Palm Trees and Power Lines

[Zlatan]

Well I know what you're thinking now, you're thinking:'Oh no not another story that lasts for 2 posts'. But this time it will be diffrent. I'll write this story in a real-life version, so fasten your seat belt, keep hands and legs inside the vehicle at any time and enjoy your trip.

Palm Trees and Power Lines part 1
'Beep, beep, beep'
Oh what a headache, Juan Carlos Blanco thought as he slammed his alarmclock off. He proceeded to the toilet, and as he was staring at the Snoopy calander in front of him he wondered what was going on with him. Ten years ago Juan Carlos was in the Atletico Madrid youngsters academy, he even made a promising debut. But than it happened, Juan Carlos had gone over the accident time over time. He was driving along the coast heading towards Las Palmas together with his friend Pablo, when he suddenly saw a car in front of him. Juan Carlos didn't do anything else but to steer quickly to the right. With about 120 kp/H he slammed into a tree. A palm tree. Pablo escaped miraculousy, but Juan Carlos didn't. A double broken leg was the result, he got lucky, so the doctors told him, that they weren't forced to amputate his leg. He went on to try and recover both physically and mentally, but after fighting for more than two years, he realized that it was impossible to return to Estadio Vicente Calderon as a player.

But Juan Carlos didn't give up football just yet. Alright, he couldn't play football, but maybe he could become a trainer somewhere. So off he went on a course that lasted for 2 years and he finally got his first degree when he was 27. Most teachers said he had good tactical insight and that he could become a good trainer. So he started as a youth trainer at the club that he had been supporting since he could think, which was Atletico Madrid. Beeing the trainer of the youth team he won several titles with his team. But he was more proud at all the footballers that he trained and that got their debut. He was the proudest at Fernando Torres. Juan Carlos first met him when he was seventeen and now he is twentyone and he already is the star player of the team. They've always had some sort of a friendship.

Everything seemed to go well and Juan Carlos was quite satisfied with life when his wife died. That's now almost three months ago. Juan Carlos saw his whole world falling apart. His wife had meant so much to him. She was one of the physio's who helped him recover. It was love at first sight. She helped him through the darkest periods in his life. But now she was gone. He cried so much that he could supply a whole nation with water. He started drinking, he got sacked and everything was miserable.

Juan Carlos walked over to the table in his living room where the bottles of whisky were all over the place. Juan Carlos was standing in front of his window. It was than when the phone rang...

To be continued...

So what you think of this introduction?

 

[Fernandez]

The first paragraph was quite humorous even though it was a serious situation. But the intro is quite believable.

 

[Daz]

very... intriguing. I wanna know what happens next


well written.

 

[Zlatan]

Thanks for the comments everyone, keep them coming .

Here's part 2

Palm Trees and Power Lines part 2
'Ring, ring, ring, ring'
While Juan Carlos was wondering who that could be he picked up the phone.
'Hello?'
'Hello Juan Carlos, this is Pablo'
'Oh hi, Pablo, I haven't heard of you in ages.'
'Yes, how are you Juan?'
'Oh fine' Juan Carlos lied.
'Well, I know you haven't been involved with Atletico since you were dropped, but today there's the annual meeting at Vicente Calderon, every staff member is invited to bring a partner with him'
'Right, you're still working as a scout for Atletico?'
'Yes, I am, well what would you think? Would you like to come?'
'Let's see. We're talking about the meeting with champagne and lousy talks from high ranked board members. No offense but I don't really like that.'
'You're sure you don't Juan? I heard someone has an intresting offer for you.'
'An offer? What about it?'
'Oh, I've been talking to him a bit. You've probably heard the manager left after he was found guilty last summer because of tax fraude.'
'Yes I have but...'
'Just come and you'll see Juan Carlos.'
'You're talking a bit vaguely, Pablo, come to terms.'
'Just come, Juan, just come, I'll tell you there'
'But...'
'Beep, beep, beep'

What was that all about? Juan Carlos wondered. That must have been one of the most mysterious calls he had for ages, in fact it was one of the first calls he got since the dead of his wife. He seperated him totaly from the world since Maria died. Ofcourse Juan Carlos would like to come and see what Pablo has to say but he's looking totally messed up. Would he dare to admit to all his former friends at the club he had become a drinking depressive man? He hasn't had contact with anyone of them since the funeral. He'd probably think he got over it already but the truth was life had only got worse. Far worse. So Juan Carlos wasn't exactly sure that he would like to go.

