FM2009: Official FC Bayern Thread

FC Bayern is a German football club playing in the Bundesliga. Bayern was actually my favorite club to play as in 08 and was very shocked that there is no thread for them yet. They have some very good players, especially for the German division. Lahm and Podolski became my favorite players in the game, but sadly Podolski has been downgraded a lot this year due to poor performance in league. Lahm is still great and is still well rounded as an attacker and defender. Other stand outs are Klose, Toni, Ribery, and all of the incredible center backs.

Location

Munich is located on the River Isar north of the Bavarian Alps. Munich is the third largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Hamburg. There are approximately 1.35 million inhabitants within Munich.

Stadium

The Allianz Arena is a football stadium in the north of Munich, Germany. The two professional Munich football clubs FC Bayern München and TSV 1860 München have played their home games at Allianz Arena since the start of the 2005/06 season. Both clubs had previously played their home games at the Munich Olympic Stadium; FC Bayern München since 1972 and TSV 1860 München since the 1990s.

Foundation

FC Bayern Munich was founded by members of a Munich gymnastics club (MTV 1879). When a congregation of members of MTV 1879 decided on February 27, 1900 that the footballers of the club would not be allowed to join the German Football Association (DFB), eleven members of the football division left the congregation and on the same evening founded FC Bayern Munich. Within a few months FC Bayern Munich achieved high-scoring victories against all local rivals and reached the semifinals of the 1900–01 South German championship.

Recent History

Former Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld returned to Munich in January 2007, but Bayern finished the 2006–07 season fourth, thus failing to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in more than a decade. Additional losses in the DFB Cup and the League Cup left the club with no honours for the season. For the 2007–08 season, Bayern Munich made drastic squad changes to help retool and rebuild. They signed a total of eight new players and sold, released or loaned out nine of their existing players. Luca Toni from ACF Fiorentina, Miroslav Klose from Werder Bremen and record signing Franck Ribery from Olympique Marseille headlined the signings. The new additions paid off, as the Reds went on to win the 2008 DFB-Pokal and the Bundesliga, being on top of the standings on every single week of play.

On January 11, 2008 it was announced that Jürgen Klinsmann would succeed Ottmar Hitzfeld as Manager on July 1, 2008. He signed a two year contract.

First Team Squad

Keepers

Michael Rensing

Hans-Jorg Butt

Center Backs

Lucio

Daniel Van Buyten

Martin Demichelis

Breno

Fullbacks

Phillipp Lahm

Christian Lell

Willy Sagnol

Massimo Oddo

Center Mids

Tim Borowski

Mark van Bommel

Toni Kroos

Jose Sosa

Andreas Ottl

Wingers(all rather versatile)

Bastian Schweinsteiger

Franck Ribery

Hamit Altintop

Ze Roberto

Attackers

Luca Toni

Miroslav Klose

Lukas Podolski

Star Players

Luca Toni

Demichelis

Lucio

Lahm

Klose

Ribery

Van Bommel

Aside from Ribery and Lahm, all of them are getting a bit old. They are all great players, but will fetch a lot of cash if you want to sell them.

Promising Youngsters

Toni Kroos

Mehmet Ekici

Mats Hummels(out on loan)

Areas to Strengthen

The team is very solid, but somewhat aging, so some youngsters would be good targets the first year. Also, right back looks like it needs some help. I like Jerome Boateng from HSV who will come for a decent price. Also, a DM would be nice, but not necessary. I like to play Kroos or Borowski next to Van Bommel, so I didn't get one. A backup could be good though. Other than that, maybe just youngsters who are capable of backing up the first team.

Well that wraps things up for now feel free to add anything you want.

reserved for now. squad advice to come shortly

Thats a fairly underrated squad. Its got great potential, and as an awesome CB quartet.

i really think demichelis should be considered a star. I bought him as Arsenal and he is class.

Well I just started, but here's my first progress report.

Transfers Out:

Demichelis 15.5m

Toni 15m

I wouldn't suggest doing what I did there. Demichelis is probably one of the best defenders in the game, but I had a bad experience with him in 08 all he ever did was complain and wanted out all the time. When a great bid came in this time around I figured I'd skip the drama. Toni is also great, but is getting old, so this is probably one of the only chances to get a load of cash for him. Plus he needed to go to make room for one of my favorite strikers.

