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

abulezz · February 14, 2019

2 hours ago, migeo said:

Are you not improving the Junior Coaching?

Believe it or not, I haven't had the choice to improvement in a few years, I have no idea why! I keep looking for it, but its not coming up.

migeo · February 15, 2019

1 hour ago, abulezz said:

Believe it or not, I haven't had the choice to improvement in a few years, I have no idea why! I keep looking for it, but its not coming up.

That's really weird, never heard of something like that before, especially when you have so much money in the bank! Shame since it's a youth only career.

Edited February 15, 2019 by migeo

WillHoward42 · February 15, 2019

Would be nice to see your best XI overall in each end of season update to see which of the new guard replace the stalwarts that got you to the Prem.

abulezz · February 15, 2019

12 hours ago, migeo said:

That's really weird, never heard of something like that before, especially when you have so much money in the bank! Shame since it's a youth only career.

Yea, its the first time it happens to me, too. The board(s) were fine about improving Junior Coaching up until it reached Average, and they have not given me the choice to request for improving it since. Hopefully, I'll get that choice soon - possibly because I have requested to move up to a Category 1 Youth System.

3 hours ago, WillHoward42 said:

Would be nice to see your best XI overall in each end of season update to see which of the new guard replace the stalwarts that got you to the Prem.

I'll put that up in my next update! Thanks for the suggestion!

abulezz · February 15, 2019

This is the largest ever received for a player currently on the team:

abulezz · February 16, 2019

Peru surprised the world at Argentina 2038, winning the World Cup against ridiculous odds. Both Finalists (Peru and Czech Republic) were heavy underdogs, defeating Argentina and Italy respectively in the Semi-Finals

abulezz · February 17, 2019

Daniel Jackson becomes the 3rd player in Kafra history to win the World U21 Footballer of the Year - he also grabbed the European Golden Boy award:

Torminator · February 18, 2019

Wow amazing stuff. Nice bid hahaha :)

Cool to see you still produce talent of top level. really looking forward to the next update!

abulezz · February 18, 2019

Heart-breaking - so close to Europe!

abulezz · February 18, 2019

1 hour ago, Torminator said:

Wow amazing stuff. Nice bid hahaha

Cool to see you still produce talent of top level. really looking forward to the next update!

Thanks! I have a real issue with my Junior Coaching - they just wont give me the option of making it better, and I think its holding my Intakes back.

Torminator · February 18, 2019

12 minutes ago, abulezz said:

Thanks! I have a real issue with my Junior Coaching - they just wont give me the option of making it better, and I think its holding my Intakes back.

Have you checked the bug forums?

numbas2 · February 18, 2019

Shame about the FAC!

abulezz · February 18, 2019

10 hours ago, numbas2 said:

Shame about the FAC!

Yea, I was excited about getting Burnley in the Semi-Finals because that was a very winnable game for us, but we choked

abulezz · February 19, 2019

SEASON REVIEW 2038/2039

TEAM REVIEW

This was a tough season – we took a step back again and ended up in 14^th Place. That means we have gone from 9^th to 14^th in two years, and I really feel the talent on the team is starting to stagnant. The Kafra Youth Academy has not been feeding us the type of quality we need – the last player that can be considered top talent was Ricardo Marques, who was part of the ’30 Youth Class. Daniel Jackson made a huge impact this season, but it has yet to be seen if he will develop into the type of talent we need. That being said, our offense was awesome again, delivering all types of multiple goal games – our defense was porous again, delivering all types of multiple goals conceded games. Our defensive prospects have not turned out the way I had hoped, and I am now stuck with a very average defensive line. This season was actually tied for our worst finish ever in the PL – we also finished in 14^th in our very first season.

The Premier League was won by Chelsea, who captured the title for the 2^nd time in 4 years and ended Man City’s (2^nd) streak at 2. Everton (3^rd) were the second runners-up for the second straight year, with Southampton (4^th) shockingly beating out Liverpool (5^th) and Tottenham (6^th) for the last Champions League spot. Man United (12^th) continued to struggle, while Millwall (7^th) surprised everyone almost won a European spot.

KEY PLAYERS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Daniel Jackson (2035), 20 Years Old, Striker: Jackson showed hints of his potential last season when he scored 20 Goals, but there was no way I could predicted he would blow up the way he did this year. In 36 Games, he led the league with 33 Goals and 67% Shots on Target, also registering 10 Assists, 6 PoMs, 46 Key Passes (4^th in PL), 18 Chances Created (3^rd in PL), and a career-high 7.53 AR (2^nd in PL). His 33 Goals were the most scored by any player in the Premier League since Alan Shearer scored 34 during the 1994/95 season – 45 years ago! He was fantastic from start to finish, and even though the club struggled this year, Jackson gave us a brilliant individual season and totally made me look like a genius in replacing Slone with him in the starting line-up. Rating: 9.5/10

DEFENSE

Aaron Taylor (2033), 22 Years Old, Goalkeeper: Our defense improved ever so slightly (up to 18^th Place this year), and the slight improvement was probably due to Taylor giving us his best season yet. In 38 Appearances (only the 2^nd time he has played a full season), he registered 2.11 Con/90, 6 Clean Sheets, and 6.96 AR, up from 6.90 AR last season. My coaching staff have dropped his 5/5 PA to a 4/5, so they think he is pretty much think he is playing close to his full potential. That would mean he did not quite develop as well as I would have hoped, although he is still a talented GK. Rating: 7/10

