_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 25 Author Share Posted February 25 June 2046: Transfer bid Now, I like Rob, but Atleti have been courting Darko Risteski so I hope, getting a decent fee here will fill that hole and keep them away from my prize German! I don't know if this is necessarily sensible with Miller's deal expiring in 12 months, but we'll see... Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 25 Author Share Posted February 25 July 2046: What is this?! We have an u18 squad, at last... I don't know what I want to do with it though, after all this time! 3 Link to post Share on other sites
tyler16 80 Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 Moving on the players who don't want to renew should be a good challenge for you. Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 25 Author Share Posted February 25 7 minutes ago, tyler16 said: Moving on the players who don't want to renew should be a good challenge for you. I've had rather a good clear out over the summer, really freeing up space for those most promising to be able to develop: I've also successfully negotiated new deals for Ejza and Cano and, as of right now, have one on the table for Miller. He'll be the top earner and a star player but I really can't lose him after moving on the really unhappy Ulfarsson and allowing Nijhuis to go to protect Risteski! It'll be a challenge, definitely. I do feel that, especially after doing this, I'm missing out on that ability to really develop youngsters to play as the level of this league is so high that I need to be getting my players to an elite level. Another reason on the ever-growing 'dislike the EPL' list. The worst thing is that my other save is ready but I keep telling myself I have more to do here... Link to post Share on other sites
turnip 189 Posted February 25 Share Posted February 25 There comes a point you've just got to throw your youngsters in at the deep end and hope they've learned how to doggy-paddle 1 Link to post Share on other sites
tyler16 80 Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Can you share any additional details on the direction of your next save? Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 8 hours ago, turnip said: There comes a point you've just got to throw your youngsters in at the deep end and hope they've learned how to doggy-paddle Indeed. I’ve got a year before I am potentially losing some big names so it’s all about getting them ready this year, either on loan or getting first team football. Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 47 minutes ago, tyler16 said: Can you share any additional details on the direction of your next save? I’m going to manage in the depths of Switzerland. It’s a country I like to manage in, even if anything below the 2nd tier is semi-pro. Probably going to pick a newly promoted teams to the fifth tier or one of the many dual national teams that low down - I’ve holidayed to 2025, I think, to give the game time to get the players embedded. I want to get myself ‘into’ a career and move around jobs in a more realistic way and then find ‘that’ club to do my usual youth development stuff with. This is really different from a ‘pick the only club before I play’ approach. My plan may be 4/5 years of IR stuff and basic development/tracking before diving right in to really push what I’ve learnt so far on this game. I’ve got some ideas to track as much as I can, too. An increase in realism (still can’t get my head around Redditch being in the Prem) as well as a lower level of quality in order to allow far more youth development opportunities is really what I’m craving now. There won’t be £300m in the bank and I won’t have to have a wonder kid in the youth team before I dare give him first team minutes! Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 July 2046: New Contract Important news for a) our defence now and b) the longer term stability that will make or break my investment and success in the game. Link to post Share on other sites
Johnny-Trotter 45 Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 11 hours ago, _Ben_ said: I’m going to manage in the depths of Switzerland. It’s a country I like to manage in, even if anything below the 2nd tier is semi-pro. Probably going to pick a newly promoted teams to the fifth tier or one of the many dual national teams that low down - I’ve holidayed to 2025, I think, to give the game time to get the players embedded. I want to get myself ‘into’ a career and move around jobs in a more realistic way and then find ‘that’ club to do my usual youth development stuff with. This is really different from a ‘pick the only club before I play’ approach. My plan may be 4/5 years of IR stuff and basic development/tracking before diving right in to really push what I’ve learnt so far on this game. I’ve got some ideas to track as much as I can, too. An increase in realism (still can’t get my head around Redditch being in the Prem) as well as a lower level of quality in order to allow far more youth development opportunities is really what I’m craving now. There won’t be £300m in the bank and I won’t have to have a wonder kid in the youth team before I dare give him first team minutes! Would you consider taking one of the Liechtenstein teams in the lower league Swiss setup? I think it's probably too tough in terms of youth-only, but maybe your balance of youth intakes, local and then some others might work. Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 3 minutes ago, Johnny-Trotter said: Would you consider taking one of the Liechtenstein teams in the lower league Swiss setup? I think it's probably too tough in terms of youth-only, but maybe your balance of youth intakes, local and then some others might work. Maybe on my 'step-up' should that route be realistic but I don't foresee a long term save viable with a team that can only reach the Europa League. Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 2046/47 Squad Preview Joe Carden steps up to the first team to play second fiddle to Laurence Richards after a successful move to the SS(a) role and a good year in the u23 squad. Liam Teague moves up to fill the gap left by Ulfarsson and Nijhuis Chris Brooks completely a good first season following his move from the MLS and will now get himself some more play time. ---- My first team squad looks like this: Inexperienced, weak in some areas but incredibly strong in others. Plenty of potential and a good togetherness. I think we'll be ok this year. -- My youth squad also looks like this: I've added Oscar Doyle (£20k from Cliftonville), Kameron Johnson (free from Dortmund) and Zain Paterson-Arnold (free from Real Madrid) to this group but my main focus is on Donnelly, Sorrentino and Mewes, definitely. Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 July 2046: Offer No, thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
Sonic Youth 43 Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 Was that your first International job offer? U18’s team? Get in! Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 4 minutes ago, Sonic Youth said: Was that your first International job offer? U18’s team? Get in! I can't actually remember although I think I did get an offer for the USA job a few years ago. Yeah - well now I've got the u18 team, I can't bring myself to want to micromanage both (and the u18s don't enter any competitions) so it's just a dumping ground to keep the u23 a bit smaller and more manageable. Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 26 Author Share Posted February 26 July 2046: Testimonial 3 Link to post Share on other sites
Sonic Youth 43 Posted February 26 Share Posted February 26 1 hour ago, _Ben_ said: July 2046: Testimonial A testimonial suggest he doesn’t have long left in his career! Good to see he got one. Are you the manager? Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 12 hours ago, Sonic Youth said: A testimonial suggest he doesn’t have long left in his career! Good to see he got one. Are you the manager? Sadly, his career with us is as good as over. He’s struggled to find form and to fit in with our technical heavy system. He’ll do wonders dropping down a level or two but nobody will be able to meet his demands so I imagine he’ll bumble around a few bigger teams abroad and retire - unless he’s willing to accept a massive pay and playing time drop to stay. I was in charge, yes. A 2-0 win with a goal apiece from Ferencik and Krasniqi, which brought back some nice memories! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 August 2046: Madness! The combination of Brexit/Premier League money is just making these deals so common. Koziel was valued at less than £100k and they just came straight in with this bid. Obviously this is money for me but it works both ways - I'm not willing to spend such ludicrous amounts of kids to put in my own youth team. Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 (edited) September 2046: Bosman From turning down £60m offers to losing Chib on a free transfer. Massive shame but I'm not going to win with everyone! Edited February 28 by _Ben_ Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 September 2046: International cal I'm delighted for Ben - but, even as one of the most gifted players I have on paper, I am still really struggle to get him to perform. Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 I've just had a crash that has put me back to pre-season... Link to post Share on other sites
Popular Post _Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 28 Author Popular Post Share Posted February 28 August 2046 It's with, kind of, a heavy heart that I'm going to bring this thread to an end. Most of my threads end with some kind of success and I feel that, whilst I haven't achieved the ultimate prize here, I've done a lot of the ground work. However, my distaste for the Premier League, the league I watch my own team, Aston Villa, play in each week has just grown too much. The abundance of wealth, the complete lack of interest in any kind of player development (probably aided by the lack of newgen generation bug that will take years to 'get right') and the fact that, even though my U23 squad has finally entered a league (it appears that they won't enter the PL2 as that's had the same teams since the start of the game), I now have the same battle with my u18 squad. I've signed some great players and I've developed some good ones of my own yet there is a slightly sour taste that I've never really experienced elsewhere and that is that there is absolutely no way that my little town of Redditch could have a Premier League team based in it. COVID has put an end to the 2020/21 season, in real life, with Redditch just outside of the playoff places but it's utterly inconceivable to think that, in less than thirty years, they'd be just outside of the playoff places for European football. I've learnt a lot and, as always, I will try and take that into my next save. Thanks for reading. 15 Link to post Share on other sites
