[FM23] South American Journey Man to European Champions League - Story of Gabi Jesus

[AllezAFC]

Chapter 1

Gabi Jesus - The career of a Brazilian 22yr old Manager going to the Champion league.

All great stories have a beginning and this is where the story starts for Gabi Jesus a 22yr old Brazilian who has set out to become one of the world's most renowned managers in the beautiful football game. Jesus originates from a municipality called Baixa Grande in the North East of Brazil which is certainly not renowned for any star footballers, managers or even football teams. In fact Gabi only has local Sunday league football experience where he faced a tragedy as his career came to an abrupt ending due to poor health not allowing him to continue in the beautiful game. 

 

Now as a store manager in his local convenience store called Mercadinho Melo, Gabi Jesus has decided to return to his football passion by pursuing management and most importantly finding an alternative source of income. However as a Sunday league footballer his knowledge of the game can only be described as a passion, no coaching experience and only shouting at the TV whenever his favourite football club Esporte Clube Bahia play in the Campeonato Brasileiro Serie B. 

 

However, armed with one very important tool in his arsenal which would be a Dream, Gabi Jesus is looking to conquer the footballing world. As his favourite actor from Dumb and Dumber has said "If you give up on your dreams, what's left?" Gabi intends on following his heroes advice and thus fulfilling ambitions in football management. 

 

Edited November 13, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

<RESERVED FOR ACHIEVEMENTS>

 

2022 Fernandez Vial - Finished 6th missing out on play offs by 1 place.  Left in Dec 2023

2023 Cobresal - League Champions promotion to Chilean First Division. 

2024 Cobresal - 6th qualified for Copa Sudamericana Qualifying rounds. Left in Dec 2024

2025 - Took over Cortulua in May 2025 - Runner's up in Colombia Cup - Last 16 in Copa Sudamericana 

2026 - Cortulua - 

Edited December 25, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Mama don't cry I will come back home. 

Within 2 weeks Gabi has successfully managed to receive interviews to two clubs in Southern Brazil and one in Chile. During negotiations only the Chilean club was willing to accepts Gabi's demands of searching for a parent club which ultimately was the deciding factor between staying in Brazil and moving abroad. 

 

Fernandez Vial

Based in the Chilean First Division B which is the second level of Chilean football, the club has not experienced much success in the Chilean football system. Gabi's intentions are clear, progression. After a difficult conversation with his mother, he has agreed to be sending money back home as Gabi's earns 1,800 reals per week. This will certainly be a very tough period for him emotionally and mentally however this is what it takes to achieve your dreams. 

 

The Team

 

Edited November 13, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Brazilian Samba in Chile 

 

Gabi Jesus is definitely proving that his ambitions of becoming a football manager are not a fairy tale. Gabi's first experience in management as a 22yr has been fruitful, custom route one tactic where playing direct football and trying to get the pass as far up as the pitch as possible is proving a great success. 

Vial find themselves just outside the potential play off spots by one point with a favorable goal difference. The board requirement has been to reach mid table.

Performance in the domestic cup has been atrocious however it has allowed Gabi to focus on the league more which could result in a very spectacular push for the playoffs ? 

League leaders are still in reach and have not ran away with it just yet. Gabi is causing a storm around the league as he's the only manager with no qualifications not only amongst the managers but also amongst his personal staff as the board try to deter interest from other clubs by not allowing him to gain a coaching badge. 

Edited November 15, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Gabi's roller coaster - ending the season

So the first update is that Gabi is finally capable of getting a coaching licence after a few good results persuaded the board to pay for a coaching course.  Finally some qualification to coach especially after every member of staff was able to get some coaching qualifications. Out of spite Gabi Jesus assumed control over who gets to go for a coaching badge which mean't no one else has gained further badges 

 

July

So this is where things got very very interesting, Gabi experienced the first period of adversity as a manager which led to some turmoil amongst the squad. The board and supporters still rated the managers performance at a B however the squad... well the story was a little different. 

 

They no longer believed Gabi was the right person to manage the team and that Gabi has lost the dressing room !!! 

At this point the team was 6th and was 3 points away from the playoffs.. Gabi felt like there was a coup brewing against him despite the board still strongly backing him thus far. This was a point where relationships have definitely been damaged, potentially irreversibly. How does this impact the managers career ? 

 

 

 

End of Season update 

Team missed out by 2 points ! punch to the guts. 

The ego's in the dressing room might have adversely affected Gabi's career by not getting the required results to make it into the playoffs. Outstanding 10 losses which is the most out of 9 top teams meant Fernandez Vial would certainly fight in Division B for another year and ultimately keeping Gabi stagnant. Only way to make amends would be to offer a new coaching course to Gabi which may persuade him to continue at the club. The board recognised that and intended to keep the manager happy so they offered to pay for his course. 

 

 

 

However, that sabotage by the players has long remained in the managers mind... does a coaching badge really pacify an ambitious manager ? 

Cobresal ! A team from the top flight who have been relegated this season and will be playing in Gabi's division. Can he really say no ? The team took a gamble on Gabi but never granted permission for him to gain a coaching qualification until the very end.  The players impacted the season by throwing a fit. Is it a time for a change of scenery at a bigger club and continue progression. 

 

 

 

 

Time to leave. 

This will be a real challenge for Gabi to see if he has what it takes to make it as a manager... at least in Chile. There is a clear demand to leave Division 2 this year, a straight bounce back to the top and anything different is a failure. Wow.

Edited November 19, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Chapter 2 - 2023

Club de Deportes Cobresal or simply Cobresal, is a Chilean football club based in El Salvador, Atacama, a Chilean mining camp.

