Career Updates Forum Mini Updates Thread

[ToMexico!!]

End of Season 2009/10 - Dortmund - German Bundesliga

With the transfer window not yet shut I saw that Omar Toprak was available and snapped him up for 2.3m, an absolute steal. And knowing that Weidenfeller would be out for months and forgetting Enyeama would off at the ACN I loaned in Yann Sommer from Basel for 250k. For a total spend of 6m in the window and we recouped 2m back with the sale of Mohamed Zidan to Hoffenheim.

We opened the second half of the season with back to back draws but then went a amazy run winning the next four 4-1, 4-1, 4-0 and 3-1. A shock loss to Mainz away from home was smoothed over with the pummeling of Gladbach. A trio of poor results hit us hard as we fall back down to 7th from 4th. We ended the season strongly, beating Nurnberg, Hannover, Wolfsburg, Werder Bremen and Frieburg to move us up to 5th and see us pocket a massive 21m for the final position.

Looking at the squad now we have 5 class centre backs, 2 fine centre midfielders and 2 top rate strikers..its wide we look a little weak and thats the positions I will aim to strengthen. Barrios finished the season with 31 goals, he went on a 10 hour scoreless streak but Lewandowski managed to fill his boots and score 20 goals of his own during the season. Sahin managed 26 assists with left midfielder Hajnal contributed with 17.

I have screenshots if anybody wants me to load them up.

[Diagoras]

While waiting for FM11 I have started a Central European journeyman game, so as to experience playing in some leagues that I've never really looked at before. Loaded are Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Romania, Austria, Switzerland and Croatia with a small database.

2009/10: Starting out as a Austrian/Hungarian unemployed former sunday league player, I am almost immediately offered a job by Minerul Lupeni, a second division club in Romania. I take the job, and we make a promising start to the season, with 5 wins in our first 8. Then things go a bit sour, and at the winter break I still only have 5 wins with 16 played. In the New Year things improve, with some solid performances at home we finish a respectable 9th, with 45 points from 32 games.

2010/11: A much better season for Minerul Lupeni, and some key signings in midfield and upfront mean that we finish the season in 3rd (top 2 are promoted), but we were never really close to the promotion places. Worried by the small attendances and lack of cash, I decide it's time to move on, and let my contract expire. In hindsight, this might not have been such a good idea...

2011/12: I remain unemployed for a few months, and Mlada Boleslav and Austria Lustenau laugh off my declarations of interest. Eventually, I'm offered the job at Stade Nyonnais in Switzerland, with a record of 1-6-3 when I take charge. I win my first two games against Lugano and Locarno, but this is followed by seven straight defeats and it's obvious that I've got a real struggle on my hands. There's noticeably less quality in this squad than there was at Lupeni, and I will be happy if we just survive. The financial situation here is worse than at M. Lupeni, so if we stay up a huge clearout will be required in the off-season.

[Diagoras]

Stade Nyonnais finish bottom of the Swiss Challenge League and are relegated, so I resign before I'm sacked. Gutted

[Diagoras]

2012/13: I spent this season in charge of a newly promoted Croatian second division side called Novalja. They barely had any players, so I had to assemble a squad more or less from scratch. We put up a valiant effort, but finished 11th and so I managed relegated another team.

2013/14: After a while unemployed, I took over as manager of Bekescsaba in Hungary, but resigned after 26 days. Soon after I was offered the Lausanne job, so back to Switzerland it was. Hopefully I'll manage not to relegate this team...

[Watson156]

For my last game on FM 2010 I decided to see what impact money has in the MLS. So I created Donald Trump and added him as the chairman of Kansas City Wizards. I also changed the new stadium to a 54,500 seater which we will move into on 1.1.2010. I will have a balance of £50m and a transfer budget of £10m.

I think that I am going to completely gut the squad and almost start again from scratch. Definatly looking forward to bringing in my own staff and improving some players.

Watch out MLS!!!

[ToMexico!!]

Winter Break 2010/11 - Dortmund - Bundesliga

Sit top of the Bundesliga, 5 points clear of Leverkusen and a further point over Frankfurt with a record of P17 W11 D5 L1 and a +15 GD. Got knocked out of the group stages of the Europa League again. Thrashed Venstpils home and away, beat Villa at home but lost away and lost away at Partizan and only drew at home which was our shortfall.

