Hey everyone!
Again, another disclaimer on my part. Some of you may/may not know that I am building a new computer and have foolishly ended up with no money to buy my Operating System. Brilliant. So… I’m having to update on the awfully slow computer downstairs. Hopefully that will get sorted at the weekend, but you never know with these things.
Anyway.. I have got my BOIS to January 1st 2026 so its time for a well deserved (and overdue) post! :).
Last time I left you, we we’re on course to retain the domestic league and cup’s, while having the luck of the draw in a obtaining an easier champions league group. So.. lets get on with it!
We start off as always with the results of the league..
Brilliant. After a rather on/off mid-season, my lads really turned on the style, racking up the goals in sublime fashion. Was a little dissapointed with the draws, and especially the amount of goals we had conceeded though. Still, I wasnt fussed. Another League title has some our way and that is the only thing that I want for a season.
Here is that emphatic 9-0 win of Djurgarden:
Little look at the league table does show that we are a little worse than last year. Normally we are on 80+ points and have a very superior goal difference. Shows that the league is getting stronger though, which is a positive in my eyes as I want Swedish football to progress as a whole:
Oh and get this.. I won Manager of the Month every single month, bar one, and I still didn’t get the Yearly trophy? For those of you that don’t know, I actually haven’t won ‘Manager of the Year’ yet.. Its getting to me a little now ;)
Next its cup time! Last time I left you, we were due to face Assyriska in the Quarter finals of the cup. Here are the results of the run:
..And what a run it was! Awesome 5-1 win at home in the Quarters left us with a Semi final against Öster. Confident 2-0 win due to a combination of an own goal and a stunning strike from Lecomte saw us fly though to the final.
Trelleborg were the unlikely finalists, but that was no deterrent, smashing them 3-0 in the final to earn a consecutive Swedish cup. Happy days! :)
Onto the Champions League now, and just before I go into it, remember me saying that I would like our other teams in the league to get better? Well I think that it is starting to happen, as Hammarby have qualified for the Champions League too! Brilliant achievement for them, and for Swedish football. Hopefully they can do us proud, but in a group with Bayern, Porto and PSG, it wasn’t looking hopeful.
Anyway onto Varberg, and as you may remember, our Champions League group was drawn as follows:
Barcelona
Varbergs BOIS
PSV
F.C. København
Here are the first few results of the campaign.
I was in trouble!
1-1 draw against Dutch outfit PSV Eindhoven was justified. Was a little dissapointed with the way that we approached the game and were lucky to go infront, Furuholm netting from close range. But we couldnt hold on, and they broke us with 5 minutes to go.
Onto Barcelona, and I wasnt expecting much as they were a stronger team from last year. Adam Lecomte put us on the score-sheet after the half, but a dubious penalty and a sublime goal by Barcelona striker Gamboa sealed all 3 points for the away side.
Next was F.C. København. Seeded 4th, i thought that our lads could give them a solid game. How wrong was i.. complacency got the better of us and we were forced to come from 3-0 down after only 30 minutes. Complete and utter rout, only saved by a brace from Lecomte but it was a case of too little, too late.
So that left us with a single point going into the last 3 games. Oh dear..
The first of the three then was to be F.C. København. Having been battered away from home just a week earlier, I was expecting a response from the lads..
They did just that! 4 different scorers on the night sealed our first win in the Champions League this season! Was thrilled that Adriano got his first goal for the club though, hopefully he can mature into an important player for us. PSV next, and I was hoping for more of the same..
Excellent! Another home victory, and one curtosy of a hat-trick from Adam Lecomte of all people. Hopefully I can hold onto him in the summer, really does have a knack of grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck and really delivering an invaluable performance. Kudos to the lad!
So it all hinged on the final game, away at Barcelona. Could we salvage a place in the Knockout stages?
Um.. Oh dear. Barcelona really showed their force and unfortunately for us, they were showing no mercy. A brace from Paranaa in the first half meant that we didnt grab the points where we needed it and it cost us, dearly.
Or did it?
Haha, you would have never believed it with the results we had, but with a tremendous amount of luck we had managed 2nd place! At this point, I would be saying how proud of my players I am.. But i’m really not. Should have had this place wrapped up before the Barcelona game really and i’m disappointed at the performances where I knew that we were able to grab at least a point.
