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[FM17] Football, fire and ice: The inside story of Iceland's remarkable rise.


Jimbokav1971
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1 hour ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

Well a bug can be something that completely breaks a game and it can also be something that is just not quite right. This is at the very least not quite right,

45 minutes ago, BoxToBox said:

Or it may just be something we don't quite understand 100% yet. That could be looking at one hidden attribute they share, perhaps they both have the same ambition, or professionalism. At the very least it could be explained better, if it's working or an issue, maybe?

I think i's an overly simplistic mechanism that's working as intended. Trying to reverse engineer it from what we've observed, my best guess is that it there is a squad personality average for each of Determination, Ambition, Loyalty, and Professionalism. Then based on some logic (whether it's the most positive, most extreme, or there's an order of preference), one of the four is chosen as the dominant squad trait. Then depending on where the average for that trait falls on a squad personality scale (separate from the individual personality thresholds), the dominant trait is classified as either low, medium, high, or very high.

In my experience, I've seen my squad flip from Ambitious to Professional and back again without dropping down to "Fairly Ambitious" or "Fairly Professional".

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49 minutes ago, MadCatPT said:

About the determination slowly rising, if you discipline a player for poor performance, if he accepts it he sometimes gains a point of determination and/or workrate.

Did you discipline your players?

 

Nope - I couldn't as they didn't actually have wages for me to fine :D

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Old habits die hard.

Last season I just let the Ass Man decide who would take set-pieces. This season I decided I would try something that has worked before. 

It's the same old thing with the GK seemingly getting an advantage when it comes to free-kicks. 

Last season we played a total of 31 competitive games and I know for a fact that we didn't score a direct free-kick and I "think" that the oppositions score once. 

This season we have played just 6 games and (16d) Jake (ENG) (F.Sport) *  has scored after only taking 9 shots. :lol:

I know SI have worked on pens so I will maybe see what's what before sticking him on then, but he is on free-kicks to stay. 

Edited by Jimbokav1971
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1 hour ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

Old habits die hard.

Last season I just let the Ass Man decide who would take set-pieces. This season I decided I would try something that has worked before. 

It's the same old thing with the GK seemingly getting an advantage when it comes to free-kicks. 

Last season we played a total of 31 competitive games and I know for a fact that we didn't score a direct free-kick and I "think" that the oppositions score once. 

This season we have played just 6 games and (16d) Jake (ENG) (F.Sport) *  has scored after only taking 9 shots. :lol:

I know SI have worked on pens so I will maybe see what's what before sticking him on then, but he is on free-kicks to stay. 

Maybe due to one more player to mark because the goalkeeper comes up the barrier is smaller. :lol:

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Maybe due to one more player to mark because the goalkeeper comes up the barrier is smaller. :lol:

I know you are laughing, but that is actually part of it.

Can you imagine a free-kick in that position being defended by just a 2-man wall under normal circumstances? Of course not. It's not the whole story, but it certainly plays a part.

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5 minutes ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

I know you are laughing, but that is actually part of it.

Can you imagine a free-kick in that position being defended by just a 2-man wall under normal circumstances? Of course not. It's not the whole story, but it certainly plays a part.

That is true, football is a game of space and mismatches.

 

Most coaches want a numeric advantage in defence, in a free kick if you put 4 guys in a barrier (normal) is the 6 other guys covering 8, if the normal 2 remain behind in midfield.

When a goalkeeper is the free kick taker, the numbers increase to 6 versus 9 if the barrier remains the same.

Crunching the numbers started making me nervous about defending against free kicks now... :(

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3 minutes ago, MadCatPT said:

That is true, football is a game of space and mismatches.

 

Most coaches want a numeric advantage in defence, in a free kick if you put 4 guys in a barrier (normal) is the 6 other guys covering 8, if the normal 2 remain behind in midfield.

When a goalkeeper is the free kick taker, the numbers increase to 6 versus 9 if the barrier remains the same.

Crunching the numbers started making me nervous about defending against free kicks now... :(

Yep. It's for that very reason I keep 3 up when defending corners. It scares the life out of the AI. If they keep players back to defend these 3 attackers, are they the big centre-backs that are the very people I don't want to defend against in the first place? Quite possibly. If they are brave enough then they obviously have an advantage, but if I can clear, recycle and counter then they are in all sorts of trouble. 

