Varbergs BOIS — Introduction and Current Standing

Hey everyone, i’m Jake and this is my Varbergs BOIS story.
Before I get into things, just want to say thanks to Johnny and Darren for ‘promotion’ from the forums. Really means alot that I can post along side such great stories as yourselves and others :). Mine, along with Jon (although starting a new story) have been down there writing for the best part of two months. Great place to start and they are always pretty supportive of any new ones floating about.

Here is the link to my previous thread if you want to catch up:
My Story — Varbergs BOIS
The first post is a bit of a dud, but I have been told that its a half decent read. I know its 15+ pages long (which honestly I wouldnt bother with ;)), but its there purely if you want to know how I got to this stage in my save.

Anyway on with introductions and the story I am going to be posting is obviously something that means alot to me. I am half Swedish and my mum’s side of the family are from Varberg. Have a holiday home over there which we go to pretty much every summer so I’m pretty familiar with the surroundings and stuff. Not only that, but their current stadium ‘Påskbergsvallen’ was designed by my late granddad so that adds to the sentimental value of the save.

This post is going to be quite long so ill break it up into a few pages to soften the burden:
Page 2 — Varberg and the Club
Page 3 — Current Squad
Page 4 — Current Standing
Page 5 — International (Uruguay)

Go to the next page to find out more about the club…

Alright, so this page is all about the area and club, both in real life and in game.

Where Varberg is…

For anyone that doesn’t know, Varberg is on the west coast of Sweden about an hour south of Sweden’s second largest city Göteborg. Small coastal town popular with tourists from Denmark, Norway and Germany in the summer months, it is known well for its fortress which was built in the 13th Century.

As for the club, they go under the name Varbergs Boll och Idrottssällskap (Varbergs ball and sports society) and start out life in FM 2011 in the Swedish 4th tier called ‘Division 2 Södra Götaland’. Confusing I know. In real life, Varbergs BOIS have actually just been promoted as champions of their respective division and are now in ‘Division 1 Södra’, which is the 3rd tier. Congratulations to them, hope they can follow in my foot steps ;).
Their main rivals are Varbergs GIF. Although not as good, residing in the lower leagues of Swedish football, they are currently the most successful club in Varberg and have reached the ‘Division 1 Elite’ (Swedish 2nd tier) a couple of times in their history.

The BOIS play their football at ‘Påskbergsvallen’

It may not look like much, but this ground has been used by some very prestigious clubs including; Manchester City , Leeds United , FC Barcelona , SS Lazio , FC Internazionale, Portugal and if you can remember more recently, England’s national side along with Fulham who played here on their summer tour.

So, in game now then! Here I just wanted to give you a couple of screenshots from the original save and of my save so you can compare the two and see how far the club has come in the time I have been in charge :)

Overview
Then:

As you can see, there isn’t much going on here.. Not even one favoured personnel?

Now:

Thats more like it! By now I had reached ‘Legend’ status at the club which was brilliant! Couple of the names on there you will be familiar with if you read through my story and were top class players for us over the years, the likes of Bassey who is now at Villarreal and Kuparinen who is at Panathinaikos are included in those. Our value has shout up too! From a mere £35k to a whopping £35M which is great for a club like us. The loan debt was taken out to pay for our new stadium. At the moment it isn’t much of a burden to pay back as we still make a profit most months.

Facilities
Then:

Again, pretty poor. Everything is in the ‘basic’ category which isnt brilliant.

Now:

Moved into a new stadium with under-soil heating and a better capacity to meet the demand. Have upgraded the stadium a lot since it was built though, think we have added around 12-13,000 seats which isn’t half bad. Happy with the facilities aswell which are all the best I can get. Training facilities are getting upgraded further as we speak which will do wonders for the development of my players but we dont have the money to be injecting it into improving the other parts of the club (as much as I want to..). Always looking to upgrade these, hopefully can get everything maxed out by the time im done :)

Go to the next page to view the members of the current squad…

Alright so this page will all be about the current squad (as of 1st January 2025)
Would just like to say that my problems with the squad come in the form of a pesky ‘Home Grown’ rule that the Swedish league has in force, whereby you need to field at least 9 players who have trained for 3 years in Sweden before their 21st birthday. Unfortunately the rule still applies if you get Swedish citizenship (like some of my players have..) which is a little frustrating to say the least!

