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Thespa Gunma 2024 Season 2.1 Moneyball-ing! 

After a middling start to life in Japan, I was finally able to get my teeth into the transfer market, crucially at the end of the season using the stats to plug into Stag FM's performance calculator to use some sort of sabre metrics to determine high performing players in the leagues around us, as well as relying on my scouts and director of football. We are lucky to have a strong striker in Take who can step up after our best striker Iwumoto moved on to bigger things.

Areas to improve:

• Central defence (we lost our best defender at the end of the season)
• Right back (only one natural right back in the squad)
• Defensive midfielder (Hosegai is the club captain but is knocking on a bit)
• Centre midfield (we have quality, no depth)
• Wingers left and right (depth, no quality)

So with my shopping list in hand, the backroom team and I sat down and found a plethora of undervalued but effective players from J leagues 1, 2 and 3 to create our bargain basement team. I leave all contract negotiations to the director of football, other wise I'll bankrupt the club. These fellas, are the notable finds.

And thats just the tip of the iceberg, all signed on frees. Apart from one fella at RB, panic bought on the last day of the transfer window. Therefore the budget went a little more south than expected. Never the less, we have assembled a good team to fight for promotion and we strengthened where we needed, which was, everywhere in the end.

Safe to say we have had an interesting first half of the season with a good cup run in to the Semis of the League Cup, through to the 4th round of the All Japan Cup and hovering in 7th in the league just a point off the playoff positions.

The new signings are fitting in nicely, but we are struggling for consistency in the league, if we can go on a run we can challenge for the playoffs. Stay tuned for the more detailed second half of the season, still in the cups, still in a hunt for promotion. Coaching badge completed, we go again back to school.

Thespa Gunma 2023 Season 1 Welcome Aboard

Fresh from studying the first coaching badge at the thermal spas, I took a look at the squad and realised all the decent players were on the last 6 months of their contracts, and were looking for a move away from spa baths and and relaxation in the foothills of Japan and J League 1. Either way, Gunma found themselves hovering above relegation, albeit safe for now. Quick analysis showed some good depth and a decent B-Team which will help with Objective 1 of 4;

Objective 1 : Promote youth team where available. 

Objective 2 : Survive relegation and fight for promotion next season (2024)

Objective 3 : Keep the club in a healthy financial balance

Objective 4 : Play attractive football

As mentioned earlier, we will use player data to make informed transfer decisions, but that will be at the beginning of the next post. For now in the time between September 23 and the season ending in December, we finished a respectable 8th, with a good run of form, and some cracking games.

But 2 late defeats in the season ended our play off hopes. Playing a good old 4-1-2-3 we were good up top, but leaked goals throughout.

So for now its bye bye to some of the better players and time to invest in depth, the squad is small and we have only one player in the U18 team, and 11 in the B team. In the next post I bring in no fewer than 16 players! for 2024 we re-build and look to a good cup run and a fight for promotion.

We are back for FM24

Having closed the previous Journeyman save, I realised the time between posts, lack of structure was against the grain for me, so for now I will break up the seasons into halves. Then broken down into objectives, notable transfers, results and standings. Having seen FMstags player performance calculator, I will try and gather some moneyball momentum behind each team, and as ever starting unemployed with no badges, experience or reputation. 

Nations Loaded : Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore.

I apply for all jobs and nobody wants a piece !? I decide to buy my time and see how it goes, when J2 league side Thespa Gunma come knocking after a mediocre season, which ends in the December, so I have a few games to aim for the playoffs. So…

Team 1: Thespa Gunma, J2 League 2023

The club was founded in 1995 in Kusatsu, one of the most well-known spa resorts in Japan, and have never tasted J1 league football. Lets try and change that.

The Last Post

After missing out on promotion in the last post in 26/27 season, we managed to secure 2nd place in the 27/28 season returning Swansea to the Prem, finishing second behind a bouncing back West Ham.

Unfortunately I have no screenshots of this season but ultimately, I thought one more season, if I dont get European football I'll go out and buy FM24.

So how did we do?

The new arrivals came in for the dead wood and players not up to the standard of premiership football, but there were some surprises with the squad

We needed goals up top (Matanovic 21 goals), creativity (Van de Riet), steel in midfield with experience (Hamer) and and pacey centre half (Pavlovic). 

My thinking was more moneyball style of play, looking at potential profit and good depth, with players ready to come in if needed. And for a first season back in with the big boys we did well.

