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Post by Nick on Feb 5, 2019 6:04:01 GMT
How many champions league spots are there? Great season so far! Just the two. Although not directly into the group stage. Finishing second would mean about 25 qualifying rounds. Four games left!
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Post by ttgb on Feb 5, 2019 8:33:09 GMT
Why are you letting your Dog sign all the shit youth players if they are on £200 a week? It all adds up
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Post by Nick on Feb 5, 2019 12:47:07 GMT
Why are you letting your Dog sign all the shit youth players if they are on £200 a week? It all adds up Because, this year more than ever, the star ratings upon intake, don’t always line up with their potential once you sign them. I got burnt in my Newcastle save, so decided to just sign everyone up in this save, unless they were under a star.
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Post by ttgb on Feb 5, 2019 19:43:55 GMT
Why are you letting your Dog sign all the shit youth players if they are on £200 a week? It all adds up Because, this year more than ever, the star ratings upon intake, don’t always line up with their potential once you sign them. I got burnt in my Newcastle save, so decided to just sign everyone up in this save, unless they were under a star. Makes sense. I noticed this too. 3 star on intake but then showing 5 stars. Never seen one fulfil that extra potential though
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Post by Nick on Feb 5, 2019 21:29:43 GMT
2026/27 Season ReviewChampions! Oh boy, was this tight. Young Boys were just relentless in their pursuit of us, but we dug deep at the end to hang on to top spot. The final round of matches began with a nervy 2-1 win at home to Aarau. We raced into a 2-0 lead and were pegged back 32 seconds after half-time, despite being told not to get complacent! I say it was nervy, but only because of our position in the table. We didn't keep the ball well, but Aarau didn't have the quality to hurt us, despite that advantage. We then beat Lausanne at home by a solitary goal, but what a goal. Tommaso Pobega, our box to box midfielder, picking the ball up 25 yards out and slamming it into the corner of the net. Needless to say, Young Boys had won both of their games too, which meant our lead at the top was still two points. Then came the 4-1 loss at Luzern that I mentioned previously. We didn't play that badly, but found ourselves 2-0 down after 6 minutes, so the game-plan goes completely out of the window. Maybe we pushed too hard? We had plenty of shots, but most were from range and despite the match stats saying we dominated, we never really looked like we were going to get back into it. I knew it was Young Boys away up next and they'd taken advantage of our slip to go a point clear. We produced an absolute masterclass of a performance. I'd only beaten them at their place once before now, but we were just solid all over the pitch, zipping the ball around, creating chances and, ultimately, scoring goals. 2-0 the final score to once again tip the odds in our favour. A two point lead again. Zurich and Xamax were then dispatched 3-0 and 4-0 respectively as we put all notions of title jitters behind us. In game 34, Young Boys went to Basel and lost 3-1 before we played. If we could beat Sion we'd be five points clear and almost there. Cue arguably our worst performance of the season as we went down 1-0. A bottle job? Not. On. Your. Nelly. The penultimate game of the season. Basel away with a 2 point advantage. We'd battered them twice at home previously, while dominating this away fixture but not managing to get more than a 0-0 draw. This time we scored - twice, both in the first half and both by Nicolas Pierini, our inside forward on the left who was having the season of his life. The defence held firm for the clean sheet and we went into the final game of the season 'as you were' with Young Boys - with a 2 point advantage. We had to go to St. Gallen - hardly the easiest of places - while they hosted FC Zurich. We need one more push, one more point, to win the title and, via Nicolas Pierini, we got it. A close range finish the only goal of the game and enough to win Servette their first Super League title since 1999. Bare in mind that Basel won the league last year with 67 points. Staggering for us to get 81 really. 75 goals scored and only 27 conceded. We definitely deserved this. I have to say, I'm absolutely buzzing! It hasn't been an easy save, it's had it's frustrations, but this was some way to win it and made the wait worthwhile. Player of the SeasonNicolas Pierini. No-one else comes close this year, or indeed any year since the start of the save. 25 goals and 11 assists for the Italian, with an average rating of 7.52 across all competitions. His scoring record is all the more remarkable when you consider only two of his goals came from penalties. A change in role got him higher up the pitch and he thrived off it all season long. Other BusinessOne blot on the notepad was that Andrea Consoli broke his foot in the last game of the season, which will probably mean he misses the start of next season, which in turn makes it hard to bring him back in the summer window. Fiorentina immediately cancelled his loan. We also had to contend with takeover rumours over the second half of the season. The chairman is actively looking to sell and we've already had a consortium fail with an attempt. With the transfer window looming, I could do without anything new derailing my summer plans. Of which there will be a few. We need to have a bit of a clear out and a bit of a 'spring clean' of the squad. We currently have a 21-man squad, which is a little small, whilst I have three players over 32 and declining pretty rapidly. The wide area needs re-enforcing. RB, LB, LW, RW and an AMC, possibly two. It looks like we'll have around £7m to play with, which is decent, but I imagine I'll have to do a fair bit of manual scouting for a change!
