A Touch of Dutch

[iamavillan10]

"Mr. Scheringa, it's been a pleasure working for you these past four years, I really mean it. Your club was the only one willing to hire me when I expressed an interest in coaching, and I am eternally grateful for that. But I have always wanted to manage, and I can't refuse a chance like this, especially after this summer's events."

Dirk Scheringa, a large, balding man, looked sullen.

"Richard, when Louis retired we didn't feel you were quite ready. We expected to have him in charge for several more years, and you under him learning the trade, but..."

I cut him off with a terse gesture.

"With all due respect, we've had this conversation many times. I know how you feel, and you know how I feel. The time has come for me to leave."

Scheringa leaned back in his chair and sighed, folding his hands behind his head.

"I'm sorry Richard. You've been a good servant to this club."

"I've loved every minute of it, I really have. I'm sorry to leave like this."

"I know you have Rich, I know. Good luck."

And with that, the audience was at an end. I wasted little time, having already cleaned out my office, and hurriedly said goodbye to the building that had been like a home away from home to me since the end of my playing career. I had a plane to catch.

[EvilDave]

Good start, plenty of questions to be answered and a nice easy style. Will be following, KUTGW!

[iamavillan10]

Good start, plenty of questions to be answered and a nice easy style. Will be following, KUTGW!

Thanks, always nice to get a little encouragement.

* * *

Tommy closed his newspaper and set it down on the passenger side seat. He extended his legs up onto the dashboard of his cab, yawning as he did. He would have liked to take a quick nap, but the pouring rain pounding on the roof of the car made that a daunting task. Nevertheless, he found himself fighting to stay awake, until what sounded like an especially loud series of raindrops shattered his reverie.

His eyes snapped open and he sat up, expecting to see a hailstorm of epic proportions. He was slightly disappointed. A soaking wet pedestrian, looking positively miserable, was beating frantically on the window. With a start, Tommy realized the door was locked. He pressed the button to unlock it and the would-be passenger climbed in so fast that Tommy wasn't even sure he remembered hearing the door open.

"Well where to, mate? Anywhere as long as it's out of the rain, I suppose?"

Grinning from ear to ear despite his soaking wet state, his passenger replied.

"I've just flown in from the Netherlands..."

His accent was unlike anything Tommy had ever heard. It seemed to be an odd mix of English and Dutch, and was actually rather comical.

"...and I've come straight here from the airport. I've got business at Vicarage Road."

Tommy blinked in surprise.

"You mean the stadium?"

"Indeed I do."

"What are you going there for? Today's Tuesday, next game's not until the weekend. I would know, I've got season tickets."

The stranger's grin widened even further, something Tommy would not have imagined possible.

"If you must know, my good man, I am Richard Lovelace, the new manager of Watford Football Club."

[iamavillan10]

I was impressed with what I could see of the facilities here at my new club. They would have done many of the clubs in the Dutch top flight proud. Most people would consider a move from AZ Alkmaar to Watford a step down, but in my opinion the difference between the two was quite small. Watford were a club with a lot of potential. In fact, the only reason I had this job was because they perhaps had too much potential.

Aidy Boothroyd, by masterminding a promotion season out of the nothing in his first full year at the helm, had sealed his own fate. The supporters had tasted the glory of the Premier League, and now in their minds that was where Watford deserved to be. And after several seasons spent languishing in the Championship, public opinion had turned against him. With the club in eighth at Christmas, and reeling from three successive league defeats, the board had decided his position was untenable. Fortunately for me, they had stuck with the policy of hiring young, unproven British managers. Of course, whether I was actually British or not was up for debate in some circles.

* * *

After introducing myself at the front desk, I only had to wait a minute or two before a tall, very smartly dressed man stepped out to greet me, holding his hand out in greeting.

"Mr. Lovelace? I'm Keith Burkinshaw. Nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you."

I took the offered hand and greeted him warmly.

"Hey there, Keith. Pleasure's all mine."

They say you can tell a lot about a man by his handshake. Keith's was firm and businesslike. Short but sweet, you might say.

"Now if you'll follow me, I'll take you up to the board room. They're very eager to talk to you."

I flashed him one of my wide smiles. People seemed to find those comforting.

"Mustn't keep them waiting, then. Lead on."

[Kewell08]

Excellent start, keep it up.

[SCIAG]

His accent was unlike anything Tommy had ever heard. It seemed to be an odd mix of English and Dutch, and was actually rather comical.

Tribute to Steve McLaren?

Good start

[iamavillan10]

Excellent start, keep it up.

Many thanks.

Tribute to Steve McLaren?

Good start

Sometimes inspiration comes from the strangest of places.

* * *

"So what exactly happened last summer?"

Keith had been silent up until that point, so his sudden question caught me off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"What happened at Alkmaar last summer when Louis van Gaal retired? You were supposed to be his successor, weren't you?"

Some might have found his bluntness rude, but I didn't mind. I had decided I rather liked this Burkinshaw fellow.

"Well Keith, that's a bit of a long story. The short of it is that yes, I was meant to succeed van Gaal. But he retired suddenly because of his heart condition, and the board decided I wasn't ready yet, so they appointed Marten Haar, who was the first team coach. I didn't like that too much, so I started looking for available managerial positions elsewhere, and Watford was the first high profile club willing to consider me."

