Skewered: An FM24 Journey

[Tikka Mezzala]

Backstory

Meet Émi Hrádecký, a mature student at the University of Glasgow. Émi is currently working his way through a Masters degree in Philosophy, while also turning out for the University's football team. The 23/24 season marks the fourth year of his involvement with the club. During this time, Émi has become one of the leaders in the dressing room, with his seniority granting him a level of respect amongst the younger players/students. 

As a dressing room leader, Hrádecký was implicated in the furore that overshadowed the team's start to the new season. Manager Mark Adams had scheduled training at times that didn't suit many of the undergraduate players, leading to tensions between the backroom team and the playing staff. Things weren't helped by an eight game winless run between late-August and October, a run of form that Adams attributed to sabotage. Things stumbled along for another seven weeks, before Adams quit his post, leaving the University of Glasgow in the relegation places in the West of Scotland Second Division. 

The Glasgow University Sports Association was not accustomed to losing a head-coach mid-season, and frantically organised an emergency meeting with the dressing room leaders and remaining backroom staff. At this meeting, on December 18th 2023, it was decided that Émi Hrádecký, with the backing of the players, would take on the role of interim-player-manager until the end of the season. 

Hrádecký's task was fairly simple: with sixteen games remaining in the league, he would have to steer the ship into safe harbour and avoid relegation. With the team out of the various cups early doors, the league was the only focus. 

As a popular figure in the dressing room, galvanising the team would likely be the easy part. But Hrádecký was no coach, and his knowledge of tactics was limited to his Football Manager days. As a standout player in the squad, Émi would have to lead by example from the middle of the park. He believed that the best generals were the ones that led their troops from the front. His form had been up and down so far in the season, but with a renewed purpose, he hoped to rejuvenate himself and his teammates as they sought safety in the Second Division.

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

As the winter-diet of examinations had come and gone, many students had abandoned Glasgow's bohemian west-end and returned home for the holidays. Those who dedicated themselves to football, however, would be tied to their dormitories throughout the festive season. With games on the 23rd and 30th of December, the West of Scotland Second Division continued apace through the harsh Scottish winter. Émi Hrádecký, accustomed to the climate, rolled up his sleeves and prepared himself for his first week in football management. 

First on the agenda was the matter of the team's training schedule. In order to resolve the issue, Hrádecký took advantage of the university's online student forum, where he conducted a poll that would determine scheduling preferences. This democratic approach met with approval from the squad, and it was quickly and painlessly decided that training would take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, between 6-8.30pm. 

Next on the agenda was public relations. The Glasgow University guardian is a student newspaper that covers life on campus, from student politics, to the university's sporting endeavours. Émi would meet with one of the student reporters, before recording a Q&A for the Sports Association website. Fortunately for all concerned, the student reporters and editors at the newspaper were sympathetic to their fellow students, so the matter of the previous manager's acrimonious departure was largely swept under the carpet. Hrádecký was able to appease the young journalism student with meaningless soundbites about effort and commitment, and his Q&A only received twenty or so views on the Association's YouTube channel. 

With the administrative business out of the way, Émi put together some basic training programmes with the help of YouTube. He had chosen to keep everything simple, while making sure that enough time was spent on practising the team shape that he wanted to implement. 

The sessions were okay, but it wasn't clear to Émi how to measure any progress the team might/might not be making. What mattered at this moment was that the players were enjoying themselves again. The past few months had been a fairly miserable time for everyone, and if there were smiles on faces again, it would be a sign that things were moving in the right direction. Enjoyable training sessions would help with this, but ultimately the biggest factor in boosting the squad's morale would be winning football matches! On that note, they were preparing to face Glasgow Perthshire in Hrádecký's first game as player-manager. 

Glasgow Perthshire were a mid-table club enjoying a mid-table season. But they actually enjoyed playing on the road more than they enjoyed playing at their home, Keppoch Park. The visit of a club in turmoil would give them a chance to improve on their home record, but they were wary of any sort of new manager bounce. 

