Please welcome the Vermont Blizzard

[JAG]

And wow, what a team I took over. Through 12 games, they managed to score 7 goals and give up 49 (!). At least I'm not in the cellar, but to get up to 6th place, I would essentially have to win the next two games which won't happen.

Well, here's the starting bunch of players on the team. Hopefully one day I can look back on this and laugh.


Clint Payne (31992201)
21 years, weak form, healthy
A popular guy who is temperamental and honest.
Has wretched experience and weak leadership abilities.

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 11 000 US$
Wage: 560 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: inadequate Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: weak Passing: poor
Winger: weak Defending: wretched
Scoring: weak Set Pieces: inadequate



Clinton Dahl (31992198)
23 years, passable form, healthy
A pleasant guy who is calm and honest.
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities.

Speciality: Quick

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 131 000 US$
Wage: 1 360 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: inadequate Goaltending: wretched
Playmaking: weak Passing: passable
Winger: weak Defending: solid
Scoring: disastrous Set Pieces: weak


Darwin Hebert (31992203)
29 years, inadequate form, healthy
A sympathetic guy who is balanced and infamous.
Has weak experience and inadequate leadership abilities.

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 21 000 US$
Wage: 660 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: poor Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: poor Passing: weak
Winger: weak Defending: weak
Scoring: passable Set Pieces: solid


David Moeller (31992207)
24 years, poor form, healthy
A pleasant guy who is temperamental and dishonest.
Has poor experience and inadequate leadership abilities.

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 42 000 US$
Wage: 780 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: passable Goaltending: wretched
Playmaking: inadequate Passing: wretched
Winger: poor Defending: poor
Scoring: passable Set Pieces: solid


Ervin Costa (31992194)
24 years, inadequate form, healthy
A controversial person who is calm and honest.
Has poor experience and poor leadership abilities.

Speciality: Technical

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 61 000 US$
Wage: 900 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: poor Goaltending: weak
Playmaking: wretched Passing: wretched
Winger: wretched Defending: disastrous
Scoring: disastrous Set Pieces: weak


Gregory McMurry (31992199)
23 years, weak form, healthy
A controversial person who is temperamental and honest.
Has disastrous experience and inadequate leadership abilities.

Speciality: Head

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 92 000 US$
Wage: 1 100 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: inadequate Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: wretched Passing: inadequate
Winger: inadequate Defending: passable
Scoring: inadequate Set Pieces: solid


Hortencio Ballester (31992195)
26 years, weak form, healthy
A controversial person who is calm and upright.
Has wretched experience and weak leadership abilities.

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 3 000 US$
Wage: 520 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: wretched Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: poor Passing: inadequate
Winger: wretched Defending: wretched
Scoring: wretched Set Pieces: disastrous


Iván Madera (31992193)
41 years, disastrous form, healthy
A weak trainer who is defensive minded
A sympathetic guy who is balanced and upright.
Has solid experience and poor leadership abilities.

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 0 US$
Wage: 500 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: disastrous Goaltending: wretched
Playmaking: wretched Passing: wretched
Winger: disastrous Defending: disastrous
Scoring: disastrous Set Pieces: poor


John Poindexter (31992206)
20 years, inadequate form, healthy
A sympathetic guy who is balanced and honest.
Has disastrous experience and solid leadership abilities.

Speciality: Quick

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 68 000 US$
Wage: 880 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: wretched Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: wretched Passing: weak
Winger: passable Defending: wretched
Scoring: solid Set Pieces: passable


Lester Lorenz (31992209)
21 years, weak form, healthy
A pleasant guy who is balanced and dishonest.
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities.

Speciality: Quick

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 50 000 US$
Wage: 800 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: weak Goaltending: wretched
Playmaking: inadequate Passing: passable
Winger: poor Defending: passable
Scoring: wretched Set Pieces: wretched


Morris Trevino (31992208)
27 years, weak form, healthy
A pleasant guy who is calm and honest.
Has poor experience and poor leadership abilities.

Speciality: Head

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 33 000 US$
Wage: 740 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: weak Goaltending: wretched
Playmaking: wretched Passing: wretched
Winger: disastrous Defending: weak
Scoring: solid Set Pieces: passable


Neville Lavoie (31992204)
25 years, weak form, healthy
A popular guy who is balanced and upright.
Has poor experience and weak leadership abilities.

