[FM22] West Afri-Can we bring newfound glory to the club? Yes, we can! [Complete]

[corinthiano]

January 2064

We thought it was going to be a tough month and were proved right, with just one goal scored and 2 points picked up that see us drop down to 10th place.

Transfers

In

Out

Another foreign slot opened up due to nationalization so I moved quickly to get a decent young midfielder in Decimus Pathinvo. Other than that we just got more cover for our full-back position and released another non-contract player.

Next Fixtures

Just a couple of fixtures in February after the break, I am hoping we can end our winless run here.

[corinthiano]

February 2064

We lose a tight game againt Mamahira AC but then finally end a 7 game winless run against USFAS with a convincing performance.

Next Fixtures

We start our Coupe du Mali campaign this month and were handed a tricky draw against fellow Ligue 1 side Yeelen Olympique.

[corinthiano]

March 2064

A frustrating month as we only collect 4 points in the league and are knocked out in the Coupe du Mali at the first time of asking by Yeelen Olympique.

Next Fixtures

A month with a tough set of pictures, main aim is to keep a healthy distance to the relegation spots.

 

[corinthiano]

April 2064

The month went a bit better than expected with 7 points picked up and two away defeats which we saw coming. We are nicely settled into mid-table right now.

Next Fixtures

A few kinder fixtures this month which hopefully means we can pick up a fair few points.

[corinthiano]

May 2064

What a great month, with comfortable victories against the sides lower down the table and we even ran CO Bamako close at their place.

Next Fixtures

June is going to be a lot tougher but hopefully we can get something out of our home games.

[corinthiano]

June 2064

We are really hitting a stride, I never expected us to go 100% this month with the performance away to CS Duguwolofila particularly pleasing as we went down, clawed the game back and then made it work when it mattered, scoring twice in the last 5 mins.

Next Fixtures

We finish the season with fixtures mostly against teams lower down the table and will try to see if we can move up to 5th place.

[corinthiano]

July 2064

Injuries to almost all of our midfield meant we dropped points at the beginning of the month, however Eliwidj FC collapsed towards the end of the season and two wins saw us finish in an excellent 5th place.

[corinthiano]

2063/64 Season Review

I could not have imagined us having such a good season, the squad was built in a rush and lacked quality at the back, but the team gelled well and went on an excellent run towards the end of the season. In the Coupe du Mali it would have been nice to have gotten further but we did get unlucky with the draw.

Squad by Appearances

We had a lot of injuries and the suspension rules in Mali are very aggressive, with a one game ban after every yellow card after the 5th in the season...this meant we used a fair few players and the back-ups were not great.

Best XI

Awards

For the first time in the save Kojo wins a Manager of the Season award without winning the league.

Top Performers

Our best signing, such a strong creative force for us as the AP.

Really exciting youngster I started giving a chance in the first team in the second half of the season and he delivered with some great goals from midfield.

A goal machine for us, especially towards the end of the season.

Finances

Dire, and that is with the board putting a lot of money into the club. The wage budget has already been cut for next season which will limit our ability to improve the squad.

Progress

Couldnt have wished for a better first season with Avenir. The financial struggles do worry me though so I would not oppose a move to a more established club if the opportunity arises.

[corinthiano]

2063/64 West African Review

CAF Champions League

We have 6 teams from West Africa in this stage like last year, but the performance was not good this year with only Enyimba Aba making it to the latter stages.

No West Africans in the final as Enyimba Aba lose to Wydad Casablanca. Egypt's Zamalek win their 8th title and first one in 25 years.

CAF Confederation Cup

6 West Africans here too, but 3 of them make it to the Quarter Finals, including the Ghanaian duo that seems to be spending most of their time at this level now.

And its the gigantic duo that make it to the final with Hearts of Oak winning their record extending 9th title.

West African League Rankings

Senegal overtake Nigeria to become the second strongest league in the region.

League Champions

The biggest shock of the year is in Ghana where Berekum Chelsea won their second title to add to the one they won all the way back in 2011!

Former Champions

MC Breweries: Back to the dark days as they are relegated to the second tier. In the LFA Cup they exit at the first round.

Kamboi Eagles: Average season again from them as they finish 9th in the SLPL.

Nô Pintcha da Brava: Terrible in the Liga Brava again finishing 4th, but won the  Taça Brava and got to the final of the National Cup.

AFC Nhacra: A season of almosts as they finish second in the league and runners-up in the cup.

Ayéma FC: Third year in a row they go into the Relegation Group, this time at least they finish top of it.

CNEPS Excellence: Really dominant in Senegal at the moment as they win another title and the Coupe du Senegal. A little disappointing defence of their Champions League crown though as they exit in the Group Stage.

