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[FM19] Derby County - Director of Football Challenge


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Game date: Sunday 30 April 2023

EVERTON DRAW AT WEST HAM

RamsFanzine: Everton drew 2-2 at West Ham to move above Derby County on goal difference. 7th will play 8th on Saturday when Everton visit Pride Park.

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Game date: 30 April 2023

RAMS RUN-IN

RamsFanzine: Derby County (8th) have three games left to play this season - Home v Everton (7th), away v Leeds (19th), away v Brighton (20th).

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Game date: Saturday 6 May 2023

Pre-match v Everton (H) - Premier League (36)

Match Preview

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RamsFanzine: You're one place below 7th placed Everton on goal difference and five points behind Tottenham with this game-in-hand. Do you have to win to stay in contention for a top six finish?

Stuniverse: I would say so yes.

Team Selection

Unavailable:
Mason Bennett (blisters)

Doubtful:
Rafael Toloi (knee - 45 mins)

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RamsFanzine: Just the one change today.

Stuniverse: Yes. Jack Marriott looked sharp when he came on as sub at Liverpool so Jack starts ahead of Guido Burgstaller.

Post-match: Derby County (0) 0-2 (0) Everton 

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RamsFanzine: How would you sum that one up?

Stuniverse: Jordan Pickford is a world class goalkeeper and, once again, he showed why against us. We created enough chances to win the match; we didn't get enough on target and, when we did, Pickford pulled off a series of fine saves. Both their goals came late on. If we'd managed to score first, I think we'd have seen a different game. But it wasn't to be.

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RamsFanzine: With two matches remaining, you're 8th, three points behind Everton and five points back on Tottenham. The highest you can mathematically finish is 6th but, with two away games, you're going to need help from other teams to finish any higher than you are now.

Stuniverse: Tottenham face Wolves away, and Bournemouth at home, whilst Everton have Man City away, which will be very difficult for them, and Leeds at home. Realistically the odds are against us finishing any higher than 8th but, both Leeds and Brighton have been relegated, which can go one of two ways and we don't know what we'll face, but if we can get two wins then it means Tottenham and Everton will have to get positive results.

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Game date: 6 May 2023

AARONS UNHAPPY AT DERBY COUNTY

RamsFanzine understand from club sources at Derby County that 23 year-old right-back Max Aarons is unhappy that the Rams have failed to qualify for the European Champions Cup. It's believed Aarons is considering his future and wants to leave for a club with a stronger squad.

Aarons's contract contains a £60M release clause for clubs in the European Champions Cup.

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Game date: 9 May 2023

SEPE TO RETURN TO ITALY

RamsFanzine understands from club sources that Derby County's 32 year-old goalkeeper Luigi Sepe has informed Rams manager Stuniverse that his family and him are homesick and want to return to Italy. It's understood that DoF Igor Stimac and Stuniverse have agreed to Sepe's request to be placed on the transfer list.

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Game date: Sunday 14 May 2023

Pre-match v Leeds United (a) - Premier League (37)

Match Preview

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RamsFanzine: Leeds have been relegated and have only won once in their last 13 matches, having lost nine of them. Can you get the win which would keep your hopes of finishing higher than 8th alive going into the last match of the season?

Stuniverse: We had a good win against Leeds at Pride Park earlier this season and that gives us confidence ahead of our visit to Elland Road.

Team Selection

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RamsFanzine: We're hearing you have a fully fit squad going into the Leeds match.

Stuniverse: Yes, Rafael Toloi has recovered from his knee injury and Mason Bennett is finally over his blisters. Neither are in the 18 as we didn't want to risk them this late in the season. We've made two changes though with Danny Ings returning up top for Jack Marriott. Cristian Espinoza comes in for Martin Naylor.

Post-match: Leeds United (0) 0-2 (0) Derby County

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RamsFanzine: A good win but, would it be fair, to say you rode your luck a bit?

Stuniverse: No, I don't think so. We were the better team, we created more chances, and Danny Ings forced the own goal with his presence before scoring himself. I thought their penalty was harsh on Joachim Andersen who made, in my opinion, a fair tackle but justice was done when Alexander Nubel saved it. Kenedy's second yellow card was also extremely harsh I thought.

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RamsFanzine: You're still 8th but, with Tottenham and Everton both losing, you could still finish 6th.

