Oriental Lisbon ~ One Step Closer

nice story, I'm not sure if you are still Benfica affiliates but if your lucky, you may get some of their players on loan along the way if they don't demote them to their B Team

Derby Day

It was lovely day in Lisbon, sun shining down on the green grass of the Carlos Salema, where Oriental Lisbon were hosting CF Benfica for the first time this season. The fans were chanting and bouncing around, creating a raucous atmosphere for the players to play in.

I had never managed in a derby before, so I was nervous. The fans were demanding a result and I was too. CF Benfica were sitting very lowly in the table and were down near the relegation zone. Meanwhile, we were sitting in practically the polar opposite.

I was very nervous, which was unlike me. I loved derbies as much as anyone but now that I was managing one, well, it was an entirely different level altogether. I went into the changing rooms and overlooked the tactics and team selection. Hopefully Rodrigo Antônio and Antonio Alves' combination worked as it had been before.

We were missing Hugo Grilo in the middle of defence but I think we would survive without him. We needed a win for the fans and to keep us in the promotion race. It was all very tense. The layers came back and did their warm ups, and I did the team talk.

I told them the fans where demanding a win, and if we just played the simple football we had over the last month, that was all we needed to do. Nothing over the top.

They were ready, so was I. They made their way out onto the field and I sat down in my dugout, looking over the wall at one end and seeing the Estádio Jose Avalade. One day, we would be playing derbies there.

The referee counted up the players, and blew the whistle for kickoff.

P-KIDDY Thanks. Yeah surprisingly I didn't get any loaners in the transfer window but we have done well without them so far. Glad you like it and thanks for commenting

October

We enjoyed a great October this season, going undefeated. The month started off with the derby with CF Benfica. The match finished 2-0 our way. We went into our match with Ribeira Brava with confidence and that showed. Our simple, direct play was too much and we came away 5-1 victors. The month didn't end too well with draws against CD Mafra and Casa Pia, meaning we might have to jumble round team selection a bit. But nonetheless a good month and we have now gone 8 games unbeaten in the league which is a new record for the club.

Rodrigo Antônio

Rodrigo Antônio is a Brazilian ST/AMC. He was purchased as a free agent by us (Oriental)and has been the talisman figure we needed. The reason why he was brought in was to provide backup for Nuno Samarra, who got injured during pre season. But Nuno also had to fill in at CM, meaning Rodrigo would play AMC.

Rodrigo is a striker, but can also be deployed in the whole behind the striker and in front of the midfield. I have played him as a 'second striker'. When playing in ST, Rodrigo is a DLF (Deep Lying Forward) so he is in some ways used to the position he plays in now.

But what I did was set him to an Inside Forward so he wasn't necessarily a playmaker but a second striker. He was given the freedom to arrive late in the box and become another striker. The playmaking duties are handed to Condesso and Sufrim in the middle of midfield.

I am pretty proud of this little (masterstroke) and the formation (4-4-1-1) we use is highly adaptable and versatile. Rodrigo can either play as a DLF in the forward line or as an IF in the hole. Most managers use this 'hole' as a playmaking position but I have used it as a link between midfield and attack.

But back to Rodrigo, he has been on fire in the league scoring goals galore and has instantly become a key player. Creating links between midfield and attack, this gives Sufrim and Condesso an extra option to pass and he also creates an extra playmaking option.

Rodrigo is Oriental's top scorer this season even if he hasn't played in his most familiar position he has used his experience and skills to adjust to his new position and life closer to the middle of the park.

Nice story so far keep it up!

Inquisition Thanks mate. I'm liking your 96 Reasons Why story too

The Quiet One

I grabbed the A Bola newspaper off my desk and flicked through to the Third Division section. A Bola was the biggest football paper in Portugal and was based in Lisbon. I looked at the cover, which of course had SL Benfica covered over it. The next few pages were all Liga Zon Sagres and after that the Second Division. Maybe, just maybe, they would have something about little Oriental. And I was right! They had included a little section about a recent league run, of course I read over it!

VIDA SOB O SILÊNCIO UM

Translated into English: Oriental have begun their season very well under there new media-shy manager Vitor Martins. The little-known Lisboan outfit recently triumphed in a 'mini-derby' with rival third division side CF Benfica.

With no defeats in eight games under Martins, the new manager nicknamed "The Quiet One" or O Silêncio Um has started well in his first ever managerial job. The humble Martins simple tactics have worked extremely well and most of their victories have been down to the form of Rodrigo Antônio.


I was chuffed to bits that Oriental had FINALLY got some credit. They had languished under the shadows of the big boys SL Benfica and Sporting CP, and this was the first step into dethroning the giants, a creating a new era in Portuguese football.

The Big Plan: Stadium

I had a look out of my office window at the stadium and again saw the poor conditions that swallowed the Carlos Salema. On one end, graffiti tattered a white wall which was waring away. The terraces behind the dugouts were looking tired and needed a re-paint. Even the dugouts themselves looked like they were about to fall on the managers and subs sitting inside them.

On the other end, rough terraces lined the hill behind the goal but the rest was overgrown grass. The stand next to that end was the main stand. It was rowed with white terraces and the club offices up the top. This was where the home fans were located.

We (Oriental) needed to make adjustments to the stadium because the poorer the conditions, the fans wouldn't come as normal and the funds would dry up. The extra funds were vital. They could pay a marquee player's wages, upgrade the training facilities or the stadium itself.

One thing for sure was one of the first things that needed addressing at the club was the stadium. If the club was going to go forward they would need it to improve.

Pictures to come soon

Hopefully you can build your stadium up to one of the best in the world!

New stadium would be cool. You should aim to improve facilities and networking too, it will get you far

Justice That is the plan! (Btw, I read your whole story in one day :P)

P-KIDDY Yeah that's true.The stadium is horrible and the first thing I am going to do when I get back (I'm away ATM) is ask about those things.

A fantastic start to the story. Will definitely be continuing to follow!

Jamesg Thanks heaps coming from a writer like you I am really glad you're following!

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