Dan does the Pentagon Challenge

[Dan+]

FIXING THE KOREAN TITANIC

Right, so like I said, the scene is this - we are in serious trouble. We're bottom of the table after 15 games, with just 7 measly points all season, 1 win, 4 draws and 10 defeats, and we sit 7 points behind the team in 11th. The board want me to just not finish bottom, as bottom are relegated, 2nd bottom are in a play-off against 2nd in the 2nd division. I think we can do it, but we're going to need a bit of a fix in the transfer window.

I'm presented with a baptism of fire. My opening game will be against Jeonbuk. They are the best team in the league, the Johor of South Korea essentially. So what better could I do than adapt the tactic so reliable at Terengganu. I have done this on previous FMs and it has failed as I've tried to get a team playing a type of football that was effective at a lesser side, at someone bigger, but this is a little different. It's largely about counter attacking and with players that for the most part are capable, I think it's the right idea.

It really is the absolute dream start. You could not have possibly had anything better happen. We win 2-1 with the last kick of the game as Turkish winger Goktug Unuvar goes through on goal and forces one of those moments where you make an absolute tit of yourself, genuinely throwing your arms in the air at a computer screen. What a start.

We then go away to Pohang Steelers, a side I'd love to make a statement at given they overlooked me, but sadly we're poor and are beaten 2-0. Honeymoon period over already? We then draw our next three games, though they were all against teams in the top half. To say I had 6 points from my opening 5 after Gangwon had 7 points from their opening 15, and given we'd played largely better sides, I'm happy - but we need to start winning some games because we're playing catchup, and you'll achieve nothing if you spend your time comparing yourself to the worst version of yourselves. We then lose at 8th placed Seongnam from a leading position and my concerns are back, and they're compounded by a cup exit at the hands of fellow strugglers Daejeon.

The truth be told, bar a great first result, it's not really going very well. I have improved things, but it needs to be improved quicker, we need more goals, the players don't like me and don't rate me. Things need to change. Thankfully, we're given a transfer window...

[Dan+]

FIXING THE KOREAN TITANIC PART 2

I make a few moves in this window. The good thing at Gangwon is that, despite the worrying financial projections, we currently have a bit of money to play with. I'm not given tonnes of room for manoeuvre in the window because we have maxed out our foreigner usage (5 foreign players can be registered) and I see no signs that any will leave, so we're left going for Koreans without much to scout.

I decide that anybody who wants out can go. Nobody is indespensible in this team. We need players who want to play for us (for now!) and I actually sell a couple of my starting players, notably an ageing defender to Kashima Antlers who's performances for us I'm frankly calling revenge for beating me 5-1 with Terengganu, and a Serbian/Korean midfielder who wants more game time, two decisions that go down badly with an already sceptical squad. I bring in 4 players, one of them from USA who happens to be a Korean that came through there (and he's actually really quite decent), a centre half from Seongnam for £250k who is comfortably an improvement on the clown I sold to Kashima, and then I raid Busan of the second tier for a couple of players they've transfer listed for some stupid reason, one of which is a young box to box, ball winning type of midfielder and the other is a quick striker. We're not the finished article and we didn't actually spend much, but I've at least got some of my own men in now. 4-1-4-1 is going to be the tactic for a while. We have, at least, become a little harder to beat.

But the next game feels crucial, where a win is badly needed, at home to 11th placed Gwangju. If we lose this we're fucked. We don't. We win 3-1 and I feel a huge sense of relief. We follow it up then by beating Suwon 2-0 (more Terengganu based revenge) with two late goals and getting two respectable draws, although we still cannot buy a win on the road. The gap is closing. The Gangwon Kodiaks are coming.

We then finally have an away win at army club Gimcheon Sangmu, a club that is entirely of loanees of players currently doing military service. I've no idea how this works but I feel like it's going to bite me at some point. Sadly it's followed up by our first home loss, Jeonbuk come again (we play each team 3 times, potentially 4 given the split, it's a bit like the SPL) and then our second, but we get an impressive victory at Daegu and we're off the bottom.

So that's as far as we've gotten. I'm going to be honest, I think we're going to survive fairly comfortably. Our form since I've come in has seen us pick up 20 points over 14 games, which at 1.42 points a game would put us 7th in the current K-League. I'm really satisfied with what's being done. The tactic is once again coming up trumps and we're never seemingly out of any game - even the losses have all been narrow. We're a tough nut to crack. The signings have all started well. It's not over yet, but the trajectory is highly encouraging and given how many sides are around our points tally I think we're going to be OK, with a relatively kind last 4 games as well before the league splits (including Daejeon at home) - which if I'm not mistaken will then give us another 5 games against bottom half teams.

We're going strongly. I'm glad I made the move.

Terengganu also went on to win the league. Their 61 game unbeaten league run was ended by Sarawak Utd (a club who average attendances of about 400) and 4 year long home run ended by Selangor (shock) but having virtually blown the league to Johor, they turned it around by winning the last two, one of which against Johor, to claim a third title. Delighted for them.

[Toinho]

2 hours ago, Dan said:

Oh I still do all of this. I spend plenty of time on that. I just cut the odd corner too. I think one thing that's a problem on FM is it's too easy to get a good backroom team so once that's set they can do my touring the world finding these gems while I piss off on holiday and rake in the credit because I know every now and then how to organise a team!

Oh and I'm 99% sure Tommy was joking.

That is true. I haven’t played FM for a few years. 

I am enjoying the write up! 

[Dan+]

I HAD ONE JOB

And did I do it? On you read.

