[FM 19] World Journeyman Manager

[TerminalPortugal]

World Journeyman Manager

This will be a similar career as to one I did a while back which was pretty fun to do.

The concept is the following I will load the 6 main European top division. These will be loaded for the entirety of the game. I will also load 6 random leagues randomly picked via a random picker, these leagues will be loaded as far down as is possible in the normal game.

I will start with an unemployed manager from a random nationality and no experience or badges and my task is to do as well as possible.

At the end of every season (marked as 1^st July due to the difference in running dates between different countries), there is an opportunity for the randomly picked leagues to “decay” by 30%. Decay in the context is a cumulative counter that works up every season, and once a league reaches 100%, then they are replaced by another league. The only leagues that this does not apply to is the 6 “seeded” top European divisions and the league I am managing in.

Now if I ever resign, am sacked or take a sabbatical (explain later). I am required to apply to go on holiday, applying for every single position available, must take the interview seriously as if I want whatever job is being offered and must take the first position that I am offered.

An example of how this might work against me is I may leave Barcelona for example and have to take a job in the Polish Second Division.

Once I take a job I must spend a minimum of three years in post (barring an early sacking).

I mentioned “Sabbaticals” further up. This is a situation where if I have with the club I am currently managing in that tenure, won both the top division in that country and the equivalent top Continental competition, the sabbatical clock starts. At the end of every season there is a 60% chance that I will be move further along in the Sabbatical Clock, by up to 30%. When I reach 100% I must immediately resign from my managers position and as aforementioned begin the process of getting a job elsewhere as described above.

I think that explains everything, so onto the manager, whose nationality was randomly chosen.

I will be playing for my avatar Aliaksandr Karpovich, a wannabe manager from Gomel, Belarus.

And the random nations chosen up first are;

1.       Denmark

2.       Republic of Ireland

3.       Russia

4.       Finland

5.       Austria

6.       Uruguay

 

Right well it is off to apply for every position going, and there aren’t too many so let’s hope I get a job.

Spoiler

CLUBS MANAGED

 Boldklubben Avarta (  Denmark) - (June 2018 - December 2019)

 Naestved Boldklubben ( Denmark) - (December 2019 - June 2021)

 Esbjerg Forenede Boldklubber (  Denmark) - (June 2021 - November 2022)

 Leicester City (  England) - (November 2022 - Present)

HONOURS

 1 x 2. Division Promotion - (2018/19 - Boldklubben Avarta)

 2x NordicBet Liga Champions - (2020/21 -  Naestved Boldklubben, 2021/22 -  Esbjerg Forenede Boldklubber)

 1 xDBU Polkalen Winners - (2022 -  Esbjerg Forenede Boldklubber)

 

Edited December 20, 2019 by TerminalPortugal

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

Well it was not long until we got our job offer, and we will be jetting off to Denmark for our first job in management. We will be managing 2. Division Boldklubben Avarta or BK Avarta for short, whom hail from just outside Copenhagen in the Rodovre Municipality.

The 2. Division is the 3^rd tier of Danish football, so we are starting right at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to Denmark.

The club play their football at the Espelunden Stadion.

It is June 2018 and the season does not start until August, so we at least have some time to get the players to understand how we want to play.

Jacob Albrechtsen looks like our best player at centre back, but in general the team probably needs some refreshing.

The league is divided up into two leagues of 12 teams in the Preliminary Phase. The top six teams qualify for the Promotion phase in each league and the bottom 6 teams in each league qualify for the Relegation phase in each league. We are not predicted to do that well and the club’s target is simply not to be relegated.

I will be back once we either some players to bring in or we are ready to play some football.

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

PRE-SEASON 2018

It has actually been a very good pre-season for us, as we manage to get a draw against Fremad Amager from the division above and then put lower league opposition to the sword. We will see how the league season will go but, so far I am pretty happy. We do need to sort out some transfers in at some point though. Most of the players at the club are on amateur contracts so could leave at any time, and we have a lot of areas which we could improve. We will see whether we can get anything across the line of the transfer front.

