After 10 years with FM, my first career update

[trman73]

I really need a new challenge. Moving to Juventus has boosted my ego and added to my trophy case, but I am getting a little bored with Serie A. At this point I am targeting one league to continue my career in, and it's the Premier League. It's been the top-ranked league for the entirety of this career, and it's the next logical step for me.

Luckily, a look at the early season in the EPL shows that there may be some jobs coming up soon...

The big development is the struggles of Arsenal. They've had just two coaches in this career: Arsene Wenger, who left after the 2018 season, and Joachim Low, who's been their coach every since. He's won three FA Cups, two EFL Cups, and the Euro Cup during his tenure, but no league titles.

Honestly, I don't root for or like Arsenal at all in real life, so if this job comes up and I'm somehow offered it, I'll be torn. I would much, much rather take Liverpool, Everton (looks like a possible opening soon), or West Ham, my favorite team.

All of this is moot right now as there are no opening this early in the year, but I'm monitoring.

[trman73]

October 7, 2029 - Serie A: Juventus (5-1-0, 16 pts., 1st) vs. Sampdoria (2-2-2, 8 pts., 11th)

Sampdoria started the season with two wins, but since then has gone 0-2-2 to fall back into their usual rut. I've mentioned before that my favorite save (until this one) culminated in me having a ton of success with this club, so their performance in this save has disappointed me. Between 2022-2027 they flip flopped being relegated and promoted every year, and they've barely avoided relegation again each of the last two years. Oh well. Every game is different.

So... we should handle these guys and continue their poor run, and our good one.

Well after picking on them in my write-up, Sampdoria actually comes out and plays well, holding us down defensively in a scoreless first half. But in the 51st, a shot from Ayala bounces off a defender for an own goal, and we're up 1-0. They don't look like a team that's going to get a tying goal on us, and we make it even harder for them when Antonio Campos scores in the 72nd to make it 2-0. That's the final, and it's a third straight shutout and another relatively easy win.

[trman73]

October 20, 2029 - Serie A: Vicenza (0-2-5, 2 pts., 20th) vs. Juventus (6-1-0, 19 pts., 1st)

Vicenza moved up this year and it will take a miracle for them to stay here. Traditionally I don't do well after the international break, but we emerge from this one without any injuries and on an absolute roll. I do rest some guys for this one as we've got Be'er-Sheva midweek, but honestly our reserves should probably beat both of our next two opponents, so it's mix and match time.

Vicenza gives an effort they can really be proud of in this one. We dominate possession and outplay them from beginning to end, but after 90 minutes we're tied, 0-0. Fortunately for us, there's a thing called stoppage time, and in it we finally get the goal that gives us the three points, as Antonio D'Amico scores on a goal from 30 yards out, ruining a fine performance by our opponent and extending both our winning streak to six and our shutout streak to four. Whew... we got away with that one.

Edited July 18, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

October 24, 2029 - European Champions Cup, Group D, Match 3: Hapoel Be'er-Sheva (0-0-2, 0 pts., 4th) vs. Juventus (1-0-1, 3 pts., 2nd)

We should absolutely take care of business in this one and if OL does the same and beats Shakhtar, we'll be firmly in second halfway through group stage. I'm going to go ahead and start the regulars here even though we should dominate. I want there to be no question that we win this match.

It takes us a while to get going in this one, but Be'er-Sheva helps us out in the 30th by fouling Ayala in the box for a penalty, which D'Onofrio nails to give us the 1-0 lead. In the second half we get a rare treat, as a corner from Carlsson finds Nicolino Di Benedetto for his fourth goal in more than 300 career matches. We bring backup forward Ilir Beqaj as one of our subs, and after just a few minutes he scores his first ever Juventus goal to make it 3-0 and close the door on Be'er-Sheva. The only question is whether Valdes and the defense will record their fifth straight shutout, and we do. Late in the game Beqaj hits D'Onofrio for his second goal, and it's a comfortable 4-0 victory that, along with OL's win in Ukraine, secures our second-place position in group stage.

[trman73]

October 28, 2029 - Serie A: Verona (3-4-1, 13 pts., 7th) vs. Juventus (7-1-0, 22 pts., 1st)

We've outscored our opponents 19-3 on our current seven-match winning streak, but Verona is the best defensive team in Serie A thus far. They've allowed just three goals in eight matches, but they've also only scored six. They certainly aren't the most exciting team in the league, but they've been effective, as last year they were third in the league in goals allowed and used that to finish seventh. So this is a good test for us and this is a team with a real chance to end our streak, especially with us playing four days ago.

Verona may be a good defensive team, but they can't hold us down, as Ayala scores in the 23rd to put us up. Di Benedetto must be hung over from his goal in the Champions League match though, as he gets two yellow cards in two minutes and is sent off in the 33rd, and we'll play the final two-thirds of the match a man down.

It doesn't matter. Ayala actually scores again right before the half to put us up 2-0, we go into defensive mode the entire second half, and it's an amazing sixth straight shutout and another dominant Serie A win for us.

[trman73]

October 31, 2029 - Serie A: Juventus (8-1-0, 25 pts., 1st) vs. Ascoli (3-2-4, 11 pts., 13th)

Through nine Serie A matches thus far we've scored 21 goals, and we've allowed 17 total shots on goal. AC Milan got eight against us in the second game of the year, so that means that our other eight opponents have managed nine total shots on goal while conceding 19 goals to us. We are absolutely dominating right now, and we close out the first quarter of the league season against another team we should manhandle. Ascoli was promoted last year and is in Serie A for the first time in 22 years. They actually played over their heads to start the season as they went 3-1-1 in their first five, but they have fallen apart since then, losing three of four and scoring just one goal in that stretch. It's been over a month since we've allowed a goal, and the odds are decent we may do it again here. We are, however, without three key players, as Di Benedetto, Carlsson, and Campos are all suspended.

