Another American Adventure (FM 16)

[Greyfriars Bobby]

As I continued to play around with "Milo Bloom's" fictional American database, I came up with a plan for another Football Manager 16 project.

"Milo" has made it possible for the United States to grow into one of the world's leading soccer ("football" from now on) nations. The American football system now features promotion and relegation, like other world powers, and Americans now play the sport during the fall and winter. The American Premier League is one of the two or three best leagues in the world, as prestigious as Spain's Liga BBVA and England's Premier League.

I'm managing a very small club in my other American adventure. When I discovered that big American clubs are rich enough to attract some of the world's best players, I decided to try my hand at managing one.

I decided to take over the controls at Boston Minutemen.



I teach American history, so how could I resist a team that plays at John Quincy Adams Park? We train at Adidas National Soccer Academy, where our Superb training and youth facilities will make it possible for us to build our club for long-term success.

I discovered that the elimination of the "real" Major League Soccer turned all its players into free agents. I sensed if I didn't move to sign some of them, other Premier League clubs would. My three kids, all soccer fans, really became interested in this part of the project, and they're suggesting some players for me to sign.

I think we're all going to have fun with this, and I hope some of you will, too.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

15 August 2015

Before I introduce you to the players, I'm going to take a minute to profile the staff I've assembled at Boston Minutemen. When I manage small teams, the members of the back room staff aren't usually very interesting, because nobody has ever heard of any of them. With a big club, that might not be the case. You might see some recognizable names on these lists.

Senior Team Coaching Staff


I accepted the game's recommendations about my playing background and my coaching credentials, and it maxed me out in both categories. So, I'm an England international with 65 caps and 6 goals to my credit. Probably a center back, since I'm 6'3".

When I took over the team, I had a random, fictional assistant manager who wasn't very good, so I sacked him immediately and hired Heaps. In "real life," he played for and managed New England Revolution in MLS after an outstanding career at Duke, where he also walked on to the basketball team.

I was happy to see Meola among the possible candidates for a job as our goalkeeping coach. His credentials as a 'keeper for the USMNT need very little introduction. He also lettered in baseball at the University of Virginia, plays the drums in a cover band, and once had the lead in an off-Broadway production of Tony n' Tina's Wedding.

Fitness coaches Piri and Driscoll were looking for work after spending time on the staffs of big clubs in England and continental Europe.

Winter was a huge get for us, too. He played for Ajax, Lazio, and Inter Milan, and Holland, earning 84 caps. Aron also managed Ajax U18 and Toronto FC. Both he and Colin Cooper are Model Professionals, too.

Thomson is a fictional character, but he's pretty good, so I kept him around. Same for Cousins.


Reserve Team Coaching Staff


I discovered these coaches work with players at all three levels: the senior team, the reserves, and the Under 18s. Therefore, I wanted to bring in some quality coaches, and in the process, I've created a group with some international flair.

Concina is a fantastic reserves manager. Leonhardsen spent a decade in the English Premier League before and after starring in his native Norway, while playing 86 times for his country.

Røvde and César both had links to MLS. I wonder if the links we've established in Scandinavia and Brazil might help us find some talented players there?


Under 18 Coaches


Yes, that is the Sigi Schmid, MLS's winningest coach of all time. I hope our U18s know they are being mentored by a legend. Califf, a long-time MLS player, already lists him among his Favoured Personell. I think their relationship will only help our team thrive.

Oddly enough, Friedel's credentials as a specialist goalkeeping coach are trash! My son, who is himself a goalkeeper, likes seeing two iconic American 'keepers on the staff. Don't think I won't be looking to see if Tim Howard decides to go into coaching once he hangs up his gloves.

Friedel (82) and Califf (23) have 105 United States caps between them.


Scouts


Chief scout Sylvestre is a fictional character, but he's got some talent and a Fairly Professional personality. That combination was strong enough for me to keep him on the job.

Möller is the famous name on this list, a Borussia Dortmund legend, capped 82 times for Germany.

I can add a couple more scouts, and I think I will look for someone with knowledge of the British Isles.


Physiotherapists


I gave my daughters the job of hiring our physios. They decided to see if they could find women who wanted to work for Boston Minutemen, and they turned up five of them!

My older daughter thought she remembered Carneiro's name; she supports Chelsea and, while she was eight when Carneiro's conflict with Jose Mourinho began there, she's learned about it after the fact. That's why Carneiro was job-hunting in my FM world, and Claire was delighted to hire her as our head physio.

Her staff are all very good at their job, too. Cooper and Bush are both young and might get even better.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

15 August 2015

The American Premier League season begins today, as we travel to Denver for a televised matchup with the Bighorns.

I've registered 25 players for the season, in keeping with league rules. Let's meet them now.

I've taken some managerial license this time. As my kids and I were looking for free agents from the "old" MLS to try to sign, we couldn't find Landon Donovan. It turns out that Donovan retired at the end of the 2014 season, only to return to the pitch in 2016. That meant he wasn't available as a player for 2015/16 in our world.

