edallen2 - Comments

hi,

 

Had issues with the game went to reinstall however the game is no longer available so I have lost everything for this save. I can say that I completed the European part of the Pentagon Challenge with Manchester United then became the manager of Gremio in Brazil and won the Copa Libertadores so it was just a waiting game for the next  FIFA Would Club Cup to start. I had a decent squad of young players with a handful of more experienced players.

 

I will be going back to FM 14 and FM 15 to play my Burton, RB Leipzig and Fulham saves while I decided to get FM 23 or wait until FM24 (may have a new laptop by then). 

Transfers

 

Bruno Fernandes was sold to Juventus for £55 raising to £71m after the last couple of summer transfer windows being linked to PSG, Barca etc. young winger Jack Clarke was sold to Bournemouth fro £36.5m, Lautaro Martinez was sold for a club record £115m and Daniele Rugani sold to AC Milan £24.5m. Normally losing players of this quality will weaken most sides however I have younger players who equally just as good as them.

 

He is going to be a really great player and is the replacement for Berge or Soumare. I have him, Bellingham, Camara, Neto and another young player for the next 10 years.

 

He is not going to be a world beater but will do a job as a back up player when required.

 

He is the direct replacement for Dean Henderson. The pressure will be on him has Henderson was great.

 

A solid central defender which is what I want alongside those who potential to be top class defenders.

 

He will be first choice within the next few seasons. I am surprised FC Bayern allowed him to leave.

 

 

Surprised Arsenal were selling him. This young midfielder is going to part an exciting future midfield three.

 

 

I have Lanchas in the U23s however I needed a player that is ready to replace Grealish or even play alongside him as two No. 10s behind the striker.

 

Preseason

This preseason was not about bedding in new players but starting the process of creating new partnerships of existing players in the squad like Grealish and Greenwood.

 

Premier League

This season sees Greenwood stepping up as the main striker after Martinez left the club with 27 goals also in the 4 seasons I have been at the club Rashford had 2 seasons where he has scored over 20 goals. Sancho, Rashford and Greenwood are becoming a triple threat that could tear defences apart.

 

The "Top 6" of old is no more. The club once again setting the standards rather than chasing it like the club has been doing since Fergie left. We are the first club to win the Premier League 4 times in a row. Bristol City, Swansea and Brighton are all straight back to the Championship which means West Brom, Crystal Palace and Leeds are going to find it hard to stay in the Premier League.

 

FA CUP

League Cup

Champions League

This was the clubs 4th Champions League title in a row and 10th overall meaning the club is just 3 behind Real Madrid. It is going to take a team that is at their very best and the team to be just off the pace for anyone to beat this team.

 

Club News

The ground expansion has finally been completed meaning Old Trafford has the largest capacity in England. The club has been subject to various takeover rumours which the current owners keep refuting, only time will tell if there are grounds for such rumours.

 

This summer will see some popular players leaving the club has I am looking to set up the team to be playing together for the next 10 years or so. The main transfer business would be getting back up players and players for the U23s. I don't expect to be using up the £600m transfer budget this summer however if the right player is available then I will look at the player more closely before deciding to bid for the player. Also it is getting to the point where I will be looking at what top flight clubs are looking for new managers in South America, Asia and Africa for the next stage of the Pentagon Challenge however will have to revisit North America has I only managed to get LA GALAXY to be runners up in the FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP with Mexico has most likely destination.

Transfers

 

One of the weirdest transfers I had just happened a AI generated player with Chigojie Umeh, a regen, who is not good enough for the Premier League being sold to Watford £38.5m, scoring only 3 goals in 28 league games. I sold Elanga, Dalot, Arron Martin, Hoogewef and Matty Longstaff for total of £174m which fund the summer signings despite a budget of £400m due to the takeover.

 

£33m for a 19yr old is a gamble since he might not live up to the scouting reports I received. He along with Neto and Jude Bellingham can be a little winning midfield trio for the next 10 years.

 

I had to meet Feyenoord's minimum release fee. He and Moreau should be the first choice pairing in a few years time. 

 

He is a like for like replacement for Wan-Bisaka which would allow for a continuity how the back four works.

 

Friendlies and Other Games

 

Premier League

Last season I used Lautaro Martinez has my main striker however I went with Greenwood and he ended up scoring 26 goals in 28 appearances. Sancho (13 goals/11 assists), Rashford (12goals/5 assists) and Martinez (18goals/6goals) helped the club score over 100 goals. Throughout the season others have chipped when the front 4 did not score. I managed to get through the season without any major injuries and without much rotation.

 

Arsenal were flirting with relegation when they sacked Patrick Vieira and hired someone rather unexpected. West Brom stuck to stuck the bottom of the Premier League all season. At one point it looked like that Villa and Wolves were going to finish in the top 4, Wolves finished 17th last season. Bristol City, Brighton and Swansea, relegated the season before along with Sheff Utd and West Ham, were promoted but they would need to get points on the board early to give themselves a chance of staying up. Watford were lucky not to be near the relegation zone with 2nd lowest goals scored yet managed to finish 9th.

 

Arsenal hiring Ian Holloway is the weirdest managerial appointment I have seen in FM games however he did manage to get Arsenal to 8th in the table while Palace were relegated. A lot of managers being sacked because of players.

 

Caraboa Cup

FA Cup

Champions League

There were some groups for the neutrals to watch. Milan and Valencia were the first of the big clubs to be knocked out of the Champions League. The knockout rounds had some really good match ups with some bookmakers favourites being knocked out. The Premier League dominating the Champions League again which means the other clubs will be out to end the Premier League domination of the Champions League.

 

FIFA Club Word Cup

How the groups were drawn favoured the European clubs which means it is going to be hard for other clubs from other Continents to compete.

 

Club News

One season after Ed Woodward and Co took over the club there were rumours of other takeover bid. This summer and the end of next season could be interesting if these rumours persist.

 

The works on the stadium has finally begun after the planning was completed. Next season the capacity will be at 65,000 but once the works have been completed it would be the biggest ground in England with a capacity of over 90,000. This is the first expansion of the stadium since 2005/06. For the past 3 seasons the ground has been at over 90% capacity for majority of the games.

 

In the summer David De Gea will joining Leicester City on a free transfer and I could be losing Dean Henderson if a club meets his asking price, which Leicester City did before they signed De Gea, however he rejected their contract offer. Each summer there is always interest in Bruno Fernandes and Martinez so I am going to keep a closer eye on this during the summer because the previous summers there were no bids. I have been given a transfer budget of £500m which will be used getting players for the U23s with the focus on right backs, centre backs, central midfield and strikers. I hope to leave Man Utd has one of the top clubs once more after a decade in the wilderness just like I did with LA Galaxy in the MLS.

Transfers

I have scouted him several times last season to make sure he can fit within the squad without disrupting the balance and harmony. I have marked as possible candidate for club captain if and when Bruno Fernandes leaves the club.

 

He is another candidate for club captain and would need to improve his heading. I am going to build the defence around him and Tuanzebe.

 

I needed more goalkeepers for the U23 to provide emergency cover for de Gea and Henderson. He will be the back up keeper when either de Gea or Henderson leaves the club.

 

I needed some cover on the right wing while Navarro, all develop to either replace Sancho or provide cover for the next first choice winger. I sent him out on loan has I was using either Angel Gomes or 4-3-2-1 if one of Sancho or Rashford is out of injured or need a rest.

Finally got rid off Maguire and Bailly which required the club to pay part of their wages while they are under contract with their new club. I received offers that were hard to refuse for Angel Correa and Manor Solomon.

 

Preseason and Other Games

We had a training camp in the USA so I arranged a few games there to help build partnerships and to assess players. I am not to fussed about not winning the Community Shield has this is not important in the grand scheme of things. I arranged a friendly during the international break to assess the fringe players and U23 for next season.

 

Premier League

The season started with a bang with a 8-0 thrashing of Leicester this set the tone for the season as there were a few games where 4 or more goals. The Newcastle game o the 22nd April was a surprise has the players that were selected are good enough to beat most teams in the league but the lack of game time together was a contributing factor. I decide to change the main striker from Martinez to Greenwood in the 2nd half of the season and used Fernandes in the No.10 role when Grealish was out injured. Think Greenwood is better off in a front2 or on the right of a front 3.

 

We romped to a 2nd consecutive title and it has been a long time since the club won back to back titles. Watford and Bournemouth are not far off from the Top 6 while there a few clubs that need to improve to remain in the Premier League next season or they face another season fighting against relegation. If I can keep the 18 players that make up the regular matchday squad together plus one or two signings that would add long term depth then I cannot see the other clubs catching us next season.

 

League Cup

It was nice to make the final but I did not care we won it or not cause my attention is on other competitions.

 

FA Cup

Wycombe made it to the 5th Round where they were hammered 5-1 by Liverpool. The final was a London Derby between Chelsea and Fulham. Me and the Board were disappointed with being knocked out at the Quarter Final stage by Chelsea however this freed up space for players to recover between the remaining games.

 

Champions League

There were some tasty groups this season which for once a good thing for the fans in the ground and watching on TV. We hammered Juventus 6- and Malmo 7-0 while we lost to Saville on the way to qualifying as Group Winners for the next stage of the competition.

 

The games against Chelsea and Inter were the hardest games we played this season. We managed to win back to back Champions League titles for the first time in the clubs history and 1 more Champions League title then we will match Liverpool's 6 Champions League titles.

 

Club News

Old Trafford has been near full capacity for the 2 seasons I have been at the club. The increase means the stadium is the 2nd largest in England and hopefully it is done by the first home game of the new season.

 

I received news that the category of the training facilities was being downgraded so I got the board to invest in updating the facilities. The way the finances have been managed over the last 2 seasons means the club is now debt free and the club has banked rolled this using the funds raised over the last 2 seasons.

 

New Players for 24/25

He can play out wide on the right and up front. I will be training him as a striker so when does move to the senior squad I have more options. I have good young wingers at the club which I can select 1 while the others play for the U23 if there is a clash.

