[FM19] Kafra FC - 2019 Edition (Youth Only in England)

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2018/2019

 

TEAM REVIEW

Given the talent of my Create-A-Players, it was no surprise we finished top of the league and earned an automatic promotion into the Vanarama National league.  What was more surprising to me was that most of those players – with the exception of Jeremy Grigg (who ended up signing a deal to join Melbourne City) and Nick Newby – agreed to sign new contracts and stay with the club.  That was a huge boost for us, as we get to keep mostly the same lineup intact.  The bad news is both Grigg and Newby were CMs and two of our best players, so we will have to figure out the middle of the pitch situation next season.  As for this year, our team finished top of the league offensively (no surprise) thanks to the fantastic form of Lewis Hodges, who was actually not a Create-a-Player, while our defense was one of the top in the league, finishing as the 3^rd best.  Overall, we accomplished what I had hoped – a relatively straight forward campaign that ended with us winning the league and gaining an automatic promotion to the Vanarama National league. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KEY PLAYERS

Lewis Hodges (2018), 17 Years Old, Striker:  One of the best players in the league this season, Hodges was crowned the first Kafra Player of the Year, and with good reason.  In 42 Appearances, he registered 32 Goals (tied for Best in League), 5 Assists, 9 PoMs (Best in League), 80% Pass Ratio, 67% Shot Target, and 7.34 AR (2^nd in League).  He showed encouraging progress in his attributes, improving noticeably throughout the season.  He has the look of a potential legend for us, as he has already claimed his place as the focal point of our offense both this season and going forward.  Rating: 9/10

 

Nick Newby (2018), 18 Years Old, Central Midfielder:  He is a one and done with us, but he did give us a fantastic season and was an integral part of our success.  He played in all 42 Games, registering 8 Goals, 8 Assists, 3 PoMs, 2.56 TpG, and 7.24 AR, in addition to being 2^nd on the team in Key Passes and Passes Completed.  I would call him the engine of the team this season, and although I think he is making a mistake not resigning with us, he definitely has the talent to be a top player at this level.  Rating: 8/10

 

Jeremy Grigg (2018), 18 Years Old, Central Midfielder:  Already committed to leaving the club for Melbourne City, Grigg is going to be a one and done for us.  He did give us a very good season, however, playing in 41 Games and registering 7 Goals, 11 Assists, 3 PoMs, 2.98 TpG, 74 Key Passes (3^rd in League), and 7.22 AR.  We are going to have a huge hole in the middle of the pitch with the absence of Grigg and Newby.  I was slightly surprised by his contributions offensively, as he has very limited attacking skills, but he managed to deliver a great all-around season.  Rating: 8/10

 

Dan Spalding (2018), 18 Years Old, Right Winger:  Our starting right winger was reluctant to sign a new contract with the club throughout the season until we sealed our promotion – he finally signed the richest contract in club history at £800 per week just after the season finished, and also become our highest valued player at £110K.  He played in all 42 Games, registering 8 Goals, 14 Assists (2^nd on Team), 4 PoMs, 1.56 TpG, and 7.08 AR – he was a huge presence for us down the right wing and was excellent about trekking back and breaking up plays, as well.  He is now signed on through 2021/22, and the club has an additional 3 years option for extension.  Rating: 7.5/10

 

Kevin Davis (2018), 18 Years Old, Striker:  Prior to the beginning of the season, I thought Davis would be the focal point of our offence, but he ended up playing second to Hodges.  That is not to slight him, as Hodges was fantastic, and Davis was more than adequate – in 41 Games, he registered 21 Goals, 6 Assists, 6 PoMs, 58% Shot Target, and 7.04 AR.  I will give him credit for being the first Create-a-Player who signed a new contract with us, so he was committed from the beginning to the club.  He definitely has a decent skillset going forward, even though he is terrible in the air – he is going to remain an important member of the team in the foreseeable future.  Rating: 7.5/10

 

Peter Marshall (2018), 18 Years Old, Central Defender:  We did not have any defender average over 7.00 AR, but Marshall was the best of a strong bunch – he played in all 42 Games, registering 4 Goals, 4 Assists, 3 PoMs, 1.70 TpG, and 6.97 AR.  Additionally, he proved just how good he was for us defensively, registering 186 Interceptions (Best in League), 21 Key Tackles (2^nd in League), and 29 Shots Blocked (Best in League).  He has fantastic versatility, possessing the ability to play anywhere on the defensive line – the only real negative about him is his lack of determination and motivation to improve himself.  If he we can get that changed, he will be even more invaluable to us going forward.   Rating: 7/10

 

Vincent Jackson (2018), 18 Years Old, Left Defender: In my systems, the full-back positions are usually the worst performing, but Jackson seems like he is ready to buck that trend.  In 42 Games, he registered 2 Goals, 8 Assists, 2.15 TpG, and 6.96 AR – I cannot the last time I have had a full-back perform so well right off the bat.  He’s got the right skill-set – he is fast and he has good defensive skills and instincts.  At this level of football, I don’t think I can expect or ask for any better – the good thing is, he seems ready to improve himself, and showed as much during the season.  Rating: 7/10

 

Will Jones (2018), 18 Years Old, Central Defender:  Although Marshall had the better season, Jones is probably the more talented of the two.  In 41 Appearances, he registered 7 Goals, 4 Assists, 2 PoMs, 1.95 TpG, 158 Interceptions, and 6.95 AR, showing surprising efficiency going forward that was highlighted by the amount of goals he scored.  He did have some slight inconsistency in his form, but considering we were the 3^rd best defensive team in the league, I am not complaining about that.  Overall, if he can get a bit stronger, I feel like he will be a really strong central defender for us. Rating: 7/10

 

Dominic Sherratt (2018), 18 Years Old, Left Winger:  Most of the drama this year came from Sherratt and his never-ending demands to “join a bigger club”, so obviously he ended up signing a new contract with us at the end of the season.  He plays in what is our most talented position at this point after Adu came up from the Youth Academy, so I wasn’t sweating his threats too much.  He did have a pretty decent season, though – he played in all 42 Games, registering 4 Goals, a team-best 15 Assists, 1.42 TpG, team-best 1.04 DpG, and 6.89 AR.   He definitely has talent down the left wing, and he is Accomplished as a Striker, as well.  He has definite value to us, and despite Adu’s talents, I believe he will keep his starting place going into next season.  Rating: 7/10

 

Gareth Thompson (2018), 18 Years Old, Right Defender: The only starter who underachieved this season, I was not too surprised as he does play in one of the full-back positions.  In 42 Appearances, he registered 3 Assists, 2.07 TpG, 115 Interceptions, and 6.77 AR.  Obviously, I would like to see more consistent and generally better form next season, but he is too talented to consider replacing in the starting eleven.  He committed to us pretty early, so he has also shown a certain amount of loyalty to the club. Rating: 6/10

 

YOUTH INTAKE

                                                                                                 

 

 

Emmanuel Adu - Mitchell McCarthy – Keith Weston - Benjamin Olisema

 The obvious prospect in this Intake is Adu – the English/Ghanaian has incredible speed for this level, which will be a great asset to have.  He made his debut almost immediately and went on to appear in a total of 4 Games before the season came to an end.  The other prospects are nothing to be excited about, although Olisema could potentially develop in a rotational player for us.  This was not a great first Intake by any stretch, but getting a prospect like Adu in our first go around is pretty good, too.  Rating: 7/10

[Torminator]

Hi! Cool you are picking this up this year!

