Oxford United Team Guide in FM2008
Average Rating: 8/10 Hits: 806 Submitted: Dec 20, 2007
Here you can find various hints and tips when it comes to managing Oxford United in Football Manager 2008. Ranging from all the basic information about the club, the history of the club, the expectations of the club in both the current season and over the coming years, an overview of the squad and players at your disposal, the best players to buy, the players you should be looking to sell, the best tactics to use, both for attack and defensive and much, much more.
Basically everything you need to know, to aid your career managing Oxford United in the English Blue Square Premier League in FM2008.
Year Founded: 1893
Status: Professional
Reputation: Local
Chairman Status: Loves the club
Favoured Personnel: Jim Smith, Denis Smith, Malcolm Shotton, Dean Whitehead, Martin Foyle, Jim Magilton, Phil Gilchrist, Mickey Lewis, Les Taylor
Fierce Rivals: None
Other Rivals: None
Finances: Okay
Estimated Value: £925,000
Stadium: The Kassam Stadium, Oxford
Stadium Capacity: 12243 all-seater
Pitch Dimensions: Length 106m Width 65m
Max Pitch Dimensions: Length 114m Width 70m
Training Facilities: Adequate training facilities
Youth Facilities: Average youth facilities + Youth Academy
Continental Competition: None
Media Prediction: 1st
Squad Average Age: 25
Squad Personality: Fairly Determined
Captain: Phil Gilchrist
Affiliate Clubs: Didcot, Milton Utd, Oxford City
Oxford United play in the English Blue Square Premier League (Old Conference National)
finances
Transfer budget: £10,000
Balance: £112,000
Total wage budget: £17,960
Current wage budget: £17,610
full squad
squad
overview
I have played at this level quite a few times and looking at this team honestly, they should get promotion very easily. With the purchase of one or two key positions, you will be fighting it out in League Two in no time at all. The fact you have a quality keeper stopping most conceded goals, you can be confident of winning alot of games.
expectations
The media predicts a 1st place at the end of the season. The expectations of the board and the supporters is to win the league with in a two year plan. This does place some pressure on you as the manager, to live up to these expectations, however you have a very solid team, with one or two purchases in, and you can easily accomplish what the board wants.
keepers
You start off with two goalkeepers in your squad. Your best goalkeeper is by far 33yo Billy Turley, who has played as high up as League One, with Rushden and Northampton. He has some good stats in Communication(14), Command of Area(13), and Reflexes(12) to offset his high Eccentricity(14). The other goalkeeper in the squad is 26yo Northern Irishman Chris Tardif. He has good Positioning(13), Reflexes and Bravery(12), with a really good Eccentricity(3). Unfortunately, his other stats, don’t instill confidence.
Best Goalkeeper: Billy Turley
defenders
You have 10 players that can play as defenders in the squad. The best DR you have is 20yo Matt Day. He is very young, but should grow into a good player. His backup will be 21yo Eddie Anaclet. He needs some good training, and should come on nicely as a DR. The only DL in the squad is 29yo Frenchman Alex Jeannin. He has some good stats for this level, but they are more suited for a ML, IMO. He will move to the backup for this position once Phil Gilchrist makes his comeback from injury. When this happens the leading DL will actually be 28yo Ivory Coast DC Arthur Gnohere, who has unbelievable stats for this level of competition. If you were to buy a player this is the position you would buy for, to free up Arthur Gnohere to play alongside Phil Gilchrist in the DC roles. Your best DC is 33yo Scotsmen Phil Gilchrist, who is a well rounded player, with pace. Unfortunately, he will be out injured, for between 2 and 3 months. While this is situation, your best DC is 28yo Ivory Coast DC Arthur Gnohere. Your other DC will be 21yo Luke Foster, who will be relegated to the bench, once the injured have recovered. He has some good stats, and won’t let you down. With him being so young, he should come on well also. To start your career the bench player to backup the DC’s will be 19yo Michael Corcoran. He does need some serious training.
