KibworthBull

April 2073 I wrote an update, and it was glorious. Then i clicked a button and it disappeared. Balls As a quick synopsis. Afghanistan and Jordan are ticked off thanks to a hattrick for Ali Alamah and some assists from Mustafa Foryabee - we sit on 168 nations complete now.

March 2073 One league game - a 2-2 draw against Cars Plus. Nothing to report on for MoTM or nations And then we get to the international window. 2 friendlies, and a couple of new faces. Michael Lafai is a 16 year old right back and is probably not quiet ready for this level, but he is as good as our other right back - Samuele Salanoa. At the other end of the scale, we've got Anitele'a Sauiluma who is 32 and can play either Centre Back or DM. He's decent but fading. Both could make debuts. Against Papua New Guinea, we just can't stop conceding goals, despite scoring 3 times ourselves - Luao Paika with his first two goals at this level, we ship in 5. Bitner Taufaga gets himself injured so un-capped Malaetala Lafi gets a call-up. It's a like for like replacement on the right hand side, It's actually Vaisigano Mataafa who replaced Bitner in the side, and he scored the first in our 2-0 win over Dominican Replublic. We sit 161st in the rankings.

February 2073 We now enter the quieter months. Just 2 league games. We got a 2-0 win over United FC (Guam) but it was tarnished by the winner and MoTM going to a 17-year-old Guamese Striker. FC Beercelona were the other opponents and we beat them 1-0, thanks to an inspired performance from Right Back Pema Tshering, who happily ticked off Bhutan. #166 Bhutan:

January 2073 In the last month where we can focus domestically - there are 4 games. The first two against the same club side, but there reserves in the cup and their first team in the league. We lose to the reserves on penalties, but Firdaus Mohd Fauzi is the star man so that's Brunei in the bag. But wait NO! He hasn't scored yet. Time to put him on penalties. The most annoying thing is that it's fewer games in the schedule now. We also fail to beat there first team! Cheng Yu-wen gets 2 goals and ticks off Chinese Taipei (No.164), but bad news as our only East Timorese player damages their hip and will miss the next year. Away at Islanders we get back to winning ways, AND Mohd Fauzi is able to score so that is (finally) Brunei ticked off for No.165. And finally for January, it's the Southern Cobras, the victory spoiled as a Guamese player comes off the bench and nicks two goals. Barsteward. We sit 3 points clear at the top, but 6 games over 4 months now. Our remaining Asian Targets - some will carry over into Peru

December 2072 December is a 4 game month. We can't recruit as the window is shut for these 31 days. Hopefully we can continue to tick more nations off. Laxman Maharjan had a very quiet first 62 minutes against Cars Plus, then went nuts. A treble and it's the first one of the night. We are playing some sides in the top 4 this month, but we continue to win - Tahir Khan scores twice to get the MoTM but Pakistan is already in the bag so it's a fruitless win. We bring in 2 Indians - apparently the transfer window means nothing - before we play Shotguns (2nd vs 1st) - they don't help us as we fade to our first defeat in Guam. After a relaxing Christmas, we travel to Frank Cable who sit bottom of the table - and it was a lovely debut for (big breath...) Rathnayake Mudiyanselage Franglin who got 2 assists and has ticked off Sri Lanka (No. 163) After the match 17 players were released - strangely they were all players who had a nationality that we had ticked off... Can't have anymore double dipping

November 2072 27 Nations left to tick off in Asia, 27 nations to tick off Play a game, tick one off, 26 nations left to tick off... We hope. Our opponents in the cup are Xtra Krispy. I'll let that sink in first... Can we tick one off in the cup? Ye-man we can.... Okay, I'll stop. Abdullah Al-Junaidi gets the award and that Yemen becoming nation #158 Before disaster - we beat Southern Cobras but a Guamese player is the star - this is not part of the script!! After an international break which saw a lot of players jet off around the world, we returned with a 6-0 win which saw Suea Keophouvong grab a debut hattrick and tick of Laos (#159) Beercelona (!!!) are the defending champions, but Pakistani DM Faisal Nawaz was no match for them, and we have moved into the 160s The last game of the month, is away in the cup, to a 2nd tier Guamese side - and it's Mongolia's turn to be completed, thanks to Jamsran Purevsuren scoring from left wing in our comfortable victory. Well placed in the league

