[FM24] The Rookie Nomad: My First Journeyman Adventure

[Deego619]

After playing this game for 16 years there is one last frontier in which I have not ventured, that of the journeyman! For no other reason that I played this game on potatoes for years, and now I have a rig that can play a few leagues!

• Sunday League Rep
• No Coaching Badges

First stop, Japan! With Ehime FC in the J3 league.

A little disappointing as I assume a manager with those qualifications would not be at a club with a million in the bank! But we'll take it.

 

The team has been a mainstay in the J2 league and fell on some hard times. IRL, they were promoted so the squad is strong but were in 17th as I take over. From an eye-test, the squad is much better than the performance so I'm confident of keeping the team up and pushing up the table.

[Deego619]

Ehime - J3 League - 2023

We won 17/18 games of our spell in charge to miss out on promotion by a single solitary point. We've also obtained our National 'C' License thanks to the good folks at the Japanese FA!

League Table - It's a shame there's no play offs in this league

Transfers - 4 foreign players allowed? That's 4 Brazillians please.

Squad Stats - Spot the difference.

Key Player Profiles:

Juninho Souza - The East Timorese Brazillian was a rampaging force.

Takumi Tsurata - A versatile Japanese arrival.

Next Season:

We should realistically win the league with a budget in hand and buying decent Japanese talent to accompany our Brazillians who are here for another year. However, I can't help but feel robbed of a spot in the J2 League. If this was a normal save of mine, I would endeavour to build Ehime up, but this is a Journeyman, and I've to do what will get me to no.1 in the HoF the fastest...

Career Overview:

Season      Team           League         Postion       Achievements
---------------------------------------------------------------------
2024        Ehime FC       J3 League      3rd           17/18 wins

Edited June 4 by Deego619

[Deego619]

 

So it has come to pass, a tempting offer from a J2 League side. One that has a 5.5M transfer budget! They're not even doing that badly in the J2 league either...

 

 

They also already have some juicy Brazillians ready to shine for me

 

 

I accepted the job offer as it offered me personally double my wage. In the spirit of the journeyman vs one-club ethos of my past, I think it's time to move on from Ehime and make a push for the J2 play offs!

They have some interesting players...including a 42 year old central midfielder!

 

[Deego619]

Renofa Yamaguchi - J2 League - 2024

I feel like I should include also a mini-Ehime update here as well. When I left the club on the 7th May 2024, we were top of the league and I was all but confident that we would win the league at a canter. We had knocked out old rivals and J2 league side Imabari in the league cup to set up a round of 16 clash against J1 side Niigata, which I ultimately did not get to play as I jumped ship for the riches of Yamaguchi!

It turned out to be an inspired decision, as we went up through the play off THANKS TO A 2-2 DRAW IN THE PLAY OFF FINAL?

Honestly, one of the most bizare experiences I've ever had on FM, there I was preparing for an Extra Time and thinking about penalty takers when the post match screen appears. Apparently, if you draw the play off final in the J2 league, the highest seed, or finisher in the league table gets promoted. What a hilariously terrible rule, but we'll take it

 

League Table - The best 3rd place finish of my FM career, we only overtook Iwata on the final day too!

Transfers - We brought in the versatile Tsuruta and Fukumori from Ehime, along with other foreigners.

Squad Stats - Silvio Junior was the star man, backed up by a decent supporting cast.

Finances - A healthy budget moving into the J1 league, with almost 7M to spend.

Manager Profile - We're improving slowly and the rep is on the rise.

Key Player Profiles:

Silvio Junior - One of the reasons I joined the club as he's OP for this league (and already rated as a leading J1 player). Picked up an injury that crucially ruled him out of the run in.

Ramon - He didn't play much until Silvio was injured, and then scored around 3 long range free kicks and was the play off final hero deputizing up front.

Morosini - The Italian was brought in to dominate our midfield.

Tsuruta - The Ehime old boy took the J2 league in his stride, when he didn't play, we just didn't feel like we had the same balance.

Next Season:

This is unchartered territory. I've no idea how much of a step up from the J2 league that the J1 league is. One thing is for sure, we need to shore up our defence in the transfer window. I do feel somewhat fortunate that we began this save in Japan, where the lower league clubs are awash with resources, as we've been able to do our badges with minimal pushback from the board, we're up to the National B now.

