(FM24) Red Sun Rising - A Tokyo Soccer Story

[Hootieleece]

When is Youth Intake Day? I haven't had one yet. Started the save in August of 2023 and have only played till March of 2024!

[Deisler26]

4 hours ago, Hootieleece said:

When is Youth Intake Day? I haven't had one yet. Started the save in August of 2023 and have only played till March of 2024!

It's mid-October, I find

[Deisler26]

Youth Poaching

Another player gone. Will he be any good? Time will tell

[Deisler26]

2028 Season Review

Our sophomore season in the J2 was, by any metric, a success. We finished 5th out of 20. We lost in the J2 Promotion Playoffs, entirely due to my own not reading of the rules. But we were really inconsistent, with a really sharp attack and a really poor defence. A lot of this was due to injuries, fatigue and the sale of our best centre-back. We conceded SO MANY late goals that it was silly. Top scorer was Bernardinho, who shocked us all by scoring a goal-a-game with 27 strikes. Not bad for a player who I picked up, purely for his Brazilian/Japanese heritage. Top assister was Tetsuo Shirai, who started as backup to our parent club loanee, but after his season-ending injury and move back to FC Tokyo, he grabbed his chance and contributed 12 assists. Again, we relied on our youth intake, as we suffered injuries to our BWM role, so Tsubasa Ando came in to plug the hole at just 16. He played well, but we cannot rely on a 16 year old to bea full-time starter

Offseason business will be a full-scale first team squad review (you lucky people!) to see where we can trim and/or add. We have a lot of players for certain positions and also have a few off-season signings already confirmed, so by breaking it down by position, you guys will get an idea of my thinking as to how we can move forward. I think next season, I will be looking to implement a half-arsed version of @_Ben_'s standards, looking to give every player who had a down season a chance to improve. Basically, if our full backs have bad crossing stats by standards, we can look to either give them less crossing or more training etc.

In the dimly-lit, timeworn corners of the Sercow and Hornet pub, Akuma and Hideo sit nursing their drinks, the atmosphere thick with a shared sense of disappointment and frustration. The two old friends, who have seen many seasons of their beloved football team, now find themselves commiserating a narrowly missed promotion in the J2 playoffs. Despite their team's impressive goal-scoring record, outscoring nearly every other team by double, a series of poor defensive performances led to their downfall. Their hopes, which had soared high, were dashed by the inability to hold the backline, and now, their glasses clink not in celebration, but in solidarity.

Their conversation, punctuated by the occasional sigh and shake of the head, turns to the series of unfortunate injuries that plagued their midfield. Key players were sidelined at crucial moments, leaving the team vulnerable and disjointed. The forced sales of several promising talents only added to their woes, as financial pressures seemed to dictate the club's decisions more than the pursuit of glory on the pitch. Akuma and Hideo mutter darkly about the chairman, whose preference for profit over performance has left a bitter taste. They recall the days when the club’s ambition matched their passion, now seemingly eroded by a business-first approach.

As they sip their drinks, the old men find solace in each other's company, their shared lamentation a testament to their enduring loyalty. The Sercow and Hornet, filled with the murmurs of fellow supporters, becomes a haven for their discontent. Even in their disappointment, Akuma and Hideo hold on to the thin threads of hope, reminiscing about better times and speculating on what the future might hold. Their conversations weave a tapestry of memories, grievances, and faint optimism, underlining the deep bond they share with each other and with the team that has given them so much joy and heartache over the years.

Edited August 1 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

2028 Additions

Being as we had a decent second season in J2, I wanted to upgrade some of our staff, who we'd had since the early days. We had better facilities now and that deserved better staff. So we put out the call out in the pertinent websites and had a good response to our various roles. In the end, we employed:

Lim Weijie, 36, Fitness Coach  We seemed to run out of steam during some games, indeed we conceded a ton of goals late on in the recent season, so another upgrade won't hurt.

Jose Antonio Gordillo, 54, Scout  This European scout signed on for a decent package, as his eye for youth talent was superior to everyone else who applied.

[_Ben_]

5 hours ago, Deisler26 said:

Offseason business will be a full-scale first team squad review (you lucky people!) to see where we can trim and/or add. We have a lot of players for certain positions and also have a few off-season signings already confirmed, so by breaking it down by position, you guys will get an idea of my thinking as to how we can move forward. I think next season, I will be looking to implement a half-arsed version of @_Ben_'s standards, looking to give every player who had a down season a chance to improve. Basically, if our full backs have bad crossing stats by standards, we can look to either give them less crossing or more training etc.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how you go about doing this. Glad I provided some kind of inspiration for it!

[Deisler26]

2028 Season

Goalkeepers.

A much better season from our goal keepers this season. Ironic really, as we conceded a ton of goals. But Takanori Tsuchida played the lions share of games after various sales.
 

Defenders.

Nothing much has changed from last season, but this will become very important next season as we try to move to a more data-driven method.
 

Midfielders.

We're still not doing well on progressive passes, but we play down the wings not through the middle. Tackling looks good however.
 

Attackers.

Love to see Bernardinho rip up the scoring charts with a high xG too! Imei ripping it up with high Heading stats too.

[Deisler26]

2028 Season Review

After last season's near miss, I was hoping our new staff would lead us to the title, but sadly not to be as we ended up finishing 5th in the Prince League 2. Much like the mirror of our first team, we scored a WHOPPING 102 goals! Nearly doubling the next best team... Our defence?... Maybe not as good, as we conceded 20 more goals than the worst defence in the league. At least we were entertaining... We also picked up two new staff..

 Yusuke Kanzawa, 36, U-18 Coach  We needed bolstering in the area of general speciality and this guy was an excellent choice

Makoto Nakamura, 31, U-18 Coach  It was nice to be able to bring one of our old players home, even if it wasn't one of our academy players. Let's hope he builds up

The stats looked good at points too... if you ignored the defensive ones...

We topped the Goals, Assists and Avg Rating stats, along with the Headers Won ratio and xG. More players being in the top 5 for Assists, than the top 10 for goals DESPITE SCORING 102 is absolutely blowing my mind. Cray.

Here are our top 5 players for the 2027 Season

1.  Tomoya Takehashi, 17, ST (P75, 63G, 7A)  Just wow. Nearly a goal a game in 75 games!!!! A loan is beckoning for him next season.

2. Yuki Yamashita, 19, M/AMC (P63, 16G, 19A)  He was far too good for the U-18's last season, so I'll have to make a decision on whether he stays or goes on loan this season..

