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We have two matches before Youth Intake Day and I'm hoping we win both so we have a higher reputation to have a better effect on the quality of our youths. I don't actually know if we get a Reputation increase for each win but one can dream. Right?
I actually take the time to praise Chick.
I have no idea what the heck is going on with Mickey. His Strength didn't even have any up or down arrows. He's an enigma.
Because of that investment in the Data Analysis Facility, you'd think we got some tax relief… We didn't so we take a loss of £382,064.
So I'm at 91%. At the end of last month I was at 94%. I can't believe I have to come down off the high so soon.
Things are pretty static here.
Trying something new here. Not sure if I'll like it or not. Kind of like giving it a 4-week Trial Contract. Ha!
Also, GK Kris Newton, The Ginger Role Model, continues his impressive climb. A lot of green arrows, actual gains, and his Composure jumped 1.8 points. That's ridiculous! I also just noticed that his birthday is 29 February. Pretty cool.
Adrian Lee had a good month, which is what you would expect given his youth and Potential Ability, and the he's getting starts on the regular now.
Alfie Barnes had an even better month. Green arrows all over the place and actual point gains, mostly in Physicals but also a few in Technicals. I just wish that Determination would begin to inch upward; it's stuck at 8, which is no improvement since his arrival.
Jordan Nickson continues to reinforce that I'm a managerial wizard by elevating him above Sean Peers. His Marking, Tackling, Flair, Pace, and Strength each went up a point. His Pace is now 15. Heck yeah!
Dean Rice's Bravery is up to 11.6, showing as 12, so he's back to "normal" almost. Technically it has to get up to 12.4 to be normal, so four months away.
Note to self: Mark Curran may finally be showing his worth and probably needs a new contract soon. He's a steal at £450 per week. This past month his Pace went up to 14.
David Caffrey spontaneously combusted. I mean, had a Personality change, from Professional to Resolute, partially, I believe because his Determination went from 15 to 16.
I present to you another neat bit about how Football Manager handles player development. Ben O'Reilly, he of the sprained knee, saw 0.2 point drops in Acceleration, Agility, and Stamina, which all makes sense. Surprised Pace didn't drop. However, his Corners, Free Kicks, and Marking improved a point each. So maybe as he was on the physio's bench he got to watch more instructional videos?
How is Chris Dryden doing now that he's getting regular play with the Senior even though he is only 17? Well, my AssMan now thinks he's a League One-quality player with a 4.0 Potential Ability rating.
Mark Marshall had a good month with a couple of attributes going up a point but John Burns had a better month, as he is now ajudged as being a Championship-quality player. His Finishing has gone up to 15, his Heading to 10, and his Stamina to 12. Despite that, he is getting a little bitchy about training work loads. Maybe some Macey tutoring is in the cards?
Enigma Mickey Morris continues to irk me in his fourth month of no improvement on his focused Attribute. I do call him in and he does admit he could do better. His morale remains Perfect.
I move Kris Newton to the U23s as he's 18 now and there are no GKs in that squad.
Noulas needs match fitness so he replaces Caffrey today. Everybody else is my first choice and we are going to need it against the 2nd-placed team.
vs. Sutton, 1 March 2022
Formation: Arrow (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, DMC (Regista), MC c (BBM), AMR, AML, ST r (DLF), ST l (AF))
Starting XI: Lee, Lawford, Ferreira, Barnes, Curran, Noulas, Flitcroft, Smith, McGregor, Macey, McLeish
Subs: Parker, Rice, O'Reilly, Leary, Marshall
Spot on 26' the wingers link up for a McGregor goal. It was the first highlight and I had worried up to that point. Just before the close of the first stanza McLeish gets one in by the hair of his chinny-chin-chin. It goes through loads of traffic to squeak in between the left post and the goalie's mitt. And a Macey early cross allows Derek to get a brace just a few minutes later. I like it! I like it, a lot. I forgot I'm trying to get Leary up to Natural at AMR, so in he goes for Smith. McLeish's hat trick comes through unusual means: He heads off the crossbar, the ball goes straight up and straight down and falls right to his feet, he then knocks the ball under the legs of a defender trying to slide tackle him. So strange.
POM: Derek McLeish 9.5 (3 goals, 1 key pass)
Something something dammit no clean sheet something something.
My AssMan finishes scouting the awesome Northern Irish young GK. I want to sign him and will offer £60,000 if I maker an offer. That's a strong "if" because Youth Intake Day is a few days away and I don't want to get an awesome newbie and bring in an outsider. We'll see what happens after the Macclesfield match.