The Glasgow University manager hoped to catch his opponents out by changing the shape of the team from a 5-3-2, to a 4-2-3-1.

Hrádecký positioned himself in the double-pivot, with a view to making runs from deep to offer an attacking threat, but it was possible that he saw himself playing further forward in the future. 

Rikki McMann was tasked with leading the line, but had yet to find the net in thirteen league appearances. The striker's only real attribute was his ability to compete aerially with defenders, but Hrádecký hoped to find some way of bringing more out of him. 

 

After a week of disruption and uncertainty, Glasgow University set aside their troubles and delivered their fourth win of the season. The game won't live long in the memories of spectators, with the football on show sub-par to put it generously, but for Émi Hrádecký it was a moment that he'll not soon forget. The new UofG player-manager didn't enjoy the best of performances on the pitch, but the way he set the team up clearly paid dividends, and helped the club climb out of the bottom three for the first time in months. 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

The festive season felt merrier thanks to the win at Keppoch Park, but for Émi Hrádecký the celebrations were short-lived as he got back to work preparing his side for 2023's final fixture. Now out of the bottom three, the aim was to never return to the danger zone. On a personal level, Émi hoped to improve his own form, which had been declining since the end of last season. Now in his thirties, the UofG manager was hoping to play for a good few years yet, but he was concerned that his best days were behind him. 

Up next was a visit to Burnside Park in East Ayrshire to face Muirkirk, a team hovering just above Glasgow University in the table. It was these kind of games that would surely prove pivotal in the club's survival bid; a fact that wasn't lost on Hrádecký. 

The game proved to be a pretty dull affair, but the improvement of Glasgow Uni's defence was clear for all to see. Only two games into his interim spell as player-manager, Hrádecký seemed to have stumbled onto a shape that solidified the team. The upturn in their performances brought them four points out of six, and altered the mindset in the camp. 

As 2023 gave way to 2024, a spirit of renewal was in the air. This was helped along by a big win in the year's opening fixture. Caledonian Locomotives had their own relegation concerns, and the match against Glasgow Uni was billed as a six-pointer. The game also marked the first home fixture of Hrádecký's tenure. Justin Mitchell, the inside left forward, popped up with the match winning goal on 87 minutes in a richly deserved victory for the home side. But the euphoria of a late winner against Caley Locos was to be quashed the following week when the division's exceptional team were to visit. 

Winton Rovers were flying in the West of Scotland Second Division, surpassing all pre-season expectations. The reason for their league position soon became clear as they demonstrated ruthless efficiency in an eventful first half at the Excelsior Stadium. Glasgow Uni created twice as many chances as their opponents, but it was Winton Rovers who took their chances, along with the points. The performance was heartening from Hrádecký's team, but good performances don't help you escape relegation trouble. 

The team brushed themselves down after their first defeat under the new manager and picked up another invaluable result away at Craigmark. Justin Mitchell was once again the hero, scoring the only goal of the game on 37 minutes. The win was built on the solid defensive shape that had been a hallmark of Hrádecký's early tenure. But in the next game against Cumbernauld United, the University walls were to come crumbling down.

United had ambitions of winning promotion to Division One, but they were embroiled in an intense fight for the final promotion place. Winton Rovers and Saint Anthony's looked certain to clinch two of the three berths, leaving just one more for seven or so teams to compete for. The ten points that Glasgow Uni had collected under their interim manager brought them into sight of third place, but any pretences that UofG would be making a late surge for the Holy Land was pretty much nipped in the bud by Cumbernauld in January's final fixture. A bruising 1-4 defeat brought the young student team crashing back down to earth, leaving Hrádecký scratching his head as to what went so wrong.

Despite the horrible end to the month, six points out of twelve was a decent return for January. The two defeats had come against sides in the top three, and the team had managed to put some distance between themselves and Caley Locos in 14th. It was important to not let the demoralising nature of the Cumbernauld defeat affect them too much, and to try and keep the team moving in the right direction heading into the shortest month of the year. 

