LoonsYouthTeam Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 (edited) So after my sad resignation from Queen of the South I wasn't sure where my next challenge would be. I opted to declare my interest in one job where the manager was under pressure and he was duly sacked. The man that was sacked? The club? No disrespect to the clubs I've managed before, but this feels like an opportunity to win a major honour. In this game so far Utd have generally been a mid-table team, twice in the top 6 and three times in the bottom 6 as well as 4 cup semi-finals. However, last season's 7th place finish was disappointing after 4th the year before so they've brought me in. I'm excited for this as it's a bit of a different challenge at a big club. The squad I've inherited is a decent one, unfortunate that I can't post it, but the highlights are a couple of young defenders in Liam Docherty at centre back and Tommy Maxwell at left back who are teenagers but already really good for the SPL and with great potential. The midfield boasts such names as Harry Arter, Jake Livermore, Danny Swanson, Paddy McCourt and James McCarthy who I've already managed at Hamilton. Up front there's a decent Turkish AM/SC Gokhan Torre, and a good young English striker, Romeo Marotta. The squad was huge, so when I took over there was a lot of activity. Here's my transfers out: A lot of youths in there. Pascali could have been fun but he's absolutely finished. Goalkeeper is a priority as I let go both Euan McLean and last years number 1 Stephen Bywater as they just weren't good enough. Peter Pawlett isn't very good in this game so happy to get money, and absolutely delighted to get 1 million for Chris McCann who is a bog standard centre midfielder. The board had given me a very generous budget, so here's what I brought in: Brain Howard is an AMLC that I picked up after his contract at Celtic expired. Technically great without any real weakness expect for his age, but he should do a job for a couple of years. Will Flood is obviously very familiar to Dundee Utd fans and in this game can play all across the midfielder. His stats are excellent, he should be a big player. Manuel Almunia's contract at Arsenal expired and I snapped him up, he's old, but he's much better than the keepers I let go. Michael McIndoe is a left winger; we had decent central midfielders signed up but I wanted more wide options. I don't think he'll be a standout or a regular starter but for a free transfer he's a good option. Begovic is a great signing for free. I feel bad for Almunia as I signed him to be number 1, but when Begovic became available I couldn't help myself, he's an incredible keeper for this level, very happy with both my keepers. Jan Vertonghen is a household name but in this game he's just been released by Ajax. He's now my best defender and can also cover at left back and in midfield, he'll be incredible in the SPL. Ally Thomson is a young right back released by Rangers and I can't believe they let him go for free, he's already good enough to be a really good SPL right back and has potential to be better. Finally, I spent all of my budget on Brazilian striker Mauricio who is very exciting. I think he might be the best player in the SPL and I'm expecting huge things from him. I really wish I had a screenshot to do him justice but he's an excellent finisher, dribbler and has great technique as well as being a physical beast. With these signings I'm expecting to at least be 3rd this season and think I can put the foundations into a team that could be capable of winning the title within a few years. I'd like a cup run this year and although both the Old Firm have been a cut above the others so far in this save I'd like to think I can challenge them this season. Edited February 26, 2021 by LoonsYouthTeam 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted February 26, 2021 Author Share Posted February 26, 2021 August: Disappointing to draw a blank on the opening day before a comfortable win over my old club. Defeat at Parkhead followed by a cup win against lower league opponents, not too sure what to expect yet. September: An excellent thumping of Caley with Mauricio getting his first goal for the club and it really was his and Vertonghen's month, Jan getting loads of goals coming forward for corners. Only real downside is the draw with Motherwell but we're through to the League Cup quarter final. October: Great month in the league, a draw at Tynecastle is a decent result before a fantastic win at Pittodrie with my two big signings scoring again. The fans delighted to see of Dundee in the first derby of the season. Unfortunately, the draw in the League Cup quarter final ended with a defeat on penalties, a bit gutting as if we'd got through I'd have fancied us to go on to the final. Still, we ended the month comfortably in 3rd place in the league. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 November: Bad loss at East End Park, always disappointing not to score but a great response; happy to go back to Palmerston and pick up the win with another goal from Vertonghen. And then to stick 4 past Celtic is great, disappointed to lose out to them in the League Cup but this makes up for it, Marotta and Flood with their first goals since August and Danny Swanson with his best performance of the season. Hopefully I can maintain the positive feeling going into December. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 December: Love is in the air, every sight and every sound! Mauricio showing his class with an outrageous month; hat-trick at Easter Road and then scoring in every other game as we take a grip on 3rd in the league. This boy really is special and if I'm going to win things at Utd he'll be a big part of it. You could say that you'd expect to win your 3 home games but very nice to do so in such convincing fashion. Another couple of goals for Jan the Man and a few midfielders getting on the scoresheet; just one goal conceded and scoring lots, bodes well. Can't post a screenshot of tables at the time but this put us comfortable in 3rd, although catching the Old Firm seems optimistic. Still, reckon I can secure 3rd this year and try to mount a challenge next year. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 January I'll start with transfers, and first the outgoings: Just the one player sold and I'm delighted to get just shy of 4 million for Arter. Don't get me wrong, he's a really good player but I've just got better options in there and it's great money for somebody who isn't a standout. Wasn't really a miss either as I'd targeted a new holding midfielder: Replacing Arter is Koji Takahashi; he's only 21 and already is my best DMC/MC. He's Brazilian/Japanese and is just excellent in every department; again a bit gutted I can't post stats as he is up there with the best players in the league and will only get better. Most of my midfielders were attack minded and as much as Livermore and Arter were decent, this boy is just that bit better. January fixtures: A decent month overall. Beating Motherwell made it 7 straight league wins and 4 of the last 5 with clean sheets, plus another for Mauricio. I beat Albion Rovers with a shadow side; another couple for Marotta and he hasn't been mentioned yet but Roy Forsyth is a young Scottish striker who has potential. The result as Ibrox shows the gulf though, at this stage the Old Firm are brilliant. My team is really strong, granted we didn't play well, but to be destroyed could have put the brakes on our season. Delighted to bounce back with a win against Hearts with the 2 star men of the season scoring again and ended the month with a point at Dens, would've been nice to win but happy not to lose and great to see Vertonghen kissing the badge as he ran past the Derry after his goal. So that would've been January complete, however, on transfer deadline day... There's breaking news from Tannadice! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 Just f**k right off. The money grabbing board took the deal out of my hands. I understand that 12 million is great money for Dundee Utd but in this game we were in a good financial position, not in debt, on course for 3rd, still in the Cup and Mauricio was the focal point of the team and would've been my key man as I looked to challenge for the title next year. I'd already spent 6.25 million on him, showing that the board had some ambition, but just not enough I guess once the cash was put under their noses. Not just that, but it was right at the end of the transfer window so had no time to use any of the cash to sign a replacement; not that I could replace him, he was that good. Absolutely get fucked Stephen Thompson; you give me money, you let me put the foundations in and then ruin it all for a bit of green we aren't desperate for. On behalf of myself and the fans of Dundee Utd, thank you for ruining my season: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 An absolute heads gone from me. So here's February: Good month overall. Nice to get revenge on The Pars before a terrific display against Hearts to put us in the Scottish Cup quarter final. Losing at Parkhead wasn't a huge surprise; good win against Hibs before a disappointing draw against QOS; nice to see Marotta with a couple of goals, he's now our main striker with Mauricio gone, and although he's a good bit short on him ability wise he does have excellent potential. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 March: I'll admit it, I've been an absolutely seething mess since Mauricio was sold. Horrific display against Caley before our season was pretty much ended by losing at home to Celtic in the cup quarters; so so frustrating. If you want to win the cups then you need to beat the Old Firm when you get a chance to play them at home. At this point of the season we were well ahead of 4th in the league but had no hope of catching the Old Firm and were out the cups. The day after the Celtic game I resigned. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 12, 2021 Author Share Posted March 12, 2021 Now. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, It's actually been a few years since this happened in this game before I'm finally writing about it; I'm hoping that the thread can improve a lot with live updates but I also hope to present my "as was live" feelings at the time. However, my resignation from Dundee Utd is one of the regrets I have. I was so angry at the board selling our star player, followed by our season being pretty much over after the cup defeat that I didn't really want to finish the season and didn't trust the board in case they sold any other stars under my nose. That being said, the team had an excellent goalie, a back 4 with one superstar and the other 3 with potential to be great, a good midfield, decent young strikers, and I probably could have found a great striker with my Mauricio money. However, at the time, I just didn't feel it was right, so I went with my gut. I suppose it comes back to the nature of the challenge; I'm supposed to be jumping from club to club, so rather than have to take a step back at Utd it might have been right to leave in the spirit of the challenge. Still can't help thinking what could have been if I stayed. Anyway, here's the final table: As you can see Utd ended up in a league of their own; miles off the Old Firm but way ahead of everybody else. Delighted to see QOS stay up again. Here's the Best XI for the season: My leaving has had an impact on this as we never played a 352, I was normally a 451 or 4231. What a season for Vertonghen, and just look at Mauricio. 14 goals in 23 games, what could have been Thompson, what could have been. Due the formation change, both left back Maxwell and right back Ally Thomson miss out, but both were very young,had great seasons and will only get better. Most other players have been mentioned apart from Gokhan Tore, he was an AMC/FC who despite looking decent didn't really do it for me. He obviously turned it on for the new manager! Spoiler below for something that happens well in the future. Spoiler My season at Utd was season 2013/14. In 2022 Scotland reached the World Cup Final and wouldn't you know it, 3 of the back 4 are from my Dundee Utd team; Thomson, Maxwell and Docherty. We would play England of all teams, but infuriatingly despite equalising late on Scotland lost it in stoppage time. Who scored England's winning goal? Romeo Marotta. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 13, 2021 Author Share Posted March 13, 2021 Resigning in March I'd hoped to have been given the opportunity to take over somewhere near the end of the season but unfortunately for me nobody got sacked. However, once the playoffs had been completed the team who finished 9th in the First Division and subsequently relegated sacked their boss, unfortunately he was a regen rather than a real manager. The club I ended up at? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 The Clyde team I've joined are in a financial mess being over 400 grand in debt so I don't have much room for maneuver with transfers. The first team squad is tiny although there are a number of players who should be good for the Second Division with names such as Steve Wright who is a big centre back and Alex Walker who can play all over the back and midfield. Midfield itself is the strongest area with Ryan Flynn on the right wing and Jim Rice on the left while there's Stuart Kettlewell in the middle along with one of my favourite players of this save so far, Jordan Murch, who I had at Montrose. Also in central midfield is James Sheridan who has come through the youth ranks as a regen and is a Premier League quality player who can also play centre back. Up front there's Dene Shields and another one of my ex-players in Alex MacDonald who was a back=up at QOS, but should be good in this league. First up, players out: Although light at the back I couldn't reject 18K for McDaid as it freed up some wages. Monti wasn't good enough and the other two were of no use at all. This allowed me to bring in the following: Chris Manganello is an American centre back / centre mid who was released by Celtic. A very good all round player and good physical stats for a youngster, very happy with this signing and he'll be my first choice centre back. The one area lacking was goalkeeper as the only one at the club was useless. Liam McCarthy is an excellent keeper for this league and delighted to get him for free. Steven Kinniburgh is comfortable at centre back and left back and I'd be happy to start him regularly at either. Marco Pelosi is another familiar name having stayed at Montrose after I left. He's not as physical or strong defensively as Kinniburgh but is a better footballer and better attacking, he'll be my starting left back. David Cox gives me another option up front, I'm hoping we can be the same nuisance for me as he is in real life. Connor Cassidy is a central midfielder brought in to beef up the squad as he costs me nothing. It's a strong area but he's good enough to come in if need be. Kevin O'Brien gives me a second option on the left wing and again isn't costing me a penny. That's us ready for the season, a really small squad but the quality is there. Come on The Bully Wee! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 July/August: Happy enough with that start and delighted to win away at First Division Airdrie in the Challenge Cup on the opening day. Only 1 point from the 1st 2 league games but happy to then win 3 in a row scoring plenty with numerous different goal scorers. We beat Annan on penalties to reach the Challenge Cup quarter final and didn't disgrace ourselves losing to Inverness. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 September: Always good to have an undefeated month. Two excellent home wins with one putting us into the Challenge Cup Semi Final and two away points. October: Well my focus was on the league, but what a result for The Bully Wee to go to Firhill and beat Partick Thistle to make the Challenge Cup Final. I will play St Mirren in the final so not expecting to win, but it's nice to have the opportunity. Good home win against a solid Montrose side and a huge win away at Morton who will be challenging for the league. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 Challenge Cup Final: Spoiler GET IN THERE!!! An absolutely terrific performance to claim the Challenge Cup in style. That's the first cup ticked off of the list and I didn't expect it this season. We had to beat 3 First Division teams on the way so did it the hard way. I actually played this game when I was on a plane coming home from Fuerteventura and had to hold myself back from roaring with joy; could clock the guy on the aisle next to me watching too. Thought it a bit much to buy a wee Champagne on the plane so a 6 Euro can of Punk IPA sufficed for celebration. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 November: OK overall despite the loss at Livi, made worse by them being a poor side this season. We were knackered for the midweek game with Ayr but at least we kept a clean sheet. Very happy with a point away to Stirling as they're contenders too. Made hard work of 3rd Division Alloa but got through in the end, although could've done without the extra midweek game. December: Happy to keep up the home form but only 1 point from consecutive trips to Angus; disappointing to lose after scoring twice at Montrose as we've been pretty solid. Although I don't have a screenshot I've done a quick tally, and at the end of the year the league standings were as follows: 1st: Stirling - 39 points 2nd: Clyde - 33 points 3rd: Morton - 32 points 4th: Montrose - 32 points 5th: Forfar - 24 points 6th: Brechin - 21 points 7th: East Stirlingshire - 20 points 8th: Livingston - 15 points 9th: Annan - 13 points 10th: Ayr Utd - 11 points Top 4 pretty clear already, I'm happy with my overall from but Stirling have been great. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 January: What an excellent month! 3 excellent away wins and a crucial win over Morton. The highlight was what might be the best result of my save so far. Never expected anything away to Killie in the Cup; we rode our luck at times but made a good number of chances ourselves so it wasn't just a cash and grab. Another month where the goals were shared throughout the squad. No January signings posted, I did bring in 2 players on loan just to have as back up but neither ended up playing so no point posting them! February: The cup run ended at Parkhead but it was a good performance. Crucially, making the last 16 and splitting the gates with Killie and Celtic has wiped out the debt completely. Brilliant result against Stirling but again a midweek match costs me as we were tired going to Glebe Park. Would've been good to end the month with a win but at least my undefeated league run is still going. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 March: Manganello getting us two important away goals; happy with a point at Morton but not so happy to fail to beat Livi. Another good 3 points at home with a clean sheet. All of this left the top 4 looking like this with 6 games to go: 1st: Stirling - 64 points 2nd: Clyde - 61 points 3rd: Morton - 57 points 4th: Montrose - 49 points Montrose out of it but still wide open. As much as our form has been good Stirling and Morton have been consistently good too. Will make for an exciting end of the season. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 19, 2021 Author Share Posted March 19, 2021 Match Day 31: Dominant win again. Stirling went to Montrose and got a draw but Morton went to Station Park and were dished out a swift telt by the Loons to nearly put them out of the title race. Thank you Angus. Match Day 32: What a huge point! Another goal at an important time from Manganello, that's him scored in 4 out of the last 5 games. Morton gave themselves hope with a win over Livi leaving the standings like this: 1st: Stirling - 66 points 2nd: Clyde - 65 points 3rd: Morton - 60 points 4 games to go 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 Match Day 33: We've dished out a few 3 n easy results this season and great to get another big win when it mattered; haven't said before but we have a decent goal difference advantage should points become tied. Huge result for me at Firs Park as Stirling lost 1-0 to The Shire and Morton also fail once again in Angus being held to a draw by Brechin. 1st: Clyde - 68 points 2nd: Stirling - 66 points 3rd: Morton - 61 points What a time to hit top spot for the first time this season! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoonsYouthTeam Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 Match Day 34: What was I saying about Angus being kind to me? My 2nd 0-0 away to Forfar this season, my home town team have done me over here, chance for Stirling to go level on points again. Spoiler And they do. What better game for them to have than at home to bottom of the pile Livi. Morton beat Ayr too so they're not out of it yet. 1st: Clyde - 69 points +36 GD 2nd: Stirling - 69 points +26 GD 3rd: Morton - 64 points +22 GD Still in my own hands 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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