Uprooting the Foundations- A Journeyman Story

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Steve*

Steve*

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* Writers note:
I would just like to start by saying this will be slightly different to most stories as I plan to spend 10 seasons or so in some of the lesser known leagues in the World before moving to Spain, England or Italy. I plan to move teams every 2 years or so until i find a team that I feel can make real progress. Due to being bored of any other save I have, this shall be my only save. I will be stating the game unemployed with a Sunday league Reputation and work my way around the world. My main aim is not to make a club a super power but simply to win as many trophies in as many countries as I can. I have started the save with the following leagues loaded: U.S.A., Uruguay, Chile, Sweeden, South Africa and Ireland down to the lowest tiers.The first update will concentrate on my background and the second will be about my fist managerial post. Anyway enough of the chit chat, lets get down to business.

Prologue 2010:
If you google the name Stephen Murphy you will find many results. Some will be for an average snooker player, others will include a TV reporter, a photographer and a make up artist. Yet I am none of those. Search even further and you will find me. A wiki article names me as a "former footballer who despite a promising future faded into obscurity.". Obscure is the correct word. For once I was touted as the next Ray Houghton in my native Ireland.

At the age of 16 I became the youngest player to play for Shamrock Rovers. I did pretty well in my debut season and was offered a trial at Blackburn Rovers. On the way over I met with a young chap from Dublin by the name of Damien Duff. He had also been promised a trial at Blackburn and played a similar position to me. I attended the weeks trial and I impressed the club. There was talk of them signing both myself and Damien for the upcoming season in 1996. On the final day of the trial I arrived hungover and that was the day that the Gaffer attended to look at the trialists. I was shaky and didnt do a single good run or cross. Eventually the club decided to only sign Damien and I was sent packing home to Rovers.

The next 3 years passed by in a blur. After my rejection by Blackburn and stepping into adulthood I began to drink quite heavily. I assured myself that this was no big deal as most Irish youths were doing the same. In my denial I carried on playing for Rovers and season after season my perfomances worsened until eventually the Manager had enough and released me from my contract. I was dejected but spurred on by my compensation I ventured abroad to find another club and another challenge. Nothing much changed and I made my way around several clubs on the continent such as Steau Bucharest, San Marino, Antwerp and finally moved to the MLS in America. There I played for New England Revolution. I was on their roster for 4 years and by this time I had stopped drinking and tried applying myself well in training. However the years of Alcohol abuse caught up with me, I was out of shape and started just 5 matches in those 4 years.

At the end of the 2010 season I decided to hang up my boots as I was past it and could barely keep up with the youngsters in the team. I vowed that November that I would sit my coaching badges and move into management. Six weeks passed and I found out I aced my badges and was now a qualified FIFA coach. Next week was Christmas and I knew that after that I would have to put my name out there and find myself a club to manage. I hadnt touched a drink in 3 years and I was going to make sure my Coaching Career wouldnt end up like my playing career. I was determined and focused. Christmas came and went and I had applied for numerous positions. Most of the jobs that were available were in China or Uruguay and a few 4th division teams in Sweeden. I had just been approached by Villa Teresa who wanted me to help them progress in the Uruguayan Second Division. I had almost agreed to sign for them when I was shocked to get an E-mail from a much larger club informing me that they were interested in my services as a coach. It took me about 5 seconds to decide to turn down Villa Teresa and accept this new offer.

What club was it you may ask? All will be revealed in the next Update :)
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Wow, loving this start mate. Hurry up with update please!! When u can check my Green Army story out. Thanks.
 
View attachment 234229

Murphy Names as Rev's new Head Coach

NESN has today been informed by New England Revolution owner Sunil Gulati that they have a new head coach for the upcoming season. Stephen Murphy returns to the club 2 months after retiring as a player. Gulati has told the press that Murphy will oversee all areas of the club not unlike European club managers. Murphy is Said to be relishing the new challenge and is expected to see the club finish mid table in the Western Conference. Despite Murphy lacking any experience a lot of people have praised the decision as Murphy has been accepted into the hearts of locals for always trying his best despite not being the most talented player on the pitch. We go over to NESN reporter Heidi Watney who scooped the official first interview with Murphy.

