The Journeyman Jock - Every journey has some new beginning

‘Why you telling me you’re shagging your bird in 2 weeks pal?’ my friend asked

‘What?!’ I replied, dumbstruck

‘You’ve just said you’re off to bang her in a fortnight, I don’t care when you bang her, I just….’

I cut him off. ‘You muppet, I said Bangor, as in Bangor, the place in Ireland. I’ve got a job there, you’re coming with me’

‘Oh right, soz I guess’

‘It’s alright’ and that was the end of that conversation. We got our things together for our trip across to Ireland. I’d got a payday loan I had zero intention of paying back, and off we were. We made our way to the coast, specifically Loch Ryan, and got on a boat over to the port in Belfast. From there it was a short trip up to the coast and into Bangor to meet the clubs owner and chairman Trevor Best.

‘First things first, I hate the fact we’re in the third division, I hate that we got relegated last season, and I hate that I’ve lost more money than I ever had with this stinking football club. I want you to get us promoted out of this division this season, you can use any tactics and any players, I don’t care. There’s no transfer fund and the full wage budget, all 600 quid of it is being paid to Pavel. You want to free up funds you need to get rid of him. Any questions so far?’

I liked his forwardness so I asked him ‘So I’m sorting out the last mans mess am I?’

‘Something like that. Any more?

‘Yeah just one thing….’ he cut me off aggressively

‘As noted, promotion this season, and I want you to achieve it on 200 quid a week, but you can live rent free in the club house next to the ground. What do you say?’

I didn’t have any other options really. I’d burned a few bridges back home, and I needed a fresh start, so I said the only thing that came to mind ‘You’re a tight twat that’s obvious, but fuck it you’re on’

‘Anything less than promotion and it’s curtains’ He slid his thumb across his throat the same way that wrestler The Undertaker does, which I thought was a bit weird, but whatever.

And that was that. I rocked up in Ireland on a whim looking for a fresh start, and now I’m the manager of the Bangor FC Football Club.

'The owner wants promotion, so we've gotta do what we can to deliver on that promise' I told the players on my first day at the club 'The main tactic I think we should go with, is win the ball back, deep, in the middle, high up wherever, just win it back. Then, this is the main and most important part, we look up and try and find Pavel Vieira who I'm sure you'll all agree is the best player in this team by a country mile, get him the ball and let him do his thing. Any questions?' No response, just a look of pure joy on Pavel's face.

To say he's the best player in the team is an understatement. This is a bloke who's played for teams in Portugal and Spain, and here he is loving life in Northern Ireland. I'm a bit worried as all it'll take is a couple of good performances, and let's be blunt it's not gonna be hard in this division which is a glorified farmers league at best, and a team even in the Championship, the second tier offers him any deal and he's gone. 

I'd also like to point out here, that at no point did I ever mention my Moneyball idea, or anything to do with transfers with Trevor, he seemed desperate to get someone in to manage the team. Bangor, luckily for me, are favourites to be promoted this season, so it's pretty much a guarantee we're going up. Next season is when I'll really get into my incredible transfer strategy.

With everything out the way and done on my first day in the job, I did the only thing I could think of to celebrate my new found employment in the northern part of the Emerald Isle, and that would be getting steaming drunk on Guinness, taking too many prescription painkillers and generally making a fool of myself.

I noticed an 80's theme bar on the drive into town after finishing off my first day at the club, and I thought Northern Ireland of all places wouldn't want be celebrating the 80's, but what did I know? Next thing I thought I would be seeing is a potato superstore on the high street of the town, but I did not.

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The Journeyman Jock - Chapter 1

The year is 2016 shortly after New Years day, I think. My memories are hazy after a long weekend. It all began with a Steam sale, a 6 pack of Carlsberg and a book, not necessarily in that order. Life hadn’t been too kind to an out of work painkiller addicted piss poor Scottish footballer let me tell you that much.

Due to being unemployed, in football or otherwise, I have spent a lot of time doing next to nothing with my life. I have watched a lot, and I mean a lot of football during the days and nights where nothing meaningful or productive was going on. Who knew the Mexican fourth division was so exciting?

I remember going to the library before they all shut down, with my pal, who had a car. I did not, and the buses in Motherwell, every single 1 of them smell like 3 day old Chinese takeaway, dog piss and bad decisions. When asked why we’d be heading for the library, I told him ‘did you know, that if they wanted to, Red Bull Salzburg could afford Ronaldo’ he asked me what I’d been sniffing that day, to which I replied nothing, yet.

When pressed, I told him about the aforementioned book. The book is called Moneyball. It’s about baseball I said. He just looked at me as if I’d pissed in the kettle before making a coffee. I then said because of this book, I went onto Steam and saw, quite handily, that a game called Out of the park baseball was on offer. So I bought it, knowing next to fuck all about baseball. You do some stupid things when you’re a member of the unemployed community.

After reading this book on a sport I know nothing about, I now know enough about baseball that on my first attempt on Out of the park baseball I posted a season of over .500. What this means, I found out thanks to Moneyball is that we won over 50% of our games. We won 109 and lost just 45 for reference. Granted I was playing as the New York Yankees, in the 1927 season, also known as one of the best seasons and squads the Yankees have ever had. Also some guy named Babe Ruth was hitting balls and home runs for fun. He ended with 86 homers (home runs to me and you) that season. And Lou Gehrig was named MVP for me too. Household names to baseball fans I’m sure.

I also now know that Moneyball is a concept used by a number of football clubs. In short, it means buying low and selling high, like what the Red Bull teams have been doing. It also encompasses that a team, most noticeably the Oakland Athletics, sign a player that is undervalued by his current club for whatever reason, but has performed better than a player already at the signing club. Simple right.

