Beggars can't be choosers!

Thanks for the comments again Akash, I'll definitely be looking for something else after another two years here, probably at this stage Turkey holds the most appeal, and I am hoping that two more years in South Africa will give me exposure to the PSL (and beyond potentially), but I will try not to get too far ahead of myself.

I suppose the term "value for money" is always much harder to quantify when you have have more than you need. Certainly the players I was lusting after would have broken my piggy bank, and with the restrictions on foreign players, it often means that you cut your cloth to your means. What I have found, is while an 900K player would have performed admirably in a role, someone you have picked up on a free often works as well.

While I haven't had the Board intervene with a transfer yet, I believe it is only a matter of time!

#60237 akash.vidyasagar : Absolutely fascinating story you have here, and it is pretty evident you have brought a team out of lowly depths to one that can now look forward to a great future. Although loyalty is seen as a good thing, I hope you can leave the club before it stagnates. I noticed you just signed a new contract, but as a friend (not a reader), I hope it is your last. Your accomplishments will surely guarantee a club with a higher reputation, with better choice of players and youth candidates.

I understand where you are coming from when you talk about overpriced kids, and other club throwing around close to a Million bucks when you can't even afford 10k. It hurts when your chairman says, "it was just too good of an offer to refuse", doesn't it?

Hi Sniper99 and thanks for your comments.

I was simply finding that for a "decent" South African player, the money I would need to cough up in the way of transfer fees made the transaction less attractive. For me at least, it was great to get the three foreign players and then built the rest of the squad from the free transfer market, but it did seem like most of the players I scouted would need more money than I had available to be paid as a fee. As it turns out, I didn't need it to win the NFD, but it just seemed to me that because of the league rules and the requirement for locally produced talent, it has made the South African players relatively more expensive because there is a need to have them.

I suppose I am just comparing this save with my previous Derby/Osasuna one and lamenting the type of player available for the money, but the same would happen if La Liga changed it's rules so that - example - we had to have ten from twenty five players born in Spain, the demand (and therefore price) of Spanish players would increase.

Part of it of course is plain ole jealously - I was looking at the academy output of Jomo Cosmos and wishing "if only" - particularly looking at the "value" of some of the players.

Thanks for your well wishes re the PSL - I'll keep you posted.

#60238 sniper99 : I'm not sure why you are finding players to be overpriced.
The transfers/wages are around the same in the "smaller" European leagues.

Same with the prize money. How much did you expect for winning the league?

Anyway ... good job on the promotion. Hope you do well in the PSL.

I hope my Board see fit to increase the wage budget a tad.

I have eighteen player contracts up within the next year, and based on the figures we might very well see the likes of Ramudzuli, Hammers, Ntamo, and bench riding keeper Mamphita depart, purely because I can't begin to offer them anything like what they are requesting.

May ’14 review

Remained undefeated through month and will challenge for SA FA Cup against Ajax CT;

Board approval at 81%;

Wages within budget, but returning loan players have increased expenditure slightly. Transfer funds remain 122K. It must be noted that we have a sizable portion of the roster off contract within twelve months and if we wish to retain those players, the wage budget must increased or risk having to take a stand in the free transfer market;

Profit of 50K made;

Doc Matsimbi, Gomas and Yusuf Mashego have impressed in training, as have youth players Botha and Bransanac. Bench riding keeper Mamphita is however, not keeping as fit as it once was, and that fact coupled with his salary demands will make him a prime candidate for sale shortly;

Pitch relaying and purchase of stadium on track to be completed in late July ‘14

Just had to issue a hands off warning for keeper Mabaso, and defensive midfielder Sithole. The media are suggesting it would take 150K to pry Mabaso away from Dynamos; given that is how much he is valued at, I'd suggest the figure would be far more substantial.

We have also just accepted offers for returning loan players Zungu and Segoale.

Hopefully they will both sign!

Dynamos are pleased to have signed former Nigerian midfielder Seyi Olofinjana as a coach. Seyi will give us a better qualified attack and fitness coach, and has allowed the back room to be better balanced, with scores of 2.5 stars across the board.

2.6.14 SA FA Cup Final v Ajax CT

The media gave us no show, but that did not stop me talking up our chances pre match.

Existing injuries to starting left back Ngobeni and striker Mngadi did nothing to quell my own concerns, but we competed well in the first half of the match, to go to the sheds equal at nil all. My team talks are not having the impact that I really want them too, with only a small proportion of the team responding, but if ever there was a time to need the inspiration, it was the second half of this match.

There were the niggles that came in from Ajax CTs players, probably brought about by an inability to convert chances, an injury on sixty mins to Mseluku gave us the chance to unleash experienced striker Ramudzuli. With thirteen years experience at this level to call on, it wasn’t a bad time to inject him into the game.

However disaster struck for us in the next minute when key midfielder Onana was sent from the field – and deservedly so for an ugly two footed tackle on his opposite Gabonamong. I suspected at this stage any chance we had of winning the match had just gone up in smoke, and Onana must prepare himself for some time on the sidelines, and a bit of treatment from me.

If I thought we were gone for all money, someone had forgotten to tell Hammers, Barkhuizen and Ramudzuli, as they combined to allow Ramudzuli to wrong foot the keeper and score. Ramudzuli doesn’t score often, but when he does, they count.

From there we defended, and defended as if our lives depended on it, but Ajax CT still couldn’t score and the only thing they did was pick up cards. We controlled the last passage of play as the clock wound down, and when it did, we were the SA FA Cup Champions, recording an unthinkable 0-1 victory.

Nice win, even with 10 men. Enjoying your save from SA, not only my girlfriends home country but rare to see saves from here. Keep up the good work

Quite a few positives to come out of our FA Cup Win

Prize money of 235K should help ease concerns about our financial position;

Our Board approval has skyrocketed to 86%, and the fans want to erect a statue of me outside the stadium;

We will compete in the 2015 edition of the African Confederation Cup;

We managed to save an additional GBP700 after fining Onana two weeks wages for his tackle and subsequent red card.
What did surprise me was that punishment for a direct red card is three matches on the sidelines, and for one of our key players to be out for three matches as we look to mix it in the PSL is extremely disappointing.

Thanks for your comments Gizzydrop, it certainly has been hard work but ultimately very rewarding. I am surprised that South Africa (as a save) isn't more popular to be honest because I believe it great fun and could easily build a long term career here, trying to build the facilities of a team up and having to keep a careful eye on the finances.

#60353 gizzydrop : Nice win, even with 10 men. Enjoying your save from SA, not only my girlfriends home country but rare to see saves from here. Keep up the good work

We have gone on our break until 7 July 14, but my Ass Man gave me his thoughts before he left:

Bobbs and Edgard have improved significantly;

Gcaba, Yusuf Mashego and Masabo have improved remarkably;

Ramudzuli has shown early signs of decline (so it might be an idea to cash him up)

Mamphita and ‘Fatso Mashego have shown signs that they may be on the decline (so will make more of an effort to sell them)

Lucky Masenya (the young striker bought on a free ex Jomo Cosmos) may well be injury prone, as he is also showing signs of decline.

We also have “wanted” signs showing on eleven players, which might well be a problem for us later.

4.7.14

Purchase of stadium is completed, and we now have a 1.1M loan for the next fifteen years, attracting installments of 10K per month.

It could have been worse!

Zungu has agreed a move to Witbank Spurs for 16K, and Segoale has signed for Amazulu for 9K.

And then just to really ruin my "holiday" - key midfielder Onana, who was initially banned for three matches has received an additional two match suspension after a disciplinary review. OUCH!