Pere Clar
 Clar with Internationale in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 30 April 1965 | ||
| Place of birth | Montscia, Midrasia | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Midrasia (manager) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1980–1983 | Laterna Cardinaux | 28 | (8) |
| 1983–1989 | Montscia | 62 | (4) |
| 1989–1991 | 1963 Troping | 12 | (0) |
| Total | 102 | (12) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1995–1997 | Laterna Cardinaux (assistant) | ||
| 1997–1999 | Laterna Cardinaux | ||
| 1999–2000 | Benedormo (assistant) | ||
| 2000–2001 | Olympique de Lotrique (assistant) | ||
| 2002-2006 | Benedormo | ||
| 2006–2015 | Internationale | ||
| 2015–2018 | Lhedvin FK | ||
| 2018–2019 | Midrasia | ||
| 2019– | US Monte Sora | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Pere Clar (born 30 April 1965) is a Midrasian professional football coach who is currently the manager of Atrescan side US Monte Sora, after taking over from Tom Bruland in late 2019. Clar has won numerous trophies in his time as a manager, including several Liga 1 titles, the Mydran Cup, Super Cup, the Navish Superliga, Navish Cup, and one Copa d'Aeia.
Clar began his professional football career signing for then Liga 3 side Laterna Cardinaux at the age of 15. Clar quickly established himself as an up and coming talent in the team. After three years at the club, during which Clar helped the team to promotion to Liga 2, he was signed by Liga 1 side Montscia. Though much of his early years were spent on the bench, from 1985 onwards, Clar established himself as a first-team player, netting 4 goals in 53 appearances. However, Clar's time at the club was cut short by an ankle injury sustained in a match against close rivals Firenze in 1988, for which he sat out the remainder of the season. Though he recovered somewhat the following year, Clar found his place in the team taken, leading him to transfer to Atrescan side 1963 Troping. At Troping, Clar made 12 appearances, but his injury took its toll, forcing Clar to sit out the remainder of the season. After an examination by team medics, Clar's injury was ruled untreatable, forcing his early retirement at only age 26.
Finding himself unable to play professionally, Clar turned to management to stay within football, travelling around Asura in order to learn about management and footballing tactics. After numerous informal stints as an adviser at clubs in Midrasia, Atresca, and Navack, Clar's first official position was at his first club Laterna Cardinaux as an assistant manager in 1995. Clar remained as assistant manager at Laterna, under the tutelage of Gabriele Rassi until Rassi's sacking in 1997. Clar took over as manager of Laterna, who at the time were struggling with a relegation battle in Liga 4, the lowest in the Midrasian professional ladder. In the remainder of the 1997 season, Clar managed to save the team from relegation, ultimately finishing 16th. In the 1998-99 season, Clar's Laterna were a considerable force, finishing 1st on goal difference and making their way into Liga 3. This remarkable turnaround was brought about through Clar's rigorous training regime for his players and his unapologetically perfectionist stances of players performances. Whilst in Liga 3 the team struggled, leading Clar to soon be sacked and transition back to the role of assistant manager.
At Benedormo, Clar came under the influence of manager Ricard Alonsý Uogned, known for his utilisation of total football, netting the team several Liga 1 titles. Following his stint as assistant manager at Benedormo, Clar joined Olympique de Lotrique as an assistant manager to Preece Bebb. During Clar's time as assistant manager, the team struggled considerably, relative to their previous dominance. Whilst Clar suggested that the team adopt more aggressive, pressing tactics, Bebb continued to employ more defensive tactics. After Clar publically denounced Bebb's tactics in the press as the cause of Olympique's woes, Clar was sacked as assistant manager later that same year.
After leaving Olympique, Clar rejoined Benedormo, this time as manager. During his tenure, the team advanced considerably, establishing themselves as a top-flight team, winning the Liga 1 title in 2005 and the Supercopa the following year. Following his time at Benedormo, Clar joined Midrasian team Internationale de Bordieu in 2006. Clar remained as manager of Internationale until 2015, during which time he won Liga 1 and the Copa de Mydra twice, and the Supercopa once. Clar became a club icon for his achievements at Internationale, something the club proved unable to replicate following his departure. In 2015 Clar left the Midrasian Liga 1 to manage Navish team Lhedvin FK in the Superliga. As manager of the Navish team, Clar dominated the league, winning the title and Navish Cup during his tenure. Following his successes in Navack, in late 2017 Clar announced that he was ready to move on to a new challenge following the conclusion of the season. In early 2018 it was announced that Clar would take over as manager of the Midrasian national team, following the departure of Klaes van Emerick after the 2017 Copa. Despite reaching the final of the 2018 tournament, Midrasia proved unable to beat Navack. However, the following year Clar's team went onto win the tournament becoming five-time world champions in the process. After his Copa successes, Clar left the Midrasian national team to manage Atrescan side US Monte Sora after the departure of Tom Bruland in November 2019.
