[FM12] Now You Do Not Punish Someone, English Or Otherwise, For Being Rubbish At FM...

[SnakeXe]

Looking good so far. Did well to top a tough looking CL group

Unbeaten in the Champions League is a great achievement with that group

Thanks, I was concerned about getting out of the group when it was drawn so you can understand how happy I was with top spot!

Looking great at the halfway stage, good luck for the second half of the season!

Fingers crossed!

Greatest thread title ever.

Well, I don't mean to boast, but yeah, yeah it is.

Think you may have played a little too much Football Manager if that's your dinner

What else would one eat with sauteed shoelaces?

[SnakeXe]

SnakeXe's Career - Season 11 - 2022/23

Story of the Season:

1. Bundesliga - 1st

We extended our lead at the top to have a 7-point lead by the time we went to play Leverkusen at the imaginatively-named Leverkusen Stadium. In a display reminiscent of my early days at the club we were eviscerated 4-1, and our hangover from that lead us to chuck away a 1-0 lead away at Mainz to see the lead instantly reduced to 1. A shake-up in personnel saw a return to form, with Gorkem Kacar going medieval on the Bundesliga's hind-quarters with a ridiculous run of 11 goals in 5 starts inspiring us on the way to a 7 game winning run. By the time the run was ended, with a draw away at Kaiserslautern, we had a 4 point lead with two to play, meaning we just had to match Leverkusen's result in the next match to secure the title once again. We went one better, grabbing a 3-2 win over Stuttgart despite Gil's red card, whilst the pharmaceutical-types could only draw.

DFB-Pokal - Quarter-final (lost v Mainz)

A similar loss to last year's against Schalke - domination with no incision.

Champions League - Winners

PSV put up a little more resistance than when I faced them back in the Europa League, but not much more, and we went through fairly easily. The quarter final draw gave us a delicious chance for revenge over last year's conquerors Fiorentina, and we gave them an absolute chasing with a 5-2 win in Italy allowing me to pay them the ultimate insult by resting almost my whole team in the second leg. The backups then completed a humiliating coup de grace by beating them 2-1 on the night!

The semi final saw us take on our great domestic rivals Leverkusen. I was worried, as last time we'd faced them in European competition we'd gotten summarily destroyed despite winning the home leg, but we were certainly a better side since then. We stormed into a 2-0 lead in the home leg, Tainha's wonderstrike opener one of the highlights of the season, before we shipped an irritating away goal on the break. We continued to push forward, and got our just results with a goal in injury time to take a 3-1 lead into the second leg.

My adjusted tactics (burned already by the 4-1 defeat in the league) contained their threat effectively, and eventually their frustration showed as Yunus Gursoy earned himself a second yellow with a petulant hack. From then on we just played keep ball, a 0-0 draw more than good enough for a place in the final against English giants, Manchester United.

They took an early lead through a long range effort from Mazinho, before Herrera grabbed an equaliser with half-time looming. Both sides traded efforts, before Cubukcu thumped in a header to give us the lead with 10 minutes left. Annoyingly, that wasn't to be the end of the scoring, as United equalised almost on the dot of 90 minutes, a bad knock to Zimmermann literally hamstringing his efforts to get back. Extra time passed without incident, and penalties loomed.

We traded a pair of successful penalties each before Ramos hit the post for the English side. Ekici kept our 100% record going, with Ryan scoring his for the reds. Baena smashed his in off the post to put the pressure on Molloy, but he kept his nerve to leave it down to the final penalty. Former Man Utd reserve player Moke Cisse was the man, and he didn't disappoint, rifling home to spark wild celebrations!

Results 1 - Results 2 - Squad

Transfers - £21.6M spent

Spent more than I was intending to, but spent pretty well I'd say. Herrera repaid his fee with the goal that won us the Bundesliga, whilst Sanhueza is a class above our other right backs. Even Turmus justified the outlay after a poor first-half to the season.

Finances

Looking very nice now!

5 Most Important Players:

5. Gorkem Kacar - AMC/ST - An incredible run of form just when we needed it earns him a place on this list.

4. Careca - M/AMC - Some stunning goals towards the end of the season, including some crucial ones.

3. Dogan Cubukcu - DC - Incredible break-out season from the young centreback.

2. Tainha - AMC/ST - Back to something approaching his old self at least.

1. Alan Baena - ML/AMRLC - Not quite as spectacular as last season but still great.

History:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Season  | Team            | League                | Country      | Position | Notes                                                 |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2012/13 | Weymouth        | Blue Square South     | England      | 2nd      | Playoff Semi-finalists                                |
| 2013/14 | Weymouth        | Blue Square South     | England      | 3rd      | Resigned in October                                   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2013/14 | Darlington      | Blue Square Premier   | England      | 14th     | 15th on arrival in October                            |
| 2014/15 | Darlington      | Blue Square Premier   | England      | 2nd      | Playoff Winners                                       |
| 2015/16 | Darlington      | League Two            | England      | 16th     | Resigned in January                                   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2015/16 | Southend United | League One            | England      | 21st     | Relegated, 24th on arrival in March                   |
| 2016/17 | Southend United | League Two            | England      | 1st      | League Two Champions                                  |
| 2017/18 | Southend United | League One            | England      | 2nd      | Promoted                                              |
| 2018/19 | Southend United | Championship          | England      | 17th     | Resigned in October                                   |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2018/19 | Wigan Athletic  | Championship          | England      | 4th      | 13th on arrival in October, Playoff Winners           |
| 2019/20 | Wigan Athletic  | Premier League        | England      | 15th     | Left in December                                      |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| 2019/20 | Werder Bremen   | 1. Bundesliga         | Germany      | 8th      | 14th on arrival in December, DFB-Pokal Winners        |
| 2020/21 | Werder Bremen   | 1. Bundesliga         | Germany      | 1st      | B'liga Champions, Supercup Winners, EL Semi-Finalists |
| 2021/22 | Werder Bremen   | 1. Bundesliga         | Germany      | 2nd      | Supercup Winners, CL & DFB-Pokal Semi-Finalists       |
| 2022/23 | Werder Bremen   | 1. Bundesliga         | Germany      | 1st      | B'liga Champions, Champions League Winners            |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next Season:

Not a lot I can do to top that really is there? I'd like to contest the Club World Cup before I leave Werder, but I'll definitely keep an eye open for the next job. Not that I'd be totally averse to staying here another couple of seasons - with some of the youngsters I've brought in since joining starting to mature, it'd be nice to enjoy the fruits of my labours a bit longer - but I feel I've proved myself in Germany now, and there's plenty more leagues and countries to play with.

[SnakeXe]

Former Club Watch:

Weymouth F.C.:

Better than last season, but not by a whole lot.

Season    League                  Position  Notes                  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2012/13*  Blue Square South       2nd       Playoff semi-finalists
2013/14*  Blue Square South       9th       I left in October (resigned)
2014/15   Blue Square South       10th      -
2015/16   Blue Square South       19th      -
2016/17   Blue Square South       9th       FA Cup 2nd Round
2017/18   Blue Square South       3rd       Playoff Winners
2018/19   Blue Square Premier     21st      Relegated
2019/20   Blue Square South       14th      -
2020/21   Blue Square South       14th      -
2021/22   Blue Square South       19th      -
2022/23   Blue Square South       18th      -

NB * indicates that I was in charge for at least part of the season.

Darlington F.C.:

Not far off the playoffs.

Season    League                  Position  Notes                  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013/14*  Blue Square Premier     14th      I joined in October
2014/15*  Blue Square Premier     2nd       Playoff Winners
2015/16*  League Two              18th      I left in January (resigned)
2016/17   League Two              17th      JPT North Quarter Final
2017/18   League Two              15th      FA Cup 3rd Round
2018/19   League Two              3rd       Promoted
2019/20   League One              22nd      Relegated, FA Cup 4th Round
2020/21   League Two              20th      -
2021/22   League Two              6th       FA Cup 4th Round, Playoff Semifinalists
2022/23   League Two              9th       JPT North Quarter Final

Southend United:

Continuing to be a mid-table mainstay is a real achievement for the shrimpers.