 

Will be following as always.

[abulezz]

4 hours ago, Torminator said:

Hi! Cool you are picking this up this year!

 

Will be following as always.

Thanks for tuning in! 

This is the fourth edition - so far, the most successful was the first, where we became Premier League champions but never got that elusive CL trophy.  The last two editions have been harder, hopefully we can do well this year!

[Torminator]

12 hours ago, abulezz said:

Thanks for tuning in! 

This is the fourth edition - so far, the most successful was the first, where we became Premier League champions but never got that elusive CL trophy.  The last two editions have been harder, hopefully we can do well this year!

Yeah the first thread was awesome. I still remember that CB regen that went to Manchester City who became an absolute beast.

[WillHoward42]

Thoroughly enjoyed your last installment (Which took me a good week of lunch breaks at work to read through) Will certainly be keeping up with your progress here.

 

Be interesting to see if tactic changes/youth intakes have sort of change to your challenge this time around!

[abulezz]

8 hours ago, Torminator said:

Yeah the first thread was awesome. I still remember that CB regen that went to Manchester City who became an absolute beast.

Marvin John! He became a beast for Man City - that first save had so many good players.  I believe that save went into the 2060s, and we got players like Daniel Friar, Ken Duncan, George Watts.  Ahhhh, memories!

 

2 hours ago, WillHoward42 said:

Thoroughly enjoyed your last installment (Which took me a good week of lunch breaks at work to read through) Will certainly be keeping up with your progress here.

 

Be interesting to see if tactic changes/youth intakes have sort of change to your challenge this time around!

The last couple of saves, I didn't have much trouble in the Vanarama National, but this year its definitely been tougher.  My tactics have pretty much stayed the same throughout the years, but it seems to me that the AI is better this time around.  

[abulezz]

SEASON REVIEW 2019/2020

 

TEAM REVIEW

I honestly expected a much easier time in our first year in the Vanarama National league, but it was not to be – this was a tough affair all around.  My star players that were ran through the Vanarama South last season looked overwhelmed and lost a lot of the time, and save for our potent offense, we really failed to click everywhere else on the pitch.  Our problems start at the very back – we have, without a doubt, the least talented GKs in the league, and although our defenders are talented for this level individually, they failed as a unit this year, ranking as one of the worst defenses in the league.  Thankfully, our offense was firing on all cylinders – our three best players were our strikers Hodges and Davis, and our left winger Dominic Sheratt.  Hodges, in particular, was in sensational form for us – as is usual the case with my tactics, our star forward was easily the most important and influential player on the team.  I had also named him captain at the beginning of the season, and he did a great job at that, too.  So bottom line was: our offense kept us comfortably up despite the misgivings of our defense and our GK that probably belongs in a Sunday league match.

 

Our finances have been very healthy these two years, and I have managed to convince the board to put some investment in both the Youth Recruitment Network and the Junior Coaching – they refused to take the Youth Level up to the next level, however.  Our wages are at about 60-70% of what our budget is even after all the big contracts that were signed at the end of last year and over the summer, so that is under control, as well.  This is vital in the first few years of a save like this, as we will need all the investment we can get in Youth to be able to move us up and be competitive.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KEY PLAYERS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Lewis Hodges (2018), 18 Years Old, Striker: Save for a dip in form due to exhaustion during the last month of the season, Hodges was pretty much perfect.  Just look at the numbers: 46 Appearances (2^nd straight season he plays in all games), led the league with 35 Goals and 21 Assists, 60% Shot Target, 5 PoMs, and 7.20 AR – it was actually hovering around 7.30 AR before his dip in form.  Overall, his numbers were out of this world, and he was definitely our most important and influential player this year.  He has garnered interest from clubs as high up as the Championship and the Scottish Premier League, but there is no way I am selling him.  He won the Kafra Player of the Year for the second year in a row, and there was no one more deserving.  A complete juggernaut of a season from our best player.  Rating: 9.5/10

 

 

DEFENSE

Peter Marshall (2018), 19 Years Old, Central Defender:  The best player on a defense that did not live up expectations, Marshall – like the rest of the defense – took a giant step back this season from his rookie year.  In 44 Appearances, he registered 1.66 TpG and 6.61 AR, down from 6.97 AR last season – it says a lot about the kind of year the defense had when Marshall had the highest AR out of everyone in the back four.  Hopefully, the versatile defender can bounce back next season and help improve it.  Rating: 5/10

 

Will Jones (2018), 19 Years Old, Central Defender:  Like Marshall, a drop from 6.95 AR to 6.60 AR this year was pretty dramatic.  Jones was durable again, playing in all 46 Games, but the form and consistency was just not there.  He also went from scoring 7 Goals to scoring none, and the 1.79 TpG he registered this year was also down from his rookie year.  Again, like Marshall, I am looking for improvement next year as he has too much talent to be giving me this kind of form at this level.  Rating: 5/10

 

 

MIDFIELD

Dominic Sherratt (2018), 19 Years Old, Left Winger:  The squad’s best player outside of the frontline, Sherratt was the only player not named Hodges or Davis to average over 7.00 AR this season.  He only played 34 Games because of a torn calf muscle that ruled him out for over three months, but he registered 10 Goals, 10 Assists, 5 PoMs, 2.84 TpG, and 7.19 AR, solidifying his role as our most competent threat on the counter-attack going forward.  He was also one of the rare players that improved instead of regressed this season – his 7.19 AR was a significant improvement over his rookie year number of 6.89 AR.  As usual, he spent most of the year being unhappy and complaining, but at the end of the day, he did not let it get in the way of his form, which is the important thing.  Rating: 8/10

 

Colin Hannah (2018), 18 Years Old, Central Midfield:  Despite playing out of position the entire year, Hannah performed admirably.  In 42 Appearances, he registered 5 Assists, 2 PoMs, 3.99 TpG (2^nd on team), 56 Key Passes, 1,530 Passes Completed (Best on team), and 6.85 AR.  He is still learning the CM position, but considering we lost both of our starters at the position last summer, I am grateful Hannah was able to come in and contribute the way he did.  Hopefully, he will get better as he becomes more comfortable at CM.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

Dan Spalding (2018), 19 Years Old, Right Winger:  A disappointing and pretty significant regression marred Spalding’s season after he signed the richest contract in Kafra history at £800 per week.  In 45 Appearances, he registered only 1 Goal (down from 8), 7 Assists (down from 14), and 6.72 AR (down from 7.08 AR).  He was probably the most disappointing player outside of the defensive line on the squad – there is no excuse for him to have played this bad.  I am looking forward to his improvement next year, as we need that threat down the right wing.  Rating: 5.5/10

