Basque-ing in Bilbao

Tough decisions to be made here:

Trying to sell Monreal but no takers!
Tried to sell Susaeta but no takers!
Is it time to put Llorente on the bench and put in Garcia/Sanz?

Hmmmm
 
Just read through this as i was about to start my Bilbao season and wanted tips on the whole signing only basque players and its a great read. kudos to excelling bilbao to those dizzy heights, hopefully i can do the same and develop my game in terms of bringing through youth players as you have done. Can you remember what your starting budget was? i know its been a while since you started it now lol
 
millsy92 said:
Just read through this as i was about to start my Bilbao season and wanted tips on the whole signing only basque players and its a great read. kudos to excelling bilbao to those dizzy heights, hopefully i can do the same and develop my game in terms of bringing through youth players as you have done. Can you remember what your starting budget was? i know its been a while since you started it now lol
Click to expand...

Cheers. I think it was £5m or so for Europa League qualification but the board immediately gave me more when I wanted to get Vadillo. If you set your aims for Europa League Qualification by January they give you an extra £10-12m for champions league qualification if you are in the running then that you can use to sign Monreal or Azpilicueta

Good luck
 
Do you do anything specific with the training of youngsters or just give them playing time?
 
Just read the entire thread, loving this story mate!! Some epic, epic players and random managerial things happening :p A perfect example of why this game is so epic!!! :D I'm following this now :p
 
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PRE-SEASON/AUGUST

Bilbao win Spanish Super Cup and European Super Cup
Title contenders clash on opening day - Bilbao beat Barcelona thanks to injury time winner
Real Madrid spend over £50m on Dede and Wijnaldum
Bilbao get Shakhtar, Sporting Lisbon and Panathinaikos in Champions League

AIMS
Same as last season without the end of season collapse!
Those youngsters still need developing lol

PLAYERS IN
Had agreed a £7m deal for Griezmann but then delayed it while I got a scout report on a 16 y/o I spotted. Went for the youngster in the end - Gaspar Perez Villarroya from Barcelona for £9m. Also got in a youngster on loan just to give him Basque nationality as didnt want to fork out the £6m to sign him! lol
View attachment 237258

PLAYERS OUT
Cristian Ayechu went out on loan to Malaga. Decided to let Natxo Monreal to leave on a free to Espanyol. Signed him for £9m and he went on to make 242 apps, scoring 2 goals. He is 32 y/o and was on a decent wage plus wanted to bring through a left back in the u19s to replace him:
View attachment 237260

SUMMARY
With 3 new youngsters in the squad (Perez Villaroya, De la Torre and Santano) there is a change to the team dynamic this season. Will start the season with Garcia as my striker but if he fails to deliver Llorente and Sanz will be there to take over.

LA LIGA TRANSFERS
Dede and Georgino Wijnaldum - both from AC Milan to Real Madrid (£29 and £22m)
Tony Trinidade de Vilhena - Real Sociedad to Valencia (£21m)
Felipe Anderson - Granada to Atletico Madrid (£11.75m)
Rafael - Manchester United to Barcelona (£10.25m)
Ruben Rochina - Blackburn to Real Betis (£7.75m)
Plus several decent regens as expected

Mesut Ozil and Sotiris Ninis have left Spain however. Ozil to Napoli (£21m) and Ninis to Chelsea (£17m)

Spanish Super Cup Final
1st Leg
Athletic Bilbao 4-1 Real Madrid
Aitor Herrera, Ander Herrera, Garcia, Ekiza

2nd Leg
Real Madrid 1-1 Athletic Bilbao
Llorente

Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Barcelona
Aitor Herrera, Muniain

UEFA European Super Cup Final
Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Liverpool
Muniain, Ekiza, Llorente

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
BORJA EKIZA

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SPAIN

Friendly
Spain 1-1 Belgium
San Jose

Decided to call time on the international careers of Fernando Torres, Andres Iniesta and Fernando Llorente. ​
 
Good story mate, i enjoyed it. A question: How to spot good regens? Any tips?
 
kuroske said:
Good story mate, i enjoyed it. A question: How to spot good regens? Any tips?
Click to expand...