This left us 10th in the league at the league split, fairly comfortably ahead of bottom placed Daejeon (of which beating them in a seriously tense game proved crucial) but we still had some work to do to steer totally clear of the play-off. Beating Seongnam courtesy of a late header from the defender they sold me was great as well.

So we had a run now against the rest of the bottom half. Lets just say things have gone quite to plan.

What a turnaround it's proven to be. We've ended up safe with absolute comfort in the end - demonstrating a solidarity at the back and danger on the break.

So having taken over with 7 points in 15 games, that means I took 40 points in the 25 games I had, which is 1.6 a game and on average, 61 a season, which incredibly would place us third in the table. The caveat of course is 5 of those 25 games, which saw us take 13 of those 40 points, did come after the league split and were all 'easier' fixtures so you can't really say we were the 3rd best team, but I dunno, I think it's without any doubt that this has proven a success so far. The players aren't 100% on board but they will be if we keep this up.

I aim high - I want a continental place next season.

I read it as if Korea gets 5 places in the AFC Champions League. None of them go into the AFC Cup (which is probably why I was able to win it with Terengganu) but this is dependant on the winners of the AFC Champions League and Korean Cup. I'm going to have a go at it anyway. I don't think we need an overhaul and think we've got a decent squad already, albeit with a couple of gaps. What I really need to do, I think, is to sell a foreign player or two so I can bring some better ones in - I've found a couple of really decent and attainable ones but they're pointless until we can register them.

But happy days. This is proving a success.

[Stan]

@Dan do you use the same tactic everywhere you go, and get the players in to suit that? Or purely work with players you have and what they may be used to, and then buy players fitting that?

[Dan+]

5 hours ago, Stan said:

@Dan do you use the same tactic everywhere you go, and get the players in to suit that? Or purely work with players you have and what they may be used to, and then buy players fitting that?

So far, the answer to this question is actually 'both'. At Terengganu I played a 4-1-4-1 in a game as I think we'd had some real shaky moments defensively and we won so convincingly that I just couldn't not stick with it, and I ended up doing it for years there knowing that it was a tactic teams would, at worst, struggle to break down.

I've used a similar one here, not so much trying to replicate the exact same side as Gangwon have significantly better players, but even more significantly better opposition, but it just happens to have suited the squad yet again to play this way - though I have devised something else a bit more attacking to use a bit too, and we've ripped some Chinese sides to bits in pre-season with it so it bodes well.

But no I won't stick solidly to one tactic. I tend to just find something that works and I'll play with that for a while. At Deportivo it was 4-3-1-2.

A lot of restrictions I've had has meant buying is quite difficult. Like I say, no extra foreigners allowed at Gangwon until one leaves and I'm not really in a strong enough position to start offering players out, although I appreciate plenty do do this, I think I just like the idea of a tight dressing room and I usually let anyone who wants to go, go.

[Dan+]

ONE YEAR OF GANGWON

Thought that hitting this period of the save was a good chance to reflect on the season I've had so far following the end of last year.

 

It's been a mixed bag - not quite at the level of how we finished, but not bad by any means either.

The most obvious takeaway from it is that the majority of our losses are against poorer sides. Ulsan aside (and even they have had a poor season) they're all against sides I'd have probably fancied us to beat.

It's difficult to draw any obvious conclusions because the table is, frankly, ridiculous.

So as you can see, actually, all four defeats were to teams below us!

The table is so tight you can barely draw any serious conclusions.

Where we probably should be encouraged is here - but yet again, all you can really see is an extremely tight table with very little between anybody. I think we'll probably finish about 5th or 6th which I believe doesn't lead to any kind of continental football, but there's so much to play for.

My signings are below. Extremely pissed off with my board though as they sold one of my best wingers for a paltry £425k. The three below cost around a million combined.

[Dan+]

THE GANGWON ANTHEM

Slightly different update here and not something related to the save bar it being my own club, but this tickled me - this is the actual anthem of Gangwon FC! It's not what you'll be expecting

 

[Dan+]

HOW GOES IT

So on we play. The objective, albeit ambitious is to try and sneak into the top 4 this season, but it isn't likely. We've had an unspectular start but I suppose at the same time, I have to remember I'm in charge of Gangwon, probably the smallest club in the league with the exception of Asan who are newly promoted, and Gimcheon who aren't really a serious club either - not in a competitive sense anyway.

We hit a quite sketchy period around May. Totally unimpressed by the final three games, a loss to a poor Gwangju side, a heavy loss at Suwon and a 3-0 win over Asan - a very weird game because it's obviously a good result, at home to the leagues weakest side, but we were poor and I'm seeing flaws in the system. This prompts me to make a change ahead of the Gimcheon game - I don't want to just 4-1-4-1 it round the world and I won't just stick to one system at all costs, so I reintroduce another old classic, a 4-4-2 I used to play with Esperanca de Lagos on FM21. It's inspired by Jose Bordalas at Getafe. It's compact, good on the break, a high line, but so much about breaking up the play to save energy for the high press when the ball is actually in play.

The early results in June encourage me. We're OK against Gimcheon, but the Pohang game, we absolutely battered them for large parts of it yet seemed to crumble at the end. Pohang really weren't the ones I wanted to become by bogey side given their snub but it's heading that way. We pick up an impressive win at Incheon then an even more impressive win in the cup, having made 8 changes we hold out league leading Suwon for 90 minutes then sucker punch them in added time. Sickeningly though we are given Jeonbuk away in the quarters - it's just vile luck to have Ulsan, Suwon and Jeonbuk before you even hit the semis. We then disappointingly round up with a loss at home to Daegu and our chances of a top 4 finish look a real pipedream, especially after key striker Jun Se-Jin gets a month long injury.

