40 replies to this topic

[Nexus]

Holla yo'.

I've never been very good at FM, everyone knows that. However, my most "successful" FM game was taking Veroia, a Second Division Greek side, tipped for relegation, onto the cusp of European qualification on FM09. I was proud of the achievement, but never offered a current game thread up because I didn't want to jinx it.

Anyway, this time around, I started games as various big clubs, and smaller clubs, and couldn't get into one. I set myself a challenge, however. I loaded up England (Blue Sq. N/S and above), Germany (Third Division and above), Italy (Serie C2 and above), and Spain (Second Division B and above). I then chose to go to Germany, the Third Division, to a mid-table team who just wanted "respectable league position." That team was SSV Jahn 2000 Regensburg. I set my rep as Automatic, meaning I came out at Sunday League footballer, and unproven, and set out on this fun fun challenge.

Season 2009/10

I began by making some sweeping changes. The squad wasn't very good, and so I bought in 7 players, 4 on free transfers, and 3 on loan. Elsewhere, I sold the reserve GK, with Zimmerman coming in on Loan as cover. The rest I just offered out, or sacked. Ruthlessly. Wages were too high, so I needed rid. Here's a screenie:



All of them went straight into the first team.

Pre season didn't go all that well, with a 1-1 draw against the reserves, a 2-0 defeat against Malley, and then a 7-0 defeat against Hoffenheim. I cancelled the rest after that-didn't need morale lowering anymore, thanks.

The first half of the season was inconsistent:



And the second half wasn't much better:



At the end of the season, the table looked like this:



I knew that things were going to be tough, and I was relatively pleased with complete mid table anonymity. This was the Best Eleven of that year:



Not bad, but not good either.

I knew that I had a lot of work ahead of me, but the next season I wanted to get at least a place higher if at all possible. I was also determined to stick with it, and not get Second Season Syndrome...

[ChrisOrmie]

Not a bad effort mate, good to see that you managed to stay away from relegation and hopefully you can push on and start climbing the league table over the next few years.

[Flocke]

Thank god its not just me managing a total no mark team.  

Good start getting a safe position with a good chance to kick on. I'll be keeping watch on this with interest.

[Nexus]

Season 2010/11

This season was one to build on the squad which I had started. First off was unloading a lot of the old players who were taking up wages. The biggest names out were Jarosch, who was on a lot of wages without playing any games, Mahouvé, who I bought in the season before. He played 36 games, scored 5 goals, and averaged 7.00, but he was too old to play again, so off he went on a free. Hagmann had been a first team defender, but I let him go 'cos there were better players coming in.

I bought in a new Goalkeeper, three new strikers, two wingbacks, a centre back and two central midfielders. I made big changes, and each player I bought in was better than those they replaced.



Pre season went average, with a 1-0 victory over FSV Frankfurt, a 3-0 loss to Leverkusen, and a 2-2 draw with St. Pauli. First three games of the season were crap, but results improved.




At the end of the season, the table looked like this:



Ten point improvement, and a three place leap up, so I'm really happy. Looking onto build, if possible.

This was the Best Eleven of 2010/11:



Seven of my transfers were in the first team. I'm impressed.

Hopefully I can build up third season, I have a good basis now. Wages are still too high, though.

[AlexBRFC]

Good read this.

If you can carry on with the 10-point improvement, you might just make the play-off place, which would be some achievement.

Nice one

[Nexus]

Season 2011/10

This season I wanted a real push for promotion, but I didn't have any money. I let a load of people go, and got one person in on loan from parent club FC Bayern. Wasn't all that confident at the start of the season, though. Here are the transfers:



Pre season consisted of one match, a 1-0 defeat against Rostock. Results for the season were inconsistent:




All in all it was my best season yet. League table looked like this at the end of the season:



Actually, only a place improvement, and the points were the same, but things were much closer. S'all good.

This was the best eleven of 2011/12:



GK and three of the defenders were the same, as were one of the MCs and one of the strikers, but the others were a revelation.

Hopefully I get a bit more money and can make some signings. I want a new CB and a CM and ST, if possible.

[Nexus]

You're all cunts.