 

The U23's needed a left back and emergency cover if Panzo is covering as a centre back. He is a solid defensive full back.

 

I needed a young AMC to be the long term replacement for Grealish and Fernandes. Hopefully he can improve his finishing, long shots and positioning so he can chip in with a few goals each season.

 

I needed some decent young centre backs in the U23 to be replacing Rugani and Torres as well as cover for the first team centre backs.

 

I have transferred list Aaron Martin, Dalot, Elanga and Samassekou either I will be looking for better players, got younger players or they are surplus to requirements. David de Gea is in final year of his contract and at 35 I feel it is time that I started to Henderson more in games so 25/26 season will see Henderson has the new first choice keeper.

 

Having left La Galaxy for Manchester United in June 2022 with 2 aims: win as many competitions within 4/5years and restore Manchester United as the Top Club in England and Europe. I am going to spend the next 3 or 4 transfer windows to get rid off players and get players that will get the club back to being the best club. The World Cup in November and December will mean that the 2nd half of the season could be very congested and would mean finding a balance of playing the strongest possible 11 while allowing players to have time to recover from each game.

 

Transfers

 

Deigo Simeone arranged for the sale of McTominey before I arrived. I needed to sell players to make room fore new players especially in defence and midfield. The others were ones that I did not want at the club got loaned out in order to keep their value and showcase themselves. I will be getting the Director of Football to shift any players that no one wants to bid due to the players high wages.

 

He is mainly a back up for the other centre backs. He can develop into a good centre back and maybe force his way into the starting XI on a regular basis if his performances are good enough. He is also an option at left back if necessary but I have Lucas Digne and Aaron Martin.

 

He joins Grealish, Greenwood, Rashford, Tuanzebe, Henderson, Wan Bissaka and Sancho as a possible English core of the starting XI for years to come. If he can develop his tackling then he will be a great all round central midfielder.

 

He was signed to provide back up in centre midfield. He does have resale value to to a club outside the top 6.

 

I needed a player or two that are similar to McTominey to provide some bite in midfield. He is going to be a top class midfielder and I will be making sure he gets enough game time of the next couple of season before he is making regular appearances in the starting line up.

 

Pau Torres, Axel Tuanzebe and Jonathan Panzo will be the foundation of the defence for the next few seasons with Wan Bissaka and Martin at full back should be a decent defence which would take the pressure of De Gea and Henderson.

 

He is going to partnering Bruno Fernandes in midfield. I had to trigger the release clause to sign him.

 

 

I needed a 3rd striker after Dembele was a disappointment. I am not expecting him to replace Lautaro Martinez and Greenwood but I am hoping that he will bag a few goals when he does play. He also provides me with other options for formations in lesser important games.

 

 

He could be a top class Premier League striker and hopefully be part of dominant striker force with Martinez and Greenwood.

 

Preseason

I tried to make sure everyone played alongside each other more than once so I can find the right balance when I need to rotate players from January to the end of the season due to the World Cup taking place in November and December.

 

Premier League

Lautura Martinez was sitting at the top of the goal scorers table until a broken foot sustain in training ruled him out for 3 months and he did not waste time finding the back of the net on his return against Norwich. The rest of the strikers and attacking midfielders stepped up to fill in for Martinez for the 3months he was out. Brentford and Bournemouth were the highest scoring games of the season. Thanks to my experience in the MLS I managed to fixture congestion every well making sure the team had the right balance for each game so that players remained fresh.

 

There was only 2 points separating us and Liverpool however we had 2 games in hand from January onwards due to various Cup runs. The Board's expectation of winning the League Title was to be done after 3 years. Arsenal and Spurs for the 3rd season running failed to qualify for the Champions League.

 

League Cup

The Board regards this competition of no importance but for me getting a Trophy in the first season was important to gain confidence and momentum for the other competitions.

 

FA Cup

Lincoln and Norwich were the clubs that provide that the narrative for this season's FA Cup. We were given a fairly easy draw this season and was able to field a mixed XI for certain games.

 

Champions League

The Group draw saw groups E and F being potential Group of Death. I felt we could finish at least 2nd and make it to the first knock round which was the Board's minimum expectation.

 

Barcelona v PSG, Real Madrid v Juventus and Liverpool v Manchester United are games that people will want to see. The final was close which I was expecting it to be and it means that we are going to the FIFA Club World Cup in the winter.

 

Towards the end of the season there were rumours of the club being sold and it is part of the clubs vision for the next few years. I have players that have been on loan that I do not want at the club and hopefully can be sold in the summer if not I will get the Director of Football to sell them for any price in January. I am looking for another central defender and central midfielder.

This save has taken a turn hopefully for the better.

 

NEW PLAYERS

 

Jamie Vardy, Leicester City £600k

He is retiring June 2022 which means 18months scoring plenty of goals in the MLS and hopefully help the club win the FIFA Club World Cup.

 

RESULTS

I was trying 2 or 3 different formations  that allowed me to play Chicharito and Vardy hence the fairly even split in wins and draws. I think a pairing of Chicharito and Vardy would work after the CONCACAF Champions League as playing weekend and mid games would be reduced so it would mean a more consistent starting line up therefore partnerships will start to form.

 

MLS CUP

Round 4

This game allowed me to start players that have not many games and rest players as well as evaluating players for the reserve team.

 

Round 5

 

CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Winning this for the 2nd time in a row which meant we another another shot at the FIFA Club World Cup in the winter.

 

NEW CLUB

There was speculation that Manchester United and Valencia were interested my services after they sacked their respective managers. Manchester United got in first with the interview which I thought I would not get the job but they offered it to me. I was given a budget of £100m for transfers but very little room for wages but will look at making adjustments also selling certain players and improving the quality of the youth team as well as the U23s. I might look at taking either Alvarez, Kane or both if they are deemed good enough by the scouts.

 

I was going to look at what clubs were available once the MLS Season and FIFA Club World Cup were done as I feel I took LA GALAXY as far as they can go and need something new as well as challenging. Manchester United and Valencia felt were the right clubs to make the save more interesting as well as challenging.

New Players

If I stay at LA Galaxy after completing the aim of winning the FIFA Club World Cup then he is going to be 1 or 2 star players at the club. I will have a hard time to keep once he shows what he can do at the FIFA Club World Cup. I am surprised I managed to sign him from Liverpool.

 

A very good addition and different option in the centre of midfield. He will probably be playing along Zalelem when I rotate the midfield in the early part of the season and once Dos Santos leaves the club then he will be the player to take over.

 

Just needs to improve his strength then he will a good addition to the senior squad. He is another good academy graduate and shows that there some good players coming out of the States.

 

 

He is going to be Gonzalez's partner in central defence. He will be an excellent defender for a Championship club or a club in the bottom half of the Premier League.

 

A potential star player just needs to improve his passing and movment then he will be there.

 

These are the standout signings for 2021.

 

Preseason

 

 

I was just trying to get players settled and up to speed before a very busy season.

 

MLS Regular Season

I wrote off Higgins as just merely a back up striker based on last season however he bossed it this season with 14 goals in the first 14 games including a double hat-trick against Nashville with him going on to score 20+ goals alongside Chicharito. There were only 2 games where the team failed to score a goal and kept 14 cleansheets. The off season will be about central defenders and goalkeepers due to the number of goals being conceded is not good enough.

 

It does help a lot having 2 strikers scoring 20+ goals each with other players chipping in with a few goals each. The MLS is just like the Championship where a club could have a good season then the next season they are fighting for survival but in the MLS it is avoiding having first pick even that means getting the best player in the draft.

 

Playoffs

MLS Cup

The 2 Conferences Winners in the MLS Cup is what the competition should be about. This was the clubs 3rd MLS Cup which means the club will getting the change to retain the CONCACAF Champions League Trophy and another crack at the FIFA Club World Cup

 

US Open Cup

 

CONCACAF Champions League

This means were going to the FIFA Club World Cup. It will not be long before there is an all MLS final.

 

FIFA Club World Cup

Group B was the hardest group out of all of them . We scraped through the final where Barcelona gave the players a footballing lesson.

 

Campeones

This is the 2nd times the club won this MLS v M Liga Champions Cup.

 

The off season I will looking to get a decent a keeper, right back and central defender that are of a better quality that is already at the club. I have decided that I am going to be for at least another 2 seasons and after that start looking at a move to either Mexico, South America or Asia before heading to Europe. There will be changes to the backroom staff due to contracts expiring. The next couple of seasons are at getting to the FIFA Club World Cup and winning it.

 

New Signings

 

Most of the incoming players this season are Academy Graduates

He is back up for Chicharito and will only play if Chicharito is injured or needs a rest. He could develop into a decent striker. Right now, I would be happy if he can score a few goals in his limited game time.

He needs to improve a lot if he is going to replace Dos Santos but time is on his side for this to happen also trying to get past other central midfielders that will be arriving at the club over the next couple of seasons.

 

Daniel Monsivais

If he can improve his jumping and strength he can become a decent central defender for the club. I feel that a loan move or two over the next couple of seasons or so would benefit him but for now I will keep at the club to see how he develops first.

 

Gedion Zelalem, New York City

I traded out 2022 1st round draft pick and 1 International slot for the coming season to sign this former Arsenal youngster. I will probably be rotating him and Corona in midfielder next to Dos Santos.

 

Justin Rouse

He is going to be a backup emergency striker for the club and could be used with Higgins in a front two.

 

Paul Arriola DC United £3.5m Alloaction Money

He will struggle to play ahead of Pavon on the right wing but could make the left wing his own. He can move to the right next season depends on what happens with Pavon.

 

Sean Page

Like Monsivais he also needs to improve his jumping and strength as he as got what it takes to be a decent defender and potential US International player.

 

Stefano Boncampagni Black Rock Draft

I needed cover for Alvarez in the attacking midfield role and just need him to improve his technical stats then he should be a decent MLS player.

 

Victor Manuel Alonso Corpus Christi FC Draft

He is a good back up for Alvarez but he is a shadow striker unlike Alvarez. It is good to have players in the same area that are different as it will change how the plays and how affects the opposition.

