FM21 | Method in the madness | Kasımpaşa S.K

[Dan1884]

 

Welcome to the new save. I had been thinking of doing one a bit like this for a while, but we move to Turkey.

I am sure plenty read it, but the most recent save was with FC Annecy in France. That turned into one of my best saves, possibly ever really, I achieved both cup and league success sooner than I expected to, but in a quite sad way (and I can testify this as a Leicester fan), when you've hit the summit, there is a bit of a feeling of... now what? Things were still going well, but it just wasn't quite as satisfying anymore unfortunately. It was on the whole however a big success.

But I move on, this is something I have considered doing for a while.

I have had this theory for a while that the Turkish league is just a complete waste of potential. There is a lot of money in the league yet it is largely completely wasted. There is an obsession within the league to sign has beens. It is completely out of hand and it has been for a while. There is too much short-termism, too much obsession with seeing which players the better Premier League sides want off their books and fill their excessive wage demands. In this madness, I see an opportunity. Implement a sensible transfer policy, invest in younger players, eventually take advantage of the errors that the clubs, even the biggest ones are making.

I once did a save with Basaksehir, with essentially the exact same plan, but it was a poor choice of club. Basaksehir had all the same issues but without the fanbase to even cover it. I needed a midtable club. It was going to be Kasimpasa or Sivasspor - somebody along those kind of lines. I've gone with Kasimpasa.

The plan is to take advantage of the flaws of others and use the resources at hand to find another way, one that I've little doubt is better than what the rest can serve up. The first season is to establish some kind of system and how we want to play in the long-run, maybe introducing a couple of younger players, but really, setting out the blueprint, doing some serious scouting and doing something that nobody in Turkey seems to do - signing players who will grow in value rather than decrease. I'm happy enough with a midtable finish this season.

[Mordurette]

Good luck in Turkey.

[Dan1884]

The rules and details in Turkey

- The top tier which we are in has 21 teams for this season, having done some research, it before had 18 teams but due to the covid hit 2019/20 season, they stopped relegation for a year yet still allowed the three teams to come up. From next season there will be 20 teams, with 4 going down this season to be replaced by 3 coming up.

- There is a rule of 16 foreign players in the squad. We currently have dead on 16.

- There are rules relating to two things in-particular that catch my eye. Your match squad must contain a Turkish goalkeeper, and your squad also must contain three U25s trained by a club in Turkey, as well as an U23 trained by the club.

 

The plan of action

- Relating to the number of foreigners in the squad, it's too early to say for certain how many I will have next season, but I have already identified that three of my top earners (who account combined for a third of my entire wage bill) are out of contract next summer and all three will be released. Along with this there are seven foreign loanees also, of which time may convince me to make their moves permanent, but straight away we would be down to just six foreign players in the squad. The good thing is there is no restriction on which nationalities you can have.

- The rules on Turkish goalkeepers and youngsters are going to force us to focus a bit on the youth, or at least a bit more domestic recruitment. I think given the rules on foreigners and my general tendency to buy young, we have just simply got to look at home a bit more. I've got to be clever with who I sign as my squad fillers.

- I have identified eastern Europe, South America and of course, Turkey, as my initial areas to scout. This will grow over time.

- Just as a side note, but Kasimpasa have excellent facilities. The youth recruitment is weak, but the actual training and youth facilities are both 'excellent'. This will only help us going forward.

- I don't plan on making a single signing this season. I have hardly any money anyway. The money I use will be whatever gets freed up at the end of the season - which should be plenty.

 

The initial madness

There really are some bonkers ongoings in this league. My director of football is only 19 years old which is so bonkers I actually want to keep him and see how he does. He has 'OK' stats so you wonder if he'll improve over time, truth be told, I only really use them for the occasional signing recommendation anyway so if he can just play loads of FM for me that would be great. The real issue I find though is just how alien they seem to be in this country to scouting. For some context here, I have a striker, one of my three players who are going at the end of the season, on £38k a week, which is around £2mil a year. He's rubbish. My entire scouting department will take home around £50k a YEAR. This club could quite literally invest about a third of this strikers earnings into their scouting department and have the best one in the league, one that would in time allow for whichever club did it to be so far ahead of the curve in this regard.