Macclesfield shouldn't present much of a problem as they are in 10th place and we've beaten them in the two times we've faced them. Though maybe I should be concerned as this is the first time we travel to their lodge, The Moss Rose, some 150 miles northwest of us, some miles south of Manchester.
at Macclesfield, 5 March 2022
Formation: Arrow (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, DMC (Regista), MC c (BBM), AMR, AML, ST r (DLF), ST l (AF))
Starting XI: Lee, Nickson, Evans, Collopy, Rice, Caffrey, Ferguson, Dryden, Leary, Morris, Burns
Subs: Parker, Curran, O'Reilly, Macey, Rae
Okay, a Burns goal just 14', assisted by Morris. This is good. This is better when Burns heads in a Dryden cross. I love it when the action keeps going after a kick off. To start the second half we get one of those. Though possession goes back and forth as we probe each other's defense, it's our defense, Ben Evans specifically, who tires of the game, booting one from box to box, ending at Mickey's right foot, planting a third goal on The Silkmen, spot on 46:00. And he gets his second from Dryden. It then becomes a race to see who gets the hat trick first. Burns? Morris? Burns? It's Burns with the assist on Mickey's triple! Excellent...
POM: Mickey Morris 9.7 (3 goals, 1 assist, 3 key passes, 2 chances created)
It's hard to beat a team when they are accurate on 10 of their 13 shots. Just a little clue there for you, Macclesfield.
What?! A whole week off! Good, I'll get to spend some time with the youths and get to know them well.
I'm demoting Angelino Ferreira. I realize that his Heading, Marking, Positioning, and Teamwork are lacking and not improving fast enough. Ben Evans will replace him. Neither have double-digit Stamina so there will still be an amount of swapping but Evans will be the new solution.
Now about that kick-arse young, Driven goalkeeper from Northern Ireland. His name be Michael Stewart and I offer his team, Institute, £50,000 on the evening of Youth Intake Day. And they accept! Really proud I low-balled a lesser team and got away with it. Maybe. Maybe because of his contract demands. Yep, gonna cost us. He settles for £1,500 per week, £300 appearance fee and clean sheet bonus, and 10% yearly and promotion increases. We'll get an option year if he gets into five matches the final year and we don't get relegated. All this to keep him until June 2025. He won't actually join us until his 18th birthday, on 19 October 2022. Let's hope he signs. He does sign on the morning of 9 March!
Leyton Orient have a pretty good striker who has 19 goals and lots of good Attributes. Their wingers are good too. Their defense doesn't look too bad either. No wonder they are in fourth place. And because of that, a good crowd is expected for the match, with over 6,100 fans expected.
I like the make-up of this Team of the Week. We got Lee in goal, Jordan Nickson at right fullback, Ben Evans at right centreback, Ryan Collopy at left centreback, John Burns at right midfielder (dafuq?), Chris Dryden at left central midfielder, Mickey Morris at right striker, and Derek McLeish at left striker. Very pleasing.
Finally, on the evening of the 8th, right before the U18s vs. Youth Candidates match, our Defensive Coach Robert Hayward signs his contract. Next up is our Ball Control coach.
In the late morning of the 9th the poaching of my staff resumes. Now my U18 Assistant Manager, recently of a new contract, is approached by Eastleigh, who are 10th in our league. He'd be a fool to go there. Two days later he signs with them. Bastard. Too bad we don't face them again.
I immediately fire up the Staff Search tool and find two good candidates. I choose the elder one first. He currently is the U18 Manager for Canvey Island, a team we've faced once, in a pre-season friendly back in July 2019. They are a minnow so I'm sure I can lure him in. I offer him what the last guy got and he deems it acceptable but wants to think things over. They always do...
Leyton have much to fight for as they are fourth in the league, solidly in the playoff spots, seven points above fifth and only three points behind third. Elsewhere in the league, third place plays fifth place today so Leyton really need a win. Should I start the Preferred XI? I should but remember, from this point forward, league matches are for match fitness.
vs. Leyton Orient, 12 March 2022
Formation: Arrow (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, DMC (Regista), MC c (BBM), AMR, AML, ST r (DLF), ST l (AF))
Starting XI: Lee, Ferreira, Parker, Barnes, Curran, Noulas, O'Reilly, Smith, McGregor, Macey, Rae
Subs: Nickson, Rice, Ferguson, Flitcroft, Marshall
With Rae complaining to the media about his lack of playing time, I try to motivate him pre-match. It works! First in the locker room and then on the field, picking up an assist for his cross to Macey's Magical Dome 12 minutes in. Around 75 seconds later, favors are returned though this time the cross is low and Alex's right foot puts the ball in. Right at 30' Macey has a chance for a brace but his chip of the goalie hits the crossbar and goes to a defender for a clearance. I then remember to switch us to Control and Noulas from Regista to Anchor Man. Somehow it still works to get us a goal as Ferreira sends his clearance way forward to Rae and an Oriental tackles him from behind in the box and Macey sinks the penalty shot. The guy who fouled Rae picks up a second yellow 10 minutes later. With both wingers looking Uninterested and Curran on a yellow, I bring on Marshall, Flitcroft, and Rice for them at 69' and that makes the match fly by without interruptions. Eddie had plenty of opportunities for the trick but he was just a bit unlucky after that second goal.
POM: Eddie Macey 9.1 (2 goals, 1 assist, 3 key passes, 1 chance created)
Woot! There were 6,600 fans today, which brings in £82,309. If we can reliably draw in that many fans when we are in League Two, we'll be in a good financial state. Also in good news, Ben O'Reilly finally goes Natural at MC from a full 90 minutes of playing in the Box-To-Box Midfielder role.
Our Ball Control Coach wastes no time signing his new contract. Thank you, John Reece. Next item up for bid, our Tactics Coach.
It's on Monday, 14 March I give up my search of Slim Pickens and just sign what Youth Candidates I need. Am I happy about this? Nope. DR Ralph Miller, DC r Danny Wright, DC l Rico Chase (but move to DMC?), DL John Shaw, AMC Tom Green, AMR Mitchell Oliver, AML Tobi Gant, and an ST to be named later. The striker will come from elsewhere as the one we got is beyond garbage.
Our new U18 Assistant Manager signs on the afternoon of 14 March. I hope Tony Newell makes us forget that other guy, Whats Hisface.
It's the Team of the Week as we know it and I feel...indifferent? Only Lee and Macey made it in but Macey was put in at MR. I just don't understand...
Towards the end of the month we are going to be sans some players, some of which are starters, as international call-ups are out again. Jose Parker, David Doran, Pat Lawford, and John Burns will be earning caps. Those last two really hurt.
Because we are facing a weaker opponent I am putting Legg in goal despite Lee's string of clean sheets. I'm also giving Lemon a second chance. FC United of Manchester, the Red Rebels, are 18th in Conference North so they should present no challenge. Will we get another crowded house? We should, with something so strong. If not now, there's always next season; don't dream it's over.
vs. FC United, 15 March 2022
Formation: Arrow (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, DMC (Regista), MC c (BBM), AMR, AML, ST r (DLF), ST l (AF))
Starting XI: Legg, Lawford, Evans, Collopy, Rice, Parker, Lemon, Dryden, Leary, Marshall, McLeish
Subs: Lee, Nickson, Ferreira, Barnes, Curran, Ferguson, Flitcroft, Smith, McGregor, Macey, Rae, Caffrey
It's not a crowded house, unsurprising given the drizzle, which is a shame as we are on fire with each striker getting goals in the first half. Even Lemon is in fine form after some initial off-target passes. With our third coming early in the second I just let the tactics ride and watch the clock tick by. Only concern is Dryden not doing his best but then in the 75th he crosses to Marshall, who gets a goal in quite easily. In short, we're awesome and they never presented a challenge, off target on all five of their shots; we were 16 of 26.
POM: Mark Marshall 9.6 (2 goals, 2 assists, 3 key passes, 2 chances created)
You read that correctly, no substitutes. All the subs were 100% match fit plus I wanted Parker max time at DMC and Lemon max time to get his match fitness up. (We made £21,790 too!)
So in the Senior squad I'm going to want two goalies. In the Autumn I'll have Michael Stewart on the team but I have a feeling he might be called up for the Northern Ireland team a lot. So, do I use Model Citizen Kris Newton? Or, do I go crazy, and renew Chick Legg so he's available again?
Bah! We face a league opponent in the FA Trophy semi-final, at their place. I was hoping we'd get Curzon Ashton because the name is funny and they are two leagues below us. Hopefully they get past Hartlepool.
Our Tactics Coach Gavin Griffin signs his extension. Now that I'm done with Seniors coach staff members who do I take care of next? The U23 Ball Control coach! Well this is strange. When I offer the new contract he wants to be the U18 Assistant Manager. Huh? SKIP!
How about our Belgian U23 Shooting Coach? He too wants to be the U18 Assistant Manager. Oh boy, he won't budge. What is going on here? Thankfully our Slovakian Attacking Coach initially agrees to a new contract though initially he wanted to become a U18 Coach. Huh.
More international news comes our way. Caffrey and Curran will be away for Ireland, and Henson Debellotte will be with Grenada. Then news of Ferreira getting to join the Angolan side for matches against Morocco and Botswana.
AFC Fylde gave our defense some problems back in January but we scored plenty. Lawford is tired so Nickson gets a start; I hope this defensive change doesn't lead to Fylde goals.
vs. AFC Fylde, 19 March 2022
Formation: Arrow (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, DMC (Regista), MC c (BBM), AMR, AML, ST r (DLF), ST l (AF))
Starting XI: Lee, Nickson, Ferreira, Barnes, Curran, Caffrey, Flitcroft, Smith, McGregor, Morris, Burns
Subs: Collopy, Rice, O'Reilly, Leary, Rae
It's beautiful down in Brixton with the temperatures moderate and no rain. Temperatures on the field are high though as we heat up our opponents net as we rain down shots upon them. With winger-to-winger link-ups and centreback-to-striker connections. And then the half disrupts our flow. I reminded the crew about complacency and it falls on deaf ears as we give up a goal not five minutes in. I question their mettle and at 68' have to bring off Do-Nothing Morris, I've Got A Yellow Nickson, and 6.1 Is The New 9.1 Curran. Fortunately Rae knows the score and sinks a lovely pass from Burns. It's enough to win us the match.
POM: Peter Smith 8.6 (1 goal, 4 key passes, 3 chances created)
Why does AFC Fylde have our defense's number? Why was Mark Curran the worst player on the pitch? At least one of those questions won't arise next year as Fylde ain't getting promoted.
Dusan Straka, our Slovakian Attacking Coach, signs his extension on the morning of the 20th. Now who is next? How about the U23 Defending Coach? Nope! He's already on £450/week and his contract expires in 2023. How about the U18 Defending Coach? He likes what I'm offering.
Speaking of contracts, I have found a striker finally for the U18s. He isn't from this year's YID but from last year's. He is a product of the Burgess Hill academy and looks to have been thrown straight into the action, scoring 7 goals in 13 games last year. This year he's their left striker and has 7 goals in 44 games. He's still 16 so we'll get to use him this year and next year. I'll show you his meager player card if/when he signs. (He's not really much to look at but he'll suffice.)
Gateshead had our number back in early November, defending against us superbly until 54 seconds into injury time. Now that we are in their house and they have a striker with an 18 Pace, I do worry. Sigh. They are up on the northeast coast along the River Tyne, kind of smack-dab between Newcastle and Sunderland. The Gateshead International Stadium is north by northeast, roughly 250 miles away.
at Gateshead, 22 March 2022
Formation: Diamond Attack (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, DMC (DLP-S), MR, ML, AMC (AM), ST r (DLF-A), ST l (AF))
Starting XI: Legg, Nickson, Evans, Barnes, Rice, Ferguson, Dryden, Leary, Lemon, Macey, Marshall
Subs: Ferreira, Curran, Noulas, McGregor, McLeish
I use the "prove the pundits right for backing you speech" and though it wasn't an emphatic goal, Macey is able to redirect a Lemon cross and the ball trickles in. Dryden is not having the best of days, missing two easy goals and sending several errant crosses. Just a few seconds before 60' Alfie Barnes tires of our ineptitude, sending a special delivery for Marshall over half the field away. Mark beats the one-on-one and I dial things back and contemplate going Defensive. I do go Cudgel at 68' but only bring on two subs. That proves a wise choice as nothing happens as we see out the match safely.
POM: Mark Marshall 8.1 (1 goal, 3 key passes, 2 chances created)
Well, good on Gateshead. They lost twice to us but they sure made us work for our victories. Lemon did almost as well as Marshall and I think I'll move him back to the Seniors so he can tutor again.
U18 Defending Coach Andrew Brennan signs his contract. Who else needs some more money? How about our U18 Attacking Coach? He's amenable.
So I found this guy sitting on a park bench. Meet Jethro Swain. Like I said earlier, not much to look at but does have double digits in places I like.
Excellent, Smithers... John Burns got his first international cap for Northern Ireland. I call to congratulate him and I manage not to offend him. Excellent...