Good lord we absolutely kill these guys in the first half, with D'Onofrio and Ayala each scoring twice and D'Onofrio assisting on Ayala's two goals. D'Onofrio has rebounded from a very inconsistent year last season and right now looks like the Serie A Player of the Year through the first quarter. It's 4-0 at halftime and it's sub time for the final 45. We pass the 600-minute mark without conceding a goal, and two minutes into the second half Beqaj finds D'Onofrio to complete his hat trick. He's having one of the great individual matches of this career, scoring or assisting on all five of our scores. Once again it becomes just a question of whether we collect another clean sheet. We do.

[trman73]

Here's a check-in on the league at the quarter point...

We've taken 28 of a possible 30 points through 10 matches. Our top two goal scorers, Ayala and D'Onofrio, have more combined goals (20) than all but two entire teams in the league. We've scored five more goals than anyone else and have allowed fewer than anyone. We lead Milan by 11 points and Inter by 13. And we can make things even more dire for Inter today...

November 3, 2029 - Serie A: Inter (4-3-3, 15 pts., 8th) vs. Juventus (9-1-0, 28 pts., 1st)

Inter is going to come into this match with some desperation. If they lose and fall 16 points back of us, I just don't see any way they challenge. So I anticipate a battle here even though they are playing well below their standard. Our three guys are back from suspension and our full team is ready to roll here, but if I'm making a prediction I'd say that at the very least Inter is able to end our shutout streak, and maybe even our win streak as well.

The shutout streak ends in the 8th minute on a good, clean goal from a cross that puts Inter up 1-0. That's the halftime score and we're going to need a comeback to maintain the win streak here. As the second half wears on, it's looking like our win streak is history, but in the 87th, Inter can't clear a corner from Costa, and it winds up on the foot of substitute Adrian Dan, who puts it in to tie it! We may not win, but we can at least draw to keep our unbeaten record alive. That's what happens, and we salvage a late draw against our rivals. I'll take this.

[trman73]

November 6, 2029 - European Champions Cup, Group D, Match 3: Juventus (2-0-1, 6 pts., 2nd) vs. Hapoel Be'er-Sheva (0-0-3, 0 pts., 4th)

I would really like to catch OL and finish first in the group, and scoring a bunch of goals against this team today to build up our differential is one way to do that. At the same time, I want to rest some starters and give some backups a chance to play, so I'm resting D'Onofrio, Ayala, Carlsson, Deman, Melegoni, and Costa. We should still be fine, and ultimately the winner of this group will probably be determined in the next match, when we host OL in three weeks.

Well I certainly didn't anticipate what happens in the first half. Be'er-Sheva opens the scoring with a goal in the 24th, and they hold a 1-0 lead at halftime. A loss here would be an absolute nightmare, and we can't let that happen. I tear into the team at the break, but in the 58th we concede again and are down 2-0 to one of the worst teams in the group stage of this tournament. Incredible. I cannot believe this is happening. We lose this match, 2-0. We are not going to win the group, and we better get it together if we want to advance at all.

[trman73]

November 11, 2029 - Serie A: Juventus (9-2-0, 29 pts., 1st) vs. Palermo (4-4-3, 16 pts., 9th)

With a draw and a loss in our last two, we've got to rebound against a very average Palermo team. I want to continue to create distance in the league. The starters are all back for this one as I continue to kick myself that we did not take the Be'er-Sheva match seriously enough. I still can't get over that we lost that game.

We are officially in our first offensive rut of the year, as we play a scoreless first half and we've got just a single goal in our last five halves. But we are bailed out by two set pieces. First, in the 70th, a corner finds Lucas Bedoya's head for the first goal of the match. Then in the 82nd, Bedoya scores another one, this time on a free kick by D'Onofrio to make it 2-0 and secure the win.

[trman73]

World Cup Qualifying Recap

The 32 teams that will play in the 2030 World Cup are set. I'll do this differently than usual...

Africa

• Returning Teams: Cameroon, Senegal
• New Teams: Egypt, Congo DR, Nigeria
• Not Returning: Gabon, Guinnea-Bissau, Ivory Coast

Asia/Oceania

• Returning Teams: Australia, Iran, Japan, New Zealand
• New Teams: UAE
• Not Returning: Syria

North America

• Returning Teams: Mexico, USA
• New Teams: Costa Rica
• Not Returning: Jamaica

South America

• Returning Teams: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Colombia
• New Teams: Paraguay
• Not Returning: Chile

Europe

• Returning Teams: Italy (host), Spain, England, Germany, France, Romania, Holland, Portugal, Belgium
• New Teams: Russia, Austria, Turkey, Wales, Serbia
• Not Returning: Sweden, Ukraine, Norway, Czech Republic

[trman73]

November 24, 2029 - Serie A: Fiorentina (4-4-4, 16 pts., 11th) Juventus (10-2-0, 32 pts., 1st)

We've got OL in midweek but right now I feel like the we need the starters out there for this one, so that's who goes. Fiorentina is a decent enough team and they've handed me some pretty bad losses in my career. We need to keep the pressure on the teams below us.

This one is a snoozer, as Fiorentina actually outplays us throughout and the game ends in a 0-0 draw. Not much to report on this one, although we do maintain our unbeaten streak and are 10-3-0.