I have a copy of Football Manager 2014, so I fired it up, looked at Donovan's profile, and opened up the FM 2016 in-game editor. I found a random, imaginary free agent and transformed him into Donovan. To make things a bit more fair, I waited a week for him to discover that he was now, indeed, Donovan, and for the AI clubs to have a shot at sniffing him out, too.

Fortunately, he chose to sign for us.

We also thought we'd have some fun with a tragic figure from football history. Duncan Edwards died as a result of the injuries he suffered in a 1958 plane crash that took the lives of 23 of the 44 persons on board, including seven of Edwards' Manchester United teammates. Edwards, only 21 at the time, was already a star, and many who saw him play claim he would have been one of the greatest footballers of all time.

On the Steam workshop for FM 16, there's a mod that allowed me to add a 16-year-old Edwards into the game. I used the editor to add him to my team.

There are some "purists" who will say "YoU'vE rUiNeD yEr GaMe! YeR cHeAtInG!" I don't care. It's a game. We just think it will be fun to see how good Edwards becomes.

Boston began the year with a wage budget of just over $1.5 million/week (!!) and $97 million to spend on transfers...enough to bring in some outstanding players.


Goalkeepers


I immediately signed Bingham on a free transfer and he was going to be our number one 'keeper until my scouting staff recommended I take a good look at Cillessen, whom Ajax might be willing to sell for the right price. That price turned out to be $10 million.

Cillessen is tough and resilient, outstanding at organizing his defense, and comfortable and creative in his distribution. Holland's first choice will be ours, too.

We'd be just fine with Bingham between the posts, too. Signed on a free transfer, he is just about as good as Cillessen in every respect except his ability to communicate with his defense.

Homegrown youngster Foster has immense potential. He'll see a lot of action for our reserves.


Full Backs


Right back Goldberg is powerful and athletic, and he's technically sound enough to get forward and create an attacking threat. Friend, whom I bought from Middlesbrough for $6.75 million, is an even better example of this type of mobile wide defender. He'll start at left back.

Rosenberry is young and talented, and I'll find a way to get him onto the pitch. Winkel gives us depth, and he can play center back, too.

Keane, of course, will feature much more at center half. More on him in a bit. Same with Baldwin.


Center Backs


The "real" Keane has had an up-and-down career at Everton. Five years ago, he was 22, playing for Burnley, and many thought he'd be a future star for club and country. I'd like to see how much of his potential he can unlock in Boston, where he will be a fixture in the center of our defense. At $21 million, he didn't come cheaply.

Miazga will start alongside him. He's not as smooth on the ball as Keane, but he's just as rugged and imposing. And, he's only 20.

Free transfer Larentowicz is an affordable, versatile veteran who can play a variety of roles in the middle of the park. Baldwin and Winkel are decent backups.


Central Midfielders


The first big name I signed was Bradley, cast adrift like all the other MLS standouts. Tenacious, resolute, and a consummate team player, I originally envisioned him as our DM.

Then, I spotted de Jong. If I didn't pick him up, a rival club would, and I was able to lure him to John Quincy Adams Park. He's seen it all, turning out for Ajax, Hamburg, Manchester City, and AC Milan. His arrival enables me to move Bradley farther up the pitch; he's a bit more creative than de Jong.

For $8 million, I purchased talented teenage playmaker Hyndman from Fulham. He's a smooth passer with outstanding range and vision, and his professional attitude makes him a perfect fit for our team.

Until two weeks ago, those three fine players made up our midfield trio. Then, as I was looking at a list of free agents my scouting staff had compiled, I spotted one of the most iconic names in English football.

The "real" Frank Lampard signed with New York City FC in July 2014, planning to join the MLS club in 2015. Of course, there's no NYCFC in my world...so that made Lampard a free agent. He was considering retirement, but I decided to see if I could persuade him to sign for us. I promised him the captain's arm band--an honor he never regularly had at Chelsea. That, and a contract worth $84,000/week, was enough to convince him.

I enjoy building a team around a dominant midfield, and I might have the pieces in place for just such a combination. They're not young; Bradley is the most youthful at 28, while Lampard is 37. However, the trio boast 292 international appearances between them, and their skills should still be sufficient for them to excel at this level.

And, if they falter, there's wonderkid Edwards, who can literally play anywhere on the pitch except in goal.


Forwards


We have three good players who can all play any of the front three in our 4-1-2-3 DM Wide formation. You've already heard about Donovan, who missed much of the preseason with a minor knee injury.

I was surprised I could pry Kuyt from Feyenoord, but he signed a one-year deal with the possibility of a second year if (when) he plays 25 league matches. That's a safe bet, even if he is now 35 years old. Once a striker who moved out wide later in his career, I wouldn't hesitate to use him as the front man again.

My daughters were ecstatic when I paid $25 million to bring Pulisic back to the USA from Dortmund. That's a lot of cash to splash on him--he's 16 here, remember--but it will be fun to see if he becomes a world-class winger.

Morris is more of a natural striker, but he can play out wide, too. If both thirty-somethings are available and on song, he'll be a backup, but he clearly has a future in Boston.

