KibworthBull

July 2066 The only incoming is a Romanian Striker - Alin Moldovan - and he is thrown in at the deep end for his debut in the Uzbek Cup. He scores but is pipped to the MoTM award by our Omani Striker. Amar Omerovic has moved to Paxtakor - it frees up a foreign slot but it does mean we only have 1 left back in the club. Moldovan scores on his league debut in "our worst result of the season" - a 1-0 win. Just before the transfer deadline closed we snuck in Ovie Umar from Lokomotiv Toshkent, who can play in either full-back role. He made his debut against his former club. The league is almost sown up.

June 2066 A World Cup in a year ending in 66. We've seen it before. And it's hosted in England. There is nothing for us there, but we do have representation. Assane Koffi is in the Ivory Coast squad. It's just one game—Nasaf away, a routine victory. It's also the transfer window opening, so it's 1 out and 1 in. Theirry Fokou has been given a fantastic opportunity in the Middle East. He's out of contract in December and wasn't going to stay, so it brings in a couple of K's and also saves us £2k per week in wages. Also moving on, is Assane Koffi, another who had the bright lights of the Middle East shined in his eyes. £825k for someone we signed on a free 2 years ago. That'll help the bank balance. It actually puts us back into the black - for a few weeks.

May 2066 There was a time when we and Surxon were in the same league and it was a competitive game. It's not anymore. We miss a penalty but still score 7 without reply. We are the best in the league and the results are showing it, another game, and 6 scored this time, Doston G'aniev with a hat-trick. Mash'al are having a very good season by their standards. We are able to put 5 past them, but they scored twice. We've now won 24 games in a row - which is a new league record. In other news, Assane Koffi makes the ACL Team of the Year. Progression in a Uzbek Cup, we make hard work of it, but eventually go through 2-0. Qu'qon came up with us a few years back, and actually beat us to the title. They have been a bit of a yo-yo side since, but sat in 3rd place before this one and missed a penalty before Junior Koné found the net twice in the 2nd half. Plenty of times we've gotten to half time 4 or 5 up and then declared, in the final match of the month, we didn't declare. Amar Omerovic gets a couple of goals and an assist to bag our 147th nation. Bosnia is in the bag. The thoughts of 5 goal Kelvin Tembo are unclear Bosnia

April 2066 Big game, straight up. Paxtakor come to town. We lost this fixture last season. No danger of that this time. 5 different goalscorers. We are very much in form. Complete rotation as we play a Superleague B team in the Uzbeki Cup - technically they could put out a strong side, but there first team are also playing. It shows how far we've come in the last few seasons that Doston G'aniev is now only a squad player and not the first name on my teamsheet. He gets a hattrick in his first start of the season. Official confirmation that I've been around a while We celebrated by nearly dropping points. Islom Rejabboyev with a double but Navbahor ran us hard. Ilxomjon Ismatullayev is settling in nicely as back-up left winger, a couple of goals help see of Metalurg in the league. We can all do a huge sigh of relief. Nasaf are out. We can continue our journey. But it does show that a side we can beat can go this far. We saw the month out with another win. 6 from 6 in the league. 21 straight wins. This is all the foreplay for the next ACL though

March 2066 The Uzbeki season takes ages to get going. Just the two games this month. Salah Al-Habsi got us off to a great start, a treble, and we are already top - healthy goal difference too. He gets another hattrick in game week 2 as we make the goal difference even better. In worrying Asian Champions League news... Nasaf are in the Semi Finals. They are 3 wins away from forcing me out of the country.

February 2066 We've been on an Uzbeki Recruitment MISSION!! A number of reasons: We have terrible youth facilities and the board seems reluctant to improve - in their defence, we generally end the season in the red. So we have to steal the best of the rest. Sardor Baratov (Central Defender), Abdurahmon Tojiboev (Central Defender), Boburjon Xojibekov (Left Winger/Striker), Ilxomjon Ismatullayev (Left Winger) are all 17 years old and have fairly high potential ratings. Ismatullayev is probably the best of the bunch We need to fill the bench and have enough players to properly rotate things. Nodir Obidjonov (Defensive Midfield) will really challenge the existing players, Sandro Mihalic is part of the national side and becomes 2nd choice keeper, Behruz Joniqulov (Striker) is only 19 but looks like he has a goal or two in him, and Davron Ro'ziyev (Utility Midfielder) is 22 but can play in multiple positions - he's possibly the worst of the lot though. Going out, Estonian pain in the neck Sergey Andreev has finally gone - on a free to Mettalurg, Jesse Seda has been released as I have better keepers, neither were registered at times last season so we haven't gained a FGN slot sadly. Domestic fringe Centre Back Farruh Boymatov has joined newly promoted Farg'ona, and Artur Kuznetsov was released. On the pitch, it's our debut in the 2nd Round of the Asian Champions League and the tricky prospect of the side that topped our group - Al-Jazira from the UAE. A game where we stormed into a quick 2-0 lead, but then escaped with a 3-3 draw. Not one for the faint-hearted. We were the better side in the 2nd leg but couldn't take our chances. Annoyed, but we'll learn. We have 4 days to lick our wounds before we face off against Paxtakor in the Uzbek Super Cup. Laziz Rahimov the difference.

