[FM24] - The Schapenkoppen

[Junkhead]

After some (a lot) of deliberation, I've decided on my club for my first save, which I will play until it gets boring, or until I change my mind & decide to start again - so anything from a week to a year....

Having played since the original Championship Manager on the Amiga, and after skipping FM23 because of a brilliant save I had started in Brazil on FM22, I have decided to again manage in a large country that I've never played in on any version of Football Manager - the Netherlands.

After a bit of research, and because they are both based on an island and the people that live there are referred to as "The Sheepheads", I have plumped for FC Dordrecht, who play in the second tier of the Dutch league.  Here is there logo, which I think you will agree, is phenominal.

 

Although this is a club with a higher reputation than I would usually start as (2 whole stars!!!), I will still be playing in the (main) spirit of the realism thread, which can be found HERE

My manager, however, will not be me.  If ever I start higher up than I usually would, I tend to use a former player as my Manager, generally one who has played for Nottingham Forest (the club I support) which gives me an excuse to put them as my Manager's favourite club in the hope I will gradually end up there, and finally win that third European Cup (I've never, EVER managed this on FM - I am quite useless tbh).  And so, as he is both Dutch, and not on this year's version of the game (at least in my save), my Manager will be former Forest, Swansea, Wolves & Celtic goalkeeper Dorus de Vries.  He's a former professional footballer and I've given him the coaching badges he would need to be allowed to manage at this level;

Thankfully, given that I am quite useless as previously mentioned, I've been given a 2 year contract.  Not only that, it's safe to say that, in the first season at least, the board's expectations couldn't be much lower.  And I would like to think that even I can manage a top half finish within 5 years, but if anyone can turn that into a slog, it's our mate Dorus (me).

Squad wise, it's a bit of a motley bunch that I will need to try and get something out of to keep us off the bottom.  They look ok at first glance, and there's a 6'6" striker which is the stuff of LLaMa dreams, I feel like a bit of hoofball may well end up being order of the day!  No screenshot though, as going to try and avoid player naming or any real tactical discussion as per the usual LLaMa rules.

I will be playing quite a few friendlies to try and get my head around the squad, including big local games against Feyenoord, who are my parent club, and ADO Den Haag.  And also Preston, who have a sheep on their logo.  But not Derby County.  Never Derby County.

The bookies don't think it will be quite as bad as the board do, but then the board have appointed me so they have probably accepted their fate. 

Setup wise, I have all out of the box leagues running in 55 countries, with all international players, as well as players of continental reputation added for all continents, giving me 127 playable leagues, and 213k players/staff.  Hoping for a long, competitive career, not really sure what my aims are aside from just cracking on & enjoying!

Will be updating regularly (probably).....

 

 

Edited November 2, 2023 by Junkhead

[Sizeman21]

Good luck in the Nederlands, Junkhead!