[FM16] Kafra FC - All Youth in England

[abulezz]

The thinking here is the same as it was with Hendon at the beginning of last season. £35m is very hard to say no to, especially as it hasn't really given us THAT much and our defensive line is still crap. Update will be coming soon!

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2043/44

KAFRA: We took a step back this year, from 12th Place to 16th Place, and we got into a bit of a relegation fight around the middle of the season that we thankfully worked our way out of. Still, it was definitely one step forward, two steps back in terms of last season and this one, and it just goes to show you how much work there still needs to go into this team to even begin thinking about competing for the title and European spots and all that. Our primary reason for our regression was our defensive lapse – it looks like last season was a one year thing, because we went from being the 4th Best defensive team in the league to being the 15th best in one season. We just don’t have the talent at our defensive positions to justify much better than this year’s effort, and I can’t pinpoint a specific reason for our defensive liabilities other than talent. Offensively, we did better on the back of Robertson and Hunter’s fantastic seasons, and we were the 12th Best offensive team in the league. For once, though, our highlight of the season did not come in the Premier League – it came in the Capital One Cup. We made it all the way to the Semi-Finals, where we eventually fell to Manchester United, but it was the first time we ever make such a run in any cup. In the FA Cup, we ended up being 5th Round casualties to Liverpool.

PREMIER LEAGUE: Two years of Chelsea was enough – this year, Manchester City took home the title for the 17th time, and 12th time in the last 25 years. World Golden Ball and World Footballer of the Year Stelios Zikos, the greatest player Greece has ever produced, was beyond exceptional, winning his second Premier League title and also winning his second consecutive Premier League Footballer of the Year thanks to his 19 Goals, 18 Assists, and league-leading 8.28 AR. His partner in crime was legendary Welsh winger Alex Hughes, and together, they made sure the title returned back to Manchester. It was definitely a season of goal-scoring prowess throughout, and the best of them was Portuguese and Manchester United (3rd) sensation Oliveira, who broke the single season record with an incredible 43 Goals, while his partner-in-crime Marcelo scored 28 Goals for the second Runners-Up in his second season in the Premier League. Arsenal (2nd) finished in their highest position since winning the league in 2037 thanks to their two strikers – Mexican Ivan Reyes and Dutch giant Pieter De Lange, while the defending champions Chelsea (4th) were only able to grab the final Champions League spot thanks to the efforts of their ageless Italian legend Davide Grillo.

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Stelio Zikos - Alex Hughes - Oliveira - Marcelo - Ivan Reyes - Pieter De Lange - Davide Grillo

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: For the 5th time in their history, the newly crowned English Premier League champions became the Champions League title holders after defeating Real Madrid, who had last won the title in 2020, at the Amsterdam Arena 2-1. Real Madrid, playing in their 17th Finals, have won the tournament a record 11 times, but the wait to make it 12 times would have to go on at least for one more year. Alex Hughes won the Footballer of the Year, and Man City – also led by Stelios Zikos and the greatest striker in England’s history, Shane Gardner – went through two fellow English Premier League teams (Chelsea in the Semi-Finals and surprising Bournemouth in the Quarter-Finals) before getting to the big stage. Real Madrid defeated two-time defending champions Barcelona in the Quarter-Finals before edging out Marseille in the Semi-Finals, thanks to the phenomenal play of Top Goalscorer Leomir and France’s World Cup hero Rowendy Angloma. Other stars of the tournament were Chelsea’s GK Mojtaba Zamani, 2nd Round casualty Bayern Munich’s Bertin Soppo, and Quarter-Finalists Barcelona’s Rouven Hotze.

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Stelio Zikos - Alex Hughes - Leomir - Rowendy Angloma - Mojtaba Zamani

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP 2044: Two-time defending champions saw their end to a hungry and young England side in the Semi-Finals, with England meeting an equally hungry and passionate Dutch side in the Finals in NSC Olympiyski in Kiev, Ukraine. The buildup saw England defeat Slovakia and Serbia before ending Spain’s dreams, while Holland had defeated hosts Ukraine, the Czech Republic, and Russia, in that order. Portugal, who were Quarter-Finals casualties to Spain, were led by Rui Ramos, who was the tournament’s best player until his nation’s exit, scoring 7 Goals and registering a phenomenal 8.60 AR, justifying his £35m move from Sporting to Manchester United over the summer. The second best player in the tournament prior to the Finals was Russian striker Nikolay Bezlikhotnov, who also had 7 Goals and had led his team to within an earshot of the Finals. In Kiev, England were crowned European Champions for the second time (the first being in 2032), led by Manchester City’s legend of a striker – and possibly the greatest English player of all-time – Shane Gardner. He scored the winning goal and tied the other two with 7 Goals as England defeated Holland 1-0 with a team that featured 5 former Kafra players and was led by Romanian manager Bogdan Stancu. Gardner was crowned the tournament’s Best Player (the game gave it to Ramos, but I gave it to Gardner), while Marvin John and Dimitris Dakoutros – the two best players to ever come out of the Kafra Youth Academy – both made the tournament’s Dream Team.

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Shane Gardner - Rui Ramos - Nikolay Bezlikhotnov

GOALKEEPERS

George Kelledy (2030), 29 Years Old: It was a tough season in general for the entire defensive line of the team, but Kelledy did not have a good season. His 6.71 AR was the lowest of his career, and the 1.80 Con/90 the highest since the club got promoted to the Premier League five years ago. The coaching staff think he is, at best, a good player for the Championship, but definitely not Premier League level. Luckily for our captain of ten years, while we have quite a few GK prospects, none look any better than he is, so he continues to be our best option and starter at the position.

LEFT DEFENDERS

Elliot Watson (2036), 24 Years Old: He just completed his eighth year as our starter at the position, and his career average is 6.63 AR – in other words, he has not done a job of being our starting left back. This season, I experimented with having a few of our up and comers, so Watson only played in 26 Games, registering 5.52 TpG and 6.61 AR. He has always been a good tackler, but there is nothing else really that he does well. If one of the prospects at the position ends up working out, Watson will be relegated to DL and DC cover going forward.

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Alex Nkumu (2039), 21 Years Old: He earned his second Cap for England this year, but I don’t feel he quite deserves it. He played in all 38 Games, registering 3.85 TpG, 46 Key Tackles (Best in League), 180 Key Headers (2nd in League), 553 Interceptions (Best in League), and 6.89 AR – obviously, there was a lot he did well, but as the leader of our defensive line, he has to take some responsibility for a 15th Best Defense in the Premier League, especially as we were so good last year. I continue to feel he should not be registering less than 7.00 AR, so this was another season of slight disappointing form – he just cannot es

Tim Abel (2041), 19 Years Old: We replaced one 6’6 behemoth (Hendon) with another, as the German completed his second season as a starter. The youngest member of our starting lineup, Abel did not impress as much this season as he did the previous one – he played in all 38 Games, registering 2.74 TpG, 29 Key Tackles (12th in League), 187 Key Headers (Best in League), 500 Interceptions (7th in League), and 6.79 AR. I doubt he will ever become as good as Hendon, and unless he shows some massive improvement in the next couple of years, he is destined to be replaced in the starting lineup whenever someone with more talents comes along. Till then, he seems to be able to at least give us some decent performances at the CD position. Tim Abel Training Levels

RIGHT DEFENDERS

Mikele Burton (2037), 22 Years Old: Perhaps the least understated player on the team – the guy that you just assume is on the team sheet regardless of what is going on. That is mostly because of the lack of right back talent behind him, but it is also becomes of the stability he has brought to the position. He is not impressive by any means, but he is reliable and you know exactly what you are getting from him. Naturally, he played in all 38 Games, registering 4.03 TpG and 6.78 AR – the latter statistic went down from last year, but the entire defensive line was a mess this season anyway, so it was probably a fallout from that. He has now been a starter for us for seven seasons, and he has proven he is at least capable of holding his own in the Premier League, which – at this point – is all I can ask for.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Matty York (2037), 23 Years Old: Whether I like it or not – and now that he has signed his new £115k per week contract, whether he likes it or not – he is currently and will continue to be a very big piece of this team. While Robertson and Herdman have probably surpassed him in terms of ability, I think only Robertson plays a more vital role in the team than Mr. York here. Two seasons ago, I could not wait to sell him and get rid of his malcontent, but it seems he has matured with age, and this season not once did he complain. In 32 Games, he registered 2 Goals, 3 Assists, 3.36 TpG, 1.30 DpG, and 7.00 AR – not great, but pretty decent. Hopefully, now that his drama days are behind us, he can show progress in his form and maybe contribute to the offense a little more going forward.

Ronayne Herdman (2039), 22 Years Old: My coaching staff now believe he can be a leading player for most Premier League teams, and he has probably surpassed York as our most talented midfielder. His form, however, did not reflect that – he was a bit too inconsistent, plus injuries early in the season ruled him out for a total of two months. He played in 29 Games, registering 2 Goals, 2 Assists, 5.81 TpG, 1.55 DpG, and 6.95 AR, doing generally worse than he did the previous season. He was named the England U21 captain early in the season, and earned his second Cap for the national team, as well – although he did miss out on being part of the European Championship team this summer. He is still making noise about wanting to go to a bigger club – he is signed on for two more years, but he has refused to sign a new contract. I am going to have to make a decision on him soon.

Luis Medaglia (2040), 20 Years Old: We had a bit of drama with the English/Costa Rican this year, but he ended the season by signing a new contract worth £25.5k per week until 2048, thankfully. He did not have a good season, though – a double hernia ruled him out for the months of January and February, so he ended up playing in only 27 Games, registering 5.30 TpG, 75% Pass Ratio, 1.55 DpG, and 6.78 AR. Injuries were a big part of the reason his numbers went down, but he does still need to prove he can perform at a higher level. Luis Medaglia Training Levels

LEFT WINGERS

Louis Miller (2034), 26 Years Old – Career: Our former two time Kafra Player of the Year did not win the award this year, but he officially became a legend of the club, which I could not be happier about. He represents everything I love in a player – effort, hard work, continuous attribute improvement, and completely team oriented. This season, he played in 37 Games, registering 6 Goals, 8 Assists, 2.91 TpG, 2.34 DpG, and 7.04 AR, doing a bit of everything for us. Of course, he remained one of our most potent offensive weapons, but he also did much more than was asked for him defensively, as well. He was rewarded with a £35k per week contract that will keep him at the club until 2048 at least at the end of the season.

RIGHT WINGERS

Stephen Hunter (2040), 21 Years Old: Our newly named Kafra Player of the Year, the right winger was – along with Robertson – fully deserving of the title. In 35 Games, he registered 7 Goals, 16 Assists (6th in League), 1.92 TpG, 5.17 DpG (7th in League), and a team-leading 7.21 AR. In all honesty, these were better numbers than I ever expected from the him, and I am extremely proud of the effort he put in. After two seasons of accept if unspectacular form, he really took a big leap and became one of the most potent offensive threats in the league, and formed our most effective partnership between himself and Robertson. I am very excited to see if he can keep it up next season, because he has the pace to really make a difference down the wing. Stephen Hunter Training Levels

FORWARDS

John Robertson (2038), 22 Years Old: There we go – that’s more like it from our Scottish striker! It all clicked for Robertson this year after a somewhat disappointing season, and by the end of the 2043/44 season, he was our best and most valued player. In 34 Games, he registered 26 Goals (6th in League), 3 PoMs, 2.22 DpG, 62% Shot Target (3rd in League), and 7.16 AR – this was the second time in his career he had scored over 20 League Goals in a season. He broke Shane Forde’s single season goal record, and given how he continued to improve at a very good rate, my coaching staff are now convinced he has World-Class striker potential. He isn’t much in the air, but every other part of his game has developed considerably. He was Scotland’s best player in the Euro 2044 this summer, playing in 3 Games and scoring 2 Goals as Scotland advanced to the 2nd Round before falling to Portugal.