July is just shit.

I was impressed that we managed to go to Seongnam and win without Jun but the rest of the month is utter kack. The Jeonbuk loss was an absolute joke of a result to be honest, we somehow managed to concede 5 goals from 0.66 xG against which tells me the lack of quality we possess is the problem rather than the system. Suwon is actually a far worse performance but we keep the score down somewhat. 

We then make our only move of the mid-season window (I find it weird calling the mid-season window the 'summer window' and can't bring myself to do it). I realise we have a slot in our squad for a South East Asian player which widens the pool of talent somewhat, and even better given somehow Australia comes under this. We move to bring in the fantastically named Carlo del Mastro, a man who was destined to be a footballer the minute he was given that name.

He joins for a club record £1.1mil from Western United. He's a tough one because he doesn't naturally slot into this 4-4-2 I play but he's as good a player as we'll be able to attract at the minute and I feel I can find a way to make him work, without trying to recreate the Joao Felix conundrum. He's booked and injured in a miserable loss at Seoul on his debut. Fucking great.

I then decide it's time to go back to 4-1-4-1. I had a bit of a look at the data hub and it gives you a very useful metric, something I've really wanted for years - essentially it tells you your clear cut chance balanace in each formation. We're virtually neutral on the 4-4-2, yet on 4-1-4-1 it's +19!!! We were lacking goals but I'm thinking it's more a general lack of quality rather than the system, so I return to this. I think Del Mastro can work as a CM (A) as well, in-fact he's nearly ideal for the role.

Uzbek Jasurbek Jaloliddinov is worried that Del Mastro is here to take his place. Quite rightly so. Given the limit of foreign players we have I'm not really happy with any of my foreigners' performance, particularly Jalol who has been bang average at best since I've joined. I don't attempt to make up with him and feel I've become popular enough with the players now to risk pissing him off. He joins Wellington Phoenix on loan after the window shuts which frees up another foreigner slot, albeit an Asian only (remember it's 5 foreigners, one must be Asian, one must be South East Asian), and he's the 'Asian' slot.

I lied - it's weirdly after the 3-0 win over Pohang that I decide to revert back to 4-1-4-1. The backup keeper who was so dire against Jeonbuk produces a monumental display in this game and he's the main reason for what's probably our best result of the season (they're annoyingly 3rd). Things really pick up though. We pull the same trick out the bag in the Jeonbuk cup game, yet another very even game sees a dog shit goalkeeping display lead to us being hammered, but the other results are great. Ulsan have been massively underachieving this season but on the back of us having a tiring midweek cup game while they did nothing, I feared the worst, but we held them out brilliantly and sucker punched them right at the end.

Then we must talk of the Daegu win. For me the most complete performance I've seen at Gangwon. We totally battered them. They didn't have a shot until the 60th minute and we ought to have been 4 up at half time. In such a big game as well, when you look at the table.

At this point, you would probably back us, especially given Daegu have just lost again prior to our next game (Jeonbuk AGAIN). The table has taken some structure at last. I think we'll make the top 4 now, which I believe gives us a spot in the AFC Champions League. Entering that competition with a Korean team excites me. There's also a possibility we run into Terengganu, who've somehow nicked the league from under Johor's noses at the death again. I'm putting it down to a culture I instilled, naturally.

To say Gangwon have never finished above 6th, to say what a mess they were in when I took over, even if the points threshold is relatively low - yeah, I'm actually really quite happy with things, and that Daegu win really felt a statement. We've almost certainly qualified for the top half of the split now, which is great.

[Dan+]

FINISHING THE REGULATION SEASON

I'm just going to be a bit more abrupt this time. We have clicked. We really have. That Daegu game I felt was the start of us taking things to another level and nothing I've seen since makes me think otherwise.

We put in another respectable performance against Jeonbuk, and while they probably edged it over the 90, we put in enough of a defensive shift to not feel like we'd totally robbed them in my opinion. Remaining were three games against likely bottom half sides. It's a quite weird scenario, I'm not really used to league splits so as much as it felt like end of the season, nothing to play for, it very much isn't the case and we needed to garner as big an advantage as possible.

We made no mistake. We completed trebles over Asan and Incheon before demolishing struggling Seongnam at home despite going behind early. 

Basically, bar an absolutely bonkers swing either way, we've already finished 4th. We're 13 behind 3rd and 11 ahead of 5th. It's not mathematically official yet, but I cannot see any kind of swing that will prevent us finishing anywhere but 4th. Daegu aren't going to overthrow that, especially not with their form. Likewise I don't see Pohang slowing down. We'll plough on, hopefully bloody some noses in the process. We face Suwon on the final day so we could have a big say in the title winner. It'll also be interesting to see if Asan manage to survive. Fair fucking play to them. They were predicted to finish 9th in the K-League 2, won the league so I assumed they'd be a whipping boy, but they really have made a fist of it. I beat them three times but not a single one of them was all that convincing. They remind me of a poorer version of ourselves, and I firmly mean that as a compliment.

So having done a little digging, it's not all that clear cut. It appears that South Korea takes 4 Champions League places (no AFC Cup interestingly). The cup winner takes precedence over 4th in the league, so I have to keep an eye on what happens in that. It also means we'd go into a play-off, so again, no guaranteed spot. So I'm going to check two things.

The final is drawn. It's Jeonbuk v Incheon. So basically, we need a Jeonbuk win to get us that place. I think they'll do it but wouldn't it be sickening to miss out to a side we beat 3 times, especially given Jeonbuk were the ones who put us out.

