FM2016 - From Africa to Europe - ALL DONE!!!!!

[Abe Sargent]

True true!

[Abe Sargent]

I was going to let Sufian go if I got promoted. But this is my current squad for next year:

GK Barrio
DC Uxio, DC Mahanan
Fullbacks Romero, both Diazes,
ST - Avila, Cascon, Mahmoud
Middies – Borja, Sanchez, Ebwelle, Vazquez, Chupe


Now doesn’t it make sense that I might want to retain Sufian, just as a solid backup? I think so. I have one middle transferring in, if you’ll recall. So we are set there. But Sufian is just a 3 star guy for the B, and now we’re heading up to A. But this guy plays hard, and I have to acknowledge that. Hes willing to cut his salary by 33% from 1800 to 120. I increase it to 1300 and drop it to a one year extension. That’s fair.

Here are my other folks leaving of note. Any I care about? Bolanos, Richi, Plata, Aznar, Alvaro,

Aznar was good, but I can do better and he’s33, I need some strikers that aren’t worsening. Most of my talent there is dropping (Mahmoud and Cascon are 33 and 32).

I transfer list Chupe

We’re good here.

I need some defenders, and such. But I like this for now.

[Abe Sargent]

Welcome to the Liga Adelante, aka, the 2nd best league in Spain!

Any new rules I need to know before I grab more players?

There are 22 teams here, and thus 42 games per season

Top Two are promoted, playoffs from 3-6 for the last spot.

Bottom four are relegated. We need to finish 18th or higher.

We meet the minimum ground capacity of 6000

We have new rules for squad registration:

Maximum of 2 Non-EU players allowed, max of 3 GKs, and max of 23 outfield players so max team size if 25. COntonou nations, and many eastern Europe nations count as EY (like Albania and Ukraine) plus northern Africa like Morocco, Tunisia and more. So lots count.

7 subs named, 3 play, so that;s two better than before which was 5 and 3. No restricions on age.

So there you are. I look at a team that finished 16th randomly to check it out Girona. They have 4 players worth 1 mll or more They were expected to finish 13th.

I could be Girona.

I head to the board. We need to get some stuff. I ask for some new toys

First, I want an increasing scouting range. They grant my request only after I tell them we’ll be left behind by our rivals (we have no rivals, our major rival, in Ceuta, folded in 2012).

That’s good.

Next –

They turn down my request to upgrade our training facilities, but agreed to upgrade the youth ones.

End of the Season Awards:

Fans Player of the Season – Mahmoud
Gaol of the Season – Uxio
Signing of the Season – Mahmod
Young Player of the Season – Romero


Final training report – Good stuff

Romero, Uxio, Antonio Daizz, Fatah, ad Ebwelle did good.

Sufian inks his new deal for a year,

[Abe Sargent]

We hit the end of the year officially. June 30t his here.

1 July arrives, and our new middie too. Bruno Souto is here.


We are given 2.25 mill

My expectations are to attempt to avoid relegation. I keep tehm there

I head to July 9, when we officially move to the next level. Now perhaps I can pursue better FA (there’s often a idle area where folks aren’t seeing uou as the next level up)

There is a great Striker, Mosquito, but others have moved on him, and he wants key player and too much money when he’d be my 3rd option.

Right now my numbers are:

1 GK
5 DEF
3 ST
7 Mid

I need more GK, D, and ST the most. I have 16 players.

So what I need to do is to push the vault

I make an offer to GK Pedro, who’s on a free, as a backup for us

One down. Who’s next?

I decide to chase that pricey ST. He’s one of the best players available for free right now. Mosquito. There are others who have made offers too. I send some enquiries for players as well. I make a loan offer. I make an offer to DC Jesus Suarez as a starting DC.

That would give me a ST, GK, DC, and some enquires as well. What next?

I could also use a starting quality MR. My current MRs are Sufian, Ebwelle, and Chupe. None of those are quality for the future. I can play Souto, Chupe, Sergia Diaz, Ebwelle are on the left, so I’m not sure I See the need for a good one, but a good MR is something I could really use

I have an idea, Real Betis B have a guy they developed. Can I buy him? I make an enquiry

I make an offer to a Physio

I make an offer to player Roberto Izquierdo to be a scout for us. Jorge Pina as well

I offer my current scout the vacant Head Scout role.

I make an offer for another coach and then to another.

I make an offer to the open spot of Head of Youth Development

Ah ha!

I make an offer to 33 year old ST/AM RC Joseba Arriaga to be my U 19 Ass Man. He’s good. But he wants to be a player/coach, so I’m signing him to that role with me. He’ll be my 5th ST and my youther guy

I make an offer for a U19 Physio.

I also have an old offer in play – Mahanan is a good coach. Could I make him a player/coach role? He doesn’t want to yet.

One of the enquires comes back, and I can just make it. I finalize the offer

Some of my offers are arriving. I am signing a player I thought was out of my league, and then missing on one I thought would be. It’ll be weird, but I can massage my team

A physio is here. Some other staff arrive as well.

[Abe Sargent]

Spain wins the 2016 Euro

I get an offer accepted off enquiry for another middle dude, but I really only have the space/price for one.

Arriaga joins us as a player/coach

I make an offer for a DC as well.

I head to my board and ask for more transfer money, and they agree, after I push some and I make my offer to my DC since my board love him….


I sign Pedro, the young GK as my backup

Pedro – Aerial Reach – 9, Jump 13, 11 reflexes, 12 kick, 13 1:!, etc. He’s fine. 21 years old, souts says he has room to grow he started last year in Group 4 for Rea lBeatis and wasn’t hot, but he’s young. I release GK Alvaro ,who stayed with us on a month to month deal

Aright one of my two middie deals is accepted and gose through from a transfer. This uses up most of my transfer, with enough for my DC target. Here are my two choices, assuming the other agrees too:

22 year old David Junca, Spanish, 7k/week for 2 years, can play all L spots (FB, WB, ML, AML) with 10 pass, 14 ross, 11 dribb, 14/14 speed, 8 head, jump, 11 mark, solid mental – just 3 in single difts – flair, det, and leadership. He’s a good player. He can come in and play ML or DL as neeed, and sub for the other, he’s a starting ML on this roster, and he’s better than Sergio Diaz, so you could start him at DL as well and he’s better than Ebwelle at ML. So he’s a clear upgrade ad fit for the team.

Here’s the other that acceptedl

23 year old Joan Angel Roman, plays ML, AML And AMC, and has 15/13 speed, 10 stam, 11/12 cross/pass, 1y flair, 15 tech, 14 first touch, etc. He is better, by far, than Ebwelle. I can move Edwelle to right, and have Sufian, Ebwelle over there and fighting for spots. Either of these players work. Junca is more expensive for the contract we negotiated. 5.5k for two years vs 7k from Junca.

So which do you like? Both are unhappy, want first team ball, and were transfer listed by request for an amount below their value. I have the salary cap for both, but not the need on my roster (they play similar positions) nor the transfer kitty for both. Who do I bring in?

Let me compare them side by side:

Junca has more stamina, cross, tack, mark, mentals including Work rate, con, otb, posit, anti, brave, dec , and more.

Roman has more tech, pass, 1st touch, flair, drib, deter, vision

Let’s go with Junca, who had a min release clause of millions of cash.

I accept that offer and cancel Romans

Welcome to the club!



David Junca - wikipedia page David JuncÃ* - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - David Junca pics -




Pedro -

wiki - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_L%C3%B3pez_Galisteo

[Abe Sargent]

Now I get an odd signing. Jesus Suarez is someone I made an offer to. Middle age at 27, players DC and DM, and an improvement there. But…

I made an offer and it was accepted for a very, very good Dc later. You’ll see

And with a guy I can start at DL just added with Junca, do I need Suarez?

I do. I agree to bring him on

Jesus Suarez – 27, DC, DMC< 4.4k, 2 years, 16 head, 15 jump – how about that. 12/11 speed, 13 mark, 12 tack, 10 pass, tons of great mentals, and he’s pretty solid. Spanish. We rate him at 3.5 stars now and future, and coaches have one bad -positioning, and 5 good – good player for this league, good in the air, balanced and normal, loyal, and versatile. He’s a solid addition, and he’s better than Uxio

We think Jesus is a quality player


Jesus Suarez wiki (can't find it in English, sorry) - https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jes%C3%BAs_Su%C3%A1rez


Pics -



Enforcer Jesus -




Sad news. Our ST guy, Mosquito, went to Nursaspor. That sucks. I still need a good ST. I have four – and we could use one more especially since Avila and the coach SR Arriaga are’t really good and my other two are old and on the downswing.

I have a random friendly on the 15th vs Granada. Suarez and Junca are starting tso I can get a feel for stuff. Show me what you got! We ie 1-1 .

No major injures

So my next chase is the St. Mosquito would have really helped. Who’s in the conversation next?

I make an offer to ST Pere Milla

I make an offer to one last middie

Here we go, you ready for my last transfer list guy? The one who made my board go, “okay, that’s not bad lad?”

Ibrahim Diallo, 19 years, old, DC, DMC, 4 star current assessment, 4.5 future. Mali, speaks French, Spanish, Arabic, and has already completed 1500 days in Spanish heritage requirements. He was playing for Valenica, but they sold him to us for hundreds of thousands of euros. But it’s worth it. I cut my salary to fit him in soI could get a little transfer cash.

Diallo – Can play DR if you need. First of, fitness at 12, every other physical stat at least 14. He’s pacey. He’s sharp too. 13 work rate, 16 determination, etc. 12 head, pass, tack, technique, and 13 mark. He’ll be good, and he’ll grow. 2.4k week, 3 year deal.


Diallo;s wiki page - Ibrahim Diallo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pic -







After him, a middie for depth and that ST I want, we’ll be decently set


Another friendly is here. 0-0 boring draw.

Milla joins us:


A LRC, ST - 23 year old Pere Milla, 13 finish, dribb, pass, penal, vision, 10 head/jump, 12/12 speed, 3k/week, 2 years, He is average man. He has just 4 stats that aren’t in double didgts – mark, tack, long throws, and aggression, but not a whole lot at the higher numbers.



Pere Milla - wiki - Pere Milla Peña - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Imgs -

[Abe Sargent]

The middie I was looking at reisgned with his club. Ah well.

I start moving some of my players team status I hand hot prospect to Souto and GK Pedro.

I sign Dario Simic as a youth coach. I drop Sufian to rotation, and Sanchez to 1st team.

I work on set pieces and such

I add popular Turkish player Nihat Kahveci to my staff.

We host Cadiz for another friendly. Mahmoud scores early. We win 2-1. Good job.


Are tactics here similar to those in the lower level? There’s a ton more diversity. Just 4 versions of 4411. And 5 other 442s. 2 352s. Then a lot of changes and morphs. 4123 DM is probably the most common at 7. We have 2 4222 and 4312 narrow and 541 and 5212 and 3 4231 wide, and 4141. It’s very crazy. Our 442 is fine here as much as anything else. There are not that many trends to exploit.

After massaging my coaches, I now have 4 star training in Str, Aerobic, tactics, 3.5 star training in attacking, and 3 star in ball control, defensing, shooting, and shot stopping an handling.

End o July –

Training good? Ebwelle

Second to last friendly is here. Boring 0-0 end

As of right now I have two foreigners in my squad (Mahmoud and Souto) so that’s my limit. No one else is allowed in. I currently have 21 in my squad


Ebwelle can now better influence the wing

The final friendly arrives. We win 3-0.

[Abe Sargent]

Let’s go hit the season!

My expected starters will normally be:

GK Barrio
DC Suarez, Diallo
DL Sergio Diaz OR Junca; DR Romero
MC Sanchez, Vazquez
MR Sufian or Ebwelle; ML Junca or Ebwelle
ST Mahmoud, Cascon

With players like Souto, Uxio, ST Milla, Avila, and Borja in the rotation schedule

Our first game is in 11 days, so we have some time to suss stuff out.

Currently, the squad is:

21 players
68k spending, still under budget by a lot,

I think our team is fine for now. I drop Cascon to 1st team. And Sergio Diaz as well. I get a message that Diaz has been improving. Sanchez and Mahmoud have declined.

I chase and sign some more youth contract folks out there, like people on amateur deals and such. I send out scouts to places like the UK, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, and more.

I make an offer to a younger guy as a rotational middle – Marco Rosa. He’s willing to do a hot prospect deal. He’s 20, and one of my scouts recommended him,said he had strong potential

I am not starting Mahanan this season, and I tell him ahead of time, and he understands. So I move the captaincy to Mahmoud, and leave Sanchez at vice. Everyone likes Mahmoud, he’s the best choice by abilitys, and he’s a captain at the international level, so it’s an obvious direction.

Rosa Signs and I register him:

Rosa, 20, AMC.MC, 11/11 speed, 13 technique, 12 pass, 11 dribb, 12 ast touch, and such. Raw, needs work. I registered him, but I’m not 100% sold on the idea of needing him, I’m thinking about sending him to the B squad for games, or to loan him out. There’’s another option on my roster I like just as much, and he’s younger by far.

Yeah, let’s do it. I offer to loan out Rosa. I offer him for a loan, as well as a few others

I move MC Jose Antonio to my 1st squad, and then make him available for U19 games. I don’t see me needing any more Middles, (other than someone who can dominate MR). We’re set

I loan my GK younter I signed last year to get some first team action

I have some transfer offers from Chupe.

I loan GK Lavin,

Despite wanting to leave madly, Chupe turned down three offers to stay. Stupid. Avila moves for a loan, and I have to force him down after I tell him to knock it off, and he finally backs down.

We loan Rosa. I pull him off our squad’s registration. I speak with him first, and he heads out

Young Diaz also wants some playing time, and wants to talk about loans. He also pushes back on me and I have to dial Is back.

Our promotion odds are 100-1. The main favorites are Real Betis at 6-4, Granada at 7-4, And then Sporting, Zaragoza, and Elche round out the top five.

[Abe Sargent]

Time for the first game of the season:


1st game, away vs Ponferradina. We are slight favorites. My squad is the same as before in the friendly, and we have my 7 subs selected. Let’s head out and win a game! Did I upgrade my quad enough to compete? That’s the question. I have a new ML (Or DL), DC, and DC. That’s about it though, just an upgraded defense. Let’s see what we can do. Pull off that upset! Vazquez has a DFK on target and their GK pushes it away. We give a penalty in the 24th in the corner of the box, and they connect. They connect a DFK In the 36th and are up 2-0 at the half off set pieces. I expect a lot better next half! Sergio Diaz with a yellow card. Diallo with another. We’re not getting shots to be threats. They have 8 and 4, and we have 8 and 1 on target. Finally Junca crosses deep and over a defender to Cascon for a score in the 57th. We begin to push. I sub in Uxio for Diallo. My next sub is Avila for an underperforming Mahmoud. Lots of pressure from us follows. By the 80th minute, we have 17 shots, 7 on target. Sufian heads in for a tired and not-well-performing Ebwelle on the right. Can we bring a goal in the last ten? Vazquez gets a yellow. Game. We lose 21. Can’t fault you for effort!


