BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - A Charming Place for the Golden Years

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center

Greetings! I have been silently lurking on these forums for many years now, and I particularly enjoyed reading numerous career updates, which have kept me away from playing... until now.  Since I have given up on my self-imposed exile from the game, might as well share my progress here. This save is one I have tried many times before - often with crushing failure. Let's see if I can fare better this time around.  

 

The Challenge

Only players that are 31 years old or older can play. This means no youth academy products, nor current players in the squad that are younger than the age limit. The rule applies to competitive games, thus friendlies are open to trials of younger players. I can sign any player, even if younger than 31 - they'll simply have to wait. The challenge adds financial difficulties since it will not be possible to nurture talent and make a profit - development will be solely linked to results on the pitch. Credits to @Braumiller and his Dad's Army FM14 Challenge for being the inspiration behind this save.

 

The Club

It seemed fitting to take on this challenge with Basler Sportclub Old Boys, not only due to the name but also for having the old versus young heads-up against Young Boys Bern. The club is rather unknown in Switzerland. Eren Derdiyok and Breel Embolo have played in Old Boys' youth teams in the past, and I'll try to bring the former back one day (the latter is not in-game).  

 

The Save

I am playing this with FM13, with only the first two divisions in Switzerland loaded. That is all my poor old laptop can handle I'm afraid. I went on holiday for a season, waiting for Old Boys to come up into the Swiss second division, Challenge League. 

The manager will be the 34 years old Swiss-American, semi-professional former player Stefan Heppke. As an avid follower of the MLS, I'll use my knowledge to bring some of the players to Switzerland.

 

What are the expectations?

Narrow tactics and emphasis on short passes to keep possession and preserve bodies, but ultimately see playing staff outpaced and suffering numerous injuries;
Continuous transfer season all year long in a hurry to improve the squad, with a few familiar faces along the way;
A need to get promoted to the Super League asap, and thus leaving the financial pitfall that is the second division;
Many years of survival and mediocrity, with the hope of one day reaching some sort of glory. 

[RenG]

Reserved for future use.

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - First Look - 2013/2014

About The Club

Based in Basel, Switzerland, BSC Old Boys is a local community sports club, having not only football teams, but also swimming, athletics, and tennis sections. Founded in 1894, the club has not had success on the field, except for finishing runners-up of the first division in 1899, 1904 and 1912. It has ever since mostly played in the lower leagues, with a 9-year spell in the second division from 1987 to 1996. 

Infrastructures are below-par, which is good: the less we spend on upkeep, the better. BSC Old Boys plays at the Schützenmatte, and shares the facilities with the youth teams of FC Basel.
 

Current Squad and Finances

I am thus taking over the club at the start of the 2013/2014 season, after the club was able to reach promotion from the... errr.. Promotion League to the Challenge League. A whole season went by and I had hopes the former manager would sign players that could be eligible for this challenge:

I guess not. My first task will be to get rid of all these players, hopefully without having to terminate contracts and with some transfer fees - we badly need the money:

 
Already predicted in the red. Great!

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2013/2014 - Season Preview

Board Expectations

Works for me (don't really have a choice here anyways). We are also expected to reach the second round of the Swiss Cup, but priority goes to league survival. 
I highly doubt I'll be able to respect the budget, given the upcoming overhaul of the squad. 

[RenG]

League started, and this was - unfortunately - expected. Should have got something out of the game vs. Wohlen however.

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2013/2014 - June to August

Challenge League

As you can see above, the league started quite early (end of July), leaving a short month for pre-season, while the transfer window remains open until end of September. We haven't had the best start, no surprise there however, given we went through a complete overhaul of the squad and lack of cohesion and match fitness for most. Hopefully the next months will bring us a few points to stay in the relegation battle.

Transfers

23 players in, 15 players out. More to come in. Had to terminate a few very weak players to open up the wage budget. At this point, I have 3 players from the old regime still in the squad - a youth contract too expensive to terminate, an overpaid defender no one wants, and a former greyed out player signed by the former manager. I'll eventually have to terminate the latter two.

