[FM18] Kafra the Third - All Youth in England

[abulezz]

Welcome to the third installment of Kafra - the create your own club, youth only save that is based in England! After the great success I had with Kafra in the first installment (FM 16) of this save, the second version (FM17) faltered as I was bogged down with real life.  The hope here is that the third version will fall more in line with the original than the sequel - I am already a season in, and it has been a fantastic start.  So again, welcome to the third installment of the Kafra franchise!

[abulezz]

The updates will follow the same format as the previous installments, but as I prepare the updates, I just wanted to share that the team won the Vanarama South title right out of the gates in our first season!  Thanks to some Create A Player youths, we were able to take the league by storm and win it comfortably.  The update will be coming soon, but let me share these few pictures in the meantime.

 

[Bobby_Zamora]

Oh yes.

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2017/2018

 

Thanks to the Create-A-Player feature, I managed to get myself a number of young players that were good enough to win me the league in my first season! I don’t know if it is cheating our not, but I enjoyed taking the league by storm and having some of my players play outstanding football.  I made sure to get rid of all non-newgen players when I did the Create-A-Club, and so any non-Create-A-Player were actually given to me by the game as newgen.  The season was great – even though defensively we were mid-tier, our offensive was unstoppable with Thomas and Nyarko at the helm.  I forgo playing an Attacking Midfielder and just went straight for a 4-2-2-2 formation featuring two forwards tucked in between the two wingers, and two central midfielders behind them.  It worked out very well, and now we are off to the Vanarama National in just our second season!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOALKEEPERS

Elliot Hallett (2017), 17 Years Old: One of the Create-A-Player boys, Hallett did a fine job for us between the posts in our first year.  His 1.27 Con/90 was not spectacular, but it was solid for this level, and considering his age, it was actually kind of impressive.  He only had 9 Clean Sheets, which was a big disappointing, but I have no doubt he will be able to carry on at the same level next year when we compete in the Vanarama National league. Rating: 7/10

 

 

 

LEFT DEFENDERS

Matt Loxton (2017), 16 Years Old: A Create-A-Player left back, Loxton ended the season as one of our best and our second highest rated player at £60K.  He played in all 42 Games, registering 4 PoMs to go with an impressive 4.01 TpG and 33 Key Tackles, finishing the season with a 6.99 AR.  What was really nice about him was that he played to his strength – while he did not rush forward much, he did manage 1,714 Completed Passes, which was the second best on the team, and 50 Key Passes.  That meant he constantly played the ball forward through low-risk passes, as opposed to higher risk long balls or dribbles down the left.  His 227 Interceptions were third best on the team, pointing to his great all-around play – he obviously did a good job defensively, but he was also astute getting the ball forward and kick-starting the offensive movement of the team.  Rating: 7.5/10

 

 

 

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Chris Barnett (2017), 17 Years Old:  Another Create-A-Player result, Barnett was our finest defender this season and the leader of our back-line.  Not only that, but he was actually one of the best defenders in the league, period – look at the stats: 42 Appearances, 3 Assists, 5.08 TpG (14^th in League), 78 Key Tackles (1^st in League), 323 Interceptions (4^th in League), 15 Shots Blocked (1^st in League), and 7.19 AR (2^nd amongst Defenders, 9^th overall in League).  Those are as complete as they get for any defender, and shows just how vital he was to our title-winning campaign.  He solidified himself as one of our most important players, showing great mental strength and maturity that was key to his calm demeanor and confidence on the pitch.  Rating: 9/10

 

Steve Perry (2017), 18 Years Old:  The default starter next to Barnett, Perry was not terribly impressive and could not be counted on consistently this season.  In 32 Appearances, he registered 3.47 TpG and 6.75 AR, not contributing much else.  The hope is he will be a more consistent performer next season, as he looks to retain his role alongside Barnett despite stiff competition from a couple of youngsters who were part of this year’s youth class.  Rating: 6/10

 

 

 

RIGHT DEFENDERS

John Douglas (2017), 18 Years Old:  Not as impressive as Barnett, but still a strong contributor this season, Douglas stepped up at right-back and never relinquished the starting position after that.  In 36 Appearances, he registered 5.04 TpG (18^th in League), 51 Key Tackles (4^th in League), 262 Interceptions (2^nd on Team), and 6.87 AR – again, not as impressive as Barnet, but definitely a strong season.  He is less versatile than his counterpart on the left – Matt Loxton – and plays a bit like a CD on the wing, but he got the job done and that is what is important.  He goes into next season the undisputed starter for us at right-back.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

 

 

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Stuart Belt (2017), 16 Years Old:  This Create-A-Player result ended the season as our highest valued player, worth £68K – it was fully justifiable, as well.  Not only were his conventional stats great for this level (39 Appearances, 10 Assists, 2 PoMs, 7.19 AR), which his Assists and AR amongst the highest in the league, but if you delve a little bit deeper into his numbers, you would begin to understand what made him so influential.  Despite having a central midfield role, his 494 KM Total Distance Covered and 13.1 KM Distance/90 were amongst the top in the league, and his 71 Key Passes was good enough for 6^th in the league.  A total of 2,108 Passes Completed was easily the best on the team, which speaks about his strength as a playmaker in the middle of the pitch – overall, I was extremely happy with his contributions and really hope he develops further as he grows more mature. Rating: 9/10

 

Ross Hopkinson (2017), 16 Years Old:  Where Belt was a superior playmaker, Hopkinson was both a bigger goalscoring threat and a stronger defensive presence, simultaneously.  In 39 Appearances, he registered 6 Goals, 3 PoMs, 2.62 TpG, and 7.10 AR – this is not to say he did a bad job setting up the flow of an attack, since he actually was ranked 3^rd in the League with 80 Key Passes.  The potential of Belt is higher than Hopkinson, but the latter did show good development in his first year that will hopefully continue next season. Rating: 8/10

 

 

 

LEFT WINGERS

Tommy Davis (2017), 18 Years Old:  The Create-A-Player left winger was one of our most influential players this season, playing in all 42 Games.  The main reason for his solid play was the amount energy and effort he brought with him to every match – his 573 KM Total Distance Covered was top of the league and his 13.70 KM Distance/90 was 2^nd in the league.  He also was a very efficient player – 75% Shot Target was best in the league (a very impressive number considering he scored 10 Goals), his 13 Assists were 2^nd in the league, and his 24 Chances Created was 10^th in the league.  He has great speed for this level of football and good mental strength, and I was impressed with his consistency.  He registered a 7.00 AR that I expect he will build on in the coming season.  Rating: 8/10

 

 

 

