A World Away - A Journeyman Story

Hi All,

Below is going to be a journeyman story and my first ever. I have been a long time stalker of these forums and follower of many stories. I have often written my own but never really posted anything seriously. I have been having fun with FM15, however, I feel like it is time to brush off the nerves of sharing my stories with actual people and post here. Please forgive my formatting. I will be posting and then editing my posts right after to get the formatting right so bear with me.

All feedback will be appreciated. If you like it, I will keep going. If you don't, I also welcome that criticism as long as it is constructive. If I am terrible, I apologise and will crawl back to my hole. haha.

So, I hope you enjoy my journeyman career.

Kai.

It’s a hot Australian summer and I am sitting in an air conditioned pub watching the Arsenal v Liverpool fixture over a schooner of beer. Frustrated. The gunners are down 3-0 and it is the usual story. A backline that is leakier than a pasta strainer. We can sign and produce as many attacking players as we like but unless we do something about our defence we will always be a position 4-6 team, if we are lucky. I have felt for a while now that I know this game, I know how it works and I feel like I could make an impact in the footballing world given the chance. Not to mention I hate my current job, however, with a complete lack of qualifications and the EPL being on the other side of the world, there is little chance of me doing that any time soon. I decide to drown my sorrows in a few more beers now that my beloved gunners have conceded another goal. It is going to be a long night.


The next morning I wake up and it is a miracle. No hangover and a very clear mind. I want to get into football management. I prepare myself for the conversation with my wife. It will be a resounding ‘no’, I am sure of it. I walk into the kitchen and she has a coffee prepared. How lucky am I?


I drink about half of my coffee before I get the nerves to bring up the topic. ’Sweet, you know I have hated my job for so long now and I feel like there is one thing that I would be really good at. Managing a football team. We would have to move to England to give me any chance at a good start. Would you consider it?’

To my surprise, she cracked a smile. ‘I will support you in whatever you want to do Kai.’

That afternoon, I submitted my resume to an agent and there began the waiting game.

January came, then February, March, April and May. No word, the dream was over. With no experience I was starting to believe that I would never be given a chance. However, on a day just like any other, I received an interview from the agent I never heard back from.

‘Kai,
Hyde Football Club has offered you an interview, Can you fly to the UK immediately?
Peter Drew’.

The adventure begins.


Three days later I am standing outside of the Hyde Football Club staring at the ‘Welcome to Ewen Fields’ sign. Surely this cannot be real.

The interview went for two hours. It was gruelling and I was sweating from nerves, however, I felt like I was doing well. The board expressed their concerns with my lack of management but I felt like once I discussed my vision they were suitably impressed. At the end of the interview the chairman looked at me with a smile and uttered the words I thought I would never hear. ‘We are pleased to be able to offer you the position of Part-Time manager of Hyde Football Club. Here are the terms of your agreement. We require an answer today.’ I opened the letter and my heart sank. Part-time manager paying £500 p/w. This was my dream, however, as much as I hated my last job, I had a wife and 18 month old daughter and could not afford to move to the UK for a part time job and a salary of £500 p/w. I had to decline. It tore me up.

Heading back out to the airport was the longest trip ever. I had spent $3000, all of my savings, coming out here for a chance at a dream that was never going to eventuate. As I stared out the window I thought to myself that it was ironic that the English weather was suitable to my mood. Miserable. My phone rang in my pocket. I knew it would be my wife and I would have to explain to her that I spent our savings for nothing. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and to my surprise it was an UK number. ‘Hello’.

‘Hi Kai. It is Peter Drew here, your agent. I am sorry your Hyde interview did not go as expected but I may have another option that you would be pleased about’. I smiled and after a quick explanation from my agent I hung up. ‘Excuse me’ I asked the taxi driver. ‘Where is Gateshead?’

Wow! If Hyde Football Club impressed, Gateshead was next level. Not only in the size of it’s stadium but also the league. Hyde was in Vanarama Conference North and Gateshead was not only in the Vanarama Conference but it was predicted by the media to top the division. Surely they would be interviewing a ton of managers and I would be laughed out as soon as they looked at my experience.

‘Kai, we are ready for you now’.

In a similar interview to Hyde, my lack of experience was exposed but my vision was clear. I did not expect to walk out of here with a job and it actually helped my nerves. I was laid back yet professional and spoke about my plans should I get the job. Out of the panel of five, two were punching away on their iPads, not even listening to a word I was saying. One of them was even playing Football Manager Handheld and I knew that their mind was already made up.

Unlike the Hyde job I was told that a decision would be made at a later date and I would be informed via email. The ride to the airport was similar to last. I had resigned to my fate and wished for the 24 hour flight home to go quickly.

I was home and had taken an additional weeks annual leave from work to try and decide what my next move was. Five days had passed and the Gateshead interview was an afterthought. So much so that when I checked my emails and saw one from my agent, I had to remind myself who P. Drew was. I scrolled down.

‘Gateshead Football Club would like to offer you the position of Full-time manager with a salary of £900 p/w’. I choked up. We were on our way to England. My dream was now a reality.

Gateshead Football Club