Jordan Webb (2037), 22 Years Old: With such an influx of talent coming out of the Academy at the forward position the last few years, and given Webb’s lack of progression over the same years, it was only natural for him to begin losing playing time as the youngsters matured. That is exactly what happened this year, as he played in a career-low 19 Games, scoring only 3 Goals and registering 6.87 AR. I might look to move him this summer because as the young prospects get better and better, he is going to have less time on the pitch. He was very decent for us in the late 2030s and early 2040s, but as we move into the mid-2040s, his role on the team has dwindled, and will most likely continue to do so over the course of the next couple of years.

HOT PROSPECTS

Dean Pond (2042), 18 Years Old: There is a very major concern that Pond is just too injury-prone to ever fulfill his true potential – a slipped disk in December and a broken ankle each in April each ruled him out for 3 months, and now he has spent the summer nursing a dislocated shoulder. There is no question he has shown great dedication in training, and although he only scored twice in 19 Games, his 6.83 AR points to the fact that he did reasonably decent in games that he did play. Still, he has had a lot of injuries to deal with in his young career, and my coaching staff have come out to tell me they think he might have these problems for the rest of his career. My hottest prospect in years, and his body is already failing him. Dean Pond Training Levels

Tommy McKenzie (2041), 19 Years Old: He has steadily come along, earning some reasonable playing time in the deepest position on the squad. He played in 13 Games this season, upping his AR to 6.82, which was a career-high. Still, the CM position is a difficult one to break into on this squad, so he may have to continue waiting and improving to the point I am forced to play him. Tommy McKenzie Training Levels

Matthew Johnson (2043), 17 Years Old: The best thing about him thus far is his progress in training - his quickness can never be questioned, but the rest of his game is coming together. I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but we should start seeing him in more games this autumn.

Gary Isasi (2043), 17 Years Old: His retraining has gone well, and now he has almost perfected being a left back. His form, however, has yet to catch up – in 18 Games, he registered a lowly 6.56 AR, although he did record 6.24 TpG. He will get even more time to prove himself this coming season as he will become the team’s youngest starter now that Watson has been sold.

Billy Bailey (2043), 17 Years Old: His advancements in training forced me to play him, and he made an appearance in 11 Games. While not spectacular, it is too early to judge his form – if he keeps getting the playing time, I think his form will continue to improve. He was selected to the U19 England team for the U19 Euro Championship, and subsequently made the tournament’s 2044 Dream Team Substitute list.

YOUTH INTAKE

Geraint Ward - Nathaniel Weston

This was easily the weakest Intake in years – I can’t see anyone becoming a surefire starter. I will train Ward to be a right-winger, while Weston will hopefully be a cover for the central defender position at some point in the future. Disappointing intake with not much to say.

2044/45 PRESEASON REPORT

Two summers after I sold Courtney Hendon, I pulled the same move and sold my unhappy centerpiece of my failing defensive line for £31m – and then I followed that up by selling the laughably bad Elliot Watson for approximately £5m. It is safe to say that I have had it with my defensive line, and will be experimenting a lot with the lineup this coming season. I will have a new starting left back, and going into the season, that is a position up for grabs with at least 3 potential suitors. I will also need a new starting central defender, but this one is a bit trickier than the left back position because I do not have any real prospects lined up to play alongside our hulking German, Mr. Tim Abel. In the midfield and upfront, things will stay the same, with the exception of the second striker position. I don’t quite know who will be starting as Pond has not shown any signs of being able to stay fit, but I don’t think I will have Webb starting there again this season.

FORMER PLAYERS

Marvin John – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in January 2035 for £5m to Manchester City: 28 years old…Recovered from a bad season in 2042/43 to deliver a dream on in 2043/44 for both country and club…With Man City, he won the Premier League title for the 3rd time and the Champions League the 2nd time...He upped his AR from 6.89 AR to 7.24 AR as he became officially a Manchester City legend…For country, he was a Euro 2044 Dream Team selection as England won the European Championship for the second time…85 Caps/4 Goals for England. Career Stats

Tom Ferguson – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in January 2038 for £11m to Aston Villa: 27 years old…Had a pretty good season for Aston Villa, and then was subsequently sold to Chelsea for £26m at the end of the season…Made the Euro 2044 team, but did not feature much…Has seen a slight decrease in his pace and physical abilities over the past year…38 Caps/7 Goals for England. Career Stats

Phil Gwinnett – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in January 2039 for £20m to Liverpool: 25 years old…Is still so young – feels like he has been around forever…Had one of his better seasons to date; it was his 6th season with Liverpool…Was called up to the Euro 2044 team, featuring in almost every game…Was crowned with the tournament’s gold medal as England defeated Holland in the Finals in which he played…48 Caps/2 Goals for England.

Dimitris Dakoutros – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2041 on Free Transfer to Wolfsburg: 25 years old…His third year at Wolfsburg was his personal best, even though the team failed to win the German Bundesliga title for the first time in three years…Was the Bundesliga’s Footballer of the Year Runner-Up, and was named in its Team of the Year as he set a career-high with 14 Assists to go with his 7 Goals and 7.71 AR…Was England’s second best player as his nation won the Euro 2044, with Dakoutros getting named into the tournament’s Dream Team…57 Caps/10 Goals for England.

Courtney Hendon – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2042 for £24m (rising to £31m) to Manchester United: 24 years old…It was a better second season from the central defender, but he still only made 20 starts (27 Appearances in all)…His 7.21 AR was a lot better than his first season with Man United, however…Was called up to the Euro 2044 in Ukraine and Poland despite only having 1 Cap before that, and featured in only 2 games as England won the title for second time in its history…3 Caps for England.

[noikeee]

Tough season. You need to hang tight in there until a few more stars appear.

Was Nkumu unwilling to renew his contact? Because otherwise I don't see any upside in selling starting players in a challenge like this, even if they're underperforming.

[abulezz]

Tough season. You need to hang tight in there until a few more stars appear.

Was Nkumu unwilling to renew his contact? Because otherwise I don't see any upside in selling starting players in a challenge like this, even if they're underperforming.

Yes, he was quite unhappy, and was refusing to sign a new contract. He had two more years on his current one (expires 2046), so I was most likely going to have to fire sell him next season or lose him on Free Transfer. He wasn't playing great football to begin with, so he wasn't worth holding on to and losing on Free like Dakoutros, and if I had waited one more season, I would probably have to sell him for half of the £31m, if that. So that was the thinking.

[Torminator]

Well you dont exactly need money so why not keep them untill they run out of contract? He might turn around if you keep performing.

Although, if he was unhappy and it affected (team) performance I also would have let him go.

[abulezz]

Well you dont exactly need money so why not keep them untill they run out of contract? He might turn around if you keep performing.

Although, if he was unhappy and it affected (team) performance I also would have let him go.

That's exactly what it was. There was way too much drama, with too many teammates having opinions about his constant demands to be sold to a bigger club. We've had a problem with squad harmony in recent season, which I'm sure has played a part in the underperformance of several of my players.

[jengaehassim]

Poor intake, but your team is quite young, I think if you manage to keep most of them you might challenge for the upper half of the table.

[rGade]

Feels like FM is screwing you over with these youth intakes. Been so long since you had a super talented player come through. Atleast no one can suspect you of reloading to get better youth intakes haha

[BoxToBox]

I'm glad Robertson is kicking on, I had a feeling he could become something special.

[abulezz]

Poor intake, but your team is quite young, I think if you manage to keep most of them you might challenge for the upper half of the table.

That's the major challenge right - keeping the good players I have. As soon as they become anywhere near quality, they want to leave for a bigger club, and spend their days moping around and not playing as well as they should!

Feels like FM is screwing you over with these youth intakes. Been so long since you had a super talented player come through. Atleast no one can suspect you of reloading to get better youth intakes haha

Lol, where's the fun and challenge in that?! Takes all the excitement away! Yes, my Intakes have definitely not been up to the standards of my facilities these last few years.

I'm glad Robertson is kicking on, I had a feeling he could become something special.

He has a chance to be! We have never had anyone so vital to our offense since Shane Forde's peak days.

[glennuk]

I think with Morale seemingly becoming a larger factor in success on FM, it is probably for the best that you let the 'whiner' of the team go.

As for the youth intake....woof! terrible!

[MichaelBrown]

On the other hand, I think it's better to sell players who're moaning as it does have an affect on general team morale. Plus, it does add a bit of realism I think.

Poor intake, but great update, I really enjoy reading these. I appreciate the added part about potential youth as it allows us to see the progression of those who could become greats.

What's your reasoning for choosing Ward and Weston over Mensah? Could Mensah ever challenge Kennedy as the #1 keeper?

[abulezz]

I think with Morale seemingly becoming a larger factor in success on FM, it is probably for the best that you let the 'whiner' of the team go.

As for the youth intake....woof! terrible!

It seems morale has really been played into how the player performs, as I have noticed. Nkumu was damaging the whole team's morale. And yes, terrible intake! Thanks for commenting!

On the other hand, I think it's better to sell players who're moaning as it does have an affect on general team morale. Plus, it does add a bit of realism I think.

Poor intake, but great update, I really enjoy reading these. I appreciate the added part about potential youth as it allows us to see the progression of those who could become greats.

What's your reasoning for choosing Ward and Weston over Mensah? Could Mensah ever challenge Kennedy as the #1 keeper?

No chance on him replacing Kelledy - I usually pick the top two prospects when I show which Intakes to show. Thanks for the comment! Here is Mensah right now:

[abulezz]

The Youth Academy finally gave me someone exciting - and he went and did this in his first game!

[glennuk]

Nice - Can't wait for the update

[Torminator]

I'm all fired up for the next update!

[abulezz]

Nice - Can't wait for the update

I'm all fired up for the next update!

Thanks for the comments - I am working on the update!

[noikeee]

That's an impressive record to have at an all-youth club.

[Bobby_Zamora]

Probably the best career I've ever seen. Sorry Ackter

And this is the sort of save where you could have a go at 1,000 games for a player..

abulezz legend.

[abulezz]

That's an impressive record to have at an all-youth club.

It has been very frustrating the last few years in the Premier League - I hope we can improve soon!

Probably the best career I've ever seen. Sorry Ackter

And this is the sort of save where you could have a go at 1,000 games for a player..

abulezz legend.

Wow - thank you so much for the high praise! I hope you enjoy the next update - should be up soon.

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2044/45

KAFRA: Another 16th Place finish, although I think the team performed better than last year. The shining star was John Robertson – the Scottish striker again broke the club’s scoring records and gave us one of the greatest seasons of any player in the club’s history. Defensively, I am man enough to admit that I should not have sold Alex Nkumu – we suffered without him and our defensive line is the shallowest and least talented it has been since we got promoted to the Premier League. Still, there are some exciting spots – namely, our young prospects Isasi and Johnson, who look like they are at least going to be serviceable at the fullback positions. Our central defender position is nowhere near the levels it is supposed to be, however – Tim Abel is our best player at the position and I don’t think he would start in any other Premier League team. Our midfield is where the team is the deepest – with Herdman, York, and Medaglia, we have 3 of the best players at the club all playing the same position. Unfortunately, a case can be made that none are hitting the kind of form they are capable of. Still, we do get consistency from the position, if not a lot of offensive threat. Our two striker system was basically Robertson + someone else all season long, but with the emergence of ’45 Youth Class star Daniel Friar, I have now switched back to a one striker formation with an AM behind him. Our wings were great, as usual – Louis Miller is fast challenging Shane Forde for greatest player in the history of the club, while Hunter continues to overachieve and impress. Overall, we were 13th Best in the league offensively, but only 16th Best defensively – we have now played six seasons in the Premier League but we are still pretty much at the same level we were on when we first got promoted. After reaching the Capital One Cup Semi-Finals last year – only to be undone by Man United – we were knocked out in the 4th Round by West Brom, while we were 6th Round casualties in the FA Cup, losing to Liverpool away.