It also tells us that up and coming players, in baseball players signed in the draft (just like the MLS in football, NBA and so on) could be signed for free (or cheaply) developed and perform well and then sold (or traded) for a higher value. In baseball this could be draft picks or salary sacrifice. In football this would a transfer fee, buy low sell high. See Red Bull Salzburg’s transfer history, they do this a lot.

In short, at Salzburg, a player is scouted and signed. Then plays and gets plenty of training and development, does well and sold on for a profit. Rinse and repeat. This season they just sold Naby Keita to affiliated club RB Leipzig for 29 million Euro, after signing him for 1.5 million 2 seasons ago. Obviously not all players are going to be a success, but that in essence is the strategy.

There will always be an abundance of players that are considered ‘older’, as in over 24/25 that are transfer listed and underappreciated by their current club. Using the Moneyball way of thinking, this player could have played well in certain metrics (passes made / completed, shots taken, shots on target and so on) but as a back up player. He could be bought for less than his actual worth because he’s not needed by his current employer and become a solid player for the buying club. The Oakland A's did this to perfection, despite not winning the World Series. Which wasn’t the point, the idea was they could compete well above their spending level based on statistics and they stabilised the team.

So where could I go with this method of thinking, this way of working at a football club that would work? A club that would be happy to take on a nobody with an idea? I thought maybe somewhere like Blackburn Rovers, you know a team that vilified Steve Kean through no fault of his own, a former Premier League winning club with a decent budget and so-so squad. Or what about a club in Europe like Ostersunds in Sweden, that took on Graham Potter who was a bog standard player with no coaching experience but knew his tactics. Even somewhere like Spain, and a club like Las Palmas, who rely on youth players and sales of better players to keep on going.

Then I thought maybe my own team Motherwell, a team I both love and hate, a team that needs something to happen, not so much get back to a relevancy that hardly ever existed, but to give us some hope of actually winning something. It’s the hope that kills you, but Motherwell just seem content to stay in the SPL. But after pondering (what a great word that is) it for a while, I didn’t think any of those teams would take on such a person and his idea (realism innit), not yet anyway.

But look ashore I did, and found a couple of clubs I would approach that fit the bill. The bill being:
 

• A club that would realistically take on a former player with 1 coaching badge (again, realism)
   
• A club that is in need of a transfer strategy that would both work at their current level (RB Leipzig springs to mind) and will continue to work if / when progression was made
   
• A club that isn’t affiliated with Red Bull
   
• A club that isn’t Celtic or Rangers
   
• A club that won’t mind me packing my bags, and taking my scouting reports with me whenever a better opportunity comes up, should that ever happen
   

This brought me to a couple of places. Scotland, obviously. Both Irelands and England. As well as a host of European nations. I’m ruling out the ‘big’ leagues for now, they’ll come calling soon enough once I achieve the everlasting success I’m bound to have (insert fingers crossed gif or emoji here). I decided to propose my idea to teams in North and South America, but the first team I spoke to, an MLS team that shall for now be unnamed told me I sound like I already work for New York Red Bulls, hence the point above about my first team not being a Red Bull team (for now). Also the opening and closing stages and average points system most of those countries use gave me anxiety, so that was a no for the time being.

What I needed was some poor sap to listen to me and my idea, and luckily I managed to find such a person.

But now that I've got you hooked with the intro and a semi decent but totally not my idea, I hope you don't think this is going to be a story just about player stats, match by match reviews, transfers and profit and loss, because it’s not, there's plenty of other places you can find things like that. This is going to be mostly a story about me, little ol' Jock McGhee from Motherwell, with a bit of my football management career chucked in.

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Geordie born and bred calling in. Made me laugh Lascelles wants a new challenge to goes to Burnley.

The Red Bull way chapter 5 – The midway point

‘What do you mean, considering his options?’ Jock asked the man sat in front of him

‘My client, Lokman has decided….’ Jock cut the man off abruptly

‘I know what you said, why can’t Lokman, your client, who is sat right next to you tell me this himself?!?’

‘He’s instructed me to deal on his behalf’

‘Right, you said that. So that I understand properly, your client, my player has decided he’s not willing to discuss a new contract, because he wants to explore some potential options. That correct?’

The man looked to his left to Lokman Gor, who nodded, so the man just nodded back. Scotsmen in general aren’t exactly known for their cool and calm temperament, and Jock McGhee is no exception. Showing his inexperience as a manager, he spoke in a forceful manner

‘So you’re what, expecting to get a better deal where exactly?’ He didn’t let either man speak before continuing ‘You’re a journeyman center half that’s probably enjoying his best season ever, no thanks to me and my tactics. No, let me finish (the agent tried to speak). We’re top of the league and playing well, looking like being promoted the way we’re playing. You’re saying you wanna explore your options, what are they exactly? Are you expecting a higher division team to roll out the red carpet to you? Is anyone even interested in you? Are you expecting a better deal from somewhere else because you’ve played well in 17 games in the third division? You’ll do well to get a better wage in this division yet alone some higher placed team’ he took a sip of his Red Bull whilst holding his hand up to stop either man talking as he did, then continued ‘I’ll tell you this for nout, I don’t want players here that don’t see their long term futures here. What’s the point playing well all season to get us promoted, or in the play offs at worst just to piss off when the season ends? You might as well get looking for a transfer out in this window because you won’t be in the starting line up from now on’

‘Now you just wait a minute, Lokman is a regular starter, it says so in his contract’ his agent protested

‘His contract that you’ve said you’re not interested in? Like it or not, he’s got to earn his place in the team from now on’ he waited a moment then said ‘Lets finish this now, it’s a waste of both our time trying to get you to sign a new deal. But let me end with this, you’re tossing off a good number here. You could be here when we go up, because we both know we’re going up. You could be here helping mentor the younger players as you know Red Bull are all about that, I’d have had you on the coaching team here but you’re pissing that up the wall in the hopes you might get a better deal paying slightly more somewhere else. Trust me, you won’t do. You’re not even the best center half here, that goes to Melih Mursal and you know it’

Jock got up and left without allowing either Lokman or his agent get another word in.

