[FM16] Kafra FC - All Youth in England

[BoxToBox]

Wait, who won the cups? If the top 6 teams won the League and FA Cups, 7th gets an Europa spot.

[Adelaidean]

Who did Chelsea and Manchester United play in their respective cup finals? Since both of the cup winners finished in CL spots, if either of the runners-up finished in European spots through the league as well, the cup spots filter down to 7th and 8th.

Congrats on a successful season - a shame that no obvious stars have come through the youth intake in a couple of years, although perhaps the improving quality of your team is causing lower star ratings in your youth setup, since they are being compared with better quality players. KUTGW!

[BoxToBox]

Who did Chelsea and Manchester United play in their respective cup finals? Since both of the cup winners finished in CL spots, if either of the runners-up finished in European spots through the league as well, the cup spots filter down to 7th and 8th.

That rule has changed now, the runners up in cups don't get the European spots at all, it goes straight to the league table.

[Adelaidean]

That rule has changed now, the runners up in cups don't get the European spots at all, it goes straight to the league table.

Ah - didn't realise that. Should pay more attention . Cheers

In his update he said Manchester United won the League Cup, so if runners-up don't matter then their spot at least will have filtered down to 7th, since they won the league.

[abulezz]

Did you get a fair play draw?

Fair Play rules?

Cheers,

Bitner

Wait, who won the cups? If the top 6 teams won the League and FA Cups, 7th gets an Europa spot.

Who did Chelsea and Manchester United play in their respective cup finals? Since both of the cup winners finished in CL spots, if either of the runners-up finished in European spots through the league as well, the cup spots filter down to 7th and 8th.

Congrats on a successful season - a shame that no obvious stars have come through the youth intake in a couple of years, although perhaps the improving quality of your team is causing lower star ratings in your youth setup, since they are being compared with better quality players. KUTGW!

That rule has changed now, the runners up in cups don't get the European spots at all, it goes straight to the league table.

Ah - didn't realise that. Should pay more attention . Cheers

In his update he said Manchester United won the League Cup, so if runners-up don't matter then their spot at least will have filtered down to 7th, since they won the league.

I believe that is what happened - they moved down to the next in line in the league, which was - luckily - Kafra! And there I was beating myself over the GD with Hull, lol.

[abulezz]

Not terrible - exciting times ahead for Kafra!

[BoxToBox]

That seems a relatively reasonable group.

[noikeee]

Congratulation on the huge leap on the league table and on finally making it to Europe. Exciting times indeed!

[MichaelBrown]

Who did Chelsea and Manchester United play in their respective cup finals? Since both of the cup winners finished in CL spots, if either of the runners-up finished in European spots through the league as well, the cup spots filter down to 7th and 8th.

Congrats on a successful season - a shame that no obvious stars have come through the youth intake in a couple of years, although perhaps the improving quality of your team is causing lower star ratings in your youth setup, since they are being compared with better quality players. KUTGW! :thup:

This is the case. Players through his academy could be very good.

KUTGW Abulezz, great update as per.

[abulezz]

That seems a relatively reasonable group.

Yes, we haven't had any problems thus far with the Group. Thanks for the comment!

Congratulation on the huge leap on the league table and on finally making it to Europe. Exciting times indeed!

Thanks! Yes, it came as a shock as I thought we had missed out. Another step in the right direction!

This is the case. Players through his academy could be very good.

KUTGW Abulezz, great update as per.

Yea, I figured that is what is happening, but also there seems to be a drop in the quality, as well.

[abulezz]

Losses away to Academica and Vitesse, but still job completed. Bring on the next round!

[center[/center]

[abulezz]

First Leg of the Capital Cup Semi-Finals - we led most of the game, played better most of the game, and then lost it in the last few minutes. Still, a we have an away goal to be proud of!

[abulezz]

This is the second time we get so close to Wembley, only to fall flat at that final hurdle.

[noikeee]

Kafra deserves a cup final by now.

[BoxToBox]

Damn.

[abulezz]

Europa League 2nd Round - 1st Leg, Away to Basel.

[abulezz]

Off to the next round - a good win and performance by the boys.

[BoxToBox]

Cracking work in Europe.

[abulezz]

Kafra deserves a cup final by now.

I really, really felt we had a chance to get to the Capital One Cup Finals when we drew Cardiff, but they were the better team over two legs. It has not been a great season

Damn.

Cracking work in Europe.

Thanks - we got Chelsea up next in the Europa League!

[abulezz]

Considering how bad we were, we were lucky to come away with this result. Still, no away goal is a big negative:

[abulezz]

The end of your European adventure, in the 2nd Knockout Round to Chelsea. An absolutely dreadful first half put it out of reach, although the boys did turn it up in the second half.