Was given just under 10m to spend and I knew what I wanted to bring in but nothing ever goes to plan. I couldn't resist not signing Sami Khedira from Real Madrid for just 2.5m. I loaned Freddy Adu from Benfica for 825k, I then signed a utility defender of just 16 years old from Karlsruhe for 4.5m. And just as the winter window opened I signed Anatoliy Odaschuk from Dnipro for 2.8m and Fernando Gago from Madrid for free. I now have 4 very good centre backs and 4 very good centre midfielders to build around. Still looking for a couple of decent players, tried signing Dzeko when offered to me but he rejected me for Juventus and have been priced out of a move for Neymar, also tried for Lukaku, Morimoto and a few others but asking prices are too high.

Winning the league or coming close will really put Dortmund back on the map and should be able to sign some awesome players.

[ToMexico!!]

End of Season 2010/11 - Dortmund - Bundesliga

Dominated the league with just 4 losses. We ended up 10 points ahead Bayern Munich in second. £24m for winning the league is huge. Lucas Barrios ended the season with 28 goals and Lewandowski with 21 and Subotic with 16. 4 players reached double figures for assists, Sahin (17), Lewandowski (16), Hajnal (13) and Barrios (11). Many of the better performing players are being eyed up by bigger clubs but now we have champions league football I'm sure we can keep them and not make them unhappy. I signed one more player before the window closed and that was Diego Benaglio from Wolfsburg for 4.8m, he was transfer listed by request and will be first choice next season.

I definitely need to sign a new LB as Dede is leaving to join Roma on a bosman and I will spend my whole budget maybe to get the best I can. Another LM and ST would be ideal too if budgets can be stretched.

[dafuge]

Here's something you don't see often:

10-0 away win, without a striker scoring

[Diagoras]

How about this for a comeback?

[crouchaldinho]

How about this for a comeback?

Pretty awesome Diagoras.

[jackripper]

crouchie you had a blast of the demo yet?

[crouchaldinho]

crouchie you had a blast of the demo yet?

Yes, I've had a look. Still playing on FM10 though.

[iAmGory]

Decided to ditch Forest after winning he PL in 2016 and CL in 2017 (2nd in PL 2017 and beaten Semis in CL 2016). Not that there wasn't still a challenge, just decided to save a new file and holiday for a year and see what was happening.

Juve came calling, 2nd bottom from Serie A in December. Squad is just insane. Chiellini, Buffon, Diego, Rossi...couple of very good players. First season I dragged them up to 3rd place. Lost out in 1st knockout round of the CL to Barca though, and Roma (league winners) put me out in the Italian cup semi's.

Sold a few fringe players (including a Nigerian striker I got 26m for), and picked up 2 of my old Forest squad, A regen called Pacholik (Czech), Joe Hart (Buffon is ageing badly now) and Dunne (English regen striker, think Lukaku, stats are virtually identical). Also grabbed 2 young Italians to bolster an aging backline being held together by a typical 30+ international italian defence, one slotted into left back and the other is floating between CB and relieving Corluka at RB, and a young Brazilian LB who shows enough promise that he's the new Ashley Cole (seriously).

2nd Season has started well enough. Dunne is banging in the goals and Diego is taunting opposition. Playing a slow tempo, attacking 4-1-2-1-2 with low creative freedom apart from my playmaker Diego, sitting behind the strikers as a Trequartista.

pld 10, Won 6 Drawn 4. GD is around +19 with one particularly awesome 5-0 win against Inter. Got Standard, Villareal and Nottm Forest () in my CL group. 4-3 away win to Standard, 3-0 home win vs Villa, Forest is my next game. Know I built a good squad - Delfouneso, Lukaku, Rodwell, Young, Milner, Cattermole to name a few, so will be tough.

Also noticed that Roma have a few amazing players including Verrati and Ballotelli causing me a lot of trouble. Their squad definately looks better on paper than mine, though I have a stronger defence and arguably a better, if old, keeper.

[Diagoras]

It's been an interesting couple of seasons at Lausanne. I took over at the winter break at the end of 2013, and we finished the season in solid if unspectacular style, in 9th place. For the new season I bought in some excellent looking players that my scout suggested, and, well, it finished like this, which I was most certainly not expecting. That's probably one of my most successful seasons ever on FM.

Our first season in the Super League went pretty much as I expected, and we finished with a measly 26 points, an 8-2-26 record. Amazingly we didn't finish bottom (Aarau finished on 25 points), and we scraped a 2-1 aggregate victory over Kriens in the playoff to book our place in next season's top flight.

I also took my first steps into international management, taking over the Morocco Under 21s. I was disappointed there wasn't any tournament for African youth teams, so didn't stay there long. Soon after I took over as Mali boss, and am now trying to take them to the 2018 World Cup.

[iAmGory]

Drew 1-1 at home to Forest, Took the lead through Ruben De La Red (Who was languishing in my reserves when I took over and I didn't spot him!), but Chris Cohen put the equaliser in for Forest (Speaking of which I have no idea how he's still playing at that level).