Fudal 47 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 It was a fantastic save as always @_Ben_! Link to post Share on other sites
josel15 21 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 A shame, Ben. Never posted but followed religiously. Looking forward to your next save! Link to post Share on other sites
Watson156 126 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Brilliant work on this @_Ben_ Can't wait to see your next save. Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 51 minutes ago, Fudal said: It was a fantastic save as always @_Ben_! 42 minutes ago, josel15 said: A shame, Ben. Never posted but followed religiously. Looking forward to your next save! 4 minutes ago, Watson156 said: Brilliant work on this @_Ben_ Can't wait to see your next save. Thanks all! I think that the crash was the final nail in that coffin. I've been writing up some stuff for next save - we've got to 3500 words in a Word Document about my 'why' whilst I'm still holidaying! I hope that it is enjoyed as much as this, knowing that the majority of the demographic is from England or watches/knows English football. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
brookie1402 124 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Brilliant thread as ever which I really enjoyed reading about. I'm looking forward to your next one though, based upon what you said about it previously. It sounds like the type of save I prefer, and from what I gather, my preferred way of player, i.e. starting outside England, in the bottom tier of a foreign country, and moving from club to club, as a manager would realistically do when offered a better job. I'll be looking out for it. Link to post Share on other sites
_Ben_ 1,906 Posted February 28 Author Share Posted February 28 3 minutes ago, brookie1402 said: Brilliant thread as ever which I really enjoyed reading about. I'm looking forward to your next one though, based upon what you said about it previously. It sounds like the type of save I prefer, and from what I gather, my preferred way of player, i.e. starting outside England, in the bottom tier of a foreign country, and moving from club to club, as a manager would realistically do when offered a better job. I'll be looking out for it. Spoiler - I didn't get a job in the bottom tier! But, yes, just copying and pasting in the things I've been writing about over the past few weeks to catch up to what I've played this evening. Thanks for commenting and I hope that you'll continue to read the new thread, called Swiss Army Knife. Link to post Share on other sites
Toin 23 Posted February 28 Share Posted February 28 Enjoyed this a lot Ben even though I never posted, and can't wait to see how you'll do in Switzerland! Link to post Share on other sites
Northernpilgrim 419 Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 15 hours ago, _Ben_ said: August 2046 It's with, kind of, a heavy heart that I'm going to bring this thread to an end. Most of my threads end with some kind of success and I feel that, whilst I haven't achieved the ultimate prize here, I've done a lot of the ground work. However, my distaste for the Premier League, the league I watch my own team, Aston Villa, play in each week has just grown too much. The abundance of wealth, the complete lack of interest in any kind of player development (probably aided by the lack of newgen generation bug that will take years to 'get right') and the fact that, even though my U23 squad has finally entered a league (it appears that they won't enter the PL2 as that's had the same teams since the start of the game), I now have the same battle with my u18 squad. I've signed some great players and I've developed some good ones of my own yet there is a slightly sour taste that I've never really experienced elsewhere and that is that there is absolutely no way that my little town of Redditch could have a Premier League team based in it. COVID has put an end to the 2020/21 season, in real life, with Redditch just outside of the playoff places but it's utterly inconceivable to think that, in less than thirty years, they'd be just outside of the playoff places for European football. I've learnt a lot and, as always, I will try and take that into my next save. Thanks for reading. No need to apologise or feel bad for ending a save after more than 30 seasons. Brilliant job getting Redditch as far as you did. Look forward to seeing your next career Link to post Share on other sites
Sonic Youth 43 Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 17 hours ago, _Ben_ said: I've just had a crash that has put me back to pre-season... Bah humbug! And just when world domination for Redditch was in your grasp. It’s a shame that the dastardly FM save foible has taken away your enjoyment with your adventures in the money bags Prem League and their clubs with the bugs about promoting youth players from theIr academies. Thanks for sharing this save with all of us Link to post Share on other sites
Nottingham Forest 124 Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 Haven't posted for a few weeks. I don't think. Still been reading. Such a shame that you've decided to end the save. But I understand why. Link to post Share on other sites
ifinnem 14 Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 Legendary thread as always. Will follow the next keenly Link to post Share on other sites
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