Early life and education
Clar was born in the city of Montscia, in the province of Florentina in southern Midrasia to Dari and Tecla Clar in 1965. From an early age, Clar was enthralled with football, regularly playing with schoolfriends casually, as well as in amateur children's footballing leagues. Clar attended St. Raphael's Alydian primary and secondary schools where he played for the school football team. With the team, Clar came 2nd in a number of regional tournaments, however, was never able to win any event. With his amateur league team, Clar proved a standout player, earning tryouts with his local team FC Montscia.
Whilst Clar was not selected by the team during tryouts, he was also scouted by Liga 3 team Laterna Cardinaux. After trials, Clar was selected to join the team as a full-time member, making his first professional appearance at only age 15 whilst he was still at school. Following his graduation, Clar stated that he considered going on to sports college, however, selected to stay with Laterna as he felt first-hand experience with a professional team would be the best approach to establishing a career in the sport.
Club career
Laterna Cardinaux
For much of his first season at Laterna, Clar remained in the reserve team, where he regularly played as a central midfielder. Nevertheless, he still made a few appearances for the first team, usually standing in for injuries, as in his debut. During his second season at the club, which proved to be his only full season with the club, Clar made 18 appearances, mostly within the second half of the season where he became a regular starter. During this time, Clar bagged 5 goals for the club, aiding in their 2nd place finish to earn promotion to Liga 2. Clar's natural talent in attack and aggressive style of play earned the recognition of a number of Midrasian teams, most notably FC Montscia and Athletique Blanchard.
During his final season with the club, Clar made off and on starts as manager Amone Andrea began to experiment with new formations, which on occasion left Clar without a position in the first XI. Despite this, Clar made 7 appearances within the first half of the season, netting 3 goals in the process. During the summer transfer window at the end of the season, Laterna received several offers for the transfer of Clar, with both Montscia and Blancharte rumoured to be interested. Though the manager pleaded with Clar to stay, the lack of a permanent position within the starting squad led Clar to transfer to Montscia for the sum of £32,000.
Montscia
Clar's transfer to Montscia saw a big step up in his professional career, now playing for the Liga 1 side full time. With Liga 1 being of a much higher standard than its lower divisions, Clar initially found difficulty in fitting into the team, making only 2 appearances within his first season, both of which came from the bench. As a result, most of Clar's early time at Montscia was spent in the under-21 team where he was a regular starter. Clar continued in the under-21 team, where he scored a total of 12 goals over two years. After his appointment as captain at age 20, Clar was soon promoted to the first team for the remainder of the 1985-86 season. Throughout 1985 and 86, Clar made on and off starts for the first team, playing central midfield, though also swapped out for the right-wing on several occasions.
1987 would be Clar's best season at Montscia however, wherein he became a permanent starter throughout the majority of the season. Throughout the season, Clar netted 3 goals and 11 assists, putting him second in the assists leaderboard for the season. His regular starts in 1987 and solid performances ensured that he retained his first team spot for the 1988-89 season, where he played 16 games and scored 1 goal. Mid-way through the season, however, during a match against rival team FC Firenze, Clar was fouled by Firenzan midfielder Eusebio Peppe. After the incident, Clar was stretchered off and immediately sent to the club doctor for examination. The examination showed that Clar's ligament had been torn in his ankle which would require an operation to fix. After a period of recovery, Clar was sent for the operation, though doctors remained concerned that the initial swelling had not yet subsided, despite the club's pressure to have Clar fit and ready to play again as soon as possible. Following the operation, Clar was forced to sit out the remainder of the 1988-89 season, and the start of the 1989-90 season.
Clar recovered earlier than expected in 1989 and began to train with the first team once again. However, over the summer, the team had purchased a new midfielder in John Walker to replace Clar. Whilst he fought to reclaim his position in the team, his injury and the good performances of Walker led Clar to spend most of 1989 on the bench. With little opportunity for a place in the first team, and his contract set to run out in December, Clar handed in a transfer request, leading him to be released by the club in the winter transfer window. After much speculation as to his future, Clar announced he would be looking to find a place in other Asuran leagues to gain a wider range of playing experience.
