The Path To Power

This has all the makings of yet another classic of yours. Wonder where the pair will start off. Good luck!

Interesting start, and if it's written half as well as your past stories, it should be great!

Verdinho, I can guarantee somewhat of a surprise in regards to the pair's first clubs

LFC, thank you! I'm happy you enjoy my writing, hopefully this story will excite you

Christian Schäfer

I love football. I love watching it, reading about it, thinking about it. It's always in my mind. My favourite team? That would be my local team Dynamo Dresden. I also have an affection for FC Bayern München, FC Barcelona and Liverpool. These are teams with great passion and great histories. My favourite players would be Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Müller, Philippe Coutinho and, of course, the genius that is Lionel Messi. They are true lovers of the game and play with passion.

I take inspiration from a number of managers. Josep Guardiola, Joachim Löw, Jürgen Klinsmann and Jürgen Klopp are among my favourite. I admire the versatility and the creativity displayed by each of these managers. Each of these magnificent tacticians believe in keeping the ball and working with and without it. They instruct their teams to put pressure on the opposition with the ball, and pressure on them without the ball. It's simple, in theory. In practice, it can be a lot more difficult to achieve.

I always want my team to know that they have the freedom to be creative, to express themselves throughout the game. Freedom of expression is important. Without it, football is just a game of structure and rules. Freedom and individuality is important. You wouldn't tell Messi to stay to his position and not give him any freedom, that would be absurd. As long as my players work hard enough to deserve their freedom, they can express themselves on and off the pitch in any way they wish. And now that I have my coaching badges, I can look to put this in to practice... but who would give me the chance?

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Antonio Benvenuti

I am a footballing genius. I know the game inside and out. I support teams who have shown great prowess in football. Juventus and Roma are top of my list; proud Italian clubs with great history and a great future. Manchester United and Real Madrid are also worth admiring, they are clubs where winning is born and bred. My ideal players? Cristiano Ronaldo, Giorgio Chiellini, Patrice Evra. They are born winners. You only need to look at what they've won to know just how good they are. They are true champions.

I would put myself in the same bracket as José Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri. These managers do whatever it takes to win. There is no place for "attractive football" when you can humiliate and crush opposition with ease. Blunt the opposition's attacks, and then sting them with a killer counter. That is the best way to win. Structure is important to achieve. With strong structure, you do not make mistakes. Without mistakes, you can be flawless.

My players must be warriors. They must be faster, stronger, sharper, more intelligent than the opposition. Each game is a war, and my soldiers must fight to destroy the enemy. Glory awaits the winner, and my team must always look to triumph. I'm proud of myself and I want that pride to rub off on my players. I will create champions. I will become the best in the world. I will become the ruler of football. I know it. I can feel the confidence running through my veins. I can begin my reign of power now that I have my coaching badges. I am a born winner, I am a born champion.

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Previous Update: Where It All Began
Next Update: The Rise Of The Roman Empire

Great insight into the managers' influences and philosophies, setting the story up well!

Christian Schäfer! He loves football so much that he wears football boots with his Arsene Wenger-esque coat! I can't be associating my fondness to a manager who goes the Mourinho route like Benvenuti, so go Schäfer!

Love Schafer....Benveuti comes across as being like...this generation's MORE arrogant Mourinho....

#TeamSchäfer

#ForzaBenvenuti

Benvenuti rocking the bowl cut! Looking good Antonio!

Jack, thank you!
Verdinho, yes it is quite the magnificent coat
InfraRed, I guess he is quite arrogant
Walter, you're on your own on that side
C.J.Lippo, the Aussies teaming up

good start to the story,

Both are very sexy individuals... but can they bring it in the bedroom?on the pitch?

SooruSooru, thank you!
Feliks, ............

Oh Feliks

19/06/2015

Summer time in Italy, the most heart-warming time of the year. High temperatures, clear skies, wonderful food, beautiful women. For many in Italy, it was heaven. Rome in particular was as busy as ever. The intake of tourists each year had increased rapidly, and people flocked the streets to gaze in awe at the magnificent architecture, to witness what history had left the most powerful city in Europe. The colosseum, the amphitheatre, the Pantheon, Vatican City, and of course Stadio Olimpico, the home of A.S. Roma. Such magnificent sites were the results of Rome's great history. Even the dust on the streets held the very magic of the city. Such beauty was not created by mere men. It was the gods themselves, who forged every contour of the land, who spent much time crafting and creating the glorious empire of Rome. Years and years of work defined the city as Europe's biggest landmark. As the saying goes, Rome wasn't build in a day.

For two Romans, a day in their home city was always spent well. It was a Friday evening, and there was a cheerful buzz in the atmosphere. The weekend had arrived and the people of Rome were free from their busy working routines. There was a constant upbeat chatter among the people who crowded the streets, an infectious laughter was in the air. Soft melodic tunes were played by street and café performers, and in one particular café a man with a cello played a rather heart-warming song. At the back of the café, on a balcony which overlooked a bustling street, sat two men in suits, taking in the music and enjoying their meal. They each had a bowl of Spaghetti alla Carbonara, a traditional Roman meal. They ate slowly as they conversed.

"Antonio Benvenuti, I don't know what to think of you! You have next to no experience yet you have all the qualifications required and you show a great aptitude for management."

"Alberto Cerrai, I can assure you that I am the perfect candidate to take over from Alessandro Cucciari. It was a great shame when I heard he had resigned. I would not have thought he would leave so suddenly, and to not give a reason as to why. But I can assure you that if you hire me, you will have the finest tactician Italy has ever seen. Us Romans, we are superior. We are conquerors, we are artists, we are models, we are musicians, we are businessmen, we are politicians, we are warriors, we are athletes, but most importantly, we are winners. You know what it takes to win. I know what it takes to win. Together we can achieve great things, all I need is an opportunity."

"I cannot deny that I am very impressed by your knowledge and understanding of the game and from what I have gathered, you show a keen interest in becoming the best. Such ambition is important in a manager and I believe that it rubs off on the players who he works with. An ambitious team is one which will work hard and stop at nothing to succeed. That is what we need at my club. Cucciari was a magnificent coach. He got the best out of the players and we had some very good times with him. Now that he is gone, the players are in disarray. We need somebody like Cucciari in charge. Are you telling me that you have what it takes to replace him?"

"I know I do. I have a very clear idea in my head of how I want my players to play. I want to create a successful side who's memory will stand the test of time. I want to create a team of winners, a team of champions, a team of heroes. I want a trophy cabinet so full that we have to melt down some of our trophies just so that we can make room for the next batch. I want glory, I want to take this club to glory. We are Romans, Alberto, and I want us to be at the helm of the Rise Of The Roman Empire!"

"Okay, you have convinced me. I already knew of your managerial skills, and you have shown great ambition and confidence. I will look to fill out the paperwork next week and we will be likely to unveil you next Friday, provided we can get everything signed and certified. Congratulations Antonio, you are now the manager of Lupa Roma!"

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Previous Update: The Journey Begins
Next Update: The Black Fog