KEZ_7
17 years ago
1 day ago
1,875
Kaiserslautern - Season 3 - January- 2020/21

So, January comes and goes with us not doing any business aside from 2 players leaving to lower the wage bill - literally nothing else to report on that front! We had a couple of friendlies where we lost to a 2.Bundesliga side and then beat some locals, but it's the competitive games that really pleased me.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/OcoDbIYUnkNTaauV88psjkPvNjfwTITnAAV3euq3.png

Good to beat rivals Bochum and put some breathing space between us and them. As we moved onto 3 tough games I was hoping we could keep the scores low and did somewhat better than that, 2 draws and a defeat - which could have been 3 draws were it not for a 97th minute penalty conceded against RBL... although saying that, Hoffenheim had a late winner chalked off by VAR for something I'm still not sure on.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/rF52WM0tvxafsERyJfBJfBIYtgwpDYV35yDy3rHu.png

Those points lift us up to the heady heights of 14th, but more importantly 6 points ahead of the relegation play-off which is 16th and 9... NINE points ahead of automatic relegation - where I thought we'd live for most of the season. My target of 35 points is in reach with 12 points needed in the final 12 games. I just hope we can do it soon as March and April see us face Wolfsburg, Leverkusen, Dortmund, Bayern and Frankfurt one after another - I'd do anything to not need big wins in our final 3 games after that.
KEZ_7
17 years ago
1 day ago
1,875
A bit of insight into the biggest challenge we have!
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/bYlMDK8U0UZyR2hc2oXOvrs9TpiCSEjxowRcEDF9.png
KEZ_7
17 years ago
1 day ago
1,875
Kaiserslautern - Season 3 - February- 2020/21

Holy shit, we might do this.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/MnC2DngJsGxqEiXTTGAOdB47JmFZZUByYS9NFQ3e.png

Outstanding, if annoying that we didn't win our most winnable game - but that's just how I seem to roll on FM . That win at Gladbach is probably my best on this FM, in terms of changes working and tactical switches translating onto the field.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/dx8dsDZ9qqIIhV6SaZaPQjSrKLnMyNs2iPKfqnX2.png

Up next we play Wolfsburg, at the start of our killer run - although both Bayern and Dortmund are in the process of changing their managers which might open some doors for us through uncertainty and maybe even for me in terms of jobs becoming available. Incredibly, of the teams above us at the moment, only the top 2 and RBL haven't changed their manager for one reason or another.

Another 2 points and I'd like to think we're safe - then maybe they'll let me know about budgets and I can think about what I do next!
KEZ_7
17 years ago
1 day ago
1,875
Kaiserslautern - Season 3 - March/April - 2020/21

WELL! March saw all-but-confirm our place in the Bundesliga next season as we picked up another big win against Wolfsburg, right before the horrible trio of Leverkusen (who beat us to keep the manager in a job), - a strange fixture gap which I didn't see coming - Dortmund (who we were awful against) and then Bayern (who tore us apart with Memphis and Bailey) - thankfully, however, results elsewhere meant we secure the place with games to spare! Frankfurt tied us up, as they continue their charge toward the Champions League, whilst fellow strugglers Freiburg did the same.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/vyjSTalNyiOE2RDa7CeByah5sLZD3zBy2Ff0xogG.png

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/SylSTOoud1rlR135lYNnqZkqcQtW9n5SRq2njDzP.png

What a season - for all there are 2 games to go, a lot of what's going on is settled and I never thought I'd see a table looking like this. Hertha (who we face next by the way) have raced to the title, despite finishing down in 9th last season, before we arrived - they do have Malcom on loan from Barca which I am sure is helping! On a similar note, 2nd place Frankfurt were 11th last season WHAT IS GOING ON?!

Future
For all I don't know what I'll be doing for this coming season, I've made sure that 2 of the clubs best players are staying put!
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/h7ZhLwKShUnyThvpVY4mlulOGCL1sVLAeXwmCYlE.png

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/gKYxjGgO3kYsg75eBWPDgNipGGDACtNNITZP0Wnf.png

KEZ_7
17 years ago
1 day ago
1,875
Kaiserslautern - Season 3 - May - 2020/21

To finish the season we played league winners Hertha - who battered us and European contenders Hannover, who stole a win but couldn't break into the top 4. 2 shoddy games which I think could have made my mind up about the new season.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/Nf1Rc8Zh6VEIxfEF3yFtTcKuvkmb2jkqvzN0uK3W.png

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/U7b8TSnN7wHN4tt3jDkDbIqK5gvyIrVh8TuGopSP.png

Very happy to come 13th - something so far from anything I thought we could manage this season, it almost gives me the hope to continue.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/vkMpHOr31IIL7tbiU2ieKa7SEUj2zF1W78eFDDlv.png

Ah. Maybe this gives me hope too...
KEZ_7
17 years ago
1 day ago
1,875
Future 2.0
So - I felt the need to split this save and don't know where I'll take it from here, meaning the updates may stop at least for now. After holidaying without getting a job until November 2021, here are my options moving forward and I welcome all of your thoughts (including if you think I should stay!). I do have a preference which I'm going to try, but welcome anything you think.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/vP19xYNUThBqOVh4KjTIqrbjwC2fsFmBwuRVkMzO.png

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/0ho446yoPfz6cHvzhGdlFF7nOGharEkCVjGstkxC.png

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/Iyw1FWQVtrpzi4iw9LLRLaeBDknsfRTaAkn3kWYr.png

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/1x2JNEjmRXgjy5pKERQv64RAhW2aHqAKp3j3jsr3.png


??
Dan
12 years ago
4 months ago
16,964
Great work to stay up mate, a strong season, the roma or spurs jobs must be appealing
KEZ_7
17 years ago
1 day ago
1,875
The New Job

Schalke - Season 4 - 2021/22

So after much deliberation, soul searching or er,... mainly not playing FM - I ended up taking the Schalke job. As attractive as the others were, I quite enjoy the short season in Germany and I actually follow Schalke quite closely (thanks to a network game on FM10) and I'm off to see them IRL in April. This just saves me making a save as them later in the year!!