RIGHT WINGERS

Brad King-Finley (2017), 17 Years Old:  Perhaps the weakest position on the team, King-Finley was definitely the least impressive starter we had this year.  In 32 Appearances, he registered 4 Goals, 3 Assists, and 6.64 AR – none of his other numbers were good, either.  He was very mediocre, and at time detrimental to the team, making mistakes down the right wing that ended up putting pressure on our defense instead of helping our offense.  As of right now, however, we don’t have a better alternative, so he remains the defacto starter for us here next year.  Rating: 5/10

 

 

 

FORWARDS

Michael Thomas (2017), 17 Years Old:  What can I say about this kid – he was not only our best player, but he was also crowned the Vanarama South Player of the Season.  He played in 37 Games, was tied with his teammate Nyarko for the Top Goalscorer with 29 Goals, and had a league-leading 14 Assists, 9 PoMs, and 7.50 AR.  In other words, he was completely on fire this season.  He was amongst the league leaders with 57% Shot Target, 62 Key Passes, 25% Cross Completion, and was top of the league with 36 Chances Created.  There is not much more you can ask from a forward, and he was so instrumental in almost every attack he had.  Also, he signed a new contract with us without any added drama, making him our highest paid player ever at £725 per week with a contract that will keep him with us until 2021.  He has already become my favorite player so far this save.  Rating: 10/10

 

Bismark Nyarko (2017), 17 Years Old:  I feel I have a special bond with Nyarko because he is half-Ghanaian, and also because he was our 1B to Thomas’ 1A this season.  The numbers were almost as impressive as Thomas – 37 Appearance, 29 Goals (tied with Thomas for Top Goalscorer), 12 Assists (3^rd in league), 5 PoMs, and 7.29 AR (2^nd in league).  His 62% Shot Target was 2^nd only to Tommy Davis in the league, but was just as impressive given the amount of shots he actually attempted.  I actually got him to sign a contract earlier in the year the keeps him with us until 2020, which was a good thing because now he thinks we don’t have enough talent to match his ambition!  Nevertheless, between him and Thomas we have two bonafide offensive stars that will easily get the job done in the Vanarama National league.  Rating: 10/10

 

 

 

 

YOUTH INTAKE

                                                                                        

 

John Turner – Mark Munro

 

I managed to get the board to agree to increase the level of Youth Recruitment network earlier in the season, but it did not prevent us from having a relatively weak first Intake.  Turner looks like he will be a good player for us, but I can’t see him developing to be a better player than either Belt or Hopkinson at the time being, while Munro plays the same position as one of our most talented boys in Tommy Davis.  The rest of the Intake is not worth speaking of, although I will keep an eye out for Darren Joyce, who seems to have potential to have potential.  Rating: 5/10

 

[abulezz]

Good preseason so far:

[Bedese]

Good luck  

[abulezz]

[abulezz]

 

World Cup 2018 - Russia

 

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Best Player after leading the World Cup with 6 Goals and bringing Portugal to the World Cup Finals.  Harry Kane elevated his legend to new heights, spearheading the England attack with 4 Goals on their way to their second ever World Cup title.

 

 

 

 

 

[abulezz]

So far so good as in the Vanarama National - we are in a playoff spot despite some slightly inconsistent form.

[MichaelBrown]

Always a pleasure to follow this, but I wish you would go back to Kafra 1 and just struggle to the top
 

*But I understand it's up to you how you play.

[abulezz]

4 hours ago, MichaelBrown said:

Always a pleasure to follow this, but I wish you would go back to Kafra 1 and just struggle to the top
 

*But I understand it's up to you how you play.

Hi MichaelBrown - thanks for stopping by and commenting! 

If there was some way to bring over FM16 saves to FM18, I would definitely continue that save and try to find a way to get that CL title!

I hope you enjoy this year's version as much as we all did the original.

[abulezz]

So far, so good!

[abulezz]

This Create-A-Player batch has been the best since the concept came out in FM16 - top of the league first year, and challenging for an automatic promotion in the second.

[abulezz]

Just went top!

[abulezz]

Not a good result, especially with only three games to go:

[abulezz]

Despite some real hardcore choking, we go into our last game with our fate still in our hands:

[kidthekid]

wow, that is really close

[JMA]

Good stuff so far

Have any bigger clubs been interested in your younger players?

[abulezz]

21 hours ago, kidthekid said:

wow, that is really close

Yes - I haven't played the last game yet, but I am itching to get it done!

13 hours ago, JMA said:

Good stuff so far

Have any bigger clubs been interested in your younger players?

Not yet - I have received a couple of offers for Loxton, but it was nothing major. 

[abulezz]

Mission accomplished! Two No.1 titles and promotions in a row - great way to start this save.

[Warg92]

Good job!

[abulezz]

13 hours ago, Warg92 said:

Good job!

Thanks! Update for the second season will be coming up soon. 

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2018/2019

 

It took 9-10 seasons in each of the last two previous saves to make it to League 2 – this time around, we got two automatic promotions in a row, finishing top of the league in both years.  This had nothing to do with my managerial talent and everything to do with the Create-A-Players quality that I was able to produce and Bismark Nyarko (who was a newgen I started out with.)  Unfortunately, most of my talented players have their contracts expiring, so it will be a battle keeping them on.  Some already committed, but most seem to be ready to hit the Free Transfer market.  Our offense was, once again, top of the league and absolutely blazing – our defense, not so much.  Still, despite it being a lot tougher this year than last, we managed to accomplish a very tough feat of getting promoted two years in a row. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOALKEEPERS

Elliot Hallett (2017), 18 Years Old:  His numbers weren’t great, but I don’t think we can get a more talented GK at this level – we won the league with Hallett playing 46 Games, so there really is no cause for complaint.  He registered 1.65 Con/90 and a 6.81 AR – the latter was a better representative of his form than the former, because the backline in front of him were inconsistent throughout the season.  Nevertheless, there is room for improvement, but there is absolutely no doubt he is our No.1 going into the League 2.  Rating: 7/10

 

 

 

LEFT DEFENDERS

Matt Loxton (2017), 17 Years Old:  A tough position to do well in considering the high number of talented right wing talent at this level, Loxton had a pretty decent season in any case.  He played in all 46 Games, registering 3 Assists, 4.72 TpG, and 6.83 AR.  Expectedly, he was amongst the team leader in TpG and Key Tackles, and he proved his passing ability was no fluke as he again finished second on the team with 1,940 Completed Passes.  He has yet to miss a league game, and that durability has been extremely important for us considering the lack of depth at the position.  We go into the offseason, however, not knowing if he will be with us next year, as his contract is up this summer and he refuses (so far) to renew.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

 

 

