The World Cup Challenge

Really poor performance in this one. Didn't even put up any kind of a fight in a pretty embarrassing loss. Bad sign for the team as a whole.


Match odds: Bulgaria 6-4 (Favorite); Draw 2-1, Denmark 13-8

"There's not much difference between these two teams and it could right down to the wire. If I had to pick a winner I think I'd plump for a Denmark victory." - Zhivko Kostov, The Bulgarian Football Review


Basic 4-5-1 attack again here as we normally run. Denmark is a good side so we will need some attacking firepower to beat them.

MAN TO WATCH (DENMARK): AMC Thomas Kahlenberg
MAN TO WATCH (BULGARIA): DR Stanislav Manolev



This game had me in all different states of emotion! The early goal that put us ahead, followed by two quick goals in succession from Denmark out of the half, followed by our near immediate equalizer, then TWO missed clear cut chances within the final ten minutes of the game. We should have won this game, but at least we got something out of it.

Nikolay Mihaylov, Deyan Valkov, and Svetoslav Dyakov are out for this international period with injury. Petar Zanev is back after missing the Norway and Denmark games. GK Filip Dimitrov was called up due to the Mihaylov injury, other than that, no changes from the last squad.
Match odds: Italy 4-7 (Favorite); Draw 5-2; Bulgaria 4-1

"I can't look beyond Italy for this game. They have enough quality to see off the challenge of Bulgaria." - Salvatore Germano, The Italian Football Free Press



Tough opponent calls for the 4-5-1 defend.

MAN TO WATCH (ITALY): ST Mattia Destro
MAN TO WATCH (BULGARIA): DR Zhivko Milanov




Away against Italy was the toughest game of our qualification campaign, and we played better than the scoreline showed. We had them in possession, but struggled in shots and chances department.

Match odds: Bulgaria 1-2 (Favorite); Draw 13-5; Georgia 9-2

"I believe Bulgaria have enough quality to see off Georgia." - Dragomir Avramov, The Bulgarian Football Free Press




MAN TO WATCH (GEORGIA): AMC Jano
MAN TO WATCH (BULGARIA): DM Ivaylo Chochev



A good result here. We got off to a good start with the two early goals but then the 89th minute equalizer scared me for a second, but then Milanov came in clutch with a goal under 30 seconds later! This was a tough game but we came out with the result we wanted and moved a step closer to qualification.

Due to some of the poor performances we've had in the 2014 calendar year, we fell 18 spots in the World Rankings and now sit at 74. Disappointing, but we will need to get our stuff together in order to climb back up.


We now have a nice long break until late March '15 when we take on Ireland, although we are currently scheduling friendly matches in between.

Two changes to the squad pre-match. DC Alexandre Barthe and recent call up CAM Antonio Vutov will both miss with injury. AM Ivan Stoyanov and promising young DC Stefan Velkov were called up, the latter for the first time. Then, just before the game, Stoyanov suffered an injury and 19 year old midfielder Radoslav Tsonev was called up to the squad for the first time.
Match odds: Republic of Ireland 5-4 (Favorite); Draw 11-5; Bulgaria 7-4


While normally I would run the 4-5-1 defend in this situation, Ireland is known to be weak to 4-5-1 attack-like formations according to our scouts.

MAN TO WATCH (BULGARIA): DC Alex Pearce
MAN TO WATCH (REPUBLIC OF IRELAND): AM Georgi Milanov



A horribly infuriating result. We let up two goals early, came back in the second half, and then CONCEDED A DAMN PENALTY. Seriously. And thanks to Denmark's win, we are now fourth in the table. With one more game played than all of the others. Not looking too good.

Since we have done quite poorly lately, trying out a new tactic. We'll see how it goes.

And the new tactic works great! A brilliant result. Micanski got back on a roll after a string of bad games and Gamakov netted his first goal for the senior squad. Next matches are in just under three months in mid-June: at Denmark in the Euro Qualifiers and a home friendly against Liberia, a Western African nation.