After getting back to the office area at the stadium, Jock said ‘In all fairness he’s been decent but I aren’t being taken for a mug by him and that prick of an agent he’s got’

‘Who else is going to play in defense though?’ Jose Thill, his assistant asked

‘Who’s that other guy that plays center half? Looks like he’d fit in working in a Turkish barbers on a high street somewhere in England?

‘Furkan Zorba? Yes he’s good enough but I’d still prefer Lokman to be…..’

‘Lokman’s not a starter any more, he needs to work bollocks off in training before I’ll even name him on the bench from now on’

‘Right, but aren’t you jeopardising the team taking this kind of stance?’

‘Nope. They all need to know who the boss is. I’ve got to live with my decisions, and right now my decision is Zorba will partner Muhail in defence’

Furkan Zorba is 1 of 2 other central defenders that have been back up to Muhail and Gor. He’s had a few showings off the bench and started the cup loss. Whilst nothing special in ability, for the league Ankara are in he’s solid enough. He’s now got a chance to prove himself and cement the starting position down.

We’re at the 6 month part of Jocks debut season, and it’s the end of the season for some teams in the Red Bull Group. The season has finished in Brazil, China, USA and Uruguay, but before checking the mails on his work issued iPhone Jock checks on the team he supports, Motherwell.

‘Ahh, still shite. The wall punchers and knuckle draggers are still top 2 then’ he said to no one in particular. Opening the Gmail app to read the company issued mails was next on his agenda

RE: Red Bull China / 23 season / JIA League

The Red Bull group took over in Shanghai with the club second bottom of the league. With a couple of key free transfer signings the club steered themselves away and survived with an 8 point cushion.

RE: New York Red Bulls / 23 season / MLS

With the season finished in the MLS, one of the groups leader teams in New York managed to finish the season in the Eastern Conference play off places, achieving the minimum target set out in January. We did however get knocked out of the play offs by Chicago Fire, on penalties no less, in the semi final. There is some solace in the fact Chicago went on to win the Eastern Conference.

The aim for New York now is to reach the play offs again in 2024. The team have also drafted 3 exciting prospects in the 2024 MLS Superdraft. Whilst a full squad rebuild isn’t on the cards, the 3 draft picks were made to supplement the team.

1st round, 21st pick – Center forward Dominic Stewart. Surprisingly still available at the 21st spot, Stewart looks to be a solid pick for the team. 14 goals in 23 games at Pathfinder is nothing to shy at, and his quickness, determination and ability to score is going to be well utilised in the team.

1st round, 25th Ricardo Andros. Another player scouted by New York who was passed up on by the other teams needs to fill other positions, the Mexican full back competent on both sides has already shown he’s the right fit for New York, with his pace and work rate that are going to be key in the high tempo style of play we use in the MLS. Having been called up to the Mexico under 20 squad for this months friendly games, he’s touted as a future international for his country.

2nd round, 54th pick – Attacking midfielder Jason Saucedo. The need for rotation options in midfield brought Saucedo to New York in the second round. The scouting team saw a lot of determination in Saucedo and he impressed in the pre draft work outs enough to secure being picked late on.

RE: Red Bull Melo / 23 season / Primera Division

Down in Uruguay Red Bull Melo endured a torrid season, finishing bottom of the overall league table after the opening and closing stages. The team avoided relegation based on the average points table, their 1.18 average points per game compared to Racing de Montevideo’s 1.05 average enough to save them this season.

Whilst the team secured survival, doing so by means of the average points system isn’t what we expect of a Red Bull team. There will be changes to both the coaching and playing staff this off season, and progress is to be expected in Uruguay.

RE: Red Bull Bragantino / 23 season / Serie A

In Brazil, Red Bull Bragantino managed to finish fifth in Serie A, although 20 points behind winners Flamengo. The team did make it all the way to the final of this seasons COPA Sudamericana, losing on penalties to Botafogo.

As with New York, Bragantino aren’t in a rebuilding stage and will be making moves to compliment the team and improve on a season well done. With that in mind the team are looking to compliment player of the season Eduardo Sasha and bring in players to improve upon the fifth place finish and take the next step, and win a trophy.

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Cross posted at The Journeyman Jock

Russia isn't playable in 24 is it? Good challenge idea though def following.

The Red Bull way chapter 4 – Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders

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There is a 2 week break now as Ankara are given a much needed rest. They’re on a roll all things considered, 14 league games in with a respectable record of 9-3-2, unbeaten in the last 5, and a goal difference of 25 puts them in 4th place

A top half finish was projected by the media, and required by the board and that is very much on course early on. Of those 9 wins there was this showing at The Red Bull Arena, as Ankara tore apart Isparta 32 Spor (great team name by the way) 6-2, which resulted in a perfect 10 rating for striker Fatih Aktay

Aktay’s second goal was a diving header inside the penalty area, a type of goal you don’t see much any more. He’s averaging 4 shots give or take a game and currently on 20 goals. Definitely turning out to be a key player early on, and leads the league in goals scored

For all the good showings in the league, Ankara were knocked out in the third round of the Turkish FA Cup, against second division side Erzurumspor in a pretty even game. An early goal for the higher placed team was enough despite it being a close game. We’re not concerned at this result, we weren’t expecting much from the cup this season anyway.