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 51 000 US$
Wage: 860 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: weak Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: poor Passing: solid
Winger: passable Defending: weak
Scoring: poor Set Pieces: wretched


Reg Donald (31992205)
25 years, wretched form, healthy
A sympathetic guy who is temperamental and dishonest.
Has disastrous experience and weak leadership abilities.

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 10 000 US$
Wage: 560 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: poor Goaltending: wretched
Playmaking: weak Passing: wretched
Winger: inadequate Defending: poor
Scoring: weak Set Pieces: inadequate


Richard Hooker (31992196)
28 years, passable form, healthy
A sympathetic guy who is balanced and dishonest.
Has wretched experience and weak leadership abilities.

Speciality: Head

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 19 000 US$
Wage: 640 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: wretched Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: passable Passing: weak
Winger: weak Defending: poor
Scoring: poor Set Pieces: weak


Romildo Farpón (31992210)
25 years, poor form, healthy
A pleasant guy who is calm and honest.
Has poor experience and wretched leadership abilities.

Speciality: Quick

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 34 000 US$
Wage: 740 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: inadequate Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: weak Passing: poor
Winger: passable Defending: passable
Scoring: wretched Set Pieces: poor


Sanford Choate (31992197)
28 years, solid form, healthy
A sympathetic guy who is calm and righteous.
Has wretched experience and wretched leadership abilities.

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 33 000 US$
Wage: 760 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: weak Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: poor Passing: weak
Winger: inadequate Defending: passable
Scoring: wretched Set Pieces: weak


Steve Cafferkey (31992202)
26 years, poor form, healthy
A controversial person who is balanced and honest.
Has poor experience and passable leadership abilities.

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 10 000 US$
Wage: 560 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: poor Goaltending: wretched
Playmaking: inadequate Passing: wretched
Winger: weak Defending: wretched
Scoring: weak Set Pieces: weak


Stewart Correa (31992200)
23 years, poor form, healthy
A controversial person who is calm and dishonest.
Has wretched experience and weak leadership abilities.

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 2 000 US$
Wage: 500 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: weak Goaltending: disastrous
Playmaking: wretched Passing: wretched
Winger: poor Defending: poor
Scoring: weak Set Pieces: wretched


It actually doesn't look like too terrible a starting group to me. I think my first task is to dump Stewart Correa, Clint Payne, Ervin Costa, and Hortencio Ballester...they look pretty worthless to my eye. I'll have to poke around the transfer list to see what kinda dough the guys I have who have solids go for so I can hopefully get some extra money to put into some trainees. From what it sounds like, that's my priority number one. Since I don't really have any particularly good trainees on the team now, I can pretty much choose whatever training regimen to follow for now. I'll figure that out at some point. Gotta get a coach and a halfway decent goalie. Start investing in the youth squad. Get some assistants. Hm, there goes the money.

Comments? Is this fairly similar to the usual starting squad?

EDIT: And I think I'll sleep on my decisions before making them.

[Desnudo]

Welcome! It does get better, although it may not seem that way for a few months. Honestly, I think you got shafted a bit and your team is slightly weaker than an average starting team. Although that doesn't matter a whole lot in the long run. A lot of your solid skills seem to have gone to the Set Piece skill.

You have a couple of defenders who might bring a decent price:

Clinton Dahl (31992198)
23 years, passable form, healthy
A pleasant guy who is calm and honest.
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities.

Speciality: Quick

Nationality: USA
Assessed value: 131 000 US$
Wage: 1 360 US$/week
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: inadequate Goaltending: wretched
Playmaking: weak Passing: passable
Winger: weak Defending: solid
Scoring: disastrous Set Pieces: weak

The passable passing makes him more attractive, as it does for the passable/passable guy. You'll also be able to get some decent cash on all your guys with Solid set pieces. Especially the passable scoring ones as a decent scoring skill combined with a good set piece skill can create special event goals. What are you training?

[JAG]

Thanks for the welcome. I decided on training goalkeeping for now. In the long run I think I'll prefer to train something else, but I think that'll be the easiest thing for me to start with (don't want to confuse myself too much in the beginning).

