Wagner Love - A SpVgg Bayreuth Story
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Micky Pain
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MAY 2018
With time running out on the season, and the league title firmly secured, it is time for the second stringers to show off their stuff in the remaining matches.
It will still be one of the busiest months I had all year, as I will travel a lot to get a first-hand look at some potentials before I have to announce my final Brazil squad for the upcoming Wold Cup. The core team is already in the books, but there's a few spots remaining that I intend to fill with promising youngsters, picked in favor of some of the aging heroes.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- SEMI FINAL
Traveling to Spain for the second time in a month, we faced off against another giant of European football, in front of a crowd bigger than our own towns' population.
Spirits were high after the convincing first leg, but the squad nonetheless showed no signs of complacency, and the first half was little more than a spirited midfield battle.
There was the occasional chance on goal at either end, but the defense held tight. Late in the first half we were forced to concede the opener, getting caught on the counter, but the whistle for half-time allowed us to take a break to regain our composure before anything more could happen.
We played a lot stronger in the second half, and after a spell of relentless pressure it was Skuletic that stepped up and leveled the score. Real pushed back, creating a string of threatening attacks, but the passion eventually resulted in Vega's sending off at the hour-mark.
Holding the man-advantage allowed us to play a lot safer and keep our opposition in check to ride out the remainder of the game.
Another good performance in the competition allowed us to proceed to the final once more, winning this tie 4-2 on aggregate.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Since I decided to stay in Spain after the previous match to take a look at some more Brazil players, I can only relate what my assistant told me after the match against Schalke.
We played with one of the youngest squads we fielded all season, even giving 15 year old Lechner some first-team exposure, but it was a fairly one-sided affair nonetheless. We outshot our opponents by more than 4-1, but the two early goals by Andre and Ozil remained the only scores of the day.
I am told the youngsters performed admirably amidst the veterans, and we might have scored more if my assistant hadn't been more concerned with keeping the squad fit and injury-free, which is fine by me.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Another very young team lined up for the last fixture of the current season in what turned out to be a fairly average game. Chances were few and far in between, with nothing at stake anymore for either team, and so the second-half goal by Skuletic remained the only note-worthy event on this breezy May afternoon.
Not the most spectacular way to end the season, but with two important finals coming up I am glad that we managed to keep the first team healthy.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
DFB POKAL 2017/2018 - FINAL
A near sell-out crowd greeted the two teams for this years final game in the DFB Pokal to be played out in Berlin.
It was a great match to watch, with fantastic build-up plays and lots of wonderful chances on goal, but equally fantastic saves kept the score level all the way through to extra-time.
There was a quick scare as the linesman took a very long time to call for offside as we were hit on the break, but maybe that was just the wake-up call we needed, as almost immediately Andre broke away from the last defender and placed the ball out of reach of the keeper in the bottom corner. With time and strength running out, we managed to hang on to the narrow lead and secure only our second ever DFB Pokal win.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
A fantastic day for us, getting the double in domestic football.
With anything being possible in the cup, and with our at times quite congested fixture list, I am very happy that we never let complacency or fatigue affect us on our way to getting the silverware.
At times I still cannot believe how far we have come in such a short time.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
The preparations are underway for our Champions League final, only a short week ahead.
We will be able to field one of the strongest team we had all season, even Toni Kroos has recovered well from his broken arm only a few weeks ago, and the signs point for a great match against Inter.
I need a day at the spa to calm my nerves first....
__________________________________________________ _____________________
With time running out on the season, and the league title firmly secured, it is time for the second stringers to show off their stuff in the remaining matches.
It will still be one of the busiest months I had all year, as I will travel a lot to get a first-hand look at some potentials before I have to announce my final Brazil squad for the upcoming Wold Cup. The core team is already in the books, but there's a few spots remaining that I intend to fill with promising youngsters, picked in favor of some of the aging heroes.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- SEMI FINAL
Traveling to Spain for the second time in a month, we faced off against another giant of European football, in front of a crowd bigger than our own towns' population.
Spirits were high after the convincing first leg, but the squad nonetheless showed no signs of complacency, and the first half was little more than a spirited midfield battle.
