SOMS - Exeter City in the Premier League?!

quote Exeter News and Sport

Exeter City manager Adam Manfrey stays on for a 4th season with the club despite rumours of offers from Sunderland, Werder Bremen and Sevilla. The local man is in demand after a stunning season which saw relegation prospects Exeter defy the odds and finish a close fought 2nd in their first season in the Championship.

"Obviously Exeter gave me my league break, and the chance of managing them in the Premier League is unbelievable. I'd never give it up, not even for Barcelona or Manchester United." said Manfrey.

Owing to large wage rises for players, Exeter have a limited budget to strengthen their squad. Key man, 25 year old Mikhail Sivakov has been linked with a move to CSKA Moscow after a fantastic season, and 27 year old right-back Francesco Pisano has refused to rule out a return to Italy.

Transfer Budget: £1,380,000
Wage Budget: £22,000 p/w

Players out:

D Western (released)
N Keats (released)
A Yilmaz (loan term expired)
A Gatagov (loan term expired)
F Pisano -> AS Monaco (£3,299,000)

Players in:

M Lanzini, River Plate (£3,880,000)
Lanzini is a long-term target and with the sale of Pisano it finally became viable to buy him. Only 20 still, even though it's Season 4!

E Gudjonsson, Free Transfer
Still has a few years left in him at 32, and strong and clinical upfront still. A placeholder while waiting for the funds to buy Di Santo.

Pablo, Free Transfer
Young and with loads of potential on the left side. Can play LB or LM.

Isco, Valencia (Season Loan)
Skillful centre midfielder to replace the ageing D Noble alongside Sivakov. Got one hell of a shot on him, too!

Starting XI
GK 1 M Costantino 71
RB 14 R Duffy 64
CB 4 M Gentili 73
CB 24 L Ariaudo (C) 77
LB 3 S Golbourne 67
RM 10 M Lanzini 71
CM 16 M Sivakov 78
CM 17 Isco 74
LM 12 Pablo 69
ST 9 E Gudjonsson 75
ST 7 D Villalva 70

Substitutes
GK 13 K Stenild-Nielsen 63
CB 2 Marcus Vinicius 67
CB 5 T Archibald-Henville 63
CDM 6 H Ozmert 61
CM 18 J Dunne 55
ST 11 J O'Flynn 65

Board Objective: Avoid Relegation
Forecasted Position: 19th

I'll spare you the horrors of the friendlies. I lost 1-0 to Villareal and LOSC Lille, and beat Notts County 3-1.


Premier League Season begins!

West Ham 1-3 Exeter City

Exeter took an early lead as Daniel Villalva turned through the West Ha, defence and curled a shot round Robert Green. Just after half time, loan signing Isco scored a fantastic strike from the edge of the box. Demba Ba clawed one back for West Ham before Isco sealed the win with a second goal in the 84th minute.

Exeter City 2-3 Tottenham Hotspur

A mistake by inexperienced right back Duffy gifted Gareth Bale the opener for Spurs before Tom Huddlestone made it 2 on the 30 minute mark. Gomes saved spectacularly from Villalva and Lanzini before finally Exeter grabbed one back right before the half time whistle.
Another defensive mistake from Gentili left Nikola Kalinic unmarked to header in a 3rd. In the 90th minute, last season's top scorer O'Flynn made it 2 for the home side with a 25 yard strike which shook the far post and bounced in.

Its looking good

Good start, keep it up. Lanzini should develop well in a few years.

How are you doing, are you still struggling, if so with the players you have i think it will take a season or two for them to improve and gel anyway...

Life is not so bad in the Championship, look at the mighty Leeds...