Second of my team guides, focusing on the Portuguese giants Porto. Requested by Ride the Walrus, I did this first because, well, he's awesome and everyone else who requested isn't. (K)
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Club Background
Name: Futebol Clube do Porto
President: Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa
League: Liga Sagres
Last year: 3rd
Nicknames: Os Dragões, Os Tripeiros
Rivals: Benfica FC, Sporting CP, Boavista
1.) Expectations and Housekeeping
1A: Expectations
To start off with, expectations. You have two, that of Title Challenge and Winner. It’s up to you, but I prefer going for the mil and a half extra of Winner, as you are certainly capable of it.
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Possible choices
1B: Housekeeping
Porto have a few good staff, but they have an overwhelming amount of absolutely terrible ones as well.
Assistant Managers: Jose Mario Rocha, Vitor Pereira, Pedro Emanuel
Coach: N/A
Gk Coach: Wil Coort
Fitness Coach: N/A
Youth Coach: Patrick Greveraars, Pepijn Lijnders, Jose Semedo, Antonio Frasco, Vitor Frade, Nuno Capucho, Antonio Folha
Physio: Eduardo Braga, Jose Mario
Scout: Pedro Ribeiro, Admar Lopes, Joao Luis Afonso, Fernando Bandeirinha, Andre, Paulinho Santos, Rui Barros
Of this huge bunch, we have very little quality. The three assistants are good, as is Wil Coort who is a 4.5 star gk coach and must be retained at all costs. Vitor Frade is worth promoting to a contract as a coach, to get a decent all-round coach and 4 star tactical nous. Jose Mario is also a decent physio who is worth keeping. Your scouts are more or less all decent, but the best are Rui Barros, Fernando Bandeirinha and Joao Luis Afonso.
The bad are everyone I haven’t mentioned, with the exception of the many scouts. How much deadwood you cut off is up to you and your patience, but I would clear them out, retaining only the bare bones of the people I mentioned above.
Suggested Ins and Outs:
Out: Patrick Greveraars, Pepijn Lijnders, Jose Semedo, Antonio Frasco, Nuno Capucho, Antonio Folha, Eduardo Braga, Pedro Ribeiro, Admar Lopes, Andre, Paulinho Santos.
In:
Nello Malizia/Vicenzo Di Palma – Gk Coach – We need someone to take all the workload off the superb Wil Coort. Both of these options are very good, and free as a bonus.
Ebbe Sand – Coach – Decent attacking coach.
Giambattista Venturati – Coach – Great all-rounder, more or less 4 stars at everything.
Vincenzo Pincolini – Coach – Again, good all-rounder, great fitness ratings.
Robert Prosinecki – Coach – Great technical coach, available on a free.
Paul Winsper – Fitness Coach – Superb, free, and cheap fitness coach.
Aldo Esposito – Physio – Useful physio, free once more.
Those are just a bare bones. Scout around, you may find some better alternatives to flesh out your backroom staff.
1C: Extra Bits
I’d ask for an increase in the current percentage of transfer revenue being made available, as well as better youth facilities. Both are generally granted, but neither are essential. What is very useful is asking for an increase in transfer budget; usually granted, the increase can range from 1 mil to over 2.5 mil. This can be extremely useful.
2.) Squad
With their current squad, Porto have a team capable for challenging on both domestic and European fronts. Blessed with technical ability and speed, you can shape the Porto squad into either a lethal counterattacking side or one based around ball retention.
A note: I use a modified 4-3-3 for Porto. In my opinion, it fits them well.
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A glance at an untouched first team squad, in my favoured formation.
2A: Goalkeepers
Beto
Helton
Pawel Kieszek
Notes: Helton is your best candidate for a starting spot, but he is ageing and Beto is not too far behind him in terms of talent. Kieszek is capable backup to either. I would recommend a new starter in the goalkeeping position.
Suggested Buys/Sells: Cedric Carrasso – 10 mil, Sergio Romero – 11 mil, Carlos Kameni – 7.5 mil, Jefferson – 7.5 mil and Simon Mignolet – 4 mil are all options for a new goalkeeper, and all are quality. I would suggest investment in this area above all others.