It's not a Kasimpasa problem either. Galatasaray have the best scouting team in the league, with a mammoth.... five, scouts, of which take home a combined £230k a year - which is what 30 year old Sofiane Feghouli will take home in three weeks.

It's genuinely bonkers to me. They are wasting so much potential here. These are the flaws I feel that at a relatively steady Turkish club like Kasimpasa, I can overcome in a few years. No huge expectation this season, it's all about laying the groundwork to take over in future years.

[KeepyourGuardiolaup]

Kasimpasa is an interesting project. The clubs comes from the part of Istanbul Recep Tayyip Erdogan comes from, their stadium is also named after him and I think they were supposed to be Erdogan's club until Basaksehir arrived.

Your approach sounds interesting, especially with you going to make use of Turkish talent. I'll keep following!

[Dan1884]

4 minutes ago, KeepyourGuardiolaup said:

Kasimpasa is an interesting project. The clubs comes from the part of Istanbul Recep Tayyip Erdogan comes from, their stadium is also named after him and I think they were supposed to be Erdogan's club until Basaksehir arrived.

Your approach sounds interesting, especially with you going to make use of Turkish talent. I'll keep following!

I must have some kind of link to Erdogan, I did Basaksehir before totally unaware of the link there and now this too, I noticed their ground was named after him after I'd already got it running, when the idea all along was just to pick what seemed like a middle of the road Turkish side.

I think by default you have to focus on Turkish talent somewhat, but the method in this madness is going to be similar to what I did at Annecy, and most other clubs, I just can't resist scouring for those bargains and the fact there's no restriction on non-EU is a help as it means we can actually bring in a good number of South Americans rather than just 4.

The first season is a bit of a slog though as expected, I'm playing with a team of whom I expect the majority gone this time next season.

[KeepyourGuardiolaup]

2 minutes ago, Dan1884 said:

I must have some kind of link to Erdogan, I did Basaksehir before totally unaware of the link there and now this too, I noticed their ground was named after him after I'd already got it running, when the idea all along was just to pick what seemed like a middle of the road Turkish side.

I think by default you have to focus on Turkish talent somewhat, but the method in this madness is going to be similar to what I did at Annecy, and most other clubs, I just can't resist scouring for those bargains and the fact there's no restriction on non-EU is a help as it means we can actually bring in a good number of South Americans rather than just 4.

The first season is a bit of a slog though as expected, I'm playing with a team of whom I expect the majority gone this time next season.

What you could do is to look for bargains in countries that once belonged to the Ottoman Empire or a Turkic nations like Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and so on. So you can create a Neo-Ottoman team with a strong Turkish core. But South American talent is always good.

[Dan1884]

On 29/03/2021 at 16:58, KeepyourGuardiolaup said:

What you could do is to look for bargains in countries that once belonged to the Ottoman Empire or a Turkic nations like Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and so on. So you can create a Neo-Ottoman team with a strong Turkish core. But South American talent is always good.

I'd consider doing that. I like the idea of finding players from those kind of areas, problem is there's no benefit to it in that I am limited by rules in how many foreign players I can have. There's a similar rule in Russia, but the difference in Russia is that Belarusians aren't considered as foreign whilst Turkey's is just simply Turkey.

I've potentially got my first signing coming and it's an Ivorian!

[Dan1884]

A bit of an update...

Not a great deal to really say, as stated this season was always a bit of a nothing season to me because we're playing with a squad that I see no future here for 90% of them - and that's either because they're not good enough, high wages, or foreign, or in some cases, all of those.

That's not to say I will get rid of everybody immediately who comes under one of those categories, but I think if you come under two of them, you're gone, and very few of my squad are safe in my opinion.

