Grumblewatcher

Incredible work yet again. Thanks for your continuous effort , it´s greatly appreciated!

When selecting your skin, this is the default background. I just like it to be plain (no background at all).

Very nice work, thank you! One small question: how do I change background?

Thanks for your dedication and hard work! Again, your databases are of big value for the community

Your posts continue to be a source of inspiration! Compliments for the depth, this makes it great to follow. Keep it up.

CHAPTER 1, EPISODE 3 Squad analysis My first focus is on building the strongest possible team based on the 57 players that are currently at the club. Therefore, I took the time for analysing all players and the overall strengths and weaknesses of our squad. From the start of preseason, 25 players will be part of the senior squad. An overview per position: GK: Rui Peta is the most all-round option in goal. Certainly in the goalkeeping attributes he is a bit better than the others. Titinho is the one up and coming: he can certainly grow to the position of first goalkeeper in the future. Rui Rosindo has been moved from the B-team to the senior squad as an experienced backup. DR/WBR: Rui Martins is physically strong, fast and defensively solid. He can also contribute offensively with a decent dribble and cross. The experienced João Veiga has been moved from the B-team to the senior squad as a backup. His physics are less than Rui Martins, but is slightly better mentally and technically. DC: The 21-year-old Frenchman Niougoussa is a complete and physically strong left central defender. He will be a vital link in our defensive line. Right next to him, the Brazilian Brenner Santos seems to be the best option. In addition, David Prata and Carlos Daniel (who is loved by the fans) are decent defenders. Youngster Rúben Santos, a left-footed talent, has been promoted from the B-team to the senior squad. DL/WBL: There are two players who can play well in this position: the Brazilian Rodrigo Neves and the 17-year-old talent António Infante. They both have both defensive and attacking qualities and do not differ much from each other. Neves is technically and physically slightly better for the time being, but Infante has stronger mental attributes and has the talent to grow further. This is going to be an interesting battle for a spot in the starting eleven. MR/AMR: There are several good options on the right wing, of which 23-year-old Luis Canina seems to be the best. He is technically skilled and has the insight and flair to create something. Pedro Seco is also a good player, who is quite all-round and more reliable defensively. The younger Edu Vieira is also a decent option, but he needs some further development. DM/MC/AMC: Defensively and physically, Diogo Conceição is the best player in the center of our midfield. He has strength, aggression and a good tackle. And he's technically decent too. From the B-team I brought in João Graça as a backup for him, because there are few other options in defensive midfield. Madiu Bari seems technically and especially mentally (insight, vision) superior. But there are more good (or at least decent) options. For example, João Malagueta, Marquinhos, Jimmy Ekua and Pedro Seco do not differ much in terms of quality. Luis Henrique can also play in the AMC position, but I see him more as a backup. With the many options available, assembling the strongest midfield might become the biggest puzzle during preseason. ML/AML: Tiago Floreano seems like the best option as a traditional left winger. He is an all-round player with a good dribble. He was transfer listed by my arrival, but he will get a new chance to prove himself. Luiz Henrique is right footed and can therefore move into the center of the field from the wing. This gives me the option to vary tactically. We already saw the young António Infante in the department of left defenders . But he is also an excellent talent as a winger. Infante has a lot of potential, but is not quite as far as the other players that are available for this position. ST: In the senior squad, there are two true strikers who are similar in type: Iaquinta (right-footed) and Jorge Raposo (left-footed). Both are strong, hard-working players who can score a goal. Iaquinta is physically very complete and an excellent header. However, he does not excel technically. Raposo is slightly better in his technique, but has less speed and is also less strong mentally than Iaquinta. They both like to play with their backs to goal and, in this way, they will become an important focal point of our attacking game. In the next update I will give a small preview of the tactics I have in mind. Suggestions and ideas are more than welcome!

Simple question, but I can't find it... how do I change the scouting recommendation display from A-, B, C to numbers (90, 80, etc)?

When starting a new game or switching to another club, I tend to spend a lot of time analyzing the squad. And then I really mean a lót of time. This can sometimes take up to ten hours or even more. So, I don't even get close to pressing 'continue' after landing at a new club... Now i wonder how others handle this. Not only the first team, but also the reserves and the youth players get my attention. I analyze player by player and then compare the options per position extensively. From there, I come to at a first draft for the tactics and game principles that suit the current squad. My starting point is therefore the available pool of players and the quality they bring. More than the implementation of a predetermined vision, tactics or focus on bringing in new players. I will look at that later, when I have a clear picture (and better feeling) of the situation at my new club. Do you, like me, spend hours puzzling and comparing the squad with notepads and spreadsheets all around you? Or do you have more of a 'let's go!' mentality and do you discover your new environment while the first ingame weeks (or months) pass by?

