CM 01/02 NEC 2029

[Christomir]

Hi eveyone

Here - http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...d.php?p=998257 - I said I would post in a new thread at the start of each new season with NEC Nijmegen to update my team roster and do a summary of what happened in the previous season.

So that is what I am doing right now.

First the summary of last season:

Dutch Premier Division

We lost the battle for the league title to Feyenoord for the second season in a row This time we only lost it by one point on the last day, when we were held to a shock home draw by Heerenveen (who finished 8-th in the league). Overall, I guess in that league campaign we did better than in the previous one (2027/28), although our finishing position of 2-nd was the same. We earned 68 points from 20 wins, 8 draws and 6 defeats (Feyenoord had 69 from 20-9-5), which is a tad better than the 60 points back in 2027/28 (15 points behind Feyenoord), with a record of 17-9-8, which, as I once said, was the worst ever league performance by NEC, since I am their manager. But it was still far off what we did the season before that (2026/27), when we won the title with 84 points (17 ahead of 2-nd place Excelsior!), with a record of 27-3-4 - NEC's best ever league performance!! I guess something went a bit wrong in the 2027 offseason, didn't it?

Dutch Cup

We lost in the semi in a penalty shootout after a 0:0 draw away at Groningen.

Champions Cup

We won it for the 4-th time in a row! We did that for the second time in history after the 4 Champions cups we won between 2015 and 2018. Now we can name the years from 2026 to 2029 "The 2-nd NEC Era"

We won the final on a 3:2 golden goal victory against Inter - the golden goal came from a penalty, coolly dispatched by man of the match Arnold Leferink, who also made the assists on the other 2 goals, scored by Luis Miguel Villanueva (25) and Cristian Valdes (70). Other NEC players that played well in the final included defenders Aurelien Rodriguez and Edwin Doesburg. Inter's Argentinian star striker Ariel Batista had scored in the 2-nd and the 90-th minute, drawing the game 2:2, until in extra time Portuguese Francisco Silva (our former player and record $49 million sale) caused the penalty (and earned himself a red card) with a deliberate hand-ball.

But it was not that final what was the most interesting thing in that campaign of ours. Most curious was the fact that for the 8-th (!!) time out out of our 23 successive Champions Cup campaigns we were drawn to play Barcelona in that same ol' quarterfinal stage!! LOL! And, of course, we got the better of them for the 8-th time out of those 8 encounters! So the "NEC bt Barca in the CC quarterfinal" clean sweep stands

An updated team roster is to follow.

[Christomir]

The full senior squad roster

Goalkeepers:

Bjorn Cornelissen (30 y/o) - my superstar keeper, captain of the team for several years now, also a star and captain of the Holland national team with 77 caps to date! Makes me proud to announce he is a product of the NEC youth academy (I talked my bosses into building that as soon as we had the money). He has never played for another club and has been my first choice between the posts ever since the 2018/19 season. In the 2018/19 season, aged 21, he won the European Goalkeeper of the Year award and hasn't looked back (he's won the award 4 more times since then). He is a true team leader, has brilliant positioning and decision making, great handling of the ball, good reflexes, agility and anticipation. He is also very fit for a goalkeeper and has high determination.

Johanne Hitton (29) - I spotted him last season playing for Cambuur Leeuwarden in a match against me (http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...d.php?p=993882) and I decided to pursue his signature, which I eventually got on Bosman. If you follow that link, you might notice that back in August 2028 he was listed as New Caledonian, but now he also has Dutch nationality and I've called him up to the national team and started him quite a bit. He looks like he might be almost as good as Cornelissen and I will give him a few starts for NEC as well, but he isn't much younger, so I will need to look for some young talent in this position in the years to come.

