Magician's Dover Saga - S5E09 From Ashes to Elite

Gary: Welcome back.
Me: It’s nice to be back.

Gary: It’s been a while since our last public meeting, and there are plenty of topics I’m interested in.
Me: Yeah, things have been crazy lately. Since we got promoted again, I’ve had to spend time adapting to the new reality. As far as I know, you’ve found yourself in a new reality too.

Gary: I assume you’re talking about Salford. Yes, David and I made the decision to sell the club. It wasn’t working, and the fans were quite unhappy, so we decided it was time to let it go. So far, Dover doesn’t seem to have that problem. How do you do it?

Me: I’ve always believed in process and progress. I spend a lot of time analyzing different aspects of the game and constantly improving the team performance. I’m not a big fan of so-called “meta exploits” in a tactical approach. I want to be part of the game experience, and the way I use tactical instructions during matches reflects that.

Gary: Meta exploits?
Me: I’m talking about those repeated tactical instructions managers use just to get results. They’re usually based on a much higher tempo, a very low defensive line, and direct passing in conjunction with an attacking mentality.

Gary: What system are you using?
Me: The same since season one. I rarely adjust my out-of-possession instructions, which are almost always set to a lower defensive line and counter-press. Depending on the opposition I’m facing, a 4-3-3 is mid-block, and RAF is high press.
When it comes to in-possession instructions, they are flexible and adjusted depending on match statistics and indicators.



















Gary: I won’t argue with that, as you have a much better managerial record than I do and the results proof it is working.

Gary: How do you deal with unhappiness in the squad?

Me: Finn is young and inexperienced and easily influenced by his agent. That person is just trying to make money from commission, not thinking about the player’s best interests. I told him he should leave him, but so far he hasn’t.

Other players are mostly complaining about contracts. I wanted to offer them improved deals, but on the other hand they are asking for unrealistic money. Lorenzo Ignacchiti, for example, is asking for £25k per week, which is four times his current deal. I consider that unrealistic.

Gary: Yes, we had a similar problem. There are things I want to talk about, but they are not strictly related to football. Can we talk about influencers?
Me: Yes, I have no problem speaking out on any subject.

Gary: Your comments about YouTubers and Patreon have made big news in the media. What do you think about it?
Me: I didn’t notice. I don’t watch TV and don’t use social media. False information is present in every aspect of our lives, so it’s not just them I was referring to.

Gary: Are you planning to sign up for some PR lessons?
Me: No, I enjoy my freedom of speech, but I have joined a “sarcasmoholics” group to reduce the impact of sarcasm on my daily life.

Gary: That sarcasm could get you in trouble. Are you not afraid you’re going to lose your followers?
Me: Followers? I’m assuming you’re referring to social media followers. I only have a YouTube channel to show some highlights from Dover matches, but this is free content, so the number of followers doesn’t bother me.

Gary: You have also said things about Patreon. Can you elaborate?

Me: Yes. I don’t think content creators should do their work for free—I’m far from that. I just disagree with some of their methods. Using titles like “perfection” or “the best meta” is childish to me. They should be attracting followers by creating valuable content and not by presenting flashy titles, unrealistic achievements, and bold statements.

It has become something of a pattern that influencers complain about how they are treated by viewers. I do agree that some comments cross the line and should be addressed, but not every comment is abuse.

There is a growing trend where all forms of constructive criticism are labelled as abuse. In my opinion, that’s not how it should work.

You know it yourself—I read a newspaper article that was quite condescending towards you and David after you lost to Dover in our last meeting. Did you get offended?

Gary: No. It was deserved criticism, which made us rethink our approach, and as I mentioned before, we decided to sell the club.
Me: You see, this is the problem—I think it’s all about perspective. My perspective is that we should not only consider the mental wellbeing of those influencers, but also the people who consume their content.

I haven’t seen anyone talking about those consumers who are encouraged to buy or use some of the products that content creators are promoting. What if it doesn’t work for them? What if they end up feeling disappointed or even depressed?

There are always two sides to every coin, and influencers often present themselves only as victims. That narrative needs to change, because it isn’t right.

As far as my sarcasm goes, I will always stand up for people who are being taken advantage of.

