Remi Garde: Reclaiming The World - THIS STORY WILL NOT GO ANY FURTHER

Smashed them.

Great result mate.

Karim Benzema. A product of my famed Olympique Lyonnais academy moved on to Real Madrid after he was subject to intense transfer speculation for a fee of €39 million. A huge transfer fee and one that surely carried a huge amount of expectation. Karim’s 3rd season with Los Merengues was his most successful with the club to date but he has since struggled with injuries and has fallen down the pecking order. As well as losing his place at Real Madrid I evaluated his abilities and assessed the upcoming talent within the French squad from the u19s and had a decision to make.

Benzema has lost that yard of pace and his finishing has diminished. He finished with just 2 goals and just 9 games in the league. He has however, 87 caps for France and 39 goals – a decent return for an international striker. With Olivier Giroud, Yassine Benzia and Alexandre Lacazette ahead of Benzema there is nothing he can do at the moment except play sensationally to get in to the squad. I decided it was time to tell him that he has to step up to win a place in my squad from now on so I gave him a ring.

He picked up the phone and I let him know who it is. He seemed fairly surprised to hear me call and I carried on telling him that I have been thinking about my international selection policy and he has to perform well to get a place in the squad moving forward. I was completely taken aback by his reaction. He started shouting down the phone, telling me I had no right to make that call and he should be in the squad on reputation. There was no way I was taking this from him and I told him that he has no choice. He’s not getting in to my squad on reputation and I barked down the phone at him. I’m his manager and there is nothing he can do to change my mind, especially when he’s shouting at me.

He couldn’t take it. He decided there and then to announce his international retirement after hanging up on me and called his close friend and journalist. Later that hour the news was released in every newspaper and website. Karim Benzema has ended his international career at 28.

Idiot. You should have given him the phone version of a hairdryer

Great start with France! Benzema is an idiot, but you can do well also without him... Also a good transfer market and pre-season with Lyon. I am planning of selling Fierro too...

This is, so far, the first FM story I've ever seen that has Carlitos Fierro as a flop!

Never liked Benzema, what a twat!

Great updates as usual.

Meh, never liked him anyway

Woah, Benzema's career sure seems to have crashed...I didn't expect Lacazette to get so good(screenie please?), but whatever happened to Mbaye Niang?

thats gotta hurt. I thought Benzema was quality! Keep going love the story mate

Louis: Haha I definitely should have

Gambit: I think Benzema is over-rated in real life as well. Glad to be done with him I would never pick him in FM

Glenn: Big surprise. I've bought him in previous saves and he was awesome but Benzia and Watt just dick all over him haha

Rabs: Me neither ;P

Arvind: Niang has flopped as well in my opinion. He's only 21 but hasn't developed well in my opinion compared to Benzia

Inquisition: Cheers mate! Benzema was decent but I've never rated him

2013-07-15 07:27#120132 Glenn T : This is, so far, the first FM story I've ever seen that has Carlitos Fierro as a flop!

Never liked Benzema, what a twat!

Great updates as usual.

In my story he is not a flop... But neither a top...

Smart idea Benzema, go play for Algeria now!

Haha Benzema will crawl away and his career will end

Nice update on Benzema shame Niang has developed as much as Benzia