Uncle Sam - Comments

The Staff
The staff is not great. Most of their contracts run out at the end of the upcoming season, however, so I’m OK with letting them stay. With MLS clubs it’s unlikely you’re going to land top notch assistants anyway. I usually just hire young guys who I hope have potential to get better. The board allows me five more other staff, so I’m thinking a second physio, a GK coach, a fitness coach, and a couple of regular coaches.

I only have 1 scout, but scouting for MLS teams doesn’t always need to be overly extensive anyway. I might hire 2 or 3 more.

Training
I don’t get overly meticulous with my training. I pretty much just train each position for a specific role that works the attributes I want them to have.

GK – Sweeper Keeper
DR/L – Wingback
DC – Ball Playing Defender
DM & the supporting MC – Deep Lying Playmaker
Attacking MC – Advanced Playmaker
AMR/L – Inside Forward
ST – Complete Forward

All of those training regiments develop the attributes I want for each player with one glaring exception: The WINGBACK training does not develop passing. There are no training focus roles that work the passing attribute for fullbacks. The WINGBACK focus trains the OFF THE BALL skill, while COMPLETE WINGBACK trains the Flair. I’d rather my fullbacks develop OFF THE BALL so that’s why I’ve made that choice. However, I do want my fullbacks to work on passing as well so what I do is pick 3 months out of the year for the fullbacks to work specifically on PASSING. The rest of the year they train in the WINGBACK role focus.

A couple of other things I do with my training is I set the Intensity for every player to HEAVY. I then go to GENERAL TRAINING and set the Intensity Level to LOW. After my squad has gained full familiarity with my tactics I will also set the MATCH TRAINING slider to one click towards LESS MATCH TRAINING. I want my training to be about developing players. The better skills the players develop the better they are going to perform and the more I will be able to sell them for later.

I think the last time I worked hard on the box midfield tactic was FM 11 of 12. That was always how I coached my real life teams but the USSF started pushing for youth coaches to push the 4-3-3 so I switched to that and naturally started using it in FM.

Squad

The squad is mostly ready to compete for the MLS title. The biggest weak spot is in central defense.

-Goalkeeper: Tally Hall is a good MLS goalkeeper who has not been capped but has been called up to the national team in real life. While I would like to upgrade the position, he'll do for now. The backup is Tyler Deric, who is serviceable but not good enough to consider as the heir.

-Fullback: Kofi Sarkodie on the right and DaMarcus Beasley on the left. That is a good attacking pair. Kofi is still relatively young as well. Beasley is starting age, but Corey Ashe is a good backup who can give DMB a rest occasionally. In a pinch, Jermaine Taylor can play at either fullback but I really need him in the middle. Also Oscar Boniek Garcia can fill at right back.

-Centerback: This is the sever position of need. Jermaine Taylor is solid, but there is a big dropoff after him. Eric Brunner is outstanding in the air, but his marking and tackling are only a 10. David Horst is a better tackler but somewhat weaker in the air. His positioning is also only a 9. AJ Cochrane and Anthony Arena both look like solid players for the future, but they're a year or two away from being able to contribute.

-Defensive Midfielder: Ricardo Clark is an above average player. Also, Boniek Garcia and Luis Garrido can fill in this spot with little dropoff. Very comfortable with my options here.

-Central Midfield: Several good options here. For the supporting CM, I can play Boniek or Garrido. Servando Carrasco is the desperation option. In the attacking CM, I just about have to consider Alexander Lopez since he is being paid Designated Player money. I can also drop Brad Davis into this position.

-Inside Forwards (AM R/L): On the right, Giles Barnes is the #1 option. Alexander Lopez can also play here to great effect. On the left, Brad Davis is probably the first choice, but again there a number of choices. Andrew Driver, Corey Ashe, DaMarcus Beasley can all play there with little-to-no dropoff.

-Striker: This another position with good depth. Carlo Costly and Omar Cummings are probably the top two choices, but Will Bruin has a decent future there as well.

The squad can compete now, but I also have to start looking towards the future. As weak as the centerback position is right now, Cochran and Arena will be a solid pairing in about 2015 or 2016. Jason Johnson (AMC/ST) is also promising but I may have to send him out on loan so he can get some playing time. And Alexander Lopez will hopefully be with us for a long time. The Academy has a couple of good looking prospects as well, but I'll get into that when I do a scouting update.

Yes I am, happily. Although we were recently in a fairly serious vehicle accident and my wife broke her L1 vertebrae and had 2 lacerations of her liver so much of my time this summer has gone to helping her recover. We both broke our sternum so Ive been recovering from that. Thankfully she is back to walking mostly normal, but she still has very little sensation in her pelvic floor. Apparently it takes agonizingly long for nerve damage to heal.