Season    League                  Position  Notes                  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015/16*  League One              21st      Relegated, I joined in March
2016/17*  League Two              1st       League Two Winners
2017/18*  League One              2nd       Promoted
2018/19*  Championship            15th      I left in October (resigned)
2019/20   Championship            20th      -
2020/21   Championship            12th      FA Cup 5th Round
2021/22   Championship            9th       -
2022/23   Championship            15th      -

Wigan Athletic:

Survived by the skin of their teeth.

Season    League                  Position  Notes                  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2018/19*  Championship            4th       I joined in October, Playoff Winners
2019/20*  Premier League          11th      I left in December (job offer)
2020/21   Premier League          18th      League Cup Winners, Relegated
2021/22   Championship            2nd       Promoted, League Cup Quarter-finalists
2022/23   Premier League          17th      FA Cup 6th Round

[Pangaea]

Congratulations with the Bundesliga and Champions League wins. Hard to improve on that achievement. But you'll stay one more year?

[SRL88]

Nice Bundesliga win, but that Hoffenheim relegation has me in tears .

So one more season and then you think you may be moving to pastures new?

[Deisler26]

Go to France.

[ShyBaldBuddhist]

Great job on the double. Think I'd stay one more year to try and retain the CL, also gives you a shot at the Club World Cup before buggering off somewhere new.

[deadfncat]

Go to France.

id like to agree but i say head to Asia!

[SnakeXe]

That wondergoal from Tainha I mentioned won Champions League goal of the season!

[video=youtube;hJiWVhM1dtU]

[SnakeXe]

Congratulations with the Bundesliga and Champions League wins. Hard to improve on that achievement. But you'll stay one more year?

I'll stay at least until the winter break then start keeping an eye on the job centre.

Nice Bundesliga win, but that Hoffenheim relegation has me in tears .

So one more season and then you think you may be moving to pastures new?

They weren't actually a terrible side when I played them, just massive problems actually getting the ball in the back of the net.

Go to France.

Definitely one option!

Great job on the double. Think I'd stay one more year to try and retain the CL, also gives you a shot at the Club World Cup before buggering off somewhere new.

Thanks! Yeah that sounds a good plan to me as well.

id like to agree but i say head to Asia!

Probably not yet, although I'm not averse to heading to another continent even at this relatively early stage.

[SnakeXe]

Wow. I might need some help with this one, guys!

Arsenal are the current Premier League holders whose manager moved on to take over the Spanish national side. Clearly the club has some insane resources, and as the manager moved on rather than got sacked they're in a really good position for instant results.

If this offer came in a year I'd snap their hands off. Real tough one.

[noikeee]

Think I'd stay but only because I rate the Club World Cup as the biggest possible achievement, and wouldn't want to miss the chance to win it. It's definitely a tempting offer tho.

Quality work to win the Champions League with Bremen.

[ShyBaldBuddhist]

I'd take it. Sod trying to retain the CL. Premier league champions willing to invest £85m. You will be able to dominate for a while there. Only down side is it would be a return to England.

[noikeee]

Yeah it'd be impossible to refuse in real life, but he's probably going to get good offers a year from now anyway (even if there's no guarantee something this good shows up). All depends on how badly he wants the Club World Cup, really.