Transfers In:

Mario Gomez 11m

Jerome Boateng 7.5m

Wijnaldum 3.5m

Nelson Rivas 1.8m

Mario Gomez has quickly become my favorite striker in the game and since he's German I figured he'd fit right in. I was right. He has 5 goals in 4 league matches including a great hat trick against his former club. He seems to work best with Podolski, which is nice so I can be assured I'm able to phase out Klose when the time has come. Boateng is a great young German right back similar to Lahm, two footed and balanced in defense and attack. Wijnaldum is just a great young back up with plenty of potential. Rivas was a cheap backup to fill the absence of Demichelis.

Match progress:

I've won my first four league matches including matches against two of the top teams in Schalke and Stuttgart. I'm rather please with everyone especially Lahm, Boateng, and Gomez who are all averaging in the mid to high 7's right now.

i really think demichelis should be considered a star. I bought him as Arsenal and he is class.

Good point, I put him in there. If you read my next post you'll see why I didn't originally. Also I have like half the team in star players now haha, but it is a great squad and Ze Roberto and Van Buyten could easily be considered for it too.

Really love playing with Bayern Munchen and the German league; tried the english, spanish and italian league but kept thinking about Bayern I'm a die-hard Man Utd fan but for some strange reason everytime i buy Football Manager i always have more fun with FC Bayern (used to have an orgasm everytime Elber scored - FM LEGEND).

Started my game couple of days ago. Sold Andreas Ottl (2.5 mil - wasn't in my 1st team plans and i needed the money for a new DM), Klose (never plays well for me and got an offer from Chelsea for £15mil that i couldn't refuse).

Players i bought: Pandev (had to unsettle him and bought him for cheap - £9mil), Diarra (a bit expensive but really wanted him (£11mil) and Martinez Fernandez (wasn't 100% sure about him but my Ass Man thought it was a good buy)

Game Updated - 2nd November 2008, i'm 2nd in the league; won 7, lost 1 and drawn 3, also 1st in the champions league group stage (highlight was beating Inter 3-0 away)

Star players;

Luca Toni - already has 11 goals to his name; very lethal up front, scores on average a goal a game.

Lell - what a right-back. Can dribble through a team. Has an avergae rating of 7.20

RIbery - just got back from injury but has already justified why i paid 7.5 mil for Fernandez (needed someone to repleace Ribery on the left). Ribery and Diarra in the middle are deadly

Formation

Rensing

Rell Demichelis Lucio Lahm

Diarra Ribery

Schweinsteiger Fernandez

Pandev

Toni

I'll be selling Podolski in Jan - he has personal problems and i'm sick of him. Will also sell Sagnol.

I need to invest more on young players - i hate the fact that the reserve team doesn't have a reserve league..

I'm now in 2014. Have won the league and cup every season and the Champions League and Club World Championship the last two seasons as well :-)

My team is now:

Adler

Heitinga Demichelis Sakho Lahm

Veloso

Kroos Barreto

Jankovic Ribery (AMR, AML)

Balotelli

Subs: Asenjo, Breno, Vukcevic, Marquinhos, Laurito + regens

Finally a bayern thread. Well done mate and good luck.

hw good does Hummels get im in my 4th season with Arsenal and bought him as a backup cuz his rating luked very good and had potential

Haha, yeah I kinda forgot I made it. I was going to start over when 9.2.0 came out, but really got into some other games. With Podolski leaving in 9.3.0, I think I'll start a new one soon. So get ready for the updates.

Well I've restarted and decided to go as German as I could. I didn't sell anyone, but I bought Simon Rolfes, Mario Gomez, and Manuel Fischer. Rolfes is doing well, but got red carded. Still averaging 7.25 over 4 matches though. Gomez has 3 in 3 and he really works well with Podolski. Fischer was recommended by Coordes had the potential to be as good as Toni, so I figured I'd grab him while he was cheap.

If you're going German, I can really recommend Adler.

Was totally addicted to Bayern in FM08 also, just started first game in 09. Ribery not as good as last time though not back from injury yet and have not yet started season. Is his current in-game ability suppressed because of that? Says Kroos has potential to "far exceed" Ribery's current level of ability. I know Kroos looks very good, but is that even possible?