This is why I try and bring in as many youngsters below the age of 17 as I can, so they can eventually apply for the rule when they have been at the club for a certain amount of time. That said, I do also try and find players in the market who are good enough ‘Home Grown’ players that could play in the side. None to date yet though, most of them are really old and the ones that aren’t don’t make the cut :(

Anyway, here are the current players…

Goalkeepers
Francisco Bertolotti

Francisco is my number 1 goalkeeper at the club. Managed to grab him for £3.4M from Hajduk back in 2021 and has been in top form throughout his Varberg BOIS career. One of the reasons that the club is where it is today thanks to his brilliant shot stopping capabilities. Wondering why he hasn’t had a cap for his country yet..?

Kevin Angleborn

Kevin is my second fiddle keeper. A great servant nonetheless and will do a job when necessary, much like he did with his MOM performance against Fiorentina in the Europa League final. Might need replacing for a younger keeper in the future as he is disappointed about the lack of first team experience he is getting.

Full Backs
Viktor Selmer

Originally from Finland, switched his nationality so he could play for Sweden. Plays most of the games at left back and he isnt half bad to be fair. Joined from Finnish club Jaro for a free back in 2017 and still going strong at the age of 30.

Andre Scherer

My best fullback at the club, predominantly playing on the right hand side. Signed for a mere 250k from Viborg back in 2020, its a little strange that he has yet to play for Denmark. Still, he becomes a Swedish citizen in 50 days so we’ll see if he makes the switch because he is more than good enough.

Filip Stenström

Signed for 650k a few years ago, Filip has been a rotational fullback in my squad. The only reason I got him was due to the fact I needed ‘Home Grown’ players to fill out my squad. Still, has been quite solid for us when he plays and scored a magical goal (my entry for this months ‘Goal of the Month’).

Niklas Andersén

Again, signed due to the ‘Home Grown’ rule. Niklas was introduced last season on a free from Holland. He is getting more games than Filip at the moment though, beating Viktor Selmer to a starting spot.

Center Backs
Chris Smalling

Signed as a backup due to Luciano getting injured for 3 months. Surprisingly quite a solid choice due to his experience, and has played for us frequently in Europe scoring a couple of goals. He is getting on a little now at 35 though, and his pace has gone to potty. Will most likely be leaving us at the end of this season.

Erwin Theissen

Hardly gets any games now for the first team. Been at the club since 2017 due to being released by Liverpool, he flourished as a kid and had a regular spot in our first team a few years ago. Now though he is a bench warmer, due to the fact that he is another ‘Home Grown’ player..

Kemal Uysal

Bought Kemal for 300k from Lyngby when he was 17 and he looked a brilliant prospect. He is a regular starter in our side, although for me isn’t as solid as his stats may suggest due to his poor mental attributes. Still, been a great servant and has switched his nationality from his native Turkey when he got his Swedish citizenship. Also qualifies for the ‘Home Grown’ rule which is a great bonus for us :)

Luciano

Brazilian wonder-kid signed from Corinthians at age 17 for 6.6mil. Hasn’t improved as much as I would have liked in all fairness, but that is probably my own fault as the training facilities aren’t the best, and neither are the staff. Still, gets his ‘Home Grown’ status in June which is great and is ever present at the back.

Janne Puronaho

The 30 year old, originally from Finland, came to the club back in 2015 when we were in the 2nd tier of Swedish football. Ever present at the back in the early days, has regained his form and is playing the odd game. A club icon, and current captain of the side, he gained his Swedish citizenship and is a starter for the national side.