There was the occasional chance on goal at either end, but the defense held tight. Late in the first half we were forced to concede the opener, getting caught on the counter, but the whistle for half-time allowed us to take a break to regain our composure before anything more could happen.
We played a lot stronger in the second half, and after a spell of relentless pressure it was Skuletic that stepped up and leveled the score. Real pushed back, creating a string of threatening attacks, but the passion eventually resulted in Vega's sending off at the hour-mark.
Holding the man-advantage allowed us to play a lot safer and keep our opposition in check to ride out the remainder of the game.
Another good performance in the competition allowed us to proceed to the final once more, winning this tie 4-2 on aggregate.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Since I decided to stay in Spain after the previous match to take a look at some more Brazil players, I can only relate what my assistant told me after the match against Schalke.
We played with one of the youngest squads we fielded all season, even giving 15 year old Lechner some first-team exposure, but it was a fairly one-sided affair nonetheless. We outshot our opponents by more than 4-1, but the two early goals by Andre and Ozil remained the only scores of the day.
I am told the youngsters performed admirably amidst the veterans, and we might have scored more if my assistant hadn't been more concerned with keeping the squad fit and injury-free, which is fine by me.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Another very young team lined up for the last fixture of the current season in what turned out to be a fairly average game. Chances were few and far in between, with nothing at stake anymore for either team, and so the second-half goal by Skuletic remained the only note-worthy event on this breezy May afternoon.
Not the most spectacular way to end the season, but with two important finals coming up I am glad that we managed to keep the first team healthy.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
DFB POKAL 2017/2018 - FINAL
A near sell-out crowd greeted the two teams for this years final game in the DFB Pokal to be played out in Berlin.
It was a great match to watch, with fantastic build-up plays and lots of wonderful chances on goal, but equally fantastic saves kept the score level all the way through to extra-time.
There was a quick scare as the linesman took a very long time to call for offside as we were hit on the break, but maybe that was just the wake-up call we needed, as almost immediately Andre broke away from the last defender and placed the ball out of reach of the keeper in the bottom corner. With time and strength running out, we managed to hang on to the narrow lead and secure only our second ever DFB Pokal win.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
A fantastic day for us, getting the double in domestic football.
With anything being possible in the cup, and with our at times quite congested fixture list, I am very happy that we never let complacency or fatigue affect us on our way to getting the silverware.
At times I still cannot believe how far we have come in such a short time.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
The preparations are underway for our Champions League final, only a short week ahead.
We will be able to field one of the strongest team we had all season, even Toni Kroos has recovered well from his broken arm only a few weeks ago, and the signs point for a great match against Inter.
I need a day at the spa to calm my nerves first....
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Jack Fulham
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This Story is brilliant, took me ages to read through but ****** fantastic mate, good luck in CL Final.
Micky Pain
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__________________________________________________ _____________________
After finishing of the season, we have just one short week to prepare for the upcoming Champions League final - and the historic chance to become the first ever German treble team, winning three competitions in one year.
Italian league runners-up Inter are sure to be one formidable opponent, and they will be doing their utmost to repent for last years poor showing - finishing last in the group that saw us advance.
With the team fit and rearing to go, all that is left is to go over the game plan once more and hope for the best.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- FINAL
The final was another great game, and although we did allow a fair number of shots, the defense was composed and solid so that most of the attempts were well wide of the target.
We had a firm grip on the midfield, and held possession for the majority of the game, but we found ourselves facing an equally determined Inter defensive line.
One of our few attempts on goal was blocked, but took a fortunate bounce for us past the opposition keeper to give us an early lead.
Inter fought back and recorded a number of great attacks, but we held firm to take the lead into the break.
We were caught on the counter early in the second half, allowing Inter to draw level, but we picked ourselves up quickly to prevent the momentum from shifting completely.
In the end it was a set-piece that decided the game, when Erman Celik rose above the pack and scored the match winner with a fine header from a corner kick.
We did all we could to shut down in the back to see out the game.
A fantastic season has come to a close, winning everything that there is to win and firmly establishing ourselves as one of the world's top teams.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
BUNDESLIGA ROUND-UP
After a great run in the league, we have beaten our own previous record to win the title with 89 points, 17 points ahead of our closest chaser in the table. A dominant showing if I ever saw one.