Gary: Yes, I certainly understand your logic now. I think we can end on that. It was a pleasure, as always.
Me: Thanks, I’ve enjoyed it myself.

Before our matches begin, there’s one piece of news I want to share with you. A couple of weeks ago, Nike reached out about providing new kits for the team. We’ve been using the same ones since season one to keep costs down, but now they’re happy to supply new kits for free.
I guess with the team becoming more popular, it’s a good marketing move for them too. Either way, it’s a great outcome for us.


Our first match in February was against Southampton — a top-table team. It was a home match, but the opponent was very demanding, so I used a more defensive setup to counter them. Did it work? Yes. Thanks to Diego and Florian, we got the win.

Breeze made another mistake. This is becoming a pattern lately. When the team is in control, the goalkeeper must provide stability, not problems. This is why I need to buy someone who can keep the balance at the back in crucial moments of the season.

The match ended 3–2. We scored three goals from four shots — efficient finishing. Will is not at his level. I am trying to help him, changing his role to make him more useful for the team, but at this moment he is not ready to replace Raimondo.


Twenty-one games unbeaten — good. But I do not celebrate runs; we will celebrate when we achieve promotion, not records.

Fulham came with £5 million plus add-ons for Finn. I said no. Our finances are still in good order, so there is no need to sell anyone. We are still receiving monthly instalments from players sold in the past, and this helps maintain a healthy income.


We then played Burnley at home, a team in the top four. Again, I used a 4-3-3 and we scored three goals. As the stats showed we were in control, I decided to switch to a more controlled approach. It was enough, as the match ended 3–0.




Due to complaints from a player and a coach, Dunne’s position was changed to winger, but he cuts inside with the ball since he can only use his right foot. It seems this has worked, as he is no longer concerned about his playing outside his position.

Our first away match this month was at Cardiff. Since they are bottom of the league table and playing defensive football, I switched to RAF formation. We did concede two goals, but overall, winning 4–2 was more than deserved. We are still maintaining a 10-point lead over Villa.


Next, we played at Stockport, a lower-league team who defended well for most of the match. We were much more dominant but could not score. Luckily for us, Hills got a red card in the 60th minute, so I switched to an attacking approach. We scored two goals in the space of two minutes, and I then went back to a positive mentality. The match ended 2–0.


We had plenty of corners, but the same problem with defenders being outside the box persists, so we are not taking those chances.

I have been working on some contract extensions and was able to agree a new deal with Raimondo. The deal will take effect when the season ends, so it will not affect the current wage budget.

This month we also had a match in the FA Cup against Oxford. In theory, we should have won this easily. The stats confirmed that, but it all went wrong. Diego missed a penalty in the 68th minute to give us a 2–0 lead, and they got a goal back in the 83rd minute. I went more attacking, as we were the better team, but it did not work. Eventually, it went to penalties and we lost. Unfortunately, Diego missed again as the second taker, so we were under pressure and this time we did not handle it well.


Was I disappointed? Yes, naturally, as we were the much better team. But sometimes it is up to the players to show character, and they failed this time. Maybe it was my fault that they were overconfident, but I will make sure to address that in the next match preparation meeting.

Our next opponent was Bristol City, and the match was televised, so we needed to look good. Unfortunately, it all went wrong when S. Armstrong scored in the 24th minute for Bristol — a long shot from outside the box past Breeze. Again, an easy goal conceded, and we needed to respond. As usual, around the 25-minute mark I made adjustments, this time just telling the players to be more expressive. Just before half-time, we were already 3–1 up.


In the second half, I introduced some substitutions and they created another three goals, making it 6–1. Raimondo scored a hat-trick — repaying the trust shown in his new deal.


I am trying to teach Will to play on the left wing as an inside forward, and since he is not familiar with that position, there are mixed results. Ignacchiti has been playing good football lately as a box-to-box midfielder.

This win guaranteed a play-off spot, but considering that Burnley are third in the league and we have 30 more points than them, we should avoid the play-offs if we keep winning matches.


Our last match in February was against Charlton. They are 10th, but I decided to go with the RAF formation. I was not wrong — we won 4–1. On the other hand, Villa only drew with Leicester, so we extended the gap to 15 points.