Beat Lazio 3-0 in btween and in the away leg at the City Ground, De la Red got red-carded after 65mins at 0-0, but 2 goals from Giovinco (one free, one 25yard scorcher) to get the 10man away win. Qualified for next round already now - 10pts from 4games, 4 goals conceded, 10 scored.

Signed 2 more youth players, one from Napoli and one from Genoa. Squads looking good. Did lose my first leage game to Udinese who are now 1pt clear of me in the league though. 1-0 loss, pretty much dominated (19 shots to 5) but couldn't make it count.

[ToMexico!!]

2011/12 End Of Season Update - Dortmund - Bundesliga

Predicted: 5th
Finished: 1st

Transfers: Signed Krankjar (3.5m), Neymar (20m) for first team slots. Also signed 2 youth prospects for a combined 4m. I also loaned in Tripy Makonda from PSG, Yaya Sanogo from Auxerre and Samuel Inkoom from Basel. No one of real note left.

The league was a lot tighter than I would of wished for but quality prevailed and we beat Bayern by by just 2 points. We scored 6 goals in 5 games, 5 goals in 3 games this season without conceding more than 1 goal ourselves. Ending with a mammoth +66 GD, 6 goals shy of 100 league goals. In all competitions Neymar scored 36, Barrios scored 33, Subotic and Blaszczykowski got 15 each and Kranjcar scored 10. Assists were shared around with 5 players achieving double figures.

We also won the DFB Pokal Cup beating Leverkusen in the final, we however did lose to them in the Supercup at the beginning of the season. Champions League wise we reached the Quarter Final but were knocked out by Real Madrid. Tottenham went on to win the final on penalties over AC Milan.

Finances: We now have 105m in the bank thanks to Champions League revenue and winning the league and cup. Hopefully I'll get a hefty budget to bring in that much needed left and right back.

I have also turned down the chance to managed Valencia and Man Utd so far.

[Diagoras]

So close to World Cup qualification yet so far...

[Oypus]

Just want to drop in and say I just had a player win Spanish League Player of the Year, and Spanish Player of the Year. Interesting.

Edit: He also got League Player of the Year. And La Liga needs to toughen itself up in 2018. My team has just gone 33-5-0 for a grand total of 104 points, scoring 107 and allowing 17.

[Jason the Yank]

First match of the season, took my Cheonan City league side to Changwon City in the Korean N-League, and got a 1-1 draw. Were a little unlucky to be at 1-1 at halftime, and my goalkeeper was playing nervously. Told him I had faith in his ability, and he made some good saves to keep the door shut in the second half. Got our goal from a debutant striker, who picked up a second yellow in second-half injury time after a Changwon player appeared to take a dive near his own penalty area.

And then after the match the Changwon City manager criticized my team saying it should try to shoot "instead of walking the ball into the net." So I responded that I'm not his biggest fan.

[AcidBurn]

Looks like I am off to New Zealand and at Auckland City once more to start my continental dominance game once again.

[crouchaldinho]

Good luck AB!

[AcidBurn]

Cheers, going to need it as for once I plan to try and win it all doing tactics and training all myself something I do not usually do.

[crouchaldinho]

I bet you'll surprise yourself AB. I predict lots of success!

The best tip is never to overcomplicate things!

[AcidBurn]

Longshots 11 first touch 8, not too bad of a goal. Thinking of doing a goal of the season in my upcoming career thread.

Cheers Crouchy, I hope you are right so far so good playing simple 4-4-2 something I could not play at all on FM10 for some reason.

[crouchaldinho]

Very nice AB. Bet it looked better in 2D classic though!

[Diagoras]

Possibly my best result on FM to date. An amazing win in the Europa League against a team that finished 7th in La Liga last season. Lewis Codling=legend!

[Deisler26]

Restarted the demo with Real Sociedad.

[Deisler26]

My best goal on FM11 so far.

[Grecian_03]

I hate Fergie time...

[Deisler26]

Ok, forgive me, but I have to mention this


Real Sociedad 2 - 1 Real Madrid!!!

Playing a flat, counter-attacking 5-3-2, my first XI of Chus Bravo, Daniel Estrada, Daniel Ayala, Cesar Ortiz, Mikel Gonzalez, A De la Bella, Mikel Aranburu, Juan Roman Riquelme, David Rivas, Joseba Llorente and Daniel Aquino tore into them, despite missing Marko Babic at LB and Pablo Piatti at MC, with Aquino rampant.

His 25 yard rasper and skipping run down the left to set up Llorente were just two highlights in the match.

