Hello everyone and welcome back my new FM 2011 story featuring Cambridge United of the Blue Square Premier League. My previous post was basically an introductory one so now it’s down to the business of assessing the team, seeing who stays and who goes and preparing the squad for the upcoming season.
My initial course of action was to get a team report from my Assistant Manager, who was in fact part of the first team playing in squad as well, and having checked his coaching attributes threw this report in the garbage and moved on after he agreed to a mutual termination. For the time being the other members of the coaching staff I have decided to keep on.
With a blank piece of paper in front of me I reviewed the current first team squad, the reserves and of course the under 18’s to see who I wanted to keep which after that task was completed the paper remained blank for the most part. All the under 18’s were released on a free to save a little money on the salaries as I was already reaching the top of my budget which was set at just over £12,000 per week. Naturally there was no transfer budget so out of contract players and loan signings would be the targets. A few players from the reserves also agreed to mutual termination and as for the first team most were relegated to the reserve squad at least for now.
As many of you know I generally get carried away during the transfer window but this time was unprecedented bring in 17 new players, essentially rebuilding the first team for the upcoming season. The tactic I decided upon was my Wrexham 1.3 which thankfully was on this site as I hadn’t saved that either to a USB before my PC died just over a week ago.
Here then are the new players to join Cambridge and will be all in the first team. By now many of you will be familiar with a lot of these players so I won’t bore you with screenshots of each one.
Starting at the back the goalkeeper situation looked pretty bleak and so I managed to get Conor Devlin on a season long loan from Man United followed later in the month by Dean Bouzanis from Liverpool, but he will only be with us for six months.
The DR position was totally void of any players so that needed to be addressed quickly and was done so with the arrival of Dominic Shimmin and Nikki Ahmed. Both have pretty good physical attributes and good tackling skills so should handle attacks down that flank.
On the opposite side I was delighted that former Newcastle player Darren Lough agreed to join us and he will be supported by 18 year old Welshman Tomos Roberts who I have a good gut feeling about.
In the centre of the back four three new players were brought in. Scott Wotton on loan from Man United, young Frenchman Tony Diagne and Gambian Mustapha Traore whom I was particularly happy about as he will really add some steel to the defence.
On the right flank David McDermott will be the starter and on the all important left flank where most of my attacks will begin comes Andrew Spencer and Karl Moore to The Abbey Stadium. I think Moore with his extra pace and crossing abilities will just have the edge for a regular first team spot.
The middle of the park was one area that wasn’t too bad but I did bring in some added support through Shane Williams who has been mentioned in my other game and Craig Tawton who will rotate in and out of the DM position.
Up front then I already had a couple of players that would suffice in back up duties so my starters will be Ismael Fofana and Dorian N’Goma both from the African continent. As you have all seen Fofana before, here is N’Goma’s profile. He has lots of pace, a good dribbler of the ball and most likely can take a decent penalty as well. He could be around for a long time.
So that’s completes a look at all the new players after which I found unsurprisingly that we are some £6,000 per week over budget in salaries. I guess the board were happy to live with that variance. There is still time to offload a few of those players I dropped into the reserve squad but so far there has been very little interest in their minimal talents.
I only have two coaches to handle first team duties and the job advert is still running for an Assistant Manager as most candidates have required too much salary so far.
I was very happy with the pre season results which saw Dorian N’Goma and Mustaphe Traore make an immediate impact which I sure hope they can continue on into the regular season.
The game against Bristol City was particularly pleasing as we showed strength of character coming from 3-1 down the snatch a draw.
Fixtures
We have six games to play in August with our opener at home against Bath City.
That completes my pre season report and I look forward to bringing you my August update.
Thanks for reading!
Sears
10 марта, 2011 at 00:00
Hey Kevin,
productive pre season as usual. You bought in some quality players but must be a slight worry that your 6,000 pounds over the wage budget? I guess I’m lucky with Queens Park thus far that I don’t have to worry about wages or transfer fees etc :-) Good luck!
