The Return of Aitor Herrera - The Boss of Bilbao

[Klippybo]

Hello - I thought I would do the first part of the introduction to this story tonight before I actually get my copy of FM13 on Friday. This part will be about God himself Aitor Herrera who will be the manager of Bilbao. I would link it in to the story of his achievements but it wouldnt work as I played my Bilbao save in FM12 to the year 2034!!!!

Now if you are new to this site or just don't know who Aitor Herrera is then shame on you! lol. Basically I got this regen in the first season at the age of 15 and he was still with me at the age of 38 when I accidentally lost the save. He was the greatest regen I have ever had and ever will have so there!

Arguably his greatest achievement was somehow being named in the Sky Sports News website as a real life player for Athletic Bilbao (they have sorted it now)

Here is a screenie of him in his prime -
View attachment 280667

And here is a breakdown of his Bilbao career -
[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]SEASON[/TD]
[TD]APP[/TD]
[TD]GOALS[/TD]
[TD]***[/TD]
[TD]MOM[/TD]
[TD]YEL[/TD]
[TD]RED[/TD]
[TD]AVR[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2011-12[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.23[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2012-13[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]23[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.71[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2013-14[/TD]
[TD]31[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.51[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2014-15[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]31[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]7.78[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2015-16[/TD]
[TD]44[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]12[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.71[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2016-17[/TD]
[TD]35[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]21[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.71[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2017-18[/TD]
[TD]33[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]29[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.98[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2018-19[/TD]
[TD]47[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]7.60[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2019-20[/TD]
[TD]45[/TD]
[TD]29[/TD]
[TD]27[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]8.01[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2020-21[/TD]
[TD]47[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]35[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]7.79[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2021-22[/TD]
[TD]50[/TD]
[TD]25[/TD]
[TD]27[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]8[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]7.76[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2022-23[/TD]
[TD]45[/TD]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]36[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]8.00[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2023-24[/TD]
[TD]43[/TD]
[TD]29[/TD]
[TD]17[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.81[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2024-25[/TD]
[TD]39[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]24[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.69[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2025-26[/TD]
[TD]44[/TD]
[TD]27[/TD]
[TD]29[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]6[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.81[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2026-27[/TD]
[TD]47[/TD]
[TD]19[/TD]
[TD]27[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]7.54[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2027-28[/TD]
[TD]41[/TD]
[TD]18[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]7[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.58[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2028-29[/TD]
[TD]48[/TD]
[TD]16[/TD]
[TD]33[/TD]
[TD]14[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.76[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2029-30[/TD]
[TD]33[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]15[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]1[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.48[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2030-31[/TD]
[TD]47[/TD]
[TD]11[/TD]
[TD]36[/TD]
[TD]4[/TD]
[TD]9[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.56[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2031-32[/TD]
[TD]40[/TD]
[TD]10[/TD]
[TD]22[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.43[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2032-33[/TD]
[TD]28[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]20[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.28[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2033-34[/TD]
[TD]37[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]13[/TD]
[TD]2[/TD]
[TD]3[/TD]
[TD]-[/TD]
[TD]7.16[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]TOTAL[/TD]
[TD]911[/TD]
[TD]372[/TD]
[TD]571[/TD]
[TD]177[/TD]
[TD]137[/TD]
[TD]5[/TD]
[TD]7.64[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

For Spain he won 256 caps and scored 71 goals also.

As you can see he did quite well! Quite disappointed he didnt get 1,000 games but he was rested or injured and missed about 15-20 games per season. I would list the trophies he won but it would take forever but here is the story link - if you have a spare week or so give it a read lol -
http://www.fm-base.co.uk/forum/football-manager-2012-stories/95968-basque-ing-bilbao.html

----------------------------------------------------

I will write this story with any reference to Aitor referring to Aitor in FM12 so to speak however he won about 100 trophies with Bilbao while in this story I will want to match that at least and obviously Bilbao havent won nearly that amount. It sounds wierd and complicated I know but bear with me! lol

-----------------------------------------------------------

My dream of this story is this - I want a regen to come through the youth intake with Herrera as a surname and him being good enough for the first team - that would be the ultimate and would give the story an extra twist!

Obviously the main aim is to topple the top two in Spain blah, blah, blah but I did that in FM12 eventually but the one thing I didnt do in my FM12 save was have a season with a 100% record in every competition. I was unbeaten at home for something like 8 years and was unbeaten in the league for umpteen years but never had the perfect season.

Finally I am aware that I have an unhealthy addiction to a regen player and I make no apologies for that! lol

I hope you will enjoy the story and follow!!!!!!!!​

 

[*Jamess*]

I like that you are doing a story in the memory of the greatest regan that most of us have seen. There's only one Aitor Herrera!