CHAPTER 1, EPISODE 2 About the club Futebol Clube de Serpa was founded in 1945. And since then, nothing happened. By that, I mean that this club has almost no record of playing at the national levels. Except for a few seasons, in which they played in the Terceira Divisão (at that time the 3th competition level). But those days are long, long gone. However, in the district competitions, FC Serpa recorded several titles. And so, despite its humble history, the club is regionally well-respected. With our debut in the Campeonato de Portugal that is upcoming, it’s about time to start filling the blank sheets with new and hopefully beautiful stories. FC Serpa is located in the Beja District of Portugal and plays its home games at the Complexo Desportivo Manuel Baiãno. Our surroundings Beja is the largest district in Portugal by area. But by number of inhabitants, it is one of the smallest. And that is reflected in the number of clubs that play at the national competition levels: one. Indeed, in 2021/’22 FC Serpa is the only club playing in a national competition. So, we carry a huge, if not immense local responsibility. Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit. But in my games I always have a strong eye for clubs in the region. Partly out of self-interest, because in my vision the squad always has a recognizable face. Recruiting players with roots in the local area is therefore important for me. And of course because I want to stay one step ahead of the local rivals. The biggest nearby club is Moura Atlético Clube. In recent years they have actually always played in the Campeonato. With their relegation and our promotion, the roles are now reversed. Serpa’s biggest rivalry however, is that with Piense Sporting Clube. Head-to-head matches are called the derbies da Margem Esquerda. However, that will not happen for the time being, because Piense also acts one level below us, at the highest district competition in Beja. Other but less sensitive local rivalries exists with União Serpense (the other club from Serpa) and Clube Atlético Aldenovense. Our logo beside the logos of the main local rivals - Moura, Piense, União Serpense and Aldenovense. The dragon will spit with fire! Club facilities and finances FC Serpa is a semi-professional club with a local reputation. Our stadium Complexo Desportivo Manuel Baiãno was built in 2005 and has a maximum capacity of 1.000, of which 500 is used in regular matches. Overall, the stadium is in good condition. However, as a football romantic, the artificial pitch hurts my heart. And I don't want to know how sweaty it can be above the rubber on a hot summer day… The other facilities are as you would expect from a club of this stature: not great. And at first eye, there is nothing unusual in the club finances. The overall balance is just above zero. On annual basis, we receive almost €400.000,- in sponsorship income. With a current wage budget of €9.643,- (from a total wage budget of €10.798,-), it seems to me that a solid financial foundation is in place. But we will have to watch our money carefully. A principle that applies to me regardless of club stature or playing level, by the way.

CHAPTER 1, EPISODE 1 The strongest team is not made up of the 11 best players you can find That’s what I’m truly convinced of. Of course, individual quality is an important ingredient in any successful team. But I firmly believe in what I call chemistry. This is reflected in several aspects. Such as tactics, team composition and dynamics. Therefore, I pay a lot of attention to details. And in my FM saves I’m always building connections with the clubs and players that cross my path. For me, the power of this game lies in the stories it creates Which sometimes even develop into fairy tales... But usually not, to be honest 😉 Winning every thinkable trophy is therefore not my biggest motivation in playing FM. For example, I often have at least as much fun from avoiding relegation with an underdog. And even if results are disappointing, I can truly enjoy the game. Because the best stories are the unpredictable ones, aren’t they? And the journey starts in… Serpa At O Futebol Clube de Serpa, to be more precise. They can be found on the 4th competition level of Portugal. Why this club? Just because this seems like a good start to me. And because I love LLM, of course. In many games I start at clubs that play at an even lower level. Later on, I’ll give you an further club introduction. But first, some background information about the setup of this game. Good to know: in most of my save games, I prefer to stay with a club for longer periods of time. So you won't see an annual change of clubs from my side, I expect. But who knows… football remains a funny old game, right? Database As already mentioned, I want to immerse myself in the game. A healthy dose of realism helps with that. Therefore, I gratefully make use of these fantastic files: the AroundTheGlobe Megapack from @DaveTheEditor and the Increase Realism Megapack from @Daveincid. Many thanks for your fantastic work! I’ve opted for an extensive and (hopefully) worldwide balanced database. Below you can see which countries and competitions have been loaded. Do you want to know more about the setup of the game? Just feel free to ask.