But in the end the curiousty won it. And so he dressed himself with some unwashed clothes put a baseball cap on his head and went out on the hot streets of Madrid. He took the first bus that went to Vicente Calderon. Right on time for the meeting to begin. Pablo hadn't really changed since the last time he saw him. Black hair and glasses. Not that he expected him to change, Pablo didn't really cared much about how he looked.
'Hi, Pablo.'
'Oh eh Hello, Juan Carlos'
At the reaction he could see that Pablo could almost smell he had drinken a bit too much of late.
'I knew you would come' Pablo added quickly.
'Well, shall we enter than?' Juan Carlos said to try and make the conversation take another way so that he won't have to talk about his wife or anything.
'Yeah okay' Pablo answered. 'There's someone who wants to talk to you'

When they walked into the building, he stumbled into a big man.
'Ah, Juan Carlos' he said.
'Eh, do I know you?'
'No I suppose you don't but anyways I'm Mateja Zigic from Croatia.'
The man poked out his hand. Juan Carlos shook it.
'I was introduced to you by Pablo already. I have an intresting offer for you I think. You know I've been talking to Mr. Miguel Angel Gil Martin and he agrees with a sort of deal. You probably know Atletico is in a bit of trouble financially, now my company is willing to help them to recover but we do want something in return.'
'And that is?'
'Well, how shall I say it' Zigic said as he looked around as if he was afraid anyone would hear it. 'Our company wants to push luck a bit when it comes to the results of Atletico.'
'Sounds good but that is something we all want'
'I don't think you understood me right, but I can't tell you with all these people around. Shall we discuss this somewhere more privatly?'
Without having answered they walked over to a door, Zigic opened it and he saw a man standing there known as the president of Atletico Madrid. Mr. Miguel Angel Gil Martin.
'Do you think my hair should be like this?' he asked to a blond woman who was standing next to him.
'It looks good I think sir.'
'Thank you' he smiled.'Well, I think I'm ready for my speech than'
Gil Martin turned over to Zigic and Juan Carlos.
'Can you leave us alone?' he asked to the woman. She left the room.
'So here we have our new manager.' he said while the door was closed by the woman.
'Not that fast yet, Miguel, we still have to explain some things to him.'
New manager? What the hell? thought Juan Carlos.
'Have a seat Juan Carlos.' Miguel said. 'Alright, let me explain it to you, I'm doing everything to keep Atletico from becoming bankrupt. You can understand that?'
'I suppose so' Juan Carlos answered.
'Would you also understand that I will even tend to do illegal things just to secure Atletico's future?'
'Don't know'
'Alright well let me come to terms. We are going to cooperate with this betting company of Mr. Zigic. But he wants to see guarenteed money back for this. I agreed to try to manipulate a few results so that he could see some money. You understand?'
Without waiting on an answer the president continued: 'Now there are not many coaches who wish to cooperate with such illegal things. They don't want blood on their hands. I've spoken to some already, who have sworn to say nothing about it, but they didn't want to be involved. Now we come down to you and ask you if you want to become the manager of the club. You don't have to but you can earn quite some money if you sign the contract.'
'Oh god, can I have some time to think about?'
'Yes ofcourse, I'll give you my phone number, you can call me when you have a decision ready.'
'Right' and Juan Carlos was handed the phone number.
'Now if you don't mind, I got a speech to do.'
Juan Carlos and Zigic left the room. Once outside Zigic said:'Oh one thing, if you tell anyone about this...' he looked pretty dangerous while he was saying this so Juan Carlos knew that something terrible was going to happen if he didn't obbey him.

Juan Carlos stayd for a while longer. Fortunatly noone really asked about him. He just said he was fine and that he got over it everytime someone asked about his situation. He didn't know how to feel, at one end he could restart life as head coach of his favourite club, at the other end this whole corrupt betting thingy didn't at all appeal to him. But he did feel better after he talked to some old friends at the club. For the first time since months Juan Carlos went to bed without having touched one bottle of whisky, which he was quite proud of.

To be continued...