 

 

ATTACK

Kevin Davis (2018), 19 Years Old, Striker:  He wasn’t so much Hodges side-kick as much as he was his partner this season, as Davis gave us a tremendous season.  In 46 Appearances, he registered 31 Goals, 16 Assists, 29 Chances (Best in League), 62 Key Passes (Best on team), 4 PoMs, and 7.21 AR, which led the team.  He was the top facilitator on the team, but his 31 Goals proved he was just as effective finding the back of the net, as well.  My two best players make up my frontline, and they were a pain for any defense in the league this season.  Rating: 9/10

 

 

 

HOT PROSPECTS

Emmanuel Adu (2019), 17 Years Old, Left Winger:  With Sharrett performing the way he did, Adu found playing time a bit sparse after starting the first couple of months due to the former’s injury.  Overall, the rookie was not terribly impressive, although he did show some decent progress in his attributes.  In 43 Appearances (16 as Starter), he registered 2 Goals, 4 Assists, 3.20 TpG, and 6.67 AR – he was never captivating with his form and never seemed to stand out in the games.   I am being a bit critical as it was just his rookie year, but I expected a little bit more considering his speed and talents.  Still, he has the potential to be one of the top players at the club.  Rating: 6/10

 

Joe Moss (2019), 17 Years Old, Central Midfield:  With our two starting CMs leaving the team, I was forced to turn to Moss to be one of my starters, and he held that position until Rodon came through the Youth Academy and replaced him towards the end of the season.  If I was to just go on form, though, he did not deserve to lose his spot – in 36 Appearances (28 as Starter), he registered 2 Goals, 2 Assists, 4.87 TpG (Best on team), and 6.82 AR.  Out of all the rookies, he was definitely the best, and that will ensure he will very much remain part of the rotation going forward.  My coaching staff are not fans, but I only care about the result on the pitch.  Rating: 7/10

 

Benjamin Olisema (2019), 16 Years Old, Central Defender:  Only given a 3/5 PA rating when he first graduated from the Youth Academy, Olisema is now at 4.5/5 PA after only one season.  He played in 36 Games (14 as Starter), registering 2.15 TpG and 6.63 AR – obviously, nothing impressive but he did have a role to play due to his versatility which allows him to play both CD and CM.  I will have to monitor his attributes closely, because if he shows continued strong improvement, he might work his way up the rotation chart.  Rating: 6/10

 

 

 

YOUTH CLASS REVIEW

2018/19: Three players from the ’19 Youth Class featured prominently in their rookie years – Emmanuel Adu, Joe Moss, and Benjamin Olisema.  Incidentally, it was the least hyped of the three – Joe Moss – who ended up being a starter, spending most of the season as one of our starters at the CM position and playing the best out of three.  Adu is obviously the most talented of the bunch, but my coaching staff has changed its mind about Olisema for the better after a decent rookie year.  My long term forecast sees only Adu potentially being a contributor to the team, as Olisema has a lot of improvement to do before he gets to the talent required, while Moss’ 2.5/5 PA shows that my coaching staff do not rate him highly at all.  Overall, the ’19 Youth Class is neither disappointing or positively surprising so far – it is right where I expected it to be.

 

 

 

YOUTH INTAKE

                                                                                                 

 

 

Sam Rodon - Niall Jackson

Not a good intake by any stretch.  Rodon will be a contributor immediately, but there is no one else of note in the entire Intake.  Usually, one would rely on these first few Intakes to improve the squad significantly, but with my first two, I have had just two prospects that look like they could better the team.  I got two GK prospects, which is good, given our situation at the position, so hopefully one of them will be an improvement over what we currently have, even if it is minor.  Overall, a disappointment of an Intake.  Rating: 5/10

 

[Torminator]

Tough season, but keep up the good work. Annoying that you also didnt get some really really good prospects, but hey... You know how though you saves are better than me.

[Mr Highbury]

Good to see you kicking this off again - this is always my favourite career thread

[abulezz]

6 hours ago, Torminator said:

Tough season, but keep up the good work. Annoying that you also didnt get some really really good prospects, but hey... You know how though you saves are better than me.

The team underperformed, I think - maybe it is because they are still very young, but I expected better.  The AI seems to be better in FM19 than previous versions, at least that has been my experience thus far.  Hopefully, we can get a star or two in the next few Intakes!

 

5 hours ago, Mr Highbury said:

Good to see you kicking this off again - this is always my favourite career thread

Awesome - thank you for reading again! 

[abulezz]

Progress:

[TheMakeleleRole]

Glad this is back mate. Will be following. Boring question - what's the facepack that you use?

[Torminator]

12 hours ago, abulezz said:

Progress:

Nice, the foundation of every youth challange!

[abulezz]

18 hours ago, TheMakeleleRole said:

Glad this is back mate. Will be following. Boring question - what's the facepack that you use?

Thanks for reading again! I just use the default one that comes with the game. 

 

6 hours ago, Torminator said:

Nice, the foundation of every youth challange!

Exactly! I've not had great Intakes the first two years so hopefully this will help me out a bit.  

[abulezz]

This has been a great start to the season:

[Marbah]

this is gonna be good :D:D

[abulezz]

19 hours ago, Marbah said:

this is gonna be good :D:D

In all three previous versions of this save, I never won the Champions League. The last two versions, I didn't even get to win the Premier League! Hopefully, we get to do both this time around, lol. 

[abulezz]

Having a really good season thus far:

[Torminator]

2 hours ago, abulezz said:

Having a really good season thus far:

Come on! Bring it home!

[BoxToBox]

Excellent stuff already!

On 07/11/2018 at 15:46, abulezz said:

Marvin John! He became a beast for Man City - that first save had so many good players.  I believe that save went into the 2060s, and we got players like Daniel Friar, Ken Duncan, George Watts.  Ahhhh, memories!

John Robertson remains one of my favourite FM newgens ever.

[abulezz]

6 minutes ago, BoxToBox said:

Excellent stuff already!

John Robertson remains one of my favourite FM newgens ever.

What an absolute beast of a striker he was - he definitely is one of my favorites too!

[abulezz]

We doing it big!

[abulezz]

Six games to go, and it is at tight as it gets - they have the superior GD, which could come back to bite us:

[Torminator]

3 hours ago, abulezz said:

Six games to go, and it is at tight as it gets - they have the superior GD, which could come back to bite us:

Haha #1 and 2 of the top scorers are yours and you still only have a GD of 19. Whats your defense like?

[abulezz]

5 hours ago, Torminator said:

Haha #1 and 2 of the top scorers are yours and you still only have a GD of 19. Whats your defense like?

Lol - my defense is ranked 15th, but its more like outside of those two, no one else scores!

