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<\/p>\nI’ve got a new job and it’s a big club, it’s a chance for me to build my reputation. However, the Champions League victory in 1993 means they won’t count towards my challenge- it is a fantastic opportunity though and one I’m keen to dive straight into.<\/p>\n
I’m greeted by the news that Dimitri Payet, being the massive snake he is, wants to move to a bigger club and we’re also lacking for options at striker and left-back, something I’ll prioritise in the summer. I’d also like a top-quality central midfielder but I’m pleased my squad fits into my preferred tactic – the 4-1-2-3 I enjoyed great success with at Leeds.<\/p>\n
First up is Ajaccio in the cup, a side I’m told is performing above expectations. The pundits predict that it goes all the way to penalties but I’m hoping otherwise, I don’t have the nerve for that. I’m English, after all.<\/p>\n
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I’m delighted with a 3-1 victory and we draw national side Strasbourg in the quarter-final. In my first Ligue 1 match, a Lucas Ocamps penalty gives us a 1-0 win against Auxerre and our next match is against PSG, who’ve just clinched the Ligue 1 title. It’s a thrilling game but we lose 5-4, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang snatching a late winner.<\/p>\n
A trip to Nice follows before the international break and we win 1-0, this time benefitting from a late goal. Following the break we clash with Strasbourg in the cup and immediately fall 1-0 behind, with things getting worse when we’re reduced to ten men before half-time. We lose 2-0 and I lay into my side.<\/p>\n
After being reduced to nine-men against Angers we lose 1-0, again with another late goal, and Payet reinforces his desire to leave. Fine, I tell him, I don’t like snakes. We then draw 0-0 with Toulouse and 2-2 with Lille, putting us 12th with three games left to play.<\/p>\n
Our poor run continues with a 3-0 loss to Guingamp and we end the season with a fantastic 6-2 victory against Lyon, followed by a 2-1 win over Sochaux-Montbe. We finish the season 11th, four points off the European spots, and I’m preparing for a lot of changes during the summer.<\/p>\n
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My initial budgets are set at \u00a31.4m p\/w in wages and \u00a340.28m to spend, which I’ll raise with significant sales. Real Sociedad’s Willian Jose and Yannick Bolasie, now at Sunderland, are my two prime targets. I also want a top-class central midfielder and a goalkeeper, so expect to see plenty of summer business.<\/p>\n
Willian Jose and Bolasie are quickly secured and I also land wing-back Riza Durmisi and midfielder Vincent Koziello from OGC Nice and reunite with Ronaldo Vieira, who I capture for Leeds. My focus is now offloading deadwood and an unhappy Dimitri Payet, before landing a new goalkeeper. Wojciech Szczesny is available on a free transfer and I’d very much like to make him a member of the team, though I may see who shines at the World Cup.<\/p>\n
Sides in Europe seem content on raiding us and we lose Karim Rekik, Mike Jensen and Rafael Toloi. That leaves us needing even more improvements in defence, so I land Florentin Pogba on a free transfer, sign Asmir Begovic for \u00a37m and move for Martin Caceres for a minimal fee. I also have a move for a new centre-back in the works, if I manage to offload Dimitri ‘the snake’ Payet – who Liverpool and Spurs have made an \u00a38.5m bid for.<\/p>\n
The snake has now decided he wants to stay, which has really scuppered my plans, and I found him expendable. Having said that, he is still one of the best players within my team and snapping up Liverpool defender Ragnar Klavan really helps my back-line (honestly), whilst the addition of Kyle Naughton provides competition at right-back.<\/p>\n
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Many new signings make their debut on the opening day of the season against Nantes, including a Willian Jose who scores on his debut, where we win 2-1 and we draw 2-2 in a derby against OGC Nice the following week. Our difficult start continues as we host Lyon and we’re extremely unfortunate to lose 3-2.<\/p>\n
The ‘joker’ transfer window in France means there’s still a chance Payet could leave, after kicking up a fuss on Deadline Day when I rejected a loan offer from Besiktas, and I’ll only venture into the market myself should we lose the veteran winger.<\/p>\n
In September we\u00a0beat Lille 1-0, hammer Metz and Stade Rennais 4-1, before finishing the month with a 2-0 victory over Lorient. It leaves us second, five points behind a PSG side who have won all seven matches so far, and one point ahead of Montpellier.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I’ve got a new job and it’s a big club, it’s a chance for me to build my reputation. However, the Champions League victory in 1993 means they won’t count towards my challenge- it is a fantastic opportunity though and one I’m keen to dive straight into. I’m greeted by the news that Dimitri Payet, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":109,"featured_media":15095,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[103,90],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n