October 2072 Both barrels!!! An international window where we are expecting 2 wins, and then the Guamese League starts, and we are expecting nations ticked off. With Samoa, we travel to Tuvalu and then host American Samoa. A new player in the squad, Faleahuga Dan-Tyrell is a 17-year-old keeper that people in the know rate quite highly. Joe Sefo scores his 10th goal for his country, in only 9 caps, as we beat Tuvalu 5-0. Jarrell Magia made his debut - he's been in the squad for the last 7 or 8 games but has been getting splinters in his bottom. He gets 2 more to see of our American friends. And so it begins... 4 Guamese players, the rest a raggedy collection of obscure nations. All vying for that elusive tick. 29 Asian Nations on the list - 18 league games to get them in. Even the poor mathematicians amongst us know that doesn't work out, but we can look to get as close as we can. Ko Ko Naing (so good they named him twice) scores and gets MoTM as we beat the Islanders. That's Myanmar done (No.156) A far East double, with Cham Cheong Kwan getting 2 and the gong to tick off Macau (China PR) for No.157

August 2072 The Guam Off Season is a long one - it starts in May and ends in October so this is all about Samoa. 2 friendlies as we look to improve our records against nations local to us. One change in the squad - Faatafa Tafola comes in from the U23s - he's 19 but not really ready but there isn't much out there at DMC. Papua New Guinea - they beat us in the last match - but we exact revenge when it doesn't really matter. A classic 3-0 win It moves us up to 161st which is an in-game highest - still a fair way short of the 146th from back in 2007. Vaisigano Mataafa scored his first for his country against Vanuatu but then got sent off as we faded to defeat.

June 2072 The focus for this month is the 2nd round of the Oceanic Nations League. It's a 4 team group - the top 3 means we progress in the qualification of the World Cup - top 2 means we progress in the Nations League. Simples. We are pretty much at full strength, but we have 2 defenders suspended for the opening game. Defenders Alatasi Johnston and Tony Tanoai-Fruean are recalled to the overall squad to help see us through the initial suspensions. Bookings carry over so we could be in trouble quickly. First up is the Soloman Islands, a mere 50 places ahead of us in the rankings. We battle to a 0-0 draw. A "trip" to New Calendonia followed (I say trip - all these games are being played in Tahiti) - another draw, this time 1-1 thanks to a leveller by Joe Sefo Papua New Guinea will decide our fate. We can still finish in all 4 positions. We faded to defeat to end our Nations League ambitions. Sefo scoring. We also ended our involvement in the World Cup Qualifiers. Beaten but not outclassed.

May 2072 We have a domestic job! Welcome to the University of Guam Tritons Currently sat in 3rd with just one game left of the season - which is at home to Big Blue. Most importantly for the challenge - there are no restrictions on the squad and we are Amateur. It's time to go shopping. We have a load of Guamese players, and a random Afghan Centre Back. Kyle Cruz bags a hattrick to tick off Guam.

March 2072 It's time for the biggie... the Oceania Nations Cup. We've had a youth intake for Samoa, so we've got a couple of newbies in the national squad. Joe Sefo is the best of the bunch, already an important player in the squad. And, as more of a squad option at the moment, Andrew Tipelu. The 23 man squad is: We have to top the group to progress. We lead, we fall behind, we swear, a lot, and end up coming out just ahead of a 10-goal thriller. Sefo gets a debut goal. Next up is the trip to the whipping boys - our American cousins. Bitner Taufaga gets a double and we go top of the group - simply because the Cook Islands are yet to kick off. Tonga and the Cook Islands draw 4-4, so our equation is simple - avoid defeat to Captain Cook and his boys, and we are through. Our last game against the Islanders saw us ship 7. We do it again, but this time, score the same amount. Sefo with an international hat-trick. We progress. Somehow. The 2nd Round will take place in June

November 2071 The final friendlies of 2071 - Tonga at home. The big news is that Elijah Settle has retired from football and ended his career as the top scorer for his nation with 16 goals. A draw to end my first year as Samoan boss We started the job in 167th and end in 165th 12 games, 2 wins, 2 draws, and the rest were defeats. 21 goals, 32 conceded.