[TerminalPortugal]

Our first signing is in and it is winger Jonas Buhn. He is already 32 years old but we are so poor down the wing, that we really did need to look at some replacements in this position.

[TerminalPortugal]

Our goalies are really crap, so we needed some one else. In come Frederik Bruhn from B.93. He is a vast improvement on what we have and he comes in on zero wages so it's a win/win really.

[TerminalPortugal]

We have started work on our badges, with the National C Licence. It should take about 4 months to complete.

[TerminalPortugal]

This time a player exits in Brazilian Thiago. He had a lot of quality but did not fit into the system of how I want to play and also had a work permit issue that I was unsure how to resolve. He leaves for Iceland.

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

August 2018

Well it did not start too well in terms of results as we lost our first two league matches but we turned it around eventually towards the end of the month. In the cup, we actually managed a big scalp beating FC Helsingor from the division above on penalties after a 2-2 draw and then we got through Taastrup a lower division side in the next round to make it to the 3rd Round of Danish Cup. We have been a little unlucky and spunful. In our draw against Bronshoj, Ingvarsen managed to miss two penalties, so it could certainly have been better. Still we are not doing too bad considering the expectations at the club.

We are sitting just outside the Promotion places at the moment, I am pretty happy with that so far.

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

September 2018

It's been an unbeaten month in the league which is very nice for us. We did exit the cup to Brabrand IF from 2.Division Group 1, but I am not too concerned to be honest as it was a bit of a distraction for us from the main things we should be focussing on which is the league. I am very happy with how the team are adapting to tactics, and going undefeated in the month is a good sign of progress.

We are at the heady heights of 2nd place behind Middlefart G&BK. That is a great position for us after the 2nd month of the league season, long may it continue.

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

October 2018

October was going to always prove a tough month just because we had to play a lot of the top sides. We lost to BK Frem, which was a bit of surprise when we compared league positions, but that game could have gone either way. Then we travelled to Vestsjaelland, whom we had lost to at home, but we came through with two late goals to stun them. We then narrowly lost to runaway league leaders Middlefart, before a very nice win against Bronshoj to change the complexion of the month. We now look very good value to be amongst the promotion hopefuls as opposed to playing for out league lives in the relegation playoffs.

We sit in 2nd place, Middlefart G&BK look uncatchable at this this point, and so we just need to pick up points where we can to maintain this position.

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

November 2018

A short month before the big winter break ends undefeated for us as we pick up a win and a draw from our two games, to keep us in contention.

We sit in 2nd place some 11 points behind Middlefart G&BK whom have already secured Promotion football before we even come back from the winter break, they are clearly a cut above everyone else. We also have an 11 point lead over BK Frem who sit just outside the promotion places so we are looking good value to be able to secure a promotion contention spot. It's been a good first half of the season from the boys, very happy with how they are doing.

[TerminalPortugal]

We have the National C Licence, unfortunately the club are now slightly in the red, so they are not letting us take the National B Licence at this time.

[TerminalPortugal]

We sign a reinforcement in the offseason to improve the backline in youngster Christian Bech. He looks like a solid starter for us, so I am happy to bring him into the club.

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

Winter Break Friendlies 2019

We played a reasonably difficult set of ties over the winter break and actually did very well, gaining 5 wins (including 2 wins against Swedish top division opponents), a draw and a loss. The fitness is back up to close to in season levels so I think we are ready for the remainder of the season.

Edited December 17, 2019 by TerminalPortugal

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

March 2019

March was going to be a crunch month for us, and despite a really undeserved loss to AB at home, we managed to negotiate the other fixtures well enough to book our place in the promotion stages.

We sit in 3rd place, so have dropped a place back but we have now secured our place in the Promotion stage with two games to spare, which makes me very happy and from the looks of it the board are pretty happy about it too.

