The power of having a strong youth recruitment network - we've found two of our biggest rising stars through there - as well as the overachieving
Trent Cummings.
The fallout of my efforts to move on the veterans, especially
Kyle Morgan is spectacularly epic. The veterans themselves are furious. But
Michael Amoroso is happy, because I've promised him his starting job back once
Kevin Mussio is gone.
Weird thing - the board sets initial budgets of $250k and $12k and change respectively - even though we're at a -$4k cash balance.
Nothing really to quibble with here other than
Kevin Mussio should have been the pick in goal.
We lock down
Marvin Thomas and
Devon Young on one year extensions for the same rate, and the same for the holdout coach who was demanding more money initially.
Our sponsorship money is just $80k this year - a $7k drop despite our fantastic season performance. Kind of pisses me off to be honest.
Kowyn Samuel is set to retire, but wants to be a scout, refusing my coach offer, even though that's the best place for him.
For some reason I thought we were 20th in reputation in Trinidad last year? Now we're 26th, but our reputation also rose, going from a half-star to a full star. So who knows?
The board expects me to finish in the top half of the league, reach the third round of the FA Trophy and the first round of the Classic Cup. Wait, what?! The Classic Cup?! What's that?!
Quote:
The Trinidad and Tobago Classic, or commonly known as the TOYOTA Classic, is a knockout tournament for teams in Trinidad and Tobago's TT Pro League and National Super League. The football competition began in 2005, with TOYOTA as the primary sponsor, and is currently contested each October and November following the Pro League and Super League seasons
The knockout tournament begins in the first round with all TT Pro League teams automatically entering the competition. Following each National Super League season, the top eight teams in the final league table qualify and enter in the first round as well.
|
$8.85k for the tournament winner, $6.12k for the runner-up. Not that we're not going to get that far - we're just happy to be able to attend. With those increased expectations, I might need to rethink a few of the guys I've transfer listed.
Transfer In - MC Kerry Brown (17) - From Stokely Vale - Free Transfer
Solid all-around player with 17 Teamwork and 11 Work Rate. With some work, he'll become an AMC as well. Making $6.5k on a one year deal. He'll become a primary backup and essentially replace the retiring
Kowyn Samuel's role.
I try to convince DC
Jeremy McMeo to sign with us, but even with his friend
Marvin Thomas on the squad, he just isn't interested.
Contract Extension - MCL/AML Damian Pino (25) - 3 years - $8k/year - $1k year raise
Got off to a slow start, but blossomed into one of our best players as the season wore on last season. The raise increase is reasonable to lock him down for his prime years for a guy who grades out as our second best player behind
Kevin Mussio.
Contract Extension - DM/MC Trent Cummings (18) - 2 years - $1.8k/year
On paper, he doesn't have the talent to be any good. But he was excellent for us last year and slots in perfectly as our attacking MC. Even if he gets surpassed, for that price, he's a very cheap lockup.
Oh, and we also released four youth players to chop another $3.6k off the payroll. In total, we're back to last season's roughly $90k per year in salary expenditures.
Since
Kyle Morgan's contract expires at the end of the season and my staff keeps bugging me to take him off the transfer list, I finally do.
Loan In - AMRC/MCR Leon Hernandez (17) - From Defence Force - Season Long Loan
13 Acceleration and 12 Pace are this pint-sized (5'6") winger prospect's primary skills, and he represents quite a contrast to the 6'5" tall glass of water
Colin Williams. We've been underachieving in the friendly season, yet to record a win, so the kid will get his shot with an eye towards potentially bringing him in as a long-term solution.
Hayden Vincent and
Damian Pino reprise last season's roles as Captain and Vice-Captain, and it's widely expected Pino will become the new captain next year, because I'm not going to renew Vincent's contract.
[code]
Team Value: $70k (-$50k)
Average Ticket Price: $14 (+1)
Average Season Ticket Price: $71 (+6)
Season Ticket Holders: 89 (+8)
Stadium: 700 capacity (Owned by the council)
Basic Corporate Facilities, Training Facilities, and Junior Youth Coaching
Poor Youth Facilities
Average Youth Recruitment
Balance: $39,702 (-$55,640)
Payroll Budget: $250k (+$90k)
Transfer Budget: $12.3k (+3k)[code]
Loan In - DRC Jamal Edwards (17) - From W Connection - Season-Long Loan
12 Marking, 11 Aggression, 12 Decisions and Acceleration, 11 Pace, 10 Strength. Unambitious dude who probably doesn't want to come here long term, and has a host of other problems, but he's an immediate DR upgrade, especially since
Marvin Thomas has had injury problems in preseason.
vs Siparia
G: Michael Amoroso
D: Devon Young/Kirt Lewis/Hayden Vincent/Jamal Edwards
MC: Everald Coker/Kevin Jamerson
AM: Damian Pino/Kyle Morgan/Leon Hernandez
S: Dwayne Alzola
Yep. We've had injuries to both of our strikers, so we're forced to start the asshole who won't leave.
2 -
Jamerson passes right to
Hernandez just outside the half-circle. Despite three defenders swirling around him, our loanee slides the pass back to
Jamerson in the box and the midrange is good!
1-0
8.8 and PotM for
Kevin Jamerson, 7.4 for
Leon Hernandez, and 7.1 for
Everald Coker as our top 3 performers. I thought about subbing in at some point, but my gut said to just ride our starters.
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!
Dwayne Alzola, much as I hate him, gets hurt, and is out 6-8 weeks. We're also without
Kyle Morgan for 3-4 weeks. The injury woes we get hit with are fucking dumb.
We now have ZERO healthy natural strikers for next game, and only a couple of maybe could play it. Rage rising.