The board and fans are happy with how things are going so far as well.

Other notable players include wide man Siddik Istemi who can play on the left or right, but has been used mostly as our left winger and is tied on 9 assists so far.

Aktay’s striker partner Mertan Caner has a more than respectable 10 goals in 15 games and is linking up with Aktay as the shorter man in the big man / not as big man combo superbly well

Batuhan Salman, another wide player competent on either side has 2 goals & 7 assists to his name in 15 games. Used mostly on the right but has filled in on the left here and there

In terms of ongoing aims, it’s more of the same really. Unless we get any major injuries or offers for players we can’t turn down, there won’t be any incoming singings in January.

In this league teams can’t sign non Turkish players, or players who don’t have Turkish as a second nationality, so we won’t be using any of the other affiliated teams for loan singings at the minute. None of the other teams have any Turkish or part Turkish youth players yet anyway, and none would be interested in coming to Ankara this season I don’t think.

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Cross posted at The Journeyman Jock

The Red Bull way chapter 3 – Tactics and transfers

Jock stood in front of the Red Bull Ankara first team, in their last official meeting before the season starts proper. They’d had a handful of friendly games against local nobodies and part time teams, not breaking a sweat in any of them however. ‘I expect a lot of work both on and off the ball. I want aggressive pressing and tackling to win the ball back, and I want us to get it up top as quickly as possible. I’m not expecting any of that one touch no look ticky tacky crap or using buzz words like gegen pressing or whatever. We’ve got 1 objective this season, and that’s putting the building blocks in place to get us out of this division’

A few nods and murmurs from the first team, Jock carried on ‘And for the long term aims for the club, as you all know the board want to build the club up to progress up the leagues. Not only that but we’re bringing in a couple of players this season compliment the team, then we’ll be looking to develop the youth players at the club with the guidance of the senior players’ There was a bit of a murmuring at this, but he continued ‘I want to be able to use the clubs network of teams and players to help us, but the clubs aim is to develop our youth players in the long run so we’ll be exploring that when we can’

Jock left the players in the hands of his newly appointed assistant manager Jose Thill and headed off to another scheduled meeting, this one with his newly appointed director of football Frank Blohm

As he walked in Frank greeted him with a smile and said ‘Those 2 players we discussed, we’ve got them both signed and coming in’

Pulling himself a chair and a bottle of water he said ‘Great work pal, I wasn’t sure they’d go for Dogan to be fair, I mean with all the emphasis on youth….’ Frank cut him off

‘Sorry to interrupt, but I told them exactly what you said, in that it’s no good trying to develop youth players without some experience there to guide them. It’s okay having a manager and coaching team, but the youth players need guidance from those senior players that are playing regularly as well’ He let the moment hang a little longer than it probably should’ve done, before continuing ‘They’ll know all of this of course, and were probably glad we’d asked about bringing at least 1 older head into the first team’

Jock nodded appreciatively when Frank confirmed he’d managed to complete the signing of young center forward Mikail Basir on a free transfer, and left full back Ishak Dogan from German side Sprockhovel (no, me neither) for a small fee of 4 thousand Euros

‘I knew Mikail was right when he saw him during his 4 week trial. He knows he’s back up to Aktay and Caner, but with a bit of luck and hard work he could prove to be a decent little signing’ Jock said before continuing ‘He’ll give us an option from the bench at least, I’m confident in him’

Frank then said ‘With Ishak coming in he’ll provide cover at left back for Bayer, but he’s been around he knows he could force his way into your first team’

The cogs were turning in Jocks mind about what each of his players role would be in the upcoming season. He’d not yet settled on his own footballing philosophy, but the Red Bull teams are known for their high energy, aggressive closing down and constant pressure football.

A highly technical set up the likes of Salzburg and Leipzig use won’t be considered at Ankara, not yet anyway, so Jock goes to the tried, tested, hated, loved but universally accepted 4-4-2 for now

There’s no more pre season games to try this or that against local talents. It’s time for the rookie manager to put on his best matchday suit, or in the absence of such a thing his smartest looking fake Turkish Armani jacket and tracksuit bottoms.

The key players

As noted above, there’s already a handful of decent-ish players in the former Etimesgut FC, now Red Bull Ankara squad, which we can certainly use to build the team around. Coming in first is defensive midfielder Aykut Ceviker. He was signed before the takeover by Red Bull (in reality he was signed by the Etimesgut FC manager) and will be the captain for this season

Another of the better players at the club, who was also signed by the previous manager is Seckin Getbay, who luckily for me is another central midfielder and will partner Aykut in central midfield when he’s fit enough.

Following the arrival of the 2 central midfielders is center half Lokman Gor. He’s the best in the position at the club by a mile and will be a key player in the first season I’m sure

The title of best right full falls to Mirac Acer. As with the others, not the best player you’ll see, but for the league we’re in, and the position the club finds itself is, he’ll do the job

Up top the key forward is Fatih Aktay. Not a world beater, but for the Turkish third division he looks decent enough. He’s got target man written all over him, and that’s exactly how he’s going to be used, with a poacher playing off of him, I’m hopeful of a few goal this season from him

The club wouldn’t be a Red Bull club without at least 1 hot prospect, and we have a solitary hot prospect in the form of central midfielder Batuhan Gunaldi. Won’t be starting many games but will be finding minutes off the bench and when rotation happens. One to keep an eye on I think

A decent core of players to build the team around. Whilst the long term aim is to develop youth players enough to either sell for a profit or win things with, the aim for Ankara this season is to be competitive in the league.

We’ll see how this season plays out and where we end up.