View attachment 234247
Heidi Watney: Welcome back Stephen, how does it feel to be sitting here as the new Rev's coach?
Stephen Murphy: Thank you. Well what can I say, it truly is a dream come through. I owe so much to this club and intend to repay the fans for sticking by me
HW: The fans have praised this decision by the owners. What convinced you to come back?
SM: Well I had a good relationship with Mr. Gulati while here as a player. I was the only player with experience of European football and Sunil is a big fan and wanted to know how the clubs work over there. I decided to become the manager here as Sunil has the same vision as me and we want to turn this club around and leave an imprint on the MLS.
HW: Surely you mean soccer, not football? How involved do you plan to be in the running of the club?
SM: Yes sorry about that. My plans are to reshape this club from top to bottom and change the structure entirely. I cannot go into much detail butall will be revealed in due course/
HW: Good stuff. What is your plans regarding the playing staff? Will most be retained or will you look to bring your own people in?
SM: I want the playing staff to know they have my full support and will be given a chance to prove themselves under me.
HW: You have requested that NESN cover all your press conferences and games. What led you to this decision?
SM: Yes it is true that NESN will cover all our clubs media coverage for the forseeable future. I have been assured that we will recieve good coverage from NESN and another reason was to expose our team to fans in England who follow NESN due to Liverpools ties. Now im afraid I am quite busy and must be off. We shall be in touch quite soon regarding some club announcements. Thank you.
*interview over

Overall the reaction seems to be positive. Many fans are pleased with how I have handled the news conference and are looking to the future with confidence. The hard work begins now as I plan to shape the club and try not get in too much trouble with the sports governing body of the MLS. I have 3 months to prepare for the new season and hopefully there will be radical changes by then.

First on my list of things to do is appoint some proper scouts. The league frowns upon the use of scouts and the job is usually left to coaches to do the scouting. My plans are different though and I contact two young scouts about the possibility of joining us. I outlined my plans to them and the following day both Davide Xausa and Thomas Parrott joined the club. Both are very promising and have shown in the regional divisions that they can find a gem of a player. Davide will focus on the East and north coast while Thomas will be the main scout in the West. Both have been instructed to compile reports on as many players as possible who may be suitabe for a waiver.

My next job was to meet with my boss Sunil Gulati about what I require. I told Sunil I wanted to upgrade our training facilities, wanted us to find suitable commercial partners and also a shirt sponsor and finally about the possibility of a new Stadium poropuse built for soccer. Sunil agreed abut the training facilities and said this would be adressed by the start of next season. We were also going to look into the possibility of shirt sponsorship and comercial oppertunities. On the stadium front though I was informed that the club didnt have the required funds but we could revisit that discussion at a later date.

Overall I was pleased with our conversation and my next focus was about potential players who may join us. After me leaving the playing staff we now had a free designated player slot and also and international slot. I looked into many players and quite a few veterans seemed keen to join us including Robert Pires, Rivaldo and Guti as well as young players such as Luigi Bruins. I contacted as many people as posible to see if we could come to an arrangement of some kind. In the end we secured the services of 2 players who I felt could make a contribution to the team. All will be revealed in the next update :)
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Nice start mate... Looking forward for more :)
 
Cheers guys, may get another update in a few hours with the first few games in it :)

As always I look for constructive criticism. And dont post simply to advertise your own story.
 
Cheers guys, was meant to have an update last night but got carried away watching a movie. I will have mybe 2 more updates today. One in the evening and another tonight which will get us mid way through the season. Anyway I was wondering if anyone has suggestions on how to improve the story in any way? More pictures etc?
I will post screenshots of transfers and also just a screenie of a list of games and go into detail with some significant games.
 
Where's the updates?? lol. Love the opening post mate, looking forward to seeing what the MSL is like.
 