Real pulled one back in the 92nd min through Higuain, but it was too late.

My best result by far on the FM11 demo so far!

[Azeryk-]

I feel like I want to make my own thread but really can't be bothered with sorting out loads of screenshots so will just post here for the time being:

I have loaded Belgium (top 2 divs), England (to League 2), Germany (top 2 divs), Holland (top 2 divs), Italy (top 2 divs), Scotland (All), Spain (top 2 divs) and Wales. it might not be the biggest career game loaded in this forum section but I plan on playing it for some time so was conscious on running speed after 10+ seasons. The plan is to start unemployed with a Sunday league reputation and then work my way up.

[Azeryk-]

Am now the proud manager of Aberystwyth in Wales, currently 11th out of 12 in the league with 12 points from 15 games; and looking likely that they could go down, although Prestatyn occupy that spot and look like staying there. The squad is good but badly ravaged by injuries and suspensions, including having they best player out for a year and needing to use youth strikers in the first team. This should be a good place to start as they are under achieving and so improving them shouldn't be too hard as I feel we can easily finish in the top half of the table and push for 4th spot and thus a Euro Cup spot.

Signings:
Shaun Williams (MC) - Free
Rob Turner (ST) - Free
Robert McCormick (ST) - £1,000
Alun Hughes (ML) - Free

Whilst I would have loved to have brought in more players I had to watch the wage bill and as all four of this players became instant first teamers I felt the first team would be strong enough.

[Deisler26]

I got this gratifying message after my sixth win on the trot against Levante. Daniel Aquino and subs Xabi Prieto and Raul Tamudo getting the goals.



Aquino's goal being the pick of the bunch

[Azeryk-]

Well that went well.

The signings I made turned out all to be gems as we went on to win 13 of the remaining 17 league games and after squeezing through into the top half just before the split, we went on to scrape second place. New striker Rob Turner also hit 13 goals in 16 games which helped. McCormick didn't go on to become the match winner he was in FM10 but deffo made a big impact. This meant that we start next season in the 2nd Qual round of the Euro Cup and give me good hopes that we can go on to finish top of the table next season if a couple of new signings are made.

Apart from signing a new goalkeeper thus far, ex-English premier League striker Michael Ricketts has joined the club - should be good times.

[Jason the Yank]

Ha, I'm managing Aberystwyth as well.

Just escaped an upset in the Welsh Cup third round at home to lower league opposition. I was pretty confident in the buildup, and we were pretty much dominating play but went into extra time at 0-0. Then the lower-leaguers got a goal late in the first half of extra time to go up 1-0. Threw on my substitute forward at the interval, and he promptly bagged 2 goals to take us through to the next round. \o/

I think it's because he was the only one with fresh legs. Most of the rest of my team were around 50% condition.

[Jason the Yank]

That was cool.

I just lost 5-2 at Bangor in a match in which we were overrun in the second half (I guess I said something wrong at halftime. It was 1-1). My everpresent goalkeeper has "very poor" morale now, and had been at least "poor" morale for a couple of weeks.

So I called him in for a private chat and said I was going to rest him next week and he responded, "I appreciate that. I think I need it."

No problem, son. Clear your head and come back stronger .

[Azeryk-]

Nice to see someone else with the same team as me. Have a look at the players I signed in season one as all of them turned out to be useful players. How are you doing in the league?

Just beat Bristol City 2-0 in a pre-season friendly. Now to face Leeds the next day - need to get my fitness up FAST as I have a Euro qualifier soon.

[Jason the Yank]

Nice to see someone else with the same team as me. Have a look at the players I signed in season one as all of them turned out to be useful players. How are you doing in the league?

I hired on before the first season started. 14 games in, and we're 1 point clear at the top. Battling it out with TNS, Neath, and Port Talbot (IIRC our point totals go 25-24-23-22), and now have a bit of an injury crisis that's forced me to abandon my 5-3-2 sweeper/wingbacks system in favor of a flat 4-4-2 for probably the next month.

Had the bad second half against Bangor, but we're still conceding less than a goal per game. We don't score much though; a lot of our wins are of the 1-0 variety (often thanks to a Bari Morgan screamer from 30 yards out. I don't think he can hit anything else. ). Though I did sign Michael Uwezu after the season started and he's very comfortable as a deep-lying forward; has (IIRC) 6 goals in 11 games.

[Azeryk-]

Just faced Vitzyabski of Belarus in the Euro Cup 2nd Qual Round, lost 1-2 at home and then won 3-2 (aet) away meaning I go through on away goals. probably one of the most tense matches I have ever played in. Forced extra time with just 2 minutes to go and then one more goal each in extra time. Now to face Bolton Wanderers in the 3rd Qual Round........ oh well, at least it will be good money.

