Offseason advice for promoting team

[QuikSand]

My Chesapeake Cheapshots are promiting to Division IV. Along with the autopromotion, I guess I'll collect something like $290,000 - and I'm trying to decide what I ought do do with the money.

At the moment, I am just about flat even on cash. (After this week's transactions, I will come out at about $5K in the hole) However, I have a second keeper rated solid at age 21, whom I plan to sell pretty soon - and I think I can pencil in around $200K for him.

My squad has been pretty solid, but is a bit thin. I have three solid defenders and a decent old clown who is a fair replacement. I have three improving midfielders, two of whom recently popped to excellent with my mostly-PM training. I have two verstile wingers, along with an old guy who seems to play over his head (and he scores, too). My most recent investment was a second solid forward, though neither of my guys has a particularly good set of secondary stats. I have two decent, versatile reserves-- one who is passable at both defending and scoring, another in playmaking and scoring, who back up at forward and elsewhere. Past that, I have mostly scrubs.

My stadium currently seats 16,400, and I prettyregularly filled that up last seaosn in Div V (while on a long winning streak). My club has 935 supporters, and I think we get a bonus there when we promote - so I should be just over 1,000 fairly soon. I know that by the bok my stadium is too small, but a $250,00 upgrade is imposing.


My biggest fear with upgrading the stadium is that we'll end up getting swamped in Division IV. My side has just posed an index of 60 in its last (MOTS) match, but generally has hovered around 52-55 when playing on normal setting. My guess is that puts me in the lower half of my Div IV league. I'm worried that if we are losing most of our matches rather than winning every week, our rapid growth in supporters will be stemmed - and we'll have to rethink all this.


My default plan is still: roughtly double my stadium size, and then use about $200K to invest in one more key player (maybe a more balanced forward).

Sound sensible? Anyone have a thoroughly different suggestion? (Should I perhaps sell off my 19 year old EX playmaker, to get a more well-rounded veteran player without the trainability of this guy?)

[KevinNU7]

I wouldn't worry too much about your team being auto regulated next season. The best team was a 66 and the ratings went all the way down to 53 for the top 6 squads. I definetly think you can compete here.

If I were you I'd set your stadium to 30k and that added revenue a week will pay off a couple of months into the season and you can buy better players to compete.

Do it now so that your stadium will be ready for Cup games.

[DukeRulesMAB]

I agree, I'd plow the money into the stadium. If you can just survive this year, you'll have more money in the bank. And your playmaker will be a level higher and thus much more valuable for sale. Then you can make the move to really improve your squad.

[dacman]

How is it I have higher "average" ratings than you? You say you have 3 solid defenders, I have 1. You have 2 excellent middies, I have 1. You have a solid GK, my best is passable. Hmmmm.....

[Alf]

Sorry to sound negative QuikSand, but when moving from Div V to Div IV you only receive $175K ($75K for champion + $100K for autopromote). It's from D IV to DIII that it is $290K (my case).

You'll have a 10% supporter increase though and that would land you 1050 supporters (by start of next season). An average run recommands supporter X 25 => 25.000 seats stadium. You could still target 22.000 if you are shy.

[KevinNU7]

All your supporters will repay at the start of the season so that's an additional $30k you'll be getting.

[QuikSand]

Thanks for the advice all, and for the correction, Alf.

[daedalus]

I like your original plan, QS: give a bit of a facelift to the park and let more folks come in and invest in a better forward, if you can find one for the right price.

Your squad seems to be fairly set at the moment and should be ready to compete in D IV. As far as being worried about supporter being upset when you lose, you should be okay in that department if the team can score. The biggest hit you take will generally come from getting shutout at home (sadly, the one big argument against the 4-5-1). That should really happen only against the best one or two team in the serie, particularly if you have those really dominant teams. (Examples: I didn't take very big hits with supporters' feeling losing to the Raiders this year because I scored where I had major problems and lost supporters last year because I was shutout.) Big thing would be to have some Spokespersons to keep them happier, 5 worked for me this season (side benefit is that they should bring more money from sponsors as well). And maybe up the Psychologists to 2-3 for team confidence maintenance, if you expect that you may lose (I usually carry 1).

