Crusade for European Glory! It always begins in Clermont [FM20]

[Hootieleece]

44 minutes ago, B.W.G said:

Got my fingers crossed that you can hold off PSG and Lyon in the race for the title.

My next two games will probably decide it. AS Monaco, not doing great but still a good team and 5 days later PSG! Every other match on the schedule we are favorites.

I hope to win just to get the Board to really give me some Transfer Money and Payroll space. Especially Transfer money. I don't have the money to get non-World Class Internationals except by Free Transfers and luck. The most I have spent on any player is $12.5M and not for want of spending more but most good players are going for at least $50M-$60M and can easily go for twice that.

It is not to say we aren't a good team, but the extra quality shown by Barcelona, Haaland, Rayn Al-Ait? and others just showed the difference between Internationals and World-Class Players.

[karanhsingh]

Absolutely agree, this is the hardest step to take. Both in FM and IRL. To truly join the elite you at least need a few world class players if not all over the pitch. And they will cost you some serious money. The only alternate is to scout and buy wonderkids and give them a few years. 

[Hootieleece]

8 hours ago, karanhsingh said:

Absolutely agree, this is the hardest step to take. Both in FM and IRL. To truly join the elite you at least need a few world class players if not all over the pitch. And they will cost you some serious money. The only alternate is to scout and buy wonderkids and give them a few years. 

I did scout wonderkids...that is half my team...but truly world-class players seem beyond my reach. Mostly due to money.

Matias Palacios is a great player, doesn't even get a sniff at Argentine National team because of Lautauro Martinez and Paulo Dybala among others at his position.

Palaversa has been a good-great player for me and is in the Croatian National Team.

Nael Jaby is in my save one of the world's leading midfielders doesn't get in French National Team because of Pogba and Camavinga.

Daniel Labila is a leading youngster at PSG IRL. Joined us on a Free is good but is mainly our Super sub.

Neco Williams is a leading youngster at Liverpool IRL. Joined us on a Free because he would never get in a game because of TAA. IRL just had his Premier League debut Wednesday.

According to the game Till Cissokho developed into a poor man's Virgil Van Dijk.

 

[Hootieleece]

Regular Season: April 2029

April only had five fixtures, all of them in Ligue1. This will probably be the stretch that decides the title.

The first match of the month was a trip to Monaco...

It was an unlucky defeat but not out of the realm of possibility.

AS Monaco 1 -Clermont 0

The next match was five days later and PSG visited Clermont Stadium. Another critical game but a win by us would probably end  PSG's title hopes.

The Team was fired up,

and it showed in the total domination of PSG that ended in a 3-0 Victory!

a nine day layoff followed and Bernard was worried about the effects of it.

The team trained hard but the effects were there to see in the game against Bordeaux.

This is probably the loss we will regret most if we don't win the title.

Bordeaux fired their manager after the next match...anyway!

The title race is heating up but is truly only a two horse race between Clermont and Olympique Lyonnais.

Coupe de France Review

AS Monaco won it just like Bernard predicted.

Still smarting after the loss in Bordeaux, the team came home to host relegation threatened LOSC Lille.

This was a carbon copy of almost every match at home this season. Lille "parked the Bus" and defended with 10-11 men behind the ball.  Clermont took a long time to break them down because of rotten luck. (hitting the post/crossbar 3-4 times) Also LOSC's GK played the game of his career.

The final match of the month was a trip to the Loire valley and Angers FCO.

The match started badly but the team overcame the early mistake and won the match!

and the Board announced their budget.

still not enough transfer money to bring in a transcendent talent.

League Table and Team Stats

Player of the Month

Stanislas Limbombe-20A

Stanislas has been a standout player ever since Bernard change his role on the left to Ramdeuter from IF.

 

Thanks for Reading!

 

 

 

[Hootieleece]

Regular Season: May 2029

May had just three fixtures all in Ligue1. There was a possibility of winning the Title so Bernard would always deploy the strongest lineup.

The first match in May was home game against Dijon FCO. The mustard makers were already relegated, but their manager was feisty in the pregame media circus.

Bernard used the other manager thinks you stink speech to great effect...and the team were easy winners.

Olympique Lyonnais also won their match so stayed 1 point ahead of us in the table.

The pregame hype for the trip to Le Havre were well under way when "Marshal Jaby" spoke to the media.

The match was almost an afterthought but the team was up for it inspired by Jaby's words and deeds.

Jaby scored the first goal and led by example.