 

MLS Regular Season

For large parts of the season, I was having to rotate the players especially at the start when we were in competing in the CONCACAF Champions League and rearranged league games then the US Open Cup later in the season. It was not until mid-September where we can play 1 game a week. We were involved in 4 high scoring games where at least one player has scored 2 or more goals while Pavon banged in 4 against Sporting Kansas City which is a club record. We had already qualified for the Western Conference Playoffs so I decided to play the most likely starting XI for next season in the last 3 regular season games and the playoff games even if it means we lose the goals of Pavon and miss out on the MLS Cup. Chicharito is going to be hard to replace when he does leave the club.

 

 one point in the season especially when New York City had a few games in hand on us and we were in 2nd place which I was going to settle for however we managed to close the gap and take 1st place without playing them this season, we play teams in the Western Conference twice and 10 teams from the Eastern Conference once so next season will face the 2 teams from the Eastern Conference we did not play this season.

 

This season it seems that the clubs in both Conferences are of equal quality which is going to make for an interesting Play Off and MLS Cup games.

 

New York City topped the Eastern Conference all season lost to Philadelphia in the Semi Final which that shows it does not really matter where you finish in the top 7. Atlanta are going to be a tough team to beat in the MLS Cup

 

Katia scored what will be his last goal in his last game for the Club but what an important goal it was. He will be forever remembered has the person who won the 2020 MLS Cup for LA Galaxy. There is a lot of room for improvement which should happen when the new signings settle in.

 

Lamar Hunter US Open Cup

San Antonio came close to causing a major upset in the Quarter Finals. The Final is the only time this season that we played New York City.

 

CONCACAF Champions League

I do miss the old format of this competition. Next season the aim is to win it and will save my best players for these games. If we win this we will go to the FIFA Club World Cup and if we can win this at least once then I might start looking at moving to another club in another country.

 

Campeones Cup

We could not hold on to the lead and could not find a way to retake the lead to win this game. The is the between the winners of the Mexican Champion of Champions and the MLS Cup winners. This is the 3rd edition of the competition, the real one in 2020 was cancelled due to covid.

 

New Ownership

Phil Anschutz announced before the start of the season that was stepping down as owner of the club therefore the rights of the club reverted back to the League and were put up for sale. None of the targets have been changed and I still have a transfer budget to the same level as I got at the end of the 2019 season.

 

I have added a few quality players to the main squad and promoted a few young players from the 2nd team. I have signed a few youngsters from the academy and looking to get a couple from the Super Draft in January 2021. 

Here we go again. I messed up the previous save with the squad registration meaning either carrying on with no players in the first team squad despite spending all of the General Allocated Money on buying down players impact on the wage budget.


Preseason

Even though they are preseason friendlies but this could provide useful information for the season and could indicate where we could be at the end of the season.

MLS

The MLS schedule is not for the faint hearted especially when various cup competitions are added into the fixture list which requires at times rotating certain players and having to rely on players for the B Team when there are injuries and suspensions. Rotating the right players at the right time in order to have the strongest possible team for every game. I am only targeting certain competitions based on the board's expectations. It was just like the previous save where Chicharito was struggling for goals until Pavon returned from injury also forming the partnership with Aruaji. The last 4 games I played McLaughlin to see what he can do before the expansion draft and I have to decide which players are protected and who gets waivered due to not being picked by the new franchise clubs. It came clear there are 2 or 3 positions that need strengthening or improving.


This was not a walkover and we will need to improve on our goal scoring as we were good defensively. It is going to hard to get the best players in the drafts in 2020 especially when Inter Miami FC and Nashville joining the MLS thus changing how the Conferences look from next season.

MLS Cup

The extra time between the last game of the regular season and the Semi Final meant I have a strong line up for these games. The club got home advantage on the Conference Final to determine the team representing the Western Conference in the MLS Cup.


We need to be more clinical in front of goal has we have been wasting chances to score which could cost the club the chance to win trophies which is what the Board expects the club to be doing after next season on a regular basis.

New Players

I could not sign players through traditional methods until September or October however I able to get players who have been waived by their clubs and trading various allocations or general money. I needed more depth in central defence and central midfield.

Erik Holt

He was only signed to provide emergency cover and will only play against clubs further down the pyramid in the US Open Cup.

Eric Zavaleta

He is a good squad player to have but still need to get a couple of decent central young central defenders which he would cover for them. He can operate as a make shift striker when needed.

Fatai Alashe

He is the type of midfielder I need along side Dos Santos however he is not the long solution to an aging midfield.

Garret McLaughlin

I have one or two strikers in the B Team however they will be playing games before we play so I needed a striker to be on the bench to be provide cover when needed.

These players and some of the original squad might not be kept depending if I can get players that will improve the squad in order to be competitive for the next couple of seasons while some the highly regarded youngsters develop.

US OPEN

4TH ROUND

This is where the MLS clubs join the competition and can plan for future opponents has the draw is the same as the knockout stages of the World Cup and The Euros.

5TH ROUND TO FINAL

It is good to see clubs outside MLS beating MLS teams. This season it was about New Mexico, San Antonio and Phoenix mixing it with the big clubs.

Leagues Cup

This should help improve the MLS clubs as some Mexican clubs can give any in the top leagues of Europe a good run for their money.

Just like the previous I have been given just over £11m to spend on players plus around £3m in General Money to use which I will use for buying down the contracts when registering players. The expansion is going have a major impact on the squad has those that are not protected will be waivered and no longer part of the squad. I have some idea of which players are being kept and I have already signed a bunch of players from the academy with some might be in the first team squad.

still this issue and no response from anyone while other requests and issues have been dealt with.

Preseason

Spent preseason trying to figure out the best XI and the formation as well as getting them use to the style of play I wanted to play. Based on preseason I think would be in a chance getting to the MLS Cup playoffs.

MLS 2019

In March we had 6 games in 13 days which is a recurring pattern throughout the season with a lot of games in short periods this probably due to traveling, Cup competitions, International games and MLS expanding. We got off to a good start but wanted more from Chicharito after not getting the goals was I expecting to him to get. This changed when on the advice of my assistant manager to tweak a couple of things like shoot on site, low crosses this led to Chicharito to score more goals. Christian Pavon missed the whole of preseason due to injury and he went straight into the starting lineup as soon as he was fully fit where he contributed 11 goals in the MLS with 16 assists from the right wing. I have a small senior squad and used players from LA Galaxy II squad when needed which was most of the time. Only a couple of the LA Galaxy II players played made the starting II, the great thing about players in the LA Galaxy II squad is that their wages don't count towards the salary for the MLS.



Winning the Conference meant we were straight into the Semi Final of the Conference Playoffs for the MLS Cup which meant a nice break for the players. It is going to be harder next season to have the same points gap in the Conference and Supporters Shield has there are new clubs joining plus the various drafts for various reasons as well as having a lower chance of getting players through allocations or waivers if other clubs go for them too. The club last won the Supporters Shield in 2011.


New York City FC finished 3rd and 12 points behind Philadelphia but got past Atlanta, who were favourites to win the MLS Cup, in the Semi Finals to beat Philadelphia in the Final on penalties. The Eastern Conference is going to be tougher next with Inter Miami and Nashville joining.


I got the ultimate revenge on the two sides that had beaten me in the regular season.


This game was fairly even but Chicharito made the difference to secure the MLS Cup after a 5 year gap.

New Players

I got these players after they were waived by LA FC and Toronto. I needed extra players in central defence and central midfield however that meant I had to waiver Nick Depuy and Rolf Feltscher to make room for Zavaleta and Cifuentes. Cifuentes added youth to the central midfield as well as having potential to be a decent MLS central midfield.
Mid Season Friendlies

In May I managed to arrange a couple of friendlies to help with fitness and familiarity of tactics. I might try to arrange at most one friendly per 2 week gap if there are no other games.

The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup
Round 1


Round 2


Round 3


Round 4

This is when the MLS clubs enter the competition but it does not mean they will dominate the competition. This was proven by Phoenix and Richmond beating their MLS opponents.


It has been 15 years since the club has won the US Open Cup. I was playing my strongest possible XI since round 5 where in Round 4 I played a lot of the players from LA Galaxy II squad.

Leagues Cup

This was the inaugural season of this new competition between the MLS and Liga MX with this edition 4 clubs from each league was invited but from next season the teams competing would be based on league positions. I think this could be a good competition has there some good teams in Liga MX.

There is an expansion draft for Inter Miami and Nashville which I have select 12 players that will be protected from draft. There are a few players outside the 12 that I would like to keep but don't mind them going. I am looking at central defenders and central midfielders that can be at the club for many seasons. Jonathan Dos Santos started to get interest from other clubs since his contract was renewed and a £6m released clause was added and I hope to make it past the European transfer window.

Just tried to add a new season and it is not adding the competition name when selected also showing 503 server error when saving

2014/15

League

For the best part of the season I was able to field my strongest XI however in November a couple of players wanted more game time and there was little difference in form until I gave Terence Boyd a run of games in the starting XI in February after he return from injury after he moaned about not playing but he showed why I was not selecting after he only scored 2 goals in 6games also before he got another injury for 6weeks. I decided to field my weakest team for the final game of the season to see if who is staying and leaving also this was the 2nd game we lost all season but the only one in the League. We would have still been promoted has champions even if we has lost 4 of the drawn games due to goal difference.

DFB-Pokal

A few upsets in the the 1st Round with Viktora 1889. I n every round were drawn against teams from the Bundesliga and lost to Dortmund which shows that there is a big gap between where we are currently and where we want to be.

Summer Transfers Part 1

I have been given around £25m to spend on players for next season after securing promotion which meant I could start to build my squad with advanced purchases. I sold Terence Boyd to Koln for £1.6m and Demme for £5m to Stuttgart. I am expecting bids for Kaiser and Damari in the summer but will only accept bids that would cover the cost of their replacements.