December 2065 What ho! A cup final and a must-win ACL tie. The cup final against Paxtakor was played at Paxtakor, so it was not a neutral ground - it didn't effect us as we strolled to the domestic treble. Junior Kone grabs 4 as we make light work of Tishreen and qualify for the 2nd Round of the Asian Champions League. Our reward is a 2 legged tie against Al-Jazira in February. I can't wait.

November 2065 It's a big month. We can potentially extend our season in the ACL and win a trophy. We travel to Saudi Arabia first up, and a must-win match, Doston G'aniev, who is having a difficult second season, came up trumps with a goal before we added a couple more in the second half. A joyous plane journey back. A point against Paxtakor will do. We took all 3. CHAMPIONS We still have plenty to do to catch the big boys We partied for 2 weeks before a nothing league match. Then another big one. Home to Al-Jazira, from the UAE. A tough, bitter pill to swallow. A defeat. We are looking good for best 2nd place but need a win in the last one to make sure. We await what December can throw at us. 2 cup finals. One an actual cup final, the other, metaphorical.

October 2065 We can't mathematically win the league in our 2 games this month, unless Paxtakor drop points, but we ensure that we can enjoy the international break with victory over Lokomotiv Tashkent. In the ACL, Tishreen have lost both of their matches, so this should be a win. We scored early but then looked ropey AF - thankfully we remembered how to finish in stoppage time and the scoreline flatters somewhat. We went for the throat against Qizilqum. 6 of the best.. trousers down. It put us on 66 points, Paxtakor can only get 67. In the Uzbek Cup Semi Final, it was the champions of the Pro League against our reserves. Baxrom Meliboyev got a hattrick of assists from Left Back as we won by a canter. We are close to domination this season.

September 2065 International breaks mean that this month is a 2+2 month. 2 ACLs and 2 UPLs - some serious injuries there. Al-Jazira provided our first test in the group stage for the ACL - we came 2nd last year but had a poor start. Laziz Rahimov helps us get a point. Could be a big one. A shocker of a performance at home to Qu'qon, but thankfully blushes are saved as we sneak it 3-2. Kelvin Tembo is back from a slight injury and grabs a double as power past Olmaliq. It ensures ACL football next season - we only need 7 points from the last 5 games to secure the title. Probably our best performance in the ACL - home to Al-Faisaly from Saudi Arabia, it was a tense battle, but we had the creative masterclass from Shaxboz Ikromov who has been smashing it for at least 2 years at this level, yet still is unable to get into the Uzbek national team - stupid! All coming together nicely now.

August 2065 Football and lots of it. There are some massive games. Home to 3rd place Bunyodkor first up, 4 players missing on international duty, but we find a way through, another key goal from DM Islom Rejabboyev. The challenge gets tougher, home to the reigning champions, who now sit 3rd, and we have everyone back. Kelvin Tembo makes the difference, the only goal of the game. With 10 games left, they are now 11 points behind us, it becomes a 2 horse race for the title now. Our first away trip of the month, Navbahor, sees us FINALLY tick off another nation - Oman - thanks to a double for Salah Al-Habsi. Because we failed to win the league last season, we have a Play-Off to enter the group stages of the ACL this year. We host Syrian side Al-Jaish Sport Club (SYR) and we kept it calm, and composed and have moved into the Groups. A potential disaster averted. Laziz Rahimov is back with a bang, after only 1 goal in his last 4, with a double to see off Neftchi. Rotation the name of the game in the Quarter Finals of the Uzbek Cup - we crush 3rd tier opponents. A massive game to end the month, away to Mettalurg, but it follows at Paxtakor defeat. We come from behind and Shaxboz Ikromov wins it for us. A perfect month, right when we needed it. The lead continues to grow. Oman

July 2065 2 games this month. One is a Uzbeki Cup tie against a lower graded side - expect plenty of goals. We have a new goalkeeper (Judicaël Gnaleko) from the Ivory Coast who is better than Seda, our Kenyan. And an Omani Striker, Salah Al-Habsi, quite frankly the game is broken if he doesn't tick off that nation this month. He scores in the cup, but it's Junior Kone that takes the credit with 3. It's a busy time with the transfer window open, Assane Koffi is a Left Back who comes in, but takes us over our FGN quota so Jesse Seda (back up keeper, Kenyan) is unregistered, and we also bring in a couple of back up options - Anvar Hasanov is an experienced keeper from 3rd placed Bunyodkor Toshkent, and Artur Kuznetsov is a 19 year old bench warmer, if urgently required. Also out the door are original back up keeper Boburjon Suleymanov, 3rd choice Left Back Said Marei, and extremely talented DMC Davron Karimov for £250k to Paxtakor - it's insane money for us, almost clears the debt and he really wanted to leave. It sticks in the claw, A LOT, but had to do it. In the league, it's 3 in the first 9 minutes as we beat bottom side So'g'diyona. We have a 21 man squad fighting on 3 fronts now

