You can't win anything with... seasoned pros? (30+ appreciation thread)

[npjones88]

I have an idea for a challenge to breath some new life into my FM20 this year, as I am finding other saves a bit straightforward so looking to impose some rules on myself. 

I aim to take over a championship club (I'm thinking Derby at the moment),cleanse the squad of all players aged 29 or under and look to build a competitive team with only players aged over 30. 

Obviously, goal one is to take the team up to the top league, with the final goal to win the Premier League with a squad of 30somethings, in a bizarre twist on Alan Hansen's famous assertion. 

This is where a little help would be appreciated as I have a few things to consider before embarking on this challenge.

1. Can anyone recommend older players who would be willing to join a championship team and could be signed in season one? I'm looking for at least 15 players minimum if I start as Derby but realistically will need closer to 20! 

2. I have selected Derby as i think it'd make a great story for England and Man Utd's record goalscorer to lead a squad of veterans to a final Premier League trophy - Is there a more suitable Championship team to attempt this? Considering the following:

• Reputation
• Budget
• Over-thirties already in squad

3. Which of this year's databases is the best to start with? I'm thinking the original one is a given as this is likely to have the maximum number of free agents in it.

Really grateful for any advice or feedback and if anyone else wants to try a similar idea that'd be really welcome too!

Edited May 29, 2020 by npjones88

[npjones88]

Having loaded up the original database for a poke around, I notice Wayne Rooney won't arrive until Jan, yet in later versions he starts the season with the Rams. Might be a consideration for choosing databases as it'd be good to have him from August. I wonder which free agents I could miss out on by loading up a Jan database in order to get Wayne in from day one. That said, I'm not married to the idea of Derby County, if another team looks better placed for success.

[npjones88]

As I investigate further I notice Leeds have a nice triumvirate of elder statesmen in Berardi, Hernandez and Douglas (30 in a month). Might be I change strategy and get on them instead. Assuming Leeds will have high rep too.

[karanhsingh]

Considering derby have a Lot of good youngsters I don't think they are a good fit for this. Maybe sheffield Wednesday. 

[CaptCanuck]

Dale Stephens - BHA - Center mid - after not getting much time in the 1st half of the season I loaned him out to a Championship team in January and he was happy to go. Glenn Murray, for the bench, no pace wouldn't want to rely on him as a regular.

Could see getting a couple seasons out of Stephens, but wouldn't want/expect anything more than 1 outta Murray.

Edit: Just checked Stephens doesn't hit 30 until the end of the season.

Edited May 29, 2020 by CaptCanuck

[npjones88]

4 hours ago, karanhsingh said:

Considering derby have a Lot of good youngsters I don't think they are a good fit for this. Maybe sheffield Wednesday. 

Actually, Wednesday only have two players over thirty (not counting GKs who are easy to find)

Derby have 6 (although Anya has a long-term injury), including Rooney and Huddlestone who ought to dominate the ball.

I think Leeds are the other contender, with the above mentioned players looking some of the best in the league. 

Those young players in the squad are immense and they will become brilliant players bur for this challenge they will make a few quid in season one to supplement the squad.

[npjones88]

Key targets on Free Transfer:

GK: Bogdan, Kuszkzac

RB: Hutton, Sagna, Max Perreira, Maicon (Will he get WP?)

CB: Ambrose, Bakery Kone, 

LB: Olsson, Olsson, Traore, Coentrao (will he lower himself to Championship?)

CM: Jedinak, Ogu, Fletcher, Ki Sung Yeung, Ndoye, 

AM: Ireland, Morten Gamst Pedersen (potential star player?), Tshabalala (anyone remember SA World Cup???), Assaidi

ST: Lord Bendtner, McCormack, Eduardo (SNAP!)

 

Offers will be made on all these players. I think older wingers will be hard to come by so will look to find an effective tactic with play through the middle and rely on wing backs for width. Any suggestions with this very welcome! Have never played without wingers before. Efe Ambrose would be a dream Libero if I can find a three at the back tactic (would require some more CBs first)

 

 

[npjones88]

The dream - Reasonably realistic transfers for S1 (or 2)

Robinho - 36

Murray - 35 (On loan? Thanks for the shout, CaptCanuk)

Dani Alves - 36 (would he return to Europe?)

Buffon - 41! (Out of contract if we go up)

Quaresma - 35 (20 crossing, 17 dribbling)

Mulgrew - 33

Figueroa - 36 (CB who can score from halfway)

Riise - 38 (yes, him)

Emre Belozoglu  38 (incredible technical and mental attributes)

Wes Morgan - 35 (Premier League winner - on loan?)

Scott Brown - 34 (might be tempted if we go up)

Akinfenwa - 37 (do a job for a year?)

Turan - 32 (Awful physicals, worth a punt?)

 

 

 

[enigmatic]

I think the trick if you actually want to win stuff is probably quick 30 year olds with good fitness and professional attitudes who will decline slowly rather than players at the very end of their career. Will generally get more out of good championship 30 year olds than an ex star whose 8 pace is about to decline to 6, especially if you've already got Rooney to fill your first team's unfit genius quota. Plus they'll be around for more than one season.

It's a really good idea for a challenge though, especially given [i) FM's infamous reliance on physicals and fast declines and [ii] work SI have been done to vary the speed of player declines in this incarnation. Tempted to try it myself.

Edited May 30, 2020 by enigmatic

[quee]

This sounds like a good fit with an Italian team tbh. Generally older squads and less physical league overall.