Jonathan Tah, Hamburg SV £6.5m

I signed Tah on my previous RB Leipzig save but a few seasons later however this time I decided to sign him for my first season in Bundesliga. I hope he can become my first choice centre half in a couple of seasons time when Compper and Rodnei have left the club.

Kristoffer Ajer, Start £975k

He is one of the first players I sign on almost every save I have done has he can be a decent central midfielder providing protection for the central defenders.

Mason Holgate Barnsley £1.3m

He was an absolute gem on my Fulham save alongside Maguire and Gomez. I think the Bundesliga might suit him more than the Premier League.

Nicola Leali, Junventus Free Transfer

He is going to be my first choice keeper and has the potential to be a world class keeper. Dahne is going to be solid back up keeper but I am looking a for a more experienced keeper to have in case both of them are out injured or have a huge drop in form.

Panagiotis Tactsidis, Verona Free Transfer

He is a direct replacement for Demme. He is a good all round midfielder and should easily adapt to the Bundesliga. I am hoping he and Khedira can form a partnership in central midfield in preseason to give us a the chance to finish above the relegation zone as minimum.

Virgil van Dijk, Celtic £6m

He is the player I am building my defence around and hopefully a long partnership with Tah in a couple of seasons. He has the quality to adapt to the Bundesliga very quickly and establish himself has the best central defender in the League.

I was completing the rest of the summer transfers while writing this post and started the season so I continued the 2015/16 season to the end. There are a few surprises at the end of the season.

2015/16 Season

Summer Transfers Part 2

Promotion to the Bundesliga opened up the transfer market for us and meant I could sign players which last season would have been out of reach. I had a bit of a spending spree this summer.

Alejandro Faurlin, Free Transfer

I felt needed some experience in the centre midfield area and was not looking at spending a lot on player that could be at the club for 2 or 3 seasons with no to little resale value. Faurlin is the type of player I was looking to be part of 2 or 3man midfield that will just sit in front of the defence.

Joe Gomez, Chartlon £1.6m

He fits how want to build this squad with young players with potential to be top players in the Bundesliga. Going to have him at the club this season with the idea of loaning him for a couple of seasons to get some first team experience before moving into the senior squad for the 18/19 season.

Lewis Cook, Leeds Utd £3.3m

I needed a central midfielder who will just sit in front of the defence providing cover and protection for the defence. I am looking to have him as a regular starter in either 16/17 or 17/18 season after settling into the club, tactics, the country etc.

Matias Pisano, Independiente £3m

I was looking for a central attacking midfielder that could replace Kaiser was sold. Pisano is excellent cover for Kaiser and now allows me to loan out Kalmer.

Phillip Max, Karlsruhe £3m

I needed a left back to provider cover and competition for Jung but part of his transfer deal was to be loaned back to his old club for the season.

Richairo Zivkovic, Ajax £8.5m

He is going to be my first choice striker in a season or two. I am going to try to experiment with having 2 strikers up front in any friendly games or against clubs in lower leagues in the DFB-Pokal by partnering him with Damari. He can be a good lone striker if he can improve his strength a bit to go with his pace and acceleration.

Preseason

This was not designed but the preseason friendlies do provide good preparation for the coming season. If we can match the results in these games across the season then we should be looking at a top 10 finish and a good run in the DFB-Pokal.

Bundesliga

The first 10 games left us with 5 wins, 4 draws and 1 loss which is a solid start to the first ever season in the Bundesliga. Zivkovic and Damari scoring goals quite regularly with Frahn showing that can he can play role within the squad after scoring 4 goals in 7 games in February and March which earned him a 3yr contract. We failed to score in 3 games but I am concerned about the number goals we concede sometimes late goals which have cost games and points. I thought we did quite well against the bigger teams in the League has I was expecting to be looking at heavy defeats especially the away games.

We finished 6th and got ourselves in the Europa League but the number of goals conceded saw us having the joint highest number of drawn games. We could have been in the top4 or 11th if it was not for the number of goals we scored. It is going to tough next season with Europa League and the how close it was from 3rd to 12th could see us near the relegation zone next season.

DFB-Pokal

In order to guarantee Europa League football and be at the group stage next season has I made this competition my top priority this season. I felt that we stood a good chance once FC Bayern was knocked out by Schalke. Freiburg had a great run despite their poor league form.

2016/17 Summer Transfers Part 1

Youri Tielemans, Anderlecht Free

I was looking at central midfielders for next season that had their contract ending at the end of June and he was one of them so I signed on him on a precontract. It looks like I might have a potentially decent group of young central midfielders at the club.

Asmir Begovic, Stoke Free

I needed an experience keeper has I have got 3 leaving this summer and have Europa League football. I did the same search for central midfielders and came across Begovic who fits the criteria I had for the keeper experience and little or no transfer fee because there will no resale value if I had spent £m’s on an experience keeper. I might use either Leali or Begovic in the League and the other in the Cup and European games next season.

Ciro Immobile, Dortmund £3.1m

Dortmund made a loss of around £11m on this transfer has they signed him for £14.5m. I signed in case Damari was sold this summer or in January so I have player that knows the tactics and club when or if Damari leaves. The £3.1m is a low risk gamble has there is a resale value for him.

Willi Orban,

I needed a ready made replacement for Rodnei. Orban also allows me to fill the home grown quotas but that is not why I signed him. He can become a top player for both club and country with possible captaincy role in the future. He is the first of two central defenders joining the club this summer.

I am looking to sign at least 2 more for the first team this summer but will looking at signing players for RB Leipzig 2 and U18s this summer. There are a couple surprising transfer this summer with one of them being out of my control but it was not surprising it happened.

Premier League

The defeat by the hands of Everton was the result of going from 4-3-2-1 to to 3-2-1-2 which I using for a while to give certain players game time but has the games went by they were not going to be happy with any number of games they play, they could play 40/400 games and still not be happy with the lack of game time. Zach Clough and James Wilson were really good up front together same with Burn, Maguire, Holgate and Gomez at the back. April and March saw the entire matchday squad being rotated with only 2 or 3 players playing in every game depending on their fitness levels. I would like to see the club beat the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea etc. on a more consistent basis.


There was three clubs involved in the title race until the final 10 games. The final game decided the Premier League Champions while the Champions League places decided in the last few games. We only won the league title thanks to losing fewer games than Arsenal however we did score more goals and have the better goal difference. Manchester United were in the relegation zone at the start of the zone and were in the relegation before Christmas but they managed to pull themselves away the relegation zone while Sunderland once again found a way of avoiding relegation. The final game decided the final relegation place while Huddersfield and Bournemouth were relegated in the last few games of the season.


Ancelotti got the Chelsea job 4months after being fired by Manchester United and he thought David Luiz would help strengthen Manchester United’s defence. It seems weird that some managers get jobs even when they have failed at previous clubs.

FA Cup

3rd Round

The big upset was York beating Bournemouth in the replay. There was a Midlands Derby between Villa and Coventry. It is good to see lower league teams being drawn against Premier League and Championship clubs however it would have been nice to see more Non League clubs in the 3rd Round.

4th Round

Morecombe will be the lowest ranked club in the 5th Round after beating Bolton. 4th Draw produced some really interesting ties however it would be nice to to see more Lower or Non League teams in the latter stages of the Cup.

5th Round to Final

Morecombe’s run is over Villa beat them in the 5th Round while Leicester knocked out Arsenal.


I went with the formation that I have been using since November 2019 and my strongest team with the 2 best young English strikers in the Premier League. Harry Wilson rating is good has he is playing out of position and will be working on this formation over preseason has it seems to be working.

Champions League

There were some really tasty ties in each round with Chelsea facing the top 2 Spanish is in the 1st knock Out Round and Quarter Final, losing to Real Madrid on away goals. This seasons Champions League run along with the FA Cup and Premier League was a good sign off for Craven Cottage has the ground has seen some great matches over the years.


City v Fulham part 2 and this went to penalties. Maguire and Cook were fantastic in defence and midfield while Hughes and James Wilson just kept calm and steady. Woodrow made up for a poor game by his standards by scoring in the penalty shootout. We became the first English club to win 3 Champions League titles in a row and the 1st in the Champions League era also the 4th Club to do it under European Cup and Champions League formats.

In the last few games of the season was when I decided that I was selling Zach Clough and Josh Brownhill but Harry Wilson has until January before I make decision about him. I managed to sell Zach Clough to Hull for £12.5m and Josh Brownhill to Bistia for £17m also joining Borwnhill at Bistia is Tomas Leuzzi for £4.8m. I am looking to sign a goalkeeper, right back and striker for the U21 squad.

Alberto Cerri, Parma £2.6m

He is one of two strikers I have signed and goes straight into the senior squad. He has what it takes to be a top class striker and will provide excellent cover for Woodrow and Wilson as well as being a striker partner when needed.

Alex Meret, Udinese £2.7m

I had the situation where I had only one fit goalkeeper. He could be the next number one keeper for the club as well as being a quality back up keeper.

Breel Embolo, Inter £3.1m

My second striker of the window. He can play as a striker and behind the strikers which means I can change formations during the game without using up a substitution.

Emmanuel Asamoah, Dijon £3.7m

He can be a decent right back in a few seasons time. I am going to keep at the club this season then loan him out next season. He might get the odd game depending on the opposition.

Luigi Ranieri, Arsenal £3.5m

I feel he is going to be a player that will replace Cook as the anchor to the midfield along side Ajer.

I have another player that is leaving and trying to sell another three players while I have promoted three players from the U21’s to the senior team. There are some players in the senior team that might end up causing me an headache for the wrong reasons.

Woodrow and J Wilson are two of the best young strikers in the country which is giving me ideas for potential 2nd and 3rd formations for next season when the occasion requires me to use them together. To get 8 points from games against Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea is really good but I need to be winning more against them each season. The changes in how the players play has worked really well the Liverpool was the only game we did not score in which says a lot about the players ability to adapt to new tactics. There were times where I named different starting line ups sometimes it was down to the opponents and more often or not who was available. I had some players (the usual suspects) were moaning about not playing even though they are playing in every game or every other game which has finalised their fate.


