The Saints Are Coming

[Scott Dickson]

Finally starting to get into Football Manager this year after struggling to settle into a game last year. This time I thought I would try my hand at managing my favourite team. St Mirren are a club with European aspirations, but since their promotion to Scotland's top flight in 2006, they have failed to finish inside the top 6, never mind obtaining a spot to compete amongst the European Elite.

However, with the recent success in the Scottish League Cup, there is a new energy surrounding the Paisley outfit. The current crop of youth players provide the fans with high hopes for the future, and the potential for a place in Europe for the first time since 1987.

The club must, however, overcome their difficulties first. With the Board of Directors directing their interests elsewhere, funding for the first team is limited. As the club looks for new investors the current squad suffers. Poor league form for the 2013/14 campaign led to the dismissal of League Cup manager Danny Lennon. Criminal behaviour of club favourite Paul McGowan, has resulted in the star midfielder's transfer to newly promoted club, Dundee. Injury to local hero Steven Thompson, has left the club without their star striker, and their key hope of survival for the 2014/15 season.

Fans are quickly becoming fed up with the current direction of the club and are seeking change. They demand better league results, they demand better league positions, and they demand European football.

Who will be the man to realise these ambitions?

 

[Scott Dickson]

BREAKING NEWS: SAINT MIRREN FOOTBALL CLUB APPOINT SCOTT DICKSON AS MANAGER

St Mirren have appointed Scott Dickson as their new manager. This will see Mr Dickson take over his first professional manager role. Mr Dickson, has previously worked as a manager for local junior football sides Wishaw United, and Arthurlie, where he enjoyed a great deal of success in the junior cups and the leagues.

The Board of Directors, who are currently looking to sell the Paisley club on, find that this is a great short term solution to keep the club ticking over in the league, while they find a buyer who could install their own manager with limited damage to finances. Mr Gilmour - Chairman of St Mirren - believes that Scott has the right attitude to keep the club competing in the short term, while a more experienced manager is found after the sale of the club.

 

[Scott Dickson]

*First Press Conference*

Scott: Ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to thank you all for coming here today. If you have any questions I'll take them one at a time.

Question 1: How does it feel to the new St Mirren manager? Being a fan of the club, it must be a special experience.

Scott: I'm very happy to be the clubs new manager. As you have stated, i'm a big fan of the club, it's a team that i've supported my entire life. I share the same views as the majority of the fans that support the club. But, i'm not here to be a fan, and support the club. I'm here as the clubs manager. I have a job to do, and I have the ambitions of not just the board, but the expectations of the fans.

Question 2: Yes, you mention the ambitions of the board. Many fans of the club feel that the board of directors are no longer interested in the aspirations of the club, and that their only interests are selling up and leaving. What do you make of that?

Scott:Well, while the board of directors are looking to sell the club on, they know they still have a job to do. In order to sell the club at the best possible price, the club has to be successful and attractive. If the club are playing terrible football, and perform terribly, no one will be interested in buying the club. So the board will act accordingly so they are able to sell for a healthy price.

Question 3: You speak in defense of the board, but they don't seem to have much confidence in you as a manager. They hired you, but on the basis that a new owner will come in and hire a more experienced manager.

Scott: If the board had no confidence in me, they would never have hired me. Why would you hire a person for any job who will only cost you money. The end goal of any employer is that their employees make them money. The board have hired a manager who they believe can do the job of keeping St Mirren in the top flight of Scottish Football. Yes, I may have less experience in professional football than all the other candidates for the job, and yes. I may have come with a lower pay packet than the other candidates, but does that mean I will do any less of a job than those other candidates? I don't think so. Does anyone have any other questions? I don't see any more raised hands.

Question 4: Yes I have one. How do you think the club will fare without striker Steven Thompson, and midfielder Paul McGowan.

Scott: Well Stevie is out for 7 months, he is a big loss to the club. He's a fan favourite and a top professional. However, we have two new strikers in the form of Ross Caldwell and Callum Ball, both have a good track record, and are looking sharp in training. Callum has a little extra weight about him, but its early doors in training and we will have that sorted before the opening fixture at Motherwell. As or McGowan, it's not my place to say. And its an issue that I would personally like to stay out of. We have a young midfielder in John McGinn who can fill in the gap left by McGowan, and there is also young McLean who has a number of similar attributes to Paul.

I thank you all for your questions, but I have to get go and set up today's training programme. I'm sure you all understand.

 

[Scott Dickson]

*Team Meeting*

Good morning gentlemen. I hope you are all ready for today's training session. You have now been back for 2 weeks and it's time for the harder training to begin. I've had to coaches break you in a little easier than normal, to allow me to assess your attitudes towards training. Now before we begin, I want to inform you of my plans for the forthcoming season. Now as you all know, the board intend to sell the club and are looking to do so as soon as possible. This means we will potentially be faced with a transfer embargo until a transaction is completed. Looking at the squad we currently have, we need more depth. Unfortunately, with the position Scottish football finds itself in, with the demises of Rangers, there is very little finances available to bring in new players on permanent deals. This means we will more than likely have to rely on loan signings. However, thanks to Mr Lennon, we find ourselves in a fortunate position, in that we have a partnership with Newcastle United. I have already been on the phone to Mr Pardew about the possibility of bringing in some players for the season. And I have the club scouts headed to Newcastle just now to look at a few boys over the next few weeks. Should any of these players be taken on loan, they will provide competition for the current group of players here in this room. It is up to you to prove why you deserve the starting spot over these new guys. Should you fail to do so, I will have no hesitation in altering the lineups.

