I must be mad.

[Blasphemywebleed]

Friday 23rd November 2007.

I took a deep breath and signed the contract. I must be insane. Back home in Scotland I was a respected manager, I had managed a number of clubs and was tipped for big success, so why this? Well it all happened 3 months ago, the club I was at was involved in a match fixing scandal, I had nothing to do with it but the chairman roped me in and my reputation is in tatters. I couldnt stay away from the game, I couldnt handle it..... but this? Well this is all I have now.

I looked at the contract again. It was my ambition to one day move onto international management, but I was never prepared for this. I had dreamed of leading out a Scotland team at Hampden with 52000 fans cheering. You could fit the whole population of this country into hampden and still have 4000 empty seats. They were fresh out of their European championship qualifying campaign without a single point, 12 straight defeats and 38 goals conceded, I must be mad.

I left the office and down the front of the building to be paraded in front of the fans. Around 300 people showed up and gave a smattering of applause. I must be mad, "welcome to the faroe islands" I sighed to myself.

I had 3 months to prepare for my first game which was a home friendly against Greece.... this wasnt going to go well at all.

The FA want me to uphold the nations honour in every game. My personal goal is to bring an end to the Faroes reputation as a laughing stock. I wasnt expecting to qualify for the world cup anytime soon, i'd be happy managing to draw a game. The sooner I can get out of here and back to club management the better.

[Blasphemywebleed]

Friday 25th January

My worse fears were realised today. I was in South Africa for the World Cup 2010 qualifying draw, I would have took Italy, Holland, Germany, Spain and Portugal all in one group to avoid Scotland, but my luck just wont improve.

Qualifying Group 2

France
Denmark
Scotland
Albania
Kazakhstan
Faroe Islands

[Blasphemywebleed]

Thursday 31st January

I named my first squad as Faroe Islands boss today for the upcoming friendly against Greece. All but 2 players play their football in the Danish lower leagues, the other 2 play reserve football in England.

[Blasphemywebleed]

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh18/blasphemy_web/dynasty/Faroe_Islands_FA.gif V http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh18/blasphemy_web/dynasty/100px-Greece_National_Crest.jpg

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh18/blasphemy_web/dynasty/694F8EE0-7015-4F1D-AF76-5B4603AF2B5.jpg
Tórsvøllur Stadium, Svangaskarð
Attendance: 6000

As I stepped out of the tunnel with my team I took a look around the bustling stadium. It might not be huge but a sell out attendance is a huge thing for a Faroe Islands game. I would be playing a simple 4-4-2 formation with one of the strikers falling back to support the midfield and build up play.

5 Mins

The first 5 mins are bogged down in midfield with none of the wide players able to make a mark on the narrow pitch. The first corner of the game goes Greeces way. Angela Basinas whips the ball to the far post, Stelios Gianakopoulous shoots across with the glanicing header, the faroes keeper makes the parry only for the ball to fall back at the feet of Stelios Gianakopoulous who steadys himself before placing the ball into the near corner
Faroe Islands 0 Greece 1


39 Mins

Chances were few and far between with just a couple of half chances for Greece so far. Faroes advanced down the right wing but Greek defender Antonis Nikipopolis intercepts and makes the clearence. The ball only travels as far as Simum Samuelson who collects for Faroes, he advances onto the left wing before firing a through ball which Christian Holst latches onto, he's straight through on goal, the Greek keeper advances, Holst slots it into the corner. Can you beleive it?
Faroe Islands 1 Greece 1


Half Time

At half time I tell the boys im delighted and that they can win it for the fans.


45 Mins

The 2nd half starts off in the worst possible way as Jakup a Borg is injured in a 50-50 challenge and cant continue.


89 Mins

With the Faroes the better team in the 2nd half and pressing Greece chance after chance they are trying to turn a famous draw into a famous victory. Greece win a corner. The balll is floated in again Amanatidis meets the ball at the back post, again its parried by the Faroes keeper. The ball falls straight back at the feet of Amanatidis who easily slots the ball in to the net. Its heartache for the Faroes fans and their new boss.
Faroe Islands 1 Greece 2

Full time

Faroe Islands 1 Greece 2

I tell the boys in the dressing room that they can be proud of their performance today and that we can only build on this performance. I'm looking forward to our next game now. A home friendly against Hungary in a months time.



