Wandering around a bit...and back again

naterr

Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2013
Messages
1,625
Reaction score
0
Points
36
Hi Guys, after a long absence from here I've decided to come back and do another story. Every year I do a long-winded save where I take one team up the leagues and build them into a super footballing powerhouse! I have done the same this year but it's gotten stale so needed something new.


This save is going to be a bit different, completely different to what I'm used to.

I'm going to start employed and see where I end up - I will try and avoid any English teams to begin with.

I don't want to stay at a club too long, if another offer comes up I will have to consider it.

I also want reader input, so if a few jobs come available I will put it up to you guys for who I take over.

Well that's enough rambling lets get the party started.

Introducing - Nate Naterr

View attachment 152401
 
Naterr's Job History:

FC Girondins De Bordeaux - 22/11/15 - 31/12/2017
Borussia Dortmund - 31/12/2017 - Present



Achievements

Drinking a lot of cider

German Cup - 2020
German Super Cup - 2020



 
Last edited:
Day 1 of the job search:

The Bury and Barnsley jobs were available - neither interested me as I wanted to go on holiday to a warmer place and do some work there, maybe Spain or Italy...

So I signed on at the doll until something more interesting came up - then drank some more cider


November 2015:

View attachment 152396

Pescara of Serie B were lying 17th in the league after being predicted 5th - the board had run out of patience with Massimo Oddo and quickly fired him so they could salvage their season. This looked like a great opportunity so I applied, interview went well (I wore the blue suit) and I waited to hear from them.

They loved me (well who wouldn't love a tiny man in a suit!) paperwork was sent my way, and I was about to sign.....but....I saw a French team in trouble, so I had to have a look. (The French always need help from the British)

View attachment 152395

FC Girondins De Bordeaux had just sacked ***** Sagnol and were also offering me a position, I couldn't refuse.



 
FC Girondins De Bordeaux

View attachment 152392

Bordeuax have had a bad start to the season, they currently sit in 18th after 13 games even though they were predicted a 7th place finish. The previous manager lost his job due to "players losing confidence with their manager". Player power was strong here....and it didn't take me long to figure that out for myself.

View attachment 152384
PSG sit pretty at the top while Toulouse prop up the rest (we are only 2 points above the bottom)

View attachment 152381
Apart from everyone being tired and needing a rest I inherited a pretty decent team -

Starting 11 would (hopefully) be:

Carrasco
Debuchy - Pallois - Sane - Contento
Poko
Arambarri - Plasil
Rolan -------------- Malcolm
Diabate

View attachment 152375

Our Europa League campaign is going well - second in this group and I have a good feeling we can qualify.

Best Players

Diego Rolan
View attachment 152374
A fast tricky winger with great dribbling and technique - can be a key player for me if he stays fit.

Cedric Carraso
View attachment 152373
We have some very safe hands in our goal!


Ok that's enough for the squad evaluation, onto some matches!
 
Last edited:
FC Girondins De Bordeaux - November/December 2015

View attachment 152372

I had 3 days from joining the club to having them ready for their first match with me in charge. I trained them long and hard all night....sounds wrong but they were ready!

View attachment 152371
First match went better than expected - with only a couple days to get used to the tactic I was expecting losses from the start. We were second best for the whole game but holding on for a draw against the group leader could see us through.

View attachment 152370
My first Ligue 1 match - and my first win! We were up against the team currently sitting at the bottom of the league so we had to win. Diabate had many shots on goal but most flew wide of the mark, luckily in the last minute he heads home for the win, not the best but I'll take it.

View attachment 152369
Bastia were sitting just above us at this point so if we lost we would have a bigger gap to get out of the drop zone, couldn't let this happen. I kept to my counter style play we had been using - took a beating from them but kept the clean sheet. Dug in deep boys!

View attachment 152368
EAG next and they have been flying so fully expected to struggle here - very open game but my 2 wingers get the goals in this one and bag us the 3 points - moving up the table now!

View attachment 152367
last game of our Europa league group - we were in second but Brugge could catch us with a win over Dnipro so I didn't want to leave it in their hands....but we decided to lose and go the hard way.
Brugge lost their match so we go through in second place - happy days!

View attachment 152366
We take a break from league action and its the 4th round of the Coupe de la ligue - Another game where our defense do a stand up job keeping the goals out - FC Lorrient have a mare with their penalties.....or our keeper is Jesus in disguise! we go through.


The Dreaded Player Power - Part 1
View attachment 152361
I don't back down to players - they sign a contract they are staying here. This young man is not happy and is going to let the world know.

I forgot to get a screenshot but pretty much the entire team backed him up....this must have been what old ***** experienced earlier! I managed to calm down a few....but most believe he should be allowed to leave...no...just no!