[abulezz]

[BoxToBox]

[abulezz]

 

SEASON REVIEW 2020/2021

 

 

TEAM REVIEW

I did not expect us to improve so quickly – we struggled in our first year in the Vanarama National, but the team figured it out quickly and we went from finishing in 20^th Place to getting promoted.  As usual, our strength was our offense, which was extremely potent – we were the best offense in the league – but our defense showed improvement, which was probably the main thing that pushed us over the edge into League 2.   Although still not great, we were solid enough at the back to win us the title, and win our second promotion in three years.  All credit goes to Hodges and Davis – they carried us with their goals and general phenomenal attacking play, but I also have to give credit to our GK Townsend, who performed much better than expected and was very solid for us between the sticks.  Lewis Hodges set a new Vanarama National record with 42 Goals, breaking the old record set in 2010 by 5 Goals, while also setting a new AR record for the league with 7.54 AR.  Long story short, Hodges delivered perhaps the greatest season ever in the league’s history!  The team also made it to the FA Trophy Final, losing to Aldershot Town in extra-time – a tough pill to swallow, but considering the other successes we had this season, it made it easier to take.

 

Our bank balance went north of £1M for the first time this season, as we continue to turn profits – I expect that to stay the same as we are due for an uptick in attendance as we move up.  Our Average Attendance was nearly 2,000 a game this season, so that helped a lot, while our wage budget continues to be under very tight control.  We have managed to put a few investments in our Youth Academy, which hopefully will start paying dividends soon – so far, our Intakes have not been impressive. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KEY PLAYERS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Lewis Hodges (2018), 19 Years Old, Striker: What is there left to say about Hodges, the Vanarama National Player of the Year, Top Goalscorer, and the Kafra Player of the Year for the third year in a row.  In all three years so far, Hodges has yet to miss a game – he played in 46 Games, registering 42 Goals (1^st in League, new record), 15 Assists, 10 PoMs (1^st in League), 77% Pass Ratio, 58% Shot Target, and 7.54 AR (1^st in League, new record).  This was an incredible season in every respect for our star striker, and he truly carried us on his back several games this season.  I am excited to see if he can keep up this ridiculous pace in the League 2, and I have no doubt he will give us another impressive season despite facing a bigger challenge.  Rating: 10/10

 

 

DEFENSE

James Townsend (2020), 17 Years Old, Goalkeeper:  He might not look like much, and his abilities overall leave a lot to be desired, but the bottom line is that the rookie GK registered 7.00 AR this season, the highest mark of anyone in our defense.  His 1.67 Con/90 and 7 Clean Sheets were not impressive numbers, but as the season went on, it became evident that he was performing way past expectation.  The fact that he is our best GK is very worrying, and the Youth Academy has not yet produced any GK of note as of yet, so Townsend will be our starter by default next season.  Hopefully, he will continue to exceed expectations and be solid for us.  Rating: 7/10

 

Vince Jackson (2018), 20 Years Old, Left Defender:  After a hugely disappointing season last year, Jackson made a comeback of sorts and was actually our best defender outside of the GK position for us this year.  Like Hodges, Jackson has yet to miss a game – in 46 Appearances, he registered 3 Goals, 5 Assists, 1.89 TpG, 108 Interceptions, and 6.74 AR.  He was also 3^rd on the team with 1,112 Completed Passes, behind only our two starting CMs.  Overall, a decent season from our starting left-back, and if we can get 6.80-6.90 AR seasons from him going forward, I would have no reason for complaint.  Rating: 6/10

 

Peter Marshall (2018), 20 Years Old, Central Defender:  Like Jackson, Marshall did not have a great season but he did do better than the previous one.  In 45 Appearances, he registered 2 Assists, 1.10 TpG, and 6.70 AR – his 1.10 TpG was very disappointing, down from 1.66 TpG last year, but he was 2^nd on the team with 135 Interceptions.  His attributes have remained pretty much the same since our first year, so it is safe to say what you see is what you are going to continue getting.  Like Jackson, if he can improve his form a bit and give us a bit more consistency next year, all will be well.   Rating: 6/10

 

Will Jones (2018), 20 Years Old, Central Defender:  I am a bit disappointed in Jones as I thought he would do better than 6.66 AR this season.   With his skillset and his attributes, he really should be doing better for us, and although our defense was just good enough to allow us to win the league this season, I need more from him in the League 2.  There is obviously no one to challenge for his place in the starting eleven, but the expectations I have from him are the same as they are for Marshall and Jackson.  Rating: 5.5/10

 

 

MIDFIELD

Colin Hannah (2018), 19 Years Old, Central Midfield:  He’s not the most talented CM around, but Hannah has become our most consistent and reliable player at the position.  In 45 Appearances, he registered 6 Goals, 6 Assists, 4 PoMs, 3.16 TpG, 67 Key Passes (2^nd on team), 1,589 Passes Completed (2^nd on team), and 6.94 AR.  That being said, while he could serve as a good back-up going forward, we definitely need someone more talented starting.  The Youth Academy has yet to bless us with a worthwhile candidate at the position, however, so Hannah is going to have continue giving us strong play.  Rating: 7/10

 

Dan Spalding (2018), 20 Years Old, Right Winger:  Not much improvement from last year, and that was a disappointment for me.  In 40 Appearances, he registered 2 Goals, 8 Assists, 2 PoMs, 1.97 TpG, 50 Key Passes, and 6.74 AR.  While his numbers were up slightly, they still did not constitute a significant improvement from last year, and honestly, I need more from a position I am very much reliant on in terms of attacking.  Rating: 5.5/10

 

 

ATTACK

Kevin Davis (2018), 20 Years Old, Striker:  This was another great season from Davis, how has perfected his role as supporting forward to Hodges. His 21 Assists led the league, as he also registered 28 Goals, 4 PoMs, 35 Chances Created (1^st on team), and 7.19 AR.  The Irish striker’s passing abilities up front were the key reason Hodges was able to break the scoring record of the league, and the fact that he was 3^rd in scoring himself proved just how versatile his skills were.  All in all, he was probably almost just as important as Hodges was to the team this season, which is saying a lot.  Rating: 9/10

 

 

 

HOT PROSPECTS

Emmanuel Adu (2019), 18 Years Old, Left Winger:  The goods news: he replaced Sharrett as our starting left winger mid-way through the season.  The bad news: he got injured in March with a calf strain and missed about two months of action.  Still, I saw enough from him to be encouraged – in 37 Appearances (23 as Starter), he registered 2 Goals, 7 Assists, 2.49 TpG, and 6.82 AR.  He has been the best player to come out of the Kafra Youth Academy thus far, and he has already eclipsed our former starter Sharrett talent-wise.  His attributes have continued to show a healthy improvement, and I predict he could be one of our most important players in a few years time.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

Benjamin Olisema (2019), 17 Years Old, Central Defender:  He actually played in 45 Appearances, although only 4 of them were as a Starter.  Still, he proved he was capable of being a good rotational player for the squad, and he did continue to show steady improvement in his abilities.  My coaches are still high on him, although he is still ways away from challenging either Marshall or Jones for a starting spot, if he ever gets there.  Rating: 6/10

 

Sam Rondon (2020), 17 Years Old, Central Midfield:  This was a very good rookie season for Rondon, who registered 5 Goals, 8 Assists, 1.01 TpG, and 6.86 AR in 45 Appearances. Given our lack of depth at the position, I forced to immediately throw him the starting lineup, but he responded very well and was an asset to us.  He showed good progress in training, which will hopefully continue – overall, he’s done well.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

 

YOUTH CLASS REVIEW

2018/19: Emmanuel Adu, so far, has been the best player the Youth Academy has produced for us, so that automatically makes this Youth Class the best we have had.  Adu has broken into the starting lineup, and Olisema and Moss continue to be part of the rotation.  No one else has really contributed anything, and it does not look like I will retain anyone else from this class.  Keith Weston actually had a few decent games for us, but I will not be looking to retain him.