[npjones88]

13 hours ago, enigmatic said:

you've already got Rooney to fill your first team's unfit genius quota

Ha! That's a lovely turn of phrase. My thinking behind these supreme golden oldies is they should have enough to drag me up to the big time as one last hurrah. Then once we're in the top league those thirty year olds will be more affordable and more accessible. 

I've committed to Derby and they have a 10m budget plus what I can make from selling 20 player out of the first team, so I actually could punt for some decent and physical championship 30 year olds if anyone has any recommendations?

Douglas turns 30 before the window shuts and would be a top option at LB so happy to spend a bit of money there if I can prise him away from Leeds. 

13 hours ago, quee said:

This sounds like a good fit with an Italian team tbh. Generally older squads and less physical league overall.

I did think this about Italy but my knowledge of Italian football and tactics is not the greatest. My 'unfit genius' Rooney also has something to do with it as I think it'd be great to play a game with him one last time. 

[Sophos]

Ignazio Abate and Neil Taylor will have you set for fullbacks, Abate is a free agent and Taylor shouldn't be too expensive. Charlie Daniels is worth a look too if you're not a fan of Taylor.

[npjones88]

1 hour ago, Sophos said:

Ignazio Abate and Neil Taylor will have you set for fullbacks, Abate is a free agent and Taylor shouldn't be too expensive. Charlie Daniels is worth a look too if you're not a fan of Taylor.

Daniels has a nasty injury on my DB. Have Abate on the way in atm and Olsson for LB. Deperate for Efe Ambrose at CB but didn't realise he spent last season with the Rams already so he won't speak to me. This is proving harder than I thought! 

[CaptCanuck]

I think my favorite OAP signing ever was Christophe Dugarry and the run he had in lifting Birmingham City out of the relegation zone in the early 2000s, so I was thinking of ageing Frenchmen if you wanted to add some class.

Not anywhere close to as de rigueur as Christophe, but Obertan who could do a job on the wing is off in Turkey and was in England for the better part of a decade or if you really wanted some 'fun' - Ben Arfa ;-)

Edited June 1, 2020 by CaptCanuck

[npjones88]

Going into the first game of the season we have a settled squad of aging former superstars and obscure journeymen. Found two awesome (for 30+) wingers so have adapted to a 4,4,2 with AML/R to get them in the game and give lots of service to our largely immobile strikeforce. Tempted to try out a 4,3,3 with a DM and AMR/L to get bodies in the midfield but my natural instinct says attack. 

Kuszack - Hamer

Abate - Hutton - Anya (long term injury)

Olsson - Forsyth - Traore (currently 29, 30 in September)

Huddlestone - Davies - Kadlec - Spiranovic 

Fletcher - Mulumbu - Jedinak - Ndoye (injured until September/October)

Rooney - Gamst Pedersen - Ledley - Ireland

Dejagah - McLearey (loan)

Assiadi - Shojaei - Holmes (loan)

Bendtner - Nemeth -

McCormack - Martin - Eduardo

 

With all fully fit it might be an idea to play Rooney up top with one of the other 4 and bring Ireland into the creative DLP role as he is the most mobile midfielder we have. For weaker teams Gamst could occupy this role as his technicals and mentals are very strong. Having Ndoye fit will make a big difference as he is strong and physical in a way none of our other players are. 

I like the idea of having my two Iranians making a big mark on the English league as an interesting story, although Shojaei isn't perfectly suited to AML but he has some great attributes so I'd love to get the most out of him. 

We look very strong at fullback, and our first choice CB pairing is (slow, but) very strong aerially and decent on the ball. We have plenty of bodies in CM to counter fatigue. Not a lot of mobility, as you'd expect but a good blend of destruction and creation. Dejagah and Assiadi should be good players at this level, although lacking the pace to get behind. Our strikers are all decent enough finishers with different playing styles, although Nemeth boasting 12 pace and 13 acceleration is the most mobile. Bendtner should be dominant in the air if he gets service. These are my preferred partnership if Wayne is bossing midfield. 

Would love a CB, Winger and Forward with real pace to round out the squad but not found anything so far. I have scouted players turning 30 around the next transfer window and there's some potentially very strong additions who would improve what we've got at the moment.

New laptop unboxed yesterday so excited to get going with it after a couple of weeks forced hiatus. 

Edited June 14, 2020 by npjones88
Forgot Ross McCormack!

[npjones88]

4 games played...

Huddersfield 2-1 win (Davies, Rooney)

Swansea 2-0 win (MGP, Rooney)

Salford 1-1 win with penalties (shojaei)

Stoke 1-1 draw (Bendtner)

 

Rooney's two goals were both 85mins+. His clever movement and composed finishing getting a goal on the break having been pushed up. Looking forward to the season so far!

[npjones88]

Going okay so far. Sat top after half a dozen games or so. Little bit of a wobble recently, having lost Kuszack to a long term injury and coping with suspension and minor injuries to both Huddlestone and Davies who have been solid at the back. 

Nemeth has been THE MAN! Finishing chances like prime Ruud Van Nistelrooy. Rooney is class and keeps us ticking over, involved in just about every decent attack and often assisting the assister. Olsson and Hutton have been brilliant at full back. My greatest surprise has been MGP. His set pieces are awesome. He plays Rooney's DLP role against weaker teams or when Rooney needs a rest. Those two are like Xabi Alonso and Pirlo in this league. Ndoye has come in next to Rooney recently and is a good foil for him, providing physicality and fitness. Final player of note is Dejagah - goal threat and very direct, he's been my strongest winger so far. 

 

These elder statesmen are definitely holding their own. Not been embarrassed yet.