Tactic

I want to make my attempt at the Barcelona "style" in the USA. My two primary formations are the 4-3-3 and the 4-1-4-1.

-Mentality: Counter (Will sometimes drop to Defensive, or if the opponent is parking the bus I'll throw out Counter)

-Fluidity: Very Fluid

-Team Instructions
Retain Possession
Shorter Passing
Play Out of Defense
Much Higher Defensive Line
Roam From Positions
Hassle Opponents
Stay on Feet
Use Tighter Marking

-Player Instructions (Role/Duty)
GK (SK/S): Distribute to Defenders
DR/L (CWB/A): Shoot Less Often, Pass it Shorter, Stay Wider
DC (DC/D): Pass it Shorter
DM (DM/D): Shoot Less Often, Pass it Shorter
MCL (CM/S): Dribble Less, Pass it Shorter, Hold Position
MCR (CM/A): Dribble Less, Pass it Shorter
AMR/L (IF/A): Sit Narrower, Dribble Less, Pass it Shorter, Shoot Less Often
ST (DLF/S): NONE

In the 4-1-4-1 everything is the same, except the MR/L have the Get Further Forward instruction added.

Intro

So I'm beginning what is probably my final career on FM 2014 before the next version. I'll be starting with my Houston Dynamo using the default MLS format.

-Manager Info
Nationalities: USA, Germany
Favored formation: 4-3-3
Starting Reputation: Sunday League Player
Place of Birth: Knoxville (TN)

-Leagues loaded (Top Divisions Only)
Australia, Brazil, England, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, USA

-Data Updates
Nic's Data, All International Competitions (as well as two I created for the Dale Farm Milk Cup and Copa America Centenario), and my own data update for USA (club and players only, no competitions added).

She's awesome. Part of the reason my visits are so rare now is because of how much I'm enjoying the married life, if you catch my drift.

Also, they owe us free burritos for life. Beef burritos, not that sissy chicken shit.

Spanish Translation: "GOOOOAAAAAAL The US of A PUTS us in the playoffs!!!!!" USA!

"It is because of the USA that we are being placed in the playoff ...BECAUSE OF THEM , NOT DUE TO YOU..NOT ANY OF YOU in the green shirts ....IT WAS THEM!!.NOT YOU!..THEY DID IT!!!!!NOT YOU! remember this forever..... KEEP THIS CLEARLY IN MIND FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES! You do NOTHING for the shirt, you do NOT put the effort, you have NOTplaced us in the playoffs , you HAVE NOT placed us in the WORLD CUP ..YOU WOULD NOT HAVE KEPT US ALIVE....IT WAS ESTADOS UNIDOS, NOT YOU.! .NOT YOU AND YOUR ARROGANCE/CONCEIT.....NOT YOU AND YOUR INFAMY....NOT YOU AND YOUR MORONS/PUNKS....
....
"IT IS A FAILURE.....and UNDESERVED -to go through to the playoff- WE HAD NO ARGUMENTS to earn the playoffs, THE USA, WITH SUBS , WITH MANY SUBS as the visiting team shows us once again what the USA is all about ....how to play the game with dignity, how to approach the sport..MExico is a horror, just terrible....A FAILURE....
......
THE USA HAS SURPASSED US ..They are better than Mexico in SOCCER ....THEY EVEN HAVE THE LUXURY OF PLAYING THEIR SUBS and KEEPING US LIVE.... I hope our coach wears the pants and resigns..He has failed as coach...."






While that was the most disappointing frantic come-from-behind-with-2-stoppage-time-goals victory I've ever watched, it's consolation knowing that all of Mexico was cheering for the USA.

Has anyone done the USA away and 2013 Centennial kits?

The Deano stamp of approval means I did well for myself.

Wedding Pics






Honeymoon in Florida:

2015 PRESEASON

Manager Reputation: Continental
Manager Salary: $87,000
Club Reputation: National
Club Status: Professional
League Reputation: 3/5*
Season Expectation: Win USL Pro
Manager Promise: NONE
Media Prediction: 1st
Pre-season Notes:
There is a lot of pressure to perform, as the board and media both expect me to win the league. That's going to be difficult, particularly with Orlando City in this league, and a one-off playoff deciding the champion.

I did upgrade the squad, bringing in MLS castoff Zac MacMath (GK), Swedish defender Markus Holgersson (DRC), and Brazilian attacking midfielder Guilherme (AMLC) on free transfers. I also loaned in a few players from MLS clubs for depth.

