Youth to Gold - Schalke 04

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I've finally started a save that's got me buzzing: a 'Youth to Gold' challenge with Schalke 04. For those unfamiliar, the rules are strict – no players over 30 in the first-team squad, and all incoming transfers must be aged 15-19. No exceptions. It's all about scouting, developing, and promoting youth to turn prospects into gold (world-class stars). Why Schalke? This club's a sleeping giant – Bundesliga legends fallen on hard times in the 2. Bundesliga. I love the underdog story, and with their IRL debt issues mirrored in-game, it's a proper grind.

Enter Stuart Ahmed: Me, a 29-year-old Englishman with zero rep. Sunday League footballer badge, no real coaching experience – just a guy who's managed virtual teams for years. I took the job in July 2023 with one mission: Rebuild Schalke from the youth up, promote back to the Bundesliga, and eventually dominate Europe. No sugar daddies, no editor saves – pure FM pain and glory.

The Setup: Stacked Squad, Youth Rules, and a Financial Nightmare

Schalke's squad is elite for 2. Bundesliga level – guys like Assan Ouédraogo (17-year-old wonderkid), Danny Latza, and goal machine Simon Terodde give us serious firepower. But my 'Youth to Gold' rules mean immediate squad surgery: Anyone over 30 gets demoted to reserves or sold/loaned out. Bye-bye to veterans like Terodde (35) in the long term – his contract's up in summer anyway. No signings in the first window either; I'm riding with what we've got, focusing on the U19s and scouting for teen gems worldwide.

Tactics? A high-pressing 4-2-3-1 Gegenpress to suit our young, energetic legs. We dominate possession (avg. 60%) and create chances for fun. Board wants promotion; I want sustainability.

The real boss fight? Finances. Starting balance: -€190 million. It gets refinanced early (FM wizardry), but we're still bleeding -€1 million per month. With youth rules limiting me to cheap teen transfers (none yet), breaking even feels impossible. No big sales yet to plug the gap – every euro counts. I'm scouting South America and Africa for free/cheap 15-19 year-olds, but January's my first real window to act.

The First Six Months: Dominance on the Pitch, Drama Off It (July 2023 – 20th January 2024)

We kicked off like a rocket. Pre-season was all about integrating youth – promoted a couple of U19 regens like 17-year-old CM Lukas Müller (solid potential, already rotating in midfield) and 16-year-old ST prospect Elias Becker (raw but pacey). First league game: 4-0 thrashing of Karlsruhe. Terodde? Absolute beast – 23 goals in 17 games, top scorer by a mile. He's carrying us, but at 35, he's not long for the first team under my rules. Summer contract expiry means we're scouting replacements hard – think 15-19 year-old strikers who can step up without breaking the bank.

As of 20th January: We're top of the 2. Bundesliga with 18 wins, 2 draws, and just one loss (a fluky 2-1 to Hamburg – dodgy ref decision, FM'd me hard). Goal difference? +50. Insane. We've scored 62, conceded just 12. Highlights include a 6-1 demolition of Hannover and a 5-1 cup win over lower-league fodder for some sweet prize money. DFB-Pokal progress is key – we're into the third round, eyeing that cash to offset the debt drain.

But drama struck in January: Assan Ouédraogo, our 17-year-old starboy (already 10 assists, 5 goals), gets poached by Chelsea for his £8.5 million release clause. Gutted – he's a generational talent, and losing him hurts the youth project. Silver lining? He's loaned back to us until season's end, so we keep his magic for the promotion push. That £8.5M influx is a lifeline – it knocks balance back to minus 18 million and gives me a tiny budget for January teens. Scouting reports are in: Aiming for a 18-year-old Brazilian ST from Flamengo (cheap release) and a 16-year-old German GK prospect from our own academy promo.

Off-pitch? The -€1M monthly bleed (pre-Ouédraogo sale) has me sweating. Wages are high for this level, and with no over-30s allowed, I'm rotating kids who aren't ready yet. Board meetings are tense – they love the results but hate the red ink. Fans are chanting "Ahmed's Army" after big wins, but one bad month could flip that. Media's skeptical: "English rookie betting on kids? Recipe for disaster."

Challenges Ahead: Youth Pipeline and Financial Survival

This 'Youth to Gold' twist makes everything harder – Terodde's goals are a short-term fix, but replacing him with a 15-19 year-old (without big spending) means potential dips. Promotion is crucial for revenue, but can a teen-heavy squad hack the Bundesliga? January window: No over-30s, only youngsters. Fingers crossed for bargains.

Save Stats So Far (20th Jan 2024):

• League Position: 1st in 2. Bundesliga (18W-2D-1L, +50 GD)
• Key Players: Simon Terodde (23 goals in 17 games – farewell tour), Assan Ouédraogo (on loan-back, 5 goals/10 assists), Lukas Müller (youth promo, 3 goals/4 assists)
• Tactics: 4-2-3-1 Gegenpress (Positive mentality)
• Finances: -€20M balance (post-refinance), -€1M/month after Ouédraogo sale
• Biggest Headache: Finding a teen striker to replace Terodde without tanking form
• FM Difficulty: Standard, no mods. Youth to Gold rules enforced.