1963 Troping
After leaving Montscia in 1989, Clar transferred to Atrescan side 1963 Troping on a free due to reaching the end of his contract. Clar only managed to start in two games within his first season at the club, due to the uncertainty which followed from his ankle injury. In the two games that he did start, Clar was substituted on and only managed to play a total of 7 minutes over the two games. Within his second season, however, Clar became a regular starter as a central midfielder after a competent display against FC Olba after being subbed on in the 64th minute. Clar then started in the next ten matches for the team where he was unable to score, though earned a total of 3 assists.
However, during a match against Bescignano Clar began to clutch his ankle in pain in the 32nd minute after falling on it in a collision earlier in the match. Clar was subbed off on a stretcher to await a checkup by the club's medical officials. Following an inspection by doctors, it was found that Clar's previous injury had failed to heal properly, leading to permanent ligament damage. Whilst an operation was recommended to prevent further injury, the club doctors suggested that Clar would never play professionally again due to the damage. Following his operation, the club still held out hope that Clar could return to the team, however, he proved unable to run for long periods of time without pain. Though it was suggested by some club officials that Clar take painkillers to allow him to continue to play, doctors ruled this out, leading Clar to be released by 1963 Troping at only age 26.
Coaching career
Following his retirement, Clar began to pursue alternative careers within professional football, spending a considerable period of time training as a coach. Between 1992 and 1995, Clar travelled across Asura as an intern within a number of professional teams, studying coaching methods and styles of play utilised in leagues outside of Midrasia. Much of his work remained unpaid, with Clar remarking that he was effectively living off his savings from his footballing years which were insubstantial compared with the level of pay common throughout the 1990s and beyond. The majority of Clar's time on his venture were spent in Midrasia, Atresca, and Navack where Clar was employed at teams of wide-ranging ability, though was usually only able to gain placements at teams in lower leagues. Nevertheless, he was able to gain a position at top-tier teams such as FK Skögul in the Navish Superliga, and FC Montscia in the Midrasian Liga 1.
Following this informal stint, Clar began to seek active paid employment as an assistant manager. Whilst initially seeking a position at Montscia who were struggling in Liga 2, Clar's lack of a permanent coaching position prevented him from being hired. After seeking employment at a number of other Liga 2 and 3 clubs, Clar was eventually able to gain a position as assistant manager for his first professional team Laterna Cardinaux who were currently in Liga 3 and under the management of Gabriele Rassi.
Laterna Cardinaux
Clar began his stint at Laterna mid-way through the 1994-1995 season, replacing the departing Julien Larousse. The team itself was performing well, though a spate of injuries had led the team to struggle following the winter break. Clar's first game as assistant manager was a 2-1 win over FC Llodi which saw Laterna move into the top 10 in Liga 3. Whilst the first team was low on numbers, Laterna's youth program had a considerable number of well-performing players to be moved to the first team. Whilst initially struggling to adjust to first-team football, several key names such as Rémy Dimont and Simó Vilaubi became regular starters for Laterna. During his first season, Clar came under the influence of Rassi, with commentators suggesting that the latter's personality became engrained in Clar who later became known for his emotional outbursts and off-the-pitch antics such as media manipulation and general temper. By the end of the 1994-1995 season, Laterna finished in 7th place, well clear of relegation and only 5 points off 4th place.
The 1995-1996 season was a marked improvement for the team, which saw a number of changes from the team which began the previous season. Many of the previous youth players were moved into the first team, whilst a number of players returned from injury. The team reached the winter break in 3rd place in the league, their highest position in the league since 1983. Following the winter break, Clar also oversaw his first game in charge of the team after Gabriele Rassi received a one-match ban for an altercation with a referee. During this match, Laterna won 1-0 over Rondouh. Despite this, the team's form began to break off towards the end of the season, with the team subject to a number of draws, many of which came within the dying minutes of the match. Eventually, Laterna ended the season in 5th place, one place off of promotion to Liga 2. Nevertheless, the good form of the team throughout the early part of the season attracted the attention of a number of larger clubs who made offers for Laterna's younger talent. In the summer transfer window, the club sold 5 players though only brought in 1 new defender, Noé Ancel. Many of the players sold by the club were among the club's youngest players, whereas Ancel was approaching the end of his career and was brought in on a free due to the expiration of his previous contract. Despite calls for the club to spend the money acquired through the sale of players on new signings, owner Ausilio Balducci refused to do so. It would later be revealed that Balducci was using the newly acquired transfer money to pay off his debts to the Atrescan Cagnola Mafia.