Terry Howell (2027), 27 Years Old, Left Defender: On this lift by default of being our captain as opposed to his actual form, because Howell delivered a stinker of a season this year. This was the worst season of his career (38 Appearances, 3.34 TpG, career-low 6.63 AR) by a large margin, even when compared to the bad season he gave us last year. I’m not quite sure what has happened – our strategy hasn’t changed, he is playing in exactly the same position with the same instructions, and he is (was, I’m not sure) England’s first choice left-back. I am really hoping he can turn this around and give us the form we were used to seeing from him, especially as he is now entering the prime of his career. Rating: 5/10

MIDFIELD

Ricardo Marques (2030), 25 Years Old, Left Winger: Marques is, without a shadow of a doubt, or most marquee and talented player – he is considered a “World-Class Talent” by my coaching staff and he is a key member of the England national which won the World 2034 and reached the Semi-Finals in Argentina 2038. That being said, this was not his finest season for us, although it was a good season overall – in 34 Appearances, he registered 14 Goals, 10 Assists, 2 PoMs, 1.18 TpG, 1.50 DpG, and 7.22 AR, which was down from 7.44 AR two seasons ago. He definitely plays better on the left-wing as an Inside Forward than he does as a striker, and he had a few outstanding games for us, but it was one of his less consistent seasons. It is not a coincidence that we had a down season in what is considered a down season for him, because he has the capability – and does – win games almost by himself for us. Rating: 7.5/10

Josh Vincent (2030), 25 Years Old, Central Midfield: Two years after dealing with a major injury, Vincent delivered the finest season of his career thus far. Impressively, he has not missed a single game in the last two seasons, which speaks volumes about his durability given how sever his injury was (hip). In 38 Appearances, he tied his career-highs with both 7 Goals and 6 Assists, while also registering 1.36 TpG, 0.95 DpG, 48 Key Passes (2^nd in PL), and a career-high 7.14 AR. He also led the league in Total Distance Covered with 497.80 kms, which points to how hard he works. Reliable, durable, and consistent, he is the personification of a workhouse CM – he might never be the most talented player on the pitch, but you can be sure he will be amongst the hardest working. Rating: 7.5/10

Dennis Duncan (2031), 23 Years Old, Right Winger: A torn thigh muscle ruled him out for just under 3 months, and he ended up playing in 26 Games this season, registering 5 Goals, 9 Assists, 2 PoMs, and 7.15 AR, which was a career-high - he also registered 15 Chances Created (5^th in PL), despite his limited appearances. We have a hot new prospect in Peacock who is immediately going to threaten Duncan’s place in the starting eleven, but like Curtis Slone, he will definitely remain part of the rotation. Even though he has done well for us, I cannot deny the talent of Peacock, who has a chance to make us better down the right wing. Rating: 7.5/10

ATTACK

Dan Demby (2027), 26 Years Old, Striker: With Daniel Jackson setting the Premier League on fire, Demby took a backseat for the first time in a few years, but still delivered one of his finest seasons in his career. He played in all 38 Games, registering 16 Goals and leading the PL with 17 Assists, to go along with his 58% Shot Target (10^th in PL), 43 Key Passes (8^th in PL), 17 Chances Created (5^th in PL), and 7.19 AR, up from 7.12 AR last season. He was an integral part of the offense that was ranked one of the best in the PL, and has a real opportunity to be a 20+ Goals, 15+ Assists player in the coming few years as he enters his prime. Rating: 7.5/10

HOT PROSPECTS

Giorgos Panagiotou (2035), 19 Years Old, Central Defender: He looked so good coming out of the Kafra Youth Academy, and I really had high expectations from him, but he has barely developed since. He has shown some growth, of course, but nowhere near what I had hoped – my coaching staff have now dropped him down to 4/5 PA. This was his 4^th season as a starter for us, and played in all 38 Games, registering 1.32 TpG and 6.82 AR, a big improvement over last year when he had to deal with injuries and registered 6.70 AR. He is very good in the air, and his Defensive skills have gotten better, but I wish he had developed the way I had hoped. Still, he remains a solid starting option for us.

Keith Bamford (2036), 19 Years Old, Right Defender: Like Panagiotou, I am disappointed with Bamford’s development, as he has shown almost no progress in the past three years since coming up from the youth academy. He really had the look of a fantastic right-back, but at his current abilities, he is just an average one for this level of football. Still, there has been positives – he again played in all 38 Games (he has missed 1 Game the past 3 years), and his 6.72 AR was a career-high and a big improvement over the 6.67 AR from last season. Unless he shows some drastic improvement in the next year or two, however, he will remain at best an average prospect/player for us.

