Beggars can't be choosers!

Armed with nothing more than years of supporting teams by sitting in the stands, wasting many years screaming at the TV, and trying to assemble the best back room team…of Football Manager, Serbian national Бранислав Боjaн set off to find fame and fortune with any team that would hire him.

After nearly two years of unemployment (don’t ask how he supported himself during this time) Боjaн found himself being offered the great powerhouse that is Dynamos FC, in the Mecca of the foot balling world….South Africa.

They have been around since 1997, and are nicknamed the Dynamites, but in terms of any diamonds, rough or otherwise; the cupboard is decidedly bare.

In terms of staff, it’s very simple, there aren’t any. And that is really a double edged sword, yes, you don’t need to buy out there contracts, but equally, it makes it very difficult to assemble a complete back room when you are coaching in South Africa, and yet you hold Serbian and Scottish nationality.

Further compounding the issue, the team is a mid to low ranked National First Division Side, so second tier, in a country that enjoys football, but has no real prestige attached, or many development opportunities.

Club facilities are better than expected, but still not flash. The club doesn’t have any fan base to speak of, and tickets are about 3.40 per unit, and the clubs finances are finely balanced….on a razor blade.

The good news is that there is money for transfers and a bit of slop in the wage budget too. The bad news is that I am also missing any type of player who can play right defender.

So, in order of priority:

Talk to the Board and see what else they can throw at me in terms of anything extra;

Get some scouts, and given my reputation, they will be at best the wrong side of ordinary. As a test, I should get them to scout my grandmother….and there is going to be strong words spoken if they come back and say the next Wayne Rooney. I am going hire a Ghanaian scout to try and develop Nigeria and Cameroon as diamond mines.

Pick the best of a bad bunch of Ass Mans and see what pops on the loan list. I’ll be trying to get a former international, as I am not sure how a low level team is going to respond to a inspiration chat from a nobody. Similar complaint for the coaches.

Pick the tactics. I’ll be using the 4-4-2 which has served well in the past, providing I can pick up a right defender. Forums have been alight with the “grid” tactic, and I will probably try this to see what impact it has with a lesser team and lesser players.

Physios: The finances are so tight that I don’t really want to go and plead for a second physio anytime soon, but when you don’t have one on staff, and the only one who is prepared to come is already contracted, so compo is on the cards, and is rated 7 for physiotherapy, do I take a risk and hold out for someone more qualified? I’m going to risk being without a physio for a while. I am not sure I’d offer a contract if he was free, let alone having to pay comp.

Good news:

I’ve employed my Ass Man, coaches and scouts such as they are.

Offered contracts to Nigerians, Cameroonians, Senegalese only to find that they all need work permits, that there is already a foreign national in the side, and there is a maximum of three in the registered squad.

The Board has improved my transfer budget and the junior coaching, but don’t want to know about expanding the scouting area.

I’ve also managed to convince the Board that the top ranked team in the Premier Division would make a great parent club. If nothing else, it’ll be a change to get loan players which may or may not be better than anything I have now, and 10K a year banked.

Am managing to attract some players, and in particular have found African Development Soccer Capetown to be quiet useful in that sense.

In terms of friendlies:

I holidayed through a 3 all draw against Bay United;

Spanked Swallows 5-2 in the best performance so far;

Lost 2-1 against Sundowns (where my lack of a DR came back to haunt me, and the substitute – a natural AML – gave up an own goal!)

Beat rivals Black Leopards 3-1 where striker Ramudzuli scored a hat-trick

Get your game face on, as season proper starts against United FC, in the first round of the First Division Cup. Needless to say we are underdogs and it is saying a lot about the caliber of our opponents when they expect it to go to penalties.

In a change from my Derby/Osasuna story, I am not going to be writing up match on match updates, I'll be providing comment when there is something to say, and feedback monthly. The squad is on a par with BSB Conference, and I deliberately didn't load lower leagues than EPL in England, nor the A-League.