As a result of a dismal transfer window, Laterna's form in the 1996-1997 season was down, leading to a number of early setbacks. By the winter break, the team were placed 18th in the league with only 7 points and zero wins away from home. During this time fans began to turn against the club's owner Ausilio Balducci, displaying banners at matches calling for him to leave the club. Despite this, manager Rassi did not publically condemn the owners, though rumours suggested behind the scenes that he was critical of Balducci's refusal to buy new players. As the season progressed, Rassi made fewer and fewer media appearances, leading Clar to step in for the majority of interviews within the season. By the end of the season, Laterna placed dead last in the league in 24th place, leading to their relegation to Liga 4. The team's final match of the season, a 3-0 loss to FC Oyonax led to a pitch invasion and riot in the stadium, with supporters calling for owner Balducci to leave, leading to a number of arrests. In the subsequent transfer window, the team did make 3 signings, though two of these were free transfers, with the third being an undisclosed fee. Several sales had also been made, leading a large number of players to depart the Laterna youth team, leading many to suspect that owner Balducci was pocketing the transfer money.
In the 1997-1998 season, Laterna continued to struggle, failing to score any points within their first 5 games. Tension within the team began to rise when manager Rassi publically criticised Balducci in a press conference, calling him a "lying coward, profiting off of the hard work of the team." This public spat between the team's manager and the owner was soon picked up by the national media, blowing up to a nationwide scandal. Eventually, following Laterna's loss to Château-Thierry in late November, manager Rassi was sacked, with Clar appointed as his temporary replacement. At the same time, an official investigation was announced into the conduct of owner Ausilio Balducci, following allegations of his associations with the Cagnola Mafia.
Managerial stint
Although Clar had landed his first full-time managerial position in late 1997, he was not expected to remain in the position for long, with owner Balducci cautious of Clar's ties to Rassi and also already in talks to appoint a full-time successor. It would later be revealed that Balducci had made a deal to make Enrico Cagnola, a prominent football fan in the Atrescan Mafia, and son of the family's godfather the team's new manager. Yet, despite being in a marginalised position, Clar worked hard to land a permanent position at the club, introducing a rigorous training regime and pushing his players to achieve their best. Though the results continued to be poor for the remainder of 1997, the team's form began to pick up as the season progressed. Due to Balducci's hefty legal fees from his trial, Balducci began to look for new streams of capital and sought to liquidate the assets of Laterna, whilst retaining overall control of the team. These attempts were met with bitter opposition from fans of the team who gathered together funds for a legal challenge. The fans were supported by Midrasian businessman Jerome Batuttso who made an offer to purchase the team from Balducci. A court ruling eventually ordered Balducci to sell his shares in the club to Batuttso. The outcome of the sale bolstered the resolve of the team considerably, leading their form to improve considerably. Nevertheless, the team remained in a close relegation battle, though were eventually able to finish in 16th place, remaining within Liga 4 for the 1997-98 season.
On the onset of the 1998-99 season, owner Batuttso stated that he had full confidence that Clar was the best fit for the team and would be supported by additional funding. Whilst a number of fans cried out for new signings, much of the new money was spent on developing the team's training ground and staff. This new funding greatly bolstered the teams form over previous years, allowing them to go top of Liga 4 by a considerable margin at the winter break. Though the team continued to play competently, Laterna's form dipped after being beaten 4-0 by rivals Peugeot. This defeat was following by a number of increasingly dire performances which saw the team's lead in the league drop. Whilst Laterna were able to win a number of games and clinch the title, they won the title on goal difference versus second place Castèl Savoie.
Whilst the team won promotion to Liga 3 in 1999, they struggled considerably, leading owner Batuttso to question Clar's future at the team. After five losses on the bounce, it was announced that Clar was sacked as manager. Clar stated that whilst he had a number of successes at the team, he still had much to learn, leading him to transition back to the role of assistant manager.
Benedormo
Following his departure from Laterna Cardinaux, it was soon announced that Clar would be joining Ricard Alonsý Uogned's Benedormo in Liga 1 as assistant manager. The move was seen as a breakthrough for Clar who stated that he only got the role as Uogned had followed his time at Laterna seeing his potential. Though Clar only spent one season at the club, he became entranced by Uogned's footballing philosophy which emphasised independent player agency and high-intensity attacking football.
