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Epilogue:
Previously on "Inter is coming": we witnessed the ecstasy of Ángel Bastardo .
“The ecstasy of Bastardo” - Inter is coming #FM17 #WeAreTheCommunity
Previously on "Inter is coming": Bastardo built The Wall.
FM17 | 24 years with Reading FC
The summary of the Football Manager 2017 save with Reading FC.
My FM17 Tactic: 4-2-3-1
This tactic was initially adopted by RBL during season 3, but I've also been using it to great effect with RBS since I took over there too. Of course, both teams playing the same way will only help us to develop players who can easily slot into both of the clubs. Let me introduce you to "Betwe
Epilogue:
06 July 2019 Fibra International was always going to be hard. With no International team training, dangerously low levels of tactical familiarity and an adaptability score of 1, Ángel Bastardo was thrown into the deep end with Chile. But despite the uphill task, Bastardo batt
Finding the next Naby
He hasn't quite reached Timo Werner levels in terms of getting all my love and affection, but when Bayern started touting for Naby's signature I knew we had to start succession planning. Today's post is all about that. Finding our replacement for Naby Keita. The Man Himself
Managing in Argentina - 10 Tips To Survive #FM17 #WeAreTheCommunity
My save game date with Estudiantes de La Plata (EdlP) is 19 April 2017, I've survived 10 months in this crazy place without resigning or getting the sack! There are a few things I did prior to kicking off this FM17 save, and a few other things I learnt quickly along the way, which have r
My FM17 Training Approach
As I pointed out in my intro post, alongside scouting, development is to be one of the key pillars of my time at RBL. Translating this onto FM, this means training. My under 24 years of age signing policy means that the vast majority of players I have on the RBL books will be promising ones that ca
Rensie Custom Skin for FM17
The custom skin for the Football Manager 2017 created by FM Rensie.
My Approach to Scouting - FM17
Scouting is one of the three main aspects that I’ll be focusing on in my RBLeipzig save that I called out in my initial plan for FM17. Since the appearance of Moneyball style saves on Football Manager, scouring the globe for talent has become even more important than before. My RBLeipzig save isn’t
FIBRA FRIDAY - Day 1 Transfer Targets at Estudiantes de La Plata #FM17 #WeAreTheCommunity
Happy FM Day, are we excited? Today's blog outlines a few potential Player & Staff targets discovered in the FM17 Beta. Individuals who could be making their way to La Plata (if the circumstances are right). Stay tuned to my Twitter feed throughout the day to se
No One Likes Us, We Don't Care!
I’ve come to a decision on my FM17 save. It’s the most hated team in Germany, RasenBallsport Leipzig. If you've been living under a rock for the past few years and don't know why they're hated I'll give you two words, Red Bull. As Chris D pointed out in the introductory post of his Bilbao boys sa
Introducing Ángel Bastardo, Estudiantes de La Plata's new manager #FM17 #WeAreTheCommunity
Today's very short blog is a break from the recent Fame & Fibra series . Instead, I want to take some time to introduce Ángel Bastardo , my new persona for FM17, and also present the Manager attributes I will give him and why. It's been a year since I wrote ' Investing in the ri
Fame & Fibra in La Plata - Part 2 #FM17 #WeAreTheCommunity
Ex- Estudiantes de La Plata (EdlP) Manager Diego Simeone's tactical approach is gaining quite a substantial following. The fundamentals in his philosophy are seen as an alternative to the possession-centric systems we've seen dominate the upper echelons of competitive football over the
Fame & Fibra in La Plata - Part 1 #FM17 #WeAreTheCommunity
Estudiantes de La Plata (EdlP) have a rich history of embracing the collective team qualities of teamwork & work rate . The basis of their domestic & continental successes[1] in the late 1960s was built on the foundation of all eleven players knowing their tact
Why Estudiantes de La Plata (EdlP) in #FM17? #WeAreTheCommunity
From Friday 04 November 2016 I will be managing Estudiantes de La Plata (EdlP) in the Argentine Primera División . I am making the 11,300 km journey from Zürich to La Plata and there are so many reasons why I am looking forward to my EdlP adventure. Today's short blog detai
Auf Wiedersehen GC Zürich: 10 years without Swartzendruber #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
Football Manager (FM) is a peculiar drug . During Football Manager 2016, I have fallen in love with two players that will never exist . I have also started to follow a Club I have never seen play live, let alone visit the country that they play in! This is what FM can
FM16: Seventeen years with AB
The summary of the Football Manager 2016 save with Akademisk Boldclub.
