Career The Helenio Herrera Challenge [Challenge Accepted]

[Brandon Joel Ortega]

The Helenio Herrera Challenge

In order to educate myself further on football's history, I must look to past greats. Attempting to emulate their victories will ensure I know their struggles, their high-and-lows, and the iconic nature of their legends. Through the Helenio Herrera challenge, I will move from France, to Spain, then to Italy to ensure a new legend is born. I also plan to add more spice to this challenge with national team honors (that Helenio could not achieve), as well as a run with my favored club at the end of my career. Simply put, I want to create a new story, where I can develop a player into the new Di Stefano, and create a new force in Italian history as massive as Grande Inter was.

 

Challenge Rules (MANDATORY):

• I must move from (in order) France to Spain to Italy.
  • In France, I cannot join a side currently in Europe.
  • In Spain, I must win at least 4 League Titles, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 Copa del Reys with two different clubs.
  • Then, in Italy, I must win 3 Serie A titles, 2 Champions Leagues and 2 FIFA World Club Cups and 1 Coppa Italia with two different clubs.
• Must only play with 5 atb formations (5-4-1, 3-4-3, etc.)
• NO cheating, of course lol. 

Special Goals (SPECIAL):

• In career, I must become manager of a country in both Europe and South America.
  • I must win both the Euros, and the Copa America.
  • I must win one World Cup with either nation.
• After all is said and done, I may apply for job at Arsenal, to end career.

 

I did not mean for this to be a post, but I thought that actually posting it would be a lot of fun, at least compared to doing it on my own. I hope this is fun to follow, and I hope I can challenge 1899's post, he's done a fantastic job with his!

 

Helenio Herrera Challenge Found Here

1899's Post

[Brandon Joel Ortega]

So... this is where the issue lies with not thinking of the possibility of making this challenge official.

 

I am missing information from Season One... But here goes!

 

Season one, starting off... FRANCE!

 

In France, I could not choose a club already in a European competition. Because of this restriction, most of the more well-known teams were out of reach. While I originally planned to go for a Ligue 2 side, I decided to stick to the top division and go for Montpelier, due to their connection to Olivier Giroud, one of my favorite players.

Montpellier_HSC_logo.svg

 

I chose to start the game off without a transfer budget, assuming that Montpelier had a good squad on hand.

NOPE.

A shambles in defense, poor midfield options, and an aging attack,I quickly thought that my key players for the season would be left winger Dolly, right-winger Brandon Thomas (signed on loan from Stade Rennes), and goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte. And, that was more or less true to the season. 

 

Team Report and Tactics:

The positives of the squad were mostly meh. While we did have great depth in CD, they were also one of the weakest points in the season. A physically strong, and "good pace" filled, the team lacked in technical skills and tactical knowledge.

Early on, I struggled to go from my favored 4-2-3-1 to adapt a 3 ATB formation, especially with the squad on-hand. In defense, I was forced to use a naiive, young Mukiele who was simply just poor, an aging decent Congre, and the technically-okay Mendes. In midfield, I assumed the two wingbacks would basically play as wingers, and I attempted to have a holding midfielder in Piriz, as well as two supporting/attacking mids in Dolly and Skhiri. It was horrid, and I ended up going on a terrible loss streak to start the season off. 

However, things picked up with time as I ended up the season in mid-table, as well as finalist for the French Cup, falling to PSG in a shameful display where I lost 2-0 in a game where it looked like I would have never won.

Season Roundup

All in all, a final position of 9th on the table with a GD of +4 goals was a positive for me, after starting off the season in the relegation zone. The finalist to the French cup was a cherry on the milkshake, but the early 4th round exit from the Coupe de la Ligue left a bitter taste in my mouth. Here's hoping for better next season!

 

Again, sorry for the shite first season post. I will talk about transfers, and more in the second season. Sorry guys!

[1899]

Good to see another attempt at this. I'll keep an eye on it for sure. Best of luck to you! 

[BatiGoal]

Got your work cut out for you. Goodluck! 

[Brandon Joel Ortega]

Season Two, still here...

At my first season at Montpelier, my struggle was with conceding goals. While scoring 1.5 goals per game, I'd concede 1.4 goals every game. This lead to look at my squad in the pre-season, and aided in my decision to bring in a few defensive reinforcements...

Transfers In, 2018/19:

First off, my left back position. While I did have a reliable left back, I planned to make Roussilion my back up and the Argentinian Jonathan Silva to take the starting spot. Then, I accidentally accepted Dodo's transfer, so now I have to very good left backs for one spot... oops.

Secondly, I've brought in 4 centerbacks. Order of favoritism goes Helander > Antei > Lejuene > van der Hoorn

In fact, I think I might've gotten away with saving the 2.6 mil from Mike van der Hoorn's transfer. Meh.

Joel Robles was a decent free transfer, although not clearly better than Benjamin Lecomte.

Kevin N'Doram is a young DM/CM loaned from Monaco for another season. I had him in for the second half of the 17/18 season, and he did his job well enough. 

Dompe  is a tricky, young french winger found in Belgium. Not much to him, I signed him for his cheap price tag and his French nationality.

Transfers Out, 18/19:

A LOT of players left the club, and left a lot of space behind . The only player of note to leave the team is Casimir Ninga, a somewhat young-ish pace merchant who could play winger or striker if needed. He was meant to stay on, but after a spat about a heavy training workload, I listed him and sold him to Ligue 2 side VAFC. The other players were sold due to their poor defensive qualities (Pokorny, Mendes...), age (Berigaud...), or simply younger players that were never going to reach potential for a Ligue 1 side (Ligali the GK, Poaty, Clemente...)

Setting up Tactically:

At first, I attempted a very narrow counterattacking system. Being so narrow, I wanted my two wingbacks to push forward and cross the ball into the box, where I'd have 3 attacking players running into the box. The use of two "defensive" CMs was also an attempt to shore up my defense and concede less goals. In this formation, I had 3 players that I considered to be key parts...

1. Isaac Mbenza, The Key Striker

 

Perhaps my favorite player in the squad from Montpelier, Mbenza was one of my highlights last season, and started off this second season brightly. Still only 22, I see him as a key part to my strike force, starting the season off as my Advanced Forward.

2. Kevin N'Doram, the Man from Monaco

While not amazing, he is a very good DM type player with lots of room to grow. Back for his second season, I hope he proves to me (and Monaco, I guess) that he is a layer that can be top-class soon.

3. Filip Helander, the Bosman Swede

Wow, an actual centerback! One of 4 newly brought in CBs, I think the free Swedish player is going to offer the most for my club for the cheapest rate. With 16 Aerial, 18 Tackling, 19 positioning, and 16 decision, Helander should be a tough player to try and get past.

Edited December 15, 2017 by Brandon Joel Ortega

[Brandon Joel Ortega]

Dissatisfied

After 49 games, my record stands at 19 games lost and 30 games either lost or drawn. Terrible, for what should be a top class manager.

 

I decided to look at prospects that can aid my progression immediately. However, October proved to be a terrible month for me as a manager.

Really? Sure, I haven't been impressive but... really?

Nevermind. The board was right.

This was easily the most frustrating game I've had in ages. While I was not dominating the game, per say, I was comfortable by the 80th minute that we could get a result and look-y here, we lose on pennos to a lower table side. Sigh, I am dissatisfied at Montpelier, so I decide to look for a new job...
 

[Brandon Joel Ortega]

A Merry Christmas in a Merry Montpelier

The run up to January has been pretty swell actually. A win against Monaco kickstarted a good run, where we got 16/21 points. 

 

The League

 

This left Montpelier in 4th place, 8 points off of 1st and with only 5 losses in 19 games.

 

Also one of the best defensive records in the league

 

 

Individual Records

While the average ratings are less than good, the team itself was actually performing well! At the top of his game was Mbenza, the Belgian striker-now-inside forward. 20 goals in 19 games, wow. He's been an absolute pleasure. A shocker was Christian Cueva, Peruvian star who I signed during the January transfer window last season from Brazil. He's actually good? Too bad he's injured now...

Otherwise, I am dissapointed in my squad. While they've performed pretty well so far, only 5 goalscorers and 5 assisters total is very disheartening. Still.. I look for the positives.

How do the goals scored compare to the league?

Very Well!

In terms of goals scored, Mbenza cuts in to take the lead, in front of Neymar, Lautaro Martinez, and.. Stepanenko?

Wait...

Wow, Stepamenko is ASSE's DM, and has managed to score 12 goals in 19 games so far. Impressive from the boy!

 

How about my assisters?

Even Better!

While Cueva is at top, I must point out the extravagance of Mbenza this season! He is utterly unplayable with his form, he's so good!

 

AND IT IS RECOGNIZED!

Yes lad! This is the second year in a row where a player of mine wins the trophy, with last year's winner being our second top goalscorer Giovanni Sio.

Here's hopin that things go well going into January, but we shall see!