Tricolore

[gavrenwick]

 

So whilst looking for a new challenge, I re-visited the Steam download store and found myself a couple of potential leagues to visit for the first time. Malta, Estonia and Moldova came close, but Luxembourg won out just down to it's sheer size and standing within the football world. I downloaded Weiry's database changes for a five tier Luxembourg, and set about picking a side from the lowest available, opting for Tricolore Gasperich. (as per all my FM save games, I name my manager after one of my favourite players from that previous save.)

I haven't set myself the sole target of youth only, as for the short term we will suffer incessantly at the hands of thiefs and vagabonds, but the long term aim will be to nurture the clubs own youth talent. For now, we will make signings where needed and work from there. The club currently operates in tier five of the Luxembourg system, a ten side division which sees 27 games total (three against each). 1st and 2nd go up as promoted, with no relegation spots as this is the lowest tier. 



We will also compete in two cup contests.





Due to world events there was no contest for 2019-20 of the Couple de Luxembourg, so the previous holders are 8 time winners FC Dudelange, while Coupe FLF has no previous history, so we are treating it as a brand new trophy. It looks from the outside to be a lower league only contest, which could be worth partaking in. Only time will tell. 

Onto the final part of my starting update, we find ourselves looking at a very empty bank account. Almost empty that I am even wondering if they opened one to begin with. The club is completely amateur at current, and the squad I have inherited will follow in the next post, but for now, here is the bank and the facilities.

 

 

As you can see, everything is as basic as can possibly be with this club. Having briefly checked the facilities under the hood, as expected they are all at 1. There is lots of work to do here.

 

 

[gavrenwick]

So here we have my only players at the club. As you can see from the outset, our position in the fifth tier of Luxembourg is evident by the quality on show. Our best player, Marjan Vuksanovic, has spent his entire career in Luxembourg, and sadly has achieved next to nothing during that time. He is however our best player by a long shot, and also the only real player we have. Everybody else is fictional, added to the purpose of allowing us to be competitive instantly. Lucas Bolas is a decent enough winger for this level, while the incorrectly named Cristiano Ronaldo Roberto could become decent, if we can find any way to make him so. Here are our three best players below.

[gavrenwick]

July 2020
So we begin our campaign ready to set the world on fire from lowly Luxembourg. Having been in the job for only a week, I haven't made any changes, and as there are no staff at the club, haven't updated anybody on that yet. I've got an advert out for an assistant manager, and after that I'll decide who recruits who. We brought in the aforementioned assistant manager, a head physio and a head of youth development. We are still advertising for a scout.

The cup draws gave us an away trip to next tier up Reisdorf (Coupe de Luxembourg) and FC Olympia Christnach (Tier 5, Coupe FLF). 

Our pre-season wasn't far from catastrophic, nor was it decent. We struggled against all opposition except Jeunesse Gilsdorf, a higher tiered team who did put out a weakened youth side. We just weren't connected as a unit, and whilst I was playing a rather basic 4-4-2, I did expect just a slight bit more against similar opposition. Three losses out of six total games isn't to be sniffed out however and we will take that into the season starter as best we can.



Transfer deadline day fell right on the end of July, and we went into it realising that we were sorely understaffed in the player department. We had found ourselves guilty of being complacent since taking over, and in the end went on a spree that has likely not improved us in any way. The pick of the bunch was Steve Graser, who will bring some steel to our defence, but at 37, I don't foresee him being here beyond the end of the season. Safet Nikolic has come straight in as our new captain thanks to his leadership abilities, while Bryan Bossi will take up between the sticks immediately.