Keith pursed his lips thoughtfully and turned away, nodding to himself.

The rest of our short journey passed in silence. After I was led up several flights of stairs to the top floor, then down a particularly long hallway, which led to a plain wooden door with a silver plaque reading "Official Boardroom". Keith rapped sharply on the door, then gestured for me to enter.

[iamavillan10]

I walked through the door and heard it close behind me. Evidently Keith would not be joining us. I took a quick look around, but there was nothing to see. The room was large, but very plain, and the only non-decorative furniture was a desk situated by the only window. I approached the desk and as I did I saw a man sitting in a chair that was entirely too big for him. It would have been a comfortable fit if only he was a head taller.

"Mr. Simpson?"

I had spoken with the chairman of the club on the phone several times before accepting the job, and the excessively loud voice that I remembered did not match up with the small man seated in front of me.

"Who else? Go on, take a seat."

I winced inwardly, tempted to take a step back. This was indeed the voice I remembered, and unfortunately Graham Simpson was even louder in person. Nevertheless, I took the prooffered chair.

"I must say it's nice to finally meet you, Mr. Simpson."

"It's nice to meet you as well. I'm very glad to have you at the club."

"It's wonderful to be here. I can't say I expected my first job to be at a club of such stature."

Simpson waved dismissively.

"Now, now, flattery won't work on me. Besides, this won't be an easy job. That's why I wanted to talk to you. Set some goals, expectations, and so on."

I was a little nervous at this point. I expected to have standards set high, but hopefully not at unreasonable levels. Taking over a club midseason was tricky at best.

"Richard, the supporters want promotion. But fortunately for you, I am not so demanding. You know the situation. Half the season played, eighth place, three losses on the trot. My minimum expectation is that you guide us to the playoffs."

I let out a little involuntary sigh of relief. That was about what I had expected. No easy task, yet certainly not impossible.

"But..."

That got my attention.

"...This club absolutely must be playing Premiership football by the 2010/2011 season. I'm sure you'll remember that the contract you signed expires after the 2009/2010 season. If we have been promoted, you will get an extension. If we have not, you will be leaving us at that time."

I blinked in surprise several times. Graham Simpson drew an awfully hard line for a man who could not have been much more than five feet tall.

He must have noted my reaction, because he laughed.

"Sorry son, but no one ever said managing was easy."

I was a little embarrassed at that. I didn't want to seem like a complete rookie, even if I was one.

"I understand Mr. Simpson. It's just that this is my first job and I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a little case of the nerves."

"Well that's quite all right. To be honest I'd be more worried if you weren't nervous at all."

I flashed him one of my trademark smiles, trying to regain some of my composure.

"Well, no worries then. Thank you, Mr. Simpson, you can rest assured I won't let you down."

I stood up to leave and had already taken several steps towards the door before my retreat was interrupted.

'One more thing, Richard."

I turned back towards the desk.

"Yes?"

"Our assistant manager told me he would like to meet with you, although if you have someone else in mind for that job I suppose you don't have to. His name is Keith Burkinshaw. You'll find his office on the floor below this one."

"Keith Burkinshaw? The one who showed me up here?"

"That's right. He wanted to run the rule over you, so to speak."

"All right. Thank you."

I turned to leave, for good this time, my head spinning. My first day had already been full of surprises, and I was ready to head home and hit the hay, but I decided I would pay a visit to Burkinshaw to get his opinion on the squad, and also to inform him that his position was in no danger from me.

[iamavillan10]

I popped my head into Keith's office and found him sitting at his desk, working diligently (I think) at his computer. As he looked up I stepped all the way in and closed the door behind me.

"That was some trick you pulled earlier, Keith."

He shrugged, looking thoroughly unashamed of himself.

"I had to see what kind of man you were for myself. If you had known who I was you would have behaved differently."

He had a point there.

"Fair enough. I came by to get your opinion on the players we've got, and to let you know that I'd love you to stay on as my assistant."

Strangely, Keith didn't seem happy, relieved, or show any other emotion.

"Yeah, I figured if you had an assistant lined up you'd already have sacked me, or just not bothered to come by my office."

Keith always seemed to be one step ahead of me, and I found it rather annoying, but I suppose it's a good quality to have in an assistant manager.

With the job offer out of the way, we settled down to talk at length about our first team squad.

* * *

GK: Mart Poom is currently first choice. He is a seasoned international, with 118 caps to his name for Estonia. However, backup Richard Lee has been clamoring for a first team place, which may be deserved. The fact that he is also ten years younger than Poom works in his favor. I have a real selection headache on my hands, from the look of things.

DR: Veteran Marc Edworthy has been playing well at right back, with loanee Richard Duffy, here until the end of the season, providing solid backup. Lloyd Doyley is a natural right back, but will more probably be used more as cover for the centre back slots.

DL: Our only two options here are Joe Ledley and loanee Michael Timlin (from Fulham), both of whom are naturally wingers. Both are excellent players at this level, but this may be a position I look to strengthen in January.

