keeper#1

Congrats on lifting the Europa League Trophy!

Season One In The Books It was a good but not great season for Rosenborg. The Good: We finished in second place guaranteeing us a slot in, at worse, the Europa Conference next season. We can play in the Europa League if Bodo/Glimt can win the Norwegian Cup and force that slot to go to the league. We finished the season with the most goals scored (74) and the best goal difference (+48). The Not So Good: We had eight draws on the season and our two losses in the league both came against Bodo/Glimt. So, we are clearly the best of the rest in Norway. That's not the goal here. Our goal is to be the best in the league. We had a quick exit from the Europa Conference and it came at the hands of other Scandinavian club, Hammarby. That put us in a very distant second place 12 points behind Bodo/Glimt. Across the board, we were one of the best teams in the league ranking in the top five is just about every statistical category. But we were not very strong in the air and we did a very poor job of winning the ball back once our opposition got the ball. This is not what I want from the team. I want us winning the ball back at the earliest possible opportunity. Our attacking setup might have something to do with this. We may have too many people pushed forward and/or not in a position to win the ball back right away. I'll need to have a tactical think during the offseason on how to win the ball quicker. Attacking Players Our attack is very diverse. Ramsus Paul, statistically, was our best attacker over the course of the season. He led the attack in just about every category. Ole Saeter was the center forward who spelled Paul during the season. We got offense on the wings from Nelson on the right and Porvaldsson on the left. All told, it was a very deep unit this season and a unit which, at present, has not drawn the attention of European clubs. Next season, we will be back with all four of these forwards and they have another year of experience under their belt. Midfielders Ole Seinaes was the heartbeat of our midfield this season. The interesting thing about the midfield is just about every midfielder put up almost the exact same performance regardless of the position that they played. Not seen in these stats is that none of them are a true ass-kicker in the midfielder. We've got too many creators and scorers. Not enough defenders. The player to watch is Sverre Nypan who is just 17 years old and has already received his first cap of the Norwegian national team. He's going to be the player that a reshaped midfield will be built around. He can be either the creator/goal scorer or water carrier. I'm thinking he's going to be the creator. I can turn Seinaes into a water carrier while I go out and find an ass-kicker. Defenders I need to find an ass-kicker in the midfielder because the defense, when tested, is not the best in the league. They are good against the weaker sides in the league but when they have to play against teams better or equal to our ability they fold. We were hampered when Erland Reitan was in and out of the lineup, due to injuries, for most of the second half of the season. The central defense is soft in the air (Jenssen 64% headers won, Rosten 66% headers won and Borkeelet at a team best 75% headers won). The wing defenders, Andersson, Reitan, and Cormic are all good defenders for this level and can handle teams better than us. But, teams can attack us right down the middle and we don't do a lot to stop them. Another area that I'll need to look into during the offseason. Goals for next season 1. Improve defense against the better sides we face 2. Diversify midfield 3. Keep the balanced attack going forward 4. Push Bodo/Glimt all the way for the title 5. Make a deeper push in European competitions next season

Heartbreak In Europe The alarm bells were ringing in the 6-4 aggregate victory over Celje in the 2nd qualifying round. The defense wasn't quite up to the European standard. In the 3rd qualifying round, we had a much tougher opponent in Hammarby, who was able to slow down our high-powered offensive attack and limit us to just one goal over the two legs. They scored two goals of their own and claimed a 2-1 victory to advance to the 4th qualifying round where they will play Luzern. We are good domestically but we not quite deep enough to make a run in Europe while keeping up our domestic form. We have to choose between Eliteserien and Europe. Right now, I'm choosing Eliteserien because that's what gets us into Europe for the following season. We've made our first player sale as wing forward Noah Jean Holm departs for Germany. He scored nine goals in 35 matches for us and will be making a return to Germany have a three-year stint at RB Leipzig who bought him from the Stromsgodset academy. He's good but replaceable player.

I think it's a project worth undertaking. Think of this way, Schalke is now a club that any German manager wouldn't take because they have fallen so far. As a result, the board is forced to look outside the country to bring in a successful manager that can rebuild the club and restore the club to its past glories as one of the top clubs in Germany.

As of now, the two playmakers don't get in each other's way often. One is in an advanced position (albeit in support) on the left side. The other is a deep lying playmaker sitting in front of the two center backs. If anything, he drifts to the right to support the play there or if the advanced playmaker and mezzala get way up the pitch, he slides left to fill in the gap and support that side.

Thanks. Looking forward to this save. Norway is a country outside of my comfort zone for a save.

