MattyLewis11

@keeper#1

@lilljons more on the tactic after Christmas, which should help spread some light on your line of questioning. However, for me, there was an importance on two key elements with regards to the tactic, which already has been referenced. 1) that van Gaal didn't want any of his midfielders to overlap the wingers, their role is structural, and provide passing options for recycling the ball and act as defensive cover. 2) the importance of adhering to the system, hence the 'Be More Disciplined' team instruction. We don't want players using their own intuition to impact the game, LVG supposedly drilled his team with regards to each and every in game scenario, ensuring they were prepared for whatever the game threw up. If you want to replicate a tactic which is a little more pleasing on the eye, I would suggest using Cruijffs version of the above which would allow for more flair and importance on the individual.

In the illustrious world of football tactics, few teams have left as indelible a mark as Louis van Gaal's Ajax side of the 1994-1995 season. This remarkable squad achieved unprecedented success, clinching the Eredivisie, the KNVB Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. Van Gaal's tactical ingenuity and commitment to the principles of Total Football laid the foundation for this memorable triumph. In this blog, we delve deep into the tactical nuances that defined Ajax's play during that extraordinary season, along with providing some much important statistical baselines for tracking the improvement of our side as they become more aligned to the Ajax philosophy, the Ajax way. TOTAL FOOTBALL PHILOSOPHY - THE AJAX WAY At the core of Ajax's success in the 1994-1995 season was the application of the Total Football philosophy. Originating from Dutch footballing philosophy, Total Football emphasises fluidity, positional interchangeability, and a collective understanding that allows players to seamlessly adapt to different positions on the field. Van Gaal, a disciple of this philosophy, moulded his Ajax team to embody these principles. Van Gaal primarily employed a 4-2-3-1 formation, which served as the canvas for his tactical masterpiece. However, what set this team apart was its fluidity. The players effortlessly shifted to a 3-4-3 in certain situations, showcasing a tactical flexibility rarely seen in football at that time. This adaptability allowed Ajax to control the ebb and flow of the game, adjusting to different scenarios with ease. It is this formation which I have opted to solely for the entirety of the 2024/25 season of the Ajax way, enabling me to not only provide you with a well tested tactic, but one which enables me to look at the statistical outputs of the players to produce some much needed statistical baselines. Given I will be now playing this save using the one system, I want to be able to understand who is performing better on the pitch, we can later delve into what attributes, or traits, impact these outputs. PHILOSOPHY OF SPACE MANAGEMENT The universal football pitch, consistent in size and shape, takes on a unique perspective in the Dutch approach to the game. This stems from the Dutch tendency for innovative and abstract spatial thinking, honed over centuries due to their need for inventive spatial solutions in various aspects of life. The Dutch landscape, marked by its scarcity of space, has played a crucial role in shaping their heightened spatial awareness. Holland's densely populated and meticulously planned terrain has led to meticulous consideration and debate over every square centimetre of Dutch cities, fields, and polders. The imperative control and utilisation of land are driven by the fact that over fifty percent of the country lies below sea level, necessitating strict regulation of the Dutch water system. In the western region, the entirely human-engineered landscape showcases an intricate network of canals, dikes, and waterways. Notable structures like the sea defences in Zeeland, the expansive port of Rotterdam, Schiphol airport, and ancient cities bear witness to Dutch mastery over their constructed environment. Considerable portions of the country have been reclaimed from the sea using age-old techniques of dike-building and drainage systems. As the saying goes, 'God made the world, but the Dutch made Holland.' Van Gaal's team aimed to stretch the pitch, utilising every inch to their advantage. This approach extended to defensive play, where Ajax focused on suffocating opponents by disrupting their spatial dynamics. The four main aspects of the game according to Van Gaal are offensive organisation, offensive transition, defensive organisation, and defensive transitions. OFFENSIVE TRANSITIONS AND BALL CIRCULATION Van Gaal's system focuses on ball retention and circulation to exploit spaces. The construction phase involves the goalkeeper as the first playmaker, playing short from the back. This can be seen in the above image. Note how only the wingers pick up a position in the wide channels, with all other players inside the central column. Their positioning is key to our build-up play, forcing the opposition to keep both full-backs deep, creating a central overload. Circulation of the ball is used strategically to draw opponents out of their defensive shape and create spaces for attacks. TRANSITIONAL PHASE Van Gaal considers the transition phase the most important aspect of the game, emphasising the importance of capitalising on the opponent's disorganisation after winning possession. The ability to rapidly switch from defence to attack showcased the team's tactical intelligence and highlighted the seamless connection between different phases of play. DEFENSIVE COMPACTNESS AND PRESSING Van Gaal's teams are described as compact, defending and attacking collectively. The compactness of the team can be seen in the above image, capturing our average position without the ball in the UEFA Champions League matches from season two (Patience, all to be revealed in the next blog). Given the length of a football pitch is on average 100 metres, all of our players find themselves in a zone of roughly 20 metres, making it harder for opponents to play through central areas. This compact defensive shape forces opponents to play wide or resort to less dangerous areas, reducing the likelihood of conceding goals. This paired with fluid team fluidity, ensures that there are enough supporting roles in the tactic, making the side attack and defend as a cohesive unit. van Gaal's teams pressed high at Ajax and Barcelona to force mistakes and regain possession in threatening areas. One of the defining features of Ajax's out-of-possession play was their collective pressing. The entire team engaged in pressing high up the pitch, disrupting the opponent's build-up and forcing mistakes. Forwards and midfielders worked in tandem to cut passing lanes, applying pressure on the ball-carrier and instigating turnovers. STRUCTURED PLAYER ROLES AND TASKS Van Gaal instilled a disciplined approach by assigning specific tasks to each player based on their position. This structured system, complete with fixed shirt numbers, fostered continuity from the senior squad to the youth teams, ensuring a seamless integration of tactics. You will note above that our trigger press is only set as 'More Often', there are two reasons for this. Firstly, looking at the squad comparison, you will note that our side do not have the greatest of stamina, a key attribute needed for individuals to hunt the ball effectively for long periods of time. Secondly, the more aggressive players are out of possession the more they would move away from their designated role within the system. ‘The main aim of pressure football, “the hunt”, was regaining possession as soon as possible after the ball was lost in the opponents’ half,’ Michels explained. ‘The “trapping” of the opponents is only possible when all the lines are pushed up and play close together.’ The tactic still aligns well to the Ajax way principle due to having a 'High Press'. THE AJAX WAY: BASELINES A baseline can be any number that serves as a reasonable and defined starting point for comparison purposes. It may be used to evaluate the effects of a change, track the progress of an improvement project, or measure the difference between two periods of time. Given our 'Game Model' hinges around set principles of play, it is essential to understand who is better aligned to each principle on the pitch. Whilst we have our DNA model, along with the tools in which to use it, covered in the 'Player Pathways' blog, I am yet to delve into the on-field outputs, which lets face it, are key to our success. GOALKEEPERS The primary role of the Goalkeeper within the tactic is to keep the ball out of the net, simple enough. Jay Gorter (our number 1) is doing a great job at this, he not only has a save percentage of 81%, but also is preventing an expected goal per 90 figure of 0.31. Knowing that a clear cut chance is worth 0.15 xG, he is stopping on average two clear cut chances per game. All three options between the sticks are performing well above the Eredivisie average in terms of passes attempted, and completed. DEFENDERS Louis van Gaal promoted the classic Ajax model in terms of possession, the Ajax way is to build from back to front. Looking at the outputs Josip Šutalo has the highest pass completion at 95%, along with the most passes completed per 90. This comes as no surprise given he has played every minute in the centre of the back three, in this role Josip connects play from the GK to Midfield (DLP). Looking at progressive passes, it is our Wide Centre-Backs which are performing the best against this metric, their ability to bypass the midfield with balls to the wingers is a key element of play, especially when looking to move the ball up field quickly after winning the ball back in the middle of the pitch. @_Ben_ conducted a thorough investigation on headers in his series 'The Norseman', I would highly-recommend. Looking at our aerial outputs we are performing above the Eredivisie average, although this doesn't necessarily reflect our ability to defend from deep, with a large volume of headers being won around the half-way line, as opponents pump the ball long, with the view to relieving pressure. Jakov Medić, at 6'4'' is our most natural defender (highest Heading, Anticipation, and Bravery) is leading the way in terms of his tackle rate (89%) and headers won (81%). In fact the Croatian's ability to defend has made him the first name on the team-sheet for big matches, and highlights our need to recruit someone else of a similar creed. Devyne Rensch is the worst player in terms of his aerial ability, at 5'10'' he is our shortest defender which is certainly impacting his defensive outputs. I would go as far to say that Rensch is the player that if a club came in for him, he would be the one I would happily move on, given the other six individuals are performing to higher numbers. MIDFIELDERS Van Gaal ordered his midfielders to stay behind the wingers; not because he didn’t subscribe to the concept of universality, but because it harmed the side’s structure. I feel this tactic replicates van Gaal's vision perfectly. The midfield with two Carillero's enable these individuals to see lots of the ball, but most importantly provide a strong structure, with both players packing the centre, making the team harder to break down. Van Gaal was obsessed with structure within possession, almost robbing his attacking weapons of any spontaneity. The crucial difference between Van Gaal’s system and the approach of his predecessors Michels and Cruyff was that Van Gaal effectively prohibited the classic position-switching up and down the flanks, the hallmark of Total Football. This lack of dynamism is apparent when looking at the open play key passes per 90. Gabriel Moscardo provided the highest per 90 at 1.60, looking at our average figure of 0.98, this is a long way off the open play key passes that Quinten Timber, the Eredivisie leading midfielder is creating. The above visual again highlights this, with not a single Ajax player in the top-left quadrant, the zone where the most effective creative central midfielders lie in the Eredivisie, ones who also create, but do not lose too much possession. Our best progressive passer is Benjamin Tahirović, who operates most from the deep-lying playmaker role, the only role in the midfield which comes with the 'Take More Risks', encouraging them to take more low percentage passes. WINGERS Ajax’s approach depended heavily on width, and Van Gaal needed two outright wingers. Van Gaal placed strict instructions on these players, not to attempt dribbles past multiple opponents: in one-against-one situations they could beat their man, but if faced with two defenders they were told to turn inside and switch the play. So, even with the above 'Dribble Less' team instruction and 'Pass It Shorter' player instruction on both wingers, we are still racking up the dribbles, with Carlos Borges in the elite with 8.11 dribbles per 90. Focusing purely on attacking contribution metrics, our wingers are having a great impact on the game, this you can see from the non-penalty expected goals per 90 and xG per shot in which Carlos Borges again is our best performer. It isn't until we get to the expected assist per 90 metric that the value of the winger in this system really is apparent, we are averaging over double the league average with 0.31 expected assists per 90. Steven Bergwijn led the pack with 0.50, meaning he is expected to pick up an assist every other match. Given that the second placed player Naci Ünüvar also plays from the left, this goes to show the value of the 'Attack' role on the statistics over the 'Support' role which our right-winger has. ATTACKERS The primary goal scorers within the team have in both seasons stemmed from either of these two key roles. This paired with our impressive attacking outputs means that we are performing well against these metrics when compared to the rest of the league. However, there are a few metrics in which individual performance really stands out, these are xG per shot and conversion rate. Georges Mikautadze's performances in the Shadow Striker role continues to blossom, his non-penalty xG per shot (44 shots taken) of 0.33 is really impressive and a key factor in his impressive conversion rate (39%). I am really happy with how the tactic is working, given the importance of the Shadow Striker under van Gaal. Van Gaal’s reasoning was simple: if the wingers dragged the opposition full-backs wider, and the centre-forward forced the opposition centre-backs backwards, it would create more space for the star – the number 10. However, the tactic took a little twist midway through season two, switching the number 9 role from the Trequartista to an Advanced Forward. This move was made to accommodate a certain Ivan Toney, our new record signing (£31.5m) from Brentford. *click on player image to view attributes Looking at the below chalkboard stats provide you with an insight as to how the roles differ in our system. Toney's outputs as an Advanced forward are also impressive. Non-penalty xG of 0.62 (2nd) Shots per 90, 2.00 (1st) xG per shot, 0.30 (2nd) Conversion rate, 44% (1st) CONCLUSION In the tapestry of football tactics, Louis van Gaal's Ajax of the 1994-1995 season emerges as a masterpiece. Their application of Total Football philosophy, fluid formations, and tactical flexibility showcased a level of sophistication rarely witnessed. Whether in possession or out of it, Ajax's players executed Van Gaal's vision with precision and artistry, leaving an indelible mark on football history. This team not only clinched trophies but did so in a manner that transcended mere victories—it became a symbol of tactical brilliance and aesthetic football, the Ajax way. In the grand scheme of football, where tactics evolve and styles shift, the legacy of Van Gaal's Ajax endures as a testament to the beauty that can be achieved on the pitch. Their Total Football philosophy continues to inspire coaches and players, reminding us that football is not just a sport—it's an art form where the canvas is the field, and the brushstrokes are the movements of players working in unison to create moments of brilliance. SUMMARY Louis van Gaal's Ajax of the 1994-1995 season was a team that transcended the boundaries of tactical brilliance. In possession, they showcased fluidity, versatility, and creative ingenuity, seamlessly transitioning between formations and dismantling opponents with precise passing and dynamic movements. Out of possession, their collective pressing, high defensive line, and strategic defending made them a defensive juggernaut. I hope you have enjoyed today's blog on 'The Iron Tulip', the baselines will provide you with a reference point, given that you will likely use this with another side, one which might not be well aligned to the Ajax way. Apologies for taking a while to get this piece out, I wanted to ensure I had a season's worth of raw data to use, a season in which the outputs were not muddied by the use of different formations and roles. Next up from me in the Ajax way series will be the 2024/25 season review, which could well be in the New Year. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas, eat, drink, be merry, and play some FM using the links below. DOWNLOADABLE LINKS The Iron Tulip - Advanced Forward The Iron Tulip - Trequartista