Hrádecký had enjoyed a very positive start to his managerial role, but the playing side of his job was not quite matching up with the coaching side. Despite being one of the team's better players for the last three and a bit years, the Scots-Czech midfielder was struggling to rediscover his form. 

Émi was tempted to move himself into a more advanced role further up the pitch in an attempt to improve his numbers, and ultimately his confidence, but he was probably the best option for one of the holding roles, and the team had a couple of decent enough players in the advanced midfield position. It was a case of having to put the team before himself, but the question lingered at the back of his mind: would the team be better served with me playing closer to the opposition goal?

Everyone has an ego, and with sub-par performances, there was no doubt that the University of Glasgow's player-manager's ego was hurting. 

[Tikka Mezzala]

February was set to be a fairly quiet, though not unimportant, month for the University of Glasgow's football team. 2024 was a leap year, and the club were hoping to make something of a leap themselves as they sought to keep their heads above water in the table's bottom half. Only three games were scheduled across the month, leaving quite a gap between their final match of February and their first game in March - 28 days to be exact. 

The first of these fixtures was a very local affair against Maryhill Juniors. Many of the students seeking out accommodation near the university end up on the edges of areas like Maryhill, and that was certainly true for a number of the UofG players. 

It wasn't only geographical proximity that added some importance to the Maryhill fixture, the two clubs were neck and neck in the table. Only four points separated The Hill from the relegation zone, while Glasgow Uni enjoyed a six point cushion. 

In one of the more exciting games of Hrádecký's tenure, the two west Glasgow clubs played out a six goal thriller, with all of the scoring taking place in the opening half. There was no doubt that it was a valuable point at a difficult venue for Glasgow Uni, but it was the second consecutive game in which they conceded a high number of goals. 

The draw kept Hrádecký's side on track to avoid the drop, and they turned their attention to their only home game of the month against Vale of Clyde. Their opponents had promotion aspirations, and after the chastening experience of the Cumbernauld defeat, Hrádecký was keen to make sure his side gave a better account of themselves against one of the division's top sides. 

Two second half goals settled the affair in UofG's favour. Even more pleasing was the clean sheet that put an end to the team's run of conceding. It was a statement victory against a team in the upper echelons of the table, proving that Glasgow could mix it with some good sides. 

Off the pitch, everything was going smoothly. The atmosphere in the camp had dramatically improved, and the players were very much behind their leader. The Glasgow University guardian had reported that the university's Sport Association were leaning towards extending Hrádecký's contract and giving him the full-time position. But this all seemed premature in mid-February. 

Next up for Glasgow was a visit to Larkhall Thistle in South Lanarkshire. The two teams went into the game separated by a single point. 

Glasgow had made a habit of getting results against the teams around about them, and that habit continued at Gasworks Park. Their player-manager even bagged his first goal of the campaign after slamming home a match-winning penalty just before the hour-mark. The relief was etched onto the face of Hrádecký, who quite clearly needed the goal to lift some tension in his mind. The victory propelled Glasgow Uni four points clear of Larkhall, and even more importantly, put eight points between them and fourteenth. 

Glasgow University were now closer to the promotion places than they were the relegation zone, testament to the job that Hrádecký had done since taking over in December. February also saw a slight upturn in his on-field form, marked by him scoring the winner at Larkhall. 

