[FM20] FC Gütersloh 2000

[metallimuse]

Winter Transfer Window 2030:

Well I said in one of my first posts we would need to be a selling club in the early years before we rise up the divisions and it looks like finally that is starting to come to fruition. The idea was for it to be from our youth academy but we'll take a cash injection wherever we can...

The boy was only at the club 6 month's but we managed to get a deadline day bidding war from the Aussie clubs again and we managed to get ourselves a good deal.

[metallimuse]

A nice wee milestone again and the boys did me proud on my birthday to send us top of the league again 

[metallimuse]

Feb/Mar 2029-30:

Well as you saw in the post above we did indeed beat Fortuna Düsseldorf II but to correct my post above that result did not actually send us top but we got a favour from other teams in the subsequent matches and then some as we actually now enjoy a 4 point lead over them now!

It's been a fantastic few months and I'm hopeful now that we will actually go on and secure the play off spot.

We still have tricky games against Borussia Dortmund II and Viktoria Köln to navigate yet but we're playing well and I'm in a confident, bullish mood about our chances.

We also have another appearance in the Westfalenpokal final to look forward to as well which is a game I hold no fear in.

Could be an incredible year for the club, could also go down as a "what could have been" though so not gunna count my chickens just yet .

[metallimuse]

Youth Intake 2030:

A terrible intake this year which is a real disappointment but that's the way it goes. I've signed the ones with a positive personality for the numbers but none of these players will ever make it into the first team squad let alone first team.

[metallimuse]

Apr/May/Jun 2029-30:

An incredible run of form has seen us scale the heights and done the unthinkable and not just clinch the league but actually go on and win the play offs to clinch promotion to the 3.Liga!

Don't quite understand how it worked as I won my semi final and didn't even have to play a final, I just got promoted. Not sure if that's a glitch in the custom database or some kind of rule due to regions but I'm up!

Not only that but we easily brushed aside Lotte in the Westfalenpokal final to make it a double!

A fantastic way to end a season that has been truly memorable.

 

[metallimuse]

Carving out my own legacy at the club and hoping that one day I can have a statue built in my honour at the club...

[metallimuse]

End of Season Review 2029-30:

Well, what can we say about a season in which we gained promotion and won a cup? It was an incredible season for the club and one that will live on for quite a few years I'd imagine. We were up near the top the majority of the season as you can see above and it was great to actually get over the line and get promotion and finally join the big time!

 

We had some serious firepower in the side this year with Konstantopoulos, Diawusie, Brauksiepe and Schimmel all getting to high double figures this season which was a huge part of our glory this season.

That's not to say that the defence didn't do their part though with every single one of them getting over 7 points average for the season and also club captain Bar Malka was the assist machine with 15.

A couple of the lads have increased in their CA but it's pretty stagnant again. Interested to see what happens this season coming as we turn into a professional team with a full week of training now.

 

The majority of the squad have improved with their DNA and the things that I like from my squad which is great. Majority of the attributes I'm wanting from my squad are now lime with only sparse blue in there so we are definitely heading in the right direction and with the increased training schedule next year we should be able to really cultivate a strong identity over the next few years.

 

Hard to argue with Antonis Konstantopoulos getting the nod for player of the year as I definitely think he was the extra bit of quality that helped us to success.

 

Sad to see our average attendance drop this year but hopefully they come back in the season ahead.

Our best defensive showing since I took charge of the club and only a few goals shy of our best goal scoring performance. 

Hopefully next year we can get the chance to improve our facilities and our infrastructure next season now we have turned professional.

It was a truly fantastic season and one which if I was a fan I'd be sitting back and basking in as next few years will no doubt be a dog fight to avoid relegation. But as the manager of the team I've got no time for that and I'm really excited to evaluate the squad and get into the transfer market and try and find a few gems to help us next season. We can maybe even get some 2.Liga players down on loan which would be a level of quality we've not seen before.

"Ein Doppel und eine unvergessliche Saison!"

 

 

So now that we've left the Regionalliga West I thought now would be a good time to have a look at who's made the club's all time best 11 on our journey so far...

[metallimuse]

So as mentioned above, we are now a professional football club...

...and as a result of getting into 3.Liga we now have to make some stadium adjustments...