@rich ruzzian exactly that, as planned. van Gaal was obsessed with structure within possession, almost robbing his attacking weapons of any spontaneity.

Just for @Shrewnaldo a focus on Branco van den Boomen. Branco may well be the second oldest player at the club, three years off Steven Berghuis. However it is important to remember that the 30-year-old is the individual best aligned to the Ajax way DNA. Ajax Way DNA - 200 points Branco has played a key role in the side securing 38 appearances in 2023/24 and 31 across 2024/25, with the midfielders playing time in the league reduced, with the view to keeping him fresh for those all important UCL games. His ability to be consistent and have such a strong mentality is essential for those big mid-week games. Of course, the reduction in consistent playing time, paired with his age has seen progress off the pitch take a turbulent ride. On the pitch his outputs haven't been top drawer, this is more to do with my restrictions placed upon the midfielders in the tactical system, instead of his ability to perform. Comparing him in season one, he racked up 20 goal contributions in all competitions (nine goals, 11 assists), compared to 11 in season two (seven goals, 4 assists). If you can remember, initially in season one I flexed the formation which would see Branco play more games in the role of advanced playmaker. This role has the hard-coded instructions of Take More Risks, compared to the Carrilero with my added PI of 'Pass It Shorter' which goes against Branco's Tries Killer Balls Often and Tries Long Range Passes traits. Looking at his outputs above and comparing them to @FMStag stats, he is again performing below average for all creative midfielder outputs across the big five leagues, again no shocks there given his role. Isolating his outputs purely to the Eredivisie, he is still producing a higher number of key passes per 90 minutes (influenced by his corner taking), and his open play expected assists per 90, again are above average. You will be pleased to see that Branco is exceptionally happy with his life at Ajax, I value his contribution both on the field and off, he is a key mentor.

A fellow FM'er using the DNA Pathway spreadsheet, things you love to see! You have a few good players in that intake, I already like the look of Schultz. How do you think you will approach recruitment, what is the strategy to improve the quality of the squad ready for UCL?

@john1 @larrie @keeper#1 @_Ben_ @Jogo Bonito @Swaban Thanks for taking the time to comment all, the first season has been extremely enjoyable to document, on the field we have been exceptional, which should absolutely put us in a strong position for season two. Without spoiling too much, I am a few games away from closing 2024/24, and am really looking forward to writing up the post which will follow my next one on the tactic 'The Iron Tulip'. @Etothe2power With regards to books there are quite a few, to focus on which ones have been great to read, focusing only on AFC Ajax, there are the following. @bdixon The link to my spreadsheet - The Ajax Way Spreadsheet, obviously only in view only, but will give you a feel for how the workings are done, behind the scenes.

Couldn't agree with you more here, the more and more I see these tactical recreations, and YT content. The use of TI and PI to create overpowered tactics aligns well with the amount of salt and vinegar I put on my fish and chips. One thing I have learned most from FM23 and FM24 is that less is most certainly more. Using a TI if you want to actively drive a certain metric, other than that you can simply trust your players to play the brand of football you desire, especially if they align to the playing style.

Best of luck my friend, I will be following on closely. You may want to take a little read of this https://steinkelssonfm.medium.com/fm21-jorge-mendes-challenge-season-one-64070b021cac The side were closely affiliated with Jorge Mendes, would be good to see if you continue with their recent recruitment philosophy.