[SnakeXe]

Okay let's try a little pros and cons list:

Staying at Werder:

Pros:

• Strong, settled squad that I've been building for 3 and a half years
  
• The board love me
  
• Challenging domestic league
  
• Shot at the Club World Cup
  
• Potential to build a dynasty
  

Cons:

• Not much money to spend still
  
• Potential to spoil my legacy with a mediocre season before leaving
  
• A sense that I can't really achieve more without staying for decades
  

Going to Arsenal:

Pros:

• Triumphant return home
  
• Loads of money to spend
  
• Already brilliant squad
  
• Just about the cushiest job I could hope for
  
• A new challenge
  

Cons:

• Might be too easy
  
• Miss out on the CWC
  
• Been here, done that
  
• Tycoon chairman who might be impatient (sacked Avram Grant after less than a year of a 5-year deal had elapsed a few years back, although last two managers have resigned rather than been fired)
  

Well that didn't really help... haha.

[City2000]

Congrats on a fantastic season!

Thats a tough call, probably depends on how much you are enjoying life at Werder and if you want to lead them into the Club World Championship because that Arsenal job looks mighty tempting!

[ShyBaldBuddhist]

i've had a change of heart. You should turn it down. It would be too easy. Don't see anyway you can fail in the role with a good squad and that much cash. The only reason to return to England now is to meet one of your tagets at the start of the save, managing Bath or Newcastle

[SnakeXe]

As I'm playing the game as realistically as I can, the "too easy" argument is probably a pro rather than a con. In real life you'd jump at any chance to really rake in some trophies, especially at an early stage in your career.

Basically I think it has to ultimately come down to "will I win more trophies and prestige by staying or by going?".

[ShyBaldBuddhist]

Sounds like you have made your mind up. Wish I was getting these kind of offers. I'm getting approached by the likes of Xanthi who aren't even good enough to get promotion from the Greek 2nd league

[City2000]

I think if you are looking at it with a realistic hat on then not many managers in the real world would turn down this Arsenal job. I see you winning plenty of trophies with Arsenal (probably more than at Werder) but I would say you would earn more prestige by winning with Werder.

Looking at your arguments and the fact that you are looking for a realistic approach then I think you have to go to Arsenal.

[SnakeXe]

Yeah I think I have to take it really, given how I've decided to play this save. I'm quite sad to be leaving Bremen but I can't stay there forever.

[SnakeXe]

Name: Arsenal Football Club

Nickname: The Gunners

Founded: 1889

Stadium: Emirates, 60,361 (all-seater) capacity

Status: Professional

From Wikipedia:

Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups. Arsenal holds the record for the longest uninterrupted period in the English top flight and is the only side to have completed a Premier League season unbeaten.

Arsenal was founded in 1886 in Woolwich and in 1893 became the first club from the south of England to join the Football League. In 1913, it moved north across the city to Arsenal Stadium in Highbury. In the 1930s the club won five League Championship titles and two FA Cups. After a lean period in the post-war years it won the League and FA Cup Double, in the 1970–71 season, and in the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century won two more Doubles and reached the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final.

Arsenal has a long-standing rivalry with neighbours Tottenham Hotspur, with whom it regularly contests the North London derby. Arsenal is also the third most valuable Association football club in the world as of 2010, valued at $1.2 billion.

So with a heavy heart and great thanks to the Werder Bremen supporters, board, players and staff, for allowing me a platform to make my name in management, I'm off to North London. As you all will have seen, the club has deep pockets, with a Thai tycoon having taken over back in 2015. He's still putting money into the club, with £27m of investments last season alone. I'll be assessing the squad's ability to fit into my favoured 4-2-3-1 system and signing players in any weak areas we may have.

Instead of a new club update I'll just do the usual pre-season update, since I've moved during the summer for once!

[City2000]

Good luck

Should be a lot of fun, hopefully!

[SnakeXe]

My first act as Arsenal boss is to offer all these guys contracts:

Plus launch a bid to bring my assistant from Werder, Steve Round, over with me.

[HotChocolate]

[SnakeXe]

Pipe down son, how many Champions Leagues have you won again?

