Hi everyone!
So first of an apology of sorts, this post is a little sooner than what I usually post as I like to always be a season ahead then I can just write up each season.
The problem is I have played a little too much! Or got through quicker than I normally do and as such am a few seasons ahead of where I am now. (This post)
Hope that makes sense! LoL is essence I am writing another season now as I have a few seasons to catch up to the season currently on my game.
Finding the time to write is quite difficult with work and my boyfriend so thats why I have another post for you today. :)
Anyways onwards to the season ahead and if you remember from my previous post I came runner up to the Orlando Pirates in the league but we remain in the champions league with the group stages ahead.
Managerial C.V
— Black Aces (June 2011 – Present)
African Premier League : 2016
Super 8′s Winner : 2015, 2016
First Division : 2012
South African Knockout Cup : 2016
Anything in red was won last season.
—————————————
So this was weird as we had two upgrades to our training facilities! The total cost was £95k but either way it was much needed as we are still at basic with only one star to our name.
This pushed it to two! :)
Job Offer!!
Writing stories has been a hobby of mine for a while now and I did write a story ages ago as Las Palmas, I must admit I was tempted seeing as they had just been promoted to la liga as champions but I did decline.
I cant leave the African champions league just yet! :)
A New Job — Life In LA
Seeing as LA is a place I hope to visit next year with my partner I accepted the chance to manage the USA.
I also added the MLS to help boost my player selection a bit and help my chance of maybe managing a team from there to the North American Champions League!
We have a world cup upcoming so we must qualify, we are currently third behind Mexico and Canada.
Transfers In and Out — Disaster Strikes!
So disaster struck as my chairman decided that everyone must go!
She went mad and just started accepting bids for all my star players, Mahashe was the first to go he had improved so much and was my first choice center back then I lost Mofokeng my record signing last season!
Buthelezi went next my excellent fullback she also accepted bids for Raymond Moanma my defending midfielder and Sibande my rotation centre midfielder!
Our all girl team was doing so well and now she is cashing in! This was a regular sight for me in red I am devastated a team I have worked so hard to build being sold of and I cant do anything.
Our finances were excellent as well I can understand the bigger money ones so I had a tough task to replace our lost players.
I also managed to keep some of our better players from last season as well but most are unhappy after I turned down transfer bids my best signing was probably this one :
Bheka Gumeda
Club Info and Finances
So we are now one of the richest club in South Africa, but we lost three star players and a few very good squad players.
We are predicted third which is about right after all our sales, losing Mofokeng was heartbreaking I was building my team around him.
But thats the past and we must look to the future my players in are good not brilliant but good and we still have so much to play for this season.
Results and League Table Halfway Point
So not too bad I guess, we are still in the title race but find ourselves nine back on the Kaizer Cheifs.
Orlando Pirates score loads and Kaizer Chiefs defend well, it may be tough to overtake either of them!
Losing a four goal lead against the Black Leopards was the most annoying thing that has happened to me on this game so far. :)
Results and Table Final End of Season
Damn them!!
How is that possible, we finished with our highest ever points total and still not enough!
Seven points in the end but I cant say we had a bad season, infact I was delighted with how it went.
We were good they were better it was as simple as that, they scored goals and lots of them I will struggle to catch them again next season.
The African Champions League
Wowza!
So like I said before we play the same as the European champions league group and I was worried having lost my first game to Tunis however we went on to win some big games including away at Tunis and beating Ismaily at home, with ease I may add.
Despite that we finished second and drew Zamalek in the semi finals, I was worried having conceded two away goals but an early strike from Khwela gave us the lead they equalised then took the lead just past the hour mark.
Gumede rose from a freekick to make the score two each and then late on Freddy Ngobese struck a superb winner to give us a slender lead.
Away and we rode our luck, I wont lie but when our captain Kwenene rose from a corner to head in I knew the final beckoned strangely our opponents were Tunis from our group.
African Champions League Final vs Tunis — First Leg
I know, what just happened?!
I couldn’t believe what I was watching as we dominated from the first whistle creating chances at will and cruising to a three zero win.
Gumede again from a freekick heading in and we took a deserved lead, we went on to spurn chance after chance and I was worried that they may sneak a goal.
I brought Ntuli on and almost immediately he showed our wasteful forwards what to to! Scoring from a sweeping move to double our lead.