But assuming they win, what happens? You go into a play-off as the 4th placed finishing team. So what happened in previous years, was the path tricky?

It looks to me like the 4th placed Korean team goes into an 8 team play-off and has a one-legged home tie against a team from one of the others, which I'm assuming is based on seeding. Basically, it looks quite favourable and in the 9 times there've been ties, only once did the Korean side not progress to the groups (Pohang, ha!).

So should the following happen:
- We finish 4th (I'm 99% sure this happens)
- Jeonbuk beat Incheon in the cup final (I'm 75% sure this happens)
- We beat a team from Japan, North Korea or Malaysia in the play-off (I'm 90% sure this happens)

Then we'd make the CL groups. The odds are with us. What terrifies me is it's not totally in our control.

[Dan+]

MXHANH

As the title says - machine (in Greek, don't ask, I just think it looks pretty cool). This is improbable. These games were a free hit for us because bar a huge swing, we finished 4th, and that's right, we did.

But not a single point was dropped. Not one. 5 wins from 5 - against the rest of the top half, and ultimately, the decider in the title race.

It's really, really reminding me of the start of the great stuff at Terengganu. We went on this run where I thought this just has to yield titles.

Given we've just handed it to Jeonbuk, the absolute least they can do is win the cup and give us a Champions League place.

The three talking points in the post-split league were...

Pohang 1-2 Gangwon - We go behind early to the leagues swashbuckling, league leading scorers but equalise soon, edge the game and pinch it through a Sim Won-Seong header in injury time. 3rd remains a mathematical possibility but it goes in the next game as Pohang win their fixture. We are confirmed 4th.

Gangwon 3-2 Jeonbuk - This was just a mental game, one of the most ridiculous I've seen on this FM. 0-0 at half time but absolutely caught fire. We somehow posted an xG of 4.67 which is absurd against a side as good as Jeonbuk, although it was largely helped by a Jun Se-Jin double scuff at an open goal and a late penalty. This game ended a 17 game unbeaten run of Jeonbuk's, but Suwon's loss at Pohang meant that the title race went to the final day, with Suwon and Jeonbuk locked level on points. We've possibly stuffed Jeonbuk here, it's in Suwon's hands.

To say we did it as well without Del Mastro. We finish the season with an extraordinary eight wins in a row, 38 points from our final 14 games. The final third of the season is the type of form a title winning side would produce. Can we do it next season?

My fears, unfortunately, are no. I think we're good, but we lack depth and this run is pretty extraordinary. We're also losing a couple of players to Gimcheon, including Jeong (CB) and Park (CM) who are both regulars that'll be hard to replace. Add in the possibility of continental football too, it's going to be very tough, but the job don't forget is about continental success at all!

We are still yet to find out if we're even in it. Due to fixture rearrangements, the Jeonbuk Incheon double header has been a bit delayed - the cup final is over two legs which I think is terrible, albeit, I think it decreases the chance of an upset. Can Incheon really beat them over two legs?

One final thing, we've inherited an absolutely superb young goalkeeper in our intake. He's a huge, huge prospect and somebody I will keep tabs on throughout the save.

Dear Jeonbuk. I did my bit. You do yours. Kind regards.

[Dan+]

JEONBUK

The final is over two legs as stated, which I think is ridiculous, but they've got the Champions League final inbetween those legs which I'm not keen on. I can't prove this but I don't feel like it's a regular occurrence for a team to bag three trophies in the space of about two weeks. I'm convinced Jeonbuk are dropping something here, and the league is already in the bag.

Jeonbuk win the home leg 2-1 so it remains a tense situation for me. I'd have been a lot easier if they'd just won it 3-0 and we could all rest easily, but nope, I choose to attend the second leg.

Jeonbuk then lose the Champions League final to Emirati side Shabab Al-Ahli, which was a bit of a surprise it must be said.

A series of events follows this which leads to a quite interesting scenario. I complete my continental A license and my reputation jumps to 3 stars, and attributes rise too. The next day is the second leg and I choose to attend the game. It's a drab affair but Jeonbuk ease virtually all fears with a 40th minute goal awarded by VAR, 3-1 on aggregate, they nullify a largely poor Incheon in the second half and they win the cup. Gangwon are in the Champions League!!!

The media are however at a bit of a loss to explain why I was spotted in the stands at the game, not clocking on that it's basically Gangwon's biggest game of the season. Then, to my surprise, Jeonbuk sack their manager and I'm installed as the immediate favourite. My attendance at the cup final is starting to be pinned on me being lined up to replace their manager. This is all coming as a bit of a surprise, but the more I think about it, the more I start to relish it.

The elephant in the room though is that Jeonbuk sacked a manager who just won them the league, the cup, and got them to the Champions League final. If I get offered the job, I'm going, but it feels a bit of a risk too - am I basically out of the door if I don't win the big one? But at the same time, it's the best job I can possibly wish for in Asia. They dwarf everyone else in Korea's budget and have comfortably the best team, albeit ageing. If I can get anything like the same level relative to their ability that I have at previous clubs, then I think we'll win it.

-----

But the wait just goes on. I'm constantly linked, but other names get drawn into the debate as well. It's all very slow moving and then at the start of January, Jeonbuk go and take Incheon's manager and that's that. I'm really not quite getting how he's got it, but they'll have their reasons. I'm not unhappy at Gangwon. We're in the Champions League and we're just a game away from the group stage.

And who is that game against?