We did what Liverpool did in real life by only losing one game all season however we drew far too many games which is not good in a title race while draws can crucial in a relegation battle. Liverpool are back in the Champions League while Manchester United had another underwhelming season has they failed to get Champions League football. Tottenham Hotspur were hugely disappointing this season despite a good squad of players and a brand new stadium with no Champions League football which could impact their transfer targets. Sunderland had a better season than I thought they would have but could have been dragged into the relegation battle with a couple of bad results. This season everything was to play in the final few games which should happen every season but sometimes things don’t go to plan.


Ole Gunnar Solskjaer must have a hose full of lucky charms has in one month he we fired by Swansea then fired by Southampton who sacked their manager for the same reason, poor league position. Me and Roy Keane have had a war of words since he has been Tottenham Hotspur which Keane thought he was the better manager however results and league position as well as performances in the Cup competitions shows that Keane is Championship level manager. Manchester United must have installed a revolving door to the manager’s office has Michel was their 4th or 5th manager since Ferguson retired. It is going interesting to see who Chelsea and Manchester United hire for next season.

League Cup

The game went into extra time which I was hoping to avoid due to a potentially long season however the players an extra man advantage and 3 fresh players on the field. Woodrow and Roberts took full advantage of the extra man to get the winning goals for us.

FA Cup

3rd Round


4th Round


5th Round to Semi Final

Hull had the easier draws of this season’s FA Cup until the semi final where they faced Liverpool and got an unlikely winner. Their run in the competition is what the FA Cup is all about.


James Wilson showed why Manchester United should have not sold him with a 24 minute hat-trick which all but guaranteed our place in a 3rd successive FA Cup final.

Final

I had a couple of injuries and a player just back from injury which meant the line up was not at full strength but still had enough quality to get the win. This was our 3rd FA Cup trophy in a row. This will help get rid of any disappointment of just missing out on the Premier League has we look to the Champions League final against PSG.

Champions League


We got extremely lucky against Real Madrid with the away goals. Looking at the results of both clubs on the way to the Final meant it is going to be close.

Final

The play ratings reflected how underwhelming the first 60 odd minutes were before a 15 minute period where the game swung towards PSG then back to us. We became the first English club since Nottingham Forest in the 70’s under Brian Clough to retain the Champions League/European Cup.

I am planning on selling Alan Browne, Ryan McLaughlin, John Hou Saeter and Leuzzi in the summer has they have been disruptive over the season also have potentially better players in the U23 that can move up. I am looking at releasing some the U23 who may prove far more difficult to sell. I am going to convert Holgate and Vela into right back at the same time try to find a left back in case Mings leaves and a a central defender.

Premier League

I have 2 strikers that are capable of scoring 20+ league goals each season which makes me confident that we will be scoring in every game also they are different which means that I can pair them up if necessary. The midfield are backing up the strikers while there is room for improvement in the defensive unit has I have I been using Holgate and Gomez a lot more this season in order to convince them that their future lays here at Fulham.


If we win our 3 games in hand then we are back in the title race has we would be about 1 or 2 points behind the leader. The title race could involve four or five teams while Liverpool and Newcastle can put pressure on Manchester United for the 4th spot. This season it seems that the relegation battle is going to be closer than ever with Sunderland’s time in the Premier League appears to be ending this season. Tottenham are underperforming has they have the squad to be challenging for the Champions League places.

League Cup
3rd Round

Chelsea v Manchester United was the main draw of the round while Stoke’s win over Arsenal was the surprise result of the round.

4th Round to Semi Final

We have had the easiest draws of the competition so far while Hull have been the surprise team of the competition. The Board have prioritise other competitions over this one so they wont mind if we get knocked out in the Semi Final or lose the Final because they believe other competitions are more important than the League Cup.

FA Cup
3rd Round

Boston United are the lowest ranked club in the draw and they have the chance to make it to the 4th Round when they face Plymouth at home. Wycombe, Leyton Orient, Scunthorpe and Southend have the opportunity to cause an upset or two if they can secure wins over their Premier League opposition.

Champions League
Group Stage

Group C produced the surprise with Olympiacos and Galatasary qualifying for the next round. The biggest shock of the group stage was Barcelona not qualifying for the next round.


Ajax v Arsenal, PSG v Chelsea and Fulham v Real Madrid are the standout matches of this round. We are going to struggle to get past Real Madrid even if I have my strongest 11 available but if we do then the Champions League is wide open for anyone to win it.

FIFA Club World Cup

Cruzeiro were the favuorites to win has it is bigger and more important to South American clubs than it is for European clubs. Seoul were impressive in front of their won fans and on home soil until they ran into us in the Final.


Cauley Woodrow, Burn, Roberts, Cook, Browne and Williams were all impressive in this game. The stats shows we should have scored more goals.

Since November I have been in crisis mode has I have Bettinelli, J Wilson, H Wilson, Hou Saeter, Telfer and Gray out injured. I would have had enough players to cope but I loaned out about 99% of my U23 squad has I thought I had enough players to cope with the games that the club was going to play this season and it would be better for them to get regular first team football. I will be looking adding a couple of permanent players with a couple of loan deals for the next 3 months or so.

The club arranged a training camp in the US starting the 4th August for a couple of weeks so I decided to arrange a tour of the States plus a away game in Argentina and a friendly Cup competition. It was good to get back to back wins over Arsenal before the season started and is something that can be repeated this coming season has we look to establish ourselves in the top4

Premier League

I think a 2-2 draw is a good result against Manchester City days after traveling to Australia to play their All Star team. We lost Woodrow for a few weeks so it is up to James Wilson to start justifying the transfer fee.


Stoke, Norwich and West Brom in the top 6 after the first 3 games however they will not be there once the bigger clubs get going. Liverpool and Manchester United are enjoying a much better start to this season than they had last season while Arsenal and Tottenham appear to be struggling. The usual clubs are at the bottom but I think Sunderland will go down this season has they cannot keep on just staying up by their skin of their teeth each season for the last few seasons.

League Cup

Rotherham are the lowest ranked club in the draw but I fancy them to beat Palace to go through to the 4th Round. The game of the round is Chelsea v Manchester United which might see them field a near full strength side.

Champions League

We were in pot 1 for the group draw has we are the current holders despite having the lowest rating. I think groups C, D, E and F are the trickiest groups while the other seem a lot easier to navigate but anything can happen.

Transfers

There were a couple of players that I am so happy sell this summer they were moaning about not playing when they are not good enough to be in my starting XI. I cannot believe I got £3.6m for Muirhead who is not a Premier League striker and thinks he is better than Woodrow has been demanding first team football even before the season has started. I sold Huntelaar for £1.2m to FC Twente has he was not going to be playing much this coming season however for the transfer to happen I had to agree to the club to pay £21,500 a week until 30.06.19 has FC Twente could not afford his full wage. Kyle Bartley was sold to Pisa for £7.5m has I wanted to use Gomez and Holgate more often. The player I was not happy to sell was Carl Jenkinson to for £14.5m.

Eric Dier £1.2m from Tottenham Hotspur

He fits the bill for home grown players I look for but he is not the best right back but he will do a job over the short term when Wisdom is out injured. He can be part of a back 3 with Gomez and Holgate.

Ivan Ivic Austra Wren £1.2m raising to £3.5m

My Head of Youth Team may have found a potentially decent creative central midfielder so he arranged the deal to be structured with £475k after 10 games, £475k after 1o goals, £475 after 1 International cap, £67k per month for the next 12months and £95k per game  for 10 games.

James Wilson £17.25m raising to £21.5m from Manchester United

I had only Woodrow and Clough at the club has strikers at the club. He is the most expensive player I have ever brought on any FM game even with the deal being structured to reduce the impact on the transfer budget with £1.4m after 30 games, £1.2m after 10 International games, £1.4m after 30 goals and £ over 36months.

Mark Gough Birmingham £5m - £6m

He fills the gap in the Youth Team which I hope is going to be sorted. He has the physical attributes to be a good pacey striker but would need to develop his skills and mental attributes if he is going to be replace Woodrow and Wilson in the long term.

I have £108m remaining of my transfer budget that is even after the board announced that they are building a new stadium.

Premier League

I am glad that I signed Robin van Persie on loan until the end of the season has he provide excellent cover for Woodrow when he was out injured for a few weeks. There were only handful of games that I managed to field the same starting XI has the team had games in midweek for various reasons which meant rotating the players. There were games where I thought we were going to lose which meant we would be out of the title race which went to the last 2 games of the season and there were some surprising results in the run in.


We had the 4th highest number of drawn games, the fewest goals conceded, 3rd highest goal difference, joint 2nd for the most wins but we are the only team in the Premier League not to lose a a game all season. Swansea missed out on the Europa League and breaking into the top 7 has Liverpool and Manchester United managed to turn their form around. Sunderland survived another relegation battle but I have the feeling this is going to catch with them and they going to be relegated which if they are not careful could hit them hard. There appears to be splits in the League which could see some widen and some will get closer.


Laurent Blanc has now been sacked by Premier League clubs for apparently not finishing high enough in the table. It will be interesting to see where he goes next whether it is in the Premier League or back in mainland Europe.


Well I did not see this coming at all. I don’t this will ever happening in real life. This appointment is going to be very interesting.

League Cup

This is the elusive Cup that is missing in the Club’s trophy cabinet has this is the 2nd time in a row that we finished runners up. I feel sorry for Muirhead has he went from hero to villain in about 20 minutes when he missed his penalty.

FA Cup

Mason Holgate showed that he can be a decent Premier League central defender has he put in a a performance that could see him get more games for the first team next season. Maguire put in a captains performance which was the difference. This is our 2nd FA Cup trophy in a row and remain unbeaten in the competition for 2 seasons.

Champions League

We lost the first leg 2-1 which meant we needed to be careful at the back and clinical up front. I was not expecting us to win 4-1 with Woodrow hat-trick in the 2nd half and the players showed they have the character to come from being behind 1-0 on the night and 3-1 down on aggregate to get into the Semi Final.


