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Greyfriars Bobby · 03-16-2019, 11:32 AM

6 March 2014

Tomorrow is Opening Day for the First Division programme. Here are the players I'll have at my disposal as the season begins. The star ratings come from my assistant manager, Ronan Smith. I trust his evaluations, since his ratings for Judging Current Ability and Judging Potential Ability are 14 apiece.

Goalkeepers

I had only two 'keepers in the team when I took over, so I wanted to add another right away. I brought in Bradford on a year-long loan from Sunderland. The young English gloveman is quick, agile, and communicates well with his defense. Byrne is a big lad, good in the air. Jimmy O'Connor is a fine shot stopper with great determination. All three 'keepers played quite a bit in preseason, and they all did well enough that I wouldn't hesitate to play any of them in a meaningful game. Bradford is first choice, but not by much.

Defenders

My wide defenders are wing backs, so I need them to be hard-working and skilled enough to present a bit of offensive threat. Left back Díaz is well-suited for this role, and his long throw is a powerful weapon. Woods will play on the right. He is a determined, hard-tackling defender, but he's not quite as polished as Díaz.

I was happy to see a ball-playing defender like Murphy in the team. He is brave, determined, and composed, and he is very good in the air. I wish he saw the field a bit better, but he'll do. Either Reilly or Mark Molloy will be Murphy's partner. Molloy is fast, and will get the nod against teams that feature especially pacy strikers. Reilly is a natural leader, whose commitment and determination have earned him the captain's armband. All three of these players will find themselves on the team sheet most of the time, and Glynn isn't a bad choice, either.

Longworth and Connolly are versatile young players who should be valuable backups.

Midfielders

I'm playing a formation FM calls 4-1-2-3 Wide DM. It employs a holding midfielder in front of the defense, two central players in front of him, and two advanced wide midfielders, which looks like 4-3-3 when we have the ball. When we're defending, the defensive midfielder drops back between the center halves, who can then push forward a bit more.

I didn't have a suitable DM in the team when I took over, so I tasked Ronan Smith with finding one. He suggested I take a look at Aaron O'Connor, and I'm glad he did. Aaron should be an ideal fit, with an ideal set of attributes for the Half Back role.

One of the central midfielders plays a fairly generic supporting role in the middle of the park. Reilly is probably the best choice here, with his solid positional sense and his non-stop engine.

The other CM is an Advanced Playmaker, much more of an attacking player. Russell has the creativity and technical skill I'm looking for in my midfield conductor.

Jamaican right winger Watson's electric pace makes him a dangerous weapon. He led the team with four goals in preseason play.

I brought in veteran Talsma to man the left wing. How did a Dutchman get into an Irish team? My son Blake is an Ajax fan, and I gave him a shout-out by making my manager have Holland as a second nationality. That's how I found Talsma, a classy player with a well-rounded game.

Ryan is a decent footballer who can play several positions, but he has a few really weak attributes (Composure and Determination, in particular) that keep him from being a regular first choice. I'm going to make sure promising Connolly gets plenty of playing time, either with the senior team or the Under 19s. He can play a variety of roles in the middle of the park. John O'Connor is a very promising youngster who can play all along the left side. Matthews runs like the wind, but he's not too useful otherwise.

Attackers

I am still working out the best possible role for my striker. My first instinct is to use the Complete Forward, if such a thing exists in the Irish First Division. Joyce is the closest thing I have to this player. He's an old school number 9, strong and tough.

McCabe played well in two friendlies before he pulled his hamstring. When he returns, he'll make a good backup, with lots of pace. Collins, who can also play out wide, offers even more speed.

Versatile Cronin can do a job in all three attacking roles. He's a flair player with a silky first touch. Mark Molloy can lead the line, too, and he got a goal in one of our preseason matches.

Overall Impressions
The top team in the First Division is automatically promoted to the Premiership. The next two clubs face each other in a Playoff, and the winner goes up, too. My board expect me to lead the team to the Playoff, and according to the League Preview, that's a fair expectation. Longford are the bookmakers' choice to win the league, on 1-2 odds, while we and Shelbourne are next, each on Evens.

We should be a good side, if a few of our key players fit the roles I've given for them as well as I think they will. Murphy and Joyce are examples of these, players whom my staff rate as bang average, but whose particular abilities will hopefully enable them to play like stars in my system.

I had room in my wage budget to bring in Aaron O'Connor and Talsma, whom my staff consider two of the three best players in the team. I don't see any reason why they won't be among the best players in the whole division.

There are, however, a few things about this team I'm not crazy about. Compared to the other teams in the league, our players lack the ability to make good decisions, and they aren't terribly hard workers. A high work rate is part of the DNA of any team I manage, and fixing this issue is one of my long term plans for the club. I'd like to see a bit more steel in my midfielders, and better positioning from my defenders.