Diallo is called up for Mali

2nd game, hosting Mallorca, and again we are slight favorites. Here we go! Get that win! Vazquez finds Cascon for a deadly shot in the 2nd minute, but the GK here is fast enough to turn it aside. Junta with a devastating cross to Cascon for a score in the 24th. This guy is lethal. Ebwelle picks up a knock and I send in Sufian in the 39th. Mahmoud flips the ball to Cascon on an attacking run and we score in the 43rd. 2-0 at the half. Don’t let up, anything can happen! Sergio Diaz opens an attack run on the side, crosses over Mahmoud, who is double teamed, to Cascon, who scores, and gets his hattrck in the 47th minute. Romero has a lethal pass to Sufian, and his shot ,on target, is just pushed away. Both us and Mallorca have 10 shots, we have 8 on target, they have 2. I sub in ST Milla for a tired Cascon. They get a header off a cross, tht Suarez couldn’t stop, he missed the header. Goal for them in the 72nd. I pull Sanchez for Borja. Lots of momentum and shots by both teams, and a suspiciously onsides goal by Mallorca in the 89th brings us to 3-2. We waste time with corners on their side for a couple of minutes, and that’s game. 3-2 us, MOM is Cascon. Good win lads.


Ebwell twisted his ankle and is out for 5-6 weeks.

[Abe Sargent]

Mahmoud is called up


For game 3 away vs Racing Club de Ferrol SAD we are slight favorites. Sufian is starting at MR for a while I suspect. Carry straight on from last match! It’s raining today. David Sanchez is driving down the center, fires a pass to the left to Junca on an attacking run. Junca hits the cross to Cascon on an attacking run and Cascon scores in the 9th minute of play. He outjumped two defenders. They get a booking. Quiet half until extra time, and they score off a counter. 1-1 at the half. Keep it up Uxio heads in for Suarez. Mahmoud scores off a header in the 74th as the Junca is crossed the ball from Sufian, and then headed it on I send in Souto for Vazquez. ST Milla for Cascon last. Two more yellows for our enemies. Game We win 2-1. Good win boys. MOM is Junta.


I think 6 points in 3 games is a pretty strong shout to the opening stanza. Cascon makes team of the week. I register Chupe as he is still on my club, and I have the slot open.

I have a ton more questions on deadline day today than last time. I get an offer to loan out Antonio Jesus Diaz. But he’s being mentored by Mahanan. So I reject them, since I Want to keep him in house for now . He’s not listed for loan either.

I get a key player offer for ST Avila, from a Group 2 next division down club. That intrigues me. I agree. They’ll even pay the salary of our guy too.

I look for another guy to bring in for rotational purposes.

I have 2 hours and 15 minutes left

I send out two enquiries. And I line up someone from Free. One team wants way too much cash for their guy and I pull out. I barter with the last chance. I make an offer…


I’ mvery excited by this. You’ll see…


He signs

45 minutes lateer, we have him


He’s a young matilda player who can play lots of spots. In fact, Barcelona sold him for roughly 1/3rd of the offer we also made for another person from the same league as us. I’m very okay with this. Again, I massaged my budget down to very, very low.

AM RLC, ST, MRL Maxi Rolon, 21 years old, Argentian and Spanish, 4k/year for two years. 3.5 star current and future. Speed of 16/13, pass/cross of 12/12, 12 technique, first touch, stamina, 13 flair, 11 finish, 13 dribb – now his major weaknesses are aeriel – 6 jump, 9 head. But’s a solid, playable on the right wing or the left or as a sub for STC all solid.

I’m going to give him a start for MR at first to see what he can do. He’s match fit. 6 pros – fast, versatile, well suited to this division, balanced and normal, loyal, acceleration is awesome, but he;s very one footed. He’s a good addition to our team, and we have him 4.6k/week for two years, and first team label.

I register him and hand him a squad number.

I have a couple of players still hanging on with month to month deals and I let them go – like Richi and a few on the B Squad to pay for that transfer. Gone are Pendu, and Hamin, and I’ve signed Brahim to a backup role and tossed im on my B squad. 7 players were released by us


Rolon's wiki - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxi_Rol%C3%B3n


Pic -

[Abe Sargent]

End of August –

Good training by Antonio Diaez and Jose Antonio.

September –

Sept 4 – Home vs Lega
Sept 7 – Home vs Osasun, Spanish Cup
Sept 11 – Away vs Nastic
Sept17 – Home vs Lugo
Sept 25 – Away vs Real Betis

Game 4 vs Lega is here. Mahmoud is out for international duty, so Mila starts. Keep up our run! Other than some yellows for our Lega foes, the first 30 minutes are pretty quiet. Rolon hits Cascon for as core in the 32nd minute. Welcome to the club! They first a shot with such strength that it breaks past the GK 1-1. On corner, Vazquez fires, finds DC Diallo for a header and we score. 2-1 at the half Don’t get complacent! They have a rough tackle on Cascon in the 47th, but its just a yellow. Should have been a red. Suarez gets a yellow for us. I send in Souto and Uxio. Rolon gets a yellow. They fire a logn shottat’s on target from the corner of the box in the 81st. Suspicions of offsides. Then they award a ok for a tackle by Uxio. They kick it in. ST Arriga heads in. We lose 302, but we had three major calls go against us. The non-red, the PK, and the offsides. Now how many were actually right? I don’t know. Vazques is MOM. Unlucky!

All of our games have been one goal affairs. I shored up my defense hard, and we are hemorrhaging goals. In 4 games, wev’e allowed 8 goals. With six points, we’re in 9th, I can’t complain too much. But still


Vazquez was player of the week team

Our Cup Match is here and I have massaged my roster to start Uxio, Souto and move others to the sub spaces. For the Fans! We lose 3-1.


Game 5 – We head to Nastic, who are favored to win. Cascon to Mahmoud in the 0:15 mark for a score! He picks up a knock and I send in Milla. They get booked Half. Keep it up! Quiet half, 4 shots and 76 shots total, just on target total. Lots of running around and no major moves for a while. We get a little pressure, and our foes are up to it. They collect a red for a hard, double-footed tackle on Sanchez in the 71st . I send in Borja for him. Souto for Vaz. They get a yellow card. We both ease off, and we collect the 1-0 win. MOM is Sergio Diaz. Well done

Gascon is out for 2 weeks with a injured thigh. Milla will start for him

Mahmoud;s goal is not only the fastest in our history, but the fastest in the league history as well . It’s was pretty fast. Mahmoud was in Ream of Week

[Abe Sargent]

Diaz wants some first team play so I tell him I’ll give him some subs coming up.

GK Pedro isinured for 11 days in trainin


Game 6 – We are slight favorites vs Lugo. We get a yellow early for Diaolo, and then look, another for Suarez. Hmpf. They have early moment with 11 shots and 6 on target. They finally socre in the 35th. And then again in the 39th. We head to the locker room down 2-0 . I send in a few subs like Antonia Diaz and Uxio, and in the 66th, Sanchez finds Vazquez for a nice score. 2-1. I push us, but that final score
never drops We lose 2-1.


Bruno Sauto is getting anxious for games. He’s gotten some here and there though. He gets a little pissy and I pull him back. Ebwelle is back from injury


Game 7 – Today we are away vs Real Betis, one of the heavies of the division, and in 1st place. Obviously, they are expected to win. We’re underdogs, and there’s no pressure! It’ll be hard to push this without Cascon though. One of my coaches suggested I slide Milla to a false nine role, so that’s his new space. Mostly a quiet first half, although they get a tyellow card fouling Suarez, and I send in Mahan to replace him since he’s lightly injured. No major pressure, light attacks, mostly intercepted by tackles and such. But hey, 0-0 at the half vs Real Betis I’ll take. Keep it uip! Real Betis move forward heavily and launch a 10 minute fusillade of fire. By the time it’s over, no scores, but they have doubled their shots. Then in the late 50s, after they intercept our pass, they turn it into a counter and scoe. 1-0 them. Romero drives, finds Milla who glides the ball to Mahmoud for a score in the 59th minute . 1-1 tie. Quick answer by us. Sub #2 – Souto for Sanchez. They keep hammering away. 18 shots, 11 on target. Mahmoud injures one of their defenders. Sub #3 – I swap in Uxio for Mahmodu and swap to 5-4-1. Tie ame, 1-1 tie. They have 26 shots, 13 on target. This was a great tie. Great result!

Suarez out for two weeks. Uxio starts for him

GK Barrio was in Team of the Week

Diallo is called up for Mali.

End fo Sept –

Good training includes Sergio Diaz, Pepe Romero, and Diallo

[Abe Sargent]

Oct –

October 2 – Away vs Zarago
October 8 – Home vs UD Logrones
Oct 15 – Home vs Granada
Oct 23 – Away vs Sporting
Oct 30 – Home vs Bilbao (A club Julio used to coach for)


Game 8 s Zaraggosa. We are expected to win, they are out of form and sitting at 22nd, with no wins, and just one draw. Cascon just got back from injury, so I’m not playing him today. Uxio starts for injured Suarez. Here we go! We have some early pressure, but to naught. Well, we madden Zaragoza to ge ta booking, only iif that counts. Then another for them. Hmm. I move my guys to push tackling harder. Can we get them off their rhythm? After ten minutes, nope and I dial back off. Half. Keep it up, and the win will come. Sanchez collects a yellow card. I put in Souto for Sanchez, and they get a 3rd card, Romero heads out for Antonio Diaz. I send in Arringa for Milla. Off an IFK late, Vazquez hits Diallo for a score. They hit back in a minute. End fo the game, 1-1. Annoying result.


Game 9 – We face fellow promote Logrones today in our place, and are favored. With their traveling, Diallo, and Mahmoud are out, Cascon is back from injury. I have Antonio Diaz in the DR spot and I moved Romero to the DC one. So we have Diaz, Milla, Uxio starting today instead of our normal folks. Get vengeance! Milla’s goal is waved offsides. 12 shots by both teams, non on target by the half. Start smashing folks! They score quickly and I move around folks and more, and I sub in lots, but we can’t take it home and we lose 1-0. Disappointing.


Borja comes to me and wants more soccer. I agree to look into loaning him and he finishes his specialized training. I get a message that SOuto has been doing well developing in training..

Game 10 vs Granada. Today we host Granada, the new #1 team. Mahmoud is back. Diallo is back as well. I start Souto for Sanchez. Np pressure, we’re underdogs! It’s raining here in Melilla. We have a couple of opportunities on set pieces we fail. 0-0 half. The last 24 minutes blazed away. Keep on going, the match is ours. I send in Ebwelle for Rolan. Mahanan for Uxio. I send in Sanchez for Vazquez late. Normalyl I might do Borja, but I want the set pieces to still be there. 0-0 tie. We had 9 shots, 3 on target, they had 12 and 3. Diallo is MOM. I’ll take that. Well done

[Abe Sargent]

Diallo in Tema of Week. Suarez is back from injury.


Game 11 vs Sporting – Our foes are favorited. Suarez is back, and I leave Souto in. Junca crosses to Casocn for a score in the 4th. Then Sporting recovers, and pushes hard, for twenty minutes, and scores twice. 2-1 them half. A yellow for them follows. MY GK gest out of position and a long shot makes him pay and that’s 3-1. Borja and Antonio Diaz head in for some playign time. Then Ebwelle. We lose 3-1. Yellows by Rolon and Souto late. I’m not pleased!


Game 12 – We host Bilbao. I make no changes to my starting roster. Sergio Diaz crosses to Cascon after getting freed by a Bruno Souto pass, goal. 2 minutes later, in the 8th, Bilbao score too. Momentum goes both ways, a thrust by Mahmoud is turned aside. Halftime. Draw a line in the sand. No more losses. No more ties. GO out there and win this game, and let’s end the 6 game losing streak. I do thigns like swap Diaz and Junto or sub in the other Diaz since Romero I not having a great game. While out at ML and attacking, Sergio Diaz cross and finds Cascon for a score in the 81st. Nice! Ebwelle heads out. We win 2-1, and MOM is Cascon, and 2 assists by Sergio Diaz. A good win!


At the end of October we are 13th with 15 points.

Training – Good Romero, Souto, and Jose Antonio. I talk to Antonio and he’ll be learning the DMC role, which I think is a solid fit.

Diaz and Cascon named in Team of the Week

[Abe Sargent]

November –

Nov 6 – Away vs Eiche
Nov 12 – Home vs Girona
Nov 20 – Home vs Cordoba
Nov 26 – Away vs Reus


Huh

I just got a call from another club about sliding over. Zaragoza, currently in 22nd, wants me to interview for their open job. I decline. I’m good for now. I get a call from a reporter, and I tell him I wasn;t interested in the job. I drop Mahanan to backup status. His skills have atrophied considerably. Mahmoud called up.




Game 13 vs Eiche – We are slight favs. Sanchez heads back in, and Sufian starts at MR. Pick up where you left off! The only action early is one of those crazy crosses that are lethally on target for a goal, and Barrio turned it aside. Then things pick up as they score in the 25th from a DFK just outside of the box. I move to tight marking, so prevent them from getting space, after a few folks got more open that I’d hope. They fire a long shot and it sinks. Half time. That’s not acceptable! Sanchez yellow. Suarez another. Uxio and Borja head in. Diallo gives away a penalty and….they sink it. We are getting crushed this gae We have 4 shots, 0 on target, and they have 24 and 13. We lose 3-0. That was disappointing

Mahmoud suffers a minor injury on international duty. Romero is now adept as using one-two passes better.

Game 14 – Vs Girona.. Milla back in the lineup with Cascon. I expect to see something better today! Rolon is back in the starting lineup. They have a totally unmarked guy come in off a counter and score in the 19th. Junca to Cascon for a score in the 52nd. I Send in Souto and Diaz for Vazquez and Romero. Corner kick in the 80th falls to a few folks, Sanchez finds it and scores. I send in ST Arringa. They scored first, and we came back to win 2-1. Got to respect that. MOM is Junca. Good comeback!