The object will be to see where I go and what I do, but I will do the path less traveled, and see how far the Sunday League experience gets me, even with the "grid tactic" in my back pocket.

→ This post was edited by Kiwi (2012-07-18 12:46, 11 months ago)

Hopefully, you add a little more detail about who you have signed, or what is your squad like, because I will be following this story. My next save will be a team in South Africa, so maybe I can get a few pointers in the story.
Good luck.

The transfer window shuts at the end of August '13, and that is when I'll be posting the next update. :-)

What about your other story?

I'm still going to continue with my other story - this is more "experimental" if you will, I'll be looking for management opportunities in the lower, or less well known, leagues of the world, particularly given I'm scoped my past experience as "Sunday League Footballer".

As an aside, I also wanted to trial the "grid" tactic at a lower level of management to see whether it also holds true.

#58435 Glenn T : What about your other story?

Not sure who you have signed or not. So just some tips.
Apologies if your transfers are already complete.

If you looking for strikers, try and sign Thulani Ngcepe and/or Sandile Ndlovu.
You can get them on a free. Both do a good job in the PSL as well if you get promoted.

A good defender to sign would be Lehlohonolo Seema (also free).
Has SA citizenship, so won't damage your foreign quota.

In midfield, maybe look at Masibusane Zongo, Gerald Sibeko and Coburn Woodington (loan).

Keepers: Senzo Meyiwa and Ronwen Williams are decent choices, can get them on loan.

There are some experienced ex-internationals willing to play in the NFD for high wages.
Guys such as Pierra Issa, Quinton Fortune, Jabu Mahlangu and Lungisani Ndlela.
Depends on whether you want to build for the long term or not.

#58433 Kiwi : The transfer window shuts at the end of August '13, and that is when I'll be posting the next update. :-)

Oops .. I might have jumped the gun a bit in my previous post.
My signing advice will probably be null and void now.

I assumed you were starting from the normal start date.
I just noticed now that you said your transfer window ends in August 2013.

#58427 Kiwi : I am going hire a Ghanaian scout to try and develop Nigeria and Cameroon as diamond mines.

With work permit restrictions, you won't be able to sign most of your scouts recommendations.
Even if you do get promoted, you still limited to 5 foreign players.

Ah yes, the joys of being inexperienced and unemployed meant that I was unemployed for about two years. I couldn't find many of the players you said, but Ronwen Williams (at Ajax) looks a good find. I'm constrained by wages, the most I can offer a run of the mill player is GBP220, so when I do get a player I am interested in, money is nearly always an issue.

I'm looking to sell off my foreign keeper Swadick Sanudi, who has done nothing wrong, I just value the foreign spot more. More on that later! I thought I had a dual national Australian/South African who had been released before he got sick of my "maximum wage GBP220, and after 20 games GBP775". I think Home Defenders may have gifted the solution to us, so I am *very* happy with my find there.

At this stage, I'm looking there purely for the Moneyball type value players, if I can get descent young players cheap - granted the training isn't much at this stage, then I am happy with three. I don't know how easy WPs will be. It was a bad joke at Derby, and La Liga were more relaxed, to a maximum of three foreigners, but no WPs needed.

#58452 sniper99 : #58433 Kiwi :
Oops .. I might have jumped the gun a bit in my previous post.
My signing advice will probably be null and void now.

I assumed you were starting from the normal start date.
I just noticed now that you said your transfer window ends in August 2013.

#58427 Kiwi :
With work permit restrictions, you won't be able to sign most of your scouts recommendations.
Even if you do get promoted, you still limited to 5 foreign players.

→ This post was edited by Kiwi (2012-07-18 12:46, 11 months ago)

From my experience, WPs are really difficult. Even if you in the PSL.
Players needed some international caps to to given a WP.
So slim chance in signing young foreign gems.

If I was in your shoes, I'd look at the loan market.
Ajax CT and SSU have good academies, so look there for some cheap loans.
(Chiefs and Pirates often ask for ridiculous loan fees)

Good luck with this story. I'll be following closely.