3. Go Kumagai, 17, ML/AMRLC (P58, 4G, 14A)  His stats were fine, but he needs another season at U-18 level 

4. Junichi Ito, 18, MR (P64, 12G, 21A) Maybe the first player I truly think won't make it at this club, which is a shame for those stats. One more year in the U-18's and then a loan.

5.  Yuma Matsumoto, 17, M/AMR (P52, 5G, 15A)  Sadly, we wont know if he could have kicked on here, as he moved to AC Nagano Porciero on a free transfer in the offseason

[lblanc]

Great season unlucky in playoffs.

Been struggling to play my Japanese save last 2 weeks due to other commitments.

I'm about half way through my 2nd season and just lost my 1st game. 

Again as mentioned before I didn't have to build an entire team from scratch but if I have any advice from how I've found Japanese football it's 

攻撃 攻撃 攻撃

😂

Basically just attack I've had two saves in Japanese league and I've found just going for it Kevin Keegan Entertainers style is the way to dominate

[Deisler26]

2 hours ago, lblanc said:

Great season unlucky in playoffs.

Been struggling to play my Japanese save last 2 weeks due to other commitments.

I'm about half way through my 2nd season and just lost my 1st game. 

Again as mentioned before I didn't have to build an entire team from scratch but if I have any advice from how I've found Japanese football it's 

攻撃 攻撃 攻撃

😂

Basically just attack I've had two saves in Japanese league and I've found just going for it Kevin Keegan Entertainers style is the way to dominate

Banzai Ball  

It's killing me a little as I love defensive football.

[Deisler26]

2029 Offseason Changes.

So, the first thing to change this season was the fact that we were suffering so many injuries. Indeed, we had 9 injuries this preseason, whilst the next worst had...two. So I junked most of our Medical department, bar a physio and a sports scientist and went looking for some J2 standard medical help

 Ryota Hosokawa, 45, Head Physio.  We stole him from J3 side FC Ryukyu and he'll do until we establish ourselves in J1.

Yoshito Morimoto, 46, Head of Sports Science.  He applied for the job, after rising through the ranks from U-18 Sports Scientist to First Team, and now to Head of Department.

Naoto Nakayama, 49, Physiotherapist He took a step down for us as he signed from J3 Akita where he was head physio, but more money and higher prestige calls.

Takuma Kato, 39, Sports Scientist  Hopefully, this improvement should lead to less long-term injuries amongst the team

[Hootieleece]

1 hour ago, Deisler26 said:

Banzai Ball  

It's killing me a little as I love defensive football.

Maybe that is why I am finding my 4-3-3 Gegen Press Effective in at least giving a shot at staying up.

[Deisler26]

Part 1

We've reached the point where our squad is large enough that you may or may not know my first eleven or any of the backups. So I'll go through each area (Goalkeeper, Defence, Midfield, Attackers) and their sub-groups to show you guys my thinking and how I'm looking to move on from just click and play.

Goalkeeper

We brought in two goalkeepers over the winter break, a North Korean (because why not?) and a Thai keeper as Thailand nationality isn't considered foreign in Japan.

  Takanori Tsuchida, 22. (on loan from FC Tokyo)  This was our first choice keeper last season and didn't do a bad job. He's only on loan, so it makes sense that he finish: FIRST CHOICE

  Kriang Krai Nisengram, 18. (£750k from Buriram United)  21 caps at 18? Asian Young Footballer of the Year? Less than £1m???? SOLD! An absolute steal. He'll be BACKUP 

  Ri Choi-Song, 30. (Free Agent)  To get a North Korean international is hilarious. Also on a free in case of emergencies? Perfect for me! He is a FGN spot, but he'll be in the RESERVES

 Yuki Miyaji, 21. He was signed as third choice last season, but has been superceded by Song this offseason. He'll be sent out ON LOAN with a view to be sold

Tomoki Matsunaga, 18. Our academy product needs game time. His loan last season was disappointing, as he only played 2 games, so he'll go ON LOAN again

Yuki Uruno, 16. He'll be the No.1 in the UNDER 18'S this season, because of his age. Hopefully, he'll develop enough so that he'll leap a few places in the pecking order

So, with the six goalkeepers we have on the books right now, we're pretty set for the next few seasons. My plan is to ride the loan of Tsuchida until the end of the season, where Nisengram will shift up to first choice and Matsunaga will become backup, with Uruno still maturing in the youth team. 

Edited August 2 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

1 hour ago, Hootieleece said:

Maybe that is why I am finding my 4-3-3 Gegen Press Effective in at least giving a shot at staying up.

I’m wedded to the 4-4-2, big man/little man combo tbh. Cant be changing it now

[Deisler26]

Part 2

We've reached the point where our squad is large enough that you may or may not know my first eleven or any of the backups. So I'll go through each area (Goalkeeper, Defence, Midfield, Attackers) and their sub-groups to show you guys my thinking and how I'm looking to move on from just click and play.

Defenders

Right Back

 Samuel, 25. Our first choice right back last season, but as a FGN player, I really need shot of him. Sad because he was good for us last season, but he is FOR SALE 

 Michal Kaplan, 19. Our first choice left back last season, will transition over to the FIRST TEAM right back slot this season. Have to beware of a sale above my head however. FGN

 Hajme Nakahashi, 22. (Free transfer, Albirex Niigata)  We got in a decent player for free as a BACKUP as we don't quite have the academy graduates to push on for the first team.

Ngyuen Hiroto, 17.  Our recent academy graduate will stay in the UNDER 18'S until he ages out, before we put him out on loan. Hopefully he'll develop enough for a first team role.

Takayuki Hashimoto, 19.  Our third choice right back will go out ON LOAN this season as we need him to get some first team action.

 

Central Defenders

Hiroshi Mine, 19.  Our FIRST TEAM centre back and future captain. He'll stay as long as I'm able to keep him.

Jean Pedroso, 24. (£300k, Kashima Antlers)  The second half of our FIRST TEAM centre back pairing. His recent FGN arrival means that if he's not up to scratch, we'll demote him.

Yosuke Morishige, 24. Our repurposed striker came home last season and will start this season as a BACKUP, although he'll step into the first team at the hint of trouble.

Hidenori Hayashi, 21. Our boy came home last season and went out on loan to a J3 side. But this season, he'll be the other BACKUP defender as I prefer his aerial superiority.

