One Day We'll Basque in Glory II

[deltablue]

Great news on the upgrades.

[B.W.G]

It is,give it a few more seasons and we'll have a good rating for the facilities

[Dexter_Morgan]

Shame you couldn't get the junior coaching up but it seems having the facilities upgraded is just as important as the coaching on this FM (kind of like the old days where there'd be no junior coaching or recruitment). At Borac I can't get do any more with the coaching but the facilities still have a lot of work that needs doing and the quality bar the odd 1 or 2 isn't that great so far (though hopefully with this current upgrade i've got going it should change this year)

[B.W.G]

I have noticed with my board that I have to leave a calendar year before asking for another upgrade so it may be a case of waiting a bit longer but when I do get the ability to upgrade then am almost certain the chairman will allow it!

I also do love the way the chairman acts depending on philosophies,if I didn't have give youth a chance then I doubt he'd be willing to upgrade things as much as he is doing,especially if the club has a good financial situation.

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - End of Season 2017/18

2017/18 Transfers

Zero people in as usual as that is the rules of my game.Nine players left on a free transfer as they were not good enough and were never going to be good enough for the team.Fifteen players left on loan to get game time and the majority of those was also to get them in the shop window,only two of the players going out on loan will probably get any game time and they are Benat Lopez and Andoni Angulo.

Competitions

Liga BBVA

League Table

I am pleased to say we pulled an Ipswich off which mean I got promoted and finished 5th in my first season in top flight.We were more than a match for the lower teams and that is where scored most of our goals from,there was one or two freak results as we beat Valencia 5-0 and beat Sevilla 4-0 despite being 2nd best in the games.We were not too bad but we are quite the way off being the quality of the top four so I will have to wait a few seasons before challenging for a Champions League spot and wait even longer to be able to compete with Barcelona and Real Madrid who are way above the 3rd and 4th best teams.The challenge begins now to see if we can do similar next season with extra games.

Copa del Rey

Semi Finals

It was a good run which was also fun at times with some thrilling matches played.We easily made the board expectations as we entered at the fourth round where we faced off against Racing,we easily dismantles Racing in both legs as we ran out 8-0 aggregate winners.The 5th round gave us a bit more trick tie as we faced Almeria,we had to come back from a 1st leg loss as we won 4-3 on aggregate which I was pleased with our fighting spirit.The Quarter final was a tale of two games when we faced Cordoba,we easily won the first leg 5-1 in which we destroyed the opposition,the second leg saw us lose 5-4 in which we were missing four players through suspension and had a player sent off,at the end we won 9-6 on aggregate.The semi final was the end of our run as Barcelona completely outclassed us twice,we lost the first leg 2-1 at home but we somehow managed to keep them to a 0-0 draw in the 2nd leg where they even had Messi and Neymar on the pitch!

Players,Stats and Awards

Best XI - Overall Best XI

First thing is that I call foul play with the Manager del ano award as it went to Luis Enrique (Barcelona) with Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid) and Quique Flores (Valencia) in third.This how the teams finished in the table,doesn't overachieving massively mean anything any more,this is complete rubbish!

This season the club actually won the Equipo Revelacion del ano.Honestly it is not a surprise as we were the biggest overachievers in the league but I am grateful for any award,it can go in the trophy cabinet!

A quick look at the Player's Stats for the season.

Key Players

Andoni Alonso - MC

44 Appearances,5 Goals,16 Assists,7.3 Avg.Rating

Guillermo Martinez

43 Appearances,10 Goals,8 Assists,7.3 Avg.Rating

Mikel Talledo - Maximo Goleador Espanol

44 Appearances,30 Goals,15 Assists,7.22 Avg.Rating

Gaizka Sola

42 Appearances,2 Goals,0 Assists,7.15 Avg.Rating

Manager's Thoughts

Well that was an amazing season,it was a bit like Ipswich town in 2000/01 when they finished 5th after being promoted and like Ipswich we are off to Europe next season!We had a great cup run in the Copa del Rey but the difference between ourselves and Barcelona is absolutely massive in which it will take quite a bit of time to overthrow them as the top team in Spain.The finances are looking great as well as we have £26 million in the black and that is projected to hit £41 million by this time next year,it's going to be a while before I start making any money on transfers though as we don't have enough decent players for me to sell but we are now a national team so it is looking good for the future and we made the top 100 for the rich list,sitting in 99th so it is a start.