[abulezz]

Medaglia got sick of waiting for the England call-up, so now he has become a Costa Rican international!

[abulezz]

Gary Isasi also got his first Cap for England.

This one was a bit shocking - Nathaniel Weston got an England cap, as well!

In addition, a few Dean Pond and Billy Bailey also earned themselves a Cap each. Quite a few England internationals on the team now!

[MichaelBrown]

I hope Hunter is never capped again because three in one is superb

[Bobby_Zamora]

Update us - we're starving

[abulezz]

Update us - we're starving

Lol - just putting the finishing touches on it, will be up in the next couple of hours.

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2047/48

KAFRA: This was a tough year, no doubt about it. There is no sugarcoating it – we took three steps backwards to one our one step forward last year. At this point last season, we had finished in 7th Place, earned a Europa League spot, and were aiming for a repeat, so in that respect, this season was a disaster. There will be no European spot next coming season, not after a 13th Place finish with a defense that absolutely collapsed and became the 17th Worst in the league. What happened? I really don’t know – we did have a big change at the GK position where I appointed Joseph our No.1, replacing our long time starter George Kelledy, but I can’t say that was it because Joseph played decent. The entire defensive line took a step back in form, but not to the extent of going from one of the better defensive teams in the league to one of the worst. I guess combined, they just did a horrible job playing together – there is no other way to explain it. I must admit, I am not too optimistic about the state of this team at the moment – our prospects have dried up and we don’t have clear cut replacements for some of our aging starters. Players like Louis Miller – who turned 30 this season – have no one to take their place, while our Youth Academy continues to give us shallow Intakes with the “star” prospects not really stars at all. We gave a solid cast of rotation players with a few standouts, but we saw the team drop 5 Place this season instead of climbing. Another big part of it could be the amount of games we played – we made the Capital One Cup Semi-Finals for the second time in our history, only to lose out again, this time to Cardiff. In the Euro Cup, we advanced to the 2nd Knockout Round, finally losing to Chelsea, who also knocked us out of the FA Cup in the 6th Round.

PREMIER LEAGUE: Manchester United defending their title successfully, but just barely, as their bitter rivals Manchester City nearly took it away from them. George Bong delivered an historic season in his first year with Man City after making a £37.5m move from Bordeaux, setting a new Premier League record with 44 Goals scored in a single season enroute to winning the Players’ Player of the Year award. The best player in the Premier League, however, was the reason Man United defended the title – 2048 World Golden Ball recipient Ricardo Fernandez registered an 8.46 AR that came so close to breaking the record set by legend Arturo Gonzalez in 2035/36, when he registered 8.48 AR in possibly the greatest individual season in Premier League history. Man City’s Greek star and legend Stelios Zikos won the Footballer of the Year for the 5th time in his career, equaling Chelsea legend Eden Hazard and a number only bested by Arturo Gonzalez’s 9 awards. Rui Ramos delivered another fantastic season, scoring 30 Goals for the defending champions and leading their impressive front-line, while their GK Brian Gray, who is also England’s No.1 with 121 Caps, won his first ever Golden Glove award. Chelsea came in 3rd Place, led by former Footballer of the Year Juan Diaz, while Arsenal finished in 4th Place, having been led by £25.5m signing and newly crowned Young Player of the Year Diego Francioni.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: For the first time in six Finals they have been involved in, Barcelona found themselves losers, with Monaco being crowned Champions of Europe of the 4th time in their storied history. The first time they won it – in 2028/29 – it was a fitting end to the career of legend Bernardo Silva. The second and third time came in 2034/35 and 36/37 (they also made the Finals in 35/36, but lost), with the brilliance of Brazilian legend Murilo, Italian legend Omar Piccolo, and Spanish winger Borja Lledo amongst other stars on showcase for one of the greatest teams assembled this century. This time around, it was Steeven Millet and Mohamed Hajiwho were the heroes, defeating Barcelona despite the valiant efforts of Top Goalscorer and Best Player recipient – both of the 2nd time – Antonio Jesus Perez. Barcelona had inched by a formidable AC Milan team, led by midfielder Francesco Puleo in the Semi-Finals, while a Dominique Dipoko led Clermont team – who were crowned Ligue 1 champions for the 3rd time in 4 years - fell to eventual champions Monaco. Last year’s defending champions Real Madrid were 2nd Round casualties to Premier League champions Man United, while last year’s defeated Finalists Wolfsburg saw their exit in the Quarter-Finals to Monaco. Champions League Past Winners

GOALKEEPERS

Akil Joseph (2041), 23 Years Old: It was a tough decision to take, but I felt I had to do it – just before the start of the season, I named Louis Miller my new club captain, effectively ending George Kelledy’s run. Additionally, I named Joseph as our new No.1 GK, although I was not confident he was up to the job. For the most part, my suspicion was proven correct – I just felt more confident with Kelledy between the sticks than I ever did with Joseph. He played in all 38 Games, registering 1.58 Con/90 and 6.83 AR – those are obviously not horrible numbers, but there seemed to me much more incidents of conceding simple goals than there was under Kelledy. Still, there is no one of Joseph’s standard on the team, so he looks to be our starter for the next few years at least.