Clar's first match with the team saw Benedormo beat Ibbeny 3-1 and continue on a high-ride at the top of the table, challenging for the title. Clar was also forced to take over as manager of the team during a game against Mydroll after Uogned fell ill. Benedormo went on to win the match 1-0. By the second half of the season, only Benedormo, Vaelleniana, and Olympique de Lotrique were in with a chance to win the league. At the time Olympique were coming off of their long dominance of Midrasian football and had begun to utilise a new more defensive approach under manager Preece Bebb. Nevertheless, Olympique was able to withstand Benedormo's attacking form to win both games against the team in the season, though both teams fell short of Vaelleniana who went on to win the title. Despite his desire to remain at Benedormo under Uogned, Clar was persuaded to leave after Uogned stated he had nothing left to teach Clar and that he could only learn by experiencing management first hand.
Olympique de Lotrique
Despite Uogned's calls for Clar to enter full-time management, he felt that one final year of tutelage would be the best course of action, but stated that he wished to observe a different form of football under that experienced at Benedormo. It was then announced that Clar would be signed as assistant manager for Olympique de Lotrique under Lhaeraidh-born manager Preece Bebb. With Clar's appointment, media speculation was suggesting that Olympique were lining up Clar to potentially succeed Bebb due to the declining form of the team.
Whilst Olympique had been dominant throughout the 1990s along with Benedormo, the team's form declined significantly during the 2000-2001 season, with the team losing their first match 1-0 to Internationale. Whilst the team were able to pick up a number of victories, the Olympiens suffered their worst start to a season in fifteen years. By the winter break, Olympique were only placed 8th. As the form of the team continued to flatline, media speculation was that owner Patrice Malouines would step in to remove Bebb from the managerial position. Following his departure, it was alleged by Clar that Malouines and the board of the team had insinuated to him that they would be sidelining Bebb, allowing Clar to step in as manager for the remainder of the season. As a result, Clar became more vocal of Bebb's performances, openly criticising him in interviews, leading the relationship between manager and assistant to deteriorate significantly. Following a 3-1 defeat to Vabre, Clar stated that 'Bebb simply doesn't understand what everyone is saying. It's as though he is deaf. Well I can tell you myself, it's time to go!' This outburst by Clar was openly criticised by both the manager and owners who suggested Clar was 'out of line'. Several days later it was announced that Clar had been sacked by the team, to the outrage of many Olympique supporters.
Clar later stated that his treatment under Bebb had fostered a sense of resentment and hatred for Olympique de Lotrique. Stating that it would be his life's goal 'to wipe away Patrice [Malouine]'s smug smile'.
Managerial career
Benedormo
With the retirement of Ricard Alonsý Uogned from management in June 2002, Clar was appointed to the position of Benedormo for the upcoming 2002-03 season. Uogned had long viewed Clar as his natural successor at Benedormo, however his ill health forced Uogned to retire early, emploring the board to hire his former assistant. Benedormo had finished the previous season in 6th place, failing to qualify for the Asuran League and with an ageing squad. Clar soon gained a reputation for promoting youth from within the team, whilst moving on stars in the early thirties such as Acario Montesi, and Gilles Messier. This reliance on youth initially worked well for Clar whose team lay in 4th place going into the winter break, with key victories over Argois and Almiaro. However, the inexperience of the squad began to show in the second half of the season with consecutive losses to Hellingbourg, Olympique de Lotrique, and Ibbené dropping the team to 6th place where they remained until the end of the campaign. The experiences of the 2002-03 season made it clear that Clar needed to balance his high-energy youthful team with more experienced players. Clar signed 28-year-old midfielder Miguel Delaney from FC Ardante, and 31-year-old defender Tairo Andoné from Olympique de Lotrique to add more structure to the side. This move proved successful and Benedormo had a very successful 2003-04 season, finishing 3rd, thus qualifying for the Asuran League. The team also reached the semi-finals of the Copa de Mydra, losing out to eventual champions FC Cadillac on penalties. The season was also notable for the emergence of striker Adrien Canavre who was crowned league top-scorer with 32 goals in 38 games.
With a sturdy foundation built over the previous two seasons, Clar's team was in a good position to embark on a title challenge for the 2004-05 season. Despite financial difficulties off of the pitch, Clar succeeded in signing Navish goalkeeper Tor Henriksen from Skøgul FK and centre-back Charles Dinais from FC Mydroll. These acquisitions proved integral to the team's great defensive record, which had been a problem area last season. The team's defensive stability combined with the goalscoring talent of talismanic young striker Adrien Canavre put the team top at the winter break, winning 14 games, drawing 1, and losing only 3. During the second half of the season, Clar's team was the class of the field by going on a 14 match unbeaten streak. Only Almiaro was in a position to challenge Benedormo for the title, with a ten-point gap between 2nd and 3rd in the league. Though Benedormo ended their unbeaten streak with an away trip to Almiaro, Benedormo were able to remain 3 points ahead of the Vermilonor to claim the league title, the club's first since 1991. Clar's successes with the club, particularly with its young and relatively inexperienced squad, led him to win the Liga 1 Coach of the Year award for 2005.