This is the 2nd team we cam from being 2-1 down from the first leg to win the tie at Fortress Craven Cottage. Mason Holgate really stepped up in this game and showed he should not be ignored next season. The game was pretty much balanced but the character of my players gave us the edge to dig deeper and push for the win.


The character of the players once again carried them and making them hard to beat even if it was a poor game. FC Bayern pretty much dominated the game which on any other 99 days they would have won this match but this was the 1 day where they didn’t win.


This was the club’s first ever season in the Champions League and to have Woodrow has the leading goal scorer as well as the Player of the Year is the cherry on top of the Champions League.


It is no surprise to see Woodrow in the Champions League Dream Team for 2017/18 but it was a surprise to see Burn in the defence.

Other News


Bosnia and Montenegro have joined the EU which means the players do not need work permits. This is the first time I have see this happen on Football Manager (I know from FM17 there are Brexit options) and it is going make things interesting.


The fixtures in December would have to be rearranged has the club will be competing in the FIFA Club World Cup in the UAE. The 24/11/18, 1/12/18, 5/12/18, 23/3/19, 6/4/19 and 13/4/19 where we face Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea could decide the title race but the run in at the end


This is the news I have been waiting for the last couple of seasons and in 2020/21 season we will have a new stadium with an extra 20,000 seats. I just wished that they called something else rather than Fulham Stadium. The club raised £86m through selling the current ground and naming rights for the new stadium which lasts until 2033 starting this season and the deals reduce the cost down to £69m for the club. I hoping this is not affect future transfer budgets has I have got over £100m for transfers and £1m per week for wages. I would have quit this save if there was no option to expand/build new stadium or the board did not announce a new stadium being built has I feel that the club needs a larger capacity to keep up the recent success.


Robin van Persie returned to Manchester United and I sold Jan-Klass Huntelaar so I needed another striker and I have been scouting Zach Clough for the last couple of years. He was signed by Bournemouth last summer however they were relegated back to The Championship so he was on the transfer list. This deal is structured with £3.5m upfront with £3m over 48 months. I am hoping he and Muirhead will be to cover Woodrow if he is not available to play.

I have achieved part of my aim which was to win the Champions League with all British home grown XI but it was not an all British bench. The aim is now to make Fulham a powerhouse and aim to win every competition possible however I am prepared to miss out competitions as long as the players give their best and aim to win at least trophy each season.

Premier League

I am trying to give Jovic game time in the hope that he will more than happy to stay and be open to renew his contract has he is free to talk to overseas clubs due to being in the final 6months of his contract. I am impressed by how my players kept going despite being pegged backed twice and going behind once in the 2nd half. The players out performed players who should be leading their club to Premier League glory rather than be sitting mid-table.


It seems that Jovic is not quite ready to be the first choice striker. The results have been good despite the below par performances has this due to being in the FA Cup and League Cup. I have lost both Roberts and Williams during this period to injury which means Gray, Cooper and Wilson have to step up and so far there is mix results with their performance which is probably due to not having enough game time.


Swansea have a slim change of finishing in the top 4 which would be fantastic for the Premier League has it means the top 6 is no longer exclusive to the usual clubs. If Manchester City win their games in hand they could change the title race into a 4 way fight if Chelsea, Arsenal and us drop points. The relegation battle is going to be interesting to watch has it involves 5 clubs at the moment with Reading all but certain to be relegated and have the same points has Derby County when they were relegated.

FA Cup
3rd Round

I decided to change the playing instructions from shooting on sight to working the ball into the area to which I hope eventually will lead to players scoring more goals. Plymouth’s goal came their only shot on target.


Only a few games went to a replay and only Aston Villa caused an upset while Nottingham Forest took Manchester City to penalties at the Etihad Stadium.

4th Round

There are still hope of an upset or two in the replays with Southend facing West Brom at the Hawthorns and Wycombe taking on Watford at Vicarage Road.

5th Round

The Quarter Finals could be an all Premier League affair and with the big clubs still involved unless there are some upsets in the replays and/or in this round.

League Cup

I had to change my formation to 4-3-1-2 due to injuries and fatigue. This is the first time I have used Woodrow and Huntelaar together which has given me something to think about in the future when deciding which formations to use that season.


I managed to field a near full strength starting XI while Swansea went with the same XI players that drew the first leg. The players appear to not to give up easily as they fought back from being 2-0 down in the first half to win 3-2 in extra time and securing our place in the Final with a 5-4 aggregate win.

Transfers

I lost Jovic to Sampdoria initially ona pre-contract agreement and I decided to get £3.4m for him now rather than him leave for nothing at the end of the season and I did not want a player in the squad that did not want to be there and be focused on making the club successful. The fans are very angry and upset that Jovic was allowed to leave the club. That is why I spent most January renewing player contracts for those that I want to be at the club.

Jeroen van Dalen, Free Transfer (Pre-contract) From PSV

He has the potential to be a good combative central midfielder. The Head of Youth Team Development is finally starting to find players that are not central attacking midfielders.

Robin van Persie, Season Loan from Manchester United

I needed a short term cover Woodrow and Huntelaar has Muirhead return early from his loan spell injured for the month or so as well as the departure of Jovic leaving me with 2 strikers at the club. I am hoping his and Huntelaar’s experience will guide Woodrow to be a top class striker as well as help the club in the Champions League and the Premier League title race. Van Persie and Huntelaar are giving me time to find the right strikers to bring to the club or develop within from the annual youth intake in March.

In the summer I will be looking at strikers at the U23 and U18 level to make sure that I have a striker or two to replace and cover Woodrow. I am also looking at right backs if Bartley and/or Gomez leaves in the summer has I might move Wisdom to be Maguire's central defensive partner.

Premier League

Patrick Roberts has been scoring more goals but not creating the same amount. I hope Roberts will be able to do both on a regular basis has I believe he can be a one of the best. Woodrow is living up to expectations and should finish the season with another 30+ Premier League goals but I have Jovic moaning about not getting game time also Jovic is in his last of his contract and can sign precontracts with overseas clubs. I hope the players can maintain this form while competing in the FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League in the 2nd half of the season.


Manchester City are only in 7th due to competing in the FIFA Club World Cup but should finish in the Top 4 at the end of the season. Manchester United and Liverpool have been poor this season despite having some really good players in their respective squads. It is no surprised that Sunderland are in the relegation zone while Reading will be trying to avoid being relegated with the lowest points total in the Premier League which was set by Derby with 11 points.


This came has no surprise that Steve Bruce was sacked with the club in 10th place with no to little chance of getting Champions League football if they fail to win the Champions League. Manchester United are now looking for the 5th manager since Fergie retired and appear to be in decline. Ole Gunnar Solskajer being linked to the Manchester United role is another sign that FM can reflect the real game.


It is seems that De Boer is not having much luck in the Premier League and it could be difficult to see him to getting another managerial job in the Premier League after failing at both Manchester United and now Southampton however his style might be more suited to the top leagues in Europe.

League Cup
3rd Round

2 matches that overshadowed the 3rd Round and has now left the League Cup open for other to enjoy a good run and hopefully reach the final.

4th Round – Semi Finals

It was not until the Quarter Finals where we face our biggest test against Manchester United even though they have been poor in the Premier League but in a one off game they should have enough quality to see off teams and challenge for silverware. It is going to be tough for the winner of our game to win the League Cup against either Arsenal or Manchester City.

FA Cup

The club have been given an easier draw against Plymouth and the chance to play players that need the game time as well as some fringe players. There are some ties that could see some big upsets if the bigger clubs are not careful and have to get their attitude right against these clubs.

Champions League

We drew our first game against Dortmund at their ground but we managed to this return game with a quite impressive performance. I felt that on another day we could have scored more goals. This win had left us in a commanding position at the top of the Group and a renewed sense of confidence.


This is why I signed Huntelaar to have the experience of a top player in high pressure games in the Champions League. I was not expecting us to pick up wins against Roma and Dortmund has I was expecting us to compete with Zenit for 3rd Place. This win sealed our place in the Last 16 of the Champions League.


This was the cherry on top of a wonderful cake. Woodrow once again showing why he should be leading England’s attack and be in the conversation in who is the best striker.


There are a few groups that could have had different outcomes depending on the results which could have seen the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona not making it to the Last 16 of the Champions League.


All the Premier League teams are in the Last 16 but can face a tough time with 4 of the 5 having their first games away from home. There are some really enticing games with Liverpool facing FC Bayern, Tottengam away to PSG and Dortmund facing Real Madrid.

New Players

Le Dae-Hyun, Ulsan £1.2m


Tomas Leuzzi, Banfield £2.5m

I felt that Reece James was not good enough to cover Tyrone Mings if he is injured or suspended. I did not have a player in the U21s, U18s and could not find a player in the British Isles with the only exception was Andrew Robertson but he would have to be first choice which means him or Mings moaing about not playing. They both can play has wing backs meaning I can use 3 at the back with wing backs.

I am going to be renewing the contracts of players that are open to negotiations and then prey that the others will be open to negotiation before an overseas club offers them a precontract. I will be selling a couple of players in the summer and promoting some players. I have started to look for players to add depth to a couple positions that will be lacking depth come the end of the season. This season is shaping up to be another historic season for the club and hopefully if the club gets another season in the Champions League then the chairman along with the Board will be open to expanding the stadium or building a new one.

Just tried it and still not working. I will try having another holiday in the game during the next international break.

Thanks, trying to avoid deadline day. First time for everything.

hi,

I have used other browsers to to get the screenshot and the same thing happens.

I cannot upload my career stats for FM15 and i get the attached screen shot is what happens after clicking on save

Premier League

I had three players in the starting line up that I am trying to give game time so they are happy to stay has I might need them next season at the same time trying to win the Premier League title. Woodrow is turning into a decent striker with 5 goals in 6 games as well as a leader after he gave rallying cry before the final game. It helped that 4 of the 6 games were at home and some were against team that we should be beating on a regular basis. I was predicting 15 out of 18 points but to come with 16 points is what kept us in the title race and the pressure was not off until after the final game finished.


