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Ana, FM 2012 : Season 2 New York Red Bulls 2020 -2021
Hey everyone!!
First of hope you all have a great new year! I spent new years eve with my friends and family and we got a little carried away so am still recovering at the moment! :)
So here is my second season in the USA, and due to very little time I managed to complete my season with playing like three games a day!
But I did finish and I will bring it to you now, with a return to work I will again take a little longer to get through my seasons, but I will do my very best to get them done as quickly as I can.
So here we go!
Managerial C.V
— Black Aces (June 2011 – June 2018)
African Premier League : 2016
Super 8′s Winner : 2015, 2016
First Division : 2012
South African Knockout Cup : 2016
The African Champions League : 2017
— New York Red Bulls (January 2019 – Present)
U.S. Cup : 2019
International Career
— U.S.A (May 2017 — Present)
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Start of Season Activity
So the season began with some big money upgrading.
£3.7 million was invested in our training which will push them to five star standards, whilst £4.7 million was invested in our youth facilities which should help produce some talented youngsters from our academy.
So our finances did take a big hit after our big money investment but we still are in a good way.
So Diakite joined the favoured personal list but beyond that not much change. Our value did drop by six million but I think that will go back up after the facilities are completed.
Transfers In and Out
So a bit of action I started to re-build my squad, adding a few new players whilst selling of my un-needed ones.
Xavier and Shea were back up players but we did get a good amount for both, Chamberlain was my back up keeper but had to sell him after he kept on complaining! I also sold Petrone another back up full back.
I added a few younger players and I was pretty happy with them all, Grossman is a talented midfielder picked up for free and Acuna is a talented young goal keeper.
Ademar and Burt are both on dual nationality with the USA with the first being half Brazilian the second Canadian and both are promising players.
Whilst Zach Miller was signed as another talented youngster.
Andrew Grossman
Zach Miller
Results and Table Halfway Point
So we are so dominant at the moment! Am not sure what has happened but my team just seemed to have clicked and we are brushing sides away with ease.
Stand out result was our terrific 8-1 victory away LA Galaxy a rival of ours but we are so free scoring at the moment with goals coming for everywhere and everyone!!
The 400 Game Mark!!
Or 402! But I blame by Mum as she rang me at 400 games and when I came back I forget to take a picture and it wasnt until a few games later I remembered!
So 402 games but we did win my 400th game, but thats a combined total of the Black Aces, New York, and The US national side.
The NACL (North American Champions League)
So this was the group stage that we comfortably qualified from. Our biggest threat was Tijuana from Mexico but we beat them twice to qualify top and meet fellow American side Portland in the quarter finals.
Quarter and Semi Finals
So this was weird-ish as we met two American teams in the quarter and the semi finals!
Portland were no real match for my side as we ran out 5-2 winners after being twice behind, we managed to win two one away to book a semi final against our biggest rivals.
Super sub Dax McCarty came of the bench to smash in two superb goals and give us two massive away goals going into our home game, which was very poor!
But we made the final! And Pachuca stood in our way in the finals, which is played over two legs.
NACL Final — First Leg
I must admit we were lucky (again!) but we played so well despite losing Gale after 47 minutes. We took the lead after Miller raced through to open the scoring but we didnt have the lead for long as they soon equalised.
They missed a penalty which seemed to spur my team on a bit and we then leveled through Edison West with a fine header, but once again we fell behind until a brilliant goal by Rildo gave us a brilliant draw.
I dont think I have been that excited over a draw before! But with three away goals and a very strong home record we had a massive chance to win the NACL.
NACL Final — Second Leg
Yay!!
I wasnt expecting to win the NACL so quickly am doing so much better than last year!
I set myself a realistic four year plan to win it, but to win it after my second season well I was very surprised!
But Edison West was the hero heading in a very similar goal to the first leg I guess Pachuca didnt learn their lesson!