PREMIER LEAGUE: Two years in a row now for Manchester City, and it was not even close! Fifteen points separated the two time defending champions from Arsenal (2nd), as the emergence of Jimmy Janssen (Bought for £50m from Cardiff last season, winner of the English Players’ Player of the Year this season) really set them apart. Of course, the usual suspects – World Golden Ball winner for the second straight year and English Footballer of the Year for the third straight season Stelios Zikos, legendary Welsh winger Alex Hughes, Premier League Top Goalscorer despite being 34 years old Shane Gardner, and the best left back in the world in Belgian Nico Peeters – were all there as Man City has assembled a team that looks like it is going to be very, very difficult to beat in the next few coming years. Arsenal finished as 2nd Best for the second year in a row, led by Cristobal Tunas and Mexican legend Ivan Reyes, but the real surprises were Derby (3rd) and Cardiff (4th), who finished in 5th Place and 9th Place last season, respectively. Derby were led by Italian striker Bassi Croce, who was signed 4 years ago for £24m and finally lived up to his price tag this year, while Cardiff’s best player was 33 year old English midfielder Simon Sutton. Incredibly, what was considered perhaps the best offense in the Premier League (Man United) finished in 13th Place in a disastrous season, but the biggest shock was Liverpool (19th) getting relegated.

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Jimmy Janssen - Stelio Zikos - Shane Gardner - Alex Hughes - Nico Peeters - Cristobal Tunas - Ivan Reyes - Bassi Croce - Simon Sutton

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Defending champion Man City found their end to beaten Finalists and new German Bundesliga champions Gelsenkirchen, who were defeated by Barcelona in Sevilla, Spain – it was Barcelona’s 5th title in 8 years. It was the Spanish giant’s 10th title in their history, and this time around, they had the great play of the tournament’s Best Player and Top Goalscorer Augusto Ramirez, to thank, along with their star striker Antonio Jesus Perez, whom they signed from Leicester for £53m last season. The defeated Finalists, who were making their second trip to the Champions League Finals in their history (they won the tournament in 2031), were led by German winger Bekir Guner. They had defeated fellow German outfit Stuttgart, who featured the tournament’s Best GK in Koly Thiam, in the Semi-Finals, while Barcelona had defeated underachieving Man United. Russian side Krasnador and Italian side AC Milan were impressive until their Quarter-Final defeats to Barcelona and Stuttgart, respectively. Champions League Winners

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Augusto Ramirez - Antonio Jesus Perez - Bekir Guner - Koly Thiam

GOALKEEPERS

George Kelledy (2030), 31 Years Old: His 542 League Appearances for the club are nothing to laugh at, and neither are his 122 Clean Sheets. Kelledy has been with the team since its last season in the League 2, and has started for the team since his last season in the League 1. This was his 14th season as our starter, and his 12th season as our captain – in other words, he is as much part of this team as anyone before him in the history of the club. Our Club’s General page might now have him listed as a legend, but he very much is, in every sense of the word. His season was average, although it was better than last season, and at this point, you pretty much know what you are getting from him – solid, consistent, but nothing spectacular. He still remains our best GK, and that doesn’t look like it will change in the near future, so our longest serving captain of all-time will remain an integral part of the team for at least the next few years.

LEFT DEFENDERS

Gary Isasi (2043), 18 Years Old: Thrust into the starting lineup after I decided to accept a bid of £5m for the most frustrating player I have ever had – Elliot Watson – Isasi responded with an inconsistent yet positive season. For one, he led the league in with 100 Mistakes, but he made it up by leading the league with an incredible 7.48 TpG – considering his age and experience, or lack thereof, the latter statistic was very impressive. He played in 33 Games, registering 6.65 AR – obviously, that is not a good number, but I expect that will be closer to 6.80 come next season. He mastered the left back position in his retraining, and put in some nice work over the course of the season that saw him attributes improve. He is the second youngest starter on the team, but he is one that I might be the most excited about. Gary Isasi Training Levels

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Tim Abel (2041), 20 Years Old: First, we had Hendon as the leader of the defensive line in the late 2030s and early 2040s, and then it was Alex Nkumu in the mid-2040s. Both players have been sold for almost £60m, and now the role of leader of the defensive line falls on our 6’6 German CD, Tim Abel. What I can say about Abel is that he carries the same skill set as the other two – great in the area, good defensive instincts, surprisingly good feet. He is also easily the least talented of the three, and now that he has turned 20 years old, it is hard to imagine him making the kind of progress needed to get to the level of the two England Internationals. In 28 Games (a groin strain and a pulled hamstring ruled him out for a total of 6 weeks), he registered 4.12 TpG and a career-high 6.95 AR as he completed his 3rd season as a starter for us. I don’t have any crazy expectations from him – if he can maintain a 7.00 AR level, I think he would have done very well.

Nathaniel Weston (2044), 17 Years Old: He is potentially the weakest starter I have had since coming up to the Premier League six years ago. Nothing against Weston – he may develop into a decent central defender and be a part of the rotation – but he has no business starting on a Premier League defensive line. In hindsight, maybe selling Nkumu was not the best decision. In 24 Games, he registered 2.00 TpG and 6.67 AR, to along with a terrible 49% Pass Ratio. Part of the weakest Youth Intake I have had in years, the really worrying part is I don’t have an alternative! My only hope is that he can get significantly better – unfortunately, in his first year, the youngest member of our starting eleven barely showed any progress.

RIGHT DEFENDERS

Mikele Burton (2037), 23 Years Old: He put his discontent behind him, signed a new contract last year, and finally showed some improvement in form. In 35 Games, he registered 4.16 TpG, a career-high 1.44 DpG, and 6.90 AR, which was up from 6.78 AR last year. They might not be eye-popping numbers, but they are numbers I am completely satisfied with at this stage. Like I said before, he obviously is not going to be an England international nor will he ever become a World-Class right back, but he fills our need well at the position and at least I know what I am getting every night from him. He is durable, consistent, and my coaching staff have him ranked as a good player for most Premier League teams, with a 3.5/5 CA rating.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Matty York (2037), 24 Years Old: Our highest paid player can no longer be considered our most talented one, but he did give us another no-nonsense season with zero whining and complaining, which I appreciate. He has finally matured, I would say, past his criminally annoying late teen and early 20s years, and has his head seemingly focused on football. Unfortunately, he had to deal with no less than 3 different injuries this season, with the worst being a sport hernia that ruled him out for almost 2 months. As such, he only played in 26 Games, registering 2 Assists, 3.68 TpG, 1.45 DpG, and 7.08 AR – numbers that would have probably been higher had he not spent so much time trying to recuperate from his injuries. For the first time in his career, the fans have started liking the player, according to his report, and we both know at this point he is most likely going to remain a part of the team for a while yet.

Ronayne Herdman (2039), 23 Years Old: Amazingly enough, my coaching staff think he still has the potential to be a world-class midfielder, implying that his growth is actually not complete. Unfortunately, all of that has not translated into a season acceptable of his talent level – in 31 Games, he registered 1 Goal, 5.21 TpG, 76% Pass Ratio, 1.18 DpG, and 6.94 AR. The main problem I have with Herdman can be found in this Analysis – as you can see, a lot of activity in the middle but very little Key Passes and zero passes into the box or a dangerous area. You can also see that his involvement in our counter attack – our main source of offense – is almost nil, as well. He obviously doesn’t make many mistakes and he’s a good tackler, but it seems to me that his presence is underwhelming, and given his 6.94 AR, it appears to me he isn’t playing consistently enough or at a level high enough to justify what my coaching staff think of him.

Luis Medaglia (2040), 21 Years Old: He played in a career-high 31 Games this season, although only 17 of them were as a starter. He seems to have a lot in common with Herdman, and he posted similar numbers – 2 Assists, 5.41 TpG, 80% Pass Ratio, 1.28 DpG, 6.85 AR. I think his 6.85 AR is probably a deflated number given that half the time he doesn’t play a full game, and you can see he doesn’t have much of a weakness if you ignore the one glaring issue (incidentally, also Herdman’s problem) – his lack of Assists or Goals. That being said, he does fare better than Herdman (Analysis) in that there are actual attempts to get the ball to players in position to score. My coaching staff think his upside is more limited than Herdman’s but still qualify him as a good midfielder for the Premier League level.

Tommy McKenzie (2041), 20 Years Old: Part of a week ’41 Youth Class that has produced one starter (Tim Abel) because of lack of depth at his position, McKenzie looks to be nothing more than a relief at our deepest position. He played in 18 Games, registering 1 Goal, 2.99 TpG, and 6.72 AR, and he’s been part of the England U21 team for the past two years.

LEFT WINGERS

Louis Miller (2034), 27 Years Old – Career: This was Kafra legend Louis Miller’s potentially finest season yet as he won his third Kafra Player of the Year. In 34 Games, he registered 6 Goals, 8 Assists, 2 PoMs, 1.56 TpG (down from 2.91 last season), 2.78 DpG, and 7.47 AR – he was not as present defensively, but he has become more efficiently offensively. He was 3rd best in the league with 180 Key Passes, behind only Premier League legends Alex Hughes of Man City and Barrachina of Chelsea. He is approaching the prime of his career, and I am looking forward to a few good seasons from him as he takes further steps to cement himself as one of the club’s all-time greats. Right now, over the course of an entire career (not based on talent), I would only rank Shane Forde in front of him.

RIGHT WINGERS

Stephen Hunter (2040), 22 Years Old: Luis Medaglia was supposed to be the obvious shining star from the ’40 Youth Class, and although the midfielder has performed well so far, Hunter’s contributions over the past few years have eclipsed that of the Costa Rican/English dual national. It was another efficient season from the striker-now-right winger, as he played in 29 Games, registering 3 Goals, 12 Assists, 2.38 TpG, 4.47 DpG (14th in League), and 7.08 AR. In terms of Estimated Value, he ranks only behind John Robertson on the team with a pricetag of approximately £14.5m, and I would definitely consider him one of the club’s most indispensable players. His development in attributes did not stop, either, so he has continued to get better. I expect a really good season from him next year.

FORWARDS

John Robertson (2038), 23 Years Old - Career: He is now unquestionably the team’s most talented player, as the Scottish forward now has an Estimated Value north of £31m. In 35 Games, he registered 29 Goals (Club Record and 3rd in League), 3 Assists, 5 PoMs, 75% Pass Ratio, 51% Shot Target, and 7.48 AR – that is easily the most impressive anyone has given in our stint in the Premier League thus far. The problem here is recurring – he has two years left on his contract, and has continuously refused to resign with us. Unfortunately for him, he is one of those players that the only way I will lose is on Free Transfer, so we have him for another 2 years, at least. His development has been immense, especially over the past 3 years, and my coaching staff classify him as a Star Player for most Premier League clubs with potential to be a World Class striker. He has 114 Goals in 202 Games for us, and this is his second straight year (and third overall) of scoring 20+ Goals. He has also now earned 19 Caps for Scotland, scoring 10 Goals, and is easily Scotland’s most valuable player as well as the one with the highest World Reputation (4/5 stars).