Well we have upgrades for youth recruitment,training facilities and youth facilities.Youth facilities and youth recruitment go hand in hand,we get better youth players through from further out,we did have a few players last season who were not from Gernika but they were not that good with the exception of Garmendia who is from Irun and not Gernika.Training facility upgrade is also great news as it will help the players reach their maximum potential.As for finances,we have paid off our loan and currently have five sponsorship deals which come to the value of £882k per year,three of these deals are up at the end of next season so hopefully we can get better deals in.My contract situation was sorted during the season and now expires 2020,by that time I would like us to be pushing hard for a Champions League spot but roll on next season!

Season       Division         League       Cup       Continental      Avg.Att        Notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014/15  Trecera Division      1st         N/A           N/A           2098        Promotion!
2015/16  Segunda Division      2nd       5th Rnd         N/A           2411    Promotion via Playoff!
2016/17   Liga Adelante        1st       4th Rnd         N/A           2910        Champions!
2017/18     Liga BBVA          5th      Semi Final       N/A           5983   Europa League qualifiers!

[B.W.G]

10th July 2018,more good news!

Roll on 10th July 2019 as it looks like you have to wait a calendar year to ask for the same upgrades.

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - Pre-Season - 2018/19

Club Information - Facilities - Board Overview - Confidence - Finances

Pre-Season Transfers

Five people left the club on free transfers and I am glad they went because all five were whining about lack of first team action when they were not good enough.Six players out on loan to help gain them experience and help advertise them in the shop window.

Pre-Season Fixtures

The pre-season fixtures can be summed up by calling it the Talledo and Torres show,some pretty impressive performances overall.The Athletic game looks bad but it was a lot closer than the score shows and it was only failing in the shooting department that it wasn't closer.

The Team

Squad Depth

Tactic A - Tactic B - Tactic C

Key Players

Inigo Martin - DL

Guillermo Martinez - M/AMC

Andoni Alonso - MC - M/AMC

Mikel Talledo - AMC/ST

Well some changes for the key players this season as Martin and Martinez come in,Martin is the best defender at the club and is first choice left back and will heavily be involved in both defence and attack.Martinez was a slow bloomer who was actually in the very first Youth intake but it's been in the last couple of seasons where he has improved massively and made MC his position,he will team up with Alonso has my first choice MC partnership which I feel will continue to bloom in the next few seasons.Talledo is Talledo,he is a pretty amazing goal scorer as he has 82 goals in 102 appearances and is only 4 goals away from being Gernika's all time top goal scorer,if he stays fit then I think he will hit over 30 goals this season!

Manager's Thoughts

This season is going to be a lot more interesting last season with the addition of Europa League action to our season,we have a slightly better squad then last season but we are still lacking up front and on the wings.The board want a mid-table finish,5th round in the Copa del Rey and Group stages in the Europa League,this should be easy to do,we are predicted to finish 15th with odds of 150-1 for the title but 11th-16th all have the same odds so it should be easy to do.We kick off the season with a home fixture against Real Madrid,the big fixtures have been spread out so they won't cause low morale like it nearly did last season.Personally I am looking at Quarter-Finals in the Europa League,quarter finals in the Copa del Rey and at least a top half finish for this season so my ambition is a bit greater than the boards.

No new deals with regards to sponsorship but that will change at the end of the season when three of the current sponsorships end and we get new ones so we may break the £1 million barrier for total sponsorships.We have had Junior Coaching upgraded during pre-season and it's now regarded at a good level,this along with facility upgrades being done this season leave us in a very good position.This season will also see us play at two stadiums,we will be at our own ground for league and cup games but we will be playing at San Mames when it comes to the Europa League which will help us bring money in if they are big games.Time to show we are not a one season wonder!

[john1]

Brilliant to see the board upgrading the youth facilities and junior coaching budget

[B.W.G]

It is indeed,roll on 2019 when they can upgrade them again

In other news,we've had the draw for the Europa League,definitely not the nicest of draws we could have had!

