The Moment - Having once again sold the bulk of the squad team, Dynamo Groby slid down the leagues with their cheap auction buys not cutting the mustard at the higher levels. It was almost disheartening, following such a successful period, and a distraction was needed. Having seen some teams opting for a single nation approach, to add a new challange, I decided to follow suit.

Why Finland - Selected purely on the basis that I have a Finnish pen friend. Well, less a pen friend in these modern times, in that we can speak online more regularly than by post, I suppose. I also suppose I could have used the Atlas Dartboard Method to select a nationality, and I did consider this, but having learnt to play darts round a friends house, there are many holes in his lounge wall, that explain exactly why this might not have been such a good idea. I have since improved, and am now consistantly hitting the dartboard, if not always the number I'm aiming for.

Sildegapet FC - Of note, is the continuation of my rivalry with http://www.virtualmanager.com/clubs/732643 throughout this time. Indeed, I believe, his best results against me came at this time, and deservedly so, for he had a better team than mine. We still have friendlies every now and then, to keep it going. A good rivalry should last, and spur one another on to greater things, so long may it continue.

The Finnish Project - The outlines of my project were clear. With the new improved training facilities, I could buy young Finnish players, and develop them into a team, and see how far I could go by doing this. Dynamo Groby changed the kit colours, from their initial and now traditional blue and yellow, to the Finnish Blue and White. Initially scouring the free transfers and such for Finnish players with potential, but without a club, I began to assemble a halfway reasonable team of youngsters to develop. Among them, http://www.virtualmanager.com/players/7352414-henrikki-pekkonen was probably my best spot, picked up for next to nothing, and since developed well for me. I've also created my own Finnish youths too, those that reach talent status are either kept if they fit my formation and tactical system, or sold on to provide funds if they don't. These funds are then used to buy young Finnish players again, to keep the system going. My Dynamo side have since risen back up, and are again on the verge of reaching Division 4, not quite as spectacularly as before, but steadily improving, and, with an eye on future squad development. It was a proud moment indeed when I had my first U17 Finnish international player, and again when I had players break into the U21 side. It is one of the markers I can use for deciding whether this project, challenge, or distraction will be a success or not.

The Future - Well, the Finnish project is taking up the foreseeable, as I want to see really, how far can I go with this. I will claim it has been a success, If we can reach as high as we did in the good times, and am currently working on achieving that. At the same time, this project is only a distraction, though long may it continue, I would like to believe my Dynamo Groby team will one day reach a higher level than even that, but, if we can do that whilst this project is underway, then wahey, and here we go. Like a lot of longer term players, my final aim is of course, to reach the top, or something near. To have the pride in reaching and at least having a go at competing at the highest level, has to be the final target. After that, who knows, but that could well yet be a long way off, so I'm sure I have enough to work on for now. More as it comes, and we'll see how we go.