If you do end up looking for a new forward, I definitely like the 23-27 age range since you're not training their relevant skills. People seems to start giving up on training those guys around that age and you ought to be able to get a better price in that age group. They should still be usable for another 2-3 seasons and still be able to sell for a decent return after that. If you have another set piecer already, you might consider one with a head skill unless an affordable one with set piece falls into your lap. If you don't, then set piece is definitely a good thing to look for since that'll get them some extra goals through penalties and maybe a long shot event. Also, with a forward in a 2-forward system, I would not hesitate to go with an unpredictable one at all. Personally, I still look at passing before set piece or specialties.

As for your trainees, I would definitely hold on to him. The reason being that you'll get much more for him next season with, hopefully, 2 more pops and the ratings gets into the outstanding-formidable range. Also, it will give you a season of play in D IV to decide on the direction of improvements. Although, in my opinion, an improvement at goalkeeper is NEVER a bad move (at an appropriate price).

[Poli]

Quiksand, I can't believe no one has mentioned I'm in your upcoming division (as far as I can tell, you are, anyway.) Welcome to D4.43. It's been my home for two seasons, and Lord willing, my last will be this season.

I wouldn't fret about the jump to D4. It'll be a little more taxing, but I have a feeling you'll do better than you expect.

Our incoming D3 team is a gift from the outgoing Ghetto Superstars. The Superstars tried to throw their matches in order to stay in D4, but failed to throw one other match. They still auto promoted, but at the very bottom of the auto promote list. That gave D4.43 one of the three (I think) totally inactive teams, Gryphons FC. Every match they had last season was a walk over, which means a guaranteed two PIC wins for you next season.

Our other incoming team, the Harbourmasters, I don't know much about. As I recall, their NSI was barely above yours, and you should be able to compete effectively with them.

As for the two qualifier matches, we should be fine regardless. DeathKnight is on "death's door." As far as I know, the team is inactive, and will soon be replaced by the computer. That's another two PIC wins. Even if they're not, you should be able to handle them as long as your TS isn't low (I lost to them last season for that reason).

The Sweep, well, I don't know about them. They won a whole 3 games last season, but tied three others. Now, I'm willing to bet those 3 victories were over our two relegating, walk over teams. They're not very good.

If both are replaced, I see you having no problem against the incoming teams. They're both weaker than you significantly.

As for the remaining three. Wow. It's a power struggle. Rage didn't seem to know what they were doing at first, but now seem to have their heads on straight. I'm betting it's either me or the Rage that take D4.43 next year. That said, they are beatable. You could surprise them by scouting them effectively, if you remember that's how I beat them last season, with help from FOFC.

The Fighting Illini don't seem to have much of a clue. They win games based off their talent, but I have to assume they don't position their players correctly. They should be doing a lot better than 4th place for the 2nd year in a row.

That said, I could easily see a upper half finish for you. Definitely.

What did I come to D4 with? Two solid scorers, no solid midfielders, a solid winger, and a passable keeper. Despite that, I held my own for most of the first season with that squad. It didn't take long for me to invest in better players after I got here. I definitely believe all you need in a forward is solid scoring to be effective. Midfield will be a key role, though. I'd keep every midfielder you got right now, my friend. I'd upgrade my weakest areas first.

You can't assume you're ready for D3 yet, and winning all your games in D5 tells me you're ready for D4. Take a season or two to season your team while in D4 and plan your strike then. Beat the teams your supposed to beat. Sounds simple, but if I had last season, I'd have finished second (dang it).

Hope I've been of help. I look forward to a "friendly" face in D4.43 next season. As always, you can always ask for my advice. It's free, and biased :).