[FM23] Out of Africa. (Spanish out of Morocco to be precise). We will start with Ceuta, but if things go badly I might end up at Melila.

[Jimbokav1971]

Goal 50. Nov 2045. 

I'm sure we have had players on this list before, but we certainly haven't had many. 

Camara (SEN) 6'2" sneaks on the list at #47.

We do have some Academy products and ex players on the list though. 

I'm a little surprised that the likes of (27a) Crespo *, (29a) Gil,  (31a) Fernando 6'5" & (37a) Niño * haven't made the list. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Nov 2045. 

La Liga. We won 3 and drew 1, but the Bilbao game was a real freak result as we were much the better side. First of all our xG was about double theirs, and one of their goals came from an attacking free-kick where our GK was upfield and almost got back to save, and Salifu (ENG)(GHA) *, (who scored 1 and is at least showing signs of returning to form), took the ball round the GK and passed into an empty net only to under-cook it and allow a defender to come back and clear it off the line. 

UEFA Champions League. 1st - 8th in the league qualify automatically for the knockout stages, but we're looking to finish 9th - 24th which qualifies us for the playoffs. We're currently 26th but we have games against Benfica, Fehérvár & Nice to come so I'm quietly confident of progressing. 

Goal-scoring GK's.

 

 

Finances. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Dec 2045.

La Liga. Despite me being, (and feeling), really negative about the little injures that seem to be plaguing us, we're actually doing well in the La Liga. We've only lost 1 game and drawn 2 more and are 6 points clear at the top. 

UEFA Champions League. Well this wasn't the plan.  

But hang on! We've got 2 games left and if we win them that will take us to 11 points. While that won't auto-qualify us, it probably will be enough to qualify is for the Playoffs.

Last season Atletico finished 24th with 8 points and qualified for the Playoffs. 
Previous season Celtic finished 24th with 9 points and qualified for the Playoffs. 
Previous season Real Hispalis finished 24th with 9 points and qualified for the Playoffs. 
Previous season Rangers finished 24th with 11 points and qualified for the Playoffs. 
Previous season PSG finished 24th with 9 points and qualified for the Playoffs. 
Previous season Bodø/Glimt finished 24th with 7 points and qualified for the Playoffs. 
Previous season Ajax finished 24th with 9 points and qualified for the Playoffs.

So I think 1 win might be good enough to get us into the playoffs, but a 1 win and 1 draw should almost certainly be good enough unless we're really unlucky. 

Injuries. We're just getting spammed with little niggling injuries. Nothing serious, (well only 1), but it's the little knocks that are killing us. 

I mentioned previously that Salifu (ENG)(GHA) * has had a really tough start to the season with loads of little injuries hampering his progress. As a result his form also suffered and it's really taken him a while to get going. 7 goals in his last 4 games mean that he's up to 10 goals in 11(4) appearances this season, but obviously I would have expected him to be way ahead of that at this stage of the season. 

Now though, (27a) Crespo * seems to be the one struggling. It was his injury against Benfica, (without Salifu (ENG)(GHA) * on the bench), that really cost us, and I feel like I'm pulling my hair out at the moment. These are such tiny, small, inconsequential injuries, but it almost feels like death by 1,000 cuts. (27a) Crespo * has 12 goals in 13(3) appearances this season so he's certainly doing ok though. Between them they have 22 goals in 24(7) appearances, so they're actually doing ok despite the slow start. I just want more I guess. 

Youth Intake preview. If you haven't seen me mention it already in this thread, I think the Youth Intake means just about nothing. 

Goal-scoring GK's.

 

 

 

 

Finances. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Facilities. Jan 2046.

I remember being told a while ago, (someone linked me in here), that SI had successfully patched the bug which stops 1 of the facilities being upgraded to L20, (although I can't remember which one it is now). 

This is currently where we are. 

I "thought", (although I'm not even close to positive), that the previous problem was Youth Recruitment rather than Youth Facilities, but we currently find ourselves with £437M in the bank, 3 facilities at L20, but our Youth Facilities at L16 and seemingly no way to improve them. 

I' ve asked for a few upgrades anyway, but I'm not going to push things in the hope of doing so when the Youth Facilities upgrade eventually becomes available. 

These were all upgrades that I asked for the Senior Team. I will ask for U19's next time. 

The new el Presidente took over 11 months ago, (and I haven't bugged him), so I would have thought that's plenty of time to get his feet under the table. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Transfers. Jan 2046. 

Someone asked recently how we make so much many in loans, and in truth it's not an exact science. The general principle is that you need to 1st of all have players who are surplus to requirements for that window that you are able to loan out, and secondly they need to be of a good enough quality to make clubs who can afford to pay the fees, want to pay the fees. After that it's all pretty much driven by the AI. 

Someone else asked me recently for help privately with transfers, and I just want to dispel any sort of myth that I might be projecting that I'm doing anything amazing in the transfer market. For each successful transfer I probably have at least a couple of duff ones, so I thought I would go back and see who I have bought and whether we turned a profit or a loss on them. 

2025/26. (There is nobody still in the game from the previous transfer seasons). 

Coulibaly (MLI)(ESP) ML * was signed on a free and left on a free. 

2026/27. 

Evina (CMR)(FRA) SC * was signed for £20k and left on a free. 

2027/28. This season +£525k (All seasons +£525k)

Monkam (CMR)(FRA) 6'2" was signed on a free and we sold him for £525k (+£525k profit). 

2028/29. This season = £875k + £190k = £1.06M. (All seasons = £525k + £1.06M = £1.585M)

Aremu (ESP)(NGA) 6'0" was signed on a free and sold for £875k. (+£875k profit). 

Benachour (ALG)(FRA) was signed on a free and left on a free. 

Ngiamba. (COG)(FRA) was signed on a free and sold for £190k. (+£190k profit). 

2029/30. This Season -£500k +£2.3M +£310k +£185k +£112k +£10k +£105k +£12k +£26k = £2.560M. (All Seasons £2.560M + £1.585M = £4.145M)

Diallo (FRA)(MLI) was signed for £500k and left on a free. (-£500k loss). 

Moloko (RSA) 6'4" was signed for £300k and was sold for £2.6M. (+£2.3M profit).

Lebese. (RSA) was signed for £240k and sold for £550k. (+£310k profit).

Mokoena (RSA) was signed for £180k and sold for £250k, but we also got a £115k loan fee for him. (+185k profit).

Diakité (CIV)(FRA) 6'1" was signed for £7,500 and sold for £120k. (+£112k profit).

Traoré. (BFA)(FRA) was signed on a free and sold for £10k (+ a tiny loan fee that I'm not going to bother counting). (+£10k profit).

Eshun (GHA)(ENG) was signed on a free and sold for £100k + loan fees of £2,600 & £2,600. (+£105k profit). 

Dieng. (NOR)(SEN) was signed on a free and sold for £10k + a loan fee of £2,100. (+£12k profit). 

Khelifa. (FRA)(ALG) 6'4" was signed on a free and sold for £1k + loan fees of £3,400 & £23,500. (+£26k profit).

2030/31. This season -£100k -£863k -£950k +£5.5M +£2.25M -£79k -£20k +£1M +£54k = £6.792M (All Seasons £6.792M + £4.145M = £10.937M). The thing to notice here is that my biggest transfer in the save so far didn't work at all and I even made a slight loss on it, and then I made 2 losses of close to £1M each, but then I came good with 3 transfers that more than paid for the losses. You have to be prepared to make the losses in order to possibly make the profits. 

Eyama (EQG)(ESP) was signed for £3.1M and sold for £3.0M. (-£100k loss). (I have a feeling there was a min fee release clause with an expiry date that screwed me over here). 

Almeida. (CPV)(POR) was signed for £1M and left on a free although we did get loan fees of £137k. (-£863k loss).

Dlamini. (RSA) was signed for £1M and sold for £50k. (-£950k loss). 

Mabasa (RSA) was signed for £500k & sold for £6M. (+£5.5M profit). (I don't remember this guy at all). 

Ndlovu. (RSA) was signed for £250k and sold for £2.5M. (+£2.25M profit).

Ouahabi. (TUN)(FRA) was signed for £81k and sold for £1k plus a loan fee of £1k). (-£79k loss).

Mrabet. (FRA)(MAR) was signed for £20k and left on a free. (-£20k loss). 

Macalou (MLI) was signed on a free and sold for £1M. (+£1M profit).

Condé. (ESP)(MLI) was signed on a free and sold for £50k + loan fees of £4k. (+£54k profit).