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - August and September 2018

Fixtures

League Table

Manager's Thoughts

For August it was just the one game but it was a tough one to open up the season with.The game itself was completely ruined by the officials as the ref did nothing but favour Real Madrid and the linesman were completely useless as Real Madrid score twice from an offside position,to top this off we were reduced to ten men so this was one to forget,if we had a decent ref and officials then we could possibly had won.

September saw us kick off our Europa League campaign as we travelled to Glasgow to face Celtic,it was a solid performance and we ran out 2-0 winners which was a pleasing Europa League debut.As for the league itself,it was a very mixed bag of results,we were fantastic against Getafe and fully deserved the three points.The Celta game was pathetic as we did nothing but squandered chance after chance and the players look like they couldn't be bothered,no complaints from the Atletico game as they completely outclassed us.The Sporting game was a game of two halves as absolutely nothing happened in the first half while it was action packed in the second half,Andoni Alonso netting a late winner to secure the points.The game against Real Betis was a very back and forth game and was very even but I was annoyed at throwing away the lead twice!Not the best of starts in the league but we can still improve a lot as we have been poor.

October brings us six games so it is a busy month.In the Europa League we have a home fixture against Inter Milan before travelling away to the Czech Republic to face Viktoria Plzen,no real expectations as I don't really know what to expect but we will give it our best.As for the league we face off against Athletic,Sevilla,Valencia and Cordoba,normally I would say that we are better at home than we are away but this hasn't been the case so far this season but I think we can at least get draws against Athletic and Sevilla as we look to turn things around at home.Not really expecting anything from the Valencia game as they are pretty solid team at home but I do believe we can beat Cordoba so I want at least five points from October.

[john1]

Tough opening start. Good win over Celtic

[B.W.G]

It was a good win over Celtic but we've had an even better one against Inter Milan.Although the league is proving to be frustrating as hell as we are already 12 points behind Barcelona and Real Madrid!

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - October 2018

Fixtures

League Table

Manager's Thoughts

Well it has been kind of a frustrating month in the league but it was near perfection in the Europa League.For the Europa League we picked up maximum points which leaves us top of the group after three games,Talledo is loving this competition as he scored all seven goals,no major complaints other than the dodgy defending against Inter as Viktoria's consolation was from the spot.As for the league we recorded a deserved win against Athletic to gain our first home win of the campaign which was a relief,this then followed a 1-1 draw with Sevilla where failure to finish our chances meant two points dropped.No real complaints with the Valencia result as it was a game where one goal would decide it and it came late on.We finished the month with a 1-0 win which Talledo was the only player who could hit the target as we wasted shots.Very close at the moment and one result can either move us up or down!

November starts off extremely as we kick off the month with a game against Barcelona,in four attempts against them,we have never won so I am not expecting anything!We also face off against Real Sociedad and Elche,these are the two games I am looking to get something from,hopefully we will win the both as we have been quite inconsistent and that really needs to improve.As for the Europa League,we face off against Viktoria and Celtic in which both games are at home,if we win either match then we are through to the knockout stages,Talledo will be looking to add to his 8 Europa League goals so I am feeling fairly confident with the Europa League but I want 4 or 6 points from the league games.

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - November 2018

Fixtures

League Table

Manager's Thoughts

Well that was a much better month than the previous couple as we were more consistent as we went unbeaten in the league and qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League.In the Europa League,we came from 2-0 down to beat Viktoria Plzen and all the praise goes to the second half performance as we ripped them apart.As for the Celtic game,it was a simple match as they were never at the races and we made it five wins out of five.In the league we picked up seven points which was brilliant,we somehow got a point from the Barcelona game as they battered us and held on,Real Sociedad and Elche were never at the races and we picked them apart.Special mention to Talledo who is up to 18 goals this season and Artola who is on six goals and needs two more to set a new record.

December is a very busy month as we play eight games during the month,we finish our Europa League group stage with a trip to the Giuseppe Meazza,no pressure on us as we have already qualified for the knockout stages.We also kick off our Copa del Rey campaign when we have a double header against Zaragoza,I will field my strongest team possible as I am looking to have another good campaign.

