The Saviour - Kick starting a Career?

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Norwich Vs Sunderland
2nd December, 2017.​

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Team News​

Just the one change to the starting team that spanked Bournemouth 5-0, with a fit again Jordan Pickford resuming duties between the sticks. Dominguez is fit enough for a place on the bench.

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Disgusted by this result. One thing is for sure, for as long as I am at this club, Lee Cattermole is done. Finished. The man is a complete idiot, some of his tackles are just horrendous and he is a liability for the club. This may seem like an extreme reaction but I will also be stripping him of the captaincy, he is setting such a poor example for the younger players in the team. Then to top it all off, Mendy came on to replace him and shore up the midfield with 10 men, and he got sent off too!!!! unbelievable.

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Even worse news is that Craig Bryson picked up an injury during the match and will miss the next three weeks. So our midfield suddenly has Cattermole suspended, Mendy suspended, M'Vila sulking because he wants first team football and Bryson injured. Perfect.

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Burnley Vs Sunderland
9th December, 2017.​

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Team News​

Craig Bryson is our new captain, but unfortunately he is out injured so the returning Dominguez takes the arm band for the match. M'Vila and Ndong come in to the midfield to play with Barkley, while Watmore returns on the right and Defoe leads the line.

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Thats much more like it, and it was one of the incoming players who made the impact, Didier Ndong. I was starting to panic a little bit when we went behind but that panic was misplaced as we did superbly to play our way back into the game. It has been very telling of our season that Ndong has matched Defoes goal haul for the season in just one game.

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Lloyd overlooked for European jobs​

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Sunderland fans will feel reassured today as news has broken out of the Stadium of Light that Lloyd will be staying as manager for the foreseeable future. Previous reports had suggested that Lloyd was set to be approached by a number of big European teams including Schalke and Roma, but these reports appear to be false and Lloyd is taking training today as normal.

It is currently unclear as to whether Lloyd was snubbed for these jobs or if there was even interest from Lloyd in the first place but it would appear Sunderland are ready to get stuck in to their relegation battle with the young manager still at the helm.
 
My uncle would be kissing and hungging u right now if u keep he beloved Sunderland up lol great work awesome stuff
 
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Sunderland Vs Liverpool
13th December, 2017.​

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Team News​

Just the one change from the last game and its an enforced one. Jordan Pickford picked up another minor knock in training and misses out with Declan Rudd coming back in to the side. Once again I am looking for weakness in this Liverpool side and it looks to be the full back positions where they have Tierney and Flanagan playing, having said that I had a look at Tierney and he looks to be a proper player! big future for this lad.

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A hard fought and well earned point against Liverpool. It may have been a scrappy point, but they all count. Defoe seems to be finding his feet a tiny bit, assisting for Khazri's goal.

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Oh boy, that was always the risk with this deal. Nevertheless that is a sickening blow. Defoe is really going to have to be on form now. It could be a blessing in disguise for young Chuba Akpom though he could get his chance to step up into the first team.
 
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Sunderland Vs Swansea
16th December, 2017.​

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Team News​

An unchanged lineup from the side that held Liverpool. M'Vila is enjoying his lengthy run in the side and is playing well. I am trying Barkley as a box to box today to try and coax some form out of him, there is no doubt he has been an absolute flop so far!

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How we only won that by a single goal I will never know. We dominate Swansea completely, they didnt even have a shot on target. We need to learn how to put these games to bed more often, this could have been so much more comfortable. It does however take us 9 points clear of the drop zone, we are not safe yet, but perhaps we can breathe just a little easier.

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Stoke Vs Sunderland
23rd December, 2017.​

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Team News​

Jordan Pickford returns as the only change to the side from the Swansea win. I was quite impressed with Barkley as a box to box, he managed to impose himself a little bit more on the game and was making some late runs into the box which he wasnt doing before, he will continue in that role.

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And just like that, Ross Barkley comes alive! two goals and an assist for him, two goals and an assist for Jermain Defoe as well as the two of them link up beautifully! Amazing what such a slight tactical tweak can do. We conceded a couple of poor goals but I'm really not that fussed today, we got a massive win to make it 13 points out of a possible 18 in our last 6 games.

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A really good story is Leicesters faith in Claudio Ranieri. 4 wins and a draw in the last 5 games now for Leicester as they pull themselves clear of the relegation dog fight. Nice to see loyalty being shown and rewarded.
 
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Wolfsburg approach for Lloyd​

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Sky Bet have today suspended betting following an influx of bets on Sunderland manager Tom Lloyd being named the new boss of German Bundesliga side Wolfsburg. Wolfsburg have been disappointing this season, finding themselves in 12th place in the Bundesliga and a source inside the club has revealed that they have identified Lloyd as their main target and have made their move for the 25 year old Brit.

Sunderland have been in terrific form of late and have moved 12 points clear of the relegation zone with 27 points from 19 games, however the rumours of Lloyd being unsettled at the Stadium of Light have refused to go away.

Sunderland and Wolfsburg fans, feel free to get in touch with your opinions. Is this a good move for Lloyd? Is it a good move for Wolfsburg? Should Sunderland be worried if they lose their young manager?
 
