Oh man, that's the €1,000,000 question. Love the idea of bringing Celtic to nPower, by the way. That's brilliant.
It sounds like we're in the same position more or less. I finished 17th, then 10th, then 5th in the top flight. Now I'm expected to win the league. Totally unrealistic. My starting 11 are barely competent enough to challenge the Big Four (Five). I have two or three in the high 70's. I then have my aforementioned CDM (88) and several Wingers and Strikers in the low 80's. My bench is comprised mostly of mid-70s.
I don't have the depth this year, but I expect I'll have it by next year as my studs progress a few more points.
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Here is what I did heading into this season, with €48M in the bank. I picked up a 83 rated CAM and I scavenged the transfer market for high potential youth from big clubs. I picked up three more players whose next year or two of progress should put them in the low to mid-80s.
All signs point toward a huge 6th or 7th season. Alas, my CDM may have demanded a transfer because of the disruptions. It's hard to say.
If I were you, I'd buy three big players in key positions. Then, I'd start increasing wages to buoy the potential drop in morale. If one or two players want to leave, it won't matter because your squad will be much better. Clearly, you'll be in position to finish top three and take a run out into Europe.
Waiting years and years and years for all your high potential studs to develop is time consuming. It's fun, but it's too slow to allow you to keep your job! Gotta pick up a few big guns to stay competitive.
When you look for new signings, spend the time looking for a perfect combination of statistical qualities and bargains. I can't tell you how many times I've found two players with nearly identical stats with one fetching €20M and the other going for €15M. Find a player near the end of his current contract or pay attention to the news of disgruntled players. You may even be able to pick up my CDM for €60M. What a pittance!