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

[ManUtd1]

We hit our fifth...20 minutes to play.

 

[ManUtd1]

There's little time left...enough for a miracle, but unlikely...you can cut the tension with a knife.

 

[ManUtd1]

Wolfsburg hang on, and take home the Bundesliga title.  We've nothing to be ashamed of, though.  Our heads are held high, as Attila circles above the Commerzbank...the stadium brimming with joy and enthusiasm.

 

This is not the day a title was lost.  Rather, it is the day Frankfurt announces its return to the European stage.

[ManUtd1]

Alright, it is way too late.  I managed to get through the season...I couldn't not do that, once the chips started falling the way they did...but it's really frickin late, so I couldn't do the full-blown match coverage.  Something of a middle ground.

Season recap to follow tomorrow at some point.  What a crazy season is has been!

[kidthekid]

Wow. Great work so far.

[Rikulec]

Almost got there in the end. But next year...

[noikeee]

I kept scrolling waiting for a glorious last minute Wolfsburg choke. Sadly it wasn't to be. That will make the title all the much sweeter when you pull it off. Great season anyway.

[BoxToBox]

What a season! Shame it wasn't to be in the end, but Frankfurt have probably made Europe aware a sleeping giant is waking up.

[Fer Fuchs Ake]

What a run in! Unlucky, but there's always next year.

[ManUtd1]

Ludwig, you'll never guess what happened.  It's a beauty, isn't it?  3rd!  He finished 3rd!  Hahaha!

 

[ManUtd1]

10 hours ago, kidthekid said:

Wow. Great work so far.

10 hours ago, Rikulec said:

Almost got there in the end. But next year...

3 hours ago, noikeee said:

I kept scrolling waiting for a glorious last minute Wolfsburg choke. Sadly it wasn't to be. That will make the title all the much sweeter when you pull it off. Great season anyway.

3 hours ago, BoxToBox said:

What a season! Shame it wasn't to be in the end, but Frankfurt have probably made Europe aware a sleeping giant is waking up.

22 minutes ago, Fer Fuchs Ake said:

What a run in! Unlucky, but there's always next year.

Thanks, guys!  It was one heck of a year.  Hard to beat was the order of the day, with 18 wins, 13 draws and an absurd 3 losses...56 goals for, only 23 against.

 

I'll have a full season review up later on, and hopefully news about the Greek job which I want more than I should let on...

Edited April 6, 2017 by ManUtd1

[kidthekid]

Curious, could you check the outgoing transfers for Reims, I'm sure there would be a lot of Czech youngsters being sold

[ManUtd1]

Wow.  Even I wouldn't have wished this on Leverkusen.  

 

Losing by 5 at home, in the first leg of the playoff?  Wow.

[ManUtd1]

More interesting info...Everton and Brighton finished on 26 points in the Premier League.  

No, that's not the interesting part.  Sheesh.  Neither was relegated.

 

[ManUtd1]

1 minute ago, kidthekid said:

Curious, could you check the outgoing transfers for Reims, I'm sure there would be a lot of Czech youngsters being sold

The squad looks very familiar, although the Czech influx hasn't shown through.  Vacha is in the squad, but Hajek spent the last season at Atalanta.

 

 

 

 

[BoxToBox]

15 minutes ago, ManUtd1 said:

Wow.  Even I wouldn't have wished this on Leverkusen.  

 

Losing by 5 at home, in the first leg of the playoff?  Wow.

Jesus, they might not come back next time.

[Benjoe]

Holy RNGeebus. That was quite the season ending! I like that you didn't win it straight away to some extent though. Will make it taste that much better if you do it next season proving the close 2nd place wasn't a fluke. 

2 hours ago, ManUtd1 said:

Wow.  Even I wouldn't have wished this on Leverkusen.  

 

Losing by 5 at home, in the first leg of the playoff?  Wow.

I love it. 

[ManUtd1]

@Benjoe I'm glad it didn't happen as well.  It was a surreal season already, being in the fight for a place in Europe.  I'd have been happy with a top-half finish, even if we'd missed out on the Europa League.  Frankly, I wanted European football so that my youngsters can get enough matches in, but I definitely didn't expect the Champions League.