Jan Spronck (23) - signed him 4 years ago from his home club Heerenveen. The young Frisian (former Holland U'21 international) developed nicely during his first year at NEC, but his development stopped at that point and never continued, although I tried to aid it by playing him in 25 matches in his first 3 seasons with the club. That was much more than Westerhof, who looked like he was the better keeper. I was thinking of giving up on Jan and letting him go, but I gave him one more opportunity and he took it - before the season in Holland starts, this year we took part in the FIFA Club World Championship (and we won it) and I started him in every game and he did very well overall in those five starts. BTW, I could only really choose between him and Westerhof, because Cornelissen and Hitton were away with the Holland national team for the Confederations Cup, held in Italy - that was where I was, actually (we finished in 3-rd place there), while my assistant Christian Vieri, led NEC (though I still told him who to play) to the world club title - despite all the Holland (12), Italy (1) and Germany (1) internationals being away for the Confederations Cup!

Anyway, now I've decided to keep Spronck and try to move Westerhof, since the latter is about to turn 30, while the former is 23 and says he is enthusiastic about his future at the club.


Before I continue with the outfield players, I think I'll post some screenshots of the tactics I intend to use this season, cause it's important to know which of the guys will play where...

[Christomir]

For this season I've decided to go back to using the 3-1-4-2 formation I mentioned in this post: http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/...d.php?p=985506 The reson for that decision is that I've bought a highly rated German defender, named Christian Bauer, who can play in both the left and central positions. So I now have 2 top class defenders in each of the DLC and DRC positions, which is essential in this formation, which you can see, when you click on the thumbnail. I've also sold young Peter de Jong to Milan (decided to let him go after a second poor season from him in a row, excluding his MoM performance in the CC final in the season before last) and now I only have 2 good central defenders, if we don't count the ones that can play on the left, on the right and at DMC; so I will rotate those two in the sole DC position...

So here is my 3-1-4-2 formation, implied in our FIFA Club World Chapmionship final 1:0 victory over Brazilians Vasco da Gama:



If I hadn't tampered with the "With Ball / Without Ball" options, the arrows on those two defenders would mean just that they would run forward down the flanks, when the ball is with us, but would just play as central defenders, when we lose it. My tweaks meant that they play like the full backs in that famous 3-1-3-3 formation, which Johan Cruijff used to deploy in his "Dream Team" of Barcelona, as well as Louis van Gaal did later in Ajax to win the CC in 1995: the full back on the side, where the opposition attacks, goes wide to try and stop them (as if he were the classic type of a full back in the 4-4-2 or my 4-2-4 system), while the other one comes in to partner the centerback in the zonal marking of the opposition strikers (as if they were a classic pair of centerbacks in the 4-4-2 or my 4-2-4 system).

To illustrate this, click on these thumbnails to see how it pans out, when we lose the ball and the opposition attacks respectively down the left, through the center or down the right:

[Christomir]

The full senior squad roster (continues from above):

Defenders

Edwin Doesburg (25, SW/DC) - a higly rated Holland international (with 21 caps until now), who I acquired in December 2024 in a $3.7 million deal from Excelsior. Doesburg is now valued at over $9 million and has good to great skills in almost every area. He is especially brilliant in his positional play (20) and his jumping to head the ball, but what is quite rare for a defender is his great technique.

Hans Verbeek (22, SW/DC) - immensely (and naturally) talented defender has everything going for him, except his total lack of determination. Otherwise he has no real weaknesses in his defensive, physical and, indeed, even his attacking skills. Has brilliant tackling (20), anticipation (20), passing, decisions, marking, agression and bravery. Could only ideally be a little bit taller to make the perfect centerback, but makes up with perfect positioning and heading skills (both rated with 20s). Already has 10 international caps for Holland.

Gianni Graziano (26, D RC) - Italian defender I signed for $3.8 million four seasons ago has been excellent for the first three of those seasons playing for me and not so excellent, but still the most solid part of our defence at right back for the last two seasons. He will now fit perfectly into the DRC position within my 3-1-4-2 formation. He is also, amazingly, a star of the Italian national team (they don't usually call up people playing outside of Italy and especially less so in leagues like Holland!).

