The Rollercoaster 1-3

I started at West Ham, Unfortunatly many of my players became injured after a physical pre-season game against Coventry. Despite this I won every single pre-season game with little or no problem. As well as getting Liam Miller on loan from Sunderland.

West Brom looked to be an easy victory which was shattered when they equalised from Noble's opener, with their debutant Borja Valero,

West Brom 1-1 West Ham

A goalless draw against Everton saw my team open steadily to the premiership campain, although even then it was obvious to see something was wrong, with the shot ratio being Everton 20 and Me 3. An injured Upson just added to my long list of problems.

Everton 0-0 West Ham

I was in the cup against a inform side QPR, so I decided to put out a sub team, only to start the changes it was allready too late. It was 3-0 to them
at half time. I brought on some subs which resulted in goals for the previously injured Bellamy and James Collins. But the offensive did not last long as they scored another two, of the back of Collins' goal.

QPR 5-2 West Ham

I needed a DM so with my meager budget of 1.2Mill, I bought Polish Midfielder / Defender Mariusz Lewandowski from Shaktar.

Despite this I still lost 2 straight in a row to Chelsea and Spurs. The Team somehow blamed me, when they where playing poor with any invlovement from me. I was deeply annoyed as in both of these games my only LB option was playing horribly (Ilunga).

West Ham 0-2 Chelsea

West Ham 0-1 Spurs

I changed my formation to put little pressure on Ilunga, It helped but only slightly as shown in my results against the two North East Teams. Althought up to this point none of my ST had scored in the Prem.

Boro 0-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-1 Newcastle

I could not keep it up, and from then on I knew my time with the Hammers was limited. Although the finances had picked up allowing me to get Rat at the next Transfer Window, which was a relief knowing how bad Ilunga was. But with the team against me we lost again to Hull this time.

Hull 1-0 West Ham

The Something Wierd happened:

Don't ask me how.

Although I knew I was doomed with the games against Liverpool and Manchester United I conceded 8 goals while only scoring 1, at least that guy was a striker.

Liverpool 3-0 West Ham

Manchester United 5-1 West Ham

After a draw with Blackburn my team fell into low morale, and low confidence in me. Resulting in three straight losses for my West Ham Team:

Blackburn 1-1 West Ham

West Ham 0-1 Fulham

Aston Villa 0-2 West Ham

Sunderland 0-1 West Ham

I was in a precarious position in management, fight or flight, All I needed to do was hold out for Rat from Shaktar in Jan. I had Wigan next what a game that was,

------------------------Update 1---------------------------------------------
I better update this to where I am currently

After A loss to Sunderland I expected better, and searched my reserevs for a solution, again my injurys stretched the entire squad for the season. So I made A few changes and tried Parker and MUllins In midfield. It worked a treat, not at the start though as Kilbane scored against the run of play goal. But then I did not reconise my team. Parker and Mullins scored within 5 min of each other, and Bellemy added one before the break. He got injured atraight afterwards, and Michael Brown made it better for Wigan.

West Ham 3-2 Wigan

But following was Arsenal, which was evenly matched, as I had rougly the same amount of shots, but Adebayor scored a late goal to save the game for Arsenal, But it was too lite too late and I was sacked first thing after the match, at this point I was seriously considering quiting the game and not making a blog, but instead I ploughed on.

After a week in the wilderness, Not many clubs needed a manager. Then I found a bigger challenge than West Ham............... Yverdon Offered me a contract

They were in the swiss 2nd tier with little budget, and their top 4 strikers all out from up to a month. They were also about 12 points away from getting out of relegation, although I was not last. About half way through the season. So I took up the offer

I had a pretty rubbish team to be honest, and with no strike force I was like a fish out of water losing to 3rd place and Yverdon's rivals, but only just though.

Lausanne 1-0 Yverdon

To be honest things didn't look much better after that as I had to v 1st place. I had 1 of my top 4 strikers back and it showed.

Yverdon 1-3 St Gallen

This was carrying on from the West Ham experience. So I wan'ted to break the losing duct ASAP. With All 4 of my top strikers back

(one of them is Edorisi Ekhosuehi)>

, my subs both scored to bring it back to draw, although they left it late with 90 + 1 min.