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1 minute ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

Yep. It's for that very reason I keep 3 up when defending corners. It scares the life out of the AI. If they keep players back to defend these 3 attackers, are they the big centre-backs that are the very people I don't want to defend against in the first place? Quite possibly. If they are brave enough then they obviously have an advantage, but if I can clear, recycle and counter then they are in all sorts of trouble. 

Corners and free kicks is something I never dabbled on. Maybe it's time.

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2 minutes ago, BoxToBox said:

I had set pieces that worked in 14, but for some reason have been terrified to leave the default since, I second guess myself every time a goal is conceded.

That's the one benefit of the way I play with IR. 

Because I'm not watching matches, it's just about impossible to over-react compared to watching even key highlights. Of course I watch the goals, but that's not what I base my decision-making on. It might make me look at something in greater detail, but that might take a month of games just for me to decide if it's a problem or not, and I change things very gradually and step by single step. Otherwise I just have no idea if what I am doing is having the desired impact. 

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Just now, Jimbokav1971 said:

That's the one benefit of the way I play with IR. 

Because I'm not watching matches, it's just about impossible to over-react compared to watching even key highlights. Of course I watch the goals, but that's not what I base my decision-making on. It might make me look at something in greater detail, but that might take a month of games just for me to decide if it's a problem or not, and I change things very gradually and step by single step. Otherwise I just have no idea if what I am doing is having the desired impact. 

I don't like the AM management, and have stopped use IR.

I have been improving my tactic slowly, best defence so far, injury to my only in form forward made my attack flounder.

At the beginning couldn't win when I started being favored, after some knee jerk reactions, a more subtle and slow trial and error found me at least a way to win some.

Still can't make 4-4-2 work, probably will try another 2 forward tactic next year.

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1 minute ago, MadCatPT said:

I don't like the AM management, and have stopped use IR.

I have been improving my tactic slowly, best defence so far, injury to my only in form forward made my attack flounder.

At the beginning couldn't win when I started being favored, after some knee jerk reactions, a more subtle and slow trial and error found me at least a way to win some.

Still can't make 4-4-2 work, probably will try another 2 forward tactic next year.

I'm the first to admit it's not easy, 

I made all these grand plans for FM16. There were hardly any other Youth saves and I was going to take over Regensburg in Germany and basically rock. 

Someone forgot to tell FM16 and I got sacked half-way through the 2nd season. (My therapist tells me it's good to talk about these things and I'm almost there). I may have got sacked, but I really worked hard at that save and the following couple, and then slowly reaped the rewards. 

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I struggle most with the vision and how the parts interact.

I'm in a Youth save, so I fear I may end up converting players to a system that is working, instead of being able to improve or change my system to something better and get the best out of the player.

My board is ambitious, so my margin for error is very small, I'm getting near the consistency I need to at least get to a playoff spot, so always afraid to change what works.

After writing that I can't really bad mouth a manager in real life for not changing, can I? :rolleyes:

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2 minutes ago, MadCatPT said:

I struggle most with the vision and how the parts interact.

I'm in a Youth save, so I fear I may end up converting players to a system that is working, instead of being able to improve or change my system to something better and get the best out of the player.

My board is ambitious, so my margin for error is very small, I'm getting near the consistency I need to at least get to a playoff spot, so always afraid to change what works.

After writing that I can't really bad mouth a manager in real life for not changing, can I? :rolleyes:

I don't think that's struggling exactly. Caution perhaps, but not struggle. 

My changes are so small and slow that it's more evolution than change. 

When I have to change something big, it is always because something isn't working and we need "something" to take us to the next step. It might not be my 1st choice, or my 101st choice, but I usually stumble upon some sort of improvement eventually. 

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4 minutes ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

I don't think that's struggling exactly. Caution perhaps, but not struggle. 

My changes are so small and slow that it's more evolution than change. 

When I have to change something big, it is always because something isn't working and we need "something" to take us to the next step. It might not be my 1st choice, or my 101st choice, but I usually stumble upon some sort of improvement eventually. 

For example I got this guy:

HOCPC43Hx73Z75vw_3bIueEM2I4LACkuAEQPh6eh

I have an ageing DLP and have made this guy his heir.

In attack my 4-5-1 creates a diamond in atack, the DLP is the safety valve and somes times the guy that can pass to an unmarked player due to the overload of players on the offense.

I was also able lately to get my left and right midfielders sometimes free and they are another outlet.

But I don't think, I got this brand new Shadow Striker, how can I use him.

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So I have created 3 very similar tactics, all a variance of a single style and we are progressing well. 

GK scored a direct free-kick. 

