[FM21] Hometown Heroes

[_Ben_]

August 2032: Player Sale

I was working on strengthening the full back area anyway and had brought in Liam Grant on a season long loan from West Brom but this deal was too good for the chairman to say no to, so off King goes for a club record fee for both sides. 

---

That gives me a nice bank balance but a worrying lack of depth.

[Watson156]

14 hours ago, _Ben_ said:

The Determination is obvious but the Pro and Amb is linked with personalities. On any screen where I show this, I have three 'checks'

Personality

=IF(F3="Professional",1,IF(F3="Model Citizen",1,IF(F3="Resolute",1,IF(F3="Fairly Professional",1,IF(F3="Casual",-1,IF(F3="Low Self Belief",-1,IF(F3="Slack",-1)))))))

Ambition

=IF(F3="Driven",1,IF(F3="Ambitious",1,IF(F3="Fickle",1,IF(F3="Model Citizen",1,IF(F3="Professional",1,IF(F3="Fairly Ambitious",1,IF(F3="Mercenary",1,IF(F3="Unambitious",-1))))))))

Determination

=IF(F3="Low Determination",-1,IF(BI3>=15,1,IF(BI3<5,-1)))

This returns a -1 for a low Pro/Amb personality, 0 for no information and 1 for positive Pro/Amb which I then use conditional formatting to show as ticks or crosses.

That's brilliant.

Edited December 16, 2020 by Watson156

[_Ben_]

August/September/October 2032

I got a bit carried away and did three months! 

But what a strong start it has been! Two defeats, and both, on xG anyway, very much unjust but we are now putting together a really strong run, keeping clean sheets and also scoring some nice looking goals. We're rotating pretty well at this point and that will hopefully allow us to keep performing as the schedule intensifies.

[_Ben_]

November 2032: International call up

Alric is some way off first team football and it's only Antigua and Barbuda - but he is the first academy graduate to receive a full international call up.

[_Ben_]

November 2032: Youth Development - first team players

Sam enjoyed a solid loan spell last year and has made some really good progress at the club. He's breaking into the team now and has found a home on the left wing, using his Dribbling, Flair and Technique to good use as an AP(s). Moving forward, I'm going to use the Treq(a) schedule as his finishing is his weakness - currently accruing just 0.2 xG per game from his wide role. He is, however, converting well - at 17%, but this, with a specific focus on Shooting (Finishing, Long Shots, Technique) may help him become more involved.

---

Billy has gone on to make over 50 league appearances and is my most experienced graduate to date. He's turned into a pretty solid player and I've batted off some Championship interest in him. He's a little weak technically so I don't play him as a DLP in the DM role, instead move him to a DM(d), which he seems to do quite well in given how, relatively, strong he is mentally.  He is training as a DM(s) with an added focus on Ball Control (Technique, First Touch, Dribbling). I don't want to use him as a playmaker but I'd like him to become a bit more rounded in his role. My playing style doesn't really use a BWM style player at the moment, but, as Billy ages and matures, maybe adding to his physical frame - that could be a role that suits him.

---

Wiktor is the newest graduate to the first team after coming through my intake last year. He's made a really good start with 2 assists and 4 goals in 9(1) games but, and as expected with my training facilities, hasn't developed too much to date. I'm hoping that some first team football will help. Wiktor has, however, developed from a Mercenary personality to Ambitious - which means that he's improved his loyalty whilst in the mentoring group. I'd still like to improve him as a Professional as neither of these are an indicator of good professionalism, but that will take time. I've noticed his moved to a 'Promising Forward' which gives me hope he has a high PA and to help him reach that, I've moved him to a F9(s) schedule. When he arrived, he was ineffectual at ST but is now a natural, which shows really good versatility in his year and a bit here. The False Nine schedule is not how I want to play him but I like the bias towards mental attribute development that it brings him.

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Hopefully there will be many more of these to come!

Edited December 16, 2020 by _Ben_

[_Ben_]

November 2032: Building a backline

My defence is the strongest part of my team and any squad building that I do always starts here. This quality allows me to carefully integrate new talent into the team and I'd like to look at that for next season. I am only in November but given the loan performances and development, I think this could work.