[vex]

Don't get rid of Costa! He's your keeper. A bad one, but still your keeper.

[Chubby]

teams get new players when you take them over so you're probably better than the team you took over (or maybe not)

[vex]

If you went with a 3-5-2, this would be an idea for a starting lineup:

Keeper: Ervin Costa (for now, definitely upgrade toa high inadequate or a passable keeper)

Wingback: Romildo Farpón
Central Defender: Clinton Dahl
Wingback: Sanford Choate

Winger: Gregory McMurry
Inner Midfielder: Richard Hooker
Inner Midfielder: Lester Lorenz
Inner Midfielder: (You need to pick someone up for this spot)
Winger: Neville Lavoie

Forward: Morris Trevino
Forward: John Poindexter



For a 3-4-3, this would be an idea for a lineup:


Keeper: Ervin Costa

Wingback: Romildo Farpón
Central Defender: Clinton Dahl
Wingback: Sanford Choate

Winger: Neville Lavoie
Inner Midfielder: Richard Hooker
Inner Midfielder: Lester Lorenz
Inner Midfielder: (You need to pick someone up for this spot)


Forward: Morris Trevino
Forward: John Poindexter
Forward: Darwin Hebert or Gregory McMurry



I wouldn't say that you got a bad squad at all. Definitely better than what I got.

[vex]

I took a look at your last two league games. While the Manhattan Kickers may be out of your league for now, you can definitely take out the Communist Ninjas, their owner doesn't even login, and other than their keeper, that entire team sucks.

[JAG]

Thanks vex! I'll probably start off playing a 3-5-2 (so as you said, I need an inner mid). I was able to pick up a better goalie for 66k:


Jacek Latoszek (31378540)
17 years, weak form, healthy
A nasty fellow who is calm and honest.
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities.

Nationality: Polska
Assessed value: 171 000 US$
Wage: 1 800 US$/week including 20% Bonus
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: wretched Goaltending: passable
Playmaking: disastrous Passing: disastrous
Winger: wretched Defending: disastrous
Scoring: disastrous Set Pieces: poor


The passable goalies I saw were all pretty much this price (at least for 17-18 yr olds), so I may need to hunt for a high inadequate so I don't go over budget. My main goal (besides getting some cheap players to round out the team and another goalie to train) is to sell the guys I have who can bring in some needed capital. To figure out what they're worth on the market, do you just look for comparable players and see what the going rate is?

EDIT: Oh, got a better coach too.


Enrique Lasanta (9430531)
58 years, wretched form, healthy
A passable trainer who is fond of attacking
A pleasant guy who is tranquil and upright.
Has outstanding experience and poor leadership abilities.

[tucker rocky]

Originally Posted by JAG

Thanks vex! I'll probably start off playing a 3-5-2 (so as you said, I need an inner mid). I was able to pick up a better goalie for 66k:


Jacek Latoszek (31378540)
17 years, weak form, healthy
A nasty fellow who is calm and honest.
Has disastrous experience and poor leadership abilities.

Nationality: Polska
Assessed value: 171 000 US$
Wage: 1 800 US$/week including 20% Bonus
Owner: Vermont Blizzard
Warnings: 0

Stamina: wretched Goaltending: passable
Playmaking: disastrous Passing: disastrous
Winger: wretched Defending: disastrous
Scoring: disastrous Set Pieces: poor


The passable goalies I saw were all pretty much this price (at least for 17-18 yr olds), so I may need to hunt for a high inadequate so I don't go over budget. My main goal (besides getting some cheap players to round out the team and another goalie to train) is to sell the guys I have who can bring in some needed capital. To figure out what they're worth on the market, do you just look for comparable players and see what the going rate is?

EDIT: Oh, got a better coach too.


Enrique Lasanta (9430531)
58 years, wretched form, healthy
A passable trainer who is fond of attacking
A pleasant guy who is tranquil and upright.
Has outstanding experience and poor leadership abilities.

Excellent pick-up on your new keeper, train the heck out of him since you decided on keeper training. He could be at formidable by end of next season.
Then sell, provided you have another trainee to take over, then use that money to buy a solid coach.

