Starting with a lower league team

[User0912]

Just wondering what or how those who choose to start with a lower league team get the team promoted etc.

 

Is it down to the tactics you choose and just use what players at your disposal for example no money for wages ?

or

Is it the players you sign and you choose a basic tactic ?

 

Apologies if its a simple answer, I like teh idea of taking a lower league team up the league but I have no idea where to start, what players to sign to fit the tactic.

[Bigpole]

3 minutes ago, User0912 said:

Just wondering what or how those who choose to start with a lower league team get the team promoted etc.

 

Is it down to the tactics you choose and just use what players at your disposal for example no money for wages ?

or

Is it the players you sign and you choose a basic tactic ?

 

Apologies if its a simple answer, I like teh idea of taking a lower league team up the league but I have no idea where to start, what players to sign to fit the tactic.

we can't tell you what approach you need to have, 1st season for me is always playing team's real life formation, and then it's up to you (or team's depth) - do you want to continue with your current tactic or create new tactic and window by window buy players suited to this tactic. Remember that new tactic should be 'reserve tactic' first, you don't want to make drastic changes when on good form or in the middle of the season.

[ajt]

I try and use a simple tactic to start out with. I have been using a 4-4-2 and 4-1-4-1 (wing play) and both have worked well. You probably won't have the finances to sign players for any significant transfer fee (I didn't anyway) and will need to rely on loans & free transfers when contracts expire. Some players that look rubbish can be surprisingly good. For example I have a left winger who doesn't have good attributes but still plays with me now I reached the Bundesliga & he still has a 7.37 average rating. His crossing is only 8 but he still has 10 assists each season.

I find it way more enjoyable to try and build a club up, have a go it's good fun!

[User0912]

21 hours ago, Bigpole said:

we can't tell you what approach you need to have, 1st season for me is always playing team's real life formation, and then it's up to you (or team's depth) - do you want to continue with your current tactic or create new tactic and window by window buy players suited to this tactic. Remember that new tactic should be 'reserve tactic' first, you don't want to make drastic changes when on good form or in the middle of the season.

I wasn't expecting to be told what approach I need to have, it was more a "How does everyone else go about it" question, not much if any money is available to you so 1 needs to spend any money carefully. Guess I was looking for advice from others who have done a similar thing.

Ive tried in the past to take a lower league team up and it didn't go well, a usual trait of mine is to change tactics when it goes badly which I know is wrong.

Edited November 4, 2019 by User0912

[User0912]

16 hours ago, ajt said:

I try and use a simple tactic to start out with. I have been using a 4-4-2 and 4-1-4-1 (wing play) and both have worked well. You probably won't have the finances to sign players for any significant transfer fee (I didn't anyway) and will need to rely on loans & free transfers when contracts expire. Some players that look rubbish can be surprisingly good. For example I have a left winger who doesn't have good attributes but still plays with me now I reached the Bundesliga & he still has a 7.37 average rating. His crossing is only 8 but he still has 10 assists each season.

I find it way more enjoyable to try and build a club up, have a go it's good fun!

Thanks, it is something I'm considering doing.

[Faramir]

Since I always start there, Here are a few of the things I do:

Simple formation is good- I typically play a 442 counterattack because I am starting with a challenging side (vs. a more established side) in VN-South or North (when in England).

Staff is one of the first things I square away, as good a staff as I can manage to attract.

Players- I evaluate the squad and try to keep the ones I think will fit my approach. This isn't always possible- ex. I am playing Hornchurch in Dafuge 20 Challenge and all the players (12 total) were on non-contracts. The one I would like to keep the most won't consider a new contract since he just signed the one he is on, so I will likely lose him to another side before I can get him under contract.  

Searching for new players- Speed (ACC/Pace) is great in lower leagues for the way I play. I also value determination since we will always be the underdog. You won't be able to get top flight players, so  you have to settle for attribute combinations that are good enough to benefit your tactical approach and just go from there. 

I typically play at least 8 friendlies to get my squad comfortable with my main tactic and work on gelling since I usually bring in several (or many players). 

The first season is all about hanging on and then you build the blocks from there. 

Hope that helps!

Rashidi (Bustthenet) will be doing a Lower League side video sometime soon- so keep an eye out for that.

[metallimuse]

I'm not convinced by the whole "keep it simple in lower leagues" stance. 

Personally I don't adjust my tactics and play a Bielsa press type of game in any league I'm in as I enjoy setting up like that and I played like that in last years @Morrissey lower Scottish leagues database and had huge success guiding my team to the top of the juniors division.

With regards to players you need to think about what it is you want from them in their positions and how you play, as previously mentioned if you have wingers then look for good speed. In midfield maybe have one with good passing the other with good tackling etc etc.

I personally don't see why you can't play how you want in any division.

Mind, that may change with the new club vision this year.

[OlivierL]

On 04/11/2019 at 22:20, Faramir said:

 

Rashidi (Bustthenet) will be doing a Lower League side video sometime soon- so keep an eye out for that.

@Rashidi , is this true ? looking forward to this. thinking about starting with the dafuge challenge but still thinking about it and didn't  decide which tactic I'll  use. picked most of the DNA attributes but could change after I choose the club and final tactic. 

[Rashidi]

I always do a lower league challenge this time my attention is more focused on the beta at this point, plus and this is the biggest reason I don't know which save to start with first. i have 4 potential choices of the kind of saves to start. And this time the lower league save must start early. There will also be a top league side that is focused on training aspects from which i gather features for the shorter training videos. I am definitely doing one of each and a personal favourite save as well. Last year i did 5 saves concurrently.

[Faramir]

Metallimuse- Your point on tactics is good, but to frame it from my situation- I basically didn't have any players (well all of them were non-contract and I lost the only ones that were any good on free signings early in the season), so that is building a club from scratch with no scouting information (since I play blind without attributes revealed until scouted). Due to that fact, the first season is all about what you can identify quickly and get on board to get familiar with your tactics. In doing that, simpler is better for the first season. Now that I am one season in and have at least some scouting data, I can start the changeover to a more advanced tactic that needs specific skill sets to make it work.

[dantares]

The only fixed needs I have are for a solid back four (or as solid as possible) and a couple of decent strikers. The rest of the tactic comes from whatever players I can find (ie, if I can get good wingers, I go for wing play, otherwise a narrow diamond will do the trick). Direct football with pacey players seems to work better, as the opposition defenders are usually slow.

[Declan Cahill]

Generally use the squad given.

Flat back 5, a DM, 2 strikers that can head go route one. Try and bring in 2 or 3 utility players that can cover a good few places. Don't renew any contracts until after Xmas so you know who you wanna keep. Have scouts looking for end of contract players from start of season so can pick up a few decent free for next season. 

Tends to work for me. Each save is different though.