 

 

[TerminalPortugal]

Good news as we secure a new deal up until the end of next season. Remember we would have to stay at Avarta three season anyway as per the rules of this career, so may as well sign on the dotted line, got nowhere else to go anyway.

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

April 2019

We finished off the two last games of the Preliminary phase with wins. This put us in a starting position of 3rd place going into the Promotion phase. The draw against Skive was disappointing as we lead the game 2-1 at halftime and I thought we should have hung on, but then we got a very good win against highly rated Jammerbugt 3-0 away from home. We are still in the promotion hunt, but I would say it will probably be a long shot unless we get some very good wins along the way.

The final table for Preliminary Phase Group 2, finished with us in 2nd place. Middlefart ran away with it, I expect them to get promotion from the Promotion phase without too many issues, we still need to play very well and probably to get some luck along the way in all honesty.

As it stands we sit in 3rd, just outside the two promotion spots. We are 8 points behind which realistically is a mammoth amount to make up here. We just need to keep going and see where we end up at the end of the season.

 

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

May 2019

The month we just had is exactly what the doctor ordered when it comes to trying to push for promotion. We had two huge wins against the top two in Middlefart and Kolding, to really give us a fighting chance. We did lose to Frem BK. They really have a bit of a hoodoo over us this season and it is a shame because the month could have been even better than it is.

It really is squeaky bum time now for us and Kolding. Middlefart have probably done enough at this stage to feel like they have one foot in the NordicBet Liga. This one could still come down to goal difference between us. Our win against B.93 really gave us a boost on that front as we won 5-1. We know that it is still going to be difficult with some very hard games to come down the road, but we have given ourselves a real chance of being promoted here.

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

June 2019

Our end to the season was extremely solid. The draw against Vanlose, could have put us adrift, but Kolding at this stage were really bottling every game and we just needed to get a win or two and we were going to be promoted and 7 points from 9 in June, was very much enough to get the job done.

In the end we almost ended up winning the whole thing, as Middlefart struggled to a 4-4 draw against BK Frem that gave them the title by a point from us. They probably deserved it all said and done. But no matter to us, as we were going up with them. A fantastic achievement for the club and from the players to be able to do this.

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA HAVE BEEN PROMOTED TO THE NORDICBET LIGA!!!

[TerminalPortugal]

I have the Director of Football also finding potential targets. He found Sollestad, he is a youngster that perhaps could be something. I liked his stats for this levels but the scouts don't think he will amount to much. He is a non-contracted player so to be honest it doesn't actually cost us anything to keep him about anyway.

[TerminalPortugal]

Another signing and this time one of my own in fullback Winther who joins the club on free transfer from Aarhus Fremad. He has a lot of quality in comparison the squad and will definately get some game time I feel. I am now looking out for players that I feel can strengthen our squad as at times it has been pretty threadbare all things considered.

[TerminalPortugal]

I am wasting no time in bringing players and Ferdinand Bangsgaard is a great addition in the heart of midfield. I think he will slot in quite nicely there.

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

Squad Overview 2018/19

Here is the squad overview for the season. I think the pick out players are Emil Thomsen, whom was great in midfield for us, but he is not seemingly going to sign another contract at the club, as he wants a move to a bigger club. Christian Bech came in over the winter and I wanted him to make a big impact and he did at the heart of the defence, we were far more solid with him in the team. Loanee Frederick Tonsberg was great at fullback, I don't think we can get him back next season, which is shame but he leaves us with our compliments. Thomas Christensen was definately the key striker in the early season as everyone else spurned chances, he was able to put the ball in the back of the net semi-regularly. I would also say that Simon Ustrup in the other fullback spot was also key for us this season. It probably showed how important the fullbacks were to everything we did this season.