Olympique Lyonnais lost their match so we retook the lead by two points going into the last day.

Clermont played Toulouse who was in 5th place, while OL played relegated Dijon FCO.

A win or a draw and Clermont would defend their crown as Ligue1 champions.

Maximilliano Romero put the team on his back and carried us to the title!

Two Time Ligue1 Champions!

Bernard enters the French Manager Hall of Fame!

The Team set a Team record for goals in a Season!

Player of the Month

Maximilliano Romero

 

Awards Night

All time Team

Fan Favorites of the Season

Player of the Year

Nael Jaby

Nael Jaby the "Marshal of Clermont" put in another terrific season leading the team in games played and avg. rating.

Board Meeting

More of the same...

Bernard is excited for the facilities improvements and Stadium Expansion.

We were selling out and the stadium just opened in August!

Season Review

Squad Rating sorted by Appearances

Ligue1 Team Stats

Clermont came in 2nd in goals scored and topped passing and possession and tackling.

Ligue1 Individual Stats

Maximilliano Romero topped the Goal scoring with 17.

Maximillian Alt had most shutouts with 15!

Also notice Nael Jaby had best avg. rating in Ligue1!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jogo Bonito]

Many congratulations on defending your title, an excellent achievement and well deserved.

Your Argentinian flair with Palacios in midfield and goals from Romero were the perfect supplement to your home grown regulars.

[Hootieleece]

2 hours ago, Jogo Bonito said:

Many congratulations on defending your title, an excellent achievement and well deserved.

Your Argentinian flair with Palacios in midfield and goals from Romero were the perfect supplement to your home grown regulars.

Thanks. I almost didn't pull it off... I was nervous for about the last 5 matches.

I am slowly bringing in a few more homegrown regulars, but the true home grown regulars are very few. Actually only Nael Jaby and Brandon Baiye from original 2019 team. 

But I didn't realize that my starting XI has 7 real players that could be described as wonderkids in 2019.

I realized after making this comment in another thread.

Palacios, Romero and now Sapetti are my "Argentinian Connection" some players have affinity for Brazilian youth products. I am sending my scouts to Argentina!

 

[BattleFrog]

Hello. Does anyone have an overview of how the places for organizing big tournaments work in FM. (Venue of the World Championships, Europe or where the LM final will be played). Is there any chance that if I built large stadiums in Slovakia, for example, the World Cup could take place in our country? Thanks for the reply because I don't know much about this

[B.W.G]

Congrats on retaining the title

I love seeing a 4-2-3-1 formation 

Edited July 12, 2020 by B.W.G

[Hootieleece]

11 minutes ago, B.W.G said:

Congrats on retaining the title :thup:

I love seeing a 4-2-3-1 formation 

It is not exactly my favorite...but I know it works and I some what understand roles and how they work within it, because I use it so much.  Basically 80% of saves since FM15!

 

[Hootieleece]

Silly Season: May 2029

The last post didn't get me all the way to the end  of May and some more Awards came our way.

Champions League Review

Clermont made the First Knockout Round, not a bad achievement but we must do better if we are to reach our objective of winning the Champion's League.

Bernard handed out medals to all these players for participation in our Title Defense

Our Last minute signing was a rock in our defense...

The 19 year old has a bright future.

The Clermont Team dominated one of the All-Star Teams

Ligue1 Player of the Year!

Ligue1 Top Goal Scorer!

Ligue1 Top Goalkeeper

Win the Title and not be on the Ballot for Manager of the Year!

Bernard is pissed!

The Ligue1 Starting XI

Nael Jaby is only player in this All-Star Team...

and Maximilliano Romero was runner up for Player of the month!

Management Report

Thanks for Reading!

 

PS. Just to let everyone know I will be putting this Career on Hiatus while I visit family in another part of the Country. I will be gone July 14th thru July 26th. I expect to resume operations on or shortly after July 27th.

 

 

 

[Jogo Bonito]

33 minutes ago, Hootieleece said:

PS. Just to let everyone know I will be putting this Career on Hiatus while I visit family in another part of the Country. I will be gone July 14th thru July 26th. I expect to resume operations on or shortly after July 27th.

Have a great family trip 

[Hootieleece]

Just to let everyone know. I have returned and will start updating soon (1-2 days).

[Hootieleece]

Silly Season Part Deux: June 2029

The Silly Season continues...but Bernard isn't interested in making moves for publicity.

The team's financial outlook is good but it is based mostly on Prize Money....not the most reliable source of funds.