Stuniverse: Yes. We could. But first we have to win at Brighton and then we'll need other results to go in our favour.

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Game date: 18 May 2023

FOXES TARGET NUBEL

RamsFanzine: Leicester City are believed to have targeted Derby County's 26 year-old goalkeeper Alexander Nubel as a summer transfer target.

Watford are also thought to be keen to sign Nubel.

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Game date: Sunday 21 May 2023

Pre-match v Brighton and Hove Albion (a) - Premier League (38)

Match Preview

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RamsFanzine: Brighton have only amassed 15 points all season and have only won twice. You must be confident of winning at the American Express Community Stadium?

Stuniverse: It would be nice to win and finish on a high for our supporters. We've had a good week in training and we go into this one in confident mood.

RamsFanzine: You start the day in 8th but you could finish it as high as 6th?

Stuniverse: We could. But to do that we need to win at Brighton, Tottenham (v Bournemouth) need to lose and Everton (v Leeds) need to not win. Stranger things have happened, this is football after all, but Tottenham and Everton are favourites to win their home games so we'll need lady luck on our side.

Team Selection

Unavailable:
Kenedy (suspended)

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RamsFanzine: Just the one forced change.

Stuniverse: Yes. The players did well at Leeds and, apart from Kenedy who's suspended, they all deserve to go again. Max Lowe comes in at left-back.

Post-match: Brighton and Hove Albion (1) 2-2 (1) Derby County

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RamsFanzine: You had to twice come from behind to salvage a draw?

Stuniverse: We did. We weren't at our best today, by quite some distance, but the players kept working hard. We only had two shots on target all game but, fortunately, Harry Wilson and Will Hughes both managed to score.

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RamsFanzine: As it turned out, Tottenham and Everon both won so you'd have finished 8th any way. How do you reflect on the season?

Stuniverse: Frustrating. Very frustrating. The World Cup in Qatar really didn't do us any favours at all. Before the break we were playing some fantastic football and looked like legitimate title contenders. After the break our form could probably be best described as mixed and we fell away to 8th. We were disrupted by a lot of injuries, and injuries to key players at that, but I don't want to use that as an excuse. The expectation at the start of the season was a top half finish, so we exceeded that, but our form after the break makes it feel like an anti-climax.

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Please LIKE if you enjoyed this update and FOLLOW the thread so you don't miss future updates.

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9 hours ago, kidthekid said:

Unfortunate end to the season but definitely something to build on.

It certainly was @kidthekid. I hope you're right.

9 hours ago, JaytheGreat said:

Very disappointing end to the season but atleast you know the talent is there to compete with the big teams. If Igor can strengthen Derby over the summer then you are you'll be a consistent threat for European competition.  

Yes, @JaytheGreat. It was indeed.

I don’t think, in all my years playing FM and CM before that, I’ve ever had a season where my team has started the season so well (the Rams we’re flying, we were 2nd, 17 games in at the end of October) and then fallen away so badly in the second-half of the season. I don’t think the World Cup break helped - should I have played six friendly matches? although I don’t think any one player played more than three - and the injuries, particularly injuries to key players Danny Ings, Harry Wilson and Cristian Espinoza, definitely didn’t help.

We received £25.99M in prize money for finishing 8th and we look to have failed FFP, with finances generally not great with a balance of £25,058,655. I’m not expecting Igor to be given too much to play with but it’s the first summer under this ownership so who knows what Javi Suarez will do and what the Board’s expectations will be.

We missed out on Europe and Igor may find it tough holding onto players this summer.

Max Aarons wants to leave for a bigger club. Alexander Nubel is a wanted man. Our other goalkeeper Luigi Sepe is on the transfer list because he wants to return home to Italy. Matteo Darmian is out-of-contract this summer and also wants to return to Italy. Miguel Layun and Martyn Waghorn are retiring.

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Game date: 22 May 2023

DERBY COUNTY - PREMIER LEAGUE 2022/23

RamsFanzine: Derby County finished 8th in the Premier League, comfortably meeting the Board's expectations of a top half finish. The Rams briefly led the Premier League though, and were 2nd going into the World Cup break, leaving the Rams fans, players, coaching staff and Board dreaming about what might have been.

