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[FM 17] If You’re Not First, You’re Last Redux – Redemption For The “Nearly Men” Of Europe


ManUtd1
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56 minutes ago, ManUtd1 said:

Yep -- finally remembered to double-check this.  

Brazilian kid at Sociedad:

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His Ukrainian teammate requires 10 years:

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So, that could be a way forward.

Excellent! Even if you don't spend all that long in Spain itself, it'd be a great way to set a flock of them up to be easily moveable around Europe.

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11 hours ago, BoxToBox said:

Excellent! Even if you don't spend all that long in Spain itself, it'd be a great way to set a flock of them up to be easily moveable around Europe.

The question may turn on how long I'm in Serbia.  I just finished up my initial squad assessment, and am feeling quite good.  If I can keep this squad together, and we get a bit lucky...we're on the verge.  

The full squad assessment will follow, once the transfer window closes (and I know who is still here...).

3 hours ago, Fer Fuchs Ake said:

Unlucky in the Copa America. Time to storm through the World Cup though! Onwards and upwards even if Stalin is being a little ******** off the pitch.

Stalin is brilliant in so many ways.  I love him.

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Crazy people are not crazy if one accepts their reasoning.

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FK Partizan Beograd / Colombia

September 2063 Squad Review

It was a rather typical summer for one of my squads, when in a lower-reputation competition.  Dozens of offers rejected, some accepted (when I was ready for a player to move on).  The most atypical thing?  Offering a ton of contracts out to players who signed 5-year agreements (with 3-year extension clauses!) in the last 2 years.

In the end, I kept the squad together for the most part.  We're not quite there yet, but I do think that with a little luck (and a favorable draw), this side can compete with most anyone in Europe.  Serbia's homegrown rules (3 years in-country, plus 67 matches) means that 1 player has already gained Serbian nationality, another is "awaiting paperwork" and several more will gain it over the coming year.  That means that I don't have to move on key players (Guehi, Rodriguez and Tsuruta, for example) just to make room for my Colombians.  That's a big deal.  Without that, either Partizan or Colombia would necessarily suffer.

The big transfers out included Karic (my top goalscorer and POTY last year, who is making way for Colombian imports), Matusiwa and Konan (two stalwart centerbacks, who needed to make way for Colombians), Milanovic (ditto...) and Esquivel (who spent last year on loan).  All 5 were perfectly good players, pushing for a 1st team spot, but were not a part of my long-term plans.  I think all 5 have 50% sell-on clauses, but I might be remembering that wrong.  

Alright, though...let's get to it.  Before looking at the players, I've tweaked tactics just a little bit for both Partizan and Colombia.  Basically, I started with the PM Branco di Libero suite of tactics, and after a bunch of tweaking ... ended up only changing one default instruction.  I removed "retain possession" from the main tactic to (theoretically) make it just a little more incisive (remember, the "work ball into the box" instruction is still ticked).  And thus was born my "new" suite of default tactics, rebranded to meld the Grapefruit naming conventions with the Colombian theme -- PM Cafetero Aguardiente, PM Foquiado, and PM Lobo Hambriento (in pidgeon Spanish, Grapefruit Firewater Coffee, Passed Out Grapefruit and Grapefruit Ravenous Wolf).

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Goalkeepers

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Obviously, Tsuruta is the starter here.  He should gain Serbian nationality later this year, as he's only 133 days short of his 3-year mark, and needs to play in only 21 matches to meet the 67-match requirement.  Kravarusic is the primary backup, Manojlovic is a promising prospect.  I've got money on Ortíz being the future of Colombian goalkeeping; he'll arrive in January and push for the 2nd XI right from the start.

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Sweepers

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Vukasinovic pushed Milanovic over the side this year.  He's extremely capable, and I'm a bit surprised that he hasn't pushed to leave this year -- he'd pushed last summer very hard.  I've got him on a long-term contract, but his wages are super low.  That will have to change before too long, as I just triggered his three-year extension clause.  Londoño is the future libero in my Colombian first XI.  Both are converted midfielders.