HOT PROSPECTS

James Babatunde (2041), 20 Years Old: It is getting tougher to ignore him, and he played in 14 Games this season, scoring 4 Goals and registering 3 Assists and 7.14 AR. He showed impressive improvements in attributes over the past few years, and the coaching staff think he is very much ready for Premier League level of football. James Babatunde Training Levels

Akil Joseph (2041), 20 Years Old: Spent the year on loan at Portsmouth, playing in 20 Games and registering a 6.62 AR. I don’t think he will ever become good enough to replace Kelledy at his prime, but if we don’t get any new GK prospects in the next few years, we could be looking at our future starter. Akil Joseph Training Levels

Dean Pond (2042), 19 Years Old: The good news is, after the injury horrors of last year and the doubt my coaching staff had of Pond ever living up to his potential and staying injury-free, he managed to play in 26 Games without much of an injury concern throughout the season. His numbers were alright – 26 Games, 6 Goals, 6 Assists, 76% Pass Ratio, 2.82 DpG, 50% Shot Ratio, 6.88 AR – and he showed decent improvement in his attributes development. The concern here is that my coaching staff are right in regards to him never living up to his true potential. I guess we will have to wait and see. Dean Pond Training Levels

Matthew Johnson (2043), 18 Years Old: Although he is naturally a lefty, with Isasi gaining the starting spot there, I decided to retrain Johnson to play at the right back position. This way, he is now able to cover both positions, and start when either starter is injured. He is still young, and he puts in a lot of work during training, as he has shown some good improvement. He played in 17 Games, registering 4.54 TpG and 6.68 AR, but I think he will improve on these numbers next year. Matthew Johnson Training Levels

Billy Bailey (2043), 18 Years Old: He is quietly becoming one of my favorite prospects – his versatility is insane, but he has shown he can definitely hold his own in the center of the pitch. In 25 Games, he registered 2 Assists, 3.96 TpG, and 6.80 AR – I must say, the ’43 Youth Class is turning out to be quite impressive. Billy Bailey Training Levels

Geraint Ward (2044), 17 Years Old: Almost zero improvements in his attributes, Ward is looking like a potential loan candidate. He could get some decent playing time covering Hunter, but he doesn’t look the part so far and I don’t want to put the team at a disadvantage giving a player playing time to develop when he won’t. Let’s see how next season goes.

YOUTH INTAKE

Daniel Friar - Paul McNamee

In terms of depth, this is a weak, weak Intake. In terms of star power – and I could be completely wrong – but I think Friar is our best prospect since Dimitris Dakoutros in 2035. I love the kid’s skill set, and I switched from the 4-2-2-2 lineup to my original 4-5-1 with an AM in order to put him in the starting lineup as soon as possible. He was very impressive in the games he played since coming up from the Youth Academy, so I am very excited about his potential. My coaching staff think he is very susceptible to injuries, so I will have to be careful with him. Still, it has been 10 years since I have been this excited about a prospect.

2045/46 PRESEASON REPORT

We head into the 2045/46 season having changed our formation to accommodate 16 year old Daniel Friar as our AM – gone is the two striker formation, and welcome back the 4-5-1 formation which we saw so much success with over the club’s first 25 years. As you can tell, I am very excited at the prospect of Friar, and I really hope he lives up to my great expectations – I really like his skill set and think he could be a great player. He will play just behind Robertson, who looks ready to give us another fantastic 25+ Goals season, and between Miller and Hunter on the wings. Behind him, we have the deepest position on the team, with York, Herdman, and Medaglia all fighting for playing time – they also now have to contend with a rapidly improving Bailey. The defensive line is the true weakness of the club, especially in the middle. Abel and Weston are not Premier League material, and most likely will never be. At the fullback positions, we need a better season from Isasi – he has all the skills and tools, now it just needs to translate into form and put an end to our left back misery.

I sold James Babatunde to QPR in a deal that is potentially worth £11m – a very fair price for a player who was unlikely to see much playing behind Robertson and Pond after switching to a one striker formation. Jordan Webb, who was Robertson’s partner in the early 2040s, also left, although he did so on Free Transfer. Other notable exits were ’36 Youth Class disappointment Jack Roberts and versatile winger Danny Judge, who were both let go from the club.

FORMER PLAYERS

Marvin John – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in January 2035 for £5m to Manchester City: 29 years old…Part of one of the most dominant teams in Premier League history in this current Man City side…He is a huge part of both his club and his nation’s defensive line…Was named to his 6th Premier League Select team…Won his 4th Premier League title, as well – he was also part of the Euro 2044 side that won the tournament…93 Caps/4 Goals for England. Career Stats

– – Left in January 2038 for £11m to Aston Villa: 28 years old…This was his first year with Chelsea since making the £25.5m move from Aston Villa…It wasn’t a bad one, as he played in 23 Games, registering 3 Goals, 3 Assists, and 7.35 AR…Was part of England’s title winning Euro 2044 side…Chelsea finished in 5th Place, his highest ever finish in his career…43 Caps/7 Goals for England. Career Stats

Phil Gwinnett – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in January 2039 for £20m to Liverpool: 27 years old…The nation watched in shock as Liverpool got relegated this season, with Gwinnett having a relatively mediocre season…This was his 7th season with the club, and his future is now up in the air…Was part of the title winning Euro 2044 England side, and lost to Man United in the FA Cup Finals this season…53 Caps/2 Goals for England. Career Stats

Dimitris Dakoutros – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2041 on Free Transfer to Wolfsburg: 26 years old…Another great season for Wolfsburg, although not quite as impressive as his previous…Had a very eventful year – he was named Runner-up for the German Footballer of the Year in 2044, and then went on to lead England to the Euro 2044 title, getting named in the tournament’s Dream Team…He was shortlisted for the World Golden Ball award, before winning the Europa League with Wolfsburg this season…65 Caps/13 Goals for England.

Courtney Hendon – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2042 for £24m (rising to £31m) to Manchester United: 25 years old…Has become a big part of the Man United defense, playing in 33 Games and registering 7.12 AR…Unfortunately, has the dishonor of being a starter for perhaps Man United’s most underachieving team of all time, as they finished in 13th Place despite some of the best players in the world being on the squad…Still, his 3rd year with the club can be classified as a personal success – he was part of the England team that won the Euro 2044 and claimed the FA Cup title with his club this year, as well…9 Caps for England.

Alex Nkumu – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2044 for £35m to Arsenal: 22 years old…He had a relatively good first season for the Runner-Ups, playing in 21 Games and registering 7.08 AR…My assumption is that his role will grow over the next few seasons given he seems to be part of the England set up…6 Caps for England at the beginning of the summer.

[Torminator]

Thanks for the update! Daniel Friar looks like the real deal to me, great feeling when someone like him pops up

Let's hope that your next intake is of the same quality!

[MichaelBrown]

Lovely update as per and Friar looks a real talent. With Kelledy getting older, are you going to look at Joseph and consider giving him games in order to prepare him for taking over Kelledy?

Surprised you sold Babatunde as well, he had the potential to challenge Robertson and/or provide able backup. I definitely rate him higher than Pond, so it'll be interesting to see whether you might regret the option he gave you up front.

With one more good intake (hopefully at CB or RB), I reckon you will progress further up the table. KUTGW

[abulezz]

Thanks for the update! Daniel Friar looks like the real deal to me, great feeling when someone like him pops up

Let's hope that your next intake is of the same quality!

I really hope Daniel Friar avoids the injury bug and develops into the kind of player I want him to be! Thanks for the comment!

Lovely update as per and Friar looks a real talent. With Kelledy getting older, are you going to look at Joseph and consider giving him games in order to prepare him for taking over Kelledy?

Surprised you sold Babatunde as well, he had the potential to challenge Robertson and/or provide able backup. I definitely rate him higher than Pond, so it'll be interesting to see whether you might regret the option he gave you up front.

With one more good intake (hopefully at CB or RB), I reckon you will progress further up the table. KUTGW

To be quite honest, I am more a fan of speedy strikers than Target Man strikers - if he had a little more pace, I would have considered him for the No.2 spot, but as it is, I believe Pond can still get a lot better. As for Akil Joseph, yes, I don't think I will loan him out again and instead have him serve as the No.2 this season. Thank you for the wonderful comment!

[abulezz]

First game of the season, and this is what he does - this kid is probably the most excited Ive been about a prospect thus far this save!

[Carninho]

Youth intakes at the top level are next to hopeless. I've posted my tests and opinions elsewhere in the past. I have reached the highest youth level possible with coaching staff, affiliates, scouting range etc all in place and yet I'm lucky to get more than one first team worthy player each year, let alone wonderkid. simple fact is that its still far to random. I've spent days reloading a savegame on youth recruitment day just seeing who comes up season after season. One thing that will help is to add feeder clubs in other countries. I know you have a couple already, and its difficult to get more when your not in European competitions, but still ask the board for them.

What you have done in your savegame here is truly inspiring, especially as FM16 doesnt seem to have the same tactical weaknesses as previous versions to be able to take advantage of (ie scoring from corners , wonder tactics and the like).

There are loads of great career stories in this forum right now, and yours is one of the best for sure.

Euro qualification cant be far away now, via league or cup win

[Torminator]

In my save my youth academy produced 2 wonderkids in the last 5 years. I may be lucky but I often get good players. And dont forget, if the attribute distribution is perfect a PA 150 player can win the ballon d'or.

[abulezz]

Youth intakes at the top level are next to hopeless. I've posted my tests and opinions elsewhere in the past. I have reached the highest youth level possible with coaching staff, affiliates, scouting range etc all in place and yet I'm lucky to get more than one first team worthy player each year, let alone wonderkid. simple fact is that its still far to random. I've spent days reloading a savegame on youth recruitment day just seeing who comes up season after season. One thing that will help is to add feeder clubs in other countries. I know you have a couple already, and its difficult to get more when your not in European competitions, but still ask the board for them.

What you have done in your savegame here is truly inspiring, especially as FM16 doesnt seem to have the same tactical weaknesses as previous versions to be able to take advantage of (ie scoring from corners , wonder tactics and the like).

There are loads of great career stories in this forum right now, and yours is one of the best for sure.

Euro qualification cant be far away now, via league or cup win

Now that I am in the Premier League and the general talent of the team is higher, it definitely is harder to get players that can/will end up contributing to the team. It used to be 3-4, now we're at 1-2 - the last few intakes, its been 1. As for the feeder clubs, any chance I get! I really want to grab one in Brazil - right now, I got one in Germany and Slovakia. Thank you so much for the wonderful comment, and I hope you continue to enjoy reading this career!

In my save my youth academy produced 2 wonderkids in the last 5 years. I may be lucky but I often get good players. And dont forget, if the attribute distribution is perfect a PA 150 player can win the ballon d'or.

I am really excited about Friar, but my coaching staff have a genuinely strong fear about his injury-proneness, and they might be right. He has already gotten injured twice!

[abulezz]

Our stadium's latest expansion is complete! Plus, a little preview of how are season is going so far -

[abulezz]

Bailey just became a Wonderkid.

[abulezz]

So Pond also has become a Wonderkid - but the most interesting development is that he could potentially be the next Gary Lineker!

[abulezz]

Just had the Youth Intake - what a freaking disaster! My best prospect is a GK with 3.5/5 PA who probably will never be as good as any of the GKs I currently have. The rest - nothing!

