Championship Manager Diary - September 2000
Tuesday 5th September
After a quiet week, with no matches, transfer news or any thing of note to write about, I get a call from Rangers. They offer me �3,500,000 for Kevin McNaughton. Well my heart and my head are fighting here! My heart says keep him. He's a great young prospect whose an asset to the club and will probably go on to play for Scotland one day. My head says �3,500,000 is a lot of money for a 17 yr. Old. Especially with the clubs finances not looking too great. Hmmm. After some consideration I decide it is an offer to good to refuse so I accept and will start the search for a new defender.
Wednesday 6th September 2000
League Cup third round. My first match in the competition is at home to Hearts. A good cup run is important because it will probably be my only hope of silverware this season, so I'm hoping to do well and progress quite far in the cups.
Lg. Cup 3rd Round Result
Aberdeen 1 - 2 Hearts
Oh dear I shouldn�t have said that. I won't comment for cup matches in the future. Had most of the possession, lead 1 - 0 till the 70th minute. Hearts equalised through Stephane Adam, then against the run of play, Juanjo popped in the 88th minute to seal a 2 - 1 victory.
Oh well, there's still two cups left.
Saturday 9th September 2000
I'm not going to ask whether or not I can make it a dream start to the league season and pick up my fourth win from four league games by beating Celtic away because that would be bad luck. Oh damn! I just did!
The first 50 minutes went well. I was leading after an early goal from Stavrum, then Derek Whyte was foolishly sent off for a silly foul on Johan Mjallby and things started to go pear shaped from then on.
Lg. Result
Celtic 3 - 1 Aberdeen
That was Kevin McNaughton's last game for the club as he completed his �3.5 million move to Rangers after the game.
17 yr. old Ian Munro has been promoted from the youth set-up, he'll get his chance soon. I'm all for giving youth their chance.
Derek Whyte feels his fine for his dismissal in the previous match was unfair. Well I don�t, because we were 1 - 0 up before he went off. So he can like it or lump it I'm afraid.
Sunday 10th September 2000
I'm starting to have doubts about Jim Leighton's ability. He's conceded 11 goals in his last four games. So I've decided to take Dmitri Kharine on a five-month loan from Celtic. That should bolster things at the back.
Thursday 14th September 2000
We're off to Spain. It's the UEFA cup first round first leg game in Olympic stadium, Barcelona. Espanyol vs. Aberdeen.
It's going to be a very hard game. I'm a little cautious about predicting anything, but I will say were going to have to be on top form to get anything out of this game. A score draw would be nice, a vital away goal is needed I think.
UEFA Cup 1st round 1st leg Result
Espanyol 2 - 0 Aberdeen
Not the results I hoped for, but I always new it was going to be tough. We've got a mountain to climb in the second leg. One positive was the introduction of youngster Ian Munro in the second half. He did quite well and impressed me.
Friday 15th September 2000
I've decided to keep the money I received from the McNaughton transfer and ill stick with Andy Dow for the time being. He's been having a moan because he's not been playing so now is his chance to impress me. I may invest in a new defender later in the season.
Saturday 16th September 2000
Alan Mahon of Sporting Lisbon wants first team football. I think he would be an excellent addition to the squad so ignore what I said yesterday. I've made a bid of �500,000.
Sunday 17th September 2000
Lg. Result
Aberdeen 2 - 0 Motherwell
Oh dear things are staring to go horribly wrong.
There are a number of reasons why we lost this game.
1. Jim Leighton was playing.
2. We are missing Belabed, Jess just isn't doing the business this season.
3. We are missing Derek Young's goals. He should be fit for the next game.
4. The sooner Hicham Zerouili gets back from injury the better, because we could do with him in the side as well.
5. Maybe I should splash out on a defender.
Well I'll try and rectify those things and if things don�t start to turn round after that, then maybe we are in a spot of bother.
A radio debate raged over the reason why I persist in Playing Cato Guntveit when it is obvious that he isn't producing the goods on the pitch.
I told the press to lay off him and that he's a valuable member of the squad. Besides when do you see Alex Ferguson slagging off his players for a dodgy game or two.
Thursday 21st September 2000
Had offer for Alan Mahon accepted. I've offered him �5000 a week because I think this guy could be a massive star for the club. If he accepts it will make him the best paid player at the club.
Saturday 23rd September 2000
Lg. Result
Hearts 3 - 3 Aberdeen
We nearly threw this game away, 2 - 0 up at half time, 3 - 2 down in the 89th minute. But Rachid Belabed scored in injury time to grab a point.
My defence is really coursing me problems so I've decided to frop one of my midfielders back and play a flat back four, I hope this improves things because things cannot go on like this.
Tuesday 25h September 2000
Alan Mahon has rejected my contract offer and has decided to go to Tottenham instead, sod him it's his loss!
Thursday 27th September 2000
It's the UEFA cup second leg game at home to Espanyol. Im 2 - 0 down from the first leg so I've decide to revert to four at the back to strengthen my defence. I've also put Hicham Zerouali into the side for his first start since returning from injury.
13 minutes gone
Darren Young picked up the loose ball and played a 30yd ball to Lilley,
Lilley tried to hold up play,
Lilley played the ball to Zerouali's feet,
Zerouali took the ball into the area,
Zerouali took the ball past Manel and struck a shot towards the top corner,
Zerouali scored with a fine strike.
Aberdeen 1 - 0 Espanyol (1-2 agg)
21 minutes gone
Darren Young looked for the pass right to Guntveit,
Guntveit played the ball into the area looking for the run of Derek Young,
Young headed towards goal,
Derek young scored for Aberdeen!!
Aberdeen 2 - 0 Espanyol (2 - 2 agg)
42 minutes gone
Darren Young looked to set up Belabed in the area,
Belabed struck a fierce shot,
Argenso did well to parry the shot,
Zerouali followed the up the shot and hit a low drive,
Zerouali scored!!
Aberdeen 3 - 0 Espanyol (3 - 2 agg)
Half Time
78 minutes gone
Galca hit the ball towards Oscar in the area,
Oscar found himslef with plenty of time,
Oscar hit the ball on the volley,
Oscar scored!!
Espanyol took the lead on away goals!
Aberdeen 3 - 1 Espanyol (3 - 3 agg)
82 minutes gone
Zerouali took the ball forward
Zerouali played the ball forward to McGarry,
McGarry drove the ball low at goal,
The ball hit the post and went out for a goal kick,
Aberdeen could should have won it there
Full Time
Espanyol win on away goals
UEFA Cup 1st round 2nd leg Result
Aberdeen 3 - 1 Espanyol (3 - 3 agg) (Espanyol win on away goals)
We nearly did it. After the first leg we had a mountain to climb and I thought we were out. Even after we went 3 - 0 up I still thought we needed another goal to be sure, because I knew one goal by them and we were out. We can take a lot of positives from this game. The defence has improved and we've beaten a tough European side.
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