June 2065 A mid-season break of sorts. A few weeks to reflect on that defeat to Paxtakor. It's the 20th June when we play, so today (when written) but 41 years in the future. Solid DM Islom Rejabboyev scoring to set us on our way. A Junior Kone double finishes the month. Just 2 games. Fairly quiet on the pitch but lots happening off it. Paxtakor drop points so we grow our lead. Also, at the end of the month we say goodbye to two of our FGN boys. It halves our Estonian problem, and also takes £3.5k per week off the wage bill. We welcome a Bosnian Left Back - Amar Omerovic from fellow Ubeki side Qizilqum. He'll improve the side, but we are a little light on numbers.

May 2065 On the back of the good start to the season, we can turn the screw this month. At Qu'qon Victor Akramov marks his debut with the final goal—the usual suspects with the others. The key at the moment is rotation, we've only got a squad of 22 so it's fairly easy to keep most of them happy enough. A couple more wins see us keep our lead at the top. The cup at Dang'ara, well, Bekzod Raxmonov follows up his 3 in the last round, with 5 in the next. It's Doston G'aniev's turn for the matchball as we travelled to Qizilqum. All roads, however, lead to the last game of the month. Home to Paxtakor. 1st v 2nd. We take the lead but fall to our first defeat of the season. Rather annoyingly. The table still looks good. We will lose 4 first teamers for the next 6 weeks or so

April 2065 An international break meant that March was very short. April has a lot more games, including Nasaf away. And that's first up. Laziz Rahimov smashes a hat-trick and we've dented the nose of the side who hold the league right now. A trip to the 4th tier in the cup, lots of rotation, and for the 2nd season in a row, we go behind and then get double figures. Bekzod Raxmonov, a 16-year-old from the youth team with a hattrick, Rahimov with 4. Ourselves and Navbahor are both unbeaten, or at least, were, before we met up. We make it 4 from 4. I also have a new boss. Obed Mintah notches his first for the club as we make it 5 from 5. He's been superb at the back. We appear to be more ruthless this year. At the moment we have a lead. It's up to us to ensure it's extended.

March 2065 The transfer window has slammed shut. The Estonian problem remains. Kelvin Tembo continues to bang in the goals. The two on the opening day bring him to 66 for the club. Another 5 in the 2nd match of the season. He's on fire!!!

February 2065 A new season. And some new Uzbeki's to get excited about. If you've been around a while, you'll remember when I was manager of the national side we had someone who scored 6 goals on his international debut, at 16 years old. Laziz Rahimov is now 18 years old and has 6 senior goals in 14 games - most in a loan spell last year in the 2nd tier. Paxtakor allowed us to bring him in for 1.5k - he will do just fine for us. Dilyaver Toshboyev is a Centre Half, and another signed from Paxtakor, he has been on my radar since I arrived in Uzbekistan, a national team regular and someone who was the main man for Paxtakor last year, in what was a struggling side. He improves our defensive options and will play alongside Obed Mintah, a Ghanaian Centre Back, who massively improves the squad. We had no issues scoring last year, it was the defence that cost us the title. The final "steal" from Paxtakor is Victor Akramov, a 17 year old, very raw right winger, who might turn into something quite useful. Or might not. Time will tell. Kids and Squad Players have departed. The only real exception to this is Niyom Yooyen who has gone back to Thailand. We still have our "Estonian Problem" - Ivan Suppi and Sergey Andreev, who are taking up 16% of our wage bill and two slots in foreign positions. We must find a way to move them on, as we are stuck with them for at least 12 months. One game this month, and a chance for us to win the only piece of Silverware currently missing in Uzbekistan. Junior Kone inspires us to a piece of silverware.

December 2064 Two more games in 2064. One could win us a trophy, the other could see our ACL adventure continuing into the early months of 2065. 46 shots. And we win on penalties. It's very simple in the ACL. If we beat Al-Ahli and Al-Duhail beat Al-Qadsiah, I think we qualify. Providing Al-Duhail doesn't score plenty. In reality 2nd is likely where the story ends. We do our bit, Junior Kone scored twice before the game was 10 minutes old. But the other game was drawn so we are out.