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ianf
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Post by ianf on Feb 7, 2019 0:34:25 GMT
Fantastic achievement - much deserved for pushing thru the frustrating times. Let the $$ roll in from the champions league!!
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Post by Nick on Feb 7, 2019 19:14:13 GMT
This is threatening to derail our summer: Right in the middle of the transfer window as well. EDITOur title defence hasn't started too badly though:
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Post by Ben on Feb 7, 2019 21:37:32 GMT
Nick - this is incredible work. The patience you've shown to build the squad capable of winning the league is great and I hope that you fully reap the rewards of it. What does your squad look like now? Any of the youth prospects breaking in to the first team?
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Post by Nick on Feb 8, 2019 17:34:51 GMT
Clearly it's been a while since I qualified for the Champions League. I was expecting about half that! As fourth seeds, we were never going to get an easy group, and I feel we've come out of it fairly well. Vitesse are a bit of an unknown, so there's an outside chance of us sneaking third. Season preview to come once the transfer window is closed and we've played the first round of games.
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ianf
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Post by ianf on Feb 8, 2019 23:33:20 GMT
Hard to ask for better than that as a 4th seed
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Post by Nick on Feb 9, 2019 9:22:19 GMT
2027/28 Season PreviewAs I enter my tenth year in charge of the club, I used to monumental Champions League money to invest heavily in the facilities, as we continue in our quest for perfection. Data analysis facilities, youth facilities and training facilities are all being taken to the next level. All should be well on their way to being maxed out. We have been the subject of two failed takeover bids this summer, which derailed our transfer plans a little. It certainly delayed them. Champions League football has certainly seemed to open up new possibilities when it comes to bringing players in, especially in terms of the loan market, which is where I concentrated my efforts this summer. I'd been looking to get away from loan signings, but we're not in a position where we can afford to bring in players of the same quality, so it's the best way forward for now. I did manage to bring in Nico Ludi from Grasshopper Zurich. The 21 year old becomes my record signing (£600k) and offers me a great, long term option. Plus, he left footed, the same as Severin, who is just edging into his thirties. He's big, strong and brave and could quite easily keep his place in the side for the next ten years. Mael Brunel (from Monaco), Conor Nicholls (Leeds), Fred Remy (Marseille) and Angel Yesid (Salernitana) all join on loan for the season and are either an upgrade on what we already have or at least of similar quality. Plenty of outgoing transfers as well as I managed to rake in £4m in transfer fees, the biggest of which was the £2.7m deal taking Eric Majetschak to Tenerife. He was a great servant to the club, initially joining on loan for the season. He saw that loan extended for another three seasons after that before we made it permanent. Nine seasons here in total, but his playing time was becoming less and less and eventually he wanted a move. A few players retired too, but we go into the season with a 26-man squad, the biggest it's been for a few years now. The increase in matches and the need for rotation means more players will be needing to step up and be counted. Finances are looking healthy, as you can imagine. The CL money pretty much doubled our balance to around the £29m mark. The chairman still wants to leave, but all is quiet on the takeover front at the moment. I think that's four attempts in total now, so I'm not quite sure what the problem is. Asking price, I imagine. Each time it's been a consortium wanting to take charge and I'd just like something stable. I've barely had an issue with the current bloke and I'd like that to continue! Coming up, in quick succession probably, will be a round up of the first round of games, plus a squad overview, as I realise I haven't gone into too much detail on the playing squad thus far.
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Post by Nick on Feb 9, 2019 11:03:42 GMT
2027/28 July to September UpdateWe started the season like an absolute train. Some of the football played in those opening two matches was bloody brilliant. The new signings appear to have settled in well and everything just feels 'slicker' than it has been. Confidence and togetherness are at their peak at the moment. Our perfect league start continued for four matches and we've also managed to negotiate the first round of the Swiss Cup. Eleven changes and five different scorers was pleasing, albeit against a lower league club. Our first defeat of the season came against Sion and it was a proper 'wet' performance from us. Slow, lethargic, we just couldn't get anything going. The Basel game was a rollercoaster. 1-0 up, 2-1 down, 3-2 up. Eventually we had to settle for a point. Winterthur went the same way as Langenthal in the Swiss Cup. We are starting to be able to compete on both domestic fronts, but that theory will be put to the test in the next round as we go to Young Boys of all places. Ideally we'd have played them a bit later in the competition. Historically, we don't do well there so that's probably that as far as a domestic double is concerned.Our Champions League campaign got off to a flier with a 3-2 win in Leverkusen. We actually went 3-0 up before they made a late comeback, but we held on for the win and the £2.42m in prize money, which is more than we got for winning the league last year! Inconsistency has crept in since as we've found it hard to juggle three competitions. I'm used to juggling two, but three looks like this'll take some time to adapt to. It looks like Basel are back, after an horrific display last season - by their standards anyway. Young Boys have started slowly and I was disappointed to lose to them. Another fact that shows you how far we've come. The media have us finishing third and the board want Europa League qualification. I'd be disappointed if we didn't challenge for the title, and I'd take second, but I don't want to be finishing outside the top two from now on. Time to kick on and assert our dominance.
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Post by Nick on Feb 9, 2019 13:59:54 GMT
Takeover complete! Finally complete on the eve of the winter break. An increased transfer budget is never a bad thing, but I'm hoping for very little change. A worrying mix of personalities it has to be said. How often does the MD affect anything though, right? RIGHT?
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Post by Nick on Feb 9, 2019 14:23:53 GMT
2027/28 Winter Break UpdateA really busy period where we rarely hit fifth gear, but largely did enough and have secured European football in the new year. Two wins against Leverkusen were enough to finish third in the group but Vitesse and especially Monaco were just a level above where we are at right now. Apart from the mauling in Monaco, we only lost by the odd goal, which was pleasing and I feel we've given a good account of ourselves in Europe. We don't seem to have suffered too much of a European hangover - we've not lost the game immediately after a Champions League match - but we're tired and the winter break has come at the right time. Fatigue isn't something I've had to contend with in the past ten years, we've largely had a week between games to recover and train. We've had a few more draws than I would have liked, but we're actually unbeaten domestically during this period and produced a brilliant performance away at Young Boys in the Swiss Cup to reach the quarter finals. I'm struggling a little to get any consistency from my strikers. At the moment we play a gegenpressing 4-2-3-1 formation with a pressing forward as the lone striker. I'm happy with his role in the side, he's doing exactly what I want in terms of forcing the opposition either into mistakes or to play it long and, invariably, give the ball away. Only one of them averages over a 7 though and none of them have scored more than five goals in all competitions. I am hoping that the second half of the season, and the reduced fixture list, will see us produce our best form because the league is there for the taking. Basel are dropping points, and we've conceded late equalisers against them twice this season, which is both frustrating and encouraging, while Young Boys are beatable, especially at home. I don't envisage too much activity in the window, despite the rise in money available to me, although I'm toying with the idea of trying to get Consoli back in on loan. He's over his injury now and not getting near the Fiorentina team and would surely jump at the chance to come back here.
