[Izulde]

I've got on my UNLV lounge pants, T-shirt, and Real Betis hoodie. Really need a good pair of slippers to complete the ensemble and feel comfortable.

But I suppose that's a microcosm of my typical FM playing experience - Get 1/2 to 2/3rds of the way to really getting with it, but there's always that one final element missing for it to really click long-term.

Doesn't stop me from trying, though.

So this time around I've taken the Staines Swans, who I've probably taken before. This time I'm not going to muck around with staff at first go-round. I'll just take my $41,000, one year contract, and see how we go with the people already in place staff-wise.

I spend a fair bit of time pouring over formations to see what's most comfortable looking to me, and eventually decide (for now) on the 4-4-2 Diamond.

Hmm. Music would be good, too. Pandora fired up. And yeah, I'm going to go all stream of consciousness/flip-flopping probably. The fun of fending off panic attacks, which has been a near-nightly occurrence ever since August. It's been better the past few days, thanks to vaping and playing Fire Emblem, but it's not quite enough, so from fire to Football it is.

Anyway, I'm feeling lazy, so I'll let my Assistant pick the team for now.

Training I'm not even going to touch.

Heh. My assman is also one of my players.

After reviewing the Team Report, it's clear we desperately need help at AMC and DMC and depth everywhere but DC and GK.

And of course, there's no transfer money. We have $15,000 left in the wage budget though, so let's go shopping.

Unfortunately there's zero DMCs in our area, but fortunately there's a couple AMCs - a 23 year old and a youth player. I immediately put in a bid on the 23 year old and scout the kid.

Oh, and we're suppose to avoid relegation. Oops. Probably not the time to implement a new system whole-hog.

vs Reserves
The senior squad dominates the first half and goes in 2-0 at the break, thanks to goals by Tony Garrod, who looks like our best player at the moment, and Mario Quiassaca, who was a start I made to overrule my assman.

The second half is more of the same with Quiassaca tacking on a second goal, and Reece Hall scoring a fluke longshot goal from the ML position.

***

After looking at Josh Mulvaney some more, we're not interested, and so we'll be cancelling the deal that would have him here. He'll be pissed, but I don't care.

vs Maidstone
We look tired and sloppy in the first half. Tony Garrod does pick up another goal, but Reece Hall is sent off on a double yellow towards the end of the first half and it's tied 1-1. A brief glimmer of hope when Garrod takes a gorgeous pass from Mario Quiassaca and blasts it in for the early 2-1 lead, but of course, our defense takes a nap and we lose 3-2. Terrible play from our fullbacks in this one, and Jack Turner is rightfully frustrated with his own mediocre performance at the back.

We grab our first signing, 16 year old ML Wayne Young, who my scout thinks could become a League 2 worthy player when he develops. Hot damn. He'll get his shot to start, certainly, despite how young he is.

I notice Mario Quiassaca is out of contract, as is Jerel Ifil, and those are two of our key players from what I've seen thus far. Unfortunately, Ifil wants $63,000 a year, and Quiassaca doesn't want a contract with us. Great.

Pausing here, I think.