After a break from FM whilst I completed my university studies and work I've decided to create a new story featuring the team of my university, Preston North End. Apologies to everyone who followed my Middlesbrough save but that is long gone and is no longer accessible. Anyway onto the story behind the story!
My fascination with Ajax's De Toekomst Academy came about around two years ago whilst playing FM as Ajax and being amazed at the quality of player that came through the youth system. From there I used an ECA report to develop an article on them, which can be found on my blog here, and read up on the theories behind the training methods and how they brought players threw the system.
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'Preston North End - The English De Toekomst'
The main goal for Ajax is to have three players make it to the first team from the academy every two seasons, if they don’t achieve this it is seen as a failure. To achieve their aim, they have to get the right type of player in from the start and they do this through their extensive scouting network. Although Preston North End don't have a similar scouting network to Ajax, I'm going to try my best to keep a high standard of youth players that come through into the youth team.
After finding the latest talent for the academy, the players have to go through a test stage called ‘talentdagen’, a stage where the coaches find out if they are good enough to be signed on a youth contract. In this stage the coaches look for a certain set of skills which would allow them to fit into the Ajax style of play. The desired skills for the young players include ball control, position play, movement habits, mind-set and T.I.P.S (Technique, Intelligence, Rapidity and Personality). If they pass this test stage, they are deemed to have the technical ability to progress into the academy.
It's going to be a struggle to begin with as I have to reshape the club to how I want it to be run. This will include hiring the correct type of staff. Sorting through the current players at the club and deciding who can/cannot make it. While at the same time trying to get good enough results so I keep my job and don't get fired.
I can't just take over the club and expect everything to fall into place the way I want it to. There must be some kind of transitional period that allows me to bring in new coaches, scouts, players and tutors. If not then I'll fail and probably be sacked. With this in mind I've given myself three seasons to bring in enough quality staff and older players to use as tutors.
I also need to set up a large scouting network so I can scour the globe for players aged between 14-17 who I think might make a good addition to the youth teams. At first I wasn't going to bring anyone in but it seems like Ajax do this a lot so I thought I'd do the same.
I'm hoping that spending time in these first few seasons will build a great foundation for what I am trying to achieve. So by the start of the fourth season, I expect everything to be in place for how I want to shape the club and take them forward.
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Facilities
View attachment 367798
The facilities that Preston North End have are quite impressive considering they are in League One but they were a Championship team only a few years ago. I'm satisfied with Deepdale having a large capacity as it means that we won't have to develop it if we get promoted through the leagues into the Premier League and can put that money into youth recruitment, youth facilities and junior coaching. The training facilities are of a good standard as well whilst the youth facilities aren't the best but will hopefully be improved in the next two seasons.
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Squads
View attachment 367797
At the moment there is only one player in the first team squad that is classed as home-grown by the club and that is Bailey Wright, who is shown below. There are a number of players that will be tutoring some of my younger players such as Kevin Davies, Jack King and Paul Gallagher as they have high mental stats which will hopefully be picked up by them.
View attachment 367796
Bailey is the only player home-grown at the club in the first team so will be a key player for me in the opening few seasons in charge. As soon as I took charge of the team I extended his deal until 2018 to make sure that if a big club comes in for him in the meantime they will have to pay a big fee to get him out of his contract.
U21s
View attachment 367795
U18s
View attachment 367794
The U21s and U18s will play a big part in my management style as I intend to use them to my advantage my making the managers play the same system as I do in the first team. Hopefully by the end of the second season the two squads will be littered with young talent that has a chance of making it in the first team.
View attachment 367793
One player that stood out for me in the U21s and the U18s is 17 year old Josh Brownhill. I moved him up to my first team straight away, got him on a three year contract and got him tutored by Jack King to start his development immediately. A former Manchester United trainee, Josh will be used as the Advanced Playmaker in a midfield trio and key to the future of Preston North End.
View attachment 367801
Tactic
View attachment 367792
The tactic being deployed is an advanced version of the traditional Ajax 4-3-3 system that has been with the club for years and has the two wingers pushed further up the field to almost act as two additional strikers. The tactic can be downloaded here and credit goes to Steaton on the SI Forum but was uploaded on here by ady911, who made a few tweaks to the system.
View attachment 367801
Transfer Policy
- Buy at least two players aged between 14-17.
- Bring in a variety of loan players, mixed age, to increase talent of squad.
- Add experienced players to the squad to become tutors.
- Invest in at least one key player per season to make sure a high standard squad is maintained.
View attachment 367801
Targets
- Promotion to the Championship
- Promotion to the Premier League
- Improve youth facilities to highest standard
- Bring through three players from U21s/U18s into first team every two seasons.
View attachment 367801
Sorry for the long winded post but here's to a long successful career!