[metallimuse]

Season 2030-31 Preview:

So the bookies are predicting mid-table which is also what the board are requesting.

I did not think that people would be expecting that much from us this season, I was predicting a relegation fight.

I'd settle for 15th and I'd be happy with anything above 12th.

"Eine neue Saison, eine neue Divison, eine neue Challenege..."

[metallimuse]

Jul/Aug 2030-31:

A mixed start to life in 3.Liga but one I'm entirely comfortable with.

The squad is holding it's own and none of the lads that have come up with me have looked like they aren't up to scratch for the division which has been very pleasing. We're still managing to play our short passing, methodical game and look comfortable on the ball and in games.

We're out of the DFB-Pokal in the first round sadly as we came up against Bundesliga side Köln.

Early in the season but I think we'll be around upper mid-table this year from what I've seen.

[metallimuse]

Summer Transfer Window 2030:

There's been the usual loan deals and one signing this window so let's have a look...

I thought I should get a stronger keeper this season so I had a look around and out of the four I found this guy was the only one willing to come.

He's come in from Nürnberg II and is a huge step up from what we have at the club.

We needed a right back so this guy came from Borussia Mönchengladbach II...

A great prospect and could easily play in 2.Liga I think. It's a shame he doesn't have better crossing but he'll definitely do a good job for us.

Another centre back was required again so Schalke II lent us this guy...

A solid defender who will do well at this level. His aggression could be a bit higher but he that's a minor quibble.

And the last loanee is an old face...

Yes Maciej has come back to the club to be the foil for Schimmel up top again. We know what we're getting with Maciej and I'm sure he'll put some great performances in.

 

And so our one signing this summer was this lad...

Mamadou has joined the club on a free from Kassel in the Regionalliga Südwest.

He's young with the potential to improve and offers flexibility with his ability to play as either my box to box midfielder or as my left winger. He'll do a job for the next few years and hopefully we can sell him on for some decent money now we're up in the professional leagues.

Edited August 22, 2020 by metallimuse

[metallimuse]

Sep/Oct 2030-31:

Another solid few months for the club as we pick up more wins then losses and advance to the Westfalenpokal fourth round.

We had both Diawusie and Diez return from injuries these months which has meant a bit more squad rotation and obviously we've benefited from their superior CA to Johns and Mbaye.

A few of the lads are now coming around wanting better contracts and I'm now starting to see players on bigger wages then I've ever seen before as a club. Obviously that was always going to happen considering the change in leagues and professional status, I hope there is prize money in the league as we could get into trouble if not.

[metallimuse]

So we've had some great news, the board have finally opened up the purse strings and agreed to improve an aspect of the clubs infrastructure...

 

There has also been a bizarre job offer...

I've not even done a full season in a professional league let alone managed in a top division so how on earth am I get offered a top international job???  

[metallimuse]

Nov/Dec 2030-31:

Slightly tougher few months this time around but we've still managed to pick up a decent amount of wins so nothing to be concerned about. We've been helped by the fact that club icon Manuel Schimmel has found his goal scoring boots and is now the league's second top scorer.

We're still playing our game and not had to make any adjustments for the division and we're doing well so I'm happy with that and it bodes well for the save.

We're still right on track for a top half finish so barring a massive drop of form in the second half of the season this year should be smooth sailing really.

The fans are flocking into the stadium which is great to see.

[metallimuse]

Youth Intake Preview 2031:

Promise of wingers again but we got none last year so I'll take that with a pinch of salt. A right back coming through is great as that's what I need.

[metallimuse]

So now that we're a professional team I get to put together a full weeks worth of training for the team.

Seeing as it's one of the things I'm focusing on in the save I thought I'd put a shot of what I've got the players doing...

It's heavily focused on being technically proficient which is what I want from my squad.

It focuses on the things that I'm looking for which is first touch, passing, technique, anticipation, composure, decisions, determination, balance and vision.

I'm eager to get to the end of the season to see if we get much improvement.

[metallimuse]

Jan/Feb/Mar 2030-31:

Just the one loss since the turn of the year and that came through penalties to Regionalliga West side Rödinghausen in the Westfalenpokal semi.

Injury has ravaged the squad though and we haven't been able to name a full match day squad in two months and players are playing out of position just to field an 11.