We also therefore shipped out the whiney, moaning players, or anyone not good enough, a fair few in this case.

A season to remember, as we finished 8th missing out on the conference league by 2 points!

 And a good cup run to boot

A strong team I was convinced would do well in Europe. But not to be.

And that brings an end to this Journeyman campaign, it took me in real time, from Feb 21 to November 23, because of other commitments, but as any other FM player will tell you, the game is an escape and a journey into madness, but wouldn't change it.

I have considered taking the stats from my manager in this game and starting with them in FM24 but that might be for another day, I cant beat a journeyman from nothing save.

So there we have it, I wanted to end this thread at some point and start my next iteration with more structure.

FM21 took me from, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, Canada, England and Wales, from Happy Valley Stadium in Hong Kong, to Wembley. From no coaching badges, to 12 seasons, 6 Clubs, and 3 trophies.

Next…FM24, back to Asia.

Its been a long time…and this is the autumn of the career

As stated in the previous entry some 6 months ago, if we won the championship I would move on..

so after winning I did what anyone would and resigned !!

Went straight into a midtable fight with Swansea City in the championship and rose to 4th in the league after some shrewd signings and losing our best player, falling at the final hurdle in the playoff final in extra time. 

Alas this forthcoming campaign is my last season on this iteration of football manager unless we get promoted or a big offer comes in for us, time is so scarce. Saying that I'll probably do it all again on FM23 in the new year.. So I will have one more update on this soon.

Update Arema - The end 2024

I don't know how it happened but we stormed through with some belting results to qualify for the second round of the AFC, predicted to finish 3rd in the group but a battling win against  Nagoya at home, was the platform for qualification as one of the best runners up, up next  Jeonbuk Motors!

And to say we performed admirably is an understatement, missing out 1-0 on aggregate. Which for me means another long season in Indonesia which I can't quite bring myself to do, and with regret I decide to leave for pastures new.

After a while on the managerial rejected list I apply for a position in Canada…

And have this team fallen from grace? They certainly have. From winners the previous season to a dreadful Spring season. The Canadian Premier League is split similar to a South American system. Two split seasons (spring and fall) and the winners of each play in a final to determine the overall winner. 23 man max squad, 11,500 max wage bill, lots of dead wood, no reserve team, but plenty of money to spend, transfer budget of 1 million is not to sniffed at. After the first season we dominate possession and but cannot score or create enough clear cut chances and we finish 4th in the fall season. Endurance being a real issue I decide next term for a training camp, and plenty of pre season fixtures! The boys will love that

Also an admirable performance in the soon to be defunct (in real life) CONCACAF North American League the continents 2nd tier competition. with a quarter final appearance, ended by Real Espana of Costa Rica in a hostile away leg.

2026

A heavy pre season, some smart transfers to bring in a goal scorer, creative wingers and some steel at the back leads to an impressive 2026 spring season, finishing 1st!

Now this Hurtado fella, scores 10 goals in 14 games, and at 18 is a cut above anything in the league, usually deployed as a pressing forward, didnt suit his style, so as an advanced forward he really excelled, and we powered unbeaten to winning the CPL Spring season with a game to spare. The games come thick and fast and I sacrifice the Canadian championship Cup games for the sake of trying out the second team to rest the first XI

Our run in the North American Champions League is ended in the first round by Santos Laguna of Mexico, outclassed really but allows focus on the league.

And there you have it the career to date, as below is pretty random as is any journeyman save, but each club is a little stepping stone with it's own stories and rules, such is the nature of FM.

Stay tuned for the result of the fall season and the final of the CPL, if we win we move on, if not, probably move on as well. Any journeymen will understand itchy feet.

FELDA in the Malaysian Super League 2023

So it's been a while, to the extent where it's passed a real life year since I started this save and a lot has happened in game and in real life. I have unfortunately miss laid my screenshots for my last few seasons but I'll try and fill in the blanks… I will use this post a bridge and try to update regularly afterwards. 

Our first time with FELDA in the big leagues promised much but fell short of the AFC Champions league on the final day of the season, finishing 4th and with a lot of unhappy players, I began to wonder if I had taken the team as far as I could and began scouting for a new challenge. 

We had a good cup run and reached the challenge cup final and lost in extra time, less said about the FA Cup the better.

So to pastures new, after a fair few rejections in the Americas, a survival job popped up in Indonesia….

Step up… Bali United, a team fallen from grace, with good individual players, 6 games left to save their season and avoid the drop, just call me Mr Allardyce.