 

2019/20: Three players from the ’20 Youth Class have become part of the first team – Townsend has become our starting GK, Sam Rodon one of our starting CMs, and Jackson a back-up at the striker position.  While I would still put the ’19 Youth Class ahead of this one simply because Adu is far more talented than anyone in this Intake, the ’20 Youth Class seems to be deeper than its predecessor.  Townsend was somewhat surprising, but the rest of the Intake has turned out the way I expected thus far, and it doesn’t look like we are going to have any other surprises. 

 

 

YOUTH INTAKE

                                                                                                 

 

 

Adam Burgon - Gavin Collins

 

Another weak Intake.  Three Intakes thus far in this save, and we have yet to receive a single stand-out prospect.  The best out of this batch is probably striker Burgon – he looks like he has the right skill-set, but it is also a position we don’t need much help in.  Collins, who is a natural CD (another position we don’t need much help in), looks like he could develop into a rotational player for this level, but I don’t see him being much of a contributor if we move up quickly.  Rating: 5/10

 

[Maw74]

A great season and great to see another Kafra save. 

Just noticed but why is training ground in Bath?

Edited November 15, 2018 by Maw74

[abulezz]

6 hours ago, Maw74 said:

A great season and great to see another Kafra save. 

Just noticed but why is training ground in Bath?

When I do the Create-A-Club, I replace Bath with Kafra - I get to choose the name of the stadium but I guess the training grounds remain the old club's (Bath) training ground name. 

[Torminator]

Congrats! Hopefully you can catch some momentum in the new league. To bad about the lousy youth intake... Really annoying when you are basically relying on the 1 day in the year for progress. Dont loose faith! You'll get that diamond sooner or later!

 

[Maw74]

4 hours ago, abulezz said:

When I do the Create-A-Club, I replace Bath with Kafra - I get to choose the name of the stadium but I guess the training grounds remain the old club's (Bath) training ground name. 

Oh yeah ok that explains it, I was thinking you used the editor. 👍

[noikeee]

Great season man!

And holy crap that's a lot of goals from the front two. How are you playing, any chance we could see the tactic? I'm kinda struggling to find a fun way of playing football at the moment, and maybe it can give me ideas.

[abulezz]

8 hours ago, Torminator said:

Congrats! Hopefully you can catch some momentum in the new league. To bad about the lousy youth intake... Really annoying when you are basically relying on the 1 day in the year for progress. Dont loose faith! You'll get that diamond sooner or later!

 

Thanks! Yea, the Intakes have not helped at all.  They have delivered a few starters, but no standouts that can really turn this team around.  The Create-a-Players have kept us going, but at some point, we need talent to start coming in.

 

7 hours ago, Maw74 said:

Oh yeah ok that explains it, I was thinking you used the editor. 👍

I actually have never used the Editor in any save!

 

1 hour ago, noikeee said:

Great season man!

And holy crap that's a lot of goals from the front two. How are you playing, any chance we could see the tactic? I'm kinda struggling to find a fun way of playing football at the moment, and maybe it can give me ideas.

Sure! My tactics are below - I find that at the lower levels, its better to keep it disciplined and simple.  When you have talented strikers, the goals seem to just flow.

[abulezz]

Gotta love when your board decides to sabotage its own team.  Our finances are great, we are making money, so why would you sell one of our best players for a few hundred thousand?

[phnompenhandy]

Glad I found this. I'm doing a very restrictive challenge starting (and probably staying) in the Vanarama myself, so I'm interested to see how you get on, especially how you integrate your youths into your squad. Great stuff - will follow

[oneronaldo]

6 hours ago, abulezz said:

Gotta love when your board decides to sabotage its own team.  Our finances are great, we are making money, so why would you sell one of our best players for a few hundred thousand?

Time for Adam Burgon (your most recent top prospect) to learn a new position then

[abulezz]

9 hours ago, phnompenhandy said:

Glad I found this. I'm doing a very restrictive challenge starting (and probably staying) in the Vanarama myself, so I'm interested to see how you get on, especially how you integrate your youths into your squad. Great stuff - will follow

Thanks! With the Create-A-Player, the Vanarama leagues tend to be a bit on the easier side.  What I end up doing is replacing Bath with my team, removing all non-newgen players from the squad, and then filling the blanks with Create-A-Players.  It is when you hit League 2 that things start to get challenging - honestly though, this way of playing has been my far my favorite, and I've been playing FM from 20+ years!

2 hours ago, oneronaldo said:

Time for Adam Burgon (your most recent top prospect) to learn a new position then

We still have Sharrett, who should be good enough to give us some quality down the left wing.  Burgon is coming on well as a striker, though!

[phnompenhandy]

44 minutes ago, abulezz said:

Thanks! With the Create-A-Player, the Vanarama leagues tend to be a bit on the easier side.  What I end up doing is replacing Bath with my team, removing all non-newgen players from the squad, and then filling the blanks with Create-A-Players.  It is when you hit League 2 that things start to get challenging - honestly though, this way of playing has been my far my favorite, and I've been playing FM from 20+ years!

Yeah, every year I set myself a tougher challenge. I'm starting a new one at level 10 - a Youth Academy challenge, using the editor to create the initial group of youths, all of whom begin with CA 1.

[abulezz]

1 hour ago, phnompenhandy said:

Yeah, every year I set myself a tougher challenge. I'm starting a new one at level 10 - a Youth Academy challenge, using the editor to create the initial group of youths, all of whom begin with CA 1.

Hats off to you! This is the fourth version of this save (started it with FM16), but I have yet to win the CL, and for the past two saves, I have not even won the PL.

[abulezz]

Successful first season in the League 2:

[abulezz]

 

SEASON REVIEW 2021/2022

 

 

TEAM REVIEW

We set out to not get relegated, and we accomplished that mission pretty comfortably, so I would classify our first season in the League 2 as successful.  The team had its struggles, and the inconsistent form was tough to deal with, but at the end of the day, we were not in the bottom two.  Our defense was shambolic, despite having players that have enough individual talent to make us at least a mediocre defensive team.  Our offense was not the beast it was in previous years (13^th overall), but Davis and Hodges still managed to score 20+ Goals each.  Not much else to report from this season – I just hope it wont be like last save and I get stuck in the League 2 forever!