I have mainly recruited among clubs in the 4th, 5th, and 6th tiers of swiss football as it seems we're not that attractive of a destination. Some players could fit in with any other teams in Challenge League, otherwise it is a collection of misfits and early retirees we have here. Two players stand out:

Julio Rossi - Some might recognise him from the time he played at FC Basel ('02-'06), scoring against, and eliminating, Liverpool from the '02 Champions League

Josip Colina - I was delighted we could sign him. He's been a first-teamer for the past 8 years in Super League. Will be our defensive rock for years to come.  

Next:

As I forgot to save on a monthly basis, the next update will be midway in the season. Should be able to return to monthly updates from next season onwards.

[RenG]

Well... kinda makes sense now why we're unable to attract 3rd division players.

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2013/2014 - Mid Season

Challenge League

(image contains the first six games of the season shared previously)

It could have been better. We have had a very difficult start of the season, best illustrated by our inability to create chances and keep possession. After a tactical change - giving up my defensive 451 for a more attack-oriented 3-5-2 - there have been improvements in the way we play, starting with the 3-5 loss against Aarau, but our inability to convert clear chances into goals has cost us and remains a concern. 

After 18 out of 36 games, we're dead last with some distance. I remain hopeful however as the three teams above us are not that much stronger than us.

Swiss Cup

Disappointing first-round exit against a lower league club. 

Transfers

Andrea Conti - Really happy about this signing, should be a great AMC. Hopefully can turn his 17 in corners into goals as our kicks so far have been woeful.

Next:
Three games to go in December - weird scheduling.

 

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2013/2014 - December 2013

Challenge League

So much frustration. Despite missing heaps of chances, we eventually went ahead on the 77th minute against Wohlen, only to see them bag 4 goals in 15 minutes and crush us. Couldn't do much against Servette, while the victory against leaders Bellinzona was a huge surprise (seems they suit us well, 2 victories in 3 games) and gives us some hope for the spring.   

We remain 10 points behind Wohlen, when it should have been 4. 

Next:
It is time now for the long winter break. We will resume play end of February, so we will play a dozen friendlies, some to regain confidence, others against much stronger opposition to garner some incomes. I certainly hope these games will also help us have better squad cohesion for the remainder of the season.

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2013/2014 - Winter Break

Friendlies

With two months off due to winter break, it was important to play as many friendlies as possible for both match fitness and the finances. Results are not that important, although the victory against Super League holders Sion was very encouraging. I feel we are ready to take on the challenge of staying up.

Note to self, though: Maybe don't play winter friendlies on home turf, since now the pitch is in terrible condition.    

Transfers

We brought in seven more players, raising the number of squad players to 31. We really needed to strengthen to give ourselves a chance, and I'm happy with our business.

Joetex Frimpong - Not the best composure, otherwise a beast at this level. I've signed Joetex in every Swiss save I've had so far, and he delivered. Hopefully will be the same with Old Boys as well. 

Ifet Taljevic - Looking forward to the former Düsseldorf, Thun, and Xamax maestro strengthening our central midfield.

Papa Bouba Diop - Full circle for the Senegalese: having started his career in Switzerland, he comes back for the end of it after playing for Fulham, Portsmouth and West Ham. Will be trained as DC.

Ivan Benito - Over the moon when Young Boys released him. Very good for this level, should be our #1 until he decides to retire.

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2013/2014 - February & March

Challenge League

February and March have been kind to us! The new signings have contributed right away, and with a squad that has fully adapted now, we have been able to get consistent results. The victory against Locarno was priceless since our opponent is involved in the relegation battle. The trashing of Chiasso was unexpected: When everything works beyond what was hoped for    

We closed the 10-points gap, almost. Wohlen is struggling seriously, it is up to my Old Boys to take advantage of that. 

Next:

April will see us play for the last time against Wohlen this season, in a must-win confrontation. If we get the win, and are able to grab a couple of points against the other teams - Bellinzona in particular - we would make a great step towards safety.

[RenG]

Huge victory against our direct opponent in the relegation battle! 

Fingers crossed we can keep things this way until the end of season.