DC: In Adrian Mariappa we have a tremendous young player with buckets of potential who is one of the first names on the team sheet. Another youngster, Krystian Pearce, and Middlesbrough loanee Seb Hines are good cover. Danny Shittu has already agreed a Januray move to Preston for £1.3 million. Our other first choice player is Ntomba Richard Ekunde, a suprisingly technical player from the Congo. Jay DeMerit has been a regular on loan for French top flight side Girondins Bordeaux, but he has publicly demanded a transfer, so I entertain little hope of keeping him when he returns.

MR: Lee Williamson is our only natural player at this position. He is, however, a good player for the Championship. Cover is needed here.

ML: Joe Ledley and Michael Timlin were both mentioned earlier, and they are our options here. Ledley is different class however, having already been capped 14 times for Wales at the age of 20.

MC: The center of the park is one of the few areas where we have sufficient depth. Too much, perhaps, if such a thing is possible. We have two good youngsters in John-Joe O'Toole and Francisco Duran. We have two holding midfielders on the books, the Gambian Seyfo Soley, who has been inspirational thus far, and Al Bangura of Sierra Leone, who is an exciting talent at 19 years of age. Damien Francis would probably be first team at most Championship clubs, but not here. Our creative force is veteran Walter Centeno, closing in on his centenary cap for Costa Rica. Douglas Rinaldi, after not settling in England, has agreed a move to Hull for £250k, which is odd considering Hull is also in England.

ST: Marlon King, one of our best players, is on his way to Crystal Palace in a £2.8 million deal arranged by the previous regime. Misfit Steven Kabba is also on the way out, with Scunthorpe paying £475k for his servces. That leaves Tamas Priskin and Nathan Ellington as clear first choices, with youngster Will Hoskins serving as backup, although he is currently out injured.

* * *

When we finished, I was startled to find that it was already almost nine o'clock. I bid Keith a hasty farewell and made my way downstairs. I set off looking for a cab to take me to my new flat. I had sold my car, figuring buying a new one would be easier than getting the old one across the Channel. It was a piece of junk anyways. A manager of my newfound stature should be driving something nicer.

* * *

By the way, if anyone has any input as to what kind of car Richard should buy, I'm open to suggestions

[Goofus]

I would need your salary and then recommend a car. Most people love a good Mercedes.

[iamavillan10]

Richard makes £4k a week, for anyone interested in picking out his car.

* * *

Before heading in to work the next morning, I amused myself by browsing the internet and reading articles about my appointment on various news sites. My personal favorite was the one from the Daily Mirror.

Watford have appointed a relatively unknown Englishman as their new manager. Richard Lovelace joins Watford from AZ Alkmaar, where he was assistant manager. Lovelace made news six months ago when he was reportedly promised Louis van Gaal's job as Alkmaar boss, but was snubbed by the board after the Dutch legend's retirement.

Lovelace, 36, was born in London to an English mother and Dutch father. He started his career at Luton Town before joining Feyenoord at age 20 for a nominal fee. He enjoyed a successful 12 year stint at the Dutch outfit, winning two league titles, four KNVB cups, and, in the 2001/2002 season, the UEFA Cup. After retiring at the age of 32, Lovelace joined AZ Alkmaar as a coach. He was promoted to assistant manager when Louis van Gaal was appointed manager in 2005.

A solid right back, Lovelace was capped multiple times for various England youth setups, and once for the senior squad in a friendly against Norway.

It wasn't much, but I always enjoy seeing my name in print. I made a mental note to print it out later and send it to my mum. She'd like that.

[iamavillan10]

"My name is Richard Lovelace, but you lot can call me the gaffer."

I let Keith conduct training today while I observed from the executive boxes, and I went down to introduce myself when he had finished. I was nervous, but it helped to think that the players were probably much more so.

I stood in the middle of the pitch with the squad in a semi-circle around me.

"The most important thing in football is teamwork. Now, when I tell people this I usually get one of two responses. The first is that results are more important, that if a team is winning nothing else matters. But teamwork leads to wins, and it also leads to a culture of winning, where you have such faith in your teammates that you can come out on this pitch against any side in the world and expect three points. That mentality does not come with skill, it comes with determination.

The second answer I get is that individual skill trumps teamwork. This is true to some extent. For example, a group of doctors, no matter how hard they worked, would not beat Manchester United in a game of football. The point is that teamwork is not a substitute for technical ability. They complement each other. Take, for example, two hypothetical teams of exactly equal skill. Would anyone here say that if the first side worked hard for each other and the second side played selfish football, that the first would not win? I hope not.

Gentlemen, I know nothing about this team. I view that as a positive thing. I am coming in with no preconceived notions and no expectations of you. Any player here can win a spot in the first team if they work for it and show me they deserve it. I will tell you now that I select players on form. Whoever trains best will play."

Here I took a rather lengthy pause to regain my breath.

"If anyone has any concerns, I want them to be able to come to me and discuss them. I can promise that I will listen reasonably. I want there to be an open environment at this club. Nothing good ever comes from rumors or gossip. However, do not take this to mean that you can challenge my authority. I am the manager. Reasonable discussion is encouraged, insubordination is not tolerated.

I will be in my office for several hours today. Anyone who has a question, concern, or problem, feel free to come see me. That is all."

The players began shuffling toward the dressing room, moving in groups of three or four. The thought struck me that they were probably discussing me, a thought that fluttered a couple butterflies in my stomach. My success here depended on whether or not those players bought into my philosophy. I had high hopes, but with them came an overwhelming case of nerves. I turned to Keith, who was standing slightly behind me to my right.