He then struck again with eight minutes left to play, another fine move as we dominated the game. Three zero and surely game over I mean Tunis cant recover from this….
…..can they?
African Champions League Final vs Tunis — Second Leg
Yay!!
Probably the most nerve wrenching match I have watched on this game!
After Sassi gave them the lead after 11 minutes I was thinking, Oh no! Here we go!
But we leveled thanks to out new signing Gumede not the defender our new attacking midfielder and I felt that may be it. Four up with an away goal but I was almost wrong Sassi stuck twice more before half time I couldnt believe it!
Second half was impossible to watch! I stopped the game so many times to make slight changes, to try and defend but they just kept coming!
But at full time we had done it, we held on against the odds and lifted the champions league!
More luck than skill I can admit it but I felt over the two legs we probably just about edged it, one down four to go! :)
Club World Championship
The competition Barca have just won!
We finished fourth beating America Mexico on penalties and playing really well against AC Milan! Al-Ahli beat us comfortably so fourth place it was.
African Super Cup
This is the equivalent of the European one where the winner of the champions league meets the winner of the Europa league, poor game bad result all I can say on it really !
One to forget.
Final Player Ratings of The Season
Nearly there stay with me!
So lots of star player this season, mostly from the freebies at the start Thando Johnson turned out to be a lot better than Raymond Monama who was sold with De Villiers and Mkhize forging an excellent partnership.
Mkhize was a real find and turned out to be a very good goalscorer, Kwenene was outstanding again as my captain Jacobs was brilliant infact my whole squad was!
Star Man of The Season — Philiani Khwela
End of Season Finances and Save Game Status
So the balance looks fantastic, most of it is through player sales as we practically earned nothing for winning the champions league.
South Africa isnt a league where money is easy to come by, no TV money, no real prize money no real money from the champions league so to have almost £13 million is something I am fairly happy with. :)
All Good Things……
Its been a pleasure! South Africa remains my favourite place to manage despite what other people say about it my stats are not too bad with a 60+ win percentage plus we score lots of goals!
I was tempted to stay and get to 300 games! But with the upcoming world cup I decided now was a good time to part.
I have no job lined up yet and I probably wont accept one until after the world cup, but seeing as I am ahead of myself I can tell you I have a new job so I will unveil that next time alongside the world cup results!
Speaking of which!!
USA — Qualification Results
We are of to Russia!
I posted only the games I managed and with four wins from five we cruised through alongside Mexico and Canada (Hi Kevin! :))
Charlie Davies was my star player scoring most of my goals alongside Altidore, and Michael Bradley is my captain and my best player.
Here comes the draw for the upcoming tournament……….
Wow, am not too happy.
We face Italy and the Ivory Coast aswell as Croatia as am not sure if we can qualify. We would need to beat at least one with Croatia being our best bet I think but its a tough ask I feel.
Season Round-Up
I’ll keep it brief! Seems like I have been writing this forever!
So its the end of South Africa, I won the champions league with a large slice of luck but a win is a win!
Next up will be a new destination and one I am excited to manage in, although terrified at the same time and next time you will see why!
Thanks ever so much for reading this massive post, and apologies on it being so long just had so much to cram in!
As always I look forward to hearing from you and if I dont post again I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year, I hope 2012 will be the year all your dreams come true!!
Ana. xxx
Bhargav
18 декабря, 2011 at 23:56
Oh wow, I can’t believe this portion of the journey is already over! Taking a team from the second tier of South African football to winning the Champions League in only seven years! And winning the Champions League in your first try! Really impressive, Ana. Best of luck on the next leg of the journey and I hope I see the U.S. hoist the World Cup in your next post!
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 18:59
Thanks Bhargav!
I was as surprised as anyone! I had no idea we could win it at the first try and thats a first for me!
I added the MLS to help boost our players as the USA didnt have a brilliant squad, I feel our group is very tough so I would be happy to get to the knockout stage!
I’ll do my best though! :)
Neily_b
18 декабря, 2011 at 23:57
wowza excellent work Ana, love your work cant wait for the next installment :)
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:07
Thank you! :)
Was hoping to get another post out before x-mas but I dont think I will be able to, so busy!!
David Wiggins
18 декабря, 2011 at 23:59
well done Ana! Can’t wait to see who your next team is or how you got on at the World Cup! I think you could sneak out of that group!
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:15
Thanks David!
