dafuge's FM11 challenge

[deadfncat]

My season is falling apart as we near the last 5 games. We continue to throw away leads and not taking points when they are availible. Moral is only average.

We still sit top, but only by a point and everyone below us has a game in hand. If we fail to be promoted as champions its going to mean a 3rd season in the BSS as we aren't going to make it through the playoffs in current form. There are 7 games remaining for us to turn it around.

stupid idiots! get out there on the pitch and show them how its done

With the kits, i already have the 2d kits from earlier in this post. I just wanted to change the colours of the team when it comes to match day

im guessing thats in 3d kits though, which im guessing is low on the list of being created especially for out recently promoted to bss/n teams

[dafuge]

Thanks dafuge I may have to start trying this a bit more. I've definitely seen some of my players stars drop right away after I sign them. Does trialing them still count as offering a contract? In past versions as soon as you offered a contract, more people would become interested right away. Before the negotiation screens this year I always found that players would sometimes take the first offer they got, even if it was lower. I always tried to make sure I never trialed a player until I was absolutely sure I wanted them as if I offered a trial and someone else came in an offered a contract, they would always take the contract and I lost out. My coaches also never seem to give me decent reports, particularly as PA is concerened. It may be because I don't look for coaches with JA/JP attributes though.

You may get unlucky with the odd one or two when another club bids for them while you have them on trial, but it doesn't seem to bring too much attention to them. I always hire an assistant with high JPA/JPP but it really isn't that important as all he needs to do is be able to rank them and judge them relatively to each other.

[Quavis]

Has anyone ever transfer listed their entire team before? I'm seriously considering it atm. After spending 15 weeks atop the BSS, the team is in a free fall. With only 4 games left in the season, this is how the table looks. While still in 3rd, the automatic spot is now gone, and with our current form we are likely to miss the playoffs all together.

Our last match really says it all. We can't maintain a lead to save our lives anymore. Our strikers are ALL in huge slumps and can't hit the broadside of a barn. Its like the whole team stopped seems to think the season ended 6 weeks ago and is off on vacation. Moral is non-existent. In a mater of weeks we've gone from unbeatable to the laughing stock of the league.

I'm off to bed before I sell of the whole team. Tomorrow I get to gear up for another season in the BSS! Yippee!

[CityAndColour]

Have just started this with Worksop but when I take a screenshot with the game open, it's pasting my desktop into Paint. Is there a setting in preferences I need to tick or what? Have never had this issue before and obviously I can't update anything without screenshots.

[Quavis]

Have just started this with Worksop but when I take a screenshot with the game open, it's pasting my desktop into Paint. Is there a setting in preferences I need to tick or what? Have never had this issue before and obviously I can't update anything without screenshots.

I just use alt+printscreen to capture only the game window. Then paste in paint or program of your choice and upload it.

[dafuge]

Have just started this with Worksop but when I take a screenshot with the game open, it's pasting my desktop into Paint. Is there a setting in preferences I need to tick or what? Have never had this issue before and obviously I can't update anything without screenshots.

W7 can be a bit funny with screenshots, Alt&F9 is the easiest way to do it.

[CityAndColour]

I just use alt+printscreen to capture only the game window. Then paste in paint or program of your choice and upload it.

Yeah it's still giving me what's on the screen underneath the game, not the game itself.

Have made a double save so I can still access the screenshot of my profile when I do figure it out, but am just going along with my game now.

[Dons]

Ashton United Season Summary 2014/15

A very spirited first season in L2. Despite being seen as relegation candidates, Ashton actually managed to go all the way and sit comfortably in midtable most season.

Finished 7th and (seen over course of season) ended in playoffs. First leg home vs Bury we had to capitalize, mostly due to a referee awarding bury a 93mins goal, thus we lost 2-1. Looking at the brink of defeat, the lads pulled themselves together and turned failure to succes, when on the return match, we outplayed Bury 3-0.

In front of 52000 at Wembley, nerves was high as we would play the second most scoring team over the season, Walsall. Walsall had made their minds up, they wanted L1 footie and we were outplayed in a fine match

2-1.

Overall it was the right result, despite us having a good season it wouldn't have been fun to venture onto the next stage with the current team and get a relegation present handed to us.

Cups this year was abyssmal:

League Cup - First round defeat at home 2-1 vs Doncaster.

JPT - Second round N exit at home 3-1 vs Carlisle.

FA - 3rd round exit away to Bolton

(we really got robbed in that game, it was devastating)

Players worth mentioning over the season:

GK -

Adam Davies. He had a good season, but its also clear to me, he wont be able to compete with succes at higher levels than this.

DL -

Thobias Skovgaard. Really impressed this season and is easily first choice. Solid defensive and excellent passing. He couldn't dribble if he tried to thu, but can reccomend this lad.

DC -

Michele Fornasier. One of the reasons we didn't concede more. Could wish for better passing/tackling skills, but aiming to train him up for that. 5 star player at this level.

DR -

Doug Griggs. Really high hope for this lad, first choice at age 18. Good defensive, ok offensive, superb passing. True gem (regen)

MC -

Ollie! Needless to say more, he had another brilliant season.

MC -

Brian Freund. (new signing) Youth danish international and future star of Ashton Utd. He was released from Aab at season start, but wouldnt sign a contract before january. Excellent prospect (regen)

Uchechi failed this season, having been 3 seasons topscorer, he just never got it going this season. Struggled with his motivation and had to try something new. Ended up with a new constellation on the strikers.

FC -

Romone Rose. previously ML. Showed his true potential as striker. Ace player.

FC -

Marko Mitrovic. Had a really good season after coming back from injury. Top scorer this season. Rose and Mitrovic will most likely be next seasons stars in attack.

Overall a really good season, also financially. Attentance is slowly increasing, ticket prices as well. Playoff final landed 600k so finances look better than actual. Sold even more players this season with sell on clauses, and will thin out in squad some more and hopefully can attract some higher wages players.

Profile Squad Transfers Finances

[left]Season   League  League Finish  Achievements
2011/12  BSS/N   2nd   Promoted via playoffs
2012/13  BSP     2nd   FAT runner up
2013/14  BSP     2nd   Promoted via play offs
2014/15  L2      7th   None[/left]

[CityAndColour]

W7 can be a bit funny with screenshots, Alt&F9 is the easiest way to do it.

Still no luck, although it probably has something to do with the fact I have my laptop hooked up to a monitor as the screen is cracked. It still takes a screenshot fine, it just takes it of what's on the screen when the game is minimised, if that makes sense.

Anyway have just started pre-season with a 3-2 win at Enfield Town (19 shots to 3, 6 CCCs to 0). Have found it very easy to sign a lot of quality players, certainly much easier than previous versions in this challenge. Guys like Richie Byrne, Adrian Manchester, Josh Vermooten and Bally Smart are all easily BSP quality, probably L2 as well, yet sign for peanuts.

Staff on the other hand...

[thezogsageordie]

Right, I've always wanted to do this and I normally give up due to not being able to judge good players, tactics and general all round impatience! Having said that I've done nothing worth writing home about so far with any team so here goes nothing! I'll upload my profile pic when I start. Wish me luck!

[fcunitedfan]

CityAndColour, it's harder to sign players of that quality to a lower reputation team. Most of the players I signed on my FC United save won't even consider a contract offer on my Colwyn Bay save. Oh, and have you tried changing to windowed view before taking a screenshot? The printscreen key should work in windowed view.

On another note, I hate that I've started this challenge with two teams! I've got an FC United save and a Colwyn Bay save, but I can't ever decide which of the two to play with so end up flicking between them throughout the day. If I was lucky enough to get both teams in the same save, that would have been fantastic. The chances of that happening though are very slim.

[Steviedaniels]

Hard luck Quavis

Can't say as Ive ever listed my entire squad but then Im only 5 games into my first season as Chippenham boss so will see what I can do!!