[ManUtd1]

Ingolstadt finish the job.  Brutal.

 

[ManUtd1]

Is this karmic revenge for me laughing about Brendan getting sacked at Leeds?

 

[ManUtd1]

It's better to be underestimated than overrated

 

Eintracht Frankfurt

2042/43 Season Review

Ludwig, son.  Our time has come far sooner than we expected here in Frankfurt.  

The tactics are paying off handsomely, and far sooner than anyone expected.  Tight as **** at the back, dangerous going forward.  Honestly, our attack needs improvement.  No question.  But, as of yet no one is complaining.  Quite to the contrary.

2nd in the Bundesliga, by a hair.  Frankfurt are back in Europe for the first time in more than 20 years...back in the Champions League for the first time for most of our supporters.

It's a good day to be here, at the end of an incredible campaign.

With so much more ahead of us, eh, Ludwig?  Today, Germany.  Tomorrow, the world?

Eh?  Yeah, mate.  You're right.  I won't say that out loud any more.

Goals for 2043/44: I don't think the squad is fully up for a big domestic/European campaign, just yet.  So, we'll aim to not embarrass ourselves in the Champions League and finish in the European qualifcation slots.  I'm also seriously hoping to get the Greece job, when their manager retires in July.  That would be huge.

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

Bundesliga Fixtures|DFB-Pokal Fixtures

Champions League Review

The Champions League remains a source of frustration, with PSG and Barcelona facing off in the final.  Lyon was the only "new" team to threaten, falling at the quarterfinal stage.

 

Challenge Overview

Edited April 6, 2017 by ManUtd1

[kidthekid]

I noticed that your goalkeepers average 25-28% pass completion. I mean, I know they are goalies but dayum

[ManUtd1]

16 minutes ago, kidthekid said:

I noticed that your goalkeepers average 25-28% pass completion. I mean, I know they are goalies but dayum

That is pretty awful...  Just boot the stuffing out of it, lads!

[ManUtd1]

Aunt Brenda doesn't get the job at Reims, which makes me very, very pleased.

 

[Keano16]

Leeds didn't even do that badly, well clear of 4th and a Champions League semi final.

Great season in fairness, just have to consolidate and go again.

Ludwig? Coincidence? I think not.....

[ManUtd1]

1 minute ago, Keano16 said:

Leeds didn't even do that badly, well clear of 4th and a Champions League semi final.

Great season in fairness, just have to consolidate and go again.

Ludwig? Coincidence? I think not.....

True, but I think their standards are a bit high right now.  When 3 teams over 90 points...it's hard to complain about finishing third.

Speaking of consolidation, I've got a $44M bid in from Bayern for Blisch...my 1st team Enganche.  I'm stalling, as I don't have heartburn over it, but would rather sell him next year.  

[ManUtd1]

Wow...Manchester United just snuck in and offered $8.25M for the Greek keeper I was going to sign...in hopes that I land the Greek NT position once Giannis retires in 2 days' time.

B******s.

 

Edited April 6, 2017 by ManUtd1
added screenshot

[ManUtd1]

I can't keep telling you, Ludwig.  It's the name of an island, nothing more.

 

[ManUtd1]

I suspect this is all gonna end in screaming and drowning.

          

Eintracht Frankfurt / Greece

July 2043 Mini-Update

That's right.  I'll be spending my free hours, nights and weekends in Greece.  Ludwig has called dibs on all scouting trips to the islands...even though I keep trying to explain it.  More to the point, if he's right I'm pulling rank.

Frankly, this is a tremendous position to take on.  World Cup Finalists 12 months ago, ranked sixth in the world, with a straightforward draw for the 2044 Euros...and max points from their first 4 qualification matches.  Qualification should be in the bag, unless I completely **** it.

The only problem may be the age of the current squad, many of whom are in their late 20s.  While that might do for 2046, we'll have some work to do to bring the full squad up to scratch for any point thereafter.