"How'd I do?"

"Not bad for a first timer."

He turned as he spoke and headed back inside, forcing me to jog a few steps to catch up.

[iamavillan10]

I had been in my office for a good hour or so after giving my speech, and as of yet no players had come by. I was a bit disappointed, but maybe expecting this much on the first day was a stretch.

I had spent the time identifying transfer targets. My first priority was a striker, as we only had three, and one of them, Will Hoskins, was yet to make an appearance for the senior squad this season. My primary target had emerged to be Argentinian Mauro Zarate, who AZ Alkmaar had kept tabs on for years. He was joint top scorer in the Argentine Premier Division at the tender age of 19, but elected to chase the money with a move to Qatari outfit Al-Sadd Sports Club, turning down Alkmaar in the process. But current reports indicated that he had tired of the low standard of football and wanted a move in order to further his prospects of selection for the Argentine national team.

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in."

The door opened and a familiar figure appeared. I had studied the faces of all the players on the books at Watford before taking the job in an effort to learn their names, and while I didn't know them all quite yet, I recognized this one. It was Nathan Ellington, who had been third choice under Aidy Boothroyd.

"Hey boss, you said if we had concerns we could..."

He seemed hesitant, as if he hadn't quite believed me. I hastily reassured him.

"And I meant it. What's on your mind?"

He squirmed a little, clearly uncomfortable with whatever he was about to say.

"Well, I'm sure you already know, but I've hit a bit of a dry patch lately."

That raised my eyebrows. I certainly hadn't known.

"Is that so?"

"Yes, it is. It's been about twelve hours since I hit the net, by my count."

Ellington was beginning to regain some of his composure, and I was surprised to see what I could only describe as a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"But I think you should play me on Saturday regardless."

"Why's that? I told you I selected the team on form."

"Because I promise you I will score."

[Spav]

Hey, nice start, villan. The dialogue is snappy and you've obviously considered the circumstances of your appointment which you have relayed in a believable manner. KUTGW

[iamavillan10]

Hey, nice start, villan. The dialogue is snappy and you've obviously considered the circumstances of your appointment which you have relayed in a believable manner. KUTGW

Thanks, realism is something I work very hard for, so it's nice to get that kind of compliment.

* * *

The days until my first game in charge of Watford were winding down rapidly, and I was finding the task of rating my players very difficult without ever seeing them play a match firsthand. Keith had given me video of all our league games this season, and while I had not watched all of them, I had viewed the most recent ones, so I had some idea of what to expect. The trouble was that Boothroyd, my predecessor, had, for the majority of this season, played a 3-5-2, which was remarkably different from the basic 4-4-2 I panned to employ.

I had told the team I would be selecting them based on how well I trained, and I stuck to this philosophy. After training on Friday, I held another meeting on the pitch to announce our starting lineup for tomorrow's home fixture against Southampton.

"Gather up, lads. I'm not sure how your old boss handed this, but I'm going to tell you the lineup for tomorrow's match today. I don't want anyone up worrying all night about whether or not they're in the squad. This is going to be the procedure for every match. The lineup is posted back in the dressing room. Go on in out of the cold and make sure you get some rest. See you tomorrow."

As I headed in to my office I glanced down at my copy of the teamsheet.

GK: Mart Poom

DR: Gavin Mahon ©

DL: Michael Timlin

DC: Adrian Mariappa

DC: Ntomba Richard Ekunde

MR: Lee Williamson

ML: Joe Ledley

MC: Walter Centeno

MC: Seyfo Soley

FC: Tamas Priskin

FC: Nathan Ellington

S1: Seb Hines

S2: Marc Edworthy

S3: Francisco Duran

S4: John-Joe O'Toole

S5: Marlon King

I had been shocked to discover that the current club captain, Jay DeMerit, was out on loan, and I had decided to hand the armband, for this match at least, to veteran Gavin Mahon. I put Mahon in the side at right back despite that not being his natural position, as Marc Edworthy was not yet at full fitness following a recent injury. Nathan Ellington's selection had less to do with his outrageous promise to me than the fact that we had only two fit senior strikers. Marlon King made the bench despite having agreed a transfer to Crystal Palace for the same reason.

I tore my eyes away from the sheet of paper reluctantly. It was too late to second-guess myself now.

[iamavillan10]

The team sat huddled around me in the dressing room. I could already hear the faint rumble of the crowd.

"You fellows hear that?"

Here and there I saw a nod, but for the most part there was no response.

"That is the sound of 20,000 people who have seen you lose your last three matches. But that doesn't matter today. Today is the start of a new era. I want you all, each and every one of you, to go out there and show those 20,000 people that you are better than that. Play as well as they know you can. Play as well as I know you can. Play as well as you know you can. Let's go."

As the squad filed into the tunnel, I pulled Nathan Ellington to one side.

"Nathan, I want you to know I believe in you."

He gave me a smile and a nod, then jogged after the rest of the team. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I followed suit.