[Azeryk-]

A good although frustrating season, the first half of the season we were near enough unbeatable. I had no stand out match winning striker. just 4 that played well most of the time sharing the goals. The second half of the season we were dodgy - had no winning streaks and although threw away the top spot. The cups were ok - finalists in the main cup and knocked out early in the Loosemores cup - nothing to talk about there really.

Season   Country     League           Club            Position        Cups
2010/11  Wales       Premier League   Aberystwyth     2nd             None
2011/12  Wales       Premier League   Aberystwyth     1st             Cup Finalists
2012/13  Wales       Premier League   Aberystwyth

[Jason the Yank]

Woot! Beat title challengers TNS 3-2 on New Year's Day to leapfrog them for the top spot (almost blew a 3-0 HT lead though. I guess that's what I get for "Don't let your performance drop!" )

Told the lads they had a good first half but a poor second half.

They then went out and buried relegation strugglers Newtown in the next match 5-0, with one of my strikers grabbing a hat-trick in the first 13 minutes.

[Jason the Yank]

Top of the Welsh league going into the split.

5 of our final 10 matches on television.

Dealing with another injury crisis.

[Azeryk-]

I have Irish Bohemiens to beat in the Champ league Qual 2nd Rd. Got a bigger squad now so hopefully wont be affected by injuries crisis's this season.

Good luck Jason.

[Jason the Yank]

Was able to go back to my sweeper formation. Then lost my starting GK for a month (ably replaced by an 18-year-old I signed during the season). Then the lone sweeper went out for 2 yellow cards....and then suffered a fractured skull in practice. So it's back to 4-4-2 for (probably) the rest of the season. Then the guy I plugged in at ML (who's been in and out of the match squad for being crap) suffered a damaged elbow in the same game he scored the (eventual) winning goal for us.

Plus a couple of reserves and U19s are out with injuries as well.

On the bright side, I'm 2 points clear at the top (Bangor City have made a charge to get into second). TNS have fallen away a little bit (IIRC, they're 6 points back of us and in 4th now)

[Azeryk-]

I've had FIVE players injured in the two matches against Bohemians so it looks like my larger squad will be tested before the season has been begun. Won 6-2 on agg so it's not all bad. Have stuck with 4-4-2 since day one and its wokred well for me.

[Jason the Yank]

Bangor City have gone 12 games unbeaten to leapfrog me (albeit only on a goal difference that's 1 better than me)

[Jason the Yank]

Argh! Just lost my leading goal scorer for 2 months to strained knee ligaments.

Title challenge probably over.

[Jason the Yank]

YAS! 1-0 win over Airbus and Bangor City finally losing puts me back on top of the league by a single point with 5 matches to go.

COME ON!

[Azeryk-]

Good luck Jason

I have a good feeling about this season.

[Azeryk-]

and after posting that I face the worst team in the league (the one promoted into the Prem) and had 26 shots, only 5 on target (scored 2 though) with both strikers failing to score. . . .

[Azeryk-]

Well despite 2 Welsh championships, 1 Welsh Cup and getting Aberystwyth into the group stage of the Euro Cup (including winning one and drawing one whilst there) I still cannot even get a job in League two and that including England AND Scotland :-S Starting to think Wales was a bad starting point.

[anagain]

Finished my first season with Juventus Bucharest of Romania and I did so much better than I thought I would.

Season      Team                  League                   Position             Cup          Other Achievements
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2010-11     Juventus Bucharest    Romanian LigaII Gr2        6th             6th Round            None

Got second on manager of the year and my player's won goal of the year and player of the year. 4 players got picked for team of the year.

I can not but help to think it's going to be a much tougher second season. I'm going to get rid of a lot of dead wood but it'll leave me short. I think I'll be having to bring in the loanees again. The core of the side will still be here but there's a lot of interest for my squad so I could see many leaving, including my inspirational creative midfielder who i have already accepted a too-good-to-refuse offer for. Finances are bad anyway and things need trimming.

By the way, what do people think of my career thread, Anagain's Bucharest to West? Too congested and too much information? I know I'm new around here but I'm quite enjoying reporting on my save, and it's got me a lot more interested in it, but it don't seem to be getting a lot of attention. Am I putting people off with too much reporting?

[dafuge]

Don't you just love games like this?

[anagain]

We mighty Cherries have a nasty knack of conceding goals in the very last minutes!

[Falahk]

oh my.....just lost to a belgian amateur side after a 1st min goal from them, there only shot on target

gosh seams my unbeatable new tactic was not so unbeatable after all, maybe it was just one of those games...