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Chris Barnett (2017), 18 Years Old:  The heart of defense and again one of the best CDs in the league, Barnett has become one of our most indispensable players.  In 41 Games, he registered 3 Goals, 4 Assists, 3 PoMs, and 7.14 AR, which was good enough for 17^th in league and the highest amongst all defenders.  That, of course, was only half the story – he also registered 5.88 TpG (4^th in league), 77 Key Tackles (best in league), 47 Key Headers (6^th in league), 235 Interceptions (10^th in league), and 13 Shots Blocked (best in league).  On the ground or in the air, he was fantastic, and his defensive instincts and intuition was second to none.  He is committed to us until 2022, and he has made no secret about wanting to remain at the club.  Along with Thomas and Nyarko, he is my favorite player in this save so far.  Rating: 9.5/10

 

Steve Perry (2017), 19 Years Old:  In retrospect, I think we would have done a bit better defensively if I had kept Perry as the main starter alongside Barnett, because he showed some good improvement.  I decided to start Winter and give him a chance, but Perry ended up being more impressive – in 20 Games, he registered 2 Goals, 4.77 TpG, and 7.02 AR.  The great thing about Perry is his versatility – is a natural anywhere across the backline, either in the center or on the wings.  I signed him to a new contract, and I probably will give him another chance to start out the new season as our starter.  Rating: 7/10

 

Robbie Winter (2017), 18 Years Old:  Upon the recommendations of my coaching staff, I gave Winter the starting position at the beginning of the season, but ended up switching him to main backup a bit more than halfway through the season.  He simply was not consistent enough – in 28 Games, he registered 1 Goal, 3 Assists, 3.95 TpG, and – tellingly – 6.70 AR.  While I think he should serve us fine as a backup going forward, I did not do enough to convince me he was capable of being relied on game in and game out.  Rating: 5/10

 

 

 

RIGHT DEFENDERS

John Douglas (2017), 19 Years Old:  Is he the long term answer for us at right back? No, I don’t think so, but he still has given us two very decent seasons so far.  In 41 Games, he registered 4 Assists, 5.10 TpG, and 6.91 AR, which were similar numbers to his first year.  Overall, like I mentioned, he has given us decent form and I don’t really have any points of complaints – he is not spectacular, but he is reasonably consistent and can be counted on to at least not make a lot of mistakes.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

 

 

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Stuart Belt (2017), 17 Years Old:  One of the best players in the entire league this season, Belt was tremendous for us in the middle of the pitch.  He played in all 46 Games, registering 4 Goals, 12 Assists (7^th in league), 1 PoM, 3.22 TpG, and 7.27 AR (7^th in league).  As was the case last year as well, his 598.6km Total Distance Covered was amongst the top of the league, while 86 Key Passes were 3^rd best in the league – additionally, he had 25 Chances Created (13^th in league), and was by far the team leader with 2,832 Passes Completed.  Perhaps the most surprising stat, which might be the most reflective of just how complete a player he is, was his 130 Interceptions, good enough for second best on the team.  Unfortunately, he enters the summer ready to become a Free Agent, refusing to sign a contract with us despite our promotion.  If we don’t get to retain him, he is going to be a huge loss for us going forward. Rating: 9/10

 

Ross Hopkinson (2017), 17 Years Old:  Hopkinson combined with Belt to make quite a tandem in the midfielder this year, and their success was an integral part of the team’s push to finish top of the league.  He played in 45 Games, scoring 10 Goals (7 were from Penalties as he was our designated penalty kicker), 5 Assists, 5 PoMs, 3.36 TpG, and 7.07 AR.  He definitely improved on last year’s numbers, although his AR took a slight dip – nonetheless, Hopkinson was one of our top performers.  He was second on the team in both Key Passes and Passes Completed, and like Belt, showed a mature, complete game.  Rating: 7.5/10

 

 

 

LEFT WINGERS

Tommy Davis (2017), 19 Years Old:  The league’s most active player (top of the league with 647.6km Total Distance Covered and 4^th best with 14.52km Distance/90), Davis was slightly inconsistent this year as compared to his first.  He played in all 45 Games, registering 5 Goals, 11 Assists, 2 PoMs, 1.05 DpG, and 6.90 AR, which was down from last year’s 7.00 AR.  He is also one of those players with an expiring contract that has refused to renew, so we are facing the very real prospect that he might be with us next year.  Overall, he is a very talented left winger for this level, and if he continues with us, I have no doubt he will figure it out – he has potential to be one of the best left wingers at this level.  Rating: 7/10

 

 

 

RIGHT WINGERS

John Turner (2018), 17 Years Old:  The first player from the ’18 Youth Class to break into the first team, Turner initially came to us as a natural CM, but has since begun his re-training into a right winger.  He also became our starting right winger, and played all 46 Games for us this year.  He registered 1 Goal, 12 Assists (7^th in league), 2.34 TpG, 77% Pass Ratio, and 7.03 AR, playing well enough to become one of our best players this season.  I think his transition to right winger is going well, and he went from not knowing the position at all at the beginning of the season to becoming Accomplished at it by the end.  He also showed good improvement in his speed, both Acceleration and Pace, which will definitely be helpful as he matures and he move on into a tougher league.  Rating: 7.5/10

 

 

 

FORWARDS

Michael Thomas (2017), 18 Years Old:  Another amazing season from Thomas was concluded with the striker committing to us until 2022 with a new contract – a huge boost for us considering how important he is to us.  Although Nyarko ended up having a more impressive season this year, there is no doubt that Thomas is just as important.  In 45 Games, he registered 22 Goals (10^th in league), 15 Assists (3^rd in league), 6 PoMs (9^th in league), 56% Shot Target, 73 Key Passes (10^th in league), 38 Chances Created (Best in league), and 7,28 AR (5^th in league).  The only more impressive player was his teammate and Player of the Year Bismark Nyarko, and the Ghanaian had an historic season, so no shame in finishing 2^nd to that.  Overall, I am nothing but happy with Thomas thus far in his career, and he has the makings of becoming a club legend sooner rather than later. Rating: 9.5/10

 

Bismark Nyarko (2017), 18 Years Old:  Wow – what a season!  This guy rose higher than I could ever imagine – he had a good season last year so I expected strong performances, but Nyarko delivered what was one of the finest seasons from any FM player I have ever had at this level, if not that finest.  Let’s go over the numbers – 44 Games, 47 Goals (Top of league and new record), 8 Assists, 8 PoMs (2^nd in league), 58% Shot Target, 32 Chances Created (5^th in league), 2.05 DpG (4^th in league), and 7.58 AR (Best in league).  Obviously, he was crowned the league’s Player of the Year, breaking the goal scoring record and generally becoming one of the greatest offensive players ever at this level.  Without him and Thomas, this second straight promotion would not have been possible, and I am glad I have one more year to try to convince this guy to stay.  What a beast of a player!  Rating: 10/10

 

 

 

 

YOUTH INTAKE

                                                                                        

 

 

Brandon Stratful – Jordan Page – Allan Koriya – Ryan Cousins

 

So that’s two “Golden Generations” in a row according to my HOYD – obviously, it is more to do with the lack of overall quality on our team (save for our great Create-A-Players.)  Last season, we ended up getting a pretty good prospect (Turner), but nothing else – this year, we don’t have any prospects as talented as Turner, but the Intake is a bit deeper, which is a good thing.  I also think we might potentially have a diamond in the rough in Koriya – my staff don’t rate him too highly, but I am impressed with his technical abilities.

