AFC Winterhoven (FM 18)

[Greyfriars Bobby]

I've been in the mood to create a new Football Manager story for a while now, but I wasn't sure what kind of experience I wanted to enjoy. One of the things I like best about FM is the variety of fun projects I can pursue. I can manage one of the biggest clubs in the world, or a club that plays ten steps down the pyramid. I can build a team that plays with any style I choose. I can create a world with "fake players," and watch them become real before my eyes.

Or, I can create an imaginary club and write their story myself.

That's the option I'm taking here.

The Ajax Model
Even though I've never been to Amsterdam, I started following AFC Ajax soon after I discovered European football. I liked the club's traditional reliance on its youth program, which regularly develops some of the world's most exciting young players. Ajax almost invariably sells their wonderkids to the world's superclubs; before last season, Frenkie de Jong was purchased by Barcelona and Kasper Dolberg by Nice, while Juventus bought Matthijs de Ligt. This summer, Donny van de Beek went to Manchester United, and Barca went back to Amsterdam and prised away Sergino Dest. Ajax have sold about €350 million worth of players in the last two seasons alone.

Ajax typically don't turn around and spend their cash on expensive new players. Instead, they invest their income in their youth system, hoping to develop more promising starlets...the best of whom will invariably be sold once the wealthier clubs sniff them out. Or, they will purchase promising youth--from other Dutch clubs, or from other countries--and develop them. Ajax will occasionally spend a moderate amount of money to bring in an established player or two, the kind they can purchase for €20 million or so. In today's market, that's not an outrageous fee at all.

I'll Do It My Way
I thought about simply taking over the reins at Ajax, but then I had another idea.

The last few versions of Football Manager have included a Create-a-Club feature. Basically, you can take a real club, change their name, colors, stadium, and location, "fire" their players, and draft an entire new squad.

Each player has a "purchase price" that's roughly equivalent to his value on the transfer market. When you add the player to his squad, his value is deducted from your squad budget. If you're managing a big club, that value is very high, while a small club might have barely any budget at all.

I discovered the hard way that you have to pay attention to how much money a player earns, too. You need to keep your players' salaries within your club's wage budget, so an aging star with a low value who went to China or Qatar for one last big payday might not be the man you want.

So, I decided to model my bespoke club on Ajax.

I also decided to use the "fake names" feature. This way, I'll be able to create stories around the players in my universe, without having pre-conceived notions of what they might be like. (It also helps keep me from giving into the temptation to cherry-pick all the best young players in the world, many of whom I have come to know through Football Manager. )

I had fun creating my club. I asked an online name generator to help me find a Dutch-sounding name. My kids took quite an interest in this process. We decided to keep the team in Amsterdam, so in our minds, it's named after a district or a neighborhood. Their favorite result was Winterhoven, so my new club is officially Amsterdamsche Football Club Winterhoven, AFC Winterhoven for short.

Beth, my youngest, designed our kit. She picked out a navy shirt with two horizontal stripes, one orange and one white. Our away strip has a lime green shirt with navy sleeves, and our goalkeepers wear green at home and red away. I can't seem to find where our kits are pictured in FM 18, so I can't show Beth's creations to you yet.

We play our matches at Eikenbos Stadion, which we think means "oak forest." It has the same characteristics as Ajax's real stadium. Also, we inherit Ajax's top-level training facilities and youth system, which will be crucial to the realization of my vision for the club.

A Team Needs Players
It's fairly easy to match the "fake players" to their real-life counterparts. We took full advantage of this feature to add some of our favorite Ajax players to Winterhoven's squad. Daughter Claire made sure we picked the de Ligt and de Jong doppelgängers, and I made sure the tall Cameroonian national team's goalkeeper based on André Onana made it into the squad. You'll meet the players we chose in a future post.

I'm going to focus this story more on the players than my manager character. It's almost inevitable that, like real Ajax favorites, they will often leave the club at some point in their careers. I think it will be fun to follow them around the world. Perhaps some will make their way back to the Eikenbos, just as Ajax stars like Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Daley Blind, and Davy Klaassen have rejoined the club in recent years, after spending time plying their trade in other countries.

I also won't be leaving Winterhoven, unless I'm sacked. I hope that won't happen, and if it does, I'll decide then what happens next.

Hopefully some of you will find the story fun to follow. If you do, please feel free to comment anytime.

[Chas in Cinti]

Looking forward to it!

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by Chas in Cinti

Looking forward to it!

Thanks very much! I am, too. I think it will be a lot of fun, because I have some players in the team whom I think will be interesting to follow.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

25 July 2017

The Winterhoven squads have spent the last three weeks in preseason training in preparation for the first meaningful match of the 2017/18 campaign: a two-legged tie with OGC Nice in the Best Placed path of the Third Qualifying Phase of the European Champions Cup.

(In short, we're about to face Nice in an early-round match in the equivalent of the UEFA Champions League.)