Best Defender: Arthur Gnohere
midfielders
In the MR slot, the best player is 26yo Carl Pettefer. Mentally, he is very good, backed up with reasonable Passing and Tackling(12) abilities. His backup will fall to 26yo Michael Standing. His Dribbling and Long Shots(12) are good, and he can do well for the team with his Creativity and Teamwork(13). In the ML position, your best player is 23yo Scottish AM/FC Gary Twigg. He has great stats for this level, and will come on even better with some hard training. The backup for his position will be 26yo MC Phil Trainer. His Technical Attributes let him down, but Physically and Mentally he makes up for. The MC slots I would run an AM/FC alongside an MC. The AM/FC to play in the middle is 33yo Paul Shaw. Yes he is getting long in the tooth, but will be the sort of player that pinches a few all important goals, at the most opportune moment. Playing alongside him, I would go with 19yo Danny Rose, who will draw attention from bigger clubs. To start off with, you don’t have a player to bak them up off the bench, so look in your Reserve Grade side and drag either Barry Quinn or Eddie Hutchinson up to the First Grade team. You should seriously look at buying a player in for this position. If you think you can wait, train up Under 18’s Squad player Declan Benjamin. He has the makings of a good League 2 player in the future..
Best Midfielder: Gary Twigg
strikers
In the strike force you have 2 ST, and 3 AM’s that are also FC/ST. The first problem you strike is the fact that 2 of your AM’s are already in the side, in the midfield. The first thing I would do, is go into your Reserves squad and promote 24yo Welshman Robert Duffy. He is your best ST. His stats are very good with Finishing(14), Composure(12), Heading(14) and Penalty Taking(19). Beside him I would play 23yo Nigerian Yemi Odubade. His stats aren’t good, but they are the best of the rest. Also he has Pace(19) so will break through the line easily. Off the bench I would be running 27yo Marvin Robinson, who isn’t good at all.. You could use another good ST, to push Yemi Odubade onto the bench. That way you will be able to sell off Marvin Robinson.
Best Striker: Robert Duffy
sales
The first person I would sell, is Joel Ledgister. I don’t think he will cut it at this level, let alone after a promotion. The next person would be Marvin Robinson
buys
I would look for a quality DL, even a young one as backup. You also need a second quality ST/FC, and a good ML.
starting 11
GK - Billy Turley
DR - Matt Day
DL - Arthur Gnohere
DC - Phil Gilchrist
DC - Luke Foster
MR - Carl Pettefer
ML - Gary Twigg
MC - Paul Shaw
MC - Danny Rose
SC - Robert Duffy
SC - Yemi Odubade
After playing a couple of times at this level with other teams, Oxford Utd show that they could be a force at this level, with one or two important player purchases.. Good Luck and hope this guide helps you have fun in the lower leagues.
Status: Professional
Reputation: Local
Chairman Status: Loves the club
Favoured Personnel: Jim Smith, Denis Smith, Malcolm Shotton, Dean Whitehead, Martin Foyle, Jim Magilton, Phil Gilchrist, Mickey Lewis, Les Taylor
Fierce Rivals: None
Other Rivals: None
Finances: Okay
Estimated Value: £925,000
Stadium: The Kassam Stadium, Oxford
Stadium Capacity: 12243 all-seater
Pitch Dimensions: Length 106m Width 65m
Max Pitch Dimensions: Length 114m Width 70m
Training Facilities: Adequate training facilities
Youth Facilities: Average youth facilities + Youth Academy
Continental Competition: None
Media Prediction: 1st
Squad Average Age: 25
Squad Personality: Fairly Determined
Captain: Phil Gilchrist
Affiliate Clubs: Didcot, Milton Utd, Oxford City
Oxford United play in the English Blue Square Premier League (Old Conference National)
finances
Transfer budget: £10,000
Balance: £112,000
Total wage budget: £17,960
Current wage budget: £17,610
full squad
squad
overview
I have played at this level quite a few times and looking at this team honestly, they should get promotion very easily. With the purchase of one or two key positions, you will be fighting it out in League Two in no time at all. The fact you have a quality keeper stopping most conceded goals, you can be confident of winning alot of games.
expectations
The media predicts a 1st place at the end of the season. The expectations of the board and the supporters is to win the league with in a two year plan. This does place some pressure on you as the manager, to live up to these expectations, however you have a very solid team, with one or two purchases in, and you can easily accomplish what the board wants.
keepers
You start off with two goalkeepers in your squad. Your best goalkeeper is by far 33yo Billy Turley, who has played as high up as League One, with Rushden and Northampton. He has some good stats in Communication(14), Command of Area(13), and Reflexes(12) to offset his high Eccentricity(14). The other goalkeeper in the squad is 26yo Northern Irishman Chris Tardif. He has good Positioning(13), Reflexes and Bravery(12), with a really good Eccentricity(3). Unfortunately, his other stats, don’t instill confidence.