[TerminalPortugal]

CAREER SUMMARY 2018/19

LEAGUE CHANGES 2018/19

Denmark, Russia, Ireland and Uruguay all suffered some league decay this year. Finland and Austria dodged the bullet. Denmark and Russia both got it worst with 24% and 20% respectively towards 100% point where they would be changed out.

Edited December 17, 2019 by TerminalPortugal

[andychar]

Absolutely brilliant seasont here. I am a 30 year old man and I will always ALWAYS laugh at Middelfart.

[TerminalPortugal]

9 hours ago, andychar said:

Absolutely brilliant seasont here. I am a 30 year old man and I will always ALWAYS laugh at Middelfart. 

Cheers. Yes, got to admit it does not translate too well into English.😂

[TerminalPortugal]

Simeon Sorensen becomes the next addition to the squad as we waste no time in bringing in players. He is superbly versatile player who can play on either wing, in central midfield or up front. He is a very nice addition to the squad for the coming season as we look to improve the areas where we are weak.

[TerminalPortugal]

Rune Friis is an old veteran whom much like Sorensen can play anywhere upfront or in midfield. The scouts sold deceived me a little bit on how good they felt he was, still he will do a decent job and he does have a place in the team for us.

[TerminalPortugal]

I felt we really needed another striker at the club and Mikkel Orbech fits the bill to compete for places up there.

[TerminalPortugal]

The new season is approaching and the odds are out for the final classification. Not too surprisingly we are expected to prop up the table with odds of 400-1 to lift the NordicBet Liga. Let's hope we can repeat last year and defy the odds again.

[TerminalPortugal]

I was looking over the team and I felt I needed some more depth and preferably a better player at defensive midfielder. Waldemar Clem, is young and can grow into the position and is already pretty close to the best defensive midfielder we have at club.

[TerminalPortugal]

Finally we get agreement from the club to allow us to start on our National B Licence, so in 4 months time we should have completed that.

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

Pre-Season 2019

Well the pre-season is complete, and we have done a pretty good job. Not sure it was that much of stern test but we will find out in the coming season.

 

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

August 2019

Well it certainly has been a baptism of fire for us as we step up a level in standard. I was getting very worried in the middle of the month that we might not get a win all season, but we got a little bit of confidence from our win against Silkeborg. That gives me a little bit of faith that we can somehow avoid the drop this season. We did however get through to the 3rd Round of the Danish Cup, much like we did last season.

It is looking a little ominous for us at the moment as we sit 10th and 4 points from safety after 5 games played. There is a reshuffle this season, as last season only 2 went down but this season there are four as they look to shorten the size of the NordicBet Liga for next season, not something I am particularly hard enough.

 

[TerminalPortugal]

Just before the transfer window shuts, we bring in young Copenhagen striker Alexander Hjaelmhof. He is a very good talent for this level and I expect him to get a lot of games for us this season.

[TerminalPortugal]

Another youngster comes into the club as we loan in Silkeborg goalkeeper Dalsgaard. Again he is likely an improvement on our current situation in goal, so probably will get the gloves.

[TerminalPortugal]

Make it a trio on deadline day as we bring in Jacques Bang Sorensen at centre back. He is probably a backup at this stage. We will see how he will develop.

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

September 2019

Well it is getting a little worrying, another very tough month. In fairness we were only beaten twice, but only picked up 1 win. It is going to be really difficult to stay up this season, but we just need to keep going and hopefully get a few results that will help us out down the road.

We sit in 11th, but the gap to 8th is now only 3 points, everything has got a little tighter, we need to pick up results if we want to stay in this division.

 

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

October 2019

On first viewing it may not look like it, but we have had a superb month considering where we are. This month saw us play the top 4 in the league, and to be able to avoid defeat is fantastic, as well as beat HB Koge, whom were top of the league at the time we played them. Perhaps we are turning a little curve here but we are still very much in a relegation dogfight.

We are within touching distance of safety, equal on points with 8th placed Nykobing FC. I still believe we can somehow survive this season, we just need to keep getting positive results along the way.

