Jbc's Pentagon Challenge

Wow, that's a great move! Likely won't be long before you find the success down south!

Oh wow, very surprised. Great move though and we could see another Champions League ticked off very quickly!

Corinthians – Club 4 – Season 1 – Update 1

Hello and welcome to my debut in Brazil as I take charge of my first games with Corinthians FC. This is going to be very very different given to anywhere that I have managed previously given the format of games in the country, but I am up for the challenge!

Formation
First up I will run you through the formation that I am going to try and play for the rest of the year. As mentioned yesterday, our attack is significantly better than our defence, so I am hoping to essentially outscored teams in most games. I have to admit the formation does look a little odd, however the idea is that Naldinho in the half back role will slot into a 3 man defence while the wing backs bomb on against the weaker teams, and against stronger teams the wingback will likely drop back to be more conventional back four.



Results
My first game as manager was the first leg of our Copa do Brasil Final at home to finals Palmerias and it ended 0-0, a decent result given that the media had given us no chance in the run-up to the game. Our first league game saw us travel to Chapecoense and we played out an entertaining 3-3 draw, despite us leading 2-0 after 37 minutes.



We followed that up with our first three points in Brazil with a 2-0 victory over Atletico Goianiense, despite a late red card from centre back Salomon. And we continued our winning form in the next game as we dispatched Atletico Mineiro 3-1.

At the end of the month we took on Palmerias again in the second leg of the final, knowing a win or a score draw would see us champions. I had very low expectations which were lowered further after 5 minutes when midfielder Roberto, rewarded with a start after his recent good form, was shown a straight red card. I was therefore shocked when we took the lead after 25 minutes with a goal from Felipe, who had been subbed on to fill the gap left by the red card. The drama was not over however as striker Renato also saw red just 8 minutes later to leave us with a monumental task if we were to win the tie now. And as expected, within a minute of being down to 9 men we conceded from a set piece to make it 1-1.

I was under no illusions how difficult the second half would be, but we seemed to be holding out quite well until a 4 minute double salvo from Palmerias saw them snatch the win and the cup. A little disappointing given I feel we might have been able to win had we kept 11 men on the pitch, but not a game we were expecting to win.



We recovered our form nicely however, as we saw off Bragantino in a close 1-0 victory to end my first 6 games in charge strongly.



Table
We managed to take 10 points from 4 games to start my tenure which has seen us move up into 8th place, just 1 point off of the Copa Libertadores places. As I mentioned earlier, I am using this season as a tester to get to know the squad, so I don’t really mind where we finish, although a top 6 stop would be helpful.



Players
I won’t detail everyone in the squad here as there are a lot of players that will likely not be here next season so there isn’t much point in introducing everyone. One player who has stood out so far though is striker Renato, who has looked fantastic in from of goal (if you ignore his red card in the final), but he looks like a very decent player to build around. I have been very disappointed with Denilson who I highlighted in the last update as he is still yet to score for us, so I am glad Renato has stepped in to replace him.



Summary
Overall, a very strong start to my time here, if not a little disappointing to lose the cup final to a rival but when you get two players sent off it is difficult to win any game. Hopefully we can continue our strong form into the end of the season and secure a solid top 6 position.

*Thanks for reading and it looks like you are all excited to see how we get on in Brazil! On a side note, I have been nominated for the Story of the Month award so would really appreciate it if you voted for me in the poll (providing you think I am the best of the nominated stories of course). Good luck to all the other participants as well!*

Ouch, that final was harsh. Two reds in the first half is extraordinarily unlucky. I expect the rest of this season to be interesting especially with that formation but one I look forward to seeing play out.

Just caught up. Massive congratulations on your success in Africa with Kaiser Chiefs. To win the Champions League within six months was beyond impressive and has certainly accelerated things.

Good luck in Brazil with Corinthians!

Corinthians – Club 4 – Season 1 – Update 2

Welcome back to Corinthians as the run-in to the end of the season begins with 15 games remaining. If we can continue our good run we have a real chance at securing qualification for the all important Copa Libertadores next season. Let see how we got on.

Results
We kicked off with our first league game against rivals Palmerias, after being defeated by them in the Copa do Brazil final just a week before. We did manage to come away with a respectable point, however we slipped to a 1-0 defeat to top 6 rivals Gremio in our next game as tiredness began to set in.