LEFT DEFENDERS

Gary Isasi (2043), 20 Years Old: He was better than his AR implies, he just had a real big dip in form towards the end of the season. In 34 Games, he registered 2 Assists, 7.84 TpG (3rd in League), and 6.73 AR, and earned his first Cap for England in the process. Impressively, he continued to improve in his attributes, and I can confidently say that he has the skill set to at least be a top Premier League level left back. I really think that once he figures it all out, we can expect high level of performances from him. Here’s hoping it is next year. Gary Isasi Training Levels

Matthew Johnson (2043), 21 Years Old: To be fair, I can’t lay blame on Johnson’s regression squarely with him, because the whole defensive line regressed this season. In 18 Games, he registered 5.68 TpG, 74% Pass Ratio, 1.61 DpG, and 6.73 AR, down from 6.83 last season. He didn’t add to his 2 Caps this season, and rightfully so – until he starts performing better, he should not be considered for the England national team. The great thing about him is that he can effectively cover both fullback positions, which makes him extremely valuable for us. Matthew Johnson Training Levels

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Tim Abel (2041), 23 Years Old: I must say I am extremely happy with the way Tim Abel has turned out and the level of form he has given us the past few years. Yes, we had a collapse in our defensive form this season, and his form did dip a little bit, but it was still impressive. In 35 Games, he registered 5.66 TpG and 7.07 AR – the former statistic was a career-high. He also led the league for the third straight year with 165 Key Headers, and again was second with 611 Interceptions. I don’t think he will ever earn himself a call-up to the uber-talented German squad, but has become probably our most reliable defender at this point.

Nathaniel Weston (2044), 20 Years Old: I must admit, I was kind of shocked Weston got himself an England Cap – it must be a testament of the lack of English talent at the position rather than Weston’s ability or form. He wasn’t great – in 34 Games, he registered 4.36 TpG (Career-high) and 6.79 AR. His abilities, while improving slightly from the previous season, have probably peaked at this point, and he has become a serviceable 3rd or 4th choice CD, which is why him becoming an England international was relatively shocking. Overall, he still needs to do better in terms of form, so I hope we can see an improvement in that next year because honestly, our defense was crap this year. Nathaniel Weston Training Levels

RIGHT DEFENDERS

Mikele Burton (2037), 26 Years Old: He has been one of our most consistent and reliable players the past few years, giving us the kind of solid play at the right back position that we lacked for so many years before him. In 33 Games, he registered 5.04 TpG, 1.16 DpG, and 7.03 AR – his numbers are down a bit from last season, but then that is a trend across the board for the defensive line. Generally though, he has kept up his consistency as he enters the prime of his career. He has not earned any additional England Caps, however. He is one League Game short of playing 400 Games for the club.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Matty York (2037), 27 Years Old – Career: After two exceptional seasons, York took a step back – as did much of the team – this year. In 32 Games, he registered only 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 2.68 TpG, 76% Pass Ratio, 1.14 DpG, and 7.14 AR – down from 7.35 and 7.41 the previous two seasons. There was not much creativity coming out of the midfield this year, and unfortunately York did not do much to help that. Still, he was consistent – I just wish he gave us more in terms of end results. He is a good passer and rarely makes mistakes, but we need more from one of our most talented players.

Luis Medaglia (2040), 24 Years Old: This was Medaglia’s best season yet – he had a career year for Kafra, he earned his first international Cap with Costa Rica, and his value jumped up to over £25m, making him our third most valuable player behind Hunter and Robertson. In 35 Games, he registered 1 Goal, 4 Assists, 4.91 TpG, 79% Pass Ratio, 1.61 DpG, and a career-high 7.13 AR. Overall, he was a rare bright spot in an otherwise tough season, and he continues to show solid improvement in form each season that goes by. Like I said last year, he is never going to be an offensive powerhouse, but like his teammate York, he rarely makes a mistake and is as reliable as they come.