 

Just after the season was completed, my requests to improve Junior Coaching and Youth Recruitment were both accepted, so they will become Satisfactory and Well Established.  Additionally, the board agreed to raise our Youth Level one level up. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KEY PLAYERS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Kevin Davis (2018), 21 Years Old, Striker:  The only player to register 7.00+ AR this season, Davis also became the first player other than Hodges to win the Kafra Player of the Year.  He again played in all 46 Games, registering 22 Goals, 10 Assists, 6 PoMs, and 7.03 AR, which was best on the team with the exception of Assists.  With Hodges having an off-season by his standards, Davis picked up the slack and, at times, carried the team offensively.  He hit an important milestone this season, as well, eclipsing 100 League Goals – he finished the season with 102 Goals in 179 Appearances.  Overall, despite the talent that has come up through the Youth Academy over the past couple of years at the position, Davis still has a firm hold on the starting spot, at least for the next season.  Rating: 8/10

 

 

DEFENSE

Gareth Thompson (2018), 21 Years Old, Right Defender:  The only player worth mentioning in an abysmal showing by our defense this season, even Thompson himself did not have a good season.  His career has been more down than up so far, but the good news was his form did not really dip much from last season in the Vanarama National to this season.  In 45 Appearances, he registered 1 Goal, 2 Assists, 1.96 TpG, and 6.64 AR – it was 6.68 AR last season.  His career average is 6.66 AR, so it is right about where it should be so far.  The frustrating thing about Thompson is that he has talent – he has good attributes and really should be doing better.  At least he can claim to have been our best defender this season.  Rating: 6/10

 

 

MIDFIELD

Colin Hannah (2018), 20 Years Old, Central Midfield:  A step backward for the otherwise reliable CM this season – in 44 Appearances, he registered 1 Goal, 1 Assist, and 6.68 AR.  His 4.32 TpG, however, was encouraging, but not enough to cover his drop in form.  Granted, we were playing at a much higher level of football than before, so I will cut him some slack there, although I do hope to see better from him next season.  Rating: 6/10

 

Dan Spalding (2018), 21 Years Old, Right Winger:  The good news is that the increase in level of football did not faze him – he was pretty much right on point with how he was last season.  The bad news is he wasn’t so great last season!  In 42 Appearances, he registered 6 Goals, 8 Assists, 2.22 TpG, and 6.71 AR, which was only a slight drop from the 6.74 AR of last year.  He is our highest paid player at £1.7K per week, and my coaching staff do think highly of him (4/5 CA, 5/5 PA), but it has to translate into better form going forward.  He has proven himself to be a good passer and a capable goal-scorer when need be, now he needs to work on his consistency.  Rating: 6/10

 

Dominic Sherratt (2018), 20 Years Old, Right Winger:  After Adu was sold in January, Sherratt was given back his starting position down the left wing, which resulted in 18 Starts out of 36 Appearances for the season.  He registered 2 Goals, 8 Assists, 3.40 TpG, and 6.64 AR for the season – the 6.64 AR was the lowest of his career, but he gets a pass because he was not a starter for half of the season.  He will remain our starter going into next season, and I hope he can deliver the kind of form he showed us in 2019/20.  Rating: 6/10

 

 

ATTACK

Lewis Hodges (2018), 20 Years Old, Striker:  The change and increase in level of football hit Hodges hard – he dropped from a 7.54 AR to 6.97 AR.  He also missed a game for the first time in his career, registering 45 Appearances and 22 Goals, 13 Assists, 2 PoMs, 59% Shot Target, along with his 6.97 AR.  He now has 131 Goals for his career, along with a 7.26 AR that are both the highest in club history thus far.  I fully expect Hodges to have a much better season next year and reclaim his position as top striker in our club.  Rating: 7/10

 

 

 

HOT PROSPECTS

Benjamin Olisema (2019), 18 Years Old, Central Defender:  His work rate has been phenomenal – from 3/5 PA when he first came up to 5/5 PA, he has proven to be one of the hardest working players in the club.  He played in 44 Games (25 Starts), registering 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 1 PoM, 2.90 TpG, and 6.60 AR – his TpG was the highest of any CD on the team, which is saying something because he was a substitute most games.  Most of his starts came at the DL position after starter Jackson contracted a serious viral infection that ruled him out of the last five months of the season, so it was not even at his natural position.  Overall, I think Olisema has a lot to offer, and he is still very young. 

 

Sam Rondon (2020), 18 Years Old, Central Midfield:  In terms of players that ended the season as starters, Rondon had the highest AR outside of our two starting strikers.  In 44 Appearances, he registered 3 Goals, 4 Assists, 1.38 TpG, 1,603 Passes Completed (Best on the team), and 6.78 AR.  Impressively, his attributes made huge strides this season, and is now considered by far our most talented CM by my coaching staff.  He looks like he has the potential to be a very good CM at this level if he keeps improving at this pace. 

 

Niall Jackson (2020), 18 Years Old, Striker:  One Goal from 24 Appearances is not a good return.  He was given his chances, but he did not take them – in fact, he has now appeared in 48 Games in total, scoring only 3 Goals.  With the talent coming up at the position, it looks like Jackson is going to be forgotten about fairly quickly. 

 

Adam Burgon (2021), 16 Years Old, Striker:  Not a lot of playing time this season, but he did have some improvement in his attributes.  He made quite a splash in his incoming season, scoring 3 Goals, but he did not manage to score any in his rookie year.  He might get more chances next year after Jackson failed to impress. 

 

Gavin Collins (2021), 16 Years Old, Central Defender:  He had a busy rookie season, playing in 20 Games (16 as Substitute), registering 2.26 TpG and 6.59 AR.  His PA went up from 4/5 to 4.5/5 PA, but I cant see how he develops to the point where he could challenge for a spot in the starting eleven. 

 

 

YOUTH CLASS REVIEW

2018/19: Our best prospect from the ’19 Youth Class was sold by our board this season – Emmanuel Adu was shipped off to Cardiff during the mid-season transfer window for £400K (with potential of reaching £1.1M).  That left only four players left from this Youth Intake still on the team, two of which are part of the first team’s rotation (Benjamin Olisema and Joe Moss).  Moss has been a back-up at the CM position and has played his part as expected, but my coaching staff are not huge fans and have him at 2.5/5 PA and 1.5/5 CA.  Olisema, however, has been a success story – when he first came up, he was at 3/5 PA, but my coaching staff now have him rated at 5/5 PA.  He has done exceptional work in training and his attributes increased significantly this season, leading him to become a regular in the rotation at CD.  Going forward, Olisema looks like the only player from this Intake who could have longevity with us, as I don’t forecast Moss being talented enough to be part of the rotation for too long.  TOP PLAYERS: Emmanuel Adu, Benjamin Olisema

 