Wil 2-2 Yverdon

From here It would be all go, I just knew it

Lugano 1-2 Yverdon

Yverdon 1-0 F.C Thun

Wohlen 1-2 Yverdon

After those brilliant games, I was voted best manager in the league for that month despite I was still in A relegation space. Witch had closed up to about 10 points at this point. My top striker was on form and I was on top of the world, I felt that getting out of relegation is now possible. I was probably lucky in most of those games as I was never in front to start with in the first and last games.

Yverdon 1-1 Gossau

Then the bombshell hit, My top assister (on loan from young boys) got injured, He was out for a long long time. Just what I needed

Concordia 1-0 Yverdon

After five games undefeated I lost to mid table Concordina, again another injury hampered my team, which was dissapointing, I thought I could get out of relegation no it looks almost hopeless. But it was still a possibility, I justed hoped at this point while releasing some dead wood.

Yverdon 1-1 Schaffhausen

This was a decent result, but again when the game after this I was versing the 2nd best team in the league and best on form, I wasn't too expectant.

Servette Fc 3-0 Yverdon

After getting my best striker (Edorisi Master Ekhosuehi) injured in the first 5 min, it went downhill, after conceding my captain Meoli got sent off. So the result was average if both of those incidents didn't happen.

Yverdon 1-1 Winterhur

I threw this game away, despite scoring in the 68th min, as well as them being brought down to 10 men, they still equalised late on. Sorry about the screenshots here is one of the league table at the moment.



Beinne 0-1 yverdon

After a goal from Ekhosuehi I was in front, and it was sealed 5 min later with their ST being sent off, I am on the road again, now I am pretty confident of getting Yverdon out of this relegation dogfight.

Yverdon 1-0 La Chaux-de-fonds

I just managed to sneak in a goal, against the team in last place, thank god for Gavranovic, in the 91st min, I am within reach of my personal goal at Yverdon. Again with only 3 games to play it is still all to play for.

Yverdon 1-0 Stade Nyonnais

After a goal from my longest serving player Sejmenovic, I was out of the relegation spot, which was a milestone in my goal, as this is how the table looked.



As you can see I am out, but could easily be dragged straight back in.

Locarno 2-0 Yverdon

I should never have eased off, after a very physical game which my players came out on top, I relaxed in the 90th min, then Sara scored two in quick succsession, resulting in a scoreline that did not reflect the game. Beine lost as well so it all rests on the last game.

Yverdon 1-0 Wil

This was nailbitting for me, up to a point, Edo scored a fantastic goal to start off the night then I found out that Beinne were losing, meaning we are through unless something disastorus did, it almost did with an injured Sabic who I couldn't take off fast enough giving away a pen, Then Bauch make a heart stopping save to keep us in it. Then more news Beinne had conceded again, The 90 min had gone and I have survived the impposible!!!

----------------------------------------Update 2----------------------------
i decided to stay...........

First of all I am targeting myself a goal to reach, which it in the top half of the table, I know it is quite hopeful. But at the time of my promotion I was about 5th in form.

I signed a lot of people to help cover positions I had lost over the course of last season

Mirko Martucci (AMR/AML): played the last few games of the season for me exceptionally, I got him from Serie A team Geona, as he was a youth reject for them, The Italian youngster is a great signing for me as he was free.



Adrian Eugster (RB): again came in at the same time as Mirko, and was a solid player, unlike my current RB’s who play an attackive display, he plays defensively, and the Swiss 31 year old is a good addition to my squad (for free too)



Lucien Denevaud (ST): he was a great player when he played for me, being the best replacement for Edo, you already know how good the Swiss guy is, so going on



I bought two youth prospect too, a young defender named Baroni, and a Bulgarian youth striker called Uzunov, they both got loaned out for the season immediately so not much point in going into depth.

The pre-season to be frank was quite weak with 3 losses, I was wondering considering pre-season never reflects my performance, maybe this is a sign (probably not)

My first game was against recently a relegated team, Bellinzona.....