 

[Zlatan]

New part:

Palm Trees and Power Lines part 3
A few weeks later Juan Carlos still couldn't sort out wheter or not he should take the job. While he was considering the good and the bad things of the job for the thousand time, the door bell rang. He opened the door and there stood a young man in a fancy looking suit. Ending near the beginning of his neck, his hair was hold back with a hairband, he had small not noticable freckles and a bit of pointy ears as if he tried to imitate Mr. Spock from Star Trek.
It was obvious for Juan Carlos the man that was standing in front of him was the biggest talent Spain had known for many years, Fernando Torres.
'Eh, hello.' Juan Carlos didn't know really what to say. Ofcourse they've known each other for years, but since he became star at Atletico he seemed to don't have the time to talk to him anymore.
'Hello, Juan, it's been a long time ey?'
'Yeah sure.'
'Well how are you?'
'Oh fine thank you, how are you?'
'Also fine thank you.'
For a moment they just gazed at each other, obviously not knowing what to say, finally Fernando Torres continued.
'Well may I come in than?' he asked. In no way, Juan Carlos thought, he may enter my house cause if he would he would see all the bottles of whisky. Fernando Torres must be the last person who may know of his drinking addiction.
'Eh, well, actually I was just about to go for a walk, care to join me?'
'Sure but do you go out for a walk on your slippers?'
In Juan Carlos horror, he noticed he still weared the slippers that were standing next to his bed, which he put on his feet when he got out of bed?
'Well no ofcourse not' Juan Carlos said in a hurry. 'I was just about to get my gymps, will you wait outside?'
'Yeah sure' Fernando Torres answered. That was close, Juan Carlos thought, as he put on his nike's and went outside.

While they walked, they were stopped many times by people asking for an autograph from Fernando Torres. But at last they got a conversation going.
'So what are you doing now since you stopped?'
'Well nothing really'
'Ah I see'
Again there was silence.
'I heard you were approached for the job at Atletico' Fernando Torres said suddenly.
'How do you know that?' Juan Carlos said a bit surprised.
'Doesn't matter, what matters is that I think you would be perfect for the job, I mean you know the club and you've been one of my best trainers'
'Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I'm not really sure if I should take it'
'How so?'
'Well I suppose you've heard the other side of the story aswell?'
'No I don't think so.'
'Well, I can't tell you much about it but it isn't very fair if I may say so.'
'You're welcome' Fernando Torres said to somebody who he had just given an autograph. He continued:'I don't know what you're talking about, but I think you should take anyway.'
'Well, I've been thinking about it for quite a while now but I still haven't made up my mind'
'My advise is that you should do it, I think the squad will have all the confidence in you.'
They were almost back at the point where they started.
'Well I got to go again, I think, got some training to do for my sprained ankle you know.' Fernando Torres said
'Ah, ok'
'See you then'
'Yeah goodbye'
When he got home he picked up the phone and dailed the number...

Within days it was finished, he got a good contract and hours later he was presented to the press as the new manager at 30th June of 2005. A new period in Juan Carlos life had begun.

To be continued

 

[Zlatan]

Well lads, the moment has come from which the game will lead my fantasy and not the other way around.
Here we go, part 4 already!

Palm Trees and Power Lines part 4
Juan Carlos' first games were games in a friendly tour through Greece. Juan Carlos decides to make a diary of what all happens during this tour.

Greece tour day 1
Well here it is than my first entry of this Greece tour. This is just for me to later look back on and see what the results were during that friendly tour so that I'd be able to adapt things when we're back.
The squad still seems a bit surprised of me getting the job of managing this club(except for Fernando ofcourse) this is quite normal ofcourse. But I'll have to show them I'm a better manager but ofcourse I have my duties towards the club aswell(you know what I'm talking about, right?). Now than, first I decided that my tactic should be a 4-1-2-1-2 with practically no wingers, the space that's left there should be filled up with the full backs Molinero and Lopez. I'll leave Petrov and Valera(who I'm not totally sure about for this particular job, so I'll certainly swap him sometime for Galletti who should be offered a fair chance aswell) on a free role but with some crossing obligations though. I mean I don't think the two full backs be a winger and a defender at the same time. So when Petrov and Valera take over their winger obligations, I need someone with still some creative ability. Now this guy will certainly be Ibagaza, the guy is pretty star like, but he's also a rather good leader and he sees openings where others don't. Just as Ibagaza, I'll leave Fernando on a free role. This is an experiment of mine, cause I think he's more than just a plain striker. So I ask him to drop back a little and create gaps for my other striker Kezman, to fill them up and with his deadly finishing skills he should be able to bang a few in for us. I got one DMC Gabi, who is solid nothing more really and for the moment Pablo and Pablo Sicillia will be my two main defenders although I already started looking for a new defender since I think the squad needs a better one.

Well, it's late now, got to go to bed tommorow morning we'll leave to Korydallos where we will play our first friendly against Proodeftiki. Not a really big name but good team to practice some tactics and players and ofcourse for the lads to get some condition.