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Duncan and Fenney are the top two defenders in the league and are fantastic players for me - probably my two most important. However, in Bennett and France, I have two up and coming youngsters, from local to the area, who are developing into the types of player that I want. Together, they bring some good quality to my central defensive area:

The above are all of the key attributes (minus Vision) for a BPD. I don't use this role but I use CD(d) with players comfortable on the ball, at this level at least. As a backline, we do lack a little bit of pace and, as such, I'd rather not be pushing too aggressively up the pitch and leaving ourselves space to be turned by a through ball but there are plenty of other positives.

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I know that France is playing three levels below us and Bennett two, but it is still nice to see how they are playing and being played. It is clear that France and Bennett are employed in different passing systems to ours, as you'd expect although, strangely, they have both made more key passes than my two players. Bennett also leads in interceptions and France in headers, which  is really promising to see.

I certainly feel like I don't need to be bringing in anyone from outside the club next summer.

[_Ben_]

December 2032: Youth Intake Preview

Only two positives - both in areas I lack depth - but considered a golden generation?

[Nottingham Forest]

The depth at which you go into is incredible and something I wish I had the skills and time to do. 
 

Looks like you’ve started the season well.

[_Ben_]

November/December 2032

We have continued our solid start to the season and, a few minor hiccups aside, are performing well above the board and media expectations but solidly around mine.

We made some solid progress in the FA cup and have been rewarded with an away tie at Coventry in the third round - of which I really feel that we can win and, hopefully earn us some more money further down the line. We have also progressed in the Papa John's Trophy and now face Crawley in the Third Round of that.

The league form has been good, except for against sides around us. This means that we are probably good enough to reach the playoffs again, but I do have significant worries against playing those teams in the playoffs - we recorded a lower xG against all four losses in this period of time and really struggled against better quality players.

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I am significantly growing more concerned about this. We currently have £5m in the bank and I don't know how I will be losing nearly all of that. Even more worrying is that we are projected to lose over £8m a season going forward. I need to ensure that I'm selling players each window and replacing them for cheaper or from within and reviewing the wage structure once again.

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Watford are 11th in the Prem so this is nice to get!

[_Ben_]

11 hours ago, Nottingham Forest said:

The depth at which you go into is incredible and something I wish I had the skills and time to do. 
 

Looks like you’ve started the season well.

Thank you! Once I get really invested in the save - I like writing at depth, as much for my own thought process as anything else.

[_Ben_]

January 2033: Record

A dull game away at Rotherham but we have broken a personal record here as four of the starting XI were academy graduates.  Broome, Airey and Krasniqi all started and injuries meant that Niklas Abrahamsson got a start on the right wing.

--

This will be surpassed at some point but it feels good to be, finally, moving in the right direction with youth development.

[_Ben_]

January 2033: Recall

Oscar has played really well on loan at National side Boston but, with our place in the league looking solid, I think that this is a really good time to give him some first team minutes. I don't know whether we are good enough to go up or not yet but, if we do, the bottom Championship is a tough place to integrate youngsters so I felt this was more appropriate.

[_Ben_]

February 2033: Finances

This is where we need to be. £16.5m is an extortionate amount of a club at this level - 3x our current bank balance - but would set us up for a long period of time! This is why I'm not rushing - we can develop players at this level with less pressure of giving them first team exposure to be sold on in future.

[_Ben_]

February 2033: Debut

Vlad has made some really great improvements to his game this year in the youth setup and, despite having a quiet time against a big academy team, gave a decent account of himself on debut.

Edited December 22, 2020 by _Ben_

[_Ben_]

January/February 2033

Our cup involvement has had a negative impact on our league form.

With a small, but tight-knit squad, extra fixtures is always likely to cause some disruption and this has most certainly been the case here. Despite two solid cup runs, with eventual defeats to a strong Chelsea side and a good Villa academy team, we have stuttered in the league - with poor performances coming after the majority of these ties: Coventry, Chelsea and Villa. 

From the positive side, you can see that Krasniqi has been scoring quite well, although he is now on a lengthy goal drought, and another youngster, Kevin Boyle, netted his first goal for the club.

--

In the grand scheme of things - I am absolutely happy to finish here next year, even if it is a dip from our 4th placed finish last year. We've been able to blood some youth products, maintain a relatively positive cash flow (not monthly, but over the course of the season thanks to some solid sales) and continue to make progress off the pitch with developed coaching staff, training regimes and coaching badges. We are also beginning to sow the seeds for a better recruitment model - which I'll go into detail about at some point!