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Cross posted at The Journeyman Jock

The Red Bull way chapter 2 – A new day in Ankara

‘They were adamant, ADAMANT I tell ya, that I wanted the New York job, not Ankara’ Jock yelled in his strong accent at his friend who was sat next to him in the spacious room they found themselves in ‘I merely stated New York was an aim of mine. Journalists, they’re all a bunch of…’ the other man cut him off

‘Calm it doon son’ he said in his equally as strong Scottish accent ‘You know what the press are like, you’ve done well to get here just remember that. I’m sure a lot of experienced football people were turned down for this job’

After a short delay and a slightly awkward silence, Jocks friend said, trying to lighten the mood ‘Well when ya make it to the top, remember your pals won’t ya’

‘Aye don’t you worry kidda. The Red Bull board I’ve spoke to are all decent fellas and have said they’ll be supporting me as much as possible, and once they’ve sorted out all the scouting and youth set up and I’ve got my feet under the table I can maybe get you in on my staff’

‘Sounds like a plan that. Hey you reckon they’ll let you loan in players from Leipzig like Werner and that Haidara they’ve got’

‘I wish mate. They’ll not wanna come here, not yet anyway. I’ve been told the aim this season is to be secure in the top half, shouldn’t be too hard like there’s some decent players here already. Then they’re wanting progression up the leagues which is fair. They want to use Ankara to get young players from other teams coming here for first team experience when we’re out of this league. It’s all looking like a canny set up so far’ He waited a moment before telling his friend ‘In the couple of sessions we’ve had there’s a couple of decent players here already, signed before the takeover. I’m confident’

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Despite having no qualifications, no meaningful or relevant ones anyway, to aid his quest in the glory filled world of football management, Jock McGhee had found himself as a manager at a football club in Turkey. He was looking around, in that stupid open mouthed way people do when in museums, at some plaques on the wall of the football museum in the country’s capital. It wasn’t long before he was motioned forward towards the offices to the right of the main foyer though.

Outside the door to the office was the obligatory scantly dressed young female that looks like she’d be impregnated if you looked at her flirtatiously, and she did that stupid giggle thing those receptionist types do and titled her head to the side and smiled, not for the first time either.

She disappeared and then reappeared in a flash with a tray with 3 glasses of some liquid, champagne maybe? She passed him 1, tastes like warm piss was the thought in Jocks mind, but he downed it along with the other 2. As he does the 2 portly men leave the room and are making their way over to where Jock is sat. One of the men asks something in a language he hasn’t heard, maybe an Asian language? The girl just nods Jocks way. He smiled back in the most awkward way possible, the tallest of the 2 men held his glare. Jock stood up and held his eye in a way that said ‘try me fatso’. They eventually shook hands and went into the room.

After going through the motions and plenty of ‘hello’s, thank you’s, I’m glad to be here’s’ and the occasional ‘oh yes I’m sure we will’ Jock had decided to accept that these 2 men have done something no one else would, or had the stones to do. And that was give him a job, an opportunity at a football club. It’s not quite Milan, Paris, Madrid or even Motherwell, but it’ll do, for now.

He wasn’t sat in a club soaked in history in Italy, France or Spain. Instead he found himself in the Ankara Museum of Football. He wasn’t sat admiring the accolades and busts of such legendary names as Maldini, Shevchenko, Ronaldinho, Ibrahimović, Raul and Zidane. Not yet anyway. He’d found himself walking the halls admiring the accolades of legendary Turkish names in football such as Hakan Şükür, Rüştü, Tugay Kerimoğlu, Emre Belözoğlu & Arda Turan. In the absence of any busts like those found in the museums in Milan, Paris & Madrid he’s still admiring the bust of the receptionist, who’s smiling his way again.

The Scotsman has come to the museum to discuss his debut season as Red Bull Ankara manager, and how he’s going to mastermind the clubs ongoing and required success. The Red Bull philosophy of attack first might be group wide, but the former Etimesgut FC were your bang average mid table team, never good enough to go up but too good to go down. The idea being using the buzz and momentum from the Red Bull takeover to progress the club, whilst improving facilities and the youth players from around the network as a whole.

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As is the Red Bull way in real life, the club hired a director of football. I left the hiring of the DOF to the board, and they came up with, somewhat ironically Austrian DOF Frank Blohm

As a first DOF he’s not too bad, and with staff now being able to improve in FM24 he may be with me a while. He’s also been trusted with hiring my backroom staff, at least for this first season. He brings in Luxembourger José Thill as my assistant and Portuguese Luís Ferreira as head of youth development

Not the best backroom staff you’ll see, but for this season they’ll be fine. Once we push on and get promoted I can look at improving the backroom team in the hopes of developing the young players that come through.

For the remainder of this season at least, Blohm has been designated to signing all backroom staff, bar any for the under 19’s and reserves side. This I will be doing once the first youth intake comes around, as we’ve no players in either the reserve or under 19’s sides yet. He will however be leading the scouting meetings although the chief scout, when he hires him, will be assigning scouts this season. Next season, depending on how this one goes, I will be seeing to the scouts and their assignments.

That is of course if I last long enough at Ankara to do so.

== == == == ==

Cross posted at The Journeyman Jock

[Reserved]

The Red Bull Way Ep 1 – The beginning

‘Who?’ is a question many people within the Red Bull Group had asked, as well as the fans of the former Etimesgut FC, a small club based in Ankara, Turkey. Nobody was expecting a big name to take over at a club sat in third division club right away, but some higher ups at both Red Bull and the current board in Ankara, not including Mesut Sahingoz the chairman at Etimesgut who had been kept on after the takeover, were expecting someone with at least a bit of experience. He’d never managed a professional team, the only experience coming in the form of a couple of youth clubs in Motherwell, before heading Down Under to sign a pay as you play deal with the Perth Glory reserves side.