2019/20:  GK James Townsend spent a year and half as our starter at the position, playing reasonably well, but he was replaced towards the end of the season by Rhys Lalite, a member of the new youth class.  Meanwhile, Niall Jackson disappointed in his appearance, and although he is still young, he seems prime to go down the pecking order with the incoming talent at the striker position.  That only leaves Sam Rondon living up to his potential, and true to word he was the highest rated prospect in the ’20 Youth Class.  A few other members of the intake are still with the team, but no one who will make an impression with the first team.  TOP PLAYERS: Sam Rondon

 

2020/21: This has been a disaster of an intake – while both Adam Burgon and Gavin Collins have seen their PA go up from 4/5 to 4.5/5, it still seems unlikely either one will have enough talent to cement their place in the team.  Collins was played out of necessity, while Burgon might continue to find playing time hard to come by.  Other than those two, there is absolutely no one else of note.  TOP PLAYERS: N/A

 

 

YOUTH INTAKE

                                                                                                 

 

 

Kyle Connolly - Rhys Lalite – Riviere Jules – Anthony Garrard

 

 Our fourth Intake finally delivered the kind of players I was hoping for – we got four 5/5 PA players, with one immediate starter in GK Rhys Lalite.  Striker Kyle Connolly also looks like the real deal and has the look of the type of player that could definitely make an impact sooner rather than later.  Anthony Garrard looks like he could challenge for the starting spot at right back if he develops well, but I don’t have much faith in the potential of Jules.  Overall, however, this was easily our deepest, and potential best, Intake we have had so far.  The investment is starting to pay off.

 

[Torminator]

Wow nice job to stay up! I really like those regens, although the stats of Garrard are more for a wide midfielder (MR) instead of a pure defender or AMR.

[abulezz]

8 hours ago, Torminator said:

Wow nice job to stay up! I really like those regens, although the stats of Garrard are more for a wide midfielder (MR) instead of a pure defender or AMR.

Thanks! Yea, I was thinking to retrain him, perhaps even as a CM. 

[Torminator]

46 minutes ago, abulezz said:

Thanks! Yea, I was thinking to retrain him, perhaps even as a CM. 

Maybe more suited to CDM?

 

His mentals arent the best for a centrol decision making role but maybe on that level he is awesome :P

[abulezz]

1 hour ago, Torminator said:

Maybe more suited to CDM?

 

His mentals arent the best for a centrol decision making role but maybe on that level he is awesome :P

Yes, for this level, it will work just fine.  A Ball-Winning Midfielder - hopefully, he will catch on quick. 

[abulezz]

World Cup 2022:

[abulezz]

 

SEASON REVIEW 2022/2023

 

 

TEAM REVIEW

It was an exciting season, one which showed some real, organic improvement by the squad.  We were safe from the relegation zone all season long – in fact, at one point, we were even threatening to push into the last Play-Off spot.  It did not happen, but I am totally satisfied with how the season went, especially our marked improvement in defense.  Our offense was very good again, despite no one cracking 20 Goals for the first time in this save, but the emergence of youngster Connolly really shook things up, leading us to finish as the 7^th best offense in the league.  Our defense was ranked 18^th best – I know, nothing to be proud of, but at least we were not the worst!  For the first time, we have some exciting prospects leading the way with Connolly and our GK Lalite – Connolly especially looks like the type that can carry an offense all by himself. 

 

Our finances continued to dwindle for the second straight season, although we are still healthy.  Our facilities continue to be improved slowly but surely, but I think the investment is definitely starting to show in the quality of our Intakes.  The future is definitely starting to look brighter, and if we can continue getting Intakes like the last couple of years, our trek up the leagues should be relatively quick one. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KEY PLAYERS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Lewis Hodges (2018), 21 Years Old, Striker:  Although he was our best player, winning the Kafra Player of the Year for the 4^th time, I expected him to have a better season.  He did improve from his first year in the League 2, however – in 41 Appearances, he registered 18 Goals, 13 Assists, 6 PoMs, 54% Shot Target, and 7.00 AR, up from 6.97 AR last season.  This was the first year in his career he did not score at least 20 Goals, but that could also be attributed to the rise of Connolly.  Still, Hodges remains our most important and influential player, as well as our captain, and I don’t see that changing in the near future.  Our success has been tied heavily to him, and will remain so going forward.  Rating: 7/10

 

 

 

DEFENSE

Vince Jackson (2018), 22 Years Old, Left Defender:  After a viral infection that left him out of action for an incredible 6 months last season, Jackson bounced back and played in 43 Games, finishing the season as our best defender.  He registered 2 Goals, 6 Assists, 2.00 TpG, 1,047 Completed Passes (3^rd on team), and 6.75 AR – his presence was a big reason why our defense went from shambolic to just mediocre.  What really stands out about Jackson is his passing – although his rating is only 4 for the attribute, he seems to be continuously involved in attacking plays, as is evident by his Passes Completed.  Overall, I am quite happy with his season given how bad the rest of our defensive line is.  Rating: 6/10

 

Peter Marshall (2018), 22 Years Old, Right Defender:  The only defender other than Jackson and Olisema to have an AR of 6.70 or above, he made a stark improvement over his 6.58 AR disaster last season.  He played in 43 Games, registering 2 Goals, 2.01 TpG, a team-high 143 Interceptions, and 6.70 AR, which was right around his career average of 6.71 AR.  What I like most about Marshall is his versatility – he is able to play anywhere across the defensive line and is actually a natural at both the CD and RB positions.  Rating: 6/10

 

 

 

MIDFIELD

Dan Spalding (2018), 22 Years Old, Right Winger:  Spalding gave us his best season since his rookie year, which was great because I really needed an improved season from him.  In 41 Appearances, he registered 3 Goals, 8 Assists, 2.05 TpG, 19 Chances Created, a team-high 63 Key Passes, and 6.80 AR, up from 6.71 AR last season.  He still possesses the richest contract in team history, which now pays him £1.9K per week.  My coaching staff think he can still improve (4/5 CA, 4.5/5 PA) a little, which would be encouraging.  He seems to have the right talent for this level football, although I would like to see him get closer to 7.00 AR.  Rating: 6.5/10

 

Dominic Sherratt (2018), 22 Years Old, Left Winger:  Replacing Adu for his second stint in the starting lineup, Sherratt did well this season – the only problem with him has been his consistency.  When he has bad games, he tends to have disastrous ones, but he does have shining moments as well.  He played in all 46 Games (first time in his career he plays a full season), registering 9 Goals, 9 Assists, 2 PoMs, 2.69 TpG, 18 Chances Created, and 6.79 AR.  His AR was up from 6.64 AR last season, so that was a tremendous improvement.  What I like most about him is his ability to contribute in many areas – he can pass well, he can score, and he also does a good job defensively as his TpG was one of the highest on the team.  Rating: 6/10

 

 

