Who!? The Rhys Burnett Story

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Good month there mate, keep it up!

Loving the "Rhys' Roundup" graphic too btw.
 
Job Search Results


So anyway, about the job openings that I applied for. Apparently the BBC got wind (not even sure how this is news but anyway) and decided to run a story on me applying for a few jobs.

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After the story ran I got a very terse voicemail telling me that I had to come in for a meeting with the Board, failure to do so would result in my termination. For those of you playing along at home - if you ever find yourself in a similar situation with a grumpy old chairman here is what not to say.

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The ungrateful old ******* can kiss my *** if he thinks I care. I'm the only reason they are even sniffing the playoffs and I wont have any trouble finding alternative employment...

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The Search


I must admit that sometimes I let my opinion of myself cloud my judgement. In retrospect what I should have done was finished out the year with Stenhousemuir, got them into a very good position on the table and then looked around at other jobs. The benefit of hindsight eh?

I thought that I would have a new job in weeks, and not just any job, but a better job. The problem with not finishing out the year with Stenhousemuir was that I was never really given the credit for the job I ended up doing. A such when I went to start applying for jobs I was aiming to high and my applications were literally getting laughed at.

Finally I began to get interviews. First with Chester. Seeing as they were a club of similar stature to Stenhousemuir I went to that interview full of confidence, unfortunately it would be my confidence that would be my undoing. The interview went really well I though but I was overlooked as I had the temerity to speak my mind and tell them that their wage budget was too low. Oh well, on to the next.

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That would turn out to be Tubize in the Belgian 2nd division. Again I felt the interview went according to plan however I quickly found out that my profile was nowhere near as big on the continent as it was in Scotland and England.

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I then began to get clubs approaching me with interview offers. The problem was that most of the clubs were of a lower stature than Stenhousemuir so I declined them all. I kept looking, particularly in Belgium as that is where I was getting some looks by second division clubs however, although I was often getting interviews, I was being passed over for more local candidates.

In late February the Carlisle job came up. Being that Carlisle were in league 2 in England and a club considered to have a significantly higher reputation to Stenhousemuir I didn't even expect to be offered an interview but interviewed I was and again I did really well. The difference this time was that I got the job!

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I asked for my contract to only last until the end of this season as I don't want to get myself too tied down at this point but if I can do well and ensure survival in league 2 I can see myself extending for another year as I am rather pleased to have received a bump in base salary from the 250 pounds a week I was on at Stenny to now being on 650 pounds a week. On another note it seems the consensus is that Carlisle is taking a big chance on me. Lets hope I don't stuff up!

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I think it was almost March and they could see their season slipping away and got desperate. I was resigning myself to going back to Scotland with my tail between my legs or having to choose between the conference and Belgium 3rd division before I got this job!!!
 
Yeti01 said:
I think it was almost March and they could see their season slipping away and got desperate. I was resigning myself to going back to Scotland with my tail between my legs or having to choose between the conference and Belgium 3rd division before I got this job!!!
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foot in the door of the football league! Look forward to updates and such
 
Interesting move. A short term contract as well. Very interesting, good luck mate!
 
Lippo255 said:
Interesting move. A short term contract as well. Very interesting, good luck mate!
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They offered an extra year but I negotiated it down. I figure if I do well enough I can either parlay it into another job elsewhere or a new contract at Carlisle.
 
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Season 1 - March
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I started work at Carlisle on the 7th​ of March and literally that afternoon had a game. Thankfully it was a home game so I had time to quickly meet the Board and then the backroom staff before holding a players meeting. All of them went really well as the general feeling at the club is that they are significantly underachieving so their aspirations line up with my goals.

I didn’t have a lot of time to study my squad so I reverted back to what I had studies about the club in the lead up to the interview. They seemed to generally been sent out in a 4-4-2, the first thing that struck me about that formation for this club was that there was a lack of quality strikers so I wouldn’t be playing a 2 or 3 up front system. Instead I decided to send them out in a 4-2-3-1 as they had some familiarity with it and it suited the squad.