Rolan will be dropped for a few games now. He is on the metaphorical "naughty step"



View attachment 152365
I seem to be saying the same things - but yes they deserved the win but we kept them out, another point and still haven't lost in the league.

View attachment 152364
Angers - our Feeder club - who are higher up the league than us, brilliant. They outplay us but the counter works and we get the win here...

View attachment 152363
I've started training the players to have a possession tactic too for home games so tested it out here. We played well but just couldn't get the win, needs more practice to get it perfect. I would have liked a win but we keep our unbeaten league run going into January.

View attachment 152362

Yeah we have moved far from the bottom now, if I can get the possession tactic working for home games this could get interesting!

So how am I faring so far guys?

 
Last edited:
Good start to life in France! Not taken you long to turn it around for them KIU
 
Good start to life in France! Not taken you long to turn it around for them KIU

Thanks. To be honest they have a really good side, and they only want me to keep them up! I'm aiming for a top half finish.
 
FC Girondins De Bordeaux - January/February 2016

View attachment 152169

January is here and with it comes the transfer window! I have 3m to spend, however when I took over they had almost 4m in the bank, they are now in debt....and looks like the bank balance won't get any better anytime soon! So I opted for the loan market,

View attachment 152168

2 players arrive:

Guedioura from Watford who will be a back up CM as we were a little short there.

Papadopoulos from Leverkusen who will slot straight into the first team!


The Europa League draw was made and we face Fiorentina - this is going to be difficult.


Matches

View attachment 152167
What a way to start the month! massive 3 nil win and Diabate getting the match ball, we made this look really easy - even though it was only the French cup.

View attachment 152166
A great smash and grab win for us again - Montpellier have been having a great season and in 8th at this point so I'm very happy.

View attachment 152165
not happy....not happy at all, I rested a couple of players but we should have won this game against a lower league team!

View attachment 152164
Both teams were looking defensive today, not many chances created so a draw was always on the cards.

View attachment 152163
Since we are out of the other Cup I wanted to make sure we went well in this one - nice easy win but should have had more.

View attachment 152162
Another draw in the league, I'm glad we're not losing but we are slipping down the league each time we draw.

View attachment 152161
And again...however in this match they had over 3 times as many attempts on goal as we did so I'm OK with this one.

View attachment 152160
Our first loss in the league, incredible to think we got all the way to February before this happened. We were played off the park by Lyon and they really showed their class against us.

View attachment 152158
Oh dear, I hope this isn't the start of a bad run here. ST Etienne are a good side and are high up the table but we let in 4 goals...the most in one game. We are usually solid at the back but I think they were having a nap today

View attachment 152157
Up against the team at the bottom of the league which made this cup game a bit easier. they had 0 shots on target to my weakened team...which proves why they have less then 20 goals in the league so far.

View attachment 152156
I'm very happy to beat the Guinea pig people (I know it's not the name but it looks like it) they are having a great campaign and we hadn't won in 6...onwards and upwards lads!

View attachment 152155
First leg - ****..... They were all over us, The second leg is going to be difficult...but I have a plan ;)

View attachment 152154
Nice to see you, to see you...no it's not! they beat us, Guedioua starts his first game and gets sent off. We only managed 2 shots, none on target (They had an angry talking to after that game)

OK so it's time for the second leg against Fiorentina and I have a plan, it's a risky plan but let me just show you my idea...

View attachment 152151
Yes this could be considered "unfair" or "unsporting" or "out to break some legs" but I think the fairies in Italy will get scared after a few hard tackles, it will shake them and we can capitilize!


View attachment 152153
It worked!!!!!!! not sure if it was the hard tackling that did it but played brilliantly, kept the ball well and didn't look worried by their attacks at all. I screamed with joy at the Computer when Carasso saved that penalty! Onto the next round which is against Marseille.....****!


Table
View attachment 152149

13th, not too shabby! Dropped down a place from January, Players are starting to play well in games, I just need to turn some of these draws into Wins and we will fly up the table.


 
Last edited:
FC Girondins De Bordeaux - March 2016

View attachment 152130

We head into March sitting comfortably above the relegation zone but still needing a few more wins to be safe. I was hoping to be higher up by now but results haven't quite gone my way yet.

Youth Intake
View attachment 152129
Very decent Youth intake - if they develop then they could be first team stars!

Soulaimani
View attachment 152128
The best of the bunch - is already at a decent standard - currently being tutored by Diabate, if I stay long I will develop him...or steal him for the next club!

Merceron
View attachment 152127
Another star of the youth intake - his Determination and work rate is terrible....will try and increase.

Results
View attachment 152126
We start off in the French Cup - A heavily rotated side got the win here, we had soo many shots on target that we could have had 4/5.