* * *

I shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with my opposite number George Burley in the tunnel. I have to admit I closed my eyes as we walked out onto the field. I would like to say it was out of anticipation, but it was pure nerves. I had played in front of bigger crowds, but today felt different. I remember thinking at that moment that as a player, you have ten comrades around you to help take the blame, but as a manager, it all falls on you. Whatever the reason, I hoped any future matches would be easier to handle.

* * *

The game started quite slowly as both teams struggled to find their rhythm. We carved out the first chance when Joe Ledley's flicked header found Priskin. The Hungarian passed the ball in to Nathan Ellington, who played it out into space on the left. Ledley was first to it and his dangerous low cross was cleared just before it reached Priskin.

Five minutes later Soley stripped Josh Wright of the ball and played it to Priskin, who held it up before unleashing a driven shot from 20 yards, which the goalkeeper could only parry. Soley, who had continued his run, pounced on the rebound but Bartosz Bialkowski produced the second end of a fine double save to deny him.

Southampton tried to break but Walter Centeno cut out a weak pass and lofted the ball over the top for Priskin to run onto. After outpacing the nearest defender, Priskin cut it back for Soley, who hit a piledriver at the left side of the goal. With the golkeeper at full stretch, Nathan Ellington stuck his foot out and got the slightest of touches, diverting the ball into the empty net. The flag stayed down and the crowd went crazy.

To my surprise Ellington turned and sprinted straight for the bench. I had no idea what he was up to until he reached me and wrapped me up in a rather suffocating hug.

"I told you boss! I told you! I told you! I told you!"

Laughing, I pulled him off of me and sent him back onto the field, where he was promptly booked for his unorthodox celebration.

Just a minute later I was running down the touchline screaming at my players to settle down. From the restart Southampton had played the ball down the left and Gregory Vignal's cross found Andrew Surman unmarked at the back post. Fortunately his spectacular volley hit the post and ricocheted out for a goal kick.

I had hoped that we would take control after the goal but to the contrary, it just seemed to encourage Southampton. The result was a back-and-forth game where both sides had half-chances, the best falling perhaps to Nathan Ellington, whose angled shot from 12 yards was saved and held by Bialkowski.

On 30 minutes, Soley won the ball and midfield and played it square to Mike Timlin, whose weighted pass split two defenders to find Ellington. The striker advanced on the last defender, then cut right at the top of the D and unleashed a swerving shot that snuck inside the near post and shook the net, sending the home support into raptures for the second time. I was up out of my seat to celebrate, and to make sure that Ellington didn't repeat his theatrics.

Thankfully our second goal failed to galvanize the opposition as the first one had, and the midfield battle continued, the only chance of note a long-range header from Jason Euell that Poom caught comfortably.

Halftime

Watford 2 (Ellington 9, 31)

Southampton 0

[Goofus]

I like this story Villan. It's like a fresh breath of air, the ol' back to basics story.

[Almondo]

likin' this man will check back later

[iamavillan10]

I like this story Villan. It's like a fresh breath of air, the ol' back to basics story.

likin' this man will check back later

Thank you both for the kind words.

* * *

During the break I had encouraged the team not to lose focus, but as the second half wore on we seemed to have lost our cutting edge in attack. Thankfully our defense was still holding strong, and while Southampton had the better of the early going, they were still unable to force any shots on goal, until criminal marking allowed Josh Wright to play Rasiak in on goal.

The striker had a chance to shoot, and he tried to sneak his attempt in at the near post, but put just too much loft on it and it whistled narrowly over the bar.

On 70 minutes Rasiak was the danger man again, only a last ditch tackle from Ekunde stopping him from going clean through.

By this time we were well pinned in our own half despite my urgings to push outwards, and just minutes later Euell dragged a shot across the face of goal when he really should have scored. By now I was worried that our fantastic first half might be cancelled out by some late Saints heroics. I signaled our entire bench to be ready, having only just remembered that I was yet to make a substitution.

However, Euell's shot seemed to be the crescendo of the opposition efforts, and I would like to think that was thanks to my audacious triple substitution in the 75th minute. Marc Edworthy came on for Mahon to get a little match fitness, taking the captain's armband as he did. Michael Timlin, who had picked up a knock, came off for Seb Hines, who would be playing out of position at left back. Walter Centeno came off for the more defensive John-Joe O'Toole in the only tactical switch of the three.

For whatever reason, we settled down after that point. Southampton continued to pour forward, but we had them well under control. Rudi Skacel wasted their best chances by putting the two corners he took into the side netting.

The final whistle blew and we had a deserved victory in my inaugural game.

Full Time

Watford 2 (Ellington 9, 31)

Southampton 0

[iamavillan10]

After the match all I wanted was to scamper off somewhere quiet and relax, but my dreams were shattered when Keith informed me that a reporter from the BBC was waiting for me. I briefly considered sending Keith in my stead, but knowing the press, they would probably interpret that as some kind of signal and then tomorrow I would have to deal with a story in all the papers about how I was antisocial or some such nonsense. Better to just go and do it myself.

* * *

"Mr. Lovelace, how did you rate your team's performance today?"

"We played well. That was the first time all season the lads have played a 4-4-2, and I know it's a simple formation, but I still think they adapted well. We put in a good effort today. You can't do much better than three points."

"So are you saying you don't think much of the 3-5-2 Boothroyd was using?"