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Game date: 22 May 2023

BOARD CONFIDENCE

RamsFanzine understand from club sources that the Derby County Board, led by Chairman Javi Suarez are very pleased with manager Stuniverse's overall leadership  of the squad and his job status is very secure. It's believed, Suarez has also made it clear that there was a missed opportunity this season to have achieved something special, which took the shine off things.

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Game date: 22 May 2023

OUT OF CONTRACT RAMS

RamsFanzine: Derby County have five players from the senior squad out-of-contract at the end of the season, the most noteable being Ilkay Gundogan, who has been injured more than he's been available since signing from Man City in January. 

Martyn Waghorn and Miguel Layun have announced their intention to retire. Matteo Darmian wants to return to Italy and youngster Albie Morgan has struggled to break into the match day 18 and is behind Martin Naylor in the pecking order.

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Game date: 22 May 2023

FANS CHOOSE WILSON AGAIN

RamsFanzine: For the second consecutive season, the Rams fans have voted Harry Wilson as their Player of the Season.

Max Aarons won Young Player of the Season.

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Game date: 22 May 2023

RAMS RETAIN CATEGORY ONE YOUTH RATING

RamsFanzine: Following the annual audit, Derby County have retained their category one youth rating.

The U23s, who were relegated last season, finished 2nd in U23 Premier Division 2 and lost in the play-offs to WBA U23s.

The U18s were also runners-up in U18 Division One North.

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Game date: 22 May 2023

RAMS BOARD SET INITIAL BUDGETS

RamsFanzine: The new Derby County Board have set the initial budgets for the 2023/24 season. DoF Igor Stimac now knows what he has to work with:

  • Wage budget - £1.7M per week
  • Transfer budget - £43.46M

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Game date: 22 May 2023

PRIDE PARK EXPANSION

RamsFanzine: Derby County have announced plans to expand Pride Park Stadium, adding an additional 4,250 seats before the start of the season. The expansion will cost around £15.5M and take the Pride Park capacity to 37,847.

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Game date: 22 May 2023

BLACKBURN WIN RICHEST GAME IN HISORY

RamsFanzine: Blackburn Rovers defeated Stoke City 1-0 at Wembley in the Championship Play-off Final, securing their place in next season's Pemier League.

Blackburn Rovers will join Championship Title winners Southampton and runners-up Norwich City in the Premier League next season, replacing relegated WBA, Leeds and Brighton.

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Game date: 27 May 2023

STUNIVERSE'S DERBY COUNTY CAREER

RamsFanzine: Derby County manager Stuniverse has been in charge of the Rams for five seasons now. Stuniverse led Derby County to promotion by winning the Championship Title in his debut season  in 2018/19 and has kept the Rams in the Premier League ever since.

Although finishing 8th this season, lower than in the previous two seasons, this season's points tally of 66 was an improvement on the previous two seasons when the Rams finished 7th with 64 points (2021/22) and 7th with 59 points (2020/21).

Derby County's points tally has improved in each of Stuniverse's four seasons managing the Rams in the Premier League.

Stuniverse signed his current Rams contract on 3 October 2020 and the deal runs until the summer of 2025.

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2022/23 - Premier Division

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2021/22 - Premier Division

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2020/21 - Premier Division

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2019/20 - Premier Division

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2018/19 - Championship 

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Game date: 28 May 2023

RAMS PASS FFP

RamsFanzine: Despite concerns for most of the season that Derby County would fail FFP, the English Premier League have confirmed that the Rams have successfully passed FFP for the 2022/23 season.

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Game date: 29 May 2023

GUNDOGAN SIGNS FOR ANOTHER SEASON

RamsFanzine: Derby County's 32 year-old midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has extended his Rams contract for a further 12 months to the summer of 2024.

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Game date: 2 June 2023

LOAN REPAYMENTS START

RamsFanzine understand that Derby County have taken out a loan to cover the £15.5M cost of the expansion to Pride Park and repayments have started.

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Game date: 10 June 2023

SEPE CONTRACT EXTENDED

RamsFanzine understand that DoF Igor Stimac has triggered the one-year contract extension clause in the contract of 32 year-old goalkeeper Luigi Sepe, who's contract will run until the summer of 2025. Sepe is believed to be homesick and looking for a return to Italy.

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Game date: 10 June 2023

WATFORD BID FOR NUBEL REJECTED

RamsFanzine: Derby County DoF Igor Stimac has rejected a £8.25M (rising to £10.25M) bid from Watford for Alexander Nubel.