Thoughts After 10 League Matches In real life, this Rosenborg squad finished in ninth place. In FM world, this is being proven to be some type of anomaly. The club is attacking with the intent to score goals and banging them in at 2.4 goals per game. The defense is rock solid allowing just 0.70 goals per game. However, this is only good enough for 2nd place as Rosenborg is behind Bodo/Glimt in both categories. The two clubs have already met in the first half of the season with Bodo coming out on top in 2-1 match where we had to do everything we could just to get that one goal after falling behind 2-0. I really can't fault the squad for anything when it comes to goals and goals allowed. But the number of yellow cards is proving to be a problem. 1.8 yellow cards per match is unacceptable considering that our title rivals, Bodo, have just four yellow cards all season. They have fewer yellow cards (4) than Molde has red cards (5) thus far this season so maybe those 18 yellow cards are not all that bad. They could be red cards. The goalscoring is spread across all of the forwards in the attacking line so Rosenborg do not have anybody in the top four in that category. But Rosenborg are well represented in the passing, chance creation and, unfortunately, fouls per 90. The right back, Erlend Dahl Reitan, has been a terror down the right-hand side of the pitch. Creating chances and slotting in key passes on a regular basis and is the only defender leading in this categories as the other players are either forward wing players or central midfielders. Goalkeeper Andre Hansen keeps it simple at the back allowing the club to start their attack. 35-year old midfielder Per Skjelbred was once a solid tackler now has lost a step and what was once clean tackles are now fouls. The DLP sitting deep allows the fullbacks to push higher up the pitch and support the attack. The attacking fullback on the right fills the far right attacking channel while the right forward slides inside and pushes up to attack the middle right channel.. Sitting behind both of them is a holding central midfielder to recycle possession if the attacking options aren't there. The Pressing Forward runs the middle channel. While on the left side, the advanced playmaker (s) and mezzala (a) interchange between the far left and middle left attacking channel creating all sort of match-up problems for the opposition defense. As a team, they counter with pace and when the ball is lost, the prime objective is to win the ball the back as quickly as possible. We are most effective on the wings from inside the 16-yard box but strangely ineffective from directly in front of the goal. But we are very effective at getting shots on target (48.6%) and conversion percentage (20.2%). Keep this up and we should be able to push Bodo/Glimt throughout the entire season. We are hitting a critical part of the schedule. Both clubs are entering the early phases of European competition and will have mid-week matches to deal with on top of the Eliteserian and Norwegian Cup matches. Time to test the squad depth!

Olise is a top player. He should fit in really well at Ajax.

Rosenborg 2023 Roster Senior Team The media do not think this is a great Rosenborg team. They do not think that there is a single Rosenborg player who should be under consideration for Player of the Year honors. There are a few players who could be considered for Player of the Year in the next couple seasons and they are listed below. Sverre Halseth Nypan - This is the player that we are going to build the club as Nypan has the chance to be the next great player produced by the Rosenborg academy. A player who wants to bring others into the play and can draw defenders to him with his skillful dribbling. When he does, he can dish the ball off to a player left open by the pressing defenders and midfielders. Nypan will get plenty of first team experience to develop his skills and attract scouts. Noah Jean Holm - Holm will be our first choice center forward at just 21 years old. He is a big target at the top of the formation who can also out-run the defense if they get too close to him. Holm is not the smartest player but he's only 21 and he can develop those skills as he gets more time as a starter. He needs to work on seeing the whole field and bringing his teammates into the play. Holm is a developing talent but I think he can be a good player for us this season. Jayden Nelson - Nelson is the first player on this list that is not a product of the Rosenborg Academy. He comes off from the Toronto FC academy. He is a quick pacy winger that can play on both the left and right side depending on what we need from him in a particular match. Like most of the young players in the squad, he needs to work on the mental side of his game but that will come with playing time and match experience. Another young player who will see his name on the first team sheet a lot this season. Hakon Roston - All of the talent is not all on the offensive end. Roston is our best young defender. He is a great all-around defender for someone who is only 18 years old. Already smart. Already a defender who knows how to tackle and be in the right place at the right time. A player who will continue to develop and get better. He could be the defensive version of Sverre Halseth Nypan. A young player who could be a product of the Rosenborg Academy that gets first team experience at a young age and then moves on to a bigger stage. Sander Tangvik - Tangvik is the only young player on this list who will not get the majority of starts at his position. Tangvik will get the cup starts, mid-week starts, or weekend starts after continental matches. The club has 33-year old Andre Hansen in front of him on the depth chart but Hansen has already expressed his intention to move on from the club at the end of the season. At that point, Tangvik will take over the starting job in the 2024 season. But I can't let him rot on the bench this season. He will need experience and he will find playing time this season just not as the clear cut starter. Academy Not a deep academy at the moment. There is some talent but it's all at the top. I need the following three players to develop and become contributing first team players while hoping some of those 4* potential players develop as well to add some depth into the first team. Isak Jonvik Holman - Holman needs a player to take him under his wing and aid in his development. He is definitely a player that will train with the first team so he can be mentored and become a better player especially on the mental side. He is not the most determined player. He has all the other tools and skills to become a great player. He will need some help to become that great player. Hakon Singsdal Voldan - Voldan is the defensive version of Holman. A young player who needs someone to take them under their wing and aid in development. His skills are very raw but they are there. He needs some time to let those skills develop. That will come with the second team this season and should his development progress he could join the first team as a backup next season or shipped out on loan with the lesser Eliteserian team. Magnus Holte - Holte completes the young spine in the second team as our best forward prospect in the academy. Like his teammates in the midfield and defense, he needs time to develop in the second team which he will get this season while training with the first team. He is definitely a couple of seasons away from getting senior team minutes.

