Where the Wind Blows - A FM12 Career

[Veggeh]

Welcome to my FM12 career save! This year, coming over from LLM to Career Updates, just for everyone to enjoy!

New game, new career, new awesome! I'll be going where the wind blows, and see what becomes of everything. If I make aims, I'll be disappointed if I don't reach them, so I'll be making the best of what I get.

Leagues Loaded: All playable leagues. All nationalities loaded (by continent).

Database Size: Large

Player Count: approx. 300,000

Starting Reputation: Sunday League Footballer

Starting Unemployed, no mods or packs.

Career History:

2011: Dynamos F.C.

[Veggeh]

Dynamos F.C. - South African National First Division

2011/2012 Season:

Media Prediction: 11th

Club Status: Professional

Finances: Okay

Club Value: £400K

Stadium Capacity: 15,000 (10,000 seated)

Accepting a £1,500 p/w offer, I set course to South Africa, where I've never managed before. Looking at the state of the club before I negotiated terms, I believe I can work something out of them. The squad doesn't seem to be in poor condition, and I have an Ass Man and Physio both set from the off, which I'm happy with. Adverts are out for a coach and scout so that I can start scouting out some areas for new players. Pre-season will be spent getting to know the squad and the South African style of play before the league begins.

Key Players:

Richard Rantjie - 4.5* Right Midfielder. Has some creativity about him and should be entering his prime. Hopefully his performances will be just as promising.

Tonic Chabalala - 4.5* Centre Back. Beginning to age, but some solid stats, so should be ok for a couple more seasons.

Positions to fill: GK, RB, LM

[Veggeh]

Pre-Season Review:

£22K Transfer Budget and already £3K+ over the Wage Budget, money was somewhat tight, considering the talent I would need to bring in. 2 coaches were brought in to help with training, and a promising scout was recruited, with some nice reports of his own to contribute to what my Ass Man could already find. Results were pleasing.

Tactically, after witnessing how badly we played a simple 4-4-2, and observing how other teams were playing, and assessing what I had available to me, I opted for a "You score 2, I'll score 5" variant of the 4-2-3-1 Deep, focussing on strong direct attacking manuevres from the flanks, while keeping a solid defensive box in the middle of the park.

This proved an effective strategy, as we went unbeaten for the rest of pre-season, coming up with nice results against the higher rep teams of SuperSports United and AmaZulu. With luck, such performances will continue through the main season.

Players In:

Kabelo Metsimetsi - 3.5* GK. Quality of the other keepers in the squad is below what I'm comfortable with, and this signing proved why as the goals I was letting through were halved.

Lefa Mogaila - 3.5* RB. Considering my best RB before this guy was a 1* flop (soon to be sold), this purchase proved vital to my security on the right flank, and meshing nicely in with the tactic I had chosen to adopt. Also playable in DM to decent effect.

Brandon Barkhuisen - 2.5* RB. A workable backup to Mogaila when he's resting or needed in the DM slot. Got nice potential too. One for the future as he's only young.

Mbuyiselo Wellington Sambu - 2.5* RB. Brought in on loan from Platinum Stars as cover for the other two signings, should the worst happen. I'm not paying anything for him, so why not.

Players Out:

Lebomang Semouse - AM(L). Was hanging round in the reserves on a massive £750 p/w wage. Since I couldn't convince anyone to buy him and I did not want him, I asked for a mutual termination...which went badly, and after his little rant, was released on a free. I don't tolerate whiney children. Ever. No exceptions.

More to come as I attempt to further cut the wage bill, but with free releases costing me heavy chunks of money, I predict it to be slow.

Pictures will be uploaded soon once I've gotten them working