However, this success within the league led opposing teams to target many of Benedormo's key players for transfers. This, compounded with the club's poor financial state led many players to leave the club without replacements. In particular, striker Adrien Canavre was transferred to FC Almiaro for Đ15 million without securing a suitable replacement. As such, Benedormo suffered within the following season, though there were able to win the Supercopa against Almiaro 1-0. The team ended the 2005-06 season in 8th place, much to the anger of Clar and the fans who had become vocal about the lack of transfer spending. With the team's ownership indicating there would only be around Đ5 million to spend in the upcoming transfer window, Clar began openly considering a move away from the club. In August 2006, Clar signed a three-year contract to become manager of Internationale Club de Bordeiu.
Internationale
Lhedvin FK
Following Clar's three month sabbatical after resigning as Internationale manager, Clar signed a two-and-a-half-year deal to take over as manager of Navish side Lhedvin FK in November 2015. At the time Lhedvin lay 11th within the Navish Superliga after 14 games.
Midrasian national team
Following Midrasia's third-place finish within the Copa d'Aeia 2017 speculation had begun to mount regarding the future of then manager Klaes van Emerick. Throughout the tournament, van Emerick had been under constant pressure, exacerbated by the media's coverage of the team. A 4-0 loss to Navack within their opening game saw questions asked of the manager and his team choices. Whilst Midrasia's form picked up throughout the tournament, media pressure on van Emerick continued to mount, with a number of tabloid publications putting the team's improved form down to the players rather than the manager. Though a public campaign to praise van Emerick for his work was launched, following the conclusion of the tournament, van Emerick announced his resignation. He stated that the constant badgering and pressure placed on him by the media was 'unacceptable', making him dour and depressed. Stressing the need for his successor to receive a fair treatment, van Emerick also called on the media to be more supportive of the Midrasia team in future.
A number of managers to replace van Emerick were soon shortlisted following the tournament, though Pere Clar and Álvaro Câmara were the two standout candidates. Following several months of negotiations, Clar was announced as the manager of the Midrasian national team, to take over from the start of 2018. His first game in charge of the team came at an international friendly against Renneque which the team won 2-0. However, the first major challenge of Clar's time at Midrasia came with the Copa d'Aeia 2018. Faced with a number of retirements, notably in the form of captain Henri Sabon, Clar was forced to make several major changes to the team ahead of the tournament. Jerome Albret was confirmed as a first team player in spite of his young age at 21, whilst Robert Hadrien was moved to defensive midfield as a replacement for Sabon. Hadrien was also granted the captaincy after a number of standout performances in friendly matches. Raimon Canelas, Miquees Crespi, Rubèn Regàs, Silvestre Satorras and Mathieu Neri were all new call-ups to the squad for the tournament having stood out for their domestic teams.
2018 Copa d'Aeia
Midrasia was placed in Group C for the tournament, alongside Transcandar, Indragiri and Fahran. Throughout the tournament, Midrasia utilised a very high pressing, high-tempo style of play which sought to overwhelm opponents. These tactics earned Midrasia some of their highest scores in international footballing, breaking existing records though also taking a heavy toll on the players physically. Within their opening match of the tournament, Midrasia beat Transcandar by four goals to one, with Simone Qualquart scoring twice, whilst Jacques Joulles and Enzo Lazaré both scored one. The team would then go on to beat Indragiri by four goals to none, and Fahran by three goals to none, topping their group and leading the tournament in terms of goals scored and overall goal difference.
Within the round of sixteen, Midrasia decimated Chalcia with a 7-0 victory, matching the club's existing record of a seven-goal victory against the Federation of Socialist Republics in 1981. However, within the Quarter-finals against Elhazia, Midrasia struggled, with their opponents playing a very defensive game which sought to cede possession. Despite a struggle within the first-half after going a goal down, Midrasia were able to rescue the match thats to a penalty scored by Qualquart and a late goal by Lazaré. Tiredness appeared to be gripping the team, particularly those who had featured in most games throughout the tournament. Yet this did not stop Midrasia from thoroughly beating Ajerrin within the semi-finals 5-0. However, with the final only three days following the semi-final the Midrasian team had little time to recover, preventing them from playing the same brand of high-octane football against Navack. As such, Clar moved to a defensive lineup that sought to quell any Navish advances. This worked well for the majority of the first half until Eric Loupe gave away a penalty in the 39th minute that was tucked away by Nikódem Nesz. With the Navish one goal up, the Midrasian team were forced to take the initiative, though their low recovery time from the previous rounds prevented them from truly taking hold of the game. With the onset of the second half Nesz scored again to put Navack 2-0 up, and by the last twenty minutes Midrasia looked to have run out of steam, allowing both Hammer and Johansen to set the score to 4-0. Though Midrasia was beaten in the final by one of its arch-rivals, several days after the tournament, Clar delivered an interview where he talked about building on the successes of the team into the following year, and to learn from their mistakes.