My kids and I had fun assembling the Winterhoven squad. We ended up selecting about 70 players, so we could fill out the first team, Jong Winterhoven (our B squad) and our U19 team. It's time to meet the players whose fortunes we'll be following over the course of the season, and perhaps for many more to come.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

First Team



Foé is an assertive goalkeeper who commands his area well. He is also confident on the ball, able to make crisp, short passes to his defenders or long throws that trigger counter-attacks.

Janssen is a safe-handed backup, and Risen a capable #3 with many of Foé's qualities, just not at the same level. All three 'keepers can sweep up behind their defense, a necessary quality if we're going to play a slightly higher defensive line.

Classy defender Verhoek is our club captain and our most influential leader. He can play both right back or center half, and in either spot he displays his superb positional sense and well-timed tackling. I think I'd prefer to use Danny as a center back, but I would need to find or develop a better right back first.

On the left, van der Vlist is brave, hard-working, and a consummate team player. Spaan can also play here; he is slightly better going forward, and offers the same kind of physical presence.

Van den Berg is only 17, but he is already a commanding presence at center half. Strong, mobile, and a particularly deft passer, he's the definition of a modern central defender. If we can keep him, Joris will be a fixture at the heart of our defense for years to come.

Van Eck's best position is center back, but he can literally play anywhere on the pitch except in goal. He is less physical and athletic than our other defenders, but he reads the game well and his motor never stops.

The three Danes--Nørgaard, Rasmussen, and Sørensen--provide excellent depth at full back. All three are particularly dangerous when they move up to join the attack. Nørgaard and Sørensen are young, and my staff think they could develop into stars; Rasmussen is as good as he'll ever be. Sørensen is another Swiss army knife who can do a job anywhere.

My middle child, Claire, thinks I should play Spaan on the left, van der Vlist on the right, and Verhoek at center back. I think she might be onto something there.

We assembled an assortment of cultured midfielders, all of whom can play several roles well. However, we're missing one type of player: the hardnosed, no-nonsense sort who sits in front of the defense. The closest thing we have to a tough guy is Brouwer, but he is more of a creator than a destroyer. I'd like him to have more freedom to direct our attack, taking advantage of his vision and passing range.

De Vries and van der Snee are similar players. They are both skilled playmakers, and they will both work hard, but neither are particularly good at marking or tackling. Van der Pluijm is an even more offensively-minded player. All four of these men are good enough to start, but there's room for only three of them.

McGowan adds pace to the package, and can play both in the middle or on the flanks. He's a natural leader and a popular teammate.

And then there's Witsenburg, whom my staff believe will be the best player of the lot one day. His first touch is already sublime, and he plays with a composure that few teenagers possess. I expect to rotate all these players through the midfield, and I hope none of them become upset when they don't start every match.

Veteran American star Salvati plays like a younger man. His technical ability, pace, and flair make him a dangerous force on either wing. Fábio Rinaldo brings a touch of Brazilian style to the other flank. He's only 19, and could develop into one of the world's finest wide attackers.

At 17, Meijer is even younger, and his potential is just as bright. He is good with either foot, and can match Fábio Ronaldo for pace. All three wide men will have plenty of opportunities to show what they can do.

I have three primary options at the top of the formation, too, with a fourth not far behind them.

Nielsen is an exceptionally complete forward: strong enough to match up with brawny center backs, fast enough to punish defenders who stray too far forward, and clever enough to play in his fellow attackers. He is regarded as one of the best young strikers in the world. Nijkamp is a player in the same mold, with a bit less physicality and polish, but that's not a knock on him.

Fellow Dane Kjærsgaard is a more conventional sniper, good in the air and a deadly finisher. Ouchene is very athletic, with lots of pace and a similar nose for goal.

If I ever decide to play with two strikers, I have two complementary pairs from which to choose. They're all right-footed, though.


Closing Thoughts
We are 2:1 favorites to win the Eredivisie, with holders Feyenoord (3:1) and PSV Eindhoven (3:1) and AZ Alkmaar (7:2) not far behind. The board won't settle for less than a championship from us, so there's a bit of pressure on me to succeed, right out of the chute.

The Dutch transfer window won't close for another month, and we have about €40 million to spend. I don't have as much room in my wage budget, with about €28,000/week to spare. (For comparison, our highest earner is Salvati, on €18,000/week.)

The most glaring weakness in our team is the lack of steel in our midfield. Against most of our domestic opponents, that won't hurt us, but the three other big Dutch clubs could take advantage of that. Feyenoord, especially, has some tough men in the middle of the park. I'm thinking about adding a defense-first midfielder to our team. If I do, I might have to sell someone, simply to avoid having too many players for one position.

My second priority would be a center back who could step into the first team, preferably a left-footed one.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Here are Winterhoven's squad numbers for 2017/18:



The kids had fun helping me pick the numbers, too. They seem to like very traditional shirt numbers: 1 for goalkeepers, 2-5 for defenders, 6-10 for midfielders, 9 for the striker. One or two of the lads have preferred shirt numbers. That's why Kjærgaard has 23 and Nørgaard 43.