No one really knows how he managed to pull it off, getting offered the top job at the newly rebranded Red Bull Ankara. Having taken a pay day loan with no intention of paying it back a couple of years ago, and buying a one way ticket to Perth, Australia, he’d also somehow gotten a trial at Perth Glory FC, and offered the aforementioned pay as you play deal, which not great in total money paid, it covered the essentials in the Australian city.

Just over 2 years and a handful of threatening emails from the debt collectors later, he’d made it into the first team at Perth Glory. Well, not technically the first team as such, he’d got given a start for the first team in a game against the Wellington Phoenix reserve side during pre season. An assist from left full back and an incredible 67 minutes of action, Jocks words, in the game up until the moment. The moment it all changed.

In the dying moments of the match, the Phoenix reserves had resorted to long ball tactics in the hopes of catching a break, and Jock most certainly caught a break that’s for sure.

As the ball came in high and diagonally across the penalty area, Jock jumped forward to head it clear with eyes only on the ball. He thought to himself ‘I’ve got this, get rid of it and we’ve won there can’t be long left’. As his eyes narrowed and the ball came closer it felt like a truck hit him in the back and not only knocked him sideways but it came tumbling down on top of him at the same time.

As Jock hit the rock solid surface he felt not only the wind and air rushing out of him, but an unbearable level of pain shot right through his full body. From the soles of his feet, up through both legs but almost mercifully not through the groin and manhood, but right through his core into the neck and through his eyeballs in the most forceful manner he’d ever known. He wasn’t sure if this was the Lord having mercy on him or having his wicked way. Either way he wouldn’t have wished that upon any man, friend or foe.

As he opened his eyes, he saw the goalkeeper leaning over, grinning that stupid bucked tooth smile and saying ‘Ya’ reet lad, come on get up’ but Jock couldn’t respond. He could see him there and knew in his mind he’d wanted to tell him that he was hurt but he just started waving his hands in Jocks face and shaking his prone body causing yet more pain and anguish into his already broken shell.

He’d woken up from the shock induced coma a little over 9 hours later, emergency surgery done to remove his spleen, realign 2 discs in his back and fuse 2 others together in an attempt to get him able to walk again. Fast forward 8 months and he’s back on his feet walking, albeit slowly and cautiously with a constant pain, but he’s walking.

Fast forward a few more weeks, and on this day, to the surprise of everyone there, he slowly walks up to the podium at the front of the conference room, where the first journo asks the question on everyone’s lips ‘Who exactly is Jock McGhee?’

In a confident manner usually reserved for experienced managers, he said with authority in his strong Scottish accent ‘I am the first Red Bull Ankara manager’ and took a few more questions from the media gathered at the press conference.

== == == == ==

We all know that the Red Bull company has been investing in football for a number of years now, starting off in Austria with Red Bull Salzburg (formerly SV Austria Salzburg), then New York, Leipzig, Bragantino and an ill fated spell in Ghana. Now in this FM universe, they’ve secured deals with 6 other teams. See below for the full in game list.

Each team wasn’t picked at random, each had something to give / gain from being affiliated with the other teams in the group. I tried to be realistic in the approach to the affiliated teams, I doubt Red Bull would go out and buy a club like Benfica, or Tottenham, Milan or even Newcastle and rebrand them, I think if they wanted any more clubs they’d go to the lower leagues like they have done with their other teams, New York being the exception to that rule.

This series is about following the Red Bull Group model, and to see if having multiple teams around the globe can benefit them all. I haven’t improved the new teams in the group to the same standard as Leipzig, Salzburg & New York, although I have slightly improved the youth facilities at the new teams. Nothing that will give me an edge, I only improved each rating by 2. Development of the facilities I hope will come naturally in game by the AI managers of the other Red Bull teams.

The challenge side of things, other than the usual things from a save like this I’ve set myself the following goals:

• Win the top league with a Red Bull team in their country, Salzburg not included as they already have won the Austrian Bundesliga, many times.
• Win a continents Champions League with a Red Bull team
• If I make it enough to get a job at a Red Bull main club (New York, Leipzig, Salzburg) only sign players for the future. Not quite a ‘youth only’ approach, but definitely follow Red Bulls strategy from real life in game
• When either I establish 1 of the new Red Bulls team enough to build youngsters or takeover an already established Red Bull team (Salzburg, New York or Leipzig or if 1 the teams has done so in game) follow the youth policy by buying young players and developing them
• Only make big transfers if it would make sense in real life. There’s no point me spending 100 million on a 30 year old forward despite how good he is, as Leipzig wouldn’t do this in real life. The most Leipzig have ever spent is 39 million on 23 year old Loïs Openda this year, who has a lot of upside and would probably leave in a couple of years for at least double that price, and having become an even better player than he is now (he’s absolute mustard in FM24 btw)
• Use scouting seriously. Attribute masking is on, so using the clubs scouts is going to be needed anyway, but as per the Red Bull real life strategy I will sign players based on suggestions from the scouting staff
• Sell a youth prospect for a big profit. This can be a a player that has come through a youth intake, or a youth prospect scouted and signed before he turns 20. Couple of examples below:
  • Salzburg bought Haaland for 8 million and sold him for 12. They also bought Szoboszlai for 500k, and sold him to Leipzig for 36 million. Leipzig then doubled their money on him by selling him onto Liverpool for 70 million. Leipzig also bought Josko Gvardiol from Dinamo Zagreb for 36 million, and later selling him onto Manchester City for 90 million.
• Other challenge type things from a save like this, have a player come through the youth ranks and appear at a World Cup, top scorer in the league / Champions League, that kind of thing will be added as the save progresses

Starting out at Red Bull Ankara, I don’t have to only be at a Red Bull team in game. The way the game plays out is going to dictate the narrative side of the series. Also I’m not tied into only applying for jobs at any of the Red Bull teams. Again the way things happen naturally in game is going to affect the narrative side of the blog.