Only seven games remained in the season, and barring a total collapse in March/April, it looked as though Hrádecký had accomplished his mission. While he remained focused on getting the job done in the final months of the season, the 28 day gap until their next game against Yoker Athletic gave him some time to think about his next step. He would no longer be a student after September, meaning his time at the club would end should he not remain on in a coaching capacity. But he was unsure about what he wanted to do. Rumours circulated that he would be offered the chance to stay on as player-manager on a permanent basis, but he had to consider whether he had a future in football at all, and if so, was the university football team the best place to continue his career? There's little doubt that the good work he had done since taking over in December would have been noticed by several clubs in the West of Scotland pyramid. But being a head coach was a lot of responsibility, and it took up a lot of time. Maybe finding another club and returning to a playing-only role would be best. Or maybe committing himself to coaching, something he seemed to be quite good at, would be the best option. That would involve trying to attain his badges. It was a lot to ponder. 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

Like February, March only involved three fixtures for the University of Glasgow. But with games running out in the Second Division season, it could prove to be a pivotal month for everyone involved. 

This was certainly true for Glasgow's next opponent, Yoker Athletic. The Whe Ho were rooted to the bottom of the table, 10 points from safety. With only 21 points left to play for, time was not on the side of the club on the banks of the River Clyde. 

Glasgow University, on the other hand, had propelled themselves up the river to safety. It would take something catastrophic to pull them back into the slip stream of relegation problems. The west-enders were certainly hoping that Yoker wouldn't be the beginning of such a descent.

Conor Sopel, the Glasgow Uni right-winger, gave his side an early lead at the Excelsior Stadium, but the university side could not add to their fourteenth minute goal, leading to a nervy ending against the league's bottom club. Yoker put up an uncharacteristically brave effort in the second half, but their lack of firepower was on show as they failed to trouble the Glasgow goalkeeper. 

The win was Glasgow Uni's third in a row, the first time they'd put such a run together all season. 

Next up was a trip to promotion chasing Forth Wanderers. The game marked a significant moment in Glasgow's season, as a win could very well bring them into contention in the promotion race, something that would have been unthinkable just a few weeks ago. Results had kept things tight in the upper-middle section of the league table, and Hrádecký's side had surged into the late running thanks to their recent form. 

Two early goals stunned the hosts, as Glasgow announced themselves in the promotion chase! Conor Sopel was back on the scoresheet, along with a rare goal from Lee Murdoch, a struggling centre-forward. Forth Wanderers had no answer to Glasgow's solid defensive shape, and Hrádecký's men comfortably seen out the game with their lead intact. 

The final game of March saw Glasgow University host struggling Wishaw. With four consecutive wins behind them, the late season momentum helped Glasgow make it three from three across the month. The game was won by a brace from Hrádecký, who was starting to rediscover some of his old form. Hrádecký's first goal was a placed finish from the edge of the area after a corner had been played back to the Glasgow captain. The player-manager then added a second eight minutes later with a thumping drive from twenty-five yards, having won the ball back high up the pitch. Such a commanding display at a crucial moment of the season was a huge boost to the confidence of Hrádecký, who has struggled for form most of the season. 

The significance of the Wishaw victory can be seen above. Not only are Glasgow University now mathematically safe from relegation, but they have slung themselves into the running for promotion, sitting only two points off 3rd place! 

The race for promotion is absolutely red hot, with only five points separating 3rd from 9th. 

April promises to be an exciting month with the remaining four fixtures lying just ahead. 

Glasgow Uni's remaining fixtures see them go up against three sides pushing for promotion, and one side fighting desperately to avoid the drop. Every game will be tension-filled, and will have some sort of significance for one end of the table or the other. 

Player-manager Émi Hrádecký seems to be finding some form at the right time of the year. His recent switch to a more aggressive, ball-winning role paid dividends against Wishaw. He'll be hoping to maintain those levels in April, to try and help his team pull off the unthinkable. 

[Tikka Mezzala]

St Anthony's were very close to confirming their promotion to the West of Scotland First Division. With twelve points left to play for, they enjoyed a seven point advantage over fourth place. The Ants had been in the top two places for pretty much the whole of the campaign, and were looking to finish the job without much fuss. But Glasgow University now had promotion aspirations of their own, making the early April encounter between the two Glaswegian clubs a box office tie. 