Banjul Utd: A slight step down from last season but still a good effort to finish in 5th.

ASN NIGELEC: Slight improvement from last season as they finish 9th. Out in the first round of the Coupe du Niger.

Unisport: Back towards the bottom of the Championship group as they finish 5th.

CFFEB: Not in the title race this season as they finish in 4th. Did get to the Coupe du Faso final but lost to CF Rahimo.

Flamme Olympique: Strong year but couldnt quite defend their title as they finish in second.

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

2064/65 Season Preview

Financially things werent looking good until we got a huge bump in sponsorship money, going from $40k to $500k a year. This meant the board gave us an oversized wage budget which we used fully. I tried balancing the purchases as the club will go massively into the red over the season, but we still had the highest net spend in the league. This means we are now predicted to finish 4th and I have to say I fancy us to challenge for the continental spots this season.

Transfers

In

Out

We almost signed an entire new team, as well as getting plenty of back-up where we needed. We still have some gaps in the squad as the number of affordable Malians is limited but I feel we did well in the transfer market. On the outgoing front only Kounandi Sidibé is a significant loss as we did not find a replacement as good as him up front. Here are the guys who will fight for First team slots.

Considered the best GK in the league so a great coup for us.

We could have signed a 17 year old which was as good, but he had a determination of 1 and cost more than 3x the price of Moussa so this was the more sensible option.

Another older player but at $8k it make sense to bring him back from Guinea.

Best signing of the transfer window, the Mozambican international is versatile but will feature as DLP for us.

Was great for Flamme Olympique so when his contract expired it make sense to rejoin him with Kojo.

Not as good as Sidibé up front but he is relatively young and at a decent prize considering the market.

Best XI

Dont agree with my Assistant 100% but this shows how much more balanced the team is now.

Initial Fixtures

We start with two winnable home games before our first test of the season at CS Duguwolofila.

 

 

[corinthiano]

November 2064

Great start to the season, winning the two first games as expected and then putting in a great performance at CS Duguwolofila to beat the easily. The only sour note to that game is that Ibrahim Konaté broke his ankle and will be out for 5-7 months, missing almost the entire season. Luckily midfield is where we have a lot of cover so we can manage without him.

Next Fixtures

Busy December as usual, lets see if we can continue the good start.

[corinthiano]

December 2064

With the media prediction of 4th and the good start of the league I was cautiously optimistic we could push for a top 3 finish, but this month brought us back to earth. We did have an injury to our GK and bids from Senegal have unsettled our star AP Keita, but we should have done a lot better this month and are currently in a terrible rut with no win in 4 games, which has seen us slip to mid-table.

Next Fixtures

We need to get back to winning if we want to stay in touch with the sides at the top of the league.

[corinthiano]

January 2065

We put in an excellent performance against a strong Yeelen Olympique side to end our winless run, but then follow that up with a terrible game at lowly AS Nianan, losing in the last minute.

Next Fixtures

Some tricky fixtures this month which doesnt help with turning around our form.

[corinthiano]

February 2065

Drubbing against Stade Malien aside this was a great month and it feels like we are back!

Transfers

In

Out

I forgot to report on this in January but noting special, with a couple of fringe players going on loan and a Stade Malien striker coming in to provide more cover. Transfer window is shut now so no more transfer activity this season.

Next Fixtures

Not the easiest of draws in the Coupe du Mali, but we do have a chance to get through. In Ligue 1 we need to keep our winning momentum.

[corinthiano]

March 2065

We keep the good form going, getting past US Bougouba in the Cupe du Mali and remaining unbeaten in Ligue 1 to get closer to 2nd and 3rd place.

Next Fixtures

The last 16 of the Coupe du Mali are now over a single tie, away at Onze Créateurs does give us a chance to progress. In the league I feel we have a chance to keep putting good results too.

[corinthiano]

April 2065

Wow, we have really hit a sweet vein of form here as we go the entire month only conceding one goal and winning all games along the way. With 7 games to go we are now amazingly in a Champions League place and still in the Coupe du Mali.

Next Fixtures

We get a decent draw in the Coupe du Mali as we get 2nd tier side Réal Bamako in the Quarter Final. The end of the month will be tough as we host Stade Malien and go to Yeelen Olympique, hopefully we will have some sort of cushion in the race for continental football by then.

[corinthiano]

May 2065

We continued getting decent results this month before the big two games, although the Black Stars and Coupe du Mali Quarter Final were not exactly convincing. Against Stade Malien we actually gave them a good game, scoring first before they turned it around in the second half. Needing a draw to make us comfortable against Yeelen Olympique it looked like we were going to lose before a very quick double at the end put us on the brink of continental football next season.