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2013/2014 - April & May

Challenge League

The glorious victory against Wohlen was key, all we had to do after that was to secure as many points as our foes to stay up. Defeating both Lugano and Locarno at the beginning of May was the way to go.  

Survival! It's been a long and difficult season we concluded in high colors, and by May 10th, with two games left, we had secured our place in the second division.  

 

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2013/2014 - Season Review

Results Overview

Swiss Challenge League
Media Prediction: 10th and relegated
Board Expectations: Stay clear of relegation
Finished: 9th

Swiss Cup
Board Expectations: Reach Second Round
Result: Eliminated First Round
 

It was always going to be a difficult season, considering the major overhaul of the squad in order to meet the restrictions of the challenge. The club's lack of reputation and financial resources did not make it easy on the transfer market. I am pleased with the squad we've been able to assemble, one that delivered on what was essential: staying up. 

Squad Review

Also see: Season's Records

We have brought in a total of 33 players this season - 2 joined in late April with next season in mind - thus not all are displayed above. I do not plan on having such a large squad throughout the years, it was however important for this first season to have all our bases covered. The arrivals of Conti and Frimpong have played a significant role in us managing to stay up, while the solidity of Benito, Colina and Lacroix at the back prevented us from collapsing at times. Next season's first XI will clearly be built around these players. Most are locked contractually for another season, but serious decline has been seen in half of the squad: golden oldies are not eternal.  

Finances

It's hard to be in the Swiss Challenge League, money-wise. We are overspending on wages, while incomes are sparse. There is little TV (£8000 this season) or prize money (£68'000) to cover losses at the end of the season, while we cannot count on juicy sponsorships (£24'000). Thankfully, the board invests on a regular basis to keep us afloat.

Next Season

I feel we will have to go through one or two more difficult years before we can expect anything more than relegation battle.
  

[Scottie]

This is a great idea! Fantastic work to survive in the first season, and looking forward to seeing how the team grows (and, more importantly, how quickly some of the older players drop off...).

[phnompenhandy]

On 30/12/2018 at 02:08, RenG said:

Old Boys' youth teams

 

Seriously, this is the best concept for a challenge I've seen in a long time and as a 57-year-old-git myself I appreciate it.

The way you gradually got the old dudes performing over the season and came good late on was exciting stuff. Greatly looking forward to following your progress

[RenG]

On 03/01/2019 at 06:03, Scottie said:

This is a great idea! Fantastic work to survive in the first season, and looking forward to seeing how the team grows (and, more importantly, how quickly some of the older players drop off...).

Thanks @Scottie ! I'm considering doing a comparison at the start of the 3rd season if I still have players in the squad from the 1st one. 

On 03/01/2019 at 07:29, phnompenhandy said:

 

Seriously, this is the best concept for a challenge I've seen in a long time and as a 57-year-old-git myself I appreciate it.

The way you gradually got the old dudes performing over the season and came good late on was exciting stuff. Greatly looking forward to following your progress

 

Cheers @phnompenhandy ! Giving up on playing deep and defensive contributed to better results I guess - we're keeping possession more now, so we see less often Lacroix and his 3 in acceleration & pace try chasing young speedsters 

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2014/2015 - Season Preview

Board Expectations

Swiss Challenge League
Media Prediction: 10th and relegated
Board Expectations: Stay clear of relegation
My Expectations: Nothing more than the survival battle, the hope is that we secure it before the final games.  

 

Swiss Cup
Board Expectations: Reach Second Round 
My Expectations: Doesn't matter at this point

 

Budgets
Transfer: £1,190
Wages: £7,080 per week (currently spending £9,750 per week)

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2014/2015 - Pre-Season

Friendlies

We had a fruitful preparation for the season. I also did not introduce one of our late signings last season back in April, and given how productive he's been this pre-season, it is the perfect time to do so:

Nicolas Marazzi - After he became a free agent, it took us 9 months to finally convince him to join. Given his attributes, I am retraining him as a forward.