 

[kandersson]

unfortunately I can understand you quite well as I have a similar addiction to my San Marino striker from FM12

not sure I could commit to a long term save if ME stays like this (demo looked soooooo not ready), good luck though

 

[Sam91]

unfortunately I can understand you quite well as I have a similar addiction to my San Marino striker from FM12

not sure I could commit to a long term save if ME stays like this (demo looked soooooo not ready), good luck though

Get what you're saying about the ME, defending is soooo dodgy. Hopefully it gets sorted out

 

[Klippybo]

I never watch the games, not even the highlights or any of the goals so I will be blissfully ignorant of any such horrors that happen! lol

Trying to formulate a team/tactic in my head with the players that are already there but cant really as I dont know how good they are. Some will get a boost I expect from FM12(Susaeta, de Marcos, Muniain) but not having Javi Martinez is a blow.

Will Benat be a poor man's Xavi again this year and be good enough to sign? Will Ruffier be as good? And will there be any decent 16y/o players to sign right at the start (like Vadillo in FM12)?

 

[Death Ball]

Oh, I can get behind the obsession for that regen. I still remember Juan Pablo Sánchez Moya from my FM10's Burgos story. He didn't look too great, but he had loads of pace and destroyed more than one defence and getting vital goals in more than one season. His goals got us ascension and avoided relegations. He was class. Some months ago I reinstalled FM10 to resume that game but I had deleted the savegame and had no backup, ****!.

 

[GlenYid]

Looking forward to being able to read one of your stories from the beginning.. it took me a while last month but I read through your Castel Di Sangro (if that's not how you spell it, you know what I mean, lol) story and was hooked on it, I'm sure this new save will be just as good to follow.

 

[Raikan007]

I never watch the games, not even the highlights or any of the goals so I will be blissfully ignorant of any such horrors that happen! lol

Trying to formulate a team/tactic in my head with the players that are already there but cant really as I dont know how good they are. Some will get a boost I expect from FM12(Susaeta, de Marcos, Muniain) but not having Javi Martinez is a blow.

Will Benat be a poor man's Xavi again this year and be good enough to sign? Will Ruffier be as good? And will there be any decent 16y/o players to sign right at the start (like Vadillo in FM12)?

Oskar Hiljemark

saw this guy earlier on another website.. he looks pretty classy

 

[meguel]

Oskar Hiljemark

saw this guy earlier on another website.. he looks pretty classy

He can only sign Basque players?

 

[Raikan007]

aah, yes, my apologies been up since 4am

 

[MaximumPower]

I'm just wondering if Aitor Herrera is better than **** Haibo?

 

[Klippybo]

ATHLETIC BILBAO

Nickname - Los Leones (The Lions)
Founded - 1898
B Team - Bilbao Athletic (confusing I know)
C Team - CD BaskoniaRivals - Real Sociedad, Osasuna

THE STADIUM
San Mames
Capacity - 40,000

THE NEW STADIUM
San Mames Barria
Capacity - 55,000
Due to be opened for the 2013/14 season

HONOURS
La Liga - 8 times
Copa del Rey - 23 times
Spanish Super Cup - 1 time

STRIPS

FAMOUS PLAYERS AND CLUB LEGENDS

JOSE ANGEL IRIBAR
466 games, club record appearance holder

JOSEBA ETXEBERRIA
445 games - 88 goals
Spanish international who played for free in his last season

TELMO ZARRA
278 games - 252 goals (333 goals in all comps)
Club record scorer and the trophy that is awarded to the highest scoring Spaniard in La Liga is named in his memory

PICHICHI
170 games - 200 goals
The trophy that is awarded to the top scorer in Spain is named after him

BIXENTE LIZARAZU
16 games only - French World Cup winner

FORMER MANAGERS
Howard Kendall, Javier Clemente (3 times), Jupp Heynckes (2 times), Luis Fernandez

RECRUITING POLICY
As many people will know Bilbao are restricted in their signing policy. Officially they only sign professional players native to or footballistically (is that a word? - it is in wiki lol) trained in the greater Basque country which includes a couple of areas in France. In FM12 I could only sign 16y/o Spaniards or players with a Basque nationality.

Big name Basque players in the world of football outwith Bilbao are -
Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)
Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea)
Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich)
Stephane Ruffier (Saint-Etienne)
Antoine Griezmann (Real Sociedad)
Natxo Monreal (Malaga)
Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid)

Former big names that were Basque were Didier Deschamps, Gaizka Mendieta, Julio Salinas, Ivan Campo, Andoni Zubizarreta, Txiki Beguiristain and Jon Andoni Goikoetxea.​

 

[Sam91]

I'm just wondering if Aitor Herrera is better than **** Haibo?

Don't tar Herrera with the same brush as Haibo. FMCV are a bunch of idiots

 

[Klippybo]

Don't tar Herrera with the same brush as Haibo. FMCV are a bunch of idiots

Pardon my ignorance but who is **** Haibo? Unless he has 20's for everything and played for Newcastle or Aberdeen he cant compare lol!

 

[Sam91]

Pardon my ignorance but who is **** Haibo? Unless he has 20's for everything and played for Newcastle or Aberdeen he cant compare lol!

