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http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/225/valleyparade.jpg/
[uBradford City AFC
My first plunge into the world of Football Manager has landed me the hot seat at Bradford City of the npower league 2. Chosen at random this isn’t a side I’m at all familiar with but will give it my best shot. Not so long ago, in the 90s, this side was battling the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool in England’s Top division. It’s been all doom and gloom since then and the Bantams have fallen into the depths of the Football League. Clearly the expectation will be high at this club and the fans will surely be demanding the team takes a step up a division this year. The media predicts a 7th place finish for us, just sneaking into the league 2 playoffs….let’s see what the board say…
The board expect the team to get into the playoffs at the very minimum. So how much money do I get to spend on new players? £0.…oh right, well how’s the wage budget then? £25k a week. Ok seems good what the total wage cost at the moment? £26.5K a week…so we’re over budget before I’ve even started then? Yep.
So on day one of my new job I ended up sacking four of my players to reduce the wage bill. But on a more positive note I have managed to pick up two new players in pre-season, a free transfer and a loan from Coventry City
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/40/jamiladam.jpg/
Jamil Adam ST
The ex Barnsley man comes very highly recommended and was a must have for my team. I’m paying him a lot of money but fingers crossed he’ll be worth it. The lad never stops running and has brilliant technique to go with it. I’ve got high hopes for him.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/401/gaelbigirimana.jpg/
Gael Bigirimana MC
On loan from Coventry City, the young, English born, Burundian will be my deep lying play maker. Very strong mentally and an accomplished passer of the ball I’m hoping he proves influential in the middle of the park.
I’m going to jump straight into my first competitive match now. It proved to be quite a game.
Npower League 2
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Port Vale Vs Bradford City
Venue: Vale Park, Stoke-on-Trent
The match could not have started better for me. I’d just taken my seat in the dugout when we’d won a corner already. Jamie Devitt took the corner from the left sending it to the back post. Rising up over the Port Vale defence was my Captain and centre back Guy Branston. GOAL! 2 Minutes in and Branston smashes in a header. Get in there son.
Port Vale 0 Bradford City 1
No less than five minutes later a lovely combination of quick passing between my two boys saw Adam end up with the ball just in the Port Vale half with his back to goal. Adam dinks a lovely lofted through ball over the top. The race is on! My striker Craig Fagan versus the Port Vale keeper Tomlinson. Fagan gets there first and heads the ball. It smashed Tomlinson straight in the face who is too stunned to react. Ball now on the floor Fagan is given the simple task of putting the ball in the goal unchallenged. GOAL! 7 minutes into the game. This is fantastic.
Port vale 0 Bradford City 2
It’s 20 minutes in when Jamil Adam picks the ball up in his own half. He dribbles across the half way line and draws in the Port Vale centre back. Fagan takes this chance to run into space and Adam plays a lovely through ball on the floor. One on one with the keeper now, can he finish? GOAL! No doubt slots it low to the keepers left making it look easy, 2nd goal for Fagan. Surely this is too good to be true?
Port Vale 0 Bradford City 3
Rightly so my boys were confident now, this game looked as though it was in the bag after just 20 minutes of play. Perhaps this was too our own downfall and before half time Port Vale managed to hit back twice through strikers Marc Richards and Andy Little. My defence was pushing up far to high perhaps over confident and allowing acres of space for their forwards who have too much pace for my strong but slow defenders. Half time.
Port Vale 2 Bradford City 3
At half time I gave my boys the credit they deserved for a great start but warned against complacency in the second half. I told my defenders to sit deeper and warned about leaving to much space in behind. I was really stressing out over the fact we had been 3-0 up and were now only 1 goal in front. To lose from a huge lead like that would be very embarrassing. The game re-started and I grew very nervous as the Port Vale players could sniff a memorable comeback. On 55 minutes my boys had won a corner. Jamie Devitt took it again sending it to the back post. Would this work again? GOAL! You bet! Captain fantastic, Guy Branston rises high and sends the ball towards goal. Port Vale’s keeper gets a hand to it but it isn’t enough and the ball finds the top corner! Two goal cushion restored, surely the game was ours.