The team was founded on 5 May 1979, and the name of the club comes from the local copper mine establishment. Since its inception, the club has played its home games at the El Cobre Stadium. With a capacity of approximately 12,000, the stadium is able to seat more than the entire population of the town (7,000).

During the history of Cobresal, the club has been champion once (2015 Clausura) and achieved one Copa Chile title in 1987, with players like the Chilean legend Iván Zamorano, Rubén Martínez and the club's historic top-scorer Sergio Salgado, footballers that also played in the 1986 Copa Libertadores, in the first international tournament for the club.

Cobresal's classic rival was Regional Atacama, where both teams disputed the III Region derby, but since the disappearance of that team as a result of financial problems, the team now plays the Copper derby with Cobreloa of Calama. Another important rivalry has been formed with another team from the Atacama region, Deportes Copiapó. (Wikipedia)

 

 

Finances 

Finances when Gabi Jesus took over were very healthy, almost half a million for a team that has been relegated. Of course this will change as some players will request to leave and costs required to be paid for the maintenance of the stadium 

 

Board Vision 

As earlier the team are placing high expectations on a unexperienced manager, they want Gabi to achieve what he never achieved before, a promotion. A two year contract for Gabi could be ended prematurely if that goal is not delivered. 

 

The Squad 

So obviously with a team getting relegated many player's won't want to stay at the club and move on which some players made very clear from the start to the manager. 

A star player had to be sold just a few weeks into Gabi's tenure, a release clause was also present in the player's contract therefore Gabi couldn't use his charm to convince the player to stay. 

A nice little source of income there for the team to be re-invested across the team plus a lovely 30% profit from the next sale will help to provide more funds in the future from a player that is only 22. 

 

Transfer's In 

A few free transfer's on players that have expired contracts to make the squad well rounded with enough depth.

Caraballo is Cobresal's main striker for Division 2 and should do the job in leading the charge for promotion.

Lobos is a very well rounded centre mid who was listed by his club for sale as they didn't see him as part of their future.

Concha was a transfer by Gabi to ensure the U21 rule is met. The requirement is for 70min to be played for a u21 to play in each game throughout the season and Concha was one of the only competent options available. 

Edited November 28, 2022 by AllezAFC

[ucdark]

Chilean time! GL man

[AllezAFC]

13 hours ago, ucdark said:

Chilean time! GL man

Thanks   

[AllezAFC]

Gabi enjoying life in Chile. 

It's quite clear Cobresal are a level above everyone and will be going straight back up, mostly due to the superior finances. During his first 6 months Gabi has managed to only lose 3 times in the league and win 10 games with some impressive shoreline's  along the way. 

 

Chile Cup

Cobresal was eliminated in the Third round of the cup, albeit they faced a tough opponent from the league above which is a mid table team. The main culprit as highlighted by the manager was Jorge Deschamps who stepped into the goalkeeping position as the number one was suffering from injuries. Not only was he the reason for 2-5 loss in the league to Deportes Temuco  he also managed to eliminate Cobresal from the only domestic competition. In other games Deschamps also managed to concede goals like this... the goal was scored by Farias who is by the side line. No one else touched the ball, it didn't hit anything ... it simply flew towards the goal.  Due to a clause in Jorge's contract Gabi Jesus will be delighted to know he can use the goalkeeper for another year 

 

 

Cobre Derby

The first derby meeting for Gabi Jesus also resulted in a loss due to his favourite goalkeeper showing off his skills in goal. The goal illustrated above was the one scored in this match, the other 2 we're from close range. Gabi has now demoted the veteran 38 year old to the reserve team as he never wants to see him again. Gabi has been quoted saying that he would rather go in goal than to ever give Deschamps another second in goal. 

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Getting FM'd

"sometimes you have to just accept the fact that things are going to go against you, things that are outside of your control" 

 

Gabi Jesus gave this comment after suffering a defeat against 2nd place team Rangers de Talca and then suffered draw's in games that Cobresal totally dominated against Coquimbo and Cobreloa.

The match stats prove it and it simply isn't just Gabi's confidence or egoism, Cobresal dominated yet didn't win and you've got to think that the system simply doesn't want you to win otherwise it would be too easy. Beating Rangers would mean Cobresal would of gone 6points clear and then beating Coquimbo who were 11th and Cobreloa who were 10th would add another 6 points to the points tally. 

The Chilean FA had to reprimand Gabi for those comments and fined him financially to ensure no further comments like that are made. 

 

Now we turn away from the drama off the pitch and look at the league and what those results mean for the young manager and his future ambitions. 

Last time we looked at the teams performance up until the Magallanes game the team since has played 6 more games which prompted the explosive interview with the manager. 

Gabi now has 8 games to secure first place as that is the only spot from which automatic qualification is granted. Playing in the playoffs is a massive risk as anything can happen. 

Edited November 26, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

The push for promotion. 

Gabi finds himself at a pivotal moment in his career where he will need to prove that he has what is takes to get automatic promotion with a team clearly favoured to go up. 

In order to avoid any upsets, automatic promotion should be the main target. Recent results place Gabi's team top of the league with a 2 point advantage with only 4 games to go. 

The fixture raising eyebrows is Fernandez Vial which will be mouth watering as they will surely want to get one over their old manager. Vial also find themselves trying to guarantee a high finish in order to get home advantage. Two of the 4 remaining games are against playoff opposition where every point matters.

Follow the thread to find out what happens next ! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 7, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

 

Cobresal push for the league title in the last day ! 

Cobresal require just one more win in order to secure the league title on the last day of the season. The manager would of wanted to make this a bit more comfortable by securing the league earlier due to having almost a 9 point advantage at one point. However, Jesus has made his frustrations known several times during the season as the level of officiating he described as "poor". 

