The Bernabéu Re-Born

[Ian]

The Bernabéu Re-Born

Welcome to our brand new Publication: ‘The Bernabeu Re-Born’ This is the place where you will find all the latest gossip that is Real Madrid, including news, views, the manager's thoughts and also all the latest info on our European Football League rivals. Basically anything goes.

Big Boots To Fill
The new manager here at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is under no illusions as to the enormity of the task that lies ahead of him. The man himself, Ian Greaves will be the first to admit that he is apprehensive about what the future holds for him taking on this now huge club. To put it simply, Real Madrid have become one of the top forces to be reckoned with over the years with the recent manager Steve Talbot keeping up what has now become a successful tradition for this great club. Talbot’s last season in charge saw him run a very close contest with arch rivals Paris St Germain for the majority of the campaign before eventually running out the clear champions. In fact during this second phase of FFO, a period that has now seen this very successful football league structure operate for three full seasons we have seen the Los Blancos outfit win the EFL title twice within those three seasons and the other season a slightly disappointing fifth place finish, but that lower finishing point just goes to show the high quality of the rest of the clubs in this division. Prior to Steve Talbot’s days at the club we had the current Leeds United manager Tim Davey, Davey I believe spent less than three seasons in total at the Bernabeu before submitting to the high pressures involved, although during this time collected a league title. Andy Banks was another highly successful manager at Real Madrid, in fact Banks is the one credited for the rise of Real Madrid and during his tenure at the club also completed the rare treble of League, Domestic and Champions League trophies, a feat achieved by very few managers in the history of the game. As far as Ian Greaves past goes, well apart from managing Aston Villa, who incidentally have enjoyed their most successful spell in the game under Greaves, he was mainly known for his time spent as a manager in the lower English Leagues. Probably his most famous stint being with Yeovil Town who progressed from the depths of League Two, the third tier of the English set up, all the way to becoming an established Premier League side although Yeovil Town’s fortunes gradually drifted backwards following Greaves eventual departure from the unfashionable club. So with this in mind it has to be said that Greaves does have credentials as a manager although whether or not those credentials stretch to managing at the very top remains to be seen.

Ian Greaves and wife pictured
celebrating following the
Real Madrid appointment

Coming Soon
The new Real Madrid boss Ian Greaves assess his main EFL rivals
in a not to be missed further instalment of: ‘The Bernabeu Re-Born’

Total media count for May = 2,500 words

[Ian]

The Bernabéu Re-Born

Big Transfer Deal Confirmed
Just a short time into his new job in charge of Real Madrid the new gaffer has already shocked everyone involved at the Spanish club by letting go one of the top talents. Leaving for English side Chelsea is the highly talented right wing back Trent Alexander Arnold and to rub salt into the wounds for the Los Blancos faithfull it was the ex manager Steve Talbot who managed to prize away this gifted player. Greaves it turns out had his eye on a holding midfield player, that player being the Italian born Manuel Locatelli who is famed for his days playing under Darren Humphris at Arsenal, although he recently departed The Emirates and had a brief spell training with Chelsea FC, hence the Talbot involvement. There is no doubt that both these players are huge talents and Greaves, the new Real Madrid boss is said to be under the belief that this huge deal that sees Arnold depart and Locatelli arrive will give the team here in Madrid a more rounded balance. This the first piece of transfer business done since the arrival of Greaves although there has been numerous changes in players that are much lower down the pecking order, the main one being the departure of our Number two goalkeeper Jordan Pickford who has joined Bristol City with the current Number One in Bristol tacking the place of Pickford here at the Bernabeu.We welcome all the new lads with open arms here at Real Madrid with particular attention focused on Locatelli who is already hard at work getting to know his new team mates.