Another great year for Celik, his areal dominance was showcased time and again during the previous season, and he fully deserves this award.
For the second time in three years, the honor of best striker goes to Petar Skuletic who was at the heart of so many attacks, and never acted too selfish to look for the pass rather than the shot.
Only coming in second place this year, Andre nonetheless had a stellar season for us. I don't think there is anything that can be said about this guy that hasn't already been said.
After the dominant performance in the league, it really comes as little surprise that all three of the top places for best player have been filled by our guys. It could have been anyone from our team, to be honest.
Being present in numbers once again in the team of the year is the final testament to our strength. We could have probably added a few more, but with our overall strength and constant squad rotation, a number of players just missed out due to their lower number of games played. There's always next year to shine.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
As I already mentioned during the mid-season break, our U-19 squad had an equally stellar season - with home-grown talent Tom Franke and new signing Michael Lechner being the stand-out performers. The latter scored an amazing 103 goals - more than the second and third placed TEAM COMBINED! Already touted as the next Klinsmann, this young lad has a great future ahead of him.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND-UP
After overcoming some of the world's best teams on the way to the final, the second consecutive Champions League title feels particularly rewarding. On the whole, it was a great continental cup, with some of the highest scoring ties this competition has seen to date.
Although he didn't score the most goals this year, his constant runs and precise passing were ever-threatening, and for putting his team ahead of his personal rewards, he truly deserves this award.
A stunning goal from our midfielder Sribnyi, that is sure to remain on the highlight reel for many years to come.
This years competition had one of the strongest pack of teams in the knock-out stages, so it is no wonder that the Dream Team consists of players from so many different clubs.
We still managed to get three players on the list, and all of them deserve it.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Once again, only beaten to first place by the legendary Ronaldo, our midfielder Adrien has once again proven his merit.
And yes, even yours truly has been awarded some honors, for the first time making the German Hall of Fame list.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
With everything we achieved this year, some rest would certainly be in order, but neither for a large number of my players nor for myself this will happen anytime soon, as the final preparations are underway before the final 32 teams meet in a few weeks in Russia for the WORLD CUP 2018.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
---------- Post added at 11:18 AM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 01:56 PM ----------
WORLD CUP 2018
The build-up to the World Cup in Russia this year was one of mixed emotions.
On the one hand, I do believe we have a great team, and I am excited as can be to be at the helm of such an accomplished nation, yet on the other hand we have to overcome two major injuries to both our starting and second-choice goalkeeper.
Adding to that the disappointing 1-2 defeat in a friendly against Italy just a week before the tournament, I am starting to feel the nerves.
We have been placed in a manageable group with France, Togo and Romania, so the knock-out stage is highly likely, but I doubt that anything short of a final appearance will not be enough for the Brazilian FA.
My first foray into international cup football is about to begin.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
WORLD CUP 2018 - GROUP STAGE
We did all the preparations we could, and with a strong team at our disposal, all we can do now is wait for the first whistle of the tournament.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Facing off against the strongest opponent in the group in the form of reigning World Champions France, I was feeling the nerves a bit in this World Cup opener.
France came out on the offense right from the kick-off and managed to test our keeper a number of times before we found our composure and slowly took control of the game. In a first half that was dominated by spirited midfield battles it took all the way to injury time for the first goal, when Coutinho hammered in a long-range attempt to give us the lead.
France came out of the break seemingly motivated to level the score, but after a number of thwarted attacks, we managed to hit them on the break, allowing Sandro do double the lead.
Despite their best efforts, France never managed to get back into the game, and we recorded in the end what I consider a comfortable victory.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
After seeing off the strong French side, being held to a draw against Romania has to be a bit of a disappointment.
It wasn't for a lack of trying, though, as we out-shot our opponents with a margin of almost three to one, but lacking that extra bit of luck to convert our chances coupled with a string of great saves from the Romanian goalkeeper meant that a goalless draw was all that we could get from this second cup fixture.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
The team came out determined to put the last mediocre performance behind us, and almost from the first whistle we took full control of the game. After a fair number of attempts on target, another great build-up play allowed midfielder Anderson to score the first goal at the half-hour mark, and the resulting boost in confidence was evident for the remainder of the game.
