withnail316 Posted October 12, 2016 Author Share Posted October 12, 2016 3 minutes ago, deltablue said: My only ever tycoon takeover was FM11 with the magical Milan team, perhaps the time I've least needed one especially as we were very profitable as well as successful. A 450M million investment isn't anywhere near as exciting when you've already got it in the bank. I was at Lechia Gdansk. I'd won the club more trophies than any other manager in their history, yet I was on the brink of the sack for being 2nd at Christmas, and for not signing any 'star' players. I've only had one tycoon save I enjoyed, but that was at my own club, Notts County, back on FM10. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexter_Morgan Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Good to see you're still doing well with this. I echo about the tycoon, I think the only time I could tolerate one is a lower nation but even that would probably bore me after seasons Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deisler26 Posted October 12, 2016 Share Posted October 12, 2016 Never had a tycoon save. Wouldn't work for me anyway Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 12, 2016 Author Share Posted October 12, 2016 2 hours ago, Dexter_Morgan said: Good to see you're still doing well with this. I echo about the tycoon, I think the only time I could tolerate one is a lower nation but even that would probably bore me after seasons 2 hours ago, Deisler26 said: Never had a tycoon save. Wouldn't work for me anyway Glad to see I'm not alone with my feelings on tycoons Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 12, 2016 Author Share Posted October 12, 2016 December Another really busy month, but we're somehow staying at the top of the table. The Feyenoord game was disappointing, but we've responded brilliantly since, with the hammering of Ajax a particular highlight. Always thought we had a chance of getting through that group, but to do so as comfortably was a bit of a shock. The win over United was sweet, but I was most impressed with our points in Portugal & Germany - the latter with a second-string team. We'll meet Lyon in the last 16, which is a very decent draw. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 13, 2016 Author Share Posted October 13, 2016 A couple of new additions to let you know about. The first is an immediate arrival, and has set us back €2.1m. His versatility was the key component in my thinking, although he is likely to operate at full back (at least as a back up) considering we're quite well covered at centre back. His age means he's one for the future, and fortunately he can become homegrown, which could be an issue down the line. Junior arrives from Feyenoord on a free in the summer, by when he'll also be a homegrown player. I can't promise him game time, but he improves us and weakens one of our biggest rivals. I'll take that. And Jaksic is a complete gamble, but also on a free in the summer, so it seems like a no-brainer. He'll spend next year with the youth team, and we'll see how he develops. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dexter_Morgan Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Some handy signings there, I think Jaksic looks like he could be really handy. Going well now, did well to get out of that group so comfortably too Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Jaksic looks to have all the right tools to be a cracking CB if he develops, great score on a free. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 13, 2016 Author Share Posted October 13, 2016 5 hours ago, Dexter_Morgan said: Some handy signings there, I think Jaksic looks like he could be really handy. Going well now, did well to get out of that group so comfortably too 1 hour ago, BoxToBox said: Jaksic looks to have all the right tools to be a cracking CB if he develops, great score on a free. Yep, my scouts have done a good job unearthing them, I think. The only concerning thing with Jaksic is he's injury prone according to the scouting report, but I guess I'll have more of an idea about him when he's been at the club for a few months. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 13, 2016 Author Share Posted October 13, 2016 January With no involvement in the cup, it's been a very quiet January for us on the pitch. I'm very happy with the four points gained though, especially as we were behind at PSV with 10 minutes to play. Off the pitch there are a couple of deals for players leaving the club to tell you about. Lars Veldwijk, who had scored 51 goals in my first two seasons, has dropped drastically since getting injured, and so has gone out on loan to FC Den Bosch in the second tier for some football, and I'll try to sell him in the summer. Young striker Ruben Von Boekel has gone out on loan to Helmond Sport, and Mark van der Maarel has left permanently to Austria Wien for €2.5m. Not a bad deal for a 32 year old. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 13, 2016 Author Share Posted October 13, 2016 That's not a tycoon....fingers crossed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 A long overdue title change (even though Andersson is Swedish, so it still applied to a certain extent.) Update coming in the next couple of hours. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 20 hours ago, withnail316 said: That's not a tycoon....fingers crossed. Collapsed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 UEFA Champions LeagueLast 16 1st Leg: FC Utrecht 2-0 Olympique Lyonnais An outstanding first leg performance gives us a great chance in the tie. Jean Roy, in the side thanks to injury to Ruud van den Dungen, was magnificent in midfield, and made both goals. The first came on the stroke of half time, when Roy's perfect through ball found Thom Haye, who smashed home from 18 yards. The second came on the hour, as Roy played a 1-2 with Lagendijk, and then picked out Ahmed Onuh to slot home. 2nd Leg: Olympique Lyonnais 3-0 (aet) FC UtrechtA story of what might have been. The first half an hour was really even, but the game changed upon a ridiculous challenge from Daniel Mirco, which saw the Australian winger pick up a red card. With an extra man, Lyon turned the screw, and they got themselves in front on the stroke of half time. The second half was really tense and tight, but just as it looked like we'd done enough, disaster struck. Left back Nic Cordray was dispossed by Lyon's corner flag in the 86th minute, and their centre back punted the ball long. It looked like running all the way through to our keeper Robbin Ruiter, but he panicked, tried to fall on the ball but couldn't take it inside the box and inexplicably let it go from his hands, and into the path of Lyon's striker, who tapped home. Extra time then, and so nearly penalties, but our 10 men were undone after 122 minutes, when we failed to deal with a back-post cross. So close, but I'm confident this bunch of youngsters will get stronger from this experience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davehibb Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 Tough luck there mate but looks like you're turning Utrecht into a force at home. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 February That exit from the Champions League hurt like hell, but we're very very close to ensuring we have another crack at it next year. Defensively we've been incredible, we've kept 11 clean sheets in the last 13 games! Now I just need to hope the players aren't too downhearted from our European defeat, and can kick on again... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 29 minutes ago, davehibb said: Tough luck there mate but looks like you're turning Utrecht into a force at home. Yeah, domestically things are looking pretty sweet, Dave. I need to remember just how young this team is too, I don't have any out-field players over the age of 26, so in theory we should get even stronger in the next few years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noikeee Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 Bloody hell, that Champions League defeat must've been tough to take after winning the first leg 2-0. Perhaps now you can concentrate on the domestic competitions and take it comfortably, it's been close this season despite only losing once in the league. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 30 minutes ago, noikeee said: Bloody hell, that Champions League defeat must've been tough to take after winning the first leg 2-0. Perhaps now you can concentrate on the domestic competitions and take it comfortably, it's been close this season despite only losing once in the league. It was more the manner of the defeat that stung, tbh. Conceding in the 86th minute after a ridiculous error, and then again in the 122nd minute when the 10 men were out on their feet made it one of the bitterest defeats I can remember. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 Youth intake 2021 Not a great deal to write home about, but these three have a chance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 March A perfect month in the league, and we're edging ever closer to a second league title. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 15, 2016 Author Share Posted October 15, 2016 April/May All over then and a second title is in the bag. It was pretty sweet to seal it with a victory over rivals Feyenoord, but I'll take them however they come. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 15, 2016 Author Share Posted October 15, 2016 FC Utrecht - season review 2020/21 League (Eredivisie) Media prediction: 4th Finished: 1st (champions) Cups Dutch Cup: Lost in the 3rd round (eventual winners - PSV) Champions League: Last 16 (eventual winners: AC Milan) Europa League winners: Schalke Top scorers Jiri Masek: 21 goals in 37 appearances (18 in the league) Roel Lagendijk: 20 goals in 38 appearances (15 in the league) Ahmed Onuh: 15 goals in 29 appearances (10 in the league) Positives Another excellent season ends up with the league title in our trophy cabinet. We've been magnificent in the league, especially defensively, which is why we only conceded 15 goals all season. As I've mentioned elsewhere, this squad is really young (no outfield players are over the age of 26) so I expect the squad to improve as it matures. Our little European adventure was great fun too, and while I'm not sure what's happening with the board at the moment, they have agreed to expand the stadium (at last) and improve our training facilities, so I have very little