Tomas Rodrigues (2036), 18 Years Old, Central Defender: Joining the trend of disappointing defensive prospects is Rodrigues, and he might be the most disappointing yet. After showing zero signs of improvement, I actually benched him and started Steven Smith for a while to see if he would help the defensive line perform better. Rodrigues ended up playing in 25 Games, registering 1.18 TpG and 6.72 AR, which was actually a career-high. Like Bamford and Panagiotou, he looked excellent coming out of the youth academy, but his lack of progress means that he is now just an average player.

Mick Muller (2037), 18 Years Old, Central Midfielder: So far, so good for Muller, who has shown everything required thus far in his young career – he has progressed nicely in training with his attributes improving significantly, and he his form was better in his sophomore season as compared to his rookie year. In 37 Appearances, he registered 1 Goal, 3 Assists, 5.27 TpG, 79% Pass Ratio, and 6.83 AR (up from 6.76 AR) – he showed good defensive instincts, and that is definitely his strength at this time. We need his offensive game to develop more, but was solid for us.

Tom Craig (2037), 17 Years Old, Central Midfielder: Craig did not get much playing time in his rookie year, making only 4 Appearances, but my coaching staff still have him rated at 5/5 PA. He showed some improvements in his attributes, although it was nothing pronounced, so the judgement is out on how good he can be.

IMPORTANT PLAYERS LEAVING/RETIRING

Adam Laing – Career: The oldest player on the team at 30 years old this season, Laing was perhaps our most important defender during the late 2020s and early 2030s. His finest season came during our last season in the Championship when we got promoted, but through the first few years of our PL experience, Laing remained perhaps the best defender we had. Replaced in the mid-2030s by young prospects, Laing played a total of 330 League Games for Kafra, registering a 6.86 AR.

YOUTH INTAKE

Josh Peacock – Nathan Johnson

Not a great Intake – I like Josh Peacock and he looks like a potential threat to Duncan down the right-wing, but we are still waiting for our Academy to give us another Yuill or Marques. Nathan Johnson has the look of a capable GK – he could be a fine No.2 behind Aaron Taylor if he develops well, but other than that, it was a relatively disappointing Intake.

abulezz · February 23, 2019

He gave me the run-around but he finally put his signature on paper:

l4nd3r · February 23, 2019

Em 18/02/2019 em 08:55, abulezz disse:

Thanks! I have a real issue with my Junior Coaching - they just wont give me the option of making it better, and I think its holding my Intakes back.

It's because your reputation didn't reach the threshold needed in comparison to other teams in the Premier League. Take a look at what levels other teams are, and if you are the only lagging behind maybe create a thread in the bugs forum?

abulezz · February 24, 2019

Europe, here we come!

abulezz · February 24, 2019

20 hours ago, l4nd3r said:

It's because your reputation didn't reach the threshold needed in comparison to other teams in the Premier League. Take a look at what levels other teams are, and if you are the only lagging behind maybe create a thread in the bugs forum?

I checked my rep - its at 4/5 stars currently, which I assume is OK for a Premier League club. Let's see if us qualifying for the Europa League will do anything for our rep!

numbas2 · February 25, 2019

Boom, Europe!

Someone should really create you a Kafra club badge (be nice if you had the logo pack)... and you should have it as your profile picture too...

Edited February 25, 2019 by numbas2

abulezz · February 25, 2019

5 hours ago, numbas2 said:

Boom, Europe!

Someone should really create you a Kafra club badge (be nice if you had the logo pack)... and you should have it as your profile picture too...

Lol - that would be incredible, after four years to finally have a proper Kafra badge!

abulezz · February 26, 2019

SEASON REVIEW 2039/2040

TEAM REVIEW

Our most successful year to date (7^th Place, Europa League placement) is directly associated with our significant improvement on defense – we went from constantly being the worst defensive team in the Premier League to being the 13^th best. The was the difference maker, and it seemed putting Steven Smith back in the lineup proved what a bad decision to have taken him out to support the growth of the underachieving Rodrigues. Our defensive players showed improvement almost across the board, with our captain actually being the worst performing one, although he was not too bad. Couple that with our typically strong offense and a career year from Ricardo Marques, and we pushed and earned a spot in Europe for next season. Our offense was 3^rd best in the PL, with Marques and Demby finished 2^nd and 3^rd, respectively, in the Top Goalscorer award.

Chelsea, led by the strong player of Ivorian Herve Yao (27 Apps, 32 Goals, 7.71 AR), won the PL for the 2^nd straight year, beating out Man City (2^nd) and Tottenham (3^rd). Man United (4^th) finally got it together under new coach Hannes Wolf and ended up in their best position in 4 years – more importantly, they are back in the Champions League. Everton (5^th) had another surprisingly strong season, finishing just ahead of rivals Liverpool (6^th) and Kafra (7^th) – we captured the last Europa League spot, beating Burnley (who seem to have our number lately) and Leicester (9^th) for it. Arsenal (11^th) were a complete disappointment, but there were no surprises at the bottom.