Next Fixtures

Now weirdly there is a month gap until the next Ligue 1 fixture, which has been shortened by the Coupe du Mali Semi-Final, where we were happy to have avoided Stade Malien. Just a point to guarantee second place and hopefully we can end the season with a Coupe du Mali final.

[corinthiano]

June/July/August 2065

We didnt play particularly well in the Coupe du Mali Semi-Final but got through it, only to be outclassed by Stade Malien in the final. In Ligue 1 two wins saw us comfortably finish in second and clinch Champions League football!

[corinthiano]

2064/65 Season Review

After a shaky start in the league we had an excellent second half of the season and clinched our place as best of the rest in Mali, all whilst reaching a Coupe du Mali final. Our Champions League campaign starts in 40 days time which will throw a challenge as we already had to register a squad before making any transfer moves and with players leaving the club shortly...

Squad by Appearances

With plenty of injuries and suspensions due to Mali's strict disciplinary rules this has to be the year Kojo used the most players, which further highlights the need for more depth at the club.

Best XI

A very solid first XI with us, with our front two particularly deadly.

Awards

Some recognition for Avenir AC this season as Kojo retain the Manager of the Year Award, Kanadjigui is the second best Young Player and the league and three players make it into a Stade Malien dominated Team of the Season.

Top Performers

The youth product just gets better and better and played a crucial role in midfield this season.

Kept up his excellent goal scoring form this season.

Did a lot better than I expected from DLF this season with almost a goal contribution per game.

Finances

We made $100k this season but only because the board keeps plowing money into the club. Hoping a Champions League or Confederation Cup run can generate some money.

Progress

We achieved an important step of getting into Africa, which will be crucial to maintain as we go forward. Now we'll have to address the small issue of having to cut down on a 19 point gap against an all conquering Stade Malien...

[corinthiano]

2064/65 West African Review

CAF Champions League

We are a team down at this stage in relation to last year as 5 make it, but 3 teams make it to the Quarter FInals as opposed as the only one last year.

After the poor performance last year it was nice to see an all West African Final and even nicer to see CNEPS Excellence claim their second title!

CAF Confederation Cup

Only three West Africans here is really poor, with 3 in the same group and only Hearts of Oak making it out of it.

Hearts of Oak fall to eventual winners ES Tunis in the Semi-Final who clinch their second title by beating compatriots ES Sahel in the final/

West African League Rankings

Poor year for West Africa as most leagues went down in the rankings. Within that the only movement was Guinea Bissau overtaking The Gambia.

League Champions

One new champion as a slightly poorer Man City triumph for the first time in Sierra Leone. In Senegal CNEPS Excellence are now joint record holders, which is impressive considering their first title was 25 years ago.

Former Champions

MC Breweries: Terrible year in the second tier as they finish 9th. In the LFA Cup they exit at the first round.

Kamboi Eagles: Better as they finish third, 10 points from the top.

Nô Pintcha da Brava: A better campaign in the Liga Brava as they finish second and they were runners-up in the Taça Brava.

AFC Nhacra: Second in the league again, but go out early in the cup.

Ayéma FC: Into the Relegation Group again and only finish 6 points above relegation.

CNEPS Excellence: Equal the record number of title in Senegal and win their second Champions League, not too shabby.

Banjul Utd: Up in 4th in what was a decent season.

ASN NIGELEC: Back in relegation danger as they finish 11th and 7 points off safety. Out in the first round of the Coupe du Niger.

Unisport: First time they miss out on the Championship group since Kojo left, terrible year.

CFFEB: Closer to CF Rahimo this year as they finish 5 points off the top in 3rd, whilst reaching the Coupe du Faso Semi-Final.

Flamme Olympique: Dropping off now as they finish 5th this season.

Edited June 7, 2023 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

September/October 2065

Amazingly this was the first Champions League campaign in Kojo's 40+ year career and it will lead to a Group appearance as we made the most of the home ties to see us through ASC Kara and Primeiro de Agosto. The Group Stage is where the money is at with at least $550k for finishing in 3rd/4th plus money for wins and draws, so hopefully this helps us break even for the year without cash injections from the board.

[corinthiano]

2065/66 Season Preview

We are now predicted 3rd at good odds and at this stage it is the minimum we should expect as African football needs to be a regular thing if we are to close down the gap to Stade Malien, who are still overwhelming favorites for the title.

Transfers

In

Out

Not that much movement this off season as all decent players didnt want to join us, so we focused mainly on strengthening the depth of the squad whilst making some money on the fringe players of the squad. Only a couple of players will challenge for the first team.

Our most expensive signing provides competition at right back and is younger than the incumbent.

Not a guaranteed starter but provides a decent option at the back.

Another one that is guaranteed to start but provides good options up front.