Close to half-time Andre managed to break free from the defense to score his first goal of the tournament after he rounded the keeper and calmly converted from close range.
With the game firmly under control, I eased off the pressure to save my key players from over-extension or even injury, but we still had a fair number of chances to increase the lead even further.
In the end, the two first-half goals were enough for a solid victory, and our spot in the next round.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
WORLD CUP 2018 - GROUP STAGE ROUND-UP
Although we didn't win every game, at least we didn't lose any, and so we can look forward from progressing from the group as the top team.
France also managed to pick themselves up from the opener and win their remaining games to advance to the knock-out stage.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
No guessing in this group as to who would emerge as group leaders, as Argentina dominated all three of their games. That it came down to the goal-difference alone to decide the second team to progress will certainly hurt Honduras and China and delight the Croatians.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
One of the toughest groups in the tournament, Group C was also the one with the biggest upset. Four-time World Champions and current European Champions Germany were eliminated despite being considered among the favorites to win the tournament. After some fairly surprising results, it is Uruguay and hosts Russia that survive to the next round.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Another group with one heavy favorite to advance and three "filler-teams". Despite being held to a draw by Slovakia, Italy won the group comfortably and together with Mali will now be preparing for the next round.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
A strong Dutch side demonstrated their superiority in Group E, winning all their games to advance to the next round.
To many it came as a bit of a surprise to see Columbia also reach the knock-out stages after they outclassed the highly-rated Mexican side in the last match to finish in second place.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Another fairly straight-forward group that panned out just as predicted, with Spain taking the top seat and Cameroon advancing from the second spot.
No surprises here, although Switzerland came close to an upset against Cameroon in their fixture, but they were unable to hold on to their fragile lead and conceded two late goals.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
In a surprising turn of events, last cups runners-up England were eliminated from a group that saw Turkey and Ghana advance to the next round.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
The final group was a very tight affair until the very end. The lowest scoring group of them all saw Portugal and Denmark gain the right to compete in the next stage, although Chile will have every right to be upset over having two goals questionably chalked off in their last fixture against Senegal.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
So far, so good for my national manager career, but the real battle is only just about to begin when we face Croatia in the round of sixteen.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
After finishing of the season, we have just one short week to prepare for the upcoming Champions League final - and the historic chance to become the first ever German treble team, winning three competitions in one year.
Italian league runners-up Inter are sure to be one formidable opponent, and they will be doing their utmost to repent for last years poor showing - finishing last in the group that saw us advance.
With the team fit and rearing to go, all that is left is to go over the game plan once more and hope for the best.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE- FINAL
The final was another great game, and although we did allow a fair number of shots, the defense was composed and solid so that most of the attempts were well wide of the target.
We had a firm grip on the midfield, and held possession for the majority of the game, but we found ourselves facing an equally determined Inter defensive line.
One of our few attempts on goal was blocked, but took a fortunate bounce for us past the opposition keeper to give us an early lead.
Inter fought back and recorded a number of great attacks, but we held firm to take the lead into the break.
We were caught on the counter early in the second half, allowing Inter to draw level, but we picked ourselves up quickly to prevent the momentum from shifting completely.
In the end it was a set-piece that decided the game, when Erman Celik rose above the pack and scored the match winner with a fine header from a corner kick.
We did all we could to shut down in the back to see out the game.
A fantastic season has come to a close, winning everything that there is to win and firmly establishing ourselves as one of the world's top teams.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
BUNDESLIGA ROUND-UP
After a great run in the league, we have beaten our own previous record to win the title with 89 points, 17 points ahead of our closest chaser in the table. A dominant showing if I ever saw one.
Another great year for Celik, his areal dominance was showcased time and again during the previous season, and he fully deserves this award.
For the second time in three years, the honor of best striker goes to Petar Skuletic who was at the heart of so many attacks, and never acted too selfish to look for the pass rather than the shot.
Only coming in second place this year, Andre nonetheless had a stellar season for us. I don't think there is anything that can be said about this guy that hasn't already been said.
After the dominant performance in the league, it really comes as little surprise that all three of the top places for best player have been filled by our guys. It could have been anyone from our team, to be honest.