2031/32. This season -£1M +200k +£725k +£65k = -£10k loss. (All seasons -£10k loss + £10.937M = £10.936M+)

Vilakazi. (RSA) was signed for £1M and left on a free. (-£1M loss). 

Chimwemwe. (ZIM)(RSA) was signed for £300k and sold for £500k (+£200k profit).

Shezi. (RSA) was signed for £275k and sold for £1M. (+725k profit).

Demissie. (ETH)(ENG) was signed for £185k and sold for £250k. (+£65k).

2032/33.

Wissa (BEL)(COD)(ENG) was signed for £3.4M and sold for £10.75M.

Gumede (RSA) 6'3" was signed for £2.5M and sold for £1.8M.

Van Vuuren (RSA) was signed for £1M and sold for £24.5M.

Madidilani (RSA) * was signed for £1M and sold for £30M. 

2033/34. I suppose the key here is that in the main I was buying young players who I hoped would do well and appreciate. In general the players who were most successful in terms of generating profit were players who broke into our team and did well and the players who made a loss were those who I couldn't fit into the team. The idea was there to buy all these players and turn over a huge profit, but actually much of it was counter-productive. That being said, if you make a loss on a player who has done ok for you and he's just worth less when you sell him because either you over-paid initially or he is older now and commands less of a fee, then it should still be considered a good deal if he did well for you on the pitch. It's just that there was a cost to that on-pitch performance. n

Lakhdar (MAR)(ESP) was signed for £5.75M and sold for £25M.

Ngoy (NED)(COD) was signed for £5.5M and sold for £20M plus a loan fee of £1.4M.

Kemayou. (CMR)(ESP) was signed for £2.5M and sold for £900k.

Mebarki (ALG)(FRA) was signed for £1.7M and sold for £975k.

Marabe. (RSA) was signed for £1.5M and sold for £1M.

Sefu. (GER)(COD) was signed for £1.2M and sold for £500k. 

2034/35. This season is a perfect example of what I was talking about. The top 2 players were both sold for significant losses, but actually they did well for us while they were here and when we sold them we just had better options so were happy to get whatever we could. We over-paid at the outset. On the plus side, we were able to make up this loss in other deals. 

Fayez. (EGY) 6'3" DR was signed for £8M and sold for £2.4M.

Coulibaly (MLI)(ESP) * was signed for £4.5M and sold £1.7M.

Limbombe (BEL)(COD) was signed for £2M and sold for £2.9M.

El-Akchaoui (MAR)(FRA) SELL was signed for £2M and sold for £500k + £296k in loan fees.

Mofokeng (RSA) 6'1" was signed for £525k and sold for £3M.

Gimo (RSA)(MOZ) 6'1" DC was signed for £500k and sold for £1.5M.

Okafor (ESP)(NGA) SELL was signed for £110k and sold for £2M + + £467k in loan fees. 

Pedro. (NED)(ANG)(ENG) was signed on a free and sold for £1.5M.

2035/36. Thankfully, when we hit a big payday like we did with the top transfer, then it more than made up for our losses, but just as in the case of the 2nd transfer, these losses still happened even though I was trying to buy young and well scouted. Sometimes thought I just wasn't able to develop players and effectively I was paying for PA that was never reached. 

El Fakiri (MAR) SC was signed for £8.5M and sold for £26M.

Diepkilé (ESP)(MLI) was signed for £5M and sold for £65k. 

Koné (MLI)(FRA) was signed for £2.7M and sold for £10M.

Koffi (CIV) SELL was signed for £500k and sold for £5.5M + £592k in loan fees. 

Ndlovu (RSA) was signed for £500k and sold for £7.5M.

Soliman (EGY) was signed for £476k and sold for £25.5M

Zungu (RSA) SELL was signed for £350k and sold for £4M + £350k in loan fees.

Diomandé. (CIV) was signed for £250k and left on a free + £109k in loan fees. 

Dabo (MLI)(ESP) SELL was signed on a free and sold for £250k 

2036/37. As described previously, there is more to a transfer than money. In the case of the top transfer, although he left on a fee after costing us a significant fee when signing him, this was still an excellent signing because he did very well for us on the pitch and the reason he left on a free was because I wanted to play him for 1 more season rather than cash in on him. It was simply the cost of having him for the extra season. At the time I couldn't sign anyone as good as him for any amount of money so it was well worth the cost. 

Aziz (EGY) was signed for £8.25M and left on a free. 

El Nahhas (EGY)(USA) * was signed for £8M and sold for £30.5M.

Diarra. (BFA)(FRA) 6'5" was signed for £5.5M and sold for £7M

Souprayen (FRA)(REU) SELL was signed for £5M and sold for £2M

Hesham (EGY) SELL was signed for £3M and sold for £325k + £725k loan fee. 

El Sayed (EGY) SELL was signed for £2.8M and sold for £1M + £400k in loan fees.

Idris (GER)(NGA) 6'5" was signed for £1.5M and is still with us now.

Mahua. (RSA) 6'0" was signed for £500k and sold for £2.4M

Dube (RSA) was signed for £500k and sold for £10.75M

Tetty (CIV) 5'9" was signed for £230k and sold for £30M.

Ouattara (CIV)(BFA) 6'0" was signed for £180k and sold for £500k.

I hope that's managed to dispel any myths that I'm some sort of transfer genius, (as if),  and of course it should also be added that because I was predominately buying from Africa, (what is generally considered to be an under-valued market in comparison to Europe for example), it's pretty hard not to make money in the long-run, (especially if you don't spend big in the 1st place). 

I might come back to this and update the rest of the seasons because I've quite enjoyed looking at it but don't have time to finish now. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Awards. Dec 2045.

 

[Jimbokav1971]

Transfers. Jan 2046. 

I know I have shown you a few of these before, but we have signed quite a few in Jan so thought I would update you. 

[BML]

Apologies if you have covered this previously, but I was curious as to how you have set up your scouting/recruitment focus'.

Based on some of the transfer punts you have highlighted in this thread, I would assume you have ongoing 'jobs' in the major regions of the continent (North, West, South), for no fixed position, with quite a large range on the acceptable minimum and maximum star ratings to be returned in the results - it's certainly how I do/would do it.

However, I do know that some people swear by scouting individual countries (if not competitions - although that's difficult for Africa), not regions, while limiting search terms to 6/12 months only instead of the rolling 'ongoing' option.

I know you pick up some of your players from the annual award lists, but I'd be interested on your take on scouting a mostly unplayable continent such as Africa.

[Jimbokav1971]

25 minutes ago, BML said:

Apologies if you have covered this previously, but I was curious as to how you have set up your scouting/recruitment focus'.

Based on some of the transfer punts you have highlighted in this thread, I would assume you have ongoing 'jobs' in the major regions of the continent (North, West, South), for no fixed position, with quite a large range on the acceptable minimum and maximum star ratings to be returned in the results - it's certainly how I do/would do it.

However, I do know that some people swear by scouting individual countries (if not competitions - although that's difficult for Africa), not regions, while limiting search terms to 6/12 months only instead of the rolling 'ongoing' option.

I know you pick up some of your players from the annual award lists, but I'd be interested on your take on scouting a mostly unplayable continent such as Africa.

Both of those and I must also admit that although it's not the way I usually play, I have been scouting International age group teams too as well as scouting International age group tournaments. 

It seems to have been really hit and miss in terms of scouting unplayable Nations. For a long time it was certainly miss, however I have recent had some great results in scouting Nigeria, although it remains to be seen how good some of those will turn out to be. 

I have noticed that scout reports from non-playable Nations often seem to be downgraded when the players eventually arrive at the club. Whether this is linked to them being non-playable of if I'm just imagining it I'm unsure, but I've regularly seen a 5.0 PA report for a young player that has been seriously downgraded by the time they eventually turn up at the club. 

[Sonic Youth]

Halfway through the season and doing well 

It looks like you’ve got some great GK talent at the club. Strange that other positions aren’t recognised as much for Cueta.

Ouch to that UCL form!

You seem to have an even stingier board since the election.

 Not sure what to make of your January signings, and I guess it’s too.

Looking forward to the rest of the season!

[Jimbokav1971]

1 hour ago, Sonic Youth said:

Halfway through the season and doing well 

Don't worry. We have well and truly fixed that good form. 

[Jimbokav1971]

1 hour ago, Sonic Youth said:

It looks like you’ve got some great GK talent at the club. Strange that other positions aren’t recognised as much for Cueta.

