The largest improvements were made in the strikers area, I released all of my previous forwards and brought in four new ones! First there’s Nigerian Danny Uchechi, a pacey lad that started his career at Charlton Athletic. His speed and skills could really make a difference, at least I hope they will…
Then there is Gambian international Omar Koroma, you might remember him from my Dorchester FM 2010 career. He was a key player for me back then and that’s why I decided to bring him under my command.
Then there’s an exciting 18-year old prospect from the Netherlands, Akwasi Asante. He is hard working, pacey and a good finisher too but my scouts believe that he has enough potential to become a good Championship striker.
I saved the most interesting transfer for last: former England international Michael Ricketts! OK, he just had one single cap but still, he played for the Three Lions! He earned that cap in 2002 while he was playing in the Premiership at Bolton, he scored 37 goals in 98 apps for the Wanderers! Then he was bought by Middlesbrough for 2.2 million pounds and his career went downhill from there, all the way to Tranmere Rovers from where he was released in 2010! He was unable to find a contract since then and I hope that he will seize the opportunity and revive his career or at least have a happy ending to it.
Here’s my squad, I’ve got 26 lads that are ready to rock the Blue Square Premier! I’m still looking for a better right winger, hopefully my scouts will come up with some good findings.
The assistant is impressed with our attack but not so pleased with the midfield. I disagree with some of his choices though and I think that our midfield has by far the most potential in the whole squad.
I decided to follow Mariano‘s advice and Vinners‘ example for the friendlies so I arranged a few exotic matches to get in some money for the club. We did manage to get in around 50K by playing in Mauritius, Thailand, New Zealand, Argentina and North Korea but I decided to give some of that cash back to a poorer club so I invited a team from Bangladesh to play at Rivacre Park :) The results were not too good until the last few friendlies but we managed to play an outstanding last game at home with Championship side Derby County.
No, you don’t have to put on your glasses: we beat Derby County 5-0 and we scored all the goals before half time! Koroma and Uchechi both scored a double while Kerr banged in a corner kick header but it was a great performance overall as we dominated our supposedly much better opponents. I don’t know if they really are better but one thing is certain: most of the Derby players are earning more every week than our whole weekly wage budget of 5.5K!
I had a quick look at the team facts and I discovered a few interesting things: we have the lowest average age in the league, only 19, the lowest average wage but we have the highest number of internationals and youth internationals!
That’s about it for now, I can say that I’m quite happy with the new transfers but I will continue to scout the market as we are almost 1,000 pounds under the weekly wage budget! Thanks a lot for reading and please share any suggestions of a good young right winger that might join the club for at most 500 pounds per week ;)
Laxeyman
23 ноября, 2010 at 16:15
Hi Johnny, good signings there, your squad looks strong apart from the wingers. As for a right winger, I’ve got one called David Hutton, who is an Irish lad and my assistant says he is a good Blue Square Premier player. His wage is only £130 a week, so check him out :) Good luck for the season.
Johnny Karp
23 ноября, 2010 at 18:27
Thanks for the recommendation Laxeyman, I looked him up but unfortunately he’s not available on a free transfer.
Sayam Khan
23 ноября, 2010 at 17:29
Hi Johnny,
I’d say you should maybe loan a right winger if you can’t find one on a normal transfer?
Anyway i think your best signings are your defenders.
I see you changed your skin? Is it not confusing when you change in a middle of a game?
Good Luck
Johnny Karp
23 ноября, 2010 at 18:30
Thanks Sayam. There are no good players available for loan, at least those who might be interested in coming to our club are not good. About the skin, it’s not confusing at all since the skin I chose has all the buttons and menus placed almost identically to the default skin.
JonnySniper
23 ноября, 2010 at 17:41
I just signed Ozyakup for Southampton, fighting off top Spanish and French teams. He’s got the potential to be very good. Awesome signing for you mate. Good luck.
Johnny Karp
23 ноября, 2010 at 18:31
Thanks Jonny, that’s great news about my Turkish lad. I hope he will live up to the expectations.
Vinners
23 ноября, 2010 at 17:47
Good signings Johnny, the only signing the same as me is Kerr, who is a good player. My problem is he goes off with my left winger every once in a while playing internationals…. Also I am pleased you took my advice and I am sure you’ll be pleased to have taken £50k. I’m only 20 games into my season coz I’ve been a bit busy recently so your catching me up. With regards to your right winger problem I have a guy called Albert Owusu-Ansah, Jimmy gives him 3 stars for CA and 4.5 stars for potential (£150 per week). But really I have him for his pace. Check him out, if you want :) Anyway looking forward to your story. Good luck!
Johnny Karp
23 ноября, 2010 at 18:32
Thanks for the recommendation Vinners, I’ll look him up a.s.a.p. :)
Kevin
23 ноября, 2010 at 17:52
Hi Johnny
Hurray you signed a Canadian.You will probably have to import Tim Hortons coffee and donuts for him :) Interseting pre-season opponents though a brilliant result against Derby. I’m glad you got Koroma back he’s actually a very useful player. Like your Dutch signing too!