[Abe Sargent]

Antonio Diaz is happy with his recent football, and removes any complaints. Now we do have an issue I’ll look at if it continues. Nah, let’s do it now

What was my best defensive effort last year? DR Romero, and DL Sergio Diaz after we signed him, and DC Uxio was solid and GK Barrio was solid. Now….

DR Romero – 6.63 rating
GK Barrio, 6.84 rating

Now Diaz is fine. Sergio has the highest rating of my defensive guys at 7.12. But our defense has been a sieve. I need to improve. Ill start Anontio Diaz next game for Remoro, because their scores have been the same. Not as good of a player, but Romero has been lost this season. Junca named as a Team of the Week guy


Game 15 – Cordoba is next and Mahmoud is back in the lineup. We are slight favorites. We are at home and they are next to us on the chart. Souto is starting. Let’s do this thang. Lots of thrusts turned aside, and little else to show for it. 0-0 half. Keep it up the win will come! We have a lot of ball in their space, but they are quick at tackling. Junca is knocked, and I sub in Ebwelle. They get a score in the 71st. And then I push and we have Sufian and Sanchez heading here. They score again in extra time and we lose 2-0. Suck.


An agent offers an African middie to me. I offer him a trial to give him some see, because I like what we see.

Game 16 vs Reus – Antonio Diaz had a 7.1 rating last time, so I;m leaving him in the DR spot. They push us around and give a penalty early, and Mahoud sinks it in the 7th. No shots by anyone for 22 minutes. They collect a yellow. A few long range shots ensue. Another card for Reus. Then they savage Cascon with a nasty two footed tackle and they get a red card in the 41st. I move to my normal changes, wide, up tempo, etc. I move to control. Borja heads in for Souto. They grab another yellow. They score a fluke goal in the 78th from a long shot tat flips over my GK so I go attacking, sub in Sanchez, move ttwo middies to AMC and drop my defenders to 3, so to fo a 3-3-2-2. I’m not losing this game. On a corner in the 86th, Vazquez fires and hits the leg of Jesus Suarez for a score. They get another yellow. I had one guy with a yellow Antonio Diaz, and they had half their team. We win 2-1. MOM is Vazquez, and we get that one. Whew. I’ll take it

Barrio, Suarez, and Vazquez were all in Team of the Week.

Chupe signs a transfer for a free and I sent him on.

Our trialist arrives

AM/M RLC ST – Michael Anaba, Ghana, 22 years old, 14/13 speed, 4 star current rating, can’t play MR very well though , and not great at ML or ST. Ghana counts as COntonu, so he’s fine. Is this guy good enough? He is actually. But I need to sign someone sexy. So hold up for a day or so.

End fo November –

Good training by Diallo, Ariaga, and Sergio Daz.

Antonio Diaz is happy with his recent football, and removes any complaints. Now we do have an issue I’ll look at if it continues. Nah, let’s do it now

What was my best defensive effort last year? DR Romero, and DL Sergio Diaz after we signed him, and DC Uxio was solid and GK Barrio was solid. Now….

DR Romero – 6.63 rating
GK Barrio, 6.84 rating

Now Diaz is fine. Sergio has the highest rating of my defensive guys at 7.12. But our defense has been a sieve. I need to improve. Ill start Anontio Diaz next game for Remoro, because their scores have been the same. Not as good of a player, but Romero has been lost this season. Junca named as a Team of the Week guy


Game 15 – Cordoba is next and Mahmoud is back in the lineup. We are slight favorites. We are at home and they are next to us on the chart. Souto is starting. Let’s do this thang. Lots of thrusts turned aside, and little else to show for it. 0-0 half. Keep it up the win will come! We have a lot of ball in their space, but they are quick at tackling. Junca is knocked, and I sub in Ebwelle. They get a score in the 71st. And then I push and we have Sufian and Sanchez heading here. They score again in extra time and we lose 2-0. Suck.


An agent offers an African middie to me. I offer him a trial to give him some see, because I like what we see.

Game 16 vs Reus – Antonio Diaz had a 7.1 rating last time, so I;m leaving him in the DR spot. They push us around and give a penalty early, and Mahoud sinks it in the 7th. No shots by anyone for 22 minutes. They collect a yellow. A few long range shots ensue. Another card for Reus. Then they savage Cascon with a nasty two footed tackle and they get a red card in the 41st. I move to my normal changes, wide, up tempo, etc. I move to control. Borja heads in for Souto. They grab another yellow. They score a fluke goal in the 78th from a long shot tat flips over my GK so I go attacking, sub in Sanchez, move ttwo middies to AMC and drop my defenders to 3, so to fo a 3-3-2-2. I’m not losing this game. On a corner in the 86th, Vazquez fires and hits the leg of Jesus Suarez for a score. They get another yellow. I had one guy with a yellow Antonio Diaz, and they had half their team. We win 2-1. MOM is Vazquez, and we get that one. Whew. I’ll take it

Barrio, Suarez, and Vazquez were all in Team of the Week.

Chupe signs a transfer for a free and I sent him on.

Our trialist arrives

AM/M RLC ST – Michael Anaba, Ghana, 22 years old, 14/13 speed, 4 star current rating, can’t play MR very well though , and not great at ML or ST. Ghana counts as COntonu, so he’s fine. Is this guy good enough? He is actually. But I need to sign someone sexy. So hold up for a day or so.

End fo November –

Good training by Diallo, Ariaga, and Sergio Diaz.

[Abe Sargent]

December –

Dec 3 – Home vs Alcorcon
Dec 11 – Away vs Llagos
Dec 18 – Home vs Numancia


I check to see if anyone I coming available in a month. Some leagues end at the calandar year. If I want to dip into the old Striker pool again, David Barral, a 33 year old Spanish ST is available. He’s just as good as the others .

Whoa!

Say hello to my new Sanchez? Osmar, 28 year old Spanish guy , coming up free in a month.

Anyone else I like?

I need to push my team, so I offer a deal to Osmar right now. Osmar isn’t on anyone’s radar, he’s playing over in Korea right now.

Huh, there’s a better African middie for a free right now anyway. Daniel Ndi. Ndi is a little less stamina, and better at dribbling, passing,

Here’s the thing. Sanchez isn’t cutting it. Vazquez is, he as a 7.29 rating in 17 games. He’s fine. Sanchez isn’t. Now I could run Bruno Souto a lot, and then sub in others. But you want want to know something? Souto is slightly worse that Ndi and Anaba.

Here’s my current best players by cash:

DC Diallo – 500k
ML Junca – 500k
MR Maxi Rolon – 375k
DC Suarez – 300k
DL Sergio Diaz – 300k
ST Pere Milla – 275k
GK Barrio – 250k
ML Ebwelle – 2235k
Romero- 200k
Vazquez – 185k
Souto – 120k
Uxio – 105k

Those are my six digit players.

Ebwelle, Sufian aren’t really cut out for this stage. Sanchez is dropping in quality. I could pull them off my squad in January, loan out Ebwelle, and then move Sufian to the B squad or something. I slide Sufian to backup. Never really broke out, despite a few starts and subs. I just don’t want these folks mucking about at this level, it makes no sense.

I could use another striker since Cascon/Mahmoud have hit crap for a while, and Milla was not a good addition. I could slide over ROlon, but he’s always at MR cause I have nothing better.

Which is sad about Michael Anaba not being good enough for the MR. –He’s awkward at that spot. What about Ndi? He’s fine at MR. Hmm.

Constantly improve the squad. Don’t stop

I make Ndi an offer. I can see Ndi and Rolon battling for spots. Both nice young folks. I also want to offer to Anaba to stay with me.

That gives me two solid African middies to come in and push for playing time.

Now if you’ll recall, Borja was subbed in a lot last year, and was a nice hope for the future. But then his potential waned according to our coaches. I make Borja available for loan and I offer him out. Borja is worse, by far, than these two bums. In fact, he’s the worst middie I have right now, other than future development prospect Jose Antonio

[Abe Sargent]

Game 17 – No major changes to the roster for today’s match. Due to us being at home, and Alcorcon being lower than us on the table, we are expected to win today. Sergio Diaz with a nice deep shot to Cascon, turned over the net, and then the corner is to no avail, in the first few minutes of the game. Exchanges of possession ensue. Diallo with a yellow, and they get one two. Mahmoud gets a yellow card and they miss a dfk. Antonio Diaz with a yellow late in the half. Lots of shots that aren’t on target for both sides. 0-0 half. Still nothing, I send in Romero to pull off a yellow card. I swap Diaz and Junca on the pitch. Uxio for Diallo for the other flag. A throw in to Mahmoud in te 79th in the box is fouled and they award us a PK. Mahmoud sinks it, and we are up 1-0. I send in Milla for him since he has a yellow. They give us another penalty, and Vazquez scores. From a deep DFK, Vazquez fires it at Cascon for as core. In extra time. 3-0, and of the scores in the last 12 minutes, all on set pieces. I’ll take. Even without the PKs we’re still a 1-0 victor. MOM is Vazquez

The head coach of Alcoron was upset with the first PK. The manager is moping that my team regularly gest referee calls. Yeah, sure, remember the game with t he missing red card, PK?

I confirm Anaba to sign with us.

Because he was on a free, he’s already on our team now. Because I have an open spot, I register him

We like Anaba – Good player for most sides in this division, high work rate, balanced and normal, loyal, good team player, versatile. Very one footed and needs to improve composure

I don’t know how important this may be to others, but I like how he’s a bit punch-y. Strong, can tackle, mark, and now be embarrassed. He;s not awesome, he’s not a specialized defensive player, but he is something else.

Say hello to:

Daniel Ndi, 21, Cameroon, I have an extra spot and register him, and I like his speed , 14/14, his 13 cross, and 13 pass, 15 dribb, 12 first touch, 14 technique, Just one mental ability not in double digits – determination, just one physical jump, and then other than set pieces and defensive junk, he only has head at 8 (and long shots at 8) that I’d like higher from technical. He’s anther solid entry. He can play all of the midfield spots, and is adequate at WB and FB on the left. Anaba was let go by Eiche and Ndi by Sporting.


Ndi- wiki - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dani_Ndi

Pics -




Vazquez in Team of the Week

Diallo has been looking better in training.

Real Betis B offer me an interview, and I turn them down.

[Abe Sargent]

Souto. Keep our run going! (We’re expected to lose). Mahmoud has wasted a bunch of shots early on. Good positioning, but missing the target . Too many long shots too. Mahmoud, knock it off. Our foes score in the 29th minute. Yellow for Diallo. Nothing for the scoreboard, and that’s us down at the half. Show me something els.e Uxio heads in for Diallo. Ndi with a card. Sancehz with a card. Rolon for Ndi. I send in Milla. We lose 1-0. Ah well. Unlucky


Sufian gets ornery and I dial him back, Meanwhie Ndi and Diallo are called up. As I sign more Africans, they may be on international squads in roughly the same time.


Game 19 vs Numancia – I swap Romero back in at DR. Souto is starting. Good luck! We are not expected to win tonight, but let’s see what we can see. 24 minutes in, no shots by either team. Then we get two, but that’s it. On a break, on their first shot of the day, Numancia scores. Then Junca crosses to Mahoud for a score to answer and it’s 1-1 at the half. We can still win! Sergio Diaz crosses to Mahmoud in the 68th for another score. I send in Michael Anaba for a look see. Milla for Cascon. Game, we win 2-1. Mahmoud is MOM. Good job.

After 19 games, we are in 10th place tied with Logrones and Numancia with 27 points each.

Mahmoud in Team of Week

[Abe Sargent]

Uxio fails to adapt his game, Belenenses over in Portugal offers me an interview. I decline. Milla comes to me wanting more football, but I point out he’s not been good. No goals scored. He agrees, and wants to show that he has the stuff to ge the distance, so I agree to give him a bit more time to show his class.

Dario Simic finishes learning Spanish.

I have a friendly vs Marabella to keep stuff fit. We win 3-1.

The end of December arrives, and I hold up. It’s not six months from all of these major contracts being done. Anything that I fancy?

Not really.

End fo December

Good Trainin – A Diaz, Junca, and Anaba.


Jan –

January 4 – Away vs Osasuna
January 8 – Home vs Ponferradina
January 15 – Home vs Tenerife
January 22 Away vs Mallorca
January 29 – Home vs Ferrol


Souto has adapted his game to get forward

Messi, Ozil, Aguero World Ball winners

Now that he was released by Soeul, my target is more interested in coming here.

I increase my expectations to Avoid Relegation rather than Attempt, and we get some serious injectioning of cash.

Today is the day that the window raises.

Get ready here he comes. This is my Mahmoud of this year, the key signing.

Osmar, 28, Spanish, 11k/week, 4.5 star rating for current rating. 11/11 speed, 15 balance, jump, 16 fitness, 14 stam and str – good stuff there. Mental? He owns it. Other than Flair at ten, or Leadership at 11, or OTB at 7, or Vision at 12, everything at least 13. Technical? Passing of 15. Other than finishing at 8, corner and long throws, everything is at least 11, just crossing and free kciks are that low. He’s good. He can lay DMC< MC< DC, and DL. His natural position is DM. I’m starting him as the Deep Lying Playmaker we all know and love. I am modifying my tactics somewhat. I am dropping a MC to DMC. Which is fine I have a ajillion people who na play it. I register Osmar and pull out Sufian and Borja.

I also needed more DC movement, and Osmar can play that spot rather nicely as well. I can drop him and put someone else in the DMC spot instead, like Sanchez.

He cost some serious cash – I cut my transfer budget post-cash bonus from moving to higher in the league, and we used up extra salary from that too. My salary is now 88.05 budgeted and 85k spent. We’re fine. 0 dollars in transfer.


I felt that Osmar would be a huge help because we are just allowing way too many goals, so dropping a middle to DMC should prove valuable. He should help. He is the Hojbjerg of this team (my Nacional da Madeira club only really took off after I brought in PeterEmile Hobjerg as my DMC).

I accept a loan from Borja



Osmar wiki - Osmar Barba - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Pic

[Abe Sargent]

Game 20 – vs Osasuna. Punch it! U gave Osmar starting and I move Roton back on the MR spot. Suarez grabs a yellow, pretty boring half actually.. They score to open up the next half, and then I pull Suarz for Uxio. Still a quiet game though. Milla and Souto don’t help either. We lose 1-0

Mahanan wants to leave after getting no play. . I offer him a role in the coaching team instead. Borja heads out on loan

Game 21 – s Ponferradina, Here we go. Get that win! We both have early counter attacks turned aside. I go up and grab a coffee. When I come back, it’s 0-0 at the half. Alright fine. Let’s ead out. They score early twice, and then Vazquez fires back for a score in the 72nd, but that’s it and we lose 1-2. Sorry coffee.