I want to welcome the new teams to Ligue1 FC Lorient and Red Star FC! @Jogo Bonito

The Next two Screenshots prove how well the team is doing after 10 years of success!

27th best team in Europe....first page...not too shabby.

Only PSG is ahead of us in France...and all the teams ahead of us are truly massive in reputation and financial clout.

The Team filled the New Stadium and an Expansion is already in the works!

Bernard isn't going anywhere!

In a normal world any manager would jump at the chance. (Just look at the rankings above) but for this save I declined.

This is the only addition to the team...he plays a position we have a lot of depth in so he will spend time in the reserves and get spot time with top squad.

We begin the season defending our Title by playing AS Monaco.

Management Report

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

 

[Jogo Bonito]

Welcome back and best of luck for the new campaign (except against FC Lorient of course).

[Hootieleece]

Preseason: July 2029

The Preseason includes training camp in New York to help our Marketing Department. Most of the Early matches are against our affiliates and much smaller teams.

The Team is mostly unchanged from last season's title winning squad and needs very little tactical training. The goal is get fitness up and keep key players healthy.

The one match of note is the Friendly against Man City.

The Team was split into 2 teams: Team A and Team B. Team A was the regular starting lineup and Team B was the backups. 

Team A would play 55-60 minutes and then Team B would play rest of the game. The Next Match Team B would start and Team would finish.

The only two matches this didn't happen was the Man City match and the Trophee des Champions match. Both were played and subbed like a competitive match.

The media and bookies made their predictions about the season.

Clermont is predicted to be top four. In defense of their crown.

I find it funny that the defending Goal Scoring Champ and the Top Player in Ligue1 are are both left out of the predictions because they play for Clermont!

The Team ended the Pre-season with a trip to South Korea for the Trophee des Champions!

and the first competitive match was a disappointment.

League Table and Team Stats

The AS Monaco game left us less the fully healthy to start the season...Sapetti being out for a month will hurt the back line.

 

Management Report

Thanks for reading!

[Koetzer]

Welcome back and good luck in new season 

[Hootieleece]

Regular Season: August 2029

August only saw three regular season games in Ligue1. All were winnable since all the teams were predicted lower half of the table.

The Board reminded Bernard of this season's goals.

All three are reachable, actually reaching the Coupe de France Semi-Final is the hardest.

We sold more season tickets...

Still a few thousand short of half the stadium after expansion. Should mean good crowds for our home matches!

 

 The media buildup for the first match was underway...

As defending Champions we were finally getting some respect.

The game was characterized by a defensive mistake by us that allowed them to score and their goalie having the game of his life...until we finally tied the match up late. Otherwise we dominated.

The next match took us to St. Etienne to plays Les Verts. The match started off with us scoring within 2 minutes and them manfully defending against a barrage of chances until a 2nd went in in extra-time.

The final match of the month was played at Clermont Stadium. The visitors were newly promoted Red Star FC.

The game was complete domination. The Red Star Goalie won Player of the Match and gave up 2 goals in a loss. Without him playing great it could have been 8-0!

League Table and Team Stats

Champions League Draw

Player of the Month

Nael Jaby

The "Marshal of Clermont" picked up where he left off with some amazing midfield play.

Management Report

Thanks for Reading!

[Hootieleece]

Regular Season: September 2029

The Month of September featured six fixtures. Five matches in Ligue1 and one match in the CL.

All Five matches were winnable and there would be some rotation in the squad.

The first match was a road trip to Strasbourg for a Ligue1 match. It was a match we should win...but strange things sometimes happen on the football pitch.

It was another defensive mistake that led to their goal...and it was the only one! No matter what we did on the other end mattered...their defense was too good on the day.

We came back home after the International Break to host Rennes at Clermont Stadium.

It was a rout...especially after Bernard fired up the team at halftime...most of our goals came off of Set pieces (mostly corners)

The next game was a Home Champions League match against the Young Boys.

This was a match of equals and both sides had chances to win. Luckily SLB and Shaktar also played to a draw.

The next match took us to the ancient city of Toulouse and a match with midtable Toulouse FC.

It was another game where the score was closer than it should have been....We dominated and only spectacular goalkeeping kept them in the game.

Bernard took a chance with the OGC-Nice game in Clermont. He played the backups and rested most of the key players.

It was a mistake that ended up costing the team points in the table...

The last match of the month saw the team travel to Le Havre and visit the Stade d' Ocean.