On the morning of 27 March my Head of Youth Development tells me that Jordan Nickson is improving. Exhibit A, his Personality is now Determined. Exhibit B, his Determination went from 17 to 18. Nice.
Savion Muir, our U18 Attacking Coach, signs his new contract on the morning of 28 March. This means we are done with coaches and need to think about extending physios and scouts. I'd like to start with our Head Physio but his Physiotherapy is 14 and his Man Management is 12. I have a regular Physio who is 20 and 19. I have another one who is 20 and 9. So in early June I'll fire the Chief Physio, for a fee, and then offer the job to Mr. 20-19. Then extend the others.
(Man Management is the staff attribute that determines how well a Chief handles his staff. If I'm being honest with you, Ricki, I'm not sure how that ever materializes in the game engine for staff.)
For the scouts, I'm in kind of a similar situation with the Chief having a low Man Management and relevant attributes. Some scouts have crap MM but really good in Judging players so with them not vying for the Chief position I'll go ahead and extend. First, I'll go with my Northern Irish scout.
Another Team of the Week and another situation of only two players from Brixton getting named. Chick Legg in goal and Alfie Barnes at right full-back though he didn't play there.
Whitehawk are 18th in the league and are comfortably above the relegation zone. Their two strikers are pretty good but lucky for us one of them is away with the Zimbabwean team on international duty. I fancy our chances. Their stadium is The Enclosed Ground, which is down on the south coast, just miles east of Brighton, 43.3 miles away. I was thinking the Enclosed part would mean a roof but it does not have one.
at Whitehawk, 29 March 2022
Formation: Arrow (GK, DR, DC r, DC l, DL, DMC (Regista), MC c (BBM), AMR, AML, ST r (DLF), ST l (AF))
Starting XI: Legg, Nickson, Evans, Collopy, Rice, Noulas, Flitcroft, Smith, McGregor, Morris, Rae
Subs: Barnes, Sterling, Ferguson, Lemon, Macey
I like it when a striker runs to a corner to collect a loose ball and then crosses to the far post where the second striker heads one in from point blank. Just like Morris to Rae, today. The opposite happened for the second goal; an up the middle Rae pass to Morris, Mickey launches it in from 23 yards, it hits the back upper-left corner. What a beauty! Mickey's second one was also from far out, 18 yards this time, and it barely made it in, hitting the left post low. Then we give up one from a corner. More upset about this than me is Macey (on for Morris) as he blows past some defenders and sends yet another long-range shot in. And that appears to be the pin in Whitehawk's balloon as they mount no attacks after that.
POM: Alex Rae 9.1 (1 goal, 2 assists, 4 key passes, 2 chances created)
Well, almost a perfect match. I guess Lee gets to be GK1 again.
Ooohhh. I like emails about highfalutin teams releasing youngsters. I send me scouts to pick over the corpses.
But before we get to the end of the month, I get an email telling me which players and staff will have their contracts expire in three months. Some hard thinking to do. I'll conquer it in April, though as you know, I've been working on staff extensions the last couple of months.
At first glance I thought these drops were odd. But after looking over the whole crew I realize it all about the awesomeness of Burns. Nobody else on the team is rated 5.0 in Potential Ability these days but him. Did I think he'd be better than Morris? I don't think so. What a terrible thing to have, two phenomes up top.
It's good to see that even as we are on a glide path to the end of the season and gain nothing by winning our remaining games, we still are perfect. It's even sweeter when you factor in that I bounce between goalies, even though we do give up some goals. We also continue resigning existing staff and were able to find a suitable replacement when one of our own got poached.
Here's an interesting note. Padraig Murphy, a Youth Intake from 2018, hasn't really improved much but he has grown from 181 to 186cm. I don't think I've seen much movement before. Let me take a look at my records... Terry Buckle, a U18 experiment who as a DC came in at 175cm so I moved him to DMC and he is now 180cm. In March 2020 he grew two centimeters and then another the next month. U18 Super-Sub Sam Khinda has grown 7cm, from 172 to 179. I've also had some player not grow at all, and I'm talking centrebacks where you'd expect it.
I guess what I'm saying is player growth is unpredictable. Maybe. But it seems the shorter they are, the more they can grow. Maybe. I'll keep my eye on this and hopefully I'll find a pattern. One thing that I did notice is that only about half of my GKs have grown but none more than 2cm. Which kind of reinforces my second "truth" above.