Does it? 

In my head I see we have Camara (SEN) 6'2" who is great, and Bakayoko (CIV) 6'2" * who is gonna be great, and Faty (FRA)(SEN) 6'4" to act as back-up while we're waiting for him to get great. 

I personally love (36j) Camara (GAM)(ESP) 6'4", but I think that has more to do with his 91% penalty conversion rate. 

The other 3 can be ignored, although (38l) Paradas 6'1" SELL does at least have a decent personality. I suppose things are looking a little better when you describe it like that. I've been looking for a good GK for the U19's though and can't find one. 

[Jimbokav1971]

1 hour ago, Sonic Youth said:

Ouch to that UCL form!

It's the injuries. We've had 1 serious one in the 1st half of the season and we've just had a broken leg, but other than that it's been niggly little injury after niggly little injury but the disruption has been enormous. I don't remember ever experiencing it so bad. Don't get me wrong, I've had worse spates of injuries, (much worse), but they were serious injuries. These are nothing injuries but still causing significant problems. 

[Jimbokav1971]

1 hour ago, Sonic Youth said:

You seem to have an even stingier board since the election.

Mmmm. I'm not 100% sure yet. We will have to wait and see. I am a little confused as to why the Youth Facilities upgrade request wasn't available to me although it's possible that there was some drunk management over the weekend and I've asked and just can't remember. 

[Jimbokav1971]

4 hours ago, Sonic Youth said:

Not sure what to make of your January signings, and I guess it’s too.

Looking forward to the rest of the season!

The Jan signings, (and most in the Summer too), were very much just African players who showed as having good potential on their scout reports and who were available cheaply. I'm really just speculating although I have unearthed some gems in this way before. Far too early to tell. We will have to wait and see. 

3.0 PA (CPV) DL Spirited
3.0 PA (CPV) DC Balanced (but poor Det)
3.0 PA (BFA) MC Resolute
3.0 PA (NGA) DC Unambitious (but ok Det)
4.0 PA (NGA) DC F.Sporting
3.5 PA (NGA) DL Determined <<<<<<< I think this is the one who jumps out as most likely to make an impact, but I think they're all teenagers, (one of them is only 17), and it's so hard to tell. 
3.0 PA (SEN) AMR Temperamental
3.0 PA (NGA) AML Balanced (but avg Det)
3.0 PA (STP) DC F.Ambitious

I promise you most of the scout reports were better than 3.0 PA, (in fact I think they all were because I wouldn't have signed a teenager with a 3.0 PA scout report. 

As for the rest of the season, we haven't had a great January, (injuries), but when we have our main strikers we're a match for anyone. The broken leg to our midfielder is a blow though. 

Edited July 4, 2023 by Jimbokav1971

[Thebaker]

2 hours ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

Mmmm. I'm not 100% sure yet. We will have to wait and see. I am a little confused as to why the Youth Facilities upgrade request wasn't available to me although it's possible that there was some drunk management over the weekend and I've asked and just can't remember. 

It seems like since the last update that boards don't want to improve it. My club is at average but the option has been unavailable for 18 months with 40 Million in the bank, previously the option was not available for over 2 years before that. Maxed out all the other facilities long ago.

[Jimbokav1971]

26 minutes ago, Thebaker said:

It seems like since the last update that boards don't want to improve it. My club is at average but the option has been unavailable for 18 months with 40 Million in the bank, previously the option was not available for over 2 years before that. Maxed out all the other facilities long ago.

That's not good news. I didn't mind it being 1 level short before, but now we're a whole 4 levels off. I considered using the Editor to fix it before, (I think that was FM22 rather than this save), but hung on in there. I think I will do so again. 4 levels is a lot though. 

No rush tight now though, We will just see how it goes. Let's be honest, either way I'm not sure how significant it is at this late stage of the save. 

[Jimbokav1971]

One more Jan signing. Jan 2046. 

I was going through the scout reports looking for a....... well I can't remember what I was looking for actually, and I saw that this bloke had a min fee release clause of £24.5M. He's still a teenager, looks like he will choose Belgium over Congo and has done rather well in Belgium. 

Although his history shows that he has scored only 13 goals and 3 assists in 59 appearances, it's actually 13 league goals and 3 assists in 6(53) appearances, with by far the majority of his appearances coming from the bench. In all competitions he's scored 20 goals in 16(65) appearances. As many of these sub appearances will have been only a few short minutes, I like that. I like it a lot. 

In the 1st half of the season Salifu (ENG)(GHA) * & (27a) Crespo * have been rotating, but are needed to sit on the bench when not starting. Now though they will be able to be rested completely with Kabamba (BEL)(COD) * sitting semi-permanently on the bench. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Jan 2046. 

La Liga. I know this is only 1 draw and 1 loss and we're still top of the table, but the wheels really did feel like they were coming off at times this month. The injuries.... Oh my good God the injuries!!! I said that we were only getting annoying little knocks so now we've added a season ending broken leg and a 10 week something or other to starting 1st choice players. On the other hand, we've had consistent annoying niggles to our main striker and we've still out-scored Sevilla by 7 goals, (and I wonder how much that related to them no longer having (27a) Crespo * to call on. 

UEFA Champions League. We left it late, but my plan worked a treat as we "eased"  into the Playoffs and earned ourselves a plumb tie with Dortmund. I thought that 9 points might be good enough, (and hoped that even 8 points would be), but in actual fact even 10 points wouldn't have been good enough for the playoffs this season as Atletico took the last place with 10 points and a goal difference 9 better than ours.  Still, we're in the hat and that's all that counts. 

Supercopa de España. This was just one of those games. Sakanoko 2 (CIV) MC * broke his leg after 6 mins, the Ass Man left it too late with his subs and we were rubbish at pens. 

Copa de Su Majestad el Rey. We're into the Quarter Finals, (where we will play Almeria), but not without cost as Tavares (POR)(GNB) * was shown a straight red and Moses (ENG)(NGA) * joined the growing injury list, (for 7-10 weeks), in the dying moments of the game. We're dropping like flies right now. 

B Team. More on this in a separate post. 

Goal-scoring GK's. 

 

 

 

Finances. 

[Jtomsett11]

2 hours ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

That's not good news. I didn't mind it being 1 level short before, but now we're a whole 4 levels off. I considered using the Editor to fix it before, (I think that was FM22 rather than this save), but hung on in there. I think I will do so again. 4 levels is a lot though. 

No rush tight now though, We will just see how it goes. Let's be honest, either way I'm not sure how significant it is at this late stage of the save. 

It was youth recruitment before that was the issue (I linked you to the fix in here ) so if this a problem that doesn't resolve they've fixed one part and broken another! Or perhaps making it harder to continually improve? 

[Jimbokav1971]

12 hours ago, Jtomsett11 said:

It was youth recruitment before that was the issue (I linked you to the fix in here ) so if this a problem that doesn't resolve they've fixed one part and broken another! Or perhaps making it harder to continually improve? 

Thanks for that. Yeah I knew someone had linked it here, but I was too lazy to go and check who.  Thanks again. I don't mind it being slower, (and there might well have been some drunk management going on too), so let's just see how things develop. I have lots more to worry about anyway. 

Edited July 5, 2023 by Jimbokav1971

[Jimbokav1971]

Edited July 4, 2023 by Jimbokav1971

[Rikulec]

32 minutes ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

At least Crespo is healthy!

[Jimbokav1971]

B Team. Feb 2046. 

I did a post last night but maybe I didn't press send or something because it isn't showing. 

Basically.... we're in trouble. We're in big trouble. 

My usual "strategy" (if you could call it that), for the B Team is to loan out all the outfield players who are not needed by the 1st Team but who are already good enough for La Liga or La Liga 2 and then put the payers in the B Team who are going to develop up and through La Liga 2 level. We usually start the 1st half of the season slowly and then finish like a train as the players develop over the course of the season. 

The "problem" as we develop as a club is that the decent young players demand more of a premium to sign to a long-term contract with a big old min fee release clause. The knock-on effect of that is that they effectively price themselves out of the B Team squad selection, (and it also make loans harder to facilitate). 

The wage budget for the B Team, (just registered players up to a total of 25 players, 2 of whom must be GK's), is £727k, and while that might seem like a lot of money, £727k divided by 25 players is just £29,080 per player. Now even that seems fine, but the problem is that when a player is 18 and I want to secure them to a loan-term contract and bang a +3 on them and stick them with a huge release clause, their demands rise exponentially and they cease to be an option for the B Team. 