[abulezz]

After literally years of fighting him to do so - he finally came around!

[BoxToBox]

Awesome!

[Bobby_Zamora]

As soon as I get my hands on a desktop in the coming weeks, I'm surely following your footsteps. Inspiring save, what I've been looking to complete for years but used to get bored around season 5 or 6.

Keep the updates coming and please dont rest until you reach the top

BACKUP YOUR SAVE NOW

[glennuk]

Keep up the good work mate, was waiting for this update, and can't wait for the next. I actually think that Pond looks like a really good signing, and would love to see him bag a few goals as a sub this season, and hopefully make some significant improvements in his stats too.

Tipping him to be a future England player.

Just saying

KUTGW

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2045/46

KAFRA: I really felt that the team was the most cohesive it has been since we made the jump to the Premier League seven years ago this season – so much so that our best player decided we WERE big enough for his ambitions and signed a huge £150k per week, five year deal with us that made him the highest paid player in Kafra history. That player, of course, is our star Scottish striker John Robertson, who delivered his third straight 20+ Goal season for us, as we finished in 13th Place. Honestly, I enjoyed this season more than any other so far in the Premier League, including the 2042/43 season in which we finished in 12th Place. We were the 12th Best defensive team in the league – something which I find astounding considering the huge lack of talent and depth we have at the CD position, which our Intakes have done nothing about the last few seasons. We were also the 11th Best offensive team in the league, although that is a little more expected considering we do have a number of skilled offensive players. Speaking of our defensive line, I am still waiting for that CD prospect to come through the ranks and help us out. Our full-back positions seem to be well taken care of in terms of young talent, and our starting RB Mikele Burton became and England international this season, as well. Our GK position remains solid in the presence of Kelledy, although I did start giving Akil Joseph time over the course of the season – needless to say, he was unimpressive. At the beginning of the season, I switched our style of play from Counter to Standard, and allowed my players to become more Expressive as opposed to Disciplined, and the person that it seemed to make the biggest difference for was Matty York – who FINALLY gave us a season that matched expectations. His starting partner Herdman was more of the same, however, and he will be leaving us on Free Transfer this summer, so he will be replaced by Luis Medaglia next season as the full-time starter. Our wingers were fantastic as usual – both Louis Miller and Stephen Hunter (who also signed a new contract after a couple of years of saying he wouldn’t) gave us typical seasons, which is a great positive. Robertson dealt with some minor nagging injuries but he still maintained his goalscoring touch, and he remains one of the better strikers in the Premier League, in my opinion. Our greatest surprise – and most exciting player – was 17 year old Daniel Friar at the AM position; what a season from him. I was concerned about my coaching staff’s warning that he is susceptible to injuries, but he got through the season fine and has me looking forward to next year just to see what he can do. Overall, I was quite happy with how the season went and I felt we made some real progress as a team. In the cups, it was a typical 4th Round knockout to Tottenham in the Capital One Cup and a disappointing loss in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup to Derby.

PREMIER LEAGUE: It is going to take historically good team to stop this Machester City team – they captured their 3rd consecutive Premier League title in another dominating performance. As expected, Stelios Zikos won the Footballer of the Year for the 4th consecutive year, and Jimmy Janssen the Players’ Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. Other than that, however, it was a season of surprises, as Stoke (2nd) finished as Runners-Up in their best ever Premier League finish. They were led by Italian international Leandro, who was signed from Chelsea for £11.5m at the beginning of the season and ended up being one of the revelations of the year. In 3rd Place was Leicester – another surprising team that saw its best finish in the Premier League since 1929! They were led by Premier League Top Goalscorer Christophe Nassuf – who, after spending 6 disappointing seasons with Liverpool after signing for £25m, joined Leicester last season for a lowly £2m – and Argentine winger Nicolas Huichulef, who joined from Chelsea last year for £7m and has more than repaid that price. Arsenal, after finishing in 2nd Place the previous two seasons, dropped to 4th Place, despite the efforts of their legendary strikeforce Ivan Reyes and Pieter De Lange. Chelsea finished in 5th Place, while Oliveira was again forced to watch his efforts (29 Goals in 27 Games) go to waste as he witnessed his team finish in 8th Place.

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Jimmy Janssen - Stelio Zikos - Leandro - Oliveira - Christophe Nassuf - Ivan Reyes - Pieter De Lange - Leonardo Vazquez - Nicolas Huichulef - Boban Ivkovic

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Dortmund was the city that played host to Barcelona’s second consecutive title win and fourth in five years, as they defeated Manchester City, who themselves were participating in their 2nd Final in 3 years, 2-0 to solidify their claim as one of the greatest club teams in history. For their part, Barcelona equaled their bitter rivals Real Madrid’s 11 titles, thanks to this generation’s team – which has now won 6 titles in 8 years – and the Lionel Messi-led teams of the late 2000s and 2010s, which won 4 titles. Last year, Augusto Ramirez won both the Top Goalscorer and Best Player, and while he was once again one of the best players in the tournament this year, his teammate Antonio Jesus Perez was even better, winning both awards this year, as well. The defeated Finalists were led by their ageless striker Shane Gardner, who was the 2nd leading goalscorer in the tournament, while Stuttgart made the Semi-Finals for the second consecutive season, only to fall at that stage again. Paris Saint-Germain were the other defeated Semi-Finalists, while Wolfsburg, led by fullback China, were one of the most impressive teams in the tournament till they fell to Man City in the Quarter-Finals. Derby surprised a lot of people by advancing to the Quarter-Finals, as well. Champions League Winners[b/]

NOTABLE PLAYERS: Augusto Ramirez - Antonio Jesus Perez - Shane Gardner - China

GOALKEEPERS

George Kelledy (2030), 32 Years Old: I think this was the first season were we began to see Kelledy’s gradual decline set into play – he got injured during 3 different times during the season, and there was a difference, if just slight, in his standard of play. Overall, he played in 31 Games, registering 1.35 Con/90 and 6.74 AR – while the defensive line performed better, his play dropped a bit. It is tough to ride on our captain after 573 League Games in his career, but I need him to remain solid for a few more years because there is a drop off in talent after him that has not been addressed yet. Still, I figure it will be a few years before he becomes unplayable and that the alternatives on the team will become better than he is.

LEFT DEFENDERS

Gary Isasi (2043), 19 Years Old: The English/American is starting to leave me a little perplexed and I fear that our curse of never having an adequate LB will continue even with him starting. I understand he is still young, and I understand that he was trained into a new position that better suited his talents, but I think he should have done better this season. In 25 Games, he registered 2 Assists, 5.66 TpG (17th in League), and 6.62 AR – I am looking for more consistency from him, something which I believe he is now mature enough to give me. In any case, he will get another shot at it next season, and hopefully he can make some use of the talents he has. Gary Isasi Training Levels

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Tim Abel (2041), 21 Years Old: The 6’6 giant is our most talented central defender, which is not saying a lot because, as I said last season, he probably would not start for most Premier League teams. He did give us a decent season, though – in 38 Games, he registered 3.95 TpG, 1.00 DpG, 160 Key Tackles (2nd in League), 618 Interceptions (Best in League), and 7.02 AR. We could do worse than Abel, but we won’t get too much further without some real improvement in our CD position – still, I am grateful at least for the big German. He probably won’t win any Germany caps anytime soon, but – more by force than by choice – he remains one of our most important players. Tim Abel Training Levels

Nathaniel Weston (2044), 18 Years Old: He is not our youngest starter anymore, but he remains our least talented. He did show some improvement this season, though – in 33 Games, he registered 2 Goals, 2.44 TpG, and 6.74 AR, numbers that were all up from his first season as a starter last year. That being said, he is still nowhere near Premier League starter material, even if he did show some good improvement in his attributes over the past two years. He’s is also a big one – he is 6’3 tall – so we have the tallest starters at CD in the Premier League. He is in no danger of losing his starting spot soon, as we really don’t have any good prospects lined up at the position. Nathaniel Weston Training Levels

RIGHT DEFENDERS

Mikele Burton (2037), 24 Years Old: In his 9th season as our starter at the right back position, Burton gave us a career year and earned himself a few England Caps in the process. He played in all 38 Games for the fourth time since we were promoted to the Premier League, registering 4.55 TpG, 73% Pass Ratio, 1.16 DpG, and a career-high 7.10 AR. He was part of England’s Confederation Cup team, and had earned 6 Caps up till the end of the season. My coaching staff believe him to be a good player for most Premier League teams, and he certainly has proven he is even more than that for us. As long as his AR is 7.00+, I will have no reason to complain. He might be the best right back, but he is a pretty serviceable one, and I can deal with that.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Matty York (2037), 25 Years Old – Career: Mr. York, where have you been the last few years!? I did some small changes to the way we play, and York just exploded, finding new life and becoming the undisputed leader of our midfield. He improved significantly in every category – in 33 Games, he registered 6 Goals, 4 Assists, 3.77 TpG, 1.36 DpG, and a career-high (by far) 7.35 AR. Gone are the days of just doing enough to be an average midfielder – York was a bonafide stud in the middle of the pitch for us this year. I hope he keeps this up – in the span of a few years, he has gone from being possibly the biggest malcontent I have ever tolerated on any team in any version of FM to being a mature leader of the team who seems to be a motivating factor, as well. One game short of 300 League Appearances for us, this was actually his 4th straight year where he registered an AR that was higher than 7.00, so he appears to have finally gotten it right.

Ronayne Herdman (2039), 24 Years Old: So after seven kind-of underachieving seasons at Kafra, our England international midfielder will be leaving us. Even though he is supposed to be our second most talented/valuable player after Robertson, I feel more a sense of relief than I do disappointment, and a big part of that is because he just never gave us any quality, memorable seasons to speak of. This season was no different – while he led the league with 7.43 TpG in 27 Games, his other numbers were very pedestrian (0 Goals or Assists, 1.59 DpG, 7.00 AR). Despite all that, I continued to attempt to resign him, but the end of the season came and he was still insistent on wanting to leave at the end of the season. He played 227 League Games for us, registering 15 Goals, 13 Assists, and 7.02 AR over the years – perhaps the most impressive thing about him was how much work he put in training and how much his attributes developed. Unfortunately, that did not reflect in his form for whatever reason.

Luis Medaglia (2040), 22 Years Old: Come next season, he will finally be our full-time starter alongside Matty York thanks to the impending departure of Herdman. This season, it was more of the same from the English/Costa Rican, although his game continues to round out quite nicely. In 32 Games (19 as Starter), he registered 2 Assists, 4.76 TpG, 79% Pass Ratio, 1.57 DpG, and 6.98 AR, which are exactly the kind of all-around numbers you would like to see from your central midfielder. On the down side, in six full seasons with the club, he has scored only ONE goal, and that came in the 2041/42 season. Needless to say, he is not one who is going to find the back of the net often. Still, I expect an uptick in all of his numbers next season, as he makes the CM position his alongside York.

LEFT WINGERS

Louis Miller (2034), 28 Years Old – Career: Another impressive season from our vice-captain – 36 Games, 3 Goals, 11 Assists, 2.89 TpG, 2.41 DpG, 153 Key Passes (13th in League), and 7.25 AR. He is probably our most reliable player, someone I have no doubt will much more often than not give us a good game and play his role to perfection. This was his 12th full season with the club, and he now carries career averages of 6.5 GpS, 6.8 ApS, and 7.15 AR per season, having played in 422 League Games. The good thing is, he is just starting the prime of his career, so I don’t have to think about a replacement yet – while it is not out of the question to get someone who could potentially be more talented than Miller to replace him, his attitude and professionalism is not something you come across every day. What a legend.

