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Starting from scratch - AFC Hornschurch


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Although I'm playing this game since I remember, reading this forum makes me understand again that I'm still far away of understanding the game. Switching between downloading Lovesleaper's tactics and following word for word the ideas of others while using the tactics creator, and sometimes playing a "career" game with the intention of being asked by bigger clubs and other times using an all "own developed youth system", I know realise that it's time to do it different. I would like to start at 0 and start learning the game by studying key threads, experimenting while playing and using all facets of the game (tips for threads that will help me on this journey, are of course most welcome).

I selected AFC Hornschurch in the Blue Square South as starting point, an interesting challenge because I only have 16 players, which basically force me to bring some new players in and use the scouting / (free) transfer part of the game. I will try to describe the basic steps I take during this journey and ask for help when I get stuck. My main focus will be learning the tactical side of the game. Thanks in advance for your comments and help to improve my knowledge of this game.

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The first days in office I spent doing the following things:

Staff

I'm usually preferring to construct a whole new staff by firing everyone the first day and hire new staff via the transfer centre. This time I will do it a bit different and probably more realistic: I set out vacancies for all roles I am allowed to. As soon as I read the maximum amount of staff per item, I will fire the worst one and repeat the process until I have an acceptable level of staff. The assistant manager might be a bit more difficult as I can only employ one, but I might solve that by employing a reserve team assistant manager and promote him or promote one of the better coaches at a later stage. So far no responses, so I will revisit this part when I get the first results in.

Facilities etc

I asked the board for several things, mostly related to youth development, which considering my finances will be crucial for the long term. I also like to build a team from within. For now the board refuses literary everything due to lack of funding.

Team overview/tactics

Hornchurch only has 16 players of which some are on a non-contract, and wanted by other clubs. There is no youth, so I will have to sign new players as soon as I have scouts to at least judge them on some minimum requirements. I settled on a 4-1-2-2-1 a formation I used more often in the past and also gives me the additional benefit to follow Cleon's thread and learn from that in the process. I also made an important decision to focus on an ideal system (more or less) and try to fit the players in that (and scout for new players filling the holes) instead of selecting a formation based on the capabilities of my players. This also means that some players won't play in their ideal roles because in combination with other players this works better for my side at this point. In the long term this might mean to say goodbye to some good players (if I have good replacements) that don't fit the roles I have in my mind and on short term this means I will probably let them train on this specific roles.

Friendlies

I deleted all pre-set friendlies and set some new ones, trying to build it up slowly from easy to more difficult both home and away. I will watch the full matches to get more feeling with the players and the system, especially what effects some shouts will have on the type of play. Besides the general scouting I did on my players I will use the matches also to study my players more in detail and try to determine at which positions I need the most of help.

Transfer Policy

The idea is to sign not too many players at once, probably 5 or 6 until the winter, which enables me at least to cover for injuries and suspensions. During the winter break I will be looking for more depth and/or making some first improvements already. I will sign all talented players under 19 to fill up the squad, build some depth there, of course as long as the board accepts it finance wise.

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