 

[abulezz]

Good start to the summer:

[abulezz]

So a little update as we start the new season: primary players Matt Loxton, Stuart Belt, and Tommy Davis have all left the club after letting their contracts expire and refusing to sign a new one.  We are in reasonably worse shape than we were last year talent-wise, so its going to be a tough one.  

[abulezz]

Rough start to the season:

[abulezz]

Starting to get a little better:

[kidthekid]

At least Nyarko continues to score

[abulezz]

13 hours ago, kidthekid said:

At least Nyarko continues to score

He has been our brightest star thus far this season, but the trouble is, his contract is up at the end of this year, and he is refusing to resign!

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2019/2020

 

Tough season.  We started out in terrible form, worked our way out of the relegation zone, and then went on another winless streak towards the end of the season that threatened to send us back into the relegation zone.  Thankfully, our offense pulled us through and had us survive the drop, but let’s not kid ourselves – our defense is shambolic.  There is simply not enough talent, although we might have gotten a decent prospect in the Intake this year.  We lost three key players in LB Loxton, CM Belt, and LW Davis, and we did not have anyone with anywhere near the same level of talent replacing them.  Add to that the fact that the jump between the Vanarama National and League 2 was a lot bigger in terms of talent than form the South to the National, and it was recipe for struggle.  The good news is, the board has agreed to invest in improving our Youth Recruitment Network, so we can look forward to hopefully better Intakes than what we have gotten the past three years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOALKEEPERS

Elliot Hallett (2017), 19 Years Old:  He remains the best GK on the squad by a long shot, and despite a league-worst 1.96 Con/90.  He played in all 46 Games, and despite a deplorable backline in front of him, he did reasonably decent given the circumstances.  He registered 6 Clean Sheets and 6.78 AR, and even though the Kafra defense was the worst in the league, Hallett himself was perhaps the least to blame.  Rating: 6/10

 

 

 

LEFT DEFENDERS

Rob Ballinger (2017), 19 Years Old:  Matt Loxton’s replacement at left-back, Ballinger had a miserable season that ended up being the worst of any starter I have had since the beginning of this save.  In 38 Games, he registered 3 Assists, 5.45 TpG, 59% Pass Ratio, and 6.56 AR – although his TpG was high, it did not make up for the other deficiencies in his form, with his 6 Mistakes Leading to Goals being a league high.  I will look for ever alternative so as not to start him next season, because he was a core reason why our defense was so bad this year.  Rating: 4/10

 

 

 

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Chris Barnett (2017), 19 Years Old:  Although he was still our best defender, it was obvious that he was overwhelmed and overmatched at times this season.  Still, he amongst the league leaders in many defensive in categories – he played in all 46 Games, registering 1 Goal, 1 PoM, 4.20 TpG, 63 Key Tackles (3^rd in League), 227 Interceptions (7^th in League), 20 Shots Blocked (Best in League), and 6.79 AR.   Rating: 6.5/10

 

Steve Perry (2017), 20 Years Old:  Our oldest player and most versatile defender, he struggled this season like the rest of the backline.  He played in 44 Games, registering 3 Assists, 4.70 TpG, 43 Key Tackles (2^nd on Team), 139 Interceptions (2^nd on Team), and 6.65 AR.  Overall, I am disappointed as I would have expected better from him, but given the limited talent, I can understand why he was so poor in form.  Still, we need to be able to rely on him for some better form next season, as he remains an important part of our defense thanks to our lack of talent and his versatility.  Rating: 5.5/10

 

 

 

RIGHT DEFENDERS

John Douglas (2017), 20 Years Old:  Our temporary starter at right-back has turned into a long-term one, despite continuous calls from the coaching staff to bench him in favor of someone else.  He played in 38 Games, registering 4.35 TpG, 6.74 AR, and not much else.  I guess I can be happy for the fact that he did not make a lot of mistakes, but he definitely did not contribute to making the backline any better.  He will remain our starter next year, as we don’t seem to have any prospects capable of taking his place.  Rating: 5.5/10

 

 

 

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Allan Koriya (2019), 16 Years Old:  He was no Stuart Belt, but Koriya did show a level of consistency that is rare for a player of his young age.  He played in 45 Games, missing just one, and registering 1 Goal, 2 Assists, 1 PoM, 2.63 TpG, 1,460 Completed Passes (2^nd on Team), 68 Key Passes (11^th in League), and 6.99 AR.  I had a feeling he would show enough potential to get some playing time when he first came up through the Intake, and he did not let me down.  Hopefully, he will continue showing improvement and end up giving us some quality in the middle of the pitch.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

Ross Hopkinson (2017), 18 Years Old:  I honestly expected Hopkinson to struggle more than he did – we actually ended up getting a pretty decent season from him.  In 41 Games, he registered 4 Goals, 6 Assists, 1 PoM, 4.55 TpG, 73% Pass Ratio, 1,684 Passes Completed (Best on Team), and 6.92 AR.  Although he did pose a decent threat going forward, his strength was limiting the other team when they had possession in the midfield.  I had my doubts, but now I am very certain he can give us some good quality football in the middle of the pitch at this level going forward.  Rating: 7/10

 

 

 

LEFT WINGERS

Mark Munro(2018), 18 Years Old:  The biggest drop-off in talent between last year and this year was at the left winger position, with Munro stepping up to replace Tommy Davis.  Although he did not do terrible, Munro is nowhere near the quality we need, especially as both wing positions play such a focal point in my attacking strategy.  In 43 Games, he registered 8 Assists, 2.18 TpG, and 6.71 AR – tellingly, his numbers in terms of crosses, passes, and dribbles were not notable.  Munro does not seem to have the right potential for a player we would like on the left wing, but there is also no other alternative at the time being.  Rating: 6/10

 

 

 