 

Rangers de Talca 

Rangers need to win and require some luck to go in their favour, star striker Lionel Altamirano who secured 21 goals in 28 apps has described it as the most important game in his career "this is what we live for, it' very much like a World cup final".  Rangers will play Recoleta who sit in 11th so go into the gamer heavily favoured. 

 

Fernandez Vial 

Secure playoff position in 3rd as they can't drop below 3rd or go higher than 3rd. This is a phenomenal result for the club as they just missed out on the playoffs last year. The manager Sebastian Abreu had a little dig at Gabriel Jesus by stating "the club has managed to level up from last season due to a flood of fresh ideas and higher level of training". Vial were predicted by the media to finish the season 5th in the league. 

 

Injury news 

During the 16 day break before the last game of the season Cobresal suffered a devastating injury to their star striker Caraballo who has scored 22 goals in 22 aps. Gabi's comments "It's a massive shame we lost our main man upfront but it's next man up in this business" When asked about who could be upfront "Should I give away my game plan to you?". 

We can expect to see Delgado or Arenas upfront considering the men at Gabi's disposal however he could also change the shape completely as they face a team second to last who has secured survival already. 

 

 

No other notable injury news in the league most teams have a fully fit team to play the final league games. 

 

[AllezAFC]

 

 

Bienvenidos ! The last game of the 2nd Chilean Division 2023

The fight is between Cobresal the recently relegated team from the premier division with the new manager Gabi Jesus vs Rangers de Talca whom last featured in the first division in 2012. 

 

 

 

 

20th Min ! First goal for Rangers which puts them top of the table, phenomenal solo run by Oroz whom under pressure from 2 defenders makes it 1-0 to Rangers and puts all the pressure on Cobresal. 

 

 

 

29th min Drama ! We have a penalty and who could it be for ? Santiago Morning get a penalty after a clumsy tackle by Villalba who has been a subject to a lot of criticism from the Cobresal fans ! Some questioning why he still hasn't been benched. 

 

Alvaradooooooooooooooooo goooooooaaaaallllllllll 1-0 to SANTIAGOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Cobresal fans are left stunned and the silence is deafening in the stadium as only 6 AWAY FANS ! YES 6 fans have made the trip down to Cobresal this evening whilst the home crowd have 3,300 people in attendance which is about 1,000 more supporters than normal ! 

 

HALF TIME 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AllezAFC]

 

Absolutely phenomenal we have the worst case scenario playing out for Cobresal whilst Rangers have the best case scenario ! The team talks will prove pivotal for both teams in order to affect the game. 

The injury to Caraballo must be really hurting Cobresal as the main man up front Delgado has no shots on target and a 6.1 rating proving to be non existent. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

61st minute - Cobresal fans GOLASOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  you're on the board... just ! A deflection from the Santiago defender after Arenas shot who was trying to put it in the back of the net from a very very tight angle. Massive let off but they still need one more goal in order to finish 1st. 

I have been watching Gabi Jesus throughout the game and he has been unusually calm with loads of encouragement to his players and avoiding any harsh treatment to several players that are only a shadow of what they were earlier in the season. 

 

 

 

68th Minute Rangers go up by 2 ! Phenomenal free kick here from Villegas to certainly guarantee a win for the Rangers. It's all up to Cobresal now, all in their hands if they want to be league champions, currently Santiago have the greater xG and have look more like scoring. Incredible 20 minutes left make sure to keep watching our coverage. 

 

 

 

 

78th Min - DRAMAAAA GOALLLLLLLLLLLLL INCREÍBLEEEEEE Cobresal leave it this late to go ahead the whole stadium is going mental as we can see some orange flares going up in the crowd ! It's the same man again Arenas who this time doesn't need a reflection to score and it also appears like he doesn't require much space either as he is contested straight away. Incredible moment of magic there to manage to squeeze that in and what sheer agony for Rangers fans who have been listening on the radio as their team was cruising to a comfortable win and a 1st place finish. 

Arenas has moved from leftwing to play upfront after Delgado's awful display who himself has been moved to the left wing position. The lack of depth on the bench means Cobresal couldn't replace Delgado with an attacking player. 

 

12 min to go and extra time... can we have more surprises taking place ? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Final whistles around the country in the second Chilean division ! Cobresal crowned champions at home despite going 1-0 down they managed to mount a comeback to win the league and gain automatic promotion. 

Rangers will have to battle it out in the playoffs with home advantage whilst end of the season drama has led to Cobreloa getting eliminated from the playoff hunt due to a draw vs Santiago Wanderers which will mean Cobresal have another reason to celebrate as their rivals suffer defeat and embarrassment. 

Magallanes suffer relegation despite a last day win which wasn't enough. 

Thank you for tuning in to Chilean Sport Premier. We look forward to covering the playoffs for you very soon !

 

 

 

[AllezAFC]

 

Gabi Jesus the hottest commodity on the block ! 

Several approaches have been made to interview Gabi during the Chilean off-season. Our sources understand that he has been in contact with Peruvian and Brazilian teams regarding his availability. 

We have asked Gabi for a comment however he was unreachable due to being on holiday. His current deal with Cobresal ends at the end of 2024 (current season) 

Edited December 9, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Campeonato Chileno - Chile's Top Flight 

 

League is contested between 16 teams with the bottom 2 facing relegation. 

1st and 2nd qualify directly to the South American champions league Copa Libertadores whilst 3rd and 4th have to play in qualifying rounds. 

5th - 8th play in the Copa Sudamericana which is the Europa League *Subject to the Chilean cup winner. 

Colo Colo by far the biggest club in Chile with 33 titles to their name followed by Universidad de Chile with 18. 

Colo Colo have won it twice in game since 2022. 