McKenna Park, the home of St. Anthony's, is situated five minutes along a straight road from Ibrox Stadium. This is somewhat ironic when you consider the obvious influence that the West of Scotland Football League side have taken from Celtic. For Glasgow University, it would be a somewhat surreal experience to play the green and white hoops of St. Anthony's one week, and then face Kilsyth Rangers the following week, in their Rangers-inspired colours. 

As the season entered the business-end of things, all sorts of permutations were being considered. St. Anthony's had a very difficult tie on the final day, away at champions Winton Rovers, but facing Caley Locos and Muirkirk in the middle of the run-in would surely see them bag enough points to get over the line. 

Craigmark Burtonians looked to have the most favourable schedule, playing no one in the top half of the table. The Ayrshire club were one of three sides joint on 40 points, 2 points off the all important 3rd place. 

Vale of Clyde currently held 3rd place on goal difference, with Cumbernauld United breathing down their necks. In a superb twist of fate, the two clubs would meet in the next game in Glasgow's east-end. Should Cumbernauld United triumph in that encounter, their remaining fixture list looks a lot kinder, with games against Larkhall Thistle, Yoker Athletic, and the lowest placed team involved in the promotion battle, Forth Wanderers. 

For Émi Hrádecký and his Glasgow University team, three of their remaining four fixtures would come against promotion rivals, with the other game against relegation threatened Kilsyth Rangers. After their visit to St. Anthony's, Bonnyton Thistle and Glasgow Perthshire would be lying in wait in the final two games of the season. 

St. Anthony's got the job done in the end, with a comfortable 4-2 win at McKenna Park. The win all but guaranteed the Ants promotion. For Glasgow Uni, the gap between themselves and third grew to five points, with nine left to play for. 

Elsewhere, Forth Wanderers kept themselves in the hunt with a narrow win over Muirkirk, Kilsyth Rangers stunned Bonnyton with a 90th minute winner to take themselves out of the bottom three, Craigmark could only manage a draw against Larkhall Thistle, Glasgow Perthshire put Maryhill into the relegation places with a 1-3 win, and Vale of Clyde scored two penalties to win the crucial 3rd vs 4th clash against Cumbernauld United. 

 

Edited May 30 by Tikka Mezzala

[Tikka Mezzala]

The defeat at McKenna Park gave Glasgow University a mountain to climb. They'd pretty much need to be perfect in their remaining three fixtures, while looking for favours. Their next opponents, Kilsyth Rangers, had just gotten themselves out of the drop zone with a win against Bonnyton Thistle, and they had no intention of dropping back into it. 

Émi Hrádecký refused to mention the word 'promotion' in his dealings with the university newspaper or even around the training pitch. He felt it would bring unnecessary pressure. The Glasgow University Sports Association had given him the interim job with the aim of avoiding the drop, and he had done that. He preferred to be positive about what they had accomplished, rather than risk the disappointment of missing out on something that seemed unlikely anyway. 

Conor Sopel had scored some important goals for the university team, but his 35th minute winner against Kilsyth Rangers was arguably his most important yet. The game took on a predictable pattern, where Glasgow enjoyed the bulk of the possession and chances, but Kilsyth dug in and posed the odd threat from set-pieces or on the break. At 1-0, nerves started to creep in late on, but Hrádecký has made Glasgow a fairly solid side, and so they held on relatively comfortably in the end. 

Vale of Clyde are very much in the driving seat for the all important third place, and thanks to their dismantling of relegation-threatened Maryhill, they stand on the brink of promotion. With four points separating them from 4th placed Craigmark, and only six points left to play for, a win in their next match would end the promotion battle once and for all with a game to spare. 

Cumbernauld United's defeat at home to Larkhall pretty much ended their hopes of going up. They now stand six points off Vale of Clyde, with a much poorer goal difference. 

With two games to go, the race was between 3rd and 7th, but it looked very much like Vale of Clyde would be breaking a lot of hearts. 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

The lower levels of the Scottish football pyramid are filled with fairy tales. But one single result on the penultimate weekend of the West of Scotland Second Division season would ensure that Glasgow University wouldn't be part of any fairy tale stories. 