Let me see if I can show you a squad screen showing only players who have been loaned out. 

We've got 38 players out on loan. 

10 of them are Youth players with a "." after their name suggesting that I don't see a future for them at the club so even if they are good enough in terms of CA, (they aren't), I don't want them taking up a valuable B Team slot. 

Of the remaining 28 players out on loan 13 of them are earning more than £50,000 per month, leaving 15 players out on loan who aren't on youth contracts but who are also being paid less than £50k per month. 

2 of them are GK's who I decided to loan out because they wouldn't be needed and that leaves us with 13 players left. 

There are a few of them who would improve us, but some of them are playing at a higher level so irrespective of how they might do playing for the B Team here, their individual development is best served for going out on loan. The problem is that too many of these young players have priced themselves out of B Team contention. 

We usually have a few "stragglers" knocking about who haven't gone out on loan but who are plenty good enough for this level. I offered them out on loan, but for whatever reason they either didn't go, or they went and then came back. This season we don't seem to have many of those players at all. 

We've lost 2 of the best players who have been forced to step up into the 2nd Team lineup with serious injury to 1st team players, and that obviously makes things even harder. 

I've had a proper look at the squad and picked a saved Team Selection for the B Team as follows. 

The stand-out player in the group is GK Bakayoko (CIV) 6'2" *, (who I tried and failed to sort a loan move for). He's a Good La Liga player so he's plenty good enough, but even with him I made the error of him not being set as free-kick and pen taker for most of the season so far, (so no GK goals). 

Kaunda (RSA)(ZIM) 6'2" * is the strongest starting outfield player and classed as a "Good La Liga 2 player". He's even been forced to start for the 1st Team in both the league and Cup this season because of injuries. 

I think the problem is up front. We're just not scoring enough goals. 

Talal (MAR) * has done ok, (10 goals in 27 appearances), but the problem is that he's playing left of a 3 up front and nobody has been scoring centrally. You might notice that he's earning £80k+ per month and ideally he would be out on loan too. 

Zonon (BFA) * is the best player in the squad (Good La Liga 2 player), but I've been left with no choice but to drop him because his goal-return has been appalling, scoring just 3 goals in 12(6) appearances. He's way better than that, but there is no point arguing with stats. He's just not scoring so I have had to drop him. I even considered playing him in midfield, (which is something I might have to revert to). 

I've used this Team selection for the last 2 games and there has been some improvement. 

We led against Elche for most of the game and then conceded 2 goals in the last 12 mins. The 2nd was just about the last kick of the game and a real kick in the nads because I would have been happy with a point. 

The Leganes game was MUCH more like it. We had the 1st GK goal of the season, Talal (MAR) * scored again and Zonon (BFA) * came off the bench to score. 

Let's see if I can save them. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Feb 2046. 

La Liga. I made a decision at the start of this month, (when sorting out the B Team squad in an effort to save them from relegation), that I would stop nicking their players for the 1st team squad where possible and instead I will just leave spaces on the bench. So far the worse it's got was 4 subs on the bench and 8 empty seats. 

Despite the injury/suspension issues, we're actually doing ok. Dropping 2 points at San Sebastian was bad considering we battered them, but B Team player Talal (MAR) * failed to hit the target with 3 glorious chances and that's the reason for the previous decision. Still, it could have been worse. We could have lost. 

We're top and have a game in hand so things are looking ok. 

UEFA Champions League. Considering the game told us we were knocked out of this competition 3 months ago, it's remarkable that we're still in it and still winning.  The next round sees us play West Ham. 

Copa de Su Majestad el Rey. Some really good performances here and yes of course I rested loads of players for the 2nd leg with a 7-0 lead. We will play the winners of Barca 3 - 1 R.Madrid (after the 1st leg), in the Final

B Team. We've finally started playing and are somehow in a Semi-Final. 

Goal-scoring GK's.

 

 

 

 

Finances. 

[Jimbokav1971]

On 04/07/2023 at 14:26, Jimbokav1971 said:

Both of those and I must also admit that although it's not the way I usually play, I have been scouting International age group teams too as well as scouting International age group tournaments. 

It seems to have been really hit and miss in terms of scouting unplayable Nations. For a long time it was certainly miss, however I have recent had some great results in scouting Nigeria, although it remains to be seen how good some of those will turn out to be. 

I have noticed that scout reports from non-playable Nations often seem to be downgraded when the players eventually arrive at the club. Whether this is linked to them being non-playable of if I'm just imagining it I'm unsure, but I've regularly seen a 5.0 PA report for a young player that has been seriously downgraded by the time they eventually turn up at the club. 

Realised I forgot to mention something related to this @BML. 

To start off, quite early in the save I was signing lots of South Africans, (active Nation), and there seemed absolutely loads of quality, but while there were certainly loads of players, it eventually transpired that they were all just a little lacking in PA, (or at least the PA I could get them to), although they looked pretty good at the time and did really well for us. 

Then I was manager of Ivory Coast U20's for a while and as a result I had quite a few of them I wanted to sign and over the following few years I signed about 5 of them and in particular Guèhi (CIV) * was the starlet in that group and he's still with us now. 

Then I was manager of the senior DR Congo side, (that didn't go well at all), and I signed a couple of them, (but nobody significant). 

It was about this time I started finding Egyptians in my scout reports, (we are limited to 3 of them registered because they need a WP and most Africans don't), but there were some REALLY good Egyptians for a few years then including Soliman (EGY), El Sayed (EGY) SELL, Hesham (EGY) SELL, El Nahhas (EGY)(USA) *, Mohamed (EGY) 6'4" SELL & Aziz (EGY). There was also a really good GK from (EGY) I think, but I can't remember his name. 

Going back to my time as Ivory Coast U20 Manager, I think this really helped us because although I wasn't there for long, (a couple fo years I think), they really produced quite a few really good youngsters at that time and I had them all scouted and shortlisted for the National Team. Just looking through the transfers now there were absolutely loads of them. Far more than I remember. 

It was then that I started to turn my attention to dual Nationality players like Kitoko (BEL)(COD) *, Sène (ESP)(MLI) SELL & Tavares (POR)(GNB) * I think. I had probably already seen us decimated by the AFCON and was reacting to that. 

In the last 5 years I would say that North Africa has become quite fruitful. If I go through the last 5 years transfers and pick some of them out...

Jan 2042 Soudant (MAR) *
Jul 2042 Talal (MAR) *
Jan 2044 Saïdi (MAR) *
Jan 2044 Saïdi (MAR)(FRA) *
Jan 2045 Saadi (ALG) * (Yes, those 3 players are REALLY confusing). 
Jul 2045 Lakhsassi (MAR)(FRA) *

More recently I seem to have signed a spate of Nigerians, (based on nothing but decent scout reports). They don't look anywhere near as good as the recent batch of North Africans, but they're certainly decent(ish), (and actually some of them are dual Nationality Europeans so their scouting might have come from a different source). 

Jul 2043 Odita (NGA)(POR) 6'3" DC *
Jul 2043 Ebiye (NGA)
Jan 2044 Haruna (GER)(NGA) *
Jul 2044 Moses (ENG)(NGA) *
Jul 2045 Charles (NGA)(ESP) *
Jan 2046 Uzochukwu (NGA) 6'1"
Jan 2046 Abubakar (NGA)(ENG)
Jan 2046 Johnson (NGA)
Jan 2046 Olatunji (NGA)

So a more detailed answer to your initial question is that it seems to have gone in cycles. Sometimes I will see 1 player and that will lead me to other players, (via International squad scouting), but generally there has to be a catalyst there in the 1st place. I wouldn't for example just say to myself..... "I'm going to scout Nation A because I feel like it". No. What will happen is that I will get a scout report on a player and I like the look of him and I will scout him more fully and then look at what International squad he's in and then scout all of them too. I have to get a report that links me from the player to the International squad. 

More recently, I signed 2x (CPV) players, (both from Benfica). I don't know if I got a scout report on 1 of them or both, but it's quite possible that 1 led me to the other. 

There were also 2 players from (BFA) that worked in exactlt the same way. I got a scout report on 1 of them, (can't remember which one), and he led me to the other one. 

Jan 2045 Zonon (BFA) * (He's the miss-firing SC in the B Team). 
Jul 2045 Soma (BFA) 

There is so much scouting going on and so many reports that it's actually really quite hard work and sometimes I log on, realise I've been playing for an hour or so and all I've done is look at scout reports and progress a few days without playing a match. 

