[FM14] Popping Around Europe

Hey what's up everyone. Some of you may remember me from some in-depth stories both here and over at FM-Base. Unfortunately time commitments and writing about baseball full time has given me no time to really get into a good FM save. But now I have some free time and I can get into a cool long-term journeyman save.

Setup

I've decided to load the following leagues. The biggest and best in Europe. I know some people like to start at a 3rd division Belarus side, but I wanted to keep my and everyone else's interest levels high. So I'm going with the biggest leagues and a 'professional' starting status.

Rules

I don't have a lot of rules, but i'd like too:

- Stay at a club for a maximum of four years

- Win a league title with Liverpool

- Topple Bayern Munich & Dortmund in Germany

- Win a European cup with a Dutch side

- Win each league title by the careers end.

My Philosophy

I have been working with a football manager philosophy for a long time. I've developed and redeveloped my fulcrum system. It's based predominantly on an Ajax philosophy with a genesis from early Barcelona sides. As a big fan of the intricacy's of football tactics I've spent a long time studying and learning about Brendan Rodgers a young manager I really respect and appreciate.

“I like to control games. I like to be responsible for our own destiny. If you are better than your opponent with the ball you have a 79 per cent chance of winning the game…for me it is quite logical. It doesn’t matter how big or small you are, if you don’t have the ball you can’t score.” (Rodgers 2012)

The Tactic

The idea is based upon a pivoted 'fulcrum' deeper player to sit and keep the game ticking over, the main idea of the formation is to keep short passes in the middle of the field. with the 3 central midfielders and defenders looking to play around 60 passes a game and the fulcrum around 100-120. The constant passing should move around the defenders and midfielders and hopefully isolate either 1 on 1 situations with the Wingers up against the fullbacks working the ball through various channels and quality of goal scoring opportunities (rather than quantity) are apropos of the Tiki-Taka school of football. To achieve the success found implementing Tiki-Taka football, not only are a particular set of players required but a template to enable the ever-flowing movement advocated by Spain, Barcelona, Ajax and Swansea:

My template for everything is organisation. With the ball you have to know the movement patterns, the rotation, the fluidity and positioning of the team. Then there’s our defensive organisation…so if it is not going well we have a default mechanism which makes us hard to beat and we can pass our way into the game again. Rest with the ball. Then we’ll build again.” (Rodgers 2012)

The Overall Philosophy

Zone 1 – ‘the sweeper goalkeeper’ – This specialised zone is expected to take charge of a much larger zone in Tiki-Taka football compared to the more direct approach. The emphasis is on the goalkeeper to play with the ball at his feet and play far more short threaded passes than usual. Characteristics in this role include: good stature, efficiency with balls in the air, bravery, agility and willingness to play on the deck without fear – the keeper is expected to act as a pressure relief for under pressure team mates.

Zone 2 - the ‘Libero’ – The players in zone 2 are (like the goalkeeper) expected to play a much larger role in ‘keep-ball’. They are too expected to act as pressure relief to a compact midfield as a way-out option. The two centre backs are expected to compliment one another: one technically brilliant and one with a powerful physical presence (see: Puyol-Pique). The more technical of the two is to act as a playmaker for changing the pace of the game – Ashley Williams made more long ball attempts than any other outfield player during 2011/12, mostly fast yet grounded balls played forward to feet. As a Libero’ you have the whole picture in front of you – you are in a position to say pim let’s go this way, pim let’s go that way.

Zone 3 – the ‘volante de salida’ – This player must be particularly good at playing his way out of trouble and yet still excellent at winning the ball back. Typical characteristics are the ability to read the game, act as an outlet for under-pressure team mates consistently and continually pass the ball within pressure:

“I get the ball, I pass, I get the ball, I pass, I get the ball, I pass.” (Xavier Hernandez 2011)

Xavi’s hypnotic approach to the game summaries the mindset for the player in this particular zone and like Leon Britton should boast a remarkably high pass completion rate – a 93.3% pass rate was widely acknowledged in January 2012.

Zone 4 – the wing backs – the players in this zone will need to be prepared to work particularly hard up and down the wing; both defensively and in more advanced positions. It is important to note that crosses will now be made from the by-line rather than from deep – within zone G (8).

Zone 5 – the box to box creative midfielders – flair, the ability to change the pace of the game within a second, the decision of when to do so and an all round technical ability are required to fulfill the roles in zone 5. Zone 5 players are expected to continually find space amongst the ‘traffic’ and complete the triangles in possession. The players should not constantly look to create the spectacular but are expected to simply knit the possession and keep the ball more often than not.

Zone 6 – the inside forwards – Messi, Alexis Sanchez, Sinclair, Dyer et al. all represent the highly creative, technically gifted and unpredictable player expected to fulfil the requirements of this zone.

Zone 7 - the linking target man – This player is expected to be technically gifted when assessing his first touch, link up play and off ball movement.

