FM10 Official Southampton thread: -10 points + League One + Swiss Billions = FM fun

Fancy a challenge in FM 2010?

• Want a League One side, two promotions away from the Premiership pot of gold? (tick)
  
• Want a team with a Sugar Daddy Swiss Billionaire as owner? (tick)
  
• Want a team with a -10 points deduction to overcome? (tick)
  
• Want a team with great youngsters you can bring through? (tick)
  
• Want a team with a great youth academy and training setup? (tick)
  
• Want a team with a large fan base, modern large stadium with ability to expand? (tick)
  

Choose life, choose Southampton!

Club Information

Background

Name: Southampton

Nickname: The Saints

Founded: 1885

Home Kit: Red & white striped shirt, black shorts, red and white hooped socks

Away Kit: Dark blue shirts with yellow panal, yellow shorts and socks.

Rivals: Portsmouth

Minor Rivals: AFC Bournemouth, Reading, Eastleigh, Plymouth Argyle, Brighton and Hove Albion, Tottenham Hotspur, Derby County, Aldershot Town, Farnborough Town, Salisbury City, Basingstoke Town, Winchester City, Havant & Waterlooville

Affiliations: Eastleigh, AFC Bournemouth

Legends: Matthew Le Tissier, Lawrie McMenemy, Ted Bates, Mick Channon

Icons: Peter Shilton, Mark Wright, Nick Holmes, Gordon Strachan, Kevin Keegan, Jimmy Case, Ron Davies, Bobby Stokes, Terry Paine, Martin Chivers, Alan Ball

Favoured Personnel: Francis Benali, Jason Dodd, Dave Jones, Wayne Bridge, Gareth Bale, Chris Nicholl, Tim Flowers, James Beattie, Chris Marsden, Chris Baird, Matthew Oakley, Rod Wallace, Mick Mills, Mark Dennis, Glenn Cockerill, Kevin Moore, Andrew Surman, Michael Svensson, Antti Niemi, Theo Walcott, Alan Shearer, Marian Pahars, Claus Lundekvam, David Armstrong, Steve Williams

Disliked Staff: Harry Redknapp, Milan Mandaric, Rupert Lowe, Glenn Hoddle, Agustin Delgado, Ian Branfoot, Steve Claridge, Kenwyne Jones, Billy Davies, Eyal Berkovic, Graeme Souness, Nigel Quashie, Kevin Phillips

League: Coca Cola League One

Media Prediction: 6th

Team Captain: Kelvin Davis

Vice Captain: Chris Perry

Finances

Estimated Value: £11.75m

Loan Debt: £0

Balance: £6m

Transfer Budget: £3m

Remaining Wage Budget: £10,000 p/w

Stadium and Training

Ground: St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton

Capacity: 32,689

Expansion Capacity: 54,000

Season Ticket Holders: 11,300

Average Ticket Price: £22

Average Season Ticket Price: £315

Training ground: Staplewood

Training Facilities: Top Training Facilities

Youth Facilities: Excellent Youth Facilities + Youth Academy

Staff

Chairman: Markus Liebherr

Managing Director: Nicole Cortese

Director: David Jones

Director: Andrew Oldknow

Manager: Alan Pardew

Assistant Manager: Dean Wilkins

Coach: Wally Downes

Goalkeeper Coach: Stuart Murdoch

Fitness Coach: Nick Harvey

Youth Coach: Stewart Henderson

Youth Coach: Matthew Crocker

Youth Coach: Terry Moore

Youth Coach: David Puckett

Physio: Mo Gimpel

Physio: Andy Barr

Physio: Chris Lovegrove

Scout: Gavin Tait

Scout: Scott McLachlan

Squad Analysis - 10.0.0

Alan Pardew's Formation

                           Kelvin Davis

Graeme Murty    Radhi Jaidi         Neal Trotman      Dan Harding

                       Morgan Schneiderlin

              Dean Hammond         Jacob Mellis

Papa Waigo                                           Adam Lallana           

                        Rickie Lambert

Alan Pardew (born 18 July 1961 in Wimbledon, London) is an English football manager and former player. He was named manager of Southampton on 17 July 2009. High tempo, quick passing football is the name of the game. Utilizing the full width of the pitch with wingers and attacking full backs. The holding central midfielder is there to sit in front of the back four and break up attacks and start them for Saints. The central striker acts as a target man and has pace and skill on either flank.

