“I can’t believe we won the League,” Uwe said.
“I can’t believe we won in Magdeburg!” Sasha replied. It was a common course over the summer with her.
“It’s a dream,” Uwe said
“Its-” Sasha started to say, before Heinrichs hand on her arm stopped her.
“A nightmare would have been winning in Rostock. Or Dresden.”
Sasha started to respond, the stopped, and finished her beer.
“You really think Osman for €75M is a good deal?” Heinrich asked the table.
Paul nodded. “Man United has been on a spending spree. They want to pay €75M for him, why say no?”
“Especially with Yoneyama on the squad,” replied Dietrich. “He’ll score at least 20 this year.”
“You sure about that?” Heinrich replied.
In response Dietrich reached inside his jacket and pulled his wallet out, then set a 100 Euro note on the table. “20 or more goals, in the Bundesliga.”
Heinrich paused for a moment, then nodded, reaching inside his own wallet.
“Sasha, spot me a 20?”
“And dinner?” she replied looking at him. The rest of the table laughed.
“We excited about any of the new arrivals?”
“Dahan,” Dietrich, Heinrich and Paul replied. Uwe nodded as he took a drink.
“Really?” Sasha said.
“Kid has a ton of potential. Coach loves him. He’s one of the best young center mids in the game, and if he’s not a world class center mid in four or five years…”
“What?” Sasha asked.
“He’ll be a world class Advanced Center mid,” Heinrich sighed. “Big question is can we keep him for that long…”
After winning the League, with a bit of luck and a lot of help, we ended up winning the Bundesliga, so of course all the teams started coming after our players. The good news is that I was able to say “No” for a few of them, and they were OK staying here. Our reputation has gone up quite a bit since we made it to the Bundesliga, and this year it came into full effect. If it hadn’t we’d be hurting.
Out’s
Renato Arruda was becoming the odd man out, and when I couldn’t guarantee him the playing time he wanted, he asked to leave. As a former Captain, and a player without whom we wouldn’t be where we are, I not only said yes but let him transfer within the division. I just wish I had gotten more than €2.2M for him.
Man United coming after one of my players wasn’t a big deal. Them paying €75M for Osman is. It’s a number I never expected, but then again I am also smart enough to understand then when a potential competitor makes a mistake, you let him. He’s going to partner up with former BFC Striker Jose Luis Games, who’s now 31, and has had a solid Premier career. Osman could be a superstar, and that’s what United is banking on.
Phillip Schulz is the sort of player I talk about often in my Youtube saves, a player with mostly better than average Attributes, with a couple of very good ones. Not World class, but in the Hall of Very good, and a stalwart in the midfield for us. BMG made an unsolicited offer for him, and he was upset when I turned it down, so I made a private offer and they accepted it.
Cezar was an interesting player. Attribute wise he wasn’t anything extraordinary, I brought him in as a 3rd string striker, and somehow, despite coming off the bench in 75% of his games, he scored double digit goals every season. Then why I tried him as a started more often than not he disappeared. Marseille paid fair market for him though, so I can’t complain about that too much.
Jean Cedric Baffouman I brought in as a youngster, hoping to develop him into a midfielder. Then I went out and signed young players who were just as good as he was, if not better, with some upside as well. I think if he had stayed, he would turn into a very good player, but when Kobenhavn made their offer, he was eager to go.
Caspar Koch had a pretty good season for us last year. I was hoping to use him in the same role this season, but Wolves came in and made an unsolicited offer for him, he was all over it. So I let him go.
Lastly, Muhamed Schedlinski. Who? He was a youth prospect, from the 34/35 youth intakes. Now until recently, our youth intakes have been not a lot to write home about, and that includes Schedlinski, so when Paderborn offered me €300K for him, I first had to look him up, saw how average he was, and said “Ja!” and clicked accept PDFQ.
Also, the Dylan Maclennan tour continues. I take solace in the fact that on a very thin Newcastle squad (their strikers last year had 8 and 7 goals),he couldn’t crack the starting lineup. Bummer…
IN’S
These screenshots are from halfway thru the season.
Javier Palacios:
A Colombian International who’s been a 3rd striker most of his time in Leicester, I was looking for someone who could com in and replace Osman, and if not outright replace him be a part of the rotation. His attributes a very good in all the right areas, and the 27 y/o is going to get a chance to be the starter, and at €17.5M I think we are getting a good deal.
Shane Verhoeve:
One thing I am relearning the hard way is that if you think you have enough dept at defensive back, you don’t. Shane Verhoeve isn’t the tallest D(L) out there, not his he the most Technically gifted, but he has very good Marking and Tackling, Excellent teamwork and work rate, elite level bravery, and while he’s not the fastest player on the pitch, his very good Natural Fitness and means he will be in your back pocket all game. His versatility is a plus, and while he’s primarily going to be a bench player for us, I have little worries about him on the field.
Sagi Ohayan:
I found Sagi Ohayon, and the next player, on the Israeli nation squad via the Screen Flow. I think he still has a little room to improve, but even if he doesn’t, I have a fast, pacy striker with very good Flair, First Touch, Finishing and Composure. Between Palacios, Ohayon, and Yoneyama, I have a very good 3 striker rotation. Now because I play two at the top, I need a 4th…
Ben Dahan:
I posted this on twitter when I signed him. I found him on the Israeli National Squad. As a 17 year old. I’m going to type this out loud: Ben Dahan is a legit 190-200 PA player.
And I signed him for €3.5M. Not a typo. I would have paid twice that for any other player who had his OTB, Decision Making, Technique and Vision alone. Throw in the 17 Aggression, 14 Flair, The fact his lowest physical attribute is 10 Strength and his stamina is already 16. I am not sure what I did to please the FM Gods with this wonderkid of wonderkids, but I am going to do everything I can to keep him.
David Brandler:
I overpaid for Brandler, I’ll admit it. But when Wolves came in for Koch, I panicked, looked at the best available D(R) and WB(R)’s on the transfer and loan list, and he was listed bu RB Leipzig. Very Good Physically, Good Mentally, and lacking in Technical skill…Children, this is what happens when you panic buy in FM.
Emil Martinez:
If you were to just look at Emil’s attributes, you would think a very good D(Mostly Everything) might be worth a lot more, and have a very good career. Emil’s problem was that he came up thru La Masia, and while he was good, there was always someone (Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde until newgens recently) meant he was on the outside looking in. He had several good stints on their B squad, and a good season on loan at Bournemouth (who were in the Championship last season) but they finished in 7th and didn’t pick his optional fee. We get a young, versatile, and steady D(Mostly Everything) who will on the bench for half the season, and starting the other half. Just don’t ask me where.
Are these moves enough to defend out title? I don’t know, and to be honesty, I am too busy staring at Ben Dahans attributes to care…
Next, the season!
THE FOOTBALL MANAGER BLOG OF FM_JELLICO 