As I've said though, results have been decent and there's every chance with 8 games to go that we could actually be getting promoted to 2.Liga!!! No chance of winning the league but we could get promoted in second or make the play offs.

We're doing remarkably well and beyond what I thought was possible for this season, I'm beginning to think that our style of football is much more suited to the professional leagues which explains how well we're doing.

[metallimuse]

Youth Intake 2031:

Absolutely nobody of any merit again this year. I can not wait for the board to start investing in our infrastructure so I can start bringing youngsters through again as I love being able to develop youth and much prefer using the academy instead of the transfer market.

[metallimuse]

Apr/May 2030-31:

Injury caught up with us the final two months as we stumbled from draw to draw, it was a struggle to put a decent team out.

We still worked hard though and we only lost twice and considering we're a newly promoted team it isn't the end of the world.

At season end we've managed to finish 5th which is far above what I could hope for at the start of the campaign.

Thank to rules regarding B teams the 5th placed finish has actually meant that we have secured the play off place where we will face Bundesliga 2 side Osnabrück.

[metallimuse]

Bundesliga 2 Play-Off 2030-31:

An unbelievable way to end what has been a remarkable season!

The squad was already ravaged by injury and the second leg saw even more obstacle's to over come as 3 of my loanees were missing due to under 21 international call ups, how that's allowed to happen is beyond me.

But we did it.

An incredible end to a fantastic season and I almost can't believe we've done it. We are in no way ready for this challenge and I expect next year to be a real real struggle. The board have to go big or go home as I'm already struggle to have funds available to resign players and now we're in Bundesliga 2 they'll be wanting even more money so the wheels are really buckling under the pressure as it is.

Going to be an interesting summer.

[metallimuse]

End of Season Review 2030-31:

Well, as I wrote in the post above, what a season!

We were predicted by the bookies as finishing 7th in our debut season in 3.Liga which I scarcely thought possible yet we've confounded my expectations and the bookies by finish 5th and actually gaining promotion through the play offs.

We played good, attacking football which in turn I'd like to think has lead to our stadium numbers swelling yet we're still only at 40% full which is good as we've got plenty of room for growth and bigger numbers without having to invest.

 

Bar Malka again had a brilliant season and why he's not held in the same esteem as Manuel Schimmel is a point of wonder for me. Yes, he did leave the club for a season in the early years but considering how much better he was than the rest of the team he was always destined to play on a bigger stage and he's come back to the club and showed just how good he is and I'm so glad that I'm able to climb the leagues and allow him to show his talent on a stage befitting the player. He's also one of the few players who don't want a huge hike in his wages to stay at the club so he is legend in my eyes even if the game doesn't agree.

Our loanee's were great although Maciej Pawlak again did not produce what his CA dictates he should. He was completely over shadowed this year by Ömer Dönmez who from out of nowhere had a season unlike anything he's produced before. He's maxed out his PA and had the season of his life by scoring 16 goals in 3.Liga. According to my spread sheets and graphs, he will be one of the poorer players in Bundesliga 2 next year so let's see if he can cut it there next year.

Agyemang Diawusie and Philipp Diez both missed the first few months of the season but came back to be great on the wings for me and I'm confident they can do well next season as well.

 

The DNA of the club is mainly at a Bundesliga 2 level so I'm hopeful that next year we won't have to go defensive in the majority of games although obviously it will be a struggle next year.

No big increases over the year when I thought maybe we would see some more radical changes due to full training programs but more increases rather than decreases which is good to see.

 

Well, I said that Bar Malka doesn't get the praise he deserves earlier but maybe that's starting to turn a corner as he did actually win player of the season in the fans vote which is long overdue.

I can't disagree with any of the awards this season and I'm in full agreement with the team of the season.

 

So, a phenomenal year as we've just discussed. 

It's almost a shame I've advanced so quick as I have no desire to race up the leagues and have been enjoying my steady ascent, although I have a feeling I may be back to 3.Liga after next year so you never know.

