sometimes i like to sim the whole first season then create a new coach in may of 2014, pick an underperforming team, and go from there.
For instance, I simmed a whole season and saw that ManU finished in 12th place and fired two coaches throughout the year, so I took over ManU to see if i could return them to the top.
Sometimes, simming to a different date can change a lot, player recruitment is much different, and you will now have some regens to try and grab and be excited about.