KEY PLAYERS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Ricardo Marques (2030), 26 Years Old, Left Winger (59 Caps/29 Goals): He kept me waiting until 6 months before his contract expired to sign a new one, but I am relieved he finally did. To repay the club for his brand new £300K per week monster of a contract, he delivered his finest season yet, and at this point, I think the debate about whether Marques or Hodges is our GOAT becomes a relevant one. In 37 Appearances, he registered 27 Goals (career-high, 2^nd in PL), 12 Assists, 9 PoMs (2^nd in PL), 57 Key Passes (2^nd in PL), 15 Chances Created (4^th in PL), and 7.56 AR (career-high, 2^nd in PL). Our 7^th Place finish this year was directly related to this man – without him, we would have again been meddling in the lower mid-table. He won so many games for us this year I lost count, and even though he started losing steam towards the end of the season, Marques still managed to score 4 Goals in the last 6 Games. He was named to the PL Team Select for the 2^nd time in his career, and it was fully deserved. Rating: 9.5/10

DEFENSE

Aaron Taylor (2033), 23 Years Old, Goalkeeper: Compared to our historical numbers, finishing 13^th best in the PL defensively is something of a miracle, and Taylor definitely played his part. My coaching staff opinion of him and his potential has dropped significantly (from Wonderkid to 3.5/5 PA), but he remains our finest GK by far, and definitely up to PL standards. In 38 Games, he registered 1.74 Con/90, 7 Clean Sheets (both tied for career-highs), and 6.90 AR. I wish he would have developed better as he had the look of a world-class No.1, but he stagnated in terms of his growth. The goal now is for him to start giving us 7.00+ AR seasons, which I think he is totally capable of. Rating: 6.5/10

Terry Howell (2027), 29 Years Old, Left Defender (64 Caps): His 6.76 AR was the lowest out of all our starters, which can be construed as a good thing. It was also his highest mark in 3 years, and a significant improvement over the 6.63 AR disaster he provided us with last season. He played in 37 Games, also registering 3 Assists, 3.08 TpG, and 85 Interceptions. Overall, it was not a bad season from the veteran, but long are the days were our captain was one of our most vital players on the pitch – now his importance is associated almost exclusively with his influence. Rating: 6/10

Steven Smith (2028), 28 Years Old, Central Defender: If there ever was a player that refused to accept his relegation to the bench and continued fighting until he earned back his starting spot, it is Smith. After preferring the development of Rodrigues (who did not turn out how I wanted) to Smith, he is back in the starting lineup and gave us his finest since we got promoted to the PL. In 37 Games, he registered 2 PoMs, 1.87 TpG, 172 Interceptions (1^st in PL), 68 Shots Blocked (1^st in PL), 85% Headers Won (1^st in PL), 89 Key Headers (2^nd in PL), 15 Key Tackles (2^nd in PL), and 6.94 AR. Relegating him from starter to rotational player was a big mistake, and it is no coincidence that our much improved defensive performance came during the season he returned to the starting lineup. Rating: 7/10

Giorgos Panagiotou (2035), 20 Years Old, Central Defender: His best season yet, not only in form but also in his improvement concerning his attributes. In 36 Games, he registered 2 Goals, 2 PoMs, 1.85 TpG, 142 Interceptions, 12 Key Tackles, and a career-high 6.92 AR – his previous best was 6.89 AR. He has actually taken on the description of ‘Wonderkid’, and the only negative about him according to my staff is his Technique. I taught him the trait of ‘Stay back at all times” and it seems to have helped him. At this point, although he is not as good as I had hoped he will be, he is our best CD. Rating: 7/10

Keith Bamford (2036), 20 Years Old, Right Defender: In the four seasons he has been with the club, he has been our starter and has only missed a single game – in fact, he has not missed any games in the past three seasons. This year, in those 38 Appearances, he registered 4 Assists, 1.61 TpG, 111 Interceptions, 1,271 Completed Passes (2^nd on team), and a career-high 6.82 – he has now improved his form in every one of his four years. The only thing I can complain about at this point is the fact that he has shown very little improvement over the years, and although he is of decent quality for the PL, he is not of the standard that I need to compete for a top four position. Rating: 6.5/10

MIDFIELD

Josh Vincent (2030), 26 Years Old, Central Midfield: This was another good season from Vincent, who has now missed only one game in the past three years. In 37 Appearances, he registered 3 Goals, 6 Assists, 1.06 TpG, 78% Pass Ratio, 60 Key Passes (1^st in PL), 104 Interceptions, 1,821 Completed Passes (1^st on team), and 7.11 AR, which was his second straight year of 7.10+ AR. He is our workhorse in the middle, and seemingly never stops moving – it helps that he has good pace, and he certainly benefits from his good work rate. He is considered a good player for most PL sides by my staff, but for us, he remains one of our most valuable players. Rating: 7.5/10

ATTACK

Dan Demby (2027), 29 Years Old, Striker (11 Caps/0 Goals): What a season from Demby, who surely must be considered a club legend by now. In 38 Appearances, he registered 25 Goals (3^rd in PL), 6 Assists, 4 PoMs, 79% Pass Ratio, 58% Shot Target, and 7.26 AR – his assists numbers were way down from last season, but his goals were up, and for the 3^rd time in his career, he scored 20+ Goals in the Premier League. He has now scored 202 League Goals for us in total over his career, along with 99 Assists and 7.12 AR in 469 Games. For the first time in his career, his description is now ‘Elite Striker’, which I think he fully deserves as he has been one of the PL’s top performing strikers for the better part of the decade. Rating: 7.5/10