Career Overview:

Season      Team           League         Postion       Achievements
---------------------------------------------------------------------
2023        Ehime FC       J3 League      3rd           17/18 wins - National C badge
2024        Yamaguchi      J2 League      3rd           Promoted via the play offs - National B badge

Edited June 6 by Deego619

[Deego619]

Renofa Yamaguchi - J2 League - 2025

What a season! A totally unprecedented league and cup double!

 

League Table - In the end, it wasn't even difficult. We pulled away down the home stretch. 

All-Japan Cup - Kind of disappointed to go out so early, but C-Osaka were top of the league at that point.

League Cup - We rotated for much of the competition, and very nearly went out after losing the first leg to the holders Niigata, but it's still the 2nd most reputable cup competition in the AFC (behind the All-Japan) so delighted to pick up a cup as well!

Transfers - With over 6M to spend, we focused primarily on Japanese depth, with Marvel being the only foreign arrival.

Squad Stats - Tsuruta, a free agent signing with Ehime in J3 league, rises through the leagues to be the best player of a J1 league winning side.

Finances - Still looking good.

Manager Profile - The success did good for the rep. We also nabbed a Continental License! 

Key Player Profiles:

Takumi Tsuruta - 27 goal contributions for the save legend.

Leonardo Morosini - Dominant from the Italian '8'.

Takero Itoi - 19 goals from our "backup" striker!

Next Season:

So I guess I've sort of, completed Japan? Where do we go from here? I'm tempted to go on a run in the Asian Champions League, as I assume as the reputation rises we will not doubt be centered in Europe. We'll see if there's any tempting opportunities...

Old Clubs & Player Watch:

In the spirit of the Journeyman save, Takumi had a career that took him to Montenegro, Serbia, Russia, Tajikistan, Indonesia and finally home to Japan to win the top honour in his final season. He does plan on becoming a HOYD, so I imagine he'll be a part of the fabric wherever I go from now on.

As for Ehime, they stayed up in their first season in the J2 league. Perhaps it was due to my spending, but their latest transfer strategy appears to be loans, with Caio Mota being the last of my Brazilian imports left at the club.. 

Career Overview:

Season      Team           League         Postion       Achievements
---------------------------------------------------------------------
2023        Ehime FC       J3 League      3rd           17/18 wins - National C badge
2024        Yamaguchi      J2 League      3rd           Promoted via the play offs - National B badge
2025        Yamaguchi      J1 League      1st           League and League Cup Double!

Edited June 11 by Deego619

[Deego619]

  

Renofa Yamaguchi - J2 League - 2026

Another league and cup (a different one!) double!

League Table - The stats don't say it, but this was tougher than last season. We were pushed all the way by Niigata whom also won the 25/26 AFC Champions League during the season, but they had a spectacular collapse, taking one point from the final three games. 

All-Japan Cup - The final is played on New Year's Day, almost 2 months post season. We were fortunate to have the Asian Champions League group stage to keep us sharp.

League Cup - Losing the final was tough, played terribly on the day.

AFC Champions League - We started the 26/27 edition well with a flawless display in the groups. 

Transfers - We upgraded many of the foreigners.

Squad Stats - Kojo found his scoring touch, and was adequately backed up by his supporting cast. 8 players into double digits for goals!

Finances - For an unemployed challenge, Japan is too easy with finances. 

Manager Profile - See above, Japan has some of the highest reputation competitions in the AFC. Winning these has been OP for my manager rep. 

Key Player Profiles:

Joel Kojo - The Kyrgyzstani King settled this season and began racking up the goals. 

Kaito Mizuta - I can't believe this guy was bought to be a backup winger, he exploded into the team last season and now has had over 50 goal contributions!

Tomás Galván - An awesome free signing!

Next Season:

We're still in the AFC Champions League, so I want to see how far we can progress in that before taking stock on my next move. The reputation is in a good place where I could get a job in a second tier in the higher European leagues, or top tier job elsewhere. This isn't a Pentagon challenge per say, but a part of me is tempted to try it. 

Old Clubs & Player Watch:

Ehime had a great season and secured a top 10 finish in the J2 league, Caio Mota is the last of the original crop of Brazilians that I had brought in to still remain at the club. 

Career Overview: