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[FM24] The Builder & The Professor - Stage 4 Manchester United


keeper#1
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1 hour ago, Shrewnaldo said:

Huh, I've never noticed that personality impact from declining interviews before. Is that a new thing?

Good work on turning down Lazio though. Not a fan, regardless of the lack of completed objectives.

I've had it happen to me a few times in 23 as well.  I'd rather see it go from 'balanced' to 'loyal' than 'unambitious'

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Summer 2029 Musings and Transfer Notes

The Lens summer was an interesting one with the aforementioned approach by Lazio and Olivier turning down the offer even at the hit it took to his personality.  The 2028-29 Ligue 1 Manager of the Year wanted to stay at Lens and see the project through.  Ligue 1 had grown in both stature, as the league saw a 1% bump in TV revenue, and European standing when it came to Champions League places.  Olivier was able to able to keep top goalscorer Reto Braun at the club for another season.  The media expect to see a lot from the 19-year old this season putting in with the likes of Mbappe and Balogun.  On the whole, the media expect Lens to be in the mix for the European places but do not expect them to duplicate last season's runner-up finish.  The opinion in the media is reflected by the lack of splashes that Lens made in the transfer market.  The club only made two permanent transfers and one of those was activating the optional fee clause in loanee Mika Faye's loan deal.  The other deal saw a bit of playmaking ability added to the defensive midfield as Spainard Jose Domingo Linares (DNA Score: 182) was brought in from Real Madrid's reserve team on a free.  A steal for the club.  The rest of the transfer window saw Lens looking around at a lot of players but not finding the right deal for them.  The Lens Academy continues to build with some players from the reserve team out on loan to get some first-team experience before, hopefully, joining the senior team next season.

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2029-30 Midseason Update

League Table     xG Table

July-September 2029 Fixtures     October-December 2029 Fixtures

UEFA Champions League Table

General Performance Analytics

Youth Intake Preview

Individual Stats

Finances

Defender of the First Half LB Antonee Robinson - Robinson has run the left flank in the matches he has played this season.  Robinson has featured in a rotation with Christopher Walker Deemin.  The rest has done Robinson good.  He has been in top form in the matches he has played and has added three assists in addition to his defensive duties.

Midfielder of the First Half AM Dijon Kameri - Kameri sits just behind the main striker and acts as a second scoring option in the box for us.  Kameri has been in lethal goalscoring form in the first half with eight goals, second on the team, and only one assist.  He's done what has been asked of him this season and Olivier couldn't be happier.

Forward of the First Half CF Reto Braun - Braun is our leading goalscorer with nine goals in all competitions.  He could have more goals but I've used the Champions League, this season, as a chance to rest some of the first team players including Braun.  Olivier wants to keep them fresh for the more important league matches.  Olivier wants to make sure that the club in back in the Champions League next season and that can't be done without a little load management within the squad.

Breakthrough Player of the First Half CF Wilfried Pettijean - Olivier has been able to rest Braun because Pettijean has made a big leap this season scoring five goals in the first half of the season compared to just three goals all of last season.  

The Story

It's been a long and successful first half of the season for Lens.  Lens, briefly, spent time at the top of the Ligue 1 table before slipping to 3rd place has the club heads into the Christmas break.  The Champions League has been a successful campaign for the club.  The club sits in 24th place which would be good enough to reach the knockout stage of the competition and it has been done with mainly rotated players into the lineup.  It's been a great launching pad for some of our young talents at the club.  As confidence builds in these young players, they will get more meaningful playing time in Ligue 1 matches which will help turn the roster over, make us a younger team and, hopefully, into a talent factory.  It's not an overnight process.  The club has even more young talents in the reserve and U18 teams which will come up the ranks in the next couple of seasons.  This is why Olivier stayed at Lens instead of jumping to Lazio.  He wants to see this process through and knows that it will take time.  But in the short team, 3rd place in the league, competitive in the Championship and a chance to make a deep Coupe de France run in the cards for Lens this season.

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European Survival

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The kids did their best in a losing effort against Manchester United but held firm against Barcelona to earn a point that allowed us to squeak into 24th place and earn a spot in the Knockout Phase of the Champions League

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8 hours ago, Shrewnaldo said:

4 point gap to PSG doesn't seem too bad, particularly if they go further in Europe than you. Are you hard-committed to getting the double before you can move on? Tempted to soften the parameters a bit? 

I softened it to winning the league and the cup but in different seasons.

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Quick March 2030

Since we are fighting on three fronts, I'm giving a quick update on March 1, 2030.

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Sitting in 3rd place in the league but a very distant ten points behind PSG with Nice between us and PSG.

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We are through to the semis of the Coupe de France.  The semifinal matchups

Lens (L1) at Troyes (L2)

Sochaux (L2) at Lyon (L1)

We also found a way to beat Inter in the Opening Knockout Round of the Champions League.....our reward Dortmund who pounded us 4-1 in the League Phase.

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Yeah, we got the best quarterfinal draw possible.  The draw set up two spicy derbies: Barca-Real and City-Untied.  Actually, that half of the draw is brutal since they have to play each other in the semis.  Whereas we get Ajax or Bayern.

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2029-30 End of Season Report

League Table

Champions League Knockout Phase Tree

January-May League and French Cup Matches

Champions League Knockout Phase Matches

Individual Statistics

Defender of the Year GK Michele DiGregorio

Midfielder of the Year AM Dijon Kameri

Forward of the Year CF Reto Braun

Breakthrough Player of the Year CF/LF Mathys Labarthe

Finances

The Story

The 2029-30 season has to go down as the greatest season in the history of RC Lens: 3rd place finish in Ligue 1, Winners of the Coupe de France, and Semifinalists of the Champions League.  Olivier couldn't be happier with how this season went.  Yes, people will say that Lens got a lucky draw in the quarterfinals of the Champions League but they still had to beat Inter and Dortmund, who beat Lens soundly 4-1 in the League Phase, to reach the quarterfinals and get that fortunate draw.  Sometimes you create your own luck.  The Coupe de France saw Lens win two of the matches on penalties and won 1-0 in the quarterfinals against last place Metz.  This season could have easily gone a completely different direction if the club had lost early in the Champions League or in the Coupe de France.  Maybe a loss in one of those events would have allowed the club to make a bigger push for the league title.  As you can see in the individual stats, it was a total team effort.  Reto Braun led the team with just 13 goals and numerous players chipped in with key goals.  Some of those players were regulars to the starting lineup, some were reserves who happened to find the net when provided the chance, and some were younger players who made the most of their playing time early in the season and became trusted bench options as the season wore on.  A total team effort.

Looking forward to next season: Olivier doesn't have any pressing needs in the transfer market.  Some players have reached the end of their useful life at the club due to age and there are options coming through the academy ready to replace.  He envisions a four-member Class of 2031 joining the senior team next season.  The only place he may go searching in the transfer market is at left back as there isn't a natural replacement for Antonee Robinson.  Olivier continues to build the Lens Academy.  Still a couple of holes to fill in the academy but once those get filled, the pipeline of talent will be complete.

The Builder Objectives

Win the League and the Cup in different seasons:  League (TBA)  Cup (2030)

Sell a Player for, at least, 1,000,000 Euros: Numerous Players

Have Five Academy Players play 2,000 minutes in the same season: One Player this season Wilfried Pettijean (2,011)

Have an Academy Player make a Senior Team Appearance: Bob Joachim (Luxembourg)

Obtain UEFA A and UEFA Pro Licenses: Done

Reach Europa League or Europa Conference League Phase: Europa Conference League Phase (2029)

Olivier has achieved 4.5 of the 6 objectives for Stage 3.  Big clubs are starting stiff around for his services.  The media has asked about his interest in Napoli (none - club in financial trouble) and Liverpool (interesting except I'm a Liverpool supporter and would have a hard time taking them over as a fan - I will want to win every match).  It will be interesting to see which clubs, if any, ask to interview Olivier either during the 2030 World Cup or after the World Cup when more of the bigger club jobs become available as managers move from club manager to national team manager.

Edited by keeper#1
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There's four big club open right now.

Napoli - in debt

Liverpool - personal support prevents me from taking over

Arsenal - very interesting

Bayer Leverkusen - interesting

But not actively seeking a new job.  Will only talk if they contact first.

Edited by keeper#1
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As for the Liverpool thing. I'm a supporter too. I usually make them the ultimate end of my Journeyman save. I never replace Klopp and I make sure all the players from now have retired or moved on when I go to the club. It makes for a way to get an acheivement if nothing else. "Childhood Dream" and I can just do my best to win the Premier League and Champions League just like the real manager would have to.

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On 25/10/2023 at 00:33, keeper#1 said:

Much more to come tomorrow.  It's almost 1 am where I live and need to get to bed to be semi-functional for work in the morning.  I've decided on a new Builder save at a new club.  Going to where Arsene Wenger started his managerial career....AS Nancy (Hence the title change to The Builder and The Professor)

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Actually, thinking back to the start of this save, Arsenal would be a great place for Stage 4 of this career.  Arsenal in Stage 5 would be perfect because it cause the original storyline to come full circle but Stage 4 is almost as good.

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How Olivier Spent His Summer Vacation

Olivier entered the summer as a manager in demand.  Big clubs were coming in for his services not his players.  Olivier spent the summer on job interviews:

His first interview was at his dream club, Arsenal, he could take over the club that was once managed by his idol. Arsene Wenger.  He really wanted this job.  Unfortunately, his dream was not to be.

Next, the Milan came calling.  First, AC Milan offered an interview.  They really wanted him and the media were touting him as the favorite to take over the job.  Inter was also looking for a manager and did not want to see one of the hottest managers on the market go to their rivals.  Milan came in with a job offer but Olivier was unimpressed with the finances at the club.  An aging roster and a negative transfer budget is not a situation that I wanted to get himself involved with so he turned them down.  Inter came in with a job offer of their own.  Their finances weren't much better so Olivier declined them as well.  

The England Premier League came calling again when Manchester United rang Olivier's phone.  As of August 15, Olivier is still waiting to hear back from club.  However, as a diehard Wenger and Arsenal supporter, he is unsure that he could take over United.  But we shall see what happens.

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All the jobs would be ones that you had to take the interview. Manchester United I would politely decline if they came for me.....after the interview of course! Unless the Glazer's had sold the team completely and they offered a salary I couldn't refuse.....

In my world the French Managerial Carousel never stops.......but I am happy a ASSE and It would have to be either Hertha or Liverpool offering the interview for me to leave.

I am on the cusp of something pretty good about a season away, I think.

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Some huge clubs looking for your services! Shame the arsenal thing didn’t play out but bide your time for the perfect club.

From experience that is. I wish I never took the Real Madrid job and waited for the Man United one which is what I really wanted. 

Edited by SixPointer
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Always nice to go out to the eventual winners and some effort even getting that far in the Champions League.

Do you want to leave Lens? Seems like you're still having a  good time in France and with that one objective still to go... are you tempted to stay even if a suitable role comes up and offers you the position?

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1 hour ago, Shrewnaldo said:

Always nice to go out to the eventual winners and some effort even getting that far in the Champions League.

Do you want to leave Lens? Seems like you're still having a  good time in France and with that one objective still to go... are you tempted to stay even if a suitable role comes up and offers you the position?

I'm only going to leave for the perfect situation.  I'm not going to leave for a rebuilding project even if it's at a big club.

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2030-31 Midseason Update

Olivier did not get offered the Manchester United job.  It went to the Juventus manager, Sergio Conceicao who is coming off the Serie A title.

League Table     xG Table

Champions League Table

Ligue 1 Fixtures     Champions League Fixtures

Finances

Individual Stats

Defender of the First Half CB/DM Jose Domingo Linares

Midfielder of the First AM Dijon Kameri

Forward of the First Half CF Reto Braun

The Story

It was a very disjointed first half for Olivier and his Lens squad.  The offense has really fired on all cylinders this season.  When the offense has clicked, the defense proved to be just leaky enough to turn a win into a draw or a draw into a loss.  He tried some unique thinking about squad rotation that only caused more disjointed play.  Once he went back to what worked last season; playing players who need to get a game to stay fresh and resting players who have had a heavy match load; the team started to click again and win again.  All that said, the club is about in the same place that it was last season.  Sitting in third place in the domestic league and on the edge of advancing to the Knockout Phase of the Champions League.  The club has two huge Champions League matches against Read Sociedad and Fenerbahce.  Four points from those matches should ensure qualification into the Knockout Phase.  Winning the league will be a tall ask since the club sits eight points behind PSG but another second place finish is a possibility as the club sits five points behind Marseille.  

In terms of the next club, nothing is available or any managers on the hot seat at a club where Olivier would be willing to go.  The job search will probably have to wait until the summer.

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What are your Goals conceded versus your expected goals? That will tell you if you have a formational problem or player problem in general terms defensively.  My players are playing their best and conceding less than expected which means I have a formational/TI issue to solve.

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I've scored one more goal than expected and allowed one fewer goal than expected.  So, it's not a tactical issue.  It's being on the wrong side of "goal luck" in a couple of matches.

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  • 2 weeks later...

2030-31 End of Season Update

A quick and dirty end of season update since I finished the second half of the season in three different locations (my house, Florida, and the Bahamas) so I really didn't spend much time deep diving into stats and such.

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Lens won the Coupe de France for the second straight season needing a 9-8 penalty shootout win over PSG to lift the trophy.

League Table

January-May Domestic Fixtures

January-May Champions League Fixtures

Individual Stats

Defender of the Year CB Mika Faye

Midfielder of the Year DM Jose Domingo Linares

Forward of the Year CF Reto Braun

Finances

Another solid season in the books.  A fourth place finish in Ligue 1 which gets us a return visit to the Champions League, a second straight Coupe de France, and a Round of 16 appearance in the Champions League where we were knocked out by a very good Barcelona side.  I believe that Olivier is ready to make the jump to Stage 4 of this save.  However, the big club jobs are just not open, at the moment.  The only big clubs with job openings are Milan and PSG.  Maybe once those jobs get filled, jobs that I am interested in with be available.  PSG, to me, feels like a Stage 5 club and I'm not sure Milan has the long-term financial stability to be a good Stage 4 club.

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Sergio Conceicao Goes From Manchester United to Lazio

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This feels like a great Stage 4 club.  

Last Premier League Title: 2013

Last FA Cup: 2031

La Carabao Cup: 2031

Last Champions League Trophy: 2024

Last Europa League Trophy: 2017

They really haven't done much on the world stage in the last 10 years outside of one run in the Champions League.  They are a far cry from the Manchester United of 1990s and 2000s.  Can Olivier get the job?  If he does, can he lead Manchester United back to glory?  It's time for him to take the interview and find out what happens.

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1 hour ago, keeper#1 said:

Sergio Conceicao Goes From Manchester United to Lazio

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This feels like a great Stage 4 club.  

Last Premier League Title: 2013

Last FA Cup: 2031

La Carabao Cup: 2031

Last Champions League Trophy: 2024

Last Europa League Trophy: 2017

They really haven't done much on the world stage in the last 10 years outside of one run in the Champions League.  They are a far cry from the Manchester United of 1990s and 2000s.  Can Olivier get the job?  If he does, can he lead Manchester United back to glory?  It's time for him to take the interview and find out what happens.

Great move if you ask me 

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I like it - big step up and a nice bit of narrative within the save if they're struggling.

I liked your drawings that you shared on twitter, btw. You should do some of Olivier instead of doing the AI stuff. Reckon you'd do a better job

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1 hour ago, Shrewnaldo said:

I like it - big step up and a nice bit of narrative within the save if they're struggling.

I liked your drawings that you shared on twitter, btw. You should do some of Olivier instead of doing the AI stuff. Reckon you'd do a better job

What drawings?  I'm a terrible artist.

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Stage 4 - Manchester United

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Manchester United have become a sort-of fallen giant at this point in history.  The club last won the Premier League in 2013 (18 seasons ago).  They won the Champions League in 2024.  They had a soft-ish draw when they played Real Sociedad in the Round of 16, Porto in the quarterfinals, Bayern Munich in the semis and Arsenal in the final.  They have not made it out of the Round of 16 since winning the 2024 title.  Manchester United has become a domestic cup collector with two FA Cup titles in 2028 and 2031 along with a Carabao Cup in 2026 and 2031.  They are definitely not the superclub that they were in the 1990s and 2000s.  Olivier has been tasked with bringing the club back to it's past glories.

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The board has lofty goals.  They want to stay in the Champions League via league finish while reaching the quarterfinals of this year's Champions League while winning the Carabao Cup and making a deep run in the FA Cup.  It's going to be a tough ask to be competitive on four fronts.  I think the club has the squad depth to do it.  More on the squad in the next post.

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  • keeper#1 changed the title to [FM24] The Builder & The Professor - Stage 4 Manchester United
1 hour ago, Shrewnaldo said:

That's not loading for me. It was a bunch of really good Disney style rabbit drawings

This one?  This was from a Disney cruise I went on the past weekend.

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2031-32 Preseason and August

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Olivier has made a full-on tactical switch.  He wanted to emulate one of the all-time greatest managers and Manchester United legend, Sir Alex Ferguson, and honor him by running a very traditional 4-4-2 formation.  It's paying early dividends with the only team able to stop it is Arsenal, who have beaten us 1-0 in the league but we were able to top them in The Community Shield but needed penalty kicks to do so.  Olivier is blessed with one of the best senior sides in the world.  He has been re-united with Elyse Wahl, who Olivier sold to Manchester United when they were both at Lens.  But talent is dotted up and down the roster.

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Every player but one, Tim Henar, was on the roster when Olivier got here.  He really just has to roll the ball out and let them play.  Hener came to the club from relegated Wolves.  We had to sell a couple of players to make room for this Dutch star.  Olivier believes that Henar was a great player who could only carry the team so far.  Now, he has the chance to shine as part of a potential title-contender at Manchester United.

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A simple, basic and attacking 4-4-2 formation.  Get the ball forward and let the skill players do their things.  This is the Manchester United first choice starting XI for the 2031-32 season.

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