Thanks for transfer suggestions, do need new RB/LB. Also considering new young GK. I like Renan from Botafogo, but then I buy him for almost everyone.

Hang on... if you run the lower leagues also, the B team will play regularly right? Aww.. might have to start again.

Hang on... if you run the lower leagues also, the B team will play regularly right? Aww.. might have to start again.

You are correct, you have to load the 3 Budesliga in order to get the reserves playing regularly.

Love going Bayern, Finally became manager in the 09 game after 5 seasons with Celtic, went to Bayern and won the League, the Cup and the Euro Cup in my first season, bring on the Champions League next season, I signed a hat full of my old Celtic players just to bolster my squad and they've been a dream so far, Paul Caddis is my first choice right back and only cost me £3m complete bargain! I'm in 2015 now though so most of the team from the start have left or retired, Lucio and Toni are retiring at the end of the season, Luckily i didnt really play them much, but i'll need a new back up Target Man to replace him.

Just to put this one of top for someone. Sorry.

Great to have an official Bayern Post. What do you guys make off Rensing?? I gave him the first season and to be fair i wasn't that impessed.

Managed to sign Tim Wiese from Bremen and he has been my goalkeeper ever since and is doing a great job.

Tim Wiese is a more solid option than the fairly pathetic Rensing ah the good old days when he was one of the best and scored the winner in CL extra time

I've struggled more than I should with this load (9.0.2). The team is leading the Bundesliga, but did not perform well in Cup play. The first few months I struggled to find a set of tactics that created good chances. After testing a few, I've finally settled on SexyFootball, which is producing good results.

The other major problem I have is with budget. I can't help but leak money. I purchased only one player, Balotelli, who has scored about 15 goals in half a season. (actually, that's not true - also purchased the Mexican goalkeeper Ochoa, who has been fantastic). I've sold off most of my youth and second teams (didn't load Bundesliga 3 to get them action - oops). Still my finances are in terrible shape. The organization forced me to sell off Ribery and Demichelis in the January window of the first season - for a total of about $80m (US dollars). Ribery had been good in his short time back after injury, but not great. Demichelis had been the best player on the squad. The way I'm bleeding money, I'll be forced to sell more in the summer.

How do you folks earn enough to support such an expensive squad? I feel like I shouldn't be struggling on what should be a pretty easy team to manage.

Great to have an official Bayern Post. What do you guys make off Rensing?? I gave him the first season and to be fair i wasn't that impessed.

Managed to sign Tim Wiese from Bremen and he has been my goalkeeper ever since and is doing a great job.

I played Rensing for 2 full seasons and hen signed Asenjo on a free. They split time for the first few months, but there was an obvious better performer in Asenjo. I'm thinking of ditching Rensing in the summer transfer before the 4th season although his value has dropped off a lot.

So I'm nearing the end of my 3rd season with Bayern. I won the league the first two season, but failed to capture the cup or CL. I sold off Toni and Klose before the start of the 3rd season because they were playing like crap and lost Podolski on a free as he had "personal problems". I did sign Adriano (Inter), Jimmy Briand and Alex Texeira and they are absolutely dominating people in front of goal. Kroos is also fantasic as is Breno in the back. Also I sold Ribery in the January transfer of my second season. He didn't seem to perform and Arsenal were willing to pay $50 million. My lineup is as follows:

Asenjo

Lahm ----Breno---Lucio----Mathieu

Demichelis

Altintop----------------Schweinsteiger

Kroos

Briand--------Texeira/Adriano

Subs:

1) Rensing

2) Francisco (Brazilian Right Back Regen..PURE CLASS)

3) Vanden Borre

4) Hummels

5) Sinkiwiecz (Sp)

6) Rakitic

7) Nuri Sahin

8) Adriano/Texeira

My reserves are full of wonderkids who will have to try and brek into the first team in the coming seasons or be sold off for monster profit. Either way I win. I just wish I could get that Cup (looks promising this year) and the CL (maybe in a season or so).

I've cut the wage budget down tremendously so I'm staying out of financial trouble for the most par, but you do tend to see the cash reserves dwindle close to nothing from $120,000,000 as the season progresses. However, the sponsorship money as well as TV revenue always replenish at season's end/start.