Best Goalkeeper: Billy Turley
defenders
You have 10 players that can play as defenders in the squad. The best DR you have is 20yo Matt Day. He is very young, but should grow into a good player. His backup will be 21yo Eddie Anaclet. He needs some good training, and should come on nicely as a DR. The only DL in the squad is 29yo Frenchman Alex Jeannin. He has some good stats for this level, but they are more suited for a ML, IMO. He will move to the backup for this position once Phil Gilchrist makes his comeback from injury. When this happens the leading DL will actually be 28yo Ivory Coast DC Arthur Gnohere, who has unbelievable stats for this level of competition. If you were to buy a player this is the position you would buy for, to free up Arthur Gnohere to play alongside Phil Gilchrist in the DC roles. Your best DC is 33yo Scotsmen Phil Gilchrist, who is a well rounded player, with pace. Unfortunately, he will be out injured, for between 2 and 3 months. While this is situation, your best DC is 28yo Ivory Coast DC Arthur Gnohere. Your other DC will be 21yo Luke Foster, who will be relegated to the bench, once the injured have recovered. He has some good stats, and won’t let you down. With him being so young, he should come on well also. To start your career the bench player to backup the DC’s will be 19yo Michael Corcoran. He does need some serious training.
Best Defender: Arthur Gnohere
midfielders
In the MR slot, the best player is 26yo Carl Pettefer. Mentally, he is very good, backed up with reasonable Passing and Tackling(12) abilities. His backup will fall to 26yo Michael Standing. His Dribbling and Long Shots(12) are good, and he can do well for the team with his Creativity and Teamwork(13). In the ML position, your best player is 23yo Scottish AM/FC Gary Twigg. He has great stats for this level, and will come on even better with some hard training. The backup for his position will be 26yo MC Phil Trainer. His Technical Attributes let him down, but Physically and Mentally he makes up for. The MC slots I would run an AM/FC alongside an MC. The AM/FC to play in the middle is 33yo Paul Shaw. Yes he is getting long in the tooth, but will be the sort of player that pinches a few all important goals, at the most opportune moment. Playing alongside him, I would go with 19yo Danny Rose, who will draw attention from bigger clubs. To start off with, you don’t have a player to bak them up off the bench, so look in your Reserve Grade side and drag either Barry Quinn or Eddie Hutchinson up to the First Grade team. You should seriously look at buying a player in for this position. If you think you can wait, train up Under 18’s Squad player Declan Benjamin. He has the makings of a good League 2 player in the future..
Best Midfielder: Gary Twigg
strikers
In the strike force you have 2 ST, and 3 AM’s that are also FC/ST. The first problem you strike is the fact that 2 of your AM’s are already in the side, in the midfield. The first thing I would do, is go into your Reserves squad and promote 24yo Welshman Robert Duffy. He is your best ST. His stats are very good with Finishing(14), Composure(12), Heading(14) and Penalty Taking(19). Beside him I would play 23yo Nigerian Yemi Odubade. His stats aren’t good, but they are the best of the rest. Also he has Pace(19) so will break through the line easily. Off the bench I would be running 27yo Marvin Robinson, who isn’t good at all.. You could use another good ST, to push Yemi Odubade onto the bench. That way you will be able to sell off Marvin Robinson.
Best Striker: Robert Duffy
sales
The first person I would sell, is Joel Ledgister. I don’t think he will cut it at this level, let alone after a promotion. The next person would be Marvin Robinson
buys
I would look for a quality DL, even a young one as backup. You also need a second quality ST/FC, and a good ML.
starting 11
GK - Billy Turley
DR - Matt Day
DL - Arthur Gnohere
DC - Phil Gilchrist
DC - Luke Foster
MR - Carl Pettefer
ML - Gary Twigg
MC - Paul Shaw
MC - Danny Rose
SC - Robert Duffy
SC - Yemi Odubade
After playing a couple of times at this level with other teams, Oxford Utd show that they could be a force at this level, with one or two important player purchases.. Good Luck and hope this guide helps you have fun in the lower leagues.
