Who!? The Rhys Burnett Story

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Season 6 - August Roundup
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Season 6 Game 3 – German Cup First Rd, Wuppertal (a)

An extremely easy game first up in the cup. Played the reserves here and could have won by double digits. Sauter was the best player on the park though and became Frankfurt’s youngest ever goalscorer in the process.

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Season 6 Game 4 – Bundesliga 2, Nürnberg (h)

We were dominating early and took the lead through Iheanacho in only the 8th​ minute. We continued to pressure Nürnberg and all they could do to halt our onslaught was foul so it was no surprise to see their central defender Beck sent off for his second bookable offence as early as the 15th​ minute. From there they decided to engage in damage limitation and shut up shop. We would score another early in the second half as Hunt got on the end of some fine lead up work involving Iheanacho and Stendera and from there we were then happy to sit and pick our spots. Another solid victory.

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Season 6 Game 5 – Bundesliga 2, Erfurt (a)

Another dominating performance - Iheanacho and Hunt had us two up within 10 minutes and although Erfurt would score just after the break to make things interesting once Bader scored our third it was game over.

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Season 6 Game 6 – Bundesliga 2, Heidenheim (h)

Our first dropped points of the season and more than a little bit disappointed about it – we were the best side all game and it was only after I asked the guys to sit a little deeper that Heidenheim came back into it. Pleasingly though Stendera had another stand out performance for us – he is revelling in the new system.

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Season 6 Game 7 – Bundesliga 2, Berlin-Köpenick Dammfeld (a)

Top of the table clash here and although we were terrible I was hoping for a better performance. Having said that we were away from home so perhaps our good start has inflated my expectations. Although undefeated we sit one point behind the leaders but we have both Chemnitz and Ingolstadt in our next two games – a lot more will be known after the next month.

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Season 6 - September Roundup
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Season 6 Game 8 – Bundesliga 2, Chemnitz (h)

A little bit disappointed to have conceded the two as I felt we were by far the better side here. Good win considering we were missing a few through injury/international duty.

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Season 6 Game 9 – Bundesliga 2, Ingolstadt (a)

Well that’s the top 2 sides played in consecutive games and 2 wins. Both have been particularly satisfying as we have been without first choice goal keeper Marcos Filipe who has been laid up with a hernia. Also I was particularly pleased with this game as we had to come back from a goal down which hasn’t been our strong point at Frankfurt since I took over.

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Season 6 Game 10 – Bundesliga 2, Frankfurt Erlenbruch (h)

A really strong derby win – great performance in front of a packed house, the fans went home happy today!!!

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Season 6 Game 11 – Bundesliga 2, Bochum (a)

We were away at 5th​ placed Bochum in our final match of the month and we dominated this one. Again, the only disappointing aspect is that we let them score, but as I’ve got the boys playing a lot more gung-ho that is to be expected. In the end though it was a good result against a team that was a Bundesliga side last season and a great way to cap off a good month. We are now undefeated in ten games in the league and hold a 5 point gap at the top of the table.

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Season 6 - October Roundup
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Season 6 Game 12 – Bundesliga 2, Mainz (h)

Ridiculous game. Defending obviously wasn’t on the training schedule much in the lead up to this one. Our best was Iheanacho and he deservedly took home the match ball after his sensational hattrick. At only 23 he still has a lot of football left in his career, lets hope a large part of it is with Frankfurt in the Bundesliga!

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Season 6 Game 13 – Bundesliga 2, RBL (h)

OMG. There goes the unbeaten record. What a ridiculous game. We hit the post no less than 4 times in this one…

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Season 6 Game 14 – Bundesliga 2, Paderborn (a)

Another terrible result. Don’t know what has changed just now but anyway… Paderborn were actually good value for their 3 points here – they completely dominated the first half.

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Season 6 game 15 – German Cup Second Rd, Koln (a)

And now I play my reserves away against a Bundesliga side and get a decent result… Seriously, I can’t figure out what is going on at the moment… Tonnes of injuries in this one though, Iheanacho did well when he came on.