Some facebook group had a regen called **** Haibo but he's nowhere near as good as Aitor or Bertoli

 

[Klippybo]

Some facebook group had a regen called **** Haibo but he's nowhere near as good as Aitor or Bertoli

Why didnt I think of a facebook or twitter page for Aitor? lol - Too late now.

I honestly think the best regens I have ever seen were Bertoli from your save, Cidoncha and Izurza and Aitor in my Bilbao one and Mulugeta in my Newcastle one. I also had an amazing Danish striker but I think that was FM11 (Stonecold can vouch for him!)

 

[Sam91]

Why didnt I think of a facebook or twitter page for Aitor? lol - Too late now.

I honestly think the best regens I have ever seen were Bertoli from your save, Cidoncha and Izurza and Aitor in my Bilbao one and Mulugeta in my Newcastle one. I also had an amazing Danish striker but I think that was FM11 (Stonecold can vouch for him!)

Aitor is unreal, I nearly forgot just how well rounded he was till you put that screenie up of him on the OP. Bertoli was immense would have loved to have got him to at least 25/26 just to see how good he would have got. 76 goals in all comps at the age of 20 is ridiculous lol

 

[Klippybo]

THE BASQUE COUNTRY FOOTBALL TEAM

Much like the Catalan one involving mainly Barcelona and Espanyol players the Basque region of Spain has their own team that has played competitive games. I would love to have the option to manage them or have the ability to add them in as a country (too complicated) but hey ho - in FM12 my Spanish national team was pretty much an all Basque team! Maybe in FM14 we could have these teams in it!

(This post has nowt really to do with the story lol - just adding more depth to the background of the Basque nation)

PREVIOUS RESULTS[TABLE="width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD]YEAR[/TD]
[TD]OPPOSITION[/TD]
[TD]RESULT[/TD]
[TD]SCORERS[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1990[/TD]
[TD]Romania[/TD]
[TD]D2-2[/TD]
[TD]?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1993[/TD]
[TD]Bolivia[/TD]
[TD]W3-1[/TD]
[TD]Guerrero, Salinas 2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1994[/TD]
[TD]Russia[/TD]
[TD]W1-0[/TD]
[TD]Guerrero[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1995[/TD]
[TD]Paraguay[/TD]
[TD]D1-1[/TD]
[TD]Ziganda[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1996[/TD]
[TD]Estonia[/TD]
[TD]W3-1[/TD]
[TD]Ziganda, Idiakez, ?[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1997[/TD]
[TD]Yugoslavia[/TD]
[TD]W3-1[/TD]
[TD]Guerrero 3[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1998[/TD]
[TD]Uruguay[/TD]
[TD]W5-1[/TD]
[TD]De Paula, Idiakez, Ziganda 2, Urrutia[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]1999[/TD]
[TD]Nigeria[/TD]
[TD]W5-1[/TD]
[TD]Guerrero, Mendieta, De Paula 2, De Pedro[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2000[/TD]
[TD]Morocco[/TD]
[TD]W3-2[/TD]
[TD]Urzaiz 2, De Pedro[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2001[/TD]
[TD]Ghana[/TD]
[TD]W3-2[/TD]
[TD]Bolo, De Paula 2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2002[/TD]
[TD]Macedonia[/TD]
[TD]D1-1[/TD]
[TD]Bolo[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2003[/TD]
[TD]Uruguay[/TD]
[TD]W2-1[/TD]
[TD]Bolo 2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2004[/TD]
[TD]Honduras[/TD]
[TD]W2-0[/TD]
[TD]Yeste 2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2005[/TD]
[TD]Cameroon[/TD]
[TD]L0-1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2006[/TD]
[TD]Wales[/TD]
[TD]L0-1[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2006[/TD]
[TD]Catalonia[/TD]
[TD]D2-2[/TD]
[TD]Aduriz, Llorente[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2006[/TD]
[TD]Serbia[/TD]
[TD]W4-0[/TD]
[TD]Yeste, Urzaiz, Sarriegui, Uranga[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2007[/TD]
[TD]Venezuela[/TD]
[TD]W4-3[/TD]
[TD]Aduriz, Etxeberria 2, Gabilondo[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2007[/TD]
[TD]Catalonia[/TD]
[TD]D1-1[/TD]
[TD]Aduriz[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2010[/TD]
[TD]Venezuela[/TD]
[TD]W3-1[/TD]
[TD]Gurpegui, Labaka, Muniain[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2011[/TD]
[TD]Estonia[/TD]
[TD]W2-1[/TD]
[TD]Aduriz 2[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]2011[/TD]
[TD]Tunisia[/TD]
[TD]L0-2[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
​

 

[Ashleigh1984]

The basque region had a pretty good record, i remember the loss too Wales... Being I'm welsh and they don't win many games!

 

[Klippybo]

The basque region had a pretty good record, i remember the loss too Wales... Being I'm welsh and they don't win many games!

I remember the game too funnily enough - only because Giggs played in a friendly for Wales and scored lol - tbh I remember reading an article about it at the time!