RIGHT WINGERS

John Turner (2018), 18 Years Old:  He’s been trying to leave since the end of his rookie season, which sucks because he is easily one of our most talented players.  He is also the first player to crack the starting lineup from the Kafra Youth Academy, so there is a bit of sentimental touch there.  In 40 Games, he registered 4 Goals, 7 Assists, 2 PoMs, 4.11 TpG, 74% Pass Ratio, and 6.93 AR – his numbers were down slightly from the previous season, but he was still our main threat down the wings.  He has one more year on his contract, and he is the only player I am consistently getting offers for, ranging from £200K to £300K.  I am inclined not to sell him, though, as I believe he is worth more to me this season than the amount I will get for him.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

 

 

FORWARDS

Michael Thomas (2017), 19 Years Old:  For the second time in three years, Michael Thomas was named our Player of the Year, and with good reason.  He led the league with 31 Goals (he played in 44 Games), also registering 7 Assists, 75% Pass Ratio, 58% Shot Target (5^th in League), and 7.19 AR (8^th in League.)  Unfortunately, he also started making noise about wanting to join a bigger club, and with his contract running out in 2021, that means we might only have one more year of Thomas before he leaves.  He has been spectacular for us over the past three years, scoring 82 League Goals in 124 Appearances, and I still have hope that we can manage to convince him to stay at the club as he has proven to be loyal in the past.  Rating: 9/10

 

Bismark Nyarko (2017), 19 Years Old:  With his refusal to sign a new contract, Nyarko has now played his last season with the club, which is a huge bummer for us.  The guy was fantastic this year, as well:  42 Appearances, 24 Goals (4^th in League), 15 Assists (2^nd in League), 4 PoMs, 78% Pass Ratio, 50% Shot Target, 1.41 DpG, and 7.07 AR.  Truth be told, had he been slightly more consistent with his form and didn’t have a few disastrous games, he would have won his second Kafra Player of the Year award in a row.  In any case, I failed to convince him that this was home, and he will likely be joining a new team this summer once his contract is up.  He scored 100 League Goals for us over the course of the past three years, with a killer combination pace and attacking ability on full display.  He will be sorely missed!  Rating: 9/10

 

 

 

 

YOUTH INTAKE

                                                                                                       

 

 

Luther Skeete – Joe Mitchell –Neil Harvey

 

Luther Skeete is our first decent defensive prospect, which is a good thing because we are in desperate need of shoring up our back-line.  Overall, I am not disappointed with this Intake, but I am not exactly overjoyed, either.  We didn’t receive any real immediate contributors, although given the way things are going with Nyarko, we might see Mitchell become a starter for us as early as next season.  He seems to have the right skill-set, and hopefully he will be able to contribute.  Not much else to look at outside of those two, however.

 

[noikeee]

Kafra is back! Version 1 of Kafra 2 years ago was one of my favourite careers in this forum so I'll be sure to keep an eye on this.

Looks like things just got substantially tougher this season after that initial headstart. But I think these struggles will also make it extra interesting. Keep pushing, the real hard work starts now.

[abulezz]

23 minutes ago, noikeee said:

Kafra is back! Version 1 of Kafra 2 years ago was one of my favourite careers in this forum so I'll be sure to keep an eye on this.

Looks like things just got substantially tougher this season after that initial headstart. But I think these struggles will also make it extra interesting. Keep pushing, the real hard work starts now.

Hey noikeee! Really happy to see you back!

I got lucky with some really talented Create-A-Players, but they are almost all gone now, and I've had mediocre Intakes so far.  The only reason we managed to stay up was because we had some outstanding offensive players.  Unfortunately, Nyarko looks set to abandon us this summer, with Michael Thomas following suit next summer along with John Turner.  It is just going to get tougher from here on in!

[Marbah]

i looked intense at the monitor for about 10minutes until i found one of your posts, and lord be praised, the fm18 story i've been waiting for.

 

thank you for doing this

 

lets go KAFRA yuhuu

[abulezz]

4 hours ago, Marbah said:

i looked intense at the monitor for about 10minutes until i found one of your posts, and lord be praised, the fm18 story i've been waiting for.

 

thank you for doing this

 

lets go KAFRA yuhuu

Lol - thank you for the kind words.  I'm glad you're back to (hopefully) enjoy the third version of the Kafra story.

 

I am midway through the 4th season, and we are set to lose our best prospect from our Youth Intakes yet:

[noikeee]

Did he hate you personally, to move all the way up to Scotland for a mediocre wage? 

[abulezz]

10 minutes ago, noikeee said:

Did he hate you personally, to move all the way up to Scotland for a mediocre wage? 

LOL - that would be some pretty strong resentment!

Actually, its a trend in all versions of FM I have found - no matter how you do during the year, it seems players that have made up their mind about leaving previously rarely change it, especially when they complain about the club not being big enough or the standard isn't high enough for their ambition.  I had three players in this save (Loxton, Belt, Davis) all leave and sign with teams either in our new league after getting promoted, or the league below us.  Its very frustrating, actually!

 

[abulezz]

I might have broken the bank for him, but god am I happy he decided to stay!

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2020/2021

 

Let’s get this out of the way – our defense belongs in some U13 local park league, as opposed to League 2 in England.  It is that bad.  We managed to avoid the drop again solely because of our offense, which this year was even all that good.  We were missing Bismark Nyarko, who was one half of our behemoth frontline – without him, Michael Thomas struggled in what was his worst season in his career to date.  John Turner was also a huge contributor to our offense – unfortunately for us, our newly crowned Kafra Player of the Year agreed to a move to Scotland halfway through the season, not allowing us any more chances to try to get him to sign a new contract.  However, Thomas once again proved his loyalty to the club and signed with us for the long term – yes, his contract is the richest in club history by far, but for all he has done and continues to do for us, it was definitely worth it.  Encouragingly, our star prospect from last year’s intake, DC Luther Skeete, showed great progress, so that was also a plus.  Other than that, I am just glad we managed to stay up, and it will probably be more of the same next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOALKEEPERS

Elliot Hallett (2017), 20 Years Old:  The honest truth? I got so tired of Hallett complaining about wanting to leave that given its his last year of a contract he did not wish to renew, I benched him in the middle of the season out of spite.  Yes – I got angry at a fake player in FM! Talent-wise, he started the season as our best GK, but by the end of it, Stratful had made some great progress that the debate was not so clear anymore.  In 26 Games, he registered 2.12 Con/90 and 6.80 AR, finishing off his Kafra career with 158 League Appearances and 6.81 AR.   Rating: 6/10

 

Brandon Stratful (2018), 18 Years Old:  Once he started getting some playing time, his development escalated very quickly, and by the end of the season, Stratful was arguable just as good skill-wise as the man he replaced, Elliot Hallett.  He made 20 Appearances, registering 2.05 Con/90 and 6.67 AR – his form was not up to Hallett’s level, but I would expect he will do better next season.  With Hallett leaving, he takes over the No.1 shirt, and I am optimistic about how he will perform, so I am not placing too much weight on his form this year.  Rating: 5/10