I hope that's a better answer. 

Edited July 5, 2023 by Jimbokav1971

[Jimbokav1971]

Youth Intake day. 

[Jimbokav1971]

NxGn 2046. Mar 2046.

[Sonic Youth]

Youth Intake has a few interesting players! Da Backer looks excellent, and does Bassey could help eventually with the FB position.

Still hanging in in most competitions too 

[Jimbokav1971]

On 05/07/2023 at 00:59, Rikulec said:

At least Crespo is healthy!

He is, but just look at the main central striker Salifu (ENG)(GHA) * and you will see what I mean. Almost all Minor or Slight injuries, but the impact is enormous when it's replicated across so many players. I don't control training, but maybe I need to replace whoever does.

This is (27a) Crespo * and if truth be told I think it's pretty realistic, (especially at his age), but this certainly hasn't been in the game to this extent previously. 

This is his whole career by comparison. 

[Jimbokav1971]

3 hours ago, Sonic Youth said:

Youth Intake has a few interesting players! Da Backer looks excellent, and does Bassey could help eventually with the FB position.

Still hanging in in most competitions too 

It did look interesting, (even if only for the 2nd Nationalities). As for the actual PA on show we will just have to wait and see. I'm so fed up of being disappointed. 

A game I like playing is imaging what a player would look like if every attribute was increased by 1, (especially where there are lots of 9's), because it gives a snapshot of what might be possible with a little development. 

This is (46a) De Backer (BEL) Res * on 1st April 2046.

This is (46a) De Backer (BEL) Res * with all his attributes increased by 1. 

I think you would agree that's quite a significant improvement and might potentially not be too far away. (No I haven't saved the changes by the way).  

(46b) Bassey (NGA)(ESP) Bal looks weak physically and that might hurt him early on, but we will see. 

(46c) González (Jov) actually has a bit of something about him but off the top of my head I can't remember what Jovial is like as a personality. 

(46d) Victor (Bal) for example I prefer to (46b) Bassey (NGA)(ESP) Bal, but again, he's weak physically, and that's not what you want to see in a FB/WB.

 

[Jimbokav1971]

On 04/07/2023 at 14:26, Jimbokav1971 said:

Both of those and I must also admit that although it's not the way I usually play, I have been scouting International age group teams too as well as scouting International age group tournaments. 

It seems to have been really hit and miss in terms of scouting unplayable Nations. For a long time it was certainly miss, however I have recent had some great results in scouting Nigeria, although it remains to be seen how good some of those will turn out to be. 

I have noticed that scout reports from non-playable Nations often seem to be downgraded when the players eventually arrive at the club. Whether this is linked to them being non-playable of if I'm just imagining it I'm unsure, but I've regularly seen a 5.0 PA report for a young player that has been seriously downgraded by the time they eventually turn up at the club. 

 

5 hours ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

Realised I forgot to mention something related to this @BML. 

To start off, quite early in the save I was signing lots of South Africans, (active Nation), and there seemed absolutely loads of quality, but while there were certainly loads of players, it eventually transpired that they were all just a little lacking in PA, (or at least the PA I could get them to), although they looked pretty good at the time and did really well for us. 

Then I was manager of Ivory Coast U20's for a while and as a result I had quite a few of them I wanted to sign and over the following few years I signed about 5 of them and in particular Guèhi (CIV) * was the starlet in that group and he's still with us now. 

Then I was manager of the senior DR Congo side, (that didn't go well at all), and I signed a couple of them, (but nobody significant). 

It was about this time I started finding Egyptians in my scout reports, (we are limited to 3 of them registered because they need a WP and most Africans don't), but there were some REALLY good Egyptians for a few years then including Soliman (EGY), El Sayed (EGY) SELL, Hesham (EGY) SELL, El Nahhas (EGY)(USA) *, Mohamed (EGY) 6'4" SELL & Aziz (EGY). There was also a really good GK from (EGY) I think, but I can't remember his name. 

Going back to my time as Ivory Coast U20 Manager, I think this really helped us because although I wasn't there for long, (a couple fo years I think), they really produced quite a few really good youngsters at that time and I had them all scouted and shortlisted for the National Team. Just looking through the transfers now there were absolutely loads of them. Far more than I remember. 

It was then that I started to turn my attention to dual Nationality players like Kitoko (BEL)(COD) *, Sène (ESP)(MLI) SELL & Tavares (POR)(GNB) * I think. I had probably already seen us decimated by the AFCON and was reacting to that. 

In the last 5 years I would say that North Africa has become quite fruitful. If I go through the last 5 years transfers and pick some of them out...

Jan 2042 Soudant (MAR) *
Jul 2042 Talal (MAR) *
Jan 2044 Saïdi (MAR) *
Jan 2044 Saïdi (MAR)(FRA) *
Jan 2045 Saadi (ALG) * (Yes, those 3 players are REALLY confusing). 
Jul 2045 Lakhsassi (MAR)(FRA) *

More recently I seem to have signed a spate of Nigerians, (based on nothing but decent scout reports). They don't look anywhere near as good as the recent batch of North Africans, but they're certainly decent(ish), (and actually some of them are dual Nationality Europeans so their scouting might have come from a different source). 

Jul 2043 Odita (NGA)(POR) 6'3" DC *
Jul 2043 Ebiye (NGA)
Jan 2044 Haruna (GER)(NGA) *
Jul 2044 Moses (ENG)(NGA) *
Jul 2045 Charles (NGA)(ESP) *
Jan 2046 Uzochukwu (NGA) 6'1"
Jan 2046 Abubakar (NGA)(ENG)
Jan 2046 Johnson (NGA)
Jan 2046 Olatunji (NGA)

So a more detailed answer to your initial question is that it seems to have gone in cycles. Sometimes I will see 1 player and that will lead me to other players, (via International squad scouting), but generally there has to be a catalyst there in the 1st place. I wouldn't for example just say to myself..... "I'm going to scout Nation A because I feel like it". No. What will happen is that I will get a scout report on a player and I like the look of him and I will scout him more fully and then look at what International squad he's in and then scout all of them too. I have to get a report that links me from the player to the International squad. 

More recently, I signed 2x (CPV) players, (both from Benfica). I don't know if I got a scout report on 1 of them or both, but it's quite possible that 1 led me to the other. 

There were also 2 players from (BFA) that worked in exactlt the same way. I got a scout report on 1 of them, (can't remember which one), and he led me to the other one. 

Jan 2045 Zonon (BFA) * (He's the miss-firing SC in the B Team). 
Jul 2045 Soma (BFA) 

There is so much scouting going on and so many reports that it's actually really quite hard work and sometimes I log on, realise I've been playing for an hour or so and all I've done is look at scout reports and progress a few days without playing a match. 

I hope that's a better answer. 

@BMLOne last thing, (sorry), is that I absolutely 100% go through all 50 players on the NxGn list with a fine tooth comb and make big efforts to sign any Africans on there, (especially underage players who aren't yet 19 and get another go on the list). 

#13 was Sissoko (ESP)(MLI) and he's only 17 so he gets 2 more years on this list. The initial scouting shows an A- and 5.0 PA, he has a good personality and the only real negative is that he's neither a clinical finisher nor a pacy wide attacker. He has a min fee release clause of £25M and I'm bang up for that. The surprising thing for me is that he's on the list at all. Don't get me wrong, he's decent, but he's been playing for Hispalis/Betis C and they play at such a low level that it's unplayable. Yeah he's scored loads of goals, but do they really count down there? 

#14 is Haddouche (FRA)(ALG) and he's only 16.  That's mental! The next thing I notice is that he's at Troyes, he's not on loan, (he's there permanently), and his valuation is £54M-£66M. We can't see much from the scout report but this bloke is very interesting. Wow! He's already been capped 6 times by FRA U21's, (and he's 16). Wowee! He;s been starting in Ligue 1 this season and it's his 1st full season in the game. How much transfer cash have I got?  I've actually got £98M to spend. You know what..... I'd be tempted to blow £50M on him just on the off-chance he's as good as he just might be. He gets 3 more goes at this list and he's already #14. 

#17 is Awalom (NOR)(ERI). He's 18, Scandinavian 1st and African 2nd and he looks a very tidy player, (and cheap), although I should add at this point that it seems easier to sign decent strikers in this save. Just not pacy clinical strikers. 