I have realised that for some reason, set piece takers and set-piece instructions are not transferable across different tactics. 

That's fine. I go in and re-create all the set-piece instructions and takers for 3 different versions, x 2 sides x 3 different tactics, (18 different lots).

We have been on fire and were in the Semi's of the League Cup, thumping Premier League Stjarnan 6-1 in the Quarters. 

ISL%20Thumping_zpshsuobz7d.png

I have just gone through and changed individual training for every single player at the club, updated the tutoring for everyone and added a load of PPM learning. 

Game crashes. :seagull:

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4 hours ago, noikeee said:

That's frustrating to say the very least. I always lose motivation big time to continue with a save when something like that happens. Repeating everything I'd done... bleh.

It is, and I was less than impressed at the time, but I should know better. It is the BETA after all. 

As it happens, we did better than ok second time around, so no complaints from me in that respect.

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Upper League Cup 2017.

I know that this is a proper trophy(ish), but it's also just like a group of pre-season friendlies, isn't it? Well that's my thinking anyway. The board just wanted me not to get too embarrassed so it's clear that their priorities lay elsewhere too. At the same time, it's a good opportunity to play some competitive fixtures, which is not to be sniffed at when you only play 22 league games per season. My aim was to win more games than we lost, and hopefully avoid any hammerings against the big boys from the Premier Division. 

ISL%20League%20Cup%20Group%20Stage%20201

ISL%20League%20Cup%20Table%202017_zpsndz

Well that was a bit unexpected. I was hoping that we might be competitive, but to lose just 1 game is a surprise. There is a noticeable gulf in class between the Premier Division and the First Division. Against Premier clubs we lost 1, drew 1 and won 1, but against the First Division clubs we won 3 and drew 1. In hindsight we probably had an easy group, but that#s out of our control so who cares. 

If the Group, stage was a surprise, the knockout stage was an astonishment!

ISL%20League%20Cuip%20Knockout%20Rounds%

As mentioned above, we smashed Premier Div Stjarnan in the Quarters before the crash, and I was dismayed that I would have lost the achievement well earned against a team from the league above. \we were drawn against another Premier Division team in the form of IA second time around, and as nervous as I was after the crash, imagine my relief when we demolished them 4-0. I think I was happier with the 4-0 than the 6-1. because clean sheets have been hard to come by so far in this save, (where as scoring goals has been much easier). We were back in the Semi's which as far as we got before the crash so the pressure was off and I didn't really care whether we won or lost now. It's just the poxy Upper League Cup after all. We have done well just to get here. 

It seemed a sort of balancing type of FM Karma that saw the 6-1 win that won me the "Thumping" achievement. replaced with a 4-0 win that won me the "Hat-Trick" achievement thanks to Hákon Ingi (Bal)

ISL%20Hat%20Trick%202017_zps5hutf2i4.png

I played both the Semi and the Final within about 5 minutes of eachother last night and after I won them both I just sort of sat there wondering what on Earth had gone on. I had tweaked the tactics just a tiny but, (actually triggered by feedback from my Ass Man), but the biggest thing I did was create 3 identical tactics and then give them each different mentality. 

Defensive, Counter & Control, 

I didn't change any of the other settings within the tactic, but obviously changing the mentality impacts on some of the sliders within the tactic and they are altered automatically.

I didn't use defensive at all and used the control against all the First Division teams and Counter against all the Premier Division teams. The only other things I did of note was re-create 3 lots of both left and right attacking corner instructions for each tactic, pick 3 in-swinging corner takers for each side and ask my GK to take free-kicks. That's it. 

ISL%20League%20Cup%20Trophy%202017_zpswr

Considering my goal this season was to avoid a second season sacking, (aka Regensburg sydrome), I'd say that will do nicely thank you very much. (Should work a treat with the board too which is a result.

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16 minutes ago, MadCatPT said:

Did they play their first teams?

Or did they use the cup for youngsters and second choices?

It's honestly quite hard to say because player valuation has little bearing on whether the player is 1st choice or not. At the time it looked as if they were picking strong teams, (if not the strongest), but I'm not really sure. 

If we romp the league this season then I think we can assume they played a strong team. If we don't then perhaps not.

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36 minutes ago, MadCatPT said:

That is a lot of free kicks, you shoot on all free kicks?

Well he has an assist from 1 so obviously not all. :lol:

I don't know though because I don't watch the matches. 

[Edit]

I am teaching him the "tries long free kicks" PPM though. :cool:

Edited by Jimbokav1971
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59 minutes ago, MadCatPT said:

That is a lot of free kicks, you shoot on all free kicks?