This was why dealing with the press required so much patience, not to mention caution. They were always trying to stir up controversy. The last thing I wanted was a row with a respected member of the football community, particularly one whose achievements and experience were so much greater than mine. I replied diplomatically, shaking my head.

"No, no. Each manager has their own style. I like 4-4-2, Aidy liked 3-5-2. Who's to say which is better or worse. Aidy Boothroyd won plenty of games this season. Unfortunately for him, the losses were more memorable."

"Were you particularly impressed with any of your players today? Any you didn't rate?"

"It's only one game, so it would be foolish of me to make any judgments right away. Ellington did well to score twice, but he couldn't have done it without the rest of the team around him working hard around him, and we had a clean sheet, so hats off to them for that as well. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

I moved away from the reporter and toward the exit. I was going to sleep well tonight.

[iamavillan10]

That night I checked, as had been my habit for years, scores from around the world. But I had recently expanded my ritual to include the Championship, which I thought wise considering I managed there. Disappointingly, all of the teams above us won bar one, Coventry, and even they managed a draw.

Another consequence of my new employment was that I payed more attention to the bottom of the Premiership than to the top, for the simple reason that if we were promoted, I hoped to snag some players off the relegated sides on the cheap. The three clubs currently occupying the drop zone were Sunderland, Birmingham, and Fulham, each of which had at least one player on the books who looked quality.

At the more celebrated end of the table the Big Four led the way, with Manchester United at the top, followed by Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool. Tottenham held the UEFA Cup spot in fifth.

Another result I always looked for was AZ Alkmaar, who had disappointingly lost 2-0 to Vitesse. They were suffering under the guidance of Marten Haal, currently only two points above the relegation zone, a fact which brought a smirk to my face. Truth be told, I wouldn't mind going in for a few of the players I had been close with during my time there.

I also kept a close watch on the bottom spots in all of Europe's other top leagues. Schalke of Germany were only one spot out of the drop zone, while Udinese of Italy were holding up Serie A.

Of course, all of this speculation would be useless unless I focused on the task at hand. It wouldn't matter how many good payers were available if we were still in the Championship.

[Kewell08]

Loving it, keep it up.

[JamboJen]

Really easy-to-read story so far, villain. I'm enjoying it.

[iamavillan10]

Loving it, keep it up.

Really easy-to-read story so far, villain. I'm enjoying it.

Thank you both for reading, as well as the compliments, which I always enjoy.

* * *

It's getting to be that time of year again, as I'm sure you've all (hopefully) figured out by now. And for those of who you just can't wait for the festivities to begin, we here at the Daily Mirror have something that might just tide you over until Christmas morning. Without further ado, we present the first half of our team-by-team summary of this year's transfer activity, from the top of the league to the bottom. As for the second half, it'll be waiting for you when you wake up tomorrow.

1. Manchester United - Sir Alex has stuck by his guns and resisted the temptation to dip into the transfer market. By refusing to sell any senior players or buy any new ones, Sir has indicated that he believes his current squad is good enough to win the title, and it certainly seems to be true, as Man U lead their nearest contenders by 4 points at Christmas.

2. Arsenal - Arsene Wenger strengthened his squad in the summer with the signings of right winger Oleg Husyev from Dinamo Kiev and left winger Adrian Mutu from Fiorentina. for a combined £44 million pounds in a uncharacteristic spending spree. He also sold midfielder Denilson to Villa for £5 million in at attempt to balance the books. In January, despite despite reports that holding midfielder Mathieu Flamini has agreed a move to Newcastle, Wenger has reportedly made no move to seek a replacement.

3. Chelsea - Chelsea made only one summer signing, boosting their strike force with the £13.25 million signing of Goran Pandev from Lazio. Manager Avram Grant has dismissed speculation that he will make a move when the transfer window reopens, despite the Blues' rather disappointing league position.

4. Liverpool - Liverpool signed the next big thing in Belgian football last summer, securing the signature of central defender Vincent Kompany for an undisclosed fee. However, the youngster has yet to play for the club. Now Liverpool are one of several clubs to have been heavily linked with wantaway Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins, and are reportedly discussing a contract after having a bid accepted.

5. Tottenham - Tottenham offloaded Jermain Defoe to Portsmouth in the summer, and his sale funded the signings of Jefferson Farfan from PSV and Landon Donovan from David Beckham's LA Galaxy side. While they already have a multitude of quality striking options, Spurs are also reportedly in for Oba Martins, although the Nigerian is understood to prefer a move to a bigger club.

6. Newcastle - Newcastle sined Brazilian midfielder Edu in the summer, and have further boosted their midfield options by agreeing a deal for Arsenal's Mathieu Flamini, to go through the 1st of January. Now resigned to losing Oba Martins, Newcastle have lined up Aston Villa flop Shaun Maloney as a replacement. A planned swoop for Bolton's Jamaican international Ricardo Gardner fell through after club and player failed to agree personal terms.

7. Middlesbrough - Middlesbrough have performed above expectations all season, in part thanks to the summer signings of veteran Mexican goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez and Turkish midfielder Karadeniz Gokdeniz, who have both been in inspirational form. The emergence of Sanchez as clear first choice has Mark Schwarzer ready to move on, whith Spanish giants Real Madrid emerging as surprise suitors.