Auction Joy For Greaves
FFO’s now famous pre season player auction proved very successful for Manager Ian Greaves with the capture of the young and exciting playmaker in Nico Williams. Greaves who has enjoyed auction success with his previous clubs was said to be over the moon with his latest capture although he only realistically faced opposition from one other club for the signature of Williams, but as it turned out the other club in question decided not to submit an official bid, meaning that Nico’s signature was practically unrivalled. Williams is a highly talented midfielder flair player who is also said to have an eye for goal and is expected to fit in well here at The Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. However, due to an already overstretched wage bill here at the Los Blancos and problems with all the players achieving their contractual playing hours something had to give and that something was current attacking midfield man Dusan Tadic who left for Juventus just a few days after the arrival of Williams. So apart from numerous fringe players departing and arriving since the appointment of the new boss Ian Greaves we have now seen two big name players depart as well as two other big players arrive and we wish all the players involved all the best.

Players Outgoing................................ .........Players Incoming

Trent A-Arnold & Dusan Tadic...............................Manuel Locatteli & Nico Williams

From The Horse's Mouth - Greaves Assess His Main Rivals
Having got his feet under the table in his brand new and very plush looking office here in Madrid, manager Ian Greaves gives us the low down on how he sees his main rivals perform this coming season and also gives his predicted finishing position for each club named.

Paris Saint-Germain
Considering that last season the title ended up a contest between Real Madrid and PSG then most people will expect something similar this time around, maybe on this occasion though most will be hoping the contest goes to the final game rather than one club pulling away. The manager of this highly rated French club Simon Clark, more commonly known as simply Ed certainly has my admiration for putting together arguably one of the best teams this game has ever seen. Having said that I am sure that Ed will be disappointed with the return he has had regarding success on the pitch given the quality of his team. Clark will always be quick off the mark when it comes to playing down his chances but the fact remains, not only does he possess the best team in the game he also owns the team with the most bargaining power when it comes to getting his targets across the line and that's mainly due to the youthful look about his deep and talented squad. Make no mistake, Clark will be desperate to take back the EFL League Title that ran away from him towards the end of last season and won't shy away from playing dirty tricks if that's what it takes.

Expected finishing position: 2nd


Juventus
Ex Real Madrid gaffer Andy Banks who took some time away from the game after leaving the club following a highly successful stint here in Madrid is now back in the game and managing Juventus who have been on the rise ever since the appointment of this controversial and outspoken manager, a colourful man who now carries with him an almost celebrity status. Putting all of that limelight aside though, Banks does have one of the best proven managerial track records in the game and I believe it is a matter of time before Juventus once again hit the top. Juve may have finished a slightly disappointing fifth position last season but expect a marked improvement on that finishing place this time around.

Expected finishing position: 3rd


Atletico Madrid
Manager Simon Marsh has a habit of performing well with perhaps not the most fancied of teams and despite the manager having what he will consider a relatively poor season last time out this shouldn't dent his hopes going forward. Simon, or Marshy as he is more affectionately known, is also a man of integrity and will always play the game in the correct spirit while at the same time distancing himself from any dark arts. With the rub of the green Atletico Madrid could trouble the top three although having a pop at the title would be a stretch. My prediction for a fourth place finish was between Atletico and Roma, but the more experienced manager of Atletico Madrid for me pips the stronger team that is Roma.

Expected finishing position: 4th


Roma
Like myself the new Roma gaffer Hamza Siddiqui has mighty big boots to fill. Not only was the previous Roma manager Derek Hughes a big character, he enjoyed success on the field of play. Hamza, the ex Liverpool gaffer came in with the intention of lowering the average age of this Roma team and despite much criticism received for many of his transfer dealings from a wide audience, including criticism from myself regarding the unusual way he sold one of his main strikers, Hamza has ended up with a good looking squad of players. However his achilles heel may well prove to be an overall lack of fire power across the team. It will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

Expected finishing position: 5th


Inter Millan
Inter Milan boss John Read took over at the San Siro following the sudden departure of the very outspoken and often volatile manager Garysean Wilson. The previous manager Wilson also had a well known catchphrase “We are getting better each season” His trouble was, they weren't getting better, they stagnated for seasons on end and this fact eventually became an embarrassment for the Scottish manager and who knows, maybe was a contributing factor towards his eventual demise. New boss John Read is the polar opposite, he will calmly and respectfully go about his business without making any rash or misguided statements regarding Inter Millans future endeavours. Read is now the calming influence that is required to take this club steadily forward.

Expected finishing position: 6th