DC Alexandre Barthe was recalled to the squad after missing the last period with injury. Stefan Velkov, a young defender, was sent down, but will certainly have his chance in the future. Pre-match, two more players were injured. Aging CAM Emil Gargorov, who was not getting much playing time either way, and young midfielder Ivaylo Chochev were both hurt in training. Young AM/ST Kiril Despodov was called up and Velkov was recalled. To add on to the injury problem, goalie Ivan Stoyanov got hurt in training. Plamen Iliev was called up to the squad.
Match odds: Denmark Evens (Favorite); Draw 11-5; Bulgaria 11-5

"There's not much difference between these two teams. Denmark to scrape it 1-0." - Casper Kaalund, The Danish Football Review


Running with the new tactic again.

MAN TO WATCH (BULGARIA): CAM Christian Eriksen
MAN TO WATCH (DENMARK): ST Ilian Micanski



Another poor result. Cannot believe that this happened. We just played awful and our qualification campaign is taking a huge turn for the worst. We have to get on track.

Great win! Liberia isn't a great side but still good for us to go out and get a nice win. Despodov had an international debut to remember as the 18 year old netted one in the 71st minute. Our next international period will be in September with matches against Italy and Georgia, but before that, in late July is the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers draw! We will be eagerly awaiting our group in that competition.

The day is finally here. Our groups are being drawn for the 2018 World Cup qualifying. Our goal is to win the biggest tournament of them all, so hopefully we can qualify and get a shot. Before the draw, the USA was announced as the host of the 2026 event.

We've been seeded fourth for the draw, just as with the European Championship qualifiers. The first seeds are the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, England, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands, and Spain. Surprising that the Czech Republic and Bosnia were first seeds over Portugal and France.

Bulgaria has been drawn into ...

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/attachments/football-manager-2014-manager-stories/556387d1397603155-mpejkrms-world-cup-challenge-fifa-world-cup-uefa-qualifying-section_-overview-stages-2.png

Group 1, with Armenia, Belgium, Croatia, Macedonia (FYROM), and Liechtenstein.

I feel we got a pretty easy group. Belgium and Croatia will be tough but Armenia and Liechtenstein should be easy wins and Macedonia shouldn't be too tough either. Group matches start September 2, 2016.

As for the other groups:

Group 2

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/attachments/football-manager-2014-manager-stories/556393d1397606142-mpejkrms-world-cup-challenge-fifa-world-cup-uefa-qualifying-section_-overview-stages-3.png
Spain should be the odds-on favorite in this group. None of the other sides really look too strong except maybe Romania.

Group 3

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/attachments/football-manager-2014-manager-stories/556394d1397606238-mpejkrms-world-cup-challenge-fifa-world-cup-uefa-qualifying-section_-overview-stages-4.png

Italy look like easy favorites in this group. Poland and the Scandinavian nations of Norway and Iceland are good, but not Italy good.

Group 4

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/attachments/football-manager-2014-manager-stories/556396d1397606330-mpejkrms-world-cup-challenge-fifa-world-cup-uefa-qualifying-section_-overview-stages-5.png

Germany and France will battle it out for the title of Group 4. None of the other nations stand much of a chance.

Group 5

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/attachments/football-manager-2014-manager-stories/556399d1397606389-mpejkrms-world-cup-challenge-fifa-world-cup-uefa-qualifying-section_-overview-stages-6.png

Portugal and Switzerland look like favorites in Group 5. Austria might also surprise some people.

Group 6

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/attachments/football-manager-2014-manager-stories/556401d1397606496-mpejkrms-world-cup-challenge-fifa-world-cup-uefa-qualifying-section_-overview-stages-7.png

Greece look to be favorites here, with Ukraine and the Czech Republic tagging along as contenders.

Group 7

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/attachments/football-manager-2014-manager-stories/556403d1397606536-mpejkrms-world-cup-challenge-fifa-world-cup-uefa-qualifying-section_-overview-stages-8.png

England should be favorites, but they got tough opponents in Hungary, Turkey, and Denmark.