RIGHT WINGERS

Stephen Hunter (2040), 23 Years Old: Our Kafra Player of the Year for the second time in his career, the right winger was perhaps at his best this season. In 33 Games, he registered 6 Goals, 9 Assists, 2 PoMs, 2.01 TpG, 6.38 DpG (3rd in League), and a career-high 7.32 AR. In his 5th year a starter for the club, I can confidently say he is probably one of our three most important players at this point, and he has done a great job of bettering himself over the years. He is the latest addition to the club’s Legend list, becoming the 6th name to be put on it in the club’s 30 year history. He won his first Player of the Year award two seasons ago, and I believe it is only a matter of time before he earned a call-up to the English national team. Fantastic player for us.

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

Daniel Friar (2045), 17 Years Old: If we have a Golden Boy, then Friar is most definitely it. In my opinion, he is the best prospect we have had since Dimitris Dakoutros in ’35, and I would put only Dakoutros and Marvin John – both whom have become World-Class players – on par with him in terms of potential when first coming out of the Youth Academy. I thought he was going to be special, so I threw him into the starting the lineup from the first day, and I was not disappointed or wrong. In 33 Games, he registered 6 Goals, 10 Assists, 3 PoMs, 1.67 TpG, 2.20 DpG, 181 Key Passes (5th in League), and 7.40 AR – these are numbers of a 17 year old in the Premier League, by the way. Simply amazing stuff, especially the Key Passes – how can someone so young have such great vision? As you can tell, I am really looking forward to watching this one develop, and I just pray that we don’t lose him before he hits his prime. Our coaching staff seem to be really worried about his ability to stay injury free, but he held up this season fine.

FORWARDS

John Robertson (2038), 24 Years Old - Career: He signed a new contract! This was such a relief of years of losing my best players, to have one of them actually turn around and agree to a new contract. Granted, it is a monster of a contract (£150k per week) but I can afford and it will keep him locked up with us until he is 29 years old, so I am ecstatic about it. He did have some nagging small injuries this year, which limited him to 30 Games, in which he registered 20 Goals, 5 Assists, 4 PoMs, 1.49 TpG, 75% Pass Ratio, 5.03 DpG (16th in League), 57% Shot Ratio (4th in League), and 7.28 AR. He does everything well, and this was his 3rd straight season of 20+ Goals – we have not had this kind of reliable offensive firepower since the Shane Forde days, and we definitely have never had anyone else do this for us on the Premier League level. Scotland’s shining star and our most important player, his value is over £30m, and he has now earned 28 Caps and scored 13 Goals for Scotland.

HOT PROSPECTS

Dean Pond (2042), 20 Years Old: He has improved more in his attributes than he has in his form – in 22 Games (10 Starts), he registered 7 Goals, 3.57 DpG, and 6.92 AR. Those are not terrible numbers, and it is always going to be difficult to find reliable playing time behind Robertson, but I am happy that he continues to stay relatively injury-free and continues to show good improvement in his attributes. If you check the Comparison between Pond and Robertson, you can see that while the latter is superior in nearly every aspect, there is not that much difference between with them, with the former even being better in the air. Became a Wonderkid this season, so hopefully he can continue to build on his improvement. Dean Pond Training Levels

Matthew Johnson (2043), 19 Years Old: A lot of times this season, he actually outshone Isasi at the left back position, and now is billed as a Wonderkid. He played in 19 Games, registering 3 Assists, 5.44 TpG, 1.43 DpG, 26% Cross Completion Ratio (6th in League), and 6.82 AR – what’s great is that I have retrained him to play right back, as well, so now he can efficiently play as cover for both fullback positions. He is becoming a valuable member of the team. Matthew Johnson Training Levels

Billy Bailey (2043), 19 Years Old: The midfielder also become considered a Wonderkid this season, and with the departure of Herdman, he will find playing opportunities more plentiful starting next season. He is ready for it – in 24 Games (9 Starts), he registered 2 Goals, 4.42 TpG, 75% Pass Ratio, 54% Shot Ratio, and 6.85 AR, all numbers I expect will improve once he becomes a bigger part of the rotation. Billy Bailey Training Levels

Geraint Ward (2044), 18 Years Old: What you see is what you get, apparently, although he did show a little better improvement this year in his attributes than his first season with us. Overall, he is looking like not much more than a cover for the right wing position, which is good because we lack depth there. The ’44 Youth Class is a rarity in that it has not given us talent, but the little that it did give us I have to put to use because of depth issues. Geraint Ward Training Levels

YOUTH INTAKE

Julian Withington

Wow – is this what £10m investment every year is netting me?! I can’t complain TOO much because I did get Friar last year, but this is an epically bad Intake. It is so bad I don’t even know who to show as the second prospect because there is none! Not that Withington is any better – unless he shows crazy attribute improvement, the most I can expect of him at this point is 3rd string GK. This beats even the ’44 Youth Class in awfulness.

2046/47 PRESEASON REPORT

I think the most important thing going into next season is for us to keep the momentum we had at the end of last season, despite losing Herdman to Tottenham, who inexplicably made a £11m bid at the end of the season in order to secure his signature and not allow him to go into Free Transfer. Our biggest question mark remains our defensive line, especially the CD position. I am hoping our fullbacks and continue to improve and make up a little bit for the lack of talent and depth in the center of the line. I also have a growing concern about our captain and starting GK Kelledy and his capabilities – last season was the first year I felt a regression in skills, with the GK having turned 32 years old. He should still be able to do the job for us, but we really need to start planning life after him at the position. With Herdman gone, Medaglia becomes our fulltime starter alongside York, and Bailey will be the first name off the bench at the position – overall, our CM position is in very good shape. So is our wing positions with Miller and Hunter, and our Forward position with Robertson. Obviously, you can tell I am most excited about Daniel Friar, who had a great first year with us. I can’t wait to see what his second year will be like – I just hope he stays injury-free.

FORMER PLAYERS

Marvin John – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in January 2035 for £5m to Manchester City: 30 years old…Was named to his 7th Premier League Select, and won his 5th Premier League title this season…Also made the Finals of the Champions League before falling to Barcelona…Had a good season, but has never managed to emulate his late 2030s form…Was part of the England team that got knocked out of the World Cup in the Group Stages for the second consecutive time…108 Caps/4 Goals for England. Career Stats

Tom Ferguson – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in January 2038 for £11m to Aston Villa: 29 years old…Missed out on the England World Cup team, but after that disappointment, was probably not so upset he did…Not much to report from his second year with Chelsea…His athletic ability and pace, once his hallmark, seems to be dwindling fast…43 Caps/7 Goals for England. Career Stats

Phil Gwinnett – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in January 2039 for £20m to Liverpool: 28 years old…Spent the year playing in the Championship after the relegation of Liverpool, which they ended up winning…Part of the England team that crashed out in China 2046…69 Caps/2 Goals for England. Career Stats

Dimitris Dakoutros – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2041 on Free Transfer to Wolfsburg: 27 years old…Was shortlisted for the ’45 World Golden Ball…Had another fantastic season with Wolfsburg, and saw his value jump past £60m for the first time, making him one of the most sought after players in the world…Was the Bundesliga’s Footballer of the Year Runner-Up, having registered a career-high 17 Assists and 7.52 AR…Was also arguably a disappointing England’s best player, after they crashed out for the second consecutive time in China 2046…83 Caps/16 Goals for England. Career Stats

Courtney Hendon – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2042 for £24m (rising to £31m) to Manchester United: 26 years old…A typical season from the giant, who also ended up going to China 2046, although he was used sparingly…Is part of the most underwhelming Man United team in recent memory, despite their incredible offensive players…They did win the Europa League and FA Cup this year, though…20 Caps/1 Goal for England.

Alex Nkumu – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2044 for £35m to Arsenal: 23 years old…His second year with Arsenal was almost an exact replica of his first…Made the final cut for China 2046 but only played in one game…12 Caps for England.

[abulezz]

Robertson might just have taken it to the next level!

[Bobby_Zamora]

Magical. 20 goals by October. 8 games scoring run. Started off pretty well.

Plus, you're getting 100% attendance.

I feel you're unlucky with your defenders. Have you tinkered with their instructions to get more out of them, especially Isasi?

"Sterling Arena", "Wenger Park"...

[BoxToBox]

Surprising that Chelsea are still at Stamford Bridge.

[abulezz]

Awesome!

Thanks!

As soon as I get my hands on a desktop in the coming weeks, I'm surely following your footsteps. Inspiring save, what I've been looking to complete for years but used to get bored around season 5 or 6.

Keep the updates coming and please dont rest until you reach the top

BACKUP YOUR SAVE NOW

I'm flattered I inspired an idea for your save! I have found myself more immersed in this save than any other before - it has been a great challenge and the create your own club feature really makes it meaningful!

Just saying

KUTGW

LOL! Yea, he's developing well, although I don't know if he will get to that world-class level. Thank you again for reading and commenting!

Magical. 20 goals by October. 8 games scoring run. Started off pretty well.

Plus, you're getting 100% attendance.

I feel you're unlucky with your defenders. Have you tinkered with their instructions to get more out of them, especially Isasi?

"Sterling Arena", "Wenger Park"...

Of course, he got injured shortly after that and we have been on a downward spiral since. I will try to see if I can better performances from my defenders through specific instructions

Thank you again for the great comments!

Surprising that Chelsea are still at Stamford Bridge.

Lol, yeah, no random player/manager named stadium yet. Thanks for the comments!

[abulezz]

World Cup 2044 - China

For the 6th time in the World Cup’s history, Germany were crowned champions, tying Brazil and Italy for having won the tournament the most times. China 2046 was a truly historic tournament in terms of its offensive display, with all type of offensive records being broken. Germany’s Christoph Bierlein, who was named the tournament’s Best Player after scoring 11 Goals, wasn’t even the Top Goalscorer – that award went to Semi-Finalists France’s legendary striker Patrick Bangala, who broke the World Cup record with 12 Goals scored. Germany defeated Mexico in the Finals in Guangzhou, and while losing was heartbreaking for the Mexicans, the tournament in which they featured in their first ever Finals was anything but a disappointment for them. Ivan Reyes, Arsenal’s legendary striker, placed himself in the history books as one of the greatest strikers of all-time after he nearly led Mexico to an improbable World Cup win. The brilliance of the German team, led by Bierlein, Barcelona star Markus Ahlfield, and Best Young Player award winner Dominik Fabritius, was unmatched, however – they were the ones who ended the defending champions’ run, defeating France 3-2 in the Semi-Finals before destroying Mexico 4-0 in the Finals. For their part, France were fantastic, as well, and were nearly led to the Finals by the brilliant Paris Saint-Germain striker Patrick Bangala and young winger Mohammed Hajji, who broke out into the world stage after his performances at China 2044. In the other Semi-Finals game, Mexico ran out 3-2 winners against an equally brilliant Portuguese team that saw standout performances from Jifersom Vieira and Maurilio Encarnacao. The most surprising team of the tournament was the Democratic Republic of Congo, who advanced to the Quarter-Finals before falling to the Portuguese thanks to their star player John Nsingi, while the most disappointing teams were Brazil and England, who both crashed out in the Group Stages.

NOTABLE PLAYERS

Christoph Bierlein, Germany – Career: The tournament’s Best Player, the 27 year old Gelsenkirchen striker scored 11 Goals to lead Germany to its 6th title. A 3 time Bundesliga champion, he has been their top goalscorer the last 4 years, and his 8.32 AR in the World Cup made him a household name.