 Jun Onishi, 18. Hard to go from first choice to ON LOAN in the space of an offseason, but I need him to play games, whilst I sort through the massive glut of centre backs.

Toru Hatate, 25. He can play all three defensive positions as a depth piece. And he's awful. But, he'll be in the RESERVES or go ON LOAN this season as we now have cover

Danto Mizushima, 22. The biggest dilemma I have. He's 22 and could retrain to a full back role. But that'll mean no game time. As of now, he'll be in the RESERVES

Samuela Singh, 19. A Fijian international of all people. He'll go ON LOAN until he gets sold or gets better as he was signed as the novelty factor.

Tsuyoshi Sano, 19. An academy product who will get more leeway than other actual signings. He'll be ON LOAN this season

So the biggest story here is Jun Onishi who, after 88 first team games, has been demoted to going out on loan. This was reached, by the fact he's still just 18 and can handle a move away better than some of the more recent players. After going through the defenders however, I'm having severe buyers remorse over Jean Pedroso, who's going to have to play out of his skin to stay here past the end of the season. I know it was only £300k, but the FGN slot he's taking up is very valuable (NB: For those who don't know, Japan only allows 4 FGN players in the matchday squad). Danto Mizushima is the biggest enigma. I really like him, but he's not progressed as a central defender, so I'm going to need to retrain him, but that'll mean having him plateau in the reserves. 

 

Left Back

Tae-Yang Kim, 22. The far-and-away FIRST TEAM left back. Will stay for a long while it seems.

Takayuki Hashimoto, 19.  See Right Back

Toru Hatate, 25. See Central Defence

Oh God, Oh God, Oh God. I had no idea things were so bad at Left Back. Kim is clearly #1, but we have absolutely nothing behind him. Question is, do I retrain Danto Mizushima to Left Back or do I buy in cover and allow him to train naturally for Right Back. Decisions, decisions

Edited August 3 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

Part 3

We've reached the point where our squad is large enough that you may or may not know my first eleven or any of the backups. So I'll go through each area (Goalkeeper, Defence, Midfield, Attackers) and their sub-groups to show you guys my thinking and how I'm looking to move on from just click and play.

Midfielders

Right Midfield

 Tetsuo Shirai, 18. This academy product started as a backup and moved to first choice due to injury. He'll continue as BACKUP this season with the chance to move up.

 Shingo Kudo, 22. (£750k, FC Tokyo)  He came in last season on loan from parent club FC Tokyo and played well, but suffered a season-ending injury, nevertheless he'll be FIRST TEAM.

Yusei Yamashita, 18. An academy graduate that has very little about him as a player. He'll either be ON LOAN or FOR SALE this season as I have no real place for him.

Kazuya Mikado, 18. Another player who is nowhere near the first team. He'll be ON LOAN or FOR SALE this season, whoever comes first.

Yoshiki Narita, 19. I like this guy. Academy, local boy. But he's just not of the level to play for a promotion-chasing J2 side. He'll go ON LOAN this season.

Shotaro Nagai, 22. We signed him from Yokohama FC last summer after two good loan spells, but he needs games, not reserve football, so he'll go ON LOAN.

Naoki Seko, 22. This guy is pure RESERVES. Won't ever trouble the first team.

 

Central Midfield

Jefinho, 22. Last season's FIRST TEAM midfielder will be first choice once again. Despite him being FGN, he's one of the first names on the team sheet.

Ryo Kawamoto, 21. The second half of last season's FIRST TEAM midfield, Ryo is nailed on at the BWM spot and it'll take a huge bid to get him away from me

Shohei Ishii, 18. A truly spectacular talent who's played nearly 40 games already for the first team. He'll be a BACKUP this season, with a chance of going ON LOAN

Kosuke Saito, 20. The defensive half of the BACKUP midfield pairing. He'll stay that way unless he's superceded or there is a decent bid for him

Yuki Yamashita, 19. The reverse of Ishii. He'll be going ON LOAN this season, with a chance of becoming BACKUP

Eltinho, 21. Absolute buyers remorse in buying this guy. He's FOR SALE and will happily get rid for any price. He's taking up a FGN spot and we have more important players.

Tsubasa Ando, 16. Thrown into the first team due to injuries last season and acquitted himself well. He'll stay in the UNDER 18'S next season.

Yoshiko Maezawa, 19. (Free Transfer, Tokyo Verdy 1969) He was signed for the future, which means he'll go ON LOAN this season

Ryo Kato, 18. Another RESERVES specialist. Crack open in case of injury crisis.

[Deisler26]

Part 3, pt2

We've reached the point where our squad is large enough that you may or may not know my first eleven or any of the backups. So I'll go through each area (Goalkeeper, Defence, Midfield, Attackers) and their sub-groups to show you guys my thinking and how I'm looking to move on from just click and play.

Midfielders

Left Midfield

Daisuke Higuchi, 19. He was out on loan last season, but due to our dearth of left sided players, he'll be a FIRST TEAM winger this season

Shotaro Nagai, 22. See his entry in Right Midfield

Go Kumagai, 17. He's a BACKUP at this point in time. He really needs to be UNDER 18'S and our scouting will be in overdrive for it.

[Deisler26]

Part 4

We've reached the point where our squad is large enough that you may or may not know my first eleven or any of the backups. So I'll go through each area (Goalkeeper, Defence, Midfield, Attackers) and their sub-groups to show you guys my thinking and how I'm looking to move on from just click and play.

Attackers

 Koji Yamada, 19. His loans out have seen him improve exponentially. He'll definitely be the BACKUP Target Forward next season, behind the club legend.

 Takumi Imei, 24. The club legend is FIRST TEAM until he leaves or retires. Simple as that.

 Bernardinho, 21. After his magnificent season last season and Patrick Wood's offseason move, he'll compliment Imei as the second of the FIRST TEAM forwards

 Kanta Yamamoto, 20. He's never really been given the chance at first team level, so he'll be this season's BACKUP striker to compliment Yamada.

 Tomoya Takahashi, 17. No chance of the first team, but he'll develop in the UNDER 18'S this season.

[BillHoudini24]

I like the added colour coding for playing time, helps the reader identify players. Mine and Imei are class! I have a feeling that Yamada will leapfrog into the starting spot at some point.

[Deisler26]

On 04/08/2024 at 13:51, BillHoudini24 said:

I like the added colour coding for playing time, helps the reader identify players. Mine and Imei are class! I have a feeling that Yamada will leapfrog into the starting spot at some point.

