[FM17] Sokol Nisko - Poland's 4-th Tier

[LeLaga]

  Hello all,

Not sure if anyone is still playing any old FMs, but despite being long time (although not consistant) FM player I fell a bit behind times due to not having an up to date machine. FM17 is best my computer can manage, so that's where I'm at currently.

 

 I'm going to play a save in FM17 in Poland's League III (4-th Tier). I simulated through first season and picked newly promoted Sokol Nisko as my team to manage. I did not go total hard-core Dafuge-challange-style with no experience or license, but did not want to make it too easy for myself either.

 

 Club facilities

 Sokol Nisko has a quite long history, being founded in 1919, but Poland's 3-rd division (4-th tier) is the highest They've ever played. Let's see if We can change that. For now, Media predicts quick relegation, picking us to finish last.

 

 As for the rules, only one team gains promotion - 3 bottom teams are automatically relegated with additional 4 that could also join them, depending on how many teams from our region get relegated from league above (There are 4 groups in division 3, where We're currently playing). In practice, 14-th place should be safe.

 

 After arriving at a club I found very thin squad - with 11 players - so first challange will be scrambling around in free market and assembling a playable squad. With team being semi-professional, all players are under non-contracts and that's all I can offer to players, which will make it quite challanging.

 

 Here are my best 2 players, really not much besides them:

 There's plenty of clubs interested in signing him, so I don't think We'll be able to keep him.

 

 Other player is 39 years old already and was set on retirement after helping team gain promotion in last season. I asked him to reconsider, We'll see. We could use his experience and quality.

 

 That would be it for now. I'm going to bring in additional challange for myself. In previous saves I found success with a tactic with 3 at a back and two wing-backs that I found to be overpowered. I will not be using this tactic here to not make things too easy. I'll try to work out something new myself, probably based on simple 4-4-2.

 Goal for this season will be avoiding relegation, don't have hopes for anything more. I have no idea what level of players I can attract and whether I'll be able to keep them as a semi-professional club.

 Wish me luck!

[Rikulec]

I love your username. Good luck!

[LeLaga]

1 hour ago, Rikulec said:

I love your username. Good luck!

 Ha! This is probably the style I'm going to have to adapt here.

Thanks!

 

 As it is - I went through pre-season, which was very difficult to say the least. I wasn't able to convince Lebioda to stick around and my other best player decided to leave. I didn't have time to scout players properly so I basically signed whoever my staff was able to find, just to assemble a semi-playable team, which is now mostly teenagers that other teams did not want. We have team of outcasts - I hope They are going to find some motivation in that.

 

 I wasn't able to win a game in pre-season despite playing lower league teams also and I anticipate very difficult start of a season (We're playing league's top rated team in first game, that ain't gonna be pretty), but I hope We're going to fight for every point, at least not fall too far behind at the half-way and maybe bring in some more experienced player or two to help us then.

 

 For now, meet our best player:

 

 This kid I made a captain, maybe prematurely, never put that responsibility on someone that young before - but I feel his presonality could be good influence on rest of the squad.

[LeLaga]

2017/2018 Season (Season 1) - Mid Season Break Update

 

 First half of the season is behind us and here's how things currently stand

 It's been very difficult. Scoring isn't coming easy for us and attempts to park the bus against superior teams were not very successful, with our young defenders lacking in discipline and concentration to execute for 90 (or usually even 45) minutes. Attempts to chase after conceding first goal resulted in some depressing wide losses.

 15-th place could be enough to avoid relegation, but it's unlikely. In league above, currently one team from our region is in relegation spot, newly promoted KSZO Ostrowiec - and if They go down, 15-th team from our group will be relegated.

 

 Catching up to Garbarnia and other teams above us will be very hard task unless We manage to strengthen our team significantly. For now it proved to be difficult, We just can't attract any quality players - even on loan - with the contracts that We can offer and also team's struggles in the league.

 We have very young squad with not much quality.

 

 We badly need reinforcements in defensive line in particular. All We can do right now is work hard through the winter, both in training camp and tranfer market - and give it our best go in second half of the season - maybe hope for KSZO to help us out a bit, by getting out of of the relegation zone... They are only 5 points away, so who knows?

 I'll have to re-vamp our tactics a bit as well, They don't seem to be working - I just can't work it out with 4 at the back.

 

 For the positives, here's our best performing player. His long distance goal and assist in final game before the winter break were very important, giving us badly needed win and some hope. He's been developing pretty nicely. I hope I can keep that save , ehm - I mean job of course - going, so that I can see how He develops. I might give him the captain badge as well, Malinowski isn't handling the pressure well.

 PS: I don't think there's any relation to Robert, although I did not ask him.

Edited December 8, 2022 by LeLaga

[LeLaga]

 Sadly, the story that You all were so excited to follow, came to an premature end.

 

 Team played so much better in second half of a season, collecting 20 points in comparision to 11 in first half - but it wasn't enough. We finished at 15-th spot, just where We were at the half-way and with KSZO Ostrowiec finishing in relegation zone in League II - it meant that We'll have to go down also.

 Disappointing! I really felt that We could build something there, two of the youngsters were really getting into their own and showing a lot of promise, but at the end - it wasn't meant to be!

 

 I'm sorry to disappoint all of You here, I know how much You were looking forward to my updates! Oh well, live goes on.

I'll probably give it another go in some time, had a lot of fun with it - it was really challanging - too challanging for me as it turned out, but I think with a bit more luck and couple better decisions, I could've done it.

Edited December 8, 2022 by LeLaga

[Hanys]

Well, it was fun when it lasted. Maybe just start all over again? After all, it was just one season.

[LeLaga]

56 minutes ago, Hanys said:

Well, it was fun when it lasted. Maybe just start all over again? After all, it was just one season.

 Yes brother, I'd like to give it at least one more try - but I will probably take some time off and then re-simulate it from the start to get a bit different player pool, to make it more fresh. I found this league very difficult and I'd really like to see if I can work it out.

 Things were open until final game by the way, with KSZO Ostrowiec only 2 points behind safe spot... but hey, wasn't meant to be! I'll shed a tear or two and will get back at it.

[bigmattb28]

I've just commented on your newer thread. Where did you get the level 4 database for Poland for FM17?

[LeLaga]

3 hours ago, bigmattb28 said:

I've just commented on your newer thread. Where did you get the level 4 database for Poland for FM17?

 Hi,

The one I used was this

https://www.cmrev.com/fileplanet/plik/FM-Revolution-Reforma-Polskiej-Ligi-ESA18.html

 It re-organised the format of competition in some ways - and added level 4 of competition.

 

 There's also another one:

https://www.cmrev.com/fileplanet/plik/FM-Revolution-Polska-Liga-Update-2017-1_7-Beta.html

 

 I did not use that one, it keeps regular format - but adds leagues all the way to level 8 I think.