It is slightly easier with Bilbao as since I can only sign Spanish players the moment I get my youth intake for the year I go on a regen search. It is much easier that I am Spain manager as every 16 y/o Spanish player is on my player search screen and then it is a simple matter of filtering it out.

I first set the age to 16 at most (if I was able to sign any nationality I would set it at 18)

Then for attacking attributes I search the following categories individually - passing, finishing, crossing, dribbling and if they have decent stats across the line I take a look at the player.

For goalkeepers I just click on handling and reflexes

For defenders I click on tackling, positioning and marking and then finally I click on pace as that gives you attackers too.

Basically if there are decent stats across the line of attributes I take a look
 
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SEPTEMBER

Fermin Garcia adapting well to regular starts
Bilbao drop first points of the season
Bilbao get crazy win away to Malaga
2 comfortable friendly wins for Spain

A steady month. Some good wins with Fermin Garcia banging them in. Against Sporting he and Muniain were on 2 goals each when we got a penalty. Garcia is my designated penalty taker but Muniain pinched it! lol.

Against Malaga after 30min we were a goal down to a Ruffier og and 2 men down as Ekiza and Javi Martinez was sent off. We equalised, they missed a penalty and then scored an og themselves and Garcia wrapped it up in injury time!!!!

Levante 0-3 Athletic Bilbao
Muniain, Ekiza, Sanz

Athletic Bilbao 6-0 Sporting Gijon
Muniain 3(1pen), Garcia 2, De la Bella (og)

UEFA Champions League Group G
Athletic Bilbao 2-1 Panathinaikos
Susaeta, Ugalde

Villarreal 1-1 Athletic Bilbao
Garcia

Athletic Bilbao 4-0 Real Zaragoza
Garcia 3, Javi Martinez

Malaga 1- 3 Athletic Bilbao
Ander Herrera, Arrebola (og), Garcia

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
FERMIN GARCIA
View attachment 237534
View attachment 237537

SPAIN

Friendlies

Iran 0-3 Spain
Muniain, Jose Angel, Bojan

Saudi Arabia 0-3 Spain
Muniain, Aitor Herrera, Ali (og)

Felipe Anderson whom I capped ages ago (2 caps, 1 goal) has decided now to play for Brazil just when he was going to get regular call ups due to me not picking Iniesta!
​
 
Great Great read mate still loving this it class. Love the fact you have found some great regens... Only if Lsino was Basque
 
Great story mate. You have inspired me to start a Bilbao save. I never knew it could be so much fun managing them!
 
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(the Basque country)

OCTOBER

Bilbao surge to the top of the table
Bilbao win first derby of the season versus Real Sociedad
Real Madrid lose to Sporting Gijon and Villarreal
Spain start Euro qualification with 2 wins

100% record so no complaints here! Pretty much through already in Europe and have been rotating players regularly anyway. In the derby against Real Sociedad, Cidoncha got sent off after 7min but we still battled away to deservedly win. 7pts clear already is nice!!

UEFA Champions League Group G
Shakhtar Donetsk 0-3 Athletic Bilbao
Garcia 2, Muniain

Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Real Sociedad
Aitor Herrera, Vadillo, Llorente

Las Palmas 1-3 Athletic Bilbao
Garcia 2(1pen), Santano

UEFA Champions League Group G
Athletic Bilbao 1-0 Sporting Lisbon
Muniain

Athletic Bilbao 4-1 Sevilla
Muniain, Garcia, Ekiza, Aitor Herrera

Copa del Rey 4th Round 1st Leg
Pontevedra 0-3 Athletic Bilbao
De Marcos, Susaeta, Ugalde

PLAYER OF THE MONTH
IKER MUNIAIN
images

(TUT TUT)

View attachment 237861

SPAIN

European Championship Quals Group J

Spain 3-0 Belarus
Ander Herrera, Bojan, Veretilo (og)

Iceland 0-2 Spain
San Jose, Muniain
​
 
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If anyone wants me to post a pic of a player to see how his attributes turn out or to see who a club has signed etc just ask!
 
Can you post a screenshot of Kara (starts at Tromso) and Joel Valencia please?
 
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