Bernard played a full strength team and it was needed against the relegation candidates.

again there was no stopping our set-pieces...

League Table and Team Stats

Player of the Month

Matias Palacios

Management Report

Thanks for Reading.

 

[OlivierL]

welcome back! good luck 

[Hootieleece]

On 27/07/2020 at 14:37, Jogo Bonito said:

Welcome back and best of luck for the new campaign (except against FC Lorient of course).

 

On 27/07/2020 at 14:53, Koetzer said:

Welcome back and good luck in new season 

 

1 minute ago, OlivierL said:

welcome back! good luck 

Thanks.  This gives me a reason to keep going...especially when I am stuck in a rut with the team.

[Hootieleece]

Regular Season: October 2029

October would see  five fixtures and an international break.  Three matches in Ligue1 and two CL Matches.

Bernard was worried there were no "easy" matches on the schedule and the team wasn't firing on all cylinders....

The first match of the month was a trip to Lisbon to play SLB. Bernard was hoping to escape with a draw...

The match was simply awful...The defense was useless and attacking was toothless...

Bernard was hopeful that the game was an aberration since OL was coming to visit Clermont. Last season's runners up are a powerful team and We would have to be at our best to beat them.

The hangover from the SLB game lasted through the first half of this match. The Second half the team played much better following a famous rant by Bernard.

but it wasn't enough OL played good defense and their goalie was on top of his game.

After those two matches the International break couldn't come at a better time to reset and reorganize the team.

A trip to Monaco awaited the team after the break. Another tough match but Bernard sensed the team was ready...

This was a magnificent game where everything went to plan!

The match against Shaktar saw the team travel to the Ukraine for a match. Bernard made a gamble and played the backups.

Third String Striker Benoit Morin was an assassin in front of goal while leading the line with a brace of goals.

The last match of the month was a trip to Nimes and again Bernard played the backups because a big match against OM loomed ahead and Palacios was out with an injury.

The backups didn't play as well against Nimes, but Kevin Csoboth came off the bench to score a brace and salvage a draw.

League Table and Team Stats

Player of the Month

Benoit Morin

Benoit is one of the better regens to come through the Clermont Reserves even though he didn't start here. He will never be a star but is still a useful player.

Management Report

Thanks for reading!

 

 

[Hootieleece]

Regular Season: November 2029

November had five fixtures and an international break. It was another month of tough matches in both Ligue1 and CL.

The month started off with OM visiting Clermont Stadium.

The team got off to a good start scoring two early goals...things got a little wobbly when OM Wonderkid Juan Fernando skinned Sapetti and scored. The game became a nail-biter when Nael Jaby Tripped Fernando in the box for a penalty. Luckily Alt was able to deny it so the team could hold onto the victory.

The Next match saw the team host Shaktar Donetsk in the CL. Bernard fielded a mixed team for the match.

Nael Jaby played as AMC and scored a Freekick. Benoit Morin and Maximillian Romero also scored.

The last match before the international break was a trip to Normandy and SM Caen.  Bernard played the strongest team available to him, but many players were already dreaming of international glory...

It was an ugly match in which the team didn't play well...even so we should have won...Bernard wasn't happy to throw points away.

The International Break saw Matias Palacios get his first cap for Argentina and our Squad player Kevin Csoboth retire from international soccer with 95 caps for Hungary.

After the Break the Galactic Empire of PSG visited Clermont Stadium hoping to strike down our hopes of a third consecutive title.

The game was a fairly even match PSG had no answer for our prowess on corners as Sapetti scored both our goals.

We couldn't stop PSG's Remy Blanchard from scoring two goals off of rebounds...

The final match of the month was a trip to Switzerland for CL match vs. Young Boys. If Clermont won the game, we would almost be assured of reaching the Knockout round. Any other result is potentially bad...

It was an even game...probably right result but that means we have to win against SLB in our final group stage match!

 

League Table and Team Stats

Player of the Month

Matias Palacios

Matias has been putting on a show in midfield and is getting admiring glances from Barcelona...can we keep him? (If sold he will be the most expensive player I have ever sold. I am asking $143M)

Management Report

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

[Hootieleece]

Regular Season: December 2029

December would be a fairly busy month with six fixtures in three weeks. Five Ligue1 matches and the final CL Group Stage match vs. SLB!

The month opened up with trip to tableproppers FC Lorient. Bernard decided to play the backups against them.

It was a mistake, but Bernard was happy not to lose using the backups.

The Next match was in Clermont against newly promoted Angers SCO and they had been playing well to start the season and were in 8th place.

