SeasonTwelve.EpisodeTwo | Matchs aller
Welcome back to my Football Manager 2020 blog with Stade Rennais. If you missed the previous post, you can catch up with everything that happened, here:
Read more » 12|01 PRÉ-SAISON: Everything Is Running Just a Little Too Smoothly
September 2030 – December 2030
The realisation has set in that I had probably planned ahead a little too well. The promotions into the first team were doing excellently and everything looked to be working in our favour. However, off the pitch doesn’t win you trophies, and it was on the pitch where we were struggling a bit. But first, the money.
The Business Side of Stade Rennais
When I stepped down from management and moved into the Director of Football role, the wage bill was at €4m per week. We currently have it at €3.63m which is better, but it can be improved upon. Player sales are propping up the finances, but it cannot last like this, it isn’t sustainable.
We brought in €448m last season, with €113m of that attributed to player sales. With another €89m of talent sold this window, it’s a growing concern at our reliance on player movements. However, if we continue to sign players young and cheap and then reward them later on when they prove to be worthwhile of superstar money, then I think we can make some exceptions.
There isn’t much else to report on at this stage. We have €88m in the bank and €101m available for transfers. I think it’s unlikely we spend in January, to be honest. Unless it is on some younger players.
The Recruitment Team
There isn’t much to report on at this point. Our refreshed scout reports are looking good. We have a lot of players at the club who are all excellent options for the first team and I don’t plan on selling anyone in January unless we get an incredible bid for someone.
Looking at the team reports, we have a weakness in goal, we know that, but Calero is too young and still needs development so Plizzari will do for now. He has 14 clean sheets in 25 so he’s performing fine.
Looking to the future, however, and we can see the gaps here. Calero is in the first team already so we don’t need to worry about the goalkeeper position. This is the team report from the second team and under 19s. I think I will look to bring in a highly rated centre back and possibly a left-back as we’re well-stocked everywhere else.
These views are great for me to be able to plan ahead for the positions we need to strengthen in. The transfer will likely focus on youth again then.
It will hopefully mean we can keep things moving on nicely with a settled playing squad until the summer when I think it’ll be time for me to bring this save to a close.
The Coaching Team
This time last year we had 52 points and were sitting seven points ahead of PSG. We end the year on 44 points and sit five points behind PSG.
Not a disaster by any means, but it’s a gap that has been opening up as we drop silly points against the likes of Lorient, Strasbourg, and Lyon.
It’s a frustrating position to be in. I want to help the team, but I’m powerless from my office at this time of the year. I do not get involved with training or tactics so I cannot make any changes. Perhaps putting the inexperienced Wolf in charge is starting to backfire.
In the Champions League things couldn’t be better. Level on points with Juventus, but finishing just behind them on goal difference. I’m not sure if it makes much difference at this stage. Juventus were put against PSG while we have Manchester City in the first knockout round. I don’t know which of us got the easier game.
Back to the league for a moment then.
So we are second, level on points with Lyon at 44 with PSG sitting top on 49 points. Not great, but they are clearly playing much better this season under Marcelino.
The five draws are costing us at the moment, and we need to find a way to turn these draws into wins. Of the five draws, we have thrown away the lead in three of them with the other two being 0-0.
There’s a lot of the season to play still so that things can change very quickly. I won’t be making too many changes in January if I can help it. It all depends on players leaving the club as to whether we bring anyone else in at this stage.
A big few months ahead for Wolf and the team. I’m looking forward to seeing if he can turn this around. I have faith that he can.
My next post will be a short one covering the January window at Stade Rennais.
As always, you can get in touch with me in the comments below, or via twitter @fmfutbolmanager.
Until next time, à tout à l’heure.
Oliver Jensen
Football Manager 