Reviving Rosenborg Trying in a little one-club save work as a change of pace. May come back to this save later.

The first question that you could have when reading the title is: "Wait! Rosenborg doesn't need reviving. They are a great club. What is going on here?" Well, things have turned in Norway and Rosenborg, by their lofty standards, are struggling. The last league win was in 2018. The last Norwegian Cup was in 2018. They were once a fixture in the group stage of the Champions League. Their last Champions League Group Stage appearance was in 2008. On the domestic front, the club has been overtaken, in terms of stature, by the likes of Molde and Bodo/Glimt. In the real life 2023 Eliteserien season, Rosenborg finished a very disappointing 9th place. This is where the journey of Peter Moe will begin....at the beginning of the 2023 season. Can Moe lead the club to better finish than 9th place in 2023? Can he put the club back on a track where they are thought of again as the best club in Norway and club that the opposition does not want to see on their fixture list in European competition? Can he turn Rosenborg back into the powerhouse that they were in the 1990s and 2000s when they rattled of 12 straight Eliteserien titles? Who is Peter Moe? Peter Moe is a young 28-year old who has one thing on his mind....attack. He is a disciple of the famous Rosenborg manager, Nils Arne Eggen. Eggen, who was a disciple of the Rinus Michels school of thinking himself, also wanted to attack and attack as a team. Eggen turned Rosenborg into an Ajax of Scandinavia. Ajax is one of my favorite clubs and I don't like to manage clubs that I am a fan of in real life because I'm too attached to them but Rosenborg is a club that I have zero attachment to so I can play an Ajax style and implement an Ajax-style system and not have to worry about "club attachment" so to speak. I've created Moe to be as close to what I think Eggen was as a manager. It's all about the attack. Maxed out the attacking, tactics, technical, mental and working with youngster ratings. As a sacrifice, the defending, goalkeeping and fitness ratings all suffered. Eggen, as a believer of the Ajax model, was a believer in the 4-3-3 formation. As a result, Moe is a believer in the 4-3-3 formation. The roles and duties will vary from season to season based on the players in the senior side. Young players will be given a chance to shine at the club. Senior team opportunities will be available to them as Rosenborg is a club where players will develop and go flourish on the continent or a club where veteran players will finish out their careers. As you can see, the club has the longest history in Norway. 26 Eliteserien titles and 12 Norwegian Cups along with a handful of "minor trophies." The club will be playing in Europe for the 2023-24 season down in the Europa Conference. This is based off their 3rd place finish in the 2022 season. The board has lofty but attainable goals for the club this season. They want a deep run in the Norwegian Cup while finishing in the top two of the Eliteserien. They regard the Europa Conference as an afterthought. They want Moe to work on building the youth academy back to the top academy in Norway. My lofty goal will be build the academy into one of the best in Europe and a place where scouts from Big Five league clubs are routinely found scouting the young Norwegian talent at the club. The fans want to win and win while being entertained and seeing the opposing goalkeeper pull out of the back of his net. They want to see players from the academy in the senior team and performing for the club. Goals for the Save Rebuild the Rosenborg academy into the top academy in Norway and eventually into a top academy in Europe Become the top producer of young Norwegian talent and selling players to top clubs in Europe Provide plenty of minutes to young players from the youth academy Win the Eliteserien and Norwegian Cup and then repeat the feat over a number of seasons Eventually have Moe move to club in continental Europe to see if the Rosenborg Way will work at a club with more internal competition Next Post: A breakdown of the current roster and academy players

I've found that the star ratings are pretty much useless when comes to that leagues/player screen. I'm at 1* and rarely have an issue even on deadline day and new season day which, generally, take the longest to process.

2031-32 Preseason and August 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. 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. 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.

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

Was this the drawing you saw on twitter?

Stage 4 - Manchester United 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. 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.

I retweeted a rabbit drawing. That wasn't my artwork.

What drawings? I'm a terrible artist.

Sergio Conceicao Goes From Manchester United to Lazio 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.

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. 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.

Most of my scouts are very France-centric. Board isn't interested in expanding the scout room. Hopefully, my next club will have a deep scouting department.

@MattyLewis11 Do you find that this scouting method gets you a big enough database of potential players to take a closer look at? I've had a hard time getting reports on players with this version of FM.

Still going. Was on vacation for the last week. I have a work trip later this month too so the middle of the month will be all about the save.

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.