Which means -- you guessed it -- Daddy Hakan is going shopping.   I need a new pair of everything, and have a ****-ton of Champions League cash burning a hole in my pocket.

Another concern is that they've been playing a 4231, which I've not used at any point in my career.  Something has to give.  And it sure as **** isn't going to be me.

The question is thus whether we go with Grapefruit or strikerless...I need some time to assess the squad.  It is extremely unlikely I'll stick with the 4231.

 

Edited April 7, 2017 by ManUtd1

[ManUtd1]

I tried to sign this kid from Panathinaikos years ago, when he was still a teenager.

Sweet baby RNGeebus in a manger, I love him.

[Adonalsium]

He's like a carbon copy of Zlatan in his prime, except smarter but less instinctual.

[BoxToBox]

31 minutes ago, ManUtd1 said:

I tried to sign this kid from Panathinaikos years ago, when he was still a teenager.

Sweet baby RNGeebus in a manger, I love him.

He's pretty much the perfect forward, ridiculous.

[ManUtd1]

It's decided.  I'll be going strikerless.  I've also got Nantsos again (after our CL-winning stints together at ASSE and Stade de Reims), with this kid on the other flank.  I tried to sign Lleshi a couple years ago, but he went to City instead.

  

The attacking midfield pivot:

 

My keeper is a beast, too:

 

Alright, enough window shopping.  I'll do a full squad review when I preview the Euros.  The tasty prospects I'm going to try to land won't figure for a little while.  This is a strong side.

Edited April 7, 2017 by ManUtd1

[ManUtd1]

23 minutes ago, Adonalsium said:

He's like a carbon copy of Zlatan in his prime, except smarter but less instinctual.

Just now, BoxToBox said:

He's pretty much the perfect forward, ridiculous.

With his speed, off the ball movement and "likes to beat the offside trap" PPM, he's going to eat defenses alive in the strikerless system.

He'd be solid in Grapefruit, too -- no doubt.  But I want to make this system work at the NT level.

[ManUtd1]

12 hours ago, ManUtd1 said:

I tried to sign Lleshi a couple years ago, but he went to City instead.

As part of my shopping spree last night, I brought in Lleshi on loan, with a $12M option to purchase him outright.  He hasn't played a match for City since they signed him 2 years ago, going out on loan to AEK and Napoli, and being stashed in City's U23s.

I keep calling him "Reshi." He doesn't get it. To be fair, Ludwig has pointed out how absurd it sounds with my Swedish accent.

Edited April 7, 2017 by ManUtd1

[Fer Fuchs Ake]

15 hours ago, ManUtd1 said:

I tried to sign this kid from Panathinaikos years ago, when he was still a teenager.

Sweet baby RNGeebus in a manger, I love him.

Those technicals!

Those mentals!

Those physicals!

I just don't know where to look. What a player.

[ManUtd1]

47 minutes ago, Fer Fuchs Ake said:

Those technicals!

Those mentals!

Those physicals!

I just don't know where to look. What a player.

He's also coming into his prime, theoretically, with the Euros next year, and the World Cup in 3. Perfect timing.

[ManUtd1]

 

Solid draw.  Sweden will be an emotional tie, but those are the breaks.  They're a decent 2nd seed to have drawn (we could have drawn England, for example).

[mjaferrie]

Greece, exciting!  Hopefully you will have the opportunity to recreate the most beautiful moment in 21st century football:



On a side note, I just downloaded CKII.  What in the name of Christ have I done?!

[Akkarin]

Wow, just wow. Amazing progress!

[BoxToBox]

6 hours ago, mjaferrie said:

Greece, exciting!  Hopefully you will have the opportunity to recreate the most beautiful moment in 21st century football:



On a side note, I just downloaded CKII.  What in the name of Christ have I done?!

R. I. P. Mjaferrie's life.

[ManUtd1]

7 hours ago, mjaferrie said:

Greece, exciting!  Hopefully you will have the opportunity to recreate the most beautiful moment in 21st century football:

On a side note, I just downloaded CKII.  What in the name of Christ have I done?!

If only I was that lucky...