Transfers

I am happy we were able to offload some of the players and thus reduce the sizes of the squad and wage bill. We brought in only 3 players, but my shortlist is full of talented free agents: I will wait for them to give up any hopes of finding a lucrative contract in a competitive team/league, and reluctantly become interested in joining our elderly care center.

Pablo Munhoz - He was hiding in the 4th division, and I was surprised he wasn't picked up earlier. Our Swiss army knife, retrained as WBR.

Scott Chipperfield - The Aussie is a legend at FC Basel, where he played for a decade, and was part of the squads that eliminated from the CL Liverpool in '02, and Manchester United in '11.

Bruno Valente - Well-known striker in the lower leagues, he'll get another chance to show his finishing talents in the 2nd division.  

 

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2014/2015 - June to August

Challenge League

We had a wonderful start of the season, but it wasn't meant to last. The thing is, except against Bienne, all losses were deserved as we were simply outplayed. Thankfully, two additional wins later on prevented us from going into crisis mode.

Winning against Chiasso has become a must at this point - we contain very well their 3-4-3 - whereas the victory against Lausanne was a huge upset, as they just got relegated from the Super League, and thus should be steamrolling the league.  

Back-to-back relegations for Lausanne? As for us, we're comfortable right now, which is a weird feeling since we've had two stretches of deceiving results already.

Swiss Cup

Quote from last year, still valid: 'Disappointing first-round exit against a lower league club.' 

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2014/2015 - October

Challenge League

Winning against Locarno was a must as they are a direct opponent for the relegation battle. As for the two other games, too many defensive mistakes cost us. We should have gotten something out of the game in Bienne, whereas it was already game over after 10 minutes against Winterthur - Frimpong's goal was solely consolation, as we couldn't break Winti's defensive wall.  

We remain on course for (easy) survival.

 

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2014/2015 - November

Challenge League

We enjoy making it difficult for ourselves, don't we? I don't know if it is just fitness-related, or if it is a general inability to cope with pressure, but we cave in and make ridiculous mistakes too easily after our opponents have a short spell of dominance. Some player rotation and tactical tweaks will be considered at this point.   

Winning against Lugano prevent us from being last. The winter break cannot come soon enough. 

[phnompenhandy]

4 minutes ago, RenG said:

I don't know if it is just fitness-related, or if it is a general inability to cope with pressure,

That's an interesting question. Using the squad comparison screen, how does your first team squad compare with the league average in physical and mental attributes? I'm doing the opposite to you with a youth academy challenge and my squad's technical attributes are always (unsurprisingly) about the lowest in their league.

[Scottie]

Oh boy - bad month. Still a long way to go, too, so hopefully the old legs hold up. How has Diop played during his time at Old Boys?

[RenG]

On 05/01/2019 at 17:14, phnompenhandy said:

That's an interesting question. Using the squad comparison screen, how does your first team squad compare with the league average in physical and mental attributes? I'm doing the opposite to you with a youth academy challenge and my squad's technical attributes are always (unsurprisingly) about the lowest in their league.

Well, unsurprisingly, we don't fare well when comparing (General - All Positions - Goalkeepers - Defence - Midfield - Attack), often last when it comes to physical attributes. Mentally doing fine, then again the standards of this league are not very high. I was rather thinking of the hidden attribute 'pressure' and visible 'composure'. Composure-wise, some of my DCs have below 10, which often leads to costly individual mistakes. Worse in this is Benito, our GK, and his 6 in composure - he has at least one 'moment' per game at this point  His backup, Taini, will start playing instead and we'll see.  

On 06/01/2019 at 05:20, Scottie said:

Oh boy - bad month. Still a long way to go, too, so hopefully the old legs hold up. How has Diop played during his time at Old Boys?

Indeed, plenty of time, and besides, we're not as bad as last year. 
Diop is doing great. He's been very solid as a stopper on the left side of my 3-man central defense. 

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2014/2015 - December

Challenge League

A relatively good month. I have no idea how we won against Chiasso, given how dominated we were. Proper hold-up. We did well against Bienne, we were unlucky to concede the opening, but put on a great display in the second half to take it home. As for the defeat against Locarno... logical. We dominated, had more shots, but when you can't conclude you are bound to regret it.   