My next team may seem an odd choice but I decided to be brave and try it out. :)
Alex
19 декабря, 2011 at 00:43
Fantastic season Ana. I thought losing your key players at the start of the season would ruin any Champions League chances, how wrong I proved to be! Congratulations, you left the club in a brilliant position, look at those finances. I can’t wait to see how you get on in the world cup (awful group you’ve got there) and also where you’ll next be managing. Good luck.
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:20
Thanks Alex!
I agree at first I was devastated at losing them but in an odd way it seemed to improve us. Maybe the players rallied am not sure but we were a bit lucky but i’ll take it!
The club is now the richest in South Africa I believe or defiantly close, I always try to leave clubs in the best position I can and spending within my limits as apposed to spending every penny available.
Group was a disaster! I would have loved group A and replaced Canada but thats life! We will just try and do our best. :)
Lye
19 декабря, 2011 at 01:09
Hi Anna,
It’s awful. The women’s partnership has been working tremendously and suddenly your chairwoman decided to spoil it. Despite losing your best players, you still managed to win the champions league and finished 2nd so well done. Looking forward to your next team, i guess in Asia?? :)
Well done on qualifying for the world cup and hopefully you can get through in such a tough group.
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:24
Hi Lye!
She did! I guess she has to think of the long term of the club it just annoys me that I had no say and couldnt even challenge those decisions.
Your guess may be correct or maybe not just wait and see!. :)
Am just happy to be there and hopefully we can cause a few upsets!
denson
19 декабря, 2011 at 01:24
Wow, I can’t wait for your next post to see who you are managing and how the world cup went.
That episode was so fun to read!
Good Luck!
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:26
Thanks Denson!
I thought it was bit long! Am just glad you enjoyed the post.
I will combine the world cup with my next post along with my new team. :)
CsAtlantis
19 декабря, 2011 at 01:35
Wow, despite your chairman going bonkers with the money being offered to her (probably wants to buy a bigger mansion/hire a private army? :P) you have done well Ana in sneaking the ACL off ES Tunis, what an exciting final (oh yeah, is Yannick Ndjeng still in ES Tunis? He was one of my transfer targets but I ran out of money)
Nice job getting USA to the world cup finals, your group is pretty much a group of death, you’ll have to do well against Ivory Coast and Croatia to stand a chance, Italy might be a bit more vulnerable this time around? Good luck, and I think if you do well in the World Cup surely MLS clubs will flock to offer you a job :D
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:31
Thanks!!
Am not sure of her motives! But the club wasnt in a bad state, I think a bit of greed took over!
Sneak was the right word we were holding on right at the end I did fear we would lose, he isnt I checked were he went and forgot!
But I can re-check and tell you were he went. Italy are doing rather well 6th in the world and Ivory Coast are 11th. Croatia are 16th and were are 21st so we will see but am not too confident though!
vaibhavc
19 декабря, 2011 at 06:13
First of all, no need to apologize for updating so quickly! I like quick updates. And what a win in the Champions League. That was quite a nail biting final!
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:33
LoL! Thanks :)
It was! I hate two legged finals as we would have comfortably won, I knew the second leg was going to go badly as we wasted so many chances at home but we held on and just about edged it!
Johnny Karp
19 декабря, 2011 at 06:22
Congratulations Ana, you reached your objective despite losing your three star players. Looking forward to that next job! :)
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:33
Thanks Johnny! :)
Matteo
19 декабря, 2011 at 06:41
Congrats ! I hope you find a team in North-America :D
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:34
Thanks Matteo! :)
Darren Smith
19 декабря, 2011 at 08:56
Excellent stuff Ana, well done! To lose all those stars thanks to a (Mike Ashley type) money grabbing owner but still finish the season as you did is outstanding. I don’t play outside of Europe but some of the teams you beat in the Champions League I know reasonably well and that says a lot about what you’ve done…brushing aside some massive reputation clubs. I just can’t believe how fast you’ve breezed though Africa, it took some in game time but in RL this sets you up to complete the challenge nicely. As always a wonderful read and exciting journey.
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:39
Thanks Darren!
Most of the teams value in the African Champions league is freighting! I mean the teams in our group worth worth over £20 million so to compete with them is always a challenge.
I’m surprised also I dont think I have ever won a champions league at the first attempt it was a nice first for me!