I've not got much more to add to what I've already discussed within this post so I won't waffle on here and I'll get back to the game to bring you the next update 

 

 

 

[metallimuse]

Season 2031-32 Preview:

Well, the bookies aren't as hopeful for us after this promotion compared to last seasons promotion, they've got us finishing dead last. The board have asked us to fight bravely against relegation. Before the summer break I told the squad I think we could avoid relegation and they told me I was dreaming. Since they've returned they now think that with a bit of luck we can maybe avoid the drop through the play-offs so...there's not a lot of optimism around the club heading into our first season in Bundesliga 2.

For me? I think it will be a long, hard season. I wouldn't be surprised if we go down but at the same time, I'm hopeful for avoiding the drop and I'm not going to play defensive the majority of time and I'm going to have a go so I'm hopeful we can pick up some wins here and there instead of hoping for lots of draws and a few wins.

We've recruited well over the summer and I've actually gone out and spent some money, minimal compared to other teams in the division but it's a first for me in this save.

Preseason has gone well and we're set to start things off, wish me luck people.

"Bereitet euch vor, es könnte eine lange, harte Saison werden."

[metallimuse]

Jul/Aug 2031-32:

An incredible start to the season!

Unbeaten and through to the next round of the DFB-Pokal Cup so I can't complain.

We've rode our luck at times but we've still played some good football as well. The step up in class is instantly obvious though and the games are so much harder. I never mentioned in my season preview but there are some big teams in this division. Still, like I've said, we really have played some beautiful, passing football at times.

Injuries are prevalent again already though as Diaz, Diawusie and Bar Malka have all had some time out so let's keep our fingers crossed that this won't be a constant all season. 

[metallimuse]

Summer Transfer Window 2031:

As I said in the season preview, I've actually gone out and spent some money this window which is a first.

So let's have a look at the players brought in for a fee this window, a familiar face is first...

Yes, Spinrath has joined us permanently from Borussia Monchengladbach II for a nominal fee of only £30k. I complained last time that his crossing isn't quite where I want it to be but he did a job for us last year and he was cheap and willing to join us which not many folk were.

 

 

Damian has come in for £22.5k from Regionalliga West side Wuppertaler SV. He's young and got some solid stats and will do a job for us. He's already pretty much at his max PA of 95 so not much room for improvement but like I said, he'll do a job for now.

 

Bauer has joined from Regionalliga West side Koln and is another who has some solid stats, not really good enough on paper to be in a side challenging for promotion to the Bundesliga but I think he can do a job for a mid-table Bundesliga 2 side. The main thing is he is an improvement on what we have and he was willing to come.

 

So the signings may not be players to take us to the next level but I really wanted to try and bring some players in on longer term contracts instead of being so reliant on the loan market. In that respect, I'm happy with who I've brought in and they will be solid, dependable players and none demanded to be considered a star player or regular starter, they've all signed as squad players so that's maybe where they will end up in a season or two when I can bring in better players.

 

So I did get a couple of loanees in so let's have a look at them...

Dragan has been brought in as we definitely needed a better keeper at this level so Dragan came in. He's got a CA of 111 so he will be fine for this level and hopefully manage to bail us out and get a few man of the match performances for us.

 

And up front we got in another player to be the foil for Schimmel...

Lukas is a strong lad who will go in and play as my target man and has great attribute's so I'm hopeful that he will help out the team in a big way, especially considering his teamwork stat. 

[metallimuse]

Sep/Oct 2031-32:

A much, much tougher few months these past two months, more akin to what I was expecting after our promotion.

6 losses over the period but like I said, I plan to go out on my sword and I have been trying to play as positive as I can and not be negative with my tactics.

We managed a draw at home to, at the time, league leaders Magdeburg. It's a game we actually could of won as we were 2-1 up until the 78th minute when sub Jakob Matthias scored a thunderbolt from 25 yards out. Guess who got their first against me? My former player Michael Müller.

The press told me at the start of the season that 35 points is usually the mark to see teams safe and after only 13 of 34 games we have 16 points so I'm hopeful that we will be able to keep ourselves up.

[metallimuse]

So the board won't spend money to improve facilities or my youth infrastructure but they are willing to spend money to increase our stadium capacity despite the fact we don't even fill half of it yet 

[metallimuse]

It's been a while since I've done a staff update so let's have a look at how we're set up and who we've got in place...