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Game 1 – League 2, Exeter (h)

For our first game we were actually favorites which was a position I didn’t expect to find us in much between now and then end of the season. As I didn’t have a lot of experience with any of them I asked them to show me what they could do. The first quarter hour was a cagey affair. Although we were dominating possession we weren’t fashioning any chances of note. Exeter weren’t doing a whole lot either though with their few chances being shots from distance that were easily dealt with by our goalie Gillespie.

We were one down though just after the half hour mark. A long, floated cross from deep was left to drift over his head by Rowley our left back, I believe he thought it was going out for a corner but unfortunately for him and us the Exeter right mid O’Brien had ghosted in behind him and got on the end of the cross, finishing from an acute angle. I implored the team to show some passion. We were level shortly after when Beck rose to met a cross from Dempsey and headed in from just inside the 6 yard box and we were ahead shortly after when Kearns, pouncing on the rebound after his own free kick struck the wall, produced a volley of immense quality to beat Pym in the Exeter goal from outside the 18. Perfect response from the lads.

That made the halftime team talk a lot easier and it seemed to go down well with the team as they started the second half how they finished the first as Beck crashed in his second after being played through by Dempsey. I subbed Beck off shortly after as he seemed to be starting to struggle and got the guys to play slightly more defensively. We did so relatively effectively, another defensive lapse would let Hiwula score a second for Exeter but it would only prove to be a consolation. Good performance and a good win that is critical in getting this club up to where I promised the Board we could be.

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Game 2 – League 2, York (a)

Well this was the first game I’d had where I got a full week to prepare with the guys. On gameday I challenge them to pick up where they left off last week. W didn’t do a very good job of it though and justifiably wnet one behind in the 20th​ minute. We pressed hard for an equaliser but there was none forthcoming before the break.

At halftime I told the team that we had every chance of winning this if we just kept going as we had been in charge of the game having more shots and more possession to that point. Our task got considerably harder in the 49 minute when Rowley was sent of for his second bookable offence. We took the chance to adjust the shape and bring on Grainger for Patrick.

The change worked wonders as Asamoah, who had come on for a substitute for Beck at half time found a yard of space in the box and, although he first shot was saved, made no mistake with the rebound. Game on!

We actually continued to look like the tea most likely to score again but just couldn’t get the breakthrough. All in all though, another good result and that keeps us moving in the right direction.

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Game 3 – League 2, Northampton (a)

For this game I reverted to a more ‘true’ 4-3-3 asking Griffith to sit in the ‘Makelele’ role and I also pulled Roberts back into central midfield from his more advanced position he had previously held. The plan worked a charm in the first half. We were solid defensively but also doing enough to have a lot more possession and chances even away against a team a lot higher than us on the table.

We got the early goal our play warranted when Archibald-Henville slid in to finish from close range after a goalmouth scramble from a corner. I was ecstatic when we extended our lead right on half time. Asamoah was chopped down crudely just inside the box and Grainger stepped up calmly to finish from the spot. The half time message was for more of the same and there was nothing but happy faces around the room.

The second half wasn’t quite as interesting an affair as the first but we continued to dominate. I was absolutely chuffed with the way the boys have picked up what I want from them in this formation. The defensive structures worked amazingly well and we were nice and patient when we got the ball. In the end we only allowed a team a lot higher than us on the table 2 shots at their home ground and only 1 on target. Great work guys. I’m enjoying the time at Carlisle a lot better than Stenhousemuir already – and not only because I’m dealing with guys with a professional attitude who don’t sook and moan all the time. I'm also starting to win the fans around which is nice.

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Game 4 – League 2, Morecambe (h)

Even though we were at home against a team we were favoured to beat I stuck with the same formation that had worked wonders for us against Northampton. Things were pretty even for the first half both in terms of possession and chances but it was Morecambe who went into the break one up after we allowed Max Clark too much space on the half hour and he made us pay.