Daniel Jackson (2035), 20 Years Old, Striker (1 Cap): After setting the PL on fire last season, our young striker came crashing back down to earth. It was not an especially bad season, but not one that even remotely compared to his phenomenal season last year. In 38 Appearances, he registered 12 Goals (down from 33!), 10 Assists, 76% Pass Ratio, 40% Shot Target (down from 67%), and 6.98 AR (down from 7.53). He earned his first cap for England based on his performances from last year, and obviously he proved that he was capable of being an unstoppable force. Hopefully next year will resemble 2038/39 instead of the one. Rating: 7/10

HOT PROSPECTS

Mick Muller (2037), 19 Years Old, Central Midfielder: Although a hernia injury ruled him out for about a month and a half, Muller still delivered a good season for us and showed what type of form he is capable of. In 31 Appearances, he registered 6 Goals, 7 Assists, 3 PoMs, 2.33 TpG, 79% Pass Ratio, and 7.03 AR, which was a career-high and an improvement on the 6.83 AR from last season. He has also taken the description of ‘Wonderkid’, and showed good growth in his attributes, especially the Physical and Mental attributes. I would like to see him improve in his Technical and Attacking abilities, but so far, he has been a real gem from the Kafra Academy for us.

Tom Craig (2038), 18 Years Old, Central Midfielder: Playing in 12 Games this season, Craig showed a bit of a goalscoring touch, netting 3 Goals to go along with 1.62 TpG, 82% Shot Target, and 6.88 AR. His growth was stagnant until the second half of the season, and then his development picked up, which was encouraging. I like his Technical abilities, and he is still rated at 5/5 PA, so I will continue to provide him with opportunities to prove himself next season.

Josh Peacock (2039), 17 Years Old, Right Winger: I took the chance and immediately threw Peacock in the starting lineup during his rookie season, replacing the reliable but relatively limited Dennis Duncan at right wing. It was a relatively successful experiment – we finished in a record high of 7^th Place, Peacock had good numbers (37 Apps, 4 Goals, 11 Assists, 1.45 TpG, 1.57 DpG, 6.98 AR), and the playing time helped accelerate his improvement a lot. His ceiling as a player is still a bit of a mystery, but I am slightly concerned that my coaching staff lowered him to a 4.5/5 PA instead of the full 5/5. He has all the right abilities, now its just a matter of improving enough for him to be the kind of caliber of player I am looking for.

Nathan Johnson (2039), 17 Years Old, Goalkeeper: Although he did not play and has yet to make his debut, I wanted to feature Johnson because he looks like he could be something special. Of course, it is all contingent on how well he develops, but he has strength in all the right abilities.

IMPORTANT PLAYERS LEAVING/RETIRING

None of note.

YOUTH INTAKE

Matthew Walker – Gary Barrett

I like the Gary Barrett – he looks like he could challenge Bamford for some playing time at right-back soon if he develops quick. Matthew Walker also looks like he could potentially develop into a quality striker, but again it depends on how fast he improves. There is not much to look out outside of those two, however, so it is another relatively shallow Intake.

YOUTH CLASS REVIEW

2038/2039: Highlighted by our new starter at right-wing Josh Peacock and our No.2 GK Nathan Johnson, this Intake looks like it could give us a couple of good players.

2037/2038: For now the only stand-out prospect from this Intake is Tom Craig, although Sean Morrison and Paul Hill might end up making something of themselves, as well. TOP PLAYERS: Tom Craig

2036/2037: Mick Muller has been the shining prospect from the ’37 Youth Class, and the only real contributor. TOP PLAYERS: Mick Muller

2035/2036: The ’36 Youth Class delivered two starters right off the bat in right-back Keith Bamford and CD Tomas Rodrigues – the former still holds his position but the latter did not develop well enough to hold his starting spot, and is now part of the rotation but now the starting eleven. TOP PLAYERS: Keith Bamford, Tomas Rodrigues

2034/2035: Daniel Jackson has become the clear star of the ’35 Youth Class, which also delivered us our current starter at CD, Giorgos Panagiotou TOP PLAYERS: Giorgos Panagiotou, Daniel Jackson

2033/2034: A weak Intake which netted us no real contributors to the first team. Dylan O’Keefe has seen a bit of action, but still rarely plays. TOP PLAYERS: Dylan O’Keefe

2032/2033: Aaron Taylor is easily one of the best prospects to ever be delivered by the Kafra Youth Academy, and he is already our starting GK. There are no other prospects of note other than Taylor. TOP PLAYERS: Aaron Taylor

2031/2032: A weak Intake, with the best prospect being Callum Foley, who served as our starter at CM for a couple of years and is not part of the rotation. TOP PLAYERS: Callum Foley

2030/2031: Dennis Duncan is our current starter at right-wing, but other than that, there has not really been anyone who has amounted to much from this weak class. TOP PLAYERS: Dennis Duncan

2029/2030: The top prospect from the ’30 Youth Class is Ricardo Marques, who was named the 2034 World Cup Best Young Player and has won the Kafra Player of the Year 7 times. Marques and Jim Yuill from the ’26 Youth Class are definitely our top prospects to come out of the Kafra Youth Academy. The other notable prospect from the ’30 Youth Class is our starting CM Josh Vincent. TOP PLAYERS: Ricardo Marques, Josh Vincent