Assistant XI

Not a stronger first XI for this season, but we do have a stronger squad.

Initial Fixtures

Facing two promoted sides to get us started, which hopefully means a positive beginning to our campaign.

 

[corinthiano]

November 2065

Two solid and straightforward wins to ease us into the season.

Next Fixtures

We get the first tough tests of the season as we host Yeelen Olympique and CO Bamako and travel to Stade Malien this month.

[corinthiano]

December 2065

Not winning any of the big three matches was frustrating, especially as we played better than the opposition in all 3 games. This has seen us trail the leaders by 3 points, but the surprising thing is that the leaders are Yeelen Olympique, with Stade Malien dropping quite a few points this month which seems them down in 4th, albeit only a point behind us and 4 behind Yeelen Olympique.

Next Fixtures

Three winnable games before the mid-season break.

[corinthiano]

January 2066

Three routine wins see us keep up the pace with the top sides. 

Next Fixtures

We are drawn into a tough group in the Champions League and will be happy to just pick up a few points, whilst in the league we have a tricky game against Office du Niger before two winnable home games.

[corinthiano]

February 2066

It hasnt been pretty but we have maintained our winning run in Ligue 1 and our now second, but able to go first if we win our games in hand. In the Champions League we just arent good enough to compete, we did well to hold Asante Kotoko to a draw but Al-Merreikh Omdurman and Wydad Casablanca were too much for us.

Next Fixtures

Another busy month as we fight on 3 fronts. Priority will have to be the league where I would like us to maintain our strong position.

[corinthiano]

March 2066

The month started with a rotated team getting a comfortable win at Djoliba in the Coupe du Mali, before a full strength obviously struggling to earn a draw against the same team 3 days later...luckily both Yeelen Olympique and Stade Malien dropped points also and we end the month top of Ligue 1 after winning our remaining games. Particularly impressive was the drubbing of Eliwidji FC who were supposedly a title contender. We also earned our first group win in the Champions League but are out of the competition.

Milestones

Next Fixtures

We finish our Champions League campaign and have a Coupe du Mali game before our focus turns 100% to Ligue 1 where we will have a marathon to catch up on the games in hand. We also play crucial games against Stade Malien and Yeelen Olympique, so if we can end the month still on top we have a great chance of competing for the title.

[corinthiano]

April 2066

What a mammoth month! It started with a predictable defeat at Wydad Casablanca, especially as I played a weakened side. I then was in two minds about who to play in the Coupe du Mali game as I wanted to make sure we were fit for the league game a few days later. I played a mixed team and in the end lost both games which was very frustrating.

At this point I was very concerned as we were going into the two most important games of the season in a terrible run of form. But I didnt need to be worried as we put our two best performances of the season to beat both our title rivals and put us in a great position for the title.

The rest of the month was tough as injuries, suspension and tired legs weighed on the team, but we managed to pick up most points other than a home draw with CS Duguwolofila, but luckily both Stade Malien and Yeelen Olympique also drew that weekend and so we maintain the 6 point cushion at the top with 9 games to go.

Next Fixtures

We go back to a game a week which is a huge boost to us, but our fixtures are still tricky so we need to make sure we are focused for the run in.

[corinthiano]

May/June 2066

I ended up playing the game in June as there is that weird 3 week break before the July fixtures. We managed to keep a 100% record, but it was no plain sailing as most wins were close and we had to score some goals in the 80+ minute to clinch some of those. This means we maintain a 6 point gap to Stade Malien with 4 games remaining.

Next Fixtures

The league rules sort teams by head to head, which means that we have the advantage over Stade Malien and just need to win 2 out of our last 4 games to clinch the title. Considering two of those games are against sides already relegated I would hope we can see it through now.

[corinthiano]

July 2066

It was bumpy but we did it! Wer had a tough fixture against Elwidji FC and had a terrible game, with Stade Malien beating Yeelen Olympique this made me slightly nervous. We comfortably beat AS Police after that but were heading for a draw against LC Bamako, which would leave it to the last day, something we wanted to avoid. So I threw the kitchen sink and Decimus Pathinvo rewarded us with a last minute winner to clinch the title with a game to go, ending Stade Malien's run of 17 consecutive titles!

[corinthiano]

2065/66 Season Review

I did not expect us to win the league so early, but Stade Malien had a blip this season and we made the most of it, performing consistently well throughout and grinding results when the going got tough. I am not sure why the Champions League is not showing here, but this was also a highlight as it was the first campaign for Kojo in his career and he did well to guide the team to the Group Stages, where Avenir AC finished 3rd. The only disappointment this season is the Coupe du Mali, where there was an early exit in the Last 16 Stage.

