Back into FM after a busy weekend and my star man has decided to stay and accept a new contract after no-one was interested. Expecting 15+ goals from him this year
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Back into FM after a busy weekend and my star man has decided to stay and accept a new contract after no-one was interested. Expecting 15+ goals from him this year
The Melbourne City job came up but didn't really tickle my fancy. I think I might hang around one more year, try and win the Euro Cup II, see how I can go in Champions Cup when it opens mid-season.
Have had a relatively quiet off season.
Signed my on loan left winger permanently when his deal expires, but he's back to Red Star for a few months before he returns.
Offloaded Jamal Reiners and a versatile central def/mid to a team in Finland and finally said farewell to my centre back that's been around since I started the climb. He's not cut out for top division so can go back to starring in the one below.
Loaned out my only decent youth player and a third choice DL who has refused a transfer for a while.
Other signings include a South Korean international GK, a regen striker to add some depth and a Danish youth international centre back to replace the other loan signing I had from Red Star who decided to sign for Panathinaikos instead of us. I have a bid out for a versatile either sided fullback and have two other <20yo players coming in at the end of their contracts in July.
Beat Vit. Guimarães in the 1st Knockout stage but have a tough ask against Lokomotiv Moscow who have a dozen players earning more than my entire squad combined.
Beat Lokomotiv Moscow 3-2 on aggregate but Brondby IF was just too good. They have two regens who tore me to shreds. Winger with 18 pace, striker with 16 pace and 18 finishing. Lost 5-2 on aggregate.
Didn't help that my star striker tore his hamstring and the back up striker I got in during the transfer window couldn't be registered for the Euro squad :(
Got the versatile fullback in and turns out he is significantly better than my starting fullback with bags of potential too.
Got offered another Korean international, this one a regen youth centre back, and he cost peanuts, despite being much better than both my starters. His regen face looks more like Shannon Noll than a Korean kid though.
Also picked up a Nigerian youth international from a rival on deadline day. They let him go for £12k after he refused to sign a new contract and is valued at over £100k, so felt like a silly thing to pass up. He covers both wings and all three midfield rows in the middle of the park, so good versatility.
Still a bit light on Swedish players... only have 12 in my entire squad, so a few injuries could see me struggle at squad requirements. Might see if I can pick up a few free transfers to fill the reserves squad up.
Start to the league season and I have been FM'd twice already.
21 shots to 5 against IK Sirius... 2-2.
22 shots to 11 against Malmo FF... 2-1 loss.
Really missing my Argentine. He's more than 50% on target and a 1 goal in 6 shots kinda guy.... and he averages just over 6 shots per game. He is still out for another 6-8 weeks (ha) and I might be out of a job by then if I maintain this same terrible form.
Reckon I am done for. Currently losing 2-0. Conceded the opening goal off my GK's head after it ricocheted off the post. 18 shots to 6. 19th shot goal, woo. But finished 2-1, 22 shots to 9.
Panicked a bit early, apparently. After my 5 game 0-2-3 stretch, I have gone 7-1-0. Don't know if it was just a slow bedding in of new players into my tactics or being un-FM'd, but my Norwegian back up striker has found his shooting boots and knocked in 5 from 8 games.
It's my Swedish striker that's the real problem. He scored 17 in 27 league games last year and has only managed 1 in 12 so far this season. He might be the one that drops back to the bench when my Argie bloke returns.
Star player gone. Real San Sebastian, the FM non-real name for Real Sociedad, came in with a £1.8m offer which was his minimum fee release clause. His replacement is a decent but not quite as good French midfielder that I picked up for £15k in the last window, so hopefully that works out :(
I also forgot to mention that I picked up the Singapore job. The previous manager resigned after four losses in a row.
4-1 victory my first game against Brunei in the Asian Cup qualifers. Have Philippines and Palestine as the other teams in the group so getting to the next phase will be a struggle.
you guys running FM20 yeah?
im still on FM18 (the copy I got from you Grimario)
Wondering if my laptop will be able to run it? - FM18 runs well just dont have the hugest database loaded etc. Sometimes loading takes a while but yeah.
