[FM16] Double trouble - Youth Academy + dafuge - Blyth Spartans

MadCatPT · December 10, 2015

Info:

After some seasons with youth only in the Portuguese National Division, which led to a couple of sacks, and finding my feet with the tactics, training and squad management, I'm ready for a challenge or two.

I play with a Instant Result skin so I can see my players evolve, which is the main thing for me.

Here goes.

Club Profile - Club General - Club Competitions - Finances

Manager Hugo Carmona arrives in his motorcycle to take command of the Blyth Spartans, his presentation features music by Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.

Promises new methods, no time wasted on scouting and matches, more time to scour nearby Scotland for whiskey in his motorcycle.

MadCatPT · December 10, 2015

Reserved

MadCatPT · December 10, 2015

Reserved - Youth

MadCatPT · December 10, 2015

First interview, Michael Bowers of the Northumberland Gazette:

MB: Hi, bother to explain how a unknown portuguese gets to be the manager of the Blyth Spartans?

HC: Well after the promotion to the Bananarama North...

MB: Vanarama!

HC: Never heard of them. As I was saying, I made a bet with the club president and I won, so here I am.

MB: A bet? What kind of bet?

HC: That I could **** the police station and the police officers would cheer.

MB: An so you did?

HC: Yes.

MB: And weren't arrested?

HC: No.

MB: How did you do it?

HC: I went first to the police station and told the police officers that in the spirit of celebrations I would get the club president to come there watch me **** from one end of the room to the other inside a cup without a single drop of **** hiting the floor, if I wasn't able to do it, I would give 100 quid to each officer there.

MB: Unbelievable!

HC: Being drunk helped.

MB: Sigh. What are you qualifications?

HC: None.

MB: None?

HC: Yes, I played a bit of football at the lowest amateur league in Portugal, almost a season worth.

MB: So I should just head to the bookies to bet on you being the first manager to be sacked.

HC: That is a smart bet, but remember what happened to the last bet I made.

MB: Who are you trying to bring to strengthen the squad?

HC: No one.

MB: No one?

HC: Yes. I think you need to get your hearing checked. I don't have time to be scouting and reading scout reports. I need time to visit pubs, breweries and distilleries. So I'll be using the youth in the club.

MB: You're gonna be sacked faster than a manager for Leeds.

HC: The president is not Massimo Cellino, and I have a very clear vision.

MB: What is it?

HC: To win the Premier and the Champions league, and then open a Brewery here in Blyth called Champions.

MB: You're crazy!!!

HC: I might be, I traded good weather for the English North.

MB: So with the weakest and laziest squad in the Vanarama North, you're not going to bring any players. How do will the squad take that in? Will they respect your tactics or sideline instructions?

HC: They won't.

MB: They won't?

HC: No. You either need a hearing aid or your mother slept with a parrot. I'm crazy but not stupid. I'll do my best managing the squad, training them up, setting a proper tactic but is the assistant manager that will do bench sitting, referee yelling and player instructions.

I'll be at a local pub sampling the ales.

Football it's a team sport and I'll stand on the shoulders of my staff and players, one day I hope to stand on the shoulders of giants.

MB: <silence>

HC: Well I'm off to the Northumberland Brewery, you coming?

MB: If you give me the exclusive interview on your sacking.

HC: Only if you pay the first pint.

MB: Done.

MadCatPT · December 11, 2015

Here is the half way point of the seasons so far:

Started very strong scoring lots of goals, but with a short squad when injuries started appearing the all familiar dip in form.

Have one good youngster and a decent one that came last year before I took control, one is a left fullback the other a forward. Both are backups, the forward is playing for my best player who is out injured.

One of my best players, Robert Dale, a club legend is going to retire, he had two hat-tricks in the beginning of the season!

Got a TV game with Chesterfield and 3000 people in the stands, a combined income of about €120k, so I should finish the season on the black.

Can't seem to get a coaching course in any of my saves, here I'm needed training...

Got an upgrade to Junior coaching though, got most backups on non contracts, so some more game ready youngsters would be nice.

MadCatPT · December 12, 2015

2016-2017: 7th Vanarama North

League Table - League Overview - League Club Overview - League Player Overview

Home - Tactics - Transfers - Finances

Season Review:

A better season than I was expecting, started strong, until the injuries appeared, I was lucky with the injuries considering my short squad, but I had my attacking trio out at the same time and that was the end of any hopes for a promotion fight. I still could almost got there at the end of the season but couldn't get a decent run with some last minute goals from the adversaries limiting my point intakes.

Surprised to be team with more goals scored, having the top goalscorer and player helped.

Best Player - Top Goalscorer

Team review:

I can only offer non contracts to backup players, so I was a bit afraid of not having cover for injuries during the season, but my finances are shaky as they are and I'm not paying lots of money and get the headaches of having inferior players with rotation contracts. I will lose my best assist man and second goalscorer to retirement and my best midfielder to ambition, the youth brought a substitute for my winger but the midfield will suffer for a suitable replacement.