Johnny Karp
23 ноября, 2010 at 18:34
Thanks Kevin. My Canadian goalie seems like he needs to lose some weight so he might have to live without Tim Hortons’ coffee and donuts :)
Ana Garcia
23 ноября, 2010 at 19:11
Yay! A Spaniard! :)
Some really good transfers Johnny, your squad looks very good now just hope your new players can settle quickly!
I dont play with wingers, so am afraid I can’t reccomend anyone. :(
Johnny Karp
23 ноября, 2010 at 20:46
Thanks Ana, now I’m looking to bring in another Spanish player to keep him company :)
Darren Smith
23 ноября, 2010 at 19:18
Nice signings Johnny!! Your new strikers will be lethal and I cant wait to see loads of goals. With that lethal front line I think promotion is on the cards again. Just look at your demolition of Derby. Well done mate.
Johnny Karp
23 ноября, 2010 at 20:47
Thanks for the confidence Darren. That was just a friendly game though, competitive matches are a whole different story.
Sears
23 ноября, 2010 at 22:34
Well done Johnny on a good pre season. However, are you not a little worried with your Assistants Manager’s team report regarding your midfield? Although I do hope they can show there good potential as your squad is still extremely young. Good luck in looking for a right winger, unfortunately I have no recommendations.
Johnny Karp
24 ноября, 2010 at 06:48
Thanks Sears. Well, I am a bit worried but my midfielders have good potential so I hope that regular first team football would help them to make good progress.
Jack
24 ноября, 2010 at 04:00
Hi Johnny, some great signing there, particularly looking forward to seeing Asante playing. Just a quick question, I’ve just started a game with Aberystwyth town in the Welsh Principality league, as its where I go to university :p, thought it would be a new challenge, anyway after some persuasion they extended my scouting range and allowed me more scouts, just wondered where you would send these scouts? Unfortunately not everyone would jump at the chance to play in Wales!
Johnny Karp
24 ноября, 2010 at 06:49
Thanks Jack. I guess your primary scouting target should be UK and Ireland but you might try to send a scout in Eastern Europe as well. You’ll have to try and see.
Jack
24 ноября, 2010 at 12:57
Cheers Johnny, much appreciated :)
Lye
24 ноября, 2010 at 10:43
Hi Johnny,
Good signings, so glad you have signed Oliver Nicholas. He is fast becoming a leader in my team. Hope to see him do well for you. Your decision to overhaul the strikers department looks like a wise choice. All your strikers should be able to perform a good job. Good luck.
Johnny Karp
24 ноября, 2010 at 11:16
Thanks Lye, I expect great performances both from Nicolas and from the new strikers.
cous
24 ноября, 2010 at 12:53
A player that might be of interest to you is Bally Smart. He is primarily a left winger but he can play right midfield as well. He is a young south african with ok pace and skill.
Johnny Karp
24 ноября, 2010 at 14:07
Thanks Cous, I’ll send one of my scouts to check him out :)
hils
24 ноября, 2010 at 15:31
Hi Johnny,some good signings there!!!!!!! Amazing result against derby!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Johnny Karp
24 ноября, 2010 at 15:53
Thanks Hils!!! :)
J
25 ноября, 2010 at 07:50
Good luck for the new season.
Try to get a parent club?
Johnny Karp
25 ноября, 2010 at 09:25
Thanks for the good luck wish. I forgot to mention the parent club, the Tranmere Rovers link was terminated and the board was unable to find a new parent club :(
Arjuna Kankipati
25 ноября, 2010 at 09:58
Hey Johnny,
You made some nice signings, Street, Navas and Ozyakup are your best ones
Arjuna
managerstoriesfootball.blogspot.com
Johnny Karp
25 ноября, 2010 at 10:13
Thanks Arjuna, I hope that those players will do well.
sergio
25 ноября, 2010 at 11:54
hey johnny how do you go about your scouting?i would like to find decent young players for my RM Castilla team they must be EU nationals which makes it harder but i did manage to get omar koroma on a free last night coincidentally i c you have also signed him
Johnny Karp
25 ноября, 2010 at 12:18
Koroma is a good player, I hope he’ll do well for you. About the scouting, the important thing is to have good scouts and also a good assistant manager and then you will have to evaluate the players yourself to see if they can fit into your tactical approach.
keiran
26 ноября, 2010 at 23:51
abdeltareck sakali is quality and so is alexis nikolas a must sign , navas was good for me in the blue square north but struggled to make the step up
good luck :)
Johnny Karp
27 ноября, 2010 at 07:57
Thanks for the recommendations Keiran, Nikolas is on my shortlist but I will look up Sakali.
Mariano
21 декабря, 2010 at 10:16
Yes Sakali(too late i know), though his attributes are not very high he is my Havant(2010/2011) right winger and with amazing stats, he does the Messi move moving to the middle and shooting from outside the box:)
He scored many goals and gave many assists.
Johnny Karp
21 декабря, 2010 at 13:53
Sakali was on my shortlist, I think he still is, but I didn’t sign him because he wanted too much money, that’s what I remember :)