2011 Update:
January-April
I sit nervously at the press box alongside my 2 signings. The press have been informed that we captured 2 big name players for the upcoming season but all has been kept quiet until the press conference. The journalists soon fill the room and their jaw drows as they see my "marquee" signing. Anybody that knows European football will be familiar with this guy and is surely a coup for the league. Sure LA have Robbie Keane and Beckham and New York have Henry but now I believe we have a player that rivals their stature. I start off the meeting by greeting the journos. I start off by welcoming Guti and Derek Riordan to the club. Poor Derek barely gets noticed as there is a furore about Guti and all questions are directed at him. Its a shame really as I believe that Derek will play more of a role in the clubs future. He is younger and has shown an eye for goal in his early days at Hibernian, I hope I can help him rediscover his early form. Guti reveals he has signed a year long contract worth $50k(£35k) a week and there is an option for the club to extend that contract for another year. He stated it was always a ambition for him to play in America and is glad to have the chance.

About a week later the media circus have left the club alone as people get used to Guti being here. Next week the team begin pre season training and that is when the real work begins. We face off against Montreal Impact, Minnesota Stars and Antigua Barracuda. Obviously I expect us to win comfortably but im more focused on the players being fit for the regular season so wont push them too hard. Overall I was pleased with the outcome with 2 wins and a draw also. The players are approaching fitness and Guti and Riordan are blending in well and both have managed to get off the mark for the club. View attachment 234404


Major news on the sponsorship front as we secured a 4 year deal with local insurance company Liberty Insurance to be our new shirt sponsor. They will pay in the region of $400k a season for the privelage. We also had a falling out with Addidas over supplying the kits and the league gave us permission to talk to Nike about a new sponsorship. Nike were prepared to offer us $700k a season and promised that our kits would be rolled out over the entire west cost and also in Europe displaying Guti 7 on the back. This pleased us and before the season started Nike had indeed brought our kits into circulation.
View attachment 234406View attachment 234405


After all this I thought we were prepared enough for the start of the season. I was sure the quality in our team would be enough to see us finish 3rd in the Western Conference at least to guarantee a spot in the playoffs for the league. We were to kick off our season at the Home Depot Centre against LA Galaxy.Despite being underdogs we played well but in the end lost 2-1 with Riordan scoring our only goal. The next few games came by fast as the league hasnt been schedueled the best. We comfortably beat DC, Portland, Philladelphia, Kansas and Columbus. Still there was cause for concern as we lost a few games that we deserved at least a draw. But overall the season is progressing well. New England currently sit in 4th place in the Western Conference 3 points adrift of Chicago who top the league. Derek Riordan has been the subject of much praise from the media as he currently leads the scoring charts with 7 goals in 8 games. The players seem to like the diamond formation we operate and we tend to pass most teams off the park. View attachment 234403

The players have much cause for optimism as we are so far exceeding expectations. The next few months will either make or break our season. Guti and Riordan will surely be key to our form. Just then my phone rings and it is Thomas Parrot, my scout. He informs me of a few players who have caught his attention and may be available. They may be out of our price range right now but we still have our draftpicks we could use as barter. What does the future hold in store for me? Nobody knows but the only way to find out is keep tuned in for the next update :)
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Great an update at last!!! lol. Looks good buddy, maybe a league table in next update please? (H)
 
Streaky25 said:
Great an update at last!!! lol. Looks good buddy, maybe a league table in next update please? (H)
Click to expand...

I actually cant do that right now. I went a season into the save before i decided to take any screenies. I will do a table at the end of the regular season and then go into detail about the playoffs(if i made them). But come mid way through the 2nd season ill be sure to provide tables of the league. Will get another update or 2 in today so should finish off the first season.

Cheers for the feedback everyone. As always suggest anyway in which i can improve the story. I will also be looking for readers suggestions where my career path should go over the seasons. Hope to be up to date by tomorrow night which will finish off the 2012 season.
 
2011 Update:
May and June

After dissapointment against Chivas the team were raring to prove their credentials. We faced 2 months of jam packed football where we would play 11 games. Our trickiest ties would be away from home where we would face Seattle, New York, Kansas and Dallas. We would have to cope with the loss of 3 players. Chris Tierney left us to join FC Dallas. We got their 2013 and 2014 first pick in the Superdraft in exchange for him. Youngster Diego Fagundez left us on a free transfer after he failed to impress the coaches after returning from injury. Finally Fernando Cardenas decided to join Seattle in exchange for 3 draft allowances.