Squad by Appearances

Again, rotation was the key here, especially with the added Champions League games this season. Strengthening the depth of the team really paid dividends as we had very good options in most positions that saw us through very busy periods in the season. To put this into context, amazingly only 2 players started more than 73% of our games this season, with one of them being a goalkeeper...

Best XI

Despite the amount of rotation this really was our Best XI when fit and available. Important to highlight that we didnt rely on few goalscorers this season with the distribution a lot more even.

Awards

Sira Kanadjigui did a clean sweep of Best Player, Best Young Player and Top Goalscorer, all deserved considering he is a midfielder! Kojo also bags his third Manager of the Year Award and we have five Avenir AC players in the Team of the Season, with Madiou Djibo an odd choice considering he didnt make the Avenir AC Best XI and was largely a squad player.

Top Performers

We have to talk about him first, what a wonderful player and still only 20! Not only was our top goalscorer, but also the league's top scorer all from a Mezzala role!

Stepped up his goalscoring efforts this season as he played as an AF more often.

Our one constant this season, played in pretty much every game and continuously delivered from AP.

Finances

We made decent money this season and this is with the club improving the training facilities and Youth Network. The key is to keep making the Champions League group stages for the money to continue to roll in.

Progress

This was a very fun spell in a league where a bit of money was in play and Kojo got to experience a Champions League campaign. Surprisingly it ended after only 3 seasons but we will take that at this stage. Now if we thought breaking Stade Malien's dominance was going to be hard, then the next one will be a lot harder as we need to dethrone ASEC Mimosas in Ivory Coast, who are the most domestically dominant team in the save!

 

[corinthiano]

2065/66 West African Review

CAF Champions League

6 teams make it to this stage, including Kojo's Avenir, with half of them making it to the Quarter Final.

It was not meant to be for West Africa this season as Zamalek beat CNEPS Excellence and Asante Kotko en route to their 9th Champions League crown.

CAF Confederation Cup

A slight improvement from last year as 4 teams make it to the Group Stage and to making it out.

We had an all West African Semi-Final, which Enyimba Aba triumphed before beating FAR Rabat in the final to win their second Confederation Cup trophy.

West African League Rankings

The big news this season is Ghana losing the top spot in Africa to Morocco, but at least Senegal and Nigeria moved up to 4th and 5th respectively, The only movement between West African teams was The Gambia moving back up over Guinea-Bissau again.

League Champions

Kojo's Avenir AC are not the only new champions this season as Freeport win their maiden Liberian title. Couple of worthy mentions are CNEPS Excellence now being the most successful club in Senegal and record holder in Guinea, Horoya AC, finishing dead last in Ligue 1 and being relegated.

Former Champions

MC Breweries: Back in the wilderness as they are relegated from the second tier.

Kamboi Eagles: Another team in the wilderness as they finish dead last and are relegated from the SLPL.

Nô Pintcha da Brava: Back to a terrible 4th out of 7 in the Liga Brava, with a Semi Final exit in the Taça Brava.

AFC Nhacra: An excellent season as they win the domestic double.

Ayéma FC: Finally back in the Championship Group, although they did finish 11th out of 12.

CNEPS Excellence: Are now the most successful team in Senegal, but have a poor year by their standards as they dont win any other trophies.

Banjul Utd: Not a great season by recent standards as they finish 10th.

ASN NIGELEC: A bit better this season as they finish in 9th, but still out in the first round of the Coupe du Niger.

Unisport: Back in the Championship Group and an OK performance as they finish 4th.

CFFEB: Managed to win their first title since Kojo left in what was a great season, where they also reached the Coupe du Faso Semi-Final again.

Flamme Olympique: The slide continues as they now finish 8th in Ligue 1.

Edited June 12, 2023 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

Chapter 13 - Ivory Coast

Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, is a country in West Africa that borders Liberia to the West, Guinea and Mali to the Northwest, Burkina Faso to the Northeast and Ghana to the East. French is the official language of the country, but there are over 78 local dialects, with Dyula one of the most common ones. Its largest city is Abidjan on the coastline, however its administrative capital is Yamoussoukro in the center of the country.

Before French colonization, the Ivory Coast was home to several kingdoms, most prominently the Gyaaman, Kong and Baoulé. Unlike some of its neighbors, the country suffered less from the slave trade and only become a French Protectorate in 1843 when France strategically built forts along the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. The country became independent from France in 1960 moved by Félix Houphouet-Boigny, who was president until 1993. Despite political opposition being forbidden his administration in the first 20 years was positive as the exports of coffee, palm oil, cocoa and pineapple helped consistently get 10% growth rate for the country. However a global recession and criticism over the investments made to make his home village of Yamoussoukro the capital city grew criticism. He died in 1993 and in 1995 his supported successor Henri Konan Bedié was elected. Bedié was a very divisive figure who increased ethnic tensions in the country which led to two civil wars between 2000 and 2010. After the Second Civil War Alassane Ouattara became president, leading the country until today.