#28 is Ondoa (CMR)(GER). I can see very little about him but his heading is good enough that I'd hope to convert him to a DC from a DM, but that's depending on attributes that we can't see yet. He's also only 17 so 2 more years on this list. 

#36 is Okechukwu (NGA). I REALLY like him.  I love his personality and he just looks great as a wide attacker. Can I buy them all? 

#38 is Khumalo (RSA). I've had my fingers burnt so many times by South Africans in this save. I bet he's decent, but not amazing. 6'4" and guaranteed jumping of 20 though. 

#41 is Neewalay (LBR)(CZE). Not much to see here so will have to scout again. 

#43 is Hamzaoui (TUN). Needs more scouting, but Lyon have not long signed him. 

#47 is Laryea (GHA)(ENG). That's not 1 but 2 very strange loans. 

#50 is G'Bizie (CIV) and as I have previously mentioned I love an Ivorian in this save. 

[BML]

17 hours ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

Realised I forgot to mention something related to this @BML. 

To start off, quite early in the save I was signing lots of South Africans, (active Nation), and there seemed absolutely loads of quality, but while there were certainly loads of players, it eventually transpired that they were all just a little lacking in PA, (or at least the PA I could get them to), although they looked pretty good at the time and did really well for us. 

Then I was manager of Ivory Coast U20's for a while and as a result I had quite a few of them I wanted to sign and over the following few years I signed about 5 of them and in particular Guèhi (CIV) * was the starlet in that group and he's still with us now. 

Then I was manager of the senior DR Congo side, (that didn't go well at all), and I signed a couple of them, (but nobody significant). 

It was about this time I started finding Egyptians in my scout reports, (we are limited to 3 of them registered because they need a WP and most Africans don't), but there were some REALLY good Egyptians for a few years then including Soliman (EGY), El Sayed (EGY) SELL, Hesham (EGY) SELL, El Nahhas (EGY)(USA) *, Mohamed (EGY) 6'4" SELL & Aziz (EGY). There was also a really good GK from (EGY) I think, but I can't remember his name. 

Going back to my time as Ivory Coast U20 Manager, I think this really helped us because although I wasn't there for long, (a couple fo years I think), they really produced quite a few really good youngsters at that time and I had them all scouted and shortlisted for the National Team. Just looking through the transfers now there were absolutely loads of them. Far more than I remember. 

It was then that I started to turn my attention to dual Nationality players like Kitoko (BEL)(COD) *, Sène (ESP)(MLI) SELL & Tavares (POR)(GNB) * I think. I had probably already seen us decimated by the AFCON and was reacting to that. 

In the last 5 years I would say that North Africa has become quite fruitful. If I go through the last 5 years transfers and pick some of them out...

Jan 2042 Soudant (MAR) *
Jul 2042 Talal (MAR) *
Jan 2044 Saïdi (MAR) *
Jan 2044 Saïdi (MAR)(FRA) *
Jan 2045 Saadi (ALG) * (Yes, those 3 players are REALLY confusing). 
Jul 2045 Lakhsassi (MAR)(FRA) *

More recently I seem to have signed a spate of Nigerians, (based on nothing but decent scout reports). They don't look anywhere near as good as the recent batch of North Africans, but they're certainly decent(ish), (and actually some of them are dual Nationality Europeans so their scouting might have come from a different source). 

Jul 2043 Odita (NGA)(POR) 6'3" DC *
Jul 2043 Ebiye (NGA)
Jan 2044 Haruna (GER)(NGA) *
Jul 2044 Moses (ENG)(NGA) *
Jul 2045 Charles (NGA)(ESP) *
Jan 2046 Uzochukwu (NGA) 6'1"
Jan 2046 Abubakar (NGA)(ENG)
Jan 2046 Johnson (NGA)
Jan 2046 Olatunji (NGA)

So a more detailed answer to your initial question is that it seems to have gone in cycles. Sometimes I will see 1 player and that will lead me to other players, (via International squad scouting), but generally there has to be a catalyst there in the 1st place. I wouldn't for example just say to myself..... "I'm going to scout Nation A because I feel like it". No. What will happen is that I will get a scout report on a player and I like the look of him and I will scout him more fully and then look at what International squad he's in and then scout all of them too. I have to get a report that links me from the player to the International squad. 

More recently, I signed 2x (CPV) players, (both from Benfica). I don't know if I got a scout report on 1 of them or both, but it's quite possible that 1 led me to the other. 

There were also 2 players from (BFA) that worked in exactlt the same way. I got a scout report on 1 of them, (can't remember which one), and he led me to the other one. 

Jan 2045 Zonon (BFA) * (He's the miss-firing SC in the B Team). 
Jul 2045 Soma (BFA) 

There is so much scouting going on and so many reports that it's actually really quite hard work and sometimes I log on, realise I've been playing for an hour or so and all I've done is look at scout reports and progress a few days without playing a match. 

I hope that's a better answer. 

Once again, thank you for a far more in-depth answer than I was expecting/deserve.

I too scour through the NxGn list every year, but my focus is mostly on players playing a lesser country/team that I can poach for a decent fee. Like you though, I have noticed a few on this list that shouldn't really be there. I'm not sure how the game calculates this, but I can only assume it puts a very high weighting on Appearances, regardless of competition level (as you've seen with the Malian above).

I also trawl through international squads every few months, but mainly because I'm a sucker for 'fun' nationalities. My B Team usually has a few players from more obscure nations that aren't terrible with a neutral or above personality, just because I like to see notifications from their international games and I like the feeling of 'saving' them from deletion and preventing a weak nation becoming weaker.

[Jimbokav1971]

22 minutes ago, BML said:

My B Team usually has a few players from more obscure nations that aren't terrible with a neutral or above personality, just because I like to see notifications from their international games and I like the feeling of 'saving' them from deletion and preventing a weak nation becoming weaker.

I don't know how common that is, but it;s certainly something that makes a save a little more interesting. It also helps to flesh out the personality of the player. It's just something else that you know about them that helps identify them. 

[Jimbokav1971]

29 minutes ago, BML said:

Once again, thank you for a far more in-depth answer than I was expecting/deserve.

I love answering interesting questions that add to the thread. No problem at all. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Mar 2046.

La Liga. We're still top, (by 1 point), and have a game in hand, so things are going ok despite the injury problems. We were unlucky to drop points against Valencia and a 4-1 win would have been a fair reflection on the game. 

We have 6 La Liga games next month, (and the Copa del Rey Final), and that will go a long way to deciding the success of this as a season, (or not). 

UEFA Champions League. We have been hanging on in there in the Champions League all season and it was a surprise to get this far considering the decimation of the squad by injuries on such a regular basis.

B Team. When we won 3 LaLiga 2 games out of 4 last month I thought I was an FM genius and it would be easy, but this month was a little tougher. It wasn't helped by missed penalties, red cards, suspensions and injury, but 1 win in 4 shouldn't be sniffed at because even that is better than 0. 

We're 6 points behind Oviedo, but our form is the join best in this group and the best over a 2 month period so lots of positives. 

Goal-scoring GK's.

 

 

 

Finances. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Apr 2046. 

La Liga. What a month! We haven't been on fire, don't get me wrong, but we've been really good defensively, we've dominated games and deserved to win all of them. To win 6 league games in a month and only concede 1 goal is better than decent. It means that we're 5 points clear and still have a game in hand. With 4 games left to play the title seems all but secured. 

Copa de Su Majestad el Rey. We absolutely destroyed Barca and it was men against boys. another trophy in the bag. 

B Team. This is much better than it was before I started taking more of an interest, and only 1 loss from 5 league games is an enormous improvement. It's just frustrating that we only managed to win 1 of them. 

On the plus side we kept winning in the U21 International Cup and we're in the Final. 

Records.

Goal-scoring GK's.

 

 

 

 

 

Finances. 

[Jimbokav1971]

May 2046. 

La Liga. 

We weren't able to keep the winning run going, but we did manage to remain unbeaten for the last 19 games of the season, (winning 15 and drawing 4). 

We only lost 2 games all season and in scoring 102 goals we became only the 4th side in this save to do so. 

Barca scored 100 goals in 2033/34.
Sevilla scored 100 goals in 2041/42.
We scored 105 goals in 2044/45.
We've just scored 102 goals in 2045/46.

Records. 

Hall of Fame. I don't usually enter the Hall of Fame when I do these type of saves in big Nations, so I'm more than a little surprised at this. 

I thought initially it was just because I was also getting points for the B Team wins and also the lower league wins at the start of the save, but actually if you look at the #9 ranked manager on the list, Luis Molowny, he has 672 points from 3 La Liga wins and 2 Copa del Rey wins. 

We have 661 points and have 2 La Liga wins and 2 Copa del Rey wins, (so 1 La Liga short), but we also have a Supercoppa, two Primera Federación Grupo I titles and a Segunda Federación Grupo IV title, so I don't think they have helped much at all. 

B Team. Not only have we avoided relegation, but we have done so with 1 game to spare. I'm a flippin FM genius!!!. (That's a joke). 

Yeah we lost the Final, but the far bigger prize was avoiding relegation. It really was a big deal and I thought we were done. 

Facilities. 

We've just won the double and have £342M in the bank. Surely the new EL Presidente will allow us to upgrade now. 

The Training Facilities was at least on there. 

The Youth Facilities option is nowhere to be seen. 

Goal-scoring GK's.

 

 

 

 

Finances. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Goals. Jun 2046.

It's worth a separate post just to look at the goals we have scored in the 1st Team this season. 

1st Team. It's interesting to note that there are fewer assists here than I would have expected, but there is no lack of goals with 52 goals being shared between the 3 players, (and 23 assists).

2nd Team. There are both fewer goals and assists in the 2nd Team, (48 goals and 19 assists so 4 short on both), but this group actually started fewer games, 89(19) to 72(46), although Mensah (ENG)(GHA) * was never brought on as a sub where as Guèhi (CIV) * came on as a sub (25) almost as many times as he started (26). Moses (ENG)(NGA) * also missed 3 months of the season with a hamstring injury. 

Totals. All 6 starting strikers hit double-figure goals, and both SCR's also hit double figure assists too. 

It also shouldn't be ignored that despite Camara (SEN) 6'2" failing from the spot on no less than 9 (NINE) occasions, he still scored 15 goals this season with 10 penalties, 5 direct free-kicks and 3 assists. Had he scored all his penalties he would have scored 22 goals this season. 

[Jimbokav1971]

B Team. Jun 2046. 

There is 1 game still left to play, but I'm not even going to bother telling you about it. We're safe and that's all that matters. 

It wasn't a season that will live long in the memory for obvious reasons, however there were a couple of players who performed consistently well, (at least in the 2nd half of the season). 

Bakayoko (CIV) 6'2" * was the best player in the team and without him we would 100% have gone down. He was brilliant. I think I will keep him in the B Team for at least another season.

Talal (MAR) * scored 19 goals for the B Team this season, but he won't get a chance to make beat that next season because he's going out on loan. 

[Jimbokav1971]

World Cup. Jun 2046. 

If the World Cup was won based on how good our players are on this list, Ivory Coast would be crowned Champions. 

[Rikulec]

Top work winning the double and keeping the B team in La Liga 2.

Is this your first Copa del Rey victory or have I forgotten something?

[Jimbokav1971]

6 hours ago, Rikulec said:

Top work winning the double and keeping the B team in La Liga 2.

Is this your first Copa del Rey victory or have I forgotten something?

No, we did the treble previously. 

2043/44. La Liga, Copa del Rey & Supercoppa. 
2044/45. Nothing.
2045/46. La Liga & Copa del Rey. 

 

[Jimbokav1971]

6 hours ago, Rikulec said:

Top work winning the double and keeping the B team in La Liga 2.

Is this your first Copa del Rey victory or have I forgotten something?

 

22 minutes ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

No, we did the treble previously. 

2043/44. La Liga, Copa del Rey & Supercoppa. 
2044/45. Nothing.
2045/46. La Liga & Copa del Rey. 

 

We've been pretty consistent for the last few years in La Liga, and the only thing stopping us winning more was that Sevilla or R.Madrid seemed to take turns at delivering a phenomenal uneatable season. 

We should be celebrating 3 in a row though because we should have definitely won last season. We just lost too much ground early and couldn't make up the ground when the others faltered at the end of the season. 

Next up the Champions League I suppose. 

2045/46. Lost to West Ham in last 16.
2044/45. Lost to Bayer Leverkusen in last 16.
2043/44. Lost to Hertha in the Quarter Final.
2042/43. Lost to Hertha in the Quarter Final.
2041/42. Lost to Liverpool in the Quarter Final.
2040/41. Lost to Spurs in the Semi-Final.

They're the only times we have qualified for the Champions League. I really want to make the Final at least next season. 

The problem with winning trophies in this save is January when AFCON is on. 

As well as 3 La Liga games, we also have to play the Supercoppa Semi & Supercoppa Final, 2 Champions League Group games and usually 2 Copa del Rey rounds too. It's a real obstacle to overcome. 

This is us the last few seasons in January.

2040/41.

2041/42.

2042/43. There isn't a single African scorer in this month. Unfortunately I think that means that the cycle is round again and we will get hit again this season. 

I think the schedule is like this. 

Season 1. AFCON.
Season 2. CHAN (B Team AFCON) 
Season 3. AFCON.
Season 4. CHAN (B Team AFCON) & World Cup. <<<<<< This is the season we were in last season & the World Cup is about to start in the close season.
Season 5. AFCON (and the cycle starts again).

Looking at the above and how it affects us, it's no surprise that we won the treble and the double in the last 2 CHAN seasons. I would love to win La Liga in this save in an AFCON season though. That would be like the ultimate achievement I suppose. (Actually winning the quad in an AFCON season would be the ultimate achievement, but let's not be silly now).

2043/44. It's hard to complain about the results this year, but looking at the goal-scorers, it appears as if there weren't as many International call-ups. 

2044/45. We definitely don't lose to Almeria if we don't lose the Supercoppa Final, (on pens).

2045/46. We probably don't lose to Albacete if we win the Supercoppa Semi, (but then I suppose we have to win the Final too or the morale hit is just delayed).

The problem with January is that it's no longer about finding just 1 XI, (or even 16), group of non-African players who can get us through. The sheer number of games, ( 7, 7, 7, 9, 9 & 8), mean that 1 team of players can't win all these games, so we end up prioritising, but then when you lose with the weakened side the morale hit is carried forward to the next game. 

The good news however is that the Copa del Rey fixtures are usually pretty easy at this stage, (not always), and players do start to trickle back towards the end of the month when their Nations get knocked out of the AFCON. 

We have a GK now which is a big improvement, (thanks @Sonic Youth) and I'm going to have a look now and see what our 1st and 2nd Team would look like with no Africans. 

1st AFCON Team. I think this is a REALLY strong side and the only weakness is at MC, (so if I see a non-African player available then I might swoop).

GK. Faty (FRA)(SEN) 6'4" has been capped by FRA but is still eligible for SEN.
DL. Yakubu (ENG)(GHA) * hasn't been called up by ENG but at 27 is still eligible for GHA.
DR. Kitoko (BEL)(COD) * has been capped 21 times by BEL. He's also one of our best players. 
DLC. McCarthy (ENG)(GHA) 5'11" * has been capped 22 times by ENG.
DC. Idris (GER)(NGA) 6'5" hasn't been called up by GER, but at 30 he's still eligible for NGA.
DRC. (37k) Jesús 6'6" is only eligible for ESP. 
MC. Tavares (POR)(GNB) * has been capped 32 times by POR.
MC. (42c) Rial 5'7" is a B Team player who broke his leg this season. He's obviously far more important than I envisaged based on how many AFCON midfielders we have ahead of him.
SLC. Mensah (ENG)(GHA) * hasn't been called up by ENG, but it's surely a matter of time. 
SC. Salifu (ENG)(GHA) * has been called by ENG but not capped. That's surely going to change soon. 
SRC. Moses (ENG)(NGA) * has 4 Caps and 8 goals for ENG. 

2nd AFCON Team. 

GK. Faty (FRA)(SEN) 6'4". Obviously GK's don't have to rotate in the same way that outfield players do, but I wouldn't mind signing a non-AFCON African 17 year old if I could find one.
DL. (40i) Asier (Pro) is plenty good enough and even behind him (44d) Eloi (Pro) looks decent. 
DR. (43o) Soldevila (Pro) is probably the best available in this position but at 19 is pretty short of the required standard. 
DLC. Ly (BEL)(SEN) * has 5 Caps for BEL, but is still eligible for SEN. 
DC. (45b) Pérez (Driven) 5'10" * is coming on leaps and bounds and I'm surprised that I would stick him in here ahead of other options, (but I would). 
DRC. Boyer (FRA)(REU) 6'0" * has been called up by FRA but not capped so still eligible for REU.
MC. (38i) Iván is a little short of quality but might just cope.
MC. I really don't think there is anyone good enough to play in the 1st Team right now, and we would have to rely on either someone not being selected for the AFCON, playing someone significantly out of position, or playing someone way short of the required standard. 
SLC. Haruna (GER)(NGA) * hasn't been called up by GER yet so is still eligible for NGA at 19.
SC. (27a) Crespo * is hanging on for dear life but his physicals are falling off a cliff and he is nowhere near the player he was, (although he still scored 17 goals last season). (37c) Castro * might actually be a better option than him now. 
SRC. Kabamba (BEL)(COD) * has been called by by BEL but not capped, and that needs to happen ASAP because I notice that Chrisantus (GER)(NGA) * has swapped from GER to NGA. 