 

 

 

 

LEFT DEFENDERS

Aidan Ward (2018), 19 Years Old:  After the disaster of a season Ballinger gave us last year, I replaced him in the starting lineup with our next best alternative in Ward.  While he did perform better, he was still not up to par with what we need – I would even say he was worse than mediocre.  We remained the worst defensive team in the league, and Ward certainly contributed towards that – in 38 Appearances, he registered 3.39 TpG and 6.61 AR.  I could continue to experiment and see if anyone else can do a better job next season, or give him one more chance – as of now, I am undecided. Rating: 5/10

 

 

 

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Chris Barnett (2017), 20 Years Old:  Honestly, I did not expect such a huge drop-off in form from Barnett this season.  His season on season comparisons are terrible – for example, his 6.59 AR as compared to 6.79 AR from last season.  I don’t quite know what happened since I did not change any strategies in the back, and Barnett was not injured at any point during the season.  In 46 Appearances, he registered 2 Goals, 1 PoM, 2.76 TpG, and 6.59 AR – for the first time since the inception of the club, he also failed to lead the team in Interceptions.  He did, however, keep his knack for being at the right place at the right time, as evident by his 42 Key Tackles (2^nd in League) and his league-leading 26 Shots Blocked.  In terms of talent, he still is our best, but I have to say I am extremely disappointed in the level of his play this season.    Rating: 4.5/10

 

Luther Skeete (2020), 17 Years Old:  His form playing alongside Barnett was not especially good, but what was encouraging about Skeete was the level of development throughout the season.  If this keeps up, he will be our best CD skill-wise by the end of the 2021/22 season, I have no doubt.  In his rookie season with us, he was immediately thrown into the starting lineup – in 39 Appearances, he registered 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 2 PoMs, 193 Interceptions (15^th in League), and 6.72 AR.  Conventional wisdom will say that he will continue his improvement next season and that will show in his form, as well, so I am hoping for the best as we continue to strive to NOT be the worst defensive team in the league.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

 

 

RIGHT DEFENDERS

Sam Spencer (2018), 18 Years Old:  It was a bit of a rotation at the right back position this year, but Spencer was the one that ended up featuring the most.  In 28 Appearances, he registered 3.28 TpG, and 6.64 AR – those numbers tell you the state of the right back position on this team.  Simply put, out of a number of weak positions, right back is still the clear weakest link.  There is no easy fix here – we don’t have any significant talent to speak of, so the best we can hope for is that one of these players show an unexpected improvement in form.  Rating: 5/10

 

 

 

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Allan Koriya (2019), 17 Years Old:  Like most of the team, Koriya took a step back in terms of form during his sophomore season, although he did end the season in decent form over the last two months or so.  He had 44 Appearances, registering 2 Goals, 3 Assists, 2 PoMs, 1.28 TpG, 76% Pass Ratio, and 6.79 AR.  His 48 Key Passes were tied for most on the team, and the 1,717 Passes Completed he registered was the second highest total, so he did give us some creativity out of the midfield.  My coaching staff seem to be a bit more down on his potential than they were a year ago, and save for his vision, he does not seem to have too much going for him.  Nonetheless, he remains one of our top CMs, and will most likely continue playing a crucial role for us in the short term.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

Ross Hopkinson (2017), 19 Years Old:  It was more of the same from Hopkinson, which given how this season went, was not a bad thing.  In 44 Appearances, he registered 6 Goals, only 1 Assist, 1 PoM, 1.77 TpG, 73% Pass Ratio, 48 Key Passes (Best on team), 2,267 Passes Completed (Best on team), and 6.85 AR.  He was more consistent than most other members of the squad, and remains vital for us in the center of the pitch.  We have a lack of depth at the position, so that adds to Hopkinson’s importance to our starting eleven.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

 

 

LEFT WINGERS

Mark Munro(2018), 18 Years Old:  This is another position in which we lack depth, but thankfully Munro was able to show decent form throughout the season, even though his potential and upside are severely limited.  In 45 Appearances, he registered 2 Goals, 13 Assists (4^th in League), 71% Pass Ratio, 1.06 DpG, and 6.70 AR – he obviously showed good passing ability, so that’s a plus, but those numbers are pretty close to his ceiling, I think.  That being said, he is still very young, and I would love it if he proves me wrong – it is one less position to worry about in terms of talent.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

 

 

RIGHT WINGERS

John Turner (2018), 19 Years Old:  He’s leaving on a jet plane (to Scotland), and never coming back again – our star prospect from the ’18 Youth Class has decided that his future lays to the north, earning less than what he could earn with us now.  His last season with us was a good one, enough that it won him the Kafra Player of the Year award.  In 46 Appearances, he registered 13 Goals (2^nd on team), 10 Assists (2^nd on team), 2 PoMs, 74% Pass Ratio, 1.99 DpG, and 6.97 AR – the overall numbers were the best on the team, and he had a couple of games were he won the match for us almost single-handedly.  We are definitely going to miss him, and it is a little frustrating because I believed we had a chance of keeping him, but he signed in January before we got that chance.    Rating: 7/10

 

 

 

FORWARDS

Michael Thomas (2017), 20 Years Old:  The most important piece of news first: our talisman since the inception of the club, he proved his loyalty once more and signed the richest contract in club history just before the season ended.  He has been arguably our most important player over the past four years, and I am thrilled that we get a chance to keep him with us long term through his peak years.  His contract is nothing to scuff at – for us, we are definitely going to feel the pinch financially with his £2.3K per week base wage, but I have no doubt he will be worth it.  He did have an off-season relative to his other years this season, however, but I am chalk it up to the fact he spent most of the year whining and being unhappy.  In 44 Appearances, he registered 14 Goals, 8 Assists, 3 PoMs, 79% Pass Ratio, 54% Shot Target, 1.24 DpG, and 6.82 AR, which was his lowest rating in his career.  Another important point is he lost his partner-in-crime Bismark Nyarko, and this was the first season he played without him.  Without that support up front, a lot of the opposing defenses collapsed on him as he was the only real threat.  Hopefully, our other strikers can show some improvement so that he can get back to doing what he does best – scoring goals. Rating: 7/10

 

Joe Mitchell (2020), 17 Years Old:  Living up to Nyarko was always going to be a big challenge, and some nights I preferred to either play with 5 midfielders or another striker up front, but at the end of the day, Mitchell was my preference as the second striker.  In 20 Appearances, he registered 7 Goals, 3 Assists, 75% Pass Ratio, 60% Shot Target, and 6.92 AR – his numbers are telling in that he actually showed quite decent form and efficiency.  As he matures, I think we will see him break into double-digit goals either next year or the season after if he keeps his starting position.  For now, though, I like what I see and I can definitely see him developing into an important player for us if he keeps it up.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

 

 

 

YOUTH INTAKE

                                                                                                       

 

 

Dejan McRae – Danny Barry –Lee Sheehan

 

On paper, Dejan McRae looks like one of the most talented, if not THE most talented, prospect to come out of the Kafra Youth Academy so far in its history.  The bad news is, he plays in a position that is non-existent in our current formation, so there will have to be a rotation of formations if we are to accommodate his talents next year in the squad.  Barry also looks the part, but he will have to be re-trained to play down the wing, much like I did with John Turner.  Hopefully, he will be as receptive to the idea as Turner was and adapt quickly, because he will likely be thrown into the starting lineup right away with Turner leaving.  The rest of the Intake is not all that impressive, though I can see one or two making a rotation. 

