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How to succed with a small club

Started on 22 February 2011 by lopolla
Latest Reply on 23 February 2011 by Aurelius
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I have just ended season 2018/2019 with my small team from Rotherham - maybe this article may not interest many who already are very experienced players - but I just want to tell you my story and my strategy.

Rotherham are lowest league (4th division if u count Premier League as 1st division). This season I have just won Premier League and came to the quarter finale in Champions League (but got beaten by Ath. madrid) - but quite succesfull.

Promotion Strategy:
* I made short term contracts (2-3 years) depending on age and abilities
* I normally go for free transfers (there are many good people out there)
* I always stay under my budget
* I choose a tactic which support that I con't need a wide troup
* I stick to my tactic (rarely change tactic) - after experimenting I stick to the tactic

Premier League strategy:
* I contract young players (16-21 years old) on long term contracts (as long as possible)
* I ensure that they don't have irritating clauses in the contracts such as "minimum bid clause" or "match highest earner clause". Well in the sometimes it may be neccesary - in that case ensure that it is a true talent (wonderkid) or ensure that the contract isn't that long - and ensure that you aren't going to sign another who will demand very high fee
* I sell middleaged / old players
* I try to keep a small troup as possible (I have succeded well with a troup of 20 - now I probably have 22 players in troup)

Tactic:
I have been playing centered. In my case 4-1-2-1-2 (4 defence, 1 DMC, 2 MC, 1 AMC and 2 ST). I have also been going for a period playing 4-3-3 centered (4 defence, 3 MC, 3 ST). This tactic will ensure that you don't need a wide troup - IMPORTANT I think.

Good talents:
In the beginning where you aren't that famous some of your big talents may want to move to a bigger club. Hopefully you have been able to put them on a long term contract - so when they ask I have simply accepted their transfer and set the transfer amount to an extremly large sum (30-60 mio. UK pounds).

later on I have been signing talented / semitalented players on very cheap contracts - and loaning them out. As long as you have space in your wage budget - this may be an idea as you can sell them later on - or eventually use them.

Contracts:
I am always in good time nenewing my contracts - planning which players I wanna sell - so I keep a young team - and let some of the middle aged / older players sell in good time - so I get some value for them. I am always at least a year a head - so I sell pleayers after season (selling in july if their contract is running out in a year).

Main points in my strategy:
* Young players
* Long term contract on talents (wonderkids)
* No irritating clauses in contracts
* Center tactic (buy players to fit tactic)
* Always stay below wage budget

Specific on my tactic:
I am not sure it matters - it depends on the way you wanna play I suppose :) I have choosen a fluid short control tactic. If you are equal to other squads this may result in few goals from your team - but later on you will outplay many teams and scoring massive goals. I am focused on each individual players strenghts (complete forward, advanced forward, deep lying forward, etc.) When I have choosen the player - I set this so it gets maximum points (except defence - where I never put it on limited defender - because I wanna play fluid and narrow.

Result
As for now I can see that I have one of the best teams in premier League - only Arsenal is better. But my average age is 22 where Arsenal have 29,3 - so they may be in trouble soon. I also have a much better potential - since my players all the time are getting better.

As a last comment - I am no expert in tactics - I just wanted to tell you my story and what I have done to make a success with a small team - telling you my story - hope some of you can enjoy playing a small team from the bottom too :)
Use fm scout for players and reload every european match!
get a premiership parent club and loan fistfuls of their young talents.
to me is like I listen to myself... I played with Southampton and all I can say is on this to use genie scout with this all... my southampton team is youngest in league (21 yrs) and finish 3rd in premiership... and this what Marin87 say is cheating and how do I say like some little kid playin... reload? i have reloded wenn I had 15yrs and wanted perfect season... now i dont reload any of matches and get good result at end thats sucess! Good story man ;)
And usin genie scout is not cheating?
# marin87 : And usin genie scout is not cheating?

not really... ovisno kako gledaš...
long text.
the shorter answer would be:

BUY LEIGH GRIFFITHS!
# Aurelius : not really... ovisno kako gledaš...
uvijek je varanje!
# schnopsnosn : long text.
the shorter answer would be:

BUY LEIGH GRIFFITHS!

looool simple! i agree!!!
ive started with vigor lamezia from serie C2 Italy( around 4th division in italy). ihad no money for transfersso i just signed only free players first season foraround 1-2 years. ive managed to promote in serie C1 and then, with a bit of luck in serie B. ive stayed there around 5 years, got some good parent clubs to loan players, improved the training facilities, built a new stadium and started to buy good promising players. in serie A i finished at middle of the leaguea few seasons and then,after 2-3 years ive tried the title and started to buy good and expensive players. my bank balance went down buti managed to win the serie A in season 2019/2020. now im in 2020/2021 my team is 1st in the league after 24 matches.im also starting to think at the champions league title. hope i can win it in 3-4 seasons. its very entertaing to take a low club to the next level
was too lazy to start FM11 yesterday so i'll post the reason why i said this now:


how do u play him so he scores 4o-50goals??? I played him as poacher and advanced forward but he got 25-30goals per season not bad also :D
playing him as a poacher as my STCL.
i'm playing rather offensive aswell(4-2-4 with AML and AMR)
schnopsnosn, a bit off-topic but which skin is that? It looks really nice.
# MLR : schnopsnosn, a bit off-topic but which skin is that? It looks really nice.

it's the steklo-skin:
http://www.fmscout.com/i-1101-Steklo-X1-skin-for-FM2011.html

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