That was the plan, so I'm glad you like it. I don't think Yamada will supplant Imei, mainly as I'm trying to get him to stay for his entire career, then go to be a coach

[Deisler26]

2029 - The First 10 Games.

So, here we are. Inspired by @_Ben_'s meticulous look at player stats, we're going to perform a much inferior look at the season in 4 slices, at 10, 20, 30 and 38 games. Mostly we're looking at whether we're getting players in that fit our formation and whether they need replacing. It'll also guide our searches for new players from J3.

So, without much fanfare, let's dig in. We're concentrating on DR, DL, MR, ML, MC (AP) and both ST in this section, so we'll ignore Goalkeeper, Central Defence and our BWM midfielder for now.

Full Backs

   Michal Kaplan, 19, DR

Michal has played 9 out of 10 league games this season, adding two Assists to his name with an Average Rating of 6.89. His basic stats however, show something a little different, in                                                           that he's a lot better going forward than defending. However, his Assists per 90 mins and Open play xA are well above the J2 average, which is exactly what we want from our full backs. Also, if we look at the full back stats from across the 'Big 5' leagues, Kaplan is in the Poor category for most defensive stats, but is Elite in Crosses Completed per 90 mins and just above Average in Progressive Passes per 90 mins. So we are not getting the defensive cover we need from him, but he's certainly providing excellent attacking options. One outlier is that he's 2nd in J2 for Headers Won %, which seems odd, but good.

 Kim Tae-Yung, 22, DL

Kim has played 7 out of 10 league games this season, with an Average Rating of 6.74. His basic stats however, show the complete difference to Kaplan, in that he's a lot better defending. His Tackling % and Passing % are well above the J2 average, which is good for defensive play, but he's not doing it from the attacking perspective.. Also, if we look at the full back stats from across the 'Big 5' leagues, Kim is in the Poor category for Tackles Per 90 Mins,  just above Average in every other category.. So we are not getting the attacking impetus from the left back position, but we are getting better defending than on the right

 

Wingers

     Shingo Kudo, 22, MR

Shingo has played 6 out of 10 league games this season, with one Assist for an Average Rating of 6.74. His basic stats however, show he's one of the most livewire wingers in the league. He's rated 7th in the J2 for Dribbles per 90 mins, and 4th for Distance Covered per 90 Mins.. Also, if we look at the winger stats from across the 'Big 5' leagues, Shingo is in and around the Elite category for almost every category, with only his xAssists per 90 mins just above Average.. So to see his stats being Elite amongst the top 5 leagues in the world, it's really gratifying. His assists aren't the best however (16% completion), so he needs to do more for the rest of the season.

ML
We've used three different ML's this season, due to injury and lack of cover, so we don't have any real stats for them. Hopefully, we can get some consistency coming forward.

 

Advanced Playmaker

Jefinho, 22, MC

Jefinho has played 7 out of 10 league games this season, with two Goals and three Assists for an Average Rating of 7.26. His basic stats however, show he's one of the best playmaking midfielders in the league in the league. He's rated in the low teens in the J2 for Dribbles per 90 mins, Distance Covered per 90 Mins, Assists and Assists Per 90 which is pretty good. Also, if we look at the Central Midfield stats from across the 'Big 5' leagues, Jefinho is ranked below Poor for Pass Completion (77%), with his Progressive Passes per 90 mins above the Elite category and the rest of the stats above Average. His PPp90 being Elite amongst the top 5 leagues in the world, it's insane. He's shockingly the best crosser on the team, with 14 successful crosses and a 30% completion rate.

 

Strikers

 Takumi Imei, 25, ST

Takumi has played 7 out of 10 league games this season, with five Goals for an Average Rating of 7.49. His basic stats however, show he's one of the better goalscoring forwards in the J2. He's rated 8th in the J2 for Average Rating, Goals Scored and xG which is pretty good. Also, if we look at the Goalscoring Forward stats from across the 'Big 5' leagues, Takumi is ranked above Average in Dribbles per 90 mins and Conversion Rate and the rest of his stats in the Elite category. Imagine being one of the best headers in the Top 5 leagues? Amazing.

Bernardinho, 22, ST

Bernardinho has played 7 out of 10 league games this season, with five Goals and five Assists for an Average Rating of 7.57. His basic stats however, show he's one of the best creative forwards in the J2. He's rated in the top 5 of all J2 players for Average Rating, Goals Scored, Assists and Assists per 90 and xG which is amazing for a player who cost £50k on a whim. Also, if we look at the Creative Attacker stats from across the 'Big 5' leagues, Bernardinho is ranked as Elite in all categories, bar Conversion Rate, where he's ranked midway between Average and Elite (25%) With Bernardinho's stats comparable to some of the best in the world, the future is bright for us going forward.

 

Conclusion

We're doing well as what we should be doing, but not as well on the basics. Considering our attacking player stats are comparable with players at the top of their game in the 'Big 5', I can't complain. It's in defence where we really need to look at our issues. One side, we attack brilliantly, the other we defend brilliantly. So, starting a search for a new left back may be in order, with the proviso that they need to be good at crossing.  

[Deisler26]

Red Sun Rising - Season 7

Going OTA the top..

The board have shot for the moon this season! We have been given the brief of Achieve Automatic Promotion from the J2 and to be competitive in both the JFA Emperor's Cup and the J.League YBC Levain Cup. This will be extremely hard for us as we're certainly not consistent enough yet for promotion IMO. We have a £2.23m transfer budget and £51k wage budget. But, again, prudence dictates we don't spend all of it as our bank balance is less than £1m.. My personal aim is for Playoffs. We finished 1st in Goals Scored and 17th on Goals Conceded. We're the ultimate entertainers in this league, with goals flying in both nets. My defence-loving heart is aching at how bad we are, but I'm persevering with the 4-4-2.

We also had the honour of the club's youth system being voted the best in Japan, which is what we were looking to achieve, ever since our humble roots

Transfers 

Well, we were in the market for a left back and a left midfielder this off-season.. What did we get? All will be revealed.. (NOTE: I was up to the transfer window before the 10 game post above)

In

 Hajime Nakanishi, 23, D/WBR (Free Transfer, Albirex Niigata)  We were looking to replace Samuel at right back, only we were going to put Kaplan in at starter and get a cover. This was it. 

Trong Van Quan, 18, M/AMR (Free Transfer, Hanoi FC)  The fact that Vietnam are classed as non-FGN in Japan meant I went shopping in their international side. This guy can improve. I hope.

