This story is a bit different than others, thanks to inspirations from two stories in the section:
1. Sporting Director : A Different Approach to FM by nhfriend.
2. Més que Un club by ML Scouter.
Both are very well written stories and inspired me to create own of my own but I wanted a twist so I combined both. The team will be Barcelona but I won't be acting as a manager but as the Director of Football.
The assistant manager will be leading the team in games while I define the club's philosophy and tactical path, find and sign the players tactically suited after a thorough scouting. As well dealing with the club's finances, contract negotiations. I truly believe FC Barcelona lacked such a figure lately with tons of bizarre decisions taken by the club's inadequate management.
I think the club's most important asset was its youth academy which was heavily neglected in the recent years and it is something I plan on heavily concentrate in my story. It is time the academy turn fruitive again and I'm excited to see how it develops.
A few rules I want to emphasis for myself and you:
1. Despite recent change in the club's philosophy in real life, I will not be making any rush signings. I want to sign tactical fit players only with no exceptions. That means we won't be seeing any Kevin-Prince Boateng, Martin Braithwaite, Arda Turan or Jérémy Mathieu anymore.
2. The reason La Masia became so exemplary was its structure. Even the brightest talent of the club, Lionel Messi, spent a year in Barcelona B and it is something I want to replicate. No matter how great a player is, he is to play a full season in the reserves first. It won't be easy with the gems the game can make but it's only for the better.
3. Maximum age for Barca B is 21. Any player past that will be either promoted, loaned or sold if deemed unfit.
4. The in-game assistant manager is a fiction. I signed best suited tactically with fine abilities like Judging Player Ability and Tactical Knowledge however in the story I'll pick someone related to the club. The in-game assistant manager is Víctor Mañas for anyone interested.
5. A thing I admire in Real Madrid is their insistence on buy-back clause. Every youth player will have such a clause, in case he turns something we did not predict. I don't want any cases like Jordi Alba or Fabregas to happen under my shift.
Hope you enjoy reading.