So thats the NACL, I must admit its was easier than I expected but I guess the USA and Mexico are so strong that other sides dont really have any chance.
Another Transfer!
So the super observant of you may have noticed the name of Noakes amongst or goal scorer’s in the last game against Real Salt Lake, thats why I bought another front man. Well not bought but I part exchanged! I swapped one of our back-up defenders for him so am pretty pleased with him.
Results and Table End of Season
So our fine form continued as we hit a record breaking 100 league goals losing only two games all season.
Our defence was brilliant, but I did take a look a Darren’s tactic as my defence always seemed to conceded from corners so having ‘borrowed’ his defensive set-up to them I found myself conceding a lot less and as such winning by bigger margins.
I found myself conceding probably 70% of my goals to corners which has been reduced but believe me is was driving me mad!
Everything I tried just failed every time so a big thanks to him and hopefully we can continue to concede less from them. :)
The MLS Playoff’s
So we made the final!
Toronto were given a wild card to compete in the playoff’s and they played very well an 87th minute winner from Zach Miller gave us a slender advantage and Diakite also left it later than I would have liked to put us into the eastern final against Columbus.
We were far too strong running out four zero winners booking a place against FC Dallas from the Western conference for the MLS title.
MLS Playoff Final vs FC Dallas
Yay! Take that playoff games!
So we did win! (I am just amazed as you are!) but to be fair it wasnt a brilliant game. The early goal from Jaramillo should have been the inspiration to push on and dominate the game but we looked more dangerous on the counter attack and Diakite made the game safe before half time.
Second half and we gave the ball away far more that I have ever seen! And our keeper was in good form to save any of the half chances that they did create so not a brilliant final but a great result and the MLS title was ours.
Player Ratings End of Season
So many many great performances this season with Gale being a real star, he is a defender but is also our penalty taker!
He has only missed one that I can remember but is very reliable from twelve yards and he is a defender. Zach Miller was amazing in both creating and scoring he played at wide right and upfront and was equally as good with Edison West tremendous at the back.
Jaramillo had another brilliant season and I cappped him for the USA side along with Zach Miller and Gale Agbossoumonde as I felt they deserved it.
Burt was also brilliant as Jaramiilo had a bad injury but he filled in very well until his return.
Star Man of the Season — Zach Miller
What a player and what a find for a freebie from Seattle. Scoring twenty times and creating fourteen goals he is a real star for the future he also scored in his USA debut when I picked him!! :)
Goal of the Season!!
So this may be a bit weird to post this, but my boyfriend thought is was so funny so I had to share it with you. :)
This won goal of the season as Gale (my center back) scored a volley from his own half!
End of Season Finances and Save Game Status
So finances remained the same as we didnt really lose anything nor really gained anything just a small profit going into our bank.
End of Season Round-Up
So what a season, easily one of the best I have ever had on this game. We ran away with the MLS title and won an epic NACL final thanks to away goals!
I am starting to enjoy the USA, at first I did really dislike it but because I just didnt understand what I was doing, however things make a lot more sense thanks to some great help from people on my last post.
Its quite a good place to manage as most teams are very well balanced and despite our amazing season it is a very competitive league. I am torn whether to stay or not as I feel that two years in quite a short stay as I planned for four and even though I have already won the NACL I still dont feel like I should move on yet.
I know I have won everything in the US but I think I may stay on at least for another season, I have set myself a series of target clubs in South America, Asia and a few in Europe so if any come up I will apply but for now I am quite happy where I am.
I have an exciting young team with loads of potential and I am still in charge of the US national side (my results on that will be posted next time) my goal is to win every champions league but I guess there is no rush as I also want to enjoy the teams I am playing and at the moment at New York I am!
So for the time being I will be staying stateside in New York, so thanks again for taking time to read this and as always I look forward to reading your opinions.
My posts will be spread longer apart due to work and things but I will try to get them completed as quickly as I can, so until then bye for now. :)