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Lloyd appointed Wolfsburg manager​

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Sunderland manager Tom Lloyd has today signed a deal that will see him leave Sunderland and join German side Wolfsburg on a two year contract. Lloyd, 25, led Sunderland comfortably to safety last season and has been on track to do so again this year around but the young Brit said this opportunity was too good to turn down.

"I am delighted to be here in Wolfsburg and to be the new manager of this wonderful club" Said Lloyd upon his arrival in Germany. "I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and am really keen to get started. Obviously I wish to put on record my thanks to everybody at Sunderland for the amazing time I spent at the club. I will never forget the passion of Sunderland and wish them well for the future, I am sure that they can be a force in the Premier League for years to come."

Wolfsburg have been struggling in the Bundesliga this year and find themselves in 12th position, 8 points off of the Europa League placings and only 5 points above the relegation zone.

There is no doubt that Lloyd has taken a risk by leaving a comfortable job at Sunderland for a move to a foreign land, especially when English managers have not fared well at all in European leagues in recent times. David Moyes had a poor spell at Real Sociedad while Gary Neville had a short and unsuccessful spell at Valencia.
 
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So here I am at my new club! I tortured myself over this decision and gave myself a couple of hours to think about it and as you can see, I decided to make my move. I am really proud of the work I did at Sunderland, I think I turned them into a decent side and they have the potential to really push on. I wish them the very best.

So what were the deciding factors to come to the Bundesliga? Wolfsburg are a Europa League club and are still in the competition which gives me a chance to try my hand at Continental football. They offered me some spending money to make my mark on the squad and we are still only 8 points off of continental qualification again. All it will take is a late run like I managed at Sunderland last year and I could have myself a Europa League club to manage.

So what am I greeted by?

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The squad is a fairly strong one and there are some real world class players mixed in to it with the likes of Draxler, Rodriguez, Arnold, Gomez and Jung just to pick a few. I mentioned earlier that the board were going to back me in the transfer market, and this is what they are prepared to provide me

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£25 million is not a huge amount of money but it will be handy enough to pick and chose a few players to just help fill out the squad a little bit. On top of this I have 90% of transfer revenue being made available for me if I decide I want to sell some players to get a bit more cash to spend.

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They started the season fighting on three fronts and we still are! Europa League football is extremely exciting for me as a challenge and Fenerbahce are a good side who will provide a stern test for us. We are also in the quarter finals of the German Cup as well so perhaps we may just have an outside shot at some silverware (dreaming big!). Our priority though needs to be the league. The board have told me to keep us in mid table this season and we will begin our work properly next season but I reckon there might be more to achieve than simply finishing mid table. If you look at the league, Dortmund, Bayern and Leverkusen are all massive clubs with great teams, but is there anybody else who are clearly better than us? Schalke maybe? the club that rejected me just last month.

As I arrive at the club, it is Christmas day! so not bad at all in terms of a Christmas present! This also means that the club are in the middle of the leagues winter break which gives me a good two or three weeks to look at the squad, try and get some transfers sorted and start working on my tactical approach.
 
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So the very first thing that is on my desk is a report on Julian Draxler.

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He is without a doubt the best player at the club. He has immense quality, his technicals are wonderful, his physicals not far behind. The problem? he wants to leave. He wants to play Champions League football, which to be honest we cant offer him, and I am seriously considering letting him go. £35 million is a **** of a lot of money to reinvest in the squad, and his £135k a week is very high. I have concerns about his lack of Determination, bravery, leadership and positioning and it is that very slight doubt that makes me think I will let him go.

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Another tricky one, Luiz Gustavo is another quality player. The problem is he is 30 years old now and on £180k a week, which is almost 1/8 of our total wage budget as a club. This is completely unsustainable and while he is worth £11 million I think he needs to leave as well while he is young enough for us to recoup some money on him.

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One player who is going absolutely nowhere is Ricardo Rodriguez. The Swiss international is one of the very best left backs in the world and justifies his large wage. He was given a new contract last season which removed his minimum release clause, meaning only a **** of a lot of money will tempt me to part ways with him.
 
Thanks a lot for you're reply earlier on the screenshot question, very helpful.

Gutted to see you leave Sunderland, would have loved to see you're progress with them and the progress with Ross Barkley.

Good luck with Wolfsburg, fantastic team.
 
mathllanber said:
Thanks a lot for you're reply earlier on the screenshot question, very helpful.

Gutted to see you leave Sunderland, would have loved to see you're progress with them and the progress with Ross Barkley.

Good luck with Wolfsburg, fantastic team.
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No problems man :) Always happy to help out people trying to start stories.

Yeah I am a little sad to be leaving Sunderland, but It was just too good to pass up when looking at the quality of player I can work with here, some BIG signings on the way!
 
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Kolarov switches Palace for Wolfsburg​

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Aleksander Kolarov has ended his Palace nightmare and sealed a move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, becoming new manager Tom Lloyd's first signing. Kolarov, 32, signed for Palace at the start of the season but continud to make only three appearances for the club before sealing his £1.4 million move to the Bundesliga.