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Post by Nick on Feb 10, 2019 15:42:24 GMT
2027/28 Season ReviewA really rough second half of the season sees us finish third after last year's title win. We really struggled for form and fitness this season and that allowed both Basel and Young Boys to finish above us. Our 72 goals scored was our second highest total, so that wasn't the issue, we just didn't keep clean sheets consistently enough (36 goals conceded) and that is always going to be a cause for concern. The increase in matches is something I am going to have to adapt to, especially in training, because we picked up more injuries than ever this season, both in training and in matches. The run in February and March just killed any momentum we had. The title challenge was officially over only three games from the end of the season, which is even more frustrating because both Basel and Young Boys were there for the taking this season, but whenever they dropped points, we couldn't capitalise and were made to pay. Only four clean sheets in those final 18 games, which isn't good enough to win titles. It wasn't all bad news however, as we continued our run in the Swiss Cup all the way to the final where we beat Basel 4-2 after extra-time. Not the hardest run, by any stretch, but we should be getting to that stage where only the 'Big Two' should worry us. If I remember rightly, winning this gives us safe passage into the group stage of the Europa League, so that'll be a nice little bonus. Speaking of which... Our European run ended at the quarter final stage to a good Gladbach side and was monumentally more than I expected. In fact, we were voted the Europa League's 'over achievers', which I'm also claiming as another trophy! It was a good marker of where we are though. Celtic were bang average and we should have beaten them by more. Sporting were terrible at home and we missed chances galore, but came to our place and were much better, probably unlucky not to have gone through. Gladbach were just too good for us in both legs, no complaints there. ConclusionA bittersweet season. Another trophy isn't to be sniffed at, but I'd have liked to have slipped into the top two. Not to be. Off the field we are in fine shape. Nearly £40m in the bank account now and facilities that are soon-to-be maxed out. Even our average attendances are sneaking towards the 10,000 mark (9,928) and we are now the third most reputable club in the country. Our youth intake was another one to forget. No-one that was signed had more than 3* potential and I'd be shocked if any of them got to that level due to their CA being so poor. This summer I'll be on the lookout for another HoYD - the current one has run out of chances.
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Post by Nick on Feb 10, 2019 16:07:08 GMT
It's taken ten years, but I've finally been headhunted. Napoli and RB Leipzig have offered me interviews out of the blue as well. Much has changed for Arsenal. A solitary title win in 2020, they've slowly regressed, culminating in finishing 10th in the Premier League last season. Only two players under 21 and eight over 30 means there's a bit re-building job here.
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ianf
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Post by ianf on Feb 10, 2019 18:43:30 GMT
Would be a total change of pace to spend money and attract world class players - are you tempted? Staying given the progress would be a good option too!
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Post by Nick on Feb 10, 2019 19:11:47 GMT
I'm gonna sleep on it, I think. The temptation is there but that's clouded by a poor season in the league. There is a bigger picture at Servette.
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Post by Ben on Feb 10, 2019 20:12:47 GMT
I would urge you not to go Nick - although that's because it is what I would do. This far into a save, I wouldn't want to be learning all about the players again, rebuilding a back room staff, going through that particularly up-and-down first season. You've not done as well as you wanted in the league with Servette - that is your fire, your reason to go again next year! Make sure you not only put Basel in their place, you do it so well that you can start to build your dynasty. Then, and only then, you move to pastures new - with Servette the biggest and best team in the land, Switzerland on the footballing map and maybe even some European success too?
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Post by shrewnaldo on Feb 10, 2019 20:43:50 GMT
First of all, g-fucking-g on the title win - amazing work.
Secondly, I would echo what Ben has said. It feels like you've really built the foundations for an epic save with Servette but only you can decide if you're bored of it now
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Post by Nick on Feb 11, 2019 12:56:00 GMT
Some good points chaps, thanks for that.
The offer came straight after the season finished, with frustration fresh in my mind, and had me second guessing whether I could get Servette to the level I wanted. It’d feel a bit soulless going there, or anywhere else, so I’ve rejected the offer and refocused!
Another busy summer ahead, with players coming back from loan who can play a part this season. I may even veer away from the 4-2-3-1 and look at another formation but with a similar style.
