Shola's Career

Decided to attempt a journeyman career, loaded up a few leagues (Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Holland & Portugal), on FM13. Anyway, I'm going to try and bounce about a bit, ie if I get a higher wage offer, I'll probably take it, unless I have a reason not to. As a side note, I have no idea where I want to end up, so I would like recommendations on leagues to load.

Started unemployed and took the Afan Lido job. Afan Lido are predicted to finish 12/12 in the Welsh Premier League. TNS are the only professional side in the division, with the rest being semi-professional.

Afan Lido have an estimated worth of £210k, £1k pw wage budget. I've signed a part-time, one year contract worth £160pw. And have the expectation of fighting against relegation.

Brought in 4 new first team players, Huish, Davies & Berry are all defenders and Thomas is a 39 year old striker. The rest are all youth on £5pw deals. Figured it might be wise to attempt to use them as very cheap backup players. Also released a few jabronis, who offered little.



A decent enough start to the season 14 points from 11 games, pushed Afan Lido towards the middle of the pack. 3 defeats, although TNS and Bangor seem to be the best teams in the division.

Progressed in the Cups as well which is a complete change of style for me. Normally I tend to focus completely on the League, until I have the resource to comfortable compete in both. However I'm attempting to manage differently on this game. Realistically 7th and a cup is better than 4th and no cup run, so I will be going for cups to put myself in the shop window. Anyway Afan Lido enter in the final 16 of the League Cup and the final 32 of the Welsh Cup, so they're both achievable.

You're possibly wondering what's with the complete lack of goals. Well I'm playing 1-4-3-1-1. A sweeper, flat back four, 2CM's, a RM, a LW and a solo striker. All about attempting to stay solid, and sneak a goal late on.

Applied for the Shelbourne and Sligo Rovers jobs, and was offered the Sligo job with a big wage increase, however I don't think it would be very realistic jumping ship after 12 games. Plus the Summer Irish League had just finished and I really cba to sort out their overexpenditure problems. So staying with the Lido until the end of the season at least.

WPL is easy if you're the right team (I'm TNS, with the intention of trying to improve the WPL's rep), but I did start with Prestatyn and it was horrible.

A better return of 18 points from 11 games, ensures that Afan Lido are in the Championship group, ie the top half of the split, ensuring a top 6 finish and avoiding relegation has already been achieved.

3 defeats, one to Port Talbot (our rivals), and one to Newtown and a draw with Connah's Quay, these are pretty much the worst teams in the division. This basically means that we're capable of beating anyone in the division, but hardly guaranteed victory against teams ever worse than Lido. My tactics probably aren't helping in this regard, c'est la vie.

Also continued my 100% win record in the cups and through to the final of the League Cup and QF of the Welsh Cup

These are the tactics I've deployed in the vast majority of the games this season;



At least they're unique. I'm only playing them as I noticed Huish, my best signing can play as a sweeper, so why not? I don't have any left sided midfielders, so I've repurposed a striker. And I only have one right sided midfielder.

A solid enough end of the season in the Championship split, feel that Lido win the title of best of the rest, comfortably worse than the top 3 of Bangor, Aberyswyth and TNS. However delighted to win the League Cup, a first trophy in the first season is a great start and will hopefully give some sort of rep boost. Unfortunately knocked out in the Semis of the Welsh Cup. Was hoping this would be the first trophy in Afan Lido history, but no they've won this competition twice before.

But wait there's more!


Apparently in Wales there is a Euro playoff for teams that finish 4th-8th. And managed to get past Airbus UK (who beat Carmarthen in the QF) and Prestatyn to get Afan Lido into European qualification next season. But in truth I can't be arsed to wait around a couple of months to get hammered by some crack Eastern European outfit 13-0.



A very successful debut season - Achieving untouchable status within 12 months, manager of the year and a first trophy.

You not a fan of FM14 or just prefer FM13?

Good first season though, managing in Wales is bleak.

Wouldn't mind coming back to the Welsh League as TNS, to get a few trophies. But I feel I could win/dominate the Welsh League with Lido, but it would take considerable time, I don't want to spend. I'm enjoying your TNS story and it's the main reason I started in Wales tbh. Although Simon Davies and Bellamy feel world away.



Never got around to buying it /o\ - first time ever. Welsh League isn't too bad imo, 22 games and into the split, so it feels quick. Cup competitions are relatively short as well. Certainly a bit funner than League 2 where I normally start journeyman careers.

With my Lido contract, close to expiry I wanted to move on, was turned down by Hearts, St. Mirren, Dundee and St. Pat's Athletic, before being offered the Shelbourne job.



An 18, month part-time deal of £550pw, with a requirement to play attacking, possession based football. Their board were obviously very impressed with my 5-4-1, that saw Lido grind out results and finish as lowest scorers in the Welsh League. Managed to negotiate them up to £600pw but unwilling to drop their stylistic preferences. I'll try to play like this, no promises though.

Anyway, Shelbourne are an Irish, semi-professional club, with a value of £725k - and a media prediction of 8th/12. They used to be good, but aren't any more spending some time in the Irish second tier, but are a historically successful club. The glory days of regularly playing Harchester United in European competition seems a long way away now...