2028/2029: The top two prospects from this Intake were Kwame Nartey and Ben Foyston, neither of which have a significant part to play on the team anymore. TOP PLAYERS: Kwame Nartey, Ben Foyston

2027/2028: The best player from the ’28 Youth Class is Curtis Slone, who is a three time Kafra Player of the Year, 2031 U21 World Footballer of the Year, and 2032 PL Top Goalscorer. The rest of the prospects from this youth class were all defenders, with the best of them having been our current CD starter Steven Smith. TOP PLAYERS: Curtis Slone, Steven Smith, Dan Ellis

2026/2027: The stars of the ’27 Youth Class are England international Terry Howell, who is now our starting left-back, and the 2037 PL leading Goalscorer and 2036 Kafra Player of the Year Dan Demby. Ryan Jones remains the only other player of note from this talented youth class. TOP PLAYERS: Terry Howell, Dan Demby, Ryan Jones

2025/2026: The best player from the ’26 Youth Class is right-winger Jim Yuill – he left the club for £6.25M to Everton, then sold to Arsenal for £64M, and at the beginning of the 2036/37 season, he joined Malaga for an astonishing £129M. He is easily the most talented player to come out of the Kafra Youth Academy in its history, and the England right winger is now entering prime of his career. The other two players of note are Louie Weir, who started at right back for us a few seasons, and John Cooper, who was part of the rotation at MC and SC. TOP PLAYERS:Jim Yuill – Yuill Career – Yuill Biography, John Cooper, Louie Weir

2024/2025: Adam Laing is currently the only member of the first team left from the ’24 Youth Class, with Nelson Peres having left the club on Free Transfer. The only other player of note is Marcus Clarke, who was with PL club Southampton but retired at the age of 25 after being let go. Clarke was a wasted talent – he was amongst the leading goalscorers at the tournament for England in the 2029 U20 World Cup. TOP PLAYERS: Marcus Clarke, Adam Laing, Nelson Peres

2023/2024: What initially was by far our strongest Intake has slowly eroded into an underachieving one – several players are still in the game playing high level football, but none remain at the club. TOP PLAYERS: Jonathan Sheckleford, Joseph Oliseh, Gary Bowen, Mike Beverley, Roberto Santos

2022/2023: With Mike Rigby now having left the club, there is no one from this Intake that remains part of the first team. While not the weakest Intake, the ’23 Youth Class has been perhaps the most disappointing and underachieving. TOP PLAYERS: Mike Rigby

2021/2022: The ’22 Youth Class has a clear best player in GK Rhys Lalite, who was our starter throughout the 2020s and early 2030s. The other two noteworthy players are Kyle Connolly, who bounced around League 2 and League 1 before playing several seasons with Swindon, and Anthony Garrard, who left the club in 2031. TOP PLAYERS: Kyle Connolly, Rhys Lalite, Anthony Garrard

2020/2021: Widely considered our weakest Intake, no one from this Intake is still in the game. Adam Burgon was the best player from the ’21 Youth Class, playing a few games for the club. TOP PLAYERS: Adam Burgon

2019/2020: Sam Rodon is the only player of note from the ’20 Youth Class. He was one of the club’s most valuable players in the 2020s, playing at CM and appearing in 475 Games with a 6.86 AR. Niall Jackson was a back-up at the winger and striker positions from the early 2020s to the late 2020s, before joining Dorchester and retiring in 2030. TOP PLAYERS: Sam Rodon

2018/19: Emmanuel Adu remains the only player in football from the ’19 Youth Class, playing with Wycombe in the League Two. Olisema is the only other player of note from our first Youth Class, as he was a rotational defender for us in the early to mid 2020s. TOP PLAYERS: Emmanuel Adu, Benjamin Olisema

Edited February 26, 2019 by abulezz

numbas2 · February 26, 2019

Isn't 4.5 PA now "could be as good as Marques" - which is pretty special! Congratz on what is hopefully a breakthrough season. If you do the same again, plus relative development of players, plus Daniel Jackson returning another 7.53 season (hopefully!) then perhaps you can push on?

Hopefully the Europa league gives more playing time shared around too.

abulezz · February 26, 2019

3 hours ago, numbas2 said:

Isn't 4.5 PA now "could be as good as Marques" - which is pretty special! Congratz on what is hopefully a breakthrough season. If you do the same again, plus relative development of players, plus Daniel Jackson returning another 7.53 season (hopefully!) then perhaps you can push on?

Hopefully the Europa league gives more playing time shared around too.

If they ever get to 4.5, then yes, they should be close to the talent of Marques - they always seem to fall off and rarely hit their potential, though!

Daniel Jackson looks like the second coming of Demby, which isn't a bad thing, but I don't think he is going to develop into the type of world-beater like Marques. Hell of a season from him though!

Right now, we don't have any "World-Class" players outside of Marques, I think, and I don't really see any of our prospects becoming as such. Hopefully, players like Muller and Peacock will prove me wrong, though!