Whats Jose Sosa and Breno like on FM09 for Bayern?

Whats Jose Sosa and Breno like on FM09 for Bayern?

I rate both players pretty highly in real life, feel they have alot off potential. However in the Game jose Sosa hasnt really performed for me however he is a good player to have as backup. Breno after a few seasons becomes really good and is a regular starter.

I rate both players pretty highly in real life, feel they have alot off potential. However in the Game jose Sosa hasnt really performed for me however he is a good player to have as backup. Breno after a few seasons becomes really good and is a regular starter.

Agreed. Breno becomes world class. Sosa is so-so and easily sold.

Whats Jose Sosa and Breno like on FM09 for Bayern?

Breno is top but Sosa is just a benchwarmer imo.

Unfortunatly in my game During the January transfer window my board allowed the selling off ribery for 30mil, would rather they not sold him tho. Now got Altintop ans Marin on the wings, both like to run t defences, Would reccomend Signing Marin any day

So I'm nearing the end of my 3rd season with Bayern. I won the league the first two season, but failed to capture the cup or CL. I sold off Toni and Klose before the start of the 3rd season because they were playing like crap and lost Podolski on a free as he had "personal problems". I did sign Adriano (Inter), Jimmy Briand and Alex Texeira and they are absolutely dominating people in front of goal. Kroos is also fantasic as is Breno in the back. Also I sold Ribery in the January transfer of my second season. He didn't seem to perform and Arsenal were willing to pay $50 million. My lineup is as follows:

Asenjo

Lahm ----Breno---Lucio----Mathieu

Demichelis

Altintop----------------Schweinsteiger

Kroos

Briand--------Texeira/Adriano

Subs:

1) Rensing

2) Francisco (Brazilian Right Back Regen..PURE CLASS)

3) Vanden Borre

4) Hummels

5) Sinkiwiecz (Sp)

6) Rakitic

7) Nuri Sahin

8) Adriano/Texeira

My reserves are full of wonderkids who will have to try and brek into the first team in the coming seasons or be sold off for monster profit. Either way I win. I just wish I could get that Cup (looks promising this year) and the CL (maybe in a season or so).

I've cut the wage budget down tremendously so I'm staying out of financial trouble for the most par, but you do tend to see the cash reserves dwindle close to nothing from $120,000,000 as the season progresses. However, the sponsorship money as well as TV revenue always replenish at season's end/start.

So as a follow up, I ended up completing the treble in the '10 - '11 season I'm pretty pleased about as I didn't think I had a shot at the Champions League, but Jimmy Briand is playing out of his mind. Also having the rock solid combo of Lucio, Breno and Asenjo is fantastic. Rensing is fully relegated to the bench. I'm also going to sign Fred from Lyon for $5 million as he is riding the pine and unhappy and I could use a 4th option just in case My youth strikers will be good, but are too young to make in impact at the moment (18 - 20). Although I have Saivet coming in from a Bosman, so maybe I could plug him in at #4...

Also Vanden Borre is starting to complain so he might have to go as I'm trying to keep squad harmony high.

I noticed that Bayern have a huge loan does this affect the finances much? Do you lose money monthly?

Think I will start as Bayern once 9.3.0 comes out, was wondering if anyone bought Ballack as he always seems to go to Bayern for around £8 million when I play as other teams.

I noticed that Bayern have a huge loan does this affect the finances much? Do you lose money monthly?

Think I will start as Bayern once 9.3.0 comes out, was wondering if anyone bought Ballack as he always seems to go to Bayern for around £8 million when I play as other teams.

The budge dwindles every month. I don't think there is one month where I made a profit until the end of the season when the TV revenue and prize money is allocated. Also at the beginning of the season you make money from sponsorships. Basically you can end up ahead about $20 million every season which over time I image begins to add up.

I'm just firing up a save with Bayern. I look forward to it.

Why do Bayern have so many average players on such huge wages? Players such as Toni (£175K per week), Klose (£150K per week) and Ze Roberto (£87K per week)?

It is no wonder they can't afford to offer top quality players & staff decent money when they are paying average players over £1m each every 5-6 weeks! Why is this the case?

