Paul: The Football Manager

Chapter 8:

New Club, New Season, different outcome?

I arrived, walked through the doors into the changing rooms, the smell of fresh paint was still clear to all but for how long, I was expecting this group to work hard and smell bad by the end of the day, the 1st day of Pre season.
The players all stood up and smiled, all welcoming me to the club, it was a great feeling and a great reception, walking around the room shaking the hands of the players and staff alike.
OK lads, lets get out there at get training, 1st day back and we are training on the pitch, great work by the grounds men to have this pitch playable in January.
Ulfar Hinriksson held back whilst all the players ran out onto the pitch, I had asked the chairman to sign Ulfar as my assistant over winter, I was impressed with a chat we had had in the break.

Hello Paul, great to finally meet you, hopefully we can work well together and get KR back where they belong, I have some ideas for tactics and set piece play, maybe we can discuss it all later?

Of course, sounds like a great idea, today I would like you to take training Ulfar, I have some things to deal with in player recruitment and I like to let my assistant work on the training ground, focus on fitness, I was reports on the all at the end of the day.

I had also agreed to bring David James with me to KR, after him leaving IBV he contacted me and asked for another chance to prove himself, he is assistant manager to KR u18's

Pre season flew by, playing 5 games in pre season, we only lost 1 game, winning the other 4, I was very happy with how the team was looking

before we knew it we were at our 1st competitive game. A home game in the Upper League Cup against Volsungur. This game was one of the best performances I had seen in my short time as KR manager

The Upper league cup was a great experience for me compared to last season, we looked strong, I was happy with tactics I was using, going for a simple 4-5-1
I spent so long last season with IBV trying to fix and find a formation to work but my KR team seemed to be working and I was delighted. Me and Ulfar had sat down and looked at many tactics and set piece drills over the last few weeks and decided on the basic 4-5-1 due to the players we had available.

We got through the group stage with ease scoring 32 goals in 9 games, dropping just 2 points all the way through, things were looking good
We were drawn against IA in the quarter finals at a Neutral ground, IA won the title last season and had a settled team, it was visible, they controlled the game from start to finish with the final score ending 1-0 to IA, we were out in the quarter finals, I was proud of the team, still learning my tactics we had done well in the group and proved how good we can be, I would be going into the season with a lot of hope and excitement.

I traveled home, knowing that the league would be starting soon, how would be do? where would we finish? These were 2 questions running through my head but for now, I just had to focus, we had stepped up training, working on a lot of attacking movement as well as fitness still.

Tonight was my Son's school play, his 1st and I was not missing it, I turned my phone off and planned on a night with the family, things never go to planned.
Managing the biggest club in the history of Icelandic football meant I spent all night answering questions. It started on the way to the school, stopping for fuel the 1st words I hear were a older man shouting across the forecourt of the petrol station – Can we win the title this year? Of course I replied.
The noise of passing cars drowned out his next comments so I just waved and got back in the car, turning to the wife and just smiling – This is going to be a long night.

Arriving at the school it was amazing, lights all over, big signs advertising the school play, we were now in march but it was still very cold, the wind blowing the lights and banner around above our heads. Walking into the school I got asked for a photo from a young family all wearing KR shirts, it was amazing to see.
I was so proud to get this job and my wife could see I was loving the attention so she just smiled and let me get on with it, this job had turned our lives around, last season was tough for us all and when you are going through a tough time, life at home becomes hard as well and now we were happy and looking forward to the future and the season ahead.

Chapter 9:

Well I have been here before!

Sat outside the chairman's office like a child at the head teachers office, I was nervous, I remember how last seasons meeting at IBV went and what happened after it. It was not the meeting that scared me, it was the weeks to follow.

The door opened, the heat came bursting out into my face, such a nice warm office, I was looking forward to getting in, It had been such a cold day on the coast of Iceland.

Welcome Paul, please come in, lets sit and have the chat, we are half way through the league season, a perfect time to discuss how the season has been going.

Well thanks for inviting me, we are going well, I think its clear to see I am moving the club in the right direction, after a finish of 8th last season I knew I was coming into a club that needed work, when we went through pre season and the Upper League Cup I saw a lot of potential in the club and they are showing that I was correct to give them a chance, these 2 players have been key so far and I make it our aim to secure them for the long term

That is great to hear Paul and yes I am glad you have found and assessed what players were right to use, I am happy with how the season is going so far, like we discussed, I wanted you to challenge for the title and that is what you are doing, I'm happy with how the league table is looking;

I am glad you listened to my advice and found us a feeder club, I was happy with Rosenborg due to their your system, I think if we can get a few players in off them on loan it will be a big help.

Yes I wanted to listen to you, you are the manager and on the playing side, you know what is best, it was good to see they are willing to pay us a yearly fee as well, been a Semi Professional club we need all the funds we can get. Also Paul we have received the latest European Rankings, the club is moving in the right direction but we are still very small.

I am hoping within a few seasons we can move up very far in the European rankings, give us time and we will deliver, we have a great group here, its just going to take time for us to move the club in Europe, a small club compared to the rest of Europe as you know chairman, Icelandic football is amongst the worst in Europe but I want to change that perspective.

Excellent Paul, well I look forward to a long relationship with you if you keep up the current form.

I left the meeting, walking down the hall towards my own office I noticed a car in the car park, a Norwegian number plate stood out a mile in this country.
Making my way down I thought it could only be 1 person, Steven, my old local butcher and a friend of mine. I got there to find him getting out the car with a smile on his face.

Lovely weather Paul, bet you are glad you left Norway - Steven shouted as the frost was turning his cheeks blue.

Steven, what are you doing here, its great to see you, as you can see, new club now Steven.

Paul, we were all shocked, 1st you got sacked, we could not believe it, I am sorry about last season.
I do not know what to say about KR, we were shocked, you landed a amazing job, it shows that they saw your potential when IBV did not.

Thanks Steven, yeah I am very happy here but I need to ask, why did you travel so far?

Paul, you are massive in Egersund, we all are following Icelandic football now, one of our own managing the biggest club, its amazing to see, I have come up to watch your cup game against Fram in a few weeks as well as having a nice holiday for me and the family, we are staying in the town in a small hotel.

Wow, its great to see you have come up to see us play Fram, it will be a good game. I am humbled to see and hear that you are all following my progress and hopefully in the winter break KR can come to Egersund for a friendly. It was nice to see you Steven but I need to go, got a team meeting to attend, see you at the Fram game.


What will happen in the 2nd half of the season to KR and Paul: The Football Manager