Bellinzona 0-0 Yverdon

This was a difficult game considering my captain Meoli (CB) got sent off early in the first half, and Edo got injured just before half time, although their star player got injured at a round about the same time but it was a good performance from the 10 men from Yverdon.

Yverdon 1-0 Lausanne

After a solid display I got a well deserved home win, I think my target of a top half finish (top 8), is easily achievable with the players I have. Despite my strikers not seeming to be kicking of on their form.

Locarno 1-0 Yverdon

Although my defense and goalkeeper are doing a brilliant job I need help fast, in the attacking department. Although I do not want to risk getting worse through formation changes. I will just have to get better soon.

Yverdon 0-0 Schaffhausen

Again my players lacked the conviction going forward, I was annoyed at the inconsistency in my strikers, when my defense are one of the best in the league, with both CB's picking up 1st and 2nd place in a player of the month award. And with the backup (Sabic) now injured, lets hope the other CB, Martain's turns down his anger.

Yverdon 1-0 Stade Nyonnais

Once again my most loyal midfielder scored, the strikers can't seem to hit the clearest of all chances and I am struggling with getting 1 goal per game.

Sorry about the low amount of screenshots, but I am slightly ahead of the blog so the screenshots would be confusing.

Chiasso 0-2 Yverdon

After Edo and Dener, scored two in the last 5 mins of the game, I decided that I needed depth in all areas, so I got a sub goalkeeper on a free tranfer to help up Bauch's performances so that he would be the best in the league, this player was ex-Fulham player Pascal Zuberbühler



, the swiss legend got a lot of publicity for this move and with this game being his debut he played fantasticly.

Unfortunatly.....

The second game was not as good....

Yverdon 1-2 Luzern

They were always on top of my team, my only joy came from a converted pen by Buchel, well my next game is against and virtualy unknown club in the cup. They are as some would say cannon fodder.

Yverdon 4-0 Collombey-Muraz

With my reserve team causing a good amount of pressurre in the match they got off lucky, with Gaballa scoring 2, and Mbala Mbuta scoring 1, and finally Rachane came back from injury to score a stunning volley from a tight angle to finish the amateur side off.

Wil 0-1 Yverdon

After a tough and greuling match I came out winners thanks to a flukey own goal by CB Bolay, but still I will still take the win, it seems I have been a lot better away from home than at home according to recent stats.

Yverdon 1-1 Concordia BS

An early goal from Edo, put the game to be a physical game, after a late half equaliser the game got rougher and rougher with fouls happening everywhere, when the dust settled the game was 1-1 and 4 people had become injured over the game. Next Wil look for revenge in the cup.

Wil 1-0 Yverdon

I was undone by a ninth minuite hash up by my defense, it just shows 1 mistake can cost you the match, and in my case the entire cup run.

Wohlen 2-5 Yverdon

This was a brilliant game, for neutrals it had everything, they scored first through a mistake by my midfield, then Edo, Buhler, Denervaud, Mbala Mbuta, and Buchel scored before half time, only for wohlen to sneak a goal just before the half finished. 2-5 at half time was brilliant and I opted for a laid back approach to the second half, Kaddor and Sabic came off injured after 55min and 60 min resulting in a more defensive opt.

Again I came back home and they failed to perform!!

Yverdon 0-1 Winterthur

I am slightly dissapoined in the team, but they are achieving the target I set myself this season.

Thun 1-2 Yverdon

Mbula Mutala's pace took it away from the two Cb and cleanly slotted in a well worked goal after 6 min, Thun equalised midway through the first half, then Mbula Mutala's partner Gaballa got injured so I brought on Edo. Then I used another sub at half time, after a thun player got sent off, I pilled on the presurre, and used my last sub..... three mins later Edo got injured, so each team had 10 members. Only for Hot Prospect Colonna (regen) to get injured. So I built up a line in my formation dispite only have 9 players Mbala Mbuta's scored a volley to get the win of the season.

Yverdon 1-1 Kriens

It was an even game, but with two more injuries to Meoli, and Opplinger, and others in training I am losing the depth I once had in my team, thank god the break is comming up soon.