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Defenders

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I'm very pleased with how my back 4 have come together.  Sasa Lazarevic and Jankovic were being retrained as inverted wingacks until I changed formation last year; since then, I just put them on the other flank.  They're extremely strong, backed up by Kosta Lazarevic and Roa.  In the middle, Guehi and Urosevic are my first-choice pairing -- they're both absolutely fantastic, with Guehi being a monster.  I literally just triggered his 3-year extension clause, and will likely be offering him new terms sooner rather than later.  It's a Colombian pairing in the middle for the 2nd XI, with Rincon and Diaz looking sharp.  They'll be joined by Perdomo when he arrives in January.

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Central Midfielders

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Terzic and Bajcetic are my central midfield pairing, with the former having developed nicely.  Spasic and Savic are in the 2nd XI, with Jairo Hernandez spending the year on loan.  Hernandez was primarily a striker, but I'm trying to set him up as a "central winger" in the ADM/@BoxToBox mold.

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Attacking Midfielders

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We have a truly obscene amount of talent up top.  The 1st XI sees Belhadi and Rodriguez flanking Frimpong.  Zivojinovic, Jovanovic and Mosquera are highly capable backups, and Milovanovic (in particular) looks like he'll be world class.   De Alba and Rostand round out the group here, and look promising for the future even if I doubt that Rostand will ever be near our 1st XI.

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Final Thoughts

The more I look at this squad (especially my defense), the more I think that we're on the verge of making a big run in the Champions League.  Heading into my 4th year, I very much think that we're on track for my original 6-year plan.  It is also looking less and less likely that we'll have to fully rebuild, as most players were willing to resign this year (Rodriguez being the one still pitching a major fit), and I have lots of room in my wage budget to adjust -- we're only spending $235k of our $1.41m wage budget, with nearly $281M in the bank.  I have no reason to sell, and pretty much everyone is locked down to new contracts.

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Crazy people are not crazy if one accepts their reasoning.

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FK Partizan Beograd / Colombia

September 2063 Mini-Update

The lads are firing on all cylinders, as we've romped through the Super Liga to this point.  2 draws where we were completely dominant being the only exceptions.  On the scoresheet, 1 or 2 other matches have looked far, far closer than they were.  The warm confines of the newly-expanded Ilic Park have been a joy, after a year sharing Cukaricki's ground.

A favorable draw in Europe should see us through to the knockout rounds, as the Cypriots should not be a real obstacle.  Lyon will want revenge for last year, and it is up to us to deny them any kind of satisfaction.

One trophy already in the cabinet.  This is going to be a big year.

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Crazy people are not crazy if one accepts their reasoning.

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FK Partizan Beograd / Colombia

October 2063 Mini-Update

Cruising domestically, and making a name for ourselves on the continent.  Good times are a'coming in Belgrade.

A tough come-from-behind win over Venezuela in Puerto Ordaz was followed by a win in Barranquilla, meaning we're off and running on the road to Russia 2066.  The boys need to step it up against tougher opposition, though, as neither victory will have our opponents quivering in fear.

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Gustav locks up 2nd place in the Allsvenskan.  Hampus forgot to check the most recent coefficient changes -- Elfsborg will be in Europe, but not the CL as Sweden only gets one spot.

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Crazy people are not crazy if one accepts their reasoning.

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FK Partizan Beograd / Colombia

November 2063 Mini-Update

The media jackals are circling again.  As our star has risen, the pressure has increased.  Fortunately, we're handling it.  Everything is turning up Gunnar right now.

The trip I've been dreading to Brazil?  We walked into Fortaleza and gave up an early goal.  But, we didn't lose our nerve.  We found a goal, and then capitalized on a mistake from the home side.  3 points are ours.  Of course, we then gave away 2 points at how to Paraguay of all sides.

We hit the post 3 times and had 2 goals called back...so frankly I'm not as angry as I could have been.  Stealing a point that it didn't look like we were going to get...I'll take it.  We're on track.

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Crazy people are not crazy if one accepts their reasoning.

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FK Partizan Beograd / Colombia

December 2063 Mini-Update

10 points clear in the Super Liga.  A tremendous display on matchday 6 against Lyon, for the 2nd straight year.  2064 is shaping up to be epic.

