[FM19] Fear and loathing in Tercera

[wesl]

I was bored with my Brazil save so I spent the last few months managing big clubs in another save (Milan, Barcelona, the best Athletic Bilbao I've seen in FM). The big club save allowed me to do more complex stuff tactically but I ended up getting a bit tired of it for the same reason I got tired of the Brazil save, too much micromanaging as I tried to get all the dots to move the right way. Lots of full match watching, which is probably the best way to play but I'm just not in the mood for lately. I want to do a save I can play in the background as I do other things. So, thinking about it playing a save in Spain's lower leagues is a natural choice. To me, Spain has the coolest "losers" in football. From Espanyol's marvellous minority to Cádiz, who admit they don't win much in their anthem, to Champions League clubs self-destructing like Depor or Valencia. The aim of this save is bouncing around various clubs in Spain, and probably losing a bunch?

I came up with rules:

• Can't take over a succesful club. I'll try to follow this at all levels, so it includes clubs that qualify for Europe, or clubs with tycoons, or clubs that qualify for promotion playoffs too often.
• I'll use Instant Result, since knowing myself otherwise I'll end up watching full matches again.
• Can only use default tactics (they're pretty decent). I'll try to avoid the gegenpress setting since it's a bit overpowered.
• Starting unemployed, of course.

Summary

• 2018/19 - CE Europa: Tercera Grupo V, 14th place (9W 10D 6L +2GD).
• 2019/20 - CE Europa: Tercera Grupo V, 6th place (16 W 12D 10L +13GD).

Edited November 5, 2020 by wesl

[wesl]

Club Esportiu Europa

I was lucky that the first club to have a job vacancy is one as interesting as C.E. Europa, straight from Barcelona. Their stadium Nou Sardenya is a 15-minute drive from Camp Nou. This is one of La Liga's founders, which should mean they're a club with big history. However, they were relegated after becoming bankrupt in the third La Liga season and since then they've never seen first tier football again. They've spent most of the last 40 years in Tercera, the fourth tier of Spanish football.

I'm taking over on November 6th with the club coming off a derby win over city rivals Sant Andreu, who play 15 minutes away from Nou Sardenya (but in the opposite way to Camp Nou).

We're 16th, with a nice lead over relegation contenders. The board only expects me to avoid relegation. I hope the squad takes to the 4-4-2 Direct Counterattack default tactic!

With no transfer windows, I signed Raúl Carmona immediately to make up the numbers in the left midfielder spot. Carmona played in Colombia and he's pacey, which should make him a demigod in Tercera División. He debuted with a goal, which is fantastic.

This is what the squad is. Lots of players under F/T contracts which looking at other clubs is not common at this level. The biggest surprise is having a loanee from Real Madrid in teenager André Costa!

[wesl]

CE Europa - February 2020

We're beating the bad teams and drawing and losing to the good teams. It's OK. We don't have the best players but I was hoping playing this style would mean we beat the good team sometimes. We had a testimonial too! We got destroyed by Espanyol.

Safe from relegation and that's all that matters.

[wesl]

CE Europa - May 2020

A strong finish, when games didn't matter whatsoever. We drew the derby away thanks to a late goal which is pretty good.

Catalan teams smashed the promotion playoffs and three of them are going up, we're losing our derby but also next year don't have to face some teams which are quite a bit better than us.

13th isn't a great finish but it's 4 places higher than when I took over. Time to sign some players and try to get promoted I suppose.

[wesl]

CE Europa - August 2020

Five transfers, two centre-backs (Kunoun from Ukraine and newgen Carratalá), one left-back (Vázquez), one backup left midfielder (Zardoya) and one central midfielder (Lazar from Romania). My method is buying the national scouting package for a month, filtering by role and seeing which of the players who show up want a key player contract. With Carratalá, he was just listed for loan. I went in blind but he's pretty decent.

I also got Madrid to loan us Andre Costa for another year, which is good news.

A good squad! We're projected to finish 5th, which means we can challenge for the playoffs. Costa and Catalan midfielder Gabi are our best players, they aren't among the best in our division but the team is deep.

[wesl]

CE Europa - November 2020

Got a couple money-making friendlies in. We've lost some games we shouldn't have, namely to Vilanova at home but we're keeping up our form from late last year.

Really close to challenging for the playoffs!

[wesl]

CE Europa - February 2020

A bad month of December kills our playoff bid. We've been inconsistent most of the year so I think that bad run puts us out of the running. Also, another loss to relegation contenders Vilanova isn't good. We did score 3 goals against Espanyol, an EL side in this save.

After December, I went for a bit of a panic buy with GK Toni Casamayor. I thought he could make us a much better side, but we're conceding at a similar rate. Attributes-wise, he's a huge upgrade on Nacho Esteban so it's not a terrible signing.

I'm starting to scout for next year a bit ahead of time. I have 4 spots that could be improved (DR, DC, DL, MR). If I don't find an affordable target, my current starters will be resigned. My plan is having a first XI on part-time contracts and the rest of the team as non-contracts or on youth deals, this year I have 14 part-timers which has us spending above budget. If I can get my two teenage loanees back for another year, that would be fantastic. They're already among the best players we have.

7th place is a good spot to be in, but 9 points is a big gap to make up in 12 games.

Edited November 3, 2020 by wesl

[wesl]

CE Europa - May 2020

We had a miserable month of March, changing to 4-4-1-1 direct counter-attack tactic helped a lot. And we even got a win against the league champions in our final fixture.

Three promotions, but the three teams that went up last year are coming right back down so the league won't be any easier next year.

Carratalá is the only player to appear in every game. Alfons Serra leads us in scoring and key passes. Quite a good squad, I think we can get into the playoff next year.

[wesl]

CE Europa - August 2020

A takeover! We are getting some money here but it isn't totally neeeded. Our balance is hovering around 0, which is better than I've ever seen for a semi-pro club.

Just three transfers. A back-up right-back (Pallás), a back-up centre-back (Mesa) and a new left-back starter in Aranguren. Aranguren is just 16, but as a La Liga regen he's already among the best players in Tercera. The two other loanees (Madrid's Costa and Levante's Carratalá) are staying for another year too. I have space for a key player on my wage budget, but finding quality at this level is hard.

We're looking like promotion contenders if you ask me.

[wesl]

CE Europa - November 2020

Some money making friendlies and a pretty good run despite having a few losses. We have a really good defense, led by Levante loanee Carratalá. We've only conceded 8 goals in 16 games, if we had a bit better finishing we'd be far ahead in the league.

Carratalá is rated as a future La Liga player, that might be stretch but he's incredible at this level with  decent values in all the key attributes.

We already have some space between us and the pack, we just have to keep up with Manlleu and Gimnástic B. 

Edited November 15, 2020 by wesl

[wesl]

CE Europa - February 2021

The loss to Gramenet is unfortunate, but we're shutting teams down and scoring just enough to win most games.

I really want that 1st place spot, so far Nástic B remains ahead but we have a really good lead over 5th place which should guarantee us a place in the playoffs. However, André Costa broke his leg which means he's out for 9 months and Madrid has recalled him. We're short on midfielders so I'll probably try to sign someone quickly.