To think we could have had a 9-point lead on the last place. Still, quite happy with our performance, there is progress in the way we play.

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2014/2015 - Winter Break

Friendlies

 Here we go again, the long months of winter friendlies. The first five games were solely played to generate income, and I am pleased with how we played in the last 8 friendlies. It's great to see Marazzi and Valente get in the score sheets, sure would give them a boost in confidence for the league games.
Side note: It's been such a long time I played a proper save on FM that I forgot I can make much more money playing friendlies against big clubs at their stadiums. So that's we'll be doing starting next season.  

Transfers

None during this window, primarily due to lack of funds. I hope I can sign a solid and composed central defender and a good all-rounder central midfielder in the coming weeks/months.

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2014/2015 - February

Challenge League

I am actually very happy of the results we got for the return to league play in February. We faced three major teams in this division, and fared very well with 4 points out of 9. We were obviously dominated, did not necessarily deserve points, but we remained solid at the back (thus no stupid back passes or howlers) and were able to weather the storms.   
Also: first league goal for Valente since July! 

Status Quo. We did well this month, but so did our direct opponents. The gap is increasing with Wil, the 5th-placed and promoted team.

[DavidBeckham]

Congrats on a great February. KUTGW mate! 

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2014/2015 - March

Challenge League

Only 1 out of 9 points in the bag. The thing is, it's not that we play badly, we are just not good enough sometimes. We had the upper hand against Lausanne, but were unable to score. 

Status Quo II. We remain 7th, but with only a 3-point lead on the last place.

[RenG]

After 70 minutes of play

Old Boys' Forwards: "We're doing so great!"

Old Boys' Defenders: "Hold our beers"

....

 

 

Also interesting how new signing Dante Senger is having a great start to life in the Care Center, whereas fellow newcomer Hassoun Camara not so much.

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2014/2015 - April

Challenge League

I am lost for words, everything clicked this month. Well, except the unacceptable defeat against Locarno. I saw a great fighting spirit against Bienne, an 'under-control' performance in Chiasso, and a high-level display in our last game of the month. Where these oldies found the resources to pull this off I have no idea. 

Almost secured!  

Transfers

Dante Senger - Frimpong has been our sole performing striker, so it's a relief the former Aarau goalscorer (19 league goals last season) accepted to join us. Great contribution already this month. 

Hassoun Camara - Our first MLS signing. The former Montréal Impact player was last at AJ Auxerre. Despite his mistake vs. Locarno, has played well so far.

[Captain_al]

Have you paid a fee for any of your transfers yet?

[Peljam]

Loving the updates, and the idea! I used to ruthlessly get rid of players that were 30+, even when passing the cut off point myself but this makes me want to be kinder to the OAP's on my team.

Are you finding you concede a lot of late goals because of fitness?

[nie jem frytek]

I wonder, does the game recognize your preference for golden oldies in some way? Like some interesting messages in inbox about it.

[fish18ish]

Only just stumbled upon this but it's a really refreshing idea. I feel like most FM players stay away from over 30's so it would be nice to see someone put them to good use. Have you seen any noticeable differences in the way older players play (eg. visibly slower, more composed in winning positions etc.)?

[RenG]

10 hours ago, Captain_al said:

Have you paid a fee for any of your transfers yet?

Not yet - we are in the red financially, any budget I would get for transfers would go to wages instead. Things could change if we get promoted to the first division.  

10 hours ago, Peljam said:

Loving the updates, and the idea! I used to ruthlessly get rid of players that were 30+, even when passing the cut off point myself but this makes me want to be kinder to the OAP's on my team.

Are you finding you concede a lot of late goals because of fitness?

Thanks for the kind words  I used to do the same, only exception was bringing back former youth/legends of the club/country for their last year or two of activity.
As for goals: 

(stats seem off, we did score/concede much more than what's displayed)

I thought we were giving up too many late goals, but actually, it looks pretty even to me. When we concede late in the game, it is however often caused by an individual mistake. Some of my defensive players do not have great composure, so I assume tiredness towards the end of the game has an impact on their ability to handle pressure from the opposition.