So here's the squad to start:
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/Jk5eQAUHDO7NaqTYsIFFnpPfyivhimtovqyQ6Zq6.png

It was brilliant to see they'd brought Draxler back as he's been one of my favourite players on FM for years (also a reference to that network game) but personally I think he's on too much dollar and not effective enough - he's also a bit of a whinge which I'm guessing he picked up from Neymar.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/GzfPUzhndiav4DUImDL1RnknabzSsAeL0DKK03yV.png

Sitting in 11th I feel like Europe could still be achievable which is why I've taken the job. You'll also notice that Kaiserslautern are getting absolutely hammered, which is a shame but I also feel vindicated that maybe I was having a good effect on the team?!

Finally - finances aren't brilliant which I think is down to so many older players being on big wages... hopefully I get the time to sort that out

One minor point is that
KEZ_7
17 years ago
1 day ago
1,875
Schalke - December - March - 2021/22


So first things first 3 pre-Santa games where we covered all 3 kinds of results and then we went straight into the winter break. I'll show you those results soon... but first the transfers!
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/kIvgyZS8xABISfGTK2DxfrQa91Qa8Qa5riFDDLFE.png

A lot of movement and a lot of unhappy players but it was needed and probably still is. Lozano is hopefully going to be the attacking threat we need, Aboubakar is the attacking threat I wanted - though way too expensive to keep a hold of and Wober is hopefully going to sure us up at the back. I was gutted to lose Harit to China and it caused a lot of unrest in the squad but the money was too good to turn down as we find ourselves in a surprising bit of financial trouble...as do the rest of the league somehow. Bentaleb going was intended to bring in Holtby from HSV but we couldn't do it quick enough for the wages to be available to negotiate with him... a typical piece of FM given that he was game to come and we had the bid accepted.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/H9J5URKIPr4mIWz10MET2Mc7wHgm94c0LyOKiIPL.png

The biggest result to mention here is the 3-3 with Dortmund... we were 3-0 up with 10 to go and the players blamed ME?! ME?! - If you can't tell already, these jokers are killing me and so there'll be a big turnover in the summer! I'll post the table next update as I'm currently mid-April so it's out of sync a couple of games.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/4g2DwzeWGc4vB5QWro6uDEhxyfSJCAC73Egh6NlF.png

Never seen this before so thought I'd share it... maybe it explains our money troubles.
KEZ_7
17 years ago
1 day ago
1,875
If it's Mr.Blobby I'll quit the save

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/pNhnA35dJ8nfMvPMIWJoV5ZqCkucrWQ7cfmMva47.png
KEZ_7
17 years ago
1 day ago
1,875
Schalke - April-May - 2021/22

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/7tCL3EYdnzUntQfWIQCBt3xzWROWfUaKs3zbeScH.png

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/XAazcOWA1Kivo5c1RodTHrNRRUIFjr3DBVLe0do8.png

So um... after 90 minutes we were beating Darmstadt 2-1 and then we lost which took them into the playoff which they won... doesn't look suspicious at all (they still went down). Incredibly, winning would have seen us 8th and made the season look a lot better. I now have the summer to sort this shi*t out of inevitably leave before Santa comes.
KEZ_7
17 years ago
1 day ago
1,875
Schalke - Summer and August - 2022/23

Well, as I stated we needed the summer to be very busy and as you can see it was...
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/n2mbSBsoqrVxkAO7l9ndtTNMdh04KHV4Jyj6lrot.png

Buzzing to bring Goretzka back to Schalke and almost had Max Meyer too... getting the old band back together it seems! Kehrer and Nubel are also Schalke academy graduates and I'm hoping that helps to mend a bit of the dynamics in the squad. Adding Diaz on a free I think could be tidy as he hopefully solves the problem of the number 10 spot, as he slots in-between Draxler and Lozano. Aside from the lad from RBL - everyone else drops into our youth teams but seemingly have great potential.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/jide2cHHCTY1aMHgu1VPlqaCjTnkMGTpP3MfFW6m.png

Hopefully, we've set off as we mean to go on in terms of results. We played against a load of dross in preseason but it seems to have given the side a confidence boost as we won all of our competitive games to start the season, with some tough opposition in there. Diaz the highlight, but it's also nice not to be conceding many goals.

Haway the blues.
KEZ_7
17 years ago
1 day ago
1,875
Schalke - September-November - 2022/23

Well, we continued into the league season in great fashion, only really slipping up in October as we headed towards the odd mid-season World Cup. Dortmund knocked our confidence, going down 2-0 very early so I ended up very happy with the draw. In the table, we keep on track for the CL spots, but Bayern pulled away once we started to drop points.
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/JaLd2QN9ENmlm2uk1CHX0iBppVZgkZ08Gh9bvZQf.png

https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/qxCmWBCx0n3ROQ0jwQqKFhieRnEhyEQubyRfqyfO.png

Not a lot more to report aside from this:
https://sortitoutsi.net/uploads/mirrored_images/ELJNr6eCkV95ICaiQ3dZph0c3d0lLC1zqF5dqm94.png

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