We managed to recover a little with a 6 day break before we travelled to 3rd place Cruzeiro and managed to come away with a massive 3-1 victory thanks to goals from Hollman, Cantu and Zeballos in response to conceding an early goal.



We followed that with another victory, this time against Avai, before a torrid run of games, featuring back to back 1-0 defeats and a 1-1 draw against Cortiba to round off today’s update. A decent result given that we struggled for much of the game before scoring from a late corner.



A mixed bag overall with 2 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats which has seen us fall off the pace in the top 6 race.



Table
We now find ourselves in 8th place, 6 points behind Atletico Mineiro in 6th place with just 8 games to go. We are going to need a strong run-in if we are going to secure top tier continental football next season and with our current form that looks unlikely.



Summary
Overall, a pretty disappointing run of games and a top 6 place might be a challenge from here, but I am a least starting to get an overview of how I want to take the team forward next season.

*Thanks for all the comments recently, it has been great to see people getting involved! Let me know where you think we will finish this season and thanks for reading!*

A tough run there which may well cost your the Libertadores place come the end of the season. However, this year was never the big one and once you have a full pre-season and season yourself, things will start to come around I believe.

Ahhh! Not exactly the form you want to be taking into the final stretch of games as you look to cement a place in the Libertadores next season. Fingers crossed you can turn it on and get the job done - if not, we go again next season.

Corinthians – Club 4 – Season 1 Update 3

Welcome to the season finale with Corinthians as we are trying to recover some lost ground in the race for the Copa Libertadores. We currently sit 6 points behind with 8 games to go, and come into the run-in in indifferent form. I have to admit that we probably can only afford to lose 1 more game if we want any chance of qualification, and with our current form and team I find that highly unlikely. But regardless, lets get into the games.

Results
We kicked off our run-in with a home game against qualification rivals Internacional and could only secure a 1-1 draw, before we travelled to Botafogo just 5 days later in a must win game as they had little left to play for in the low mid table. We clearly forgot to board the bus however as we got smashed 4-0 in a humiliating performance that effectively put us out of realistic contention.

We did manage to recover slightly in our next game as we beat Vitoria 3-0, but the poor performances returned and we fell to 3 defeats on the trot to end all hopes of the top 6. We ended the season a little stronger as we drew with EC Bahia to dent their hopes to a top 6 finish before battling to a deserved 1-0 victory over league champions Flamengo in a shock win.



Table
A terrible run of form to end the year with just 8 points from 8 games, which has left us in a lowly 11th position – one place lower than when I joined the club and a massive 31 points behind Flamengo. We do at least qualify for the Copa Sudamerica next year and I expect we may be one of the favourites to go all the way once we strengthen our squad, so that could make next season a little more interesting!



Our end of season collapse has clearly not been overlooked by the board and they are very unhappy with our recent form. I haven’t yet been called into the office to discuss my future, but I know that a poor start next year will likely cost me my job.



Squad
Our end of season awards show that central defender Contreras has been awarded player of the season – a bit of a shock considering how poor our defence has been recently! Renato, who I highlighted a couple of updates ago came in a close second with Mexico attacking midfielder Cantu taking 3rd.

I wouldn’t get too used to the names in the team of the season as I expect that up to half of them may not be here next season as I look to build the team in my own image.



Summary
A dreadful end to the year which has almost cost me my job, but it looks like I will at least be given the off season to try and strengthen the squad, and I already have my eye on a few players. I think we will stick with the formation going forward, although with the fullbacks being a little more defensive as I think with some better players we could make it work very effectively.

*Thanks for reading despite the dreadful results! I anticipate that the next update might be a big one in terms of transfers in and out! Let me know what you think of my first (half) season in Brazil!*

It's been a very tough start but with your history espeicaly in recent years in South Africa and China, I will put it down to the squad simply not being good enough. It's going to take some serious investment to get a squad that will be challenging, hopefully the board back you despite the struggles.

Certainly not the end to the season you would have liked but the summer ahead will be massively important as you look to assemble your own squad. A good start could be more important than usual with the board likely to act if you fall below their expectations.