Billy Bailey (2043), 21 Years Old: Our most versatile player, he continues to make improvements in his attributes, and his form has been pretty solid over the past couple of years. This season, he played in 25 Games, registering 3 Goals, 4.66 TpG, 78% Pass Ratio, and 6.97 AR – good all-around numbers that showcase the efficiency of the youngster’s game. He also earned his first Cap for England this season – I will for help to continue to contribute and improve his form next season. Billy Bailey Training Levels

LEFT WINGERS

Louis Miller (2034), 30 Years Old – Career: It is no coincidence that Miller has now been named Kafra Player of the Year four times during his career – more than any other player except for legends Dakoutros and Shane Forde. He turned 30 this year, but there is no slowdown in his game yet – he played in all 38 Games, registering 4 Goals, 10 Assists, 4 PoMs, 1.98 TpG, 2.54 DpG, 214 Key Passes (4th in League), and 7.43 AR, which was the second highest of his career. There is not much you can ask from your left winger, and as I said before, the fear here is who is going to take his place once he starts entering the twilight of his career and can’t play as many games anymore. That reality is starting to inch closer – he is only 6 Games short of having played 500 League Games for the club at this point.

RIGHT WINGERS

Stephen Hunter (2040), 25 Years Old – Career: Despite a season where he was not quite impressive his last, Hunter has not become our most valuable player, with a value of just under £35m – yes, even more valuable than Robertson. Who am I to argue – in 31 Games, he registered 8 Goals, 6 Assists, 1.68 TpG, 5.58 DpG (4th in League), 50% Shot Target, and 7.28 AR. They were not quite as great as his numbers a year ago, but they still represent our second most effective offensive weapon after our Scottish striker. He earned an additional 3 Caps to his total, and found his way unto the Euro 2048 team with England – my coaching staff now consider him a Star Player in the Premier League, and he has been granted official title of Legend by the fans.

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

Daniel Friar (2045), 19 Years Old: And so it begins – he spent the season moping about how he wanted to play for a bigger club. Luckily, the club has a three year extension option on him, so he’s stuck here for another 3 years! He definitely did not have a bad season – in 31 Games, he registered 6 Goals, 5 Assists (down from 10), 1.13 TpG (down from 1.83), 1.61 DpG, 186 Key Passes (6th in League), and 7.40 AR. It took a late season effort by him to get his numbers up, however, as most of the season saw him display a mediocre attitude that showed in his form. He was focused in his training, however, as his development in his attributes continued to be impressive. My coaching staff have his potential peak at Star Player – no mention of World-Class yet – but he continues to be one of our most exciting players. Hopefully we will do better next year and he will resign and stay the course with us. Daniel Friar Training Levels

FORWARDS

John Robertson (2038), 26 Years Old - Career: It was a relatively tough year for Robertson, who had to deal with a dislocated shoulder that led him to miss over 2 months of action. As such, he played in only 28 Games, registering 21 Goals, 2.87 DpG, 58% Shot Target, and 7.47 AR – his numbers were good, but there were definitely struggles as the Scottish striker tried to work his way back in to form. This was his 10th full year with the club, and his 5th straight of scoring 20+ Goals in a season. There is not much more to say other than he is probably our most important player – our offense lives and dies with this guy. He has turned out to be a fantastic player and servant of the club, and I think he will probably end up spending the rest of his career with us.

Dean Pond (2042), 22 Years Old: He earned his first Cap for England this season, but his goalscoring record was nothing to be proud of – in 21 Games, he scored only 3 Goals to with his 6.95 AR. He has enough talent to contribute at this level, but he just can’t seem to find the net easily, and this has been a problem him entire career. He has never scored over 8 Goals in a season despite having ample playing time. He needs to do better as he is our clear cut No.2 option – everytime Robertson needs a rest or gets injured, Pond is the one that steps in.

HOT PROSPECTS

Geraint Ward (2044), 20 Years Old: He does a decent job filling in and resting Stephen Hunter, so I am happy about that. The truth is, Ward will never be more than rotational player, and if more talented right winger makes it through the ranks at some point in the next few years, he would very likely see his playing time quickly dwindle. Geraint Ward Training Levels

Lee Funnell (2047), 17 Years Old: He had such a crazy dip in his Determination attribute last season that I doubt he will ever live up to his potential. On top of that, he didn’t really show any solid improvement in his attributes in general over the course of his first full season with the club. Still, he is very young, and he actually did not do bad when he was called upon – in 9 Games, he registered 3.23 TpG and 6.86 AR. Luckily for him, he plays in a very shallow position at this point, so he is effectively our 3rd choice CD at this point. Lee Funnell Training Levels

YOUTH INTAKE

Stuart Matthews – Bright Hagan

At least we got another defensive prospect, as we have been sorely needing that. With that being said, how good Matthews can be is still up in the air. His technical skills are almost non-existent, although he does have good physical and defensive numbers. Our second best prospect is Ghanaian national Hagan, who – depending on how well he improves – could be a serviceable member of the rotation down the line. Overall, however, it was not a great intake.