2B: Defenders
Cristian Sapunaru
Jorge Fucile
Emidio Rafael
Rolando
Henrique Sereno
Nicolas Otamendi
Maicon
Alvaro Pereira
Notes: The standout performer here is Nicolas Otamendi, a great central defender with bags of talent and potential. Rolando completes the central defensive partnership, being solid and fairly young. In fact, all of your centre-backs are worth keeping, the other two being solid backups.
Alvaro Pereira is a very good attacking left back, who I prefer to train to be a natural left back rather than a left wing-back. Jorge Fucile on the right is also capable, but their respective backups, Emidio Rafael and Cristian Sapunaru, are both not up to the standards of the league. It might be worth selling them, and finding a utility fullback like Diego Renan to cover both flanks.
Suggested Buys/Sells: Diego Renan – 5 mil or the like.
Sell Emidio Rafael for whatever you can get, and Sapunaru for around 1 mil. Otherwise, keep both, and buy nobody.
2C: Midfielders
Fernando
Souza
Joao Moutinho
Fredy Guarin
Castro
Fernando Belluschi
Ukra
Cristian Rodriguez
Ruben Micael
Joao Amorim
Silvestre Varela
James Rodriguez
Hulk
Notes: Porto’s best area, the midfield is filled with talent. Fernando is a mobile, aggressive destroyer in front of the defence. Ahead of him, Ruben Micael plays a patient and occasionally spectacular passing game next to the mentally strong attacking midfielder, Joao Moutinho. With Fernando winning the ball, Micael spreading it around the pitch and Moutinho making runs from deep to penetrate the defence, you have a quality young central midfield triumvirate that can stand you in good stead for years to come, with Souza and Belluschi forming good backups across the midfield.
On the flanks there is more talent. Cristian Rodriguez is a young, superb out and out left winger with good crossing and great dribbling skills. On the other flank, Hulk is a truly great player. Blessed with pace, power, skill, a fierce shot and superb long-range shooting as well as being a threat from set-pieces, he is your best attacking player by some way. When stationed on the right flank, he cuts inside onto his strong left foot and unleashes shots on goal with his customary power. Supporting them is the backup of Ukra, Silvestre Varela and Fernando Belluschi. James Rodriguez is a superb young talent, more than capable of replacing anyone on the left flank or central midfield.
Suggested Buys/Sells: Your midfield is more or less complete, really. If you want, another defensive midfield backup might be useful. Kara – 2.5 mil is very, very good.
Nobody to sell really, either, unless you want to get rid of Joao Amorim.
2D: Forwards
Falcao
Walter
Notes: As you should only be playing one striker, Falcao is your sure-fire starter. Clinical and a good all-round performer, he should thrive off the service from Rodriguez and link well with Hulk. Walter is useful young backup.
Suggested Buys/Sells: You might want to bring in another striker, for backup or competition. Vaclav Kadlec – 2 mil is cheap and quality.
2E: Suggested Transfer Business Summary
Buys:
Simon Mignolet – 4 mil
Diego Renan – 5 mil (over time)
Kara – 2.5 mil
Vaclav Kadlec – 2 mil
Total: 8.5 mil up front, 5 mil over time
Sales:
Helton – 1.8 mil
Sapunaru – 1.2 mil
Emidio Rafael – 400k
Total: 3.4 mil up front
3.) Extras
Club Captains: If you’re getting rid of Helton, I would recommend replacing him with Joao Moutinho. He has age, influence and a starting spot on his side. Promoting Fernando is another option.
Youth policy: Your squad is generally very young as a rule, meaning replacements will not be needed for your key players another few years at least. On top of that You have some exceptional youth such as Leandro Silva, Ricardo Grey and Fabio Martins. Be sure to bring them through.
Style of play: As either a quick counterattacking side or a methodical, passing team Porto are extremely proficient. As a result, you can afford to be versatile in your approach, using a ball-playing approach against weaker teams and a counterattacking one in Europe.
Win the league: It’s your focus. You need to establish a winning mentality and a winning side, in order to dominate your league for years to come.
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