[HotChocolate]

"I bet you'd not even heard of AS Monaco before I took over them and don't make me laugh saying yes of course, they have a street circuit for the Grand Prix"

[SnakeXe]

I wasn't born when you took over at Monaco

[HotChocolate]

I wasn't even born when he left them

[ShyBaldBuddhist]

You're making me feel old guys. He was still playing when I was born

[City2000]

You're making me feel old guys. He was still playing when I was born

Same here although only just I must add

[SnakeXe]

SnakeXe's Career - Season 12 Preview - Arsenal

Board Expectations:

Premier League - Winners (Predicted 1st out of 20)

FA Cup - Winners

Community Shield - Unimportant

League Cup - Unimportant

Champions League - Final

My Expectations:

Premier League - Win it

FA Cup - Have a go at winning it

Community Shield - Give it a good go, to get off to a good start

League Cup - See how the reserves do

Champions League - Based on my assessment of the competition's strength with Werder, we should get to the semi finals without any drama

Budgets:

Transfer: £82,589,385 (£16,610,000 remaining)

Wages: £2,700,840/week (£2,195,414/week currently)

Balance: £25,803,754 (first season at club)

Squad:

Very strong in all areas, and well suited to my tactical approach.

Key Men:

Goalkeeper/Defence

Kenneth Utaka - GK - For all our millions, probably my most important signing on a free transfer.

Yona Sinyangwe - D/WBL - Awesome looking attacking fullback.

Midfield

David Margreiter - M/AMC/ST - Subject of a £38m bid from Barcelona this summer - no chance of me selling though.

Strikers

Mike Kamo - ST - One of those rarest of things - a player who came through the youth academy to take the first team by storm at a big club.

[MattSpurs94]

.................................................................

I shall reluctantly keep on reading.

[abulezz]

LOL at MattSpurs94! Sinyangwe looks fantastic - the type of ability that could make him the best in the world at his position. Good luck with the upcoming season!

[Azeryk`]

Good luck at Arsenal - I had good times there in my save and it will let you collect some more trophies before you find new pastures.

[SnakeXe]

.................................................................

I shall reluctantly keep on reading.

Haha sorry mate!

LOL at MattSpurs94! Sinyangwe looks fantastic - the type of ability that could make him the best in the world at his position. Good luck with the upcoming season!

Yeah he does certainly look the part! Haven't been too impressed thus far though.

Good luck at Arsenal - I had good times there in my save and it will let you collect some more trophies before you find new pastures.

Well that's the theory anyway. It's safe to say it's not gone to plan so far. 4 losses in my first 5, and a chronic inability to finish chances. It's like it's 2019 all over again.

[SnakeXe]

I'm just in disbelief with this team. I thought we were turning it around, starting to play some reasonable stuff, then we lost 4-3 to FC Zurich in the Champions League.

Not a huge deal, you might think. Until you consider their previous two results in the competition were 0-9 and 0-8.

[Nobby_McDonald]

I'd have made the move to Arsenal myself.

[ArsenalMetro]

Good move to Arsenal. Sad to see it isn't going well at the start.

[deltablue]

Well, you've earned some cushty.

[Pangaea]

It's a big move that was impossible to turn down really. Shame it's not going to plan from the get go, but I'm sure you can turn it around. Keep the faith fella

[SRL88]

I think you made the right move mate!!!

It would have been very, very tough to retain your European trophy whilst also tossling with the Club World Championship, the League and Cup. Plus, win the European Cup with Arsenal and you will have a shot at the Club World Championship anyway .

The transfer budget also gives you an option to buy players you would have been priced out of in the past .

[SnakeXe]

I'd have made the move to Arsenal myself.

You can't really turn that sort of move down in the circumstances.

Good move to Arsenal. Sad to see it isn't going well at the start.

Hopefully it'll turn around - if it does all end up going terribly it'll certainly inform my future career decisions.

Well, you've earned some cushty.

That's what I like to think!

It's a big move that was impossible to turn down really. Shame it's not going to plan from the get go, but I'm sure you can turn it around. Keep the faith fella

Cheers

I think you made the right move mate!!!