We were rampant infront of goal over the last few games. Overall we won 8 and lost 3 games. Our best results were a 5-3 win against Dallas in which we came from behind to win overall. We also tore apart Toronto and New York beating both by a 4-1 scoreline. Derek Riordan was instrumental in these games scoring 7 goals in his last 8 games. Even more impressive was the performance of young French striker Saer Sene who scored an incredible 13 goals in his 9 matches played. We were challenging on all fronts and in the Quarter final of the US Cup and sitting 2nd in the league table despite having games in hand against most teams.
View attachment 234531

NESN can report that star of the MLS Guti has been sidelined for upto 12 weeks with what appears to be torn knee ligaments. We go live to Heidi Watney who is at Gilette Stadium with all the details.

View attachment 234530
Thanks Jeff, As you can see im standing right outside the entrance to Gilette Stadium now waiting on more details about Guti. It has been rumoured that he may miss the remainder of the Regular season with his injury. As of yet nobody can be sure and all we can do is wait for confirmation from the club. And here is Stephen now.
HW: Stephen can you confirm the fears of Revs fans that Guti will miss the remainder of the season?
SM: Hello Heidi. After speaking to our medical staff we can confirm that Guti has simply strained his ligaments and not torn them as first feared.
HW: How long is Guti expected to be out of action for?
SM: We would be expecting him to make a full recovery within the next 4-6 weeks.
HW: Is there any long term concerns about Guti's fitness? Can he really still play at this level?
SM: We evaluated Guti before he joined us here and we were of the opinion he mantained excellent fitness and shape despite being past his so called prime. And we at the club still share that opinion.
HW: Rumour has it that Guti isnt happy in Boston and is looking for a more appealing move to LA or New York. Can you confirm this?
SM: I can say this isnt true. Guti struggled at first getting used to the new culture but has settled well now and calls Boston his second home. We are not in the business of selling to our rivals anyway and should Guti decide to leave it would not be to another MLS team. Im afraid this is all the time I can spare and must get back to work. Thank you.


The rumours of Guti never went away and some members of the media even thought that Guti would never play for the club again. However the Rumours were quashed when he took to the field against Charlestown in the US Cup. At the end of June we were comfortabe in the league and had arranged 2 mid season freindlies where I could give some fringe players a chance. We were to play Tigres at the start of July and our last game of the month would be against Italian superpower Inter Milan. The freindlies would help boost our reputation with both games being played in Europe and would also boost our finances.

Could we keep up our good form and win the US cup and also make the Playoffs? Only time would tell. Keep tuned :)
​
 
Regular Season 2011 Update
July-August

I sat in my office chair in disbeleif. We had a tough 2 months. The team who had been excellent up to this point had simply fallen apart now. We got knocked out of the US Cup and we also suffered 5 league defeats the past 2 months. July started promisingly with a draw and 2 wins in the league had us 4 points clear at the top of the table. But now by the end of august we were back in 3rd position. I felt the team were being let down in defense. We conceded 22 goals in 14 games and that just wasnt good enough. Matt Reis had a lot to answer for. He was classed as a top keeper but yet his recent form rivalled only the keepers at the bottom of the division. It seemed that everytime there was a one on one involving him the other team would get a goal. I took Matt to one side and told him if his form didnt pick up he would lose his spot in the team.
View attachment 234657
The most frustrating game of the season so far seen the Tampa Bay Rowdies beat us 2-1. We had far more quality than them yet found ourselves losing the game. We truly didnt deserve to win and it came as no suprise when they took a 2-1 lead when our own Darius Barnes headed the ball back into his own net in extra time.