Vale of Clyde clinched the final promotion place with a 4-2 win at home to Glasgow Perthshire. The club from Glasgow's east-end would join Winton Rovers and St. Anthony's in the First Division next season. The only consolation for Hrádecký and his players was that Glasgow Uni would lose on the same weekend, blowing any outside chance they may have had if Glasgow Perthshire had reversed the result. The fact that Vale of Clyde won, rendered Glagow Uni's defeat at Bonnyton Thistle meaningless. 

All that was left to settle on the pitch was the final game of the season. Glasgow University would face the team Hrádecký started his interim spell against, Glasgow Perthshire. The match itself was a dead rubber, but given that it could very well be the last time Hrádecký managed/player for Glasgow Uni, he hoped to go out on good terms. 

The university side were impressive in their 2-0 win over Glasgow Perthshire, displaying a solid defensive foundation, and a potent attacking threat - two ingredients that had been missing before the interim boss took over. The win also ensured a top-half finish for the club, something that looked unlikely back in December. 

There was simply no denying that Hrádecký had dramatically improved Glasgow Uni. The team's progress under the interim player-manager would surely be noticed by other clubs in the WoS pyramid. Émi was, however, uncertain about what the future had in store for him. He enjoyed playing football, something he hoped to do until his body could no longer cope with the physical demands of it, but he also had to seriously consider the coaching side of things, given he excelled at it with Glasgow Uni. Staying on as player-manager would be the only way for him to remain on the club's books, but his plan was always to find another club in the local area to play for once his studies had come to an end. This was a matter he would have to discuss with the Sports Association over the next few weeks. 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

 

 

The Glasgow University guardian was correct to point to the team's mid-season form as the key to their 6th placed finish. But the newspaper's dedicated student journalists were growing impatient over the manager's future. There was usually an open door between the Sports Association and the students covering sports for the newspaper, but things remained tight lipped with regards to Hrádecký. 

In the background, talks were ongoing, but things were not looking particularly good. The Association offered Hrádecký the chance to continue on as player-manager, with a £140 p/w wage to boot, but the Scots-Czech midfielder believed his dual-role, plus his departure from student life warranted £200 p/w minimum. 

Hrádecký was no longer a student, and so he had to consider the impact of the job on his ability to earn. The extra £60 p/w he was asking for amounted to an additional £3k per year. As a player only, he could afford to focus solely on training and matches, but as a player-manager, there would be hundreds of extra hours required every month preparing the team in a variety of ways. But the only way he could remain in his post with Glasgow Uni was to take on the coaching position on top of being a player, due to the Sports Association's policies. 

There was still a couple of weeks to go before his interim contract expired, and new rounds of talks were scheduled. But it didn't look likely that both parties would come together on the matter, leaving Hrádecký's future up in the air. 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

Fraser Gray, Chair of the Glasgow University Sports Association, returned to the negotiating table with the same offer as before. He insisted that the Association's budget did not allow for any wiggle room. Émi Hrádecký knew at that moment his time with the team was over. But before he left the room, he made sure to make his feelings on the matter clear. Hrádecký lambasted the university for its austere approach to its staff. As an institution raking in hundreds of millions of pounds every year, the idea that it did not have an extra £3k p/a to pay the head coach of its football team was absurd! Fraser Gray declined to comment. 

Émi Hrádecký was now out of university, and currently unattached to any football clubs. At 31, he was still capable of giving a few more years to the game at WoSFL level, but having had a taste of coaching, he was beginning to wonder whether he might have found his true calling. While it would be tough to find a coaching job in the immediate future, Émi looked into the possibility of attaining his National C License - the first step on the coaching education ladder. He also combed through local adverts from WoSFL clubs looking for new players. 