 

 

We're doing basically as expected. An outside bet we get into Europe but I don't think we're really ready to handle that, and we're clearly not going to be in the relegation fight either, which was all the board wanted from me this season. I'm quite happy with how things have gone really. We're been very hit and miss but I have a hit and miss squad and as mentioned before, I don't plan on keeping many of them around, in-fact, I think of my squad, only the ones highlighted below are ones I see any serious future here for.

 

 

It will be a summer of overhaul. Problem is I think we need to step up our efforts in finding who will actually come in. We will save a lot in wages but we do need to get players in. I wanted Hodzic permanently on a free but he wanted too much money, and I feel like this is going to be a problem. We're going to have to pluck the majority of our signings from more obscure clubs in my opinion to get the wages under a degree of control. The board have already praised me for getting our finances in some kind of check, all I've done is just simply work with what I have.

We've been playing similar football to what I played at Annecy, not as effective though and I think it needs some tweaking.

[Dan1884]

Nice try, but unfortunately for SI, it was totally expected as a seasoned player, I know their game by now, better luck next year.

Although £500mil probably wouldn't be able to cover the wages Galatasaray and Fenerbahce will pay out to Premier League has beens in the next couple of years!

As for Kasimpasa - we're actually really doing quite well, I'm genuinely quite impressed, and we've already earned our first crack at some silverware.

 

 

The league form is improved for the most part, but most impressively...

 

 

We've had an excellent run to it, battling our way through gruelling affairs at Basaksehir and Trabzonspor to come out on top in the end. I seem to have developed a bit of a knack for going on cup runs, having won one at Annecy relatively early on.

A cup in our first season would be a phenomenal effort and the icing on what's turned into a really decent season for us. The catch is though that the majority of the squad won't be about next season, though with the way certain players are performing, I'm inclined to see if I can get them to stick around. Even in the games we lose, the performances are there. I think the collapse at Caykur Rizespor is the only seriously poor performance from us in 2021. The loss at Genclerbirligi was very bad, but we were quite unlucky, largely undone by our own poor goalkeeper and just a bit wasteful.

 

 

I think we'll probably finish around where we are now. We still have to go to Trabzonspor and welcome Sivasspor, Fenerbahce and Besiktas here, but I think we've proven we can be a match for most teams in this league and I seem to have found systems that are effective in games both against weaker and stronger sides. We might even climb a couple of spots. Like France, there's no real reward for how high you finish unless it's a European place, though you do get paid £222k for each game you win in the league, and £111k for each draw, which is odd but it's a meritocracy I suppose, so I can support that.

Impressed with how this is going. We're showing ourselves to be a quite versatile team and that's what I want. A team who can win with style, a team who can win with no style.

On we go.

[Dan1884]

Squad analysis

As this summer is quite a key one, I'm going to throw the players into three different categories, largely to familiarise people with some of the squad I guess really. To stay, still to be decided, to go...

 

To stay

Haris Hajradinovic (CAM) - Probably our best player, a typical creative number 10 Ozil type of player, obviously not as good, but I gave him a new deal earlier in the season.

Aytac Kara (CM) - Has performed really well, two footed and quite well-rounded in his game. He does have the big game bottlejob syndrome (that said, scored a last gasp penalty at Basaksehir so...), but he's probably my player of the season so far, likewise, signed a new contract.

Kevin Varga (LW, RW, CAM) - Another versatile and two-footed player, only arrived a year ago but has been a steady performer and has age on his side.

Yusuf Erdogan (LW, RW) - Getting on a bit but a good pacey winger who has contributed soundly.

Loret Sadiku (CDM, CM) - Hasn't featured loads but has done well when played, and I actually intend to use him more. Our best DM and useful in the more defensive 4-3-3 system.

Gilbert Koomson (RW, LW) - Yet another pretty good wing option we have. Like Kara has the big game issue but I think you can carry maybe 2/3, and he's performed well so I'll forgive him. I think we're best sorted on the wing as it stands.