Cobresal Gabi's team have only won it once in 2015 whilst their arch rivals Cobreloa won it 8 times. 

 

Gabi's Decision 

With all the interest surrounding the manager and the pre season training beginning in a few days the manager has settled and made his decision regarding his future.  Despite some very strong interest, even from the second most decorated team in Chile, Gabi has decided to remain in Cobresal as he said "Leaving this club, at this moment, is not the right decision for the organisation, players and myself. I appreciate the interest however I still want to prove myself before being given a chance to manage anywhere else" 

This has shocked many around Chile as we can now officially confirm that Gabi has declined Universidad de Chile with his leaked proposition below. It is a massive gamble on the managers side which would have moved 3 times in the space of 3 years to new teams, 

 

Cobresal season 2024

 

Transfers 

Brand new GK who brings Cobresal's foreign quota to 5/5. Last season's goalkeeper has been released on a free after several blunders and since then he retired a week later 

New starting right back as the wing back/fullback depth is the weakest point in the team. 

All new signings have to be Chilean which is difficult as they all go for a premium. Ideally a quality winger would be something Gabi Jesus would consider according to reports, whilst fans note that the centre back quality has fallen off after Silva decided to run down his contract. 

 

Pivotal midfielder Gonzalez has decided to sign a new contract despite insisting on exploring his options at the end of the season. This is a key signing for the club as it somewhat keeps the structure/spine of Cobresal intact with the midfield trio that was there last season. 

 

The Squad / Tactic 

The idea is that Cobresal will play fast direct football and try and get it up to their main man Caraballo as fast as possible. The alternative considered by Gabi is to play Gegenpress in order to destabilise the opposition. As mentioned by the manager, the sole goal is to stay up so points will be very important. 

 

Edited December 9, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Cobresal review - Feb/Mar/Apr

 

Cobresal's quality from the second division hasn't quite translated into the Premier Division as the team have not won a game in their first 5 games. 

xG wise Cobresal are 2nd from bottom much of it due to the star striker not finding his form which he must of left in the 2nd division. 

 

 

Deportes 1st game of the season, a team promoted from the playoffs so really it's a game where Cobresal should be taking 3 points. 

Caraballo misses a penalty very early on and that sets the game from there where Deportes manage to frustrate Cobresal effectively as they don't attack all game with 0 shots on target. Meanwhile Cobresal have 5 shots on target denied with another 5 chances off target. One could argue that Deportes successfully carried out their game plan whilst Gabi didn't manage to adapt. Cobresal are extremely reliant on Caraballo and it seems like if he goes missing so does the whole team offensively. 

 

In the following 4 games Cobresal manged to get just over 1.10 xG … clear alarm bells ringing here as Caraballo is struggling and wingers that are delivering support to him, have gone missing. 

One would expect Gabi to go for a tactical change or a different game plan in April especially when playing against League Favourites Colo-Colo. 

 

April - Total Football ?

 

Tactical Changes ensue

A change has been implemented, Gabi's version of total football. Gegenpressing tactic with a 4-3-3- formation which allows to utilise the strongest part of the team (midfielders) across the whole pitch in an expectation that their quality will be detrimental in getting results. 

However a setback straight away for the manager !  Carlos Lobos is done for the year. A undeniable pillar for the team who played almost every single game last year as a ball winning midfielder will now have to support the team from the side lines.  This opens the door for free agent signing Yerko Leiva to play. 

 

 

Huachipato 10th 2-0 to Cobresal, with 8 shots on target to the opponents 4 shots on target. Assists arriving from the midfield and wing back player Gonzalez and Meza. 2 goals for the main man Caraballo 

Palestino 8th 2-1 to Cobresal, Caraballo with 2 goals again. Goal for Palestino deriving from poor wing back coverage due to playing more offensively. Only 3 shots on target whilst away from home compared to 6 by Palestino. Gegenpressing is working however Gabi has to be careful not to leave his team too open. 

Audax Italiano 16th  Change in tactical approach for a bottom of the league team where gegenpressing could lead to a disaster after Audax have been deploying a counter attacking style of football whilst sitting deep and defending. At halftime Cobresal had no shots on target with an xG of 0.07. Second half Gabi changed the system back to Gegenpressing and within 2 minutes Audax had a great chance to score the first goal only to be denied by the Brazilian shot stopper. 60 minutes in and the first goal for Cobresal !!!! Massive mistake by the goalkeeper who miskicked the ball straight to CARABALLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO making it 5 goals in 3 games. Audax with the park the bus approach managed to keep Cobresal to one shot on target whilst they enjoyed 3 shots on target but with a lower xG than Cobresal. Just like that Cobresal go from a full blown panic alarm to their highest position in 3 years as they reach 8th for a position in Copa Sudamericana however it's way too early to think about international competition. 

Colo Colo 1st Now with 3 games won because of gegenpressing … surely Gabi has got the memo on how to play against the most decorated Chilean team ? Now Colo Colo will deploy a park the bus system which is quite shocking considering the technical quality in the team. 

Exciting first 20 min for Cobresal fans as they showed the ability to go forwards however in the 21st min Cobresal giveaway a free kick and a missed header from Mesias at the back post meant Colo Colo go 1-0. 

4 minutes later the high pressing system allowed Meza to run down the wing after winning back the ball and cross it in to Caraballo OFFCOURSE HE MAKES IT 1-1. Caraballo is the Argentinian Haaland currently scoring when he wants especially when he gets the service. 

Half time and what a brilliant game we are having here at the Cobresal home ground El Cobre, currently it's anyone's game. What has been noted is that Gabi has asked his player's several times to be more creative, seems like he's asking them to utilise their creativity when going forwards. 