The Marco & Remo Diaries - Epilogue #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
My FM16 journey has ended after finishing 10 seasons at Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ), I now wait for FM17. However, after simulating 10 years into the future (to 2035), I have two short blogs to publish: (1) today's Marco & Remo Epilogue and (2) next Friday's Auf Wieder
Auf Wiedersehen GC Zürich: Seasons 1-10 Review #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
3 minutes . I was 3 minutes from reaching the 2024/25 Euro Cup Final in Poland, in what would be Loïc Swartzendruber's 500th and final match in charge at Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ) - ending a trophy-laden 10 year spell in Zürich. 3 minutes away from erasing GCZ fans'
The Marco & Remo Diaries -
March 2025 : It's been over an in-game year since I last updated you all on the developments of Marco Simon & Remo Mahrer, two exceptional Academy players of the 2015/16 Youth Intake. This update takes place two thirds through my final season at Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ): Season
Season 10 - The beginning of the end #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
90+1 and 120+1. Two critical minutes in two separate games that highlighted the great weakness of my team in Season 9. In each occasion Galatasaray had scored, to swing both legs of the 2nd Knockout Euro Cup tie in their favour - 6-5 on aggregate. Out of Europe once ag
The Marco & Remo Diaries -
Thursday 22nd February 2024 - There has never been a more apt time to write a Marco & Remo diary post. This is because £43m rated 24 year old Marco Simon returns to the Letzigrund to face off against his boyhood club - Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ). Marco now plays for O
Season 9 - The Financial Fair Play Fiasco #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
OK, caution if you are about to embark on this blog post. Get a drink, sit comfortably and relax...for what you are about to read is one mother of a shitstorm... Background In January 2018 (half way through Season 3 of my save) Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ) were bought out by Italian tyc
Ball Playing Defender: 'The Casado Experiment' Part II #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
Experiments provide: ...insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when a particular factor is manipulated Back when I introduced Casado at the start of Season 8 there was no guarantee that this experiment would work - to turn a Brazilian central midfie
FM16: In love with Wide Playmaker
The tactical look into how the Wide Playmaker role worked for me during the Football Manager 2016.
The Marco & Remo Diaries -
Just over 2.5 in-game years have passed since I last updated you on the developments of Marco Simon & Remo Mahrer, two exceptional talents for the 1st Youth Intake of February 2016. When I last wrote about them, Marco had made the £20m switch to Lyon, France. Remo however, continued to rest
Ball Playing Defender: 'The Casado Experiment' Part I #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
As discussed in my previous blog post , my Homegrown defenders lack the technical and mental ability to suit a passing game. As a five, their average Passing stat is 8.8 and Vision is 5.6. This isn't so much of a problem when coming up against weaker opposition, whereby the the
The Homegrown XI: Season 7 update #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
One of the attractions of managing in a smaller European nation, such as Switzerland, is the Winter Break - a 60 day pause between competitive fixtures during the months of December, January and February. It's a chance to reflect on the previous few months and look ahead to the defining months of th
Regista: Directing the Flow #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
The brilliant Deep Lying Podcast last week covered a topic which is not always easy to talk about: FM Slumps and Fails. Today I'll share my current predicament, and the solution I plan to remedy the current slump...