Florent Hadergjonaj (RB) - Remember him briefly for his time in England, he's got really quite weak stats but he keeps performing well and seems to slot into any system, so I'm happy to keep for now.

Tarkan Serbest (CD, CDM, CM) - Pretty much the Turkish Sadiku, he's had a little bit of a run lately and he's been really solid, any Turkish player with the rules gets a bit more of a pass for me.

Ertugul Taskiran (GK) - I don't really rate him, but we have two keepers and he's better than the other. I can never trust a goalkeeper with low shot-stopping, he's done OK for the most part. A fine backup though, and also Turkish.

Evren Elmali (LB) - Youngish backup left back, has done OK whenever called upon, will probably never be more than a backup, the kind of player where being Turkish saves you for the short term.

 

Still to be decided

Isaac Kiese Thelin (ST) - 3 months ago he'd have been a nailed on leaver, the form of Hodzic was keeping him out of the squad, he's at a pretty poor age (28) and is only on loan, whilst not the cheapest of wages, but Hodzic's form dipped and IKT has actually played seriously well, for me a bit reason for our upturn in form, to the point I'm making serious considerations about keeping him about. Centre forward isn't a position we're strong in either.

Julian Jeanvier (CD) - Only on loan again. He's in a similar category to Thelin where he's neither at a good age or wage, and given the entire objective of this save is about thinking outside the typical Turkish league box, he's the kind of player I should be moving on from. He's performed quite well though, so attempting to make it permanent or even extending the loan is something I will decide when I see what else is on offer. He's done well though after a slow start.

Kristjan Bistrovic (CDM, CM) - I think I'm erring towards him going, but by my own admittance I've underused this bloke as he's never really played badly when given a chance. I'd like to keep him around, permanent is out of the picture because I think we'd have to pay CSKA Moscow a bit for him, but maybe getting him back on loan is an option. We'll see though.

Oussama Haddadi (LB) - Yet another I'd put in the IKT and Jeanvier category, he's a good player at this level, but another aged 29, foreign and on loan. He'll probably leave, which is a shame because I quite like him.

Tomas Brecka (CD) - Slightly different to the others in that he's actually our player, though has barely featured and is now out on loan at Le Havre. It's a tricky one though, I loaned him out because he wasn't getting minutes but he isn't bad either, though if his role in the squad was to grow any higher than a backup, that would represent a regression on the pitch. I suppose though in what's likely to be a really challenging summer, it's probably not worth making the job any harder by letting him go, so he's probably going to stay actually.

Michael Tirpan (RB, CDM) - This is the joker in the pack, he's been out on loan all season in Holland but I actually think he's an OK player, he's also partially Turkish so won't be counted as a foreign player, making him a useful option and somebody I will actually almost certainly keep around, it just depends if he wants out. I should probably keep him though.

 

To go

Danny Drinkwater (CM) - This is a controversial one. This is the player I was by far most familiar with upon arriving at Kasimpasa, as he was part of the Leicester side that won the league. His career has completely gone off the rails since leaving Leicester. He's had a steady season but he's about 30 now, is our highest earner and has been... OK, but nothing special - in-fact, Bistrovic is going to nick his place for the time I think as he's performing that bit better.

Derrick Luckassen (CD, RB) - Attributes wise is possibly our best defender, but his performances are just completely inconsistent. Yet another player who is only here on loan, although sadly, we pay him none of his wages so his departure won't actually free anything up. He 'might' convince me but I highly doubt it by this point.

Anil Koc (LW, RW) - Just simply not good enough and wants out. Fine by me.

Armin Hodzic (ST) - The man who was keeping IKT out for a while but his form went really average. He was out of contract but wanted £20k a week, and I just can't justify that on somebody as hit and miss as him. He'd have been nice to have as an option but he's joined West Brom from next season.

Fode Koita (RW, ST) - One of my initial three to be binned. He's filled in occasionally but he's another on far too much money for what you actually get, and releasing at the end of this season is a no-brainer.