Corinthians – Club 4 – Season 2 – Update 1

Welcome back to my second season with Corinthians in Brazil, and the good news to kick us off with is that I have retained my job! Despite the board being bitterly disappointed at the end of last season, they have back me in my first transfer window and let me assure you that I have done a huge amount of business. So without further ado, let’s get into the transfers!

Transfers Out
We have had a massive squad overhaul during the off season and have managed to rake in a massive £155m for players that, on the whole, I didn’t even want to keep around so I am absolutely delighted.



The big one, and possibly a shock to some people is Denilson, who has left for my former rivals Beijing Guoan for a massive £49m (a club record sale). I highlighted him when I joined as our best player, but he never showed it for me last year, scoring just 3 goals so I have decided to cash in and I think I have made the right choice given the money we have received.

The only player on the outs list that I am disappointed to see leave is Naldinho, who I was planning to have sit at the base of the midfield and a player who I rate very highly. Unfortunately, there was a lot of interest in him and due to Brazilian rules meaning each player must have a release clause, he left when Porto matched his fee of £23m. Apart from that, we have managed to offload a lot of dead wood for a decent profit, so I am very happy with the rest of the sales.

Transfers In
We have actually managed to make a tidy profit of £30m in the window, whilst also drastically improving the squad, so I can’t really complain. We have managed to avoid spending big on a lot of players and have instead managed to recruit very effectively in almost all areas of the team.



I’ll make my way through the squad from back to front and start with Joel Casagrande, our new rotation keeper. Xavi has been decent for us, but I felt that a little more competition was needed, so I have brought in Joel to battle for the position. I would have liked someone better, but without taking up a foreign player spot it just wasn’t possible. But for £2.7m I feel we have signed a decent player.

Defence was the biggest area for me to improve and I hope you will agree with me when I say that I have signed two fullback who could become some of the best in the world in the future. I will start with Michael Ochoa who has signed from Columbia for a tiny £2.1m (his release fee) and is already a 4 star player at 22 years old. He isn’t the best at going forward, but defensively he is second to none in our league and with Kailky remaining as a backup, suddenly our left back position has got much stronger.



The other fullback we have signed isn’t really a fullback at all, but actually a right winger. Jeremias Barcia has joined from River Plate for his release fee of £5.25m which is an absolute bargain when you look at him. Man Utd were also rumoured to be interested, so that is just how good of a player we are talking about. Although he can’t play fullback upon joining the club, he has 13 tacking and 13 marking which clearly show he is capable of defending and his 17 crossing and 18 pace will make him deadly going forward.



We have also signed Bocao, who will act as backup to Barcia. At £13.25m he is a little expensive for a backup, but he has some good potential to grow into, and should get a fair few games, given that we are in Brazil and rotation is key.

The second most expensive signing of the window is centre back Sandrinho who has joined for £20m. I wanted a Brazilian centre back as both of our starting partnership last season were foreign and therefore taking up 2 precious spots (only 5 allowed in Brazil), but finding a good Brazilian defender proved to be difficult and he was the best of the bunch.



Moving up the team we have two players that I have brought in to replace Naldinho. First up is Edimo who joins for £17m and looks like a great prospect at 19. He is naturally a little more defensive than his new rival and I think overall a decent pickup.



The other player brought in is Jefferson, who can play both central and defensive midfield and at £14m he looks like an amazing capture. He doesn’t quite have the physical attributes I would want for a really good midfielder, but none the less he looks very good.



The next player on the list is the most expensive and that is Omar Ramirez for a massive £30m. He comes in to compete with Cantu who turns 31 this year, so the idea is for Ramirez to replace Cantu next season. He is also Mexican, meaning that it will likely be either one of them playing in the team, rather than both together, but to me he looks like a quality pickup – hopefully he can perform to the high levels that Cantu set last year and show the fans why we have spent big on him.



We have also signed Maxwell for £12.5m who will act as backup in all of the midfield roles. We didn’t really have any depth there last year, so I feel much better about our options this time around.

And the final player I would like to highlight is out new star striker Gustavo Mosquera who has joined for £2.4m, just 1/20 of what we sold Denilson for. He does lack a little finishing with 13, but his physicals and mentals more than make up for it. To me he looks like the kind of player than on his own could score 40 goals a season, but in a 3 man attack I hope that he will be a bit more creative as well as finishing the chances he gets.



