Christian Schäfer - Der Professor

Hello, it's me. I was wondering if after all these years months you'd like to meet read....

Welcome back to another story presented by your favourite (I hope ) host! While the last story typed by these hands (The Path To Power) did little to come off the ground, much like Liverpool's 'title charge' this season, I am hoping to make up for lost time on the writing scene by bringing forth a tale so exciting and so inspiring that even the gods fall of their mighty thrones to worship and to bask in the glory of the main protagonist. With that in mind, I've never been one to write a good story but with boats against the current, we shall go on!

The story will be based on the save which the aforementioned story (The Path To Power) was, and thus I am not quite at ground zero. In fact, seven whole seasons have passed since the day it all began. This means that after we have been introduced to the main character of this journey, SEVEN whole season reviews will follow. What happens after this? We'll just have to wait and see ;)

This sexy mofo is the man of the hour this time. Christian Schäfer comes from Dresden, Germany, with no experience when it comes to management. He, miraculously, earns his first move in to management when his Scratch that, you'll learn more about the man who's likely to make you envy everything about him and leave your wife's knickers well and truly creaming in the following updates. Sit back, relax and enjoy as Christian Schäfer begins his domination of the world of football, and of our hearts!

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Christian Schäfer is our main character in the story, and one who's managerial career shall be followed with great detail and excitement. Christian Schäfer will be my pathway to an enjoyable and emotional career in FM 16, where I have no rules and no guidelines. Schäfer's only responsibility is to let his heart decide how he manages and while that might see him miss out on a major trophy or two over the years, it'll lead to a memorably thrilling and exciting career, and this will be visible in his preferred style of play.

Christian is of German descent, and was born in Radeburg (a town just a few kilometers north of Dresden) on 28/11/1980. At the age of 34, Christian has certainly become a very mature and well-educated individual. Currently working as a librarian, Christian studied to earn his UEFA Coaching Badges in order to pursue his dream of becoming a professional football manager. He has shown great interest in many areas, and has studied many aspects of social behavior and picked up several other languages including English, French and Italian.

Christian certainly comes across as a good guy to his friends and family. He is a kind and honest individual with plenty of time for others and shows fantastic comradery to others. His second name "Schäfer" translates to "shepherd" in English, and he certainly leads his people well. He cares for who he manages and puts his people first. He's a charismatic and selfless character, and one who most people will grow fond of.

Coming from such a normal background with not many opportunities in football in his younger years, can Christian do what it takes to become the leading figure in what will soon become his new occupation?

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Germany had fast become the most powerful country in Europe, overtaking the giants who had previously claimed victory in both World Wars. With nothing but debt and shame to their names, the Germans persevered to recover their dignity and their fortune. It is fair to say that their efforts were not in vain, as the country quickly became a superpower once more. Germany was certainly economically stable with a fully committed work-force, and the country had begun to invest heavily in sport and leisure, a side of life which was very much appreciated by the residents of the state.

Dresden was certainly a symbol of the rebirth of Germany; a city which was bombed to oblivion in the second World War but had become a marvelous urban landscape. For all of its treacherous history, Dresden had become a shining light in Germany. Dresden itself was a beautiful city, with a fantastic garden called the Großer Garten. Of course, there were fine pieces of architecture too, with the Frauenkirche and Semperoper coming to mind. The Neumarkt, reconstructed in 2008, was a plaza home to the famous Christmas market Striezelmarkt. Of course with it being a June night, not a single Christmas stall was to be seen. Instead, it was the figure of a Christian Schäfer in a suit with his hands in his pockets and walking briskly towards a local restaurant. A nervous grimace covered his face, as his jaw was clenched and the squinting eyes behind the silver-rimmed spectacles darted from side to side.

He pushed through the door of the restaurant and marched past the reception area. Through the kitchen was where Christian walked and to a hidden door in the far corner of the establishment. He knocked three times before opening the door and stepping inside. He sat on a leather chair at a desk, and on the other side of the desk was another man. Robert Schäfer was his name, no blood ties to Christian. The two men shook hands with a nervous laugh and sank in to their seats.

"Thank you for coming Christian. I do apologise that we have to meet here. My current office is being refurbished and this was my only other alternative today."

"Don't worry about that Robert! I just wanted a meeting, I didn't particularly care where it was set."

"That's good. So I did have a look at your application. You're qualified and you have a good understanding of the game, as shown by your blog. However, you don't have much experience with coaching. Quite frankly, a year assisting in coaching an U16s team isn't what we'd consider valid experience."

"I understand that yes, but then why did you call me for this meeting?"

"Since Uwe Neuhaus decided to take a surprise sabbatical, we have been rethinking our approach in running this club. That is, the rest of the board and myself. As you know, I am just the managing director. The president of the club is Andreas Ritter and we have a couple of directors working with us. We want to transform this club in to something great. Before the wall came down, this club was very successful in East Germany. Now, the club is not where it should be. But we understand that it takes time and patience.

Christian, do you know what this city is associated with? During the second World War, over 6000 Jews were killed here. Over 1,300 'enemies of the state' were slain in the public courthouses. This city played host to German infantry, as a defensive strong point for the country. Then what happened? The Dresden Bombing. Over 90% of our city center was left in ashes. Nobody stayed there. A cloud of smoke remained. It was black. The people called it 'The Black Fog', because it was all that you could see of the city. That was Dresden. Of course, the city has come a long way since then. It has healed and prospered and become strong again. But it has not recovered its pride.

We believe that through this football club, we can revive this city. We want this club to rise like a phoenix from the ashes. We want a feel-good atmosphere associated with the club. I understand you're a librarian, yes? You're a normal guy, you're a part of the community. If we can get the community on our side, we can go a long way. Why do you think you can be the man to make this happen?"

"Listen Robert, I won't lie to you. I know I'm not experienced. I know there are candidates who may seem better equipped than I am. But what I lack in experience, I more than make up for in my desire to learn and to improve. I can promise you now that I would try my damn hardest to become the best manager I can be. Managing a professional football team is my dream and I would take the opportunity with both hands and never let go. When things look bleak, I don't let go. I will never let go of my dream. That's the type of man I am.

"Okay. Now, what do you think of the squad of players that we currently have? Do you think you can win the Third Division this season with them?"

"I think that it might take time for me to adjust to new surroundings and a new environment, but I am confident that the quality of the players will see us make a strong title challenge this season. Of course, I can't promise you the league title, but I will try my hardest to make it possible."

"I appreciate your honesty. We currently have a Director Of Football, Ralf Minge. Our new manager would work with him on a daily basis. What is your opinion on this?"

"If that's how you want things run here, then I don't mind. Hopefully we can prove to be very productive together and come up with a number of solutions which will see the club grow and prosper."

"What do you value most in a team?"

"I like a team who works hard for each other on and off the ball. If every players works hard to make it easier for his team mates, the team itself will play much better. Hard work and determination pays off. But of course, getting the fans behind you is important. I like action-packed football and the fans should find plenty of entertainment, if I get the job."

"Truth be told, you became one of our leading candidates ever since we read your blog. You have a great knowledge of the game and an understanding of how it works. I've been impressed by your honesty and how you want this team to work. We will need to meet up in the coming days to fill out paperwork, but I guess I can congratulate you now on becoming the new manager of Dynamo Dresden!"

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