to grumble about. Concerns Difficult to fill this out this year, as I can't think of many. Obviously the board situation isn't ideal, but I'm hopeful that will get resolved soon enough. I just hope it doesn't cause me too many problems throughout the transfer window. Ambitions Once again I'm not planning on leaving any time soon, so I shall be aiming to retain the title. I'd also like to be involved in some kind of European competition after Christmas, while it is about time we went a little deeper in the cup. Player of the season Manager's choice: Amost impossible to pick between Gerry Vissers and Thom Haye Fan's choice: Gerry Vissers Attendances Lowest attendance: 23,519 (v VVV, Eredivisie) Highest attendance: 24,426 (sell-out, v numerous clubs) (22 sell-outs in total) Average attendance: 24,180 (24,118 in the Eredivisie, 5th highest in the league) Finances €19,500,000 in credit Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Utrecht flying high, keep up the good work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 15, 2016 Author Share Posted October 15, 2016 3 hours ago, BoxToBox said: Utrecht flying high, keep up the good work. Cheers man. Hope we can kick on again next year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 I thought I'd decided I wasn't going to spend much this transfer window. Maybe a couple of million on a left back, if I could find the right deal - but then €8m in end-of-season Champions League TV money dropped into our bank account... He'll cost us €7.75m, although only around half of that up front. The amount of centre midfielders I have is insane, but Vecchiola and Haye will be our main pairing when fit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 Him and Haye should absolutely run games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 Woah Vecchiola! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 I was almost put off by his bravery/aggression stats, but I still think he'll be a star. Pleased he can become homegrown, too. Now I just need to work out what to do with some of the others, as I have seven CMs in the squad... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 I had that problem with forwards in my Ipswich career. Not easy choosing which ones to get rid of. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 1 minute ago, deltablue said: I had that problem with forwards in my Ipswich career. Not easy choosing which ones to get rid of. Two of those are only 19, so I shall probably just loan them out for a season, I think. That leaves me with five and a youth team prospect, which is perfect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deisler26 Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 HEEYYYYYYY VECCHIOLA!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 Eurgh. If ONLY I had waited a few more days, I probably wouldn't have signed him. Remember me mentioning that this was happening? A modest increase, but an increase all the same. My transfer activity was based on us spending roughly €5m on the ground, and another similar amount on the training facilities. However, it would seem that while drawing up the plans, the board had a different idea: Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted that the ground's capacity will be increasing to around 36,500, but now money is going to be tight, so I could have done without spending nearly €8m on a new midfielder.... d'oh. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 We might be skint, but one player I did not want to lose was our wonderkid Marciniak. Out of my hands with the buy-out clause, and with a club like Leverkusen on the other end he's going to get a monster of a contract offer. Gutted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 Ahhh, nightmare, did you chuck him a new offer, just in case he'd stay? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 1 minute ago, BoxToBox said: Ahhh, nightmare, did you chuck him a new offer, just in case he'd stay? He wanted his wages doubling to nearly €30,000 a week, which I can't really afford. He also wanted a reduction in his buy-out clause, so it's a no-go. Disappointing, but we're making a profit of €10.1m just 12 months after signing him if he goes. I can live with that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 Shame, but that's a cracking bit of profit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 12 minutes ago, BoxToBox said: Shame, but that's a cracking bit of profit. Yeah, and I may even consider a cheeky loan offer for him if he's not in their team. The deal has now been confirmed. Odds on us drawing Leverkusen in the CL? Quite high, I suspect! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoxToBox Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 Just about 100%. Always happens, doesn't it? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 Thinking about it, it's not terrible news. It clears the path for young Roel Lagendijk to start, he scored 20 goals last year, and yet I pondered leaving him out for Marciniak all season, and we also have Junior coming in from Feyenoord, who will need games. Then there is Sekou Tidiane Angban, who has scored 32 goals in two years out on loan, the second of those was in the Eredivisie, so we're quite well covered up front. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deisler26 Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 Big money means more money into the club for training and youth upgrades. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 25 minutes ago, Deisler26 said: Big money means more money into the club for training and youth upgrades. We have a €4m upgrade going through at the moment, but I won't be spending any more on upgrades this year. I think I need a frugal year to cover the €17m the stadium expansion is costing us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 Hoping our attendances don't suffer too much this year with us playing 65km away from Utrecht in Arnhem.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