2048/49 PRESEASON REPORT

So we had a drama-filled preseason – we basically got bids for all of our top players (Robertson, Friar, Hunter, even Burton), which ofcourse I rejected. Unfortunately, that did not make any of them happy, so the entire team spent their training camp and the rest of their preseason moping around, presumably. I don’t need the money and I will be damned if I let my best players walk out of the club because they are “unhappy”. In fairness to Hunter, he was willing to renegotiate his contract, but I stopped short when I saw his demands – his current contract runs out in 2052 and pays him £105k per week, and he wants £215k per week for a contract that runs out in 2053. Not much difference in the time, huge difference in the amount paid. Anyway, as per usual, there was nothing else going on – no signings, obviously, and no sales. We did bid farewell to a Kafra legend in our former captain and No.1 George Kelledy, who refused to renew with us and instead decided to leave on free. We also let Kenny Nicholls go on free – he broke into the first team with Dean Pond as part the ’42 Youth Class, and while both kind of did not live up to their potential, Nicholls was a big disappointment.

[abulezz]

Ok - I need help!

So I load the game - and it just stays at the FM start screen. I uninstalled and reinstalled FM, I went back to a previous System Restore point - nothing is working.

I have the Save itself backed up at its most current form, so I hopefully wont lose it.

I tried starting a new game, and it seems to get stuck loading the database, meaning I cant even get to the screen where I pick which leagues I want or pick manager, etc.

What do I do!?!

[BoxToBox]

Have you verified the cache?

[abulezz]

Have you verified the cache?

Yes, forgot to mention I already did that!

[abulezz]

Nevermind - got it working!

[BoxToBox]

Good news!

[abulezz]

Ive been fighting to sign him on a long term deal for the past couple of years, but he has refused every time. FINALLY, I can rest easy knowing my top prospect and potentially best player in a few years will be staying with us! He also becomes the club's highest paid player of all-time!

[abulezz]

Kafra Youth Academy at the top!

[abulezz]

Go Friar!

[GylfiAsCharged]

Been catching up on this today, what an incredible feat to go from 6th tier strugglers to the Premier League and producing a World Player of the Year from your youth system. Great job abulezz!

[abulezz]

Been catching up on this today, what an incredible feat to go from 6th tier strugglers to the Premier League and producing a World Player of the Year from your youth system. Great job abulezz!

Thanks for the comment! Its been a looooong journey, but I am especially proud that we have a Kafra Youth Academy product winning the World Golden Ball!

[Adelaidean]

Fantastic to have produced a Ballon d'Or winner! Hopefully Friar can reach similar heights in the future

And second place was an Austrian playing in Austria - what does he look like? Are Austria a major force in Europe now?

[Pompeyboyz]

We are seeing all going on with the team, but what is the state of your backroom staff? They will have a huge effect on quality of new intake especially the head of youth development

[abulezz]

Three Games to go - we probably have a Europa League spot guaranteed, but the battle for 4th rages on:

[abulezz]

So one more game to play - we need Arsenal to slip up and we need to win to go to Champions League football!

[abulezz]

A season of awards for Kafra current and former players!

[MichaelBrown]

Great work Abulezz, looking forward to the next update

[Bobby_Zamora]

Me too. This guy inspired me to only play this way.

I've been trying to find time since January.

[abulezz]

Great work Abulezz, looking forward to the next update

Me too. This guy inspired me to only play this way.

I've been trying to find time since January.

Thank you both - the comments are very much appreciated! I should have the update up before the evening today!

[abulezz]

We are seeing all going on with the team, but what is the state of your backroom staff? They will have a huge effect on quality of new intake especially the head of youth development

My coaching staff is ranked the best in the Premier League in every category, and below is my HoYD:

[Domik297]

Sam Winnall? I had him as player in my game with Varnsdorf

[abulezz]

Fantastic to have produced a Ballon d'Or winner! Hopefully Friar can reach similar heights in the future

And second place was an Austrian playing in Austria - what does he look like? Are Austria a major force in Europe now?

I really hope so - he is progressing well!

As for Austria - they are not a major player in the world or European game - they've made a number of the past few European Championships, but the most they've progressed is to the 2nd Round, most recently in 2040. In 2048, they failed to qualify all together. In the World Cup, they went from 1998 to 2046 without qualifying, before finally making it to the World Cup in 2046, losing to Chile in the 2nd Round.