Zone G (8) – the goal scoring opportunity and assist zone – this zone is vastly important zone to understand. The quality of chances cannot be stressed enough. Liverpool has, over the past five years, been noted for creating chance after chance without scoring. The players who break into this zone should be extremely good at making the decision as to whether a goal scoring opportunity is available or to turn back and play the ball back into the organism of Tiki-Taka. Barcelona however, highlighted the danger in over relying on this concept as their play became slower and more predictable as the game went on against Chelsea in the Champions League 2011/12.

En Assemble - The formation laid out sets about moving forward as a team and defending as a unit too. The team are expected, rather poetically, to move back and forth much like turquoise waves crashing onto shore:

“You win the ball back when there are thirty meters to their goal not eighty” (Guardiola 2009)

The Six Second Rule

This is based on the principle that when a player regains or receives possession he as at that moment, or for a few seconds, is vulnerable to being dispossessed.

But, and this is crucial, if you cannot win the ball back within those 5 or 6 seconds then you must recognize as a team that you can’t run around pressing the ball for 90 minutes. It’s just not physically possible. So you retreat, regain your defensive shape, and wait for the ‘signs’ to start pressing again.

“You cannot go (press) on your own, You work on zonal pressure, so that when it is in your zone, you have the capacity to press. That ability to press immediately, within five or six seconds to get the ball, is important. But you also have to understand when you can’t and what the triggers are then to go for it again because you can’t run about like a madman.” Brendan Rodgers

So that's about it. The game and the philosophy. Hopefully a nice league 1/2 job will open up soon and my career can ensue! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

Feel free to keep up to date and interact with me on twitter: http://twitter.com/OllieC20

Well after a great job interview (seeing my philosophy I probably blew them away!) Surprisingly Swansea City -- Monk Stepped down -- offered me the job at the Premier League club.

I think it's far too early to take a PL job and I'm genuinely shocked I was offered it (was courting Oxford City). Let me know what you think.

So I decided to turn down the Swansea job, stepping into the premier league for my first job (although more common now) was not something I wanted to do. Instead i've decided to head to the seaside and take the job at Blackpool. I signed a one-year deal with the expectation of simply finishing in mid-table. The club seems to be cash strapped but it's a nice first job and with some loans and some luck we'll be into the playoffs.

We open the season at Doncaster and i'll update ten league games in!

SEA-SEA-SEASIDERS!

Good luck!

If you've only loaded down to the 4th division, how were you courting Oxford City? They're a BSS side.

A terrific start. The squad has acclimated so well to myself and my tactics. I really thought it would be a difficult first half as the year as our tactic familiarity got up to scratch. But it's a group of already technically players and they've taken to the Fulcrum style so well. I'm particularly happy with how solid we've been defensively. keeping the ball isn't about trying to replicate Barcelona in Blackpool, or having possession stats of over 70%. It's about dictating the game. We've been sensational once we get in front. The other team chases the ball and we've just picked them apart, it's been a thing of beauty.

I'm truly shocked to be second. We've displayed so much quality, and I feel there's so little of it at the top end of the table. We're definitely a step behind QPR in terms of raw quality and talent within the squad. But we do face them in the next update and it'll be a great chance to take them on one-on-one and see how we stack up against real promotion contenders.

Stephen has been incredible so far. He can be hit and miss in games and hasn't been quite as consistent as some other top performers like; Faris Haroun or Jack Robinson. But he's come up big in multiple spots. Converting from the penalty spot a couple of times and firing us to wins in close games.

In the next ten games we hope to press on. I expected to be mid-table by the half way point in the season and try and make a push from there. But if we can press on we'll have a shot at automatic promotion. We face some top teams so by game 20 we'll know where we stand.

As always feel free to keep up with the story and myself on twitter: http://twitter.com/olliec20

Good luck!

Thanks! Should be fun

If you've only loaded down to the 4th division, how were you courting Oxford City? They're a BSS side.

I was confused it was Oxford United! My apologies.

I started my career save with Blackpool too! Great start, KUTGW and I will be following this

Should've gone with Oxford, we need all the help we can get.

Good luck with your career!

A sensational month. We grew into the season with some dominating performances at Bloomfield and away from home. The three game home stretch of; Blackburn (3-0), Ipswich (2-0) and Sheff Wednesday (3-0) was some of the best football I've ever had a side play. The update culminated in a big boy 1-0 win away at Derby and a huge first vs second battle at home to QPR.

We were in the game throughout and took the lead with a Dobbie penalty, but we weren't able to deal with their better talent and it shone through as the game went on. They're clearly a more talented team but we're right there with them.

So we're top of the table and absolutely flying. QPR's win and their game in hand more than likely puts them just ahead of us, but it's still far more impressive than my pre-season expectations. We have a sixteen point lead over 7th so more than likely we should cruise to at minimum a playoff spot after we bolted out of the gate and the twelve point lead to 3rd is about as good as you could hope for at this point of the season. If we can get a bit more quality and depth in January a return to the top flight looks more than likely.

I couldn't separate these two and could even throw Hogan into the mix. Andy has been the lead striker throughout the league along with Charlie Austin. Faris has simply been the best player in the league. He's technically gifted and is really flourishing in our system where he plays the transition forward, he makes the side tick and it would be catastrophic if we lost him.

Hopefully we can add a couple of extra pieces in the transfer window and secure ourselves in the top two.