Hugging & Inverting: The Juxtaposition of Width #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
During the last 6 [in game] years at Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ) I have tweaked a variety of tactical aspects of my formation and player/team attributes. None more so than the use of width in my teams and it's something I have been meaning to blog about for a while. Today I wil
Player Search: finding talent & value in FM #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
A few followers on Twitter have asked me what I search when signing a player in FM16. In truthfulness the criteria for signing a player differs in each transfer deal I've made. This is primarily due to reputation and resources being different year on year. I've been on
FM16 Guide: How to see your stadium in 3D
FM16 Guide: How to see your stadium in 3D
The Marco & Remo Diaries -
When we last met Marco and Remo they were on course for a second consecutive Domestic Double in 2018/19. This was achieved, with Marco and Remo playing a key role in the success. They also carried this form into the 2019/2020 season, meaning that they both won three league titles in a row at Grass
The Homegrown XI: the 5 year plan #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
Last week saw the 1st part of my 'Homegrown XI' feature blogs. It's aim is to document my journey towards developing a successful Homegrown XI. Firstly, let's clarify the two types of homegrown status that I will be talking about further on: Homegrown (HG) : A homegrown player will be defined as o
The Homegrown XI: training PPMs to suit your tactics #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
My next blog post was always going to focus on my attempts at developing a Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ) homegrown XI, especially after achieving domestic dominance with 4 straight league titles and 3 domestic doubles within those 4 years. However it's now more poignant given that the Godfather of m
The Marco & Remo Diaries -
My previous Marco & Remo Diaries ( Part I and Part II ) introduced two fledging Regens I received in the 2016 Youth Intake. We've already seen them tutored by Senior Players and become U18 Invincible 2016/17 Double Winners. Now 3 years later: the 2017/18 & partly complete
We Are The Ton - What Makes a Ton Player?
I’ve now reached the 2020/21 season in my Morton save, and if you missed my last post, here’s a little reminder. I felt that going into my 6th season at the club, and having established ourselves at the top end of Scottish football, it was time to put together some aims and targets for the remainde
Season 3: Takeover, Transfers & Trophies #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
Season 3 has been eventful. In the place of the usual 'End of Season Awards' blog, I will bring you up-to-date with the frantic 2nd half of the season, which saw Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ) taken over by Italian Franco Soldati (real life Udinese owner) and go on to win a third consecutiv
We Are The Ton - The 2020 Vision
Ever since winning the Scottish Premiership, I’ve strayed away from doing the straight save updates on each season. Unless there’s a real hook, something unique about your save, or you’re a brilliant writer, I find they can get a bit tedious! There hasn’t really been anything to properly draw you in
Get Rich or Die Tryin'? #FM16 #WeAreTheCommunity
"Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans" John Lennon The above quote from John Lennon sums up the state of my FM16 Grasshopper save. Whilst I was intricately implementing plans to ensure I met my FM16 challenge every step of the way, the FM G
My FM16 Tactic: 4-1-2-2-1
I’m feeling inspired by #wearethecommunity kicking off and seeing some of the brilliant, positive reactions to something that I believe is going to be massively beneficial to everyone in the FM Community. But also, unusually for me, I wanted to talk tactics. Now, I set out right at the beginning of
Grasshopper Club Zürich: End of season 2 awards #FM16
The 2016/17 season was a year of huge progression for Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ). Not only did GCZ win a second consecutive league title (its 29th league title), the club had a memorable European cup run whereby GCZ reached the Europe League's Second Knock Out round. Like last year, I invite you
The Marco & Remo Diaries -
Last month I introduced you to Marco Simon and Remo Mahrer , two gifted 2016 Youth Intake Newgens at my club: Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ). Today I'll share their development with you all, one year on... Invincible Now it's an extremely hard feat to go the whole seaso
Sack the Agent #FM16
"Don't ever forget you're the Boss". That's the mantra I try to live by in FM16, no matter how difficult at times it may be. An example of this is the interference from player's agents. Just like in Modern Football, the Agent has become a key focus in transfer
Stop the passer #FM16
I have spent much of the last few days laying horizontally after a nasty ankle injury that's left me in a cast. I am now able to sit up and type thus bringing you this week's blog: 'Stop the passer'. It's something I wanted to share with you since my 2nd league game of Season 1, I've just
Grasshopper Club Zürich: End of season awards #FM16
Today's blog invites you to my end of season award ceremony, where the club staff and players come together to celebrate the wonderful season we've had. If you were not aware from reading my Twitter updates, Grasshopper Club Zürich (GCZ) won the Domestic Double! Not only did I end a 13 year
The Marco & Remo Diaries - Part I (#FM16)
My Season 1 Youth intake contained sixteen 15-16 year olds of varying potential. Seven of these youngsters were signed permanently and the other nine were left to hone their skills elsewhere. Why don't I just keep them all you ask? Well the answer is that I have a cap of around twenty within the U18
We Are The Ton
But first, I’m sure you’re asking, who are the ‘Ton? Greenock Morton Football Club were founded in 1874 and are based in the Scottish west coast town of Greenock, just along the River Clyde from Glasgow. There won’t be many people still alive that witnessed the clubs greatest success, winning the S