Aurelien Rodriguez (25, D RC) - when this Frenchman was on trial with us at the start of last season, all my coaches insisted he lacked the quality to succeed at this level. But I myself somewhat liked what I saw in training from him, so I offered him a deal to sign him on a free transfer as a backup player. I wanted to have a third right back in case of injuries and/or bans to Graziano and Tamasi. But he turned out even better than that, as he improved a lot, considering his age (e.g. his marking skill went from 13 up to 17). So now I am really glad I didn't listen to the coaches last year and I will rotate him with Graziano at DRC. BTW, he already has one cap for France, just one year after I found him playing for an amateur team and signed him to his first full time contract at the age of 24 - isn't that a fairy story, worthy of a movie script?!

Christian Bauer (30, D LC) - I recruited this hard working German defender, when his contract with his home club Nurnberg became unprotected and I only paid them $2 million of compensation, which I consider a steal - he is a star of the Germany national team with 48 caps and 2 goals for them. His ability to play in the specific DLC position was the triggering factor in my decision to switch back to my favorite 3-1-4-2 formation

Danny Lourens (23, D/DM LC) - this Holland international did great last season at left back and (he was second for the European Defender of the year, only beaten to that by his superstar teammate Ron Tuinstra, but I thought he did even better than Tuinstra in the Champions Cup matches last season) and I expect him to do equally well in the new DLC position now. I like his versatility and his great balance and positional play. He is also very good when pushing forward, with his great creativity and flair, good dribbling and decent first touch. He could do with a bit more pace and acceleration for a full back.

Sisi Oliveira (27, D L) - he was disappointing in the previous seasons, but did well at DLC in the Club World Champs, while Lourens, Weeling and Bauer were away on international duty, so I've decided to keep him as a backup for now. A problem is that a couple of years ago he suddenly decided he didn't want to play in a more central role any more and was lucky that I switched to 4-2-4 and he slotted in as left back. Now I've told him to start training for a DLC again and I hope he doesn't complain this time around.

Like many Brazilian full backs, he is actually better pushing forward than defending, although he is another defender on the roster with a rating of 20 for his positional play.

Joop Weeling (19, D L) - Dutch teenager looked good enough for first team football even a year ago. He made a bright start to last season, with 8-s for form in 2 of his first 3 starts, but then his form dropped, as the pressure of playing at this level probably got to him. Interestingly though, he did a bit better for the senior national team, where he became the youngest ever capped player and has 6 caps to date. He insists he doesn't want to play any other position than left, so I will have to try and sell him I hope I can send him to a good club (on loan, if I'm not offered good money for him now), where he can develop even more and play well at left back, so that I can rely on him for that position in the national team, where I still use the 4-2-4 / 4-4-2 system.

[Christomir]

Midfielders and strikers:

Ron Tuinstra (24, D/DM C) - an absolute star, not only in terms of skill ratings (several 20s and all the rest 15+), but performances too! He's a great talent overall and will be invaluable for NEC as the DMC in my 3-1-4-2 formation. Tuinstra is also a star of the Holland national team with 32 caps. At international level I use him at central midfielder more than at centerback, since I have a shortage of good right-footed Dutch MCs.

Gelson Neto (22, DM RC) - a talented young Brazilian, who seems to have something to offer (think ratings of 15+) in almost every aspect of the game. But doesn't quite hit the 20-s and will never probably do, unless he suddenly develops by two or three points his several 17-s and 18-s. If that happened he might become really great... But I don't expect it and I like him anyway. His flair of 12 it's relatively low and might mean he will always be just a hard worker, rather than a Brazilian magician, but that is OK, since working hard is just about all he will be asked to do at the DMC slot. He was recently called up to the Brazil national team for the first time!

