The Wandering Bison – Episode 8 | @Taitanator

A tale of cigarettes, grappa, time travel and hopefully goals

Season 8 – 2004/05

Last season’s campaigne ended with Barcelona and Dario achieving the treble, League, Domestic Cup and Champions League.  It was Dazza’s second treble in two years having achieved the same feat with Juve in his final season at the club.  With a potential “Triple Treble” on the cards it’s all to play for in 2004/05 season.

Barcelona make some squad bolstering signings, adding depth with hopefully high potential talent.  The 17 year old Zanchetta being the pick of the bunch, he is related to Paulo Maldini.

Season eight begins the same way as season seven.  A two legged Super Copa Espanola against Real Madrid.  The matches go marginally better that last year (2-3 defeat), it’s a 3-3 draw after two legs, however away goals means the trophy returns to Madrid for another season.

1909 Problems – Part 5: Not for Goals

In the papers today the Bologna fans are once again questioning the transfer judgment of their manager. Dave Black may have guided Bologna to the Champions League group stages but his decision to shell out £5.5 million on Dwight Yorke has not gone down well. Fans are questioning the players off field antics and indeed one fan said “Preferirei avere il Micker” which loosely transaltes as “I’d rather have the Micker.” And who can blame him? Work to be done then for the Rossoblu’s who it has to be said are somehow ticking along nicely, despite their squad looking like a lost and found from 1994.

Yes indeed James. Bologna have made an unbeaten yet average start to Season 2 life. The most important aspect of last weeks update was to get into the Champions League groups, which we achieved easily. Then, despite being given a tough draw, we’re still in with a shot of escaping the group, so the garden is somewhat rosy. But will it be Rossoblu?

The Wandering Bison – Episode 7 | @Taitanator

Season 7 – 2003/04

Young Dario decided that Delli P’s advice about a melting candle could mean only one thing, the Sagrada Familia, so he joins Barcelona.  Papa Bison is staying in Italy, he has work to do with Juventus, and he needs to find a way to exert his influence over the struggling national side currently managed by Louis van Gaal.

With a big money move and a new contract comes improved bonuses:

• 8 cigarettes and 5 shots for a team win
• 2 cigarettes and 2 shots per goal
• 5 cigarettes and 3 shots for scoring multiple goals in a match
• 40 cigarettes (2 pack) and 2 bottles of grappa per hat-trick

1909 Problems – Part 4: Purk of the Job

With the new season nearly upon us, we cast an eye over not-so-little Bologna. With Champions League football just a qualifying round away, the board have taken the rather bold step of expanding the stadium. That’ll impede the manager’s spending, much to manager Dave Black’s chagrin, but if it means less signings like Micky Quinn then, well, maybe that’s no bad thing. Stoichkov has joined the party, all set for a Romario reunion as the Barca boys are back together, but it’s another ageing star for Black to contend with. When will they start looking to the future?

Thanks for that Jimbo. Good morning and here we are back with Bologna, looking to improve the squad enough for us to be able to compete with the very best. Tracking down Juve is one thing which might take a while, whereas the glut of big clubs gunning for us is very much a threat here and now. Here’s a reminder of how we got ourselves in with Europe’s elite:

The Wandering Bison – Episode 6 | @Taitanator

A tale of cigarettes, grappa, time travel and hopefully goals

Season 6 – 2002/03

As we roll on into Season 6, Dario Snr’s transfer marker wheeling and dealings are limited. A young German striker, descended from a famous diving forward and an Italian schoolboy with a little ponytail join Juventus.  Fowler and Peruzzi leave due to their limited game time.  Apart from the fact that Dario Jnr has called in sick the Juventus squad is looking strong.

There and Back Again – A Tale of Bilbo ‘Wayne’ Biggins – Part 5: Biggins has SerieA’l for Breakfast at Juve | @KingOfTheRooks

Hello there! Welcome back to the next challenge in our Wayne Biggins fix. After great success in lesser leagues, Wayne has decided it’s time to go big or go home.

1909 Problems – Part 3: Tom Tom Go

Up in Northern Italy, form club Bologna are in the headlines again for the wrong reasons. The club is doing remarkably well, considering their idiot manager has signed what the media have described as “banter players,” but the decision to sell Kennet “Big Ken” Andersson has really upset the natives. Manager Dave Black has of course played it down, but with the club right in the hunt for a Champions League place, his lax attitude to the sale of the club’s top scorer has not gone down well. The arrival of ex-Man Utd youth player Graeme Tomlinson as a replacement has not exactly set pulses racing and only time will tell if the added scrutiny on the goals scored column proves costly. The Rossoblu might never forgive and forget if their season crumbles, like this delicious pastry, from here.

Thanks AC Jimbo. Things are going well at Bologna, we’re right in the hunt for a Champions League spot but there are a huge 12 games ahead. Selling 30 year old Kennet Andersson was a gamble but one I feel I had to take. Can we muddle through and make this dream a reality?

The Wandering Bison – Episode 5 | @Taitanator

A tale of cigarettes, grappa, time travel and hopefully goals

Season 5 – 2001/02

Last season ended trophy-less for Juve and Dario, despite a strong individual display by the little Bisonte, scoring 31 goals.  After four seasons he is five goals away from becoming a centurion.

Clearly, Dario was busy during the summer months as he still has some grappa and cigarettes left by mid-August.  With this in mind, he decides to take another month off, to work through the back log.

1909 Problems – Part 2: Firesale

Now to events in Emilia-Romagna, where the natives are not sure what to make of new manager Dave Black. His transfer strategy has raised eyebrows, particularly the sight of portly veteran Mick Quinn leading the line. Black had suggested he was the man to take Bologna to the Champions League but one writer in the Gazetta describes him as a “goffo maldestro“, or a bumbling oaf to you and I. Despite a bright start, a loss of form has seen the Rossoblu fall to 7th. There’s also suggestions that Black’s wild spending has left the club in financial ruin, leading to calls in some quarters for the Tyneside man to be removed from his position before it’s too late.

Thanks to James for that glowing introduction. We score lots, we concede lots. Let’s Bologna.

The Wandering Bison – Episode 4 | @Taitanator

A tale of cigarettes, grappa, time travel and hopefully goals

Season 4 – 2000/01

The new season begins a little bit backwards, as we cover Mini Dazza’s involvement in the Euros.  He is called up to the squad a gets his first cap in a 2-0 friendly victory over Denmark.  A few days later he makes another friendly appearance, bagging a brace against Saudi Arabia.  Big Dazza tells little Dazza the Saudis won’t always be push over, there is some big money investment coming their way in the future.