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Post by Nick on Feb 14, 2019 20:46:20 GMT
2028/29 Season PreviewWith the head-turning over with, I am back and fully focused on Servette and trying to not only get more consistency from the squad, but also look at getting our league title count to two. I was a little bit apprehensive with the expectations this season. This was the first time the new chairman got to lay down his own plans for the club, but across the board they were where I would expect them to be. Champions League qualification in the league, which means top two, group stage of the Europa League, which has already been achieved after we won the Swiss Cup last season, and finally, we'll be expected to reach the final in our attempt to retain the national cup. To do this, I was given £19.32m to spend and the wage budget rose from £130k per week to an eye-watering £358k. All quite achievable. Once again, the title winners will go straight into the Champions League group stage, which is something we need to do on a yearly basis in order to take us to that next level. The transfer window was a little bit of a non-event. All of my incoming deals were done reasonably early, with a few familiar faces, while everyone leaving the club was on loan. I am noticing that we are now able to offload players to mid-table Super League clubs, while only the fairly raw 17/18 year olds are willing to drop down to the Challenge League for experience. Loan fees are now becoming more regular for those gaining Super League match experience. As I say, incoming deals had some familiar faces, with Angel Yesid rejoining from Salernitana for another season and Andrea Consoli once again deemed surplus to requirements at Fiorentina. It's pretty incredible that he's still only 25. He must surely feel like more of a Servette player than a Fiorentina one? Rezart Hoti is a new face and joins us from Southampton for the season. An interesting player, he was actually generated in Kosovo but went into Fulham's academy due to an affiliate link between the two. The final signing was right back, Marco Hermel. After being offered an interview at RB Leipzig, I decided to have a look through their squad and this lad was sitting there available for loan. He's actually willing to join permanently, but Leipzig wanted more than £20m for his, so a loan is the only option at the moment. That was a theme to our summer, as it has been for a while now. There is very little by way of domestic talent that can improve us and have an interest in joining. As you can imagine, the bigger European leagues snap up the young Swiss players fairly quickly, particularly those from Basel and Young Boys. The talent from abroad falls into two categories: A) interested, but have ridiculous wage demands or B) young, potential, £20m+ asking price. I've decided to do away with any kind of transfer rule and cast my net a bit wider, looking at the less reputable leagues where hopefully we can find talent for a bit less money. I currently have scouts around Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, North Africa and North America. We've started the season in red-hot form and the best news is that I still think there is more to come. The result of the season so far was the 3-0 win at home to Young Boys where we didn't give them a sniff. We've also negotiated the first and second round of the Swiss Cup, albeit after eleven changes against non-league opposition. The level of competition steps up a little in the third round as we visit Challenge League side, Winterthur. We've not long against them since the first season and actually beaten them pretty comfortably home and away since. Nine of the ten Super League sides remain in the draw, so we'll have to be at our best to retain the trophy, but that's certainly something I'll be looking to do. Stunning start, really. The Europa League has started now though, so I expect form to flutter around a little bit, but a group of Budapest, Wolfsburg and PAOK could have been harder, and we were there as second seeds, which was nice. As you can see, Stade Nyonnais made it out of the Challenge League last season, mainly due to our loan players, but that link is no cancelled and they look less cut out for this level than Neuchatel Xamax did over a number of previous seasons. We'll play them twice in the next round of matches, which could be a nice opportunity to boost our goal difference. Speaking of which, we're not plundering goals like we have been, but we're looking FAR more secure at the back, conceding just four goals in nine league games so far. We are such a confidence team. I've not changed anything tactically from last season but we entered this season on the back of a goal-ridden tour of Finland and have just used that to hit the ground running. If I can rotate sensibly and keep morale high, I'm hopeful we can pull away from St. Gallen even further. On a final note, I turned down the Switzerland job this summer. I'm not against taking it in the future, but I want it to be when we're top dogs and not fighting it out for trophies. For the moment, full focus needs to be on Servette.
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Post by Nick on Feb 14, 2019 21:42:51 GMT
Nyonnais hit for six as we make it a perfect ten: On that basis, they won't be getting a point all season.
