FM2022 French League Thread

[Hoarau]

Seems as good a place as any to share....

I mentioned in the excellent Marseille thread that I'm doing an online thread this year with my mate, he has drawn Newcastle (sacked before the WC and ended up at Hibs in Scotland. Ha!), I was fortunate to draw out Bordeaux. They were a team I was planning on doing my own save with, so it's really worked out well. On FM22 i draw Auxerre for our online save and ended up doing well enough to get the Lille job, I'm hoping to do the same this year with my eyes firmly on Marseille & Isaak Toure. I'm hoping this thread will provide a home one my journey in France.

So, we've just reached the World cup break (which Holland won) and I'm sitting top of Ligue 2, Five points clear. Our form started out a bit ropey but once we got a settled 11 it all fell into place it feels. Yohan Barbet is proving to be a hero as captain, partnered at CB by one of my summer signings Eliquim Mangala, the bond these two have developed is really evident. 

My main man is most definitely Josh Maja, he's the current top scorer with 21 goals before Christmas. The issue I have is he is leaving on a bosman and has no interest in negotiating a new contract, this is the conundrum I find myself in, do I try and get a fee in just now before clubs can approach him on a free, there is interest in him. I can see us struggling for goals if he was to leave so it seems I've already made my mind up...

I've already started to scout for his replacement and I've got it down to two names I think I might be able to afford : Marlon Mustapha or Dion Drena Beljo.

Once we get the season finished I'll try and get some screenshots and a decent update.

Edited October 28, 2022 by Hoarau
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[Ronaldo Beckham]

2 hours ago, Hoarau said:

Seems as good a place as any to share....

I mentioned in the excellent Marseille thread that I'm doing an online thread this year with my mate, he has drawn Newcastle (sacked before the WC and ended up at Hibs in Scotland. Ha!), I was fortunate to draw out Bordeaux. They were a team I was planning on doing my own save with, so it's really worked out well. On FM22 i draw Auxerre for our online save and ended up doing well enough to get the Lille job, I'm hoping to do the same this year with my eyes firmly on Marseille & Isaak Toure. I'm hoping this thread will provide a home one my journey in France.

So, we've just reached the World cup break (which Holland won) and I'm sitting top of Ligue 2, Five points clear. Our form started out a bit ropey but once we got a settled 11 it all fell into place it feels. Yohan Barbet is proving to be a hero as captain, partnered at CB by one of my summer signings Eliquim Mangala, the bond these two have developed is really evident. 

My main man is most definitely Josh Maja, he's the current top scorer with 21 goals before Christmas. The issue I have is he is leaving on a bosman and has no interest in negotiating a new contract, this is the conundrum I find myself in, do I try and get a fee in just now before clubs can approach him on a free, there is interest in him. I can see us struggling for goals if he was to leave so it seems I've already made my mind up...

I've already started to scout for his replacement and I've got it down to two names I think I might be able to afford : Marlon Mustapha or Dion Drena Beljo.

Once we get the season finished I'll try and get some screenshots and a decent update.

Good luck with Bordeaux. 

Some players you might want to scout and try to buy are Mohammed Diomande, Assan Ouedraogo, Bernie Traore, Ricardo Pepi, Mohamed Simakan, Pargait Guiagon and Kaio Jorge.

 

[Hoarau]

 

Girondins de Bordeaux

Season 1 : Operation - The Return

Thats the first season done and dusted, a lot more stressful than I originally thought. The goal from the outset was simple, promotion. Ligue 2 has numerous teams that can cause problems and form the outset as both Metz and Valenciennes provided a battle i wasn't expecting. I settled into a system that worked pretty quickly but around the midway point of the season I started to suffer from poor performances and results suffered accordingly. Recruitment was reasonable, the club had reached its loan limit before I arrived so I couldn't add any temporary solutions so I ventured into the free transfer market. 

 

Right down to the wire, all hail Bastia! My new friends done me the ultimate favor, not only did they ensure we took home the title but they also ensure their own safety by beating high flying Metz. Like i said this went way closer than i had ever intended due to some real shakey form in the middle section of the season, i didn't really help us get through it quickly by chopping and changing formation and tactics trying to rectify the situation. Once things settle down we won 9 out our last 11 games to secure that all important top spot.

 

All aboard the Josh Maja express! this boy was a machine, if i could have got him some better service I really think he could have scored another 10-15 more goals. It makes it all the more painful when I tell you he has left the club on a free and is STILL without a club 5 days before the start of my Ligue 1 campaign. He decided pretty quickly once I took over that he would explore the Bosman option so I lost that battle before it started. It didn't stop him from performing, i did contemplate cashing in on his value at December time as there was some interest but his goal contribution was just too much to lose.

 

 

Absolute machine, he single handidly won us the league as you can see below! Great goal scorer, sad to see him go. If you get the chance to bring him in on a free, do it...do it now! As you can see below there's pretty much no denying his input, he leaves us on the ultimate high. 

 

 

Aside from Maja I have to stroke my managerial genius and mention the two other players who stood out, both of course are my signings and both were brought in on free transfers. Eliaquim Mangala is my man, this big unit stepped in and made our defence solid(sans a period after Christmas) partnering Barbet, they both made a calming influence on the youngsters around them which gave Tom Lacoux the change to absolutely dictate games at times.

 

 

Obviously Mangala takes the spot as my signing of the season but the surprise package comes in the form of Heinz Morschel, chipping in with double figures in goals and assists was useful enough but it was his set piece delivery that stood out, at least 4 of his goals were stunning free kicks and if my memory is correct two of those four won the goal of the month. Another wee gem that can be picked up on a free.

 

 

Season 2 : Survival

So yeah, the aim basically for the season ahead is survival. Surprisingly the board gave me an £8m transfer budget and as I'll explain I've managed to also recoup in transfer fees of just under £12m, I then went on a mission to ensure I made that £20m stretch to try and strengthen the squad as well as ensure I made solid investments to match my own personal player trading model. I'm not entirely sure what this season will bring, some of the teams we are in the mix with look stacked and we...do...not. I'll try and get a wee preseason update to show our business and plans. 

Apologies for the picture heavy rambling.