[Jason the Yank]

Don't you just love games like this?

Deep into Fergie time.

[Jason the Yank]

Been on vacation visiting my dad for the Thanksgiving holiday, but have managed to get some FM time.

Lost my Champions League qualifier 1-3 to Goteborg. Got a very credible 0-0 draw away, but succumbed at home due to a hat-trick from their left midfielder.

Apparently we had a championship hangover, because we lost our first 4 games in the league, being outscored 12-1. But we've turned it around and have crawled back into 5th after 10 games. We're 11 points adrift of the leaders though, and 9 out of 2nd place. And the board wanted us to qualify for Europe through league position. :/

[Jason the Yank]

Would be nice if SI could program it so players can see in-season changes.

I took over Yanbian FC, who were predicted to finish 5th. My strongest centerback has just complained to me that we're underachieving and it's making him lose faith in me as a manager.

When I took over, Yanbian were bottom of the First Division with just 5 points from 10 matches. In my 13 games in charge, we're 5-2-6, and are all but mathematically safe from relegation now (we're 6 points clear with 3 to play). Yeah, we're still only 12th out of 14 teams. But the team is in a better spot than it was when I got there.

So suck it up, and play.

[Jason the Yank]

Have cleared out my four whinging foreign players ("Respect mah authoritah!" ). It's a strictly Chinese squad now (though that doesn't mean I wouldn't signed a very talented foreigner).

Have 4 pre-season matches lined up against Super League sides (yes it's about the money), and so far we're 1-1-0 against them (beating Dalian Shide in the snow)

[Blue_magic]

the csl is a hard a hard league, im sitting in 12th, media prediction 16th which is last. form has dropped and only a few points ahead of the teams in the relegation zone

[Jason the Yank]

Gone from pinging it around in pre-season friendlies against CSL teams, to looking utter pish to start the season in Division 1.

[Jason the Yank]

LOL. Lost our first 3 to start the season, now we've won 3 on the trot (including demolishing 9-man Hubei 7-1)

[rancer890]

Good news: Not going to post a end-of-season update (too tired), but Anhui have overcome all odds to win the Jia League and get promotion to the Super League. \o/

Bad news: The Super League.

Ugly news: We get $43k for winning the league. We give the players $875k (!!!!) in bonuses for winning the league. We are now $500k in debt. Oh, and all our players' salaries are going up for next season...

[Jason the Yank]

Euro 2012
England 2-0 Denmark

And if that wasn't laughable enough, England got through the semifinal on penalties.

[crouchaldinho]

Not really sure what is laughable about that final.

England are ranked 5th in the UEFA national team coefficient and are also ranked as the 4th best European team in the FIFA rankings. Denmark are obviously ranked lower but they have actually won the Euros before so I'm not sure why them getting to the final would be laughable either. Both are pretty big footballing nations in European terms so I just don't get it.

What are you suggesting here? There are 6 matches in the tournament, 3 of which are the group stages. Are you suggesting that it is laughable for England or Denmark to make it through the group stages and then manage to win two knock-out matches to get to the final?

You must have been really shocked when Greece won the tournament back in 2004 (having only qualified for the tournament proper once before)!

[Vangelis21]

Hi guys! I am well in my second season with AEK Athens and the season started well! I am still trying to recuperate from a disastrous last season though... i think i might have made more than 30 transfers in the last 3 transfer windows!!

[Vangelis21]

ooooooo i totally dominated against villareal with AEK!!!! 5 clear cut chances and 2-1 final score! yes yes yes!

[Vangelis21]

where can we check how "bonded" is the team? I am making a lot of transfers so i would like to know data like that

[crouchaldinho]

Assistant Manager ---> Team Talk Feedback.

That will show your team gelling.

[Vangelis21]

thanks but i was expecting something more. for example what i see is "the team is blending well together", at what stage are they? if they weren't? what kind of info would i have? also, what determines it etc etc

[crouchaldinho]

Blending well is one of the lower ratings.

It goes something like:
- Struggling to play as a unit
- Blending well
- Good gelling
- Strong understanding
- Very strong
- Would die for each other

There may be more than that. I can't remember them all now. Each one gives a different understanding of the level of team gelling.

In terms of what determines it, basically number of new signings, how long the players have been playing together, player personalities and that kind of thing.

You'll see much more steady and consistent performances when you hit 'good' and/or 'strong' gelling. While you're down at 'blending well' your team might be a bit 'flaky' sometimes.

[Vangelis21]

excellent. although i have known that many signings harm the team i didn't know where to track the changes and that it actually changes results

[crouchaldinho]

Also, check your assistant feedback before a match. He will often tell you about players who are struggling to settle in/gel with the team.