Goalkeepers

Current number one keeper is Kelvin Davis with two young keepers; Polish under 21 international Bartosz Bialkowski and summer purchase from Tottenham Hotspur Tommy Forecast battling it out for the number two spot.

Youngster to watch = Andrej Pernecky

Left Backs

Summer signing Dan Harding is the current incumbent of this postion in the Southampton side.

Youngster to watch = Joseph Mills

Right Backs

Academy graduate Lloyd James has converted from his normal central midfield position to establish himself as the clubs right back. Veteran Graeme Murty joined in the summer and challenges him for the shirt.

Centre Backs

First choice are Tunisian captain Radhi Jaidi and loanee Neal Trotman. Chris Perry, Oliver Lancashire and Wayne Thomas provide cover.

Youngster to watch = Aaran Racine

Central Midfielders

French youth international Morgan Schneiderlin comfortable on the ball he like to sit in front of the defense and break out quickly. Former Colchester captain Dean Hammond covers every blade of grass to break down opposition attacks and start his own plays alongside Chelsea and England under 19 player Jacob Mellis with cover from experienced former Plymouth Argyle captain Paul Wotton.

Attacking Midfielders

Adam Lallana broke into the first team and the end of 2007/08 season and has this season made the left sided forward spot his own. A naturally gifted player he has excellent technique both in distributing the ball and running at defenders. Papa Waigo can also play in this position if needed.

There is a lot of competition for these places in the Saints team. Kayne McLaggon, Jake Thomson and Joseph Mills all very useful assets.

Youngster to watch = Jake Thomson

Strikers

Last seasons League One top scorer and £1.5m signing Rickie Lambert would be the obvious choice for the strikers role. Waiting in the wings are academy graduate Matthew Paterson, Polish international Marek Saganowski and Irish international David Connolly.

Youngster to watch = Matthew Paterson

My tips for success with Southampton

• Pardew's 433 formation a try.
  
• Due to the big money backing from a billionaire spend the money very wisely to keep in his good books.
  
• Make full use of the strong youth set up at the club
  
• Make Papa Waigo's loan permanent in the Summer
  
• Try to loan quality young players from the Premiership and upper Championship clubs in problem positions.
  
• Make a 4 year plan for a promotion push back to the Premiership.
  

Markus Liebherr - Owner

Nicole Cortese - (Managing Director) with Staplewood model

Plans for Staplewood Training ground in the New Forest

Full Plans click here - http://web3.newforest.gov.uk/images/planningimages/129047_1.pdf

Squad Analysis - 10.3.0

Reserved to edit at future point after January 2010 window.

Best XI - January 2010 squad

                         Kelvin Davis

Jon Otsemobor    Radhi Jaidi         Jose Fonte      Dan Harding

Jason Puncheon    Dean Hammond  Morgan Schneiderlin   Adam Lallana   

                 Rickie Lambert   Lee Barnard

Nice OP. Might well give them a try when I've finished as Man Utd. Also made me want to go to Southampton Uni

Cheers

I would however take more effort deciding on Universities than just this thread

You kind of contradict yourslef in the first paragrap, "Want a team with a Sugar Daddy Swiss Billionaire as owner?" and then "Want a team with little money so you have to use your management ability?"

You kind of contradict yourslef in the first paragrap, "Want a team with a Sugar Daddy Swiss Billionaire as owner?" and then "Want a team with little money so you have to use your management ability?"

Good spot! I have corrected it now

Thats because I used last years thread as a template for this years and we were poor then.

Good spot! I have corrected it now

Thats because I used last years thread as a template for this years and we were poor then.

Dont know i should be helping you! but oh well;)

nice thread matt:)

am already using saints on the demo and have won all my pre-season friendlies. played 4 games in the league and won 3 lost 1, so not a bad start:)

got pompy at home in the league cup now but wont hold my breath lol.

signed 7 players in total and loaned 2 players, here they are:

dejan stefanovic DC - free

Pele DC - free

luka senicanin am/fc - free

izet zahirovic st - free

Niel mellor st - 95k

mikele leigertwood dm/mc - 400k

kerrea gilbert dr/wbr - 650k

john bostock amc - season long loan

gael kakuta amlc - season long loan, then realised he has a ban in place till 3/01/10 so cancelled loan lol

have sold a few players also but wont bore you all with those:)

look forward to seeing other peoples saints challenge and if you know of any hidden gems worth a purchase feel free to post them

thanks marc

just beat pompy in the league cup 2nd round 3-2 at home:) come on you reds!!!!!

just beat pompey in the league cup 2nd round 3-2 at home:) come on you reds!!!!!