Kim McGirl (30, DM R) - the Zimbabwean with the girlish name might remind you of a woman at first with his slight physique too, but he is too fast to be a girl I got him for free from De Graafschap, where they didn't use him much, but I think they underestimated him. All of his mental and technical skills are good and I hope he will be a reliable back-up for Tuinstra and Gelson Neto, especially if he can learn to play the DMC position and he doesn't mind doing it.

Tresor McAdden (29, M RC) - the skilful midfileder is a real treasure from the Caribbean island of Dominica - exquisite touch and flair on the ball, combined with great teamwork and determination, make him quite a bargain to have been signed on a Bosman free transfer from Sparta Rotterdam 3 years ago. He is also a brilliant free kick taker and has very good stamina and acceleration. On the down side, he's not agressive enough. He also lacks accuracy in his long shots - he only seems to have practiced putting a curl on the ball from set pieces, but isn't accurate enough, when he hits it hard from open play.

Iker Ramos (22, AM RC) - I snapped up this young Spaniard on a free transfer from former Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven, who were infamously relegated. He used to play regularly, especially in the 2 seasons before the tragic one for PSV. He was also a Spain U'21 international until not long ago. He has some weaknesses, but I love his flair and technique, as well as his stamina, so I intend to use him as second choice MC (behind McAdden) and raise hsi value to even more than the $5 million he is worth now.

Luis Miguel Villanueva (22, AM LC) - my big star and record signing! He somewhat reminds me of the two other great Spanish left-footed midfielders/wingers that spent most of their careers in my team, playing together - Juan Luis Delgado (AM LC) and Josep Villanova (AM/F L), both of whom reached estimated values of over $20 million in their time (through the 2010s). Only, IMHO, this kid is better than the combined talent of both of them in their prime!! He is already a star of the Spanish national team with 16 caps and 2 goals to date. He has no less than 7 ratings of 20 on his profile, those being exactly the ones I look for in a midfielder!

Arnold Leferink (28, AM/F LC) - playing equally well at all of his listed positions, he is the second of three great prodigies of NEC Youth Academy in our first team. He has been a star (with 70 caps and 9 goals) of the Holland national team too, playing superbly for both club and country (he's never played for any club, other than NEC; his first international cap came at the age of 19). Not only extremely talented, with natural great technical and mental attributes, but also very dedicated in training to improve physically - he was the only player, who gradually developed his stamina over time and thus defied the strange bug or whatever it is that is causing the training problem in our team - all the time, until he was about 25, he kept building it from a rating of 8 up to 16. He is worth $23.5 million, which is the most I've ever seen a player being valued at in Holland - the Dutch league will simply never have quite the financial strength of the Italian, Spanish and English leagues.

Mario Rodriguez (25, AM LC) - a star of the Uruguayan national team (47 caps/10 goals) and
Giacomo Pratesi (24, AM LC) - an Italian former U'21, called up several times to the A squad
- two players with similar skills and qualities, both capable of playing well in both listed positions, Rodriguez being slightly better as a winger, while Pratesi - as a midfielder. I rotate them in as backups to Leferink and Villanueva in the two positions.


Paul van Dijk (21, AM/F L) - another product of our youth system. The kid developed nicely during the four years since being promoted from the Academy. I've rewarded him with quite a lot of playing time in the last two seasons, which resulted in his value rising to $12 milllion! I hope he doesn't become complacent and stop doing his best in training - he needs to develop some more if he wants to continue playing regularly, although I must admit he looks better during gameplay than what I can see in training would suggest.