The greatest strength was my potent attack helped by a good midfield and decent fullbacks, the greatest weakness is the center of my defence, talent wise and performance wise, my supposedly most talented central is my worst performer, very inconsistent, all the others normally would offer some decent games before crumbling down.

GK:

The transfer that was done before I took command of 18 years old Daniel Grimshaw was nice, he played all my games but was just decent, but for his age and first time playing games was not bad considering the middle of the defense. The youth intake brought one goalkeeper that I signed just to have a third goalkeeper.

FB R:

I have two starting quality right backs, I have to sometimes change them so the backup stays happy, but the starting player is Andrew CartWright, better performances, current ability and potential even if just by a half-star. The youth got me a backup only full back and central defender that covers all the positions.

FB L:

I have a starting quality player Jordan Watson with a bad ppm (Stops Play) that I can't get rid of. He has a very promising youth intake from before I took over the club, the youth played well in his limited games, will get more games next year.

CD:

Not the best group, inconsistent all season long, the worst performance wise, looking at the cons, inconsistent, doesn't like big matches. lack of pace, I'm screwed. Tom McNamee has some potential and got some good performances but also some dreadful ones. No youths of notice, just enough potential to be as good as the backups. One more season with a ticking time bomb in defense.

DLP:

Stephen Turnbull is the only playmaker I have and he is getting old. He is an icon for the club. No replacement in sight.

BBM:

Neal Hooks is the player that I use here, also getting old, hope one of the youngsters can get some games here and perform decently.

CM:

Michael Richadson is going away, current ability wise he is my best player and he feels is too good for us. I will try to adapt a youngster here, but it's going to be a loss.

AM R:

Connor Martins played some good games, also got injured for some time. He is the owner of this position, got a youngster from the intake hopefully can spell him if his injury problems continue.

AM L:

Having a club legend playing is quite something, he is retiring ate the end of the season. Robert Dale scored lot's of goals and made the most assists, a nice way to go, and got my top young intake to take his position.

DLF:

Dan Maguire, what to say, top player and goalscorer! Unfortunately wasn't enough to get us to a promotion or play-off place. Most of the support will go away next season, he is still young and loves the club, so let's hope I can get him enough support for him to try to retain the accolades and we to get a better shot at promotion. We have a previous year youth intake who has some potential, played some games when Maguire was injured but couln'd score a goal, the supporting wingers where crap at the time, only made some assists, was tutored by Dale.

Youth Intake:

Youth Intake - [2017 01] Priestly Nelson - [2017 02] Jonathan Preston

Youth Intake Review:

Two good wingers and a project for midfield. The winger went direct to the starting eleven due to injuries, not the best of performances but for 15 years old I at least got some pace on the wings until some of best players recovered from injuries. Due to Martin injury, Priestly was on the starting eleven until the end of season to get a fell for what is waiting for him next year, he got a goal an some mediocre/poor performances. He's very young so it's understandable.

Preston got an assist and some decent performance, he's got Martin in front of him, but I'll try to get him some games.

MadCatPT · December 13, 2015

Robert Dale only retired from professional football, but he is starting to lose physical traits, he had the Knocks Ball Past Opponent ppm, so at the beginning of the season he was unrecognizable, so I made him stop the ppm. Luckily he lost it, even with my assistant manager saying he was too old to lose it.

After that he was back to my starting eleven, but he is a shadow of his former self.

What a difference a year make, Richardson was really important for me, and Robert Dale is getting old very fast.

I knew this year was going to be hard, and was no mistaken, strange how some thinks are the same, like goals against and the number of goals from Maguire, but a worst supporting cast means that I'm slowing going down the league, I started the league ok, but after awhile I'm started to get in very bad form, struggling for a win, luckily a win makes you gain several places, feels like travelling in a balloon with a faulty burner.

I'm afraid I'll languish in the division for awhile, missed my opportunity last year, only have basic facilites, finances are going to be in the red because I was out in all cups in the first game.

Youngsters:

Priestly is not ready for this level yet, no surprise, he does create more than Dale, but his struggles have made him come out of the starting eleven, he's just 16 so no worries for now.

Preston is still without games, Connor Martin has been my most dependable player and so Preston has been getting play in U21.

Mike Stone took over from Richardson, he's been decent, but he's not evolving and he's potential is now under the potential of Wilkinson, Stone is 03 and Wilkinson 08, so Wilkinson will get some games to see if he can do something more.

MadCatPT · December 13, 2015

From despair, hope!

After two 4 goal beatings, morale was bad, due to twice having my field waterlogged I had a 4 home game stretch with some of the last place teams, so I had a team meeting, praised and criticized left and right and got 3 wins and one loss, so was able to be be in the low 10's instead of the highs.

After that the youth came and brought this:

Could this be my savior?

I think he could have the biggest impact as an Interior Forward on the left side, but I'm open to suggestions.

MadCatPT · December 13, 2015

Last games and I'm near the play-offs, the kid is my mini-Ronaldo, playing on the left as a Interior Forward(A), appears one game, disappears in the other but when he appears:

His first goal!

dllu · December 14, 2015

Very nice potential at 15!