49 minutes ago, fish18ish said:

Only just stumbled upon this but it's a really refreshing idea. I feel like most FM players stay away from over 30's so it would be nice to see someone put them to good use. Have you seen any noticeable differences in the way older players play (eg. visibly slower, more composed in winning positions etc.)?

Cheers @fish18ish - It's of course not ideal to rely on older players since it is difficult to build a solid core for many seasons, but they definitely offer more than tutoring options.  
Very much slower, especially in defensive mode, which makes it difficult when facing speedy wingers. On a positive note, when we are in control of the ball, players are not rushing to get rid of it, so we display quite good sequences of possession and chance creation. I assume the higher than average technical abilities and experience play a role in it. 

9 hours ago, nie jem frytek said:

I wonder, does the game recognize your preference for golden oldies in some way? Like some interesting messages in inbox about it.

Not really  Media rather focuses on our very low reputation (most 3rd division clubs have higher rep than us) and how we shouldn't even be here, whereas we still get linked to young players.  

--

Thank you all for the support, it's appreciated!  

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2014/2015 - May

Challenge League

We did not show up this month. Maybe because we secured our place in the division before playing against Winterthur? Or because we faced 2 of the best teams this season? I don't know. What I do know, is that we should have never lost so easily against Lausanne...

..because that is probably what allowed them to survive, and avoid back-to-back relegations. And it's a shame because I'd have loved to sign half of their squad  
 

Transfers

Florian Mader - A signing in preparation for next season. The Austrian should help stabilize a struggling midfield. 

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2014/2015 - Season Review

Results Overview

Swiss Challenge League
Media Prediction: 10th and relegated
Board Expectations: Stay clear of relegation
Finished: 8th

Swiss Cup
Board Expectations: Reach Second Round
Result: Eliminated First Round
 

We have had a very good season for our second year in the Challenge League. While never really out of relegation trouble, we have been last in the standings only for a week (Match Day 18), with most of the season spent being either 7th or 8th. This is a quite impressive improvement on last year, and I hope we can build on this and consolidate our place in the second division next year.

Squad Review

Also see: Season's Records

We had a much calmer squad turnover this season, with 6 players joining (incl. 3 in the last two months of the season) while 13 left. We signed Mamoutou Coulibaly right after the end of the season, and his physical strength should be a great asset for our aging and slow central defense.

An overall good season for the old boys, with pleasing performances across the board. The main concerns have been the lack of consistency in getting results, and defensive febrility at times leading to critical mistakes - the recruitment of Camara did not help in this matter either. I am also worried my goalkeeping duo Benito and Taini are simply not cut for this level anymore. The best players of the season are:

1. Joetex Frimpong - Who else? He led our attacking forces this season, and remained consistent throughout the year. Meanwhile, he's been declining faster than I anticipated (see at arrival 18 months ago) and is partially retiring. Hope I can get another good year or two out of him.  

2. Andrea Conti - Whenever he gets the ball, I know we have a serious chance of scoring. With 15 assists, he's been a key contributor to our season, and made it to the Team of the Year.

3. Josip Colina - Colina is our most solid defender and thus most precious element in the squad. Not surprising that he had another great season at the back, and contributed through corners as well.

Finances

Another season with a loss, that could have been larger if it were not for the many friendlies played against higher-level opposition.

Next Season

With this year's performance, the signing of Coulibaly, Mader, and the upcoming arrival on a free of a quality wing-back, I believe we have what it takes to leave the relegation battle for good and have a comfortable and quiet season next year. 
  

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2015/2016 - Season Preview

Board Expectations

Swiss Challenge League
Media Prediction: 10th and relegated
Board Expectations: Stay clear of relegation
My Expectations: To have a comfortable ride into mid-table quietness.   

 

Swiss Cup
Board Expectations: Reach Second Round 
My Expectations: Avoid the classic disappointing exit in the first round against a lower-league club.