It was just written that we'd get the Malaysian team. We had one of four sides we could draw but as soon as I saw the options I knew what was coming. Quite dauntingly it's the team who've given me the most problems at Terengganu, but it's not a side I fear, we are vastly superior to them and I'll be gutted if we don't deliver victory.

We don't disappoint.

Selangor are no match. They don't absolutely collapse like I think they might and they do largely limit us to long range efforts, but we were never in any doubt about qualifying. We're into the group stage and being there with a Korean side excites me. I knew that with Terengganu I had virtually no chance, but at Gangwon I have quite recently beaten some of the best Asia has to offer in our own league. Given the objective is to win this tournament, I'm putting emphasis on going far in it. I don't expect to win it, partly because I'm not convinced we'll hit the heights of last season, but we'll be having a go.

We are handed in my opinion, a very generous group.

In this competition there are 10 groups of 4, split east and west. So on our side, east, there are 5 groups and from those 8 teams will qualify - the 5 group winners, and the 3 best runners up.

I think given the opposition we'll go through as at worst, one of the best runners up. I think both us and Melbourne will go through as we're both a lot better than the other two. Maybe Chiangrai will be a banana skin. LC Sailors were my first ever opposition at Terengganu and I beat them.

My league campaign kicks off soon. I've brought a couple of players in, mainly just to replace those who've had to go to Gimcheon on loan, but I do want another couple potentially. It does surprise me on this game how willing K-League clubs are to part with their decent youngsters for really modest fees, but it makes our job a bit easier given we do tend to get a little money to play with.

[Dan+]

EARLY 2028

Time for another update as we've played out our Champions League group and have played everyone in the league once.

I have to say, we're going from strength to strength. I knew after 'that' Daegu win last season something had clicked into place but the form we have demonstrated since it has been simply phenomental, almost implausible of a side that looked destined for the drop less than two years ago.

We've been excellent in both competitions, and I really think we're showing the form of a side that's going to win something this season.

 

K-League

We've been brilliant, although I've probably picked a terrible time to write this  I just planned to once I'd played 11 games!

Following on from the 8 won in a row last season, we won our opening 4 this season and became the first team in K-League history to win 12 games in a row, which again just feels a surreal achievement for a team of our supposed stature. Naturally we'd throw a game against Pohang just a game later, for old times sake.

Once again though we've beaten the bigger sides - many of them away from home as well. Two wins in a row against Jeonbuk and two wins in a row away at Suwon. Unheard of territory for Gangwon.

But I can't lie - I think the wheels are starting to come off a little bit. It started against Daegu with a real wobble, and then finally our 24 game unbeaten run was ended by Asan, a team I've talked up before. We never, ever play well against Asan even when we win, and this was no different. We picked up red cards in both of those two games and conceded at the death.

The fixture congestion has arrived and the injuries are following, including a 3 month injury to turnaround defender Sim Won-Seong, somebody I nicknamed 'Something Wrong' for a while when he kept moaning about not being in the team. Fair play to him though, I gave him a chance and he's been superb.

Carlo Del Mastro has been phenomenal as well, but unfortunately I think it's a matter of time until he's gone. He's too good for this side and sadly, he knows it. Lyon are interested, with the summer coming soon and a meagre £1.7mil foreign club release clause in his contract I've already reluctantly accepted he leaves half way through. Time for the scouts to pull another out of the bag! Given the players we've lost to Gimcheon on military service I think we've generally replaced them excellently, but this is going to be a huge ask, he really is a class player, the best in our side and I'd guess one of the best in the league too, he's really added goals to his game - which was the only thing missing.

We sit top of the pile. Absolutely well earned if you ask me. The best attack, the best defence. I probably didn't give enough credit to winning away at Incheon. What's really interesting is the top boys seem to be taking some time off. Jeonbuk's decision to take Incheon's manager in the summer rather than me looks absolutely hilarious when you look at that table, given the performance of the three clubs in question. Jeonbuk being so poor really is opening up an interesting season. They're a bit like Johor are in Malaysia - they finally blow everyone else out of the water and they're expected to win the league, so seeing this happen to them is a surprise. Don't be surprised if that post becomes free again this season, they won't tolerate this garbage. Being 13 points off the top after 11 games is embarrassing.

 

AFC Champions League

No mistakes made from us. We win the group with a nearly impeccable record. No errors against the minnows, and the trip to Melbourne resulted in probably the best game I've been a part of on FM22.

The most extraordinary, logic defying game. I returned to the stadium I was once beaten 4-1 with Terengganu, albeit by the other Melbourne side. We went ahead fairly early on but a pretty mix and matched Gangwon side fell to pieces, with a winger at left back we never looked comfortable (though he did OK in the circumstances) and were 4-1 down just after the break. This actually put our qualification place in some slight jeopardy. Matters made even worse when I'm forced into bringing on 17 year old Choi Yang-Joon at 4-2 down but he barely puts a foot wrong, and we pull off the unlikeliest comeback courtesy of some shoddy defending and an absolutely inspired Jun Se-Jin, who is going to go down in folklore at this club. The equaliser is one of those goals I actually celebrated like a real one

Melbourne's shortcomings in the games against us, as well as a defeat to Chiangrai saw them eliminated from the competition. 16 teams remained, 8 from the west, 8 from the east. Who would we be facing?

Didn't you just know it?

Absolutely laughable.

The game isn't until September as you can see so it's probably pointless overly analysing it. We've been playing well against Jeonbuk, but then so have many teams in recent times. They're a shambles and I cannot help but feel the landscape is going to have shifted significantly by the time this game arrives. I mean, don't tempt fate, but might I be managing them?!