The Ivory Coast has a relatively high Income per Capita for the region at around $1.7k and the largest economy in the West African Economic and Monetary Union. It has significant exports, being the the 4th largest exporter of goods in Sub-Saharan Africa and the largest exporter of cocoa beans in the world. Its economy consistently grows at much larger rates than its neighbors.

Tourism is not necessarily popular in the country, not helped by the civil wars from 10-20 years ago. It does have stunning beaches and some impressive monuments in its capital though, including the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, which controversely cost aeound $300M to build and doubled the country's debt at the time.

Football in Ivory Coast

Football is hugely popular in Ivory Coast, with the country having produced big names such as Didier Drogba, Yaya and Kolo Touré. Its national team won the 1992 and 2015 Africa Cup of Nations pre-save and has followed that up with an additional 7 titles in the save, making them one of the most successful sides in the save. They also reached the last 16 of the World Cup twice, once in 2038 and just now in 2066.

The national league, the MTN Ligue 1, was created in 1960. ASEC Mimosas was already the dominant force in the country, winning 28 titles compated to the 18 its closest rival Africa Sports had. They also hold the record for longest unbeaten streak in domestic football with 108 games between 1989 and 1994. This dominance has continued and grown in the save, with ASEC Mimosas winning all but 6 of the national titles in the save and have a staggering 65 domestic titles, winning the last 25 titles in a row.

In terms of reputation they are also head and shoulders above the rest of the country, with a full star more than the next best team. There are two eligible teams at 2 stars which are AFAD Djékanou and FC San Pédro and are the most realistic clubs to have success in the country, but Kojo would consider 1.5 Star teams under the right circumstances.

 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2023 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

Cosmos Football Club de Koumassi

Cosmos Football Club de Koumassi is an Ivorian club from the neighbourhood of Treichville in Abidjan, that has just over 100 thousand inhabitants. There is not a lot of information on the club other than it was founded in 1997 and depending on the source you read they play in the second or third tier pre-save. During the save they have bounced between the top two tiers, but have had a longer spell in Ligue 1 recently, being in their 7th year here. They are expected to be well clear of relegation and were too close to comfort for the board who fired the previous coach as the club was sitting two points off the drop after 9 games.

They play their games at the Parc des Sports in Treichville, which is located next to the nice looking Palais des Sports de Treichville, which hosts handball, box and basketball games.

Assistant XI

At first glance it looks like a club with decent firepower but not a lot of strength in defence.

Top Rated Players

Not a bad AP to have, with plenty of experience.

Good young striker.

Not that great, but should do OK as a Mezzala.

Finances

Not great with over $300k in debt and $2kp/m over wage budget. Guess we will have to optimize the squad before we bring anyone in.

Initial Fixtures

It is tight at the bottom as we get close to the halfway stage. There is only one game before a mid-season break which will give Kojo an opportunity to evaluate and adjust the squad if the finances allow for it.

[corinthiano]

January/February 2067

We couldnt really have wished for a better start at Cosmos as we win 4 out of out 5 initial games that see us extend the gap to relegation to a whopping 12 points.

Transfers

In

Out

The main aim of the transfer window was to get within budget and we did that by releasing 5 players who were not needed in what is a bloated squad. On the incoming front my scouts all thought these 4 could start for us but in the end only two are able to.

Good option on the left.

This Cameroonian has some promise and we will do well to retain him for next season.

Next Fixtures

March is a relatively busy month, but we hope to pick up some points to keeps us well way from the relegation spots.

[corinthiano]

March 2067

Well, you certainly cant accuse us of not being etertaining with 29 goals in the 6 matches we played this month. Results were also largely positive as relegation threat becomes a distant memory and we make a push for a top half finish.

Next Fixtures

The scheduling eases up for the last two months of the season. We face ASEC Mimosas for the first time and I am intrigued by how we will do against them.

 

[corinthiano]

April 2067

Some mixed results but we did have a couple of tough fixtures to navigate through. We did give ASEC Mimosas a good game too so it was an OK games despite the result.

Next Fixtures

We host the title contenders before a couple of games against sides lower in the table. The aim is to finish in the top half of the table.

[corinthiano]

May 2067

We beat AFAD Djékanou in what ultimately cost them their first title and a chance of ending 25 years of ASEC Mimosas dominance, before Maxwel Konaté fired us to another two victories and an excellent 6th place finish in Ligue 1.

[corinthiano]

2066/67 Season Review

Seasons are going to be quick in the Ivory Coast as it is a 14 team division with no cups. We did really well here and Cosmos actually already had a decent squad, with only back-up signings we were able to shoot from 11th to 6th comfortably.