I thought you were starting at the bottom.

A difficult ending to a month that started so well. We began with a five game winning streak that kept us second in the league firing on all cylinders towards promotion. But poor home losses to Middlesbrough and Notts Forest are the reason why we remain behind QPR. All in all another terrific month in our push for promotion and ultimately it looks like we'll achieve that goal.

Another great month from Andy who continues to be the driving force behind our promotion push. He didn't seem like a great fit for the tactic, but he always gets high percentage chances and he's putting them away with excellent regularity.

Just a couple of loan signings to add some strength and depth. We also signed Barcelona 'B' player David Babunski. He's another low centre of gravity, technical player.

I thought you were starting at the bottom.

I was origionally going to take a League 2 job but the Blackpool job was too fun to turn down and hey it's my save

Amazing similarities, Faris Haroun was amazing for me and I lost the title to Q.P.R on goal difference on the final day as well. Great job at securing promotion though!

Amazing similarities, Faris Haroun was amazing for me and I lost the title to Q.P.R on goal difference on the final day as well. Great job at securing promotion though!

Thank Becks crazy similarities! I won't be running off to Old Trafford too soon though!!

Wow you're really fast FMers

Nice one mate, will follow the update

Wow you're really fast FMers

Nice one mate, will follow the update

I'm at home all day writing so I can just have it running over all day! Thanks for following

Great job during your first season!

Blackpool's squad is really short of Premier League quality at the start and it's no surprise to see a squad revamp!

I see Zidane's son there!

I was origionally going to take a League 2 job but the Blackpool job was too fun to turn down and hey it's my save

I know it's your save but you also made the thread title saying you're starting at the bottom.

Faris Haroun doesn't have the most impressive technical stats but his excellent movement off the ball and work rate made him the best player of my two seasons at Blackpool

Great thread. I've really struggled with a management 'philosophy' and this has really impacted my enjoyment of the game. I like how you've got a clear vision of how you want the game to be played and you seem to have implemented it successfully. As a Liverpool fan, perhaps I should also look to our (title winning?) manager.

I know it's your save but you also made the thread title saying you're starting at the bottom.

Well like I said I didn't want to start in Eastern Macedonia or somewhere

I've been given a transfer budget of £8m but the wage budget was so small that I had to adjust it to get us out of the red. Now the budget is just £4m. Not a happy bunny!

Great job at finishing 12th! I know how hard it is to do well in the first season back in the league Good luck at Wolfsburg!

Oliver Connolly today signed a new contract with VfL Wolfsburg that will keep him at the club for another three years and says he wants to be judged solely on championships.

Connolly who joined Wolfsburg with just eight games to go at the end of last season was courted for some big jobs including; Arsenal, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund all of whom had their coach retire or resign. But Connolly will remain with the former German champions after Die Zeit can exclusively reveal that he was overlooked for all of the positions mentioned.

Wolfsburg had hired the 35-year old Englishman to a two month contract with the hopes that they could convince him to stay long-term during his short stint. Wolfsburg Director of Football, Klaus Allofs, who is set to leave for a new challenge in June said it was ‘important’ for him to leave a long lasting legacy at the club. ‘Ollie was the best man for the job. I brought him in with the intention of convincing him to stay long-term and I’m proud to have been successful in that endeavour. It was important for me to leave a solid foundation as I move on and in Ollie I think there’s a chance for a golden age for our club and fans.’

The former Blackpool boss was announced as signing a multi-year deal on Thursday and immediately said he simply wanted to be judged on Championships. ‘Just championships’ he responded to reporters. ‘We are aiming to win the league every year. There’s Bayern and Dortmund and outside of that? A huge void. We don’t just want to be competing for that space we want to smash through it and win titles. If you aim for Europe and fail where are you? 5th or 6th. If you aim for the title and fall just short you end up in Europe. We’re coming back day one with a philosophy we whole heartedly believe in and a winning mentality. I expect us to compete from year one and to be the last team celebrating after thirty four games.’

It’s a bold prediction from the ambitious manager who’s received numerous plaudits for his play-style and all round football philosophy. A title remains a long way away but it’s a great sentiment for Die Wolfe fans to hear after laying dormant for close to eight years.

Let me know what you think of me making the save more immersive with the news items and articles etc. it's more of what I'm use to than the quick updates I was trying and I'm now really getting into the save and it's storyline but let me know what you prefer. I've also had a mod change the name (thanks!) cause I think it may have been putting some folks off and as one astute reader pointed out Blackpool isn't exactly the bottom!

Very much enjoying this in all its styles to this point.

Like it alot chap! Different and makes you stand out from the pack! Ill admit I was waiting for a troll with too much time on their hands to translate that German News article and say that had nothing to do with you signing a new contract but glad nobody did!

Keep up the good work. Usually I only read career threads of those who start at the very bottom and go on a journey etc but Ive really enjoyed yours. Very nicely set up, colourful and easy to read. Keep up the good work. Look forward to checking back in a few weeks and seeing what progress you've made. Got a sneaky feeling a German Title is heading Wolfy's way!

Some great signings in Dorin Rotariu and Fabregas! Good luck mate hope you do well