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Post by Nick on Feb 15, 2019 19:22:41 GMT
It's been a while since I said about doing a squad overview, but for various reasons never got round to doing it. In-game, now seems like a good time to do so as well as the fact that I now have the time to. I'll do it via a series of posts to save you all from reading a large wall of text. Flavien FerreiraA youth team graduate from our first season, Flavien has been first choice for the past five years. Upon intake, I commented that I like my goalkeepers a little more commanding and, while that is still true, he's developed into a really good player and his handling, reflexes, positioning, agility and decision making seem to get him out of most predicaments. Command of area and communication are the only things, I think, that have stopped any interest in him over the years. For someone that doesn't have a first touch and can't pass, he plays pretty well as an attacking sweeper keeper. Francesco PesaresiGenerated in 2022/23, Francesco is a Swiss/Italian born in Murten. He spent 2026/27 out on loan in France's Ligue 2 and has made 10 league appearances for the club over the past two seasons. I mainly use him in the cup competitions and Europa League, where he has made a further 10 appearances. He's not as mentally or physically developed as Ferreira, but does have a few years of developing left in him. He's a more than capable deputy and one that I have come to trust more this season, having kept 7 clean sheets in his 9 appearances so far. Like Ferreira, he's not as commanding as I would like, but is aggressive, brave and agile with good positioning, reflexes and determination. He won't be good enough for Europe's elite, but is certainly able to play at a high level domestically. Johann ToutainAnother youth team graduate, Johann has found first team appearances hard to come by, despite some very good technical goalkeeping attributes. In fact, he's arguably the most well-rounded technically of all three of my goalkeepers. It's his mental attributes that make me trust him less than the other two. Anticipation, composure and concentration just aren't there and he scares me a little as a result. Ideally, I'd send him out on loan, but he's too good for the Challenge League and no Super League clubs want to take him on. I'm hoping a European team from France or perhaps Germany (second tiers obvs) take a chance on him because I think there is a player in there somewhere, because 5 appearances for the club is doing nothing for his progression.
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Post by Nick on Feb 16, 2019 9:38:49 GMT
2028/29 Winter UpdateOur start to the season was stunning. One of those runs where you daren't turn FM off, you just ride the wave until it was over. We've threatened to do this for a couple of seasons now, but rarely converted our dominance in away games to allow such a long winning run. We came crashing back down to earth with a 3-0 defeat at Young Boys and that proved to be a catalyst for a dodgy run where we lost 4 times in five games in all competitions. We seem to have come out of that little patch and gone into the winter break on the back of successive 5-0 wins. We've managed to juggle the Europa League much better this season. I have learnt how and when to rotate, and which players, and that has seen me take the competition far more seriously than before. Our reward was comfortable qualification. Wolfsburg were too good for us, but we beat MTK Budapest and PAOK by a 12-1 aggregate score to sew up second spot easily. Our draw in the knockout round is a trip to Stoke to see if we an do it on a cold Thursday night. They're currently in the top four in England, are bank rolled by a Korean tycoon and have eleven players in their squad worth £30m or more. Realistically, they'll be too good for us, but we'll give it a go in the knowledge that a) we were only expected to reach the group stage and b) going out would mean we can concentrate on winning this title. Which, so far, is going completely to plan. A twelve point lead at this stage isn't insurmountable, but I'd definitely rather be the one leading than the one chasing. We have the league's best attack (42 goals) and best defence (12 goals), which is usually a recipe for success. Loan signing, Marco Hermel, leads the way in terms of average rating, but he's being chased for that gong, but Nicholas Pierini and Robin Busset. We are also home to two of the league's top scorers. We can take comfort in the knowledge that we'll play Young Boys, Basel and St. Gallen all at home in the next round of matches. If we can come through them relatively unscathed, and remain consistent against the other teams in the league, then I'm confident we can open up an even bigger gap at the top and make the destination of the title a merely formality.