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Still top but only by 3 points now. We need to arrest our league form slump and fast so we can get our title tilt back on track.

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Season 6 – November Roundup
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Season 6 game 17 – Bundesliga 2, Wehen (a)

A decent result. I still feel that on the balance of play we should be smashing teams like this but for some reason we are struggling to translate our dominance into goals. Still, another 3 points in the bag.

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Season 6 Game 18 – Bundesliga 2, St Pauli (h)

Another 1 v 2 matchup… Another win for Frankfurt. Stendera was the star here, winning the first penalty and converting it before adding another goal from open play before rounding things off with another penalty to secure his hattrick. Great stuff, he is still unhappy though so I will have a huge fight on my hands to keep him as his contract is up at the end of the season.

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Season 6 Game 19 – Bundesliga 2, Braunschweig (a)

I’m not sure whether to look at this as a point gained or two points dropped. Twice we fought back from being down but overall it wasn’t even a contest. How we are contriving to draw and lose games at the moment given our dominance in them is mind boggling…

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Season 6 Game 20 – Bundesliga 2, Zwickau (h)

The scoreline suggests I should be quite happy with this one but to be frank I am disappointed we didn’t help our for and against along a little more here. It was one way traffic for 89 odd minutes here. Zwickau did manage a goal on the counter attack but it was only a momentary reprieve.

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Still on top and we’ve extended the lead back out to 5 points. I would like to see us build on that from here.

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Reminding me of some of the games at Malmo, 30+ shots to 4, 2-1 win or something :P
 
PatrickLFC said:
Reminding me of some of the games at Malmo, 30+ shots to 4, 2-1 win or something :P
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CantGetEnoughOfJelavic said:
or lose 1-0 :@
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It can be ****** frustrating hey!!! Nothing worse than watching your side dominate before an aimless clearance comes to your defence and watching your central defender inexplicably jump underneath it and then seeing their striker run through one on one!!

:'(
 
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Season 6 - December Roundup​


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Game 20 - German Cup, Braunschweig (a)​

I played the youngsters in this one. I think we had one player over the age of 22 out there and they didn't disgrace themselves at all. On another day, it might have been us marching on to the next round. Alas, we now have just the league to concentrate on.

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Game 21 - Bundesliga 2, Aue (a)​

We started this one off fantastically and only the post stopped us going ahead after only 3 minutes. From there we got the goal our good play richly deserved when Stendera steered home in the 13th minute. We continued to look like the only side to score and when Stendera doubled our lead just after the hour mark there was only one winner. According to the stats men Aue may have had 7 shots but frankly I don't remember them in our 18 yard box at all - great defensive performance. One thing that is starting to worry me is Stendera. His contract is up at the end of the season and he isn't even entertaining extension talks irrespective of how much he plays. I may have to use the upcoming January window to put in place some plan b's.

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Game 22 - Bundesliga 2, Darmstadt (h)
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Prior to this one I received what I thought at first was a hoax email. Apparently Bundesliga club Stuttgart wanted me to interview. I took a look at their table and they were languishing in 17th. It would be a tough challenge but it was undeniable that they are considered a larger club than Frankfurt. I decided to interview not knowing exactly what choice I would make if they even offered me the job.

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To the game at hand and we dominated here. Almost 2 to 1 in the time in possession stats and just the one shot on target allowed. We have seemingly improved our defense efforts this month and not a moment too soon. I was seriously considering starting on of my young 18yr old central defenders full time in there if things didn't improve.

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I heard back from Stuttgart and they made my decision for me. I wasn't too disappointed though. From the outside looking in their dressing room looks like a shambles with almost half the squad unhappy. At least with Frankfurt I have a known commodity.

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TABLE​


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Another good month has left us well positioned heading into the winter break. With just the 15 games remaining the lead is 5 points. Come on Frankfurt!!