You will find your answer in todays update @_Ben_ This blog picks off from where we left off at the Ajax way mid-point analysis, concluding the first season in charge of AFC Ajax. I must admit, the Ajax way save is providing me with an abundance of entertainment, having a clear identity which I am looking to build on, along with my usual focus on youth development, is providing me with a laser focus as I strive to take the club back to the top of the European game. In today's blog I will look to provide you with a synopsis of the 2023/24 season, including some data analysis, key matches, and individual accolades. Before providing a foreword look to next season, exploring the board and fans demands, along with a dip into the transfer market. 2023/24 SEASON REVIEW EREDIVISIE If you are here for silverware, I am afraid you are going to have to wait, despite finishing as the Eredivisie's top scoring side, we closed the season in third-place. Feyenoord's improved defensive efficiency, paired with their ruthless scoring, has seen the side from Rotterdam secure back to back Eredivisie titles for only the second time in the clubs history. If you are keen on viewing our full list of results from the second half of the season in the Eredivisie, the link has been provided. In today's post I will look to provide some key analysis, along with a breakdown of a few key fixtures, as I look to the future, with a view to improving our performance. GOAL SCORING The above visual shows the areas on the pitch from which our goals have been scored (right), and the areas from which the assists have stemmed from (left). Firstly, looking at the area's from which our assists come from, it is pleasing to see just how much stems from central areas, particularly zone 14. The right flank plays a greater role in goal scoring, which shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, given the winger on this side of the field has the support duty. Finally, our ability to work the ball into the box is reflected in goals scored, with well over 90% of all goals being scored from those all important high xG areas. WITHOUT THE BALL Out of possession we are making considerably fewer defensive actions compared to the average side, this is what you would expect from a team which has closed the season with the second highest possession (61%) in the league. You can see that the majority of possession gained has been just before the halfway line, a figure which has been influenced by our high defensive line, most turnovers stemming from a CB winning an aerial duel. With regards to pressing, we are in an exclusive club of four sides, who have been effective at playing a high-press, along with being effective at breaking the opposition's continuity with the ball. IN POSSESSION We closed the Eredivisie with a pass accuracy of over 90%, and are one of three sides to complete over 600 passes per match. When looking at the pitch tilt, you can see our final third dominance, we produce a high number of passes in the final third compared to the average. Interestingly only PSV had a better pass completion against figure, highlighting our effectiveness at playing the Ajax way, favouring possession. This paired with our high goals scored, ensured that entertaining football has been delivered. CHANCE CONVERSION Only FC Twente had a better conversion rate than us in the Eredivisie. However, when you factor in the fact that we have taken 167 shots more than Julio Velázquez side, for information both sides xG per shot closed at 0.17. As stated earlier, Feyenoord were the most effective side out of possession, they closed the season with an expected xG against of 0.59, 0.35 better off than second placed PSV! AN APRIL TO FORGET Looking back at our results, it is clear to see that the month of April was a game-changer in terms of our title charge, we only managed to secure five points from the 12 available. Whilst it is unfair to state that taking maximum points across the month would have seen us crowned champions, I think even securing three points against both Go Ahead Eagles and FC Twente, could have put Slots team under more a greater pressure, as they always had a nice buffer to rely on, although it wasn't needed. This one hurt... Feyenoord vs AFC Ajax At De Kuip, Feyenoord got their redemption for the 4-0 defeat which they suffered in the reverse fixture. Looking at the game in finer detail, we failed to penetrate our opponents box, which reflected in our chances created. You can see from this chalkboard visual the importance placed on exerting pressure in the final-third, as we could only muster up a total of five shots. MOTM: Yankuba Minteh 1 goal, 1 assist 4 key passes, 2 clear cut chances created 7 dribbles A special mention must also go to Peter Bosz' PSV, even if his side join an exclusive club of sides which have failed to win their domestic title, despite closing the season invincible. PSV closed the season with the best away record (P17, W13, D4), along with having the second best defensive record in the Eredivisie (26 conceded). UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE Our UEFA Europa League campaign was abruptly derailed by Milan, with my side not having the success of Louis van Gaal's Ajax of 1995. Despite salvaging a little pride in the second leg (0-0), we were well and truly demolished at the San Siro. This game served as a little bit of a wake-up call, it highlighted that we still have a little way to go in terms of our performances on the continent. I don't think the problem is a lack of quality, it could well simply be the fact that the players need more time together as a unit, playing the system. This paired with a little more rotation for those lesser games in the Eredivisie, to ensure our key players are firing on all cylinders come the business end of the season. Milan vs AFC Ajax As stated above, this wasn't as bad a result as the score line reflected, we finished the game with a non penalty expected goals figure of 1.31 compared to Milan's 2.04. Everything good for Milan stemmed from the work of Samuel Chukwueze, the Nigerian had an exceptional game. 77 passes received (1st) 3 key passes (1st) 10 dribbles (1st) 3 fouls against (1st) KNVB BEKER Our failure to secure victory against FC Twente in the KNVB would mean that we would go the season without securing any silverware. FC Twente lifted the trophy after defeating FC Groningen (1-0) in the final. INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES What would an end of season analysis be without a squad profile comparing players age, to minutes played. Looking at the below, you will firstly note just how young our side, the vast majority of players are below 24. This provides me with hope for the future, if I can persuade a large proportion of the current playing squad to extend their contracts at the club, we will have a squad which contains a high volume of players in their prime. Looking at the average minutes line above, you will see that Chuba Akpom, despite being in his prime, has secured less than average minutes on the pitch. Chuba was signed from Middlesbrough at the end of the 2022/23 season for £10.5m. Despite the hefty fee, Akpom only scored six goals in 1,146 minutes of football, and his conversion rate of 15% is way below Brian Brobbey (38%) and Georges Mikautadze (30%). Again comparing his xG per shot of 0.19 to Brobbey (0.26), and Mikautadze (0.27), the Nigerian is also failing to get shots away in high scoring value positions, this led me to make my first executive decision at the club, I placed Akpom on the transfer list. Lens instantly showed their interest and Akpom joined the French side on loan (£1.1m fee), with a mandatory future fee of £7m secured. Not a bad piece of business if I do say so myself. With the return to full fitness of Gerónimo Rulli, we now have three goalkeepers in the first-team. Will another decision need to be made next season? Time will tell, for now I am hoping that I can ply one in the cup (Ramaj) and have Rulli accept that he will play as back-up to Gorter, my first choice. Brian Brobbey picked up the two biggest individual accolades, winning both the fan's player of the year and the young player of the season award. The striker had an excellent season playing as a trequartista as he had his best season to-date, putting behind his failure at RB Leipzig, a move which in my humble opinion was made too early on in his career. Above is our best eleven, I am looking forward to seeing how this develops as we get deeper into the save. However, after such a good first season, it will take some effort to break into the so-called 'best eleven'. I have no idea as to why Medic is featured in the BPD role, as he always plays on the right of the three, and Rensch has never played on the left...hey ho! The manager timeline - I really like this feature, I think this year a little more work has gone into the detail. The below items make the timeline, you can see that I have made a conscious effort to bring back individuals to the club that can relate to the Ajax way. Edgar Davids a.k.a. 'The Pitbull' and Dennis Bergkamp, 'The Shaduwspits' have both played key roles for the club during their playing days and they both will be valued, Dennis joins as my Assistant Manager, whilst Edgar is a coach in the under 18s. The appointment of Louis van Gaal for the club as the Director of Football had to be done, we are looking to replicate his tactical style 'The Iron Tulip'. Therefore excluding him from the journey, well simply would have been rude. THE AJAX WAY - OFF FIELD EXPECTATIONS THE SUPPORTERS Failing to win the Eredivisie, and having to endure Feyenoord retaining the label as the 'best team in the Netherlands', it was never going to be a season to remember for our supporters. However, we are doing well when taking into consideration their desires of playing an entertaining brand of attacking football. THE FIVE YEAR PLAN The Board have a clear plan and expect us to win the Eredivisie in 2025/26. Therefore, the heat is most certainly on and although this season's goal is to challenge for the title, we could well see ourselves at risk if we don't put up a significant challenge for silverware this season. ACTIONABLE OBJECTIVES Some absolute beauties of actionable objectives below, which I will try to meet, to ensure that I am ticking all the boxes required by the hierarchy. Spend the original transfer budget - Spend as much of the transfer budget made available at the start of the season as possible. I haven't seen this objective before in all my years of playing Football Manager, and to be honest I am not 100% certain as to why it is associated with Ajax, as the side historically have invested roughly 50% of all transfer revenue back into player acquisitions. However, I am not one to argue and immediately engaged in conversation with Brighton and Hove Albion over the loan signing of Joao Pedro, the Brazilian is well aligned to the Ajax way (179 DNA) and can play anywhere across the front four positions. Having featured only 11 times for Brighton and Hove Albion last season, I thought I was in with a good shout to secure the player for a short-term deal. However, Tony Bloom would only let him leave for £4.3m per month! That's £51.6m even before including the mandatory £77m to make his signature permanent, after the initial deal. £128.6m combined package, I know inflation is high, but they only signed him from Watford for £29.5m, he is one to watch for the future. Grow the club's reputation - continue improving the club's reputation FM is well aligned to the real world in terms of reputational development, as far as I understand elevating your club's reputation in Football Manager demands a strategic blend of on-field success, financial prudence, and astute management. Primarily, success in matches stands as the cornerstone of reputation enhancement, especially those against clubs with a higher reputation; along with consistent high league standings, again another fundamental way to drive reputation. Whilst attracting and nurturing top-tier talent is pivotal, as the acquisition of skilled players can significantly bolster your team's competitive edge. Another way to gain an improved reputation is through youth development itself, a continuous pipeline of homegrown talent, one which contributes positively to the club's identity both on and off the pitch will lead to long-term dividends. Additionally, success in European competitions, such as the UEFA Champions League or Europa League, serves as a powerful catalyst for elevating your club's reputation on the global stage. The prestige associated with triumphs in continental tournaments can attract attention and admiration from football enthusiasts worldwide. Effective media relations are an often underestimated aspect of reputation management. Interacting positively with the media, maintaining composure in interviews, and praising your players contribute to a favourable public image. A manager's conduct off the field can have a resounding impact on the perception of the club. Negative transfer budget business model - sell players to fund player purchases RECRUITMENT I wanted to spend a significant amount of our transfer budget on bringing in a new midfielder, I have been scouting a large proportion of the world cross the season, with my scouts assigned to the above regions, looking at players aged 15-23, with a potential ability of 3.5 stars or more, and a current ability of 1.5. *click on the players image to view his attributes The decision was made to invest in Gabriel Moscardo from Corinthians in Brazil, in a deal worth £18m. The youngster is well aligned to the Ajax way, and holds a DNA value of 183, which sees him already as a first-team regular. Using the same approach as the one which I covered in my Thiago Motta: The Value of The Ball blog, the below table helps to show the diversity of our midfield, and really highlights what Moscardo can offer. Hence, deciding to sign him, rather than promote from within. The below visual compares players attributes in relation to different profiles of midfielder (ball player, dynamic, aggressor, goal scoring, and the engine). This can easily be replicated across any position, you simply need to think of what attributes fit your selected descriptor, and then use a conditional format to colour the cells on a scale, from lowest to highest. First and foremost, if you can remember from the earlier blog The Ajax Way - DNA, the Eredivisie attribute average is 11. Taking Moscardo's attributes across the board you will note that he rates above average for all but one of the criteria, the Brazilian is well rounded, and has the ability to play a multitude of roles in the midfield. When comparing him to our other young talents, both of which will be securing first-team minutes this season, he is more dynamic, stronger, has a better goal instinct, and engine than Silvano Vos. Whilst he out performs Gabriël Misehouy in all areas, apart from ball-playing. The 18-year-old was signed with a release clause written into his contract with the value of £38m, the beauty of this deal is that it expires in September 2026. If met it will provide us with a significant profit, if not then I am anticipating his future fee could well be even bigger. Additionally two further acquisitions were made as Jhojan Torres, and Óscar Perea join from Columbia. Both individuals are loaned out immediately, with Atlético Nacional S.A. taking the loan-back option on Perea, whilst Torres moves to Belgium with KAS Eupen, to continue his development. Both players are again well aligned to the Ajax way, with Torres having 160 DNA points (Jong Ajax Key Player), and Perea with 173 DNA points (First Team Integration). With regards to players leaving Amsterdam, there were a few moves which are documented below. The one departure which I wasn't expecting was the exit of Owen Wijndal, who moved to al-Hilal for a deal worth £17.75m. The offer came in for Owen after I had decided to move on Borna Sosa to Al-Qadsiah on loan (£1.4m), with a mandatory future fee of £10m. Sosa, despite scoring a high DNA, had the squad status of an important player, but wasn't really effective at playing as a wide-centre back, unsurprising given he is an excellent complete wing-back, who has one of the best deliveries (crossing 18) in the game. The unexpected sale will see Ahmetcan Kaplan join Gabriël Misehouy, Ethan Butera, and Skye Vink progress from the Jong Ajax side into the first team. Whilst, Naci Ünüvar (187 DNA) is the only player returning from a loan spell that is retained by the club. The 21-year-old will play a supporting role for captain Steven Bergwijn. Kian Fitz-Jim (187 DNA) loaned to sc Heerenveen (7th place) for the season to build on his development, after spending last season at Excelsior Rotterdam, who finished in 13th place. Francisco Conceição (177 DNA) loaned to RB Salzburg with £5.25m fee after 20 matches The season preview has placed us as favourites to be crowned the Dutch national champions, can we add to the clubs illustrious history and etch ourselves in the AFC Ajax history books for eternity, only time will tell. Join me next time for the next edition of the Ajax way. The next post will be the one which you have all been waiting for, the tactic in all its glory in a blog called The Ajax Way - Masterclass in Total Football