It would have been very, very tough to retain your European trophy whilst also tossling with the Club World Championship, the League and Cup. Plus, win the European Cup with Arsenal and you will have a shot at the Club World Championship anyway .

The transfer budget also gives you an option to buy players you would have been priced out of in the past .

Indeed! I can basically pick and choose who I want now, which is a nice luxury. This sort of job is less about winning than about building a team and style of play. Fantasy football, really!

[SnakeXe]

One issue I would like to raise is that Jack Wilshere (who is still at the club) is completely not the player he is in real life on FM. For Arsenal and England he's a deep lying playmaker, and was for the whole of last season. His position should be DM/MC, with all the other AMRLC gubbins as "competent" or whatever. On FM he's just generic tricky attacking midfielder man.

Firstly, is that how you all see him? If so, then is it worth raising in data issues?

[Flamers]

I am disappointed.

[AK22]

Ah, so you're now a Gooner! Good luck, you should be able to clean up with the resources and players available to you.

What's the competition like in the Premier League? Are Chelsea and Citeh both still mega-rich? Three tycoons in one division can only end in disaster for two of their managers!!

[AK22]

One issue I would like to raise is that Jack Wilshere (who is still at the club) is completely not the player he is in real life on FM. For Arsenal and England he's a deep lying playmaker, and was for the whole of last season. His position should be DM/MC, with all the other AMRLC gubbins as "competent" or whatever. On FM he's just generic tricky attacking midfielder man.

Firstly, is that how you all see him? If so, then is it worth raising in data issues?

I'm not sure they've got him quite right on FM. He's certainly not an AMC in my eyes, but then I don't think I would class him as DM either. I know he has played this kind of role for a England match (earlier this season,) when they played without a typical holding midfielder, but I think he normally plays a bit further forward than DM for Arsenal.

The thing is with Arsenal, when they're are playing well, their midfield is so fluid, no one player plays the same role for the whole of the match. You could argue that Alex Song is the most defensive minded of the five, but even he still ends up making runs forward. For Wilshere, I would say MC for now, but not sure what FM role I would assign him. Perhaps deep-lying playmaker, but I would up his forward runs, or maybe advanced playmaker on support duty.

[HotChocolate]

Your board don't expect to much do they? Nice to know there is no pressure.

[JoeBainborough]

Just had a read through this, cracking story.

You've worked your way up the leagues very quickly. Keep it up!

[SnakeXe]

Ah, so you're now a Gooner! Good luck, you should be able to clean up with the resources and players available to you.

What's the competition like in the Premier League? Are Chelsea and Citeh both still mega-rich? Three tycoons in one division can only end in disaster for two of their managers!!

At the moment, the top four is Chelsea, Spurs, Man Utd, then us in fourth (but quite far behind Chelsea already). City are down in 6th I think. I'd have to check about the tycoons (on my laptop today).

I'm not sure they've got him quite right on FM. He's certainly not an AMC in my eyes, but then I don't think I would class him as DM either. I know he has played this kind of role for a England match (earlier this season,) when they played without a typical holding midfielder, but I think he normally plays a bit further forward than DM for Arsenal.

The thing is with Arsenal, when they're are playing well, their midfield is so fluid, no one player plays the same role for the whole of the match. You could argue that Alex Song is the most defensive minded of the five, but even he still ends up making runs forward. For Wilshere, I would say MC for now, but not sure what FM role I would assign him. Perhaps deep-lying playmaker, but I would up his forward runs, or maybe advanced playmaker on support duty.

All sounds about right to me. The reason I mentioned DM/MC is that I see him as a Nuri Sahin/Xabi Alonso type player, and those two are DM/MCs.

Your board don't expect to much do they? Nice to know there is no pressure.

I know! Anyone who hasn't won the domestic double and reached the Champions League final... WILL BE FIRED!!!

[video=youtube;JBmN_tisl9M]

Just had a read through this, cracking story.

You've worked your way up the leagues very quickly. Keep it up!

Thanks, glad you're enjoying