You'll meet the Winterhoven B and Winterhoven U19 teams in my next two posts. There are some interesting, promising players in those squads, so it might be fun to get to know them before they become stars.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Jong Winterhoven



Neither of the goalkeepers is considered a top prospect. Poot, the better of the two, would be a fairly safe option for an early round Dutch Cup tie.

Right back Philipsen, however, is another story. My staff believe he's destined for greatness. He is extremely mobile, and his technical ability will set him apart from many full backs.

Kouvaris, a versatile American youngster, is physical and tough. He might be a long-term answer at defensive midfielder, but he's playing left back for Yong Winterhoven.

We couldn't resist choosing a player named Michenaidgelo Huijberts! Good at both right and center back, his height will probably keep him on the flanks. De Bruijn is a resolute, determined center half with a very bright future. Van Ede's composure and his strong left foot make him a valuable prospect, too.

You may have noticed that Schaap got a squad number; he earned it, because he is the most robust tackler among our midfield corps. He's very close to earning a spot in the senior team for that very reason. Simons is also a possibility for some first team action, because he also provides some bite.

The other especially promising man in the middle is Willassen, a crafty young Norwegian playmaker. Geurts is a similar player, whose electric pace makes him a good choice for the wing, too.

We're trying to figure out whether Rasmussen is better in the middle of the formation or on a wing. Another of our talented Danish players, he's got a bright future somewhere.

Klemetzen got a squad number too, because he's very close to being ready for first team duty. Fast, tricky, and a sure finisher, he will provide both goals and assists from either flank. Lagerblom and Talih give us even more depth here; my staff rate Talih especially highly.

Hartmeier needs polish, but he already displays a nose for goal. He's more quick than fast, but he's going to be difficult for defenders to track down in the box. Nijpels will have to show something special to distinguish himself from the other young forwards. He's only 17, so there is time.

Yong Winterhoven play in the Jupiler League, the second division in Dutch football. AZ and PSV Eindhoven also have B teams in this league, but the other 17 teams feature grown men. Our youngsters will, therefore, receive a stern test over the course of the season.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Winterhoven Under 19s

This is the last of the "meet the team" posts, featuring our youngest future stars.



All three of my kids are fascinated by football in tiny countries. When we saw a promising Liechtensteiner goalkeeper in the player pool, we quickly chose him for our team. However, Calvignac is far from a novelty act. He's a fine shot stopper and should learn to distribute the ball well as he develops. Joé is the most exciting prospect among the young glovemen. Van der Heiden is decent, but at 18 he has to show some significant progress or he might be found expendable.

"Best" is a very fitting surname for left back Benjamin, because my staff consider him the best prospect among our young players. Still not quite 16, he is not far from being ready to play with and against men twice his age. His professional attitude ought to ensure he maximizes his considerable potential.

Smit is a brave, determined left-footed center back. He's often paired with Beuvink, who plays bigger than his listed height of 5'10". Witsenburg's versatility and professional personality make him a player to watch, too.

There are a number of central midfielders with bright futures in the pipeline to Eikenbos Stadion. Bendabon is a mobile, well-rounded player who can fill a holding role or play box-to-box. Gillet, who is still only 15, shows signs of becoming a technically adept, creative midfield conductor. Hendriks plays with a bit of edge, and can play a variety of positions in the middle of the park or on the right side. On paper, Jong doesn't seem to be as talented as the others in his age group, but he bossed the midfield in every preseason match he played.

Luijpers is less developed than some of his young teammates, but he might turn out to be the best player of the lot. Murphy and Bartkus could find themselves odd men out, unless they progress quickly or discover a signature skill that makes them stand out.

There are a number of talented young wide forwards ahead of the lads in the Under 19s, so it might be difficult for them to get into the first team. Remember, Joël Meijer is only 17, while Balder Klemetsen is 18 and Fábio Rinaldo 19. Jong plays out on the flank sometimes, just to get him on the pitch. Knoester and Postma are the best prospects among the natural wingers.

Laroche, a young Luxembourger, is a fast, elusive striker. Arthaber and van Rijswijk are still very raw, but they both show signs of becoming exciting offensive threats.

Most of these young lads won't ever be first team stars for Winterhoven. Some of them will be sold to other clubs, where they might go on to greatness. A few might be released, drifting away from football and going on with the rest of their lives...or taking advantage of a second chance and becoming a legend at a smaller club. Part of the fun of this story will be following their careers, wherever they may lead.

[hoosierdude]

Really enjoying the dynasty report! I am glad to see this one get started! Good luck to you and the kids!

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by hoosierdude

Really enjoying the dynasty report! I am glad to see this one get started! Good luck to you and the kids!

Thanks very much, hoosierdude! It's been a lot of fun for all of us so far. I'll have an update on the first month of the season too, which features some European Champions Cup action and the start of the Eredivisie programme.

I hope you enjoy following along!

[Greyfriars Bobby]

26 August 2017

We've opened our season on two fronts now, beginning with our entry into the European Champions Cup tournament. (This is the equivalent of the UEFA Champions League, a name I don't think FM can use because of licensing issues.)

We joined the competition on the Best Placed path of the Third Qualifying Round. Our first opponents were OGC Nice, who finished third in France's Ligue 1 last season.

A crowd of over 52,000 turned up at the Eikenbos, and we treated them to a 3-2 victory. Goals from Kristian Nielsen and Anthony Salvati put us in a commanding position within a half hour, before Nice rallied back to make a game of it. The decisive score came when a Mark Brouwer shot deflected off a Nice defender and into the net.

We enjoyed an even better result in the away leg. Nelson Foé turned back six shots. Geert van der Vlist and Joris van den Berg paired up effectively in the center of our defense. Salvati scored again, while René Kjærsgaard and young Jöel Meijer opened their accounts. The Man of the Match was Arjen van der Snee, who pulled the strings in midfield and completed 118 passes.

Our 6-3 aggregate victory put us in the Best Placed Playoff, where we met AEK Athens on 15 and 23 August. By then, we'd begun league play, so I decided to take advantage of our depth and rotate my squad.

At home in the first leg, the introduction of substitutes Kristian Nielsen and Fábio Rinaldo made the difference. The Danish forward struck twice, on either side of another Meijer goal, and the Brazilian danger man assisted on all three of our goals in a 3-1 victory.

Nielsen again came off the bench to score in Athens, allowing us to draw 1-1 and secure the victory by a comfortable 4-2 aggregate margin.

Our victory earned us a spot in the group stage, and put nearly €15 million in our bank account! Look at the challenge we'll be up against next, though...



At least we'll get to travel to some great cities and play in some iconic stadiums, right?

We've played two league matches, a 2-2 draw away to Heracles and a 3-0 victory at home to FC Groningen. Arjen van der Snee continues to show me why he should play every match, netting in both league games. Nielsen and Fábio Rinaldo are also proving to be very dangerous, creating chances and finishing them.


Hello and Goodbye
In this section, I'll catch you up on our movements in the transfer market.

Our back four has been playing fairly well, so the need for a new center back didn't seem as urgent as it did before the season began. I had our Director of Football, Daan van de Kreeke, suggest some players we might bring in on loan. He came up with three young talents from big English clubs.

The kids and I looked them over, and we decided to make a move for Leigh Harris of Manchester United. They accepted our offer to pay half his €17,000 weekly salary and Leigh was happy to join us, so he'll be in Winterhoven blue for the remainder of the season.



Harris, 19, is an ideal fit for our team. He is very comfortable with the ball, a must in our system, which involves playing out from the back. He is fast and strong, and he reads the game well for a young player. He's naturally right-footed, but Claire pointed out he has a strong left foot, too. And, he can also play as a defensive midfielder, so he can help shore up that spot, too. Leigh came on at the hour mark in the Groningen match and acquitted himself well.


Jong Winterhoven
Our B team has just begun its season in the Jupiler League, so there's not much to report yet. I'll provide updates on a more regular basis once the season is in full swing.


Winterhoven Under 19s
Same for these lads. They play in the Dutch Under 19s Group 1, where they've won one and drawn one.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

26 August 2017

For Club and Country

I'm not used to managing big clubs in Football Manager. If one of my teams had a player called up for international duty, it was a HUGE deal. My Galway United club might have four or five youth internationals at a time.

Things sure are different now...!



Ten Winterhoven players will report to their national teams for World Cup Qualifying group play next week. Twelve more have been summoned for national duty as their teams qualify for the Under 21 World Cup. And another five have been selected to represent their countries at the Under 19 level!

Apparently Joé Calvignac is eligible to play for Poland, and he's chosen to represent that nation instead of his native Liechtenstein. We are disappointed with Joé's choice. He might have gone on to be a national treasure, the greatest player in the Principality's history! Frédéric Laroche will, however, proudly wear Luxembourg's colors.*

Anthony Salvati is angry, because he was left out of the United States squad. He would have been in line to earn his 70th cap. René Kjærsgaard is also an international veteran, with 62 appearances for Denmark to his credit.

Geert van der Vlist, with 3 caps, is the only Winterhoven player to represent Holland at the senior level. It looks like we'll have several international debuts to celebrate in the weeks to come. Ten Blues have represented their nations at the youth level.

It's going to be fun to follow our players' international careers, too!

* We watched a Luxembourg-Liechtenstein UEFA Nations League match this weekend. We've decided watching small nations' national sides is a lot of fun.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

The Back Room

I'm also getting used to having and managing a large back room staff. When you Create a Club on FM, you have the option of keeping the model club's back room staff, or stripping it bare and picking your own. We decided to create an entirely new staff: new coaches, new scouts, new physios.

Let's meet the team that's supporting and training the Winterhoven first team, on and off the pitch.

My managerial alter ego is 35 years old. I hold a Continental Pro license and I earned 24 caps for Holland in my playing career. I didn't score a goal, and I'm not a good goalkeeping coach, so I'm envisioning myself as a center back. I'm 6'3", so that wouldn't be a bad fit.



Strikwerda, my assistant manager, is an excellent right hand man: an astute judge of talent and an inspirational leader who can motivate our players to give their best effort. Capped twice by Holland, Roy also brings with him thorough knowledge of Belgium, Germany, and the Scandinavian countries. If Roy doesn't aspire to manage a club himself--his biography doesn't indicate that aspiration--I can see myself keeping the former Feyenoord man by my side for a long time.

We looked for a HOYD with a positive personality, and found Visser, who does his job with a Professional attitude that I hope will rub off on our youth players. John is a fine judge of both current and potential ability, and he works well with young players. A club like Winterhoven needs a boss in this role, and in Visser, we have one.

Veteran goalkeeping coach van der Beek does one job, and he does it superbly. He's not very good with young players, but that's the only weakness in his otherwise ideal skill set. Bas has acquired knowledge of Portugal, Russia, and China over the course of his long career.

Hellemons caught our eye because he is not only skilled at fitness training, but he is also a strong disciplinarian and a persuasive motivator. "Anyone who does fitness training would recognize why a fitness coach would need those qualities," says my son Jack, who features as a goalkeeper/small forward/hurdler-thrower at various times in a (normal) athletic year.

Schenk is a well-rounded coach who works primarily on the tactical side of the game. His Fairly Professional personality and his talent-spotting skills also make him a valuable member of our staff.

Wouters was a huge get for our club. He is a master of the mental aspects of football, so he's naturally a powerful motivator. His eye for talent is exemplary. Mattéo's a bit of a diva, with a Temperamental personality, but I can tolerate that if he keeps doing his job well. Everyone else in our staff has a more positive personality.

Another well-rounded coach, Oversier oversees the coaching of attacking skills. I'll occasionally let him handle a team talk, when I feel like the team needs to hear from someone besides Strikwerda, Wouters, or me.

Last but not least is the dean of our staff, Koning. His 16 caps earn him the respect of our players, although he has very little time or use for youngsters. He primarily works with our players on ball control.

We're still assembling our B team and Under 19 coaching staffs, so I'll introduce you to them in time.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

The Back Room, part 2

Again, I'm still getting used to being in charge of a club that can send scouts all over the world. I let my Chief Scout handle scouting assignments for now, and if it seems to work well, I'll keep it that way.

At any rate, here are the members of our scouting/recruiting team.



Director of Football van de Kreeke is a true professional. Right now, I'm using him to suggest transfer/loan targets; he pointed us in Leigh Harris's direction. In time, I may let him pursue and negotiate with possible transfers, subject to my approval. His talent-spotting skills are outstanding. He has apparently managed AZ Alkmaar and Barcelona (!!) at some point in his illustrious career.

De Wit seems to have connections throughout Europe, as well as in the Caribbean. I'm not sure if his Temperamental personality will affect his job much, because he's both Adaptable and Determined. So far, he hasn't sent our scouts off to any inexplicably weird places, so it's all good.

We use our Data Analyst to study our next opponent, and van der Burg has provided us with some useful intelligence already. He's good at judging data and even better at presenting it.

De Bruine is Dutch-Surinamese, and he is also very familiar with the British Isles and Germany. A former Winterhoven player, Mitchel is a popular figure around the club. Jensen has a similar knowledge of the Scandinavian countries, and when he learns Dutch, he will be fluent in six languages. He's also an avid supporter of Aston Villa.

Most football fans would recognize the name of Albert Geraerts, a former star for Standard de Liège, Charleroi, Olympique Marseille, Bayern Munich, and Belgium, for whom he earned 85 caps. No doubt I crossed paths with him on the pitch, since he's only three years older than I am. Another classy, professional man, I'm glad to have him on our staff.

"We need a scout who knows something about Brazil," Beth pointed out. So we threw a big wad of cash at Fernandes, who knows the country and speaks their language. He's apparently spent his entire career looking for talent, as he appears to have no playing background of his own.

I hope Hoen doesn't find out he makes one-tenth as much money as Fernandes does. I really should give the lad a raise, because he's as good a talent spotter as the other scouts we have, save Fernandes and de Wit. He is Volatile, Media-Friendly, and Confrontational, so I don't think we'll let him appear as a club spokesman.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

The Back Room, part 3

Finally, let's meet our medical staff.



I haven't figured out what role the Chief Doctor plays. Dr. van Meel has no attributes, and I can't click on his name to learn anything about him.

Confession time. My daughters discovered that when you use "fake names" in Football Manager, the game generates male staff only. They were having none of this. So, I used an editor to alter the identity of our Head Physio. None of Warren's attributes were changed, because she's very good at Physio things already and possesses sublime management skills. Leigh Anne doesn't speak Dutch yet, but most of our players know some English, so she can communicate with them in that language (or have a colleague translate for her).

Stottelaar is a Realist, which seems like a desirable quality in a Sports Scientist. He's given some good advice about injured players, and helps me manage the injury risk of players who have seen a lot of action.