ISL%20SHots%20in%20Final%202017_zpss3yfiI

Interestingly, shots are just counted as shots rather than attacking free kicks too. Attacking free-kicks show this. 

ISL%20Free%20kicks%20in%20Final%202017_z

[Edit2]

What position is he playing? :lol:

These are his touches in the Final.

ISL%20GK%20Touches%20in%20Final%202017_z

Edited by Jimbokav1971
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Goal #2 from 14 appearances for (16d) Jake (ENG) (F.Sport) *.

It's quite a similar position to the last one, but this time the opposition put 5 men in the wall, (not that it matters). He's missed a lot of this season on International duty, (the U20 World Cup just seemed to go on and on and on), but be has now scored 2 goals and created 2 assists in 14 games.  

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The fact that (16d) Jake (ENG) (F.Sport) * is scoring goals and creating assists is obviously good news, but the downside of this is that it only causes to raise his profile further and make him more of a transfer target for other clubs. 

We've just had bids from Bournemouth, Stoke, Hull, Norwich, Swansea, West Brom, and Watford have made the biggest bid of £300,000.

The player is unhappy and wants to go, (to any of these clubs I think), but we have him for the rest of this season and 2 more after that. If I ever sell him, (and it's a big if), it's because we have better/similar options. Either way, I can't see it happening until he has just 1 year left of his contract. 

Edited by Jimbokav1971
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Youth Day 2017.

I was expecting a good intake this season simply because at the moment, our squad is very much all PA and no CA. It won't be until our squad starts to reach it's potential, that the quality of our intakes take a hit. In real terms the quality won't be any poorer, but it will be appear poorer in terms of PA stars because the quality that it is being judged against, is now significantly higher than it was at the start of the save. 

My initial reaction was a poor one in that I was disappointed that there were no different Nationalities in the intake. Last season we had an (ENG) GK, (SMR) GK and a (SRB) DL. This year, nothing. 

Looking at the positives, the best player also has a good personality, (at least it's good relative to the rest of the squad), in (F.Pro).

Something that surprised me was the level of the determination that came through, I'm really pleased with that. I know it's the poor mans professionalism, but I will take what I can get at this stage. 

ISL%20Youth%20Day%202017_zpssnyswxkj.png

(17a) Baldur (F.Pro) (2017) *.

I'm not really sure about this player. His physical attributes are good for this level, (better than good actually), and while his mental attributes don't look great, if you look at the one's that are in double figures, determination, flair, teamwork and workrate, I can't be too upset about that. 

Of more concern is the PPM which is not good at all for the 2nd most attacking role on the pitch in my team. My left sided winger is a huge attacking threat and I don't like the idea at all of him passing rather than shooting. I would be quite pleased if he was the right winger with that PPM, but this isn't going to work at all and I will have to get him to forget that.

ISL%20Balbur%20F.Pro%202017_zpsnih56qug.

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International recognition slowly building.

5 players have been called up for NT duty. Nobody at higher than U21 level, but in only my 2nd season that's not too bad at all. The fact that 3 of the 5 are GK's puts us under pressure at times, but we had a 3rd decent GK come through the intake this season so that's lessened the issue somewhat.

ISL%205%20players%20called%20up%20for%20

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Unhappiness, (over training in particular).

I've read elsewhere, (in some blog or another), that it's important to keep players happy and while I agree with the premise behind this in very broad terms, in FM, (as in life), there are no absolutes. In these style of saves, I don't overly care if a player is unhappy. It might be that I don't allow him to speak to another club because I'm going to make him see out his 3+3 contract. It might be because I don't want him to go out on loan because I still want to control his individual training. It might be that he is never ever ever going to play for me, but I need his Professional ability as a tutor. The overall development of the squad/club is FAR more important than one individual and as we are not in a position to go and buy replacements, releasing/selling players is something that should only be done after long and careful deliberation. 

While less extreme than a player's unhappiness at being kept at the club against their will, players also think that they should have an input into training, and while I respect their feelings, (ok, no I don't, not even a little bit), the fact remains that they work for me and I say who does what and when, (right up to the point that I get sacked because I have "lost the dressing-room".