51st min and Caraballo has just volleyed a cross slightly over the bar.. if that went in I don't think Caraballo would be a player for Cobresal for much longer as he'd have every team knocking for him uffff.

GAZZEEEEEEEEE with a brilliant save ! He bails out his defenders here as Valliaba makes a defensive error insted of clearing it to row z... just over 15min to go. 

 

GOLASOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 78th min corner kick finds Caraballo at the back post who heads it into the box and finds Leiva who then taps it into the goal at the opposite goal post ! PHENOMENAL, it's been all Cobresal. 

 

83rd Another big chance for Cobresal. Beautiful double save from the goalkeeper who saves a freekick from Mesias and then saves a rebound shot from Caraballo ! Corner kick to follow. 

 

PUT******************************** Cobresal WINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN VAMOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS 2-1 to the MINEROS!  4 wins in a row how massive is Caraballo to this team, to the club to these faithful Mineros !?!?! Gabi Jesus chants ringing around the stadium ! Gabi could of left with ease to another more established team yet he remained a Mineros. WOAH what a game. Gabi make us dream ! 

 

League Table 

 

 

Edited December 11, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Los Mineros - how far can they go ? 

 

The newly promoted team have been causing a storm in the league as we reach the summer break(s). The main man for the team remains Caraballo who seems to be one of those one in a million strikers. To this date August 18th 2024 his statistics for Cobresal are 49 appearances with 40 goals and 5 assists. Absolutely clinical and Cobresal have managed to sign Caraballo to a new contract until 2027 making him the highest earner at 1,400 p/w with no release clauses in place. 

 

Since March Cobresal have been on a blinding run which has rewarded them with a fantastic league position. 

 

New Arrivals 

With the push for international competition, Gabi has decided to strengthen two key positions we highlighted earlier. 

Augustin Alvarez arrived as a free agent in order to sure up the defensive line as a starting centre back. 

 

Pedro Campos a massive financial commitment from Cobresal as he completely cleaned the teams remaining transfer budget. Initial fee of 275k rising to 325k with very obtainable objectives. 

Could be one for the future as currently he hasn't impressed me and actually costed the team as he received a red card in the Chilean cup. 

 

 

Chile cup

There isn't many occasion's where Gabi leaves you disappointed but this was certainly one of them as Cobresal crash out against an inferior Division 1 rival which mean't any realistic silverware aspirations had been crushed in the first round. The first game saw an absolute bombardment by Cobresal on the oppositions goal which resulted in a disappointing 1-0 win.

As mentioned earlier Campos received a red card in the second leg which went all the way to penalties and resulted in Cobresal missing 2 off their penalties, ironically Caraballo being the first to miss. 

 

 

What remains ?

 

9 games remain with the possibility of playing in Copa Libertadores or Copa Sudamericana. On the very worrying side, Gabi Jesus' contract ends when the season ends. Most Cobresal fans are starting to realise that this may be the last few months with Gabi in charge as he can't keep denying so many lucrative job offers.

 

[ucdark]

Oh damn, you have been FM'd :c

[AllezAFC]

The end of Cobresal love story 

Gabi announced his decision to leave at the end of the season, with 9 games to go Gabi called for "the team must remain united in order to achieve greatness. I urge the players to push for international competition". 

 

One man that took that to heart is Caraballo, the man Jesus picked to lead the front line 2 years ago, the man that took Cobresal back to the top flight from obscurity. 

 

Caraballo managed to win player of the year which massively contributed to the success this year. Now let's see where Cobresal ended the season. 

 

Only 3 wins in the last 9 games meant Cobresal made it very tough for themselves in their push for South American football and as a result had to wait till the last day to find out their fate. 

In the end they made it very close between themselves and Colo Colo coming into the last day as Cobresal was level on points before playing Everton. A win (first half hat-rick from Caraballo) secured Copa Libertadores qualifying rounds next year for Cobresal. Which is a great goodbye gift from Gabi Jesus, he has managed to really secure the future of the club in the two years that he spent with the team. Instead of aiming to avoid relegation Cobresal can now compete on the international stage. We at Cobresal wish all the best to Gabi Jesus as he continues on his next endeavour. ALWAYS A MINEROS ! 

[AllezAFC]

Chapter 3 - Gabi in 2025

 

Gabi Jesus was over optimistic about his value on the market, after leaving Cobresal no Job offers were made to Gabi despite receiving 9 total offers during the season. 

Time away from managerial football allowed Gabi to go back home to Brazil so see his family which he hasn't spent time with in over 3 years now. 

His mother's shop now transformed and located in a prime spot in Baixa Grande high street due to the money that Gabi has been sending back home. Also pictured is their brand new Fiat used to replenish stock in the new shop. 

A bit further down you get to see his family's new redecorated home 

We need a manager ...

 

Truth be told that Gabi Jesus didn't receive any job offers till mid May. Since December Gabi Jesus has been unemployed however, he has been finally signed by a club whom features in one of South Americas top 3 divisions. Everyone knows Brazil and Argentina are the top two leagues however who would you consider 3rd in such a diverse continent ? 

Uruguay ? Peru ? Ecuador ? Turns out Colombia has come knocking 

 

 

 

Corporación Club Deportivo Tuluá

 

Cortulua ,  officially named Cortuluá Fútbol Club SA  and formerly known as Corporación Club Deportivo Tuluá , is a Colombian football club from the municipality of Tuluá in Valle del Cauca .

In June 2022 the team decided to modernize their shield. The new emblem kept the circular shape and the green border with a white interior. The most noticeable changes were the name of the club, now green, and the ball is removed from the bottom, whose place takes the date of the team's founding, 1967 . Inside, there is an orange heart on an orange circle with a green central stripe. 100 The new shield also suppresses the shield of the municipality of Tuluá , with respect to the previous design.