Mulder is a very solid physiotherapist, which is all we need him to be.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

I thought it might be good to show you how my assistant, Roy Stikwerda, rates our players on the five-star scale. Here's the first team:



Now, Jong Winterhoven:



And, finally, Winterhoven Under 19s:



According to Stikwerda, the most talented players in the team right now are van der Vlist and Fábio Rinaldo, with van den Berg, Verhoek, and Salvati close behind them.

I counted 14 players who have four gold stars and a black one for Potential Rating. Thirteen of them are Winterhoven property, with loanee Harris also in this category. All of them are still teenagers except Fábio Rinaldo, and he's only just turned 20. I don't expect all these guys to turn out to be that good, but it's going to be fun to see who ends up making it.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

An update:

The kids discovered the club we put together was an absolute juggernaut. After six rounds of league play, our 2-2 draw with Heracles on the opening weekend was the only blemish on our record. Since then, Winterhoven went 5-0-0, scoring 22 goals and conceding 2.

It admittedly wasn't hard to assemble a team that would run roughshod over the Eredivisie, given Ajax's financial resources. As a result, we all got somewhat bored with the game. I was a bit surprised at the kids' reaction. They often think it's fun to completely dominate a game. This time, however, they decided they wanted a greater challenge. Claire put it very well when she said, "It's really only fun to win when you feel like the other team had a chance. Otherwise, winning is really only doing what you were supposed to do, like a chore."

We all still wanted to take on a project like this. They've been having fun playing such prominent roles in "Dad's game," and I've been having a blast myself. So we decided to reboot the AFC Winterhoven project, with a different set of parameters.

We're still using Football Manager 2018, and we're still creating a Dutch team with an emphasis on its youth system. We're using AZ Alkmaar as our model club this time, which means we start with less than half as much money to build our club. It also means we have Ajax to contend with in the Eredivisie, and while I'm sure we'll pick some Ajax players for our bespoke team, they'll still be a formidable foe.

We could have chosen a club with even fewer resources and made the challenge even more difficult at the beginning, but we decided we wanted to be able to mount an immediate, serious challenge in the Eredivisie.

The "fake names" function will be featured again, too. Blake, my goalkeeping son, has been watching the Eredivisie enough that he could cherrypick the most talented Dutch youngsters with ease if he saw their names on a list. He admits it will be more difficult if he has to recognize their "fake" selves.

Beth has already sketched her ideas for the Winterhoven kit. Navy will again be featured prominently on the home shirt, with a clean white look for the away strip. She and Blake are currently disagreeing over the goalkeepers' kit.

Once we've picked our team, I'll be back to introduce them to you.

[hoosierdude]

Definitely enjoying this journey, and that the girls are making things interesting as they are creative for sure. I haven't played FM since wow.... the 2015 one. I figure there is a lot of changes since then. Keep up the great dynasty thread. I am a big fan.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Originally Posted by hoosierdude

Definitely enjoying this journey, and that the girls are making things interesting as they are creative for sure. I haven't played FM since wow.... the 2015 one. I figure there is a lot of changes since then. Keep up the great dynasty thread. I am a big fan.

You're right about the changes in FM. I haven't really gotten into the last two editions of Football Manager, for various reasons. If FM 15 had the Create a Club feature--developed to the level it reached with FM 18--I'd still be playing that edition.

The kids are having fun with it, too. Both my daughters are indeed very creative. Claire has the better "football mind," partially because she's older and has played a lot more "real" soccer than Beth has. Claire was also the first of the kids to pay any attention to "Dad's game." Beth claims not to be good at art, but she has real gifts for color and design, both of which she got from my wife. Her kit designs are always very cool, and they look like real football strips.

Their brother is certainly not to be outdone. Blake has a sharp eye for FM talent, and his assistance in picking the Winterhoven roster (which you'll soon see) was invaluable. His discovery of one particular player makes a very good story.

Thanks for stopping by, hoosierdude. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. The feedback is much appreciated!

[Greyfriars Bobby]

11 August 2017

AFC Winterhoven has completed their preseason, and the Eredivisie campaign is about to begin. Let's meet the players we've selected for our first team.




Goalkeepers
Our player budget was half the size of the one we had when Ajax was our "model" club, so we had to spend more carefully. We wanted a commanding presence in goal, so we splashed some cash to acquire veteran gloveman de Jong. He's a confident, technically adept goalkeeper who is comfortable as a sweeper keeper.

A cruciate ligament injury to our backup 'keeper caused us to look for a replacement two weeks ago. We noticed one of our newly-hired goalkeeping coaches had a goalkeeper for a son, plying his trade at Odds Ballklub in the Norwegian Premier Division. For €500,000, we brought Langerud into the team. He's a fine heir apparent for de Jong, good enough now to see action as our cup keeper.


Full Backs
Maas is a versatile young player who can fill a variety of roles, but we're using him as our first team right back. He is a threat going forward, while remaining responsible in his own end. Deur and Larsson are also available here; Larsson is an especially promising young player with a professional attitude.

Left back van Ottele is a stronger, more powerful version of Maas, but he's just as skillful with the ball at his feet. Van Leeuwen is a very capable option here, and so is Zagler.