== == == == ==

The full Red Bull Group list of teams is as follows:

• Red Bull Salzburg formerly SV Austria Salzburg (Austria) acquired 2005
• New York Red Bulls, formerly New York Metrostars (USA) acquired 2006
• Red Bull Brasil / Bragantino (Brazil) acquired 2007. Red Bull Brasil is Bragantino’s feeder / reserve team
• RasenBallsport Leipzig FC founded 2009 (Germany) and is Red Bulls leader club
• Red Bull Shanghai formerly Shanghai Jiading Huilong Football Club (China) acquired 2023 in game
• Red Bull Morelos formerly Alteños de Tepatitlán (Mexico) acquired 2023 in game
• Red Bull Kongsvinger formerly Kongsvinger FC (Norway) acquired 2023 in game
• Red Bull Ankara formerly Etimesgut FC (Turkey) acquired 2023 in game.
• Red Bull Melo formerly Cerro Largo FC (Uruguay) acquired 2023 in game

== == == == ==

Cross posted at The Journeyman Jock

BREAKING NEWS - July 2023

As reported by media outlets world wide, July 3rd 2023 saw The Red Bull Group officially confirm deals to bring in 5 new football teams under their footballing umbrella. In a first for the company and football as a whole, all 5 deals were signed simultaneously via a Skype call with each team. The completion of these 5 deals takes the number of clubs under the Red Bull umbrella to 9.

Joining the group are Etimesgut FC in Turkey currently in Spor Toto 2, the third tier of football. Alteños de Tepatitlán FC from Mexico, playing in the Mexican expansion league, Kongsvinger FC from Norway playing in the OBOS-Liagen both of which are the second division, and Shanghai Jiading Huilong Football Club from China, playing in the Chinese Jia league also the second tier. Lastly Uruguayan team Cerro Largo playing in the Liga Professional, the top division has also joined the group.

All 5 teams will now be known as Red Bull Ankara, Red Bull Morelos, Red Bull Kongsvinger, Red Bull Shanghai & Red Bull Melo respectively. Red Bull Sporting director and Head of Football Marshall Johnson confirmed in the press release:

‘We are delighted to bring these new teams into our group. All have showed the same desire as we here at the Red Bull group have as a whole, as well as our other teams already in the group. All these teams share the ideals and beliefs we proudly implement group wide. All of the teams will be employing those practices right from the off and will be implementing the standards of The Red Bull Group’

‘The majority of the teams are stabilized enough in their respective divisions and are each expecting to follow in the footsteps of our leader clubs Red Bull Salzburg & RB Liepzig, in that promotion and progression is at the forefront of their collective minds’

When asked why these teams were acquired specifically, Mister Johnson replied:

‘Each were taken on a deal by deal basis but all fit into our groups strategy. Cerro Largo in Uruguay are established enough in their own right to be able to challenge for honors and have some exciting youth players. Shanghai, as with a host of Chinese clubs have the infrastructure in place but need a bit of guidance which I am sure Red Bull will be able to help with. Kongsvinger are in a transition of sorts and in need of investment to be able to take the next steps, which are to improve the club and help build young talent whilst aiming for promotion. In Ankara we felt we could get a team in Turkey challenging for the top division whilst developing our youth players throughout the network. As with our teams in Austria and Germany, we wanted to put that model in place in other places in Europe and that’s why they have agreed for investment. Ankara and Kongsvinger are ideal locations for our leader teams to be able to send youth players to play, gain vital first team experience as well as having those teams compete at the top of the league’

When asked about Ankara, being in the third division as opposed to the second and first division teams, Mister Marshall responded:

‘There are exciting times for the club. Currently in the third division, the club are poised to make a challenge for promotion this season, and we feel some young players from other teams in the network would benefit going there and experiencing first team football challenging for promotion. Once we secure promotion and progression there we can really push on and get Ankara to a place where we can not only develop our young players but challenge for honours in Turkey’

After taking more questions from various worldwide media through Skype, Mister Johnson spoke of each of the teams individually in more detail as well as outlining the clubs on pitch philosophy and ideals. The main talking points from the rest of the press release are below:

• Each team is tasked with playing energetic, high-intensity, high-pressing football. The team needs to be active with or without the ball and ensuring each game is met with the same focus, to win.
• The groups overall focus is on developing young players and making the transition from one Red Bull team to another seamless. The overall goal being able to get players to be worthy of a place in the RB Leipzig first team.
• As with other major football clubs around the world, the group expect to develop and sell players for a profit, becoming self sustainable. This club vision is to be implemented at each team in the network, as it already is in Leipzig & Salzburg
• Aggressiveness in the transfer and loan markets seeking to develop both the club and the Red Bull brand with any players bought (under the age of 21) and sold should be for a profit.
• Whilst developing young players each team are also expected to compete for honours in their respective countries. Referring to the above point on the transfer market, any players over the age of 21 that are signed are to be ready for first team football.
• Regarding each team and their senior clubs:
  • For Red Bull Melo their parent club is going to be New York Red Bulls, who will be able to send players on loan to Melo. Red Bull Bragantino, based in Brazil who are already a part of the group before this announcement, will also be able to send loan players to Melo.
  • Red Bull Kongsvinger & Ankara are going to have Red Bull Salzburg as their parent club, with Salzburg being able to use both for loaning players. Each of these teams will host an annual friendly with Salzburg.
  • Red Bull Shanghai are to be able to send players on loan to any of the other new teams, with Leipzig & Salzburg being able to use Shanghai for youth player training & loans. Salzburg are the parent club for Shanghai.
  • The 2 new European teams are expected to achieve promotion to their respective top divisions, with Kongsvinger aiming for promotion within 3 seasons. Current season for not included. Ankara’s initial aim is to be a secure third tier side in their first season in the group. Progress from then on.
  • Red Bull Morelos will be seen as a feeder team for New York Red Bulls initially(*) with the aim of getting promoted to Mexicos top division. Once there the link will be reviewed.
• Red Bull Melo are expected to be challenging for honors within the next 2 seasons. Current season not included.
• For Red Bull Shanghai, promotion is expected within 2 seasons, current season not included. Continental qualification and player development to follow, in line with the groups overall strategy.
• RB Liepzig is going to continue to be the groups main flagship club, and can use any of the clubs in its network for loaning players and youth player progression.
• Each main team in the network, NY Red Bulls, RB Leipzig & RB Salzburg, will be given priority over the signing of youth players from any other team in the group. This is one of the groups main objectives, to get youth players ready for first team football at any of the main clubs.
• Each team will be able to use it’s parent clubs scouting knowledge. Ankara will be able to use the knowledge gained by Salzburg for example. In practice they could also use the network knowledge of New York Red Bulls if the need arises.
• The aim of on field progress is the main objective for the group, however there are no plans to add any other team to the core main team group of 3 leader clubs. This could change in the future.

With the above philosophy being group wide, each team will also aim to challenge for continental success. Mister Johnson stopped short of comparing themselves to the City Group, owners of Manchester City and other teams around the world. He joked that he was sure Red Bull Leipzig or Salzburg would win the UEFA Champions League before Manchester City or Girona FC would. He also continued regarding the coaching roles at the new clubs:

‘I can’t comment on any changes to the coaching staff at the the new teams just yet, it is something we’re discussing internally first. Although there are new chairmen that have been placed at Red Bull Melo and Red Bull Kongsvinger, the youth set up and training facilities are being given additional focus at all of the new teams whilst we make decisions on the coaching staff at the new teams. We are delighted, as are the teams themselves, to be embarking on this journey and we’re all committed to making as much progress as we can. Thank you for your time’

== == == == ==

* During a test save, Morelos got promoted to the Liga MX in Mexico, the top division, and New York changed the affiliation in game to stop players moving freely between the clubs, and the status changed from feeder to a normal affiliated club.

== == == == ==

Cross posted at The Journeyman Jock

Consider me invested

Another great write up mate keep it up

I had the same thing, turns out the game had created a folder in my One Drive, in a different place than the usual graphics folder and saved games folder in My Documents. Maybe look there, put the graphics folder in the sports interactive folder if there is one in one drive too, that's how I've got graphics in the game. It's not even looking for graphics in the usual place, I don't know why and it saves game in One Drive as well

You need to go into the dev center bit

I just use this image resizer website, resize it to 200x200 for the main logo then to 20x20 for icon logos. I've had a few custom logos made and all work fine and not blurry when I've done this.

Ahh snap nah I only copied the files across, what do I need to change?

Mine aren't, I'm only getting static black ad boards when I've moved the folder into FM24 😢

Yeah I'm with SI on this, Martinelli is decent but won't be at the top level much longer, from the end of this season he'll go down in production and stats. Same with Saka, might have a couple of good games here and there but as a top tier player long term, nah

Got caught up on here, since I last logged in you've gone from MLS, to Mexico, back to MLS and now back to Mexico. Maybe you'll get your head round the MLS rules eventually hahah

I live in York, so not too far from Leeds / Farley. Def following this.

Just caught up on this, good going and seems that FM23 saves with added leagues work fine in 24. What skin is that you're using?

I caved and got 24, whether it runs quick on my laptop will have to see, and I am hoping to get a new one for when 25 hits too. They have marketed 24 well and with Japan as a main feature got me hooked, imagine if you could've gone to Japan on journeyman's journey!

Yeah it's got that silly average points system most of South America use. Plus the opening and closing stages as well.

That’s the thing isn’t it, getting time to actually play it now and get it posted up on to here. I always end up going back to 17, even though I caved and got 24. 

Hahaha oh dear! Where did I get Chile from?!? I know it’s Uruguay as well haha. 

This is just going to be a log of what's gone on in my save in the FM24 beta. No long term aims, no youth development, no trophy hoarding hunting, just your bog standard journeyman save.

This won't be in narrative form either, that will be reserved for my long term save coming to the forum on on just after the release of the full game in a couple of weeks time. 

That handy little pick club for me button pulled it out the bag, as it has sent me to Uruguay and to Atletica Potencia. No, me neither.

This club is expected to finish bottom of the Segunda division, and I join them with them in the dizzying heights of 13th of 14 teams

Winger / forward  Brahian Ferreira and keeper cum left full back, randomly, Esteban Correa are what the staff think are the best of a bad bunch of players. Not world beaters by any means but for this league, it is what it is I guess and what I'm working with for now

1 win in 8 legue games isn't the best form, and I'm not sure what the Torneo Competencia is, but they got to the final of it so maybe they're not as bad as it looks?
 

I'm not sure as I've not checked yet, I've just loaded the game but I'm sure Uruguay  has that God awful average points crap teams in South America do, so we need to be picking points up as soon as possible. that new set piece thing looks canny enough, so I'll probably be instructing them to play for set pieces, assuming we've got some good dead ball takers of course.

Updates will be as and when I can get them up, I don't get to play FM as much as I used to do, damn you age, work & responsibilitites!

Great name Willie, playing well too

I've just noticed you've got a striker called Canada, who's from Canada and plays in Canada WTF