 

They never won the league in the first division and currently compete in the Copa Sudamericana group stage. 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

The Squad 

The Finances 

 

League Performance so far 

 

Copa Sudamericana 

 

Second half of the season 

 

The aim set out in the contract is to be competitive in Sudamericana, reach later stages of the Colombian Cup and to be a top half team in Phase 2 of the league. 

Due to finances working within the wage budget is also crucial. 

A push in the Copa Sudamericana will do a lot of good for the club's finance's. 

 

 

Edited December 15, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Colombiano Madness - Explaining the League system. 

 

A very intricate league system has been adopted in 2019 which will be worth explaining before we kick on with the season. 

 

Apertura - Single round robin with each team playing each other once for a total of 19 matches. Top 8 teams advance to a knockout round. 

 

Knock out rounds - two groups of 4 each team playing 6 games. Two leaders of each group advance to the final which is played home and away. 

 

Finalizacion - Exactly the same as Apertura but played in the second half of the season. Followed by exactly the same knock out rounds. 

 

RELEGATION  Determined by averaging the points total achieved over the previous 3 seasons. Each year bottom two get relegated. 

 

You basically have two league champions in one season, 2013 Atletico Nacional won the Apertura and Finalizacion, double champion. Crazy ? Fun ? Which one do you value more ? 

 

 

[DavidBeckham]

Sounds really fun! Looking forward to seeing you navigate this crazy system!

Edited December 18, 2022 by DavidBeckham

[AllezAFC]

Playing with Heart for the badge 

The schedule in May and June was very favourable to Gabi as May culminated in the last two Copa Sudamericana games with a weeks break in between each game as the league didn't begin again till July. 

June featured only two competitive games for the 4th round of the Colombian Cup which the winner progresses into the Quarter final of that cup. 

July is when the heat starts to ramp up only to be 2x'd by the time August comes as 9 competitive games are played in that month which is very much a make or break month for any team in Colombia. 

Copa Sudamericana 

Gabi joins the club and his first game in management for the club is also the first time he manages on the international stage. Fenix a Uruguayan are in the top half of their league were absolutely run over with a 6-0 victory brining Cortulua just one win away from securing qualification. Next game was a nail biter as Aucas parked the bus very well in order to avoid conceding which they agonisingly conceded a goal in the last ten minutes of the game. This guaranteed qualification into the last 16 for Cortulua. 

Last 16 

The draw was quite friendly as Cesar Vallejo have only been promoted to the first Peruvian division in 2018 and have established themselves as a mid table / top half table team now. First leg 16 shots and 5 on target for Cortulua proved to not be effective enough to score more than one goal. Wonder kid Cediel who play's upfront ended the game with a 6.4 rating. Whilst Cesar managed to win with 6 shots on target with a significantly lower xG. 

Money for the tournament was most important to the club due to being in the red financially and spending too much on wages. Tournament prize money was just over $400k which significantly helped to boost the clubs treasury. 

 

Colombian Cup 

This is a competition that Gabi Jesus has stated he would like to go as far as possible in. 

4th round opponent La Equidad are a team that feture around the middle of the pack within the Colombian first division so definitely a team Gabi's team has to beat in order progress in reputation and stature within the division.

1-0 at home ensuring the clean sheet was good but left a bitter taste as 23 attempts with 9 on target and an xG of 2.5 Cortulua should of scored more and had this round wrapped up in the first leg. 

Fortunately going away from home didn't prove to be an obstacle to Gabi's players as they managed a more convincing win and progressed to the Quarter finals. 

 

Quarter Finals 

Deportes Tolima a team that won the league in 2018 phase 1 and have since featured in the top 6 almost every season. Therefore should be considered the strong favourites in this tie.

A very fortunate 2-1 victory despite having an 0.50 xG. Tolima only managed one shot on target which converted whilst having another 9 attempts off target. 

Home advantage definitely seemed to help Gabi's men but going on the road in a busy August only spells danger. Quarter Final football in the middle of the week at a 28,000 capacity stadium which should be rocking. 

 

Finalizacion 

The second phase of the league has begun. 

Two losses to start off the campaign has led to Gabi ditching the Cobreloa gegenpressing system whilst sitting on their own half to a new tactical system where Cortulua deploy their technical ability in a fluid counter attacking 4-2-3-1 therefore ditching the famous 3 man midfield system and depending on two defensive midfielders. One difference that Cortulua have over old team Cobresal is technical ability which Gabi will try to showcase more by entrusting his players in 1on1 situations rather than depending on outnumbering the opposition. This has resulted in two wins in a row. 

However, August will be a month of player management and rotation especially with a quarterfinal second leg towards the end of the month. 

 

Objective 

Edited December 18, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

David vs Goliath 

League Performance 

The results are there however the quality isn't therefore Cortulua find themselves in the middle of the pack with some chances of still going up higher. However a more consistent form will be required if they want to push for international competition again. 3 points away from 5th place, a few wins and Cortulua could really be in the elite mix. 

 

 

Colombian Cup 

Now this is where it get's very interesting and could explain the lack of consistency in the league performance. The quarter finals were comfortable as Tolima's form had been slipping and are now a team below us in the league. 

 

Semi Final 

Here we were drawn against Junior who won the league last year in the first phase and currently sit 4th in the league so clearly a much stronger and more favoured opponent. In the first leg we lacked any real chance to score but the 2nd leg...  I have no idea what happened. They didn't rotate their team, it was their strongest side. Cortulua's back up striker scored 5 goals in that game. 