Center Midfielders
William Olsson

Picked him up for a cool 2.8mil from West Ham. A decent recruit, he is a rotational player in the current side. Very happy with the signing as he is also ‘Home Grown’. Much better than the older, less able backups that we have at the club.

William Öhman

This lad was introduced at the start of the 2022 season for 450K. Has played numerous games for us and is still present in league fixtures. Again, signed for his ‘Home Grown’ status, he has played a couple of times for Sweden which is great to see.

Kasper Storgaard

Absolutely lightning in the center of midfield, Kasper has become a regular starter in Europe when I play a defensive midfielder. I obtained his services for a mere 400k back in 2021 and has been a present figure in my side ever since. Very good all round player too, but still hasnt played for Denmark..

Samir Johansson

This youngster was obtained by me from Swedish side Elfsborg back in 2021 for 200k. Hasn’t played many games for us and I might left him go out on loan for some first team football as he looks to be quite a decent footballer. Didn’t flourish as much as I thought he might have done.

Sandro

Getting on a little now unfortunately, was obtained on a free a couple of seasons ago and helped us to cement our place in Europe. Still, he is used as a back-up now and again where midfielders are injured. Will probably end up retiring at the end of the season.

Bruno

This Brazilian was also obtained on a free, he came at the start of last season and has been an excellent addition to our squad. Unfortunately, there are numerous clubs who want him and he has stated his desire to leave. Still, he has been brilliant and was vital to our success in the Champions League this season. Might make a healthy profit :)

Sigbjørn Ravlo

Norwegian midfielder who has been an ever present figure in the side since his 40k switch from Brann back in 2018. Great midfielder, a favourite of mine, and fans alike he has wrapped up more than 130 apps for us alone which is great to see. He is a rotational player now that Bruno was added into the squad but as he may leave, he will become a more notable player.

Wingers
Sebastian Svensson

Might starting right winger, he has electrifying pace down that flank and can score/create goals like it has gone out of fashion. Got him for 190k from Malmo a couple of seasons ago and has wormed his way into the starting 11. Already has 82 apps and 40 goals for the club which is a great return on investment.

Brian Gaarde

Been at the club for a couple of seasons from the tender age of 15. Looked a hot prospect and his 1.2mil price tag justified that. Now 17, he has been a rotational player in my side. Just hope that he put his head down and trains well as I would love to see him on the left flank in the future.

Ronaldo

Another Brazilian, Ronaldo was signed for 90k from Fluminense a few seasons ago. My first choice left winger, he has been one of the best players to grace the club with loads of goals and assists in 88 appearances for us. Just signed a new contract so with any luck, i will keep prying eyes away from signing him.

Strikers
Bastos

Signed this lad at the start of last season and what a brilliant capture that was. Had just lost Beto to Gremio and needed to find a replacement. 6mil later, we found him tucked away in Fluminense. A return of 26 goals in as many games with 10 assists to boot. Cant say fairer than that can you?! Can fill in on the right wing if we are short too.

Milan Djuric

Signed on a free last season, and has put in a shift when needs be. At 34, he is getting on a little but the talent is still there. A backup to the main strikers, will most likely retire within 2 years but a great professional that helps around the club, which is a bonus.

Luka Mijaljevic

Again, came in on a free with Djuric last summer. Only signed him as we needed ‘Home Grown’ backup. Is moaning at the moment about not getting a place in the first team. No big loss if he goes though.

Mikael Furuholm

Was once my star striker. Signed for 375k back in 2018, he used to wrack up the goals alongside Bassey and Kuparinen. Although not starting as many as he would like this season, he has been a club icon with 112 goals in 113 appearances, winning Swedish premier league player of the season back in 2020 and 2022.