 

[noikeee]

McRae's a strange one, not sure which position he can fit in, even if you switch systems. Super quick yes, very high flair, decisions, vision, but can't play a pass or dribble or finish or tackle or cross. I guess that's the challenge of a youth challenge, how to use what you're given.

[abulezz]

55 minutes ago, noikeee said:

McRae's a strange one, not sure which position he can fit in, even if you switch systems. Super quick yes, very high flair, decisions, vision, but can't play a pass or dribble or finish or tackle or cross. I guess that's the challenge of a youth challenge, how to use what you're given.

That is true - he has a lot of weaknesses and does not necessarily have the all the right attributes for his position.  Then again, he is still so much better than anything I currently have, lol.  

You said it - the biggest obstacle in the youth challenge is making use of what you are given.  You have no control over the talent that comes in, and you cant just address a weakness in the squad by buying a player.  

 

[abulezz]

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2021/2022

 

Let me get this off my chest: dealing with our defense (or lack thereof) this season almost made me want to rage-quit this entire save.  I have never had to deal in all my 20 years of playing FM with such a disaster that was our backline – they could not stop ANYTHING.  Our GK was probably our most important player – I cannot fathom how many shots this man had to save in order to keep scorelines reasonable.  Thankfully, we had an offense that tried its best to make up for our deficiencies in the back, ranking 9^th best in the league.  Simply put, we have no chance of bettering ourselves if our backline continues playing to this horribly low standard that it is now.  On a brighter note, the ’21 Youth Class has already proven to be our best yet, with two players (Barry and McRae) not only making it into our starting eleven in their rookie season, but actually shining and ending the season as two of our best players.  There is reason for optimism here, but unless the defense plays better, it will all be for nothing.  We are still in the same spot we were in when we first got promoted to the League 2 three years ago. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GOALKEEPERS

Brandon Stratful (2018), 19 Years Old:  You can’t fault him, not when the disaster that is our backline is tasked with the job of keeping shots away from his goal.  He actually did well given the circumstances, and I am positive with a better defense, he would have been considered one of the top GKs in the league this season.  In 45 Appearances, he registered 10 Clean Sheets, 2.11 Con/90, and 6.83 AR, which was a high number given the amount of goals this team conceded.  The best part of his season is how well he developed – in fact, I was receiving offers of over £1M for him in January.  Thankfully, I have signed him on a relatively long-term deal with the extension clause, as well.  My coaching staff have him as my highest rated player at the club, so I definitely want to keep hold of him.  I can’t wait to see what he does behind a decent defense that actually performs.  Rating: 7/10

 

 

 

LEFT DEFENDERS

Steve Perry (2017), 22 Years Old: Back in the starting lineup after Ward failed to impress last season, he did not do much better than the man he replaced.  In 37 Appearances, he registered 2.74 TpG and 6.60 AR – at least it was an improvement over his catastrophic 6.40 AR season last year.  Overall, there was a bit of a rotation at the position but it was Perry who I relied on most to get the job done.  We got a good left-back prospect in this year’s Intake, and I did not hesitate to throw him immediately into the starting lineup.  We might have a bunch of players that can play left-back, but none of them have proved their worth over the past few years.  Rating: 5/10

 

 

 

CENTRAL DEFENDERS

Chris Barnett (2017), 21 Years Old:  I really don’t understand what happened to our former star defender – it’s not like he was not able to perform at this level, since our first season in the League 2 he did fine.  The second and third year in the League 2, however, have been very tough for him, and I am starting to get to the point where I am considering dropping him from the starting eleven all together.  This season, he made 37 Appearances, registering 1.52 TpG (for reference, he had 4.20 TpG in his first season the League 2), 12 Shots Blocked (4^th in League), and 6.64 AR.  His AR actually went up a bit from last year, but all his other primary numbers were down – most concerningly, his Interceptions, Key Tackles, and Shots Blocked were down in a big way.  I really hope he finds a way to get back to his previous form.   Rating: 4.5/10

 

Luther Skeete (2020), 18 Years Old:  At this point, his talent and skills are much better than his form shows, but at the end of the day, it is the latter that is important.  The good news is he showed tremendous improvement in his abilities throughout the season – the bad news is, his form was far from good.  He registered 43 Appearances, 2.51 TpG, 18 Shots Blocked (Led the League), and 6.65 AR, down from last season.  He was also our team leader in Interceptions and Key Tackles (4^th in League), though he was not amongst the best in the league in the two former categories.  I am slightly worried he will remain inconsistent and not perform to his potential, but he still is very young and has a lot of time to get it together.  With the way our defense currently is, we need all the help we can get.  Rating: 6/10

 

 

 

RIGHT DEFENDERS

Sam Spencer (2018), 19 Years Old:  He earned the right to become our full-time starter, and although he did not impress, he did not really disappoint either – considering how bad our defense is, he is actually a bright spot currently.  In 43 Appearances, he registered 3 Goals, 2 Assists, 3.26 TpG, and 6.76 AR – he also had 68 Key Headers (10^th in League), giving us a reasonably reliable presence at right-back.  The problem with Spencer is utter lack of improvement in his abilities – he is pretty much the same player he was when he first graduated from the Youth Academy.  Still, I am no position to complain given the lack of depth we have at the position and the general horrible-ness of our defensive back-line.  Rating: 6/10

 

 

 

CENTRAL MIDFIELDERS

Allan Koriya (2019), 18 Years Old:  After a little bit of slump last season, Koriya got it together and performed as expected given his talents this year.  He played in all 46 Games, registering 2 Goals, 7 Assists, 1.29 TpG, 79% Pass Ratio, and 6.90 AR.  He was also third in the League 2 (behind his teammates McRae and Hopkinson) in Total Distance Covered – he was extremely active in the center of the pitch, which is a requirement in my tactics.  He showed some improvement in training, as well, so there is some hope that he his technical abilities will get better.  Overall, a very decent season from him.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