Port Vale 2 Bradford City 4
It lasted 2 minutes, too my absolute horror my defence had done exactly what I told it not to. Pushing up to high Port Vale dinked it over the top for their winger who ran all the way to the by line unchecked and crossed it in easily for midfielder Gary Roberts to head in at point blank range. Goal for Port Vale. I barked at my defence to sit deep to stop this happening. So you can imagine how I felt when I saw Port Vale Winger, Haldane, get in behind yet again, my defence all stood on the half way line!!! This time taking it on alone and smashing the ball into the net with a powerful finish. My defence stood and stared at each other. What don’t they understand about sit deep! GRRRRR.
Port Vale 4 Bradford City 4
I had to go for it now. I threw on Marc Stewart as Fagan looked too tired to keep up the standard of his first half display. On 72 minutes Centre back Branston headed the ball forward from a Port Vale goal kick. It came to Stewart who had just come on. Port Vale’s defence stopped as they looked to the linesman. NO FLAG! Stewart was in the clear one on one…GOAL! He slots it in low past the keeper. WOW what a game this is turning out to be, surely now, surely this is ours.
Port Vale 4 Bradford City 5
15 minutes left to go and I’ve got no nails left to bite. At least my defence is sitting deep finally. Come on lads hold on for me. A Port Vale player has a go from long range. That’s no problem for the keeper I think to myself and sure enough Duke collects the ball with ease…but then drops the ball. NOOOO! Port Vale midfieder Gary Roberts takes advantage and finishes from less than 6 yards out. Cant believe it.
Port Vale 5 Bradford City 5
Full Time Result: Port Vale 5 Bradford City 5
What a game to start off with! 10 goals, end to end football, hats off to Port Vale they just kept coming back at us a draw a fair result on the day. No problems with the attack it would seem however I know for sure what I’m going to be plasticising in training this week. Deep Defending. Four of their goals came about because the line was too high something I’ll have to look at as I have no quick defenders.
For those who read this and think “he goes on a bit” don’t worry. I wont be doing every game as in depth as this, just thought it was a great game for my first competitive match. Next up Hull City in the League Cup!
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/225/valleyparade.jpg/
[uBradford City AFC
My first plunge into the world of Football Manager has landed me the hot seat at Bradford City of the npower league 2. Chosen at random this isn’t a side I’m at all familiar with but will give it my best shot. Not so long ago, in the 90s, this side was battling the likes of Manchester United and Liverpool in England’s Top division. It’s been all doom and gloom since then and the Bantams have fallen into the depths of the Football League. Clearly the expectation will be high at this club and the fans will surely be demanding the team takes a step up a division this year. The media predicts a 7th place finish for us, just sneaking into the league 2 playoffs….let’s see what the board say…
The board expect the team to get into the playoffs at the very minimum. So how much money do I get to spend on new players? £0.…oh right, well how’s the wage budget then? £25k a week. Ok seems good what the total wage cost at the moment? £26.5K a week…so we’re over budget before I’ve even started then? Yep.
So on day one of my new job I ended up sacking four of my players to reduce the wage bill. But on a more positive note I have managed to pick up two new players in pre-season, a free transfer and a loan from Coventry City
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/40/jamiladam.jpg/
Jamil Adam ST
The ex Barnsley man comes very highly recommended and was a must have for my team. I’m paying him a lot of money but fingers crossed he’ll be worth it. The lad never stops running and has brilliant technique to go with it. I’ve got high hopes for him.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/401/gaelbigirimana.jpg/
Gael Bigirimana MC
On loan from Coventry City, the young, English born, Burundian will be my deep lying play maker. Very strong mentally and an accomplished passer of the ball I’m hoping he proves influential in the middle of the park.
I’m going to jump straight into my first competitive match now. It proved to be quite a game.
Npower League 2
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/210/portvale.gif/
Port Vale Vs Bradford City
Venue: Vale Park, Stoke-on-Trent
The match could not have started better for me. I’d just taken my seat in the dugout when we’d won a corner already. Jamie Devitt took the corner from the left sending it to the back post. Rising up over the Port Vale defence was my Captain and centre back Guy Branston. GOAL! 2 Minutes in and Branston smashes in a header. Get in there son.