Corrected. And this game is already proving to be unrealistic.

Signed Sol Campbell, Michael Mifsud on frees.

Leigertwood £400k, Jay Demerit £700k, David Wright £420k.

Sold Forecast, Gillett, Pulis, Perry, trying to sell Wotton.

Was going to sign Mellor but his physical stats looked terrible. Also I only use 1 striker so I didn't want to overload with Lambert, Saganowski, Mifsud and Paterson already at the club.

If only not for the -10 deduction

Great OP Matthew, congrats.

You really made me wanna try Southampton, started a demo game last night and it will be the starting team when I have the full version (which will be a new save)!

Just played my first 2 friendlies and won them, playing your 'suggested' squad, or Pardew's formation.

I brought in Bostock (on loan), Mellor (p/ex) and David Wright from Ipswich.

Joe Martin from Blackpool should be on his way, a fantastic signing according to my scouts.

I hope to loan Barazite, Gosling or Weiss to support the attack. Stefanovic, Pelé or Campbell could join on a free (one of them).

Can't wait to get off work and start playing again :-)

Corrected. And this game is already proving to be unrealistic.

i take it you have never heard of the game football?? where anything can happen!! that is the beauty of the game.

oh and thankyou for correcting my spelling of pompey, but as you may have guessed i am a saints fan and couldn't care less about how to spell pompy!!!!!

i take it you are a portsmouth fan and are just coming on here to annoy saints fans?? well my friend i have news for you - the future is bright, the future is red and white:)

i think hes joking no need to be so hostile!

Andora - that is a brilliant effort. What tactic did you use?

After having a look through the topic I thought a Southampton game looked very interesting, so gave it a go.

I've made a few signings, got Gavin Hoyte and Febian Brandy in on loan (Brandy was sent as Utd are my parent club), signed Pele and Stefanovic on frees, bought Scott Muggleton and also Jonathan Cristaldo from Velez, who's doing amazingly so far. I'm playing him up top on his own in the "Poacher" role, and he's doing really well. I could probably do with another winger, but I'm fairly low on funds and people like Wilshere, Weiss and Barazite have gone elsewhere.

i take it you have never heard of the game football?? where anything can happen!! that is the beauty of the game.

oh and thankyou for correcting my spelling of pompey, but as you may have guessed i am a saints fan and couldn't care less about how to spell pompy!!!!!

i take it you are a portsmouth fan and are just coming on here to annoy saints fans?? well my friend i have news for you - the future is bright, the future is red and white:)

Haha, yeah im a Pompey fan! but im not trying to annoy you...just a bit of banter:)

I tried them on the demo yesterday, but I pressed the wrong button when I was quitting so it didn't get saved : /.

I'll definitely start with Southampton on the full game though .

I think Southampton will definately be a team I try on the full game now I know their situation. Should be a very entertaining save!!

Yo yo yo. Has anyone else struggled to attract players to saints? Especially loans? The only decent players that are willing to sign i have found are El Zhar (that liverpool winger, pretty pacey) and Rohan Ricketts (some english winger who is on a free, played in the MLS)

Andora - that is a brilliant effort. What tactic did you use?

4-4-2 diamond

Could be an interesting option to start a career game on, try and bring southampton up and see if i can get the liverpool job after 1 title with the Saints

fc bayern, fiorentina and sunderland making bids for kelvin davis eh? :S

fc bayern, fiorentina and sunderland making bids for kelvin davis eh? :S

Likely to be because it is a quickstart database(small) in the demo which means there are few keepers for clubs to choose from.

Yo yo yo. Has anyone else struggled to attract players to saints? Especially loans? The only decent players that are willing to sign i have found are El Zhar (that liverpool winger, pretty pacey) and Rohan Ricketts (some english winger who is on a free, played in the MLS)

I haven't really bothered with loans, but remember they are in League One.

It's possible to attract Sol Campbell and Christian Vieri to the club, so just remember not to aim TOO high.

Have a look at transfer listed players as well, a few bargains in there.

Likely to be because it is a quickstart database(small) in the demo which means there are few keepers for clubs to choose from.

yeah good point! i hadn't thought of that.

Yo yo yo. Has anyone else struggled to attract players to saints? Especially loans? The only decent players that are willing to sign i have found are El Zhar (that liverpool winger, pretty pacey) and Rohan Ricketts (some english winger who is on a free, played in the MLS)

cant say ive found it hard attracting players even with a sunday league rep i signed Sol Campbell although does that say much?