I get permission to hire another coach. I make Mahanan an offer. Whoops, he wants to be my Director fo Football. But he is better than my current guy Paco Montoya by a lot. Okay. I fire 70 year old Paco

I need another player to push my squad and team. Are there any others?

We are at 14th at the halfway mark. I need wins. I need goals.

Mahmoud – 6.88 rating, 18 starts, 7 oals, 1 assist, 2 of those goals were PKs,
Cascon - 7.14 rating, 18 starts, 11goals, 3 assists
Milla – 6 stars, 9 subs – 0 goals, 1 assist, 6.67 rating

Cascon had been okay, but Mahmoud has disappeared

I thought it would be the opposing this year, and Mahmoud would be good for this year and Cascon would drop, but it’s the opposite so far.

Is there another Striker in the queue I can pull up? I usually disdain loans (why develop someone else’s player when you can develop your own?). Maybe there’s a loaner?

There’s no magic brew to fix our attacking game. No great striker for loan or for pick up. David BArral is the only one who would really, really help, but he’s not interested in us. 33 years old, let go from UAE. Plus, I doubt he’d sign for a lot enough contract offer to matter awyways…


Hm…

Could I massage my tactics?

Could I run one Striker and one AMC instead? Let’s try that. I have a ton fo AMCs. Let’s try it out and see what there is to see

Rolon gets the flu

Sufian stubs his toe

Mahanan signs

[Abe Sargent]

Game 22 vs Tenerife. Ndi, Diallo are traveling, and Rolon injured. Here we go, with Milla in the AMC spot and Anaba on the right, Uxio in DC. Let’s figure this tactic out. We start playing hard. We aren’t getting a lot of pressure, so I sub in some folks. They score in the 40th, but at the half we just have 1 shot and 0 on target. I tell them we can keep it up, and I make some changes, trying to figure it out. Looks like always possession is something I may want to add to it. They score again, then a cross is Ebwelle, whom I subbed in, fro a score. 1-2. Finally, they score again and it’s 1-3. They had 17 shots to our 7 Unlucky! I pulled the ineffect Milla for Mahmou ,and things picked up a bit. I also move to Fluid with our tactic

Diallo got his first cap. I turn down head coaching offers. Junca adapts game to left win.

Game 23 – vs Mallorca – We’ll be using Mahmoud at AMC and then Rolon is back from injury at MR> We have nothing to lose! These guys atre 5th and at home. No one expects us to do anything. So let’s do something. They are getting some bookings.



I get a loan offer for Bruno Souto, which I wasn’t expecting…. Hmmm…alright.

[Abe Sargent]

Maxi Rolon is out with a virus for 2 weeks

It’s the end of the transfer window day, and I head to ST Barral. Alright, no one has blown up your skirt. There’s no interested clubs but us, you are aging and getting older, and out of work for a month. Want to come and play for us? Nope. Ah well. He would have given us a major push (in real life, after his UAE deal ends, he’ll sign with Granada, but here, he stayed in UAE longer, and thus comes in on the downslide of his career).

I try with some other STs out there. They want to much (Danilo) or aren’t interested (Leon Best)

Let’s get a serious look at my attack talent:

Mahmoud – Still low, 6.86 rating, still not great, and some abilities have begun to drop (pace, stamina, finishing, etc) In fact, my coaches think he’s dropped considerably.

Cascon – Still fine. In fact, before Cascon and Mahmoud used to be very different – Mahmoud was a lot better, but that changed, and now our scouts rater them roughly equivalent. Both have “Decent player for this side”.

Avila – On Loan

ST Milla – Sucked hard. No real reason for it either, our coaches also give him the same “Decent player” evaluation

ST Arringa – Just a backup.

ST Rolon – Plays over at MR regularly, 17 apps, 1 assist, 0 goals, 6.86 rating. Haven’t realy pushed him as a striker, but he’s not amazing at any FC roles

I need someone with some zest

Barral still doesn’t want to sign though, even fi I offer him just a few months to finish up the year.

Well I find someone that intrigues me a bit. He’s under a hot prospect deal with Tenerife in this division. Young. Nadijb. His contract is up at the end fo the year. I make him an offer to scoem to us post-contract. First team. I make him an offer to come.

And he’s listed for loan. So I make a loan offer to Tenerife for 1st team play. So we’d get him now on loan, and in the future as a player. And then I’m not developing someone else’s ST. They accept our offer next year in theory. Nice. Tenerife gets on the phone. We give them a little cash to make the move now – not much. Just enough


Nadijb – 20 years old, Spanish, plays ST, and MR, MR, and AM MLC, 13/14 speed, 17 fitness, mentals are a bit here and there – 14 flair and determinion, 12 otb, and just 9 work rate. Dribbling is 15, as is crossing, and 14 finishing, first touch, 15 technique, 11 passing, 13 long shots, and he’s even got good corners. He’s a solid technical and physical guy. We rate him 3 stars now, and 4 future. Selfish, one footed, can avid rough challenges, versatile, loyal, well suited to this league, balanced and normal, and great technique in attacking

His best roles in the forward spot are false nine and poacher, and he can doa good job on the wings as well. Nadijb is also Moroccan, like the manager, Julio, he was born in Spain too. 2 years, 2.5k/week first team deal.

I hand him the #8 jersey and submit him



Nadjib wiki - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadjib_Mengoud




Game 24 – vs Ferrol. Sergio Diaz is out with a red card, and I slid Junca back to his spot. I will start Nadjib at the left spot. Diallo is back from away, and he’s in DC and I move Osmar back to DMC. We have a lot of pressure early, and they get a booking in the 5th, and Vazquez’s DFK is deadly, on target, and knocked aside by the GK. We have a few shots crowded down, and them Mahmoud gets a yellow We are winning possession, shots, and everything else. Ferrol have one shot, not on target. And then they have a ncie move and scoe rin the 23rd. Yuck. Then Mahmoud, with his card and all, runs down the middle, is crowded so he kicks the ball out to Nadijb. On one bounce he fires a cross to Cascon just behind the defense, and Cascon gest a score in the 30th. Vazquez gets a yellow. Osmar gest a yellow. I order my guys to do light tackling. Then Nadjib crosses to Mahmoud who scores in the 43rd. Half time 2-1 us. Guard against complacency! Ferrol are trying a lot of long shots, but nothing is sinking. I pull a tired and underwhelming Ndi for Sufian. Milla heads in for Mahmoud. Mahanan for Suarez. Our foes wasted a lot of shots 12 made, 2 on target. We had 15 and 5 though, not exactly high % either, but we scored 2-1 and won. Good win!

[Abe Sargent]

End of January –

Good training – Romero, Sergio Diaz.

February -

Feb 5 – Away vs Lega
Feb 12 – Home vs Nastic
Feb 18 – Away vs Lugo
Feb 26 – Away vs UD Logrones

We are currently 13th in the league

Youth facilities are finished upgrading.

And I get an interview offer from UD Las Palmas SSAD< currently in last place in La Liga, the top flight league. You have plenty of time to turn the season around, they are 22 games in, and just 5 points from 20 and 16. I go on the job interview, just for fun.

UD Melilla approach me to keep me. I ask to improve training, and they say no. I push they say no, and I basically give a light ultimatum, and they agree. Training facilities are being improved. I pull out of the interview and commit to Melilla. The improvement of the facilities is a condition, and I pull out of my interview with Las Palmas. I should send them a thank you card. (We needed it)

Game 25 vs Leganes – I move Antononio Diaz back into the starting lineup at DR after Romero still is not doing well. I am trying something something different. With Sergio Diaz back from his game off, I move him back to DL, which is does well with. He works hard, and despite age fo 25 is still improving in a few places. Sergio Diaz is fine. He’s set at DL, rocking a 7.11 rating despite a ton of games and bad form at times from the team. And I moved Junca back from DL to ML. He plays well there, so there’s no major concern either, he’s 7.17 rating. So what I want to try today, after my failed tactical experiment was scratched a few games ago, is to move Nadijb to the MR. Rolon is still out with a virus, and Ndi wasn;t superhot recently. After an awesome double assist opening game for us at ML, I want to see what he can bring for us at the MR spot. I signed him to be a great striker, and then last game he brought our strikers out of retirement. Let’s see what we can do from here. I move Uxio in for Suarez to give him a start. Lagenes has gone on a poor run of form and is in 20th out of 22. Get vengeance! They hit us hard and fast, and I am forced to move to defensive, and then we ge a break, Mahoud slips the ball to a running Cascon for a score in the 30th . We keep them out of the endzone, despite 11 shots. 1-0 half. Keep it up! I sub in Anaba for Vazquez . Then Ndi heads in. We injure ne of their players. They are just assaulting us. 32 shots at the 86 minute. I sub in Milla. Our foes re tackling hard and get two yellows. Game. We win 1-0. That was a nice win! Very special guys!



‘
Diallo is now more able to play a short passing game.

Another club is making an offer to bring in Mahmoud after his deal with us finishes. Rolon is back from his virus. I offer to extend Uxio by a year. I downgrade DR Romero to rotation. Petrolol sign Mahmoud and he gets a work permit. Good luck out there!


Game 26 vs Nastic. My foe is complaining to the press about the condition of my pitch. Our foes haven’t lost in 6 matches. I leave Uxio in for the game, and Milla is in as well. Good luck! Sergio Diaz knocks one of their middies around and then we score in the 10th minute with an assist by Vazquez to Cascon on a nice building play. Quiet second half of the half. 1-0, Don’t get complacent out there! Milla is injured early and I pull him, move Nadjib to that spot, and then Anaba heads in. Antonio collects a book and I send in Romero. My final sub is Sanchez for Osmar, who’s playing well but really tired. They score in the 84th minute on a counter, and I move to attacking to try and bring us out. We have a nasty and incisive attackourselves, and Vazquez feeds the attacking subbed in Michael Anaba on the right, who strikes, and sinks it in the 88th, I pull back off attacking. Anaba’s first goal for the club. Nadjib’s ass set up the attack run. Junca crosses over both attackers who are marked to the unmarked Anaba attacking and Anaba hits another goal in extra time. We win 3-1. MOM is Vazquez. Very happy with that!

We are told past-conference that the “pitch is a disgrace” by the opposing manager. But you know what? Welcome to Africa Baby!

[Abe Sargent]

Milla is out for 5-6 weeks with a twisted ankle. Junca has improved in training and has been upgraded by our coaches from a good player in this league to a leading one. Middie Jose Antonio, the hot guy who came through our ranks is getting rave remarks, and they think he could be a potential Liga quality central middie in the future, not just for the current one. I look at Antonio and he has gotten better in several areas.

Junca and Vazquez both named in Team of Week. Uxio pens that deal. One year extension.

Game 27 vs Lugo – I slide Romero back in at DR. Suarez is back at DC. Mahmoud is back in the lineup, and we are expected to win, a little, due to our recent run of good form. We are sitting in 10th, and they 9th, but we’ve been winning and they’ve been dropping games. Avenge yourselves to our loss earlier! They score early in the 14th minute, and uh oh. And then Mahmoud finds Cascon on an attacking in the 26th and we equalize. Lots of close calls and alte tackles on both parts, and it’s 1-1 at the half. We can still win this thing! Junca fires a cross to Nadjib on an attacking run, and the GK tries to intercede since the defenders are out of position, fails, and Nadjib finishes. I sub in Anaba for Vazquez. Then Mahanan in for Romero. Final sub is Rolon. After being down 1-0, we come back 2-1. We have been more resilient t with that lately . Good job!


My ST Barral is made an offer finally by another team, out in the Middle East. He still never wanted a deal with us. Ah well. I like my squad right now, it’s playing nicely. We’ve won 4 matches in arrow, and tied one, so we’ve 5 matches unbeaten.

Alright fine. Barrel signed for more money weekly than my entire budget. I get it… 

Junca named in Team of the Week. Mahanan is out with a cold.

Game 28 vs Logrones. Our foes come hard and fast and we concede a goal in the 8th minute. They keep coming and I move to full on defensive posture. They get a red, and around 15 mintues later, they ease off the gas. Then we move slowly and methodically down and get a shot off from range, pushed aside. One corner kick. The second corner from Vazquez t oSuarez connects with the header and it’s a gaol in the 34th minute. 1-1 at the half. Shot by Cascon pushed aside at the 60 minute mark . Can we get lucky with the corner and strike twice? Osmar misses. Nope. I move to pull out Mahmoud fir Maxi Rolon. Anaba follows, and then Arringa. Pepe Romero with a late yellow card in extra time. Tie game, 1-1. That’s fine.

I want to show you something:

Goals allowed in games since singing Osmar:

1
2
3
1
1
0
1
1
1

11 goals in 9 games

Goals allowed in previous 9 games pre Osmar

1
1
1
1
2
1
3
1
3
1
3

Total allowed pre-Osmar in that 9 games is 16

Now that’s obviously a small sample size. But that’s worth noting I think


He’s our Hojbjerg

Junca named in Team of the Week

End of February

Good training includes Sergio Diaz and Diallo

[Greyfriars Bobby]

I'm enjoying the new FM dynasty stories that have appeared recently. I've followed yours from the start; it's a great premise, and I'm enjoying it quite a bit.

Good luck with Melilla! I'll be reading.

[Abe Sargent]

Thanks I appreciate it!

[Abe Sargent]

March

March 5 - Home vs Real Betis
Mar 11 – Home vs Zaragoza
Mar 19 – Away vs Granada
Mar 26 – Home vs Sporting


We are in 10th at the end fo March. Here ‘s the table, briefly

Granada, 56
Mallorca 52
Tenerife 51
Alcorcon 49
Osasuna 48
Sporting 47
Real Betis 45
Logrones 44
Luga 43
Mellilla – 41
Cordoba 40
Eiche 38
Bilbao 37
Girona 36
Numancia 36
Llagosterea 36
Ponferradina 34
Reus 26
Nastic 21
Ferrol 18
Zaragoza – 18
Leganes 17

As you can see, we have the 7, 1, and 6 teams this month, but we’re on a hot streak. I would love to finish 9 or 8, in the single digits. A bad run of form could knock us down badly quite easily though.

Maxi Rolon can now knock the ball past his opponent.

Game 29 vs Real Betis – We are home, but they are still favorites. Since he was hot, Anaba is starting this match, and I want to see what he can do with a full 90. Come on folks, lick up from where you left off! Sergio Diaz is injured in the 5th minute I move Jucna to DL, and then put in Nadjib. Very little. We have about 1 minute where the ball is in their box and nothing results. One of our foes takes an obvious dive in th box, and brings up a PK, and then….they shot and Barrio turns it aside. Missed pK at the 42nd. 0-0 half. Keep it up! They trip Nadjib in the 47t minute, and now it’s our turn at the penalty kicking. Up steps Mahmoud and he sinks it. 1-0 us. Sub – Sanchez for Vazquez. Our foes, probably angry, get one booking, then another. Final sub – Rolon for Cascon. We win 1-0. MOM is Nadijb. Great result


Osmar and Nadjib named in Tam of the Week.

I turn down an offer for an interview by Almeria, 18th in the Liga

Game 30 – Zaragoza is here. I give Sergio Diaz a rest and move Junca back to DL. We are favored here, obviously. We almost have a sub-zero strike when a nasty shot is truend aside by Mahmoud in the 0:56 mark, and then no corner or anything follows. Romero launches a blast to he other side of the pitch, where Junca is unmarked, and he crosses to Cascon for a score in the 9th. Ndi, starting today, hits Mahmoud, but the ball is turned aside. They get a foul around 20 minutes later for a yellow card. Whoa, they pop the ball out, back in, and score in the 38th. Osmar with a yellow too. 1-1 alf. Keep it up and the result will follow. I Send in Nadijb for Yahmoud. Sanchez in for Osmar. Sancehz fires a nice pass to set up Anaba, who fires and it bounces off their GK and Ndi finds it and sinks it or a score in the 78th. Ndi’s first goal for us. Final sub is Rolon. Ndi with a yellow. Another 2-1 result. We’re showing some grit. MOM is Junca. Both him and Anaba finished with 9 ratings. Anaba has been on fire recently. Well done boys.

[Abe Sargent]

What I wish I could do was move Sergio Diaz o the right and Junca at the DL. Both are very left footed though.

Ndi has been getting better. I agree to give Antonio Diaz some start soon and move him back to DR.


Junca and Anaba in Team of Week

I have some very hot middies right now – Anaba, Vazquez, and I slide Nadijb into my ST spot pending Mahoud out for international duty

Milla is back from injury

My GK Pedro is out for 405 weeks with a strained stomach muscle in the training

Sufian is upset at the lack of 1st team soccer, and I offer to sell him. I palce him on tarsnfer, although he’s up at the end of this season anyways.

Sufian was with Melilla all of his career. Born right here, with almost 240 apps for either Mellia or the B squad, save for some loans.


Game 31 vs Granada, #1 in the league. With a great game last week there, I’m leaving Junca at the DL spot this week and Sergio Diaz on the bench. I do want to slide in Uxio. He’s faster and I think a better fit for the anti-Granada stuff we’ll need. So we have a few new changes here for this game (Antonio Diaz, Uxio, Nadijb at ST) Anaba and Ndi in at the wings, and Vazquez and Osmar. We’re underdogs, no pressure! They score quickly, this time getting us in the 9th minute. They score again in the 37th. 2-0 them at the half. Show me something else. Anaba to Cascon for a score in the 59th, offisdes. I send in Rolon. He;s faster. Tehre have been times Cascon can’t get to the balls in te back. And there’s the score. Nadjib, Rolon, score in the 67th, powerful shot from the box. Rolon’s first goal for us, ever. Corner from Vasquez to Osmar is on line, but held. Antonio Diaz is sucking so I send in Mahanan to spell him. Osmar and Vasquez driving and passing the ball back and forth on the flank. Vas hoofs it over some folks to deep for Ndi to run on, and a defender, in panic, rushes to clear it and hoofs it to the GK, but Nadjob, also on an attack run is there, gets to the ball first, and fires it in. Major error by them. Score – 72nd minute. They march down, fire a shot that rebounds off the crossbar right at another player who finishes it. I send in Sanchez. Maybe a late set pieces would help. Game 3-2. That was close. Unlucky!

Our first loss in a lost of games. Their manager was very positive of us pre-game, and post-game as well, talking about how we battled back.


Game 32 vs Sporting. We are slight favs due to home advantage . I move Milla back to start in lieu of Nadijb. Suarez back in for Uxio. Sergio Diaz back at DL and Junca at ML. I swap Aanba to the MR spot and Ndi is on the bench, We owe Sporting! Milla is injured in the 10th minute and has to come off and I send in Rolon. Junca fires a long shot, it hits the GK and Rolon dives through a crowd to get the rebound and puts it away in the 13th. Rolon with quick results again. Vasquez collects a booking. Junca lays out a dangerous pass, just collected by them. Cascon has a shot waived offsides. We hammer a lot, no more cores though. Half time we have 12 shots, 6 on target, to their 7 and 3. Don’t get complacent! Anaba gets a yellow. I send in Nadjib to pull off a potential double yellow situation. Final sub – My defense all have at least 7.0, and Sergio Diaz an 8.1, so none of them….Ndi for Vazquez. Nadjib finds Cascon on an attack run for a score in the 81st. We win 2-0. MOM is Sergio Diaz. Special guys!


Well Milla is out. For 5months with a broken foot. I get an offer for Sufian for transfer and I agree to it.




We get our new intake of youth folks. Any great players? Future stars or studs? Nah. Nothing at all to mention.

I attend the youth game. The youth contract are signed and we are now a bit over my budget.

End of March

Good training –

Uxio, Diallo, Nadjib

[Abe Sargent]

April –

April 2 – Away at Girona
April 8 – Away vs Bilbao
Apri 16 – Home vs Eiche
April 22 – Away vs Cordoba
April 30 – Away vs Alcorcon

Game 33 vs Girona - Vazquez is banned for a match with too many yellows, so I move Sanchez to start for him. I Start Rolon across from Cascon after the good match they both had last game. With our winning streak last month, and just one loss there, we are now 8th, but with a game in hand we are about ti play – win and we rise to tied with Tenerife at 3 points at 6/7 spot. It’s a big game. Note that this month we aren’t play in North Africa much. I start Nadjib on the MR. Carry on from last match! They force through a powerful shot through our GK, almost knocks him down. We’ve had some opportunities too, bub thing sticks. We’re down 1-0 at the half. Unlucky! They collect a yellow and seem to be a bit more kick-y than last half. Subs – Mahmoud, Romero. Antonio Diaz has been bad the last two games, I’m moving Romero back into the starting role next game. Rolon a yellow card. We’ve had shots. Rolon got Mahmoud one there, but the shot hit the crossbar and went over. Uxio in We get a breakaway attempt wit about 18 seconds left in the game. Can we finally hit paydirt? Oh yes we can! Nadjib gest a nasty pass from Junca to hit the corner of the goal from the tightest angel ever created by man. Nice 1-1 tie. Great comeback! Junca is MOM

Nadjib, Junca, Osmar in Team of the Week

Football is odd. Vazquez is proof. Last year, Vazquez was the junior partner of Sanchez, got pulled regularly, and was alright. Now he’s doing very well, and despite tons fo competition at MC and AMC running around, is one of the more secure folks on the field. All this despite an upgrade in talent in the league. Dude is money


Game 34 vs Bilbao – I have Nadjib at ST, Ndi at MR. Romero at DR. For the fans! In the Rain!!! The game is listless for a while, so I move to Control, and then Bilbo get a ton of momentum, back to counter. They fire a cross at the guy Suarez is marking and he is beaten, and they score in the 44th. 1-0 at the half. I expect to see better next half. Ndi has a great cross to Cascon, but to no avail – not on target. I sub in Uxio for Suarez. They fire another shot and connect, this time a long shot. I send in Mahmoud for Cascon. Anaba heads in. Nope. We lose 2-0. Not good enough today, we should be winning those matches

[Abe Sargent]

Game 35 vs – Eiche – Again we get some complaints about the pitch from the manager. He can just deal. I start Uxio. I drop him to rotation squad status. Get vengeance! Lots of minor possession exchanges, and I move to Control, but nothing major happens. Half time. We can still win! I ease back to standard since control did nothing. I swap Mahmoud for a quiet Cascon. Anaba for Ndi. Ebwelle for Junca. Quiet, boring, 0-0. Unlucky



Game 36 – Cordoba. Suarez back, I slide Anaba to the starting MR spot. It’s raining and we are in those pretty red kits and they score in 0:21 mark. Cascon finds Nadjib after he hit Cascon,and a score in the 15th equalizes thangs. Half. Keep it up! They get a yellow right after. They foul one of our players, and Vazquez lines up a IFK and hits Osmar for the goal, and that’s his 1st for us. 2-1 at the 53 mark. Blast. OG by Vazquez in the 56th! Anaba fires a deep cross at the goal, and Nadjib is there and puts it away beating their keep in te 62nd. Sub – Ndi for Vazquez. Uxio in for Diallo, who’s having a bad game, having allowed a goal earlier. I sub in ROlon to spell a tired, but fine, Cascon. He has an assist. Anaba finds Nadjib down the center for his hattrick and it’s 4-2. They dove in our tackle zone to try and get a pk and get a yellow. MOM is Nadjib. We started down 1-0 in the first minute And win 4-2. That was truly special.


If I were the Moroccan coach, I’s ask Nadjib to commit to Moroccan football and start him now.
\Anaba and Nadjib both Team of the Week.

Granada secured at least a playoff spot

Game 37 – Alcrocon game is here. I pull Cascon for Mahmoud. I make no other changes. Pick up where you left off! I begin defensive against the yellow unicorns. They score in the 10th from a Diallo OG. They get a pair of bookings, and the quiet half ends. Show me something else! 3rd yellow for them. I sub in Uxio for Dialoo, tehn Ndi. Then Rolon. Nothing. I’m tired of these OGs. Unlucky! Osmar is MOM and Sergio Diaz collects a yellow in extra time


After that match, Alcorcon are guaranteed a playoff spot.

End of April –

Training of Worth – A Diaz, Jose Antonio (the good middle youth guy I have) and ST Arringa

[Abe Sargent]

May –


May 7 – Home vs Reus
May 13 – Home vs Llagos
May 21 – Home vs Osasuna
May 28 – Away vs Numancia

April wasn’t super hot, and we finish 8th

We have 5 games to go

Mallorca guarantee themselves a playoff pot

Game 38 vs Reus. Uxio is in for Diallo. I move Cascon back to the starting lineup. No other changes. We are favored. Good luck folks. We get early pressure but no goals, just a yellow for Reus and then another for Michael Anaba. Osmar has had three shots all close, all on target, all stopped Vazquez with a yellow. Osmar has a light injury and I pull him at the half for Sanchez. They rifle a goal in the 58th. Ndi heads in for the yellow and not-that-great Anaba. Rolon too. Our foes got 4 cards. We have more than double the shots, and yet it’s not coming. Will attacking strategy help? A guy with a yellow fouls us in the penalty box in injury time. It’s both a PK and a second yellow sending off. David Sanchez…..misses the penalty GRRRRR. We lose 1-0. That was not good enough!

After linking up Sanchez and Antonio, Antonio feels he got a lot out of it.

Game 39 vs Llagostera – Diallo back in the lineup, Ndi as well.. Vengeance! Sergio Diaz injures one of their players in the 19th minute. Lots fo wasted shots, long shots, misses, and then Cascon gest a yellow in the 35th. 0-0 half. Keep going! Romero jumpstarts a counter and….nothing. They land a random header in the 57th for a goal. In leads Rolon, Diallo with a cad, and then Uxio and Antonio Diaz. Nothing. We lose, in a quiet game, 1-0. We need to start winnng again please. Thanks.

With that win, Llagostera avoid relegation. You are welcome

Nastic, Zaragoza, and Leganes are relegated

[Abe Sargent]

Game 40 vs Osasuna – Diallo is banned with to many reds – Uxio starts. We can win! These folks are #6. They score quickly. Then later Nadjib is running deep, cross to Cascon for a score. And then nothing else happens. A bunch of exchanges of possession, nothing happens, not mahor shots, no stories, no yellows, nothing 1 -1 draw.


Ferrol are relegated. Nadjib in Team of Week

Game 41 vs Numancia – We move Cascon to the bench and Yahmoud is up. Show me what you can do! Each a yellow early, I move to defensive after they come.. We get a counter but to no avail. We halt one fo their counters before it even begins – halftime. Vazquez to Suarez on a corner in the 60th. I pull Serigio Diaz and his yellow for Anaba. Nadjib hoofs a defender to hit Mahmoud for a score in the 73rd. Rolon for Ndi. They get a cross and header for a score in the 77th. Sanchez in for a tired Vazquez. We win 2-1. Good job!

Sporting won a playoff spot Granad is promoted for sure.

[Abe Sargent]

Whoa!


In a very odd coincidence, Nacional da Madeira, my own club from the earlier dynasty, come to offer us an interview. No thanks.

End of May

Training – Mahanan, Diallo, Nadjib

Game 42 vs Tenerife – Tey are 6th, and there is a slight chance if we beat them and Eiche wins that Eiche could move past them. Very slight. I keep our starters. Here we go! Final game of the season. Vengeance! I start with defensive to get a feel for the game. They are moving forward and align very aggressively, They stop one of our counters. Ndi’s shot is pushed aside. Half. Keep going, you have this! I sub in Antonio Diaz for Romero and Rolon for Nadjib who twisted his ankle. 0-0 and quiet in the second half. We had 9 shots, 2 on target, they had 10 and 3. MOM is Junca.



We finish 10th with 60 points in 42 games, and the highest of the other two 60 point finishers – Cordoba and Real Betis, whoa re 11th and 12th. If we had won this match we would have been 9th

But tenth ain’t bad. #6, the lowest placed playoff is 66. That’s pretty close.


We had a good campaign, finishing 10th fo 22 and safely avoiding the relegation scrum.

[Abe Sargent]

I look at the players I have leaving of quality:

Mahmoud – Signed elsewhere
Cascon
David Sanchez
Sufian
Borja


My goal this year was to bring in enough talent for my club to compete, and we did. I never stopped. My last two additions in January really helped. And we have a lot of young talent here too.

So, stats!


Most MOM in the league was 9, and then we had Vazquez with 5, leading our team

Highest average rating in the league was 7.68 – Vazquez was 5th with 7.45, Junca 20th wth 7.31

Cascon was 2nd with goals at 18

Mahmoud had 4 PKs, the most

Most assists? Junca with 12, and the

VAzuez was 4th in best cross ratio.

Diallo was 2nd in the leage with key headers, and Suarez was 6th.