The staffing team has considerably bulked out since I last updated and that's due to the fact that I've managed to climb the pyramid and have turned into a professional club.

I've got some great workers in there with good PA but the one staff signing I'm most excited about is managing to snare John Collins in as my Head of Youth Development. To have a model professional in as my HOYD is a real coup and I'm looking forward to my next few years of newgens to see what impact that will have. Obviously the infrastructure isn't the best yet so I can't be too critical perhaps but hopefully I should get some stronger personalities coming through at least.

I'm glad I did this update as I hadn't realised some staff were still on P/T contracts so I'll change that after typing this up and also upgrade that terrible physio.

I'm still stuck with a rubbish personality myself though, anyone got any advise on how I can change that?

[metallimuse]

Nov/Dec 2031-32:

A great month in November as we went undefeated and managed to pick up 7 points towards our target of 35.

December was a trickier month. Maybe we could of done better against Union Berlin as they are below us and we were at home but it wasn't to be. Fortuna Düsseldorf was always gunna be a tough game given their lofty league position and we did well but ultimately came away without any points.

We head into the winter break in 13th with 16 games to go and I'm very confident of avoiding relegation at this point, I think there's definitely enough about us to ensure we stay up.

Over the winter break I need to sit down with a few players and try and tie them down to longer contracts but the board still won't loosen the purse strings.

[metallimuse]

Youth Intake Preview 2032:

Well, John Collins first batch so let's see what his thoughts are...

Let's hope we get some kids that measure up, a right full back would be handy and also a right winger.

[metallimuse]

Winter Transfer Window 2032:

We've made one signing on a free this window bringing an experienced veteran to the club who can provide cover pretty much everywhere!

Coman has agreed to join the club for 6 months for one last run out before he retires. Can't quite believe we've managed to entice a World Cup winner to the club, shows just how far we've come.

 

We also did a bit of business for the future...

So as we've now reached Bundesliga 2 I've added in the Scottish league, Premiership and Championship, and I've been scowering the clubs looking for young, exciting prospects to bring over. David is the first of hopefully many as I'd like to incorporate a Scottish contingent as I'm Scottish myself.

[metallimuse]

Jan/Feb/Mar 2031-32:

Well it's continued to be a slog as I expected it to be up here in Bundesliga 2.

Just the one win over the three months and that was away at bottom side Dynamo Dresden who are sure to be going down to 3.Liga. Only three defeats over the period though and we've managed to grind out draws and pick up points which has been brilliant and with 7 games to go we're only 4 points off the magical 35 and safety. Although I think it may take more points then that though as we're only 6 points away from the drop zone.

We've found goals hard to come by and Schimmel went 15 hours without a goal before he popped up against Darmstadt with a close range header.

[metallimuse]

Youth Intake 2032:

Well we've got one good prospect who can genuinely make it into the starting 11 in a few years but other than that, very little to be excited about. In fact, nothing to be excited about.

Niklas does look a right sort though so hopefully we can work with him and bring out his potential.

[metallimuse]

Apr/May 2031-32:

Mixed bag over the final two months as we go 4 wins and 3 defeats. We've stayed up which was my only goal this season so I can't complain. 35 did turn out to be the magical number of points with regards to staying.

The lads played without fear which I think helped with our wins over the period and a few lads came back from injury which helped also.

None of my boys made the top of the charts for the league other than Louis Müllers who racked up the yellow cards.

Our finances have shot up thankfully as we were awarded just over £8m for our league position which I was so relieved about as we have actually lost money this season before that after we fleshed out our backroom staff. 

[metallimuse]

End of Season 2031-32 Review:

A great season for us in our first year in Bundesliga 2.

I thought it would be much more of a struggle than it was. It wasn't an easy season but it certainly wasn't a season scraping by praying to catch a break which is like I thought it might be.

Up into Bundesliga 2 and Bar Malka is still killing it, best player for me over the season and averaged a 7.28 for the season.

My new central defensive partnership of Kevin Bauer and Damian Kempe did very well and I'm pleased with how they've performed over the season, I don't think I'll be looking to improve there over the summer but a new central defender will have to come in as Tom Baack contract is up and I'm going to allow him to leave.

Kevin Johns CA has improved over the season and he will probably be my starting right winger as of next season as Agyemang Diawusie's contract is up and he's old with his CA starting to wane.