The hardest part remains -- a first knockout round draw against tycoon-fueled Dijon, who currently sit atop Ligue 1. Zivota Vulevic looks as brilliant as ever...as much as I miss him, we've survived his departure.  We're hitting our stride.  Ready to challenge on all fronts.  Virtually everyone is on a new contract, and we've got depth in spades.  Rodriguez has gained Serbian citizenship, and a few others are getting close (Frimpong and Tsuruta, in particular).

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9 minutes ago, ManUtd1 said:

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Not wasting any time, is he?

I wouldn't sell that **** a virus.

"Listen you son of a *****, I know I ******* hate you, and want nothing to do with you, but help a brother out?!"

Is it tapping up if he calls Linus and asks him if he fancies a spell in Germany?

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6 minutes ago, BoxToBox said:

"Listen you son of a *****, I know I ******* hate you, and want nothing to do with you, but help a brother out?!"

Is it tapping up if he calls Linus and asks him if he fancies a spell in Germany?

It isn't beyond the realm of possibility...

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It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.

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FK Partizan Beograd / Colombia

March 2064 Mini-Update

"Turn up the tunes, Dimitri!  We're going to the Big Smoke -- London Calling, brother!"

Alright...alright...that tune may be "old," but it's a classic, you ignorant ****s.

Dijon.  Top of Ligue 1.  Other than my father's former player Balde breaking through early in the 1st leg, we held strong and snatched an away goal meaning that the reigning French champions would have to attack on the road...exactly what we wanted.  We carved them to pieces in transition during the 2nd leg, before a late goal made things a bit nervy.  But the wall of noise emanating from the home support steeled our resolve, and we held firm.  Through to the quarterfinals, where we've drawn West Ham.

A big ask.  But we'll be ready.  We're dominating Serbian football, with a +74 goal difference after 26 matches in the league, and a 4-goal lead heading into the second leg of the Kup semifinal.

Our time is coming, lads.  Keep the faith.

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It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.

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FK Partizan Beograd / Colombia

April 2064 Mini-Update

I don't want to talk about it.

This one is on me.  Everyone knows it.  Once we gave up the 2nd goal in London, I instructed the lads to chase the game and try for that elusive away goal.  We shouldn't have.  2 more goals from West Ham, and we were staring down a 4-0 deficit.

Of course, we snatched two quickly in Belgrade...only to chase the match late and give up two away goals.  Bottom line.  We weren't good enough, and I should have handled the tie differently.

The most painful lessons are the ones best learned, though.  We'll see West Ham again.  No doubt.

Domestically, we finished the preliminary phase undefeated, 20 points clear of Cukaricki.  Barring a complete collapse, we'll run out the league without breaking a sweat.

Colombia, you ask?  A dismal win over Bolivia preceded a horrible outing at the Centenario.  Not ideal, but we're on track.

For now, I just want to drink something  fiery and forget.  For a few hours at least.  And then the planning begins for next year.  Some tweaks can surely be made.

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A Roses Derby in the CL semifinals?  Yes, please!

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Wow.  

Edit: Berezin in goal for Leeds...not his best day, but **** did he develop nicely.

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It was inevitable: the scent of bitter almonds always reminded him of the fate of unrequited love.

414df1a331b5837ea9836b0fc875b679.png

FK Partizan Beograd / Colombia

2063/64 Season Review

We played 54 matches this year, lads.  54.  

157 goals for.  24 against.

46 wins.

7 draws.

1 loss.

1.

To those bubble-blowing, oil-rich ****s.

I know, I know.  They've won 4 of the last 5 Premier League titles, appeared in 4 straight Champions League finals, and won a true domestic treble this year.  They're a side that should have exploited any weakness we showed them.  But we stood toe-to-toe with those ****s, and refused to blink.  Down 4, we didn't give up.  We grabbed two and had them on their heels.

Next year?  It's our year.

Good luck to you Serbian lads off to the Euros.  Those of you not heading to Greece, take these next few weeks and rest.  Nurture that bitterness.  Good...good...let the hate flow through you...

Wait...hold on.  That's Star Wars.  Nevermind... No, Dragan.  Not Episode XXIV: How Jar-Jar Got His Groove Back.  Come on, son...that's classic Return of the Jedi!

Oh, for ****'s sake.  It's a classic.