Being present in numbers once again in the team of the year is the final testament to our strength. We could have probably added a few more, but with our overall strength and constant squad rotation, a number of players just missed out due to their lower number of games played. There's always next year to shine.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
As I already mentioned during the mid-season break, our U-19 squad had an equally stellar season - with home-grown talent Tom Franke and new signing Michael Lechner being the stand-out performers. The latter scored an amazing 103 goals - more than the second and third placed TEAM COMBINED! Already touted as the next Klinsmann, this young lad has a great future ahead of him.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND-UP
After overcoming some of the world's best teams on the way to the final, the second consecutive Champions League title feels particularly rewarding. On the whole, it was a great continental cup, with some of the highest scoring ties this competition has seen to date.
Although he didn't score the most goals this year, his constant runs and precise passing were ever-threatening, and for putting his team ahead of his personal rewards, he truly deserves this award.
A stunning goal from our midfielder Sribnyi, that is sure to remain on the highlight reel for many years to come.
This years competition had one of the strongest pack of teams in the knock-out stages, so it is no wonder that the Dream Team consists of players from so many different clubs.
We still managed to get three players on the list, and all of them deserve it.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Once again, only beaten to first place by the legendary Ronaldo, our midfielder Adrien has once again proven his merit.
And yes, even yours truly has been awarded some honors, for the first time making the German Hall of Fame list.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
With everything we achieved this year, some rest would certainly be in order, but neither for a large number of my players nor for myself this will happen anytime soon, as the final preparations are underway before the final 32 teams meet in a few weeks in Russia for the WORLD CUP 2018.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
WORLD CUP 2018 COMING NEXT....
---------- Post added at 11:18 AM ---------- Previous post was yesterday at 01:56 PM ----------
WORLD CUP 2018
The build-up to the World Cup in Russia this year was one of mixed emotions.
On the one hand, I do believe we have a great team, and I am excited as can be to be at the helm of such an accomplished nation, yet on the other hand we have to overcome two major injuries to both our starting and second-choice goalkeeper.
Adding to that the disappointing 1-2 defeat in a friendly against Italy just a week before the tournament, I am starting to feel the nerves.
We have been placed in a manageable group with France, Togo and Romania, so the knock-out stage is highly likely, but I doubt that anything short of a final appearance will not be enough for the Brazilian FA.
My first foray into international cup football is about to begin.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
WORLD CUP 2018 - GROUP STAGE
We did all the preparations we could, and with a strong team at our disposal, all we can do now is wait for the first whistle of the tournament.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Facing off against the strongest opponent in the group in the form of reigning World Champions France, I was feeling the nerves a bit in this World Cup opener.
France came out on the offense right from the kick-off and managed to test our keeper a number of times before we found our composure and slowly took control of the game. In a first half that was dominated by spirited midfield battles it took all the way to injury time for the first goal, when Coutinho hammered in a long-range attempt to give us the lead.
France came out of the break seemingly motivated to level the score, but after a number of thwarted attacks, we managed to hit them on the break, allowing Sandro do double the lead.
Despite their best efforts, France never managed to get back into the game, and we recorded in the end what I consider a comfortable victory.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
After seeing off the strong French side, being held to a draw against Romania has to be a bit of a disappointment.
It wasn't for a lack of trying, though, as we out-shot our opponents with a margin of almost three to one, but lacking that extra bit of luck to convert our chances coupled with a string of great saves from the Romanian goalkeeper meant that a goalless draw was all that we could get from this second cup fixture.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
The team came out determined to put the last mediocre performance behind us, and almost from the first whistle we took full control of the game. After a fair number of attempts on target, another great build-up play allowed midfielder Anderson to score the first goal at the half-hour mark, and the resulting boost in confidence was evident for the remainder of the game.
Close to half-time Andre managed to break free from the defense to score his first goal of the tournament after he rounded the keeper and calmly converted from close range.
With the game firmly under control, I eased off the pressure to save my key players from over-extension or even injury, but we still had a fair number of chances to increase the lead even further.
In the end, the two first-half goals were enough for a solid victory, and our spot in the next round.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
WORLD CUP 2018 - GROUP STAGE ROUND-UP
Although we didn't win every game, at least we didn't lose any, and so we can look forward from progressing from the group as the top team.