We have drawn PSG in the Semi...gulp

View attachment 152125
A home game against GCF Ajaccio should have been an easy one, They had one shot....one goal, however it's our fault for not putting our chances away!

View attachment 152124
First leg of the Europa league - We had a decent game here, I was expecting much worse but we kept it to one goal, it was a very open game with over 40 shots between us.

View attachment 152123
A nice game away to struggling Toulouse who are second from bottom...easy result yeah? nope! They played a great game and put their chances away, and again I start sliding down the table...

View attachment 152122
Second leg! I didn't go for the Hard tackling tactic this time but maybe I should have. We won the match but the Away goal rule was a curse, We looked like we were through until the 89th minute when OM score a wonder goal from waaaay outside the area. Close but no cigar boys.

View attachment 152121
We end March with a draw against Bastia, they have been playing really well in the league so I'll take this draw with how some of the results have gone.

Table
View attachment 152120

Must do better.....

 
Last edited:
End of Season 1 - FC Girondins De Bordeaux

View attachment 152089


Ok so we come to the end of our first year in France - Weather has been nice, has some great wine so can't complain about that. I can complain about the hot and cold team I have....had 5 players so far wanting to leave and causing a s**t-storm within the team with everyone backing each other up.....might have to change my hard **** style and just let them go. Problem is with the debt we have I don't get to keep much of the sales....

Anyway. lets get this horrible period out the way (as you may have guessed...it wasn't the best)


Matches

View attachment 152100
Start as you mean to go on! a nice early loss to Monaco....even with them playing half an hour with 10 men we couldn't do anything productive...well we did one thing, Guedioura scored a beautiful goal!

View attachment 152099
A nice draw to high flying Reims, not many chances in this one but a valuable point as we are very close to the bottom...

View attachment 152098
Battered and bruised again by OM, not my favourite team at the moment. Luckily our next match is against our feeder team, nice easy win then?

View attachment 152097
NOPE!!!!! **** it! They out played us and they had one sent off half hour before the end, this is a low point of the season.

View attachment 152096
Knocked out of the French Cup Semi's - knew this would be difficult against the newly crowned Ligue 1 Champions.

View attachment 152095
Played PSG twice in a row - must have learnt a low from the last game as we beat them convincingly, maybe they were tired?

View attachment 152094
Another team trying to avoid relegation is Troyes - and they beat us, not a good result at all here.

View attachment 152093
This win gives us mathematical safety from the drop, was expecting this to have been sorted earlier but at least we are safe - and the board love me!

View attachment 152092
Last day fun with an entertaining 3-3 draw against relegated Stade Malherbe Caen

Table

View attachment 152090

So we are safe, I achieved the target set at the start of the season but I can't help feeling frustrated that we didn't do better.


Highlight of the season - Guedioura's strike against Monaco was chosen as the goal of the season!

Low of the season, big loss to Angers and our general performances against weaker opposition


 
Last edited:
End of Season Plans

So it is the end of the year and the main thing is I passed my first challenge....

Going forward I can go two ways - I either just jump around as a normal game

or

I could move to clubs who are trying to avoid relegation and see if I can save them....


What do you guys think?

Also...here are the teams available for me to take over if I want to leave Bordeaux and carry on with a normal career

View attachment 152083

I will leave the game where it is while I see if anyone has a preference on what I do.
 
Last edited:
Great story so far mate, enjoyed reading through it. Would like to see you stay with Bordeaux for a few seasons before moving on :)
 
stay where you're at. be interesting to see how you replace the disgruntled squad members and how well you can do with a full season in charge
 
Great story so far mate, enjoyed reading through it. Would like to see you stay with Bordeaux for a few seasons before moving on :)

Don't leave them yet build your rep at there.

stay where you're at. be interesting to see how you replace the disgruntled squad members and how well you can do with a full season in charge

You will all be pleased to I have stayed at Bordeaux...update to follow
 
Pre-season - FC Girondins De Bordeaux

View attachment 1052144

I decided to stay - felt it was too soon to leave them and I was curious to see what would happen the next year! I did have an interview with Fiorentina to see if I could get it but they went with someone else.

Transfers

The main problem I had last year was players moaning to leave to go to bigger clubs - I was planning to ignore their requests and make them stay but I thought the money could help us.

Exits
The main players to leave were:

Rolan - £13.5m + clauses
Diabate - £3.1m


Rolan was one of the players to be complaining about leaving - and he pretty much asked to leave the moment I walked in the door. I didn't want to sell him as he was our best player but I think the deal was good enough and I had a player lined up to replace him....which you will see soon.

I wanted to get rid of Diabate as he was on a lot of money and scored 6 in 22 (not good enough) - I was planning on offering him out for 1m until Dinamo Moscow put the bid in, I bit their hand off.