MadCatPT · December 14, 2015

I have been playing this game for a long time, when I had to go to the dictionary to understand some of the words, I was the first one in my street to be able to win the league with the Championship Italia, most of the kids around where older, so it was nice.

The nice feeling vanished when I noticed that they made terrible choices, playing players out of position, not keeping records, etc..

I had a notebook with all my players stats from all the seasons, noticing upward or downwards trends and working the transfers with that in mind.

So I played with Udinese, and set out to win everything, and I did.

After that I normally enjoyed picking the underdog, or a small team and play with them, sometimes I would get them to the top, other times I struggled to get anywhere but it was what I liked.

None of those early times has an entry to my Top5 seasons in this games, this last season goes to number 2.

Top 5:

1. Playing in the Portuguese lowest division with a team full of signed grey players, 25 players, two for each position and three goalkeepers. The objective was save it from relegation and learn how to play, I was only relegated on the last game of the season, losing 0-3 at home. But did I learn about tactics, morale, pre, mid and post game talks, individual talks, instructions and all. Sadly most is forgotten but I hold dear as my hardest fought battle when a draw was a great victory and a victory like a promotion or cup win.

2. Playing in the Vanarama North, had a inconsistent start to the season, this season team meeting to get morale up only resulted in draws not wins like last year, my best player left last season to because a free agent forever , my second best scorer and assist man got old very fast became ineffectual due to a ppm, the talented youngster I had was inconsistent.

Then cam the changes, the old player lost the ppm and was back to being helpful, one of the youngsters with the most potential lost it (never seen anything like that), and played a not so gifted player but he stabilized the midfield and got support upfront.

When you have the leagues top goalscorer in reasonable support and supply good things happen, waterlogged pitches postponed games against opponents near the bottom, making games against top sides back to back hard on getting good form, but them what was bad turned good, 4 home games in a row against bottom teams, some with lots of injuries others lacking form or morale, and I pounced, all the meeting, praise, warn I could do I did, and the team scrapped three 1-0 wins and lost one 1-3, but the morale was high for the first time, and then the youth intake, when I only got one excellent player.

I stopped playing, read stuff, asked for help in the forum, and them I put him in, he is my mini-Ronaldo. Being dangerous on the left side losing his marker with ease to get into goalscoring opportunities which he normally converts.

He was inconsistent being only 15 years old, but when he wasn't on, the other players or Lady Luck was, a soft penalty gives me a victory against a playoff rival, his manager raged in the press conference, last minute goal agains the team that in two seasons always injuries my top goalscorer, so we have an history of press conference war of words, this time with nothing to lose I dropped everything with the reporter who had a field week with the back and forth, I must have struck a nerve and he went very offensive against my counter tactic, I missed opportunity after opportunity while he only mustered five shots all game, on the last play of the game they don't mark my bbm who appears alone to score the winning goal.

The other managed raged in the press conference but then appeared a message saying that I took one over him in the mind games, never had that before, must investigate.

Last season with the best attack, player and goalscorer, I missed the playoffs with some stupid draws on the end of the season, this time second best attack and top goalscorer and assist man I got in.

Semi-final was against a team I won at home and lost away, first leg away 1-0 loss, second leg home 2-0 victory but my best player in the season, my right winger, most assists in the league, second best goalscorer was injured.

Luckily was a minor injury but still he would not recover fully in time and injections where not a option, fitness test and 30 minutes, I left him out. With only 5 subs I couldn't risk an early injury getting a player who was an injury risk.

The team I was playing I also split games, but this time losing at home and winning away, playing on a neutral field I felt confident, of course I started losing but was able to draw for extra-time. When everyone was waiting for the penalties my bbm got a free run and scored, he doesn't score a lot but normally scores important ones.

After some pressure we where up!!! I'm royally screwed next season, but hopefully I get a new top 5 season.

3. Playing in the Portuguese lowest division with Louletano, bankrupt club in receivership, getting most of my players sold or exchanged, got the rag-tag bunch that I had on lot of yo-yo runs, and seeing the blossoming of my young forward who was in the first season almost unable to score on the Second League, finding his feet and starting also scoring with ease in both leagues and that got me a place in the Second League.

4. Winning Serie B after years of mid table anonymity with a club I brought from the lower reaches, with the work of my two center midfielders I grew with some amazing long shots ability, always good for some very good goals each season.

5. Playing in the Portuguese lowest division with Real, saving them from relegation on a Youth only save which was signed grey players and set their PA to 100 for the first season.

MadCatPT · December 15, 2015

2017-2018: 3th Vanarama North

League Table - League Overview - League Club Overview - League Player Overview

Home - Transfers - Finances

Season Review:

Had a inconsistent start to the season, this season team meeting to get morale up only resulted in draws not wins like last year, my best player left last season to because a free agent forever, my second best scorer and assist man got old very fast became ineffectual due to a ppm, the talented youngster I had was inconsistent.

Then came the changes, the old player lost the ppm and was back to being helpful, one of the youngsters with the most potential lost it (never seen anything like that), and played a not so gifted player but he stabilized the midfield and got support upfront.