Lugano 3-3 Yverdon

A commited performance from my players marked the halfway stage this season. After coming back from 1-0 to 1-2 was fantastic, but I was never behind again after conceding the equaliser. Now at least my injury problems can be solved. 6/12/2009-20/2/2010 = The break.

I did not sign or sell any players during the season break, although strangly enough I recieved 3 job offers:

1st: Maccabi Herzilya
(they were in the same range as my team, maybe slightly worse, and mid table in the 2nd tier of Israeli football

2nd: Blackpool: A mid Table league 1 side, better than my team, But I again denied the job offer because I feel that Promotion with Yverdon will get me to better places than Blackpool.

3rd: Millwall: same reasons as Blackpool

As promised:

Confidence:

Finances:

Main Team:

The League Table:

As you can see it is very tight at the top, and I have a great chance of promotion if I keep up the form.

My first game back was against Bellinzona the first team I played against this season where the result was 0-0, now I have the home advantage.


It still made no difference, it was a stalemate, and the game was fairly blank, other than two of my players: Mbula Mtala, and Opplinger getting minor injuries.


My poor defending resluted in two goals, then Sabic was sent off to condem the game for me in the 77th min, Ciavardini came on and rallyed the troops in the 80th min but it was too late, once again I fall to my rivals. Which is the one of the things still dissapointing me at Yverdon, the players don't act as though it is a rivalry.


An attendence of 842 was here to see my first win in over 4 games, With Buchel's pen (he has never missed a pen for me), and a Rachane goal, it was a comftable win over a resilient Gossau side who were desperate not to get relegated, being one of the weak sides in the Challenge League over the last few years.


Another solid perfomance, perhaps a change to my weak home form, with Denervaud on song, as well as a little help from an own goal, I doubt I will be able to maintain form for long, as my team are fairly innconsistent in their own way.


We came into this match against the team, who had run away with the title, Just before half time, Sabic got sent off, soon after he had been brought back from suspention previously, so I played defensivly. It worked for a while anyway, then in the 85th goal they nicked a goal, and my players should deserve credit for holding out that long.


Super sub, Mbala Mtula saved the game for me, after being brought on in the 65th min, being 1-0 down, he scored a magneficent volley, then set up Den, for the winning goal (90+1)


An even game of few chances, Mbala hit the crossbar when it would have been easier to score, but as it is at home the match result was fairly good.

Then I decided to intergrate my team with my youths, as I was 3rd and I could easily reach my target of getting in the top 8




They performed well, and were unlucky to lose both times, but this play against the challenge league teams is promising next was Wil who I had beaten but they knocked me out in the cup early in the season.


Watched the second half in full for once, to see the team’s general play, my defence was rock solid. Eugster the most intelligent player on pitch and played the best I have seen him play at Yverdon. In general we played very well, Mbala Mbuta scored a wonder goal dodging past three of their players and hitting in the near post from a tight angle. He is proving me wrong, this time last year I was pondering to release him due to poor performances


This was a tight game, but to be perfectly honest and there wasn't much in it apart from Sabic out for 5 weeks (out for the entire season), and edo's goal, Alvarez played well and was solid throughout

This way a great game, which needed both keepers to come up with 8+ match ratings

Unfotunatly my youngsters faltered during the end of the season resulting in three straight losses


This gave me the final respectabale position of 7th which hit my target of 7th which I was very glad as I was making progress. Martins (my CB) got player of the year for being a shining light in my team to bring them from the edge of oblivion since my arrival.

Comparison:
Last Season ( I took over just after halfway)

Played: 30 Won: 9 Drew: 8 Lost: 13 For: 28 Against: 43 Goal Diff: -15 Points: 35

This season:

Played: 30 Won: 11 Drew: 9 Lost 10 For: 31 Against: 25 Goal Diff: +6 Points: 42

I am proud of that fact as being I spent at least 5 games this season on youths, especially the goal difference suprised me, all I say is next season my target is 1st-4th.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This will be continued with a new blog titled 'from strength to strength (hopefully)' coming Late April 09