[_Ben_]

2033 Youth Intake

Kind of annoying when I was told it was a golden generation..

Excel CA Analysis. Academy Attribute Analysis

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Yeah. Quite disappointing. There is no way ap Daffyd gets near the team with that level of eccentricity, plus terrible Ambition and Determination! I do, however, really like Jadon Glasscoe and think he'll be the one that does make the first team. Very well rounded for his age and Professional too.

The recruitment continues to spread out - with players from as far afield as Liverpool and Great Yarmouth being snagged by our youth system.

This is but a mere blot in what has been a really good few years for our youth academy and there is no need for an over reaction.

.

[_Ben_]

March 2033: Released

Ronan is potentially a great player but has done nothing but moan since coming to the club, leading me to demoting him to the youth team. I was able to mutually terminate his deal for no fee as there was no interest and his presence was just negative.

[_Ben_]

March/April 2033

Not pretty but it did what I needed it to do.

However, the concern is still our play against those teams around us - losing to both Leyton Orient and Coventry. As you can see from the screenshot below, that 54% of our total league losses have came against just 5 of the sides in this league and we've on beaten a team once, which was Wigan, away.

This is a big concern going into the playoffs as we have to face and beat these teams around us. At present, I'd consider us stark outsiders for promotion based on our form. I don't mind but I don't want to get ahead of ourselves here.

[_Ben_]

May 2033

That was a quick review!

No playoff success for us this year and our fourth season in League One to come...

[_Ben_]

2032/33 Season Review

As I've mentioned a few times - a slight dip in performance but overall I am very happy with our league finish. We seem to have been hit by a bug whereby the squad, for next year, doesn't feel like we are capable of even staying up, so, to finish in the playoffs twice in a row is pleasing. At the end of the day, we need to be better against the teams above us - picking up points and wins where we can.

For the first time, our offensive record is in the bottom right quadrant and I agree that we are a little stale going forward. Ramsey, Mundle, Chukwuemeka and Campbell are either nearing thirty or over it and the first two have been with me since our National league days. Also, Chibueze blows hot and cold and Thomas is maybe feeling the impact of actually being considered one of the weaker players in the squad.

We've got the defence right and the retention of possession, but my big goal for next year is to get the attack right. I have a few options that I'm toying with right now.

---

From a player perspective - we have done ok. Fenney and Duncan continue to be the two best performers in the league and Okafor, Grant/Ofori and Rothwell behind them are really solid. With the likes of Glasscoe coming up from the youth team, I am only really short of a right back going forward. Airey has done really well and ousted Xavier Simons and he, along with the likes of Ramsey and Campbell, have not performed as well as I wanted. Sam Broome broke the individual assist record for our team but even he didn't really set the world on fire and it's going to be a big year of Wiktor Krasniqi as he may be able to seize the first team slot away from Josh Thomas, who has underperformed compared to the previous years for us.

---

This is a big concern as, if the money goes out in one go, literally wipes out anything that we have, leaving us susceptible for bids being accepted over my head.

---

[_Ben_]

June 2033: Finances

With the approval of the stadium expansion that cost £3.5m, I was worried where the money was coming from. This end of month review tells that story:

A £3.4m loan was taken out and we've already started paying it back, as seen below:

I am really against loans due to the fact that they add up each month and I almost feel like I need to factor in a player sale to offset these monthly costs. Below, you can see that we now have £4.4m of outstanding loan left to pay off, which isn't great.

[_Ben_]

July 2033: Target

I'm going to be very quiet this window but I do have a sneaky offer in for a lad that my wonderful, extended scout network found me.

Elijah plays for Kaw Valley FC, a small club from Kansas who play in both Topeka, KS and Lawrence, KS. However, he originally came from Shattuck Saint-Mary's, who are out of Minnesota, where he was born in nearby Faribault.  Kaw Valley play in the PDL Heartland Division.

My scouts returned this initial report before all of his attributes, below, had been uncovered.

His personality is 'ok' and, as you can see, I need to scout him a bit more to get his Media Handling to see if there any other things to find out. I really like the Work Permit part - as this corroborates with my scout's report that he may have really high potential. At this point, these 'buy cheap, sell on' deals are just what I need.