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Post by Nick on Feb 16, 2019 13:20:25 GMT
Mathis SchmittA product of our youth academy from 2024/25, Mathis is on the periphery of the squad. There are holes to his game that need ironing out and I'm in the process of looking for a loan move for him. He's never quite been good enough to get the games needed in order to develop fully, but there is definitely a player there if he knuckles down. Nico LudiA relatively new signing, Nico joined from Grasshoppers for £600k in the summer of 2027 and remains my record signing. He settled into the side seamlessly, the definition of consistency. Physically, he's an absolute monster and that gives him an advantage over most in the league. His positioning is excellent and he's brave and has good anticipation. He averages 7.70 in the Europa League this year as well, which tells me that he will be ready to step up to that continental level as well as the domestic one. Jules AnabaAnaba is the next in line to come out of our academy, but I've not quite been convinced by him. 10, 12 and 11 for heading, marking and tackling respectively has meant that I've always been wary of giving him a prolonged run in the side, despite his initial good potential and personality. A Cameroonian dual national, he was never considered good enough to play for them, and his only international recognition has come at U21 level for the Swiss, despite never declaring fully for them. Mentally and physically he's very good, but could be a put braver and a bit more composed. Still young, but I don't think he'll ever be more than a squad player and that's something I am comfortable with. Dragan StojanovicSwiss/Serbian youngster, born in Geneva, came through the academy in 25/26 and I remember being very optimistic about him at the time. He's not really improved at the rate I'd anticipated, but at 18 he still has a few years left in him to develop. Like most of my players, he's good physically and if we an turn those 11's into 13's then he'll look a much better player. Made his debut for me this season, having spent last season on loan at Winterthur in the Challenge League. Brave and a leader, I am still hopeful of big things from him in the future. Yoan SeverinMr. Servette. The Frenchman has been a regular in my side since our very first season in the Challenge League and has got better with age. At least a 7 out of 10 each week, he averages 7.36 this season, and has been in 7 of the last 10 years. A ball-playing defender that is quick, strong and good technically. Each summer bids come in for him and each summer they are rejected. He's not moaned once. Never come to me asking for a move, or a new contract. Coming to the end of his career, I've just doubled his money for a contract that will take him past 33 years old. A legend in every sense of the word. Danilo RossiSwiss/Italian dual national came through the academy 2025/26. Made his debut last season, but this feels like his breakthrough year, with 14 appearances to his name and, more importantly, at a very good standard. More of a defensive fullback, but has still popped up with 4 assists this season. Could easily be in the squad for the next 12 years. Arben DervishiKosovan international that came through the academy in the first season. He spent 2022/23 out on loan at Nyonnais and that stood him in good stead for first team football. He's been first choice for the last three years and is rarely injured and hugely reliable. Physically imposing, he's a good team player, brave and has a good spread of mental attributes. At 25 he's just beginning to be classed as one of the older members of the squad, but should be a mainstay until his legs go. Marco HermelLoan signing from RB Leipzig this season. His average rating of 7.61 seems to have taken us to another level this season, but Leipzig want £6m to make his loan move permanent. While I can afford that, it's six times more than my current transfer record and not a number I'm comfortable with laying down for one player at the moment. Ivan de SantisElder statesman of the squad, he's just agreed a deal to join Crotone at the end of his current deal. He's been with us since 2020 when I signed him on a free from Milan, but has found game time harder to come by in recent years. He was first choice until a few years ago, but now is the right time to move him on. It's a deal that works for both player and club. Robin BussetAt the club before I took over, I promoted Robin to the first team squad in our first season due to there being no left backs in the original squad. He was raw and probably not ready, but he was thrown in at the deep end and took his opportunity with both hands. A regular ever since, he's certainly not overly special in terms of his attributes but is in terms of his consistency and professionalism.
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Post by Ben on Feb 16, 2019 14:48:05 GMT
Nick - what a start in the league! Does that make the job offer seem even more of a distant memory now?
Secondly, I really like the squad (what I've seen so far). I hadn't thought of your save as a hugely 'youth centric' one but then again, a lot of your signings have been loans, and therefore the youth players are filling the permanent holes. I must say that you've done a great job of developing them and they look rounded and suitable for your style of play. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the squad!
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Post by Nick on Feb 17, 2019 16:12:10 GMT
Nick - what a start in the league! Does that make the job offer seem even more of a distant memory now? Secondly, I really like the squad (what I've seen so far). I hadn't thought of your save as a hugely 'youth centric' one but then again, a lot of your signings have been loans, and therefore the youth players are filling the permanent holes. I must say that you've done a great job of developing them and they look rounded and suitable for your style of play. Looking forward to seeing the rest of the squad! Absolutely mate. Stupid really, when I think about it. There's nothing to be gained from leaving now apart from probably wrecking the save. It's not been deliberately centred on youth to be honest, but it's obviously a way that I enjoy playing. I've never really 'got' the way they've changed scouting since FM18, so that's also pushed me further into the youth development style. The midfielders will be coming up soon, followed by an end of season review and the strikers.
