Jump to content

AC MilanYear Zero- Youth Project ! A new save with a twist.


Somedevil

Recommended Posts

I have been playing the game since CM3 times but this is my first career post here. All of my saves are with AC Milan as that is the club I love with all my heart and in this new FM save, I decided to do something that I had half heartedly done in the past.

A few years ago, our famous owner Berlusconi and his daughter (who was half CEO at that time) had declared that since the club did not have the money to make big market moves, they are going to develop a project using youth team players. The media called it Ital-Milan. Of course, nothing much came out of that project but I have decided to implement that philosophy in my new save, considering that when you start playing with Milan you barely have a budget. 

So here are the rules:-

- Players in my Milan team can only be players from the Academy.

- If I buy players from other teams they can only be Italian below the age of 17. 

- I can use current players for the first couple of years to stabilize results (and to make sure that the board don't fire me). 

 

I thought about developing my own tactic but abandoned that idea as it would be too much micro-managing. Instead I decided to go with a bunch if similar 4-3-1-2 tactics. At least I know that if things go wrong, it is not coz of the tactics. 

I just finished the first season and so far it has been going pretty good. Without the burden of having to deal with agents, this game is so much fun. It is also very gratifying to see the youth develop. I did have to let go of a few fan favorites (like abate, Antonelli) coz they need to make space for the talented youths and I have a lot of talented full backs. I also am not going to use Donnarumma for obvious reasons. 

 

This is how the first season go. 

DEA34966953AB9BE3AE96430383D59C7F461A20C

Bought only young Italian players and as you can see, lots of clauses inserted into the deal. 

An example of my usual starting lineup

CEA0984BB02904A99461B69AE45FDE200A0A7BB4

 

A couple of draws against Inter and Napoli gave Juve the advantage they needed to widen the gap. We almost had it. 

51701742F0CA9487DFCA0E2BEC943D870A44B721

Youth Shining! 

6DF2A318EFA18961A92E0607C76E3EFD17A27761

And a fantastic Coppa Italia Final, although I did play Bacca up front and Suso behind him. 

BE571853F4D706850BFC80DD46CCC8207DEE3A29

 

Really looking forward to the next couple of seasons when the players really start to show changes in attributes. 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Season 2

Transfer window

All players bought were aged 16 or below. Sold most of the older players. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

Knocked out in the Champions League Group stage

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

Lost in the Final of Europa League

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

Ended Second in the league

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

But won the coppa Italia- Second year in a row.

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

Link to post
Share on other sites

Season 3

 

Transfer Window. 

Not many players to sell. But bought some 16 and under talents again. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

But once again Finished runners up to Juve in the league. Albeit, with a lesser points difference. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

And once again, won the Coppa Italia. THIRD time in a row. Beating Juve 5-1 in the SF. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

But the BIGGEST SURPRISE WAS IN EUROPE. True to our European DNA. 

0332E7B2FABC9006116E767451366A2C3DE8B3A0

A repeat of the 2003 final but this time held in San Siro. Long awaited 8th European Cup for Milan. And to think I had Bayern and Arsenal in my group and no one gave us a chance. Finished the group stage unbeaten too. A great season. 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Season 4

Transfer Window

Yes I paid 39 million for a 17 year old. That's how good my scouts said the guy was. He is a winger but I am going to turn him into a striker. 

Bought a lot of old players to tutor my young ones too. Didn't give them any gamete whatsoever. Romagnoli, cajoled by Messi was desperate to leave and had no choice but to sell him. Made a handy profit though. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

Won the 4th Coppa Italia in a row. It was a very tight match with us down to ten men. Niang came through and is easily one of the top forwards in my current save. I intend to cash in on him soon.

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

Finally, managed to win the league for the first time since 2011. It came down tot he last game when a draw against Roma (as has happened many times in real life) was enough to seal the title for us. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

 

But YET AGAIN. Champions League was the biggest surprise where I took my revenge against Barca for stealing my prized Romagnoli. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

2nd CL win in a row and our 9th Cup overall. The first time in the history of the club that the treble has been won. Not to mention the supper coppa Italiana, European super cup and the Club world cup. 6 out of 6. Amazing season. And I have tons of youth prospects that are on loan at other clubs in the top leagues and doing well. Selection is going to be a headache for me and I intend to sell Suso, Niang etc. In their mid twenties, they are a bit too old for my squad ;). Both however are world class players in my save. 