Diallo was 3rd in interceptions


Stats:

GK Barrio – 42 apps, 6.85
FB Romero 36 and 6.68 rating
DC Diallo - 37, 1 goal, 1 asssit, 1 MOM, 6.94 rating
DC Suarez – 35 games, 4 goals, 6.92 rating
DL Sergio Diaz – 39 apps, 4 assit, 2 MOM, 7.12 rating

Fullback Antonio Diaz – 20 apps, 6.68 rating
DC Uxio – 24 apps ,6.74 rat

ST Maumoud – 32 starts, 10 oals (4 penalties), 3 assist, 1 MOM, 6.86rating
ST Cascon – 36 starts. 18 goals, 4 assist, 2 MOM, 6.94
ST Milla – 20 apps,0 goals, 2 asit, 6.69
ST/M Nidjib – 19 apps, 6 goals, 7 assist, 2 MOM, 7.22 rating
S/M Maxi Rolon – 31 apps, 2 goals, 1 assist, 6.88

DMC Osmar – 23 apps, 1 goal, 1 assit, 1 MOM, 7.45 rating
DMC David Sanchez – 26, 2 goals, 7.02 rating
ML/DL Junca – 42 apps, 12 assist, 5 MOM, 7.31
MR Ndi – 17 apps, 1 goal, 6.94
MC Vazquez -40 apps, 2 goals, 8 assist, 5 MOM, 7.45 rating

MC Anaba – 18 apps, 2 goals, 3 ass, 7.21 rating


So there you are – Vazquez, Osmar, Junca had the best campaigns by ratins, and S. Diaz, Nidjib, Anaba were fine as well.

[Abe Sargent]

Coming off loans will be Bruno Souto, Alam Avila, Marco Rosa, and Borka.

For Alves, Souto had 15 starts 5 goals, 4 assist, 2 MOM, and 7.48 rating. Avla had 13 goals I 34 starts.


Next year what I need to do is find a few ways to update my squad at the DR and perhaps….GK psot



GK Barrio – 42 starts, 8 clean sheet,s 51 scores allowed, 15th in goals allowed this season, 6th most goals allowed by a GK. Most shut ots was 21, fewest was 8.

Team Stats – We led in headers ,penalty scores, we had 51 goals and 51 allowed, best cross completion ratio in the league, We score6 goas from DFKs, 6 from penalties (led league in both categories) and 2md most in IFKS – 6, and and tied for 2nd best in corners – 6. That’s 24 goals, or roughly half of my scores, that came from set pieces (24 of 51). My emphasis on set pieces worked. But still. I’d like a more rounded team in the future. We allowed one DFK, 2 IFK, 6 corners, and 4 PK – so we allowed 13 set pieces to 24 made, a +11 GF on them.

Our goals on target ration was 18th worst out of 22.

Barrio wasn;t that great s a GK. Now he didn’t suck. I’m not getting frustrated because he did a lot fo bad stuff, but you cn see next to others ,he wasn’t exactly scintillating. Our coaches rate himas “Decent” for this league

Can I get a decent plus guy?

Not amazing.

There si one guy who can play DR and would be a great benefits, and he’s up in a month, Antonio Barragan, who plays fo Valencia in a rotation, but he’s I the Liga, and on a rotation, set up, andeven though no one has made an offer for him, he still doesn’t want to slum it with us

Here’s another Lillo, 28, can play DR, platyed for Eibar right now in the LIGA, makes a low enough salary that we are feasible. But he’s not interested.

Hmm, I found someone is is interested – Vasyl Kobin, playing here in this league for Alcorcon, he played in Ukraine his whole life, and is Ukrainian, until he came to Alcorcon for a year, and they sigend him to first team, but barely played him. He’s wil to sign with us. He’s 32, he’s not mega-expensive, and

Holy Crap!

I may have found someone nasty good.

16 year old GK Adolfo Cruz, plays for Las Palmas, way back there. Our club would be a nice improvement for him. (Not Las Palmas, the Liga club, Las Palmas Atletico, in the 3rd division). He’s good. A lot good. A scout found him and gave him a great future report. I send in an enquiry

But I’m not finding a great DL, or a ST to replace my Cascon/Mahmoud leaving tandem. Although Rolon, Nadjib, Avila, and my injured and sucky Milla may have it covered for a while.

Hmmmm

There’s another studly potential DR playing for Sevilla Atletico in the Segunda B. Juan Lopez, at DR. Lopez could be a future stud. He’s been capped for Spain already at the U19 level. I make an enquiry for him too After trying and fialing to develop Antonio Diaz into a major force, maybe it’s time to look at another? I can loan Antonio out, and he can get some expeirnce, but Antonio is 21, and about as good as Lopez, at 17. So that;s an area I want to explore

One player in this division with us, Dani Perez for Osasuna, got a great DC. Others too. It’s sad we didn’t get any major youthers this time, but that’s probably to be expected in Melilla.

Let’s make some inquiries for a few more. See if anyone out there is interested in me

[Abe Sargent]

Melilla End of Season Awards:

Fans Player of the Year – Osmar, then Vazquez and Junca
Goal of the Season – Mahmoud, vs Ferrol
Signing of the Season – Osmar
Young Player of the Season – Junca

I tell my folks in the meeting that I am aiming for a top half finish again next season and they are all in one accord.

Yearly Training Summary



Good – Romero, S Diaz, Diallo, Jose Antonio, Nadjib

Bad – Milla, Arriaga, Sanchez, Mahanan, Mahmoud



I get my initial budget and transfer from the board. Whew is it an upgrade in price! Last season it was 88k, this season like 135k, and a big kitty. They expect us to be here for a while and me the cash to prove it.

I wat told that Juan Lopez is not for sale at any price. I make an offer

Cruz doesn’t want to sign, even after we negotiated a deal for him. He would have ben awesome. Ah well

Other Gks on my radar are Ivan Villar, Samu, Juan Soriano and these are all young Spanish GKs in the 19-20 range, who are solid now and look to have good futures.

I’ll give you an example Here’s 19 year old IvanVillar compared with our own Barrio:

Barrio is better at: Speed, a bit of jumping, stamina; flair, positioning, vision, aerial reach, first touch, passing, rushing out ,throwing

Villar is better at: Balance, fitness, strength, aggression, brave, concentration, decisions, determination, leadership, teamwork, command of area, communications, one on ones by a bit,
So basically, Villar is better mentally, and Barrio is better in the air, and will ball distribution.

Since there is an 11 year age difference ,and they are roughl equals already, it’s an obvious thing to look at, you know?

I send an enquiry to all three GKs.

Sergio Diaz approaches me. There’s been some talk in the news about Eiche beong interested in him, and I agree that if they make a bid that matches our valuation of him, I’ll let him talk with them.

I negotiate a deal of 360k for Villar. About 10 times his current value

We agree, and after giving him and his agent some cash, it’s more than 4 all told.

By the by, Cadiz won their division again – 3 in a row, and 4 in 6 years.

[Abe Sargent]

I have a handful of staff who’s deals end soon – GK Coach BAston, Coach Hernandez, Assistant Manager Sergio Pellicer, Fitness Coach Nacho, and Coach Jose Ramirez.

I offer to extend Baston. I want to bri g in another GK coach too, and he’s a 4 star in shot stopping there if I solo him, so he’s fine. I’m letting Hernandez go, he’s not that great for this league, with a 3 star as his best. Ramirez is 3.5 stars in defending. If I can find a 4 star guy, I’ll move him. Nacho is a fitness specialist, but still just has 3.5 in strength, so i’d like to upgrade that as well

One of the things I like to do is to bring in staff that used to be players that I really liked in previous dynasties, like Besnik Hasi, Finidi George, Matthew Holland, Sebastian Renouard, etc.


I make an offer to Serginho to come over and retire and stating coaching my GKs.

I offer Renouard a scout spot.

Serginho arrives. He speaks basic Spanish, so I send him on an intensive language course. He’s set up for a 4 star training on GK Handling

I like a youther named Quique Fornos, a DC 20 year old for a decent hot prospect sort of guy, contract up soon. Not great, but someone we can develop


Going into next year, these are my current players of note:

GK Barrio, Pedro, Ivan Villar
DC Uxio, Diallo, Suarez, maybe Mahanan
DR Pepe Romero, Antonio Diaz
DL/ML Sergio Diaz, Junca
ST Milla, Rolon, Nadjib, backup Arriaga, Avan Avila
DMC – Osmar, (Uxio Diallo can play as well)
Middies (In addition to playing Nadjib, Rolon as midiles) Vazquez, Anaba, Ndi, Bruno Souto, Marco Rosa, Ebwelle, maybe Jose Antonio from the youthers

That’s fine in places. The left side is set, as is Vazquez, Diallo, Suarez/Uxio are fine, and such

Now I expect to loan out Ebwelle and let him get some experience, probably Rosa as well. I;m leaning on Arriaga and Mahanan for coverage much, they are old, on staff/player contracts, and worsening

Milla sucked and gest injured a lot. And I’m loaning Antonio Diaz and I might be loanin gout Pedro.

That leaves me:

2 GK
1 DR who’se not great
3 DC
2 DL
2 ML I like a lot
1 DMC
1 MC (Vazquez)
2 MR’s that rotates (Ndi, Anaba)
2 ST (Rolon, Nadjib)

Not relying on Milla or Arriaga, nor having Avila as a known, and ROlon and Nadjib are probably better at middies. I need a lights out striker. The last two years it was Cascon and Mahmoud, but Mahmoud faded, and Cascon is starting to. Avila didn’t improve that much, and he’s a distant 4th or 5th on the chart, above Arriaga. He was a good signing for the Segunda, but not now. I am leaning to transfer listing him or more loans for free. Both Nadjib and Rolon seem more like supporters for another with good crossing, passing, etc, and not amazing finishing. Rolon is 11 finishing but 13 pass, for oexample.

Values of my guys after one year here?


Osmar – 1.3 mill
Nadjib – 425k
Junca – 400
Diallo – 400
Anaba – 325
Rolon – 300
Ndi – 275
Sergio Diaz – 275
Pere Milla – 235
Uarez – 225

And then 5 more at 100k or above (Uxio, Souto, Vazquez,z Romero, Barrio)


I need a Striker to come in.

[Abe Sargent]

I still don’t get how Vazquez just had a career year starting 40 games in this league, it’s crazy. He’s tis 31 year old miracle. Here we are, just 10th in the league, and he’s not only the most in form player on our roster, but also one of the top in the league. He started with the Real Madrid C club for a couple of years, and then went to Castilla, who placed in the Segunda B league for 3 years, and the he came to Melilla for a year, left for Huesca for a year, back back to Melilla for two, then went to Veroia for a year, and then came back to us and was new last year for us, and played two years now. And last year, he was never that great compared to Sanchez, and was regularly pulled for others later in the game, like Borja. His skills aren’t that great. He is worse than both Ndi and Anaba and Souto. And yet, this guy just had an incredible season for us. There’s nothing on paper to predict what just happened with David Vazquez . Determation? Just 12. Work rate? 8. Passing at 14 is good, helps him connect, and obviously have the 14 crossing, tehe 16 free kicks, the 12 long shots, and such help too. His physical skills are laughable -10, 10, 12, 10, 12, 11, 12, 11. Those are the physical traits of a guy who just dominated in the middle in the 2nd best league in Spain. He doesn’t have this great presence phsycially with 7 tackling, 8 marking, nor does he have this great heading skill to help out – just 9. 10 finishing. 13 technique, 13 first touch. So where does it come from? I don’t know. I haven’t a clue. But at 31 years of age, Vazquez is a man of mystery, and a tour of force



Alright, next is ST and DR and those will be my major acquisitions this time. Other than some talented youth or anything, that’s the limit I think of my roster, since it’s good. Just because I have the cash for more doesn’t mean I have to spend it. I make some offers for some solid youthers coming off deals to flesh out my U19 and B Squads.

Croatia is lucky. There are a number of strong young folks in the Croatian area our scout found that we like. Damir Begic, nd others, bu the best is Mladen Mance, an 18 year old guy who us already amazing, and would get better very, very quickly. Like a wonderkid quickly. He plays for Basel. He doesn’t want to sign with us, but if the did, I would do everything I could to move mountains to get him. He’ll be a great one. He has a minimum release fee of 1.1 mill. If I slashed my salary to 119k a week, I’d have enough to pay for him. So I can do it. And I would. I’d have already sung his praised. Ah well. Finding a newly generated wonderkid is one thing. Signing is very much another.

You know what? Let’s take a shot. I offer 1.1 mill, his escape clause to Basel

I bring in Renouard as a scout

Offer for Mance accepted, but nope, not interested, as we suspected. Ah wells.

I find a 20 year old DR named Fernando Fonseca who plays for Porto and who’s deal is up soon. He’s not great. He’s not amazing. He’s not a lights out DR. On the pitch, we think Romero is better, but Romero certainly didn’t play better last year

I head to the board and request an upgraded scouting assignment, they decline, but I convince them

I can now scout…


The whole world!

I send a scout to North Africa first and another to West Africa

I ask for more scouts and they agree. We get one more. Whoo hoo.

I make an offer to Ruud van Nistelroojj to help my U19 team

I make an offer for a Portuguese/Brazilian to come and scout for me.

Elche wins promotion to the Liga after winning the playoffs. Good luck!

Ruud arrives, I make an offer to, and sign for 14k a young talent from Sestao River, a club so far down on the charts that you’ve likely never heard of it. Welcome.

I also sign youther Ibrahim Compaore. My scout arrives, Alvaro Dias. Hmmm


What about Rubio Rubin?

(He plays for the USA< and has been capped already). One of my scouts recommend him. Now I lost Mahmoud, so I only have one non-EU player on our roster – that’s Souto. I sent out a scout to check him out. He plays here in Europe.

Now there is a player I’ve been dodging, since I have someone on my roster who’s good in that area already:

31 year old Markel. Plays MC< DMC< and DC< and is best at DMC> Mentals stats are amazing. Physical are feasible, and his technical – wow – 16 mark? 17 tack? That’s good styuff there. He’s not great at aerial stuff, meaning he’s better as a DMC than as a DC, and he’s a ball winning guy, btu not a deep lying playmaker, his passing is just a 10. His whole career has been at Real Sociedad but they have let his contract go. He’s willing to sign, and he is a good quality player. If I didn’t have Osmar, I’d be happy to bring him in.

Could I run a formation with 2 DMC, one a ball winning and the other the deep lying playemr?

Hmm…

I’m trouble with the DR stuff. What if I moved Sergio Diaz like he wants to Elche, and then I move to three DC and remove fullbacks. Sort of a 3/2/3/2. I don’t know if that’s a real strategy though or not. A 4/2/2/2 would never work, I have too many wingers, right? Plus I still need that DR. Now what about 4231? Nah I need an MC spot for Vazquez. 4213 works better. It is 3232 is there.