The only thing I can criticise the players for is not scoring enough goals considering the players I have in the squad but I am hoping to have a more settled 11 next season. I am expecting Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United to be busy in the transfer market to re-establish the “normal” pecking order of the top 5. The gap between the top 7 and the rest is a quite a leap and could get bigger over future seasons. The relegation battle went down to the wire with any outcome depending on the results.

Managerial Changes

This is a bit harsh on Laurent Blanc has Chelsea just missed out on the title by 2points and the ended the season with 5 straight wins which could have won them the league if it was not for us doing the same.


This is a huge step up for Lambert and a gamble for Chelsea has he has experience of mid-table Premier League teams and English Football League teams.


Redknapp was going to retire at the end of the season and this is really a crappy thing for their Chairman to do.


It seems Manchester United are failing to find a manager that can live up to the standards set by Sir Alex Ferguson. I do love it when Football Manager parodies itself.


This is a bold move by the Board to bring back a former player but Bruce knows what the fans want so hopefully bring back the type of play that they saw under Fergie.


This is the 3rd or 4th manager to be sacked after allegedly losing the confidence of the players. Southampton should be higher than 10th and be challenging for one of the Cups on a regular basis considering that they have some decent young players mixed with some decent experience.


De Boer is back in the Premier League after being sacked by Manchester United. I think De Boer and Southampton might be a good fit.


I think Moyes not be able to find a way back into management at the top end and is more suited to the lower end of the Premier League and Championship teams.

Awards

Football Writers Association Player of the Year


Player of the Year


Young Player of the Year

I think Woodrow should have won these awards considering the season he has had and if had done this for a “bigger” club then he would won them. I think there is an in built bias towards the top clubs.

Team of the Year


Manager of the Year


Golden Glove

I would pick Bettinelli over Courtrios for any team and he is the better keeper given that he conceded the least amount of goals. I hope Bettinelli can be in the England squad on a regular basis.

Golden Boot and Adidas Golden Boot

He should be the lead striker for the England team ahead of the other strikers if he continues to score 30+ goals a season in the Premier League, hopefully with Fulham.

FA Cup

Bolton took us to penalties but I am disappointed with the players has they should have beaten Bolton within the 90minutes of normal time. I should fielded my strongest central midfielders instead of the 2 fringe players that started.

I have decided that there are players that I will be selling has they starting to be disruptive and I cannot field my strongest team on a regular basis. I am looking to sign one or two players with Champions League experience to help guide the players which could see me sign a couple of players that not from the UK and Ireland.

Premier League

There have many times where we could have hammered teams but didn’t and this game is first one where we have put 5 against a team. It is good to see George Cooper’s potential on show despite playing on the left wing has I want to play him in the No. 10 role behind Woodrow or Jovic. Carl Jenkinson has made the right back position his which means that I can look at using a back 3 for the 2nd string.


We were not at our best against Liverpool yet managed to get a draw. Conor Coady showed that he can be the future captain of the club has he led by example. I have been playing Muirhead and Cooper for 2 reasons I wanted to see them against top sides and also they whined about the lack of game time has they will be needed for next season.


It is good to see other players rather than Woodrow scoring goals. Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea were all title defining games and I think 2 points from these three games is not that bad has there were some surprising results that have gone our way. The club made about £10m from the 8 live games which help in a predicted £70m transfer budget for this summer and £100m in 3years time.I had to rely on Ben Garratt has Bettinelli was out injured for a few weeks to a couple of months and now Garratt is out with Bettinelli returning to full fitness which has led to the team conceding 13 goals.


We have the lowest goals conceded that is even after conceding 13 goals in the last 13 games. The last 3 games saw us drop from 1st to 3rd and making the title race contain 4 or 5 teams. The relegation battle is from 15th to 19th has Palace and West Brom have a game in hand which means Cardiff will be relegated at some point during the last few games unless they win a couple while the others slip up.


The last 6 games on paper are so easy that we should be getting at least 15 points from 18. The only things that can derail our push for the Premier League title will be injuries and complacency.

Managerial Changes

John Carver was sacked after the 3-0 defeat to Leicester on 18/3/17 and that left the 15th in the League. The club only won 1 game in the last 10 league games before he was fired. Tony Mowbray arrived from Cardiff to replace Carver and this is a step up for Mowbray.


Me and Roy Keane got into a media spat before our clash on the 22/2/18 which we won 2-0 which come after we knocked them out of the FA Cup. Everton have been poor despite some good results and it does not help that his man management is questionable meaning that a long period of poor results and performances will lead to players not wanting the manager at the club. Roberto Mancini has taken over from Keane.


Redknapp is retiring at the end of the season and he was one the few remaining old school, wheeling dealing managers in the game. He is famous for his transfer deadline day interviews out of his car window.

I declined interviews from both Everton and Newcastle has it would required me to sell the majority of the squads and spend money they do not have to build the same squad I have at Fulham which has taken the past 2-3 years to build plus the Chairman has been good so far by accepting my requests to improve the facilities both for the first team and youth team.

League Cup

I am not too worried about not making it to the final has I have other things to worry about. I would like to win this competition at least once in my time at Fulham.

FA Cup

Bolton and Leeds with the upsets in Round 3 while Swindon gave us a scare. I am aiming to win the FA Cup this season so at least I can get one trophy in with this squad in order to get them to believe that they can win trophies.


Torquay and Bolton are the clubs that could cause upset in Round 5.


Bolton have been fantastic in this season’s FA Cup after knocking out Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea on their way to the Final. The Final could be interesting if both teams play to their best.

Europa League

We went into the 2nd leg1-0 down but with a slim chance of making to the next round. This game shows that we can compete against the top teams in Europe. I am hoping that we can go further next season if we drop down from the Champions League group stage or if we finish 5th in the League.

This summer is going to be vital has a number players have expressed their feelings of leaving the club for their boyhood clubs but there is only one that could offer the player Champions League while the rest are below us in the League. I am looking at selling at least 3 players in the summer for the following reasons one not being good enough, two being whinny little babies and three I have better players in their positions.

Premier League

I kept my core players for Premier League games and the results speak for themselves. I would have liked more goals from the midfielders but that is one are that is rotated consistently which is why there are not many goals scored from the midfield. There have been a couple of players who have thrown tantrums due to not getting enough game time but they need to give me a very reason for me not to leave them of the starting line up. I hope this form can be carried over to the next 19 game but Domestic and European Cup runs count potentially derail our season.


Manchester United and Arsenal have turned their season around after being down near the bottom after a few games which means the players are getting familiar with their new manager’s style of play. The title race is now between the current top 4 has it is going to be a miracle for Arsenal and Manchester to be part of it. I can see us finishing 5th or 6th if we are part of multiple cup runs. Leicester have been in free fall after being top after 3 games and face an uphill struggle to get of the relegation zone has the relegation battle is now from 13th downwards.


Woodrow is not only the Premier League top scorer but also the highest Englishman in the league yet he is not in the England squad. I am hoping to keep hold of him for many seasons unless a club bids a stupid amount of money for him.


Bettinelli should be in the England squad has he is one of the main players that are keeping the club in an unlikely title race as well as the English keeper with most clean sheets.

League Cup

I decided to rest my regular starting XI and play some of the fringe players with some showing that they provide decent cover when the time comes for them to play. Jovic showed why he can be a world class striker with 4 first half goals however the missed penalty is why his performance was 9.9 not 10.


There were a few surprising results in Round 3 with relegation scrapers Swansea putting 4 past title chasing Liverpool being the highlight of this round and probably of the competition this season.


Premier League relegation favourites Sunderland some how beaten North East rivals Newcastle United, Manchester City and now they have an easy Semi Final against Brighton. I think we or Manchester United are favourites to win the League Cup considering who is in the other Semi Final.

FA Cup

The draw for the 3rd Round has been kind for us with an away game against Swindon however Grimsby v Manchester City is the game that can be the upset that people want to see happen.

Europa League



I was expecting more from Lyon and Benfica has they underperformed in their groups. There are still some big teams left in the Europa League and the 3rd Place Champions League teams enter the first knockout round.


The 3rd place Champions League teams are Olympiacos, Fenerbache, Dynamo Ktiv, Porto, Barcelona, Hoffenheim, Rubin and Ajax which makes it harder for us to progress further in the competition. Barcelona, AC Milan, Valencia and Tottenham are the main favourites to win this season’s Europa League.


If we somehow make it past Valencia than we can face FC Zurich again or Villareal. There some really tasty matches in this round regardless of the results in the previous round.

Managerial Changes

This went past me has I was busy rebuilding my central midfield but England won Euro 2016 and Hodgson retired afterwards. This could be the foundation for the future England manager to build on.



Gaurdiola left his role at Inter to be England manager and this is first managerial role at International level. His arrival is already making an impact has the results are showing the players are responding to his style. He has been to Craven Cottage a few times this season however he has to include Woodrow and Bettinelli in his squad sooner or later.


Nigel Pearson was sacked a week before the transfer window was open in the attempt to have a manager in and give him time to strengthen squad. I am surprised he lasted that long considering how poor the team have been for the last 16 games.

I have received an offer from Everton for Jenkinson but I have countered their offer with my offer of £7m all up front with no addons. I will not be too unhappy about losing Jenkinson because in the last couple of season been moaning about not playing and then I do play him for about 10 to 15 games then he says he is happy then I swap him for Wisdom and after a few games Jenkinson has another moan about not playing. I could be losing Casasola in the summer he accepts a precontract agreement with one of two clubs in Argentina however I might get the option of selling him early which means that Joe Gomez will be moved from the U21 to Senior squad a few months earlier than I would like but I think Gomez will thrive. I am looking at recruiting strikers, right backs and left backs but I hope that the players for those positions will come through the youth intake in March. I am going to ask the Chairman to expand the stadium has we are getting over 90% attendances again in the Premier League however the Chairman could turn around and build a new stadium which happened on a previous Fulham save.