Marbah · February 26, 2019

Hi @abulezz

I just got up to date with my favorite virtual team

Such an nice and enjoyable read every time, i think i went back a couple of times just to re-read what you wrote when one of players got drafted hehe

Now, to the questions: would you mind sharing your tactic, or at least the striker and midfield partnerships?

Big thanks for writing this year after year!

abulezz · February 26, 2019

3 hours ago, Marbah said:

Hi @abulezz

I just got up to date with my favorite virtual team

Such an nice and enjoyable read every time, i think i went back a couple of times just to re-read what you wrote when one of players got drafted hehe

Now, to the questions: would you mind sharing your tactic, or at least the striker and midfield partnerships?

Big thanks for writing this year after year!

Thank you for reading year after year! Anyone who takes the time to write up a save knows that comments like this mean the world!

In regards to the tactics, check the picture below. If you need any further details, just let me know!

abulezz · February 26, 2019

abulezz · February 27, 2019

I guess we don't get a soft introduction - look at this group! Lazio and Dortmund have been Top 4 teams in their respective leagues for several years - Sevilla has fallen to mid-table obscurity but have been reviving themselves the past couple of years.

abulezz · February 28, 2019

Marbah · February 28, 2019

exciting considering the group u had

abulezz · March 1, 2019

12 hours ago, Marbah said:

exciting considering the group u had

Tough group on paper, but other than a 5-2 loss to Dortmund away, we managed to qualify with relative ease.

abulezz · March 1, 2019

So far, so good:

abulezz · March 3, 2019

SEASON REVIEW 2040/2041

TEAM REVIEW

Tough season – our defense undid all the progress from last season and totally collapsed. We went from being a decent 13^th best defense in the Premier League to going back to being the worst one, which was hugely disappointing. Our defense cost us in Europe, as well – our Quarter-Finals Europa League matchup with Real Hispalis saw us lose 4-0 at home and concede 5 away from home. Our offense, once again, carried the burden of keeping the team safe from relegation, which it did efficiently for the most part. Demby was a star for us, but Jackson looks like a completely different player than the one that set the Premier League on fire two seasons ago. Marques set a new career-high in Assists, but he was definitely better last season overall. We will not be returning to Europe next season as we fell to 11^th Place, and its obvious there is work to be done before we can look towards qualification.

The Premier League was won by Chelsea for the 3^rd straight year, led their Ivorian star striker Harve Yao, who captured the PL Footballer of the Year for the second straight season as he led the PL with 25 Goals and 7.55 AR. Tottenham finished 2^nd, which was their highest finish since winning the PL in 2034, and last season’s runner-up Man City finished in 3^rd. Rounding up the Champions League spots was Arsenal, whose improvement under their new manager Wesley Lautoa has been substantial – they were in 11^th Place last season but found themselves in 4^th this year. Everton (5^th), Watford (6^th), and Man United (7^th) grabbed the Europa League spot, leaving Liverpool (8^th) on the outside looking in. Southampton (19^th) were the biggest disappointment of the season, as no one expected them to get relegated yet they did.

KEY PLAYERS

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Dan Demby (2027), 30 Years Old, Striker (15 Caps/1 Goals): In the past two years, Demby has scored 49 League Goals in 73 Games – this season, he had 24 Goals (tied for 1^st in PL), 4 Assists, 4 PoMs, 81% Pass Ratio, 1.12 DpG, 60% Shot Target, and 7.27 AR in 35 Appearances. That earned him his 2^nd ever Kafra Player of the Year award, and he fully deserved it – with Marques and Jackson both having less than stellar seasons, Demby proved again his reliability, carrying our offense on several occasions. It is hard to believe that he is now 30 years old, and how now played in over 500 League Games (504) for us. He is a club legend for sure. Rating: 8/10

DEFENSE

Aaron Taylor (2033), 24 Years Old, Goalkeeper: I am conflicted about Taylor – on the one hand, I am disappointed in how he has turned out, but on the other hand, he continues to deliver consistently decent seasons. Maybe that is what I don’t like – that fact that he is only decent when he had the look of a world-beater when he came out of the Academy. He played in all 38 Games for the 3^rd straight year, registering 2.11 Con/90 (down from 1.74 last season), 4 Clean Sheets, and 6.94 AR, which was actually up from 6.90 AR last year. He is not going to get any better, which is a shame, but he is a decent PL GK who gets the job done. I just wish he had lived up to his potential. Rating: 6.5/10

Steven Smith (2028), 29 Years Old, Central Defender: Still the recipient of several £6M bids from around the league, I am glad I stuck it out with Smith and kept him around. He signed a new contract at the end of the season which will probably keep him around with us until the twilight or end of his career. In 32 Appearances, he registered 2 Goals, 1.58 TpG, 78 Key Headers (4^th in PL), 130 Interceptions (8^th in PL), 83% Headers Won (7^th in PL), 49 Shots Blocked (2^nd in PL), and 6.92 AR. He has formed a pretty good partnership with Panagiotou in the middle of our backline, and despite my defense’s utterly embarrassing season, Smith and Panagiotou consistently rank as some of the better CDs in the league. Rating: 6.5/10