Ramazan Kose (GK) - He's rubbish and I'll release him, with a new goalkeeper coming in anyway. We need one Turkish keeper at the club and luckily my other one counts.

Dusko Tosic (CD) - He was another part of my initial trio to bin. He's actually really improved over the season along with a few others, but he's 36 now and you can see the decline in attributes. He's put in a solid shift, but he's very replaceable for the wages he's on, the age he is, and the fact he's another non-Turk.

 

Then we have a bit of a contingent of Turkish U19 players who are, in all honesty, a bit crap, but I suppose they can stick around for now. I've no idea how easy the recruitment will be. I've identified a striker I'd love to sign but I think we're probably going to be priced out of the move. The top earner Gerard Gohou went to Bursaspor in January, nice to get his £38k a week off the books (though I'm still paying £11k of it for this season, it's better than keeping him). It's going to be a very challenging summer but one I'm looking forward to.

Edited April 1, 2021 by Dan1884

[Dan1884]

 

What planet are this lot on? How do they seriously go from those expectations this season to that next season?

Whilst I think we might get a European spot next season, it is mental to expect us to challenge for the title already. Give it another 3 years.

[Dan1884]

I kept saying it - but we're playing really well. Yet another very good performance at home and once again, Isaac Kiese Thelin bags a hatful. He's the form striker of the league.

 

 

I'm at a point where I think it's hard to not make a real effort to keep him. Problem is, his parent club Anderlecht can't overlook this, they will probably try and keep him.

[Dan1884]

Sheer madness

I don't think I've ever seen a month quite as crazy as April 2021 on my save, considering we have nothing to really play for, just get a load of this!

 

 

7 games
3 wins
4 defeats
5 games had a 4+ difference
19 scored
12 conceded
7 wins in a row for Sivasspor before coming here
7 for Isaac Kiese Thelin

Sadly, just one goal off the all-time record win for the Turkish league as Besiktas recorded a 10-0 win in the 80s. That was quite extraordinary though. I keep saying it - we seem to have this real tendency to batter someone, well this was the game where everything just flew in. Karagumruk (one of our rivals would you believe) were relegated after that and what a pitiful way to go out.

We seem to be terrific on our day but we're pretty abject off it, but to be fair, I think in both of the 4-0 losses, it wasn't as bad as it looked, and it's largely the poor goalkeepers we have costing us. I think the defence is comfortably our priority this summer. We have too many days where we just collapse ourselves.

9-0 though. That is just bonkers.

[Dan1884]

Season review - 2020/21 (Season 1)

So the season has been completed, and, well...

 

 

We did it. Our first ever trophy in our first ever final. It was a pretty poor performance in the final but we did what we had to, yet another side that has proven it can grind it out when needs be. We did very well really, we did dodge Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, but we had to win away at just about everyone else decent so we've definitely earned it. This means Europa League next season as well.

 

 

 

The league campaign was also quite productive when all is said and done. We finished a little above where predicted and actually did this despite underperforming on xG.

 

 

This tells me that the forwards, and I'm looking particularly here at Isaac Kiese Thelin, were very good, but the defence and particularly goalkeepers were very disappointing, and I think it's quite clear that it's there that we need to strengthen most of all, but as previously stated, this squad is going to need a bit of an overhaul simply due to the number of loanees we have anyway. It's going to take a big effort, and Europe, whilst welcomed for a club like Kasimpasa, is going to make things even harder. I'm not expecting any fireworks in the league, though who knows - we may recruit superbly, I've got some targets lined up but I'm yet to find any of those gamechangers.

Kiese Thelin sweeped the awards, the only error I made was not using him more sooner, I don't think he started a game until January, which make his numbers quite extraordinary. Sadly I think Anderlecht will be wanting to keep him, I'd only go for another loan if so because he is getting a bit older, but what a season he's had.

I'm happy with this though. We're still a way off the top teams but we've proven we can mix it with them.

[Dan1884]