And that’s the end of the transfer business. I think you will all agree that we have made some fantastic additions at some amazing prices. Since there have been so many new players, here is how our best XI will look now:



Results
For those who don’t know, in Brazil there is essentially two different league systems – the State Championships and the Brasilero (Serie A). The State Championships take place at the start of the calendar year and pit all of the teams for the same State against each other, regardless of their league ranking. For Brasilero (Serie A) sides this essentially acts as an extended preseason as there are a lot of teams from Serie C and D, which means there is a lot of chance for rotation.

Once the league season is complete, the top teams qualify for a knockout stage with the winner being crowned King of the State, and that is where I will start giving more in depth updates, as we have so far won all 8 of our games with an aggregate score of 35-1.

At the end of February however, we started some meaningful games as we entered the first found of the Copa Sudamerica. Unlike the Copa Libertadores, there is no group stage in the tournament and each tie is a two legged knockout. For the first round we drew Danubio FC from Uruguay and, despite me expecting a fairly close game, we dismanteled them 9-1 in the first leg with both Mosquera and Renato getting hattricks as well as young striker Matheusao getting a brace and defender Hollman rounding off the drubbing.



The second leg also resulted in a hefty 6-0 as we cruised through into the second round 15-1 over 2 legs! The difference in team stature can probably best be explained by the fact that they had a sold out stadium with a crowd of just 1,000 fans for the second leg. In the next round we have been drawn against Huracan from Argentina, so I expect we will have a bit more competition in that game.



Summary
A big update for you there, but a transfer update is also special, particularly the first one as a manager. I really feel that the team is so much stronger this season with the signings and if we don’t finish in the top 3 or 4 in the league I will be disappointed. I also expect us to be one of the favourites to lift the Copa Sudamerica and, although it isn’t the continental competition we are looking for, I will certainly be trying to win another high value trophy.

*Let me know what you think of the transfers I have made and who you think our signing of the season will be. Also let me know where you think we will finish in the Brasilero this year with our improved squad. Thanks for reading!*

Based of those early results, the squad is in a much better place despite losing two good players. The money re-invested has been spent well and I expect you to be up there challenging this season.

Largely lower-league opposition but results against Santos, Sao Paulo and Palmeiras are encouraging for the season ahead. The side looks stronger than it did and I expect plenty of exciting play this season with the system deployed.

Corinthians – Club 4 – Season 2 – Update 2

Welcome back to Brazil and following our intense transfer window in the last update and coupled with our great start to State Championship campaign, the season looks like it could been very promising. Today we will conclude the State Championship’s ahead of the start of the Brasileiro season.

Results
We continued our great run in the league stage of the State Championships and finished with a 100% record, including a 10-1 win over Serie D side Sao Caetano in our final game. That meant that we topped the league, however that means nothing in the State Championships as the top sides head into an 8 team knockout to crown the champions of the region.

Our first knockout game was at home to Ponte Preta who had finished 7th in the table overall. Being a Serie A/B yo-yo side, I was confident of a win and we delivered in style with a resounding 5-0 victory. That set-up a thrilling semi-final against rivals Santos. We made our task more difficult as we conceded from a penalty after just 3 minutes, but 2 goals either side of half time from Mosquera saw us in pole position to progress into the final. And with 2 minutes to go it looked nailed on that we would be the victors, but a late strike from Santos we headed into extra time in order to find a winner. There wasn’t to be one and we entered penalty shoot-out for derby glory. I was confident of a victory, but a mistake from Edimo left us with a disappointing 8-7 defeat in a nail biting sudden death.



A disappointing way to end our State Championship, but we can take some confidence into the Serie A season with some of our performances and results.



Squad
Overall, it has been a great start to the season from Renato who has scored 23 goals in 15 games so far. New signing Mosquera has also had a great start with 16 goals in 12 games to date. The standout performer for me has got to be Ochoa however, as he has so far recorded an impressive 11 assists and 1 goal in 13 games from left back.



But despite that, it was Cantu who won the State Championships best player with an impressive 6 goals and 9 assists in his 14 starts.



Summary
As mentioned, it is a little disappointing to be knockout out in the semi finals of the State Championships, however we can take confidence from our performances and I feel that we have a very good chance of a top 3 finish in the league this season.

*Let me know where you think we can finish this season and who will be our player of the year this season. Thanks for reading!*