8. Portsmouth - Portsmouth spent big in the summer, with Jermain Defoe and Johan Elmander arriving for a combined fee estimated to be in the region of £16 million. However, boss Harry Redknapp has reportedly spent his entire budget, and will have to sell before any January purchases are possible.

9. Blackburn - Last summer, talented young winger Sergio Peter departed Ewood Park for Man City in a £6 million deal. City completed a double swoop on Rovers with the £2.5 million signing of veteran midfielder Robbie Savage. The only purchase was the bargain signing of versatile Mirel Radoi from Steaua Bucharest. However, the surplus money appears to have been used to balance the books, and no further funds will be made available until the summer.

10. Reading - Reading were hunting for bargains this summer, looking to consolidate on a small budget. The result was a double raid on the Old Firm, with Brahim Hemdani joining from Rangers, and Jiri Jarosik from Celtic. As far as January is concerned, the Royals have made defender Peter Mate's loan deal permanent, and are awaiting a work permit for Mexican striker Kikin Fonseca.

* * *

All the transfer gossip that seemed to have become part and parcel of the holiday season made me feel slightly guilty. I tried to console myself with the thought that taking the job mid-December left me little time to identify and pursue targets, but the reality was that I felt I was less active in that department than I should have been.

That said, Mauro Zarate was flying to England in a few days time to negotiate a contract. If successful, his signing would create competition for places as well as give us a striker with experience at a high level. I hoped to have him available for our New Year's Day fixture against Scunthorpe.

[iamavillan10]

I felt a little guilty for making the squad train on Christmas Eve, but they did have Christmas off, and with a match on Boxing Day I thought it was necessary. Besides, they were professionals, and that's part of the price you pay to make a living playing football. You have to make sacrifices to do what you love, in my opinion. Nothing good ever comes easy, and if it did it wouldn't be worth it.

That said, training today was a rather simple affair. We spent the entire time working on tactics for the match against Bristol City. I had looked at scout reports on their entire squad and watched video of their last few matches with my coaching staff. I thought we were a better side, and I consequently wanted to open the game up and let the our class show through. In short, I wanted to put on another show for our home fans.

In keeping with my tradition, I posted the lineup for the match on the last day of training before the match, which on this occasion happened to be two days before the match itself.

GK: Mart Poom

DR: Marc Edworthy

DL: Michael Timlin

DC: Adrian Mariappa ©

DC: Ntomba Richard Ekunde

MR: Lee Williamson

ML: Joe Ledley

MC: Walter Centeno

MC: Seyfo Soley

FC: Tamas Priskin

FC: Nathan Ellington

S1: Seb Hines

S2: Gavin Mahon

S3: Francisco Duran

S4: John-Joe O'Toole

S5: Marlon King

I made only one change to the team that beat Southampton, Gavin Mahon dropping to the bench in favor of Marc Edworthy, who had recovered full fitness. Gavin had been solid at the weekend, but he had been playing out of position, and I wanted to give a few more players a chance to wear the armband before making a permanent decision. Adrian Mariappa was next in line in my captaincy tryouts, and would lead the side out tomorrow.

* * *

When I returned to my office there were two papers on my desk, and a note on top of them. The note explained that these papers were enquiries about the availability of several of my players, and that they had been faxed to the club earlier in the day. Cardiff were interested in Lee Williamson, and to my surprise, Premier League side Reading were in for two of my players, Adrian Mariappa and Tamas Priskin. However, all three of them were first teamers, and, having not considered in depth the possibility of selling players in January, I made up my transfer policy on the spot. No one would be leaving, especially not any of the first eleven.

That done, I turned my attention back to the task of familiarizing myself with the English footballing landscape, a task I had begun last night. I opened up the internet and searched for the second half of the Mirror's season summary, which I found in short order.

11. Manchester City - This year's big movers, City have already signed no less than four players. Winger Sergio Peter and midfielder Robbie Savage from Blackburn, defender Felipe Baloy from Monterrey, as well as midfielders Derek Boateng from Baiter Jerusalem and Cani from Villareal, all joined up for approximately £20 million. The only departure has been Dietmar hamann leaving for Livorno on a free transfer. And now City are set to add further to their ranks with the signing of Brazilian Dagoberto from Sao Paulo.

12. Wigan - Wigan full back Ryan Taylor left in the summer despite the club's best efforts to keep him, and they signed Chris Armstrong of Sheffield United as his replacement. But as of yet Wigan have yet to show any sign of adding to their squad.

13. West Ham - West Ham have made no moves at all this year as the credit crunch hits their Icelandic ownership hard. Fans of the Hammers will be hoping that this trend continues, as if they do any business it will be selling, not buying.

14. Aston Villa - Villa were also big players this summer, although their investments have yet to pay off in terms of league position. Defender Gonzalo Pineda joined from Mexico, Ryan Taylor from Wigan, Denilson from Arsenal, and talented young Jeremy Menez from Monaco. Shaun Maloney, who has seen little playing time since joining, is on the verge of a January move to Newcastle.

15. Everton - Everton, also hit hard by the current financial crisis, have made only one move, that being the bargain signing of Slovakian defender Jan Durica from Russian side Saturn for £1.3 million.