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Post by Nick on Feb 17, 2019 17:08:22 GMT
Simone SantoroItalian central midfielder signed on a free transfer in 2022 after spending two years here on loan. He's a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, but is pretty well-rounded as a result. He's never quite been first choice, but regularly racks up 20 games per season and that seems to keep him happy. We've got a few young midfielders coming through and, should they progress, it'll be Santoro that finds his place in the squad under threat. Tommaso PobegaExperienced Italian midfielder who has spent the last four years here following a free transfer from Verona. Like Santoro before him, he's quite well-rounded, which means that he plays both the ball-winning and box-to-box role in my tactic. Reliable with a decent personality type, he's an important part of the squad. Nicola DanieliClub captain. Signed on a free from Chievo in his native Italy in 2021 and has been a cornerstone of our midfield ever since. A creative, determined leader with a decent engine to get up and down the pitch, Danieli is arguably my 'signing of the save' so far. Actually plays better as a DMC, but we don't play with one anymore, yet he still racks up decent numbers from the more advanced CM position. Niclas StierlinBall-winning German signed on a free from RB Leipzig in 2022. Physically, the bloke is a complete monster, but that also sees him charging around like an absolute nutter. Loves a booking, but a ball-winner in a gegenpressing style is always going to pick up cards. First choice, and has been since his arrival, he's capable of playing numerous roles in midfield, which is an obvious benefit. Andrea ConsoliA man that needs little introduction due to being mentioned in countless transfer updates. La Viola man that is clearly unwanted and undervalued. That said, he's recently signed a new contract with them on £62k per week and they are, once again, looking to give him a chance next season. We'll see how long that lasts for. He's definitely got better as he's got older, but it's weird when one of your favourite players is someone that has never been involved permanently with the club. Fred RemyFrench loan signing from Marseille - dubbed the new Paul Pogba - who has just turned his two year stay here into a three year stay. A powerful, physically imposing number ten with an eye for goal and can spot a pass. Has fit in well in the dressing room, but seems to drift in and out of games. Angel YesidColombian loan signing from Salernitana in Italy, Angel has spent the last two seasons here. An able deputy on both flanks, he managed to get into double figures in terms of goals this season, which is all you can ask for of your wide players. Maurice CovicExperienced German wide man, signed on a free from Hertha Berlin in 2021. An able player who always does 'enough' without standing out, if that makes sense? He's definitely found his level with us and has never let me down. Entering the twilight of his career now and will take more of a back seat over the next 12-18 months, but he's been a good signing and someone I'd keep here as a staff member, purely for nostalgic reasons. Nicholas PieriniTalisman. Italian signed on a free from Sassuolo in 2022. Was always a solid player, but has hit new heights in the past three years and really taken his game to another level. Goals over the last three seasons: 25, 19, 23. Assists over the same period: 11, 14, 13. He's firmly in that 'irreplaceable' bracket and is rightly listed as a club icon. Sandro RoncaglioniYoungster from our academy, who has had to spend three seasons out on loan to develop to the level he has. Technical attributes let him down slightly, but he's a capable option in both Swiss Cup and Europa League matches. Champions League might be a level above his ability next season, but the plan is to give him a chance and see if there's any more potential left in there.
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Post by Nick on Feb 17, 2019 17:25:33 GMT
Rezart HotiKosovan loan signing from Southampton spent the last year here, but recently had his deal extended for another season. He took a while to settle, but looks a good player and is clearly an asset to the squad. Matteo CortesiExperienced Italian signed on a free from Alessandria in 2023. An excellent squad player, who rarely moans about new contracts or more playing time. His deal expires this summer and, at the moment, I have no plans to offer him a new one. The only natural pressing forward in the squad, but his technical attributes let him down and I think football for a Champions League team might be beyond him, especially given he's 31 now. Jimmy ChevalierThe main man up front. Signed for what was a club record £550k from Nice in 2023 and has been first choice ever since. His return of 26 goals this season was his best yet and I'm hopeful he can reach that 25-goal mark each season from here on in.
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