03-16-2019, 11:32 AM	#3
Greyfriars Bobby College Prospect Join Date: Sep 2013	6 March 2014 Tomorrow is Opening Day for the First Division programme. Here are the players I'll have at my disposal as the season begins. The star ratings come from my assistant manager, Ronan Smith. I trust his evaluations, since his ratings for Judging Current Ability and Judging Potential Ability are 14 apiece. Goalkeepers I had only two 'keepers in the team when I took over, so I wanted to add another right away. I brought in Bradford on a year-long loan from Sunderland. The young English gloveman is quick, agile, and communicates well with his defense. Byrne is a big lad, good in the air. Jimmy O'Connor is a fine shot stopper with great determination. All three 'keepers played quite a bit in preseason, and they all did well enough that I wouldn't hesitate to play any of them in a meaningful game. Bradford is first choice, but not by much. Defenders My wide defenders are wing backs, so I need them to be hard-working and skilled enough to present a bit of offensive threat. Left back Díaz is well-suited for this role, and his long throw is a powerful weapon. Woods will play on the right. He is a determined, hard-tackling defender, but he's not quite as polished as Díaz. I was happy to see a ball-playing defender like Murphy in the team. He is brave, determined, and composed, and he is very good in the air. I wish he saw the field a bit better, but he'll do. Either Reilly or Mark Molloy will be Murphy's partner. Molloy is fast, and will get the nod against teams that feature especially pacy strikers. Reilly is a natural leader, whose commitment and determination have earned him the captain's armband. All three of these players will find themselves on the team sheet most of the time, and Glynn isn't a bad choice, either. Longworth and Connolly are versatile young players who should be valuable backups. Midfielders I'm playing a formation FM calls 4-1-2-3 Wide DM. It employs a holding midfielder in front of the defense, two central players in front of him, and two advanced wide midfielders, which looks like 4-3-3 when we have the ball. When we're defending, the defensive midfielder drops back between the center halves, who can then push forward a bit more. I didn't have a suitable DM in the team when I took over, so I tasked Ronan Smith with finding one. He suggested I take a look at Aaron O'Connor, and I'm glad he did. Aaron should be an ideal fit, with an ideal set of attributes for the Half Back role. One of the central midfielders plays a fairly generic supporting role in the middle of the park. Reilly is probably the best choice here, with his solid positional sense and his non-stop engine. The other CM is an Advanced Playmaker, much more of an attacking player. Russell has the creativity and technical skill I'm looking for in my midfield conductor. Jamaican right winger Watson's electric pace makes him a dangerous weapon. He led the team with four goals in preseason play. I brought in veteran Talsma to man the left wing. How did a Dutchman get into an Irish team? My son Blake is an Ajax fan, and I gave him a shout-out by making my manager have Holland as a second nationality. That's how I found Talsma, a classy player with a well-rounded game. Ryan is a decent footballer who can play several positions, but he has a few really weak attributes (Composure and Determination, in particular) that keep him from being a regular first choice. I'm going to make sure promising Connolly gets plenty of playing time, either with the senior team or the Under 19s. He can play a variety of roles in the middle of the park. John O'Connor is a very promising youngster who can play all along the left side. Matthews runs like the wind, but he's not too useful otherwise. Attackers I am still working out the best possible role for my striker. My first instinct is to use the Complete Forward, if such a thing exists in the Irish First Division. Joyce is the closest thing I have to this player. He's an old school number 9, strong and tough. McCabe played well in two friendlies before he pulled his hamstring. When he returns, he'll make a good backup, with lots of pace. Collins, who can also play out wide, offers even more speed. Versatile Cronin can do a job in all three attacking roles. He's a flair player with a silky first touch. Mark Molloy can lead the line, too, and he got a goal in one of our preseason matches. Overall Impressions The top team in the First Division is automatically promoted to the Premiership. The next two clubs face each other in a Playoff, and the winner goes up, too. My board expect me to lead the team to the Playoff, and according to the League Preview, that's a fair expectation. Longford are the bookmakers' choice to win the league, on 1-2 odds, while we and Shelbourne are next, each on Evens. We should be a good side, if a few of our key players fit the roles I've given for them as well as I think they will. Murphy and Joyce are examples of these, players whom my staff rate as bang average, but whose particular abilities will hopefully enable them to play like stars in my system. I had room in my wage budget to bring in Aaron O'Connor and Talsma, whom my staff consider two of the three best players in the team. I don't see any reason why they won't be among the best players in the whole division. There are, however, a few things about this team I'm not crazy about. Compared to the other teams in the league, our players lack the ability to make good decisions, and they aren't terribly hard workers. A high work rate is part of the DNA of any team I manage, and fixing this issue is one of my long term plans for the club. I'd like to see a bit more steel in my midfielders, and better positioning from my defenders. Last edited by Greyfriars Bobby : 03-16-2019 at 09:24 PM.