Jack Berger (23, AM/F R) - the right winger is a product of arguably the greatest youth academy in world football - the one of Ajax! He has lightning pace and acceleration - the best on our team, combined with great first touch and dribbling ability. He also has very clever in his movement off the ball and is capable of doing great things on the pitch. All of that raised his value to over $20 million at one point!! But he is also capable of complacency and bad attitude on the pitch - is quite lazy, when the ball is with the opposition, and quite selfish at times, when he has it. He never learned how to cross properly and how to keep his balance when challenged by strong defenders. Despite his weaknesses though, he is first choice at his position for both NEC and Holland (with 21 international caps till now). He seems to be unhappy with me for some reason, but wouldn't say anything. I am having a hard time getting him to resign with us and his current contract is already unprotected - I hope we don't lose him because of that wayward personality of his

Marc Berger (23, AM/F R) - another Berger, playing at the same position. This one lacking the pace and acceleration of his namesake... But prepared to work much harder, as well as a far better crosser. Unfortunately, just like Gelson Neto, not looking like he is capable of doing magic on the pitch in a football game. I've used him as a back-up for the other Berger in the national team as well and he has 3 Holland caps now.

Gerard Coolen (33, AM R) - this right winger is a veteran now, but was my discovery 15 years ago. I saw his potential and signed him on a free transfer and I wasn't wrong - he developed very quickly and was a star for both NEC and Holland for many years (87 int. caps, 9 goals). Then I moved him to Roma for $16 million dollars 2 years ago, but now got him back on a free. I believe he still has a couple of years of quality football in him. Hasn't lost any of his speed and is very strong, despite his diminutive stature. Has very good passing and crossing skills, good technique, flair and creativity and is one of the team leaders.

Leonardo Villarreal (20, F RC) - Argentinian youngster can play both as a right winger and a striker. He already has silky-smooth technique and several other star qualities, but has also done very well in training to improve. I only snapped him up for $600 000 a couple of seasons ago and I hope he developes even more to either achieve great things with our club, or bring me lots of millions of dollars profit, when I sell him (he's worth $12 million now).

Cristian Valdes (24, SC) - I craved for the signing of this Argentinian gem for several years and I had to put up with him playing for rivals (though my favorite club in real life) Ajax. Luckily, a year ago he had a fight with his manager there and was transfer listed, so I was able to snap him up for just over $9. Whatever I say about him will not be ehough. Has all the qualities of world class striker and is equally brilliant with both his feet. If there's anything I don't like about him, it's his lack of determination. He had a very good season for us last season (though I know he has the potential to do even better) and was voted FIFA World Player of the Year! BTW, I also had a vote in that (as the manager of Holland) and gave it for Leferink (no less than 3 players from NEC were among the 10 nominees - Valdes, Leferink and curiously, Leo Villarreal!). Cristian also has 20 goals in his 37 international caps for Argentina.

Arjan Vaessen (23, SC) - the third great prodigy out of NEC's Youth Academy, the other two being Cornelissen and Leferink - naturally, all three of them fans' favourites at the club. Vaessen in particular has for 3 consecutive years been voted Fans Player of the Year at NEC! He deserves it with already having scored 79 goals in 209 appearances for the first team. He also has 9 in 27 caps for Holland A national team, where he was rated as a star, before I took over the management (hence I can't see which players are the "official" stars any more). In terms of skills, the only thing he lacks is agility.

Martin Rosales (27, SC) - the third of my Argentinian star strikers is a real mountain of a target man, yet, with not bad pace either. Whenever I give him the opportunity to play, I expect him to overpower defenders and score goals with both his head and his right foot. That was what he did in his five starts at the Club World Championships this year in Turkey, where he scored thrice and had an average of 8 for form. Has 12 caps and 1 international goal for Argentina.

Fernando Rojas (25, SC) - I had been nursing this reasonably talented and very hard-working former Spain U'21 international as 3-rd or 4-th choice striker for quite a few years, before in the last two seasons he finally got a bit more first team playing time. He played well, although I would have liked him to have scored more than 3 goals in each of the two seasons.

Karel Brasseur (31, SC) - experienced Belgian international (38 caps/21 goals) has only become famous as world class player after coming to play for us late in his career. But he truly deserves the acclaim he has gotten. Like Vaessen, not very agile, despite being the shortest of our strikers (but being short doesn't prevent him from scoring brilliant goals with his head, whenever the cross is low enough for him to reach). He has a total of 7 ratings of 20 on his profile and most of the rest is 15+!