In the league we face off against Villarreal,Granada,Deportivo and Murcia,I believe that we should be looking at a win against Deportivo and Murica as they are struggling this season and we can capitalise on that.With the Villarreal game,I'm going to say a score draw like our last two meetings,with it being a away fixture I'd take a point.The Granada game will be very tricky as they are massively overachieving and are one of four teams going for a Champions League spot,we do have home advantage and I hope we use that to it;s fullest effect.My aim is progress in the Copa del Rey and seven points in the league!

[deltablue]

Great results in Europe.

[B.W.G]

Thanks Just one more to go,I'll be over the moon if we can get result in Milan!

[B.W.G]

Talledo has picked himself up a nice award and it's a much deserved one as well!

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - December 2018

Liga BBVA

It was a very impressive month as we picked up ten points from four games.No surprise really that we drew 0-0 with Villarreal as we seem to cancel each other out as always.The win over Granada was our most impressive performance of the season as we won 4-1 while playing with 10 men for 70 minutes as Martinez was given a straight red.The win over Deportivo was not as close as it looks but they had a lot of help off the ref,they scored from an offside position and were given a dodgy penalty decision while we were denied a stone wall penalty,if we had finished our chances then it would have been a lot more.The game against Murcia really showed our tiredness from this month as the players were knackered,we came back from 2-0 and 3-2 down to win 4-3 with Talledo getting a hat-trick.We sit in 3rd place which is brilliant but it is very close outside the top two!

Next month sees us face Levante,Mallorca,Real Madrid and Celta.We really should beat Mallorca and Celta while Levante will be a tough game but we do have home advantage over them.As for Real Mardid,who is really going to stop them winning the title!

Copa del Rey

Lower ranked opposition in Zaragoza,we gave two professional performances and won 6-0 on aggregate so it was a very good result for us.Next up for us is Real Madrid at the start of January.

Europa League

This result would have had no affect on anything what so ever as we were guaranteed first place and they were guaranteed second place,Talledo stole the show as he netted a hat-trick against Inter which took him to 14 goals in the competition.No more action in the Europa League till February when we face Ligue 1 side Lyon!

[B.W.G]

I've signed a new deal which now lasts till 2022 but I did not the chairman tried to sneak in a new philosophy as he wanted me to sign young players for the first team,I am kind of glad I could remove it before accepting.

Does the chairman always try to add in new philosophies?

[B.W.G]

Never thought I'd see the day Cristiano Ronaldo scores for Gernika

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - January 2019

Liga BBVA

Was a pretty decent month as we picked up nine points from twelve.We struggled to break Levante down but we were the better team so we deserved the points,we won 3-1 against Mallorca but the major talking point to this match was finishing with 9 men as Martinez and Yanguas were both sent off (both of them now on 2 red cards for the season!).Nothing to say about the Real Madrid defeat as they gave us a hiding,this was probably their revenge for knocking them out of the Copa del Rey.We ended the month with a comfortable 4-1 win over Celta,it was a frantic match at times but we came through when we needed to.

February sees us face off against Getafe,Sporting,Atletico and Betis.The good news is that the games against Getafe,Sporting and Betis are all home fixtures so that gives us a slight advantage when we come to play them,the downside is that my players are starting to look tired as the depth is not that great.As for the Atletico game,my record against them is not very good (1-1-5) so I am not expecting any miracles from the game,I'd be grateful with a draw!

Copa del Rey

Impressive performances in the Copa del Rey as we knocked out Real Madrid in the 5th Round,the foundation for this victory was the heroic performance off my team as we won 4-2,we then kept the score down to 1-1 in the second leg to go through.Our players were knackered for the first leg against Real Sociedad and the entire game was a drab affair with a 1-1 draw,we totally turned this around in the second leg as we won 6-2 in what was actually a close game but we were the better finishers,Talledo scored his 35th and 36th goals of the campaign in that game which is fantastic,to go through with a 7-3 aggregate win was brilliant considering it was against another Basque side.

The semi-final sees us up against Segunda Division B side Cadiz,we can't afford to underestimate them as the dark horses have already knocked out Villarreal,Celta and Mallorca which is three Liga BBVA sides!