Goals for 2064/65: Challenge for the Champions League title.

Squad|League Overview|Finances Overview|Income Detail|Expenditures Detail|Transfers

Super Liga Prelim. Phase Fixtures|Super Liga Final Phase Fixtures|Champions League Fixtures|Kup Srbije Fixtures

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Champions League Review

As noted above, West Ham reached the final for their 4th straight year.   Truly absurd.  After Hakan's success and the oil-fueled madness...they're an incredibly strong club.  United managed to hold them off in the final, despite being outplayed by almost every metric.

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Challenge Overview

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Elsewhere in Europe...

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Bradford with only 2 wins...brutal.  

Madrid, Manchester City and PSG putting in their best showing for years.  

Nurnberg?!  Ok...  Gustav did improve Bayern's fortunes substantially, securing a top 8 finish.  The lack of European football next year should help them immensely.

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18 hours ago, BoxToBox said:

Bradford. :(

I know.  :(

18 hours ago, kidthekid said:

How did he get Bayern job? Didn't he get fired and then took a Swedish club to greater heights but no title? That isn't enough to get the Bayern job. Must be the last name.

Bringing Elfsborg back from the brink brought him up to a 3-star reputation, which seems to have been enough.  It's equivalent to mine, and I'm turning down interviews from all over the continent (including Bayern).  To be fair, though, his reputation was higher than mine when he began his management career.

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West Ham and Leeds the two main forces in England. Liverpool not even in the PL. West Brom are a top five club. Arsenal are mid-table. The landscape of English football has really changed. Surprisingly little has changed in Italy.

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8 hours ago, Fer Fuchs Ake said:

West Ham and Leeds the two main forces in England. Liverpool not even in the PL. West Brom are a top five club. Arsenal are mid-table. The landscape of English football has really changed. Surprisingly little has changed in Italy.

Italy keeps getting random, new teams that pop in and out of the league, but none have really risen to prominence. France has been through multiple cycles, with absurd amount of turmoil near/at the top.

I definitely enjoy the changing scenery!

 

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29 minutes ago, ManUtd1 said:

Italy keeps getting random, new teams that pop in and out of the league, but none have really risen to prominence. France has been through multiple cycles, with absurd amount of turmoil near/at the top.

I definitely enjoy the changing scenery!

 

Sounds like Italy may be the most accurately modelled league.

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6 minutes ago, noikeee said:

Dijon v Rennes at the top of France is pretty lolz. Belgium with a bigger league than Spain. And Nürnberg, where did that come from?

You managed to fix this save?

Maybe because of the time in this save (50 years) does a lot of things in football.

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On 8/7/2017 at 14:15, BoxToBox said:

Sounds like Italy may be the most accurately modelled league.

Very much so.

On 8/9/2017 at 05:08, yugo23 said:

As I expected, Partizan is your toughest challenge so far, but you are getting very close now. 

I think it'll happen in the next 2 years. We're on a roll.

1 hour ago, noikeee said:

Dijon v Rennes at the top of France is pretty lolz. Belgium with a bigger league than Spain. And Nürnberg, where did that come from?

You managed to fix this save?

Just got word a minute ago. Only lost a month!

(For those who didn't know, I had a laptop/windows crash, and could have lost more than 3 years of in-game time... Which would have ruined the save, for me.  All fixed now, only lost about 4 weeks of time in the summer of 2064.)

1 hour ago, HawkAussie said:

Maybe because of the time in this save (50 years) does a lot of things in football.

Chaos is a ladder.

1 hour ago, noikeee said:

And @ManUtd1 hasn't even mentioned the instant AI videorefs that shoot a hologram of Pierluigi Collina into the pitch.

This is brilliant :lol:

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God**** it, Stalin.  

As congratulations for last season's accomplishments, and well-wishes for the coming year, that Colombian rogue sent a dozen ... err ... "ladies of the night" ... to our first day of training.  The cheeky **** also alerted the media, so a good laugh has been had by all.

Payback is going to be a *****, and Stalin won't even see it coming.

But for now, the focus is on the pitch.  We're on a mission --

"No, Dimitri...that's not the quote.  You always -- listen, it's simple."

"We're on a mission from God."

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