The Impossible Dream

"And that's it! It's all over now! Crystal Palace! are league champions! Manager Alex Galla...."

"Alex? Alex....ALEX, for god's sake, wake up!"

Grudgingly, I rolled onto my side, hiding from the noise which shattered my dreams of league title glory. From somewhere, a light burned through my eyelids, and as I came to, my wife's face swam into view

"you CANNOT be late again, Alex; your phone has been non-stop since about 6am, and i'm sick of it. Make the calls you need to make and then go!"

6am? That's far too early for it to be normal club business. I dropped my feet lightly onto the floor, swinging a shirt around my shoulders and padding across to the bedroom's window. Checking through my notifications, I sighed. Candy Crush, Peggle, Pirate Kings, Facebook...all nonsense. I was about to throw my phone back onto the bed, when it rang again: Keith Millen, the club's Assistant Manager.

"Hello?"
"Ah, Alex, thank god. We need you in, ASAP - club's in a bit of a mess...try not to watch the news before you get here."
With that, the line went dead...what the hell was going on? I shaved quickly, threw on what looked like it could pass for the business casual look the club demanded of all employees, and glugged a glass of milk on my way to the front door.

"I should be home for tea, dear! See you soon!"

There was no response...I shrugged it off - she was probably in the bath or something...

Woman loved a bath.

Awesomeee I will follow ofcourse

Good start

"Okay, so as i'm sure we can all appreciate, our current position is...well, it's a disgrace." Steve really wasn't holding back today...and I can't say I blame him - as Chairman of a club that's sitting 19th in the league after 10 games, I'd be livid too.

"What this club needs, is a spark...something to bring passion and desire...to take the young stars we have here and turn them into world-beaters."

I looked around, at the coaching staff shuffling their feet nervously, as if they knew where the blame lay for the club's position. I knew that I too, had a part to play; despite being a youth coach. We were tasked with bringing through the best young talent, and getting that talent ready to play in the first team...and we could probably have done more...What was Steve going to do?

"Alex, You got a sec?"

I looked up; the chairman was motioning me into his office. My colleagues looked at me...a couple looked like they knew something I didn't...but most seemed to mirror the baffled look on my face...I stepped forward, and followed him into his office.

"Close the door, Alex" Steve said, setting himself in his chair, with the air of a man resigned to his club's cause..."I'm sure you've realised, this club is, essentially, up shit creek without a paddle. We're 19th, and we've won...exactly one league game this season...We need to change things up."

..."okay, and what does that have to do with me? I mean, I can work more with the youth kids, get them ready for first team football, but there's only so mu-"

"That's not what i'm suggesting, Alex" He cut me off, bluntly; "You spend a lot of time around the first team; the guys respect you, and you've brought through some great young talent...I want you to bring that brilliance to the first team. I've had a chat with some of the coaching staff, and we've not really got much else to use. You're established here, and we want you to make the step up. You in?"

"Am I....what? Yes! Obviously. I mean, i'd be honored....I...I..."


And that, Is how I ended up as the manager of Crystal Palace

Yeah...mad, I know

awesome update and compulsive reading already

29/11/2015

I looked around the dressing room, and my chest swelled with pride. 23 days ago, i'd been thrown in at the deep end with this squad, with the club struggling to put together a run of form, and with a dressing room which was flat...no atmosphere, no belief...just resignation.

Now? 6 points from our last 3 games saw us 16th in the premier league, 3 points clear of the drop zone, and with a sense of belief which was growing with every day we spent on the training ground.

The 2-0 win we'd just notched over Leicester was our most convincing yet; with Zaha and Sanogo both scoring, as our 4-2-3-1 formation, which we had trialed this month, really came together with some slick passing and great possession football...If we were going to beat the drop, we were going to do it by playing proper football, rather than the long-ball style favored by most lower-league teams...one which there is, in my view, a direct link to their league position from.

"Guys, I am so proud of you all. We've come such a long way in just 23 days. The way we played out there was amazing - Leicester didn't really have a sniff of the ball, and we really looked in control of the play throughout. If we can keep that standard up, then we wont be long in sorting out this league position...so go home, have a good night, enjoy your rest day tomorrow, and i'll see you all on Monday, bright and early!"

As the squad headed for the showers, I felt my phone going in my pocket...I glanced at it quickly...a text from Louise, my wife...I slipped my phone back into my jeans, and headed up to the office - i'd reply in a moment, but I had some business to deal with before clubs started sniffing around players as January targets.

Just read everything and i have to say great start. I will be following your journey!