Finn is playing well lately and showing positive development. The only two things not improving in training are his heading and concentration. Despite being 181 cm tall, I would like him to improve his heading. Most irritating is the concentration attribute — he has played 153 league matches and it has only increased by one.




On 1 March, we received two pieces of good news: we complied with FFP, and I won the Manager of the Month award. Hard work pays off.

On the 2nd of March, we had an away match against Watford. As they were sitting in the lower part of the league table, I decided to rotate the squad. I had grown frustrated with Breeze’s recent performances and chose to give Curd an opportunity as well.

The rotation didn’t pay off, so I brought on Maher, Florian, and Raimondo. It took them just five minutes to make an impact, scoring the opener before adding a second goal in the 83rd minute.


This is it — we are now officially promoted to the Premier League. It took us five seasons to get here. An incredible achievement.


John set a new wage and transfer budget, and we now have decent room in the wage structure to sign players. I will focus on signing free agents first, and if we can’t strengthen the squad sufficiently, I’ll turn to the transfer market.


I wasn’t surprised — well, maybe a little — when I opened my laptop a day later and saw messages saying that Fredricson, Maher and Breeze are happy to stay in Dover.


Next stop, Bolton away. I used the RAF formation and didn’t have to do too much, as we were clinical in a 3–1 win. Florian is picking up form, scoring three goals and providing two assists in the last three matches.


Campos joined the “happiness club” and decided he no longer has issues with his playing time and wants to stay. What a surprise — how a couple of days can change the mood in the dressing room.

I also delegated the training schedule to my coaches so I could focus on researching the transfer market. I made a few calls to agents I’ve worked with in the past, and they recommended that we take a look at Giovanni Bonfanti at Pisa.

He’s certainly good enough to be a first-team player, and more importantly, his contract is running out—meaning there would be no transfer fee. I’ve made an offer, and now I’m waiting to see how things unfold.


I’ve tried a number of solutions to resolve our issues with corners, and another step I’ve taken is hiring a new assistant manager. I chose Cameron Campbell, a 38-year-old whose last role was at Southampton. He seemed keen to work with me and learn from my approach, so contract negotiations were straightforward.

The only amusing detail is that he holds a Continental Pro License, while I only have a National A License. Still, that’s just paperwork—it hardly reflects our standing, and at the moment I’m the more established name in English football.



I will ask him to take responsibility for updating the set-piece routines list, and hopefully the problem will finally be resolved.

Then, on the 15th, news arrived that we had our first signing of the season — a 27-year-old centre-back from Pisa.


It is time to get back on the pitch as we had a home match against Portsmouth. We were dominant, which resulted in a goal in the 26th minute — Florian again. There were no more goals in the match, but we controlled the game for almost the full 90 minutes.


A week ago, Campos stated that he was happy to stay in Dover, and now he’s gone public saying he is very unhappy. All I’ll say is that if he is trying to force me into doing something, he’ll learn the hard way that public statements don’t work on me.


On the other hand, Finn has accepted a contract extension, which is very good news. The contract will take effect at the end of the season.


Our next match was against Aston Villa, so I spent extra time with the players discussing the potential threat up front. They have very pacey players like Thierno Barry, Guessand, and Nico (ex-Man City) in midfield, so that was something I needed to address.

I started with a 4-3-3, and it worked to some extent, but we conceded in the 35th minute — Barry and Guessand combined well, so the preparation didn’t work as planned. At half-time, I analyzed the performance and decided to switch to RAF. We didn’t have to wait long to see the difference — two minutes later, it was 1–1.

But I had a feeling we could do better. I gave the players more tactical freedom around the 50th minute, and it proved to be a crucial decision. We scored our second goal in the 60th minute — Boniface again, but this time providing an assist.


Around the 73rd minute, I noticed that Villa were pushing forward and decided to adopt a more controlled approach.


They were attacking, but it was us who scored three minutes later thanks to Diego. Then we added a fourth, and the game was over. An outstanding performance from the team.


Florian exposure to matches at a higher level is providing a good platform for his development. I’m planning to keep him, as I like players with strong determination and a proper work rate — he meets those requirements.


Finn was called up to the Republic of Ireland and made his first appearance for the senior team. It’s great to see that a product of our academy is making a name for himself on the big stage.