Port Vale 0 Bradford City 1
No less than five minutes later a lovely combination of quick passing between my two boys saw Adam end up with the ball just in the Port Vale half with his back to goal. Adam dinks a lovely lofted through ball over the top. The race is on! My striker Craig Fagan versus the Port Vale keeper Tomlinson. Fagan gets there first and heads the ball. It smashed Tomlinson straight in the face who is too stunned to react. Ball now on the floor Fagan is given the simple task of putting the ball in the goal unchallenged. GOAL! 7 minutes into the game. This is fantastic.
Port vale 0 Bradford City 2
It’s 20 minutes in when Jamil Adam picks the ball up in his own half. He dribbles across the half way line and draws in the Port Vale centre back. Fagan takes this chance to run into space and Adam plays a lovely through ball on the floor. One on one with the keeper now, can he finish? GOAL! No doubt slots it low to the keepers left making it look easy, 2nd goal for Fagan. Surely this is too good to be true?
Port Vale 0 Bradford City 3
Rightly so my boys were confident now, this game looked as though it was in the bag after just 20 minutes of play. Perhaps this was too our own downfall and before half time Port Vale managed to hit back twice through strikers Marc Richards and Andy Little. My defence was pushing up far to high perhaps over confident and allowing acres of space for their forwards who have too much pace for my strong but slow defenders. Half time.
Port Vale 2 Bradford City 3
At half time I gave my boys the credit they deserved for a great start but warned against complacency in the second half. I told my defenders to sit deeper and warned about leaving to much space in behind. I was really stressing out over the fact we had been 3-0 up and were now only 1 goal in front. To lose from a huge lead like that would be very embarrassing. The game re-started and I grew very nervous as the Port Vale players could sniff a memorable comeback. On 55 minutes my boys had won a corner. Jamie Devitt took it again sending it to the back post. Would this work again? GOAL! You bet! Captain fantastic, Guy Branston rises high and sends the ball towards goal. Port Vale’s keeper gets a hand to it but it isn’t enough and the ball finds the top corner! Two goal cushion restored, surely the game was ours.
Port Vale 2 Bradford City 4
It lasted 2 minutes, too my absolute horror my defence had done exactly what I told it not to. Pushing up to high Port Vale dinked it over the top for their winger who ran all the way to the by line unchecked and crossed it in easily for midfielder Gary Roberts to head in at point blank range. Goal for Port Vale. I barked at my defence to sit deep to stop this happening. So you can imagine how I felt when I saw Port Vale Winger, Haldane, get in behind yet again, my defence all stood on the half way line!!! This time taking it on alone and smashing the ball into the net with a powerful finish. My defence stood and stared at each other. What don’t they understand about sit deep! GRRRRR.
Port Vale 4 Bradford City 4
I had to go for it now. I threw on Marc Stewart as Fagan looked too tired to keep up the standard of his first half display. On 72 minutes Centre back Branston headed the ball forward from a Port Vale goal kick. It came to Stewart who had just come on. Port Vale’s defence stopped as they looked to the linesman. NO FLAG! Stewart was in the clear one on one…GOAL! He slots it in low past the keeper. WOW what a game this is turning out to be, surely now, surely this is ours.
Port Vale 4 Bradford City 5
15 minutes left to go and I’ve got no nails left to bite. At least my defence is sitting deep finally. Come on lads hold on for me. A Port Vale player has a go from long range. That’s no problem for the keeper I think to myself and sure enough Duke collects the ball with ease…but then drops the ball. NOOOO! Port Vale midfieder Gary Roberts takes advantage and finishes from less than 6 yards out. Cant believe it.
Port Vale 5 Bradford City 5
Full Time Result: Port Vale 5 Bradford City 5
What a game to start off with! 10 goals, end to end football, hats off to Port Vale they just kept coming back at us a draw a fair result on the day. No problems with the attack it would seem however I know for sure what I’m going to be plasticising in training this week. Deep Defending. Four of their goals came about because the line was too high something I’ll have to look at as I have no quick defenders.
For those who read this and think “he goes on a bit” don’t worry. I wont be doing every game as in depth as this, just thought it was a great game for my first competitive match. Next up Hull City in the League Cup!