Thank you so much for your kind words, which mean even more considering your status as a lifelong Ajax fan. I really want to get a ticket to watch a game, if I do I hope you can make yourself free for a pre-game pint. The save is extremely enjoyable, since making the decision to play as Ajax back in the summer I have pretty much consumed myself in as much content as possible. From reading multiple books, articles, listening to the we talk Ajax podcast, and watching as many games as possible. Thanks for dropping the training links from YouTube, I think I stumbled across one a while back but didn't full watch it. @Bryna robson I wish you all the best with your save, feel free to keep me posted on your progress. I noted the expansion file. However, as you know I have started my save and it is only new save compatible...no chance I'm starting again lol. Again, thanks for the video...if anyone has any other interesting long reads on the club, feel free to add them in here. Likelihood is that I have already read them, but you never know! Need to get myself a kit at some point.

Loving the deep dive into the defensive (aerial) frailties. I simply cannot believe how poor Blomkvist is performing, it also feels as if you have an imbalance somewhere in your tactic if one defender is winning a significantly larger volume of headers than his CB partner. *Note to self, check back on my figures and report back. Is there a difference in their profiles, is Frej the more aggressive of the two, maybe with a stronger mental profile to read the game? As always, keen to read the next update and find out more.

Good luck with your save in 🇫🇷 will make sure I follow along.

As always, looking forward to receiving the update. Thanks for all of your hard work.

Silence social hate. Every month Ajax players receive more than 1,500 hate messages on social media. But unfortunately they are not the only ones. These types of messages are part of a growing trend that affects millions of people online. As a call to silence social hate, Ajax last night played with three white dots on the back of their shirts, instead of names. The three dots are an international symbol of silence. But also for the menu icon that you click on to report hate messages and associated accounts. Research shows that 82% of Dutch people are bothered by seeing hate messages or comments on social media. However, only 25% take action to stop it. In this way, we unknowingly contribute to an environment in which social hatred is becoming increasingly normal. With the #SilenceSocialHate campaign , Ajax starts a conversation about the impact of social hate and how we can combat it together. Given our community is one which thrives on its online presence, it is only right that I help Ajax to raise awareness of their campaign, with the view to making a change.

The 343 is all I have been using...I am working on the tactical blog, which will be released after the season one review. This way I can establish some clear baselines with regards to statistical outputs as it means there has been a constant in terms of player roles and positions being used.

