Please note this is on the CM 99/00 game***
After following Pompey for 10 years, i thought id have an easy time when i
strolled through the gates at Fratton Park. (i usually play as Tottenham or
Southampton)
I looked at the squad on he first training session and i knew if i were to
challenge for a play off place, big changes would need to be made, so i
first off al revamped my coaching staff.
Chris Waddle was bought in and so was Walter Zenga, Waddle as a coach and
Zenga as a player coach but i never intended for the former Italian to have
much of an active playing role.
Out went some of the youngsters and i got rid of 11 players in my first
week!
anyway, i finally decided to adapt a 4-3-1-2 type formation and i had
already made my mind up that Guy Whittingham was to be my skipper and the
main focus for any attacking plays.
The friendlies were booked, Away to Coventry and a tour of Scotland which
included matches against St.Johnstone, Falkirk and the big one against
Celtic.
A good start against Coventry saw Jeff Peron come away with 2 goals and Luke
Nightingale squeezed a penalty in after coming on as a sub in the last
minute of the game but my best defender, Darren Moore tore his cruciate
ligament and the doctors verdict? Out for 15 months!
Flying off to bonnie scotland i was in dire straits, I had foolishly
accpeted a bid for 2.2M for Rory Allen from my arch rivals Southmpton and
with Moore out, i had since learned that bot Nightingale and Awford had food
poisining, must be the haggis thought.
Looking ahead to Falkirk and Celtic i played a few of the players i wasnt
sure about, and Alan Kniht, my veteran keeper broke his wrist in the first
minute, so on comes Andy Petterson, and 4 minutes into the game Andy was
caught by the St. Jonstone Striker and as he was carried off, i looked at
the bench and realised i had lost my keepers! Walter smiled and as he was
not one of the subs he threw new signing Paul Dillon in goal. Paul did not
have a good gamer and when the final whistle blew the Boys had let 7 in and
managd just 2. Again Perron finding the net and a nice freekick from Guy.
Falkirk came and Paul Dillon was already requesting to leave! I only sined
him 7 days ago!
Falkirk was better. nil nil at half time and with Zenga in goal the lads
were motivated by a former international keeper and 4 goals in the last 7
minutes, 1 from Calridge, 1 from Dillon, a penalty coverted by Bradbury and
an own goal lent me hopes that Celtic would fall to the might of Portsmouth
City FC!!
However, all was not to be. Celtic brushed us aside and at half time we were
down 3-1 a ole fnish from lee Bradbury.
But i had an ace up my sleeve, I had clinched a free transfer by the name of
David Platt, it was only for a year and Platty was here to help out in the
coacing side of thimgs as well. But i reckon that the man from Crewe was
paid by Cetic. Final score? Portsmouth 1 Celtic 7. Platt got 3 own goals.
Right now im thinking "Oh dear" and new signing Suleman Sluyeman was injured
for 6 months in training. and a wave of food poisoning followed by the flu
was as much as i could stand.
On the first day of the season this was my Injured roster:
Knight, Petterson, Awford, Thogesson, Slueyman, Perron, Whittingham, Bradbury,
Pettifer, Platt, Dillon, Moore, Philips, McLoughlin & Waterman. ..and new
signing, 210k from spurs Ledley King was found to have a torn hamstring at the
medical
Thats 16 players OUT before i had even seen a competive ball kicked!
Enough was enough,i crumbled under the presure and retired from Football!
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