France also managed to pick themselves up from the opener and win their remaining games to advance to the knock-out stage.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
No guessing in this group as to who would emerge as group leaders, as Argentina dominated all three of their games. That it came down to the goal-difference alone to decide the second team to progress will certainly hurt Honduras and China and delight the Croatians.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
One of the toughest groups in the tournament, Group C was also the one with the biggest upset. Four-time World Champions and current European Champions Germany were eliminated despite being considered among the favorites to win the tournament. After some fairly surprising results, it is Uruguay and hosts Russia that survive to the next round.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Another group with one heavy favorite to advance and three "filler-teams". Despite being held to a draw by Slovakia, Italy won the group comfortably and together with Mali will now be preparing for the next round.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
A strong Dutch side demonstrated their superiority in Group E, winning all their games to advance to the next round.
To many it came as a bit of a surprise to see Columbia also reach the knock-out stages after they outclassed the highly-rated Mexican side in the last match to finish in second place.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Another fairly straight-forward group that panned out just as predicted, with Spain taking the top seat and Cameroon advancing from the second spot.
No surprises here, although Switzerland came close to an upset against Cameroon in their fixture, but they were unable to hold on to their fragile lead and conceded two late goals.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
In a surprising turn of events, last cups runners-up England were eliminated from a group that saw Turkey and Ghana advance to the next round.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
The final group was a very tight affair until the very end. The lowest scoring group of them all saw Portugal and Denmark gain the right to compete in the next stage, although Chile will have every right to be upset over having two goals questionably chalked off in their last fixture against Senegal.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
So far, so good for my national manager career, but the real battle is only just about to begin when we face Croatia in the round of sixteen.
__________________________________________________ _____________________
Micky Pain
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WORLD CUP 2018 - KNOCKOUT STAGES
After a good set of games in the group stages, the scene is set for some of the most exciting and nerve-wrecking football of my managerial career.
The Brazilian FA demands a "respectable" placement, but I know that means that anything other than a place in the final will mean the end of my run as manager of the National team.
With most of the top teams still in the running, it is time to make our claim for the trophy be heard.
_______________________________________________________________________
WORLD CUP 2018 - ROUND OF 16
Facing off against a strong Croatia side, we took the game to them from the very first minute.
The build-up play was precise and pressure almost relentless, and very early on we got the lead when Breno redirected a free-kick with his head.
Croatia tried to fight back, but after a number of threatening attempts on goal we managed to double the lead when defender Leo hammered in a long-range attempt from a botched clearance.
Fully in control of the game, Pato capitalized on an error in defense for the three-goal margin, and the game seemed all but over.
With our players already contemplating the post-match celebration, we allowed carelessness to creep in, and Croatia clawed one back, and even got another goal in the final minutes.
Almost immediately, Neymar restored the two-goal margin, but Croatia was remained on fire.
Scoring yet again in injury time, they seemed dead-set on drawing level, but with strength and time running out, we managed to see out the result to the final whistle.
After dominating for well over an hour, I have to be a bit worried about the late performance, getting so close to having the game stolen from us, and that is something that needs to be addressed for the quarter final.
_______________________________________________________________________
WORLD CUP 2018 - QUARTER FINAL
Being matched up against Italy, I was feeling a bit nervous, to be honest. The pre-cup friendly showed their strength as they handed us a defeat, so I can only hope that the players will show the determination needed to take revenge for our last meeting.
That previous match was also obviously on the mind of this Italian side, as they appeared confident of a win, but found themselves outplayed and outclassed very early on.
Nothing hinted to the dominant team we played only a few short weeks ago, and so we managed to take full control of the game.
In the early minutes, Andre found himself unmarked and calmly converted from close range for the opener. Italy regained some composure in defense, but their attack remained toothless and so the score stayed unchanged well into the second half
Close to the hour mark it was Andre again, outplaying the defense and converting off the post to double the lead.
With time running out, an all-out attacking Italian side was caught on the break time and again, and ultimately punished when Andre completed his hat-trick off of a pitch-perfect Hulk cross for the final score.
A fantastic result. Although I was confident of a good performance, I didn't expect to hammer Italy just like that. The final four awaits, but sadly we will be missing one of our strongest defenders after Breno picked up an injury.