I’d rather have too many good players than not enough. What if Osmar get’s injured? I make Markel an offer.

[Abe Sargent]

Ebwelle is now a Spanish citizen. Ndi can now get forward far more often. Markel wants a little too much cash, Ima wait until he’s free and clear, often fiscal demands drop wen that occurs.

I sign another youther, Fernando Gomes.

Cadiz was promoted and won the promotions, and if anyone deserves I, it’s them.

There’s another ST out there, ST Joao Paulo Brazilian, club want 1.3 mill, which I can afford he’s 20, an he’s good enough. But our scouts don’t think Paulo had the same upside as that wonderkid out in Croatia.

I make the offer

He’s the best ST I’ve seen that would actually work for us.

Wow!

The World Cup 2022 is being moved to Morocco. Crazy.

June 30. I release some coaches from deals at the end of their contracts. I promote Dario Simic to the head coach of my U19 squad.

Markel resigned for a ton of money, 32k. No way I could touch that. Another major opportunity off the table


Here are our four signees:

You’ve seen GK Villar already

ST Ibrahim Compaore, hot prospect, 18, Portuguese, hot prospect adequate, not great, just a body, cheap,

DRL, DMCMC, WBl Fernando Gomes, 17 years, Portuguese, hot prospect, a bit better looking. Very high potential, low current.

ST Ibon Uriarte, Youngster deal, cheap, and not great at all, but again, good potential. Someone we can use

GK Pedro gets a loan offer, which I accept, also GK Marcos Lavin.


Rolon is not listed for loan, but I get a few offers. I reject them, Rolon is a part of my plans right now. I offer Antonio Diaz, Ebwelle, and Rosa for loan.

I finalize a deal for Joao Paulo. Others supposedly are on.


I loan out Brahim, and Rosa, Avila and Souto


I get an offer for some other loanees

Milla is back from injury

Joao Paulo decided to sign with Braga after they made an offer for him at the last minute

I am still bereft of a ST and DR

[Abe Sargent]

I have been spending a ton of time scouting people, and trying to find the best fit for us.

Here are a few that I’m thinking about – Wilson Morales, Ecudorian,


I have scouted hundreds of players. I went to national youth clubs for nations like Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Mali. I scouted anybody who came up as “reasonable transfer target” with a low enough current value that I think I can make an offer. I am scouring for talent somewhere.

Here a few final options:

1 – DC/R Roberto Ragazzi 16 years old, looks like a high quality player, in the Italian youth system right now, he’s already valued at 157k and he’ll cost more than 1 mill to unhinge from Bologna, but he looks good. I’m not sure if he’s the next Joao Luis Rodrigues but he’s in a good place right now (that’s a reference to the fact that I had a very, very good fullback come through my youth system in a previous dynasty who went one to become one of the best fullbacks in the world.). I don’t know what the upper limit on Regazzi is but he is a very, very, intriguing target

2 – D RLC – Adilson – 18 year old Brazilian, can play multiple spots, requires more than a mill to secure,

3 – DL Paul Jordan – If I lose Sergio Diaz, I may need a DL replacement, and while scouting fullbacks, this guy came up. Currently 8 years old with Hull in the Championship, and this English player is pretty slid now, and looks to have a solid future as well, and we could bring him in for a few hundred thousand from Hull. 18 years old. Great physical and Mental, weak, weak technical (6 passing? 7 cross? 10 head? 7 technique? Just a 11 mark and 12 tack?)


These two guys are on a free and will sign with us at ST and have some value there:

ST Ruben Martinez, Australian, on their national youth club, available for free, best role is poacher – attack, 20 years old, will sign a hot prospect deal for 1.1k/week, has good speed, finishing, first touch, technique, and such, but poor aerial, and weaker passing of just 9. Not great right now, but my scout says that he has strong potential.

There were four unsigned players on the Australian youth team. It would be easy to bring in another on a young player deal to help Martinez adjust.

ST Wilson Morales,, 24, Ecuadorian, okays AMC and ST, willing to sign for first team and around 5k a week, best role at ST is Trequarista, and he’s strong now. Not a lot of room for growth, he’s ready to rock and roll now. Fast, good finishing, great technical skill set actually, passing of o16, 15 1st touch, etc. And he’sfine physically (not with jumping reach, but he’s still good with heading at 15), and his Mentals are….okay.



Morales is the best I can fine who’s interested and free, and then I can bring in Martinez as well as a project to grow and develop. Then I can make an offer for some serious cash for a Regazzi or



Now here are the obvious issues.

We can only register two non-EU folks For purposes of that “EU” stuff, the Contonu pact nations are fine. That includes much of Africa, former colonial nations like Belize, much of the Caribbean, and so forth, plus a lot of Oceania like Fiji or Tuvalu. We can also get the Turkic nations as well – Azerbaijan, Turkey, etc. Those are all fine and dandy, just like candy. We can also sign mush of Eastern Europe that’s not in the EU, and the various Baltic states – Bosnia, Armenia, Russsia, Ukraine, etc We also can sign Morocco ,Tunisia, and Algeria from North Africa.

Morales and Martinez are both outside, and I can only have two of those folks. Now I had two last year, and I loaned away Bruno Souto and then let Mahmoud go. I have loaned away Souto now, so I could bring in both of these guys and then



I like Morales enough to make him an offer now. Its 4.7week for two years. We can bring him in and see what he’s got and if he can strut his stuff here in Europe. I scout some Ecudorian youth to see what they have

The real question is Martinez. Do I have a space for him?

My current strikers:

Avila – Sent on Loan
Nadjib – Can play middle too
Rolon – Can play right wing too
Morales – My goal guy
Arringa – Very very backup guy

This guy would likely slot behind Rolon, Nadjib, and Morales as my 4th option. I can bring him in as a hot prospect and then loan him for some gains too. Martinez is also a Spanish speaker, with Chilean descent as well.

Offers made to Morales and Martinez

I also make offers to 19 year old Stefan Strain and Matthew Adelson from Australia

Now time for my DC question.

Ragazzi is up. He’s younger, European, 1.2 mill, and ready to go. I make Bologna an offer.

I make an offe r to the Cape Verdean international Hugo Evora to come to my club as a coach. I also like Hetor, a young Spanish guy who played his career in the lower levels of Spanish football, but looks to be a great defensive coach . I make him an offer as well. Ilike Spanish Basque guy Ianki …. As a coach for shooting, he’s 33 and willing to retire for coaching now.

Those three should come in and improve my training considerably. We also have training and youth facilities improvements underway.

A job is open at Granada, who won the division we are at, and heading up to Liga and I am touted as the best candidate for it.

[Abe Sargent]

Ebwelle is now a Spanish citizen. Ndi can now get forward far more often. Markel wants a little too much cash, Ima wait until he’s free and clear, often fiscal demands drop wen that occurs.

I sign another youther, Fernando Gomes.

Cadiz was promoted and won the promotions, and if anyone deserves I, it’s them.

There’s another ST out there, ST Joao Paulo Brazilian, club want 1.3 mill, which I can afford he’s 20, an he’s good enough. But our scouts don’t think Paulo had the same upside as that wonderkid out in Croatia.

I make the offer

He’s the best ST I’ve seen that would actually work for us.

Wow!

The World Cup 2022 is being moved to Morocco. Crazy.

June 30. I release some coaches from deals at the end of their contracts. I promote Dario Simic to the head coach of my U19 squad.

Markel resigned for a ton of money, 32k. No way I could touch that. Another major opportunity off the table


Here are our four signees:

You’ve seen GK Villar already

ST Ibrahim Compaore, hot prospect, 18, Portuguese, hot prospect adequate, not great, just a body, cheap,

DRL, DMCMC, WBl Fernando Gomes, 17 years, Portuguese, hot prospect, a bit better looking. Very high potential, low current.

ST Ibon Uriarte, Youngster deal, cheap, and not great at all, but again, good potential. Someone we can use

GK Pedro gets a loan offer, which I accept, also GK Marcos Lavin.


Rolon is not listed for loan, but I get a few offers. I reject them, Rolon is a part of my plans right now. I offer Antonio Diaz, Ebwelle, and Rosa for loan.

I finalize a deal for Joao Paulo. Others supposedly are on.


I loan out Brahim, and Rosa, Avila and Souto


I get an offer for some other loanees

Milla is back from injury

Joao Paulo decided to sign with Braga after they made an offer for him at the last minute

I am still bereft of a ST and DR



I have been spending a ton of time scouting people, and trying to find the best fit for us.

Here are a few that I’m thinking about – Wilson Morales, Ecudorian,


I have scouted hundreds of players. I went to national youth clubs for nations like Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Mali. I scouted anybody who came up as “reasonable transfer target” with a low enough current value that I think I can make an offer. I am scouring for talent somewhere.

Here a few final options:

1 – DC/R Roberto Ragazzi 16 years old, looks like a high quality player, in the Italian youth system right now, he’s already valued at 157k and he’ll cost more than 1 mill to unhinge from Bologna, but he looks good. I’m not sure if he’s the next Joao Luis Rodrigues but he’s in a good place right now (that’s a reference to the fact that I had a very, very good fullback come through my youth system in a previous dynasty who went one to become one of the best fullbacks in the world.). I don’t know what the upper limit on Regazzi is but he is a very, very, intriguing target

2 – D RLC – Adilson – 18 year old Brazilian, can play multiple spots, requires more than a mill to secure,

3 – DL Paul Jordan – If I lose Sergio Diaz, I may need a DL replacement, and while scouting fullbacks, this guy came up. Currently 8 years old with Hull in the Championship, and this English player is pretty slid now, and looks to have a solid future as well, and we could bring him in for a few hundred thousand from Hull. 18 years old. Great physical and Mental, weak, weak technical (6 passing? 7 cross? 10 head? 7 technique? Just a 11 mark and 12 tack?)


These two guys are on a free and will sign with us at ST and have some value there:

ST Ruben Martinez, Australian, on their national youth club, available for free, best role is poacher – attack, 20 years old, will sign a hot prospect deal for 1.1k/week, has good speed, finishing, first touch, technique, and such, but poor aerial, and weaker passing of just 9. Not great right now, but my scout says that he has strong potential.

There were four unsigned players on the Australian youth team. It would be easy to bring in another on a young player deal to help Martinez adjust.

ST Wilson Morales,, 24, Ecuadorian, okays AMC and ST, willing to sign for first team and around 5k a week, best role at ST is Trequarista, and he’s strong now. Not a lot of room for growth, he’s ready to rock and roll now. Fast, good finishing, great technical skill set actually, passing of o16, 15 1st touch, etc. And he’sfine physically (not with jumping reach, but he’s still good with heading at 15), and his Mentals are….okay.



Morales is the best I can fine who’s interested and free, and then I can bring in Martinez as well as a project to grow and develop. Then I can make an offer for some serious cash for a Regazzi or



Now here are the obvious issues.

We can only register two non-EU folks For purposes of that “EU” stuff, the Contonu pact nations are fine. That includes much of Africa, former colonial nations like Belize, much of the Caribbean, and so forth, plus a lot of Oceania like Fiji or Tuvalu. We can also get the Turkic nations as well – Azerbaijan, Turkey, etc. Those are all fine and dandy, just like candy. We can also sign mush of Eastern Europe that’s not in the EU, and the various Baltic states – Bosnia, Armenia, Russsia, Ukraine, etc We also can sign Morocco ,Tunisia, and Algeria from North Africa.

Morales and Martinez are both outside, and I can only have two of those folks. Now I had two last year, and I loaned away Bruno Souto and then let Mahmoud go. I have loaned away Souto now, so I could bring in both of these guys and then

[Abe Sargent]

I like Morales enough to make him an offer now. Its 4.7week for two years. We can bring him in and see what he’s got and if he can strut his stuff here in Europe. I scout some Ecudorian youth to see what they have

The real question is Martinez. Do I have a space for him?

My current strikers:

Avila – Sent on Loan
Nadjib – Can play middle too
Rolon – Can play right wing too
Morales – My goal guy
Arringa – Very very backup guy

This guy would likely slot behind Rolon, Nadjib, and Morales as my 4th option. I can bring him in as a hot prospect and then loan him for some gains too. Martinez is also a Spanish speaker, with Chilean descent as well.

Offers made to Morales and Martinez

I also make offers to 19 year old Stefan Strain and Matthew Adelson from Australia

Now time for my DC question.

Ragazzi is up. He’s younger, European, 1.2 mill, and ready to go. I make Bologna an offer.

I make an offe r to the Cape Verdean international Hugo Evora to come to my club as a coach. I also like Hetor, a young Spanish guy who played his career in the lower levels of Spanish football, but looks to be a great defensive coach . I make him an offer as well. Ilike Spanish Basque guy Ianki …. As a coach for shooting, he’s 33 and willing to retire for coaching now.

Those three should come in and improve my training considerably. We also have training and youth facilities improvements underway.

A job is open at Granada, who won the division we are at, and heading up to Liga and I am touted as the best candidate for it.

The contract with Ragazzi is agreed to We are waiting confirmation by him

It’s July 10th. We have my club wanting confirmation of my First Table finish desire, and they give me a little more cash. Like 100k transfer and 9k salary. Not a lot, but some cash.

We had a lot of overachievers last year . Remember UD Logrones? Like us they finished 2nd, and then like us they won the playoffs, and then like us they were expected to be relegated ,and they finished 8th. They had a great year. We aren’t the only team that had a quick rise. Logrones had never gotten past the Segunda either. I wish them well. I’d love to see us both in the playoffs this year, and in the Liga two-three years together down the road, that’d be cool.

Two Wins

That’s the litany of this season. Turn just two losses across a 42 game into wins. That’s enough to move us into the playoffs last year. Two wins.

[Abe Sargent]

I make offers to a pair of Italian youth, unsigned.

I loan Antonio Diaz officially.

Hector arrives as a coach and he’s 4 star defending which is nice.

Wow, Hugo Evora? He’s a 4.5 star fitness guy – I give him aerobic

I make Osmar my captain and Jesus Suarez my vice

David Sanchez and Cascon are still on my squad, since no one made them offers yet, and they have chosen to stay on month to month deals

Our first signing arrives, Ruben Martinez, from Australia, for a couple of years on a 1.1k hot prospect deal hes a newly generated player – 14/12 speed, 12 stamina, but just 8/5 jump/head, and just 10 pass, 14 finish, 16 1st touch, 13 technique, 13 work rate, flair, otb, and 11 determination, and 12 dribbling. He’s okay. That’s it. But we can work with him


Wilson Morales, 4.7k/week, 2 years ,valued a 725k which is pretty good, 15/13 speed, 15 ba;ance 14 agility, fitness, and then 13 corners, 11 long shots, 13 penalties, and 15 free kicsk so Morales is another set piece specialist for me. 14 finishing, 15 first touch, 16 passing, 15 technique – great technical stuff. And he’s got a solid mental set up, 18 teamwork, 13 determination, devisions, 14 work rate, leadership, vision, flair, etc. Ecuador ,never played outside of the country. Born in the capital of Quito.

