williamrhys

I was inspired to write this when I realised just how much better than me my brother is at FM. We both started seperate games at the same time, but I've written this as if we are part of the same football universe.


Living in the Shadow: Part 1
by williamrhys

"Best manager in the Premier League? He's not even the best manager in his family." Alan Hansen

As careers go, William Rhys Asken's is one of the more remarkable. A Scottish Cup win and UEFA Cup semi-final on the way to overcoming years of tradition in establishing a new "Big Three" in Scottish football. Then came the opportunity of a life-time, the task of restoring a struggling Liverpool to their former glory. The rest is history, as Liverpool captured a FA Cup and Champions League double in his third season at New Anfield. Becoming a legend at two clubs in two countries is more than most managers could hope for, but as we all know Asken's story is not like most managers. He has a brother named Tam.

A massive media storm surrounded William Asken's appointment as Dundee United manager. After yet another season of Old Firm domination in the SPL, the axe came down heavily in the league's boardrooms. A new wave of young but inexperienced managers took the reigns of several clubs, the most sensational being the appointment of William and Tam Asken at Dundee United and Hibernian respectively. These two brothers' only previous experience had been as co-managers of their home town club Ballymoney United. "I was as surprised as anyone else when I heard the news" says William. "Both Tam and I had been pursued by a couple of teams, but for us to both get our big break in the same season made it particularly special." What came next surpassed even the wildest of expectations. While William started to build a young side with top-half security as it's goal, Tam took an essentially unchanged Hibs team and blew the rest of the SPL away. Steven Fletcher became the league's leading goalscorer, the focus of the side's new slick, attacking game. This came as no surprise to one man. "I actually won quite a large sum of money on Hibs that year" laughs William, "If anyone could turn a club around in that length of time, it would be him." After only one season in Scottish football, Tam Asken had done what no manager had been able to do in over twenty years, beat the Old Firm. The English Premier League soon came calling.

WozzaWolves

Absolutely amazing start. Can't wait to hear more...

Good luck! :D

Hartynips

What a superb start mate fantastic stuff

Is your bro on here too?

williamrhys

I'm trying to get him to register as he's got some really amazing screenshots he could post, but he doesn't think anyone will believe they're real!

Part 2 of the story coming tomorrow.

williamrhys

Living in the Shadow: Part 2
by williamrhys

Like many a poorly written TV movie, in the summer of 2008 the SPL awoke to find it had all been a dream. Tam Asken departed as suddenly as he arrived. After offers from Aston Villa and Tottenham, an approach from his beloved West Ham proved too good to refuse. Fletcher and several other key players soon followed him south, leaving Hibs devoid of the neccesary talent to maintain their position at the top. The team dropped back down the table, victims of their own success. Meanwhile, William Asken quietly went about building his own legacy at Tannadice.

Focusing on youth, Asken had already established the core elements of a side who would eventually be described as "heroes" by the Scottish media. But it didn't always look like this would be the case."I think I stepped on a lot of toes and upset a lot of people in the first couple of years" says William. "I had a plan, one I follow to this day. If certain people don't figure in my plans, or are not happy with their role, I am not afraid to take the neccessary actions." These "neccessary actions" included the appointment of a completely new coaching staff, leaving many veterans of the club without jobs. "The media portrayed me as some sort of dictator, purging the club of the old guard. The fans talked about tradition, which I'm all for as long as it's a tradition of winning. At the end of the day, the people who I had to replace were not up to the task I had set them." The most controversial of all these changes was the decision to sell club captain and talisman Barry Robson. By far the United's best player at the time, the move was seen by most as suicidal. Perhaps with the aid of hindsight, Asken feels he made the right call. "At Dundee United I always felt like running the team was a covert operation. As soon as a promising player had broken into the first team I was hounded by other managers. It's still the same here at Liverpool. I try and keep these kids at the team for as long as possible, but for the most part it's only a matter of time before they get noticed. Barry wasn't young and he'd certainly already been noticed, in which case the best I could hope for was a decent transfer fee." The £5 millon received from Robson's move to Blackburn brought several young foreigners to the team, and would prove to be a very wise investment.

Hartynips

Great update mate, really enjoying this story!
Keep it up cant wait til the next one!

Bfc-Fan

Keep it up, looking and sounding good so far.

BFC