September 2011
The chairman came to visit me in my office on the 1st of September. Mr Gulati reminded me that this season wasnt too important and not to get too downhearted about recent form. We were still well above predictions of finishing in the lower half of the conference and we had played good football and were also expanding our fan base. He reminded me that the hard work would begin next January as we prepare for my first superdraft and to focus on that. I thanked him for reassuring me and he left. I thought to myself that this is how Soccer will never be as popular in the States as other sports. It has been seen as a soft sport with no great focus on winning. But I want to be a winner so screw Sunil, we wont focus on next season. There are still games to be played and I believe we have the quality to win enough to secure a playoff place in the top 3.
View attachment 234680
For the first time this season we had 10 days off matches and I decided to give the team 5 days off to spend with their families and regroup themselves for the final push on the league. Myself, Guti and Riordan headed back to Eurpoe for a few days. The plane touched down in Ireland on a cold november afternoon. It had been 3 years since I have been home. The country hadnt changed much except there were lots of derelict houses as I made my way to my parents house in my rental car. The recession has clearly been tough on the country. I arrive at my parents door to be greeted by my mother. She tells me its great to see me again and said I should have come home sooner. I ask about my dad and she says he is in the pub. I sigh and tell her I will be back soon.

I walk into McCarthys pub which is where my father always drinks. I have a look around and see a few familiar faces to my suprise. A few guys I went to school with are sitting in one corner. I remember most were builders in the peak times but now must all be out of work. Upon further inspection I see my father Ger sitting alone at the bar. I perch myself on a stool beside him and ask him how he is. Ger looks at me blankly and asks me who I am. "My god, the Alsheimers really has gotten bad" I tell myself. I inform him I am his son and as i say it a tear streams down my face. I let him finish his drink before bringing him home. I spend 4 days at home and it pains me to have to leave my family like this. But I earn good money in my job and that has helped pay for my fathers medical care. I asked my mother if they would consider coming back to Boston with me but she declined. This was their home and I couldnt uproot them.

I arrive back in boston on the 7th, 3 days before our match with FC Dallas. The team look to have enjoyed their break and all of them look refreshed and in good spirits. My only concern is that after a week of no training the guys may be a bit sluggish on the pitch. View attachment 234679

The games didnt go in our favour. We conceded a soft goal against a much fresher Dallas side and hit the post 2 times in the match. We were really unlucky not to get more from the game. Next up we travelled to Portland and we had the misfortune of having 2 players sent off and ended up losing our 2 goal lead to finish the game with a point. Finally in September we faced rivals Chicago. We actually wernt expecting much from this game and despite losing we played well and could have won the game if luck was on our side. With only 1 point from a possible 9 we dropped to 4th place and outside the qualifying with only 3 games to play. The players were doing well but couldnt convert our form into wins. I realised the players needed some incentive to finish on a high. I had an idea and I picked up the phone to see what I could do.

October 2011:
The crowds roaring was getting louder. We sat in the home dressing room just before we were to play Seattle. The players were pumped up after my speech and were raring to give the crowd what they wanted and help us qualify for the playoffs. Before we set out to run to the pitch i held the players back and told them the news. I managed to get my hands on 25 tickets to this years Club World Championship final in Tokyo which would almost certainly involve Barcelona. Should we win our remaining games and get into the playoffs I would bring all of the players to the match with me. It was a once in a lifetime oppertunity for most of the lads as they have never seen a major European team in action. The lads eyes lit up with the exception of Guti who was Madrid through and through. I told Guti that in exchange for his ticket I would get him tickets to next years Superbowl as he had showed an interest in the sport. And with that I sent the lads onto the pitch.

The team didnt dissapoint this month. We managed 2 wins against Seattle and Columbus. The players showed they were up for it and we found ourselves in 3rd place with a game to go. Our final match against Toronto would be crucial. We knew that a draw would be enough to see us into the playoffs but defeat could see Toronto or Columbus overtake us as they had a better head to head record against us. But we battled on and secured a 2-2 draw that seen us in the playoffs again. The players and the fans were estatic and we looked forward to our Semi final conference games against Chicago.
View attachment 234678


Western Conference Division table:
(please note I didnt show the positions as this shows the overall winner)
View attachment 234719

How would we fare in the playoffs? Only time would tell
​
 
November 2011:
(short update)