"Aleks is a top player" Said Lloyd on his new signing "He can give us great depth here and his experience could prove to be invaluable. He can play in several positions and just gives us options to work with which every manager needs."
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So Aleks is my first signing here at Wolfsburg. We only had one left back in the squad (Rodriguez) and needed back up for the position. He still has enormous quality even at his age and has the added ability to be able to play centre back if required just as some cover if we pick up injuries. £33k in wages is cheap enough for a player of his quality and reputation. Happy with this one.
 
Kolarov could turn out to be a real bargain. Taking into account he can cover pretty much anywhere on the left, and also at CD. Despite being 32 he still has good stats and his stamina and natural fitness are both good. For £1.4m and £33k p/w you can't argue!
 
neavie pops23 said:
Kolarov could turn out to be a real bargain. Taking into account he can cover pretty much anywhere on the left, and also at CD. Despite being 32 he still has good stats and his stamina and natural fitness are both good. For £1.4m and £33k p/w you can't argue!
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That was very much my reasoning! I would be more than happy playing him at left back if Roriguez got injured!
 
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Mane completes Wolfsburg move​

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Wolfsburg have today broken their club transfer record, completing the signing of Sadio Mane from Liverpool for an initial £12 million that could rise as high as £28 million with add ons. Mane becomes Lloyd's second signing in as many days following his appointment as Wolfsburg boss and is clearly not afraid to splash the cash.

"Sadio is an incredible talent and I am delighted to welcome him to the club." Said Lloyd upon Mane's arrival. "For one reason or another, he found himself not wanted at Anfield, and we are only too happy to take advantage of that, he has the potential to be a huge player for us."

Wolfsburgs previous transfer record was the £26 million they paid for Julian Draxler in 2015 when he moved to the club from Schalke.

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This is the deal I tortured myself about. Do I bring in lots of bargain signings, or do I break the bank to inject some real quality. Well as you can clearly see, I went for the latter. As a Southampton fan I have a huge amount of respect for Mane, the kid is electric on his day and the idea of having Draxler and Mane on the wings was mouth watering. £85k in wages is kinda high, but not on the same level as Draxler/Rodriguez/Gustavo so I am happy with this one, although it does hugely limit further transfer opportunities.
 
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Cillessen joins Wolfsburg on loan​

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Wolfsburg have today announced the signing of Barcelona goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen on a loan deal until the end of the season. Cillessen, 28, has 41 caps for the Dutch national team and is highly regarded by many.

"Jasper is a quality keeper and we are delighted to have him here." Said Lloyd on his third signing for his new club. "He wasn't getting the game time he needed at Barcelona, so we are more than happy to accommodate him here."

Cillessen is the third arrival of the transfer window for Wolfsburg, following moves for Aleksander Kolarov and a club record deal for Sadio Mane.
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Yet another deal I am really happy with! Goalkeeping was a real weakness in the squad, but this lad can change all of that. £29k a week is not much for a quality goalkeeper which is all we are having to pay and built in to the deal is a £4 million optional buy out clause which we could very well activate if he is good. Another high ish profile capture for the club could be great news.
 
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Witsel Joins​

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I wanted to bring in a man who was going to link up play in midfield and perform the role Craig Bryson did so well at Sunderland. Naturally my first thought was to sign Craig Bryson, but Sunderland were having none of it, so I got this guy instead. Not bad eh? His mentals and physicals are extraordinary, he can finish, he can pass, he dictates tempo, this guy has everything, and all for the very reasonable price of £3.2 million following his transfer listing by Man City. With Gustavo fulfilling defensive duties and Arnold pushing forward, its going to be down to Witsel to fill the space between the two and link the play. £75k a week again is a good deal of money, but I am confident he will be worth it.

Four leave​

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Didavi was the one I was slightly reluctant to let go because he is a good player, however he only specialises in the attacking central midfielder role which I am not going to be playing. £6 million and £66k per week wages off the books is a decent return for him. Casteels had been awful for the past two seasons, averaging out at around a 6.3 rating so he left, while two central midfielders Obi and Ascues leave the club. Neither were going to get a look in and they free up some much needed funds following the arrival of Mane.

Squad​

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This is now the squad I have to work with, and I am extremely happy with it! The core of the side is now outstanding with the likes of Draxler, Mane, Gomez, Witsel, Gustavo, Rodriguez and Jung all fairly big names in the footballing world. Any weaknesses left? I would perhaps like another centre back with Bruma, Knoche and the on loan Fosu-Mensah as my only options, and perhaps a striker with Gomez getting on a bit, Mayoral only being on loan and Preciado still a bit of an unknown quantity.

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Tactically, we are going to set up in a very similar style to the way we played at Sunderland. I briefly contemplated playing a 4-2-3-1 but with Gustavo not interesting many clubs I had to find a way to get him into the side and that was in defensive midfield.

Any money left?​

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A little bit, perhaps enough to bring in a transfer/loan listed player if I can find the right option, but overall I am pretty happy with the balance of the squad now.
 
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