I don't know if I can do it to Gangwon! We have something going here.

A few details about this competition...

- It's a straight knockout now from the last 16, but every tie is one legged, so drawing Jeonbuk at home is crucial I think as I've never won at their place. The draw with Daegu ended a run of 15 straight home wins for us in all competitions, but we're unbeaten there in over 6 months.

- Following this tie, 8 teams left, the draws for the quarters, semis and final are made. Now I know you'll wonder "why the final" but given it's over one leg, this is quite critical as we'll play it at home or away. An away tie to a west Asian side (east & west are kept apart until the final, I personally would change that and make it maybe open from the quarters but who am I to say) would be absolutely solid and probably beyond us, even despite this effort so far this season.

Exciting times, although I feel we've got a little bit of a storm to ride through here. It would be sad to see this run of form yield no silverware.

[Dan+]

STRUGGLES

Think I'm just going to do an update every time I've played 11 league games, so every time we've played every other team again.

Things have definitely taken a bit of a turn for the worse. Not a disaster, but there was a point not so long ago where I thought we looked a real bet for the league title and now I think it's going to be very difficult.

It's not a crisis but it's quite a farcry from what was being served up earlier in the season. I think the injury to Sim Won-Seong, my centre half was pretty crucial and you only have to look at the number of goals we're conceding after it to spot a pattern.

We responded well to losing to Asan but we were incredibly lucky to not lose at home to Suwon, needed injury time to win at Daegu, then went on our worst run in ages. If you look we're actually winless since April at home! Some of the points thrown away were riduclous, like the Ulsan and Seoul draws, games we were comfortably the better side in, but the loss at Gwangju and draw at Incheon were pretty poor displays and even the win at Busan, very good scoreline but it massively flattered us.

I just knew Asan would beat us again. I say it every time we face them but they really do know how to nullify our game. We collapsed in that game and were 3 down after 11 minutes. We looked like completing an unlikely comeback but conceded a penalty at the end, a real shitter of a game where I started to think the reality has hit us somewhat. Jeonbuk's form has upturned a bit so I was really happy to see us go there and draw 1-1 from behind for the third time on the spin, a game we actually played really well in, so there's hope yet.

If you were to take a look at the xG table however, there is a clear title favourite for me, and it's Suwon.

And it doesn't surprise me. They were excellent away here, and they often are. They battered us but just couldn't find a way through. What's hilarious though is how bad Jeonbuk are. Quite remarkable that a side of their talent is 4th despite being the biggest xG over-performers in the division their manager hasn't got long left on that showing.

There's definitely something brewing with us and Jeonbuk. Not only do we play them in the Champions League but it comes just two games after another league meeting at our place, and if we both win our cup quarter final fixtures (which is likely too by the way) we'll face them yet again just after that. Don't forget the quite likely possibility of us both finishing in the top half - it's plausible we face them six times this season and five of them at home.

Not a great deal more to say for now. We have Pohang at home in the cup but like I say, probably Jeonbuk at home in the semis if we go through. We should, but it's not a given.

The transfer window has opened, so time to look at a couple of things.

-----

I've got a situation with my foreign player allowance. In South Korea you are allowed five foreign players but of those, one must be Asian, and one must be South East Asian. My current situation...

Foreigner 1: Gustavo Guzman (Mexico)
Foreigner 2: Hörður Ingi Gunnarsson (Iceland)
Foreigner 3: Goktug Unuvar (Turkey)
Asian: -
South East Asian: Carlo Del Mastro (Australia)

So no Asian player having loaned out, and then sold Uzbek midfielder Jasurben Jaloliddinov back to his homeland. I find it odd how Australia is classed as South East Asian but I'm not complaining, because Del Mastro is a class player, one of the very best in the K-League and recently attracted interest from Lyon - though luckily they've passed, and I say luckily because I'd only see £1.7mil and I think given the foreigner restrictions he's virtually irreplaceable.

Gunnarsson is our utility player, very much a jack of all trades but he's going back to Iceland at the start of next season so that'll free a slot. Guzman has also been here five years, and is awaiting his paperwork so this should free up another slot. My mid-season window business will be dictated somewhat by what offers I get for my players and how quickly they process Guzman's paperwork. I wish they'd hurry the fuck up. I quite like my squad but it's a little light and we need a bit more, particularly at left back and defensive midfield. The latter is a worry because the midfielder I bought from Busan upon my arrival as a bit of a squad filler, has developed into a seriously tidy player and has attracted interest from Dortmund. Again, I'd find him virtually irreplaceable.

Finally, I've also caved on my superb young keepers contract. In Korea you can't play in the first team until you have a senior contract, but he can't sign one until he turns 17 - and amazingly he's already good enough to start. The good news is he'll get some gametime probably this season and for a bit of next. The bad news is we'll lose him for £1.3mil when people cotton how good he is. We have another good young keeper on the way according to my intake report, but I tend to find the descriptions they give your young players a bit misleading. I'll be amazed if he's anything like the one I've already got. This bloke I legitimately believe can play for a top team in the world. South Korea are sorted in goal for 20 years with this kid.

[Dan+]

FUCK MY LIFE

No sooner did I turn back to my news feed. We're fucked. I thought they'd all lost interest but the vultures are about to ruin my season.

I think you can kiss goodbye any trophies when this goes through sadly. I've found a good midfielder, not quite as good as him in my opinion but he's Croatian so I'll need the Guzman paperwork to get a move on.