Center Backs
Van Schijndel is probably our best player, a full international at age 18. He's fast, powerful, and comfortable on the ball. Robin is one of our two biggest earners, on €10,250/week, and I think he'll be worth every penny.

Robin is more comfortable on the right side. His partner will be either Vansteenkiste or Zagler. The former is a veteran who can also play effectively as a midfielder, while the latter is a cultured youngster with a lot of upside.

Erlingsson, a rugged, no-nonsense center half, is an extremely good reserve option who is part of the Iceland setup. Duman provides cover here, as well as at full back or as a defensive midfielder.


Defensive Midfielders
Our preferred 4-3-3 formation (4-1-2-3 DM in the game) uses a holding midfielder in front of the back four. We have several choices here, depending on whether we want a defensive destroyer or a more creative player.

Knoop, our club captain, provides a good mix of both styles. He's a confident playmaker who can also offer some defensive steel. Vansteenkiste gives us a stronger defensive presence, as does Duman.

Then there's Solheim, an extremely talented prospect who might make his international debut this fall. While he's probably not quite as good right now as some of our other options, his potential is off the charts.


Central Midfielders
You've already met some of the players we might employ in the other two spots in the middle of the park. Knoop can do a job there, and so can Solheim.

Meijer will certainly be part of the picture, too. His vision and technical ability are rare in a player his age; if he were a more dedicated defender, he'd be a perfect midfielder.

When we were picking our squad, we searched for players who fit the roles we wanted to use. One of our central midfielders needed to be an especially creative force, so we looked for an Advanced Playmaker. We usually looked for younger players, but one Italian footballer, age 37, caught our eye. His name was Daniele Damiani.

Blake looked at me. "That's the 'fake' Andrea Pirlo,"he declared. We quickly snapped him up. He cost us almost none of our squad-building funds...even better!

About a week into the game, the regenerated face that Fake Pirlo had been given disappeared. In its place was the portrait of Andrea himself! It's the only time I've ever seen a "real" picture appear in a "fake names" game.



Damiani can't, or won't run. He shows very little interest when the other team has the ball. His work rate is abysmal. I'm sure Daniele paid more attention to those aspects of his game as a younger man, but those days are gone. What he can do now is read the game with uncanny accuracy, spray passes all over the park, and deliver set pieces exactly where he wants them. It won't be a long ride, but it might be a fun one.


Wide Midfielders
On paper, our wingers don't look like anything special. They're very well suited to their roles, however, and they were productive during our preseason friendlies.

Jansen will usually start on the right side. He's a shifty dribbler with decent pace, and he assisted on seven goals in seven preseason appearances. On the left, Meulensteen asserted his claim on the starting spot with a vengeance, scoring seven times. When he plays on the wing, he likes to drift in on his favored right foot. He's also adept at playing behind the striker as a no. 10.

Another young Norwegian, Rygg, can do a job on either wing. So can de Haas, an even more promising young wide man; he's probably going to be the best of the lot one day.


Center Forwards
The team's best front man is the Great Dane, Kristensen. Like the dog, he's big, strong, fast, and dependable. At age 28, he's at his peak. Kleijn will also see considerable action. He's even more formidable than Kristensen, but not as agile. Both strikers are clinical finishers, and they're both adept at playing in their teammates.

If there's one place we're still looking for a player, it's here. I'd like to find a pacey young striker who is ready for first team duty.


Final Thoughts



We're predicted to fit comfortably into a group of four teams at the top of the Eredivisie. Five Dutch clubs will qualify for European competition, and the board expect us to be among them. That should be an achievable goal for us.

The team we've assembled is a young one; several of its stars--van Schijndel, Zagler, Meijer, Maas--are in their teens, or just out of them. Not far behind those players are a number of others, not quite ready to be first team regulars, but every bit as promising.

I'll introduce you to Winterhoven B and the Under 19s soon.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Yong Winterhoven

These promising young players will begin the season with Winterhoven's B team. Yong Winterhoven play in the Jupiler League, the second level of the Dutch football system.



Goalkeepers
All three of these 'keepers are capable, and any of them could do a good job between the posts for us. Panhuis is perhaps a bit better than the other two right now, but our staff rate Thorsteinsson's potential more highly. I expect Yong Winterhoven's manager, André Bolstad, will rotate the goalkeepers until one of them asserts himself and grabs the number 1 shirt.


Full Backs
Van Dam will start at left back. He's nearly good enough for the first team at age 17, but he'll remain here so he can play regularly. He's fast, he tackles relentlessly, and he delivers a mean cross. I expect Lesly to be summoned for national team duty, at the U21 or U19 level.

Right back van der Plas is also close to the first team standard. We're trying to decide if we'd be better off having him trade places with one of the young full backs (Duer or Larsson) so they can play more regularly. Van der Plas's leadership and Model Professional personality might have a salutary effect on his younger teammates at Yong Winterhoven.

De Groot and van der Meer are available here, too. Both are promising players who fit our system well.