Markus Ahlfield, Germany – Career: The 27 year old was Germany’s second best player, and won the World Golden Ball for 2046 thanks to his amazing stretch of play with both his club and nation. Has led Stuttgart to two straight Champions League Semi-Finals, and has developed a reputation for being one of the game’s best playmakers.

Dominik Fabritius, Germany: The Young Player award winner of China 2044, the 20 year old defender registered an 8.35 AR during the tournament. He was known mostly only in Germany before the tournament, having won only a few Caps – by the end of it, he had become one of the most wanted young players in the world.

Ivan Reyes, Mexico – Career: The legendary 32 year old Arsenal striker solidified his standing as one of the game’s greats and one of football’s best strikers of all-time with his World Cup performances – he scored 8 Goals and registered 7.73 AR, leading Mexico to the Finals before falling to Germany.

Gonzalo Ayala, Mexico: Reyes’ running mate in Mexico’s run to the Finals, Ayala – who plays for Austria Wien – also scored 8 Goals and actually registered a higher 8.13 AR than Reyes, creating a fearsome tandem with the Arsenal striker.

Patrick Bangala, France – Career: Set a new World Cup record with 12 Goals scored, but could not lead the defending champions to the Finals after running into Germany. Still, Bangala already has a World Cup title to his name, and has become a legend of the game in his own right – just look at those career statistics.

Mohammed Hajji, France: The 23 year old winger rose up to the challenge and was France’s second best player during China 2044 – after three years of being one of Monaco’s most important players, he ended the World Cup as one of the world’s most valuable players.

Jifersom Vieira, Portugal: The Marseille striker was one of the top strikers in the tournament, leading Portugal to the Semi-Finals before they eventually fell to Mexico.

Maurilio Encarnacao, Portugal: Porto’s star for so long, the Portuguese earned a big money to Marseille in the French Ligue 1 after his fantastic performances in the World Cup.

John Nsingi, D.R.Congo – Career: The best player on the most surprising team of the tournament, Nsingi – who plays for Nantes – registered 6 Goals in 5 Games and 8.02 AR as everyone fell in love with the African nation, reminiscent of Cameroon at Italy 1990.

[abulezz]

FA Cup Semi-Finals - heartbreaking close to our first Cup Finals!

[noikeee]

Robertson is killing it. I can't wait to see what position you finished in the league this season now, that early screenshot shows you were 2nd by October...

[Bobby_Zamora]

We all jinxed it

[abulezz]

Robertson is killing it. I can't wait to see what position you finished in the league this season now, that early screenshot shows you were 2nd by October...

We all jinxed it

Robertson had a great season - we did not end up finishing 2nd, lol. Update will come later today!

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2046/47

KAFRA: This was probably our most bittersweet season yet – we played fantastic football almost all year, and were challenging for a European spot all the way to the end. It was sweet because we finished in 7th Place – our highest ever finish and a testament to how well the boys played this season. It was bitter – oh, so bitter – because we missed out on a European spot by GOAL DIFFERENCE, with Hull beating us to it thanks to having scored 5 more goals than us. Additionally, we played Chelsea so well during the FA Cup Semi-Finals, but they still ended up beating us 2-1, so there were definitely some tough breaks this year. A proud year, but still a heartbreaking one nonetheless. Our defense has gotten better as our young players have matured, and we were the 9th Best Defensive team in the Premier League this year thanks to some solid fullback play and the presence of Tim Abel. Our CMs also did a good job of being present defensively, while our offense was firing on all cylinders, leading us to be the 6th Best Offensive team in the Premier League. All 4 of our offensive players had great seasons, especially Robertson, who scored a phenomenal 30 Goals for us. I feel like we have started setting a great foundation, and this year was our first serious climb up the league. Our players are getting more mature, some are beginning to enter their prime, and while – given the weak Intakes from the past few years – our talented prospect collection has shrunk, the base of this team should carry us for the next few years.

PREMIER LEAGUE: After years of underachievement, manager Ozan Tufan finally set things right and brought the title back to Manchester United for the first time since 2041. Despite having what many considered the best offense in the Premier League the past few years, Man United slumped to 13th and 8th Place finishes the past couple of seasons, but Tufan – who took over at the beginning of the 2045/46 season – has set the matter right. With Ricardo Fernandez having a career year and Rui Ramos finally living up to his past reputation in Portugal, Man United were able to push past a revived Tottenham team lead by Premier League Top Goalscorer Pontus Arvidsson. The three-time defending champions Man City finished in 3rd, with its legendary cast showing age with exception of Players’ Player of the Year Stelios Zikos, while Footballer of the Year Juan Diaz led Chelsea to a 4th Place finish and the final Champions League spot. Man City’s decline came much more sudden than many thought it would come, especially considering how talented the squad remains. Arsenal (5th) and Hull (6th) captured the last two European spots, with the former having a somewhat disappointing season.

NOTABLE PLAYERS:

Juan Diaz, Chelsea – Career: The Footballer of the Year, his 12 PoMs and ridiculous 8.31 AR led the league. This was his 4th season with Chelsea, having joined from Stoke for £30m, and while he has always been a great performer, he really took it a step further this year.

Stelios Zikos, Man City – Career: What can be said that has not already been said about the legendary Greek midfielder – 3 x World Golden Ball winner, 4 x Premier League Footballer of the Year, and now Players’ Player of the Year. He again led the league with 22 Assists – it is tough to believed he was signed 12 years ago by Man City from Panathaniakos on Free Transfer.

Ricardo Fernandez, Man United – Career: He was the main catalyst in Man United returning to form and recapturing the Premier League title, as his 19 Assists and 8.19 AR were both second best in the league. In the 6 years since making the £37m move from Stoke, he has arguably been Man United’s best player in that stretch.

Rui Ramos, Man United – Career: Has officially shed the “Bust” title that has weighed on him since joining Man United from Sporting 3 years ago. He cost his club £35m, but failed to hit 10 Goals in either one of his first two season, before finally exploding this year and scoring 24 Goals in 28 Games.

Pontus Arvidsson, Tottenham: The Premier League’s Top Goalscorer this season with 31 Goals, he was also the primary reason behind Tottenham’s climb up the table and 2nd Place finish. The 25 year old Swede, who has been a good scorer the past two seasons, exploded this year, making himself one of the top goalscorers in Europe.

Idrissa Diakite, Tottenham – Career: In hindsight, the £16m Tottenham paid QPR for the French winger three seasons ago seems like a bargain considering the returns they have received. He has only missed 2 Games the past 3 seasons, averaging over 12 ApS and approximately 8.00 AR over that stretch. This year, his 11 PoM and 8.08 AR were both 3rd best in the league.

Leonardo Vazquez, Chelsea – Career: The 32 year old Argentinean striker has now scored 77 Goals in 101 Games for Chelsea since joining the team on Free Transfer from Benfica three years ago, with 29 of those Goals coming this season. It is safe to say that he has been one the Premier League’s premier strikers during that stretch.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Real Madrid, the most storied team in the competition’s history, waiting an amazing 27 years between their 11th title and their 12th one, but once again, they have been crowned champions of Europe. The defeated Wolfsburg 3-1 in the Finals at their home ground in Madrid, led by their Brazilian striker Leomir – who was crowned the tournament’s Best Player – and Germany 2042 hero and Best Player, French midfielder Rowendy Angloma. Wolfsburg came within reaches of the title thanks to the phenomenal play of their Chilean midfielder Diego Carrasco, ultimately falling short. Stuttgart were eliminated in the Semi-Finals for the 3rd consecutive year – this time by Wolfsburg – while Arsenal, who featured the tournament’s Top Goalscorer in Ivan Reyes (14 Goals), fell to Real Madrid in the other Semi-Finals. Both Finalists from last year – defending champions Barcelona and Man City – were Second Round casualties, with Dortmund being the team that ended Barcelona’s title defense. Champions League Winners

NOTABLE PLAYERS:

Leomir, Real Madrid – Career: The tournament's Best Player, he led Real Madrid to their first title in 27 years.

Rowendy Angloma, Real Madrid – Career: Can now claim to have won everything - from domestic titles, to a World Cup title, to a Champions League title. A legend of the game and his generation.

Diego Carrasco, Wolfsburg – Career: Still only 25 years old, he has proven to be one of the game's greatest young players.

Ivan Reyes, Arsenal – Career: Was one of the World Cup's best players last summer, and continues to shine well into his 30s. Legendary striker.

Tom Dupont, Stuttgart – Career: Went from playing for QPR to become one of Europe's greatest players in a year, nearly leading Stuttgart to the Finals.

GOALKEEPERS

George Kelledy (2030), 33 Years Old – : It is clear that the captain is now entering the twilight stage of his career, as injuries over the past couple of years have definitely taken their toll on his body. It is earlier than I anticipated, but as of last year, I saw it coming. He was only able to play in 23 Games this year because of an extensive number of injuries, although he did well when he did play – 1.26 Con/90, 6 Clean Sheets, and a 6.89 AR that was his highest since the 2041/42 season. Still, there is no escaping the fact that he played in just over half of the games available, and he also saw a decline in his attributes. He probably has a couple more years to contribute meaningfully, but come next season, I will have to look long and hard as to whether to keep him as my default No.1.

Akil Joseph (2041), 22 Years Old: The 15 Games he featured in were the most in a Kafra uniform since he broke into the first team in the early 2040s. He might be the best GK I have going forward, but he has not earned my trust, and this season did not do much to change that. His 1.60 Con/90 was too high for my liking, and his 6.77 AR points to too much inconsistency. Still, he is young, and this was really his first season with extended playing time. He will get more chances next season, but I will not be afraid to try some of my other GKs if I feel he is not doing the job. Akil Joseph Training Levels

LEFT DEFENDERS

Gary Isasi (2043), 20 Years Old: Better from the left-back – I feel like he took a big step forward this season that leaves me optimistic going forward. In 31 Games, he registered 6.74 TpG (7th in League) and 6.80 AR, which was a significant increase from 6.62 AR last season. He also showed good improvements in his abilities, arguably improving the most over the last 12 months than any other since he broke into the first team. I am confident he can do even better and hit the 7.00 AR range, and I love his skill set for the position. He has the pace and the defensive instinct to really be a top left-back in the league, and that is what I am expecting from him a few years down the line. Gary Isasi Training Levels

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Tim Abel (2041), 22 Years Old: Again, the giant German continued to improve on his form, and for the 3rd straight season, he gave us a career year. In 37 Games, he registerd 4.35 TpG, 31 Key Tackles (11th in League), 188 Key Headers (Best in League), 623 Interceptions (Best in League), and 7.12 AR that was a career best. He was consistent, solid, and did his job very well, so I really cannot ask for anymore from him. He has become quite capable, and although talent-wise there are CDs that are far better in the Premier League, he has done a fantastic job for us so far. I am happy with his contributions, and I believe he can do even better for us in the coming few seasons.