It started so well with 2 wins and a draw, but a six pointer went the other way and I couldn't save them from the drop and resigned immediately after the season, not to be petty, well somewhat, but I couldn't be bothered with a promotion push as opposed to a push for the AFC Champions league with a club. They weren't happy…

2024

Arema had just finished outside the AFC Champions League places and came calling, good squad, good feels, good youth team. We stormed to the League title and qualified for the AFC group stage..and I enter the Indonesian HALL OF FAME!!!!

And there you have it, we were drawn in the Champions league with Suwon Blue Wings of Korea, Nagoya Stolz (Grampus 8) of Japan and United FC of the Philippines. 

AFC Champions League

So far we came back from 2 down and 10 men to draw in Japan against Nagoya, with direct target man approach to the second half followed by a 4-0 drubbing of United FC at home to put us 2nd in the group on 4 points, up next are holders Suwon!

I'll be back at the mid point of the season!

2021 | 2022 Season FELDA Season 2

League

It's been 186 days since I posted an update and in that time FELDA no longer exist in real life! (They should have hired me….) Jokes.. I'd be terrible.

I did whisper last season that I'd hoped to give it some welly, and push for promotion, the players didn't agree and were content plying their trade in the 2nd tier, but lets see how we got on. Lets start with the guff. It's a bit screenshot heavy as time is so limited these days…

We needed a goal scorer to push the league and in that we found a gem, stand up Mr Muhd Jafri Muhd Firdaus Chew. Best 3 and a half grand ever spent in south east Asia. 33 games 24 goals and 4 assists….roughly 132 quid a goal involvment. Now that's moneyball.

A few new arrivals to be fair and all averaged some good ratings. A lot of dead wood has moved on, we stuck to the same philosophy the board wanted, defensively sound, quick counter football and we purchased accordingly.

We changed the formation pending on the opponents, dropping the AMC if playing away against strong opposition or if only just ahead and wanted to shut up shop.

So How did we actually perform in the league?

First trophy as a manager, coaching badges up to National A thanks to the board and promotion. After a stinker in Hong Kong, a bad start with FELDA season one but after finding the strength of the team we've been promoted. We only whispered it in certain circles last season that we could go up and here we are. The cup competitions, well FA cup was the second round, but the challenge cup at the end of the season we managed to beat the Super league champions in the Quarters after a cracking group stage falling to Johor in the Semi Finals. But it had been a long season.

Accolades

Our Wing back Eka Putra levelled in with 12 assists, I think he bagged a couple as well. It remains to be seen wether this team can hold it with the big boys next term. But players mucking in from all angles helps, an over reliance on Chew might be a problem but fans favourite of the season Faye is in form also, so some back up for the lads up top might be an area of the market to invest.

Future

So what now? Unless a job of progression comes up abroad I will continue with the might FELDA, the real FELDA not existing anymore means I have an affinity with the club. But the allure of furthering the career means I am open to offers.

FM22 on the horizon means time is short but I usually wait until its on sale so will persevere with this save. Hopefully I wont wait 186 days to update it.

Lets see what the Super league holds for us

I haven't made the 3d kits as of yet, let me know what you think

Ah…this is why I'm a novice, hammer9's is far superior. Thanks mate! Still finding my feet

First kit I've done, apologies for the inaccuracies

I'll have a go!

2021 FELDA Season 1 Cont. End of season (SOS - Save our season)

League

If your going to wait until the last game of the league to register your first win in months, it may as well keep you in the league and stick SIX in the net, by the skin of our teeth the FELDA lads have secured our position in the league for another season.

A change back to 5-3-2 had looked to bring back winning ways, 4-1 up against Sabah in the penultimate game, we were in dreamland for a relegation escape only to be struck down by the gods of Football Manager. In part my own fault by bringing off a DLP for a straight up defensive midfielder (who is crap) and the slide was completed with the floodgates opened, nay, battering rammed.

Therefore, we were sweating going into the last game of the season, the lads needed a pep talk, which went badly, my grasp of the Malay language must have been a little bit rusty, with concerned faces all round. Indeed it needn't have mattered as before I knew it, we were 6 goals to the good and ready to start the inexplicable two further group stages of the cup competitions.

Cup(s)

Malaysian Challenge Cup

Surprisingly we finished well in the group stage, but I began to get confused with the FA Cup, small brain syndrome. Either way we finished strong and managed a semi-final appearance losing out in a 2 legged game against bigger opposition.