Edited July 20, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

November 28, 2029 - European Champions Cup, Group D, Match 5: Juventus (2-0-2, 6 pts., 2nd) vs. Olympique Lyonnais (4-0-0, 12 pts., 1st)

At this point our hopes of winning Group D are all but over. So the focus is on qualifying for the knockout stages, and we should still be able to do that. But Shakhtar is just three back of us and they get Be'er-Sheva this time around, and they surely won't take them lightly after our loss to them.

We take care of business in this game and put all the pressure on Shakhtar heading into the final game of group stage. We win, 3-1, with Davidson Costa setting up all three goals - two by Ayala and one by D'Onofrio. This sets up a must-win (or draw) in the final match in Russia.

[trman73]

December 1, 2029 - Serie A: Juventus (10-3-0, 33 pts., 1st) vs. Lazio (7-3-3, 24 pts., 4th)

We've got a six-point lead over Roma in Serie A, and we've won 18 straight games in the league dating back to last season. Lazio is one of the teams chasing us, so we can put 12 points between us and them with a win here. We've got some tired guys after the OL match, but they need to fight through it, and they will.

Weird first half here as we get out to a great start with a goal from Ayala just two minutes in, then one from D'Onofrio in the 16th to go up 2-0. But just a couple minutes after that goal, Antonio Campos gets sent off with a straight red card, and we'll play 70+ minutes down a man. Lazio gets a goal back before halftime, and it's 2-1 at the break. But in the early minutes of the second they make a big mistake in the defensive end and essentially block a ball in the box that goes straight to Ayala for a layup goal and we're up 3-1. We go into shutdown mode after that goal, but it doesn't stop D'Onofrio from scoring a second goal late, and we collect yet another thorough league win, 4-1.

 

Edited July 20, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

November 28, 2029 - European Champions Cup, Group D, Match 6: Shakhtar (2-0-3, 6 pts., 3rd) vs. Juventus (3-0-2, 9 pts., 2nd)

Our Champions League fate hangs in the balance here as this is what we're looking at with a game to go...

A win or a draw and we're fine. A loss and we're in Europa League, which is just totally unacceptable for a team that won this competition a year ago. It's snowing in Ukraine, so let's see how our guys adjust to that.

We put the pressure on early as Shakhtar is called for an own goal in the sixth that really should have gone to D'Onofrio, but oh well. We hold the 1-0 lead at the break, but things get tense in the 51st when Shakhtar ties it, and we are one goal allowed away from being knocked out here. Shakhtar keeps the pressure on and we're just defending run after run in our zone. The final 10 minutes are quite tense as they are just coming at us with everything, but we hold them off, including on two corners in the final minute of stoppage time. Despite our inconsistent and frankly lackluster play in group stage, we are on to the knockout rounds of Champions League. The statistics don't show it, but we are lucky to win this match.

[trman73]

December 12, 2029 - Club World Championship Semifinal: Al-Alhy vs. Juventus

We're in Japan for the Club World Championship this week, and we start with a match against the best club in Egypt. Al-Alhy has won 38 Egyptian League titles, and it won the African Champions League for the 11th time last season. This team played Mexican side Monterrey in the quarterfinals, and beat them 2-1 in extra time. The winner of this match will play the winner of Corinthians of Brazil or FC Hiroshima in the final, so basically we'll be playing Corinthians.

This is the perfect time to give some run to guys who haven't found their way to the pitch for us in recent matches, so I tinker with the lineup. If we advance, the final will be in just three days, then we head back to Italy.

Our uninspiring international play continues as this one is 0-0 through 90 minutes. But in stoppage time, we get bailed out by D'Onofrio, who scores in the 91st. We'll be back in Japan for the final against Corinthians the day after Christmas.

Edited July 20, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

December 17, 2029 - Champions Cup First Knockout Round Draw

We're going to have to play much better against whoever we're drawn with in the first knockout round than we did in group play if we're going to meet board expectations and advance to the quarterfinals. There were a couple of huge upsets in group play. Real Madrid and Manchester United each failed to advance, with Madrid finishing behind Chelsea and Galatasaray, and the big one, Man U finishing behind Bayern and AC Milan. We'll get a heavy hitter as these are the seeded teams for the draw:

• Chelsea
• OM
• Bayern
• OL (won't be them)
• Manchester City
• Arsenal
• PSG
• Leverkusen

I've beaten Levekusen handily a number of times, so they would be my preferred matchup. But we also beat Chelsea and Man City on our way to last year's title, so we'll see.

And the draw...

• Monaco vs. Bayern - Two teams that have won this thing in the past decade.
• Dortmund vs. PSG - Glad to avoid PSG.
• RBL vs. OM - Meh.
• AC Milan vs. Leverkusen - That leaves Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City for me.
• Sporting vs. OL - Meh again.
• Barcelona vs. Chelsea - That leaves Arsenal and Man City.
• Galatasaray vs. Arsenal - Yikes.
• Juventus vs. Manchester City

Wow, so it's a rematch of last year's final in the round of 16. This is a tall task for us, but we've beaten these guys before.

[trman73]

December 19, 2029 - Italian Cup, First Round: Juventus vs. Fiorentina

This team knocked us out of the cup last year and they knocked my Roma team out once as well. I can't say I'm too jazzed about this match given that our schedule is now quite full since we lost two league matches to the Club Championship, so we'll be playing on Wednesdays here over the next few weeks. But still, I promised to take this competition seriously, so we will. If we win this, either Torino or Ascoli await us in the quarters.

Man I'm just boring myself to tears with these last two games. We play 90 minutes of scoreless football, and the additional 30 minutes don't resolve things either, as it's two full hours without a ball finding the back of the net. I hope tickets were discounted for this one, as the fans can't be happy with that performance.