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We asked them to push higher and to show us more and they responded by carving out a glorious chance in the 60th​ minute but Dempsey could only fire straight at the keeper when played through one on one. We ended up having more possession and more shots as we pressed for an equaliser but none was forthcoming. A disappointing loss that doubles as my first as Carlisle manager, I guess it had to come sometime.

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Game 5 – League 2, Oxford (a)

The feeling was good in the squad in the lead up to this one. Everything seemed to be going along nicely in the first half. We were holding our own and creating our share of chances. That is what made what happened at half time so weird. My team talk started off by saying that I felt we were doing well and that if we kept it up we could win. For some reason the room immediately turned against me. I’m not sure what the problem was – it seemed like a perfectly decent thing to say given the circumstances.

The next crazy part was is seemed to have no real negative impact on the pitch. Things continued exactly as they had for the first half with use being every bit a match for Oxford. That was, until a 85th​ minute sucker punch when MacDonald got on the end of a deep cross and scored from close range. Another disappointing result and we will have to figure out a way to overcome this soon.

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Season 1 - April
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Game 6 – League 2, Portsmouth (h)

Not many expected us to do well at all against former Premiership side Portsmouth. I was astounded to see on the team sheet Moussa Dembele from Fulham who Pompey had on loan starting today. My central defenders would have their hands full with him! In all honesty though the first half was very uneventful. Both teams seemed content to push and prod rather than completely going for it.

As half time I told the guys effectively the same thing as last week which was that we could still win tonight but this time I got the reaction I was after. A goal from 37 year old Socceroo legend Lucas Neill though took the gloss off that reaction as he volleyed in on 51 minutes. It would stay that way until the end, a not unexpected result given the gulf in class between the sides. 3 losses on the trot though. Things have to change and change fast.

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Game 7 – League 2, Accrington (a)

Despite the short turnaround from the Portsmouth game I was able to name a relatively unchanged line up for this one. The exception being Buddle coming in for Archibald=Henry who had picked up a knock in training. Buddle was behind the speed all game and consequently gave Accrignton their first real sight of goal when he underhit a backpass that Adbo raced onto and slotted past Gillespie.

I wasn’t happy at halftime and let the team know it. We started off much more brightly in the second and were desperately unlucky not to go ahead when Dempsey raced onto a through ball and managed to place his shot in such a way that it hit both posts before ricocheting out. We got a goal back in the 77th​ minute. Becks, who had come on as a sub saw his first time effort saved but the rebound fell nicely to Asamoah who rescued a draw for us. Still not the best result but at least we didn’t lose…

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Game 8 – League 2, Dagenham and Rebridge (h)

We were absolutely dominant in the first half here/ Over 60% possession and 0 shots against we were unlucky to go into the break only 1 nil up. The goal had come after a deep cross was sent in by Young and the Dagenham right back Harney could only head into his own net under immense pressure from Ollie Kemen. We told the guys at the break that we were happy and to keep it up.

Things got decidedly more difficult for us n the 73rd​ minute when our goalscorer Kemen was sent off for his second yellow – quite the eventful day for young Mr Kemen with a goal and a red card. We managed to play out the remaining 20 or so minutes largely untroubled though and managed to pick up a priceless win. Much more like it.

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Game 9 – League 2, Burton Albion (a)

We’ve somewhat settled now on a first 11 and I feel this has started to show in our recent performances. This week was no different as even though we were playing away at a team sitting in a playoff spot we were the better side in the first half we just couldn’t get the breakthrough. We were playing well though so they message at the half was to keep it up.

We were awarded a penalty in the 52nd​ minute when Kearns was clattered as he attempted to jump for a header from a corner. The Burton players and fans roared their disapproval but from where I was sitting it was a clear pen. Grainger was his usual cool, calm self from the spot and put us ahead. From there we dropped off a little more to see the game out. When Weir was sent off in the 64th​ minute things got a lot easier although we continued to hold our shape a little deeper and really weren’t troubled from then on. 2 consecutive vital wins!