Good luck for the new season if you dont get promoted

[Anti Spiral]

I'll continue with my first season now. Hopefully I can win a game today

[darren1983]

AFC HORNCHURCH SEASON 2012/13 BSS

Prediction: 21st

Posistion: 10th

Table: http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q43/darren1983_2006/Dafuge%202011/BlueSquareBetSouthInformation_Stages-1.png

Graph: http://i133.photobucket.com/albums/q43/darren1983_2006/Dafuge%202011/BlueSquareBetSouthInformation_PastPositions-1.png

Turned out to be another frustrating season for us as we once again failed to even get close to promotion. We started the season with a 5-1 win and were in and around the top few places for the first few months of the season, but then a crash in form saw us slide down the table and we never recoverd. After christmas I gave up on this season and started fine tuning tactics and looking at areas that were costing me, I also brought in a few players in the closing months and we went on a 7 game unbeaten run till the end of the season that give me hope for next season. The main bright spot this season was our FA Cup run, we made it to the 2nd round and had a replay against bradford, sadly we lost 6-3 and missed out on a 3rd round game away to midllesbrough.

A short update this time as not much to post - aiming for better next season.

[wriches]

Sigh, Arsenal are always outbidding me! Yes, hes leading Prem ability and I'm know he would never sign for me. Over half my shortlist will probably never sign for me, but if even 1 ever does its worth it. I do usually have a 100k value cap filter set, but apparently I must have it unchecked atm.

Also interesting to note, Arsenal are complete idiots. The player in question, Sergio Asenjo, is out of contract in 6 months. If they simply offered him a contract he could be signed for free or with minimal compensation. Why in the world would you make a 7.25m bid on a 1.3m player at this point? Its even odder considering the professor is still their manager and would never make a mistake like that (or pay 7m+ for a player )

Loving that news story!

Much like IRL - "Aston Villa have made an offer for Robert Pires. Crawley Town are rumoured to be interested in the player." I wonder if that news story originated from FM accidentally?

[wriches]

For my Gooner friends in this thread...

Well, I'm not reading your updates any more Gypsum

Yesterday was ridiculously depressing. I can't even get myself to play FM, let alone leave the house. I don't want to do anything ever again.

[thezogsageordie]

Anyone got Hastings Utd as yet? Been trying for ages can't get em! Can't really be anyone else as I actually live in Hastings and a couple of the players, I went to school with, friends on Facebook etc!

[wriches]

Anyone got Hastings Utd as yet? Been trying for ages can't get em! Can't really be anyone else as I actually live in Hastings and a couple of the players, I went to school with, friends on Facebook etc!

Check here.

[thezogsageordie]

Check here.

After posting that I found that from someone else, thanks anyway!

[Jaffa]

thezogsageordie - good luck mate, it's well worth the effort...I've yet to play an FM save that gives more satisfaction back then a Dafuges challenge save. I can't give it any higher praise than that

[wriches]

thezogsageordie - good luck mate, it's well worth the effort...I've yet to play an FM save that gives more satisfaction back then a Dafuges challenge save. I can't give it any higher praise than that

Same here. dafuge is a genius whereas SI are just incompetent developers

[jordanswinburn]

Right, a little delve into the upper echelons of my game. I've noticed that a lot of managers are getting sacked, particularly in the Premier League, so I figured I'd take a look at who is managing who in the top division. THe teams are listed in table position after 13 games of the current season (2014/15) and remember that Man Utd have won four titles on the bounce.

I thought I'd do the same. 10 games to go.

1. Arsenal (Arsene Wenger)

2. Man City (Benni McCarthy)

3. Liverpool (Javier Aguirre)

4. West Brom (Mark Hughes)

5. Everton (Avram Grant)

6. Chelsea (David Moyes)

7. Tottenham (Alan Shearer)

8. Man Utd (Mick McCarthy)

9. Blackburn (Rio Ferdinand)

10. Sunderland (Steve Bruce)

11. Birmingham (Andy Watson)

12. Aston Villa (No manager, just sacked Brian Laws)

13. Wolves (Alan Curbishley)

14. Middlesbrough (Paul Jewell)

15. Stoke (Gary Megson)

16. Burnley (Roberto Di Matteo)

17. Reading (Dave Jones)

18. Fulham (Sam Allardyce)

19. Huddersfield (Paul Lambert)

20. Preston (Darren Ferguson)

In other news

CSKA Moscow 2 - 3 FC United

[thezogsageordie]

thezogsageordie - good luck mate, it's well worth the effort...I've yet to play an FM save that gives more satisfaction back then a Dafuges challenge save. I can't give it any higher praise than that

I hope so, I enjoy this years game but just can't get into it at the moment!