Lye
10 марта, 2011 at 01:28
Hi Kevin,
I like N’ Goma and he will do well for you looking at his attributes. I felt you have bought better than in your first season than in Wrexham. But probably Wrexham have a stronger squad. Great transfer activities. I am sure you will finish a play-off at least. Good luck.
Josh Allen
10 марта, 2011 at 08:09
Some nice signings Kevin, you needed all these signings so I must say you didn’t go overboard this time! good luck!
Josh
everythingthatisfm.blogspot.com
Excessive
10 марта, 2011 at 08:39
Hey Kevin,
Agree with sears, very productive pre season as usual.
Yeah I agree, little strange that your £6k over but with them putting up with that and your almost certain success I’m sure that they arent too fussed. Used to play with droylsden before Varberg BOIS and these players set me up well:
Wayne Graves
Phil Younghusband
Moses Barnett
Anyway, good luck pal. Great result against Bristol City! I’m sure you can find an Assistant manager if you look through the staff search hard enough.. And a few coaches to boot!
Johnny Karp
10 марта, 2011 at 09:22
Well done Kevin, the squad looks fairly solid now. I believe that N’Goma will be a star in Blue Square Premier, I’d bet on at least 25 goals from him this term. Good luck!
Darren Smith
10 марта, 2011 at 12:11
Great start to your career with Cambridge Kevin. I think you made some great signings, N’Goma, Fofana, and Traore will surely be your outstanding players!! Hopefully you’ll get some offers for those reserves soon which will balance out the poor wage structure.
Looking forward to your seasons start. Good luck
Kevin
10 марта, 2011 at 12:52
** Consolidated Reply from Work**
Hi Sears
I’m a little woried about the wage budget but hopefully I can offload a few players by the end of August
@ Lye
You are right. The calibre of players does seem beeter.
@ Josh
Thanks for the comment. nice to know I may have done the right thing :)
@ Excessive
Thanks for the player suggestions and yes I did enjoy the Bristol City result :)
@ Johnny
N’Goma does look like a star for this league. I hope he does get 25 goals!!
@ Darren
I was really pleased with those acquisitions and hopefully they will be the building blocks to a solid year.
Laxeyman
10 марта, 2011 at 15:56
Good signings Kevin, like others have said, N’Goma, Fofana and Traore should all be good players for you, and help you finish high up the league. Good luck!
Kevin
11 марта, 2011 at 00:14
Hi Laxeyman
Hopefully that high league position will be 1st :)
hils
10 марта, 2011 at 16:02
Hi Kevin,good signings there!!!!!!!!!!!!! N’goma looks a good player!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kevin
11 марта, 2011 at 00:15
Thanks hils!!!!
bigbaz
11 марта, 2011 at 01:11
looking forward to reading this as i have bought same amount of players in previous games and have struggled. sure ul do well good luck
Kevin
11 марта, 2011 at 13:36
Hi bigbaz
hope to bring you a good story. I’m keeping the Team Blend opiton on until the end of September in the mathc preparation screen.
Ana Garcia
11 марта, 2011 at 13:16
Lots of new faces!
You should have a very good squad with all the new players so that will be very important for the huge amount of game ahead of you.
Good luck!! :)
Kevin
11 марта, 2011 at 13:41
Gracias Ana!
Yes the BSP is a long season!
Richard
11 марта, 2011 at 14:58
Just wondering what leagues you have set up to get N’Goma and Traore
Kevin
11 марта, 2011 at 15:49
Hi Richard
Greetings from Canada and thanks for the question.
The leagues are England, France, Spain and Scotland
Sayam Khan
11 марта, 2011 at 17:56
I think thats a pretty successful pre season, good signings by the way. I don’t think you have the time to play more than 1 season in the BSP so hopefully you get promoted. Good Luck