Season 2012/2013

This season was going to be it. I could feel it. I decided to go all out on my signings, bringing in a few new faces:



I let go players who were taking up wages and not playing. I ended up buying too many midfielders, though, and De Guzman and Marin didn't really play very many games. Leszczynski went straight in at CB, Correa straight in as a CM, and Despotovic went straight up front. Really happy with the signings.

Pre Season was two matches-a 5-2 defeat against Bayern, and a 2-1 defeat against Cagliari. A ridiculously good start to the season, 8 games unbeaten, saw us shoot up the table, before we hit a rough patch. We spent most of the season in and around the top four, though. With 3 games to go, we were close to winning the league. Losing 2-0 to Offenbach convinced me that we'd stay here for another season, but luckily Sandhausen did just as bad, meaning victory in the last two games secured the league title.




The final positions were close, but I won \o/:



Victorious Best Eleven as such:



Three of my signings went straight in \o/

Need some new signings to ensure security in the Second Division. I'd be quite happy to avoid relegation by the skin of my teeth, and rebuild from there.

[ChrisOrmie]

Nice job on the title win and you really needed the win on that final day of the season. So how many of the team from last year do you think can make it in the second division?

KUTGW this is actually a pretty good game you have going mate!

[White]

Congratulations on your promotion! Looking at your best eleven it's good to see you have goals spread around your team so you don't have reliance on a main man.

[Nexus]

From what I can tell so far, anyone can stay up. The Second Division is so close, it's ridiculous. Noones getting absolutely cunted.

I don't ever seem to have just one person scoring the goals, whenever I play FM. It's all good, though.

[Jimmy]

I have to say Nexus, you have really done well to spend no money yet get what was a distinctly average team promotion within 4 years, whilst trimming the wages.

My hat is off to you!

[Nexus]

Thanks. I think I've got incredibly lucky with my tactics, for a change. If I get found out, I'm probably fucked, though.

Contemplating doing a mid-season update, now I'm all caught up. Not sure though.

Not near relegation, though \o/

[Nexus]

Just got taken over. Not getting any extra cash or owt, so it was a pointless waste of my time.

[White]

Nexus, on 28 May 2010 - 02:14 PM, said:

Just got taken over. Not getting any extra cash or owt, so it was a pointless waste of my time.

Every time someone on here mentions a takeover I get dead jealous because I've never ever been taken over on FM. It's not fair.

[Nexus]

All that's happened is we've got a different chairman *shrug*

[Zabier]

Yeah White, I only ever had one takeover and that was with AFC Hornchurch where the board came in and raped us of all the money we had. I went from having £15m to spend on players going into the Championship to having £200k! No idea why they decided I couldn't have it. It wasn't even their money!

Good read Nexus. Hopefully you carry this on.

[Nexus]

I've just finished the first season in the Second Division. Will update at the weekend.

[Nexus]

Actually really impressed by my season...

Season 2013/14

This season was a "Let's not get raeped and I'll be happy," one. It worked.

I took advantage of the free transfers again. I was disappointed to lose Sikorski, but he wasn't happy and wouldn't resign a contract.



Mirzapour was bought in so I had two GKs again. Nacho and Eggiman were subs, Salukvadze, Prager, Jaycee and Bajmarovic were put straight into the first team.

Pre season was same as always, and our first foray into the German Cup was shafted from the word go. League form was mediocre at best, and as inconsistent as fuck, but it worked.




League table was ridiculously close all season, with the middle of the pack so tight it was ridiculous. All in all I was pleased with my finishing position. New record, too.



Best Eleven was as such:



Four of the new signings went straight in. Salukvadze was a bit of a disappointment. Bless him.

Also, here's the overall best eleven:



6 of them are still here, and the rest are either employed in the squad in a non playing role, except Sikorski.

Next season I actually have money to spend. This will only end badly.

[ChrisOrmie]

Wow that table was close - another win under your belt and you'd have jumped to 5th in the table! Class effort this and you continue to deleop the squad on free transfers quite well to make slow and steady changes that will benefit you in the long run.

My rules for getting cash to spend after having played through seasons with nothing. (ps how much money will they actually give you?)

1) Don't spend it unless you nee to
2) Only spend big on a goalkeeper

Good luck mate, hope you have another good season next year!

[Nexus]

A couple of million.