Championship Manager 00/01 - PART 1

It all begins in Lechia Gdansk. Lechia is playing in Polish second division. The club is one of the worst of them all. They give me only 2K for transfers, so no chance of rebuilding squad much, I will have to work with what I got. The board don't expect much, they just want to avoid the relegation.

You don't have much time before start of the season but I try to arrange some friendlies to at least se what I got in the squad. I also fire some staff and sign a few better coaches.

TRANSFERS IN:
Marko Pantelic (Striker, 21, Yugoslav.) - FREE
Paul Jack (Defender, 35, Scottish) - FREE
Martin Kree (Defender, 35, German) - FREE
Cezary Lisiewicz (Midfielder, 27, Polish) - Loan Dolcan Zabki
Mariusz Fabisiak (Striker, 23, Polish) - Loan Dolcan Zabki
Kevin Budinauckas (Goalkeeper, 25, Scottish) - Loan Clyde
THOES GUY JOINED ON LOANS IN WINTER BRAKE
Krzysztof Gajtkowski (Midfielder, 19, Polish) - Loan GKS Katowice
Krzysztof Szewczyk (Midfielder, 23, Polish) - Loan Slask Wroclaw
Krzysztof Kotorowski (Goalkeeper, 23, Polish) - Loan Widzew
Przemyslaw Pluta (Midfielder, 21, Polish) - Loan Odra

TRANSFERS OUT:
ALL SOLD IN WINTER BRAKE
Robert Kozola (DM, 19, Polish) - 16K to Rakow
Marcin Kubsik (AM, 24, Polish) - 35K to Stal St. Wola
Tomasz Borowiec (GK, 21, Polish) - 16K to Stal St. Wola
Grzegorz Milkowski (DLC, 23, Polish) - 30K to Odra Szczecin
Wojciech Sekula (DM, 19, Polish) - 16K to Stal Rzeszow

After testing all the players from the first squad and reserves I had to face LKS in my first league game. LKS was one of the favourites to win the league and earn the promotion, since we played away it could not be harder to win in my debut. Here is the squad that played:
1. Maciej Kozak
2. Jaroslaw Bach
3. Bartosz Bielik
4. Martin Kree
5. Paul Jack
6. Maciej Lewna
7. Cezary Lisiewicz
8. Dariusz Preis
9. Marko Pantelic
10. Tomasz Moskal
11. Wojciech Sekula

Lechia lost 0:3 after a poor performance.

The first win came unexpectly in the second game with Belchatow. Belchatow was also a strong side and I whould be happy to grab a draw, but after a great play of Pantelic, Florek and Preis we managed to beat,  them 2:1.

After two lost games against Odra Opole in the League Cup (0:2, 1:2) Lechia got a series of eight games whithout losing (4 wins, 4 draws). Team started to play a real good football. All the forwards were in fantastic form, scoring goals almost in every game. Also DM - Michalski and AM - Preis did there job well. Thanks to Kree and Jack, the defence became solid and picking Kozak instead of Pilarz in the goal was a really good choise.
Lechia - Tloki 1:1 (Fabisiak)
Lechia - Stal St. Wola 3:0 (Florek, Preis, Michalski)
Lublinianka - Lechia 0:4 (Fabisiak 2, Michalski, Pantelic) - POLISH FA CUP 1st ROUND
Myszkow - Lechia 1:1 (Pantelic)
Lechia - Hetman 2:0 (Florek, Fabisiak)
Polar - Lechia 1:1 (Florek)
Lech - Lechia 1:1 (Pantelic)
Lechia - Odra Opole 2:1 (Pantelic, Jacyna)
After those games Lechia was in the third place and I was really starting to think about promotion. Unfortunetly the form started to get low and in September I lost all the games acept one (1:0 home win agains Polkowice). Team also got koncked out of the Polish FA CUP losing after penelties with Ceramika (1:1). Things got a bit better at the end of October as w managed to win 3 games in a row, but at the end of the year we were stucked in the middle of the table. I started to have trouble with goalkeepers. Kozak's form got low and Pilarz although being better on the paper was not able to fit his place. 

Spring had pretty much the same bitter-sweet taste. It started badly but after few weeks form came and we did not lose in the last six games of the season.
Lechia - Leczna 4:1 (Fabisiak 3, Florek)
Lechia - Radomosko 5:3 (Fabisiak 2, Pantelic 2, Kuzera OG)
Dolcan - Lechia 1:1 (Mila)
Lechia - KSZO 1:0 (Fabisiak)
Polonia B. - Lechia 1:5 (Pantelic, Mila 2, Fabisiak, Florek)
Lechia - Swit 2:2 (Fabisiak, Pantelic)

After nice finish Lechia placed 8th in the league witch I take as a big succes. It was not an easy season. Lechia is a really hard team to play. It got some good players and after bringing a few new I was able to create a decent first eleven but I had a constant problems with form, specialy defenders and goalkeepers. I consider it a bit lucky that I got the 8th place although at the beginig I thought I will be able to fight for promotion.

SEASON 2000/01 STATS
TEAM - Lechia Gdansk
COUNTRY - Poland
LEAGUE - Second Division - 8th place (55 pts. 15-10-13 61:49)
POLISH FA CUP - 2nd Round (Ceramika 1:1 3-5 pen.)
LEAGUE CUP - 1st Round (Odra Opole 0:2, 1:2)
HIGHEST ATTENDANCES - 4827 (Dolcan)
LOWEST ATTENDANCES - 551 (Odra Opole LEAGUE CUP)
BIGGEST WIN - Lechia - Polonia B. 8:0 (Pantelic 5, Florek, Lisiewicz, Moskal)
BIGGEST DEFEAT - Radomsko - Lechia 4:0
TOP SCORER - Marko Pantelic (18 goals)
TOP ASISTS - Mariusz Fabisiak (7 asists)
HIGHEST AV. RATING - Mariusz Fabisiak (7.30 - 33 caps)
MOST MAN OF THE MATCH - Mariusz Fabisiak (5 times)
FANS PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Marko Pantelic
TRANSFER INCOME - 130K
TRANSFER SPENDING - none
BEST PASSING - Tomasz Michalski (80%)
BEST TACKLING - Tomasz Michalski (4,4)
BEST DRIBBLING - Dariusz Preis (0,8)
BEST SHOOTING ON TARGET - Dariusz Preis (66%)

SEASON BEST ELEVEN
1. Krzysztof Pilarz
2. Martin Kree
3. Paul Jack
4. Tomasz Jacyna
5. Marcin Klaczka
6. Tomasz Michalski
7. Krzysztof Rusinek
8. Miroslaw Feith
9. Krzysztof Preis
10. Mirko Pantelic
11. Mariusz Fabisiak

Board are happy after the season and I keep the job for the next year.