ATTACK

Kevin Davis (2018), 22 Years Old, Striker:  Through no fault of his own, Davis was replaced in the starting lineup by rookie Connolly in the middle of the season, and going forward, he will be relegated to 3^rd choice striker.  Our vice-captain did play in 45 Games (31 Starts), registering 11 Goals, 7 Assists, and 6.78 AR – this is a player who has missed a total of 2 Games over the past five seasons, so durability and consistency is his forte.  This was also the first season were he registered below 7.00 AR, and although he has done nothing wrong, Connolly is clearly the better player and I could not deny him any longer.  Still, Davis has been one of our most important players over the past five years, and is the only player other than Hodges to win the Kafra Player of the Year.  Rating: 6/10

 

 

 

HOT PROSPECTS

Benjamin Olisema (2019), 19 Years Old, Central Defender:  The Nigerian played in all 46 Games this season, with 24 Starts, and was our best CD in terms of form this season.  He registered 3 Goals, 2 Assists, 2 PoMs, 1.56 TpG, and 6.74 AR, which was a career-high for him.  He continued his solid improvements in his attributes, and at this point, he is in a good place to challenge for a permanent starting spot based both on his abilities and his form.  He started the season as a starter for us because of Gareth Thompson’s injury (I shifted Marshall to RB and started Olisema at CD), and he performed very well, so I am thinking that I might give him a chance to show me what he is capable of next season as a starter. 

 

Sam Rondon (2020), 19 Years Old, Central Midfield:  So far this save, Rondon has been our most accomplished player to come out of the Kafra Youth Academy – he is now undeniably one of our most important players.  In 42 Appearances, he registered 6 Goals, 5 Assists, 2 PoMs, 2.30 TpG, 116 Interceptions, 51 Key Passes, a team-high 2,153 Passes Completed, and a career-high 6.94 AR.  The coaching staff think he still has a higher potential than his current ability – if he can give 7.00+ AR, I will be extremely happy with how he has turned out.   

 

Niall Jackson (2020), 19 Years Old, Striker:  Although his natural position is Striker, his goalscoring has been so bad I started giving him playing time at the wings, and he actually performed better.  In 18 Appearaces (14 Substitute), he registered 2 Assists, 2.69 TpG, and 6.71 AR, which was a career-high.  His PA has been downgraded to 4/5, and he does have the look of someone who will be able to challenge for a starting spot, but his versatility and ability to play down both wings will leave him as a valuable member of our rotation, and any injury to Sherratt or Spalding will see him gain some heavy minutes. 

 

Kyle Connolly (2022), 17 Years Old, Striker:  Half-way through the season, Connolly replaced Davis in the starting lineup and never looked back.  The truth is, Connolly is already our most talented player despite his young age, and his stats are his evidence.  What has been most impressive, however, is his incredible improvements in his attributes – this guy was seemingly getting better every week.  He finished the season with a team-high 19 Goals despite only having 22 Starts in his 38 Appearances, along with 5 Assists, 5 PoMs, 56% Shot Target, and 6.96 AR.  He has a sensational rookie season, and I very excited to see what he does next year.  Connolly’s Attribute Changes

 

Rhys Lalite (2022), 17 Years Old, Goalkeeper:  It was a pretty good rookie season for our new starting GK, and given how well he handled the pressure in such a delicate position, he has my confidence going forward.  He played in all 46 Games, registering 1.74 Con/90, 5 Clean Sheets, and 6.90 AR, which was really good considering the defensive line’s performance.  He showed significant improvement in his attributes throughout the season, and my coaching staff have him rated at 5/5 PA with the opinion that he can still show some very heavy improvement in the future. 

 

Anthony Garrard (2022), 17 Years Old, Central Midfielder:  Garrard spent his rookie year being re-trained to be a CM, and he is slowly adapting to it.  He made 9 Appearances as a Substitute, and while he was not very impressive, I am holding off all judgement until he is more comfortable at the position.  He did show good defensive instincts, registering 3.24 TpG, but obviously we want to see more attacking contribution.  Let’s see how he develops over the next year.   

 

 

YOUTH CLASS REVIEW

2018/19:  Our first Youth Intake currently has no starters in our line-up – the most talented player, Emmanuel Adu, was sold last year for £400K to Cardiff but has yet to make his debut for them.  Benjamin Olisema, Joe Moss, and Ian Elmes have continued to be in the rotation – especially Olisema – but no one looks capable of developing into an important member of our first team past the rotation.  TOP PLAYERS: Emmanuel Adu, Benjamin Olisema

 

2019/20:  Sam Rodon has been the obvious star of this Intake – my coaching staff seem to be spot on when it came to judging this Intake initially.  They had Rodon as 5/5 PA, with Niall Jackson (4.5/5 PA) and GK James Townsend (4/5 PA) as the other high rated prospects.  Rodon has become one of our most important players, Jackson is back-up for both the striker and wing positions, and Townsend – after spending a year as a starter – is our No.2 GK.  No one else has contributed, although MC Jon Kelleher (2.5/5 PA) did make his debut this season but only had 2 total Appearances.   TOP PLAYERS: Sam Rondon

 

2020/21: Our weakest Intake thus far, with no one breaking into the first team as of yet.  Our two highest rated prospects were both 4/5 PA coming out – defender Gavin Collins, who had a relatively busy rookie year, failed to make an appearance this year, while striker Adam Burgon (4.5/5 PA) made only one.  Burgon did show some good improvements in his abilities, but the striker position is so deep currently that I don’t see how he could find his way into a regular rotational spot.  No one else has made their debut for the club, and it is unlikely anyone else will.  TOP PLAYERS: Adam Burgon

 

2021/22:  The ’22 Youth Class is in a tier of its own when it comes to quality compared to the others – despite it being our rookie Intake, it has yielded us two bonafide starters out of the four 5/5 PA prospects the Intake gave us.  The gem is obviously Kyle Connolly – I suspect that at some point next season, he replace Hodges as our best and most important player.  Rhys Lalite is easily the best GK we have and did a good job in his rookie year, while Anthony Garrard is being re-trained to be a CM while still possessing 5/5 PA.  The last 5/5 PA prospect is Riviere Jules (2/5 CA, 5/5 PA), whose debut was his only appearance – while my coaching staff remain high on him, I have strong doubts he will develop into a meaningful player.  Still, this has been our best Intake so far by a wide margin.  TOP PLAYERS: Kyle Connolly, Rhys Lalite, Anthony Garrard

 

 

YOUTH INTAKE

                                                                                                 

 

 

Mike Rigby - Sam Beresford – Mehmet Donmez – Bevon Daley

This looks to be another strong Intake initially, although it has given us more talent in what is our deepest position, the striker position.  Rigby will be re-trained to be a CD, and I hope he can adapt quickly because he looks like he could have some real potential at the position.  The strikers will be a wait and see progression – I will be in no rush to bring them along quickly because we have some good talent already, but if they show quick improvement in their abilities, I will not hesitate to give them playing time. 

 

[abulezz]

Just wanted to highlight this guy - his £142M transfer is the highest yet in my save for a NewGen.  Only 22 years old, he's already led Atletico Madrid to 2 La Liga titles, before making his move to Chelsea.

[abulezz]

Third time a charm? Great start in our third season in the League 2!

 

Edited November 30, 2018 by abulezz