Park has been a revelation since he joined from Incheon. I love Jun and he will put in a shift, but Park is a class above him in my opinion and I think he's good enough to play for a team in say Ligue 1 / Bundesliga.

We've done some really good things but we are meeting the tough realities of being a small club in this league. I'll consider it one of my greatest FM achievements if we take the Champions League title this year.

[Toinho]

I can't recall - can you reject that Del Mastro offer or did he have a release clause?

[Dan+]

21 minutes ago, Toinho said:

I can't recall - can you reject that Del Mastro offer or did he have a release clause?

£1.7mil to foreign clubs release clause. I actually think this is a bit of a farce in that Marseille have given up after I've rejected that offer, and Del Mastro hasn't kicked up any kind of fuss about me rejecting it Rennes have just done the same.

I'm still in August though - can see a mile off that somebody just pays it on deadline day. Baffling that they would haggle like that though. Marseille would barely notice the money leaving them.

[Toinho]

2 hours ago, Dan said:

£1.7mil to foreign clubs release clause. I actually think this is a bit of a farce in that Marseille have given up after I've rejected that offer, and Del Mastro hasn't kicked up any kind of fuss about me rejecting it Rennes have just done the same.

I'm still in August though - can see a mile off that somebody just pays it on deadline day. Baffling that they would haggle like that though. Marseille would barely notice the money leaving them.

Haha, crazy. You'd think he would be like wtf I want to go to France. You must give great post game blow jobs.

[Dan+]

8 hours ago, Toinho said:

Haha, crazy. You'd think he would be like wtf I want to go to France. You must give great post game blow jobs.

Sadly not good enough as I think the latest Rennes' bid has changed his mind a bit and now he wants out. I'm adamant somebody activates it before the end of August.

[Dan+]

ANOTHER UPDATE FT THE REHEARSAL

It's quite a peculiar situation when you're top of the league, unprecedented for the club you're at, yet your focus still happens to be on a game that's ages away, against a side you'll face in the league anyway.

We hit the summer window, but I was filled with dread more than anything.

A mixed bag but obvious improvement towards the end.

The Daejeon result must be addressed. Probably the worst result I've had on this save since losing to PJ City all those years ago in the Piala Malaysia. They're bottom of the table and won here like that. It was a freak of a game to be fair, we had no forwards available but even so, for all the games for the goalkeeper to drop a clanger. Daejeon scored from distance three times, in about the only three times they entered our half.

The summer window saw very little business - just a young midfielder arriving from Daegu although firmly as backup for now anyway.

Things have taken a huge twist at Suwon. I tipped them as the title winners in the last update but it's all fallen to pieces, in a stunning 0-5 loss to a bang average Daegu their whole season seemed to fall to bits and the 0-3 win there, our third in a row at the Big Bird (that's genuinely their ground name) saw the end of their manager, and yet another significant post in the K-League that I'd become favourite for, although unlike Jeonbuk there was seemingly never any genuine interest.

We drew the rehearsal against Jeonbuk in what could only be described as the worst game of the season, interestingly.

The real thing was soon to come. There were a couple of twists. They weren't good.

----

The most farcical rule I have seen to date is that I couldn't make any squad registration changes ahead of this game from the group stage. So my striker Park, signed in February, who missed the deadline to play in the group stages, now can't play in a knockout game in September. What on earth is that all about?

To make matters worse, Jun is suspended. My young backup to those up front is injured. Three of my defence are out. We are fucked I think. We play a league game against Busan just before and win the game 3-0 but I can't even be happy about it. I cannot believe this is a rule. What an utter nonsense.

Never more does this all hit home when I see the bench I'm forced into playing. I'm forced into playing a winger up front, a winger at left back, two of my five subs (we can name seven) are goalkeepers, two of them are youth players and the other is a half fit Gunnarsson. It's an utter shambles.

And sadly, it proves the end of the road.

I think in very tricky circumstances we don't play a bad game, but I barely have a sub I can even use so opt not to bother other than to waste time late on if needs be - and we didn't, as Jeonbuk got a late winner.

I'll have to consider this for next season but it doesn't make it any less sickening. By the looks of it you can change the registration after this round, but what's the use? We're not in it.

So the focus is entirely on the domestic campaign now.

It feels far too soon for another big game, but it's actually Incheon away next. We have Daegu and Asan (gulp) to round off the regular league season before the split, and don't forget, it's yet another game at home to Jeonbuk in the cup too.

Pretty gutted. That one stings. But we're almost certainly in it next season, and we'll go into it wiser.

[Dan+]

END OF THE REGULAR SEASON... AND ANOTHER CUP RUN

It's a bit of a play on words. With the greatest of regrets I must announce that Gangwon and Jeonbuk are at it again. The regular season has ended... and so his the run in the KFA Cup. Lightning strikes twice.

For the second time in two weeks, Jeonbuk have arrived and put us out of a cup. They go on to face... Daejeon, fucking Daejeon, in the final. Their luck is just sickening.

This really is a huge opportunity blown in my opinion. Especially having been gifted the opening goal early on and looking fairly comfortable.

Once again, I feel fatigue and the lack of depth in the squad is what's killing us. It's hard to recruit within such constraints, I've been playing a converted centre half at left back all season (though he is both left footed and quick which helps). I'm torn on whether I should just bring in a couple of regular players, squad padders, from other clubs.

We needed shooting for this one though. Jeonbuk were awful yet once again they just seem to have that ability to take what little that create. I feared the worst when they equalised because I could tell we didn't have loads left in the tank, and ultimately not adding any more in the first half killed us.

So it just leaves the K-League. I mean, it's a mammoth trophy, the highest rated league on the continent.