[Dexter_Morgan]

Going exceptionally well there

[B.W.G]

Cheers fella

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - February 2019

Liga BBVA

We didn't start off the month too badly but we ended it terribly.The draw with Getafe saw us squander chance after chance which is annoying but it is a point but it was just one of those days.The Sporting game was easily our best performance of the month as we controlled the match from start to finish so 3-0 was a good win.Nothing needs to be said about the Atletico match as they completely dominated us,we will beat them one day in the league!As for the Betis game,I was extremely annoyed with the performance as the players looked like they couldn't be bothered at times,I'd say only five players actually put in any effort in this match,if we are to reach the Champions League then performances like this need to be stopped.

March sees us play five league games,we face off against Athletic,Valencia,Sevilla,Cordoba and Barcelona.Not really saying much about the Barcelona game as we have never beat them but we may be able to spring a surprise on them.Valencia will also be a tough match as they are in a similar position to us and are pushing for a Champions League spot,we do have home advantage so hopefully that comes into play.The other three teams are around mid-table so we need to get some kind of result against them if we are to finish in a top four spot!

Copa del Rey

I can see why Cadiz had caused so many shocks as they were really tough to break down,they kept us out in the first leg so for the second leg I fielded my strongest team possible and we won 4-0,mainly thanks to Talledo netting a hat-trick.No more Copa del Rey action till May when we face Barcelona in the final,now that would be the ideal time to get a first win against them!

Europa League

We were the better team in the first leg so the 2-0 win was well deserved but Lyon were the better team in the second leg so we have the defence to thank for getting through.Wasn't sure the first leg would ever end as Mark Clattenburg pretty much blew for every challenge,at least Wolfgang Stark let the game flow in the second leg.In March we will face off against Fenerbahce in the second knockout stage,the draw could have been better but at least it wasn't worse than it could have been.

[deltablue]

Good luck chasing a CL place.

[john1]

Decent position in the league

[P O\'D]

I can't see the pictures. Something about bandwidth.

[Dexter_Morgan]

Same with the pictures, https://imgur.com/ is a good one to use mate as i've done loads of screenies and had no problem

[B.W.G]

deltablue - It's going to be a close finish,we are currently 5th but we are one point behind 4th with eight games to go.

john1 - It is a good position but it will take some time to break into the top two.

P O\'D - It's Photobucket being Photobucket so I will take Dexter_Morgan's advice and use Imgur!

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - Youth Intake 2019

The Intake

The Hot Prospects

Ibai Sanchez - Report

Xabier Garate - Report

Miguel Jimenez - Report

Manager's Thoughts

Not a bad intake at all but didn't really need defenders that badly but Jimenez and Sanchez will be backups in about two seasons but Sanchez will be in the first team as he is the better of the two defenders.Garate is a very useful youth player as his best role is AMC and his preferred role is shadow striker which means he will be ideal backup for Artola as I use a shadow striker role for the AMC position.Jose Luis Perez and Oier Mateo will be never be the best of wingers but they will be good for backup for now as we get some better wingers in the future.Our defence and central midfield should have enough players for the future so all we need is a third goalkeeper,a third striker and better wingers and we should be set for the next 13 years at least!

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - March 2019

Liga BBVA

Not the best of months for the most part as we dropped six points from winning positions.We were off to a flyer against Athletic but lapses in concentration meant we went 2-1 down but a late Alonso (MC) equalizer meant we actually got a point.In the games against Valencia and Sevilla,they were both pretty much the same as both we re even games,both saw us take the lead and both saw us throw away the lead as we got two points from those games.The game against Cordobab was a relief as we managed to win three points,we could have had more but finishing let us down.No complaints about the Barcelona game as we were outclassed,the fact we got a draw from the game is more than we deserved but I was pleased with the result.

April sees us face off against Elche,Real Sociedad,Granada,Villarreal and Deportivo.The Granada game is the most difficult of the five games as the other four teams are struggling in the battle against relegation,Elche are bottom and Deportivo,Villarreal and Real Sociedad all placed between 14th and 17th.We need as many points as possible as we are really close to Atletico Madrid in the chase for fourth.

Europa League

This was an a really intense tie,the first leg was a very close game and we have Talledo to thank as we edged the first leg 3-2.Again the second leg was a close game but we edged it 1-0 as poor finishing from both sides saw this a low scoring match but even so we went through 4-2 aggregate winners.