SEASON REVIEW

Season Achievements:
Conference USA Champions

Cup Achievements:
NONE

Season Position/Record:
8-0-0 Conference USA
10-1-0 Non-Conference Record
18-1-0 OVERALL

Board Status: Very Secure at the time of departure

Job Applications/Offers:Offered the job at Rochester Rhinos of the USL Pro and I accepted.

Once the Rochester Rhinos job came open it was an easy decision. It’s a move up and to an actual salary. The Rhinos finished second in the USL Pro Regular Season in 2014, but were eliminated in the Quarterfinal of the playoffs, and Caleb Porter was immediately sacked. Hopefully I have a longer leash than that.

Season #: 2014
Country: United States
League: NCAA Division 1, Conference USA
Club: University of Tennessee Volunteers

PRESEASON

Manager Reputation: National
Manager Salary: 0$
Club Reputation: Continental
Club Status: Amateur
League Reputation: 2/5 *
Season Expectation: Win Conference USA
Pre-season Notes:
My squad has gotten better since last year, but so have the other teams. I had a look around and my intake of youth players wasn’t as great as I though comparatively speaking. I still have a good team and I believe I can still make it to the NCAA Tournament and go deep.

NCAA teams in real life schedule 8-10 games or so in the spring. Our spring season went well except we did lose one game that we dominated but couldn't breakthrough. We played 6 friendlies to warm up for the season and won 5 and drew 1. Agustin Parra looks set to have a big year and he actually got a couple of caps and goals with the Mexican national team.

SO, in real life the University of Tennessee doesn't have a Men's Soccer team, but they do have a women's team. They play their games at Regal Stadium in Knoxville:





The NPSL club Knoxville Force play their home games there as well.

Our Incoming Recruits for the 2014 Season:


















A lot of contributors in this class. Steve Jhutty is going to be a player, but I'm retraining him as a central midfielder. I have enough wide forwards and I don't use the MR position. George Salazar is going to push for one of the central back spots along side 2013 standout Ivan Luna. Jonathas from Brazil will start immediately at left back, even though he's a natural right back.

I have two players who are in the MLS Superdraft pool:




Thomas would be a bigger loss because I'm pretty thin at left back. In my recruiting class I did get a Brazilian right back who is left footed that I am retraining, but my only other left back is more of a center back and I like m fullbacks to get forward.

I would hate to lose Ramirez, but Parra signed back on and I have another other guys who can occupy the false 9 role.

The Tennessee one I made from the Tennessee Volunteers logo and an adidas soccer logo (University of Tennessee has all of their uniforms supplied by adidas). I edited them into the database myself because they don't really have a soccer team, but they're my hometown university. The rest of the logos I got from this thread, which is also where I got the database.

2013 SEASON REVIEW

Season Achievements:
Conference USA Regular Season Champions

Cup Achievements:
Conference USA Tournament Champions
NCAA Championship College Cup Champions

Season Position/Record:
7-1-0 Conference Record (1st Place)
10-1-0 Non-Conference Schedule
2-0-0 Conference USA Championship Tournament
5-0-0 NCAA Championship College Cup
24-2-0 OVERALL RECORD

Board Status: Very Secure
Job Applications/Offers: Only offer was for an extension at Tennessee, which I accepted.

Season Notes:
Season started shaky with a draw against Memphis, but the team took the tactics quickly and we strolled through an impressive season without a single loss. Particularly impressive was the second half of the schedule and the postseason. In our last 14 games we surrendered only a pair of goals, while scoring 34. In our 5 NCAA Tournament games we outscored our opponents 15-0. The goal now is to repeat.

We had three players who earned youth caps:




Looking ahead, when the Youth Recruiting class comes in, I'll hopefully be able to start to cutting certain players and keeping the ones who have the potential to become good players. I also have to hope none or at least only 1 or two of my guys get drafted. Vaughn is one i worry about, as well as my leading scorer Agustin Parra. He scored 6 goals in the NCAA Tournament and 19 goals across all competitions. It would have been more but I was very liberal in my rotation policy. The NCAA allows 12 subs per game and I usually used at least 10, while also rotating the entire Starting XI from one match to the next.Parra actually left when his contract expired but I offered him again and I think I can get him. Even if I can't I have a pretty good replacement on the bench named Ricardo Eder Ramirez who I signed before the season.

Season #1: 2013
Country: United States
League: NCAA Division 1, Conference USA
Club: Tennessee Volunteers

PRESEASON

Manager Reputation: Regional
Manager Salary: N/A (Amateur Club)
Club Reputation: National
Club Status: Amateur
League Reputation:2*/5
Season Expectation: Reach NCAA Tournament, win Conference USA
Manager Promise: Mid Table Standing
Media Prediction: None
Pre-season Notes:
As an NCAA team, no buying players or the like is possible so the squad I start with is who I roll with. I have a pretty good team, with my weakest unit being my back line.