I've only really made 3 signings in my Southampton sav thus far:

As of August 08 2009:

Isaiah Osbourne - Loan - Aston Villa (3½ stars Quality player for League 1)

Christian Vieri - Free - Unattached (3 stars Big game experience up front can't hurt)

Carl Ikeme - £275,000 - Wolves (3 stars. on par with Davis but can replace him in the long run)

I also loaned in Magnus Eikrem as a back up to the AM spot

Signed Luka Senicanin (Serbian) after the Trialists match

and am awaiting a wp on Bakary Soro (3½ star DRC, "Leading Championship Star")

I sold off Jake thomson & Lee Holmes as I play a wingless 4-5-1

Linked with Arsenal as my Parent club... waiting to see who they'll send. Had to choose from Arsenal, Chelsea & Everton. I felt Arsenal had better youth players so yeah.

Hello all,

Just thought i'd add to the discussion what transfer deals i've made, so here goes:

In:

Pele free - brought him back and has formed a solid partnership with jaidi.

Mikele Leigertwood 400k - played infront of the back 4, very solid and scored a couple of belters.

Jonathan Cristaldo 850k - Bit hit and miss but have high hopes, stats wise should be a legend in the future.

Jordan Henderson loan from sunderland - Good squad and rotation player.

Lauren free - Needed a right back as thought murty and james weren't up to scratch, on a free hasn't disappointed.

Gary McSheffrey Birmingham Loam - Competition with holmes down the left, has impressed so far.

Out:

Anthony Pulis Wrexham 1.5k

Callum McNish qpr 160k

Paul Wotton Notts c 160k

Simon Gillet Sheff u 100l

And sent Lancashire and prenecky out on loan

I'm almost at the end of september and am 14th in the table pld 9 w7, d1, l1. Defeat was away to charlton which was slightly unlucky. Low point was going out of the league cup away to brighton on pens, did get revenge in johnsons paint trophy though!

Edgar Ivan Pacheco is a great pickup for an attacking player. Silviu Lung Jr. is also a great pickup in goal. I also signed Pele, Lauren, and Smolarek.

Southampton should be fun in the real game.

I may have to try the Saints when I get the new version. I use to play as Southampton in the old days when they had Matt Le Tissier, Marian Pahars, Claus Lundekvam & Egil Ostenstad

What role are people playing Lambert in? The games default settings for that formation ahs him as deep lying forward but that doesn't seem to suit him.

What role are people playing Lambert in? The games default settings for that formation ahs him as deep lying forward but that doesn't seem to suit him.

I use him as a target man with support instructions.

This thread has made me want to start with the Saints, I might give it a go.

What role are people playing Lambert in? The games default settings for that formation ahs him as deep lying forward but that doesn't seem to suit him.

I'm using him as a deep lying forward in a 4-2-2-2 (ie 4-4-2 with advanced wingers). Seems to be working pretty well so far (5 goals in 6 games).

yep...i was struggling to think of a team but this thread has made my mind up for me! going to start as Southampton when i get back from work tonight!

I thought I would make my first post in this thread since I have finished my first season. I managed to finish in 3rd despite the -10 and gained promotion through the play offs.

I highly recommend signing these two players who both put in massive performances for me throughout the season

James Rodriguez AM LC bought for 1 mil

Eman Motaeb ST bought for 350k

Here are my transfers in for the first season

Bostock (Loan)

Chester (Loan)

Rodriguez (Banfield 1 mil)

Motaeb (Al-Ahly 350k)

Camara (free)

Players Out

Lancashire (Sheff Utd 180k)

Paterson (Peterborough 900k)

Pernecky (Crawley 1k)

Forecast (Gillingham 20k)

Gillet (Shrewsbury 110k)

Molyneux (Oxford 6k)

I played a 442 and for the most part my team was

GK Davis

LB Harding

RB Murty

CB Jaidi

CB Chester

LM Mills

RM Waigo

CDM Schneiderlin/James/Hammond

CAM Rodriguez/Lallana/Bostock

ST Lambert/Saganowski

ST Motaeb/Camara

Lambert, Saganowski and Motaeb scored over 20 goals each and Camara who joined in January scored 13.