Yoshihiko Maezawa, 18, DM/M/AMC (Free Transfer, Tokyo Verdy 1969)  This guy was a little bit of an impulse buy, but he has room to grow and a few years to make the first team.

Jean Pedroso, 25, DC (£300k, Kashima Antlers)  I junked Samuel for this guy and I'm regretting it already. He needs a superlative season or it's transfer-list for him next season.

Shingo Kudo, 22, MR/AMRC (£750k, FC Tokyo)  He was transfer-listed by our parent club and after a successful loan spell with us, we pulled the trigger on this deal

Yoo Jong-Hoan, 21, DM/M/AMC (£125k, Gimpo FC)  I do like the look of this guy's vision. So we snapped him up and loaned him back to his club for the season.

Hiroyuki Takahashi, 22, D/WB/ML (Free Transfer)  Due to our stats finding a hole at left back, we picked this guy up on Deadline Day. He'll backup now, but will revaluate next season

Loans IN

Yoshihito Yuzawa, 18, AMR/ST (Loan, Hokkaido Sapporo)  At 5'3", he's woefully undersized, but he's the whippet-quick backup striker. All we need really.

Ryuta Hirota, 22, M/AMRL (Loan, Zweigen Kanazawa, £750k future fee)  This guy would make an excellent utility player and we've got him for a song.

Jun Ikeda, 19, M/AMLC (Loan, FC Tokyo)  The parent club comes up trumps again. Jun will be a good winger for us.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

OUT

 Patrick Wood, 26, ST (£1m, Jubilo Iwata)  7 months out with two consecutive broken bones and a FGN spot taken up when playing? Bye.

 Samuel, 25, DR (£150k, Renofa Yamaguchi FC)  Shame to get rid of him and for so little, but we needed his FGN spot. 

 

23 players left the club and only two for good. The rest were loans. We REALLY need to have a decent clear out next season and concentrate on players with good Crossing as I don't seem to be able to sign them..

 

Edited August 9 by Deisler26

[_Ben_]

18 hours ago, Deisler26 said:

So, here we are. Inspired by @_Ben_'s meticulous look at player stats, we're going to perform a much inferior look at the season in 4 slices, at 10, 20, 30 and 38 games. Mostly we're looking at whether we're getting players in that fit our formation and whether they need replacing. It'll also guide our searches for new players from J3.

An engrossing read! I like your take on it and think you've spotted those areas of development really well. I also have to say that the level of talent in J2 is pretty amazing; I've read through this thread since it's inception but lost my way a little and, at one point, presumed you'd be top tier given the level of players there! Your screenshot for Patrick Wood isn't actually Patrick Wood though  

[Deisler26]

8 minutes ago, _Ben_ said:

An engrossing read! I like your take on it and think you've spotted those areas of development really well. I also have to say that the level of talent in J2 is pretty amazing; I've read through this thread since it's inception but lost my way a little and, at one point, presumed you'd be top tier given the level of players there! Your screenshot for Patrick Wood isn't actually Patrick Wood though  

Changed 

The teams going down from J1 are very much at the top the next season, we don't see much free-fall here. I appreciate your kind words

Edited August 9 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

2029 - 20 Games In.

So, here we are. Inspired by Ben's meticulous look at player stats, we're going to perform a much inferior look at the season in 4 slices, at 10, 20, 30 and 38 games. Mostly we're looking at whether we're getting players in that fit our formation and whether they need replacing. It'll also guide our searches for new players from J3.

So, without much fanfare, let's dig in. We're concentrating on DR, DL, MR, ML, MC (AP) again and the creative ST in this section, so we'll ignore Goalkeeper, Central Defence, our BWM midfielder and the Goalscoring Forward role.

Full Backs

  Michal Kaplan, 19, DR

Michal has played 19 out of 20 league games this season, not adding to his total of two assists however, for an improvement on his Average Rating to 6.88. His basic stats however show that he has improved his defensive play, whilst not actually improving his attacking. His Crosses Completed % has slightly dipped to 15%, despite completing the same number of crosses as the last look in (7). Comparing his stats to the 'Big 5' Leagues at Full Back shows his improvement over the season, with seeing his Tackles and Interceptions per 90 mins rising above Poor since last time, with his Pressures per 90 and Progressive Passes per 90 rising to above Average and his Crosses Completed per 90 still showing as Elite, even with improvement.

 

 Kim Tae-Yung, 22, DL

Kim has played 14 out of 20 league games this season, adding an Assist to his tally, for an improvement on his Average Rating to 6.90. His basic stats however show very little change in the his J2 rankings, with perhaps an improvement in his Tackling % and an decrease in his Killer Passes per 90 stat.. His Crosses Completed % has improved to 18%, completing a total of 10 crosses over the 20 games. Comparing his stats to the 'Big 5' Leagues at Full Back shows his (mostly) marked improvement over the season, with still seeing his Tackles  per 90 mins at Poor but closer to Average since last time, with his Interceptions per 90 mins rising to Average from Poor and his Pressures per 90 mins rising to just below Elite. His Crosses Completed per 90 has risen to Elite, showing a huge improvement. However, his Progressive Passes per 90 has dipped below  Average into Poor. So he's improved his attacking, which is good to see.

 

Wingers

Shingo Kudo, 22, MR

Shingo has played 14 out of 20 league games this season, with a Goal and four Assists in the last 10 league games for a hugely improved Average Rating of 7.09. His basic stats however, show he's still one of the most livewire wingers in the league, with all his offensive stats improving. He's now rated 12th in the J2 for Dribbles per 90 mins, and for Distance Covered per 90 Mins. However he's ranked 2nd in the J2 for Open Play Crosses Completed per 90.. Also, if we look at the winger stats from across the 'Big 5' leagues, Shingo is still in and around the Elite category for almost every category, with only his xAssists per 90 mins firmly Average.. So to see his stats still being Elite amongst the top 5 leagues in the world, despite some regression in assist stats. His crosses have even improved (21% completion, from 16%), so he needs to carry on this form.

Ryuta Hirota, 22, ML

Ryuta has played 15 out of 20 league games this season, bar two on the right wing. He has scored four Goals and three Assists in 20 games for an Average Rating of 7.45. His basic stats however, show he's one of the leading J2 players overall, with him ranked 5th in Average Rating, 15th in Cross Completion % (31% from 26 crosses) and 1st in Open Play Crosses Completed. Also, if we look at the winger stats from across the 'Big 5' leagues, Ryuta is ranked Average for Sprints per 90 and Dribbles per 90, but absolutely Elite with his xAssists per 90 mins, Open Play Key Passes and Crosses Completed  monstering the average stats. If he can keep this form up, it'll be the best £750k I've spent this career.