2019 Copa d'Aeia
Going into the 2019 tournament, Midrasia were placed in Group F along with Chokashia, Veleaz, and Crethia. The group was viewed as one of the harder groups of the tournament, with Midrasia, Veleaz and Chokashia expected to battle it out for the qualification slots. However, within Midrasia's first match against Crethia, both teams drew three-all, a surprise result for one of the strongest teams in the tournament going up against one of the weakest. Following the game, the press was critical of both the team and manager for their complacent attitude. The draw was reminiscent of Midrasia's 4-0 opening day loss against Navack during the 2017 tournament, a factor in Klaes van Emerick's decision to resign. In addition, rumours began to surface of tension behind the scenes with a number of players unhappy with Clar's demeanour and training sessions, though few of these rumours were proven. The draw also meant that Midrasia required good results against both Chokashia and Veleaz in their remaining games in order to qualify for the knockout stages. On the 3rd of July Midrasia faced Veleaz in their first international match since the 1980s. The recent Triskaideka War ensured that the match was incredibly tense for both players and supporters leading the Romellean authorities to station a large amount of security personnel at the stadium. Tensions flared early within the game as Miquees Crespi scored within the 37th minute and performed his usual 'finger gun' celebration. This celebration was taken by the Veleazan players and supporters to refer to the recent war between the two nations, as well as Veleazan refugees who were shot by the Red Army trying to flee to Midrasia over the Appian Wall. Crespi was yellow carded for his actions which he went on to apologise for, though a considerable portion of the Veleazan fans began to hurl abuse and projectiles onto the pitch. This was followed by members of the Midrasian tifosi setting off flairs and abusing the Veleazan fans. Authorities were able to regain control however and the game continued. During the second-half, Midrasia scored twice more to win 3-0 thanks to goals from Basile Chevalier and Lazaré, keeping their hopes of qualification alive. On July 8th Midrasia faced Chokashia in their final match of the group stages were they won by 3 goals to 1, with Simone Qualquart scoring the first, followed by a brace from Enzo Lazaré. The victory ensured that Midrasia topped their group earning qualification for the knockout stages.
Within the round-of-16 Midrasia were drawn against Hytekia the winners of Group A. Despite pundits predicting a one-sided affair the match was considerably close, particularly in the first-half. However, Midrasia eventually came out on top in a 2-1 victory, thanks to goals from Alexis Meridon and Enzo Lazaré in the 70th and 73rd minute respectively. The victory saw Midrasia pared against Vidoria in the quarter-finals, a considerably powerful footballing nation. Midrasia's progression into the next round also led the team to be designated tournament favourites after reigning champions Navack were knocked out on penalties by Cuirpthe. The match against Vidoria began with two goals from Midrasia in the first half, as Clar's team dominated possession and pressed intensely. After the match Clar suggested that he had employed the same high-pressing approach he had used within the 2018 tournament over the slow build-up possession-based style which had featured for the team during the group stage. The result saw two goals within the first 6 minutes of the game which allowed Midrasia to dictate the play of much of the first half. The second half saw a Vidorian resurgence however as Rico Sanchez scored within the 55th-minute. A 70th-minute goal by Lazaré did not stop the Vidorian onslaught at they equalised after two goals from del Monte. Midrasia were eventually bailed out by an 89th-minute penalty which was dispatched by Qualquart, sending Midrasia through to the semi-finals. Midrasia faced an as-yet unbeaten Goulong in the semi-finals, though they dealt with the situation spectacularly. Once again Clar utilised the same high-pressing style from the first-half of the Vidorian game, though this time employed it only within the second-half as he sought to break the deadlock. This resulted in four goals for the team with no reply from Goulong to send Midrasia to the final of the tournament.