Squad by Appearances

This is an unnecessarily large squad for the number of games we have, I'll work on further trimming it down in the off-season.

Awards

Maxwel Konaté bags Top Goalscorer by some distance which sees him being the only player outside the top two to be included in the Team of the Season.

Top Performers

By far our best players this season, absolutely deadly in front of goal. I would not be surprised if he started attracting attention from bigger clubs.

Richards experience was crucial for us. He wasnt happy at the club but I ultimately managed to convince him to extend his contract, I think we can get at least one more good season out of him.

Great player, shame he looks like he will leave the club.

Finances

Not getting better, this is a real area of concern as finances could limit our progress.

Progress

A very good first season with Cosmos, who as I mentioned do have a decent first team. I do get concerned about their finances though so if an eligible team fires their manager and has a better wage budget on offer then I would consider a move.

[corinthiano]

2067/68 Season Preview

I am excited for this season for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the board have decided to ignore our debt and tripled our wage budget and secondly, Ivory Coast is the first country with no foreign player limits which means we have been able to pick out some great players from abroad. With the new signings the media sees us as 6th favorites and I have confidence we will be able to achieve that at a minimum, with the optimist in me thinking we could even challenge for the title.

Transfers

In

Out

I know I said that I needed to trim the squad at the end of last season, but with the increased budget we have only slightly trimmed the squad. However we have vastly improved the quality of the team and have practically a new starting XI. Here are the players that will likely be regular starters for us.

The young Beninese international has bags of potential but is already first team material.

Another young international, this time from Equatorial Guinea, Federico will be our starting right back.

The best left back I could find, we paid a bit of money to get the experienced Nigerian.

Another Nigerian, Salisu was picked up on a free.

Van Wyk looks like a really solid addition to our defence and completes our new look back line.

Went back to Unisport for him, our scouts did rate him higher but he is not an automatic starter. Could develop into it though as he has room to grow.

Another one picked up on a free, Bashir looks like an exciting Mezzala.

His centre midfield partner is Fofana, one of the few Ivorians we signed. He was released by ASEC Mimosas and looks very decent for us.

The signing I am most excited for, the Malawi international more than fills the gap left by Yaya Camara.

Aristide was playing in Burkina Faso and I am glad we convinced him to come back to Ivory Coast to lead our attack.

Assistant XI

Dont agree 100% as Van Wyk should be at the back and Banda at AP with Ouattara up front, but it highlights we also have pretty good depth at the club.

Initial Fixtures

Hosting AFAD Djékanou will be a great test to see if the side really has improved significantly.

 

[corinthiano]

In my excitement to squad build with money and no foreign restriction I completely forgot to do the West African Review  , so here it goes...

2066/67 West African Review

CAF Champions League

Just 5 teams make this stage this year, but 4 make it to the Quarter-Finals with the only one missing out ASEC Mimosas. We also see the Ghanaian duo together at this stage for the first time in a while...

Out of all the West Africans you wouldnt have fancied Génération Foot to win their maiden Champions League, but they did will to squeeze past two rounds on away goals before beating Enyimba Aba convincingly in the Final.

CAF Confederation Cup

A strong turn out for West Africa, including some unfamiliar faces in CFFEB and Académie SOAR, but ultimately only two sides made it to the Quarter Final.

It was not to be for CNEPS Excellence and Stade Malien as they both are knocked out in the Semi-Final after thumping wins in the Quarter Final. In the end it is ES Tunis who grab their 3rd title by beating Sundowns on penalties in the Final.

West African League Rankings

Positive moves for Senegal who now have the 3rd most reputable league in the continent and Guinea who jump over Togo and Benin.

League Champions

No new champion this season, highlight being Génération Foot closing the gap on CNEPS Excellence in Senegal.

Former Champions

MC Breweries: Were in an unplayable league this season, but have been promoted back to the second tier for next.

Kamboi Eagles: Spent the season in an unplayable league and will do the same next season.

Nô Pintcha da Brava: Didi improve in the Liga Brava and finished 2nd, but exited at the Semi Final stage of the Taça Brava again.

AFC Nhacra: Couldnt defend both titles as they finish runners-up in the league and exit early in the cup.

Ayéma FC: Did not manage to make it into the Championship Group again, but comfortably avoided relegation in the Relegation Group.

CNEPS Excellence: Disappointing season as they finish 2nd in Ligue 1 and are out in the Semi Final of the Confederation Cup, but do win the League Cup as consolation.

Banjul Utd: Slightly better than last season as they finish 8th.

ASN NIGELEC: Same as last year, 9th in the Superligue and out in the first round of the Coupe du Niger.