[retrakill]

Started unemployed, offered a job by Tamworth and Warrenpoint
Chose Tamworth, mass clear-out of players and brought in tons of free transfers:
Currently six games into season, W2 D2 L2, very average. However, my expectation is to avoid relegation and this should be achievable.
Plan to stay with Tamworth until league worthy and then move onwards as reputation allows. Very average save-file, but nicer than in previous versions where I have constantly made new files to mess around with. Fancy a crack at a real legacy file here

[Vangelis21]

"attained a good level of understanding" <-- that is my team's bonding right now, so i guess i am doing better!

[crouchaldinho]

Yes, definitely. I tend to notice a bit of difference when I get to that level.

[Vangelis21]

we'll see , i get to play porto in the first knock-out stage for the europa league, so i will have answers then! by the way, i have left the "team blending" on for many many weeks in the match preparation. anyone else prefer that choice?

[Vangelis21]

I just started a new save with Dover form Blue square Bet South. I will be playing that along with my AEK's save. Anyone else playing the lowest (official) English league?

[Jason the Yank]

Drawn my first 4 matches of the new season.

EDIT: 6 matches now.

[Jason the Yank]

Not really sure what is laughable about that final.

England are ranked 5th in the UEFA national team coefficient and are also ranked as the 4th best European team in the FIFA rankings. Denmark are obviously ranked lower but they have actually won the Euros before so I'm not sure why them getting to the final would be laughable either. Both are pretty big footballing nations in European terms so I just don't get it.

What are you suggesting here? There are 6 matches in the tournament, 3 of which are the group stages. Are you suggesting that it is laughable for England or Denmark to make it through the group stages and then manage to win two knock-out matches to get to the final?

You must have been really shocked when Greece won the tournament back in 2004 (having only qualified for the tournament proper once before)!

Whoa there. Bit o' sarcasm, mate.

And most people were shocked when Greece won.

[Jason the Yank]

Finally broke through with a dominating second-half performance and a tactical tweak.

We are now 1-6-0.

EDIT: That's more like it. 3 straight wins now to put us 3-6-0.

EDIT2: And our 5th consecutive win puts us top of the table. In that run, we've won 4-0, 1-0, 3-2 (came from behind twice), 3-1, and 5-1.

IT'S JUST LIKE WATCHING BRAZIL!!!!

[Azeryk-]

My career game to date:

Season   Country     League              Club            Position        Cups
2010/11  England     Blue Square South   Woking          14th
2011/12  England     Blue Square South   Woking          1st
2012/13  England     Blue Square Premier Woking          1st
2013/14  England     League Two          Woking          15th
2014/15  England     League Two          Bury            13th
2015/16  England     League Two          Bury            1st
2016/17  England     League One          Bury            6th             Playoff Winners
2017/18  England     Championship        Bury

Team        Pld  W  D  L  GS  GA
Woking      187  91 42 54 276 216
Bury        Ongoing

Cook Is     0    0  0  0  0   0
DR Congo    19   13 2  4  43  20
New Zealand Ongoing


Woking
2011/12 - Blue Square South Winner
2011/12 - Blue Square South Manager of the Year Runner-Up
2011/12 - Blue Sqaure South Manager of the Month (x1) 
2012/13 - Blue Square Premier Winner
2012/13 - Blue Sqaure Premier Manager of the Year

Bury
2015/16 - League Two Winners
2015/16 - League Two Manager of the Year 3rd Place
2015/16 - League Two Manager of the Month (x3)
2016/17 - League One Playoff Winners
2016/17 - League One Manager of the Year Runner-Up
2016/17 - League One Manager of the Month (x2)

[Jason the Yank]

3 matches left in the season and we're one of five teams separated by a single point at the top of the league.

Going to be a mad scramble to the end.

EDIT: Won at Nanchang to go a point clear at the top. League table with 2 matches left goes 49-48-47-46-46-45. It's me and the second-placed team coming up in our final home match of the season.

[Jason the Yank]

YAS!

Beat the second-place side. We're 2 points clear at the top and 3 clear for promotion heading into our final match against a mid-table side.

[Jason the Yank]

YAAAAAAAAAAAS!

Champions.

[Oypus]

Spurs, first season. At Blackburn. Defoe sent off in the 10th minute for a horrific challenge on some poor guy's ankles.

Bassong and newly signed Lukaku each go on to score a brace, final score 4-0.

[Jason the Yank]

Holy crap.

FA Cup 2nd round, at home against Jia League side Nanjing. I decide to keep working with the 4-2-3-1.

Bad idea.

We're down 2-0 at halftime, so I ask the lads where's the passion, and switch to my 4-4-2 diamond.