November would be a pivotal month for the team. We faced 2 games against rivals Chicago in the Semi fial of the Playoffs. Chicago couldnt be underestimated. They were in good form and the fact we were away in the first leg gave them a good chance of taking an important lead into the 2nd leg. I told the players to go out and give theiur all on the pitch. The players looked nervous in the opening half and the game was deadlocked at 0-0. I told the boys they would come at us in the second half but that gave us a chance to catch them on the break. The ref blew the whistle to start the second half and the game kicked into gear. Chicago took down the pitch and only for them hitting the crossbar we would be one down. It only took 5 minutes for the first goal but it was at the other end of the pitch. Derek Riordan got into space and scored a superb volley. The small section of Revs fans erupted into applause. Soon after the restart Chicago pegged us back to 1-1. With 85 minutes gone it was 2-2 and we were under pressure. But then Guti got on the ball and found Sene up the pitch. Sene beat 2 players and rifled a shot into the top corner. The croud once again went wild and the next thing i know the ref blew the whistle and we were one step closer to the conference final. The second leg wasnt as much of a challenge for the players. We went into the game confident and ran out 4-2 winners. We were cruising 3-0 at the break and only for the fact we let our foot off the gas it could have finished 6 or 7 to nothing.View attachment 235051

The players were estatic and we would now face Columbus in the Final of our conference. Should we progress we would have to face either LA Galaxy or Real Salt Lake. The final would prove to be a tough affair for us as Columbus were a good team. The match was intense. The players were spurred on by the fans who were very vocal. Even when we went 1-0 down the fans never stopped cheering us on. ate on Derek Riordan got into space and slotted a neat effort past the Columbus keeper. Injury time beckoned. The game was now more cautious with neither team willing to commit to an all out attack. After the 120 minutes the ref blew for full time. We were heading to a lottery of a penalty shootout. Both teams missed a few sitters before Cam Weaver missed an easy effort. Our hopes laid on Guti who stepped up for the next penalty. Guti strutted up to the ball confidently and slotted home into the top right corner. The stadium erupted in celebration. The lads did a lap of honour to applaud the Columbus fans and players. Just then the PA announced that Real Salt Lake came back from 2 goals to beat LA Galaxy. The lads looked suprised at the result as most expected the game to be against LA. In the dressing room i told the lads to take it easy for the next few days and focus fully on the match.
View attachment 235052

MLS Cup Final
Century Link Field
19/11/2011
View attachment 235050
We arrived in Seattle International early on the 19th. We had very little time to prepare for the match at Century Link Field that day. The players were filled with nerves as we had never won against Salt Lake in a playoff before. Those nerves transformed onto the pitch and at 70 mind we looked dead and buried and were 3-1 down. Then a Shalrie Joseph pen in the 77th gave us some hope. We gave it our all then and in the 92nd minute our faith was repayed as we scored a great efort from Derek Riordan. ight after the goal the ref blew for full time. I asked the lads to do this for the fans and win the cup fo them. They responded perfectly and one minute after the break Derek again found himself in space and scored a screaming header from a Guti cross. The rest of the game we held on by our fingernails and scraped through with a 4-3 win.
View attachment 235053
There we had it. My first season as a coach and despite everybody doubting us we did the impossible and won the league. It gave us a base for next season. The rest of the evening was eventful as we celebrated long into the night despite me only drinking my orange juice. Ring, Ring. My eyes slowly opened and it took me a moment to notice my phone was ringing. I answered the phone groggily as it was still very early. The caller id showed an english telecom extension. "Hello Stephen my name is Bill Kenwright, Chairman of Everton Football Club in England. I have been informed that you won the MLS, congratulations. Anyway the reason im calling is to inform you our manager David Moyes has left the club to manage Chelsea. We would love for you to come to England to discuss personal terms with us as we want you to be our next manager.". I was speechless before saying I would need the day to consider my options if he didnt mind. He said that was fine and I aranged to call him back later.

Would I move to England, keep tuned to find out.

Comments appreciated :)
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Just read through it all ... Amazing! One of best stories around imo.
 
I3east said:
Just read through it all ... Amazing! One of best stories around imo.
Click to expand...

Thanks mate.
It should go on for quite a bit once I avoid crash dumps. Im just starting my 3rd season now but stopped playing on so i could catch up with the writing.

And just so everybody knows I will update when I can. Busy with course work now and also have a few mates home from abroad over the next few weeks but I will try get at least one update a day done. And thanks for reading :)
 
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