Unisport: Bettered last years performance and finished 3rd, behind only the two dominating sides of ASC Kara and ASKO.

CFFEB: Couldnt retain the title as they finished 9 points behind CF Rahimo in second, but did have a decnet Confederation Cup campaign by reaching the Group Stage. In the Coupe du Faso they were knocked out in the Quarter Final.

Flamme Olympique: Slight improvement as they finish 6th in Ligue 1.

Avenir AC: Disappointing in the Champions League and Coupe du Mali as they fall in the first hurdle on both, but did have a decent Ligue 1 campaign, finishing 3rd, 5 points off Stade Malien.

Edited June 15, 2023 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

November 2067

Comfortably beating last years runners-up was a great start to the season and we followed that up with two solid wins to keep us at 100% and at pace with the countries two top teams.

Next Fixtures

It is a busy December but not that bad compared to what we have had in other countries, with only two mid-week games. The fixtures dont look to scary either so hopefully we can continue the good form until the end of the year.

[corinthiano]

December 2067

The month started well and included a club record win over Yopogoun FC, but after that we have really struggled in front of goal and have seen our campaign derail a bit. We were terrible against AS Tanda and were 2-0 against RC Abidjan at half-time. We played a lot better in the second half to rescue a draw and I hope this is the catalyst for us to get out of this mini slump.

Next Fixtures

We have a couple of very tough fixtures before the mid-season break and getting a result in them will go a long way in determining whether we can challenge at the top or not.

[corinthiano]

January 2068

We do well to get results against Séwé FC and Sol FC, but ASEC Mimosas are miles ahead of us and seem to be strolling to another title. Still, we have a chance t compete for African places as 2nd place goes to Champions League and 3rd to Confederation Cup.

Transfers

In

Out

Light business in the mid-season transfer window as we let go of a fringe player and loan out a couple of youngsters. On the incoming front for the first time Kojo brings an European to West Africa as promising youngster Nodar Kutateladze is signed from Georgia, along with a loanee to (oddly) cover left back and AMC.

Next Fixtures

A couple of tough fixtures when we resume from the mid-season break.

Edited June 13, 2023 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

February 2068

Things are really frustrating right now, we are dominating games but so wasteful in front of goal. These 3 draws should have been 3 wins and we are slipping down the table.

Next Fixtures

We have a tough game against FC San Pédro, but then 3 fixtures in which we really need to make sure we get back to form.

[corinthiano]

March 2068

We are still not playing great but at least we broke our winless run and are still in the mix of teams chasing continental football.

Next Fixtures

We have some important games towards the middle and end of the month against AS Tanda and Séwé FC, hopefully our form has improved by then.

[corinthiano]

April 2068

We are somewhat back, the football hasnt exactly been fluid but we have had positive results this month. I would have liked to win at least one of the games against AS Tanda or Séwé FC but realistically drawing away to them was a decent result.

Next Fixtures

We have a couple of tough fixtures to end the season and will have to play really well to secure continental football for next season.

[corinthiano]

May 2068

A very encouraging end of season as we easily dispatch Sol FC before putting two excellent performances against Ivorian giants that secure 3rd place. This could also be significant as I think it means we will have Confederation Cup football next season. I say think as third place last season got that, but Ivory Coast are right on the edge of the coefficient table where 2 Champions League spots are given. I have also not received any news confirming the qualification so I guess we will have to wait and see.

[corinthiano]

Forwarded a week and there it is, great news!

[corinthiano]

2067/68 Season Review

It was far from the smoothest campaign and we hit a really rough patch in the middle, but in the end finishing in 3rd and getting continental football was excellent. I think the inconsistency comes from so many new signings, including a lot of young ones and a squad that was gelling as the season went on. I dont expect as many ins and outs next season and hopefully we can be more consistent with an established squad.

Squad by Appearances

We had an established First XI, with only injuries, fatigue and suspension getting us to rotate, so we did not use that many players and can still trim the squad down. I think our struggles up front are evident by the fact only one player (just) hit the double figure mark on goals for us.

Top Performers

Really lived up to being our best player and we missed him when he was injured for a few weeks. Doesnt want to extend a contract that runs out at the end of next season so we will have to decided whether we want to make some cash on him or hold on for another season.

Very effective as a BBM or Mezzala, have already tied him down for another 3 seasons.

Mamadou's more versatile midfield partner also had a very consistent season.

Finances

This is really terrible and the board have already signalled a cut in wage budget which means we will have to sell to make any significant changes next season.

Progress

We made great progress this season and right now I am not even sure if I would leave for a higher reputation team. I think now it is similar to Mali and we will have to wait for ASEC Mimosas to have a bad season and make the most of it to be able to complete Ivory Coast.