Bayern went into serious financial trouble at the end of my first season. My offers were accepted for Ribery, Demichilis and Podolski. All less than 3 mil euro.

purefun

i notcied this and was talking to friends about it , i was having 1million bids accepted for anyone! but i never bought any of the players because i thought it was abit harsh really so i raised it to a more realistic fee around 15mill for someone like ribery , they always go in debt around january and just after and they will keep spending so usually go back into debt , kind of intresting really

Well hopefully next time those players will come to me.

I'm in Febuary in my 1st season with Bayern and I have just offloaded Klose to Seville for £14m (removes £150K a week off my wage bill). I can't believe that Klinsmann gave Toni who is 32 a contract worth £175K a week (which means he costs the club over £1m every 5 weeks!) and Lucio has a £61K appearance fee in his contract!

Vasquez (your assistant at the start) is on £35K a week and he is very average. You need to clear this crap off the wage bill and replace them with younger better options who don't cost a bomb!

When do people find that Bayern go in to administration?

I have just sarted a game with Bayern, and I was wandering if the players on such huges wages have ever accepted a pay cut in anoyones experience? I'd imagine if not you'll end up financially crippled by the end of the season?

i dont think they take pay cuts and they usually go in debt pretty quick

I have just sarted a game with Bayern, and I was wandering if the players on such huges wages have ever accepted a pay cut in anoyones experience? I'd imagine if not you'll end up financially crippled by the end of the season?

I took a long look at my overpaid players and ended up getting of the following:

Toni (£175K a week for a slow 32 year old is a joke!)

Klose (£150K a week for an average old player)

Lucio (A £61K a week appearance fee and £120K a week is rather high even if he is a top quality defender) - I sold him to Real Madrid for £16m and replaced him with David Luiz for half the price and he is a lot younger.

I also sacked Vasquez by mutual termination which cost me £4.5m (It would have cost me £7.5m to terminate his contract). He is on £35K a week and is very average.

I am in the 2nd season and I have not gone in to administration. I have played 12 games and I am 14 points clear at the top of the league. I have signed Marquinhos and Balotelli to replace Toni and Klose. This means I have a lot of pace up front and I also save a lot of money on wages too! The age difference is also a major bonus!

Just started a Bayern game today.

Transfers Out:

Luca Toni - £10m (His wages were ridiculous so I was happy to let him go for relatively little)

Jose Sosa - £4.5m (Couldnt see him in my team or improving where he could get in)

Transfers In:

Goran Pandev - £14m (To replace Luca Toni, hes better, younger, and much cheaper- 26k a week)

Miguel Veloso - £10m (To eventually replace Ze Roberto, I dont think he has much longer in him, again 26k a week)

Sergio Asenjo - £7.5m (As good as Rensing at age 19, can only get better)

Sofiane Feghouli - £5m (Im taking a bit of a punt but I know he is being tracked by top european clubs and is hailed as "the new Zidane")

Im quite happy with the transfers, although there was one which fell through. I tried to Part exchange Lucio for Thiago Silva (Im trying to bring in younger players and cut the wage budget a little) but neither player agreed contracts. Lucio wanted too much from AC and Thiago Silva wasnt interested in coming. AC Milan did accept the offer though, so maybe try again next year and see if the circumstances have changed.

Started brightly, have won every game but one (A 0-0 draw at Dortmund) and am top of the league, top of my Champions league group (Got drawn against Barcelona, Marseille and Spartak Moscow) and still in the German cup. As for the signings, am yet to see much from Feghouli, but Pandev has scored 8 in 7 appearances, Sergio Asenjo has kept 8 clean sheets from 9 games and only conceded 1 and Veloso has been solid in midfield averaging just over 7. Only downside is the club losing money, can only get better as I sell on some of the more overpaid players (*Cough Klose Cough*), and the fact that Podolski is leaving for Koln at the end of the season.

I'm in my third season. I won the league in the first two, and am in second place in my third season (at the beginning of April). I've had to recover from poor perfomances resulting from mismatched tactics for the third patch and from a terrible run of injuries. I've also had bad luck, as my goal differential is twice that of the first place club. I won the German Cup in year two and am in the quarterfinals in year three.