_______________________________________________________________________
WORLD CUP 2018 -SEMI FINAL
Our advantage in the strength department become apparent right from the kick-off. Spain was still recovering from their long and drawn-out fixture against Turkey a few days before, and being the oldest team in the tournament - on average over 31 years old - they appeared tired and exhausted.
We took the game to them from the opening minutes, and Pato found the net with our first shot on target to give us the lead. We remained solid in the back during the few Spanish attacks, and managed to double the lead at the half-hour mark through an unstoppable Coutinho free-kick.
The second half was a rather uneventful affair, with most of the action taking place in midfield, but we stayed solid in the back to prevent all but the most ambitious attempts from Spain to get back into the game.
In the closing minutes, Andre put all lingering doubts to rest with his goal from the edge of the area, and it was all over but the crying. To further emphasize the age and exhaustion of this Spain side, two of their players had to be carried off late in the game, adding injury to insult, so to speak.
World Cup Final, here we come...
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After a good set of games in the group stages, the scene is set for some of the most exciting and nerve-wrecking football of my managerial career.
The Brazilian FA demands a "respectable" placement, but I know that means that anything other than a place in the final will mean the end of my run as manager of the National team.
With most of the top teams still in the running, it is time to make our claim for the trophy be heard.
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WORLD CUP 2018 - ROUND OF 16
Facing off against a strong Croatia side, we took the game to them from the very first minute.
The build-up play was precise and pressure almost relentless, and very early on we got the lead when Breno redirected a free-kick with his head.
Croatia tried to fight back, but after a number of threatening attempts on goal we managed to double the lead when defender Leo hammered in a long-range attempt from a botched clearance.
Fully in control of the game, Pato capitalized on an error in defense for the three-goal margin, and the game seemed all but over.
With our players already contemplating the post-match celebration, we allowed carelessness to creep in, and Croatia clawed one back, and even got another goal in the final minutes.
Almost immediately, Neymar restored the two-goal margin, but Croatia was remained on fire.
Scoring yet again in injury time, they seemed dead-set on drawing level, but with strength and time running out, we managed to see out the result to the final whistle.
After dominating for well over an hour, I have to be a bit worried about the late performance, getting so close to having the game stolen from us, and that is something that needs to be addressed for the quarter final.
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WORLD CUP 2018 - QUARTER FINAL
Being matched up against Italy, I was feeling a bit nervous, to be honest. The pre-cup friendly showed their strength as they handed us a defeat, so I can only hope that the players will show the determination needed to take revenge for our last meeting.
That previous match was also obviously on the mind of this Italian side, as they appeared confident of a win, but found themselves outplayed and outclassed very early on.
Nothing hinted to the dominant team we played only a few short weeks ago, and so we managed to take full control of the game.
In the early minutes, Andre found himself unmarked and calmly converted from close range for the opener. Italy regained some composure in defense, but their attack remained toothless and so the score stayed unchanged well into the second half
Close to the hour mark it was Andre again, outplaying the defense and converting off the post to double the lead.
With time running out, an all-out attacking Italian side was caught on the break time and again, and ultimately punished when Andre completed his hat-trick off of a pitch-perfect Hulk cross for the final score.
A fantastic result. Although I was confident of a good performance, I didn't expect to hammer Italy just like that. The final four awaits, but sadly we will be missing one of our strongest defenders after Breno picked up an injury.
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WORLD CUP 2018 -SEMI FINAL
Our advantage in the strength department become apparent right from the kick-off. Spain was still recovering from their long and drawn-out fixture against Turkey a few days before, and being the oldest team in the tournament - on average over 31 years old - they appeared tired and exhausted.
We took the game to them from the opening minutes, and Pato found the net with our first shot on target to give us the lead. We remained solid in the back during the few Spanish attacks, and managed to double the lead at the half-hour mark through an unstoppable Coutinho free-kick.
The second half was a rather uneventful affair, with most of the action taking place in midfield, but we stayed solid in the back to prevent all but the most ambitious attempts from Spain to get back into the game.
In the closing minutes, Andre put all lingering doubts to rest with his goal from the edge of the area, and it was all over but the crying. To further emphasize the age and exhaustion of this Spain side, two of their players had to be carried off late in the game, adding injury to insult, so to speak.
World Cup Final, here we come...
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