How about this for a time line:
12 Oct '13 - Your predecessor is sacked;
13 Oct '13 - You are appointed Manager
14 Oct '13 - News conference asking you about your goals for the role and the side
15 Oct '13 - It's announced that the Scottish hierarchy are losing patience and a bad result in his next match would seal his fate.
You have been in the job three days, and not played a game. What a life for George Burnley!
And I still have the same six rubbish applicants continually applying for the Fitness Coach vacancy. It will continue to be advertised.
17.10.13
Key midfielder Achille Onana is suffering a hernia and will be out for 5-6 weeks!
Lindani Ntamo made his starting debut against Thana in place of the injured Onana, and put in a Man of the Match performance.
The only downside is that his conditioning is such that it'll take him a while to recover.
After seven matches Dynamos lead the league on GD from Mpumalanga Black Aces.
Buyani Bobbs is injured and on the sidelines with a bruised thigh for 8-11 days.
This has exposed my depth at centre defender, and with Sait and Onana already spending time with the physio, it meant that Ferreira played some of the away game to the African Warriors.
I can't wait until the Jan window opens and Sithole can be registered. It will give bench cover to the DC, DM, and MC roles.
After the discussions with Sniper99 here last night, and particularly the thoughts around it is better to have a player sold for less and bank the fee rather than have players sit on the roster sucking down transfer fees, I thought I should be proactive in selling some players.
Some of the players didn’t fit with the style of play we had developed, others were simply too old, and on the decline. When they declined to consider a career in football after they retire, that was a key decision point to offload them.
Transfers Out - 1.1.14
Rita Hlabana transferring to Carana Kicks for an upfront fee of GBP12K
Chris Netshidzivhe transfer to Golden Arrows for upfront fee of GBP1K
Swadick Sanudi transfer to Orlando Pirates for upfront fee of GBP55K . (I really hope this one doesn’t bite me in the arse, I’m hoping to play in the Prem Division next season, and from the four contracts offered, this was the only one that didn’t have the 10% onsell fee attached!)
Prince Zumba transfer to Sivutsa Stars for GBP7K
Jo Mahlanga had organized to transfer to Carana Kicks, but they couldn’t afford the transfer fee after confirming Hlabana.
So, I am still actively looking for new clubs for Mahlanga, Doctor Matsimbi and ‘Fatso Mashego, a thirty two year old midfielder as opposed to Yusuf Mashego, the key striker in the team.
Oct 13 review
Highlights
Profit of 36K made during the month;
Transfers of four unneeded players confirmed;
Came through month unbeaten;
Won the South African National First Division Cup for the first time;
Wages remain within budget and transfer funds now stand at 55K;
Board pleased with my management, and approval rating at 59%, although we still don’t have funds required to increase facilities;
Leading the league, on GD
The 36K profit for the month of Oct needs to be taken in context as of the four games we played, only one was at home.
Oct 13 results
2.10.13 Home to Batau FC
2-1 win for us, with all the scoring occurring in the first half. An early goal to Ramudzuli set the tone, and Mashego doubled before opposing striker Masuku struck back for the visitors. In terms of control, we had the better of the shots on goal, but Batau had possession sewn up.
5.10.13 Batau FC at Soweto
A replay of the previous game, on neutral turf. Hammers controlled this game for us, scoring a hat trick, and Mashego slotted a well needed goal late in the piece to kill off any hopes Batau had of mounting a fightback. Between those periods of brilliance, we did get sloppy, and leaked an unlucky own goal by Sait, and another to Kubheka, all within a two minute period, but we prevailed 4-2. This game did give us of first silverware of my tenure, and substantial (for us anyway) prize money of circa 50K.
19.10.13 away to Thanda FC
This will go down as a “what might have been” game for Thanda. After having us on the back foot for much of the opening twenty five mins, they threw it away when Dennis Omino was sent from the field for an ugly two footed challenge on Bobbs. From there it was only a matter of time, and whilst Thanda had the mortgage on possession, strikers Mashego and Ramudzuli made it count when Dynamos had the ball, cutting through the defensive lines in the second stanza to record a 0-2 win.
26.10.13 away to African Warriors
After promising Ramodumo game time, I figured I better deliver, particular in light of the strikers who would show an interest in signing for Dynamos. This game was even in terms of possession (which must be a first for us), and the scoring was all finished in the first spell, through fantastic link play by the team and deadly finishing from Ramudzuli, who at age thirty, it still showing the young guys how to play and we recorded another 0-2 win.
Bobbs was injured late in the game, which exposed my bench strength (again), but didn’t cost any goals.
what tactics are you playing ? they seem to be working quite well
I'm trialling the grid format that everyone seems to talk about these days.
Works well here as I have two developed strikers, two up and comers and one who likes to talk himself up. Given the wage and transfer budget, couple that with with pretty average scouts, I'd be hard pressed to get anyone better in the foreseeable future, and I think I may have to look more to the loan market next season.
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We now own first place on the league table with a 3-0 hammering of MP Black Aces. Gavin Hammers had a storming match, justifying my decision to play him ahead of Ramodumo.
The Black Aces deployed a similar tactic to us - a 4-1-3-2 - rather than the standard 4-4-2 that is used by most of the other teams in the league, and there is a reason that we are the top two teams.
Would you believe that I still can't attract a decent fitness coach!!! I'm leaving the advert running, but am beginning to question why...
Centre defender Sait, whom has only just recovered from injury has been bought into the under twenty South African side.
He joins left defender Ngobeni in the squad.
