2021, the Everest of the New Age

Oscar Halberg, who I was close to shoulder-tapping to be my starting left defender is out for two weeks with a thigh strain. I feel like I have been beset with injuries at quite possibility the worse time.

If this keeps up, the ability to remain fit may need to come into the equation in the next window.

Top ranked football nations at the moment (18 Aug 21)

1. France
2. Italy
3. Argentina
4. Brazil
5. England
6. Uruguay
7. Spain
8. Germany
9. Portugal
10. Holland

Checking the stats, Portugal are rated 9th in the world currently, and yet have won back to back World Cups in 2014 and 2018. I'll walk before I can run with regards to looking for a international managerial position!

22 August 21

The day has arrived, my starters against defending champs Valencia are:

GK: Gorman
DR: Vajda
DC: Schmidt
DC: Luis Riuz
DL: Beck
MR: Faulds
MC: Wisker
MC: Farver
ML: O’Keeffe
ST: Nicholson
ST: Czerwinski

I was ecstatic as I ran out onto the field after the final whistle. It was what it was, and it was nothing short of a demolition job. My two central midfielders, Farver and Wisker had controlled almost every aspect of the game, O’Keeffe ran himself into the ground, Faulds got the plaudits with a debut hat-trick, the strikers impressed with a brace each, the back line wasn’t breached as they made tackle and inception again and again and again, and captain for the day Gorman rallied the troops from the back.

When the final whistle sounded, we were 8-0 up, after being 3-0 at half time, and particular standouts for me where Farver (for being involved in many key passes/tackles/set pieces), O’Keeffe (for running himself into the ground down the tram lines) and Schmidt, for his aerial ability which made running onto the ball so much easier than it would have been otherwise.

One competitive game in to his career with us and Farver is already listed as "favoured personnel". Take that León!!

Also had my first capacity crowd, after selling out the 19,800 capacity crowd. Probably to be expected when you have 15K worth of season pass holders.

I am going to push the board for a stadium expansion as we have been selling out our stadium for the past ten years, and if we have 15K worth of season passes, it doesn't leave much room for the more casual walk in off the street type of fan; and as I am hoping to bring success to the club, I'm hopeful that the die hard fans and more casual fans numbers will increase exponentially.

Something also needs to be done about our youth recruitment, because it is quite frankly rubbish. While I was able to assemble what I believe to be a talented squad on the cheap - the notable exception there was my best striker Steven Nicholson - I am not always going to be able to dip into the market and bring players to the club in that fashion.

We need to have an extremely strong youth recruitment and retention framework in place so that if I get an offer for one of my players, I can accept it without worrying about filling the space in the roster. The ultimate model would be a team of the calibre of Barca, who can churn out superstars, after developing them from before their teenage years. Lionel Messi, a sickly eleven year old, diagnosed with a health problem. Two clubs came calling, River Plate couldn't pay the $900 per month for his treatment, the other club were willing to do that, if he would move to Spain. Contract on a paper napkin and the deal was done.

Years later, Barca have a superstar, and River Plate must be using every kind of cuss word imaginable.

I don't actually know about River Plate cussing when they missed their change with Messi, but I can tell you I was cussing (largely at my own stupidity). Iker Goñi is one of the jewels in my crown, a home grown left winger who I had thought about easing into the first squad, by sharing playing time with O'Keeffe. No great surprises there.

He played in the u-19 match to retain fitness (and given he is only seventeen I thought it was a fairly easy choice to make).

Sod has gone and broken his leg and will be out for six months!

I swore. Loudly. For anyone who cares.

And to add fat to the fire, we lost the U-19 match, but Ass Man Grant Holt was waxing lyrical about Goñi. I am not sure yet whether that makes me more angry!

Away against a sold out Athletic, I changed players, but adopted a defensive mentality.

Team sheet:

GK: Gorman
DR: Günden
DC: Schmidt
DC: Luis Riuz
DL: Zakrsewski
AMR: Faulds
DMC: Wisker
MC: Farver
AML: Ouattara
ST: Nicholson
ST: Nilsson

O'Keeffe and Czerwinski hadn't recovered nicely from the previous game, and I still had a couple of players making their way back from injury so wasn't willing to risk them at 70% condition.

28 Aug 21

A sellout crowd witnessed Athletic get taken down by a spirited Osasuna team. This game has it all, we were slightly ahead with possession 54:46, there were six yellow cards, three a piece, and two injuries, both suffered by us – utility back Zakrsewski out for five weeks with a sprained ankle, and wonderkid striker Nicholson sidelined for two weeks with a gashed leg.

It started well for Osasuna when Luis Ruiz struck a blow into the net from a well worked set piece move by Farver to give us a one nil advantage after three minutes. While Nilsson took the man of the match honours for his two goals, the real work was again done by Farver, finding his way around the park, getting involved and having a direct hand in two of the goals, Ouattara impressed running in the channels and making key passes and inceptions, and goal scorer Luis Ruiz had a fantastic game at the back shutting down opportunities which arose for Athletic. 0-3 win for us.

I am proud of the team and how we have tacked the first two fixtures, particularly in light of the number of injuries we have had!

very nice start to the season then beating valencia nad bilbao one after the other congrats hope your team can keep there mentality and be consistent, key word with a young team like yours, but i have faith in your team and im sure you do too

keep it up ill definately keep reading it

oh maybe through in some screenshots if you can thatll be nice to see

#51480 cazzac_lfc_1991 : very nice start to the season then beating valencia nad bilbao one after the other congrats hope your team can keep there mentality and be consistent, key word with a young team like yours, but i have faith in your team and im sure you do too

keep it up ill definately keep reading it

oh maybe through in some screenshots if you can thatll be nice to see

Thanks Cazzac_lfc_1991, I was surprised with how comprehensively Valencia were beaten, especially after being champs last season. Athletic were a different proposition altogether, I got lucky early, and then wore them down and scored some soft goals. But, a win is a win is a win, so I am not complaining.

I appreciate your thoughts and the time you have spent to both read and comment, so thank you.

In terms of screenshots, would you like to see players, or matches or just general observations?

Thanks again!

We now have two whole weeks off until our next game against Elche, I am hoping that the team can use the time to recover from the injuries. Let's also hope that no one drops weights on their feet or has training injuries.

Final confirmation of the season ticket sales has come through, and we sold 15630, as apposed to 15668 last season....I am comfortable with that given that we didn't have an great run last term.