Transfers

Tiago Casasola



This shows how footballers are fickle creatures as Casasola over the space 24-48hrs he was whinging about not get a loan move to get some regular first team action then he was happy to stay. He and Burn were going to be playing in the Cup competitions and the Europa League with the odd Premier League game depending on the opposition has they don’t much exposure against top class strikers.

Arsenal

Klopp allowed Giroud and Podolski to leave the club which has left him with Welbeck, Depuy, Vietto the only strikers at the club. Balanta could be the long term replacement for Mertesacker but Klopp could be facing a long spell of not having home grown talent coming through from the youth team. Christensen is a good player and could be the successor to Vieira is Arsenal’s midfield.

Chelsea

The spent £25m on 2 strikers that are going to be backup to Diego Costa as well as £15m on 2 central defenders when they have Andreas Christensen who is good enough to be in the first team squad but is out on another loan move.

Leicester

Nigel Pearson raided West Ham for players after West Ham were relegated to the Championship. The majority of the signings have Premier League experience or have played first team football for a few seasons or more. It could be another season where they finished mid-table.

Liverpool

They spent this transfer window signing players with a handful of seasons left in them while allowing some of their youngsters to leave the club. This is going to be a vital season for Rodgers as the impact of Gerrard leaving could still be felt at the club.

Manchester City

De Bruyne joining City is another example of where FM can reflect the real game. Can Volland and Caulker be the long term replacement for Kompany. This is a big step up for Ayestaran who has not managed at a club like Manchester City and the only big he has managed was Marseille.

Manchester United

De Boer added mainly defensive players while Bernardo Silva is the only attack minded player added to the squad. Man Utd once again in transition after Moye’s failure and Van Gaal’s domestic success but no European success since 2008.

Preseason

I am hoping that the experience gained from playing Pasto, FC Bayern II and Krasnodar will prepare my players for the Europa League. Woodrow was finding the back of the net in all but one game which is what I need him to do for the next few seasons.


We are one of the teams to watch according to BBC Sport. I do like the last line of this post has it shows that I am on track to achieve the aim I have set for this save but still have a lot of work to do in order to achieve it. It is going to take a while for the club to sustain success as I am not targeting having one off successes.

Premier League

The club gets £1.2m per live league game as well as £60m for the season. I hope we can use the games as a foundation to build some momentum and finish in the top 6. The games in November and December is going to be tough as we face of the biggest in England and Europe which push the limits of the entire squad.


WTF!!! Man Utd and Arsenal in the relegation zone after 3 games it is going to take a big turn around in form and please getting use to their new manager’s style of play. I will not be surprise if they make it to the top 4. The usual suspects are already at the bottom where as us and Leicester are not meant to be at the top of the table even after 3 games.

Europa League



There are some really interesting groups with some big clubs like Lyon, AC Milan and Valencia in the groups meaning that it is going to be tough to the win the Europa League or even have a good run in the competition. I aiming targeting the first round knock out stage.

It is going to be tough until January as I will be rotating the team as I have players that are of same quality and the numbers to field two teams of equal strength in different line ups. In January I will looking at full backs and strikers to bolster the U21 and U18.

I was set £30m for transfers which was left from the previous season and I had few central midfielders leaving in the summer for various reasons which meant I had to concentrate on getting on British or Irish central midfielders who can fill various roles. I am looking at adding more creativity as well as adding a couple of defensive minded central midfielders to give some balance.

Lasse Vigen Christensen, Sold to Arsenal £20m

I was hoping to keep him for at least another season or two before the big clubs came knocking however Arsenal accept my offer of £20m in one lump sum rather than their original offer with some up front with the rest in instalments and clauses which was reject much to Christensen’s annoyance and he spat out his dummy to moan about it after I promised to accept bids that matched our evaluation of him. I have an extra £20m to spend so a major rebuild of the central midfield area is on.


I thought I would check him out at Arsenal and noticed his transfer value is over half of what Arsenal paid for him. I think he will get to be around £20m if Arsenal play him in the right role and he is the type of midfielder Arsenal have been missing.

Charlie Telfer, Dunde United £3.1m (15% of the profit on next transfer goes to the player)

He can play as a central midfield and central attacking midfielder as well as ticking all the boxes for this save. He adds much needed creativity in the midfield area. He can one of the top players for club and country for the next 10 years or so. He has great mental stats for a young man and if he can improve his tackling and marking then I have one most complete midfielders in the game. The media are calling him the next Jim Baxter is high praise but hopefully without the off field issues.

Conor Coady, Huddersfield £3.5m increasing to £4.5m

He has some big shoes to fill with Parker leaving at the end of the season and Christensen leaving has he is the more defensive midfielder type. I think will be a good player for the club and eventually being the club captain in a few years.

Demarai Gray, Birmingham £2.2m increasing to £2.7m

He has the potential to be a decent Premier League winger and will provide back up for Roberts as I look to train him to be AMR and at the same work his weaker foot than I could have a great player on the flanks.

Harry Wilson, Liverpool £1.3m

I have another young winger with a lot of potential for both club and country. I am surprised that Liverpool allowed him to leave for such a low fee. I will looking to work on his right foot so that he can switch flanks without disrupting the flow of the game. He and Gray have a lot of hard work ahead of them if they want to be at the top. The media have already claimed he is going to be the next Ryan Giggs.

Josh Vela, Bolton Wanderers £5.5m (£2.5m, £2.5m over 12months and £550k after 50 League games)

He can provide emergency cover at right back without changing the formation. I am hoping the step from League 1 to Premier League is not going to be too big for him. He can be a very good player us either in the Premier League or hopefully not in the Championship.

Lewis Cook, Leeds Utd £3.3m

He is another defensive midfielder that will to have to fill the gap left by Parker and Christensen. He has the potential to be a decent player for both club and country which is reflected by the media already making comparisons of him being the next Nobby Stiles. Leeds should have put in a take it or leave it counter off of more than the £3.3m they accepted.

Matthew Clarke, Ipswich Town £850k (£400k over 12months, £250K after 10 games, £50k per game for 10games and £300k up front)

He can be a good Premier League central defender with some improvements to his technical and mental stats. He could be a good ball playing central defender which might help when I play a side with 3 at the back.

Robbie Muirhead, Dundee Utd £2m

He could be a good striker to have as back up for Woodrow and Jovic as well as forming a good front 3 alongside Dembele and Keane for Cup games against Football League or lower league teams. He can be a good target man but would need to improve his passing.


Will Hughes, Derby County £10.2m (£4.25m upfront, £6m over 48months, £1.2m after International Caps, £1m after 40 games, 20% of profit to club, 15% of profit to player and friendly)

He could be a similar player to Pirlo over the next decade as he could easily dictate the play in a deep position in midfield. This is a big step up for him and one that could see him in contention for an England call up.

This summer’s transfer activity is mainly players from Championship level clubs with a lot of potential to be good Premier League players. This is the first transfer window where the players that I have signed are all British and there is plenty left in the transfer budget for players in case my Head of Youth Development sends a player my way for the contract negotiations. I will looking to add strikers, right back and left back to the U21 and U18 squads even though I have Woodrow and Jovic.

2016 Youth Team Intake

Michael 0’Leary

I hope he can become a really good deep-lying playmaker as he can change the direction of play of play without thinking about using his weaker foot as he can both feet. He has the determination and work rate to develop and progress through the club.

Moriba Alfonso

He has the potential to a be a top class central attacking midfielder however it would beneficial for him to improve his strength while retaining his acceleration and pace. I hope in a few years time that his stats improve to a level where he is on the verge of breaking into the first team.

Juan Manuel Moreno

He needs to improve his dribbling, passing, technique, vision, anticipation, composure, flair, positioning and off the ball movement if he is going to be a good left sided midfielder.

I am hoping that the improvements to the training facilities and scouting will see better youth team players coming through the over the next decade or so.

Friendly

The friendly was arranged just after the intake were signed so I decided to field a team mixed of fringe and youth team players to have a proper evaluation of them as they could be facing similar teams over the next few teams in the early rounds of the FA Cup, League Cup or just in case they are not successful in making to the first team at Fulham but are good enough to be professional footballers in Leagues 1 and 2.

Premier League

This was the last game of the season and chance of getting an unlikely Champions League place however Liverpool won their game which meant they secured the last Champions League place. The line up is probably a good indication of what I might be using next season as I look to promote some of the young players from the U21 and where I need to bring in players in the transfer market. I would like to see the players do this more often next season as they are good enough to be in the Premier League for the next few seasons.


There is one thing I have noticed over the season is that the players need to be more clinical as we won 7, drawn 6 and lost 1 in the final 14 games. The likes of Roberts, Woodrow and Williams have really stepped up during the run in while I had some decisions during the final few games on who were staying and leaving. The draws against the Top 6 kept us in the hunt for the last Champions League place but there is room for improvement as the average age of the squad is going to get lower.


We drew the most and lost the fewest games than any other team in the League which is why end up 5th and not mid table or in the top 4. West Ham going down to the Championship as they move from Upton Park or Boleyn Ground to the London Stadium at 57,000 it is the biggest stadium in the Championship which means if it is not full will look empty and I think West Ham will struggle in the Championship. Norwich appear to the team that is better equipped to life in the Championship as they did not spend much and kept the majority of the players that got the club promoted.

League Cup

This was our big chance of getting a trophy this season and probably for the next few seasons as nearly matched Man City. It is very rare for Aguero and Dzeko to have quiet games but it is showed how well my team as progressed over the last two seasons.

FA Cup

Our FA Cup run ended at the Quarter Finals where we lost to Manchester United in a replay. Arsene Wenger added another FA Cup to the trophy cabinet before he retired.

This summer is more about keeping hold of key players rather recruiting players however I have players in mind in case the situation arises for me to buy players. I will be looking to rebuild the central midfield area has I would need players that can help take the club to another level over the next few years. I will be restructuring the back room staff over the summer with better scouts and physios.