After a summer of trials, Hrádecký had a couple of offers on the table from Maryhill Juniors FC, and Broomhill Sports Club Glasgow. As he still lived in his flat near the university, he opted to stay local and accept the offer from Maryhill. The Hill had, of course, just been relegated to the Third Division, so it was a step down in level. But the club agreed to let him do a bit of coaching under the manager Matt Douglas's supervision. 

Hrádecký had an iffy preseason at his new club, only making one start, and coming off the bench four times. But he was hoping to be involved in some capacity in the club's first competitive game of the season - a Strathclyde Demolition Cup clash against their bitter rivals Petershill. The Peasy were a historically successful junior side from the Springburn area of Glasgow. They played a couple of divisions higher than Maryhill in the West of Scotland First Division. The match would bring the sides together for the first time in several years, and so was much anticipated on both sides of the city. 

Emi started the game in the deeper of the two roles in the double pivot, but his debut turned out to be something of a disaster. Petershill took an early lead in the game, before Maryhill were reduced to ten men just after half-time. That pretty much killed the game as a contest, as the Peasy went on to score another two goals, sending their rivals crashing out of the cup. On a personal level, Hrádecký was one of the few players with pass marks on the day, but much improvement would be needed from himself and the team more generally if they were going to get Maryhill back towards the second division. 

[Tikka Mezzala]

The return to a playing-only role struck Emi as a mild relief at first. The only thing he had to focus on was building up his fitness levels and helping the team with his performances. But there was little doubt that as time advanced, the itch to manage a team returned. The little bit of coaching that he was able to do on the side didn't even begin to scratch the itch, and the work he undertook on his National C License course only fuelled his desire to lead a team of his own. 

As a recent graduate, Emi had to consider the trade off between conventional work and trying his hand in the world of coaching. He wasn't someone who had pursued coaching or even a life in football until he was in his thirties. Was that a sign that he wasn't the right sort of person for the job? Did he lack the necessary drive, forged over many years, to thrive in such a cut throat world? Was his lack of experience as a player, jumping around a couple of amateur sides before joining his university team, a major disadvantage? These doubts did factor into his decision to return to a playing-only role, but the tide was beginning to turn in his mind. 

In the mean time, he tried to absorb everything he could on his course. Different SFA licensed coaches taught him about different drills, leadership, tactical case studies, and much else besides. He even had the chance to meet and network with coaches who were already working in the WoSFL, along with a few SPFL coaches. He had a particularly enlightening conversation with someone employed by Partick Thistle's academy, who invited him along to observe some of their training sessions. The only frustration was that Emi didn't have the chance to truly implement the ideas he was learning about. 

On the pitch, Maryhill FC were struggling. Having just been relegated from the Second Division, they found themselves languishing in the bottom half of the Third Division on the run up to Christmas. 

The Hill were six points above the drop zone, and seven points off the promotion places; a footballing limbo, so to speak. But their performances suggested that the threat of relegation was a more realistic one than the prospect of promotion. Seven defeats in fifteen games and a negative goal difference highlighted the club's on-field woes. 

On a personal note, Hrádecký was enjoying a pretty decent season in the Maryhill midfield. As one of the experienced players who had dropped down from a higher division, he seemed to thrive in the Division Three setting. 

From his role sitting just in front of the back four, Emi had notched up six assists in twenty-one appearances. He brought a level of composure to the midfield, and quickly settled in as one of the dressing room leaders. 

But in January, things were to take a bit of a twist! 

Emi's networking on the National C License course had brought him an opportunity to speak with Troon FC after they sacked manager Willie Kinniburgh just before Christmas. Some of the practical coaching sessions on the course had been held at Portland Park and a couple of other venues along Scotland's west coast. Emi had spoken with Troon's chairperson a number of times over the course of the sessions, and there was some interest in the club bringing him in as a midfield option in January. With the departure of Kinniburgh, the idea of Emi joining as player-manager was floated. The opportunity was simply too good to turn down. This was the break he'd been waiting for!