I've got a contract offer in for him based on what I'd read above, but, at present, this is what I can see of his attributes:

First touch and Vision are great and Technique and decisions could be great. Passing is above average for this level as his Long Shots. His concentration and Off The Ball is poor as is the defensive half of his game. My worry is that he may be a little lightweight to get up and down and lack a little physicality for the kind of game you get in League One.

--

However, for free, I think this is a great deal.

[_Ben_]

July 2033: Tactical thoughts

After our dry-season last year, I need to make some changes to our team play to ensure that we can outscore as many teams as possible. I'm going to be training two shapes and the roles will be quite fluid, so don't take too much notice of them at the moment.

  

The first is the shape we've been playing this season - allowing the AP wide left to have space to drift into and the IF and PF combo to almost form an offset two-up-top. The midfield trio are relatively deep starting and they attack and defend together. It has led to lots of possession in our own half but it has also helped us break down teams who bring the game to us. The second shape slightly alters that with a midfielder starting far higher to apply a bit more of a split block. It does restrict space for the AP on the left but the double DM pivot behind means that there is vertical space either can drop into - although the left sided full back would more likely to a bit more offensive.

At present, both systems have the same team instructions but I foresee these being quite flexible.

---

Off the back of two play-off finishes - we need to be positive and take the game to the opposing team. We have enough defensively solid players to be able to sit on a lead when we need to.

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Even though we have either five or six players in the defence and DM strata - I want us to play out of defence even if it means that we do slow down the tempo of our game by doing so. We aren't the fastest defensively, so I want to ensure that we aren't too quickly moving the ball vertically and then being caught back over the top from a return ball. We also play the ball shorter, which encourages lots of off the ball movement and intelligence, which is the core of my development and recruitment style.

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We don't have an aerial presence anywhere so I want to further emphasise the 'Play out of Defence' by asking Rothwell to take short kicks so that we can build from the back. We don't press particularly strongly, certainly not to a gegenpress level but I do like us to use our offensive quality to counter-press if win win the ball back high up.

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I like this one because I feel that it encourages more interceptions through sensible defending. We don't dive in, we pressure, counter press and win the ball back without the need to make a tackle, keeping our defensive shape more solid.

---

I'm interested to see how these run but the new, second shape just did this in pre-season:

10 men, but they are a Championship club!

[_Ben_]

2033/34 Recruitment

Elijah Suarez.

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It shows how far we've come with just one new player coming in to the team this summer. I have made a commitment to, this year especially, blooding as much youth as possible (well, those not on loan anyway - but more on that later) as we hope to be around the top of League One again. As I previously posted about, I was alerted to Elijah on a whim from my American scout, who found him whilst enjoying some very low level US football. I was a little cautious about some of his attributes but he does actually look to have a really decent base for that creative midfielder. I did actually want a more Box-to-Box type, but he's potentially going to be great. I asked Alex Duncan (M.Pro) to welcome him to the club - so we'll see how that goes.

To balance the squad, I allowed Romaine Mundle move on, for £180k, to compliment the £2m I raised earlier in the summer for Tom Stones' move to Dundee Utd. I've also allowed my top 18 year old players to leave on loan, as seen below. I'm most excited about the loan for Abrahamsson as Exeter are a big fish in the National pond and he could score a bucketload there.

---

The overall squad DNA now looks like this and I'm quite pleased with it. The first team squad is made up from 5 academy players and the whole squad cost absolutely nothing in transfer fees yet is actually stronger in all areas, except full back, than last season - as seen below:

[_Ben_]

August/September 2033

Missing from this is the 1-0 opening day defeat to Coventy.

This is very up and down and I'm not too happy with it. Aside from the signing of Suarez, who promptly broke his toe, and the slight change in team mentality (Balanced -> Positive) nothing else has changed. We have, however, being beset by injuries and often only able to field a substitutes bench of four or five players due to the sheer amount of players unfit. Our pre-season was the same length as last year, with a similar number of friendlies and a similar training schedule set up, yet we are off the pace and there are lots of muscle injuries - surely a different stadium with different dimensions (the Ricoh rather than our own Kingfisher Stadium) is the cause of this?!