I would assume so but I haven't run FM on a laptop in ages. I play on 2d anyway hahaQuote:
Originally Posted by goaliepersempre
Yeah, running FM20. I went big on PC upgrade a year and a while back and runs wonderfully on full database with every single league loaded. I haven't given it a whirl on my laptop yet but would imagine it would be pretty slow. FM19 with just Australian players and leagues loaded was pretty taxing on it.
I was just talking to my brother about your game the other day... how I never win anything online apart from stuff I already have. Then literally the next day, I won a computer.
How do you win a computer?Quote:
Originally Posted by Grimario
You enter a competition.Quote:
Originally Posted by StannyCFCJET
aww ok - then i might just stay with FM18. - its no gaming laptop, so would daresay would be to slow.
Not a bad season.
Didn't make the Champions League after drawing Red Bull Salzburg in the qualifiers. Surprisingly got through the Europa League qualifiers against Dinamo Zagreb... however dead last beckons in the group stage as FC Sion, PSV and Norwich are all WAY better than my club. Best result so far was a respectable draw against PSV but 2-1 losses to the other sides so far. Bottom at the halfway point :(
Lost at home in the Swedish Cup final to the team in 10th in the league. Beat them the very next fixture in the league.
League was good. Wrapped up with two games to spare. Replacement Frenchy guy has done well.. 4 goals and 2 assists from midfield in his 11 games since my Serbian superstar left. Poor bloke has less than 13 minutes of football since his big money move.
My Argie came back from injury and wasn't as amazing as I was hoping he would be. 5 goals in 14 is a long way short of the 24 in 28 he got last season.
My right winger picked up a bit of the slack though... 9 goals in 22. The left winger I signed from Red Star was pretty hot when he arrived as well... 4 goals, 9 assists in his 10 games.
The real break out star up front though was my former third choice striker who came in for my second choice Swedish striker after he had a long stretch out with a hernia and pulled calf muscle back to back. French striker scored 10 in 15 and more than made up for the others slacking off.
Club has set budget for next season at £75k per week and £5.5m transfer kitty. That's a tidy 25k increase available. Throw in the club building a new stadium, improving youth facilities and increasing youth catchment area, they are going to be well set up for the long term.
But I am going to leave... hopefully after they name the stadium after me. There's a bunch of Italian Serie C jobs available, one Spanish Segunda Division B but no Vanarama North/South ones available at the moment. I think I am only interested in a major rebuild from bottom up, so those are my preferences before joining the Jets in 2040 or something.
Every year, brand new pitch is laid the same day as we play our last game. No idea why.
How can you tell when a new pitch is laid? Unless you mean the inbox that talks about pitch sizeQuote:
Originally Posted by Grimario
https://i.imgur.com/AI8pE2P.pngQuote:
Originally Posted by StannyCFCJET
I assume it's a time of year thing, maybe? Though not sure why 1st November is a good time to lay grass in Sweden.
wouldnt be doing that here, and im in Switzerland haha.Quote:
Originally Posted by Grimario
havent moved to artificial turf yet?
I've never seen that messageQuote:
Originally Posted by Grimario
I get it every single year... legitimately last game of the season, the pitch is relaid message.Quote:
Originally Posted by StannyCFCJET
https://www.google.com/maps/@58.5651...1!1e3?hl=en-US
Yeah, winter just around the corner... seems like a terrible time to relay the pitch.Quote:
Originally Posted by goaliepersempre
I have a new stadium being built. Club doesn't own the one we are in... just a little local community park, similar to Jack McLaughlan OvalQuote:
Originally Posted by goaliepersempre
How ruthless is everyone with player cutting? I've had money to spend so have been a bit heavy on recruitment... squad is now 40ish players. And this post might be more me justifying my squad cutting...
3 are definitely off. The goalkeeper and left back that saw me through the second divison and first division survival.... and an Estonian Swedish striker who I picked up on a free for squad depth. He's played less than 20 times for 3 goals but just isn't good enough to even hang around for depth.
GK wise, I think I am good. I have my South Korean international as a starter, a great Swedish prospect (and important +1 to HG) as bench and then an Italian prospect in the reserves. Picked him up from Fiorentina on a free so hopefully the two youngsters can develop into starters with some cup games.