Although am quite sad as well to leave South Africa but maybe if my career goes well I can return one day I have some unfinished business with those Orlando Pirates! :)
Kevin
19 декабря, 2011 at 09:56
Hola Ana
Well, I didn’t expect to see you leaving though I can hardly blame you after the chair-woman sold all your best players and could do it again after having another succesful season evn though you came second to those damn Pirates! You’ve done an amazing job in South Africa and good luck in with the US in the World Cup — though I wish you had been leading Canada :) Looking forward to seeing who you next team will be — Toronto FC?
Feliz Navidad Amiga!
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:45
Thanks Kevin!
The Orlando Pirates are now my big rivals! And one day I hope I can return and knock them off top spot!
Canada never offered! But I felt managing the USA was a good offer and who knows maybe we can cause a few upsets! :)
Laxeyman
19 декабря, 2011 at 11:25
Fantastic season Ana, despite your chairwoman making it as hard as possible, you pulled off a magnificent achievement in winning the CL! Congrats, and really looking forward to your next job, and of course the World Cup :)
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:48
Thanks Laxeyman!!
I love world cups also! Even though we have a hard group I always enjoy managing in them.
Selling off our better players was a hindrance but it gave chances to some squad players and thankfully they took them!
TheZiggy
19 декабря, 2011 at 11:54
In spite of losing your 3 best players, you still went on to have a great season, but those damned Pirates are scoring way too many goals. Congratulations on achieving the main objective, to win the Champions League. It may have felt a bit lucky, but remember all those times when luck has gone against you, taking away a win you deserved. All that counts at the end is the goals.
Good luck with managing the USA, and look forward to seeing who you manage next.
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:50
Thanks Ziggy!
Agreed, there strike force or at least half of it was sold as well! Yet they still scored so many goals and nobody could really stop them.
True! I can think back to all those lost playoffs or lost shootouts in finals and think maybe I just deserved that bit of luck. :)
Devilfish
19 декабря, 2011 at 17:01
Excellent stuff Ana, it’s a shame your stay in South Africa came to an end but really you took the club as far as you could! Looking forward to seeing who you are managing next :D
Ana Garcia
19 декабря, 2011 at 19:53
Thanks!
My main goal was to win the champions league and I have done that so I feel its about time to move on and try and win the next one. I will try and leave Europe to last I think but my next job wasnt exactly what I wanted! :)
bigbaz
19 декабря, 2011 at 23:55
congrats on your champions league win, im going to miss your south african updates.
oh well on to new pastures
have your self a merry christmas and a happy new year too
bigbaz
Ana Garcia
21 декабря, 2011 at 18:22
Thanks!
I will miss S.Africa also but that part of the challenge is complete and who knows I may be back again one day! :)
Sears
20 декабря, 2011 at 22:09
Congrats on a great CL win Ana! Looking forward to when your reveal your new club :)
Ana Garcia
21 декабря, 2011 at 18:23
Thanks Sears! :)
Martin Pickard
21 декабря, 2011 at 13:53
Congrats on your first Champions League Title! brilliant achievement especially with losing some key players! Looking forward to seeing which team and Champions League trophy you go for next…so hurry lol :)
Ana Garcia
21 декабря, 2011 at 18:26
Thanks Martin! :)
New post will probably be after x-mas as am super busy as its me and my boyfriends first Christmas together for a while so we are planning to enjoy it as much as we can . :)
john herries
22 декабря, 2011 at 02:27
Hi ana that was a fantastic story. Can’t wait for your next update to see where your going next, south america maybe? hehe. A champions league winner and a world cup winner in the same year!!! Hope you and your boyfriend have a lovely first christmas together.
Ana Garcia
22 декабря, 2011 at 18:38
Thanks John!
Not sure about winning the world cup, LoL! I would very happy just to get out of our group!
We have been together for about 5 years! Its not our first x-mas together but he was in the RAF and has been stationed away twice over the last two Christmases so its our first proper one together for a while! But thank you for the nice comment. :)
Martin K
22 декабря, 2011 at 06:09
Ana it is fantastic to read about your south african story. When i read it, i sit on the edge of my chair. Congratz with the champions league, i look forward to see where you end up next.
Ana Garcia
22 декабря, 2011 at 18:42
Thanks Martin!
Am really glad you enjoy reading it, it means a lot to hear that.
Next up is a place I am excited yet terrified to mange in! :)