I don't believe I've ever lost a penalty shootout in this career, although it's been a long time since I was even in one. We actually don't have a lot of great takers on our club, so we'll make do with what we've got and hope Valdes can come up big in net.

He does. After Fiorentina makes its first and Humberto Ramirez scores as well, Fiorentina's next two are saved. Deman and Beqaj hit and we're up 3-1. Fiorentina needs to make its next two and have us miss, and that is exactly what happens, as Peranzoni and Andric both have their shots saved. We go to a sixth round, and Valdes saves another, leaving it up to Mark O'Shea for us. He calmly fires it right into the middle of the net, and we win, 4-3 in the shootout.

We'll face Torino on the road in the quarters.

Edited July 20, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

December 23, 2029 - Serie A: Genoa (6-6-4, 24 pts., 5th) vs. Juventus (11-3-0, 36 pts., 1st)

We've scored just twice in our last three matches, but we continue to roll in the league, and with a win over my former club here we can create even more distance between us and the second-tier of clubs. We have a six-point lead despite playing two fewer games than the teams below us, Lazio and Roma. We lead both Inter and AC Milan by 13 points, as they've struggled, and Inter fired its coach a couple weeks ago.

In training, Lucas Bedoya hurt his foot and is out 3-4 weeks. We get a holiday break after our trip to Japan in a few days, but after that we play two games a week for the next five weeks, so injuries to key players are not a good thing. Still, in the league it's going to take a monumental effort by one of the teams trailing us in order for them to overtake our club in the standings.

Another Serie A game, another Serie A dominant win. We get a rare goal from Albin Carlsson in the 20th from way out, then clamp down on Genoa for the remainder of the match. Humberto Ramirez scores late to ice it, and it's our 10th shutout in 15 league matches. This is getting ridiculous.

[trman73]

December 26, 2029 - Club World Championship Final: Juventus vs. Corinthians

We're celebrating the holidays in Japan. Corinthians are the top team in Brazil and a very, very good club. They've won the Copa Libertadores three times in this save, and they are worthy of us bringing our starting side to the table here, which is what we do. This would be a nice trophy to add to our case, and if we win it will make the sting of losing both pre-season trophies hurt a bit less.

We get off to a magnificent start as Ayala scores 39 seconds in to put us up. Melegoni doubles the lead in the 5th, and we're smelling it already. In the 42nd Corinthians pull to within 2-1, and that's the halftime score.

It takes just two minutes into the second half for them to tie it on a breakaway goal, and we're back to square one. But just 40 seconds later, right after we begin play again, Costa finds Ayala for his second of the match, and we're back up, 3-2. This is turning into a good one. D'Onofrio puts us back up two with a goal in the 71st, and we go into defensive mode and win the Club World Championship with the 4-2 victory. That's a trophy, baby!

[trman73]

As the calendar turns to 2030, I am pleased that a member of my former Italian National Team World Cup Champion, midfielder Simone Diliberto, is named the World Golden Ball winner for 2029. In 46 games for OM, he scored one goal and had an incredible 30 assists, compiling a 7.91 rating. Good for him. He was a young up-and-coming 22-year-old for me back in 2026, and now he's the world's best player.

January 6, 2030 - Serie A: Juventus (12-3-0, 39 pts., 1st) vs. Torino (5-6-6, 21 pts., 13th)

We've now gone 20 matches without a loss in Serie A play dating back to last season, and we've also quietly amassed a nine-game unbeaten streak in all competitions heading into this match. We should extend that streak to 10 here. We've had 11 days off, and we needed that rest as we have 11 matches in the next 35 days. This run will test our depth, our stamina, and our mental fortitude.

D'Onofrio scores on a penalty kick early and a penalty kick late, and in between we get goals from Rube Deman and Nikola Andric, and win, 4-0. These games are just getting boring. We have a 10-point lead 16 games into the league season, and we've still played two fewer games than everyone else (except the teams we need to play the catch-up games against). There is no way we will be caught. Serie A is already over.

[metallimuse]

Just decimating the league mate, I'd be moving clubs in the summer. Personally I wouldn't go to a giant I'd choose a team who are always on the fringe like an Everton, West Ham, West Brom or in Europe maybe Marseille, Valencia, Schalke sort of level and try to establish them into champions league consistent qualifiers/win domestic silverware.

Well done on your dominance though.

[Justin_Case]

I'm the same, definitely a move this year to a club that's fallen a bit, or one on the up and try to take them to the next level. Hopefully in England!

[Johnny-Trotter]

Good work on the progress - I hope you can get your ideal next move lined up after Juve.

A few data inconsistencies in recent posts

Before playing your final group game against Shaktar:

"This sets up a must-win (or draw) in the final match in Russia" - maybe things look differently in geo-political terms in 2029 

After a 1-1 draw with Shaktar:

"The statistics don't show it, but we are lucky to win this match." I know there are games where a draw feels like a win...

[fridge73]

What is your status in the game at this point, Tom? Interesting to see how it is according to the haul of trophies you have got. 

I always start my saves at a Sunday league reputation which makes it harder. In my save with Alfreton (2nd non league UK), I just got promoted in my 3rd season to Vanarama (one below league structure) on absolute joke finance. 