October 2071 Our U23s get to the Semi Finals of the Olympic Qualifiers which we should all be proud about. A slightly different looking senior squad for the matches against Tahiti and Kiribati - we can beat both. Luao Paika is a left winger who was the star from the U23s. Fauivi Tokuma is a 3rd choice keeper. Bitner Taufaga gets injured after the squad is announced so gets replaced by Andrew Petana - not close to the level of Bitner. We are level against Tahiti going into stoppage time, but they frustrate with a late winner. Weinno Vaifale is the best performer at left back. Kiribati are not even ranked - this was a poor result.

September 2071 We have plenty of nations now live. Guam Yemen Afghanistan Peru But no jobs are coming up so we continue with the Samoan journey. Two tough friendlies away against nations around the top 100. We are competitive in both, but fall a long way short in both.

June 2071 It's the Pacific Games We are in Group B We need to be competitive, whatever that might mean. We need to win the group to get to the final, if we finish 2nd then we play for the bronze. New Zealand U23s first, and it's as tough as it gets, a pasting, they score 6. A few changes for the Cook Islands match, and it started well.... we took the lead but then it went south. They scored 7 Just pride left to play for against Tahiti, and we get that pride, but not the points. Jefferson Lafai scored. An amazing result, Kane Leiataua scores the only goal as we beat New Caledonia - they are 57 places above us. At the end, we show our dominance to destroy American Samoa, Lafai scoring 2 more. It ended better than it started. We came 5th, but only on goal difference Fiji beat New Zealand 5-4 in the final.

March 2071 Back so soon? Yep. A short-term job - Samoa. It keeps the old grey matter ticking over whilst I wait for a club job to come along. We are immediately in action with friendlies against Papua New Guinea and Tahiti. We are 167th in the world, with a record position of 147th, back in 2007, so there is plenty of room for improvement. We go down 5-4 in PNG, with Elijah Settle scoring a hat-trick. Considering they are 50-odd places higher, it's a good result. Followed up with 3-3 draw in Tahiti. We are performing well.

December 2070 Once more my friends. We are off to the UAE for 1 more game. 1 last chance to get Iran ticked off. Sarvar Rejabboyev gets the winner as we finish on a high. Iran goes unclaimed. An epic near 10 years in Uzbekistan is done. This is where the save sits right now. Where next? At the moment it's either Peru or Afghanistan. Which one, time will tell. I'll be back when that question is answered.

November 2070 5 dances this month. A trip to Iraq first up. Fun. FInally Wei Wembo is able to tick off China. He had to go to Iraq to do it. At Navbahor, we are 4-0 up and our goalkeeper goes off injured - our 2nd choice comes on and we lose 5-4. 5 in 20 minutes. We score 6 next time out to leave us with a +94 goal difference, we need 6 more in the final game to get +100 Fernando Castillo scores a double as we secure the clubs spot in the ACL Second Round for Mr ? next season. We needed 6.... we got 5. So for the 2nd time we finish on +99 goal difference. China

October 2070 10 more games over the next 3 months. I just need a MoTM award for China and Iran. Not too much to ask is it? An Iraqi opponent first up in the Asian Champions League, both China and Iran score but it's Syria that gets the award. In the league, it's the Laziz Rahimov show as he bangs a treble at Istiqlol Farg'ona Wei Wenbo moves to 12 goals in 8 games with an Asian Champions League hat-trick, but still doesn't have that elusive award. The last game of the month, is our final battle with Paxtakor. The last laugh is ours. The Champions League is looking good

September 2070 First order of business. Probably for the best - allows them to hire the next best appointment and other such cliches. There will be a period of unemployment whilst I await either Peru or Afghanistan to sack a manager. I don't think I can be tempted to stay in Uzbekistan, unless there is a side with a few unticked nations that would be easy. We have 14 more games left. 2 nations in play. China and Iran. Let's get them ticked off. The first of these is Qu'qon, with both of my nations away at the Asian Cup. The boys wipe away the tears and score 4 unanswered goals. We begin our defence of the Asian Champions League at Al-Shabab, early goals, late goals, nothing much in between. We are off. Our only real challenge to the title, Nasaf, come just 3 days later, Laziz Rahimov moves us 17 points clear. We need 1 more point to secure the title. It could come in the last game of the month. We hit 6 and secured our title.