Adam Lecomte

Save the best till last I think. Got this lad for a gut-wrenching 14.5mil from French giants OM, but has been well worth the money. Thing is, i needed to sign a wonder-kid to become a ‘Home Grown’ player in the future so I thought I would go all out and signed the best around. The Frenchman hasn’t disappointed in the couple of seasons he has been here with 45 goals in 43 appearances shows his undoubted talent. Bit worried about his future at the club though, Chelsea and Newcastle are looking to gun in with £30million bids to sign him. No doubt that my chairman will accept the extortionate amount of money.

Future Transfers
Adriano

Signed for 2million a season ago, he doesn’t come until the summer. Still, he looks like a really bright prospect. Just hope that Botafogo can develop him further so I get a nicely rounded center midfielder to work with :).

Go to the next page to find out more about the current standing of the club…

This page will be all about the cubs current standing at the present moment.

The Manager (Me)
Here are just a few screenshots of my management success at the moment with Varbergs BOIS..

First off we start with a picture of the ‘Profile’ screen..

Then a picture of my stats. Obviously this is all from just playing with Varbergs BOIS ;)..

Lastly, is just a screenshot of the biography page. Hopefully I can add to what is already there in the future!

The Club History
Alright so with that out of the way, we can concentrate on the history of the club. If you have read through my forum story or gone followed me right from the start, you will know most of what I am about to tell you anyway but for the new readers, I will just get you up to speed!
As a reference, we are in January now which is pre-season for the Swedish League as the fixtures span from February through till December.

League Competitions
Varbergs BOIS started in the 4th tier of Swedish football in February 2010. From this I managed to guide them to the 3rd tier within that season! 2011 saw us challenge for promotion to the 2nd tier, only to come short by loosing in the playoffs. The year after we took our revenge, won the league and resided in the second division for a good 3 years before we started to make a move upwards. It wasn’t until 2016 that we were promoted as champions up till the Premier division though, through some hard slogs we finally got there.. and we weren’t finished yet. 2017 onwards was Varbergs BOIS’s and we have won the league since getting promoted a record 8 consecutive seasons.
Still haven’t got the most titles yet, and this is what i’m aiming for. IFK Göteborg have got the most, with 19 titles over the years.

Cup Competitions
Having not got anywhere close during the first few seasons of football, we eventually tried to fight our way into winning the Swedish cup. It wasn’t till 2017 that we made our breakthrough though, and we managed to win the final against Syrianska to secure a league and cup double after just getting promoted from the first division. Currently, we have had a further 6 cup wins since then and are looking to beat Malmö’s record of 15 cup wins over their history

Europe
Was only until recently that we managed to get into Europe due to the qualification involved. First season of qualifying we actually managed to get into the group stages of the Champions League! We have been there ever since, regularly finishing last up until around 2021 when we managed to break into the Europa League after finishing 3rd. Last year was our best year yet, having reached the quarter finals a couple of years before, went on to win it in sublime fashion against a strong Fiorentina side ;D
Currently, we have just finished top of our group and have gone into the knockout rounds of the Champions League for the first time in the clubs history where will face Liverpool!

Where we finished in the group:

The current draw:

Go to the next page to see my international adventure with Uruguay…

The last page then, and if you have got this far, give yourself a pat on the back :)

Anyway, this page is all about Uruguay. I took them over in July 2023 due to my save lacking a bit of international activity. As it was something I had never done before, I was more than happy to have a go with Uruguay because of their superior current history. In my game however, all their best players have retired and they are not the force they once were…

Here are the results over the past couple of seasons:
First game, and best result :)

First season..

Second season..

And here is the current table:

Hopefully I can guide them to a world cup which would be a great experience for me anyway! Although their ever aging squad worries me a little..

Tried to apply for the Spain and England jobs recently as well because they have much better players! Unfortunately, they decided that John Terry would be better? Idiots..

— — — —

And with that, ill conclude my introductory post. Sorry about the length, it just takes a lot of reading to get to grips with an existing story. Thanks for reading, my next post probably wont be until the weekend as my dad is taking the laptop for ‘Work purposes’. Still, i’m on my phone and can answer any questions that may need answering.

Until next time then,
Hej då :D