9am appointment with the doctor and a half hour chat led me to this opportunity. Head to Azerbaijan and have a holiday and chat to this Dougray about coaching, might as well, my contract has been paid up in full, had two years left to run but ah well, some new hotshot can take my place now.
The first flight I found was to Ankara in Turkey, from there a connecting flight to Lankaran, Azerbaijan where I was to meet my mentor in waiting, Dougray Wallace.
---------- Post added at 04:18 PM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 07:43 PM ----------
Lankaran Airport, Lankaran-Azerbaijan
The warmth I feel as I step off the plane overwhelms me, my leg still stiff from the injury I sustained a year ago hinders me. Is this my future, stuck in no mans land waiting for some Scottish expat to 'show me the ropes' of football coaching..great.
"Are ye Ryan?"
"Yeah. Dougray Wallace?"
"Aye correct. Welcome to glorious Azerbaijan my lad. The place is for lack of a better phrase, a dump. But where better to learn the trade of real football, away from the moral cesspool of the United Kingdom"
"So the place to learn the glorious game is at the end of Europe and in a pretty much third world country?"
"Why not.The game over here has gotten better, owners are getting richer and more interested and the calibre of player is steadily increasing... they just lack the man management skills..and that is where I'm gonna mould you boy"
"Seriously? You think I'm gonna be management material?"
"I saw that tackle that you did against Chelsea boy. Took Lampard AND Terry out at the same time, that took guts and brains. You've got the raw materials, I'm just going to put them together correctly"