Still, the draw came through and we would be facing Arsenal.
The 3rd richest side in the game, and one that have finished either 1st or 2nd in the league since the 2016/2017 season.. Wow.
(Hammarby meanwhile didn’t do brilliantly, only wracking up a single point)
Go to the next page for the news and an update from Uruguay…
Stromson
19 мая, 2011 at 00:30
Woooowww, talk about a lucky break in the Champion’s League (of course I’m not sure if being drawn against Arsenal can be considered luck)! Shame you couldn’t have done it in more dominating fashion, but knockout stages are knockout stages. Awesome you got Uruguay through to the World Cup, and I can’t wait to see how it goes.
Excessive
19 мая, 2011 at 00:49
Swings and Roundabouts.. Just happy to be there :)
Thanks bud, I cant wait either!
Jack
19 мая, 2011 at 01:02
Really good story! Keep ’em coming! Does it mean that now your facilities are state of the art? That’s a massive step for a club in Sweden and should set you in good stead for decades to come. Have you also upgraded the youth recruitment network? Well good luck for the rest of the season!
Excessive
19 мая, 2011 at 07:13
Thanks Jack :)
Training facilities are described as ‘Top’, but when I go to see if I can upgrade, it does say that I already have state of the art. Not sure what the Youth facilities will turn out to be but the youth recruitment is as high as I can get it. Won’t upgrade from ‘Good’ unfortunately, and says that I have the best I can for a club of my stature :/.
Always looking to upgrade though :)
Martin
19 мая, 2011 at 09:10
Billiant season fella…nice domestic double :)
Also way to turn it round in the Champions Cup Group Stage…Arsenal will be tough in the first knockout round…hopefully you’ll be able to sneak past them.
The two players you’ve brought in look like they’ll be able to a job for you in the future.
Keep you the good work :)
Excessive
19 мая, 2011 at 09:50
Cheers Martin, my lads put in a good shift :).
Wouldn’t exactly say it was a great turn a round, but you take what you are given! Will be hard against Arsenal, but you never know!
Pinning my hopes on Belyakov really, will be interesting to see him and Lecomte next year :)
Johnny Karp
19 мая, 2011 at 09:54
You did well to recover from that slow start in the Champions League group, recovering from bad results is probably the most difficult thing in this game. I’m sure that you will at least give Arsenal a good run for their money and maybe even cause a nice upset there. About Uruguay, the World Cup group is quite tough but I reckon you can beat Poland, get a draw against England and a narrow win against Ivory Coast. Good luck!
Excessive
19 мая, 2011 at 13:29
Thanks Johnny, I hope we give it a good go! Not too sure on the squad strength yet, but in 2-3 years, we will have the first round cracked easily :)
Internationally, it will be tough. Will take those predictions right now mate, but I’m scared that we will loose at least one game. Fingers crossed though!
Darren Smith
19 мая, 2011 at 11:59
You know what they say Jake, you make your own luck and you deserved to qualify past those CL group stages. Hopefully your squad can perform better under even more pressure…I’m patiently waiting for Varbergs to win the Champions League. It’ll happen some day!
Good to see you qualified for the world cup, that will be very exciting and I’m sure you’ll have something nice planned. Your career getting more and more exciting!
Excessive
19 мая, 2011 at 13:35
Cheers Darren, I guess so.. Could do with a bit of luck these days, especially with the next round. It’s going to be tough, but you never know. A sneaky goal might just see us through ;).
Your not the only one patiently waiting.. I’m verging on 16 years ;). I hope so, as that is the ultimate goal for me.
Glad your enjoying following it mate, I’ll try not to let you down :)
Sibo
19 мая, 2011 at 12:04
Well done Jake!
You really turned it around in the CL as everyone has said and I am sure that, on your day, you will give Arsenal a good fight, it would be great to see an upset there!
Well done on the domestic scene, some more domination especially if, as you say, the league is (slowly) bringing in the talent to make it a bit stronger.
Finally, good luck with Uruguay in the World Cup, unles Poland have any amazing regens you should do fine against them, and it certainly looks like a group to qualify from, although the England result will determine 1st and 2nd, I am sure!