 

Budgets
Transfer: £0
Wages: £5,910 per week (currently spending £8,240 per week)

  

 

 

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2015/2016 - Pre-Season

Friendlies

We've had a rather good pre-season, with games against small clubs from the Basel region to regain fitness and confidence - the loss against Birsfelden did not really help with the latter, though. 

Transfers

Five members have left our elderly care center at the end of their contracts, while three players retired at the end of last season: defenders Guillou and Lacroix, and forward Demir. None of these eight players were essential, thus no major loss. I've taken Miéville on loan to serve as a back-up to the defensive back-ups.

Ramon Egli - A key player for Bienne this past decade, he should make the WBR position his own. His polyvalence is welcomed: I can see him as a DC towards the latter stages of his time here. 

Daniel Carrara - A known midfielder in this division, the Argentinian is in excellent physical shape and should, at the very least, be a valuable rotation option for us.  

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2015/2016 - July to September

Challenge League

So much yellow. We are playing well. The sole problem is we have been rather unlucky and conceded the equalizer or the losing goal towards the end of games far too often - 5 points lost in the last 15 minutes. No one to blame for individual mistakes, since there were none so far. Fitness seems to be the cause, and I wish I could make 7 replacements to remedy to it. Will be looking at dropping my central midfield duo into d-mid positions to provide stronger support for the last part of games we're leading.  

Not close to our mid-table target, but not far either. Again, we're playing well, we simply need to keep it together for 90 minutes and get some much needed 3 points here and there.

Swiss Cup

We went through!! We'll be facing Aarau in the second round.

 

[RenG]

 

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2015/2016 - October

Challenge League

So, we're not losing points in the last minutes of our games anymore (at least for now), and we have had a rather good month..

.. but so did Locarno, hence why things remain tense at the bottom of the table. We at least finished the month with a victory, the first in six games.

Swiss Cup

Not much we could do when the opponent scores within the first 60 seconds. At least we've made progress, and the board is happy.

[RenG]

 

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2015/2016 - November

Challenge League

That's more like it! Defeating Locarno was a must, and the oldies dully delivered. A great performance saw us get the better of Lugano. And what a surprising performance against Bienne, with Marazzi having a field day. We unfortunately closed the month with another last-minute, avoidable, defeat but perhaps that was too much to ask - I'll take the 9 points out of 12!

We're back in a more suitable position   

[RenG]

 

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2015/2016 - December

Challenge League

We are ending the year with another set of strong - albeit lucky - performances. Confidence is very high and it shows on the pitch.

We have definitely put the relegation battle behind us, with a comfortable 16-points cushion from the bottom. Exactly where I wanted us to be this season, looking forward to confirming this in 2016.  

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2015/2016 - Winter Break

Friendlies

 We kept the oldies busy and active during the winter months, and in the process earned some incomes with the away games against Super League clubs.  

Transfers

Three players - Hodel, Valente, and Taskovic - departed on a free to third-tier clubs. Good way to free up some salary space. We ended up signing forward Peter Utaka on a free, and defender Samir Kozarac on loan to add some quality depth to our rotation.

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2015/2016 - February

Challenge League

What a wonderful return to league games! When all hope was lost, Mader secured us a draw against Servette.  This was followed by an easy win away at Wil, while the whole team put on a serious and strong display to win a key game against Lugano. 

We have now closed the gap with the top 5, and the win against Lugano makes us get closer to the 4th-placed team. Things are also tense at the top, with three teams leading with 43 points. Seems to me my old boys have a great opportunity to secure a top-half finish this season.  

[RenG]

BSC Old Boys' Elderly Care Center - 2015/2016 - March

Challenge League

Talk about being efficient. We're not irresistible but remain very solid and opportunistic. Following the obligatory victory in Locarno, we were able to get the three points in an important game against Aarau thanks to a perfect start of the game. Ivan Benito, so accustomed to making individual mistakes, became the Hulk in our game versus Bellinzona, stopping every Ticino attempts, allowing us to steal a point. To close this fruitful month, we left Nyon with a precious and surprising victory, thanks to a late goal by Utaka.  

Oh boy, this is getting serious. We haven't lost a game since end of November, and it shows in the standings.