His club team have not been terrible - they are the absolute best team domestically, winning the past 10 titles - below is their track record in the Champions League. In the past few years in the Euro Cup, they have been 2nd Round and Quarter-Final casualties.

As the for the player himself, below is his attributes and career statistics:

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2048/49

KAFRA: It has been a real up and down few years – we finished in 7th Place in 2047/48 and earned ourselves a Europa League spot, only to fall flat on our faces the following season and finish in 13th Place. This year, we missed the Champions League by a single point – obviously, hugely disappointing – but it was an incredible season for us from start to finish. Our offense was the key to our success this year, led by our star striker John Robertson, who finished as both the Premier League Top Goalscorer with 34 Goals and its Footballer of the Year – the first time a Kafra player has been given that award. Not only that, but Kafra legend and current Wolfsburg star Dimitris Dakoutros won the World Golden Ball award, while current Kafra midfielder Daniel Friar won the European Golden Boy award. Our 5th Place finish means we will play in the Europa League, and while our offense was the core reason, our defense was immensely improved over last season, as well. We had consistency and solid play throughout the year, and obviously without solid play in the back, our season could have gone very differently. In the FA Cup, we lost in the 5th Round to Man City while in the Capital One Cup we ended up losers in 4th Round to Tottenham.

GOALKEEPERS

Akil Joseph (2041), 24 Years Old: For better or worse, he is our No.1 currently and most likely for the next few years at least. I feel like we got more consistent and better play out of our former captain George Kelledy, but Joseph did not do a terrible job manning the sticks for us. He played in 35 Games, registering 1.49 Con/90 and 6.86 AR, which was a career-high. Our coaching staff have him rated at 2.5/5 CA and consider him a good player for Premier League teams. I would like a top GK prospect to come out of the Youth Academy at some point – I just don’t have the belief that Joseph can be a GK for a top team.

LEFT DEFENDERS

Gary Isasi (2043), 22 Years Old: I feel like he’s just one step away from becoming a top left back, but he has yet to take that step. In 36 Games this season, he registered 6.20 TpG (7th in League), 1.13 DpG, and 6.80 AR – except for the TpG, his season was improved over last year. Talent-wise, he easily has the required skill set to be a top left back, he just needs to bring it all together. It could be because he was not a natural full back and had to be retrained, but I really hope he can put it together and give us a 7.00+ AR season next year.

Matthew Johnson (2043), 22 Years Old: The poor guy – just when he was giving us a great season covering both fullback positions and really making a case for more playing time, he was struck with a knee tendonitis injury that ruled him out of the last 3 months of the season, and will rule him out of almost the entire summer, as well. I hope he can be ready for next season, but only time will tell what kind of long term effect this injury will have, considering one of his main attributes is his fantastic pace. As such, he only played in 11 Games this year, registering a career-high 7.10 AR, but obviously at this point, the main concern is for him to recover from his injury and return to playing high quality football.

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Tim Abel (2041), 24 Years Old: Again the league leader with 180 Key Headers and 680 Interceptions, this was probably the giant German’s finest season yet. He played in all 38 Games, also registering 3.68 TpG, 40 Key Tackles (3rd in League), and equaled his career-high with 7.12 AR. I wouldn’t consider him our most talented defender anymore, but he definitely still is our best Central Defender, and it looks to be that way for a while. We don’t have exciting prospects at the position, so I am happy at least we can get solid and consistently decent play from Abel.

Nathaniel Weston (2044), 21 Years Old: He is a replica of Abel – they are pretty much the exact same player! Still, Abel has given us better form the past few years, but Weston caught up a little bit this season, giving us his best year yet. In 31 Games, he registered 2 Goals, 4.42 TpG, and a career-high 6.99 AR, which was much higher than his previous career-high of 6.79 AR. So yes, the improvement was very much substantial, and he has become quite a serviceable central defender for us. The fact that he has an English Cap still baffles me, but at least he – somewhat – has the form to back it up now.

RIGHT DEFENDERS

Mikele Burton (2037), 27 Years Old – Career: Another solid season from our starting right back who has now done this for us for 12 years and counting. In 33 Games, he registered 3 Assists, 4.80 TpG, 1.39 DpG, and a career-high 7.25 AR, giving us perhaps his best season yet. I have no complaints about him – he has come a long way since he first took over the starting position for us in our final years in the Championship, and how now played 432 League Games for us in total. He is easily the greatest right back in team history, and he has a few more years of quality form left in him, I assume. He never built on his 6 England Caps, but you can’t argue with 4 straight 7.00+ AR seasons, despite our defensive line’s difficulties, especially last season.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Matty York (2037), 28 Years Old – Career: Our vice-captain wrapped up his 13th season with the club giving us the same results as the past few seasons – solid midfield play with little mistakes. In 34 Games, he registered 1 Goal, 4 Assists, 3.19 TpG, 1.13 DpG, and 7.23 AR – more of the same all-around game he has been known for the past few years. I can’t believe how much he has matured from being a complete prima-donna in the early 2040s – from nearly leaving the club to captaining it, he has definitely come a long way. He is now entering the prime of his career, and I hope he continue to see the kind of solid form from him that we have come to expect over the past few years – his new contract now sees him getting £135k per week!