Well done and good luck! :D
Excessive
19 мая, 2011 at 13:41
Cheers Sibo :)
Absolutely, I’ll give it a good shot. Hopefully the luck can continue for us.
As you can see from Hammarby getting into the group stages this year, I think the teams must be improving. Hopefully we can keep that domination going while the teams around us get stronger and boost up the reputation of the league :)
Agree with you there, although I’m still weary of Ivory Coast. Neither them, or Poland have brilliant squads, but they are not far from us, and that’s my biggest concern.
CsAtlantis
19 мая, 2011 at 12:42
Hello Jake, looks like your teams goalscoring ability pushed you through to the next round of the Champions League, Arsenal will be a tough challenge for you, good luck with that
Very nice placing in World Cup qualifying, finishing 3rd is good, that’s a decent looking World Cup group, how strong are England world rankings wise?
Excessive
19 мая, 2011 at 13:45
Hey CS,
Yeah your right there. Lecomte’s form must have been the difference As hardly anyone else stepped up their game. Arsenal will be tough, but on the day anything can happen!
England are ranked 6th in the world at the moment, so alot stronger than us who are down in 18th. It is a decent group, but we have to go out and prove ourselves in the summer!
vaibhavc
19 мая, 2011 at 13:36
Hey Jake
I really want to see what happens against Arsenal, that will be a really tough one. Your league was a great campaign, and the 9-0 shows it.
As for Uruguay, that should be a pretty easy draw.
Excessive
19 мая, 2011 at 13:48
Thanks Vaibhav, hope that we can install some of that confidence in the Varberg and Uruguay squads. Would have no problem winning them otherwise ;)
Pawn_pt
19 мая, 2011 at 15:22
Hi Jake,
I’ve just noticed that you haven’t still won a manager of year award! OMG, how is that possible? It looks bugged!!
Arsenal will be tough! Hope you can beat them!
Can you tell me the number of scouts u got atm? I wonder what’s the maximum number of scouts a club can have in its staff…
Keep up the good work mate! :)
Excessive
19 мая, 2011 at 17:18
Cheers mate :)
Haha I know, determined to win it though!
Arsenal will be mightily tough, but if the luck continues you never know!:)
As for scouting, I’ve only got 7 out of a possible 15. Each of them are assigned to..
Brazil
Argentina
France
Spain
Ukraine
Croatia
Italy
Just looking for talent under 18 :)
Laxeyman
19 мая, 2011 at 16:08
Great season Jake, you’re far too good for all the other teams in Sweden, and well done in the Champions League too. Hopefully you can beat Arsenal, I reckon you can do it, and a good qualifying campaign with Urugauy too :) Good luck v Arsenal!
Excessive
19 мая, 2011 at 17:20
Thanks Laxey, glad your liking it!
Will do my best against Arsenal, but it’s going to be tough :(
Sears
19 мая, 2011 at 17:05
Superb season Jake. I hope you can beat the Gunner’s :-D
Excessive
19 мая, 2011 at 17:22
Cheers Sears :D
Ana Garcia
19 мая, 2011 at 19:17
Yay Barca!! :)
Kidding of course, I am really glad to see you make it to the knockout stage but Arsenal is a big ask. But I have my fingers crossed that you may cause an upset!!
Domestically you are far superior, but really well done with Uruguay! Your group is difficult but England always choke in the world cup so am sure that will be an easy three points! ;)
Joking again!, before I get a lot of angry England fans after me!
Good luck Jake!!
Excessive
19 мая, 2011 at 19:40
Haha Ana, i can see through those sly digs to tell there is some truth behind them ;).
In fairness though Barca have improved since last season. Unfortunately we got the brunt of it! Absolutely, fingers crossed but again I’m not overly optermistic of what we can do.
Hopefully can have some success with Uruguay too! Especially with a 3 point head start!;)
Kevin
20 мая, 2011 at 09:38
Hi Jake
Well done on squeezing through into the Champoins League knockout stages. Some very decent youngsters you’ve acquired to complement your youth facilities upgrade. Well done in dominating the Swedish scene too!
Excessive
20 мая, 2011 at 10:11
Thanks Kevin! :D