--

In reality, we're still exceeding the board and media's expectations and we'll keep pushing on.

[_Ben_]

October 2033: Milestone

I can't believe that I've got this far in just over a month and that we are still nowhere near the top flight! This could well be longest career to date.

[_Ben_]

November 2033: Staff Changes

Jordan Henderson was the first of my backroom staff to move on but now Jack has done the same. I'm on the hunt for a replacement.

[_Ben_]

November 2033: Takeover

I'd love the investor to help clear some of the debts but, as long as they are as receptive to what I'm trying to build - I don't care!

[_Ben_]

October/November 2033

We are back and back with somewhat of a bang!

Whilst we are most likely not going to win this league this year given the wonderful start that Cambridge have made - we're on track for another promotion place, even if the places are very tightly contested and a defeat is seeing any team drop out of playoffs.

As I mentioned before - nothing is different. We've still trained the same way, prepared for matches the same way and executed our game plan the same way - it's just that we are winning a lot more now!

[_Ben_]

December 2033: Youth Intake Preview

I'm getting a little fed up of these contradicting statements. How can it be excellent if there's just one positive?! @Jimbokav1971 - I know you raised this as a bug; did you get anywhere with it?

[Jimbokav1971]

30 minutes ago, _Ben_ said:

December 2033: Youth Intake Preview

I'm getting a little fed up of these contradicting statements. How can it be excellent if there's just one positive?! @Jimbokav1971 - I know you raised this as a bug; did you get anywhere with it?

They acknowledged it and passed it to the Dev team, but it's 1 of many that were acknowledged and then not fixed in the recent patch. 

[keeper#1]

34 minutes ago, _Ben_ said:

December 2033: Youth Intake Preview

I'm getting a little fed up of these contradicting statements. How can it be excellent if there's just one positive?! @Jimbokav1971 - I know you raised this as a bug; did you get anywhere with it?

I had a golden generation in my last intake but ZERO positives.

[_Ben_]

5 minutes ago, Jimbokav1971 said:

They acknowledged it and passed it to the Dev team, but it's 1 of many that were acknowledged and then not fixed in the recent patch. 

 

Just now, keeper#1 said:

I had a golden generation in my last intake but ZERO positives.

 

I'm not one to moan because I get plenty of play time from FM, but these are a little annoying, to say the least!

[_Ben_]

December 2033: Skinning

Just made a few more modifications to my screens as I'm trying to build the ideal skin for what I need.

 

1. Squad screen

I've simply made the rows smaller and removed the tactical bar above it. This way, I can get in way more players on to the home screen as I have always hated the scrollbar! I've also taken away the striped rows and the different colours for highlighted players, subs etc, which looks much nicer with my other views.

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2. Player popup

This is the whole popup now.

I just wanted to streamline things and make this box useful to just look at attributes if I don't want all of the other stuff that I've added to the player profile.

[keeper#1]

How do you put the vertical lines in?  I've seen others do it as well.

[Jimbokav1971]

4 minutes ago, _Ben_ said:

 

 

I'm not one to moan because I get plenty of play time from FM, but these are a little annoying, to say the least!

This is my 2039 Intake preview. 

When it arrives I expect it to be labelled as another Golden Generation, but not be a Golden Generation at all. 

The term was used too much in FM20, but things aren't quite ringing true with me in FM21. 

My facilities are completely maxed out and as with our reputation is the best in the Country. At the same time we our pushing the club further and further in Europe, (it's a slow process), so I would expect to be producing players regularly who are as good as those we have produced previously. This doesn't seem to be happening and I just can't quite put my finger on what exactly is wrong. I haven't been checking PA at intake so far, but it's something I'm thinking of doing because just like the Youth Facilities bug in FM20, I know there is something wrong, I just can't quite work out what it is. 

[Jimbokav1971]

2 minutes ago, keeper#1 said:

How do you put the vertical lines in?  I've seen others do it as well.

Add separator. 

[_Ben_]

December 2033: Takeover

[_Ben_]

January 2034: Player Sale?

Wiktor is in fine form but this is serious money.

I have, reluctantly, accepted.

---

EDIT: I have now sparked a bidding war:

Everton's is non-negotiable but I've got Swansea to £10m,and Watford to over £11m, which means I can now reject Brighton and wait for them to come again...