Group 8

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/attachments/football-manager-2014-manager-stories/556406d1397606582-mpejkrms-world-cup-challenge-fifa-world-cup-uefa-qualifying-section_-overview-stages-9.png

Bosnia got a surprise one-seed in the draw and were rewarded with an easy group. Ireland might be their only challenger.

Group 9

http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/attachments/football-manager-2014-manager-stories/556408d1397606675-mpejkrms-world-cup-challenge-fifa-world-cup-uefa-qualifying-section_-overview-stages-10.png

Netherlands shouldn't have too much of an issue here. Sweden and Wales are solid, but not great sides.

Bulgaria Transfers

• DM Simeon Slavchev, just two years after moving to Atletico, was sold to rival Barcelona for $20.5M (12.2M pounds).
  
• Right-back Stanislav Manolev was sold to Brighton and Hove Albion for $235K (140K pounds) from Sporting CP, where he had two uneventful seasons.
  
• Central attacking mid Ivelin Popov made the move from Kuban to Newcastle in the English Premier League on a free transfer following his contract expiration.
  
• Young goalie Plamen Iliev moved from Levski to Werder Bremen for a fee of $3.3M (1.95M pounds).
  
• 18 year old promising defensive midfielder Vasil Penkov moved from Ludogrets to FC Porto for $6.5M (3.85M pounds). He had interest from numerous other clubs such as PSG, Arsenal, Real Madrid, etc.
  

World Transfers

• Liverpool sign defensive mid Lars Bender from Leverkusen for $54M (32.1M pounds).
  
• Chelsea sign Roma defensive mid Kevin Strootman for the same $54M fee.
  
• AS Monaco FC sign Athletic Bilbao's young defender Aymeric Laporte for a fee of $47M (27.95M pounds)
  
• Attacking midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is sold to Man United from Wolfsburg for $41.5M (24.7M pounds)
  
• Attacking midifleder Jack Wilshere moves from Arsenal to Man City for a fee of $40.5M (24.1M pounds)
  
• Defender Phil Jones moves from Man United to Arsenal for $32M (19M pounds)
  
• AS Monaco FC sign two promising attacking midfielder, Raheem Sterling from Liverpool ($44M/26M pounds) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ($32M/19M pounds) from Dortmund
  

A few changes to the squad. Thankfully we didn't have any injuries over the latest club period but we did move around a few guys. Aging striker Ivan Tsvetkov was given his farewell and Ivaylo Chochev was recalled to the squad after missing the last matches with injury. Defensive mid Hristo Zlatinski, who has been uninspiring lately, was swapped out for Vladimir Gadzhev, who makes his return to the squad after missing the last four. There were several other players we wanted on the squad but in the end there are only 23 spots!
Match odds: Bulgaria 9-2, Draw 13-5, Italy 1-2 (Favorite)

"Italy will continue their recent impressive form by beating Bulgaria today. You never know quite which Bulgaria are going to turn up at home and I can't see that changing for this game." - Dragomir Avramov, The Bulgarian Football Free Press


MAN TO WATCH (ITALY): ST Mattia Destro
MAN TO WATCH (BULGARIA): AM Ivelin Popov


I am speechless. We had horrific finishing and horrific defending in a game we should have won, and instead, we didn't even score and are now eliminated form qualifying for Euro 2016. Some major changes are in order.

Following our recent run of poor results in competitive fixtures I've decided to try another type of tactic before the WC Qualifiers.

MAN TO WATCH (BULGARIA): DC Alexandre Barthe
MAN TO WATCH (GEORGIA): AML David Targamadze

The new home tactic being used today.

MAN TO WATCH (REPUBLIC OF IRELAND): DC Iliya Milanov
MAN TO WATCH (BULGARIA): ?RB Seamus Coleman



So we finish off our qualification campaign with a very respectable victory over Ireland. Delev played the best game of his international career and should have had a hat trick if not for an iffy offside call on his last goal late. Overall, still a terrific performance by the boys.

Somehow, despite dominating early, our defense let us down late (what's new) and we lost again. Silly tackles leading to easy free kicks killed our game. On the upside, Despodov scored two more and now has scored four goals in his three international appearances. He's a keeper.