I think they are 2 really strong sides, (and we have another couple of decent defenders available, but especially in midfield we're really threadbare and I might look to deal with that in the transfer market. Ideally it will be a B Team player who can just step up in Jan. I don't actually want to sign a player for the 1st Team. 

While looking through my squad I noticed quite a few NGA players and in particular noticed that Chrisantus (GER)(NGA) * had opted for NGA over GER.

Just looking at the NGA players we have here...

GK.
DL. Johnson (NGA) & Abubakar (NGA)(ENG).
DR. Charles (NGA)(ESP) * & (46b) Bassey (NGA)(ESP) Bal
DLC. Uzochukwu (NGA) 6'1"
DC. Odita (NGA)(POR) 6'3" DC *
DRC.
MC.
MC. Ebiye (NGA)
SLC. Haruna (GER)(NGA) *
SC. Chrisantus (GER)(NGA) *
SRC. Olatunji (NGA) & Uzoma (NGA) *

That's the makings of a VERY decent side. 

[Jtomsett11]

Congratulations on your second title! I can see you're entering a period of increased trophy success when you consider your upward trend over the last 5 years or so. As you say, with your restrictions it's going to be very challenging to win the league and compete for the champions league,  for example. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Crespo. Jun 2046. 

Not sure about anyone else, but I'm personally surprised that his pace and acceleration are holding up better than his stamina and strength, but thinking about it their probably declining at a similar rate and they just had a higher starting point. I'm still quite happy to have him for another season. he scored a lot of big goals for us this season. 

We're paying him £1M per month, (which isn't a problem for next season), but he has a clause where it triggers a +1 year if he makes 20 league appearances next season and I'm not sure how I feel about that. This season he made 18(6) La Liga appearances for example, but I think I would quite like to keep him around anyway irrespective of the cost. It's not as if we're struggling for cash. 

It really annoys me that this info isn't correct. I mean it REALLY bloomin annoys me.

He's scored 477 league goals, so how has he only scored 481 total goals? 

In actual fact he has scored 594 career club goals in 755(45) club appearances plus 24 U21 & INT goals in 29(22) so 618 goals in 784(67) appearances. 

You know sooner or later I'm eventually going to have to give this Pele 1,000 career goals challenge a go. 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Jimbokav1971

[Jimbokav1971]

1 hour ago, Jtomsett11 said:

Congratulations on your second title! I can see you're entering a period of increased trophy success when you consider your upward trend over the last 5 years or so. As you say, with your restrictions it's going to be very challenging to win the league and compete for the champions league,  for example. 

I would like to think so, but the January AFCON issue still hangs over us. 

It's no surprise that our treble and doubles were won in years without an AFCON. 

The statement of our success will be when we can win something in an AFCON year. I'm tempted to prioritise Cup competitions, but that goes against my belief that La Liga is our bread and butter and should in normal circumstances be our priority. 

The thing is that even if we lose all 3 La Liga games in Jan, we've still got a chance of winning the title if we perform consistently throughout the rest of the season. 

If we screw up in either the Champions League or the Copa del Rey in Jan then that's it. We will be out and the chance is gone for another season. 

If we look at Real Madrid in Jan from this season and compare it to our Jan performances over the last 5 seasons then the difference is really significant. The only points they dropped were in the Madrid derby, (where they were away). 

 

Atletico finished 3rd, (a whopping 18 points behind us), and it's clear that they're not on the same level as ourselves or their Madrid neighbours. 

Sevilla finished 4th, (a ridiculous 20 points behind us), but their form during Jan shows that they are still a significant threat. (I haven't actually worked out what happened to them this season over and above the loss of their star man for the last decade (27a) Crespo *). Looking at it now Sevilla dropped 10 points from a possible 21 in their last 7 games after they were knocked out of the Europa League Quarters by FC Köln. They also dropped 4 points from a possibly 12, (2 draws in 4 games), after losing to Barca in the Copa del Rey Quarters. That's 14 of the 20 they trailed us by, lost after just 2 Cup losses. Morale and momentum is enormous in the game nowadays and where as we often think of it for our own team, I think we often don't give it enough significance when it comes to the AI. 

What I wouldn't do for a full green month in Jan. 

[Jimbokav1971]

Squad Depth. Jun 2046. 

GK. Although Faty (FRA)(SEN) 6'4" will hopefully be loaned out, I will make sure that I can recall him because that's exactly what I will do in Jan so he can play when others are away at the AFCON. The B team will be short during this period, (but I might try to play Faty (FRA)(SEN) 6'4" in both teams when they aren't on the same day), so I need to either source someone else for that or just make sure that not having a proper GK won't hurt our attempt to steer clear of relegation. 

Camara (SEN) 6'2" scored 15 goals last season and still missed no less than 9 (NINE) penalties. I would love him to hit 20 goals in a season. I think part of the problem is that he is 1 of our 3 Team Leaders, (and is also the club captain), so every time a player has an issue, (like contract or playing time or transfer blocked), while the player soon comes round, these 3 spend gthe whole time getting over tiny little gripes and I'm wondering about the possibility of a non-playing captain....... 

1st Team. Camara (SEN) 6'2"
2nd Team. Camara (SEN) 6'2"
B Team. Bakayoko (CIV) 6'2" * £20k.
U19's. (46p) Villoldo (URU) (Loyal)
Loan. Faty (FRA)(SEN) 6'4" & (36j) Camara (GAM)(ESP) 6'4".
Sell. (38l) Paradas 6'1" SELL, (38h) Morales 5'11" SELL, (43e) Hackney. (Unamb) SELL.
Release.

Edited July 7, 2023 by Jimbokav1971

[Jimbokav1971]

Squad Depth. Jun 2046.

DL. The biggest problem here is that you might notice that (44d) Eloi (Pro) and (45f) Gimeno. (Pro) don't have a min fee release clause, which means that they are still on a youth contract. I don't care about (45f) Gimeno. (Pro) so that's fine, but I do care about (44d) Eloi (Pro) and no wonder his development is behind schedule. I've just tried to offer him a new long-term contract, but I had to play hard-ball because I want to play him in the B Team so limiting his wage is important and the talks broke down again, (which is I'm guessing what happened previously). 

1st Team. Yakubu (ENG)(GHA) *
2nd Team. Saïdi (MAR)(FRA) *
B Team. Johnson (NGA) £20k & (44d) Eloi (Pro) £1k.
U19's. (46d) Victor (Bal), (45e) Castro (F.Pro)
Loan. (40i) Asier (Pro), 
Sell. (45f) Gimeno. (Pro) SELL
Release.

Edited July 7, 2023 by Jimbokav1971

[Jimbokav1971]

Squad Depth. Jun 2046. 

DR. We're really strong in this area. For a start, both the 1st Team and 2nd Team DL's are both actually DR's. 

Soudant (MAR) * is a little unlucky to be loaned out, but he's just behind Brossou (CIV) * as 2nd choice DR and both of them are earning too much to play in the B Team. He's also just about capable of playing as a DRC, but I don't think he's quite at that stage yet. I think his development is best served going out on loan again and maybe joining the squad as a DRC next season. He spent this season in the Belgian top flight, and I would like him to step up a little in terms of standard for his next loan.

1st Team. Kitoko (BEL)(COD) *
2nd Team. Brossou (CIV) *
B Team. (43o) Soldevila (Pro) £55k.
U19's. (44g) Kennedy (SCO)(ESP)(Bal), (46b) Bassey. (NGA)(ESP) Bal, (44f) Fresneda. (Real) & (45o) Vivar. (Fickle).
Loan. Soudant (MAR) *
Sell. (43j) Manel. (Bal) 5'10" SELL
Release.

Edited July 7, 2023 by Jimbokav1971