Youth Intake Preview!

Doesn't look good maybe we get a useful Left or Right back out of the intake.

The team traveled to Reims to play 14th ranked Stade de Reims. Bernard took it as another opportunity to let the backups play.

another match that should have been won especially if Bernard played the starters...but he is a firm believer in "Load Management"

Bernard decided to checkout the state of the facilities after the latest rennovations.

First Team facilities are top notch but the youth facilities need to be better if we are to eventually succeed in winning the Champion's League.

We found out who we would play in the 9th round of the Coupe de France!

The final Champion's League Group Stage Match versus SLB was held at Clermont Stadium.

It was a match we could have won but the draw was good enough to get us to the Knockout Rounds.

Five days later the team hosted LOSC Lille at Clermont Stadium. LOSC was surprisingly far down the table, but Bernard played the starters against them.

It was a game dominated by Clermont but the team only managed to score 1 goal!

Champions League Knockout Draw

It looks like we will end our CL dreams again in the Knockout Rounds because we drew Man City!

The final match of the month was against our evil twin RC Lens! 

We played well and won the game.

League Table and Team Stats

Clermont Stadium expansion finished.

We will now have room for over 34K fans!

Bernard was runner-up for Manager of the Year...

Joker Transfer Window

Clermont was the big spender...we bought a future right winger.

Player of the Month

Vedran Bozak

Vedran Bozak who started the season on loan with Angers SCO is the heir apparent to Palacios's throne as our #10. It is promising that he has already been capped twice for Croatia.

Management Report

Thanks for Reading!

 

 

 

 

 

[Hootieleece]

Hello.  I have decided to put this thread on Hiatus permanently. I have played further, but my time to write updates and play have diminished. Also my interest has waned because I seem stuck on a plateau.

I am a teacher and must start planning or not planning for the opening of school early next month. (I live in US)

I will continue to enjoy FM and read other peoples careers.

Maybe I will find the spark again.

[karanhsingh]

50 minutes ago, Hootieleece said:

Hello.  I have decided to put this thread on Hiatus permanently. I have played further, but my time to write updates and play have diminished. Also my interest has waned because I seem stuck on a plateau.

I am a teacher and must start planning or not planning for the opening of school early next month. (I live in US)

I will continue to enjoy FM and read other peoples careers.

Maybe I will find the spark again.

Was a great thread and save! Good luck with everything. Where to next in the FM world? 

[Jogo Bonito]

9 hours ago, Hootieleece said:

Hello.  I have decided to put this thread on Hiatus permanently. I have played further, but my time to write updates and play have diminished. Also my interest has waned because I seem stuck on a plateau.

I am a teacher and must start planning or not planning for the opening of school early next month. (I live in US)

I will continue to enjoy FM and read other peoples careers.

Maybe I will find the spark again.

It's hard after a gap playing and if you are stuck in a rut that makes it harder. Like you, playing time got almost impossible for me some weeks back, so I can relate to how you are not finding the time to play and update.

I have paused my Lorient game after four enjoyable seasons (a marathon for me, but just a short dash compared to you with Clermont). I'll go back to it, but I'm currently having a first experience of Cyprus at the moment which is fun.

You had a great ride, and it was good to see you keep going - you have much more save stamina than me!

[Hootieleece]

1 hour ago, Jogo Bonito said:

It's hard after a gap playing and if you are stuck in a rut that makes it harder. Like you, playing time got almost impossible for me some weeks back, so I can relate to how you are not finding the time to play and update.

I have paused my Lorient game after four enjoyable seasons (a marathon for me, but just a short dash compared to you with Clermont). I'll go back to it, but I'm currently having a first experience of Cyprus at the moment which is fun.

You had a great ride, and it was good to see you keep going - you have much more save stamina than me!

I became attached to my players....so I want to see where it goes. The Midfield is reaching their Prime and the Defense is a mix of players in their prime and 23-24 y.o. wonderkids. My Goalie is 24 and made Gemany's World Cup team! Probably will retire after current contract runs out which is 2033 currently in August 2031.

Problem: The truly BIG Teams treat my team like a Friendly against Sunday Footballers. This is even after winning Ligue1 twice (back to back). 

It is infuriating when we get to the Knockout Rounds of Champions League and AI players just dance around us and score at will...

 

[OlivierL]

Great thread and save, thanks for every post @Hootieleece !

Not dediced yet what i'll do with my save /topic but didn't play since end of july.