Defenders is where the squad feels thinnest in terms of quality but thickest in terms of quantity.
My starting centre backs are fantastic but neither are Swedish. I have 4 Swedish back ups (3 multi position) and then a Canadian and Serbian who aren't HG. The Canadian will be if he develops as I have had him since he turned 18 so will qualify in 2 and a bit years. Trying to offload the plain old DC if I can and likely the Iraqi Swede DC/DMC as he is earning almost as much as my starters despite being fourth choice at best.
I have one right back and he's easily the worst starter in the team. He is Canadian but Swedish HG so that helps but he's really not great. Two of the DC's can play RB so they are good back up options and my starting DL can also play there... but I very much need a quality starter and preferably Swedish.
At left back, I have two players really close to starting quality so might make sense to offload the American who is on a much higher wage. The only downside might be that he has been at the club so long he is a Highly Influential player so offloading him might upset the apple cart. I also have a young Swedish DL as back up, so having 3 capable doesn't make much sense.
In the middle of the park, I must have gone crazy with signings or picking up freebies. I have 7 players capable of playing DM... which seems excessive for two spots, especially when 3 of my defenders can slot in there as well. I have a Greek youth international that's probably the current worst of them but also highest looking potential, so hopefully I can farm him out to a lower league club and maintain a push for Swedish HGN. My current starters are a Macedonian international (Swedish born) who is wanted by two promotion pushing Serie B clubs. He's also the oldest, the least potential and on the highest wages... but he is also the captain, the most influential player in the squad and fan favored personnel. I also have a pair of other youngsters, one French and the other Slovenian, but both too old to get HG status. Frenchie is much more of a defensive midfielder (Kanta) where my Macedonian is more Ugarkovic... but that might work next to the Nigerian who is even more suited to an attacking role than the Macedonian. The Slovenian will get cut or sent out on loan (along with a fringe Swedish player) and leave me with one Swedish prospect and my versatile defenders to back up.
When I play with an MC instead of two DM's, the Nigerian and Swedish prospect are both natural there but the hottest prospect is an English regen I got on a free from Burnley. My back up left winger and THREE of my back up strikers can also play there in a pinch.
Right wing is set. Have an absolute superstar Swede who was last year's big signing and he is capably backed up by a Norwegian youngster that will become HG in the middle of next season. Nigerian midfielder and one of my Swedish bench strikers can also back up there. I have a winger that's been with me since my first year in the top flight that I will look to sell.
Left wing is similarly sorted. Serbian superstar with Swedish back up.
Up front... what the hell have I done. I have three phenomenal players that can start... none of them Swedish. I have a fourth coming in because my scouts said "sign him whatever the price"... so a potential Brazilian superstar on his way who can also play MC and AMC. My latest purchase was another "whatever the price" signing of a regen from WSW who my scouts spotting at an Asian Cup game. 21yo, 3 goals in 7 starts for the Socceroos. Throw in the Argie and Frenchie who closed out the season as my starters and I am well packed with strikers. And that's before I get to club icon who spent a large chunk of the season injured or the 4 amazing youngsters I now have to farm out on loan. My bench is going to be two superstars and I am going to have to offload an icon, I think.
Cool. Buy a right back, sell two club icons and a captain. Shouldn't be too disruptive.
edit - So... despite what I said above, looks like I am buying a midfielder. A French youth international, from PSG. For peanuts. First 100 scouted player - Adil Aouchiche is coming to Sweden.
Got a gun RB too. Fills the home grown requirement, can double as a DC if needed.
edit #2 - Right wing might be a problem. BSU in China and Citadella in Serie B have met his £1m release clause. I tried offering him a new contract but he wants a near 600% increase so I've told him to **** off.
My Europa League campaign is over... 6 weeks after the league season finished, we are still slugging away with 3 games in Europe after everyone else has gone home.
Was expected to be competitive and I think I did just that despite not winning a game.
2-2 PSV (18 shots to 8)
1-2 @ Norwich (11 to 15)
1-2 Sion (17 to 12)
1-1 @ Sion (19 to 12)
0-1 @ PSV (13 to 18)
1-2 Norwich (21 to 11)
Really, apart from the away trips to PSV and Norwich, I could and maybe should have won 4 of them.