Five blogs into the Ajax way and over 12,000 words written, and we have only just reached the midpoint of our first season in charge of the club. I hope readers are enjoying following my save and detailing my thoughts and key findings. Today we pick up from where we left off in the Steijnkelsson post, covering a few notable fixtures from both November and December, before looking at some of our underlying data, development, and then look at the wider gaming world. EREDIVISIE TABLE One game shy of the official midway point, which will be played after the winter break. We are sitting pretty in second place of the Eredivisie, with our only defeat coming against AZ. Whilst our supporters are only satisfied with the job we are doing, they are delighted with our attacking brand of football, and are very pleased with our ability to entertain on the pitch. We are the highest scoring team in the league, out scoring Feyenoord by 10 goals. However, this brand of football comes with its flaws, unlike catenaccio, the Ajax way places an emphasis on attacking football, placing trust in the team to always outscore the opponent. This is reflected when viewing our goals against column, where we have the fifth best defence in the league, conceding nine more than Feyenoord. Arne Slot's side are well placed to secure back to back Eredivisie titles, an achievement which has not been secured since 1961/62, the only time in the club's history. NOVEMBER 2023 November was certainly a month for the neutral, we failed to score less than four goals in each match across the month, whilst the average total goals scored per game stood at seven. The month belonged to Georges Mikautadze, who scored six goals and contributed with two further assists, I have dedicated a small segment of this blog to focus on our Georgian striker. AFC Ajax vs sc Heerenveen Kees van Wonderen's side find themselves in fourth place of the Eredivisie and to-date have only lost the one fixture (Feyenoord), winning the other six, and drawing three. Outside of the big-three (Ajax, Feyenoord, and PSV) sc Heerenveen have the best xGA output. They have only conceded more than one goal on two occasions, the defeat against Feyenoord (0-3) and victory against N.E.C. Nijmegen. Clicking on the below visuals will take you to the match statistics. Given the spiel I provided above, I wasn't expecting the game to take the course which it followed. Chance creation was not an issue in the match, we carved out 22 shots to their seven, of which four were clear cut chances. When you then take the amount of times we hit the woodwork into play (4), we could have chalked up significantly more goals than our xG for the match 3.6. Again, our ability to create shooting opportunities from a central zone is what is really impressing me with this 3-4-3 formation. MOTM: Brian Brobbey 2 goals from 1.1 xG 94% pass completion (16/17) 3 key passes 2 dribbles DECEMBER 2023 Another great month in December in the Eredivisie, failing to not pick up maximum points due to the draw at home against Sparta Rotterdam. PEC Zwolle were hit for SEVEN, whilst the spread of players hitting the back of the net continues to expand with the likes of Stanis Idumbo Muzambo and Anton Gaaei adding themselves to the list. AFC Ajax vs West Ham After Steven Bergwijn's talismanic performance in November at the Europa-Park Stadion, we knew that anything better than defeat against West Ham would see us progress to the knock-out stages of the UEFA Europa League. In doing so we would pass the Boards end of season expectation to reach at least the knockout stages. Despite losing the reverse fixture 2-4 away, the overall performance was decided on three minutes of madness, in which West Ham scored three goals, and an inability to defend the set-piece. We finished the match with a similar xG 2.01 vs 2.29, more clear cut chances 2 vs 1, along wit significantly more possession in dangerous areas, final-third passes 115 vs 40. I explored the post game analytics post game, with the view to understanding what contributed to the victory this time around against West Ham. It didn't take me too long to find, we won the aerial battle. Looking at each team's performance in the air in the defensive half really tells the story, West Ham finished the game with a 64% aerial duel success rate, compared to our 82%. For context in the reverse fixture we had a 49% success rate, compared to West Ham's 80%. MOTM: Benjamin Tahirović 96% pass completion (29/30) 1 goal 1 assist The result was enough for us to top the group, which means we now avoid the Knockout Play Off Round, and are guaranteed to earn another £1.02 million for appearing in the Round of 16. UNDER THE HOOD Now for some fun, for those of you who have followed my content over the years, you know how much I enjoy delving into the data. Now, given that I pointed out earlier the supporter culture desired for us to play attacking football, the team attacking performance visual is as good a place to start as any. If you click on any of the below visuals it will take you to the underlying player data of interest. We are performing well above average in attacking statistics, which is great to see, we are playing the Ajax way. The Ajax side of 1994/95 won the Dutch championship and Champions League without losing a single game. Winning 27 games of a 34 game domestic season, scoring 106 goals and only conceding 28. That's over 3.1 goals scored per game. Our 3.25 goals per game is well above the Eredivisie average, the by-product of having a better pass completion rate, shots and shots on target (0.24 higher). The one statistic which will need toning down if we are to look to accurately replicate the great Ajax side of 1994/95 is our dribbles per game. I will look to provide more detail on this in my tactical blog The Iron Tulip (3-4-3) which I am currently writing. In fact, we have made 285 dribbles across the range of games, 42 more than second placed PSV. For those of you that simply want the foundations of the tactic, please see the below. The dribbles are heavily linked to our wingers, with Carlos Borges the league's volume dribbler (no surprise given his). The others (Bergwijn, Muzambo, and Berghuis) are all averaging over 4.3 dribbles per match. Next up the attacking efficiency visualisation, Ajax are a total outlier. No club has a conversion rate of over 19%, whilst ours sits at 23%. Feyenoord are taking the most shots in the Eredivisie, which isn't surprising given they lead the chances created metric. Taking a deeper look into the linked visual, Brian Brobbey is hitting the target with a high number of shots per 90, these have a expected goals per shot of 0.25, which shows the high quality opportunities which he is getting, aiding the conversion rate. IN POSSESSION Passing plays a key role in the Ajax way, in possession we have two team instructions which heavily rely on the ability to be confident on the ball to retain possession. PSV (10,408) have completed the most passes in the division, with AZ (92%) with the highest pass completion. We lead the final-third passes (1785) compared to PSV (1597) and AZ (1492) which highlights our attacking intent, with both other sides likely to be playing a higher percentage of sideways/backwards passes. Looking at the passing defenders confirms my initial thoughts with the bunch of five outliers in the top right quadrant all coming from AZ and PSV, apart from Calvin Verdonk of N.E.C. Nijmegen. OUT OF POSSESSION Our 'out of possession' team instructions focus on a high-press and high defensive line, two key features of a style long associated with the Ajax way. Therefore the pressing intensity visual within the data hub, should be one in which I'd like to see Ajax dominate. Looking at the above, we have the third highest defensive line per game, something which I have been trying to work out, given we hold the highest amount of passes in the final third, which in my opinion should provide the defence time to get into the high shape, for longer. I am simply going to attribute this to having a ball playing defender with a cover duty as the individual who sits between our wide centre backs, as covering will make the player drop a little deeper and sweep up any through balls behind the defensive line. We also have the eight lowest opposition passes per defensive action, which currently is displayed in-game incorrectly as y-axis is showing ascending, but should be descending to reflect high OPPDA being negative in a pressing system. Currently 8% of our possession gained is in the final third, and 25% in the opposition's half, for those of you playing high-pressing systems I would be intrigued to see what your numbers are. A FOCUS ON DEVELOPMENT I stated in the Ajax way DNA post that I would bi-annually assess individual's performance against the DNA. The winter break feels as good a point as any to cut the data, to assess changes. Looking at the above, Silvano Vos, Jorrel Hato, and Jay Gorter have seen the largest improvement in these key attributes, with the first team averaging a 1.82 increase. Looking for any trends, influencing the individuals with the best return on investment, personality isn't one, as the players personalities are as follows, Vos (Balanced), Hato (Balanced), and Gorter (Fairly Ambitious). The accelerated development could well be due to the individuals gaining exposure to first-team football, as individuals prior to this save only had Gorter (one senior appearance at Ajax and four at Aberdeen), Hato (11 Eredivisie appearances), and Vos (two senior appearances at Ajax). Maybe it would be worthwhile investing in the in-game editor for research purposes at the end of the same to examine under the hood. A FOCUS ON GEORGES MIKAUTADZE I wanted to take a little time to expand on the performances of Georges Mikautadze, the 23 year-old Georgian has been extremely effective playing in a role which was made famous by Ajax legend Dennis Bergkamp, the schaduwspits, or more commonly referred to across the globe, the 'shadow striker'. 1,142 minutes played, 14 goal contributions (nine goals, five assists) Georges in the attacking phase is often very clinical in the box with accurate finishing abilities, this is reflected in his 45% conversion rate which is the second highest in the division, when looking at individuals who have taken over 20 shots. Georges has also demonstrated that he is a capable passer and playmaker. He's astute at executing flicks to nearby teammates and looking for quick combination sequences. The shadow striker has also demonstrated a willingness to end his dribble attempts with a deft through ball or cross, leading to 1.58 key passes per match. The Georgian is currently outperforming his xG of 5.89 by 3.11, as he has scored nine goals in the league. Looking at his form over the last 20 games, it is as expected for a player who secures the first player focus. Georges has an average rating of 7.41 which places him in third place, behind Kenneth Taylor (7.47), and Steven Bergwijn (7.50). Using the Statman skin (which I love for player analysis due to the FBREF style visuals) you can easily see how effective Georges has been in the role. His per 90 stats are through the roof! The schaduwspits is a role which I will be looking to dedicate a post to later in the series, very much along the lines of the one I covered last year on the Trequartsta. This will include a more detailed analysis of the role, including some in-game images. THE INVINCIBLES To date there are currently three teams in Europe's top seven leagues (Nation Club Coefficients) that are on track to potentially record a special achievement of finishing the campaign labelled as invincible. Below are the profiles of the managers, along with a brief summary of their seasons to-date. Pep Guardiola's Manchester City find themselves three-points clear of Liverpool with a game in hand, the Cityzens have taken maximum points in all bar two games (drawing with Arsenal and Wolves). City are averaging 2.5 goals per game, whilst maintaining an immense defensive record, conceding only five goals to-date. They have scored three goals or more in seven games, the biggest result of the campaign so far against Brighton (6-0). Erling Haaland is top of the goal scoring charts (10), whilst Kevin De Bruyne (9) is one assist away from Martin Ødegaard (10). Sérgio Conceição's FC Porto sit joint top of Liga Portugal Betclic with SL Benfica, although they have played a game more. Porto have taken maximum points in 12 of their 15 games, dropping points against Boavista, Casa Pia, and Arouca. Porto are averaging 2.4 goals per game, although compared to Cit they have a weaker defensive record (13 against). They have scored three goals or more in six games, their most notable scoreline was the 3-1 victory over SL Benfica, they also ran out 2-1 winners against Sporting CP (Sorry Dan). Toni Martínez (12) leads the goal-scoring charts, three more than team-mate Mehdi Taremi. Whilst Alan Verela (7) is one assist behind João Moutinho of Sp, Braga. Peter Bosz' side find themselves in third place of the Eredivisie, five points clear of Feyenoord. Whilst the other two managers can tell the tale of dominance and attacking threat, Bosz has a different narrative. His PSV side have won 10 of their 16 games, drawing the other six, Peter's tale could be labelled the 'what ifs' as his side have conceded late goals against AZ, sc Heerenveen, and Ajax, costing them maximum points. Joey Veerman appears to be central to his side's creative threat, his 2.45 open play key passes per match see's him placed in second place behind Calvin Stengs (2.75). This brings me to the end of this post of the Ajax way, we are well placed and most importantly performing well in all competitions. Early signs are promising, we could well be on the way to achieve all of the board's expectations, which were. Reach the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League Qualify for the UEFA Champions League Challenge for the KNVB Beker.