[TerminalPortugal]

The good news is we have managed to pick up our National B Licence, the bad news is that the club are back in the red and we are not allowed to pursue the National Licence A

[TerminalPortugal]

BOLDKLUBBEN AVARTA

November & December 2019

It has been a very tough month or so, we are so poor away from home, that it is making it so hard for us to make any progress. We needed to realistically get more points from these fixtures than we got. Before the Roskilde game morale had got bad enough that I needed to call a team meeting, the team responded well with a 2-0 win, this was crucial to keep us within touching distance of safety. Had we not won, I would be writing us off, but I think we still have a chance. Now we have a winter break and it might be an opportunity to potentially look in the transfer market and get morale back up through the friendlies.

It's not looking great sitting in 10th, but we are still within 3 points of FC Roskilde who sit just above the relegation zone. It's going to be really tough to get out of our situation, but we will give it a go.

[TerminalPortugal]

We have an interview request from Vendsyssel FF, and this gives me an opportunity to clear up a miscommunication of the rules. I said that I must spend three years at each club, this was only meant to be in the case of where I resigned, was sacked, or went on a sabbatical. If I move to a new job or in this case where I just took the first job then I am allowed to consider other offers.

Anyway we decide to go for the interview. There manager was sacked and they are sitting in 5th, so they are clearly a better prospect than where we are now.

[TerminalPortugal]

Elections have taken place at BK Avarta and we have a new chairman in place, not much is changing apart from all our good work up to now is pretty much forgotten.

[TerminalPortugal]

Well we did not impress enough at Vendsyssel to get the job, they have gone with another candidate.

[TerminalPortugal]

Another interview, now with with bottom of the league Naestved BK. Not sure if I would take this job, but still intrigued.

[TerminalPortugal]

NAESTVED BOLDKLUBBEN

Well we only went and did it, we decided to jump ship from BK Avarta to Naestved BK despite the fact that they currently sit bottom of the same league. The reasoning is that Naestved on the whole have a better squad and I think we probably stand a better chance, with a proper mid winter break to get them motivated and firing than we probably did with Avarta.

Naestved BK are from their namesake town Naestved which is on the south side of the island where Copenhagen is situated, to be honest not very far from we were before. It also seems to be a little nicer with regards to scenery.

We will play our games at ProfaGroupPark, which is an impressive 17,500 capacity stadium.

I feel like we have some good players at the club, they are just currently really underperforming. Technically due to the 4 relegation places, we were also expected to go down this season however I hope I am able to rise like a phoenix from our current position.

Kristoffer Munksgaard is probably our best player he looks like a very good versatile player for this level. Raring to see how he performs for me for the remainder of the season.

[TerminalPortugal]

First signing of my tenure at Naestved comes with an assist from the Director of Football as he spots a young striker that can provide some decent cover to the starters. He is a non-contracted player so it is minimal risk for us.

[TerminalPortugal]

We get in a youngster on loan from Midtjylland in Frederick Christensen. He is probably our best defensive midfielder so I think he will add some quality in our midfield.

[TerminalPortugal]

NAESTVED BOLDKLUBBEN

Mid Winter Friendlies 2020

We have completed the winter break friendlies and they have generally gone to plan for us, not sure it will mean much when we get back to the league, but certainly it has probably provided a little bit of morale boost for the players.

[TerminalPortugal]

NAESTVED BOLDKLUBBEN

March 2020

I was pretty happy to our return to the league, we had some very hard fixtures to contest and getting two wins is pretty good going. However the loss does count against us, and we need to continue trying to pick up as many points as possible to try and get out of our relegation peril.

We sit 10th and we are 5 points behind Roskilde. It's going to be tough to get back from this position, but our form has improved. We need to keep going and see where we end up. Our old club looks like they are getting relegated, I don't see a way back for them, hopefully there is a way out for us.