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Game 10 – League 2, Plymouth (h)

We were up against another team in the playoff spots in Plymouth next. They were actually still in the hunt for both the title and automatic promotion so we knew this would be a tough game. Although we started brightly we found ourselves a goal down inside 17 minutes when McHugh found a yard of space from a corner. We were playing ok though.

The second half was a forgettable one. Although we didn’t concede anymore we struggled to create much offensively and as such the game dwindled out into a one nil loss. Again – this is a team who, this year at least, is a lot better than we are (This win put them into 2nd​…) so no hairdryer treatment in the sheds this week.

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Game 11 – League 2, Stevenage (a)

Our last game this month was our visit to Stevenage. They were sitting in 19th​ so it appeared, on paper at least, to be a game we really should be winning. Evidently though some of my players forgot to read that memo because they started off as nervously as I had seen us and we were duly punished within 3 minutes as a cross evaded no less than 3 defenders before falling to Charles who made no mistake from 10 or so yards.

We were thrown a lifeline minutes later when McAllister was sent off for Stevenage receiving a straight red for a very rash challenge. If you thought this would have been the signal for our dominance to commence you would be wrong, we were 2 down only 8 minutes after that as Fewstr sprung the offside trap and with composure slotted his one on one chance. I was furious and told the team so from the sideline.

Roberts dragged a goal back for us in the 25th​ minute with a 25 yard free kick that left James in the Stevenage goal with no chance. And we were soon level, Asamoah scoring with neat volleyed finish in the 40th​ minute. At half time we told the boys it would come as we had been the best side on the park since the red.

We had the lead in the 61st​ minute, Roberts racing onto a great first time ball from Dempsey and sliding home past James. Then Robert sealed his hattrick in the 63rd​ minute when we made a nice late run to get on the end of a Kearns cross before finishing with aplomb. From there we dropped off a bit and controlled the match. When Dempsey was felled in the 74th​ minute up stepped Grainger again and with ice running through his veins he smashed his penalty straight down the middle as James could only watch despairingly as he dove incorrectly. We then ran out the game for a nice 5 – 2 win.

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Season 1 - May
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Game 12 – League 2, Hartlepool (h)

Our final match this season was at home to already relegated Hartlepool. The game itself was very uneventful. They, already being relegated, didn’t have anything to play for and to be honest there was barely a sense of occasion about the day at all and we played like it.

The only real incidents of note was the 79th​ minute sending off of Duckworth for his second yellow that gave the initiative to us and then Dempsey’s fine turn and volley finish that went in off the post to give us the 1 nil win. It remains to be seen if I’ve done enough to earn a new contract but I am still pleased that I’ve been able to guide Carlisle to safety and take them from 18th​ when I took over to our finishing position of 14th​. I wouldn’t mind the opportunity, given a full season with this team, to see how I went but the decision isn’t in my hands.

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Contract News

I got a call from the Carlisle Managing Director John Nixon inviting me to enter into contract talks with Carlisle. I had asked my agent to, on the quiet, find out if I would be considered for any of the jobs on offer at the moment but it seemed that there was very little interest. As such I had no hesitation in accepting a new one year deal from Carlisle delighting the board. Pressure’s definitely on now to get the results but I feel I am up to the challenge.

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All of those low scoring games, all 1-0 or maybe a couple of 1-1's, then 5-2!! Hahaha
 
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Offseason/Preseason Roundup
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When I took over at Carlisle there were many who couldn’t figure out why I had been appointed. Upon signing my contract keeping me in place for another year I began to figure out why. At the beginning of my tenure the club was spending approximately 45k a week on player wages, when I signed my extension I was told I would only have a 33k a week budget to work with and now 3 weeks later I was being told actually my budget was more like 21k a week. So, on only almost half of last year’s wage bill I am expected to attain the same results, seems logical…

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Up till then I hadn’t taken all that keen an interest in the financial situation the club found itself in as I was hoping, deep down, to leave the club for greener pastures at the season’s end. Now that I have stayed on though the club’s problems have become my problems. When I finally got round to dusting off the books the dire state of the club’s finances really came to the fore, 750,000 pounds in the red. It became apparent exactly why I had been hired. I was cheap, cheaper than almost every player in the first team squad. They simply couldn’t afford anyone better. Not that it mattered much to me as I am here now, I have done a pretty good job so far and I will continue to do so.