Luis Medaglia (2040), 25 Years Old: Talent-wise, I don’t think there is any question as to who our best CM is – Medaglia, who now has 10 Costa Rica Caps under his belt, gave us his best season yet this year. In 31 Games, he registered 2 Goals, 4.54 TpG, 77% Pass Ratio, 1.80 DpG, 47% Shot Ratio, and 7.22 AR, which was a career-high. His game has become even more well-rounded than York’s, and although he rarely is at the end of a successful offensive play, he is more often than not at the beginning of it. He has also become quite the tenacious defensive midfielder, and his contributions this season to our improved defensive line did not go unnoticed. Here is hoping to more seasons like this one from the Central American star, whose value has risen past £23m.

Billy Bailey (2043), 22 Years Old: Honestly, he did not improve in attributes as much as I thought he would over the course of the past few years, but regardless, he remains one of our most important rotation players. This season, he played in 29 Games, registering 3 Assists, 3.70 TpG, and 6.96 AR – obviously, I would like his numbers to be a little more solid, but given his versatility and where I ask him to play sometimes, I find it to be quite acceptable. He has now earned 11 England Caps, and has proven himself to be quite the regular for the national team over the past year. If he can just give a bit more consistency, his form will be improved and he could find himself challenging York for a starting place.

LEFT WINGERS

Louis Miller (2034), 30 Years Old – Career: Our longest serving player by quite a few years, our club captain refuses to go quietly into the dark night. His athleticism might have started signs of slipping, and he might have registered his lowest DpG mark in 14 years, but he remains a core member of our time – not only because of what he brings to the squad on the pitch, but also because he does not have a real replacement yet. In 33 Games, he registered 3 Goals, 4 Assists, 1.78 TpG, 1.37 DpG, and 7.27 AR – all numbers that have dipped from last year, but still numbers that are solid across the board. By the time next season comes to a close, he will be 32 years old, and we are in dire need of the Youth Academy to give us a left winger of some talent – it should have happened years ago, but at this point, we have no ready replacement for him.

RIGHT WINGERS

Stephen Hunter (2040), 26 Years Old – Career: A torn hamstring, which ruled him out for 3 months, was the only thing that could stop our star right winger this year – despite playing in only 29 Games, he still led the league with 16 Assists. He also registered 8 Goals, 5 PoMs, 2.09 TpG, 5.69 DpG (4th in League), 55% Shot Target, and 7.50 AR that has become his new career-high. If he had not gotten injured, his numbers would have been even more impressive. As it stands, he is now one of England’s most valuable players, earning 13 Caps and scoring 5 Goals for his national side. His value is now around £35m, and he has officially been designated a World Class player. Both the fans and I love him to bits, and I can only imagine what numbers he will be putting up in the next coming years as he hits the peak of his career.

Geraint Ward (2044), 21 Years Old: The newly capped Welsh international filled in fine for Hunter when he went down with a torn hamstring, playing in 16 Games and registering 1 Goal, 3 Assists, 2.02 TpG, 2.92 DpG, 53% Shot Target, and 6.84 AR over the course of the season. Obviously, he is never going to hit the talents of anywhere near the talents of Stephen Hunter, but he has fought his way into the rotation and can be counted on to fill in when needed.

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

Daniel Friar (2045), 20Years Old: The best news I have had in quite a few years – Mr. Friar, our best prospect to come out of the Kafra Youth Academy since Dimitris Dakoutros and John Robertson, decided we were good enough to resign with! What transpired was the 20 year old receiving the richest contract in Kafra history, but hey, whatever it takes to keep him here is worth it. He rewarded us with his finest season yet – in 33 Games, he registered career-highs of 7 Goals, 11 Assists, 4 PoMs, and 7.46 AR. So far, my coaching staff’s fear of him being susceptible to injuries has been unfounded, although he is still very young. His improvements in his attributes have been fantastic, as well, and he really has become a core part of our offense, playing just behind Robertson in a Trequartista position. As we look to mount a Champions League challenge next year, he will be at the forefront of that and a hugely important piece of the puzzle. Daniel Friar Training Levels