Incomings

View attachment 151312

Tom Carroll
View attachment 151311
I actually forgot I had bought in - agreed a contract in January but should be a decent signing.


Bastos
View attachment 151310
An agent offered this man to him, figured it would be ok as he was a freebie. His technical is a bit low for me but the mental and physical makes up for it - should be in the starting 11.


Abeid
View attachment 151309
Another agent offer, another player that looks very decent and got for cheap - him and Carroll will be fighting for the starting spot alongside Arambarri.

Bou
View attachment 151308
I brought him in to replace Diabate, different type of player to my other striker and will change between the two to see who suits the formation better.


Sam
View attachment 151307
OK I spent some money here - I had a young winger come back off loan and he could have stepped up but after getting lots of money in for Rolan I wanted to spend some.



Team for the new season

View attachment 151306

This would be the staring 11...but a few are injured or suspended etc.
 
Last edited:
FC Girondins De Bordeaux - August 2016

View attachment 151151

Start of a new season in France - the wife bought a vineyard, ****** expensive thing. According to her I agreed to it in our "husband and wife special time talks" I should really start paying attention to those.....

Results haven't gone to plan in the first month - I'm going to blame it on all the wine tasting I had to do, who else knew you're not meant to swallow?

Matches

View attachment 151150
First match of the seasons is against Marseille away - wasn't expecting much here but the boys did brilliantly! I told them before the match that if we got a clean sheet I would buy them all pizza - luckily we let a goal in early as I'm broke! In all fairness I am very happy with the point here.


View attachment 151149
Second game - AS Monaco, not exactly the easiest start to the season. We played some really good football and we atleast deserved a draw but football can be cruel. To makes things worse we lose one of our promising Newgens.

View attachment 151148

Man city kept bidding and the player was getting grumpy so I let him go. Nice amount of money to bank too, with 40% sell on fee.


View attachment 151147
Another game another point - was hoping for a win here but Lorient were in control most of the match, in the end we were lucky to get that goal.


Table
View attachment 151146
Early days but much lower than we want to finish. Things will pick up!
 
FC Girondins De Bordeaux - September 2016

View attachment 151127

We roll into September down in 15th place, not exactly where I want to be but we had a hard month.

I've been fighting off offers for my best players - Arammbarri and Pallois were the main 2. Pallois being valued at 700k was attracting big money bids of almost 500k!!! not sure how I resisted but I kept strong.

Matches

View attachment 151124
Boom! first win of the season. Nantes had been struggling like us so it was a nice match to play after the last month. Very one sided match and thoroughly deserved victory.

View attachment 151122
What a game this would have been to watch! end to end, 6 goals and lots of hard tackles going in! Reims were in the relegation zone at this point so I was expecting more.

View attachment 151120
Another great performance from the lads, restricted LOSC to very few chances and kept possession in our hands, we were always in control.

View attachment 151119
We round off the month with another victory, It was a bit of a nail biter towards the end as they had a bit of a come back.

Table
View attachment 151118

Woah flying up the table, this is roughly where I am hoping to finish the season so good to be here. I told the board I want mid table...but we can do it.
 
FC Girondins De Bordeaux - October 2016

View attachment 150916

We roll into October in good form and the teams morale on a high. The club has been in talks with a takeover bid for most of the season, so far we have had 2 consortiums fail to close the deal and another one seems imminent. Hopefully if they do get taken over my job is safe - want to at least finish out this season.

Matches

View attachment 150909
Nice start to the season - Angers broke off our "relationship" over the summer - so I made sure we beat them. I don't take break ups well...I hope they get relegated.

View attachment 150908
Bastia were/are sat at the foot of the table, still haven't managed a win so I expected an easy game. It's fair to say we had ample chance to get the 3 points but luck wasn't with us, and their keeper had a blinder!

View attachment 150907
Another 3 points against a very Nice looking team (pun intended) They had 10 men for most of the game which made things much much easier - up to 4th in the table!!

View attachment 150906
A very easy win here for my reserves - I have no intention of doing well in this tournament at the moment, it's all about the league!

View attachment 150905
High flying Rennais proved too much to hande here, they have been exceeding expectations themselves. I was half asleep through this match and my fault for the loss - When we had our man sent off I must have phased out, and instead of moving the team around to cover the RB slot I just did 3 substitutions to mix things up....it was 0-0 until I remembered I was down to 10 men and adjusted, shouldn't have bothered.

Table
View attachment 150904

Nice high position after a great month - if I hadn't been an idiot in the last game we could still be in the top 4. I'm very happy so far and the league has had their first casualty when Bastia ditch their manager.


 
Top