noikeee Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 20 hours ago, withnail316 said: Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted that the ground's capacity will be increasing to around 36,500, but now money is going to be tight, so I could have done without spending nearly €8m on a new midfielder.... d'oh. He's easily worth 8M€. Maybe the club's bank balance won't be great for a while but I wouldn't worry at all. If there's any sudden serious problems, you've got a brand new 8M€ asset you can sell. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 1 hour ago, noikeee said: He's easily worth 8M€. Maybe the club's bank balance won't be great for a while but I wouldn't worry at all. If there's any sudden serious problems, you've got a brand new 8M€ asset you can sell. I agree, he is. I did have a plethora of options in his role though, so had I known we'd spend so much on the ground, I wouldn't have signed him. Still, selling Marciniak has put us back in the black so we're ok, but I'm not planning on any more extravagant signings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 The tycoon rumour is not going away. We had one launch a bid for us.... ...but 24 hours later, the chairman pulled the plug on the deal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 FFS, the forum going down meant I lost my season preview.... grrr. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deisler26 Posted October 17, 2016 Share Posted October 17, 2016 Oof. Big money coming in. Hopefully it'll springboard you into Europe Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 FC Utrecht Season preview 2021/22 Media expectation: 3rd Board expectation: challenge for the title Transfer budget (remaining): €20m Wage budget: €385,000p/w (€125,000p/w under budget) Another season is ready to get underway, then. I mentioned last year that I don't tend to have quiet summers on FM, but this year I've rather contradicted that - at least in terms of players coming in. To recap, the board's plan to spend €17m expanding the stadium up to 36,636 (an expansion of 12,213) instead of the €5m I anticipated meant I needed to be careful this year. They are also spending €4m on our training facilities, and all of that cash is without the use of a loan. As a result, I've been pretty busy in terms of getting players out of the club. I wasn't particularly happy when Leverkusen matched wonderkid striker Rafal Marciniak's buy-out clause, but €12.5m is a good fee, and a profit of €10m just 12 months after we signed him. He was the first in a long line of players out the door. Midfielder Anouar Kali went to de Graafschaap for €1.5m, back-up keeper Fouad Hofkamp spent all of last year complaining, so he was sold to Frankfurt for €700,000, and winger Enrique Jiminez went to Beershot AC for €800,000. Vasco Nunes had been out on loan last year, and this time he left on a permanent deal, joining Zulte Waragem for €1m, which was the same price that Beershot AC paid for Lars Veldwijk. (The fans were not AT ALL happy that Veldwijk had left, as he scored 51 goals in my first two years, but had declined rapidly since.) Two other players went to Belgian clubs, with left back Henk de Waal joining Standard for €2.3m, and centre-back Anthony Semekono went to Genk for €2m. That meant we brought in €21.75m in transfer fees - roughly the cost of the stadium and training facilities. I also allowed three promising youngsters to leave on loan deals, all joining fellow Eredivisie clubs. Marcel Bond has gone to NAC Breda, Ed Buijs went to Excelsior, and Ruben va Boekel will join de Graafschapp, all on year-long loans. As for players in, it has been pretty quiet. Other than the players you already know about (Junior, Jaksic and Jacobs on Bosman deals, and Vecchiola for €7.75m) I've only made two signings. Marco Antonio Pillola joins on a season-long loan from Juventus, and youngster Rodrigues will join on his 18th birthday for €2.2m from Fluminense. He'll be off to our youth team this year, but he looks like a solid prospect. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
withnail316 Posted October 17, 2016 Author Share Posted October 17, 2016 30 minutes ago, Deisler26 said: Oof. Big money coming in. Hopefully it'll springboard you into Europe He's pulled out of the deal, so we continue to wait for a new chairman. Quite glad to be honest as I don't really want a tycoon coming in, as I mentioned earlier. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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