We get goals in the 70th and 82nd minute to send it to extra time.

No scoring in the first half of extra time.

We finally go ahead in the 107th minute, and I pull back into a defensive shell.....and Nanjing equalize 3 minutes later.

So back to pushing men forward looking for the winner (because my players were gassed and I decided I'd rather take my chances in normal play than penalties). And in the 118th minute, my captain (who's at about 45% fitness now) delivers one of the weakest free kicks you'll ever see, that somehow sneaks past the opposing goalkeeper.

That holds up and we escape with a 4-3 win. And we're all just about dead going into the Super League opener in 3 days.

[Jason the Yank]

YAS.

Playing away at the league leaders on television. They're 1-6 favorites, we're 10-1.

And we won 2-1. Nice little earner for somebody.

[Jason the Yank]

Got a bit nerve-wracking with a woeful 1-1-5 stretch coming out of the break for the Asian Cup (including an abject 0-4 home defeat to league leaders Shenhua that caused morale to plummet), but a draw at Henan coupled with Chongqing being routed at Shandong means we've secured Super League survival with 3 matches to spare. \o/

[DSYoungEsq]

Just had the draw for the UCL for Prestatyn (going in this time at the Second Qualifying Phase). Got drawn against Grasshopper: same team we faced two years ago this stage!

[flamedude]

I'm still on an AC Milan save, 10.3.

Currently April Fools Day. Currently 7 points ahead of the chasing pack lead by Napoli, if I slip up 6 teams will by in the running for top spot.

Just about to start the ECL 1/4 final. The draws been extremely kind to me granting me Monaco, now Fiorentina. Lucky to avoid Chelsea, Inter, Real Madrid, Barcelona and a Extremely good Althletico side.

[flamedude]

2 mins: Frey hoofs the ball straight through to Jovetic who beats Abbiati with ease. 1-0 Eff my high ligh! :@

[flamedude]

FT: 1-1

Dzeko headed home a peach of a Kolorov cross for his 20th goal of the season on the 28th minute.

Really wished we didn't concede that stupid goal, makes the tie a little too in the balance for me. Still, all the play for at the return leg.

[Jason the Yank]

Grrrrr. My scouts have found a real gem of a Ghanian striker playing in Thailand.

He's rated at $14,000. I offer $14,000 + $20K if he scores 10 goals + 20% of profit.

The club comes back demanding $111,000.

You're having a laugh.

[Deisler26]

Ever get that sinking feeling?

2-1 up against FC Cartagena after 70 mins and on course for only our fourth win this season, we get a penalty... Up steps Guillermo Franco and fires it straight at the keeper.

Cue sinking feeling.

Ten minutes later, my young 16 year old left back gets his second yellow and from the resulting free kick, Cartagena equalise and I lose a lead AGAIN!

[Jason the Yank]

Right, worked out a deal for the Ghanian forward.

$50,000 up front (allows his club to clear a profit immediately)
$2,000 per game up to 20 games
$20,000 for scoring 20 goals.
20% of profit on future sale.

[Deisler26]

I may....MAY have a tiny chink of hope... We're now unbeaten in two. And didn't concede a goal in open play this time. And came back from 2-0 down. And had 14 shots.

EDIT: We've now only lost twice in 5. And had a 5-1 win to go with it... *hyperventilates*

[Oypus]

Hmm...all hell seems to have broken loose in my save.

The one and only Sir Alex Ferguson is about to be sacked, Wenger just quit to go manage at Valencia, and City are top of the table. This was probably started when my team (Spurs) won the CL in the first season, which it should be obvious we had no business doing.

[Jason the Yank]

So I didn't get the St. Pauli job, but I guess it was a good thing.

After putting in my CV there, and repeated listens to "Hells Bells," I decided not to play scared anymore. We're playing a swashbuckling style now, and we've won 7 of our last 9 (got thumped by table-toppers Beijing, -- but they're 13 points clear with 8 matches left, so they've been ripping through everybody -- and were unlucky to blow a halftime lead at Shandong) to rise from 13th to 9th, and 17 points clear of the drop. Have already exceeded last season's win total, and are 2 points shy of equaling last season's points total.

[flamedude]

2012/2013 Season Over...

Done the Serie A and ECL Double, won with a 9 point gap and a cheeky 1-0 win over Real Madrid in the final.

Eden Dzeko is now a club legend in 4 seasons. Gattuso's only a favourite personnel.

New season so far brought in Andrea Consignli as the new number 1, Hamit Altintop as a utility player and ballack for tutoring. Abbiati and Helton both went Valencia for free and flamini went Blackburn.