The Quarter finals sees us face Stuttgart which is probably the easier of the teams left to face so I do believe we can get through,if we can get an away goal then we will have the advantage.

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - April 2019

Liga BBVA

Advantage Gernika!We picked up thirteen points from fifteen as we moved ourselves into fourth spot with three games to go and we are not that far off Valencia!With players being quite tired,we have had to keep things a lot more tight hence why the games are pretty close,not really have had any injuries but suspensions have been a pain to deal with.No real stand out performances of the month as we beat the teams struggling and it was a tough game against Granada but a point was against Granada was a brilliant gain for us as that is the difference between us and Atletico.

May sees the final three games of the season as we face off against Murica,Levante and Mallorca.The Murica and Mallorca games are at home so we should have advabtage but Mallorca are battling against relegation and they will give us a very tough match.Levante are in a similar position to Murica as they are in mid-table and are safe but not challenging for a European spot so hopefully they have already gone on holiday.

Europa League

What a match the first leg was and a very late winner Yanguas from a set piece saw us win 4-3 in the first leg but it was a epic game to watch despite the close scoreline.The second leg saw us completely pick apart Stuttgart as we won 5-1 to give us a 9-4 aggregate win.Talledo netted in both games to take his Europa League tally to 19 goals which is a new record beating the previous record of 17 which was set by Falcao!

For the semi-final,we face off against Liga BBVA rivals Atletico Madrid,the winners of that match will face HSV or Roma in the final.Don't think we really have a chance but our one win against Atletico did come in a cup game but a semi-final place is a brilliant achievement considering it's our first time in Europe!

[Dexter_Morgan]

Going well there mate, hopefully a CL spot is the minimum you'll get this year

[B.W.G]

We have a three point advantage over Atletico with one game to go but they have a better head to head so we need to avoid defeat in our last league game which is against Mallorca.

[B.W.G]

Well we lost in the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona but this more then makes up for it

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - May 2019

Liga BBVA

Best way to finish off the season with three wins out of three as we clinched 4th place and a place in the Champions League,all three games were very comfortable in which we were never really threatened,we wended the season with a thirteen game unbeaten streak and just for that I think we deserved to clinch fourth place.Still quite a way off a top two finish,let alone winning the title as the big two are far better than the rest of us,hopefully we will be able to close the gap from next season onwards.

Copa del Rey

Not often I will say this but we were actually slightly better than Barcelona so I feel annoyed that we lost the game on penalties,this was another failure to win against Barcelona so maybe next season.

Europa League

The first leg against Atletico saw a very tight affair but the turning point was when Wanyama was sent off in the first half,after that we really didn't have any problems in defence.The second leg was completely different as we were far outclassed and out shot,we managed six shots with three of those on target and scored twice while Atletico managed twenty five shots and failed to put the ball in the net so I am really pleased with the defence and the finishing of the team.That was a very impressive way to win the final as we were by far the most dominant team in the final and Roma really did struggle to cope with us,a fully deserved win which meant a third trophy for me!

With winning the Europa League,we apparently qualify for the Champions League group stage according to the news I got in the inbox.Also we will compete for the European Super Cup and we will face Man City who beat Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

[B.W.G]

Some good news regarding facilities as the training facilities are being upgraded but the rest of them can be asked for in July.

Another small stadium expansion in which we will be gaining another 1500 seats which will take Urbieta's capacity to 7500 which is not a lot for a Liga BBVA side,roll on 2025!

[B.W.G]

Three bits of good news,in five to seven years time we should have top rating in everything.It has been easy to get upgrades due to the give youth a chance vision so the board never seem to turn a request down!

[safcrhys]

Fantastic this mate! I am jealous that you seem to find the game so easy.

[deltablue]

Yay, a double CL qualification!

[john1]

Another fantastic season Good to see you winning Europa

[Deisler26]

Congrats on a very successful season

[Dexter_Morgan]

Great season again and it seems the board are willing to help with the upgrades which is always useful

[B.W.G]

safchrys - Thanks mate To be fair,I do have a lot of success even on previous FM's!

deltablue - Also yay for no playoffs

john1 - Cheers fella!

deisler26 - Thank you

Dexter_Morgan - Cheers mate It is really helpful but it's getting to the point where they are taking longer and longer as my youth facilities won't be ready till October 2020!