I like Mereu, who can play on both wings and runs like the wind. He starred during the preseason, firing three goals while Donovan was sidelined.


Final Thoughts

The cast of characters I've assembled might not have a very long run together. Some of them--Lampard, Kuyt, Donovan, Larentowicz, even de Jong--are at the age when footballer's skills decline.

Some of the other big clubs in the APL are filling their rosters with outstanding players, too, and they have the money to keep doing it. Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York, in particular, are assembling very good sides. Denver, Houston, and Chicago don't seem far behind.

The top four finishers qualify for the North American Champions League. If the veterans can stay hale and hearty, we should contend for one of those spots.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

15 August 2015, revisited

Two weeks into the season, the game froze, and the only way to get it unstuck was to exit the game completely. Then, when I restarted FM and tried to reload the game, it wouldn't open. I think I probably messed with the file too much.

I decided to begin again, without the edited Landon Donovan (who might have been responsible for the crash). The idea of filling the football world with teenage wonderkids, like Duncan Edwards, was very tempting. I decided to add only two: Edwards, and a young Johann Cruijff. Both were free agents as the story began. Edwards is 17 and Cruijff 18, so while they're undoubtedly destined for stardom, they're both a long way from that point.

The kids and I tried to recreate most of our team from last time, but we weren't able to make that happen. We couldn't persuade Frank Lampard to sign, and Michael Bradley picked Arsenal instead. We also decided to be a little more "realistic," and avoided making too many signings right away.

So, here's the revised edition of Boston Minutemen, 2015/16. Once again, I hired Jay Heaps as my assistant manager, so the star ratings come from him.


Goalkeepers


I have the same goalkeeping pair, so we're very well situated between the posts.

It was a bit tougher to sign Cillessen this time; Ajax drove a harder bargain, and it took about $12 million to prise him loose.

Bingham seems to be valued much higher this time around. I wonder if he's really a much better player, too?

Unfortunately, we don't have an especially talented young 'keeper this time.


Full Backs


We got Friend from Middlesbrough again, and he'll be a fixture at left back. Homegrown right back Espinoza is an exceptionally well-rounded footballer with a professional mindset and a tireless work rate.

Young is a serviceable backup, with lots of pace. Medina has the makings of a future star, and I'll make sure he gets game time with the reserves. Barrett is a versatile spare part who can play anywhere on the back line.


Center Backs


The Keane-Miazga pairing is intact, and I was able to sign Keane for less money this time ($15 million). Keane is the more cultured player, but Miazga is far from a lumbering brute.

I heard about Madsen from one of our scouts, after he played extremely well for Strømsgodset in the EURO Cup qualifiers. He is an excellent third center back, good enough to play regularly if I chose to move Keane to right back.

Barrett is available here, and then there's Dombrowski. My staff rate his potential as highly as those of players like Cillessen, Edwards, and Cruyff. He'll play in the cups, and he's definitely a name to keep an eye on.


Central Midfielders


This time around, we'll look for Edwards to play a much bigger role from the beginning. It's a big ask for a player so young, but I think he could be a special talent.

In our usual three-man midfield, he'll be joined by de Jong and our latest acquisition, Klaassen. De Jong gives us plenty of defensive steel, while Klaassen, signed from Ajax for $11.25 million, is a classy, creative force.

Backing them up are two very solid, all-purpose midfielders, Metzger and Pfeffer. Both are comfortable in more dynamic roles, or as steady, reliable midfield presences.


Wide Midfielders


All three of our best wide men are natural left wingers, but only one can play there. All three of them prefer using their right foot, too.

I brought Pulisic back, and in our current team, he fits best on the right wing. Even at 16, he has ability to take on defenders, beating them on the dribble or making an incisive pass.

Contreras is first choice on the left side. He's our captain, a Minuteman from boyhood, a true professional, with enough pace and athleticism to present an attacking threat.

Carey can only play on the left, which limits his usefulness. He's a slightly less talented version of Contreras.

I'll say more about Cruijff in a moment.


Center Forwards


Cruijff doesn't have lots of pace, but his technical skill and his approach to the game are already exceptional. In my usual 4-1-2-3 Wide DM formation, he fits best as our front man. However, to label Cruijff a striker seems to limit the scope of the player he could become.

Cruijff might be best suited to play as a number 10; if I use him there, then perhaps Klaassen leads the line. He's perhaps even less of a true center forward than Cruijff, but he can do a job there.

The other option is Graham, who is very fast and a sure finisher.


Final Thoughs
Without setting out to do so, I assembled a squad with a strong Dutch presence in its spine: Cillessen, de Jong, Klaassen, Cruijff. They are our four best players now, and since Klaassen is 22 and Cruijff only 18, they should be stars for the next decade or more.

Then there are Edwards, Pulisic, and Dombrowski, even younger than Cruijff and almost as promising. In fact, de Jong is the team's oldest player, and he's only 30.

I like the solid, young team we've put together. It will be fun to see how far we can go.