Ross Hopkinson (2017), 20 Years Old:  Perhaps our most consistent player over the past few years, I know exactly what I’m getting from him every game.  He played in all 46 Games, registering 5 Goals, 6 Assists, 2 PoMs, 1.23 TpG, 77% Pass Ratio, and 6.90 AR – he also, surprisingly, was ranked second in the League 2 in Total Distance Covered.  At this point, he has proven his worth to the team and remains one of our most vital pieces – he is also one of our designated Penalty takers.  With 215 League Games under his belt so far, he is also has the club record for most appearances, barely missing any action over the past four years.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

 

 

LEFT WINGERS

Mark Munro (2018), 18 Years Old:  Easily the most surprising player of the season, Munro has made a fool of me.  I decided early in his career that both his potential and ability were limited, and he has proven me woefully wrong on both accounts.  My coaching staff have upgraded his Potential to 5/5, and his season’s stat line read like this:  45 Appearances, 6 Goals, 16 Assists (2^nd in League), 71% Pass Ratio, 1.06 DpG, and 6.88 AR.  He also led the team with 26 Chances Created and was second with 48 Key Passes.  He has proven his ability to pass the ball is beyond any doubt, but he has also given us a scoring threat down the left wing and performed consistently throughout the season.  He might be unconventional in terms of his Attacking ability, but he has been getting the job done.  No complaints here.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

 

 

RIGHT WINGERS

Danny Barry (2021), 17 Years Old:  Well then, I got one question: John Turner who? Not only did the rookie replace our former Player of the Year seamlessly, he might have actually been better for the team than Turner was!  In 44 Appearances, he registered 18 Goals (2^nd on team), 9 Assists, 3 PoMs, 76% Pass Ratio, 2.03 DpG, and 7.00 AR – don’t forget, this was his rookie season AND this was his first year learning how to play right winger (naturally an AM.)  He adapted very quickly, and ended up being the second most important player on our team after Thomas, I think.  He is a fulltime, long-term contract, so despite the attention he is already getting, he is not going anywhere.  Rating: 7.5/10

 

 

 

ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

Dejan McRae (2021), 17 Years Old:  I could not ask for anymore from McRae’s rookie season – he played in all 46 Games, registering 4 Goals, 10 Assists, 1.21 TpG, 74% Pass Ratio, 82 Key Passes (2^nd in League), and 7.04 AR.  He might have the conventional skills for an AM, but I tried to put his strengths to good use, giving him the freedom to roam around the pitch.  The result was he ended up leading the league in Total Distance Covered, and given he was quite a decent passer, his movement was quite efficient.  He also showed good progress in improving his abilities, so he showed good dedication in training.  Combined with Barry, they make up what is easily my best Youth Intake class so far this save. Rating: 7.5/10

 

 

FORWARDS

Michael Thomas (2017), 21 Years Old:  The club’s relationship with Thomas is like a soap opera – he spends his days mad and wanting to leave, but when push comes to shove, he always resigns and renews his contract.  This season was no different – constant complaints about needing to be at a bigger club, and always unhappy with me, but the results speak for themselves: 44 Appearances, 27 Goals (4^th in League), 5 Assists, 7 PoMs (4^th in League), 56% Shot Target (5^th in League), 80% Pass Ratio, 1.10 DpG, and 7.11 AR.  He was named the Kafra Player of the Year, winning the award three times now in the club’s five year history.  The team had the 9^th best offense in the league because of him, and I would go as far as to say we continue to stay in the League 2 and avoiding the drop because of Thomas.  So far, he has easily been the best player in club history, and long may his goalscoring prowess continue!  Rating: 9/10

 

 

 

YOUTH INTAKE

                                                                                                       

 

 

Jake Carr – Adam Cann –Jake Strutton – Pearce Knill

 

Although it appears to be a relatively deep Intake, closer observations lead me to believe it won’t pan out the way my staff think it will.  That being said, Jake Carr looks like an immediate contributor as a left back, and he will be utilized as early as this season, perhaps even as our default starter.  Outside of Carr, we have some decent striker prospects, but with Thomas staying on for a few more years and Mitchell serving as more than a capable backup, it is the last thing I need.  Of course, given that it is perhaps my least worrying position, FM18 decides to gift me striker prospects!

 

[abulezz]

World Cup 2022 - Canada

 

Brazil won its 6^th World Cup title, defeating Holland in the Finals – the Dutch have now been to a record of 4 Finals without a victory.  Eden Hazard, who led Belgium to the Semi-Finals, was named the Best Player, while defending champions England succumbed in the Second Round to eventual Finalists Holland.

 

 

 

 

[noikeee]

I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to try to play Football Manager with defenders like that. Keep pushing!

[abulezz]

14 minutes ago, noikeee said:

I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to try to play Football Manager with defenders like that. Keep pushing!

Its life-shortening and nerve-racking.  I have my highlights set to Key Only, so everytime the highlight comes on and the other team is attacking, its hand on heart stuff, usually ending up with hand on head cloaked in disappointment result.  

[Adonalsium]

Kafra always was one of my favourite saves here. I can't imagine the patience it must take to play through these seasons! Then again, seeing the new youth intake is always fun. 

[abulezz]

2 hours ago, Adonalsium said:

Kafra always was one of my favourite saves here. I can't imagine the patience it must take to play through these seasons! Then again, seeing the new youth intake is always fun. 

Thanks! Sometimes, you definitely just quit in frustration, but 30 minutes later and the itch comes back.  Something about leading a team of your own players to glory is inticing, what can I say! The Champions League still alludes me though!

[The_Gato_In_Goal]

Just read through all this. I have always loved how you go through England with youth so well 

[abulezz]

27 minutes ago, The_Gato_In_Goal said:

Just read through all this. I have always loved how you go through England with youth so well 

My first two tries at this save (FM16 and FM17), it took a number of years to get through to League 2 and turn professional.  This time around, I ended up lucking out with some great Create-A-Players, and a double promotion put me in League 2 in two years, and wow have we been overmatched.  If I didn't have a decent offense, it would have been straight back down.  Thanks for commenting!

[kidthekid]

15 hours ago, abulezz said:

Its life-shortening and nerve-racking.  I have my highlights set to Key Only, so everytime the highlight comes on and the other team is attacking, its hand on heart stuff, usually ending up with hand on head cloaked in disappointment result.  

when I'm managing in the lower tier I try not to even watch the games because I'll get so frustrated. But thank you for keeping on with this, our entertainment at your expense.