FORWARDS

John Robertson (2038), 27 Years Old - Career: This was the greatest season any player has ever given us wearing a Kafra jersey – in 34 Games, he registered 34 Goals, 8 Assists, 10 PoMs, 3.59 DpG, 57% Shot Target, and 7.71 AR. Those numbers won him both the Premier League Top Goalscorer and, more importantly, the Premier League Footballer of the Year awards. He was also the first Kafra player in history to be named to the Premier League Select team, as well – in other words, he was a star amongst stars this season. He is an offensive powerhouse, and a threat to score every game no matter who the opponent is. This was the second season in his career that he registered 30+ Goals, and his 6th straight season scoring 20+ Goals in the Premier League. He is Scotland’s most important and valuable player, and he was also named Kafra’s Player of the Year this season, too. There is not much he can’t do and he has no real weaknesses – here’s hoping he can hit a second straight 30+ season next year.

Dean Pond (2042), 223 Years Old: You are not going to get much opportunities playing behind John Robertson, but Dean Pond has not done himself any favors with his mediocre goal scoring record. He only played in 14 Games this season, scoring 4 Goals and registering a career-high 7.12 AR. He has actually developed quite a decent skill set, and he has gone on the record to ask for more first team opportunities, but with the way Robertson is leading our offense, I would be hard pressed to find them for him. Still, he is as solid as a No.2 striker option can be – I just wish he was a bit more of a threat in front of the goal.

HOT PROSPECTS

Lee Funnell (2047), 18 Years Old: Not quite sure what I should think of Funnell yet, and I am also not sure who the better CD prospect is at this point – him or Matthews. He did show some improvements over the course of the season in his attributes, but whether he can ever be good enough to be part of the rotation remains to be seen. Lee Funnell Training Levels

Stuart Matthews (2048), 18 Years Old: Technically, he is terrible, and he seems like a limited player. What he does well, however, he does very well – he has top defensive instincts and very good passing ability for a CD. Still, he remains a question mark – he might be a loan candidate next year. Stuart Matthews Training Levels

Bright Hagan (2048), 17 Years Old: I had no expectations from the Ghanaian when he first came through the Youth Academy, but he Is just one of those players that forces you to have a look at him. He is already a fantastic passer of the ball – if he can learn other aspects of the game, he could yet fight his way into the rotation. Bright Hagan Training Levels

YOUTH INTAKE

Ken Duncan – Ricardo Thompson

Ken Duncan has the look – and the name – of a future star. Although striker is the possibly the least position we need help right now, Duncan looks like a generational talent like Friar and Dakoutros. I am excited to see how he turns out, and I have already given him some playing time to help push him along. With the right type of improvement, Thompson can also fight his way into the rotation, although I don’t see him becoming better than Pond, though. Duncan, however, looks like someone who can replace Robertson in a few years. Good intake – it didn’t take care of my needs, but it did give me what looks like a top prospect.

2049/50 PRESEASON REPORT

Last season was great – we might have just missed out on a Champions League place, but the fact that we were competing for it until the last day means we have come a long way. We ended up winning ourselves our second ever Europa League spot, so I am excited to see what we can do the second time around. Like the first time, though, we have a small squad that will be stretched thin and challenged for sure, given that our starters feature in every competition that we are in. Still, this is the most excited I have been about this team in a while – we have some real star power that have developed well over the years, and we have got some good complimentary players that do a good job when called upon. We still don’t have quite the talent coming through the ranks as we did in the early 2040s, but Ken Duncan is highly exciting prospect who I will try to make time for on the pitch this year. Our main worry remains in the back – the lack of talent in our defensive line is most obvious in the middle, and I just don’t believe we have the right talent at the GK position quite yet. Still, unlike the last time we made the Europa League, we will not be crashing down the league this time around – at least, I hope not, because this team is too good for that.

[Maw74]

Unlucky just missing out on top 4 but 5th is a great, CL football can't be far away now.

This is an inspiring thread, thinking of doing a youth only save myself, just trying to decide what version to do it on, won't be 16 anyway.

Dean Pond (2042), 223 Years Old: You are not going to get much opportunities playing behind John Robertson, but Dean Pond has not done himself any favors with his mediocre goal scoring record. He only played in 14 Games this season, scoring 4 Goals and registering a career-high 7.12 AR. He has actually developed quite a decent skill set, and he has gone on the record to ask for more first team opportunities, but with the way Robertson is leading our offense, I would be hard pressed to find them for him. Still, he is as solid as a No.2 striker option can be – I just wish he was a bit more of a threat in front of the goal.

Don't be too harsh on him, the years are bound to have taken a toll.