It would be quite interesting to see you take a challenge like that next

[trman73]

January 9, 2030 - Serie A: Bologna (5-3-9, 18 pts., 17th) vs. Juventus (13-3-0, 42 pts., 1st)

In this save, the Serie A record for most games without losing in a single season is 28, set by (of course) Juventus in 2021-2022. I went and looked up the longest unbeaten streak in actual Serie A history, and it's not that far back. In 2011-2012, Juventus went 23-15-0. That's a ton of draws and incredibly, despite going unbeaten, they won the league by just four points. Weird.

So I'm setting my sights on that 28-game streak from eight years ago. We've got 12 to go, starting with a terrible Bologna team. This match actually begins a stretch of three road matches in nine days, all against bad teams. This is a good time to shuffle starting lineups around, starting with Humberto Ramirez getting a start at forward today over D'Onofrio.

Bologna offers absolutely no resistance. D'Amico scores two minutes in on a pass from Andric, then midway through the first half Jairo Riedewald, who's been playing well for the injured Lucas Bedoya, gets his first of the season from Ramirez to make it 2-0. Antonio Campos add one in the 71st, and it's a 3-0 win. We have now scored 42 goals and allowed seven in league play.

[trman73]

Hey all, thanks. And thanks for the fact-checking Johnny. Also sorry to all Ukrainians out there. When I was playing the Champions League Final last year, I was going to make a joke about how by 2029 Moscow was probably the capital of the United States, but held back.

Maybe part of this sloppiness is that honestly I am totally bored with this. We are just drubbing everyone in the league. I suppose you build up a career hoping to go to a team that can dominate, but actually playing out these games (and I play out the entire match, not just highlights, and do it on the second-highest speed), just isn't that fun. We're going to beat the hell out of basically everyone in our league except like three teams. The domestic cup? Who cares. Really I'm just biding my time until the Champions League games.

There is a 100% chance I will leave after this year and I monitor job openings basically after every advance. Reading is open in Premier League right now but they are 20th and have gone up and down to the Championship a bunch, and I don't want to start quite that low. I really, really wish I got that Liverpool job. But I will keep monitoring and maybe have to decide if I want to leave an undefeated Juventus team midway through a season.

[trman73]

I should note that I am coming to you this week from beautiful Denver, Colorado. I don't know where everyone is from (I'd actually love to know that), but if anyone's planning a US trip and doesn't want to do the usual cities (NYC, DC, San Francisco), Denver is fantastic. Beautiful, great downtown area with a ton to do, lots of family stuff going on, good public transportation around the city. Highly recommended. Of course I am in a hotel room "working" (clearly working hard lol), but this is a good city. I would live here in a heartbeat.

Anyway, back to the slaughter...

[trman73]

January 13, 2030 - Serie A: Chievo (4-4-12, 16 pts., 19th) vs. Juventus (14-3-0, 45 pts., 1st)

Good God, Chievo. I should call their coach in advance and just apologize. Well, let's do it.

I'll note that the transfer window is open but there's really no reason for us to do anything. I offered extensions to a couple of my own guys - Lucas Bedoya and Antonio D'Amico (a home grown player that we need to keep on the roster and is a quality backup) - and I have listed 33-year-old Dani Ceballos, who's lost his playing time to D'Amico. But I've got no real targets right now, although that may change as the deadline approaches and if injuries strike us.

Good God, Chievo!!!!! They play out of their heads in the first half and it's a 0-0 draw at the break. Will this be the team to end the streak? Well they don't end the unbeaten streak, but they do end the win streak at six, as we draw, 0-0. They should be pleased. I'm not too worried. Just an off night.

[trman73]

January 17, 2030 - Serie A: Cesena (7-4-8, 25 pts.,10th) vs. Juventus (14-4-0, 46 pts., 1st)

Well we really have to rebound from the devastation of the draw against Chievo or who knows what will happen. Kidding. Chievo celebrated its miraculous draw with us by firing their coach. That doesn't seem right.

Our road trip ends with the toughest of the three matches, as Cesena has been playing quite well. But, uhh, so have we. In four days we have AC Milan at home, but I'm going to play the starters here and just take my chances. Albin Carlsson is sick with a cold, so he rests.

In case we needed to be any more dominant, our goalkeeper, Valdes, is improving. This guy is probably my best signing ever.

He's on another streak, with three consecutive clean sheets and two goals allowed in our last seven matches, both coming in the same game vs. Corinthians in the Club Championship Final.

To the match!

Offensively we appear to be suffering from some midseason malaise, or maybe just fatigue, as we play our third straight scoreless half and it's 0-0 at the break. And for the second straight game, we settle for a 0-0 draw. Our road trip is over, the first half of our season is over, and it's a 14-5-0 first half for us.

 

Edited July 21, 2017 by trman73

[Malaussie]

Hey mate I'm from Sydney Australia (obvious from my screen name). If your ever in this part of the world I'd love to take you out for a beer. Also with my wife and I being huge NBA fans we are planning a trip to the US sometime in the next couple of years so would love to swing by and say hi when we do! 

[Johnny-Trotter]

Looks like you do need to 'drop' down to a certain degree, after reaching the heights, for your next challenge.

 

Good luck - it looks like you will have your pick of options wherever you go.

[trman73]

Juventus 2029-2030 First Half Report Card

Overall this year we have played 30 games and are 20-6-4. Two of those losses were in the pre-season cups (the European and Italian Super Cups), so since then we've lost just twice, both in Champions League. We've scored 58 goals and allowed 19 in all competitions.

Serie A - Board Expectation: 1st; Current: 1st (15-4-0, 49 pts.)