[tucker rocky]

In time you'll build up a cash flow to buy better players.
1 step at a time, take your lumps, then come back with avengence.

[lytic]

I dunno if you did it... but did you expand your arena? I always suggest 16k to start.

[lytic]

dola

You team was a lot better than mine. I had 1 guy valued at over $100k. That was only because he was good in scoring and playmaking (Passable I think)

[JAG]

Originally Posted by lytic

I dunno if you did it... but did you expand your arena? I always suggest 16k to start.

It doesn't seem like I have the money left to do it. My trainees cost me ~100k, my coach cost another 78k or so, so I'm down to about 120k or so. My expenses per week look like they're going to be ~38k or so and I'm unsure of my income for now. I looked into the cost of upgrading the stadium to 15K and it was something like over $150,000. I can already see myself in debt coming up next season unless some of my starting guys go for a good bit more than I would expect on the transfer market. I just need to make it to the end of next year when I can probably sell a keeper and I think I'll be in pretty decent shape. Now watch them both get injured.

[Tellistto]

Please note that with a stadium of around 16k you will be able to break even money wise, even with higher expenses per week, which means you won't be bleeding money every week, which you WILL do with a stadium of 7k. Even if you spend ~200k on a stadium now, you won't regret it, especially if you start out just pulling keepers, because you have a better chance of getting sellable players doing so. I also recommend 16k stadium, even going into debt to do so. I'm hovering at -200k with my team, but it will all soon be wiped away from selling one formidable keeper.

Tell

[Tellistto]

Dola,

I should also mention that you'll break even IF you manage to sell out 16k seats every other week. Sellout with 16k is around 100k in revenue, so even with 50k a week expenses, it's all good.

Tell

[JAG]

Assuming this sorry-ass team I have will sell out of course.

I'll have to think about this one for a bit, but you guys are the voice of experience.

[tucker rocky]

Expand the stadium, you will not regret it in the future.
With your team in a div. 6 series, you have a good shot at winning games.
Your series has 1 team moving up most likely, leaving 2 or 3 teams that you might not have a shot of beating, and 3 or 4 teams that you'll most likely beat. You might even get lucky and draw against those that you are unsure about winning. You can also PIC against those teams you are very sure of winning against, but just scoring goals you are assured of gaining new supporters, score none and probably no new supporters.

Debt is part of the game, your new keeper trainee will bring you lots of money by end of next year, as he should be at formidable since you are going to train keepers.
Like Tellistto said, pull keepers to have better shot of getting sellable players.
You might even have to bite the bullet and sell some of your better players you have if you get into a cash crunch.

[tucker rocky]

dola,

When setting up friendlies, try to get them at your place as this is more income.
International friendlies with cup rules on will draw bigger crowds than normal friendlies.

[tucker rocky]

double dola,

The friendly you have next week will probably bring in a handful of cash, not much as that team is in div. 6, and crowd will probably be small, being that your team is div. 6 also, not much interest to the fans.

[lytic]

You lose out because you'll have no VIP (not effected by weather and brings in the most cash) and no roof seats (not effected by weather as much, brings in slightly more money than normal seats).

If you don't expand now, I'll be a long time before you do again. Remember to use the Arena % Formula (which someday soon I will memorize). I will also agree going slightly into debt now for arena build will be worth it in the long run.

[JAG]

Ok, I'm convinced (also since I don't see how else I would make any money to offset going into debt anyway). I upgraded to the 16k stadium using the arena formula. What the heck, if I end up at -500K, what have I really lost anyway? I'm flirting close to the 'No transfers for you!' line, so hopefully some of my guys will get bought this week.

EDIT: Thanks so much for the helpful comments and suggestions everyone.

[lytic]

I hit -$490k once... it's all good.

[finkenst]

Welcome to Cra^H^H^H Hattrick, Jag!

They sucked me in too.

[Mr. Wednesday]

Originally Posted by tucker rocky

When setting up friendlies, try to get them at your place as this is more income.

Not necessarily true. International friendlies, it may be more income (depending on whether the difference in crowd makes up the $6000 difference in income). Domestic friendlies, it's almost certainly not true, unless you're playing another startup or a relatively young team mired in a run of miserable results.