Center Backs
Most of the defenders at Yong Winterhoven are versatile, capable of playing more than one position. Van der Plas, for example, is a fine center back, and van Dam isn't bad there, either. Van den Broek is the best natural center half in this group; he isn't fast, even at 17, but he's got a magic wand for a left foot and a tireless work ethic.

Poot, whose name never fails to make the kids smile, is no joke once he steps on the pitch. There, his pace and his sound decision making serve him well. My staff think he could develop into a future international star one day.


Central Midfielders
I'm grouping all these players together, because they're all fairly comfortable filling any of the three roles we ask our CMs to play.

Versteeg is probably the most well-rounded footballer in the group. He's a tenacious ball winner and a slick passer. De Leeuw, who is a similar player, will also start. Vos isn't as defensively responsible as either of them, so he'll play as either the eight or the ten. Joosten, the most athletic of the lot, provides pace and power.

Van der Meer and van den Broek can also fill in here.


Wide Midfielders
Brink, who's come from the Atlanta suburbs to join us, is first choice on the left. He isn't especially quick for a winger, but he is technically sound and approaches his craft with professionalism. Vos is also able to slot in here.

Sigurðsson occupies the right flank. He is very athletic and provides a threat from set pieces, but his lack of defensive awareness will have to be remedied before he's ready for first team duty.


Center Forwards
Both Keizer and Rutten can beat most defenders for pace, and both have a nose for goal. Keizer's ability to use both feet well makes him a slightly better option right now, but both have the potential to help the first team one day.

Brink could lead the line, too, but he's much better playing out wide.


Final Thoughts
Yong Winterhoven are one of four B teams who play in the Jupiler League. Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, and Utrecht also field reserve teams in this level, but the other 16 teams are made up of grown men. Our youngsters, therefore, will face a tough test every weekend.

We're picked to finish fourth, behind Yong Ajax, Yong PSV, and N.E.C. Nijmegen, the best of the unaffilated squads. I'd be happy with this outcome, especially if our promising young players develop in the process.

[Greyfriars Bobby]

Winterhoven Under 19s

Now, let's meet our Under 19 team. By the way, all the star ratings you've seen come to us from my Assistant Manager, the capable Dennis Lammers. Dennis rates 15 for both Judging Player Ability and Judging Player Potential, so he's got a discerning eye for talent.

We deliberately left spaces on our U19 team so we will have room for the lads who will graduate from our youth program in the spring. Quite a few Grey Ghosts still populate our U19 team.



Goalkeeper
We have only one "real" 'keeper, but he's a very good one. De Boer is probably better than either of the goalkeepers at Yong Winterhoven, but since they are too old for the U19 side, de Boer has the number one shirt here. Our staff think he'll be as good as Arie de Jong one day. I wouldn't be surprised to see him play for Holland this season.


Backs
There are two natural left backs here; both are talented and very, very raw. Somers and van Ommeren have promise, but neither of them look like they'll develop into the kind of all-action full backs I want to use. Perhaps they will prove me wrong, and even if they don't, they might bring in some cash in the transfer market.

Van Hoogdalem is another story. Described by the media as an "enthusiastic centre back," he's actually capable of playing all along the defensive line. Like most teenagers, he lacks strength, and he'll never have great pace, but he ticks the rest of the boxes.

Right back van Duren is another exciting prospect. He's a hard worker who gives his all for the shirt, and he is an above-average athlete. Jasper made a fine showing in three preseason games with the senior team, setting up a goal with a nifty cross.

The remaining defender is probably closer to first-team status than any of his Under 19 teammates. If Bakker weren't only 16, I'd probably have him at Jong Winterhoven already. He can play on the left side or in the middle of defense, and his skill set is very complete for a teenager. Keep an eye on this one.


Midfielders
Fleet-footed left winger Heijberg is the man to watch here. He likes to carry the ball, and he has the technical skill to do good things with it. His Professional personality will help him optimize his talents, too.

De Jong isn't far behind Heijberg, and he might have even more potential. He is best as an attacking central midfielder, where his exceptional vision and precocious passing ability are on full display.

I'm rooting for de Jonge to make it, too. His similarities to de Jong don't stop with his name, but he's not quite as polished a player and he lacks Melvin's searing pace.


Forwards
From the northern Italian town of Bovolone comes our most talented young attacker, Caridi. Like most players his age, Matteo will need to get stronger, but once he does, he'll be ready to lead the line for any club in Europe. The rest of his skills are well on their way to that standard.

Van Dijck is also a very promising prospect. Already 6'6", he has the makings of an old-fashioned number nine, strong and brave and absolutely deadly in the air. We usually play with a single striker, but we also train a 4-4-2, and a van Dijck-Caridi pairing could be a devastating "big-little" combination.


Final Thoughts
Most of the team's brightest young things are still at this level. Of course, there's no guarantee all of them will reach their potential. We do have Excellent training facilities, however, and we're assembling a quality coaching staff. And the lads themselves have positive personalities, hard working and dedicated. For those reasons, I think the future looks very bright.