My aims for this season are to survive this season in the SPL. I believe the players here are more than capable of doing that. I am also hoping that we can go a run in both cups. Now how I operate is this. The league team will be based upon the performers and effort you give in training, and the performances and attitude on the pitch. The same goes for the Scottish Cup. With the League Cup, the team selection will comprise solely of younger squad members. There are no European spots for this competition and I believe that the younger generation require game time and nurturing to achieve their potential.

Todays training will will be undertaken my Mr Teale, and Mr Goodwin. They will be my eyes and ears on the pitch for today's session. I will post the lineup for this weekends friendly against Walsall at the end of training on the notice board.

 

[Scott Dickson]

Scouting Players

I have sent 2 of my scouts to NEwcastle to look at a few of the players there. In order to have these players fully scouted, I must wait 2 weeks. St Mirren have a partership in place with Newcastle, and are able to loan players in the Under 21's squad for zero wage contribution. My squad lacks sufficient depth in a number of areas, and I must improve this before the beginning of the league. However, since the club lacks the funds to bring in any high impact players, I must resort to loan signings.

The targeted Newcastle players are listed below:

Goalkeeper - Jak Alnwich
Defenders - Curtis Good, Remie Streete
Midfielders - Rolando Aarons, Shane Ferguson, Gael Bigirimana
Forwards - Adam Campbell, Haris Vuckic

Although there are a high number of forwards currently at St Mirren, there is no striker who has a high caliber and ability to score enough goals to survive the SPL. Ball and Caldwell are unproven in the league, while Reilly, Doran, and Murray haven't developed enough to cope with the demand. Campbell was on loan at the club last season, and although he shone when he played, he was never given the time to settle. Perhaps with a longer run at things he may prove his potential. Paul Dummet is another player I would like to take a look at. Newcastle have shipped him to the u21's, an the left backs previous connections with the club may be enough to lure him back. He was part of the League Cup winning side in 2013.

 

[Klippybo]

Interesting team to choose. Not many peeps choose St.Mirren!!!

May I suggest using different colours or boldening headings as that would make it easier to read.

 

[Scott Dickson]

Further Scouting

Previous St Mirren managers have opted to scout players from the lower divisions, and have often found a few gems. Mark Yardley and Darren McGregor from Cowdenbeath are two examples. Like previous Buddies managers before me, I have opted to do the very same and have sent my scouts back out to look at the talent pool in the Championship and lower.

With a transfer budget of 98k and a remaining wage budget of £2,300 there isn't really much I can do in terms of purchasing my own players. However, with strong interest from England's top flight in central midfielder John McGinn, there is the potential that a few players may join on a permanent basis.

The squad still lacks the sufficient depth that is needed to push through an entire season and remain competitive. With only 2 real first team goalkeepers; Marian Kello, and Mark Ridgers, a third goalkeeper may be required. Ridgers has not yet obtained the experience needed to be a Premier League number 1, having spent the majority of last season on the bench with Hearts. Kello can be prone to injury. Therefore a third goalkeeper may be required. This will allow the team to have the best possible chance of remaining competitive in all competitions.

Newcastle United have decided that they will require the services of Jak Alnwich this season, and as a result have refused to loan him to St Mirren. Ben Amos and Sam Johnston of Manchester United were out of my wage range. However, while scouring through the lower tiers of Scottish football, I stumbled across 17 year old Josh Lumsden. Although he will not be able to start in the SPL, as he is currently in Dumbarton's U20's, he may be one for the future.

St Mirren have always been weak in defense. Going back to the ill-fated League Cup final in 2010, where St Mirren were beaten by 9 man Rangers, 1-0, the back 4 was probably at its strongest then. The subsequent sale of Jack Ross, and Will Haining, along with Scott Cuthbert returning to Celtic, marked the end of a solid back line and the beginning of a nightmare. Marc McAusland has always been prone to the odd bomb scare, while full backs, Kelly and Naismith are still finding their feet. The signing of Ellis Plummer on loan from Manchester City, may prove to be a vital addition - as the youngster is touted to be the next Vincent Kompany. Strengthening the defense is a must for the Buddies this season if they are to survive.

Ismael Bouzid, previously had a spell at Hearts and proved to be a formidable centre back. Now 31, the defender has gained the experience that could prove essential to any back 4. Although experience comes with a price, as the player is demanding a high wage budget for his services. However, after recently being released from Kilmarnock, a transfer bid would not be required.

With Streete and Good still being assessed by scouts, and both of which still currently out with injuries. I may have to look elsewhere. Tom Thorpe, another target, again proved to expensive and has been eliminated from the search. 21 year old Mark Durnan of Queen of the South may prove to be a useful addition, with early reports indicating he would adapt to life in the SPL well. One other future target may be 16 year old Russell McLean of Alloa.

The Buddies have always proved formidable in midfield, with strong players like Jim Goodwin providing a commanding presence in the centre of the pitch. Young starlets, John McGinn and Kenny McLean provide the flair and creativity that is necessary for Steven Thompson to convert goals. Pacey players Adam Drury and Gregg Wylde will also cause problems for any back line - including Celtic. However with McGinn leaving, and Goodwin being required for coaching duties, new players may be needed - although are not necessary. Gael at Newcastle has has a loan bit submitted and accepted for him. While Fraser Airde of Rangers may prove to be a decent signing. Airde would be available at a relatively low price as well as Rangers continue to struggle with finances.

Callum Tapping of Brechin - previously Hearts - has always developed into a star player in previous games and early indications show no different. The transfer price doesn't seem to steep either.

The biggest shock however, comes in the form of 22 year old Alloa striker Greig Spence. The man possesses pace and ability that may prove critical in the absence of Mr Thompson. Rangers striker Burrows could also be one for the future.

Still more scouting needed while I play the friendlies. Also please give feedback on any suggestions for players, tactics or any changes to the layout of the story. Anything to improve and make for a better read. Thanks all!