Leicester City and AFC Bournemouth are also interested in the 26 year-old German goalkeeper.

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Game date: 10 June 2023

LEEDS ACCEPT RAMS GRUJIC BID

RamsFanzine: Leeds United have accepted a £13.25M bid from Derby County for 27 year-old defensive midfielder Marco Grujic.

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Game date: 14 June 2023

SENESI PLEDGES HIS RAMS FUTURE

RamsFanzine: Derby County DoF Igor Stimac was delighted to announce a new deal for 26 year-old centre-back Marcos Senesi. Senesi has put pen to paper on a new deal until the summer of 2028, which also removes his £26.5M release clause.

Senesi has become an Argentinian international since signing for the Rams and now has four internsational caps.

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Game date: 1 July 2023

MAX JOINS RAMS

RamsFanzine: Derby County have completed the signing of 29 year-old left-back Philipp Max from FC Augsburg on a free transfer. Max has signed until the summer of 2026.

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Game date: 1 July 2023

RAMS RELEASE ELEVEN

RamsFanzine: Derby County have released 11 players who's contracts expired yesterday. The most noteable was young midfielder Albie Morgan who made a handful of appearances for the senior team, but never established himself in the first team squad.

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Game date: 2 July 2023

RAMS SIGN MILIVOJEVIC

RamsFanzine: Derby County DoF Igor Stimac was deleghted to announce the signing of 32 year-old defensive midfielder Luka Milivojevic from Arsenal for £10M, possibly rising to £13M. Milivojevic has joined the Rams until the summer of 2025.

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?? Question ??

Why do you think Derby’s form became so inconsistent and erratic after the World Cup break, after being amazing in the first 17 games before the break?

As I said earlier on the thread, I don’t think I’ve ever played a season in FM, and CM before that, where my team did so amazingly well for the first 17 games (2nd, end of October, after briefly being top), only to fall off so dramatically for the rest of the season. Was it the World Cup break? Was it the injuries? Were the squad simply over-performing and then finding their true level? Did I make mistakes as manager?

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An update on this DoF save

I’ve played into early July today and am at the point where Derby are about to play their first pre-season game of 2023/24.

I’ll admit I was feeling flat after our inconsistent and erratic second half of the 2022/23 season and, even though I discovered it was our highest EPL points tally so far, beating the previous three seasons, it didn’t really make me feel any better.

But now I’ve played through May and June and am starting to see outs and ins to the squad, I’m looking forward to the new season. Will Philipp Max and Luka Milovejevic be able to help move us forward? How do I keep Silky Ilkay Gundogan fit? Will I have any goalkeepers? Bids are coming in for some of our players, Igor is trying to sign others, and the Board are expanding Pride Park by taking us into debt.

Exciting times to be the manager of Derby County.

But, before I get into that, I’m going to take a short break from FM and this save, but I will be back soon to continue the save in earnest. My contract with Derby County runs to the summer of 2025, which means I have two seasons left and I intend to honour them. Hopefully I can get both played before FM20 comes out and then I’ll take stock and decide whether to i) continue this DoF save, or ii) start a new save on FM20 (I already know, 99%, what that save will be), or iii) continue this DoF save and start a new FM20 save alongside it but, being honest, that sounds like a lot of hard work.

Thank you to all of you for reading this Career Update, following along, liking and posting comments. I’ll be back posting again before you know it.

I really want to win something with this squad of players and hopefully we’ll be able to do that...

Come on you, Rams!

Best wishes,

Stuniverse 

Edited by Stuniverse
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11 hours ago, Stuniverse said:

?? Question ??

Why do you think Derby’s form became so inconsistent and erratic after the World Cup break, after being amazing in the first 17 games before the break?

As I said earlier on the thread, I don’t think I’ve ever played a season in FM, and CM before that, where my team did so amazingly well for the first 17 games (2nd, end of October, after briefly being top), only to fall off so dramatically for the rest of the season. Was it the World Cup break? Was it the injuries? Were the squad simply over-performing and then finding their true level? Did I make mistakes as manager?

Honestly it was probably all of that mixed in with bad luck.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hiatus nearly over

Hi, I’m back after twelve lovely, WiFi free days in rural France and will look to resume the Derby County - Director of Football Challenge soon ... hopefully, by Monday or Tuesday next week, at the latest.

Edited by Stuniverse
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