 

 

Advanced Playmaker

Jefinho, 22, MC

Jefinho has played in 18 out of 20 league games this season, with an Assist to add to his tally for an regressed Average Rating of 7.03. His basic stats however, show he's regressed from being one of the  best playmaking midfielders in the league to dropping out of the Top 20 in almost all J2 stats.. Also, if we look at the Central Midfield stats from across the 'Big 5' leagues, Jefinho is ranked almost at Poor for Pass Completion (81%), with his Progressive Passes per 90 mins still above the Elite category, despite a slight regression and the rest of the stats above Average with improvement only in his Open Play Key Passes. His PPp90 still being Elite amongst the top 5 leagues in the world, is wonderful to see, despite the regression, which I believe was inevitable after his fast start. He's still the best crosser on the team, with 31 successful crosses and a 32% completion rate.

 

Striker

 

Bernardinho, 22, ST

Bernardinho has played 15 out of 20 league games this season, with another five Goals and five Assists added to his total for an (slightly degraded) Average Rating of 7.49. His basic stats however, show he's changed very little with regards his level with the rest of J2. He's rated in the top 5 of all J2 players for Average Rating and Goals Scored and first in Assists and Assists per 90 and xG which is amazing for a player who cost £50k on a whim. I said this last time, but you really have to appreciate the magnitude of the circumstances. Also, if we look at the Creative Attacker stats from across the 'Big 5' leagues, Bernardinho is ranked as above Elite in all categories, bar Conversion Rate, where he's ranked midway between Average and Elite (22%) with a slight regression. With Bernardinho's stats comparable to some of the best in the world, the future is bright for us going forward. He's also one of our best crossers, landing 29 successful crosses for a 32% completion rate.

 

 

Conclusion

We've certainly improved over the last 10 games in our Crossing stats, which are what I wanted to happen. Jefinho's regression isn't particularly worrying yet, but a wise man looks at all angles and it may be he might need moving on in a season or two, I think I'll look at our defenders next and best two players so far, Bernardinho and Ryuta Hirota's stats, to see whether we need to look at a central defender purge.

[Deisler26]

Shock Departure!!

So, after 7 years, it's all over. Hiroya Kanamori has been snapped up by another J2 club. It'll be interesting for YSCC to move to a 4-4-2, considering they've played a 4-3-3 since I've known them, but I wish him the best. That meant a quick(!) search for a new Assistant Manager.

And here he is!

Takuo Fukuyama, 32, Assistant Manager I've always been a proponent of giving people a chance and this is Fukuyama's first backroom role. He'll sink or swim, but I think he'll do well for us

[Hootieleece]

Good luck with your new Assman.

Since I tend to play young managers I generally look for a more experienced one. At least he is in love with the 4-4-2!

 

 

[BillHoudini24]

The Brazilian guys are bonkers! I know you're a 4-4-2 enjoyer, but they can be the spices on a classic dish.

[Deisler26]

On 10/08/2024 at 10:51, Hootieleece said:

Good luck with your new Assman.

Since I tend to play young managers I generally look for a more experienced one. At least he is in love with the 4-4-2!

 

 

Thanks. I spent an hour looking through people who liked the 4-4-2 and had a decent personality. He was the best I could get

[Deisler26]

On 10/08/2024 at 11:31, BillHoudini24 said:

The Brazilian guys are bonkers! I know you're a 4-4-2 enjoyer, but they can be the spices on a classic dish.

I'm very eclectic in my influences, which is why my player choices trump the formation sometimes.

[Deisler26]

2029 Youth Preview

Oh well.

[Deisler26]

Another loss

We also lost one of our better coaches to J1 League side Jubilo Iwata which was a minor annoyance. So we went back into the job market and picked up not only a replacement, but another coach for the U-18's staff and a second recruitment analyst. Presenting...

Ryo Kishida, 42, Coach We signed this ex-player from Eihme FC's U-18 side, where he was coaching. He'll do well with our first team.

Junya Kurose, 35, U-18 Coach My plan was to get a first team coach, but this guy was too good to pass up for a space we still had.

Ko Jin-Woo, 34, Recruitment Analyst  We needed a decent analyst, but there were no Japanese ones available.

  

[danyates8]

Love the depth of this save, I know how time consuming making graphics can be even using AI so I must commend your efforts on this blog. 

[Deisler26]

End of August 2029 Transfer Window

We were just barely hanging about the playoff spots in J2 when the transfer window rolled around and we needed defensive reinforcements. But we also needed quality in the central defender role, so it wasn't a quick fix. 

Transfers

IN

 Yung Sang-Hun, 22, DC (£22k, Daegu FC) My thought was Jean Pedroso would be gone at the end of the season, so I thought I'd replace him with another FGN player. Only Pedroso is impressing...

 Ryohei Ichimura, 22, DRC (£600k, Shimizu S-Pulse) This guy was recommended to me by my scouts in J3. As we were floundering defensive, I rolled the dice on Ichimura.

 

 OUT

 Ryo Kawamoto, 22, DM/MC (£1.5m, FC Machida Zelvia) The chairman overruled my objections to this sale, so we lost the beating heart of our team for a song.

[Deisler26]

35 minutes ago, danyates8 said:

Love the depth of this save, I know how time consuming making graphics can be even using AI so I must commend your efforts on this blog. 

Appreciated, my friend. I enjoy doing it, so it's more enjoyable than not!

[danyates8]

7 minutes ago, Deisler26 said:

Appreciated, my friend. I enjoy doing it, so it's more enjoyable than not!

It's also my favourite part of blogging. I need to get into using PlaygroundAI a bit more so I may end up DM'ing you for some hints around prompts if that's not a problem?

[Hootieleece]

I do appreciate the graphics as well, but I will hold off a bit on using them myself for now.

[Deisler26]

31 minutes ago, danyates8 said:

It's also my favourite part of blogging. I need to get into using PlaygroundAI a bit more so I may end up DM'ing you for some hints around prompts if that's not a problem?

Not a problem, I use Canva for mine tbh

 

Edited August 13 by Deisler26

[Deisler26]

3 minutes ago, Hootieleece said:

I do appreciate the graphics as well, but I will hold off a bit on using them myself for now.