We have completely dominated domestic play this year. The numbers are just ridiculous. We've scored seven more goals than anyone (42) and allowed an astonishing seven goals in 19 matches. Six of the top eight players in the league in terms of average game rating are ours, and we have the top three in Albin Carlsson (7.58), Pietro D'Onofrio (7.51) and Rube Deman (7.45). D'Onofrio and Alejandro Ayala are tied for the league lead with 13 goals each. Just the goals we've gotten from those two would be good for 7th in the league among all teams. Defensively, I don't even know what to say anymore. We have conceded a goal in just five of our league games, and recorded 14 shutouts. I still don't think we'll go through the season undefeated, but at this point if we're caught in Serie A it would be a shock. Grade: A

Champions League - Board Expectation: Reach Quarterfinal; Current: In First Knockout Round vs. Manchester City

We barely escaped group play and it took a winning tying effort in Russia Ukraine to do so in the last match of the round. The loss to Be'er-Sheva was just astounding, and it really made us sweat out the final two matches. We gave up more goals in the six games of group play (8) than in our 19 Serie A matches (7). Still, here we are. Had we performed better we might be facing the likes of Galatasaray or Sporting, but we've got Man City instead. They've played in five straight finals. We'll need to play great football to advance and meet expectations. Grade: B-

Italian Cup - Board Expectation: Not Important; Current: In Quarterfinals vs. Torino

We beat my Italian Cup nemesis, Fiorentina, to get to this point. This next match is in just a week. Grade: Incomplete

Club World Championship - Board Expectation: Not Important; Result: WON

I can't say I was too thrilled about the travel to Japan and how this competition messed with our schedule, but hey, we won it. Grade: A

Italian Super Cup and European Super Cup - Board Expectation: Not Important; Results: Lost Both

I assumed we'd get at least one of these, but the bright side is those losses lit a fire under us to start the season. Grade: F

Overall Grade: A-

First-Half Most Valuable Player: F Pietro D'Onofrio

This could be any number of guys. But I'm giving it to D'Onofrio because he leads the league in goals and in rating, and he has rebounded incredibly from a disappointing season last year that saw him lose his starting spot to Humberto Ramirez down the stretch in our biggest games. He's been on fire all year this year. Runners-Up: GK Jonathan Valdes and the entire defense. What can you say about 14 clean sheets out of 19 and seven goals allowed halfway through the season. Deman, Bedoya, Carlsson, Di Benedetto, Riedewald, Laurenti, they've all been fantastic.

Just look at the defense here...

And since someone asked me to post a general update on myself in this career, here you go...

I hate how this game shows your job history. It should show your overall W-D-L record for each team, for each competition you're in with each team, etc. They really could take a lesson from OOTP there. Hell Spain isn't even on there even though I coached there for two years! Like fridge, I always start as a Sunday League player, since that's what I actually am. I actually think I should have a five-star reputation by now, but oh well. As for the trophies:

• 2017 Chile Cup
• 2017 Chilean Super Cup
• 2022 Euro Cup
• 2026 World Cup
• 2028 Italian Super Cup
• 2028-2029 Serie A Champions
• 2028-2029 European Champions Cup
• 2028-2029 Serie A Coach of the Year
• 2029 Club World Championship

[trman73]

January 21, 2030 - Serie A: Juventus (14-5-0, 47 pts., 1st) vs. AC Milan (8-5-7, 29 pts., 7th)

For the past three years and four of the past five, Juventus, AC Milan, and Inter have finished in the top three. There's a real chance that won't happen this year. Here's where we are at the halfway point...

With both Napoli and Lazio playing very well (Napoli, despite our overall dominance, is just six back of us and they are our last make-up match), both Inter and Milan may be on the outside of Champions League next year. So this is a big match for ACM. It's also big for us, as we need to get back to winning after two straight draws allowed Napoli to move closer to us. Milan fired its coach, Frank De Boer, two days before Christmas after 9+ years, and their new coach, Emanuele Berrettoni, is coaching just his second game. This is actually his first full-time coaching gig. He beat Sampdoria in his first match, but we're not Sampdoria. Napoli lost to Sampdoria before our match, so we can go back to nine points up with a win here.

In the 15th we get on the board for the first time in three matches as Albin Carlsson leads Davidson Costa with a great pass for the goal. But then it happens. In his first start back from injury, Lucas Bedoya whiffs on a header in the defensive zone, leading to a wide open one-on-one for Milan. They score, and the shutout streak is over in the 45th minute of this game.

Oddly, in the second half AC Milan makes the same type of mistake Bedoya made in the first half, and Costa is the beneficiary. He waltzes in alone and scores to put us back up, 2-1. With just a few seconds left in stoppage time, Ayala nets us a third, and we defeat AC Milan, 3-1 to go back up nine on Napoli through 20 matches.

[trman73]

January 24, 2030 - Italian Cup Quarterfinal: Torino vs. Juventus

This tournament is setting up well for us as if we win here we'll get Genoa, a team we've handled pretty well, in the semis. That doesn't prevent me from starting some reserve players in this one though, as we're still on our two-games-per-week run.

We score first in the 27th, as a free kick from Campos finds Deman for the score. It's 1-0 at the break, and just a few minutes into the second half, we get a goal from Ilir Beqaj, a guy who has not played well for us in limited duty recently but who I started in this one. I'm happy for him to find the net here. Deman nets a second goal midway through the second half, and we're done here. It's on to face Genoa in the semifinal, which adds to more games to our packed schedule, but brings us closer to yet another trophy.

[Justin_Case]

Hi @trman73, love reading the posts and keeping up with the career from Canterbury, England - around an hour from London. Like others have said, into my American sports - especially the NFL, I've had a season ticket for the London games for a few years now. Love how the game can bring people from around the world together! Keep up the good work!

[trman73]

Hey Justin, thanks. One of these years I am going to see a West Ham game in London. My wife spent a semester there in college, so when we plan European trips she wants to go somewhere she's never been.

Off topic, really pleased the Hammers brought in Chicharito! Last year it was just terrible to watch them. This will be a boost.

January 27, 2030 - Serie A: Brescia (8-2-11, 26 pts., 13th) vs. Juventus (15-5-0, 50 pts., 1st)

It's back to league play, and we're just three matches from tying the Serie A record for games without a loss in this save, as we're at 25 right now. Brescia should not end this streak, although they are an impressive 5-1-1 in their last seven to move out of the relegation zone. We have not lost a match since the shocking defeat to Be'er-Sheva back on November 6.

The first goal comes in the 5th and is a straight-up own goal on Brescia, as their defender slides to block a cross that wasn't even near the net, and knocks it in. From there this game is a rough, tough match that features numerous yellows and a red card on Nicolino Di Benedetto. We play the final 20 minutes a man down, but it doesn't matter as we win, 1-0. That's now 26 in a row without a loss in Serie A.

[trman73]

January 30, 2030 - Serie A: Juventus (16-5-0, 53 pts., 1st) vs. Roma (11-5-6, 38 pts., 4th)

I am just rolling through these games as I prep a presentation for tomorrow. Next up is Roma. This one worries me, as both our left and right defenders are suspended. So no Di Benedetto or Carlsson against a Roma team that is dangerous offensively.

I do have a problem heading into this match. Lucas Bedoya, who I thought might cause me a contract headache, is up at the end of the year. He makes $15 million right now at age 30, and he he makes a non-negotiable demand for $28 million per year for the next three years. He's also got PSG coming at him with an offer. So... I just don't think we can re-sign this guy. I am not going to pay that amount for him. Although part of my comfort level in letting him walk is my anticipation that I won't be here next season.

Anyway...

Another rout. D'Onofrio scores in the 22nd and the 71st, with a goal from Adrian Dan in between, and we beat Roma, 3-0. I have yet to lose in four matches against my former team.

[trman73]

February 3, 2030 - Serie A: Atalanta (4-7-12, 19 pts., 19th) vs.  Juventus (17-5-0, 56 pts., 1st)

Atalanta is in real danger of playing in Serie B next year. Let's help facilitate that.

Once again we don't give up a shot on goal, but once again a team at the bottom of the table salvages a draw with us, as we tie this one, 0-0. The unbeaten streak is tied at 28 straight matches, and we've got a good one coming up to try to break the record.

[trman73]

February 6, 2030 - Serie A: Juventus (17-6-0, 57 pts., 1st) vs. Napoli (14-2-7, 44 pts., 3rd)

We haven't seen Napoli this season as this is a makeup game from our trip to Japan. But they are having a really nice season after finishing 12th a year ago. This isn't exactly going out on a limb, but if we win this match I think we essentially close things out for Serie A in February.

Yet again, our opponent fails to get a shot on goal. That's now one shot by our opponents in the past three matches, and we have allowed just a single goal in our last 10 matches. But... it's another 0-0 draw. We've now gone 200 minutes without a goal of our own.

We have now surpassed the Serie A unbeaten streak for this save at 29 straight matches. In those matches, we've gone 21-8-0, and have allowed nine goals while scoring 57. That is absolute defensive dominance.

[trman73]

February 10, 2030 - Serie A: Juventus (17-7-0, 58 pts., 1st) vs. Sassuolo (11-5-8, 38 pts., 6th)

I'd be crazy if I wasn't already thinking about an undefeated season with 14 games to go. Look, we're going to win the league. We have a 13-point lead over both Napoli and Lazio. They are not going to make up that deficit and we're not going to leave the window open for them to do so. To use the old cliche, we'll just take it one game at a time, keep knocking teams off the list, and see how long this lasts. At this point we've also got to be considered favorites for the Italian Cup, and the semifinals for that kick off in a few days.

We get a goal in this one! D'Onofrio scores in the 40th for our first goal in almost 250 minutes. Our opponents... don't get a goal in this one! We win, 1-0. 30 straight. Shutouts in 13 of our last 15 matches. Ridiculous.

[trman73]

OK folks, some developments on the job front. There is a Premier League opening that checks some of the boxes that I want for a new challenge. And that opening is...

They've been in the EPL since their real-life promotion in 2015, but have not set the world on fire at all, finishing no higher than eighth and picking up 50 points in a season just once in 13 years. Their payroll right now is $140 million, although they are only spending $112 million of that. They are listed as "Rich," and have state of the art training facilities.

I kind of like the Hornets in real life. I'm going to stew over this for a while as I'm swamped with work here in Denver.

[john1]

I think Watford will offer you a brilliant challenge, I would personally apply for it whenever it comes available.

[trman73]

Hey john, thanks! It's available now. They guy listed as their coach is interim/caretaker.

And I applied.

Edited July 22, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

February 13, 2030 - Italian Cup Semifinal, Leg 1: Juventus vs. Genoa

My former team stands between us and the Cup final. The first leg is at home and I assume we'll take care of business here.

I'm wrong.

Things start well enough as Ayala puts us up 1-0 in the 33rd minute and we hold that lead at the break and deep into the second half. But in the 85th the unthinkable happens. Genoa takes a fairly easy shot to Valdes' left side, and it bounces off of him and into the goal for the own goal! It is by far his worst mistake since he's been with us, and it is 100% him. The game ends in a 1-1 draw, and afterwards I field a question about his mistake affecting his confidence, which, come on. Still, it's a surprising result in a game we dominated, and we'll need to do something at Genoa in the second leg.

[trman73]

February 16, 2030 - Serie A: Sampdoria (7-8-10, 29 pts., 14th) vs. Juventus (18-7-0, 61 pts., 1st)

Back to league play and another team we should beat with relative ease. We actually get a full seven days off after this match, which will be wonderful. We can't take these guys for granted though and start thinking about our time off.

After posting shutouts in six straight matches Valdes gives up his second in two games, as Sampdoria scores in the 13th. It's the first time we've trailed in 21 matches dating back to the Be'er-Sheva loss. I am anxious to see how we respond to this unfamiliar situation.

Sampdoria holds the lead at the break, but in the 50th we get our opportunity to tie it as Ayala is fouled in the box on a great pass from Carlsson. D'Onofrio steps up and... it's saved! The keeper blocks it, it sits in front of the net for a second, and he pounces on it. Could this be the match, finally, that we lose? We get deep into the second half and we're not generating legitimate chances. I sub out both forwards, but Ramirez and Beqaj do no better. In the 85th, it's full-on overload time. But it's not happening. We get a corner in the 90th that's handled, and we get a final chance late in stoppage time, but a cross from Di Benedetto finds the keeper. He fires it upfield, and it's over! IT'S OVER! WE HAVE LOST IN SERIE A.

Oh man what a bummer. And to a really mediocre Sampdoria team. Maybe we were on a mental vacation after all. Regardless, the unbeaten streak in the league has come to an end at 30 matches dating back to April 21 of last year. 

Wow.

Ummm, overreact much?

An "inquest?" "Lost his golden touch?" After 30 straight games without losing? Screw you, Italian media.

Edited July 22, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

Well, I interview for the Watford job during our week's break. I have never done this before in any career, but when the board asks if I am ready to come on right away or would like to wait until the end of the season, I say I'd like to wait until this season ends. I wonder if anyone else has experience with making that request, and if it matters. But really, we've got a chance to win Serie A (basically locked up), the Italian Cup (probably still the favorites), and take our chances in Champions League. That's a lot of hardware to leave out there to get a 10-game look at Watford. Now the bad parts are 1) they may not like that; and 2) they are in 18th, so if I take this job and they are relegated that would absolutely suck.

We'll see what happens. I'd like for it to happen soon.

[fridge73]

I have caught up with you in real time now from North Wales, UK.

I am a Celtics fan. Always had desire to live in Boston but life had other ideas. (Havent checked my lottery ticket yet....who knows! ). Only once been to USA and that was a 3.5 hrs stop-over at JFK on my way to Vancouver, which nearly made me miss the flight!  

The Watford job is a challenge for you and salary room is there for you to make a difference. With the TV deal being astronomical in the Premier League, you should be backed up handsomely. (Speaking of salaries but I have changed the preferences in my save from weekly wages to annual wages since following your career. It makes more sense that way). 

 

 

 

 

[trman73]

Hey fridge, Boston is actually my hometown. Spent my first 18 years there. Was just back there last summer celebrating my parents' 50th anniversary. I am a big Celtics fan as well (soccer, basketball and baseball are my sports).

February 23, 2030 - Serie A: Juventus (18-7-1, 61 pts., 1st) vs. Vicenza (4-9-13, 21 pts., 19th)

Well I guess I got to keep my job following the "inquest" as I'm back on the pitch for this one. It's funny though: I know expectations are high and I want them to be high. But following the Sampdoria loss, overall board confidence in me went from "very pleased" to just "pleased." And the confidence percentage for me in Serie A went from 77% to 62%. We lead the league by 12 points!

I guess I should feel luck that we are favored against 19th-place Vicenza after that last loss.

With Champions League coming against Man City this midweek, we rest a bunch of starters. We do have some guys, notably D'Onofrio and Davidson Costa, who are not playing well. So they get breaks today. Maybe if we lose or draw this one I'll be fired and I can jump to Watford.

We get back on the winning track with relative ease in this one. After a scoreless first half, Humberto Ramirez, in for D'Onofrio, scores right off the bat in the second half. He adds a second late, and we win, 2-0. Hopefully this will save my job at Juventus.

[trman73]

February 26, 2030 - European Champions Cup, First Knockout Round, Leg 1: Juventus vs. Manchester City

Well we've been waiting for this one for two months. Everything else has just been the appetizer for this main course. it's a rematch of last year's Champions League Final and easily the best matchup of the first knockout round. Man City is following up its Premier League-winning campaign from a year ago with another close battled this year. They trail Man United by one point with 10 matches to go. They went 4-1-1 in their CL group, not the dominant performance we're used to from them. But again, they have been in five straight Champions League finals, so for them to be knocked out in this round would be a disaster for them.

But we will not go quietly, and despite our recent offensive struggles, if we can hold them goalless in this one we'll be in great shape. We've got no injury issues, although Antonio Campos is suspended. Other than that, it's the A Team for this one. Let's do it!

We play a scoreless first half, as usual, but we are the team controlling play and getting chances. Man City is not playing as aggressively as they did in last year's final, and the game wears on with no goals. In the 61st, Pietro D'Onofrio makes a move to shake his man, and leaves a pass for a streaking Ayala who puts it in! 1-0 Juventus! Now the key is really to hold City without a goal. We continue to be the better team after the goal, and hold the 1-0 lead into stoppage time. In the 91st, we get a free kick from Ayala, and he lays it in for Deman, who heads it into the net! It's 2-0, and we hold on for the huge shutout victory! What a huge win...  City has a lot of work to do to get back into this one.

[trman73]

OH COME ON!