Mamadou Mbaye is really starting to improve also but didn't get much game time due to injuries but I definitely think he can do a job at this level.

Manuel Schimmel struggled to put the ball in the net this season sadly, hopefully he does better next year.

 

More improvements this year with our DNA so I think it's safe to say that my training regime is working.

 

Bar Malka had the highest average rating behind Kingsley Coman so I don't understand how he isn't even in the top three for player of the season. The fans underrate him so much.

Schimmel is obviously an icon at the club and the fans love him but he really doesn't deserve to take top spot.

 

More season tickets sold than ever before and a huge jump in our average attendance. It's great that they're coming in and hopefully we can keep going and keep increasing our fan base.

A 12th place finish after we were expected to finish dead last was a magnificent achievement and it's been a hell of a year. It was a shame to go out of the cup so early but survival was definitely the most important thing this year. We need to be staying in the Bundesliga 2 so we can keep getting paid serious money for our position so we can start to really improve the club and move it forward.

A very good season and lots to be happy about 

[metallimuse]

So now that we've had a bit of a cash injection into the club I went with my cap in my hand to the board and while they still wouldn't sanction any upgrade to my youth set up but they have relented and granted me an improvement to my training complex...

...and despite their reservations about me being poached by another club they have also agreed to let me study for another coaching badge...

 

With the new money in the club they've also now given me  budget worthy of a club in Bundesliga 2...

We've finally got scope to pay players what they should be looking for at a club playing in Bundesliga 2 so I'm confident that we won't lose players over the next few seasons, at least not for financial reasons.

So things are looking healthy for the club after the tight fiscal playing we've done the past few years.

Just to highlight what a small club I was in a big pond last year take a look at this...

Union Berlin weren't even in the top three of the division last year and made 44 times more than I did in sponsorship alone.

[metallimuse]

Season Preview 2032-33:

So the bookies have predicted us to finish last again, the newly promoted teams have better odds then us! The board have again just asked me to fight bravely against relegation again.

I feel more confident then that. I think we'll manage about the same as last year. I don't think we'll be in a scrap for relegation and I don't think we'll quite make mid-table, although I suppose technically we were mid-table last year but I didn't really consider us to be mid-table as the thought was always "avoid relegation".

Pre-season has gone well including an impressive win over Dutch Eredivisie side ADO Den Haag.

"Wir gehen wieder! Lassen Sie uns ihnen alle unrecht beweisen."

[metallimuse]

Jul/Aug 2032-33:

A tough way to start the season as we face recently relegated side Mainz & last years top 5 side Union Berlin.

We then limped past Regionalliga Bayern side Illertissen needing penalties to get by and morale was really starting to drop in the squad.

We picked up points in games against Paderborn and Karlsruher before losing to top of the league Hannover.

Injuries have also ravaged my squad in these early months as our number one was ruled out for a month, We've also been without club icon Schimmel who's also been out for a month, Diaz has missed a few weeks, Louis Müllers is out for 3 months and others have had niggling knocks and been out for a week or two.

A tough, battling start and maybe I was a bit over confident in my last post thinking I wouldn't be involved in a relegation fight.

[metallimuse]

Summer Transfer Window 2032:

So with our £8m fee for our position last year in the Bundesliga 2 we were able to go out and spend some money. Not much in the grand scheme of things but it was more than we've spent so far in this save.

So first things first, we needed a keeper so we went and raided recently relegated Dynamo Dresden for this lad...

We paid £100k for him which is the most I've spent on any player so far in the save but he's a solid bet, enjoys big matches and is a consistent performer with his best years still to come.

 

We needed back up for the right side of defence but I couldn't get anyone in permanently so  we went to the loan market and managed to get this lad in...

He's actually better then what I have at the club so he will probably start in the games against the bigger sides.

 

Ostermann has been brought in for £55k from Fortuna Koln due to his versatility as he can play CB, DM, MC but will primarily be used as a CB. Another young player who can improve and will be a solid player at this level.

 

Pozo was obtained on the free market as some cover for the wings this year mainly just as a body to fill the space as I didn't want to buy anyone due to David Griffiths joining from Inverness in January.