I agree mate, this is the best place to interact, and why I always choose to document my saves here. Appreciate the comment and glad to hear you are enjoying the series as much as I am in playing and documenting. No mate they are still picking up a DNA score, although this doesn't really align with a GK. Let's face it primarily the GK job is to stop conceding goals, with a secondary function of being able to be confident with the ball at his feel. Maybe I should look to create a GK DNA and then provide a mini update on the individuals at the club. I am also looking to produce a piece on baselines, so I can get a better feel for statistical outputs for the different banks of players (GK, DEF, MID, Wingers, Att).

It certainly feels as if you have the ability to avoid any form of relegation battle. I would agree with your findings in terms of aerial duels, I often find when analysing the data, that winning the battle of the sky most certainly is linked to your team's ability to sustain pressure, and more importantly pick up those w's. What is the plan behind fixing this issue?

Really pleasing to see that @keeper#1 and @Hootieleece are keen to incorporate the player pathway methodology into your existing saves. I would be keen to hear how you adopt it and any tweaks which you both make, given your own clubs different philosophies. If anyone else also adopts a similar methodology, again feel free to reach out. Have managed to get quite a few games played today and have some exciting updates in the pipeline. The Ajax way is really turning out to be a save which I am really enjoying, also made a little easier with my eldest lad enjoying helping with the team selection from time to time.

First and foremost congratulations on securing the title! Nice to see that you have been having a large success exploiting the opposition via Zone 14, those through balls are working effectively. Given your dominance in the league, I am a little surprised to see that you haven't had too many assists stem from areas within the box, I would have thought the opposition would have opted to sit deeper, with a good old 'park the bus' style approach. This is an area of the game which I haven't given much thought to at present wit Ajax. However, I do want to explore the set-piece element of the game, as I am a strong believer that a good set-piece can be the differentiator between sides, especially in those close encounters. What has your experience been and what key takeaways would you be willing to share to aid Ajax.

Feels as if you now have the foundations set for next season, some big potential coming through the doors to help on the field. Really enjoy managing in Spain, as you said, it is nice to have a few mega clubs in the league, along with Atletico who will also be there or there abouts come the end of season.