 

 

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Time to showcase one of my best players. So good that I gave him Kaka's number. 

Bought for 3.5 million from Atlanta as a 17 year old. Could've been cheaper but they are our regional rivals. 

Here are his original stats. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

3 years later 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

Right training. Plus plenty of game time and we have a champion on our hands. 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, granarian said:

Wow love the Capone guy, what an improvement!!!

It truly is incredible and he is not the only one. a lot of them improved **** tons. I will post screenshots later. 

13 hours ago, The Malazan Empire said:

That's some improvement in stats. I love the idea of youth only projects as difficult as they can be initially. Well done you have had rapid success. 

Do you only buy Italian youngsters?

Yes. Only Italian youngsters aged 17 or below. Usually they are 16 or 15. I play them in an polder age group. 15yr olds and decent 16 year olds int he U-18 squad. Top talents that are 16, and 17 year olds in the U20 squad. And 18 and above go on loan to clubs that will give them good game time. 

By 19, I want these guys to knock for a first team place. And many of them do. I mean, I am spoiled for riches here as there are so many talented players ready to go. This is by far the most satisfying save I have planed in a long long time and I haven't missed a single FM game since cm3. 

P.s. I am reading Malazan currently ;)

 

12 hours ago, MattJames15 said:

Nice work in the Champions League! Looking forward to seeing how it goes. The change in value of Capone is incredible!

I am guessing the tough times will begin now as the board will start demanding more trophies. So far it was just about European qualification. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, Somedevil said:

It truly is incredible and he is not the only one. a lot of them improved **** tons. I will post screenshots later. 

Yes. Only Italian youngsters aged 17 or below. Usually they are 16 or 15. I play them in an polder age group. 15yr olds and decent 16 year olds int he U-18 squad. Top talents that are 16, and 17 year olds in the U20 squad. And 18 and above go on loan to clubs that will give them good game time. 

By 19, I want these guys to knock for a first team place. And many of them do. I mean, I am spoiled for riches here as there are so many talented players ready to go. This is by far the most satisfying save I have planed in a long long time and I haven't missed a single FM game since cm3. 

P.s. I am reading Malazan currently ;)

 

I am guessing the tough times will begin now as the board will start demanding more trophies. So far it was just about European qualification. 

Haha very good to see your a Malazan fan. How will you find the time to invest in both venturesides :)

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Torresinho said:

Some nice results here.
I really like wingerless tactics , but i just can't make it work. How about team and player instructions on your 4-1-2-1-2 ?

 

It's the one here.

After trying many tactics, this worked for me. Although I do tweak it during the match. Mostly, change the STR to CF and STL to AF and depending on the game situation, I chose BWM/BBM/CM roles for my players. I am not a big wan of wingers or strikers as that is not how Milan play traditionally. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Some more screenshots of my Top Players. 

Plizzari is a very highly promising talent in real life from our academy and big things are expected of him. I made him the first choice GK from the start of the save and he hasn't let me down. At the age of 20, he is first choice for Italy as well. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

Davide Calabria is another hot prospect and in my save, he is constantly being chased by Madrid and Barca. Thankfully he is loyal. In any case, I have 2 other amazing RBs lined up in the youth team. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

Locatelli is already a good player in real life but in FM he goes to a whole new level. At such a young age, he is keeping Verratti off the Italian national team. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

In real life Mastour has failed spectacularly to make a mark anywhere, after all the hype around him but in my game, he is a solid trequartista. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

Another guy who ahs been disappointing in real life but is a super player in FM. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

Cutrone is a player who has been banging in goals for the youth team for fun in real life. On the game, he started slow but then in the second season he scores 31 goals, next season 38 goals and in the previous season, where he was out injured for a long time, he still scored 22. Main striker for the Italian NT now. 

?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma?interpolation=lanczos-none&output-forma

Link to post
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Cedrik said:

Very nice stuff :). Love this kind of games :thup:

This save is so much fun. The only problem is arranging loans coz I have so many talented youngsters. Spoiled for riches and don't wanna sell anyone ha ha And that transfer budget of 159 m Euros is sitting there untouched. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...