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - End of Season 2018/19

2018/19 Transfers

Zero transfers in but due to pressure off the board that could change in the future.Fourteen players out on loan,none of these will be considered as first team players so they basically went out to perform and put themselves in the shop window.Six players left on frees at the start of the season and fourteen left at the end of the season on free transfers,none were good enough for the club so it was a case of let them go as they are young and do deserve some game time!

Competitions

Liga BBVA

League Table

Well it was another impressive performance in the league as we managed to improve and finish fourth as well as gaining another seven points of what we did the season before,we actually scored two less goals than the season before but our defence had improved and we conceded ten less goals so that was helpful in us moving up the table,if we could finish our chances off then we would easily be third but that is something to work on.We've had fifth,now we have finished fourth so my next objective is third as the top two are still some way off and Real Madrid are even further away from Barcelona based on this season!We still have a young squad but they should get better with age so we should be able to challenge in the future.

Copa del Rey

Runners-Up

Our best performance in the competition to date and we fell just short in the end.Zaragoza stood no chance in the 4th round as we ran out 6-0 aggregate winners.The 5th round saw us famously knock Real Madrid out as we won 5-3 on aggregate winners,we then faced Basque opposition in Real Sociedad and even that saw us put seven past them in total as we cruised through with a 7-3 aggregate win.The semi-final saw us face surprise package Cadiz,we were held to a 0-0 draw in the first leg before we put them to the sword as we won 4-0 to send us through to the final.The final saw us face against Barcelona and our run without a win against them continues but we are getting closer and I feel we will beat them in the next couple of seasons,this will probably be the first of the major domestic trophies we will win!

Europa League

Winners

A remarkable first attempt in Europe as we ran out winners.We topped a group containing Celtic,Inter Milan and Viktoria Plzen with a perfect record which was a brilliant effort off the team.The first knockout round saw us face Lyon,we were better in the first leg but they were better in the second but still won and we ran out 3-0 aggregate winners.The second knockout round against Fenerbahce was much tougher and two really close games were edged by us as we won 4-2 on aggregate.The quarter finals against Stuttgart saw two completely different ties as we barely edged the first leg before destroying them in the second leg as we ran out 9-4 aggregate winners.The semi-finals saw us face Atletico and what happened saw us claim our second and third win against them as we won 2-1 and 2-0 to give us a 4-1 aggregate winners.The final was rather one sided as Roma barely challenged us and it was a well deserved win as we ran out 4-0 winners.

Players,Stats and Awards

Best Xi - Overall Best XI

We claimed Equipo Revelacion del ano for the second season running.

A quick look at Player's Stats for the season.

Key Players

Mikel Talledo

Golden Boy - Jugador joven del ano - Maximo Goleador Espanol - Fans Player of the Year

60 Appearances,59 Goals,18 Assists,7.63 Avg.Rating

Andoni Alonso - MC

58 Appearances,16 Goals,21 Assists,7.63 Avg.Rating

Luis Artola

60 Appearances,13 Goals,21 Assists,7.42 Avg.Rating

Sergio Yanguas

59 Appearances,8 Goals,0 Assists,7.34 Avg.Rating

Sergio Torres

62 Appearances,10 Goals,15 Assists,7.28 Avg.Rating

Manager's Thoughts

Well it was a successful season as we broke the top four and won a European competition at our first attempt,on the other hand,we can't really do anything domestically due to Real Madrid and Barcelona being themselves and dominating domestically.I say it has been successful but Talledo was the stand out player by far as he showed his quality this season and was eventually capped by Spain during the close season.Looking really good financially as the players are not on too higher wages and we should have several new sponsorship deals due to the current ones running out,we are also regarded as a continental club now so our reputation as shot up in the recent seasons which is a good thing.

All facilities are being upgraded but the biggest problem is the stadium,despite it being upgraded,the capacity will still only be 7500 when we move back in which is not a lot and we will easily fill it.My other concern is what the board expects me to achieve next season,the board have already stated that they want us to challenge for the title which is still far off but the gap was only 12 points so I am actually thinking of changing my philosophy of using youth players only and would go into signing players who are under 23 as that would give us a better chance of challenging for the title but I have not really decided yet.All I know is next season will be our toughest yet.