Profile: http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/6766/samfullerprofilepersona.png

[vikeologist]

vikeologist: what a turn-around a year can make. What did you do this season that worked so much better than your first attempt? Congrats on promotion!

I worry about saying what I did different as it's so minor, it probably doesn't denote anything.

I had a year's scouting / shortlist in reserve, so I could start signing players straight away, and knew that the players I was bringing in were infinitely better than the ones I was selling. This meant that I had my squad signed 2 or 3 weeks before the start of the season, which allowed them to gel a bit. When scouts said that someone must be bought at all costs, I looked a bit more carefully at which division they thought they could play in, so my players were a bit better than the ones I signed for Bradford PA.

As others have mentioned, making your wide midfielders 'wingers' seems to work.

Be tough with players. If you lose a match, don't always sympathise. It seems to me that you have to aim at least the occasional coffee cup at them. If a player is showing on the morale screen during a game as not interested, then I will tell him in some future games that I expect a performance. Don't be happy with 6.8s, when maybe the player can consistently get 7+ if you kick him up the backside.

However, the nature of the game is that you can read too much into little things that you do. I have my way of playing the game, and until the Bradford PA season, it has basically always worked, Clearly it is possible in this version for team morale to sink without trace if you get a couple of unlucky losses, and I can't yet guarantee that I know how to turn that around.

[Gypsum]

Gypsum: o.O That was too close! How could they possibly have justified sacking you after what you've done so far? Surely your security must be untouchable at least? Brings back shades of dafuge's tenure at a certain Staines club several years ago.

Tell me about it! I think it may have helped that we went on a good run of form when I was threatened with the sack. I was bordering on 'untouchable' last season, but our failure in the playoffs seemed to knock me down a notch. Now it's back up towards untouchable. If I had of got the sack I would not have been happy!

Well, I'm not reading your updates any more Gypsum

Yesterday was ridiculously depressing. I can't even get myself to play FM, let alone leave the house. I don't want to do anything ever again.

Now you know how Tottenham fans have felt for years! I find FM is a great rehabilitator, get back on the wagon!

[jordanswinburn]

Owen Hargreaves is back from injury! How long will he last against Crewe?

[deadfncat]

Sacked from Didcot FC. starting again

sigh :\

[Terk]

I'm off to bed before I sell of the whole team. Tomorrow I get to gear up for another season in the BSS! Yippee!

The throwing away leads thing is killing me at the moment as well. We've still got plenty of time to get back into form, but if we throw away another two goal lead this season I am going to scream.

[jordanswinburn]

Sacked from Didcot FC. starting again

sigh :\

Do you have a save from when you first started? Something I can put in the saves thread?

[Terk]

And we've now lost top spot in the league. Led 2-0 against Macclesfield, they came back to 2-2, we went 3-2 up, and then they scored very late for a 3-3 draw. That's our 9th draw in 29 league games so far this season, nearly a third of the games we've played. And having counted through, 7 of those draws have been where we've lost a winning position

[jordanswinburn]

Oh my God! Owen Hargreaves lasted an entire match! Unbelievable Jeff.

[Ridleys]

3rd times the charm! Congrats on Promotion Ridleys! Was interesting to see that you won the BSN on fewer points this year than you had last year. I like the look of Baker, 19 anticipation! Talk about someone who reads the game well Great update! I like your code for the career overview with the added w/l/d/points and gd. Would you mind if I used that in my end of season updates?

Thanks mate yeah, it was a strange one, i lost more games though which i was happy about.

Yeah, Baker is a good player, could probably still be a good player in League 2, if he hasn't retired by the time i get there.

Nope don't mind at all, feel free to use it.

[Ridleys]

Matt Upson signs for FC United.. In the Blue Square Premier!!

[Anti Spiral]

On my way to my first league win, 1-0 up with 10 Minutes to be played. Then my keeper gets injured... I had already used up all my subs. Lost the game 3-1. :I

[deadfncat]

Do you have a save from when you first started? Something I can put in the saves thread?

nope sorry mate. didnt think to keep it.