In Europe, I've comfortably made it out of the group stage in all three seasons, but struggle greatly thereafter. My team is dominated by top teams from England, Spain and Italy. I think my overall talent level is very high, but the squad may be too young. Balotelli, Bojan, Altidore, Kroos, Stanton, Breno et al. are great in league play, but seem to have poor performances in the Champions Cup.

Now Bojan and Balotelli are unhappy - I think because of the lack of success in Europe. Any suggestions?

Just started a Bayern game today.

Transfers Out:

Luca Toni - £10m (His wages were ridiculous so I was happy to let him go for relatively little)

Jose Sosa - £4.5m (Couldnt see him in my team or improving where he could get in)

Transfers In:

Goran Pandev - £14m (To replace Luca Toni, hes better, younger, and much cheaper- 26k a week)

Miguel Veloso - £10m (To eventually replace Ze Roberto, I dont think he has much longer in him, again 26k a week)

Sergio Asenjo - £7.5m (As good as Rensing at age 19, can only get better)

Sofiane Feghouli - £5m (Im taking a bit of a punt but I know he is being tracked by top european clubs and is hailed as "the new Zidane")

Im quite happy with the transfers, although there was one which fell through. I tried to Part exchange Lucio for Thiago Silva (Im trying to bring in younger players and cut the wage budget a little) but neither player agreed contracts. Lucio wanted too much from AC and Thiago Silva wasnt interested in coming. AC Milan did accept the offer though, so maybe try again next year and see if the circumstances have changed.

Started brightly, have won every game but one (A 0-0 draw at Dortmund) and am top of the league, top of my Champions league group (Got drawn against Barcelona, Marseille and Spartak Moscow) and still in the German cup. As for the signings, am yet to see much from Feghouli, but Pandev has scored 8 in 7 appearances, Sergio Asenjo has kept 8 clean sheets from 9 games and only conceded 1 and Veloso has been solid in midfield averaging just over 7. Only downside is the club losing money, can only get better as I sell on some of the more overpaid players (*Cough Klose Cough*), and the fact that Podolski is leaving for Koln at the end of the season.

Feghouli becomes great but isn't just there in the first season mate.

Sell Klose and Lucio, Bayern always go into administration in my games.

I'm in my third season. I won the league in the first two, and am in second place in my third season (at the beginning of April). I've had to recover from poor perfomances resulting from mismatched tactics for the third patch and from a terrible run of injuries. I've also had bad luck, as my goal differential is twice that of the first place club. I won the German Cup in year two and am in the quarterfinals in year three.

In Europe, I've comfortably made it out of the group stage in all three seasons, but struggle greatly thereafter. My team is dominated by top teams from England, Spain and Italy. I think my overall talent level is very high, but the squad may be too young. Balotelli, Bojan, Altidore, Kroos, Stanton, Breno et al. are great in league play, but seem to have poor performances in the Champions Cup.

Now Bojan and Balotelli are unhappy - I think because of the lack of success in Europe. Any suggestions?

Get some experience in or play a defensive tactic with counterattack ticked in CL.

Just started a new game with Bayern!

The 9.3 patch means i start with 0 transfer budget.

The Bank loan is crippling my balance and the club is leaking money with ridiculous wages, so it looks like a long-term project given the age of many of the players.

Aiming to get rid of Toni for his insane wages and the fact he'll only last a couple more seasons. Lucio is on his way, appalling concentration, decision making and all round defensive stats for a great team like Bayern. Buyton is far too slow for the Champs League, he's on his way. Nobody is willing to bid for Toni or Lucio, sold Ze Roberto on a free.

In previous saves i experienced a massive influx of German regens around 2010, so i might just wait it out and plod along until then!

What are the boards expectations swisso? Do you think you can win the Bundesliga with your current team?

Yep some ridiculous wages indeed. Have to say on every game i played Bayern went always into administration in first season. Great for picking up Ribery though.

I've managed to sell Toni for 17m and Lucio for 12m. Also you can win the league with the current team, but you really need to shave wages.

Thats a very good price for Toni considering he is over 30.

Killface, who did you replace Toni and Lucio with?

took over Bayern about a month and half agot played around 12 games, improved them from 11th to 2nd 2 points off top. I was put in only after about 3 games.

heres my team, i aint had any transfer window yet but just wondering where i would be best to strengthen and only have £11M, £15M at a push