 
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January Roundup
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No fixtures to report on as January is taken up by the winter break and then our subsequent training camp. The time off is really helpful is allowing me time to study for my coaching badges and this year was no exception as I finally fulfilled the requirements of the Continental Pro Licence.

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Fresh off that high I went and put together the squad for the training camp to Japan. Upon our arrival though it was clear something was wrong with Marc Stendera. Now, he isn't the most outgoing chap at the best of times, but he was even more withdrawn than usual once we landed and wanted no part in the promotional activities we were involved in between our games. It soon became apparent why. Just after our first friendly there was a knock at my hotel door.

Outside was Stendera. He came in and explained that he had just signed a pre-contract agreement with Real Madrid. I wasn't even mad. You don't get opportunities like that every day and I told him that if they ever offered me a job I would walk away from Frankfurt as quick as you could blink. I thanked him for his honesty and he seemed pretty pleased, that was, until I told him he wouldn't feature in the first team for the remainder of the season. He understood though that I need to now start making plans for life without him.

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My first move was to locate a replacement. We had brought in Sebastián Driussi on a free transfer as soon as the January window opened and he will now have the rest of the season to press his claims to be my main attacking midfielder. I looked over the other players who were coming off contract and one name jumped out at me as a potential replacement. Jeremie Boga, the young Chelsea player. I got him signed up asap and then moved to bigger fish. Rossiter has been ok in the central midfield role but I will need better if we are to stay up next season should we be promoted. Thankfully Ross Barkley's contract was also expiring and he was willing to lower his wage demands to fit within our structure.

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We went undefeated in Japan however I would have liked to score more goals. It was a good positive trip though that will hopefully help raise our profile in the far east.

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PatrickLFC said:
Love how you crushed his dreams like that! :P
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Haha - he's still signing with Real Madrid, I'm sure he'll end up ok! :)

If I start to lose though without him I may be forced to reconsider my stance!
 
That's like refusing to play someone who is only in on loan! Poor Stendera, probably play out of his skin in an attempt to look good for the Gods in Madrid!
 
CantGetEnoughOfJelavic said:
That's like refusing to play someone who is only in on loan! Poor Stendera, probably play out of his skin in an attempt to look good for the Gods in Madrid!
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Thats an interesting viewpoint. I must admit, in my playing days, I would have held a similar view. But now, in my corporate days, I look at everyone as being replaceable. Always up for a good philosophical debate though!

See, I would never refuse to play someone who I've brought in on loan. If I've brought them in it is for one of two reasons, 1. there is a gap in my squad that I need filled, or 2. they have been brought in to provide cover. Those are the only 2 reasons I loan players so they are either first choice, or backing up my first choice and if I brought them in then that was my decision.

Now Stendera's situation I see as totally different. He's made his decision to play elsewhere (so not a conscious decision on my behalf - different to above) and thats good for him, it certainly isn't good for us. So he must be replaced at some point. The question then becomes can I replace him with someone for the next 6 months without it being detrimental to my results. I'll test that out over the next few weeks but admittedly I need to get promoted this season so whist I would ideally like to see either Driussi or Sauter the harsh reality is if they can't then I will have to revert to Stendera.

Additionally, it has been an absolute battle to get Stendera to ever perform in my tenure at Frankfurt to date! He has been unhappy the entire time so it's been like walking on eggshells every team talk. Also, to be frank, I'm quite certain a lot of how well he has been playing comes down to the formation I have created to amplify his impact. Do I sound like a jilted lover? Probably, I helped him become the player he is and he ditched me for the (metaphorical) prettier girl the first chance he had :D

This is what I love though about reading through these stories. I'll see a scenario presented to you/Pat/Lippo/etc and be thinking to myself "I would do 'x'," and then you guys go and do the exact opposite!! I enjoy understanding how others think though so feel free to ever speak up if you don't agree with something I've done. Afterall, according to Eleanor Roosevelt,

Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.
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