If you have any questions or need any screenshots, just ask!
My fascination with Ajax's De Toekomst Academy came about around two years ago whilst playing FM as Ajax and being amazed at the quality of player that came through the youth system. From there I used an ECA report to develop an article on them, which can be found on my blog here, and read up on the theories behind the training methods and how they brought players threw the system.
View attachment 367801
View attachment 617904
'Preston North End - The English De Toekomst'
The main goal for Ajax is to have three players make it to the first team from the academy every two seasons, if they don’t achieve this it is seen as a failure. To achieve their aim, they have to get the right type of player in from the start and they do this through their extensive scouting network. Although Preston North End don't have a similar scouting network to Ajax, I'm going to try my best to keep a high standard of youth players that come through into the youth team.
After finding the latest talent for the academy, the players have to go through a test stage called ‘talentdagen’, a stage where the coaches find out if they are good enough to be signed on a youth contract. In this stage the coaches look for a certain set of skills which would allow them to fit into the Ajax style of play. The desired skills for the young players include ball control, position play, movement habits, mind-set and T.I.P.S (Technique, Intelligence, Rapidity and Personality). If they pass this test stage, they are deemed to have the technical ability to progress into the academy.
It's going to be a struggle to begin with as I have to reshape the club to how I want it to be run. This will include hiring the correct type of staff. Sorting through the current players at the club and deciding who can/cannot make it. While at the same time trying to get good enough results so I keep my job and don't get fired.
I can't just take over the club and expect everything to fall into place the way I want it to. There must be some kind of transitional period that allows me to bring in new coaches, scouts, players and tutors. If not then I'll fail and probably be sacked. With this in mind I've given myself three seasons to bring in enough quality staff and older players to use as tutors.
I also need to set up a large scouting network so I can scour the globe for players aged between 14-17 who I think might make a good addition to the youth teams. At first I wasn't going to bring anyone in but it seems like Ajax do this a lot so I thought I'd do the same.
I'm hoping that spending time in these first few seasons will build a great foundation for what I am trying to achieve. So by the start of the fourth season, I expect everything to be in place for how I want to shape the club and take them forward.
View attachment 367801
Facilities
View attachment 367798
The facilities that Preston North End have are quite impressive considering they are in League One but they were a Championship team only a few years ago. I'm satisfied with Deepdale having a large capacity as it means that we won't have to develop it if we get promoted through the leagues into the Premier League and can put that money into youth recruitment, youth facilities and junior coaching. The training facilities are of a good standard as well whilst the youth facilities aren't the best but will hopefully be improved in the next two seasons.
View attachment 367801
Squads
View attachment 367797
At the moment there is only one player in the first team squad that is classed as home-grown by the club and that is Bailey Wright, who is shown below. There are a number of players that will be tutoring some of my younger players such as Kevin Davies, Jack King and Paul Gallagher as they have high mental stats which will hopefully be picked up by them.
View attachment 367796
Bailey is the only player home-grown at the club in the first team so will be a key player for me in the opening few seasons in charge. As soon as I took charge of the team I extended his deal until 2018 to make sure that if a big club comes in for him in the meantime they will have to pay a big fee to get him out of his contract.
U21s
View attachment 367795
U18s
View attachment 367794
The U21s and U18s will play a big part in my management style as I intend to use them to my advantage my making the managers play the same system as I do in the first team. Hopefully by the end of the second season the two squads will be littered with young talent that has a chance of making it in the first team.
View attachment 367793
One player that stood out for me in the U21s and the U18s is 17 year old Josh Brownhill. I moved him up to my first team straight away, got him on a three year contract and got him tutored by Jack King to start his development immediately. A former Manchester United trainee, Josh will be used as the Advanced Playmaker in a midfield trio and key to the future of Preston North End.
View attachment 367801
Tactic
View attachment 367792
The tactic being deployed is an advanced version of the traditional Ajax 4-3-3 system that has been with the club for years and has the two wingers pushed further up the field to almost act as two additional strikers. The tactic can be downloaded here and credit goes to Steaton on the SI Forum but was uploaded on here by ady911, who made a few tweaks to the system.
View attachment 367801
Transfer Policy
- Buy at least two players aged between 14-17.
- Bring in a variety of loan players, mixed age, to increase talent of squad.
- Add experienced players to the squad to become tutors.
- Invest in at least one key player per season to make sure a high standard squad is maintained.
View attachment 367801
Targets
- Promotion to the Championship
- Promotion to the Premier League
- Improve youth facilities to highest standard
- Bring through three players from U21s/U18s into first team every two seasons.
View attachment 367801
Sorry for the long winded post but here's to a long successful career!
If you have any questions or need any screenshots, just ask!
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