Troon's situation was pretty dire. The club not only had financial troubles to deal with, they were also sinking like a stone in the WoS Premier Division. They had failed to win a single game in the first half of the season, and were currently on a terrible run of eight straight defeats, where they had failed to score a single goal. 

While Emi had managed to save Glasgow University from the threat of relegation, Troon's situation was much more severe. With only eleven games left to play in the league season, there would have to be a quick turn around to give the team any hope of pulling off a great escape! 

If Emi could turn this around, he would surely see his profile rise in the WoSFL. It felt like a make of break opportunity. 

 

[Tikka Mezzala]

The transformation of Troon FC's fortunes would require a major shift in the team's mindset. This was something that Hrádecký had managed to accomplish with Glasgow University, but he had the advantage of being a member of the dressing room back then, and so had a unique insight into the dynamics of the club. This time around, Emi would have to win over a group of strangers, get them to buy into his ideas, and earn their trust on and off the field. It was uncharted waters for the Scots-Czech player-manager. 

Eight games had passed the team by since they last managed to score a goal; eight demoralising defeats. Ten points from safety, and with games running out, it looked like mission impossible. But Hrádecký relished the chance to come in and transform the fortunes of a side that couldn't really be doing any worse. In many respects, there was little pressure on his shoulders. Failure would be merely a continuation of what had come before. 

Success, however, would be a sign of real promise. Being the man who turned around a situation this bad would surely force bigger clubs in the non-league world to take notice of Emi. Keep Troon in the Premier Division, and who know, maybe a Pollok, a Clydebank, or an Auchinleck Talbot start to sniff around. 

First up on the agenda was a difficult trip to Hurlford United FC, a mid-table side from further inland in Ayrshire. Hurlford had won three of their last five games, and so went into the clash in a much better mood than their struggling opponents. 

In the week leading up to the match against Hurlford, Emi pinned the club's strict code of conduct to the dressing room wall:

This no-nonsense approach was intended to challenge anyone with less than professional standards. If Emi had learned anything from his time at Glasgow Uni, it was that a manager must exert their authority as firmly as possible, lest people like himself take advantage of any weakness. 

The build up to the game was dominated by two unwanted records:

Both of these would have to change immediately if Troon stood any chance of avoiding the drop. But both highlighted just how awful the season had been up until this point. Such records told Emi that the team had zero confidence, and so his defence-first football that he imposed at Glasgow Uni might not be the best idea going forward at Troon. What was needed was a front-foot approach, something that attempted to alter the mentality of a team that was used to reacting to the opposition's superiority. 

This was the shape that the team had worked on ahead of the Hurlford game. It posed risks, for sure. But risks were necessary at this stage. The team could not afford to go out without swinging. 

The Hrádecký effect was in full display in East Ayrshire, as Troon stunned the locals by producing a performance totally out of kilter with their season so far. Hurlford found a Troon team with a significant upturn in self-belief; a team that sought to play the game on their own terms, rather than hope to avoid the worst. 

The task remained gargantuan despite the perfect start, but the first paving stone had been laid down. Troon had a reason to believe for the first time this season. 

[Tikka Mezzala]

As far as new manager bounces go, Troon's was up there. After nineteen winless games, eight games without finding the back of the net, The Seagulls were flying. Four wins across January took Hrádecký's side from the basement of the division to a position of precarious safety. It was a dramatic upsurge in fortunes, and one that seemed to vindicate the club's decision to gamble on an unknown quantity in the form of Hrádecký. 

The team was noticeably more assured, aggressive, and determined. Perhaps their opponents could be accused of a level of complacency against a team that had previously gone nineteen games without a win, but there was little doubt that January's twelve-point haul was well-earned. 

Not only had Hrádecký inspired the Troon players and set the team up much better than his predecessor, but he had also made a steady start to his playing role in the centre of the midfield:

The Scots-Czech midfielder had contributed two assists in his four appearances, and picked up a MOTM award against Irvine Meadow. It was the perfect start to life on Scotland's west coast.