18 games to attempt to secure survival, would like to think Cork in 5th and 8 points clear, are still in the relegation mix, and one team at least from this pack will go into freefall. Alternatively I may need to rely on the relegation playoff

4 wins,4 draws and 4 defeats - comfortable survival form - the only issue is that the teams above are capable of taking points of each other and UCD are dross meaning it is still going to be hard work overtaking anyone. Beating Dundalk and Bohemians are a good start as teams who are normally immediately above me and UCD the team below me twice.

Overall happy enough with the results and the squad, been switching tactics quite a lot - been moving towards a 4-3-3.


This league is an absolute joke in regards to scheduling however, I seem to be playing games every couple of days for no reason, then having large gaps. This means Dundalk and Bohemians have acquired several games in hand, which is a worry. I could be practically relegated by the time they have caught up.

Good stint at your first club, best of luck at Shelbourne! looks another tough journey

Involved in last day relegation drama, for the first time I can remember (since CM01/02, I think) - But survived. Dundalk, Bohemians and Waterford all also won.



And safe. Waterford were the team to go into freefall, to give me a chance. There's always one.



Board are however unhappy, with my attempts to play attacking football. Also turned down a contract extension, only an extra £50pw, and still the same caveats about attacking, possession football. I have still have 12 months to run, so no real point in extending my contract now.

Overall my form was mid-table if extrapolated over a season, and I've opted for a top half finish next year, to get my wage budget to £3kp/w. This was the highest available, I'm not confident of achieving this, but I reckon I can at least hold onto the job for the season...

Gonna be honest here. I've completely forgot how to scout. At Lido I relied on players, that had already been pre-scouted before I got there. I fear my strategy of scouting random out of contract Irish players may not be the most efficient method. I've also let several staff leave, due to being too lazy to renew their deals. May not be the worst decision, aside from being too lazy to appoint any new staff, bar an assistant. (Need someone to filter unrealistic players)

And there is a fucking annoying bug in Ireland - as it is possible to sign players to amateur deals, some shite club keep offering a contract to Dan Cunningham my backup LB/LM/LW. And I have to keep offering him a new deal every time this happens. So he's already on his 4th contract of the summer. I'm tempted to actually start paying the jabroni money to stop this happening. It's annoying.

Transfer update;

Finally seemed to figure it out and sign some players



John Sullivan and John Moutney are young CM's who will hopefully add extra solidity to the the midfield. Darren Meenan is a winger which is exactly what I needed as I look to transition to a 4-3-3. Jamie Carr has been brought in as extra defender, and I had high hopes for him based of the scout reports, but my coaches seem to have a different view, still only 21 however.

The other two guys are just extra depth signed on a non-contract basis. A CB and a RB.



Needed to make some cuts, to balance the books. Brennan, Kelly and Hurley were all part of the first team squad but were allowed to leave. Sweeney, Griffiths, Moran, Meade and Cronin were all pretty bad, and I was glad to see them go. Flynn and Crowley were alright, but I allowed them to go, not really sure why Shamrock Rovers wanted them to be honest though. Glad to get Memery's wages off the books for 12 months. Noctor was snapped up on deadline day and I couldn't do anything to stop it, but he wasn't really needed either. And I was annoyed that Cunningham left, because I didn't even notice until just now. He's not that god but I would have liked to keep him on non-contract terms. Although he's on £475pw at his new club, and he's not worth half that.

I made an articulate, outstanding and elegant post, but then the site went down.





A very good start. Clear of relegation already.

Got offered the Portadown job. Was very tempted to take it, Champions League football and challenging for titles, but I've decide to keep going at Shelbourne, need to stay at a club more than a year.

Brilliant start mate, great to see you rise clear of the drop so quickly

Thanks DanW19



Due to the site being down, I've played on quite a bit ahead, therefore I'll keep this short. I felt that the team was beginning to be a bit nastier, and gel a bit more, I gained more confidence in the ability to out weaker teams to the sword. Although, slip ups by losing to Crocodile Dundalk, and drawing with Drogheda and Athlone Town. Meanwhile through to the final of the League Cup against Shamrock Rovers. Should be noted some Irish teams seem not to play in the League Cup, and play in regional tournaments instead.



League in four pacts, with me in the second pact. 3rd (and European football) up for grabs.

Some absolutely fabulous form that trailed off after the Cup win. Finally got a win over Cork (ie a team better than me) as well. Secured third in the League thanks to a 95th minute goal against Shamrock Rovers on the last day of the season, brilliant. Secures European football next year.



But will I be at Shelbourne next year?
Yes.
Yes I will. I signed a 2 year deal, with the same caveats and its now full time. Although I did get offered the Dumbarton job over the summer.

I really don't think a move to a relegation battle in the third tier of Scotland is a good career move. However I was offered a weekly wage of twice the wage budget for the entire squad? Bizarre. They must be absolutely desperate for me.

I think there is real potential to win the Irish title and will see out another year at least. I think the career moves I'll consider is SPL, or a big Scottish second tier side, TNS in Wales or a big Northern Irish side, hopefully Linfield or Crusaders.

I also applied for the Irish job, and was laughed off and called desperate. They then appointed Pat Fenlon. Who's the desperate laughing stock now Ireland?