Season       Division         League       Cup       Continental      Avg.Att        Notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014/15  Trecera Division      1st         N/A           N/A           2098        Promotion!
2015/16  Segunda Division      2nd       5th Rnd         N/A           2411    Promotion via Playoff!
2016/17   Liga Adelante        1st       4th Rnd         N/A           2910        Champions!
2017/18     Liga BBVA          5th      Semi Final       N/A           5983   Europa League qualifers!
2018/19     Liga BBVA          4th      Runners-Up     WINNERS        10204        EL Winners!

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - Pre-Season 2019/20

Club Information - Facilties - Boardroom Overview - Confidence - Finances

Pre-Season Transfers

No one in as I decided to tough it out despite the board putting pressure on me to succeed!Two players out on loan so far while twenty one players left on a free as they were not good enough to be here but would be able to play at other clubs.

Pre-Season Fixtures

Well we went pre-season unbeaten but it means nothing in the long run as I was trying out some of the youngsters who have potential to succeed but I will admit the Galatasaray performance was great.

The Team

Team Report

Tactic A - Tactic B - Tactic C

Key Players

Sergio Yanguas - DRC

Andoni Alonso - MC - MC/AMC

Luis Artola - MC/AMC

Mikel Talledo - AMC,ST

These four are by far the best players in the team,Yanguas and a phenomenal season last season and was eventually capped by Spain.Alonso may not look the best technically but his determination and his team play make him essential.Artola had his best season ever and I will continue him in the shadow striker role,he will probably be one of the next players to receive a call up to the full team.Talledo will be leading from the front like he did last season,he was another player who got called up to the full Spain team and I hope he can have another successful season.We will need these four to be at their very best if we are to challenge for the title.

Manager's Thoughts

Well the one thought I had over pre-season was whether I should start to sign players who are 23 or under to help challenge for the title but I decided to tough it out and only rely on the players who come through my youth system,this will be really tough as the board have decided to up the expectations and they decided on challenging for the title which was the minimum expectation I could pick!Financially things have picked up with regard to sponsorship deals as we now pick up £2.96 million per annum compared to the £932k we picked up last season which is good news.With the players getting better,I think we should be able to get third place but the ting which matters most will be the difference between ourselves and the two giants of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

The junior coaching and youth recruitment has been upped which is good news,the training facilities will be completed in October while the small expansion will be finished in September while we have to wait till October 2020 for the youth facilities to be complete.Like last season,we will be playing at the San Mames for European football which will be very useful as it seats 53332 so that should bring more money in at the club.We kick off the season with the Super Cup tie against Man City which will be really tough while we play Osasuna and Barcelona in the league so I know one out of two will be winnable in the league.This will be our hardest season yet due to the board but I am looking forward to the challenge,bring it on!!!

[B.W.G]

Think I got lucky with the Champions League group!

[B.W.G]

Gernika Club - Liga BBVA - August 2019

Liga BBVA

The perfect start to the league season as we won two out of two and finally recorded a win against Barcelona!We easily beat Osasuna 3-0 in the first game,the only disappointment was that we didn't score more than three.The Barcelona game saw us completely take them apart in the first half and we deserved the 2-0 lead,however we couldn't get things together in the second half and we just about hung on after Neymar pulled one back.

For September we face off against Sevilla,Celta,Deportivo,Almeria and Cordoba.The Sevilla game is by far the toughest of the five matches and it is away from home as well so we will need to be at our best.The other teams do not have the same quality as Sevilla so they should be easier but we still need to be careful,I will be looking at a minimum of nine points from September.

Euro Super Cup

Well I really did mess this up,I forgot to withdraw the players for the Spain u21 team so I ended up playing this game while missing thirteen players and I had to give debuts to six players and three of those came up from last seasons youth intake!The fact we only lost 2-1 was brilliant and we could have easily conceded more if Man City could finish their chances!

[john1]

Not bad to lose by a goal against Man City, when you're missing 13 players Good start in La Liga.

[deltablue]

Good start so far.