August 2070 Some dropped points in the league, against Mettalurg, but it matters not as we ticked off South Korea (No.153) Wei Wembo will approach the Court of Arbitration for Sport as he gets another couple of goals but doesn't get the MOTM award. Joseph Klidjé has spent 12 months in Australia, and has scored on his return, a game that marked his 200th for the club. 5 scored against So'g'diyona Jizzax. The Uzbeki Cup is frustrating yet again, a defeat on penalties. I won it 4 years on the spin, but not for 5 years. We jumped back on the horse against Neftchi, and showed Lokomotiv Toshkent what we are, to move 12 points clear at the top. Right at the end of the month, Saudi hit us hard and take 2 players from us. South Korea

July 2070 I've been playing this save for 12 full days. It's fun. Our Spaniard loanee has been recalled - just after I registered him for the league! We've replaced him with a South Korean. Uzbeki Cup to start the month as we return to some regular football this month. There are 5 levels of difference between us and our opponents, Wei Wenbo gets a debut hattrick but not the MoTM award. A short break for an international round and then it's back to the league as we host Qizilqum, Wenbo gets another 2 but is pipped to the award AGAIN. There is much work to do on the nations at the minute. The plan is to pick off the bigger nations in Uzbekistan and fly through a season or two in Afghanistan and then see where we are,

June 2070 As the Asian Champions League is complete, the focus switches to ticking off as many nations as I can before a job comes up in Peru - a nation that doesn't go live until the 1st January 2071. So that means moving on some foreign players. All leave with hands shaken and a place in our hearts. Jacques Ndo lands in Saudi for £205k and will bomb down the right wing for Al-Qadsiah Football Club Brayam Pino goes to Club Deportivo Popular Junior F.C. S.A. in Colombia for £250k Jhonnys Campuzano finally gets his move to the Middle East, £450k is a good deal for someone who would be leaving on a free in 6 months - Ohod is his destination. To be replaced by Wei Wenbo, a Chinese striker on a free transfer Mohammad Reza Pirouzram, an Iranian Centre Back for £105k This means I have 3 eligible nations to go for - Spain, China and Iran Just the one league game, we win of course

Thanks. I have 32 Asian nations - most of them fairly obscure, so hoping Afghanistan, which is Amateur, allows me to fly through as many as possible in a season or two - worst case scenario I will tick off Afghanistan at least. I have a further 45 European ones, but still to tackle Europe - that's the last hurrah. Looking at South America - it's been fairly Brazil dominant for the save with the odd random Argentina or Columbia thrown in.

May 2070 Here we go. Nasaf are annoyingly decent so we can't rotate too much, three goals in nine second half minutes get the job done. The work on the youth facilities has been completed, they are now considered Below Average. Just 3 days before the Final First Leg, we travel to Bunyodkor. Stupid scheduling. We win. But we have a ready made excuse now. We absolutely must be still in the tie after the away leg. We led 4-0 at one point, but a terrible second means it's 5-3, only because Sarvar Rejabboyev got his hat-trick with the last kick of the game. 11 changes for the midweek league game. Laziz Rahimov is coming back from an injury and bagged a double. In the 2nd leg, just after half-time Sarvar Rejabboyev knocked in another goal and it was PARTY TIME. Now what? It's time to load up the next leagues and wait for an opportunity - although for now it's about just playing some games in Uzbekistan. Nothing will happen until 2071 in any new league. Afghanistan - all sides are amateur, try and fly through the list of nations we are yet to tick off Peru - our choice of winning the Copa Liberatordos A 5th tier side in the Uzbeki Cup? Bring it on!! We get 10. Juan Gaitán gets the match ball but not the MoTM award. More money behind the scenes has been put into the Youth Recruitment and the Training facilities. It's Fernando Castillo turn for the match ball away at Paxtakor, before he gets 4 as we destroy Navbahor. It's been quite a month. A 9 point league after 11. Just give us the title now. BOOM!!!