Start slow. Just create a banner first. Then a manager pic. It's how I started.

[danyates8]

25 minutes ago, Deisler26 said:

Not a problem, I use Canva for mine tbh

 

Yeah I've been using Canva heavily for my graphics and PlaygroundAI to create my managers, Canva is a lot fun

[Deisler26]

2029 - 30 Games In.

So, here we are. Inspired by Ben's meticulous look at player stats, we're going to perform a much inferior look at the season in 4 slices, at 10, 20, 30 and 38 games. Mostly we're looking at whether we're getting players in that fit our formation and whether they need replacing. It'll also guide our searches for new players from J3.

So, without much fanfare, let's dig in. We're concentrating on just the DC section, so we'll ignore all the rest of our roles.

.Centre Backs

 Hiroshi Mine, 20, DC

Hiroshi has played in 30 out of 30 league games this season, scoring two Goals over this period for an (very) Average Rating of 6.80. His basic stats however show that he is performing below average in his defensive play. His Blocks per 90 is one of the highest in J2, along with Fouls per 90 and Headers Won % being above average for the league. Comparing his stats to the 'Big 5' Leagues at Centre Back shows that most of his stats are between Poor and Average, with the exception of Clearances per 90 and Blocks per 90 which are Elite for the Big 5, meaning that his role may need to be changed to a No-Nonsense defender

Hidenori Hayashi, 22, DC

Hidenori has played 23 out of 30 league games this season, scoring three Goals and one Assist over this period for an Average Rating of 6.75. His basic stats however show that he is performing below average in his defensive play, with only his Tackle % and Pass % at league average. His Blocks per 90 is also one of the highest in J2, along with his Headers Won % being above average for the league. Comparing his stats to the 'Big 5' Leagues at Centre Back shows that most of his stats are below Poor with his Progressive Passes per 90 between Poor and Average, with the exception of Clearances per 90 being between Average to Elite and Blocks per 90 which are Elite for the Big 5, meaning that his role may need to be reduced to a Backup defender. My loyalty to a youth product is a lot, but not inexhaustable...

Yosuke Morishige, 25, DC/ST

Yosuke has played in 25 out of 30 league games this season, scoring one Goal over this period for an Average Rating of 6.69. His basic stats however show that he is performing below average in his defensive play. His Blocks per 90 is also one of the highest in J2, but nothing else sadly. Comparing his stats to the 'Big 5' Leagues at Centre Back shows that two of his stats are below Poor with his Progressive Passes per 90 and Interceptions per 90 not matching up. His Tackles per 90 is between Poor and Average with his Clearances per 90 and Blocks per 90 which are Elite for the Big 5, meaning that his role may need to be also changed to a No-Nonsense defender. Again, he (we?) suffers from my loyalty to a long-time player.

Jean Pedroso, 25, DC

Jean has played in 20 out of 30 league games this season, for an Average Rating of 6.65. His basic stats however show that he is performing below average in his defensive play. His Blocks per 90, Fouls per 90 and Interceptions Per 90 are some of the highest in J2. Comparing his stats to the 'Big 5' Leagues at Centre Back shows that two of his stats in his Progressive Passes per 90 and Tackles per 90 are between Poor and Average with his Clearances per 90 and Interceptions per 90 sitting between Average & Elite for the Big 5, with his Blocks per 90 remaining within the Elite sphere. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from him, but his stats have held up well this season.

Conclusion
My defence could play in the NFL, we're that good at blocking. Sadly, we're not much good at anything else. I think we really need to look at Anticipation and Acceleration as major factors in picking up any new centre backs from now on, as we seem to be losing out quite badly in those areas. Also, with the exception of Mine, we could stand to lose all three main centre-backs in the off-season.

 

[Deisler26]

2029 Youth Intake

Not so much an intake as a dropping (off). Let's see what 2029 has brought us...

Top 3 Prospects

Goji Suzuki, 16, DRL  I mean, he's OK? I just hope he can develop as we really need the prospect pool to become a little deeper

Shingo Iwai, 16, GK  Another keeper for the grist mill. If he makes it, great. if not, he'll be profit.

Shun Ito, 15, MLC  Not someone I would usually choose for a top prospect, but we had very little to work with this year

[Deisler26]

Injury Issue...

Well, looks like the famed North Korean diet has taken it's toll. Either that or Kim Jong-Un has been at it again...

Ah, that's a shame. 

Ah no...

Woo.

[Deisler26]

2029 Campaign

 

First Round

First Leg

(J2) Yokohama FC 1-5 Tokyo Metro Ota City (J2)

A Bernardinho hot-trick as we went 5-0 up with just 60 mins gone. Their goal came with 5 mins to go.

 

Second Leg

(J2) Tokyo Metro Ota City 3-2 Yokohama FC (J2) (Tokyo Metro win 8-3 on aggregate)

Yokohama briefly threatened with two goals, before we took control in the second half with three different goalscorers from the backups.

 

Second Round

First Leg

(J2) Tokyo Metro Ota City 3-2 Kochi FC (J3)

Again, we were staring down the barrel of a gun until 5 minutes from time, when we netted two goals in a minute to win the leg.

 

Second Leg

(J3) Kochi FC 0-2 Tokyo Metro Ota City (J2) (Tokyo Metro win 5-2 on aggregate) 

Simple, efficient win. 

 

Third Round

First Leg

(J2) Tokyo Metro Ota City 3-1 Honda FC (J3)

Despite conceding a shock early goal, we rebounded to put three past by half time to end this tie before it started.

 

Second Leg

(J3) Honda FC 1-1 Tokyo Metro Ota City (J2) (Tokyo Metro win 4-2 on aggregate) 

It took at 91st minute goal from Yosuke Morishige to make the game safe after Honda took the lead

 

Quarter Final

First Leg

(J2) Tokyo Metro Ota City 1-1 Kawasaki Frontale (J1) 

We were pegged back deep into second half injury time by our landlords

 

Second Leg

(J1) Kawasaki Frontale 2-3 Tokyo Metro Ota City (J2) (Tokyo Metro win 4-3 on aggregate) 

2-2 by half time, but a late own goal from a Bernardinho cross gave us the win

 

Semi Final

First Leg

(J2) Tokyo Metro Ota City 2-1 Yokohama F. Marinos (J1) 

Real 2 Good/2 Bad game this one, despite going two goals up early in the first half and looking comfortable, we lost our starting goalie and best striker to injury and conceded a late goal all within the last 5 mins...