Individual training is pivotal in moulding players and that for example is the primary reason why I don't send young players out on loan. I want to be able to tutor them and teach them PPM's, but most of all I want to be able to control their individual training so that I can determine what sort of player they eventually become. If a player is unhappy because I am making them learn a PPM and I am making them do individual training on top of their already "High Intensity level" work-load, then so be it. If they are not happy with it then what's the option? Is it better for me to make the player happy in the short-term, or ignore the player and make them do what I say in the knowledge that further down the line, they, (or rather I), will reap the rewards for this additional training. 

It's a little bit like "greening the team-talks" theory where rather than get a reaction out of the players, to many people, success with regards to team-talks is simply to see as many green arrows as possible. Now I don't do team-talks any more, (or rather I wouldn't even if I were playing matches rather than IR'ing them), but I never bought into this "greening" theory. If I want to put a few verbals into a player then whether or not my verbals were a success was not to be gauged by how much green was on show immediately after my teamtalk, but how the player performed after my teamtalk.  

ISL%20Unhappiness%20over%20training.%20S

My response to this is absolutely nothing. Nothing at all. Next!

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End of Season 2 Update. Sep 2017.

League Table.

ISL%20League%20Table%20Sep%202017_zpspdv

League Graph.

League Fixtures 1
League Fixtures 2.

Cup Fixtures, (or fixture singular in this instance).

Player of the Season, Young Player of the Season, Goal of the Season, Top Goal-scorer: Hákon Ingi (Bal)

ISL%20Haacutekon%20Ingi%20Bal%20Sep%2020

We competed really well for much of the season, but a really poor run near the end saw us win-less in the last 7 games of the season and from sitting comfortably 3rd with 7 games left to play, we plummeted to 7th at the end. Part of it was down to me and selection, (I can't help but blood the new intake players despite knowing that they are not ready to step up), but we also lost key players and this was at the forefront of my mind when I opted to take our foot off the gas a little. Both out 1st and 2nd choice GK's were on INT duty a LOT and it meant that our 3rd choice GK had to be called upon and my plan was that he would never play for us. Ever! He actually made 6 appearances over the course of the season, and a decent prospect from this years intake played the last 3 games of the season. All in all we were without our best 2 GK's for 9 games this season and we just cant't cope with that. The other areas where we are really short is central midfield, (where we really just have the starting 2 and then there is a significant drop in quality when they are tired or injured), and up front where we just have the 1 striker and then everyone else is WAAAAAAAY of the pace. Although Hákon Ingi (Bal) finished the season with 16 goals, only 5 of them were league goals, (from 19 appearances). Last season he scored 13 league goals in 17(5) appearances, and this season we were just so reliant on him that I think he was fatigued and then injured for most of the 2nd half of the season. 

ISL%20Hes%20sold%20Sep%202017_zpso63khtb

Actually, no I didn't. What happened is that Jökull (F.Amb) was on £1,200 per week and wanted even more to stay and I thought that was a bit much, (and by a bit I of course mean loads). I didn't renew his contract so he signed on a free for Hapoel Kfar-Saba. I didn't sell anyone at all. 

ISL%20Players%20Out%20Sep%202017_zpstrz0

ISL%20FIne%20Sep%202017_zpszwq0we8e.png

This was our ageing left back, (in his defence he is our best DL in terms of CA), but he is more of a DC than a DL and he is all limited CA and obviously I have a preference for PA over CA at the moment in this save. 

ISL%20Attack%20Sep%202017_zpsgrgxggyh.pn

When this popped up I was surprised and meant to go and check to see if it was accurate, (I had my doubts), so I will go and check now, because we certainly didn't deserve the "Parked the Bus achievement when it was given.

Actually, it was deserved so I am pleased, (and surprised). 

ISL%20Flexibility%20Sep%202017_zpss0pe8m

I've mentioned this before. All I did was create 3 identical "counter" tactics and then change one of them to "control" and another to "defend". 

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Kriss watch.

(Yes, I know they are not called Kriss anymore, but I don't know what to call them so I think I'll keep calling them Kriss'). :kriss:

If anyone wants to know why Kriss' are called Kriss, then please read here

Kriss 1. (16a) Darri (Bal) (2016) *.

ISL%2016a%20Darri%20Bal%202016%20Sep%202

Season 1. 3 appearances before getting injured.
Season 2. 19(5) appearances including 1 goal and 3 assists. 

The AP(a) role in my tactic is one that is vital, and I think it's a lot of pressure to put on such a young player. Have our performances suffered as a result of my investment in his playing time this season? Of course they have. But this save is very much a marathon rather than a sprint and I am hioeful that this "investment" will pay dividends in the future. 