Honestly, you're about to enter a world of delicious, glorious pain.  Take your time, learn how to play (it isn't something you can just pick up), and before you know it, it will be 2018.  I'd also strongly recommend the Historical Immersion Project (HIP) mod -- it adds tons of depth, and fixes some of the unbalanced mechanics in the vanilla game.  I'm not knocking vanilla, I just find that playing without HIP isn't as much fun for me!

6 hours ago, Akkarin said:

Wow, just wow. Amazing progress!

Thanks, man!  Enjoying it greatly, even if I have very little time to play and update with the full-blown insanity I'd like to deploy!

10 minutes ago, BoxToBox said:

R. I. P. Mjaferrie's life.

Indeed.  To be fair, I'm a bit jealous for his first full playthrough!

[BoxToBox]

33 minutes ago, ManUtd1 said:

If only I was that lucky...

Honestly, you're about to enter a world of delicious, glorious pain.  Take your time, learn how to play (it isn't something you can just pick up), and before you know it, it will be 2018.  I'd also strongly recommend the Historical Immersion Project (HIP) mod -- it adds tons of depth, and fixes some of the unbalanced mechanics in the vanilla game.  I'm not knocking vanilla, I just find that playing without HIP isn't as much fun for me!

The best thing about CK for me is that it doesn't have to matter if you fail, ala FM, a disaster is it's own story. I mean, I'm complete rubbish at it, but I still love ever minute.

[ManUtd1]

42 minutes ago, BoxToBox said:

The best thing about CK for me is that it doesn't have to matter if you fail, ala FM, a disaster is it's own story. I mean, I'm complete rubbish at it, but I still love ever minute.

That is exactly the fun...watching your kingdom/empire/whatever fall to pieces, no matter what you do to try and stop it, is a special kind of joy.

[Benjoe]

8 hours ago, mjaferrie said:

On a side note, I just downloaded CKII.  What in the name of Christ have I done?!

You're basically a virgin stepping into a *****house with a Visa card with endless funds. You are going to have fun, but you can get you're going to get syphilis and bastards. You're going to have the people around you who you love and trust betray you in your weakest moments. You're enemies will be the least of your worries when your bastard son who is mentally ******** decides to kill your legitimate son who is was an honorable heir. Now you're entire nation is crumbling and all you can and should do is grab a can of soda (of your own choosing, I'm not your boss) and figure out how the hell you'll stop him from spreading his heresy to your people. Oh, and some King in eastern Europe just decided that he is the new God and will lay waste on anybody who disagrees with him and he got a huge arming aiming at you. Good luck. You'll laugh and cry - mostly at the same time. 

[ManUtd1]

My transfer business is basically done for the year, with 12 Greeks brought in and more players shipped out than I initially expected.  There is no doubt that this was a minor purge, all done in the name of improving Greek fortunes.

 

[ManUtd1]

As expected, we're a 4th seed for the CL draw.  And not just any 4th seed, the bottom 4th seed.

 

We're also the last ball picked out by that snide, bald **** Vardy. 

 

 

My hope is to progress to the EL knockout rounds.  Finishing 1st/2nd isn't going to happen this year.

[deltablue]

I've only ever played EUIII out of the Paradox games, that does me nicely. In fact I returned to it last week after a long gap to finish a Byzantium game I started. I have considered CKII but it seems quite a different animal.

[Benjoe]

1 hour ago, ManUtd1 said:

My transfer business is basically done for the year, with 12 Greeks brought in and more players shipped out than I initially expected.  There is no doubt that this was a minor purge, all done in the name of improving Greek fortunes.

 

I just love the way you (almost) exclusively buy players of the same nationality as the NT you're coaching. It's just so ridiculously unrealistic for a German team to only buy Greek players.

5 minutes ago, deltablue said:

I've only ever played EUIII out of the Paradox games, that does me nicely. In fact I returned to it last week after a long gap to finish a Byzantium game I started. I have considered CKII but it seems quite a different animal.

That's the way I feel about EUIII. It might very well be just as good, but I've just accustomed to the ridiculous fun of CKII and not planning on swapping anytime soon. 

[ManUtd1]