Board Expectations: European Spots

Media Prediction: 6th

Transfers in: 16, for £450K, including Finnish Man-Mountain at CB for £110K

Transfers out: 17, for a total of £3.9M

Things started out extremely well considering the large amount of turnover in the offseason. 

Aside from a couple of draws at home against beatable teams, the team was continuing their strong run of form from the end of last year and in most leagues, we would have been top of the table.

As it was, were barely keeping up with a rampant AIK and by mid-season, it was clear that even though we’d nearly a perfect season up to that point, we were still behind and would stay that way barring a complete collapse by the Stockholm boys.

So I made a possibly fairly stupid decision and made some sales of important players who weren’t interested in coming back when their contracts ran out. We still finished the season with only three losses all season; however, after the sell-off, we blew a great chance to take the Svenskan Cupen.

Our final record was pretty exceptional for a first full season with the club, we still finished a whopping 13 points behind AIK, who won their sixth title in a row going away, the only consolation being that we ended their chances of an undefeated season by beating them at their place.

Svenskan Cupen: Out to Gefle in the Semis, tie was at home as well, gave up a penalty in the 8th minute and then flailed around for the rest of the game.

Player of the Year: Finnish Man-Mountain, who aside from being my top defender, also finished as my top scorer thanks to my first-choice striker damaging his cruciate halfway through the year, my second striker breaking his hip shortly afterwards and my stupidity in transferring out my third striker by accident.

Former Club Watch

RoPS: Finished 7th.

Hacken: 4th, I think they get bumped from the Europa League as Gefle won the Cup and finished 11th.

Offers: I got a new contract offer from Malmo, a significant raise and I’m now employed through the end of the 2021 season.

SPD 2ND P30 W16 D11 L3 GF51 GA28 Pts59

Board Expectations: Compete for title

Media Prediction: 2nd

Transfers in: 16, for a total of £2.5M, including Finnish Man-Mountain Mk. 2 for free and Nigerian Left-Back for £1.6M

Transfers out: 13, for a total of £1.6M

Even after finishing second, there were a large amount of comings and goings during the offseason, as our second-best central defender demanded a move and I cashed in on a Danish midfielder who had never really made the grade.

Coming in were a host of youngsters, including new cover for the fullback positions. The player I was most excited about (and who I paid too much for) was a Nigerian left-back with insane physical stats and an eye for a free-kick.

Preseason segued perfectly into the season as Malm£ steamrolled through the early portion of the section. Then, 2-0 up on AIK on the road, the wheels fell off.

The game ended 3-5 and was followed by an extended series of frustrating defeats, culminating in a loss to one of the newly promoted teams.

The clubhouse was a mess, players falling out with me and each other, constant leaks to the press and for a team expected to contend for the title, it was unacceptable.

The board were already pissed at me after I’d said that I’d be interested in the Rosenborg job (who wouldn’t be?) and feeling that the club would be in better hands with somebody new, I walked.

I was out of work for a bit and only bounced over at the end of the season to………………….