Within the final Midrasia faced Crylante who had knocked the team out of the semi-finals of the 2017 tournament, leading to the resignation of previous manager Klaes van Emerick. Throughout the build-up to the match much of the Midrasia media focused upon this fact, along with the so-called 'Lhedwinic curse' which has seen the Midrasian national team struggle against Lhedwinic sides throughout the history of the Copa d'Aeia. In spite of such media attention, Clar laughed off suggestions that his side would meet with defeat, however the manager continued to employ a much calmer demeanour in contrast with many of his previous media appearances. It was later revealed following the conclusion of the tournament that Clar had been visiting a psychiatrist due to a previous mental breakdown brought about by the team's 2018 defeat who had suggested that Clar keep a cool, calm attitude to prevent any further episodes. Within the final itself, Clar seemed to revert to his possession-based tactic, seeking to snuff out opposition attempts on goal, whilst retaining the ball. The slow build-up saw Bastien Desmarais convert for Midrasia within the 16th minute following a corner delivered by Miques Crespi. The team retained possession for the remainder of the half, preventing any clear Crylantian opportunities and went into the half 1-0 up. In the second half Midrasia kept to their game plan, and whilst Crylante were able to affect the game much more clearly than before, they proved unable to stop Clar's team. Within the 67th minute a quick break by winger Simone Qualquart saw him carry the ball all the way from the Midrasian half into the Crylantian box to chip the keeper to send the score to 2-0 where the game ended. With Midrasia crowned Aeian champions for the fifth time, Clar suggested that he was unsure whether he would continue with the team for a third year, suggesting that a new challenge may be in order.
US Monte Sora
On 30 November 2019 it was announced that Clar would be leaving his post within the Midrasian national team to join Atrescan side US Monte Sora on a four-year deal. Demand for Clar was high following his Copa success, with Høulding SK and Internationale also rumoured to be interested in his services. Within the press conference announcing his appointment, Clar stated that it was his desire to "broaden [his] managerial horizons" that led him to LegaUno, a league he had not yet managed in at the time.[1] Additionally, he stated that it was important that the club's performances and results reflect their historic status, vowing to make Monte Sora "winners again". On the same day, he and Monte Sora triumphed over Milazzo in a 3-1 win[2] - the club's first win in over two months.
In the winter transfer window, Clar brought in Liidurian centre-half Kevin Saar and fellow Midrasian international fullback Bastien Desmarais on four-year contracts. Neither started for what would be their debut games, for which Clar stated he "wanted more time to have them adjust to the team's tactics and formation". Monte Sora lost the match 1–0 away to Caltrano '05, with Jorge Tamayo as the sole scorer.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Laterna Cardinaux | 1980-81 | Liga 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1981-82 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 5 | ||
| 1982-83 | Liga 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | |
| Total | 23 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 8 | ||
| Montscia | ||||||||||
| 1983-84 | Liga 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1984-85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1985-86 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 1986-87 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 1987-88 | 22 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 3 | ||
| 1988-89 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | ||
| 1989-90 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
| Total | 56 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 4 | ||
| 1963 Troping | ||||||||||
| 1989-90 | Lega Uno | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1990-91 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| Total | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 88 | 11 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 102 | 12 | ||
Managerial
| Team | From | To | Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Laterna Cardinaux | 21 November 1997 | 9 December 1999 | 74 | 37 | 17 | 20 | 50.0% |
| Benedormo | 1 June 2002 | 4 June 2006 | 178 | 94 | 42 | 41 | 52.8% |
| Internationale | 4 June 2006 | 1 June 2015 | 444 | 260 | 85 | 99 | 58.5% |
| Lhedvin FK | 6 December 2015 | 1 January 2018 | 82 | 61 | 9 | 12 | 74.4% |
| Midrasia | 1 January 2018 | 30 November 2019 | 21 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 76.2% |
| US Monte Sora | 30 November 2019 | present | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 75.0% |
| Total | 803 | 471 | 156 | 175 | 58.6% | ||
Honours
Manager
Laterna Cardinaux
- Liga 3: 1998–99
Benedormo
Internationale
- Liga 1: 2008–09, 2009–10
- Asuran League: 2006–07
- Copa de Mydra: 2010–11, 2012–13
- Supercopa: 2009–10
Lhedvin FK
- Superliga: 2016–17
- Mastercupen: 2017–18
Midrasia
- Copa d'Aeia: 2019
Individual
- Liga 3 Coach of the Year: 1998
- Demarer Best Up-and-Coming Manager: 1999
- Liga 1 Coach of the Year: 2005, 2009, 2013
- FFA Coach of the Year: 2009
References
- ↑ "Pere Clar agrees four-year contract with Monte Sora". CalcioOGGI. 30 November 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
- ↑ "US Monte Sora 3-1 RSCM Milazzo". CalcioOGGI. 30 November 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2019.