16. Bolton - Bolton are yet another team to have made no changes to their side as they seek to save cash. However, speculation is that they may soon change this policy, as Bolton are currently only two spots above the relegation zone.

17. Derby - In what seems to be a common theme among the bottom half of the table, Derby have spent little this season. However, they have made moves to improve their league standing, signing midfielder Maciej Iwanski on a free transfer.

18. Sunderland - See Bolton

19. Birmingham - Birmingham have made three significant signings, the first being Charlie Adam from Rangers. Secondly, they have made the loan move of Wilson Palacios permanent. And lastly is the surprise signing of Saudi Arabian international striker Malik Mouath al-Hawasawi

20. Fulham - Fulham are currently holding up the table, perhaps because they have only made one signing, Dorin Goian from Steaua Bucharest, who has so far failed to make an impact at Craven Cottage.

[Kewell08]

A match on Xmas Day?

[iamavillan10]

Well, it was only a matter of time before I made a mistake. Well spotted. This is why I try not to write when tired.

I've gone back and altered the last two posts for continuity's sake. The match is, of course, on Boxing Day.

[iamavillan10]

"Listen up, boys. I know most of you were lucky enough to spend yesterday at home with your families, and you all deserved a day of rest for the way you played last week. But it's back to reality now. Don't make me regret my kindness by going out there and looking flat. You beat a good Southampton side here five days ago, and to be honest they're a sight better than Bristol City. I don't know how many of you noticed, but the bookies have made us the favorites here by a pretty hefty margin, and they usually know their stuff. You're expected to win, and I expect you to win. These are the kind of matches you need to take three points from if you want to be playing Premiership football next season, so let's get out there and let everyone know where we want to be come next summer."

Surprisingly, my nerves from the last match had disappeared without a trace. In their place, perhaps even more surprisingly, was confidence. I was beginning to truly believe in my managerial abilities for the first time. I realized, of course, that by thinking all this after one good result I was probably getting ahead of myself, but I've always been of an optimistic bent.

I was so wrapped up in feeling good about myself that as I led the team into the tunnel I almost walked right past my opposite number, Gary Johnson. I hadn't heard much about Gary other than his promotion last season, but from what I had heard he was doing a fine job. Just as in my first match in charge, I met with a very nonchalant reception from the opposition manager. It served as a reminder that despite my newfound self-confidence, to everyone else I was still unproven, and that in the end only time would tell whether or not I was successful.

* * *

Excitement was high at Vicarage Road. There is always an air of anticipation around a club following the appointment of a new manager, particularly so when the manager in question is a complete unknown, as I undoubtedly was.

We had won our first game, but most supporters are not going to judge a regime on one result. Nonetheless, that result had the crowd hoping, and hope, while it is certainly a good thing, can also be dangerous. A new manager's first few results can set the expectations for his entire time at the club, and while I did not intend to lose, I also fervently hoped that no one would come to expect miracles of me. I'm no Moses and never claimed to be.

All these thoughts were running through my head as the teams took the field, but they vanished as the whistle blew and, with a roar from the home supporters, the match got underway.

[iamavillan10]

Despite the intense atmosphere and my words of encouragement, we started the game looking flat. Both sides spent the first five minutes or so trying to establish their passing rhythm and take control of the game.

I experienced a growing feeling of frustration as we cleared a corner and Michael Timlin looked to counter, only to slice his lofted pass horribly into the stands.

Shortly after that some of my faith was restored as we took possession and showcased the quick, passing football that I liked to see. A slick exchange saw Marc Edworthy in space on the right, and his cross into the box was headed down for Tamas Priskin by Nathan Ellington. The Hungarian, who was slightly off balance, hit his shot softly at the keeper.

The game was stopped fifteen minutes in as Bristol City midfielder Ivan Sproule went down in pain, clutching his leg. There was a lengthy delay as he was examined by the physios and eventually stretchered off, replaced by Brian Wilson. Unfortunately, the stoppage in play seemed to take away the foothold we had recently taken.

However, we almost took a sensational lead when Joe Ledley volleyed the ball forward to Ellington, who again found Priskin with a header, and Priskin again failed to take his chance, this time dragging his shot disappointingly wide.

We were still the better side, and we dominated possession, with the majority of it coming in the opposition half, but we were no longer cutting out clear chances, and despite our dominance never really looked like scoring.

As the sense of frustration I had felt earlier grew, I could tell that the players were experiencing the same, particularly Seyfo Soley. Soley, who always had a tendency to take long shots, resorted to some truly speculative efforts.

Tamas Priskin also continued to have a poor game, at one time sending a half volley about twenty yards over the bar, and also ruined a good scoring chance by needlessly straying offside.

As the whistle blew for halftime, I was still optimistic. Bristol City had never looked dangerous, and even though there was no score, I felt this was a performance we could build on in the second half.

Half Time

Watford 0

Brsitol City 0

[iamavillan10]

I have officially abandoned this story because my savegame got corrupted, but I am in the process of starting another, hopefully better, story, which should begin shortly.

[Infonote]

It happened to me also. Wonder if it is a bug?

[Kewell08]

:/ It's pretty obviously a bug, they wouldn't put it in deliberately...

Sad to hear it villan, hope to see the new one soon

[Spav]

What a pity, as your writing style is quite good. I look forward to something new from you, Villan.