*Note*

The way i'm going to do my match writeups is with every shot on target. In this game the only shots on target were the 3 goals hence the short write up. I also want to say that I wasnt planning on seeing a reasonably good result this quickly so I just want to clear up that i'm playing with a completely unedited default database and that the closeness of this result shocked me :eek:

[Blasphemywebleed]

Wednesday 26th March

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh18/blasphemy_web/dynasty/Faroe_Islands_FA.gif V http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh18/blasphemy_web/dynasty/Hungary.png

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh18/blasphemy_web/dynasty/694F8EE0-7015-4F1D-AF76-5B4603AF2B5.jpg
Tórsvøllur Stadium, Svangaskarð

Attendance: 4174

A slightly diminished attentance for my 2nd game in charge but still a healthy one for the Faroe Islands. I named the exact same squad and went with the same starting line up, I again went with a 4-4-2 with one of the strikers falling back to assist the midfield, the only change I made is I would also push one of the centre backs forward into a defensive midfield role while attacking. I'm sure a few people would be surprised to see me take such an attacking stance against dangerous opponents.

3 Mins

Hungary go straight on the attack they are playing a confident 3-4-3 today. Zoltan Gera picks the ball up in midfield, he is closed down quickly by the Faroe defence, he had options to his right, he beats his man, then another, only the keeper to beat now he unleashes the shot, its straight at the keeper.


18 Mins

Hungary win the corner after a botched Faroes passback. The boal is floated over, the tenacious Zoltan Gera rises above the defence at the back post. His header is straight at the keeper again.


29 Mins

The ball falls to Daniel Torszer at the edge of the box, he has a runner on the right, he unleashes the shot, it takes a deflection of the defender, Mikelson does well to parry in the Faroes goal. The Faroes defence tidy up. Torszers team mates are furious with him.


45 Mins

Zoltan Gera is maing a pest of himself again, he picks the ball up at the edge of the box again. He has no support and has no option to try himself, he manages past the Faroes defence, Mikelson advances, Gera tries to go round him but Mikelson gets down well to gather the ball.


Half Time

Faroe Island 0 Hungary 0

Again another respectable result so far. I tell the boys we can win this one.


65 Mins

Faroe Islands are starting to show a little confidence now, but have yet to have a chance on goal. Christain Holst advances forward he has options to either side of him, Tem Hansen makes a good run down the right, but Holst steadys himself and lets fly, the ball sails over the keepers head and into the net. GOAL!!! Christian Holst has scored from 30 Yards.
Faroe Islands 1 Hungary 0


78 Mins

Faroe Islands are piling on the pressure now and are playing with real confidence. Christian Holst is pulled down just outside the box and awards the free kick. Holst stands over it, Faroes have 6 players in the box waiting for the cross. Holst whips it in, the ball sails to the back post, the keeper comes out to collect, he misses, ITS IN. Christian Holst has scored again, no wait the ref has apparently seen a foul before the ball hit the net, free kick to Hungary. Christian Holst is furious. Hungary take the free kick quickly, the ball is played to Krisztian Nemeth at the half way line, Faroes only have 2 defenders back. The pace of Nemeth is too much as he beats both defenders and runs straight through on Mikelson, Mikelson advances, Nemeth braces himself and slots the ball under Mikelson and into the net. George Corner looks furious.
Faroe Islands 1 Hungary 1


Full Time

There are no more chances in the game and the team have carved out a respectable draw.


Faroe Islands 1 Hungary 1


I tell the boys after the game that they can be immensley proud of themselves. This is the first game in over 30 games that Faroe Islands have avoided defeat and even I was proud of this fact. I still hated my job but these kind of results meant everything to these guys, and I liked being part of that. Our next scheduled game is 6 months away and is our opening world cup qualifier away to Denmark but I would try to arrange a friendly prior to that.

*Other Games*

England 2 Uruguay 4
Luxembourg 0 Scotland 3
Ireland 0 Denmark 1

[Self]

Cool stuff. I'm not much of a dynasty reader, there's something about wrestling ones I find kinda... undecipherable for some reason. I guess with FM the scope is smaller, with clearer goals. I might keep an eye on this.