We went away to Incheon United just after the CL loss to Jeonbuk and grabbed a 0-0 draw. We totally deserved it as well, if anything we deserved more. I'm happy enough to just not lose to Incheon at this point as they're our surprise title rival, and given the tough game midweek, we did really well I think.

I followed this with the biggest win I've had at Gangwon, by beating Daegu 5-0, a thoroughly successful afternoon for the new formation though I do think on the balance of play 5-0 was a 'little' flattering despite the obvious encouraging signs. There's no way you can spin a 5-0 win negatively though.

The Jeonbuk cup game came after this and then we went away to the scariest of all - Asan.

On such a downer from the Jeonbuk FA Cup loss, with the players playing on empty and no less than four of them being recommended a rest, I really didn't want a trip to the side that seems to stifle us better than anybody else. I abandoned the 4-1-4-1 and went for the more attacking system because they did struggle with that when they won here. We deliver. It's a 0-2 victory and even better news is that Asan finish 7th, meaning there's no more game against them (though Jeonbuk amazingly were the side that held 6th).

Jeonbuk's latest loss prompted their manager to get the sack just before their CL tie at Beijing Guo'an. I'm not in the running this time. The only consolation is they've got a run of three away games to the final, including the final being in west Asia, so we wouldn't have had it easy at all.

So the league splits. You have the pre-season top three sat 6th, 5th and 4th respectively while the actual top three were predicted to finish 7th (us), 9th (Incheon) and 5th (Seoul) so it's been a really strange season.

With just five games left it would be absolutely criminal to not lift the title from here. It would be a major achievement in the save and once again, I think elevates my reputation, building one very much as somebody who'll deliver trophies which can never be a bad thing! But we aren't there yet.

Our schedule is interesting. I actually think it's virtually done if we beat Incheon. But if we lose the pressure is going to seriously be on us. This Incheon game is enormous. There is no side I've had the better of more since taking over at Gangwon, but this is a giant game, one of the biggest of the save yet.

Just one final thing - Terengganu finished 7th. Fucking seventh!!!! Absolutely criminal. Their manager has been sacked and I don't blame them one bit.

[Toinho]

Ooooh good luck.

A title here, ACL next season, then off to Europe.... haha

[Dan+]

1 hour ago, Toinho said:

Ooooh good luck.

A title here, ACL next season, then off to Europe.... haha

That's got to be the aim really. I think we've got to absolutely bottle the title from here and put together our worst run in a long time. I think if we avoid defeat at Incheon it's virtually done.

I won't be going to Europe next. My plan is to finish in Europe.

Next would probably be Africa. It isn't set in stone and I'd join any of Africa, North America or South America, but I think what I'll probably do is wait for the first big underachieving team in South Africa and go for it. It's a shame there's only South Africa on the game.

Went for Kaizer Chiefs' job after leaving Terengganu but they'd already gone for someone else.

I still think winning a CL 'might' be beyond Gangwon because this is a really good squad by our standards, but maybe winning a title will increase the chance we keep it together better. Still think Del Mastro and Shin Hae-Won will be off soon though, and I fully expect Park Jin-Hyeon to be the next one the vultures go for.

[Toinho]

2 hours ago, Dan said:

That's got to be the aim really. I think we've got to absolutely bottle the title from here and put together our worst run in a long time. I think if we avoid defeat at Incheon it's virtually done.

I won't be going to Europe next. My plan is to finish in Europe.

Next would probably be Africa. It isn't set in stone and I'd join any of Africa, North America or South America, but I think what I'll probably do is wait for the first big underachieving team in South Africa and go for it. It's a shame there's only South Africa on the game.

Went for Kaizer Chiefs' job after leaving Terengganu but they'd already gone for someone else.

I still think winning a CL 'might' be beyond Gangwon because this is a really good squad by our standards, but maybe winning a title will increase the chance we keep it together better. Still think Del Mastro and Shin Hae-Won will be off soon though, and I fully expect Park Jin-Hyeon to be the next one the vultures go for.

True, was thinking when to move to Africa, etc. As your rep rises Europe could be the end game couldn't it?

A big side in North or South America would be a good move next, but then what about Africa? I didn't realise it was only SA in it! Of course this is assuming an ACL is won. I would imagine you wouldn't want to move from Asia just yet? (depending on what came up - as you'd have to go back one day anyway haha)

[Dan+]

11 hours ago, Toinho said:

True, was thinking when to move to Africa, etc. As your rep rises Europe could be the end game couldn't it?

A big side in North or South America would be a good move next, but then what about Africa? I didn't realise it was only SA in it! Of course this is assuming an ACL is won. I would imagine you wouldn't want to move from Asia just yet? (depending on what came up - as you'd have to go back one day anyway haha)

Yeah I just like the idea of gradually progressing it like that rather than doing Europe and then just going round ticking the others off once I've got a souped up reputation. It's a little more realistic too. I think there was a good case to start in Africa in hindsight cause I think I could probably already do better than the best Africa has to offer. I almost feel like I'd be dropping down a bit to go to South Africa.

I've always thought once you have one in the bag the others won't be that difficult but I could be wrong. I kind of like the whole journey here.

If Gangwon went wrong and I ended up out of a job (extremely unlikely now I think) then I wouldn't say no to going to a big African side but my eyes are generally set on the Asian one now.

I think my likeliest route is Malaysia - South Korea - South Africa - Mexico - Brazil - somewhere in Europe, a part of me wants to win the European with a less fancied name, not a nobody but maybe a Valencia, a Fiorentina, Porto etc...