Kriss 2. (17a) Baldur (F.Pro) (2017) *

ISL%2017a%20Baldur%20F.Pro%202017%20Sep%

Season 1. 1 appearance. 

I'm not really sure why I only played him once after he came through the intake. I suppose the fact that we had a few 5.0 PA players makes him less important, and in my opinion one of our best performers this season was a right-footed left winger called Trausti Már (F.Sport) *, (yes I know I said I hate wrong-footed wingers, but he's stuck the ball in the net 11 times this season and you don't mess with that sort of stuff!). (17a) Baldur (F.Pro) (2017) * will play more next season, and I will try and move Trausti Már (F.Sport) * over to the right.

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Ex Player Watch.

While I am trying, (successfully at the moment), to restrict myself to only playing players who are products of the HK Academy, I am including in that, players who came through the academy before my arrival. If you read through my, (very long), opening post, you will already be aware that for such a small club, we already have a degree of pedigree in respect of producing talented players who go on to greater things elsewhere. I have been keeping an eye on these players and would love to have some of them back at some point if at all possible, (although I appreciate that this is unlikely to happen in the near future or at the very least until we turn Pro).

We are currently only allowed to scout players in Iceland, so anyone who is playing abroad will not be scouted, They will however at least appear on the following list. 

According to my scouts, we have a total of 43 players who are HG at the club and who have since left. 

4 of them play outside Iceland, (so can't be scouted). 

6 of them have been capped at Senior level. 

4 of them are valued at over £1M.

***Actually, some of them have been scouted by me and then moved abroad, so the above figures might be out of date. 

Hopefully as the save progresses my scouting range will increase and I might be able to keep track on them more easily. 

ISL%20Ex%20Players%20Sep%202017_zps4kyev

 

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According to my Ass Man, the player at the club who has the highest PA is Kristófer (Sport) *. He is the more attacking of my central midfielders and one of the best players at the club. Unfortunately his contract expires in about a month and unless I can change his mind and get him to re-sign, he will be another joining the list of ex players and I'm sure moving on to bigger and better things. He's 22 and I really like him, but thankfully he is NOT a product of our academy. 

He's the only player of any note who's departure is imminent, and I don't think that there are any players who I am keen to keep who's contracts expire at the end of next season. It's painful to lose Kristófer (Sport) * and in hindsight I should have done more to get promoted this season because next season will be tough without him unless someone is released on my ex-player list. 

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On 28/10/2016 at 16:53, MadCatPT said:

Did they play their first teams?

Or did they use the cup for youngsters and second choices?

Well it's the end of the season and although we flirted with challenging for promotion for much of the season, we fell away in the end. 

In answer to your question I think that they played close to their strongest teams, but they seriously underestimated us and we just countered them to death. Add in that we are decent when we have everyone available but were forced to use our 3rd choice GK on 6 occasions and a 16 year old recent Youth Intake player on a further 3 occasions, it shows that we can be poor when we don't have our best players available. 

Our best GK played just 15 of 33 games this season, (less than half). After only 2 seasons we just don't have the strength in depth yet to cope with that, (and GK is one of our stronger areas). We are really short at MC and SC and if we don't get at least one of each through next seasons intake then we could be in trouble. We need to get out of this league in the next couple of seasons, but with such limited resources in such key positions it's going to be tough.

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5 minutes ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

Well it's the end of the season and although we flirted with challenging for promotion for much of the season, we fell away in the end. 

In answer to your question I think that they played close to their strongest teams, but they seriously underestimated us and we just countered them to death. Add in that we are decent when we have everyone available but were forced to use our 3rd choice GK on 6 occasions and a 16 year old recent Youth Intake player on a further 3 occasions, it shows that we can be poor when we don't have our best players available. 

Our best GK played just 15 of 33 games this season, (less than half). After only 2 seasons we just don't have the strength in depth yet to cope with that, (and GK is one of our stronger areas). We are really short at MC and SC and if we don't get at least one of each through next seasons intake then we could be in trouble. We need to get out of this league in the next couple of seasons, but with such limited resources in such key positions it's going to be tough.

Do you have anyone you can train to cover?

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2 minutes ago, MadCatPT said:

Do you have anyone you can train to cover?

I have a couple of make-weights who play in that position, but they are simply not up to the required standard, 

What I will probably do is drop and experienced AMC back into MC, (because I have had decent AMC's promoted in each of the first 2 seasons), and hope that his attacking prowess makes up for his defensive limitations, (although it might require a change in role and duty). 

I don't think we can compete near the top with the 2 make-weight playing. 

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