I intend to start him as a Trequaristia.

I slide GK Barrio to rotation

I sign a minor Australian player to a contract at the end of his in 6 months. Another, Stefan Strain joins us now. Strain is hot prospect, 600/week, 2 years. I move him to my U19 squad. Ndi gets an injury for a week or so. I set up 5 firendlies, each Sunday for five weeks in a row, with teams like Real Betis, Granada, Cadiz, and then a Moroccan team FUS Rabat.



Morales wiki - Wilson Morales - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre

Wilson Abel Morales Silva - Soccer - Scoresway - Results, fixtures, tables and statistics

[Abe Sargent]

Well I have some good news and some bad news


Bologna signed their guy to a rotation, and now he no longer wants to sign with me, even after I offered them a deal, and he was interested. I put a ton of work into finding, selling, and working to find him, that is very frustrating

However, there is a guy who’s available on a free who’ll now sign with me if I want – Portuguese Ricardo Marchado, plays DC and DR, 28 years young. But his best role is a limited full back, I want a pure full back, someone like Sergio Diaz.

Feh

What about the Russian 17 year old Vladislav Zakharov?

Alright I found a Spanish guy, Juan Lopez, 17, at a lower level Spanish club in the Segunda B
I make them an offer for him.

After a 1.1 mill offer…



17 year Juan Lopez, Spanish, DR only, 16/15 speed, 19 determination, 14 strength, 13 agility, 11 balance and stamina, just 6 jump and heading. 13 decisions, 15 teamwork, 14 work rate, 13 positioning, aggression, and the n13 tackling, 11 cross, 12 pass, 11 mark, 10 technique. Needs work on technical stuff. But we think he has a lot of offer.

Juan is a bit of an oddity. Usually the big name clubs in a nation are the ones to purchase and grab the high profile long term projects, and they’ll send a few hundred thousand or more at the top talent the various clubs have, so how did Real Madrid, Barcelona, or even someone like Granada or Malaga miss on this guy, in a club in the 3rd division? I don’t know. We only found him because I was scouring for someone playable and decent on U19 clubs here in Spain.


I signed around 9 young players for my U19 squad this season.

Players for my roster right now:

GK Ivan Villar, Barrio
DR – Juan Lopez, Pepe Romero
DL.ML – Sergio Diaz, David Junca
DC – Jesus Suarez, Ibrahim Diallo, Uxio, and Mahanan?
DMC – Osmar (Can also drop to DC if needed)
ST Wilson Morales, Nadjib, Rolon, Ruben Martinez, Milla and maybe Arriaga
Middles – Vazquez, Anaba, Ndi, (Rolon, Nadjib can play Mid too)

That’s 2 GK, 3 DC, 4 FB, 1 DMC, 5 St, and 3 Mid, with two backups in Mahanahn and Arriaga if needed

20 players total, and I have a squad of 25. Are there others I want to add? I could add in Cascon, Sanchez, or Borja, they are all on my roster still. I could move up youth players. Why limit myself to this number, you know? It seems artificial

I need two more wins. I don’t want to have a major incident result in falling because I didn’t have coverage. Take DC for example. I have 5 players that can play it, and four will do a good job. I would need a pretty big earthquake to cause enough problems to hit three of my DCs at once. Mahanan can spell in at DR and plays the position too.

Now one of the youth I signed from Portugal for like 15k intrigues me:

16 year old Fernando Gomes, he turns 17 soon. He can play DMC, MC, DL, DR, and WBL. Now he’s very raw. Firstly, he’s not super fast right now, just 13/9, and now technically proficient, just 8 tack, 7 pass, mark, technique, etc. But he’s amazing mentally. 16 Determination, 15 work rate, and leadership, and aggression and bravery, etc. Our coaches say he;s ambitious, determined, and good team player and versatile, and that he needs a lot of improvement. They like his potential. Gomes could be something. He came through the Limianos youth system in Portugal. I got him for almost nothing, but I do like him more than others, and I could see me giving him a game or two here and there, but I am primarily mentoring Lopez and grooming him right now, Gomes could be something else.

But Gomes doesn’t require me to use a squad selection, since e’s EU and U18, same with Lopez.

So what I think would be nice is some quality depth I can bring in now, maybe one or two more players, or someone who’s special and pushes my team in any given direction. Last year I brought in Diallo, and he’s now amazing. He’s really growing. My coaches say he has some more room for growth, but not a massive amount. He gained in things like heading, decisions, leadership, strength. All the things you want in a vital DC spot. Junca hasn’t grown as much, he’s much closer to his cap, but he improved a bit here and there. Junca’s good, no issues. Ndi improved, although not as much.

Our coaches feel Diallo is good for LIGA ball not this league, as is Osmar, Junca, and we think Nadjib and Ndi could be Liga folk.

[Abe Sargent]

2 more wins. Is there someone out there I can bring in to drive my team to more wins?

I offer Sanchez a coach role and he’s not happy. I offer him player coach and he’s not happy. Ah well.

I loan Ebwelle, and one o fth youerhs I brought on

I also got an offer for Sergio Diaz which I accept.

I make an offer to my own English backup, just in case


As of today, all of my trainings get at least 4 stars, with Tactics, (by me) and Aeroic at 4.5 stars


Rolon adapts his game to a central dribbling role.

I made the contract offer for Paul Jordan, we’ll see what happens with Sergio Diaz

But for now, we have our first friendly vs Real Betis. I want to get a feel for real football, not against local scrub teams. Wilson Morales gets a score in the 8th, they score in the 10th, and then again in the 14th. I’m starting Barrion, and he’s not looking super great yet. I need to move to VIllar next match instead. I was hoping to ween him in, but why bother? Vazquez scores. Half 2-2. I sub in VIllar now to give him some experience. 2-2 tie, Real Betis in the second half had 6 shots on goal that were on target, none got through Villar.


Now, is there someone who’ll push me?

Not really, not right now

I accept the deal to let Sergio Diaz go for 375k and 40% of the future transfer fee

That’s the biggest sale in my club’s history.


Okay, nevermind. Sebastian Renouard in South Africa suggest an 18 year old newly generated player named Seenyane Moiuda for a high prospect. I’m not the first nation to find him. Sporting in Portugal are interested too. I make an enquiry. Maybe there’s a deal here, maybe not

I make an offer after negotiating with the South African club

I finalize an offer with them

Paul Jordan agrees to join us. I sign him for a few hundred thousand, a little more than Sergio Diaz – 450k

Mellia fans are happy that his acquisitions was made and that he can serve well. Hull supports are is happy with the fee we paid, they like the deal, and ous are hapy too.


Paul Jordan, - 18, 3.4k/week for three years, 16/14 speed, 10/11 aeriel, 11 mark, 13 pass, 11 cross, 11 tack, 10 technique, 14 str, 13 stamina, 17 aggress, 14 brave, 18 team work, 15 work rate, 14 determination, 13 concentration, 12 anticipation, 13 stamina, je’s a solid guy right now, and we think he’ll get better over time. Welcome our English addition, Paul Jordan

So we’ll be starting Lopez, VIllar, and Jordan in the GK, and fullback roles for the next few friendlies to bring them in.

[Abe Sargent]

The next friendly is here and we head away to Corboba. Diallo scores – corner kick. Junca cross to Moralles is a score. We are cleaning Cordoba’s clock with a defensive stet up, 14 shots, 8 on target, 60% possession in the 33rd minute. Junca hits Morales for another score in the 42nd. Nadjib hits Morales for a hattrick. After subbing in a new defense, we have a let got a goal, and the final is 4-1 us. Good job!

I have really enjoyed Morales thus far. That’s a huge win, Cordoba is a club in our league. That’s a big win.

My wingers are Ndi at MR, and Nadjib, Rolon, Anaba can play it too, and ML is Junca, with Anaba and Nadjib able to run it as well.

I massage my set pieces

Okay, we get my last major singing of the year or this window:

DC Seenyane Mosiuda, South African, 2.2k/week, 3 years, 14/15 speed, 16 jump, 14 head, 15 str, 15 mark, 13 tack, now pass is just 10, technique too, and while he has 17 determination just 1 leadership, 9 brave, 10 aggression, and positioning, so he’s uneven mentally, great physically, and ahead of the curve technically. Our report is professional, good in air, leap, well suited for this league, not versatile, and needs better positioning.

I thought Sporting would make an offer to beat us, but never did. Anyways, Mosiuda is the end of my transfer money.

I tell Mosiuda to begin to work on the DR spot too.

I host Granada today. We score fast, DL Lopez fids Junca on an attack run in the 6th minute. Half. Keep it up! Nadjib is injured. We win 1-0. Just defeated a Liga club in our home. Nicely done. MOM was GK VIllar, with a 8.2 rating.

Nadjib is out for 5-6 weeks with a sprained ankle


I signed Osmar to a new deal. He’s signed through 2020.


End of July –

Good traiing by Ndi and Diallo

[Abe Sargent]

Aug –

Aug 6 – Friendly at home vs Cadiz
Aug 13 – Friendly away vs FUS Rabat
Aug 20 – Home vs Sporting
Aug 23 – Away v Alcorcon
Aug 27 – Home vs Cordoba

I go to the board and they agree to relay the pitch, after I talk to them twice.

Our odds of promotion are 20-1, which is not bad really. Rayo are 7-4, Real Betis 5-2, Las Palmas 5-2, Sporting 5-2, Tenerife 6-1, and Osasuna 10-1. We are predicted to finish 8th by the media, behind Real Oviedo and ahead of Cordoba and Alcorcon at 9 and 10.

Playoffs begin at 6, so all we have to do is do a little better than 8 and we’re in the picture. But I think our heavy push for players like Morales, Johnson, Villar, and Lopez, along side players like Junca, Diallo, Vazquez, and such is really good, and my hope is to get #4 or #3 to push playoffs to ie us a better shot at making through with the seeding and such. Plus, you’ve seen how we’ve done already in the friendlies against good quality teams.

Our Cadiz friendly arrives. Quiet first half ,0-0. We have 56% possession, 8 shots, 4 on target, they have 3/0, numbers are there. Unlucky so far! Vazquez scores in the 54th. Junca slide the ball to him and he headed into goal. Yes, that Vazquez. Seriously, Vazquez has become my favorite guy on this team. I adore him. Morales feeds Ndi a nasty pass and he scores in the 66th. We win 2-0. Good job

One of my youth players is out for 4 months with a training injury

Final friendly. Rolon with a nice long shot in the 15th. Then they get an OG from Suarez, and it’s 1-1. We hit half, with Rabat never hitting a shot on target, but even score due to our stupid OG. Romero crosses to Rolon and he score in the 68th. Rolon’s been good in there for Nadjib. We win 2-1.


We are ready. We won all of our friendlies, and they were against three peers our division, the Liga, and the top division in Morocco. We’re ready to rock.

[Abe Sargent]

We open hosting Sporting. Good luck! They score in the 11th minute, and then we dial them back. We push them back, and then go 1-0 at the half having gone to a neutral stale of game. That neutral state of game continues, with a lot of back and forth, and I ned in Mosiuda, Anaab, and finally youther Fomes, but nothing happens ,and we lose 1-0.

Two wins folks, two wins. We can’t drop home games to major contenders like Sporting . Osmar named in Team of the Week.

Game 2 – Away vs Alcorcon. I start defending. Rolon is injured and I send in Martinez, our new Australian signing. It’s very tickey tack, and little pushes, we have 3 shots, and they 1 by the 35th. 0-0 half. Don’t get complacent! They gather their third yellow of the day. I send in Anaba for Ndi. . Vazquez scores a yellow. So does Jordan. Diallo too. Quiet. Quiet……0-0 game.


Game 3 vs Cordoba – I move Juan Lopez to start, Romero started the first two games. Good luck! We get a lovely driving cross from the edge by Junca to Morales who sinks it in the 16th. We are the beneficiaries of two cards to Cordoba, and we have two more drives turned aside, before the 1-0 half. Don’t get complacent! They score off a corner in the 49th. I sub in both Mosiuda and Ruben Martinez. In the 79th, Osmar feeds fullback Jordan for a ball and he scores. We get a lot of pressure late, no score, but it keeps the ball down on their side, and we win 2-1. Good job everyone. MOM is Osmar.


Junca, Vazquez, and Osmar in Team of Week

End of August –

[Abe Sargent]

September

Sept 3 – Away vs UD logrones
Sept 6 – Away vs Oviedo – Spanish Cup
Sept 9 – Away vs Osasuna
Set 16 – Away vs Cadiz
Sept 24 - Home vs Reus



Game 4 vs Logrones - Nadjib is back from injury but I’ll sit him. I have four players out on international duty. Uxio is in for Diallo, Romero for Lopez, and I have some different subs. Junca with an amazing play. He ball was bouncing out of the penalty box, and he rushed under it, kicked it over to Ndi on the faar side of the box from over the goal, and past everyone and Ndi with an easy shot . Score in the 11th minute. Amazing play by our foes to finally get a oal. They were pushing and had a variety of shots. ROlon is injured and I sub in Pere Amilla. A ogn shot fires at the cross bar and bounces to the attacker for them and they score again. Now we have a window to pull back. One of their players, Payu, just got a second booking in the 53rd, so he’s sent off. I create my anti-red card strategy. We had our first chance in the 56th but failed to put it away. Junca crosses to Morales, shot on target, pushed aside by GK. Ut nothing. We lose 2-1 . Junca is MOM, and Rolon is injured for a week.




Spanish Cup vs Real Oviedo – I start GK Barrio today. I move in Martinez for Morales, Lopez, Uxio remains, and Mosiuda. We are fouled near the half way line and Vazquez fires an FK from deep to Ndi for a score. Jordan colts a booking. Keep it up! They fire a long shot from about 10 yards outside of the box that squirts between two of our defenders and hits home. I sub in Gomes, the youther, for Jordan, with the yellow. After fouling Nadjib, they get a double yellow and a send off. Vazquez booked. I send in Mahanan. Extra time, 1-1 score. We had a close shot here. In the 113th minute, Junca finds Nadbjib on an attacking run for a score. I subbed in Milla for Martinez a long time ago, and he still can’t score. Game, we win 2-1 in extra time. Junca is MOM

I give some time off to recover