Building on from the Ajax way DNA blog, which focused on how DNA can be used to drive talent identification at AFC Ajax. I wanted to document how I will use the DNA score to create player pathways, ensuring that I apply a consistent approach to providing talent with the same opportunities. PLAYER PATHWAYS IN FOOTBALL THE ROLE OF A PATHWAY In the intricate tapestry of English football, pathways emerge as not just a vital thread but a dynamic force, echoing the wisdom that Rome's grandeur was not erected in a mere day. These pathways transcend mere routes; they are the lifelines that guide young players through the labyrinth of development, infusing them with not just direction but an unwavering motivation to sculpt their own destiny. A shining exemplar of this football alchemy is the legendary "Class of 92," a masterpiece sculpted by the visionary Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United—a testament to the club's artistry in cultivating talent that blossomed into triumphant success within the first team. Pathways, akin to artistry, assume myriad forms, whether through a carefully orchestrated ballet of loan moves or an enchanting pas de deux in first-team training sessions. Each step is a brushstroke, painting the canvas of a player's journey with experiences that shimmer like the finest strokes of a masterpiece. These meticulously laid-out avenues not only offer fledgling players the chance to dance with destiny but also provide a front-row seat to the symphony of the professional game, fostering the hope that they will one day command the grand stage of the first team. THE CHALLENGES While academies and pathways play a crucial role in player development, there are also challenges associated with their implementation. One of the most significant challenges is ensuring that there is a clear pathway from the academy to the first team. This can be difficult, as first-team managers often have a short-term focus on results and may be hesitant to give young players a chance. Another challenge is ensuring that young players receive a well-rounded education and are prepared for life beyond football. This can be particularly challenging for players who leave school early to pursue a career in football, as they may miss out on important life skills and experiences. PLAYER PATHWAYS IN FOOTBALL MANAGER THE PROCESS Given that player development in my save 'The Ajax way' will be driven by the individual's performance against DNA, it made sense for me to set KPI's at given points in a player's development to ensure that we have a consistent approach. For those of you who are science heads, you will know the importance a constant plays in any experiment, a constant variable does not change throughout the course of the experiment, enabling conclusions to be understandable. If I were to provide variable pathways into the first team, how would I be able to judge the impacts fairly, different players would have experienced different journeys, which would not help me to understand what factors impact progress and ones which do not. THE AJAX WAY The below will walk you through the different stages of the Ajax way player pathway, covering any specific actions which I apply at each given stage. It is important to remember that I have refined my Jong Ajax side to conform with the Ajax way, in which youth sides are made up with 16 players, the squad is as follows. 2 – Goalkeepers (Sten Kremers and Charlie Setford) 4 – Right footed players for positions 2,6 and 7. (Olivier Aertssen, Gabriël Misehouy, Amourricho van Axel Dongen, and Alvaro Henry 4 – Left footed players for positions 5,8 and 11. (Ethan Butera, Rico Speksnijder, Ar'jany Martha, and David Kalokoh) 3 – Players for positions 3 and 4. (Ahmetcan Kaplan, Oualid Agougil, and Avery Appiah 3 – Players for positions 9 and 10. (Skye Vink, Yoram Boerhout, and Jaydon Banel) 140 DNA POINTS - JONG AJAX REGULAR At 140 DNA points this is where the fun begins, for those of you who play FM simply for the matches, this approach will not be for you. For others, who enjoy taking control of a club, with the view to maximising talent and fully submerging yourself into the role, strap yourselves in! There are two things which I like to control when players secure enough DNA points to be considered a Jong Ajax regular. Take control of a player's individual training - with this I mean selecting what positional training the individual will participate in. Position training enables a player to become more familiar with any playing position that is not natural to him, thus improving his performances when playing in that position. However, at this time I will not be looking to train the player in the role which I think he is best in, I will simply select the role which has a wider attribute spread, helping to form a well rounded player. At this stage think more, Ball Playing Defender, Central Midfielder, Winger, and Deep-Lying Forward, the more vanilla options. Influence selection - in game you will receive inbox notifications from the B Team Manager asking for confirmation of the first team players that you want to make available for the upcoming fixture. Use this opportunity to ensure the selection aligns with the DNA, as the B Team Manager often will look to play individuals based upon their current ability, which could lead to less game time for those that align better to the DNA. 150 DNA POINTS - POSITION SET/ EXPLORE PATHWAY At 150 DNA points, the focus changes from a wide lens to one with a little more attention to detail, here we dial things in a little in terms of development, and also make our first key decision with regards to the individual's development pathway. Here we review the pathway into the first-team, analysing the route, exploring the level of competition ahead. This will decide if we make the plyer available for loan, this isn't the crossroads for the player but a key moment in deciding which pathway the individual will follow for the next season. Here are two examples to help demonstrate the process. Exhibit A, Ethan Butera - Ethan is a left-footed wide centre-back, looking at the potential players ahead of him in the above DNA visual, there is only Gastón Ávila and Jorrel Hato ahead of him, when considering the individual's natural position. Given that Ávila has also played a significant number of his matches in the DM strata, Butera has a clear pathway as no other individuals are blocking his pathway. If there were multiple players entering the first-team integration phase at the same time this would lead me to exploring an alternative route. Exhibit B, Don-Angelo Konadu - at 17 years of age, Don-Angelo is still playing in the under 18s, he has nearly drawn down enough DNA points to enter the assessment phase. Given that we already have three strikers in the first-team and the likes of Skye Vink and Yoram Boerhout nearly entering the First Team Integration phase, Don-Angelo's pathway is blocked. Therefore, for me I would look to send the individual out on a short-term loan, given his access to minutes at the next level (Jong Ajax) will be limited due to the players mentioned. If Skye Vink and Yoram Boerhout also enter the First Team Integration phase at a similar time, the same will apply to one of the two, a move to another team in the Eredivisie or a league with a similar reputation would provide exposure to a similar level of competitive football. After the pathway review has taken place, and of course, notes added to the players profile, there are a few more tasks to action. Set Loan Status - For individuals who have a pathway which isn't clear, the emphasis is placed on securing them access to significant exposure to football at a relevant level. Here you can utilise affiliate clubs, or look to chance the market by placing the individual up for loan. Remember, always favour loan moves to sides who are offering increased playing time, and if possible those clubs which have a solid infrastructure, to aid development off the pitch. Targeted positional training - Now the player should be more rounded as an individual, the focus dials into specifics. Here we look to only focus his individual training to either the best role aligned to our current tactic, or the role which the player will excel the most in. Remember just because a player is playing in a given role, doesn't mean he will carry out the duties in match the same as another. 155+ JONG AJAX KEY PLAYER Key players within the Jong side, but not quite ready to take the full step into the First Team. These players need a taste of what is to come, but only for a select few. Those who have read any of my previous work on youth development know I value the importance of praising individuals. Here at Ajax it is no different, I like to keep track of the best trainers at the club and have been rewarding those that finish in the top three for two consecutive months with the following. Add to First Team training - Exposure to first team training, training with players who are accustomed to playing at a higher standard is key to any youth players development. Youth prospects will be given the chance to impress, whilst gaining access to better coaching staff, who in theory should aid their development. Again, providing individuals with this opportunity should impact both morale and overall happiness. 165+ DNA POINTS - FIRST TEAM INTEGRATION At 160 DNA points, I believe players to be at the stage where they need their armbands removed, these players have been playing a significant role in the Jong side and should have been given exposure to first-team training, it is time for them to be a small fish in a big pond. Move to Senior Squad - this speaks for itself. Mentoring - the mentoring system consists of placing individuals in groups where they will learn off each other. Now there isn't a one size fits all to mentoring, different clubs have different personalities within the playing staff with varying levels of experience and personality types. However, what essentially we are looking to do is place a younger, less experienced player with either a senior player, or someone who has exemplary behaviours. The view, to improve determination, personality type, adopt traits, and harvest good relationships. Exposure to First Team football - Ideally you only want to move players into the senior squad if they can add value, exposure to playing first team football will aid the development of talent. However, be warned that if you bring players into the senior squad and do not provide them minutes on the pitch, you are directly impacting their development. Exposure at first can be from the bench, 15 minutes here, and 15 minutes there, whilst the player finds his feet. The importance here is making the player feel a part of the match day squad and providing opportunities, why have a focus on a youth philosophy, if you aren't going to trust youth! The Ajax way philosophy ensures players have the opportunity to showcase their talent, performing what they have learned through their years within De Toekomst. 175+ DNA POINTS - FIRST TEAM REGULAR At this stage in the journey, players will be well on their way to entering their prime, individuals would have benefitted from exposure to the best coaching available at the club and took part in many training sessions geared towards your game model. These individuals find themselves familiar with the Ajax way philosophy and will be placed well with regards to the clubs hierarchy and social groups. The average lifespan for an Ajax player within the first team is four years, hence the importance of ensuring there is a consistent pipeline of talent running through the production line in Amsterdam. 185+ DNA POINTS - KEY PLAYER STATUS Looking at the clubs experience matrix you will note that only three of the key players when regarding DNA stem from the Peak, and Experienced footballer. This differs from the more traditional way of viewing players, in which most key players will either be in their prime or beyond. These individuals are key to the success of the group, they epitomise the club and are fully aligned to the game model. This is clear to see when looking at minutes played to date, with three of the top four players regarding minutes on the pitch stem from the Key player status group. A point to note, given the exposure these individuals are getting, paired with their alignment to the game model, it is likely to be these individuals that are the ones being heavily scouted by some of the continent's bigger clubs. ADDITIONAL VALUES OF ADOPTING A DNA WITHIN YOUR FM SAVE AGREED PLAYING TIME The KPI against the Ajax way DNA also provides managers with a system which can help dictate agreed playing time. Looking at the snippet below from in game, you can see how our 'Important Players' are those which hold the highest DNA, our key players. CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS As per the above, player pathways can aid when to offer players new contracts. Prior to this save I always used to offer new contracts to draw down talent of key performers, other than that simply wait until just before the players final year, before offering players an extension. Using the player pathways system, you can see that it provides perfect opportunities as players pass through each stage to ensure they have a contract which reflects not only their ability but their individual pathway and player status. WAGE STRUCTURE Finally, by implementing a DNA related player pathway, like I have in the Ajax way, will ensure that you aren't handing out bumper contracts to individuals that are not aligned to the clubs philosophy, and reward players that are progressing up the DNA hierarchy. Looking at the above, you can see that five of the top six earners within the AFC Ajax squad, are those individuals who have the best DNA alignment. TL;DR This week's blog discusses the implementation of a player pathway system, focusing on DNA scores, in football management, particularly within the context of managing Ajax in Football Manager. The pathway involves stages based on DNA points, guiding players from the youth team to the first team. The author emphasises the importance of consistent development, challenges in player pathways, and how the DNA approach influences training, loan decisions, and integration into the senior squad. The system is also linked to playing time, contract negotiations, and wage structure, aligning with the club’s philosophy.

One more stab at promotion (if you don't secure it via the backdoor). I quite like the realism of the save, given a significant amount of clubs in Italy have serious financial problems. Did you see the article on Inter the other day, they are making significant losses year on year! We aren't talking pennies.

Thanks mate, the game has so many little gems which really help to aid decision making. We all know that FM decides outcomes based on chance, so why not try and improve your hand by using the tools. Whilst I am not entirely sure doing what I do helps with the final result, I really enjoy the immersion, it helps me to fall deeper into the save and keeps those player/manager links open. Thanks for your kind words Ben, like yourself, I am really enjoying this save and feel that this one will go the distance. I have quite a few things lined up that I want to document already, which again shows that the creative juices are flowing! There are a few things which I feel I need to change in order for the club to really kick on and become the dominant force I want them to become. First and foremost, I would like to drive the baselines higher with regards to the attributes discussed in the DNA post, looking at our attribute comparisons below... Whilst our technical profile of outfield player is nearly bang on, holding high first touch and the best passing and technique. We lack stamina... Along with our mental profiles not being quite there, especially when looking at the teamwork and work-rate attributes. These are key attributes for a high pressing style, it feels to me that Sven Mislintat dropped the ball a little in his summer recruitment and didn't really bring in players which fit the Ajax way DNA which has served as a solid foundation of the club for so long. Now I fully appreciate, our average squad age is 23, which is one of the lowest in the division, therefore some of these mental attributes will develop over time. However, to answer your question this is an area which I really want to improve. @Henke90 @larrie thanks for taking the time to comment, all of your engagement really helps to keep me going, it is why I am such an ambassador for this forum. As a content creator, I like to engage with my readers, we are a community after all.