I have just played my first game in the championship with a convincing 3 nil away win at Palace. i have revamped my squad by mainly signing free transfers and selling the fringe players at the club

Players In

Montgomery (Sheff Utd free)

Simpson (Man Utd free)

Silvestre (Arsenal free)

Coquelin (Arsenal free)

Lansbury (Arsenal free)

Chester (Man Utd free)

Paolo Jorge (free)

Taarabt (Spurs free)

Grounds (Middlesborough 300k)

Players out

Murty

Perry

Thomas

Poke

Pulis All released

Hammond (Hearts 1mil)

McNish (Stoke 600k)

Gobern (Notts Forest 800k)

White (Bradford 500k)

Wotton (Crewe 28k)

I have told the board that I will achieve a mid table finish but am hoping to maybe finish top half. Anyone got any suggestions on who to add to my squad?

Cheers

Just a quick tip for anyone starting, after a few weeks do a search for transfer listed players but keep the asking price low as in 50k, their were some bizarre asking prices for some decent players. One striker was worth 1.4mil and saking price was 0 only reason i couldn't sign him was because of work permit. I bought a decent DM called Daniel Imhof for 55k from bochum.

Finished my transfers for the first season Hopefully I can get the same results as in the demo.

Finished my transfers for the first season Hopefully I can get the same results as in the demo.

Marlon King....BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Started 2010 over the weekend and managed to get about three week into the game.

Spent the first evening revamping my backroom team,

Out Went – Ass Manager, Wilkins, GK Coach, Murdoch, and Youth team Coaches Crocker and Moore.

The Ass Manager position is yet to be filled with numerous rejections so far.

Mervin Day has arrived as GK Coach, Albiston and McCloud in on the youth side.

The Scouting Network has been sorted bringing in Whitehead, McKay and Crowd favourite Glenn Cockerill, to scour the country for talent.

Signings in the first few weeks have seen,

Centre back Pele arrive on a free and a young Spanish Centre back from Barcelona arrive for 170k

Out have gone Thomas for 70k to Bristol City and Pulis for about 1k to somebody toilet.

Most of the youngsters are off on loan to get some experience.

Results have been promising thumping Hereford 6-0, GH Acdemey 5-0 (with the kids playing the second half) and Cheltenham 4-0.

That’s me so far I will update you over the next few days with what happens next.

Currently at the end of January, and doing really well, currently first in the table with 53 points.

Brought in John Bostock, James Chester on loan, and paid 190k for Emad Motaeb, who has been a killer buy, currently worth £1.6m as well.

Looking at buying Bostock and Chester, but not too sure yet.

Really impressed with my strikers, Lambert, Saganowski and Motaeb have scored 52 goals between them.

Stand outs for me have got to be

Filipe Oliveira-AMR

Antunes-DL

Daniel Imhof-DM

Charlie Bates-GK(Future prospect)

Bostock isn't rated very highly for CA but has 5 stars for PA so i am going to hopefully play him enough that he will add the club as a favourite or me as a manager

2nd in league playing asymmetrical 4-2-3-1

I have started with Southampton, currently 9th, with game in hand 43 pts, 8 pts behind 1st.

Just coming up to end of Jan.

Bought in Richie De Laet & Ryan Donaldson on loan. Just signed Angelo Balanta & Jay Emmanuel-Thomas is January.

Using 442. Rickie Lambert (21) Marek Saganowski (26) Goals. Happy with that. Saganowski has scored 4 hat-tricks.

Will update at end of season. Oh and in 5th rd FA Cup v Derby.

I wanted a challenge so thought i would try this out pre-season i brought in some good players on a free and some loanees aswell

Being a spurs fan i wanted a couple of there youth prospects and managed to get danny rose on loan for the season

my start went really well and i went 13 games unbeaten in the league but knocked out of the league cup but then the charlton job became available and i thought i would declare my interest but didn't get it but then results turned and i lost the next 4 games grrr

a change of formation and some players who hadn't been getting a game and i got a win followed by 2 losses and 3 draws so the watford job comes up so i declare my interest and next thing im sacked grrrrr

Anyone been promoted yet? What kind of money do you get for winning the league?

Really enjoying my tine with the saints atm, Lambert & Saganowski are immense, think they are just about to break the 60 goals barrier. Just been knocked out of FA Cup 6th rd v Notts Forest. 3pts behind 1st with about 9 games to go.

Anyone know how Lambert and Saganowski perform in championship? Want to keep them both but thinking of selling Saganowski in summer. Only due to his age and hopefully can get a good price for him, worrying thing though, his value was 900k at start of season, only valued at 375k now.

I was able to sign Amr Zaki on a free in December. He'll be joining me after his contract is up. I was really surprised I'd be able to snag a player of his quality like that.