Edited December 19, 2020 by _Ben_

[_Ben_]

January 2034: Personality Change

The first grown Model Pro at the club as he's been Professional for the rest of his time here.

[_Ben_]

January 2034: Expansion

[_Ben_]

January 2034: Annoying transfer!

He's going to chose Everton out of the teams that have bids in, I know it. It's more money but the new chairman clearly isn't seeing the importance of that 50% of next sale!

[_Ben_]

January 2034: Transfer

Well, apparently not.

He's gone into their U23 squad, which is a shame. However, Watford are 16th in the Premier League at the moment and that isn't the best place to be throwing in an 18 year old. I've recalled Abrahamsson from his loan and moved Ferencik to the first team as I look to naturally find an academy replacement. Even if I wanted to recruit - I've got nobody suitable lined up as that was not a focus; this interest has come suddenly and we were caught short.

[_Ben_]

December 2033/January 2034

We're doing well but I am feeling really pessimistic about our chances as we move forward, in our out of this league.

A completely unbeaten league two months - as we managed to hold Coventry and Wimbledon to goalless draws - although we were massively outplayed in both. This is a big improvement on last year although, considering that these are home ties, I was expecting a little more. Our only defeat was an expected loss to Championship Sheffield Wednesday, which, given our performance in the league after our cup endeavours last year, is absolutely ok. January has seen a lot more draws and a noticeable dip in xG following the big money departure of Krasniqi. We are hovering just about in the Aggressive/Clinical quadrant of attacking potency but, based on the last few games, I'd really say that we are much more passive without a quality striker in the team.

I've also agreed the sale of Carney Chukwuemeka to Seattle Sounders - as is my ethos of allowing players to move on for a 'good' fee. However, this deal, along with the Krasniqi deal has meant that my first team now includes a lot of inexperience, as seen below. Glasscoe is trainign with the first team due to some injuries at left back but I wasn't expecting to be heading into the latter half of the season with a striker who has made just one appearance, Ferencik, and the other who has nine appearances for us without a goal and the rest of his experience at a National League level.

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I feel that we will struggle through the last fourteen games of the season with no firepower but are in a terrible long term position. The squad is made up with the aforementioned young group of players and, at the other end, has a group of older players who are not up to this league, yet alone the Championship:

This will require a significant rebuild over the summer and, to be fair, I'd rather do this as a title-chasing team than a relegation-threatened Championship side!

[_Ben_]

January 2034: Departure

Not sure what Celta see is Alric but I'm more annoyed I've made no money on him!

[_Ben_]

February 2034: Problem?!

I think this very clearly explains our issue. In each of these games pre-Fleetwood, not only were we out-xG'd by them all, we had also not created more than 1.0xG ourselves. The Fleetwood game, where Abrahamsson finally scored and we created nearly 3xG could be a turning point but we are really dicing with this last playoff space. 

[abulezz]

36 minutes ago, _Ben_ said:

February 2034: Problem?!

I think this very clearly explains our issue. In each of these games pre-Fleetwood, not only were we out-xG'd by them all, we had also not created more than 1.0xG ourselves. The Fleetwood game, where Abrahamsson finally scored and we created nearly 3xG could be a turning point but we are really dicing with this last playoff space. 

Mid-Season bad form spells are a nightmare - once you start spiraling down one of them it takes so much effort to turn them around. The good news is, they usually do turn around but by then alot of the times the damage is already done. 

[_Ben_]

13 minutes ago, abulezz said:

Mid-Season bad form spells are a nightmare - once you start spiraling down one of them it takes so much effort to turn them around. The good news is, they usually do turn around but by then alot of the times the damage is already done. 

Let's hope so! This summer is going to need a huge rebuild, so if I can minimise the damage to the team/reputation, that'll be great!

[_Ben_]

March 2034: International recognition

Abrahamsson becomes the first academy graduate to be called up to a semi-decent national team!

[_Ben_]

March 2034: Youth Intake

Excel CA Analysis. Nationality Tracker. Intake Tracker.

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Asa is the standout of this intake and is potentially a top player in an area I really need some youth depth in but, aside from that, it's another very weak intake. Personalities are largely average, at best, and there isn't a lot of quality nor untapped potential within this group of players sadly.