November 2064 It's crunch time, someone, this month, will win the league. It could, and probably should, be us. Our debt has nearly hit £1.5m and without any real prize money on offer it's difficult to know how to turn it around, but we plod on. A trip to Qatar is first up. Niyom Yooyen, the man who ticked off Thailand, gives us our first win in the ACL. It's a shame he's moving on at the end of the campaign. In the league, we dominate Neftchi but the game remains goalless. Nasaf win, so they lead by 2 with 2 to play. We simply must beat Lokomotiv Toshkent. Nasaf win, so defeat, or even a draw, hands them the title. We concede a 94th-minute equaliser and the league is not retained. Elyor Suleymanov has come through our youth system and is crap, so is about to be released, but he did score an ACL goal. A winner against Saudi side, Al-Qadsiah. We can still qualify, if we win and results go our way. That man, Elyor Suleymanov, gives us a hollow victory over Nasaf to end the league season. Close to retaining, but not close enough.

October 2064 It was a massive month. Progress in 3 formats. Hopefully. Al-Duhail, who hails from Qatar, and our first home ACL match. We concede in the 97th minute to lose. Gutting. There are no concerns in the league with a 4-0 win at home to Metallurg, Shaxboz Ikromov getting us off to the perfect start. Nasaf lost so we top the table. Our goal difference is quite something this year - we concede 2 away at Surxon but score 7, the usual suspects on the scoresheet, before we all board a plane for Syria. The ground holds 75,000 people, lets hope they share gate receipts. They blow us away and we don't get any cash from it. In all 3 games in the ACL so far we have performed as well as our opponents but every mistake has been punished. As you would hope it would. We end the month top of the table, level with Nasaf, thanks to victory over Navbahor. It means that at the very least we have Asian Champions League football next season. This month saw Davron Karimov become the first Uzbeki to make his International Debut at the club, he also scored against Metallurg to see us progress to the final. Quite a month. We end the league month stronger than we started.

September 2064 We have a new addition. Defensive Midfielder, Thierry Fokou joins on a free from Canon Yaounde. He's 25 and can't play in the league as the registration window is closed but can play in the Asian Champs League and the Uzbek Cup. A 7 goal thriller was the aperitif to the ACL - Kelvin Tembo with a treble. Al-Qadsiah take our cherry. They are a Saudi team. We stormed into a 3-1 lead after 20 and then needed an 86th goal to snatch a 4-4 draw. Entertaining. Paxtakor are 5th and onto their 2nd manager of the season - they have imploded, but we need to be professional to stick the knife in even further. A 2-0 lead blown. Bunyodkor are 3rd and we really needed a win. Fortunately, we have Tembo and he scored in stoppage time in both halves to ensure we keep pace with Nasaf. We trail by 3 points with 6 games left. The final match of the season is AT Nasaf.

August 2064 Straight into match action, home against 3rd place Nasaf, who bloody our noses and beat us 1-0. Right Back Klidje is now a dual national. He celebrates with a man of the match display as we blow away Qu'qon. Paxtakor seem to be falling apart. Our victory over Olmaliq puts us into 2nd place, but 5 points ahead of the big fish. We have our Asian Champions League opponents No idea what it really means. We gain revenge on Nasaf and make the Semi Finals of the Uzbek Cup. Shaxboz Ikromov the difference. Disaster falls, and we fall to a 2nd defeat in the month, this time against Qizilqum. We even went behind against bottom club Mash'al before Doston Ganiev remembered to do what he does. 6 of the best for the side, 3 for Doston. Both ourselves and Nasaf have dropped points this month.

Thanks for following. I reckon I have at least 30 more seasons to go. South America will be "a challenge" - the only viable nations for me are Peru, Bolivia or Venezuela. And that's after I crack Uzbekistan. Europe's probably the easiest continent left - lots of biggish nations without a win. Notable events: 2058 World Cup winners were Serbia 2064 Euro winners were Norway England has dominated the European Champions League with the current big 6 all winning it at some point The Nations Ranking's are pretty close to how they are today in real life.

July 2064 A sad day. The MoTM king is no more. 24 awards in 84 games. He deserves to play week in and week out; sadly, that's no longer achievable here. Another month with 2 games, 1 in the cup. Paxtakor in the cup. Not fair really. New keeper Jesse Seda makes his debut, the Kenyan signed on a free at the end of June. We progress and are now massive favourites to retain our trophy. A few complaints from the group that we were lacking in the Midfield has prompted us to nick a player off our rivals Kelvin Tembo gives us the points in the only league game of the month. The league as we approach the midway point.

June 2064 2 games in June. Both at the back end of the month. I've signed a new deal - it will take me past my 90th birthday. When the football returned, early goals from Niyom Yooyen and Abduvohid Ergashev took us on our way to victory over Navbahor, before some late goals ensured we sneak a point in the other match of the month.