[Blasphemywebleed]

Thanks Self. Its good to know someone is reading. I'll be posting a game per night so keep checking back :)

[keefmoon]

After what you said in the Dog Pound I wanted to let you know that I'm a reader! It's interesting to watch this develop as I've never had the urge to do one with such a small country. I've done a game with Thurrock, so I don't mind a challenge, but the Faroe Islands is a different kettle of fish.

Cool backstory too, and if these results are anything to go by you might even pick up a decent points total along the way.

Just wanna check- the last game Faroe's didn't lose... wasn't against Scotland, was it?!

[Blasphemywebleed]

Yeah it was against Scotland, I was unfortunate enough to be there. I've been to the Faroe Islands twice now, its an eerie little place :eek:

[Blasphemywebleed]

Season 07-8 Summary

Premiership

1. Man Utd 79 Pts
2. Liverpool 78 Pts
3. Chelsea 76Pts

Relegated: Man City, Derby, Wigan

Top Scorer: John Utaka 22 (Portsmouth)
Player of the year: Dimitir Berbatov (Tottenham)


SPL

1. Rangers 88 Pts
2. Celtic 72 Pts
3. Hibs 62 Pts

Relegated: Dundee Utd

Top Scorer: Ivan Alonso 22 (Celtic)
Player of the year: Ivan Alonso (Celtic)

[chris caulfield]

Those league results are great for me to hear. Unite dwinning the Prem and City getting relegated that is just great and my favourite Scottish team Rangers winning aswell. Also just want to let you know I'm reading.

[Blasphemywebleed]

Those league results are great for me to hear. Unite dwinning the Prem and City getting relegated that is just great and my favourite Scottish team Rangers winning aswell. Also just want to let you know I'm reading.

Thanks for reading :D I'll post the next match in around an hour. Then i'll be busy getting the other dynasty ready. I will still do my one match a night at this though.

[Blasphemywebleed]

Wednesday 10th September

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh18/blasphemy_web/dynasty/Danish_football_crest.png V http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh18/blasphemy_web/dynasty/Faroe_Islands_FA.gif

http://i252.photobucket.com/albums/hh18/blasphemy_web/dynasty/parken1.jpg
Parken Stadion

The atmosphere inside the ground was absolutely deafening. 40000 Danish fans screamed as the teams emerged from the tunnel. The 2 Friendlys before this meant nothing, this is it, my first competetive match in charge of the Faroes. The press are tipping this one to be 6-0, I'd be happy to keep it below 5.

16 Mins

Denmark have been all over the Faroes so far. Peter Lovenkrands advances forward but the Faroes defence easily clear. The ball is bundled up to Christian Holst, he tuens and shoots from the edge of the box. Its in :D There is a deafening silence in the ground as the Faroes players celebrate in the corner.
Denmark 0 Faroe Islands 1


*** Crap something happened to my FM game and I cant get back into the match report. I'll post the rest of the game if I can get it back. ***

Denmark 4 Faroe Islands 1

Jon Dahl Tomasson scored all 4 goals, 2 of them from the penalty spot.

Full Time

I sat in the dressing room with the dejected Faroe players, I again told them they can be proud. They came to a very hard venue and played well, losing to a couple of dodgy penalties. Our next game is in 30 days away to Albania.

Other Games

Albania 0 France 0 :eek:
Kazakhstan 1 Scotland 0 :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

England 3 Georgia 0

[chris caulfield]

Looking at the form of Scotland and France you actually mave a chance of qualifying.

[Self]

Those Kazahkstani's are fighters...

Shocked that City went down. I never played 08 so I have no idea what starting squad they have, can it really suck so badly?

[Blasphemywebleed]

Yeah but if Albania can hold France and Kazakhstan can beat Scotland the odds are against me.

Man City have a pretty good squad in the game, thats the first time i've seen them relegated in the first season. Same with Dundee Utd in Scotland.

I've just experience my first glitch with FM 08. I've heard a few people mention this ont he tech supprt forum but its never affected me. When managing some teams and countrys when you come out of the match day screen it doesnt let you back into it. It was unfortunate that when I was doing that match write up there I pressed space when I went to press Alt to change screens. I'll just have to be carefull in future.

[Wallbanger]

I actually had to look up where the Faroe Islands were. :D

Interesting stuff and I always enjoy underdog dynasties regardless of sport.