tom_numbers Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 So, here's the situation. I've gradually guided little ol' Middlesbrough back to the Premier League, and have taken safe mid-table finishes since. Last season was my best to date, and I came in 10th place. This season, I was told the minimum expectations of me were to finish in the top 10. We started poorly, and when I was in 12th or 13th place in November, I was constantly being reminded that I was underachieving, and I even had a few players come to me to discuss their concerns. Thankfully, I avoided any mutiny, and we've picked up the pace since then. It's now the start of April, and I'm sat in 6th place in the Premier League. I could conceivably win all of my remaining 6 matches in what is shaping up to be an incredibly tight finish. The top three are miles away, but from 4th down, we have: Pts Team 60 Man City 59 Aston Villa 57 Middlesbrough 56 Chelsea 54 Birmingham and then a drop down to the midfield pack. It is perfectly reasonable to suspect that I could sneak that 4th place finish, and the Champions League qualifying spot, but I'm not sure I could do it again next year. Man City will undoubtedly spend big to make 4th place their own, while I suspect teams like Chelsea and Tottenham have underachieved this year with the squads they have. I don't want to redevelop my squad to be able to repeat this feat, as I'm gradually building a team of talented English youngsters, but I feel that if I get 4th, the board will expect it again next year. Has anyone seen the board thank them for a lucky season, and only expect midtable again the season after? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eles Gergo Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Yes I've seen my board demand the same although I achieved much more. I would go for the 4th spot just think about the Champions League money. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGulls Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 Watch for the dreaded relegation battle next season after such a good one this year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_aLex Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 think about the money/rep boost etc! you think Harry Redknapp last year thought, 'lets throw these last few games so we dont qualify for the CL as city will just spend more and we wont make it the following season'???? noooooo! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shonte Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I've won the premier league 2 season running with Bradford and the board still only ask for euro qualification. It goes on team stature rather than past results so you'll be fine. The cash you'll get from the CL will be awesome too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_numbers Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 I don't need any higher rep though! Unless it draws a lot more fans in, I'm losing money spending £500k/week on wages. If players see me as a big club, they're going to want more money - I already think I'll have to break my £43k/week wage cap to accomodate the striker who's got me to here. Gulls - thats a serious worry. I won one of my first 7 games this season after I finished last year so strongly. We always seem to start slow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir_aLex Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 We always seem to start slow. If you start slow, try changing your pre-season a little! Maybe increase intensity of the training or arrange more challenging friendlies! But if i was you, i'd try as hard as i can to qualify. Your income/rep will greatly increase and increasing rep means more fans which means more money! You've done well with Middlesbrough so the board shouldnt be too harsh! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matty_FTM Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 After getting to third place and qualifying for the Champions League with Sunderland, the board would have been happy for me to aim for a top half finish. I opted to aim for Europe again though, since I'm pretty confident I can at least get into the Europa League, especially with the transfer budget they were offering if I aimed for that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_numbers Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 If you start slow, try changing your pre-season a little! Maybe increase intensity of the training or arrange more challenging friendlies! I tried that last year. I had about 10 friendlies against teams as diverse as Crewe and Athletico Madrid, made practically no changes in terms of transfers, and still began the season losing to Fulham or someone. For those interested, the table with 3 games to go now reads Pts Team 69 Man City (4th) 66 Middlesbrough 65 Chelsea +way back. It could all have been so different, Man City just beat the side bottom of the league 2-1 with two goals in the last 5 minutes. If they'd lost! Me and Man City have two games against lower midtable sides, but most intriguingly, our second last game of the season is against each other at the Riverside. Tense does not do justice to how I feel now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalky1989 Posted February 23, 2011 Share Posted February 23, 2011 I think you'll be fine. I tend to like to holiday games and then take over my beloved Liverpool(who usually suck ass by the time I take them over!), and generally within a season of wheeling and dealing and my tactics, the title is mine. Yet rarely do they demand the title again next year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_numbers Posted February 23, 2011 Author Share Posted February 23, 2011 Hmm. I beat Man City, which was very nice. I was held to a draw by West Ham and Bolton. Had I won those games, I would have been in the Champions League. As it was, I finished 6th. Words were had. Fines were given. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 How do you accidentally qualify for the Champions League? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSCA4Ever Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Hmm.I beat Man City, which was very nice. I was held to a draw by West Ham and Bolton. Had I won those games, I would have been in the Champions League. As it was, I finished 6th. Words were had. Fines were given. How did your players react to the fine? I once had a bad reaction and swore to only fine for red cards since. Anyway better luck next season! BtW don't be afraid of the the board expectations they are very reasonable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nani17legend Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I qualified for the Europa League at reached the quarter finals when in league 1 after a ridiculous cup run and the board still expected me to be relegated from the Championship the next season, they are quite reasonable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_numbers Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 How do you accidentally qualify for the Champions League? Go on a mad run of good form without knowing how. I took 10 points against the top 4 teams, and have no idea how. How did your players react to the fine?I once had a bad reaction and swore to only fine for red cards since. Anyway better luck next season! BtW don't be afraid of the the board expectations they are very reasonable. They were cool with them. They know to expect it from me. If anyone gets below a 6, they'll get a warning, 5.8 it's a 1 week, 5.6 and it's 2 weeks. Whenever I sign someone new, they get a bit annoyed when they first get fined, but eventually they just accept it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBride Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 i once fielded weakened teams to avoid the CL spot when my team wasn't ready. I thought I could do better in the Europa league. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzlightyear Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I've won the premier league 2 season running with Bradford and the board still only ask for euro qualification. It goes on team stature rather than past results so you'll be fine. The cash you'll get from the CL will be awesome too. *Off topic* Thinking of doing a bradford game, Is it as fun as it looks? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aderow Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Tom I say keep doing what you are doing.....maybe try and grab a big name player to appease the fans and maybe give you a better shot of repeating this feat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anti Spiral Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I qualified for the group stages of the EURO Cup with Haverfordwest (Welsh Club). The money is fantastic, but we are losing each group game by 3 or more goals and it's killing our league position. Morale is at a low after these games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_numbers Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 All is going well. I think I might accidentally win the league this year 0_o Apparently, despite the old adage that you'll win nothing with kids, you can. In my entire squad, I only have 13 over 21 players. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aderow Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Hey I suggest taking over the england squad and accidentally winning the world cup. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_numbers Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 I tried that. My rep still isn't high enough, so no-one listened to me. After we got tanked 4-0 off Turkey, I did the dignified thing and resigned. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anti Spiral Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I think he meant real-life. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertodibaggio Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 You're stronger than I am. I took Boro to the Prem, through the playoffs, and after being bottom at Xmas went on a stunning run in the second half of the season to finish 12th and win the league cup. Five games into the new season and I had a decent start, Spurs come calling and off I go, I've never felt guilty in a FM game....until this career. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_numbers Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 Ahh, see you've got the elusive trophy. I've lost three cup finals now Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
aderow Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 I think he meant real-life. No I meant in his save..... but if the FA accepts his FM11 CV then I'll wish him the best of luck. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xechs Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 if you had qualified for the CL i don't think the board would have demanded anything rather than what they've done the past few years, as arsenal i was poor the first 2 seasons cos i always use that period to make the squad my own and after finish 5th first season then 4th i got my own vision of a squad and won the league 3 times in a row including a treble in the 5th season (league cup instead of fa cup though, damn city) but the board still say continental qualification and they've been saying that since day one, and every year when january comes round and they ask for a change in expectations i just keep it the same cos all it does is put pressure on the squad especially since they're offering me 95m in transfer budget but i haven't spent more than 10 mil in a season since buying mata in season two for almost 30m just to sell him 6 months later to united Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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