Malaysian FA CUP

Rubbish, bottom of the group against superior opposition in the division above.

So against the objectives..

Long term -  We can forget 1 & 2 but 3 (Play to the strengths of the team before moulding them to my own vision of defensive horrible football) we aren't far off to be fair, going forward, our set plays and build up play has been encouraging and we have fit the 5-3-2 in well. Our line has been led by Jaques Faye. This fella was sublime, stepped up and turned a defeat into a point when needed and kept pressing when asked, long term he fits the mould for FELDA. Believe it not I signed him as well, hence the adoration, because he's not THAT good but does a shift. We concede early so as for defence, work to be done for next season.

Short term - 1-“one win under their belt all season halfway gone, which is dross. Stop the leaks in the defence ” Half a point for that one, we managed another win at least. " 

2-“Create a solid tactic that can be shaped pending on opposition. The players at disposal are not the most blessed but the depth is there for a 5-3-2, so we'll pounce on that.”  See above, completed that for the time being.

3-“ Avoid relegation, the dirty R-word.”   - Just about managed it.

Short term for season 2 - 

1 Reduce squad size increase staff. Too many Indians, not enough chiefs.

2 Defence needs tightening - too many goals conceded.

3 Gain Promotion - I've said it now, just don't tell the board but I think we can go further than we think with some smart additions to the squad which I will post next time, followed by a mid season update, then a final season update. 

If a big offer comes in for my awful services. you never know I might take them on. But for now it's FELDA (kisses the badge)

2021 FELDA Season 1 (SOS - Save our season)

I wont lie, the deep end swallowed me whole, I have been away from FM for at least two years (kids ruin everything), thoroughly expecting to pickup where I left off, not being one hundred percent the kind of beatnik hipster manager who will love to tell you about a save in Madagascar that led to the African Champions league which never happened, but not far off. You learn from your failures, Hong Kong and Happy Valley will be one of those.

So in this save going forward it's important to set some post Hong Kong hangover goals. Career specific and club specific modus operandi, therefore I present Dr Rizzoli's Prescription.

Long Term: Probably Impossible

1 - Reach/Win the AFC Champions League, before moving onto another continent, something akin to the pentagon challenge

2 - Win at least one piece of silverware per country managed in before moving myself on

3 - Play to the strengths of the team before moulding them to my own vision of defensive horrible football that gets dirty results (like Mourinho and Allardyce had a lovechild which was then fostered by Graham Taylor and raised in Wimbledon)

Short Term at FELDA

1 - Steady the ship. FELDA have one win under their belt all season halfway gone, which is dross. Stop the leaks in the defence and the nautical analogies.

2 - Create a solid tactic that can be shaped pending on opposition. The players at disposal are not the most blessed but the depth is there for a 5-3-2, so we'll pounce on that.

3 - Avoid relegation, the dirty R-word. Couldn't be helped in Hong Kong but it was a close run thing.

So after trying to fit square pegs in round holes in Hong Kong, I apply and accepted as head coach to the absolute mouthful that is Federal Land Development Authority United (FELDA) as Head Coach. Immediately I start the coaching badges. I hadn't even looked at the squad before I turned up at the chairman's door, cap in hand, coaching prospectus under the arm. 

The board want a harmonious dressing room. I don't speak a word of the native tongue, but I'm sure if I point and shout really loud things will fall into place.

I will eventually brighten this place up with some screenshots and fairy lights and story structure but in the meantime some brief text will have to do.

I wont bore you with the intricacies of the piss poor squad, safe to say struggle and uphill were the buzzwords in the Malaysian tabloids. But a brief overview .

The previous manager loved a centre back, he had about eight in the first team. Let's just say until the coaching badge came through the post, we struggled. Stay tuned for the season results

We’ve got this..play like an Allardyce team in Hong Kong, hard to beat, direct, set piece routines coming out of our ears, solid defence, never going down never surrender..

6 games later, relegated

Chairman: Your sacked

Where else do you go, unemployed, no coaching badges, no friends?…Happy Valley Athletic Association of course!

Chairman: You don’t speak the language? 
 

Me: Don’t worry..adaptability rating mate.

Chairman: Avoid relegation at all costs..you have 6 games to do so.

Me: No money no worries my friend..whilst we’re thrashing out the details can I study my Coaching licen..

Chairman: I’ll stop you there, welcome aboard