Pozo has some good stats but obviously at the age he's at he isn't part of any long term plans and will be here for this year ahead and that's it.

 

And finally we needed a striker so in came this journeyman from Jerv in Norway...

He's on the mature side but he has some solid stats and was cheap at £12k so he came in to provide some support and cover up top. He can hopefully find the back of the net for a few seasons while we save up some money and start to get players in to take us to the next level.

[Fudal]

It’s a shame you’re 12 or so years in and have such a boring Zweiter Bundesliga 

[metallimuse]

Sep/Oct 2032-33:

A decent few months as we picked up a few wins and draws while only losing two league games.

Manuel Schimmel still has not found the net and considering he only managed 9 goals last season I'm beginning to wonder if maybe 3.Liga is perhaps his glass ceiling.

I think that we'll be okay and avoid relegation but the rest of the season will still be a grind.

The new stadium expansion proved a success as we broke records in our DFB-Pokal game...

[metallimuse]

On 01/09/2020 at 04:04, Fudal said:

It’s a shame you’re 12 or so years in and have such a boring Zweiter Bundesliga 

I dunno, it's still a big test for a little club like us and to me there's some big teams in the division like Fortuna Düsseldorf and Hannovers 96.

[metallimuse]

Nov/Dec/Jan 2032-33:

A real 50/50 as we go 2 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses over the course of this period. We're getting closer and closer to the 35 point mark and safety and like I said in the last post I'm confident of making it.

We're losing money now that we've expanded our staff and having to pay more to the players now we're in this division but I'm fairly sure that our prize money for the league will cover any losses so I'm not too concerned about that. The fact that we don't own our stadium means that we aren't making the big bucks through the gates also .

The lads are still playing a good passing game which is pleasing to see and I'm still trying to play positive, attacking football as much as we can.  

[metallimuse]

Youth Intake Preview 2033:

Well that's disappointing.

We will have to continue to look towards the transfer market and wheeling and dealing trying to get cheap, quality players in through the doors and try to sell on for profit once they've done a job.

I really wish the board would allow me to improve facilities so I can get some newgens coming through with a bit more consistency.

 

[metallimuse]

Winter Transfer Window 2033:

I've been reviewing the squad and both our left backs are out of contract this summer and as dependable as they've been both are listed as been inconsistent and not keen on big matches so I've decided to let them one of them go if not both, depending on the market.

So as a result of my squad review I managed to find Youssouf playing at Horoya AC in Guinea without a contract. He's close to his full potential but a little room still to improve. The scouts tell me he's dependable though so it's an improvement on what I've got.

 

Griffiths has finally joined. Signed for £70k and he's already worth more than that with Falkirk after him. I think a few years at the club and he can definitely be sold back to the homeland for a tidy profit, especially if we move up the table a bit and he gets in the Scotland squad.

 

Now this is the find of the window! Just look at his stats. And he was signed on a free as he left Dynamo Dresden in the summer and was without a club. The likes of Faupala and Ömer Dönmez are older so won't be about for long so this lad will defo be able to be long term foil for Manuel Schimmel.

 

Sadly we lost last years best youth prospect as Hamburg came in and bought out his youth contract without me being able to do anything about it. He was only valued at £600 so I'm happy to get the fee I got for him. I'm a bit confused though as I didn't realise compensation fee's could include add ons and future fees.

 

Happy with the business conducted and looking forward to the final 4 months of the season and hope the new lads can add a bit extra to the squad from the start.

 

[metallimuse]

Feb/Mar 2032-33:

A really great couple of months for the club as we manage to pick up points in all but one of the games and we've managed to surpass the 35 point mark so secured our status in the Bundesliga 2 for another year.

At this point it's about trying to finish as high as we can now to increase our prize pot and also monitor the squad to see who the week links are to replace for next year.

We really are still struggling to get strikers scoring and I can't figure out if it's them that aren't up to much or the service that's coming into them. Still playing good, attacking, passing football.

[metallimuse]

Youth Intake 2033:

So the first full year that new HOYD John Collins has had at the club and here's what he has to say about his first crop of academy graduate's….

...and here's how they look...

So, we've only got one attacking left midfielder who looks like he can actually compete for a place in the first team squad but probably not a regular starter.