Giorgos Panagiotou (2035), 21 Years Old, Central Defender: Appearing in all 38 Games , Giorgos registered 1.78 TpG, 10 Key Tackles (7^th in PL), 85 Key Headers (2^nd in PL), 188 Interceptions (1^st in PL), 59 Shots Blocked (1^st in PL), and 6.82, which is down from 6.92 AR last season. He was quite as consistent as last season, and that probably had an effect on the overall performance of the entire defensive line since he is widely considered our best defender. He is already of a Premier League level, according to my staff, and can still get reasonably better, so that is encouraging. Rating: 6.5/10

MIDFIELD

Ricardo Marques (2030), 27 Years Old, Left Winger (71 Caps/35 Goals): Even though he took 3^rd Place in the World Footballer of the Year, this season was actually a step back from last year. In 37 Appearances, he registered 16 Goals, 16 Assists (career-high, 2^nd in PL), 6 PoMs, 1.84 DpG, and 7.26 AR (down from 7.56 AR last season). Our only “World Class” player currently, he remains an absolute beast for us and by far our most important player. He is also one of England’s most important players as well and continues to rack up personal awards. He is now entering what is supposed to be his prime years, so I am excited to see what can form he delivers in the next 4-5 years. Rating: 8/10

Josh Vincent (2030), 27 Years Old, Central Midfield: Another decent year from Vincent, although like Marques it was a step back from last season. In 36 Appearances, he registered 1 Goal, 7 Assists, 1.30 TpG, 79% Pass Ratio, 46 Key Passes (3^rd in PL), and 6.97 AR (down from 7.11 AR). This was his 11^th year with us and has been a loyal servant of the club the entire way. Consistency and reliability in the middle of the pitch has been his calling card, and although he isn’t the most talented CM around, he remains one of our most important players. Rating: 7/10

ATTACK

Daniel Jackson (2035), 22 Years Old, Striker (2 Caps): His incredible season two years ago is starting to look like an aberration – for the second straight year, he disappointed and failed in living up to the lofty standards of his 2038/39 season. In 35 Appearances, he registered 12 Goals, 4 Assists, and 6.96 AR – the worst part, however, has been his complete lack of improvement the past couple of years. It seems he reached his potential early and has gone from being a “Wonderkid” to just a regular striker. I wish his development had continued, because he looked capable of being one of those players that just sets the league on fire for 8-10 years, but it is safe to say that is not going to happen anymore. Rating: 7/10

HOT PROSPECTS

Mick Muller (2037), 20 Years Old, Central Midfielder: Our latest “Wonderkid”, Muller had a good season. In 33 Appearances, he registered 7 Goals, 7 Assists, 2 PoMs, 2.23 TpG, 79% Pass Ratio, and 7.03 AR, maintaining the standard he had set last year. He made slight improvements in his abilities over the course of the year, but nothing significant – I really hope his growth doesn’t stagnant and that we get one more year of real development from him.

Tom Craig (2038), 19 Years Old, Central Midfielder: He had 16 Appearances this year, registering 3 Goals, 1.41 TpG, 83% Pass Ratio, 1.02 DpG, and 6.77 AR, which was down from 6.88 AR last season. He continues to get better, but at a slow pace, and I don’t see him becoming the kind of player that will push either Muller or Vincent out of their starting spots. Still, he has shown he can be useful when played, although I will look for better form from him next season.

Josh Peacock (2039), 18 Years Old, Right Winger: He has not really shown the type of development I have been looking for since he became our starter, and his sophomore year was actually worse than his rookie one. In 34 Appearances, he registered 2 Goals, 9 Assists (down from 11), 1.58 TpG, 1.72 DpG, and 6.85 AR (down from 6.98 AR). Still, he is very young, and the potential is there. If we can get a good two years of development out of him, he could be a dangerous weapon down the wing for us.

Nathan Johnson (2039), 18 Years Old, Goalkeeper: Yet to make his debut, but I feel like I am going to give him some games next season just to see how good he can get. I am intrigued by his potential, as are my coaching staff, and he has shown encouraging improvements in his abilities despite not having any playing time.

Gary Barrett (2040), 17 Years Old, Right Defender: I love his Mental attributes, and he has the look of a player that can challenge current starter Bamford for the right-back spot soon. His form was not good in his rookie season (14 Apps, 2.49 TpG, 6.54 AR), but I will not hold any judgement now as the right-back positions have historically been tough positions in my system.

IMPORTANT PLAYERS LEAVING/RETIRING

None of note.

YOUTH INTAKE

Isaac Diallo – Danny Hasley – Alan Forrester

A very defender-heavy Intake, which is not necessarily a bad thing since my defensive line is complete crap right now. All three of the prospects I highlighted seem to have potential, and Diallo is rated 5/5 PA by my coaching staff. If only one of them ends up making my defensive line better, then this Intake would be considered a success.

YOUTH CLASS REVIEW

2039/2040: Gary Barrett is the only prospect worth nothing so far, although he does look like could end up being a special player.

2038/2039: Highlighted by our new starter at right-wing Josh Peacock and our No.2 GK Nathan Johnson, this Intake looks like it could give us a couple of good players. TOP PLAYERS: Josh Peacock, Nathan Johnson