Being allowed 5 subs in Sweden is weird
Wow... I never realised that when I was there. It's only bottom division.
Yeah I'm in some second divisonQuote:
Originally Posted by Grimario
real life - switzerland/not sweden has in the Challenge League (2nd division) 4 changes. Takes getting used too.
My aarau team at the moment in FM18 - year 2022 has a problem with playing really good against the top teams and just fail to score against the bottom.. frustrating.
I think the squad I have assembled is too good.
4 games in, 4 wins, 14 scored and just 1 conceded. The Australian striker I signed from WSW has scored 9 in 9 (including cup), Aouchiche has 4 goals and 6 assists and my wingers have 6 goals and 8 assists between them.
I think I am going to go for Vanarama North/South but hesitant to leave before I get a second stab at Champions League. If I wait though, I get a team mid-season with no hope of squad building myself.
Looks like I might have a mid-season rebuild on my hands...
https://i.imgur.com/0eEAA1D.png
My centre backs are worth £2.5m combined, winger £1.5m, striker £1.1m and def mid £900k. I would be open to selling the striker for his release clause (£2) as I have 4 players worth a starting spot alongside my Aussie. I have a capable left winger waiting for a start, so would be okay with starter leaving as well. I don't have any quality back up at centre back but if I got £5-6m from the sale of everyone else, I am sure I could find a Swede or two to start for me.
7 games in now, dropped first points with an away draw at IFK Goteborg. Aouchiche has scored in 6 straight games and got an assist in half of them. Cheat player at this level.
Up against one of the recently promoted teams next, so might be a good opportunity to rotate a few of my squad players in for a run.
Another Swedish Cup to the trophy cabinet. Always good games because there's no HG player requirement so my South African regen got to come on late and score his first goal for the club.
My Korean centre back and Aussie striker are both away at the World Cup so they missed the last game before the mid-season break and estimated won't be back till mid July. Fortunately, the game was against a team fighting relegation so was a comfortable win. My South African should have filled his boots with 8 shots but only got 3 on target. Aouchiche carried the team (again) to keep us still undefeated in the league (11-3-0). Tied on points with AIK who are 11-0-2, one clear of Malmo (10-2-1) and two ahead of IFK Norrkoping (10-1-2). Next best is 12 behind fourth.
American left back is off to BATE who put a £275k bid in for my third choice left back. Kind of hoping the Korean leaves as well so I can bring a Swede in.
Starting left back might be off after Ferenvaros came in with a £1.1m bid for him. That's too good to turn down at his level. Means my young Swedish left back can get a shot at making the job his before I look at the transfer market.
Gertjan Verbeek has masterminded Australia to second place at the World Cup... group stage. Dominant 3-1 win over Venezuela but humbling defeat to Spain... but the whole group of 3 thing worked for him. Lost to Russia in the second round. Barely even in the game.
Hopefully he gets the sack and I can lead them to mediocrity.
Second season 18 games in. 7 wins 8 draws and 3 losses and we sit in 4th. Miles better then I thought we would do. However we struggle to score more then 1 a game, the same goes for conceding but. Unfortunately my star striker has 3 goals in 18 games after 13 in 26 the year before and my best Midfielder is upset I sold a good player who wanted to leave and wont stop crying, May have to sell him in the off season, Unless I decide to move on to a new country.
Well... that didn't happen. Instead, Italy offered me the top job. No interview, just straight up job offer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Grimario
I don't know if I want it though... will have to think about it whilst I am at work.
Decided I wanted to play with Singapore at the Asian Nations Cup. After I knock Australia out there, I can take over that gig.
Have drawn RB Salzburg in CL Qualifiers again. FFS.
Season over for me finished 6th. No promotion playoffs. Trying to move to a different country or higher league. But in the meantime clearing out all the shit deadwood or over played dross
who?Quote:
Originally Posted by Grimario
FC Red Bull Salzburg. Bloody Austrians.Quote:
Originally Posted by goaliepersempre
My next game up when I get home tonight.
Again Who..... They dont exist. :whistling:Quote:
Originally Posted by Grimario
In salzburg only the Austria.....