Nathaniel Weston (2044), 19 Years Old: He is like a slightly shorter, less talented version of Tim Abel, but one thing no one can take from him is his effort. For the third straight year, he improved dramatically in his attributes, and continued to do better with his form and performances. In 33 Games, he registered 2.76 TpG and 6.79 AR, which was up from 6.74 AR last season – obviously, these are not impressive numbers, but considering he is starting for us based on our lack of depth and talent at the position, I am grateful that they are not terrible numbers. I continue to say that he is nowhere the talent level needed for a Premier League starter, but he is currently the best we have outside of Abel. Nathaniel Weston Training Levels

RIGHT DEFENDERS

Mikele Burton (2037), 25 Years Old: Another fine season from our starting right back, who finished up his 10th season with the club. In 36 Games, he registered 4.63 TpG, 75% Pass Ratio, 1.29 DpG, and 7.07 AR – those were good, all-around numbers that showcase Burton’s ability to contribute in more ways than one. I have no complaints - he gives us everything we need at the position, whether its good tackling/defending, or the ability to threaten going forward. He passes well, and he gives us consistency – it is safe to say that he has now made himself one of the most important members of the team. He did not earn any additional England Caps this year, but he continues to be in contention for the team. Hopefully, he can build on the last couple of seasons and take one more step forward next year.

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Matty York (2037), 26 Years Old – Career: There is a clear cut in York’s career - these last two seasons have been substantially better than any before that. He continued to improve this season, playing 36 Games and registered 2 Goals, 5 Assists, 3.59 TpG, 75% Pass Ratio, 1.64 DpG, and 7.41 AR. He has become one of the club’s longest serving players, and an elder statesman of the squad. As he enters the prime of his career, I know what he is and what he isn’t – he is not going to be a world-class midfielder, but he is as solid and consistent as they come, and he puts in a lot of hard work in both matches and training. Hopefully, he will keep it up well into his 30s.

Luis Medaglia (2040), 23 Years Old: We know that Medaglia is not an offensive threat of any kind, not with his shot or his passing. In his first season as a fulltime starter, however, he did prove to be highly efficient at being a midfielder with a good defensive presence. In 37 Games, he registered 6.47 TpG (8th in League), 80% Pass Ratio, and 7.00 AR, rarely making a mistake and playing enforcer to the more creative players in the midfield. I am not thrilled with his form – I do think he should have been more influential – but I think a lot has to do with the tactics I have in place, because Herdman really took off in his first season with Tottenham. Still, it was the first time the player had registered a 7.00 AR in his career, and I hope he will be able to build on it going forward.

LEFT WINGERS

Louis Miller (2034), 29 Years Old – Career: He just seems to get better with age, this one. In his 13th full season with the club, he delivered perhaps his finest season yet – in 34 Games, he registered 9 Goals, 7 Assists, 1.98 TpG, 2.16 DpG, and a career-high 7.50 AR. There is not many wingers that would give you a better season than that – the great thing about it is, if you look at his attributes, he really should not be playing at the high level he is at. The vice-captain is probably the team’s greatest player in its Premier League era thus far, and definitely its most influential. He has been there through the good and the bad, a stable influence that has lifted the team and given it the right amount offensive firepower down the left wing through the years. As he approaches 30 years old, we have no replacement for him, which is starting to make me a little bit anxious. Hopefully, he keeps up playing at this high level for a few years yet.

RIGHT WINGERS

Stephen Hunter (2040), 24 Years Old: His finest season of his career earned him the Premier League Young Player of the Year award, and he completely deserved it. In 35 Games, he registered 8 Goals, 17 Assists (3rd in League), 1.78 TpG, 5.74 DpG (7th in League), 46% Shot Target, and a career-high 7.41 AR. He is one of the fastest players in the Premier League, and has worked hard on making sure he now has the technical and attacking abilities to match. He made his debut for England this season, as well, scoring an incredible hat-trick in his debut game. He signed a new contract worth £105k per week that extends until 2052, and his value is now north of £30m, making him the club’s second most valuable player after Robertson. He has become completely indispensable for us, and is now easily one of the greatest products to ever come out of the Kafra Youth Academy.

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

Daniel Friar (2045), 18 Years Old: In his first two years with the club, he has exceeded even my high expecations. This season, he played in 34 Games, registering 2 Goals, 10 Assists, 3 PoMs, 1.83 TpG, 1.95 DpG, and 7.42 AR, very similar numbers to his first year with the club. He also managed to stay relatively injury free until the end of the season, where he picked up a pulled hamstring that ruled him out for the last 3 weeks of the season. His development is right on track – he is already considered a Wonderkid, and my coaching staff have nothing but high praise for him. As I said last season, he is easily the best prospect we have had since Dakoutros, and hopefully he can continue living up to those high expectations I have set for him. Daniel Friar Training Levels

FORWARDS

John Robertson (2038), 24 Years Old - Career: A couple more seasons like this one and there can no longer be any argument as to who is the greatest Kafra player of all-time is – he was simply incredible. In 30 Games, he scored 30 Goals, to go along with his 6 PoMs, 4.56 DpG, 55% Shot Target, and 7.55 AR – without him, the team’s improvement would never have been possible. He has really developed into the star player the squad desperately needed, and has become the heart of this team. He is locked on a long term contract, and has not made any noise about wanting to leave recently, so that is great news. He has scored 164 Goals in 262 Games for the club, an incredible return – I can’t believe there was a point in the early 2040s where Jordan Webb was actually outplaying the Scotland star. This was his 4th straight year of 20+ Goals scored, and my assumption is it won’t be the last one. Already a Kafra legend at the young age of 25 years old.

Dean Pond (2042), 21 Years Old: Pond has the misfortune of playing the same position as Robertson, but he has yet to impress when given the chance. In 19 Games, he scored only 5 Goals, and his 6.82 AR leaves much to be desired for such an important position. He has the talent – he has a great skill set, with good attacking ability combined with great pace, but he has not made proper use of it and does not instill confidence when he does play that he will find the net. Still, he is young and is likely to continue improving, and I really could not ask for anything more from our No.2 striker at this point. Dean Pond Training Levels

HOT PROSPECTS

Matthew Johnson (2043), 20 Years Old: He sensationally earned 2 Caps for England this year despite not yet being a starter for us – in fact, he saw less playing time this season as compared to last, but new England manager Srdjan Bogovac clearly thinks highly of the player. So do I, actually, and I wish I had given him more opportunities during the season. He played in 13 Games, registering 6.84 TpG, 75% Pass Ratio, 1.61 DpG, and 6.83 AR, which was lowered by the fact that he did not start all the games he played in. He puts in a lot of effort during training, and his attributes have been reaping the benefits. I will definitely look to give him much more playing time next season. Matthew Johnson Training Levels

Billy Bailey (2043), 20 Years Old: He has become our most versatile player, capable of doing the job anywhere across the midfield and the defensive line. He also gave us his best season yet – in 22 Games, he registered 1 Goal, 3 Assists, 5.11 TpG, 79% Pass Ratio, 1.31 DpG, and 7.00 AR. Overall, I am extremely happy with his progress, and his role within the squad will continue to grow. Billy Bailey Training Levels

Geraint Ward (2044), 19 Years Old: Well, I have to admit he has become a serviceable member of the squad, filling in for Hunter at right wing and doing a decent job at it. In 10 Games, he registered 2 Assists, 1.69 TpG, 1.69 DpG, 57% Shot Ratio, and 6.72 AR – obviously, he will never be a starter for us, but he has earned a spot in the rotation. Geraint Ward Training Levels

YOUTH INTAKE

Lee Funnell – Jesper Overgaard

Well, it wasn’t as bad as last year, but this is still pretty bad. The plus side of it is that we got a bunch of defensive prospects we were sorely needed – the downside of it is that only one (Funnell) will probably end up being a contributor. He doesn’t look like he has star ability, but he looks potentially capable of being better than Weston. Unfortunately, he started his Kafra career injured, and while I ended up playing a few games at the end of the season, he made zero progress in abilities – in fact, his determination took a nosedive!

2047/48 PRESEASON REPORT

Going into the 2047/48 season, it is all about continuity. We did a great job nearly getting to Europe last year, so that should be the aim this year – try to grab a European spot. Obviously, a lot of that depends on whether our main players can give us the type of seasons they did last year, and if our young prospects can continue developing as well as they did. Defensively, although we are lacking for talent in the middle of the defensive line, we seem to be holding our own, so I expect another middle of the pack defensive effort from our team this year, as well. Offensively, it is tough to imagine last year being reciprocated, but I hope we can maintain that level, because were ruthless going forward last season. If Hunter and Robertson can maintain their form, and Miller can continue to give us solid play down the left wing, anything is possible. My gut feeling, however, is telling me that a lot will ride on how well 18 year old Daniel Friar performs – if he steps it up a notch, we could be in for another great ride this season.

FORMER PLAYERS

Marvin John – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in January 2035 for £5m to Manchester City: 31 years old…In hindsight, John has had a great career, winning both club and personal accolades, but I can’t help but get the feeling that he underachieved a bit given his ridiculous talent. His generation’s England team were massive underachievers, getting knocked out of 2 consecutive World Cups at the Group Stages (although they did win the Euro 2044), and while he was also considered one of the best defenders in the Premier League, he was selected to only 1 World Team of the Year throughout his career. 116 Caps/4 Goals for England. Career Stats

Tom Ferguson – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in January 2038 for £11m to Aston Villa: 30 years old…His career has entered its twilight stage early, as he only played in 2 Games for Chelsea this season. A dislocated shoulder kept him out of action for 2 months, but it just looks like his time at the top of the game has come to an end. 44 Caps/7 Goals for England. Career Stats

Phil Gwinnett – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in January 2039 for £20m to Liverpool: 28 years old…More of the same for the Liverpool and England midfielder – his importance is never really reflected in statistics, but he plays a vital role for both club and country. Has now earned 71 Caps/2 Goals for England. Career Stats

Dimitris Dakoutros – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2041 on Free Transfer to Wolfsburg: 27 years old…With his value being £64m, he is officially one of the three most valuable players in the world. He had another magnificent season for his club Wolfsburg, but sadly missed out on the Champions League Finals with Real Madrid due to injury, and Wolfsburg ended up losing. He has now earned 91 Caps/18 Goals as one of England’s most important players. Career Stats

Courtney Hendon – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2042 for £24m (rising to £31m) to Manchester United: 27 years old…Delivered a career year this season for Man United, as he won the Premier League title for the first time, the Capital One Cup title, and was named in the Premier League Select. His 7.36 AR was the highest of his career, and has now become a regular for England (25 Caps/1 Goal).

Alex Nkumu – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2044 for £35m to Arsenal: 24 years old…He has not yet lived up to the £35m Arsenal paid for him a few years back. His 6.95 AR was his lowest since joining his new club, so he needs to do better going forward. 15 Caps for England.

Ronayne Herdman – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2046 for £12m to Tottenham: 25 years old…His career took off this season, his first with Tottenham – they finished 2nd in the Premier League table and Herdman delivered his finest season to date. He played in all 38 Games, registering 5 Goals, 7 Assists, 5 PoMs, 4.44 TpG, 2.22 DpG, and 7.78 AR – in other words, he was one of the best players in the Premier League. He has become a regular for the English national team (14 Caps/1 Goal) and his value is inching towards £30m.

Mohammed Sarpong – Attributes Upon Leaving – Left in 2037 for £1.3m to Aston Villa: 26 years old…I thought I would highlight him since he has becoming a fulltime starter in the Premier League for Hull, as well as his nation’s starter at GK. Initially bought by Aston Villa, he has developed into quite a decent GK, and was bought from Aston Villa by Hull for £7m in 2045. He has been Hull’s starter the past couple of years, registering 6.89 and 6.93 AR, respectively. He has also earned 26 Caps for Ghana.

[abulezz]

Um, how did this happen?? I had no idea we had qualified for Europe??

[BoxToBox]

Did you get a fair play draw?

[Bitner]

Um, how did this happen?? I had no idea we had qualified for Europe??

Fair Play rules?

Cheers,

Bitner