DomD - Comments

Sorry, I switched to another save and not sure if I'll go back to this one. The tactics I had used so far were variations of these two for the most part:

But the last time I played this was sometime in November, so I think it was the match engine when the game first came out.

How is your save going for you?

Season 2 - 2022/23 - Cefn Druids

Pre-Season

A somewhat frustrating pre-season, as I tried to strengthen the squad for the season ahead. Some that were reaching the end of their contract at other Welsh clubs refused to even discuss a contract because they didn't believe that our squad was strong enough. Thought that I managed to sign a central midfielder from a non-league English side (below tier 6), but he also decided to stay with his current club.

We did manage to sign 3 players. A 19 y/o DR, a 23 y/o ST, and a 24 y/o MC/DM/D(C).

At the end of the previous season there was also a crop of exciting youngsters that came through our youth system. Considering that I didn't strengthen as much as I wanted in the using the transfer market, some of these young ones might be seeing more time in the first team than they would otherwise have. 

Also, the board keep rejecting my requests for another coaching badge.

UEFA Champions League

The most exciting part of the early season was our first foray into the UEFA Champions League, where we were pitted against Lithuanian side FK Sudova.

We managed to hold on to a draw at their place, and it was a bit of a goal fest at home, but we pulled out the win. Astana from Kazakhstan were next, and they were just too much for us.

But that meant we dropped down to the Europa League, where we will face... Greek side, Olympiacos!!! Yikes!!!

2021-22

Pre-Season

The squad was thin in some areas (DC, DL) and seemed ok in others, at least according to my AssMan. But the media had us finishing 12th, so I didn't hold out much hope. The board wanted a mid table finish.

It was hard to find any decent staff, the scouts especially had rather poor stats. But had to work with what we could get. Eventually managed to get in a DL and a couple of midfielders. But we were still short in DC, although the one we had was rated as one of the best players on the team.

Had some good pre-season results, including a 2-2 draw with Wrexham.

2021-22 Season

Things started better than I could have hoped for and we were top of the table after 7 games. Things took a bit of a dip after that and we fell all the way to 7th. For a while we bounced around between 4th and 6th, but never far from the teams at the top. 

The Welsh premier made up of 12 teams and is divided into two stages. After playing each team twice it splits in two. The teams top play each other for the championship and the teams from the bottom play each other to avoid relegation. At that stage we were in 3rd and also in the League Cup final. The board offered me a contract extension, and a small raise. I accepted.

In the League Cup final we met Cambrian & Clydach from the 2nd tier. After a 1-1 draw we lost on penalties. In the next game we went out of the Welsh Cup and it looked like our season might have been taking a turn. Although we were already guaranteed a mid-table finish.

We actually ended up playing quite well (4W, 1D, 1L) and even beat TNS 3-0 away from home. But the top four was tight. The next three were 2D and 1L with no goals scored and I was just hoping that we could at least hold on to 2nd place. But the teams around us also dropped points and all we had to do on the final day was win against TNS again.

After an uneventful 1st half we went out and grabbed 2 quick goals. But the team wasn't playing well and we were lucky to be in front. TNS piled on the pressure and in the 91st minute they had a penalty which they duly scored. Thankfully that was it and we finished as Champions!

Top Players

Show Spoiler

Started unemployed with no coaching badges and Sunday League Footballer experience, and started looking for a job.

The only club to offer me an interview was Cefn Druids in the Welsh Premier league. I guess no one else applied, because they gave the job to me!

The results have been a mixed bag. We did well against the likes of Bath and Eastbourne Boro. It seemed like we might push on from there and put together a good sequence of results. But then we met Gloucester in the FA Cup and they hammered us, the 3-0 scoreline could have been much worse. From there we went on a bad run of games, until we met Tonbridge who were also struggling. Best performance of the season in that match. But can we string together some more good results?

The table so far:

The squad lacked depth and needed some quality in a few areas. Shored it up with one loan and several players in on frees.

We had some good results in pre-season. But the opposition wasn't of a very high caliber. On to the competitive fixtures:

We're scoring goals, but also conceding too many. Hopefully as the team gels we become a bit more solid in the back.

Haven't played since FM14. I always try to do a LLM style save, starting in the lowest playable league in what ever country I start in, attribute masking on, and only signing players that my scouts (or other staff) recommend.

This time I'm starting in England with Braintree Town FC in the National League South. I have all the leagues loaded from England, Italy, Poland, and Scotland.

Media prediction has us finishing 21st. The odds were 200-1, but I guess the players that I brought in improved that slightly.