The thing that does stand out though is just how much of a difference John Collins 'Model Professional' personality has, in my view, impacted upon the personalities in the squad. Before this we had newgen after newgen day of only a handful of decent personalities but look at this crop, 9 good personalities! 

I'm really looking forward to reaching the point when the board invest in our youth infrastructure because we could really do something here if we manage to keep a hold of John.

[metallimuse]

Apr/May 2032-33:

Well what an end to the season! I was not expecting that.

The lads played some incredible football and Diez and Mbaye in particular carried the team forward over the two months.

The pick of the month was an incredible win away to St. Pauli who were a real force this season but admittedly have dropped off a bit over the past few months.

I won't go into too much detail as my end of season review will be coming up next but I'm very happy with the end to the season and the football that we played.

[metallimuse]

End of Season Review 2032-33:

A magnificent season for the club. It went largely the way I thought with regards to results until late February but then what a run we went on to climb the table and finish in the top half. An 8th place finish after the bookies predicted us for dead last, after the board wanted us to fight bravely against relegation and even I predicted to finish in the lower half of the table was, as I said, magnificent.

Interestingly we only managed 2 more wins and 3 extra draws, 9 points, and we managed to jump 4 places from last years finish. I think with some shrewd signings we could be starting to see us emerge as a mid table club and be more secure.

 

Not many improved their CA this year but I think that's many due to the fact that the squad is now getting older and reaching their plateau.

I'm interested to see that Bar Malka is still improving even at this age and next year if he improves again will be considered a Bundesliga 2 player, I don't see him ever reaching his potential as a Bundesliga player though. On the flip side of that Manuel Schimmel is still considered a 3.Liga player and I'm worried that he won't improve and might not be able to adjust to this level. This is a worry as he's been a one club player and holds the record for most appearances and goals and I'd hate to have to put business ahead of the heart and have to let him go.

No player really managed stand out over the season but  Mbaye and Diez did have a real purple patch towards the end of the season.

 

Not much improvement with our DNA this year in fact quite a few have regressed, I'm hoping that's more that the points went to enhance their positional attributes required.

On the pitch though our DNA was evident all year. We looked comfortable on the ball and passed it around with equal parts poise and beauty and the hoof ball from the defenders which occurred in the early days has mainly gone.

 

David Faupala was the top scorer this season so it's perhaps no surprise to see him voted fans player of the year. It was more of a solid team effort though this year without any real stand out player.

I was very pleased with our central defenders and keeper featured in the team of the season though, I think that's a solid base we have there for the next few seasons as Kempe and Bauer are in their prime years.

 

It was a shame we didn't manage to do slightly better in the DFB-Pokal but we did go out to a Bundesliga side so we just have to accept that.

The season ticket holders have gone up and the average attendance is also increasing so that's great for the club.

With our prize money from the league we are in a health financial state although as I mentioned earlier we are running at a loss. What I didn't say earlier is that we are paying off loans which the board took out to improve the stadium so that's frustrating. Wages are slowly creeping up also which is inevitable but I think we will be ok financially moving forward.

So, considering the expectations at the start of the season it's been a great year for the club but in reality and having gone through the season I would describe it more as a 'solid' year for the club. No players really stood out but as a team we played really well which is what propelled us to our lofty finish.

[metallimuse]

Season 2033-34 Preview:

The bookies again have us marked down for dead last!

We've recruited well over the summer again including spending over a million pound on one player so in my opinion there is no chance that we are going down. I'll be aiming for mid-table this year and actually think we will achieve that quite easily. I do not expect to be looking over my shoulder and worrying about a relegation battle.

I've only had a short pre-season this year but it's gone perfectly...

"In diesem Jahr werden wir unseren Platz als Bundesliga-2-Mannschaft festigen."

[metallimuse]

Jul/Aug 2033-34:

An undefeated start to the season is a great way to start my report for this season. only 2 wins out of 5 but I'd say draws with St Pauli and Bochum are ok, two of the tougher teams in the division.

My young Scot David Griffiths has been lighting up the team so far and is the club's top scorer at the moment with 3.

So we're in the top 5 at the moment and playing good football still, strikers are still struggling to find the net though so hopefully we can get that to change over the next few months and we could be on to a good season.