 

Final 

Atletico currently sit 3rd in the league. In the first leg centre back Delgado made a massive mistake and passed the ball straight to one of their forwards which must be the best part of FM. Gabi Jesus was absolutely livid in conceding a goal like that especially since Delgado is one of the star players in the team and just signed a long term deal. Valencia managed to get it back to 1-1 and give Cortulua a chance in the away leg. Gabi Jesus might be adding to his trophy cabinet which already features the league title for the second Chilean division. 

All eyes now on the away leg...

[AllezAFC]

Ending 2025  - Rough Sea ahead ?

I'm sure you've all been waiting to find out the result of the Colombian Cup final. 

Cortulua play in red and green therefore that is not Gabi's team lifting the cup despite going 1-0 up, League Champions simply outclassed us at their home ground. 

 

I guess Gabi Jesus has managed to reach expectations and reach a top half finish with the team.

The club is currently $700,000 in debt and over the wage budget therefore the season ahead in 2026 will prove to be very challenging as some key players will be leaving. 

 

[AllezAFC]

2026 Cortulua 

To balance the books Kenner Valencia, star player for the team (hasn't played like it) is sold to Hoffenheim for a deal reaching almost $1.2mill which automatically lifts the club out of debt. 

Furthermore the wage bill gets a significant restructure as 2025 salary was 34k p/w whilst 2026 salary at the start of Jan is just under 6k p/w. Subject to change as Gabi Jesus will be looking at free agents to come in. 

 

 

 

Season's expectations - Almost mission impossible to reach Copa Libertadores 

However, due to finishing 2nd in the Colombian Cup Cortulua will be playing in the qualifying rounds of Copa Libertadores which is MASSIVE  for the club. The winners of the cup won the league as a result we get to play in the famous cup.

 

 

The Squad 

Obviously significant upgrades couldn't be made due to Cortulua's financial situation but 2026 will be extremely important as it could really propel the club into a strong financial position if the opportunity present in Copa Libertadores is seized. Last year's last 16 elimination from Copa Sudamericana generated half a million $$$ and Copa Libertadores is much more lucrative. 

The additions to the squad are 5 players as 7 players left, the notable additions are Portilla who will come in to solidify the middle of the pitch which is crucial to any team managed by Gabi who always likes a strong spine. Ferragut someone which I hope will develop into a star in this team. 

 

 

Player's that stayed and will be IMPORTANT 

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Mass Exodus - Toughest challenge yet?

With a lot of young talented prospects at Cortulua Gabi Jesus has been facing loads of interest in his players. Villalobos one of the defensive pillars which Gabi was reliant on is now leaving for a $1mill release clause. Cediel by far the most exciting prospect/star player of the team who hit the ground running by scoring 4 goals in the first 3 games of the season has been snapped up by Atalanta paying his release clause. Atalanta then offered to loan him bak to Gabi's team which is a very nice boost to the team as it ensures there isn't a clear drop off in quality. 

 

Team performance

The league performance has been superb which actually resulted in 2 players being snapped up. 

The Copa Libertadores performance ended with a heartbreak by losing to a fellow Colombian side who spanked and embarrassed Gabi in his first outing as the famous cup.

Some Significant money has been made by Cortulua due to sales and Copa Libertadores performance which as mentioned before will be key in establishing the clubs future whom at one point were almost a million in debt.

 

The Finances 

Copa libertadores; Second Qualifying round generated $434,000 whilst the Third Qualifying round generated $521,000 

Almost $4,000,000 in the green is incredible. Currently significantly under the wage budget limit. 

Now it's up to the teams performance to keep the gate receipts up and attract more and more fans and get TV coverage.

If there is one manager that has secured a teams future, it is Gabi who has put it on his résumé by taking Cobresal to new heights. 

[AllezAFC]

Argentinian Prince - Gabi Jesus discovers a diamond 

With a lot of players leaving Gabi Jesus had only his scouts recommendations to depend on regarding advice on who to bring in. However, world renowned Argentinian league which produces continuous talents, a young 18 year old free agent caught Gabi's eye.  

Emiliano Ferragut - Only a single first team appearance for Colon over a 3 year period, the young Argentinian has not been granted any opportunities. There is a good reason for that as Colon struggled in the Premier Division therefore veterans were entrusted more than young ambitious academy products. Now at the age of 18 Ferragut finds himself with 6 League appearances for Cortulua where he was named a first team starter in 4 of those. The young Argentinian now has 4 goals and 1 assist in his limited time where he features as a Pressing Forward as well as a Left Winger however his goals are deriving from the Striker position. 

Now it remains very early as a Cortulua fan to start hyping up a young Argentinian with a $1.1 mill release clause, there is certainly promise there and Gabi seems to be getting the best out of this young player. His physicality leaves a lot to demand for as he's only 162cm tall which is 7cm shorter than the Argentinian legend himself whom retired at the age of 37 whilst with PSG. The physicality may deter a big European club from knocking but if Emiliano continues developing in 2026... don't tell me I didn't warn you that Gabi found a free diamond. 

Edited December 25, 2022 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Futebol Incrível 

Cagey start has led to a bit of worry creeping into the establishment and senior offices as many players were leaving and the finances weren't there to replace those players. 

However, the young academy products are proving their weight in gold which has led to two spectacular months for Cortulua. 

With two games left Atletico Nacional have secured another championship final which they will play against whoever wins the playoffs. Cortulua have a chance to secure a very high position which would be the highest since 2023 and allows us to compete for a final spot to win the league title.  

Copa libertadores elimination has resulted in Gabi's team going into Copa Sudamericana group stages and being seeded with some very tough teams. Cesar Vallejo a team that eliminated Cortulua in the last 16 in the same competition, Colon a very famous Argentinian team which is well established in the top 10 of the Argentinian Premier division. Gabi's young gem is from colon's academy however a sports hernia injury eliminated the young man from the first leg game. 