Team: University of Tennessee Volunteers
City: Knoxville (TN)
League: NCAA Division 1, Conference USA
Operating Status: Amateur
Founded: 2012
Facility: Regal Stadium
---------- Capacity: 3500
---------- Condition: Good
---------- Surface: Grass

Years: 2013-2014
--2013: 24-2-0 (Conference USA Season & Tournament Champions, NCAA National Champions)
--2014: 18-1-0 (Conference USA Season Champions)



Team: Rochester Rhinos
City: Rochester (NY)
League: United Soccer League Professional Division
Operating Status: Professional
Founded: 1996
Facility: Sahlen's Stadium
---------- Capacity: 13768
---------- Condition: Very Good
---------- Surface: Synthetic (New Type-Soft)

Years: 2014-XXXX

The USA league structure has been expanded using a slightly modified version of paulgerty's file from the SI Forums.

Top division also loaded from the following countries:

Australia
Brazil
Canada
England
France
Germany
Holland
Italy
Mexico
Portugal
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Uzbekistan

Name: Jeremiah Harmon
Starting Age: 33
Nationality: United States
Second Nationality: Brazil
Languages Spoken: English, Spanish, Portuguese
International Career: Uncapped
Past Experience: Sunday League Footballer
Favored Clubs: Houston Dynamo

*My 4-2-3-1

So this is the setup I'm currently using. It's a 4-2-3-1.

Roles and Duties

GK - Sweeper Keeper

DR - Wingback - Attack
DCR - Center Defender - Defend
DCL - Center Defender - Defend
DL - Wingback - Attack

MCR - Deep Lying Playmaker - Support
MCL - Central Midfielder - Defend
AMC - Advanced Playmaker - Support

AMR - Inside Forward - Attack
AML - Inside Forward - Attack

FC - Advanced Forward Attack


Team Instructions

STYLE: Balanced
-This setting had the mentality settings I want to get the midfielders positioned properly and also to get the fullbacks up the pitch to provide width in attack.

STRATEGY: Counter
-Although I change this depending on how the AI is playing against me. I usually start in Defend, actually, but I haven't gone deep into a game.

PASSING STYLE: Shorter

CREATIVE FREEDOM: More expressive

CLOSING DOWN: Press More

TACKLING: Default

MARKING: Zonal Marking
-This will actually be altered by the shouts.

CROSSING: Float Crosses
-Only because crosses to the far post seem to be more effective this year. I may change it.

ROAMING: More Roaming
-I like my players to have freedom to explore the space. It helps to unbalance and unlock the defense in my opinion



Shouts

DEFENSIVE LINE: Push Higher Up
ATTACKING: Play Through Defense
SHOOTING: Work Ball into Box
POSSESSION: Retain Possession
PRESSING: Hassle Opponents


So that's the system I'm currently running. It's meant to be an aggressive, attacking formation built around possession football. The wingbacks go marauding forward, while the two central midfielders act as holding mids. The AMR and AML operate as inside forwards as to clear space out wide for the wingbacks. So far so good with Knoxville Force in the NPSL, the 5th level in the USA (it's an edited database). I went 11-0-1 (I lost a 1-0 game that I outpossessed the opponent with 74% and outshot them 23-1, giving up an own goal) during the regular season and am currently in the championship game.

First of all I'm not starting this thread because I think I'm a tactical genius. I do pretty well in this area I think, but some of you reading this will probably be better than me. I really just wanted to get some back-and-forth discussion going, exchange ideas, that sort of thing. I'll probably post my tactics setup that I'm currently using, that sort of thing.

Tactics Creator only, no classic tactics: I know this isn't the case for everyone, but most people I see who post classic tactics are either trying to break the match engine or they've created a tactic for a specific club or level and as soon as the game re-adjusts the club reputations the tactic falls apart. If you want to start a discussion about classic tactics, then go ahead. I would just rather keep this discussion to tactics creator discussion.

Glasses + Round, Charlie Brown-esque head = fmgod

That's fmgod if I've ever seen him.

I think it's this lingering concept that we are somehow responsible for keeping peace in the world after our involvement in the World Wars helped to turn the tide. After the terrorist attacks, the idea that our national security is at stake adds another level. The real truth is probably that we are protecting our own interests. A book could probably be written about why we spend so much, I honestly couldn't say for sure. I'm not overly concerned with why, I just want it to stop.

You're right about us having troops stationed in parts of the world where they don't need to be. Countries like Germany, Japan, and Korea can defend themselves. All of our foreign military bases should be closed and our troops brought home. That would drastically cut our spending and get things started toward cutting into our national debt.