Over the offseason I poured over my playing list, trying to find out who could be re-signed, who could be renegotiated and who could be let go. In the end I didn’t get a holiday at all for myself as I was constantly on the phone with agents explaining to them the situation and what measures we would have to take if their players wouldn’t renegotiate, or advising them to look elsewhere for their player’s next contract. I settled on a squad that I feel has the quality and depth needed to achieve our goals but it is one entirely built from what we already have and that fits within the budget. Apart from loan signings there will be no one new joining.

On the subject of loans though we thankfully have a great parent relationship with (relatively) nearby Newcastle United. In June I was sent a list of their players who would consider joining Carlisle for the season on loan. The first of which is Oliver Kemen who spent last season on loan with us. He is a very combative central midfielder who I expect to feature a lot in the first team. Also there is the young Australian central defender Curtis Good. He steps straight into the 1st​ team and immediately looks like our best player! Also joining are Kevin Mbabu and Callum Roberts. Mbabu will provide quality cover in the backline and Roberts will provide right wing/striker cover. To be honest I am delighted with the quality we have been able to bring in on loan.

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After I had sorted out the wage issues I went to the finance department and sat down with them to try and figure out a way out of this financial mess we were in. I had never really gotten into the nitty gritty of making money yet in my managerial career so I actually enjoyed this as a learning experience. In the end, the best short term solution we could come up with was to play a number of friendlies against high profile opposition at home. Thankfully, due to our somewhat unique geographical location we had no shortage of teams wanting to come play.

Apparently being one of the most northern clubs in the football league has it’s advantages as Everton, Newcastle, Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal amongst others all agreed to play friendlies at Brunton Park. Look, let’s be real, we didn’t play these games because we thought we had a chance, it was purely for fitness and to make money so it was no surprise when we lost every single one of our preseason matches. On the plus side my team got to test themselves against the very best players in the country.

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We also made a bit of cash from the games. It is still not nearly enough to put us back in the black but for now it Is a significant improvement over where we were and would have been as we appear to have stopped the hemorrhaging. If we can continue to keep costs down and hopefully play well enough to keep our revenue up we can turn this around. Either way, this has been invaluable experience in running all aspects of a club for a young manager such as myself. Also, I figured with all the money I’d saved the club I could go to the board and request them putting me through another coaching course to which they said no as the club can’t fund it – bummer, I’ll get over it though. I’ll need to because now the fun starts.

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Little tip mate, if you play friendlies at their ground you can sometimes earn a lot more.. In my Eibar save I was looking at friendlies at home against Madrid, Barca, Atletico and the difference if I played away was unbelievable, I made around £3m in 6 Friendlies, I think its because their gate receipts and attendance is much higher. Also don't restrict it to just UK, I made the trip to Turkey to play Galatasary and made £750k
 
Bullardinho said:
Little tip mate, if you play friendlies at their ground you can sometimes earn a lot more.. In my Eibar save I was looking at friendlies at home against Madrid, Barca, Atletico and the difference if I played away was unbelievable, I made around £3m in 6 Friendlies, I think its because their gate receipts and attendance is much higher. Also don't restrict it to just UK, I made the trip to Turkey to play Galatasary and made £750k
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I tried that with a couple and got the message "the Board wont fund that trip" or something to that effect. Will definitely be trying it again next season though! Thanks for the heads up!
 
Painful looking pre season until you look at the opposition, you actually did quite well! Good luck for the upcoming season!
 
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