I wouldnt be able to upload it anyway, my internet where im living atm is horrible. can barely upload screenshots

[jsar]

thezogsageordie - good luck mate, it's well worth the effort...I've yet to play an FM save that gives more satisfaction back then a Dafuges challenge save. I can't give it any higher praise than that

Wouldnt it be amazing if in FM2012 their was an Option to "start" this challenge with all the correct presets etc. don't know how it would work but would be an amazing option, i think/assume that this is one of the most popular challenges out their so would be great to see something like that happen!

[jsar]

Cups are killing my fitness i have had 2 games a week now since the end of November and it doesn't stop until January!

[TugSafc]

My internet has been off so couldnt do the pre-season update for my second season promotion to league 2, sitting in the play-off places at the end of October 2013 though (League 2), very happy with my team, think it is easily the best in league, just need to be patient and hope they gel well.

[Gypsum]

Cups are killing my fitness i have had 2 games a week now since the end of November and it doesn't stop until January!

I've actually started looking forward to the busy spells, because my second XI seem to get better results than my first team!

[Terk]

What's that sound I hear? Oh, yeah, it's the wheels falling off.

[jsar]

well it had to end Eventually hopefully its enuf to keep me up, or mayB even catapult me towards the top, a lot of games to go.

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

[sheeshy]

Everton 8 Oxford City 0 - League form is much improved, I have money in the bank, and I am just looking forward to next season now.

[jordanswinburn]

Palermo 0 - 0 FC United!

We take them to Manchester NOT on the back foot

[Terk]

My season appears to be in tatters. Our last 8 games have been;

0-0 (D), 2-1 (W), 1-2 (L), 3-3 (D), 4-1 (W), 0-8 (L), 1-1 (D), 2-3 (L). That's 9 points out of a possible 24. We're 6 points off leaders Salisbury and the pack chasing behind us are catching up quickly. 13 games to go and if we don't pick up our form soon, we're going to struggle to even make the play-offs. Nothing I try seems to pay-off though, I genuinely have no idea how to pick us out of this slump.

[Jaffa]

Wouldnt it be amazing if in FM2012 their was an Option to "start" this challenge with all the correct presets etc. don't know how it would work but would be an amazing option, i think/assume that this is one of the most popular challenges out their so would be great to see something like that happen!

Now that Sir, would firstly be great if it was implemented...and secondly is a good idea regardless

Terk: My word mate, thats a strange run, the 8 nil'er - christ I dont think I've ever lost that heavily! Hope you can turn it around.

[Gypsum]

I'm currently looking at re-signing Dean Bailey, the left winger who I sold to Championship Huddersfield for £350k a few years back. His contract is up in 3 months time, getting him back for free would be awesome!

Actually, he ended up going to Premiership Swindon for £2.6m instead... I may have been aiming a bit high! The good news is that I put a 50% sell on clause when I sold him! Delicious moneys!!!

[Terk]

Terk: My word mate, thats a strange run, the 8 nil'er - christ I dont think I've ever lost that heavily! Hope you can turn it around.

Cheers The 8-0 was horrific to watch, I just felt helpless It's a vicious circle at the moment though, we're losing, so morale is low, and because morale is low, we keep losing. We need something to break the cycle, but keep shooting ourselves in the foot. It looked like we would get something in the 1-1 draw against Wrexham, leading 1-0 in injury time, but then my centre back managed to score an own goal

[Anti Spiral]

So we finally got our first league win of the season, and I think you can tell that it was thoroughly undeserved!

Tonbridge 1 - 0 Tiverton

Hopefully this will help the teams confidence and we've now a few games against teams around us.

[jordanswinburn]

Man, I have some really crap games.

FC United 0 - 0 Palermo (FC United win 3-2 on Pens)

11 yellows and 1 red. The game was actually a bloodbath. Was nice to see us get some good possession though.

I have to admit, they took us lightly, putting out a reserve side.

In the Quarter Final draw, I've not got off lightly. Quite the opposite. Fiorentina

BUT! I get off lightly if I somehow beat Fiorentina. We escaped Man Utd/Werder Bremen. Instead, we'd get HSV or AS Monaco.

[Jaffa]

I drew 2-2 with Brighton (now L1 relegated from the CCC) away in the FA Cup 2nd round, but the boon is, I get this fixture if I make it past them...a bumper pay day !!