PS: On a personal note I'd like to say that I'm glad that I got this job even with this complications, but it got my life back on track.

To be continued...

Oh and BTW please continue giving feedback, it helps making my story.

 

[Zlatan]

Palm Trees and Power Lines part 5
Greece tour diary day 2
Well, well the first game has been played and it went quite well. Espacially Fernando played great during this game he scored twice. Although I think there are still alot of things to do, the squad played well. We must keep in mind that this is Proodeftiki and not say Real Madrid or something. That beeing said I do have some concern that they could still get some good chances in and Leo Franco, our goalie, had to stretch himself far too often for me. Well atleast my strikers seem strong with Torres ofcourse scoring two, Kezman making himself a few good chances, yet he wasn't able to finish them but I think that'll come with time and last but not least we have Arizmendi at the age of 21 he's already an influential player and he created some good chances aswell but just as Kezman he couldn't finish them of yet. Overall I'm quite satisfied with the 2-0 result although we should've dominated more.

On another note I've today received the instructions of Mr. Gil and Mr. Zigic, still don't feel comfartable with this pressure from inside but well I think you have to go through a few things if you want to be manager of a club as big as Atletico ofcourse.

Greece tour diary day 5
Well today it was a lot worser than sunday. I'm pretty dissappointed really cause the team we played against today, Kalamaria, has about the status of Proodeftiki, the club we played pretty well against yesterday. Today it was diffrent though, whole parts of the game were dominated by our Greece opponents. We started out well after a few minutes Fernando banged one in for us but from of that moment Kalamaria started dominating the game. They had an awful lot of chance which eventually resulted in a goal by their striker named Pappas. For a moment I was afraid that they would come back but than finally something happened what I had instructed Ariel(Ibagaza) and Fernando to do. The ball came in from if I'm not mistaking substitute right back Velasco, Fernando held up the ball waiting for Ibagaza to come meanwhile making a gap for him to run into. Ibagaza ran into got the ball and pin pointed it in the right corner. The only good part of this game really cause even after this nice goal the opponent still had good chances to make it a draw.

So I'm not really satisfied with the way we played although a victory is a victory ofcourse but that doesn't mean that much in this early stage of the season.

Greece tour diary day 8
Well our last day in Greece we'll be heading home to Madrid again tonight. Our last game was against the Greece giants Panathinaikos. Seeing our way of playing last wednesday I was afraid that we would get crushed by this opponent, the first serious one of the season. And we we're presurised by them although we did get in front with a goal from Kezman. But only a few minutes later Torghelle made it all square again. Ofcourse Panathinaikos is a club who's going to play in the CL this season, but there was really one chance and that was the goal from Kezman and this is far too low for us. So I had to do something in the break, I instructed Pablo Sicillia to mark Torghelle who had lots of space all the time. This worked, with Torghelle barely touching the ball I apparently took the needle out of Panathinaikos play. So we got some more chances. I decided to sub Fernando cause he wasn't playing well and I brought on Arizmendi. Immediatly he got a goal in for us.

And so we won this game again a bit undeservedly but I'm more satisfied than I was wednesday, cause we played against a good opponent and I managed to adapt the team so that we could come back in the game and eventually make the winner and go home with 2-1.


To be continued...

 

[Daz]

very interesting read mate, i'm keen to know what happens from here on...

 

[Zlatan]

Me too

Palm Trees and Power Lines part 6
'Ladies and gentleman, please fasten you seat belts and prepare for landing' a soft woman voice said as Juan Carlos and his men were sitting in the business class of flight HV 5204. Juan Carlos finished the last few sentences of his last entry in his diary and than acknowlegded the voice by fastening his seat-belt. The landing went well and they safely set foot in Spain again.

He hadn't even got back home when he got phone from Pablo, his friend and scout of Atletico.
'Hi, Juan, I've completed my scouting mission as you requested.'
'And?'
'Well, I got in contact with the manager of a Belgian left-back named Filip Daems. I think he's perfect to back up Antonio. He'll probably won't make the first team to often, but he's eager to leave his club Monchengladbach so I've heard.'
'Sounds intresting, I'll make contact with the board and Gladbach. What more have you got.'
'Well I know you weren't exactly looking for a central defender but I found a pretty good one I think. Roland Juhasz is his name, he plays for Anderlecht and is Hungarian.'
'But Pablo, I think we got fairly enough solid defenders.'
'But you should take a look at him anyway, I think he's better than any of the defenders we have now.'
'Alright I'll think about it. Anymore?'
'No, sorry Juan, but tommorow I'll leave to Istanbul to look at a 22 year old Turkish right back.'
'You're quite busy aren't you Pablo?'
'Yes, always have been'
'Okay, well keep me posted. See you.'
'See you'
'Goodbye'
'Goodbye'