 

Second Leg

(J1) Yokohama F. Marinos 2-0 Tokyo Metro Ota City (J2) (Yokohama F. win 3-2 on aggregate) 

With our two starting keepers injured and our main source of goals injured, we slumped to a disappointing defeat and exited at the Semi Finals again

 

Second Round

(J1) Kyoto Sanga FC 2-0Tokyo Metro Ota City (J2) a.e.t

Up against J1 opposition and we frustrated them for 105 mins, before the dam finally burst and we conceded two to send us out

Edited August 13 by Deisler26

[Hootieleece]

You seem to do well in the cups unlike me, but then again, I play my backups in the cups if possible.

[Deisler26]

2029 Season Review

 

Our third season in the J2 was not the success the board had hoped for. We ended up finishing 6th out of 20. making it into the playoffs by virtue of a last day 3-1 win. However, we lost in the J2 Promotion Playoffs, again and once again to Oita Trinita. But we were really inconsistent once again with a really sharp attack and a really poor defence. Top scorer was Bernardinho, who found the back of the net, 23 times. He also topped our assist charts with 15, he's really the complete package already. It can't be too long before he moves on to Europe. 

Offseason business will be trimming this bloated squad and making some money, as we finished £500k in debt this season. We have a ton of players I've bought who, quite frankly, are not up to it. We also need to work on our formation as we're conceding too many goals in too many high pressure situations. The recent move to a more stats-based transfer outlook and player evaluation has given me some hope that we can do better next season. 

Akuma and Hideo, two old friends who had shared countless evenings in the Sercow and Hornet pub, sat in their usual spot, nursing their drinks as they reflected on another frustrating season for their beloved soccer team. The pub, with its timeworn wooden tables and dimly lit atmosphere, had become a second home for the two men, a place where they could vent their frustrations and celebrate the highs and lows of their team. "We had so much hope this year, Hideo," Akuma grumbled, his voice tinged with disappointment. "But just like last season, we stuttered through the league, never finding our rhythm. And to lose to the same team in the playoffs again, it's like a bad dream repeating itself." Hideo nodded in agreement, a deep sigh escaping his lips. "It's painful, Akuma. We thought this year would be different, that we'd finally get the promotion we've been chasing. But it feels like we're cursed when it comes to those playoffs."

Despite the heartbreak of another playoff failure, the season hadn't been without its bright spots. Both men found solace in the team's remarkable run in the J.League Cup, where they once again reached the semi-finals. "At least we showed some fight in the cup," Hideo remarked, a glimmer of pride in his eyes. "Two years in a row reaching the semis – that’s something to be proud of. The boys played with real passion, especially in those knockout games." Akuma nodded, recalling the excitement of the cup matches. "They gave it everything. If only we could bring that same spirit to the league games, we’d be in the top division by now," he mused. The cup run had offered a glimpse of what the team could achieve, and it gave Akuma and Hideo hope that better days might still lie ahead.

Adding to their cautious optimism was the outstanding performance of Bernardinho, the team's star striker. His ability to both score and assist in double figures had been a revelation, providing a much-needed spark in an otherwise inconsistent campaign. "Bernardinho was a joy to watch this season," Akuma said, a rare smile crossing his face. "His vision, his creativity – we wouldn’t have made it as far as we did without him." Hideo agreed, raising his glass in acknowledgment. "Double figures in goals and assists, that’s no small feat. If we can build the team around him, maybe next season will finally be our year." Despite the setbacks, the promise shown by Bernardinho and the team's cup exploits gave the old friends something to cling to, a glimmer of hope that the elusive promotion might still be within reach. They clinked their glasses, toasting to the belief that one day, their team would finally break the cycle and achieve the success they so desperately craved.

[Deisler26]

45 minutes ago, Hootieleece said:

You seem to do well in the cups unlike me, but then again, I play my backups in the cups if possible.

I've been lucky for a number of ties. If I hadn't got the injuries, I would have made the Final, I think

[Deisler26]

2029 Season

Goalkeepers.

Kriang Kral Nisangram is the outstanding player this season and he'll be the No.1 for ages now. 

Defenders.

Once again, as we've seen all season. Hard working, but not talented. 

Midfielders.

Terrible passing accuracy, but Daisuke Higachi is surprisingly our most creative and crossing winger, despite just a few games for us this season.

Attackers.

Imei is leading the forwards in the air, but Bernardinho tops all the rest of the charts.

We also got an award this season

[Deisler26]

2029 Season Review

We roared back from last season's disappontment as we ended up finishing 1st in the Prince League Group 2. Winning by just a point, we scored a WHOPPING 118 goals! 16 more than last season. Our defence also tightened up, meaning our goal difference was double the next best one. All in all, our new staff have proved that it was worth upgrading them. We've even got room for a Performance Analyst in our U-18 ranks

Our seasonal stats were perfect as well

Look at all the green in the top 5. An amazing season. And such an amazing season, deserves a top 5.

1. Tomoya Takehashi, 18, ST (P53, 51G, 10A)  He's scored over 100 goals in two seasons in the U-18s, I simply have to find him a J3 loan for next season.

2. Yusei Yamashita, 18, MR (P51, 17G, 26A)  A great season, but he'll never make it here. Will be pure profit however.

3. Go Kumagai, 18, MRL/AMRLC (P63, 12G, 19A)  A second season on the U-18's Top 5, means he needs a loan to possibly unlock the last bit of potential he has

4.  Takao Sato, 16, ST (P63, 41G, 14A)  A come-from-nowhere season for the 16 year old. I'll be keeping an eye on him for the next few years.

5. Sho Nishimura, 18, ST (P35, 14G, 5A)  A broken leg put paid to much of his season, but when he was playing, he was playing at a high standard. Not enough for a first team role however.

[Deisler26]

2030 Edition.

It seems that we've been afforded a few more coaching places this season, so we've dived into the job market to find some new employees! 

Say hello to:

 Ryo Handa, 56, First Team Coach  He's a good choice to bolster our training presence and spread the workload round a bit more.

Yohei Yamamoto, 33, Performance Analyst  Bolsters our analysis rating now so that we can look at the stats in even further detail.

Cheng Kun, 44, First Team Physiotherapist  Same thinking as before, it bolsters our current physio corps with some decent experience.

Lee Yong-Hee, 45, Loan Manager  We were allowed a Loan Manager for the first time and I was hoping that he could take some of the weight of me by sending players out.