 

 

Edited January 1, 2023 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

First Phase ends - Playoffs baby ! 

For the first time Gabi will be able to compete in Colombia's post season competition where 2nd to 5th play each other home and away which will finalise in playing Atletico National in the final. 

The fixtures will add more pressure to the Copa Sudamericana group stage push, the very thin squad will need to be rotated with one competition being prioritised over the other. 

 

 

 

Edited January 1, 2023 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Fixture congestion - the demise of small clubs 

It's no secret that bigger clubs benefit from the 5 sub rule and periods where you have 2 games in a week for consecutive week's requires a deep squad with quality players that can rotate in. Gabi Jesus certainly has a talented first 11 however when it comes to replacing fatigued players it does leave a lot to be desired. As a result Cortulua end their international campaign 2nd in the group with 8 points and a whopping 7 points behind Colon. Certainly a very difficult group to escape especially since Aucas had been defeated by Cortulua twice last season in the same competition and now actually didn't let Cortulua win so easily. 

Out of the Copa Sudamericana, out of the Colombian cup and finishing 2nd in the group stages to play in the First phase league title, Gabi has experienced a decent amount of failure in May which according to reports has put his managerial position into question as he was the favourite to be sacked next. 

 

 

 

 

 

[AllezAFC]

League Second Phase - Europe's knocking 

Europe is indeed knocking at the door of Cortulua however it is not to secure the services of their manger but instead the highly talented prospects who seem to be in abundance at the club. With Cediel already sold and loaned back for $1.4 million now another talented forward has been poached for a record club fee of $1.8 million. Vahos leaves the club at the end of the transfer window as a loan back agreement has been negotiated by the director of football as it was his decision to over rule Gabi Jesus as the amount of money was simply irresistible. Gabi has been reported trying to convince the director to ask for close to 4 million for Vahos. 

 

League performance 

Gabi Jesus has no distractions in the second phase of the league season due to being knocked out of every cup. The start to the league has been brilliant which has put the team 4th with just 3 points off top spot. 

 

[AllezAFC]

Another young talent leaves the club who only recently begun to feature in the first team. Offer comes in at the time of European transfer deadline day.

\

A quick look at the development centre to see who the up coming talents might be that can replace the players leaving. No players seem like they can step in immediately but slowly and surely they will need to gain some playing time however it may adversely impact Cortulua's push for the title. 

Edited January 2, 2023 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Another sale of a young talent who won't return on loan which means a young talent Yesid has to step up to the first team squad.

 

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

Gabi's Corner - Sitting down with the manager 

Sitting down for a quick chat with Gabi Jesus as the young manager now only has a couple of month left on his contract which expires on the 31st of Dec 2026 and it increasingly seems like he has to prove himself in the season that remains in 2026.

Will you look to extend beyond 2026 if offered the opportunity? "Yes, however a deal that works for both parties will need to be reached. As of this moment in time I am still waiting for discussions regarding a contract" 

Describe your relationship with the board. We understand that the board have over ruled you in some outgoings ? "My relationship is strong with the management at the club. That is true that the director chose to sell players due to lucrative offers but I understand that and this is the nature of trying to establish this club. We have managed to go from -$700,000 in debt to $7 million in profit tell me who else achieved that?"

Are contract talks delayed because of your performance so far ? "I was told that reaching top half in the league is the goal which we exceeded by playing in the playoffs for the league title and finished 2nd ! The performance in Copa libertadores and Sudamericanca leave a lot to be desired for sure but we can't compete on all fronts with 2 games a week all throughout May with the current squad depth. There's no excuses for the elimination in the first round of the Colombian cup I was upset as much as the fans." 

Rumours surround that you left to have an interview with a club in Brazil's top flight, can you confirm? "Woah you have great contacts ! Yes I was approached and decided to keep that quiet and will remain to keep it quiet." 

What club in Brazil ? "No comment"

Aim for the remainder of 2026 ? "Win the league playoff's, the squad is strong and everyone is pulling together"

Lastly a message to the fans ? "Please fill up that stadium, we need more support during this pivotal time so let's make history here together" 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2023 by AllezAFC

[AllezAFC]

2026 Culmination 

With great enthusiasm the Cortulua board announce that Gabi Jesus has penned down a two year extension which was achieved due to sublime managerial performances on the field. 

The second phase ended with only 3 league defeats which is phenomenal and put the team 2nd in the table and in a prime position to play in the league knockout rounds. 

 

And in the knockout rounds... Cortulua got the much easier group but it wasn't easy at all ! Gabi Jesus was saved by a 91st min goal from Leones FC which held Atletico to a 1-1 draw in the last game and guaranteed Cortulua a first place finish. 

 

League Final !

[AllezAFC]

No comment. 

[AllezAFC]

 

Preparándonos para el 2027

After the disappointment for every Cortulua fan the 2027 season couldn't come quick enough as a month later Cortulua find themselves already playing the first league game of the season. 

A 4-0 thumping in the final clearly show's that Nacional remain the strongest side in the country with 3 title wins in a row. Their exceptional attendance to games maintains their position as the country's most favourite team to win the league year in and year out. 

Gabi Jesus has managed to only lose one key player from the first 11 team as a release clause of $600,000 was triggered by Mexican side Queretaro for Portilla. Which allows to keep continuity in the squad and also allows for strengthening of the fundaments. 

The strong board ambitions have been matched by the transfer budget as the club went from only having $200,000 to $2,100,000 in the war chest which meant that Gabi Jesus has something to work with. 

 

 

Edited January 8, 2023 by AllezAFC