After the approval of the board for buying Daems, Juan Carlos got a few days later from the same board the news that their had been a fee arranged of only 50k aswell as that the offer of 1.6m for Juhasz(whom Juan Carlos after seeing him live in action too thought he should buy him aswell) was accepted. So off Juan Carlos went to Germany to speak with the Belgian left-back from where he would move on to Belgium to talk to Juhasz. Juan Carlos explained to Daems that he couldn't guarantee him a place in the starting lineup but that his situation will be atleast better than the situation he had at Gladbach at the moment, to which he had answered that anything would be better than Gladbach and that he'll almost surely sign for Atletico.
Juhasz had a better situation at Anderlecht than Daems had at Gladbach, but after a few days of negotiating with his manager he signed a contract and was the first player to present to the press as a new signing by Juan Carlos. No more than a day later he could also welcome Daems to Vicente Calderon. But there was bad news too, the Turkish right-back Pablo had seen play wasn't intrested in coming to Vicente Calderon although a fee was already agreed with Fenerbahce also striker Javi Rodriquez didn't want to come he thought Levante was a bigger club than Atletico and he wouldn't come for all the money in the world to Madrid. Meanwhile a loan deal for young Atletico Madrid player Antonio Moreno came in from Real Oviedo and was accepted.

So, Juan Carlos thought, Atletico had been rather succesful at the transfer market but he did want a left-mid cause the only one he had besides Petrov was a young talent named Aaron whom isn't ready to kick it at the highest level yet.

To be continued...

 

[Zlatan]

Palm Trees and Power Lines part 7
'Come on Pablo, come on!' Juan Carlos tried to encourage Pablo, who was just showed a clean set of heels by Fernando Torres.
'Ah, nice goal Fernando' Juan Carlos said while applauding for Fernando Torres' stunning finish of his run with a nice pin point shot which curled past Ivan Cuellar. They stood on the training ground of Atletico preparing themselves on for the real kick-off of the season which will take place in about two weeks away against Zaragoza. Meanwhile Atletico had played three more games. Two games were won with free-flooding football. 2-1 against Germinal Beerschot and 3-0 against Portuguese club Leixoes. Then they drew 3-3 against Badajoz which sounds pretty bad but keep in mind that many key-players were away on international duty. Now their minds were totally fixed on getting a good start in the competition.

After the training Miguel Gonzalez Baston, his assistent, told him to sign the player registration.
This is the list as submitted to the Primera Division:
1 - Leo Franco
Goalkeeper
2 - Juan Velasco
Right back
3 - Antonio Lopez
Left back
4 - Gonzalo Colsa
Defensive midfielder
5 - Garcia Calvo
Central defender
6 - Molinero
Right back
7 - Luciano Martin Galletti
Right midfielder
8 - Juan Valera
Attacking right midfielder
9 - Fernando Torres
Striker
10 - Maxi Rodriguez
Attacking midfielder
11 - Mateja Kezman
Striker
12 - Roland Juhasz
Central defender
13 - Javier Arizmendi
Striker
14 - Gabriel Fernandez(Gabi)
Defensive midfielder
15 - Ivan Cuellar
Goalkeeper
16 - Filip Daems
Left back
17 - Pablo Sicillia
Central defender
18 - Ariel Ibagaza
Attacking midfielder
19 - Zahinos
Striker
20 - Roberto
Goalkeeper
21 - Luis Amaranto Perea
Central defender
22 - Pablo Ibanez(Pablo)
Central defender
23 - Peter Luccin
Defensive midfielder
24 - Arteaga
Attacking left midfielder
25 - Martin Petrov
Attacking left midfielder

Juan Carlos signed the paper.
'Still a shame we couldn't find a left winger' Miguel said.
'Yeah, but oh well, we've got Arteaga and Aaron from the under 18's squad, moreover I think Antonio Lopez is more than capable to the job when Martin's out'
'Okay than, well I'm going to submit this together with the list for the u18's and the "B" team.'
'Allright' Juan Carlos said and he left Vicente Calderon knowing that everything was done for the coming season.

 

[Zlatan]

Guys, terrible news, for some reason I can't load my game anymore while I can load the other games I have. I'm forced to delete the file since it seems to affect my whole computer too. So that probably means the sudden end of this story, unless you want me to start the game all over again.