FM fam, what do you reckon? Tips for scouting 15-19 strikers on a shoestring? How do I plug the financial black hole without selling more kids? Drop your thoughts – I'll update in Part 2 after the season ends. Let's wake this giant with youth power!

 

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Part 2 – Promotion Glory, Pokal Magic, and the Over-30 Purge

I've been grinding this save non-stop, and holy ****, the second half of the 2023-24 season was an absolute dream... mostly. We turned the 2. Bundesliga into our playground, but now the real 'Youth to Gold' rules are biting hard as we prep for the big leagues. Let's dive in – spoilers: Promotion secured, silverware lifted, and a bittersweet farewell to some legends.

The Second Half Rampage: Unbeaten Streak, Title Clinched, and Youth Rotations (January – May 2024)

Picking up from January 20th, where we were flying high at the top with a +50 GD. The Ouédraogo sale to Chelsea gave us that £8.5M boost (and his loan-back was a godsend), but I stuck to the rules: No signings over 19, and only teens. January window? Got a few youngsters to sign in the summer when their contracts will be running out. No big splurges – finances still shaky at -€18M post-sale, but the monthly bleed dropped to -€800k thanks to a cup run.

On the pitch? We went nuclear. Kicked off a ridiculous 20-game winning streak right after the winter break – everything clicked with the 4-2-3-1 Gegenpress. Highlights: A 5-1 annihilation of St. Pauli (Terodde hat-trick), a 4-1 comeback against Hertha (Terodde with another hattrick), and a gritty 1-0 over Hertha Berlin in the snow. We stayed unbeaten until late on in the season – a meaningless 3-1 loss to Hannover after I'd already rotated in a full youth XI for experience (kids needed minutes, and the title was wrapped). By then, we'd won the league by a country mile: 30 points clear with games to spare. Promoted as champions – board ecstatic, fans in delirium. "Ahmed's Army" chants echoing in the Veltins-Arena.

Terodde? What a swan song. The man finished with 44 goals in 34 games – top scorer in the league by 12 goals. Absolute carry job, but at 35, his contract's expiring, and rules are rules: No over-30s in the first team next season. He's off to pastures new (probably retiring or a lower-league gig).

Pokal Glory: Cup Final Heroics and That Cheeky Panenka

Oh, and we didn't stop at the league. The DFB-Pokal was our cash cow – progressed through rounds with ease, including a 3-1 quarter-final win over Gladbach and an easy 4-1 victory over Leipzig (Terodde scored all 4). Final vs. Mainz at the Olympiastadion? Epic. We dominated and went 1-0 up early. Terodde wrote the script with a brace: started with a thunderous header in the 20th, then sealed it in the 44th with a cheeky panenka penalty (cool as ice – Mainz keeper raging). Kabadayi added the gloss in the 47th for a comfortable 3-0 win! First major trophy for Schalke in 13 years, and the €5M prize money? Lifesaver – balance now at -€13M, monthly losses down to -€500k. Fans stormed the pitch; I may have fist-pumped in real life.

The Downside: Over-30 Contract Drama and the Great Purge

Here's where the 'Youth to Gold' self-imposed rules turn into a nightmare. Promotion means Bundesliga football, but we've got a squad full of over-30s (like Danny Latza, Marcin Kamiński, and a few others) who've been key to this run. They're all demanding new contracts now – "We got you promoted, gaffer!" Fair point, but rules say no: Anyone 30+ gets demoted, sold, or released. Terodde's already out the door, and I've listed half a dozen more for transfer. Expecting £10-15M in sales, which'll fund more teen signings (scouting Africa and Eastern Europe for bargains). It's brutal – morale might dip, and replacing their experience with 15-19-year-olds could lead to a rocky Bundesliga start. But that's the challenge: Turn prospects into gold, no shortcuts.

The upside? Our youth intake was stellar – a 5-star potential 15-year-old German DM (regen named Rusmir Huskaric) who's already training with the first team. Ouédraogo's back from loan (wait, no – Chelsea recalled him end of season, **** it. Forgot that detail – another gut punch). Squad average age now? 24. Perfect for the project.

Save Stats Update (End of 2023-24 Season):

• League: 1st in 2. Bundesliga (29W-3D-2L, +81 GD) – Promoted as champions!
• Pokal: Winners (3-0 final vs. Mainz)
• Key Players: Simon Terodde (44 goals – legend status), Thomas Ouwejan (15 assists, has been pinched by Stuttgart), Derry John Murkin (11 goals and 11 assists from LW), and our backup striker and potential replacement for the main man, Keke Topp, scored 19 goals
• Tactics: Still 4-2-3-1 Gegenpress (tweaked to Balanced for cup games)
• Finances: -€13M balance, -€500k/month (Pokal money helping, but Bundesliga TV revenue incoming)
• Biggest Headache: The over-30 purge – finding teen replacements who can survive the Bundesliga drop-off.
• FM Difficulty: Standard, no mods. Youth to Gold rules holding strong.

What a season – from debt-ridden 2. Bundesliga strugglers to double winners. Bundesliga next year will be the real test: Can a teen squad avoid relegation? Part 3 coming after the summer window and early Bundesliga games. Let's keep this giant awake!

Up the Schalke!

 

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Part 3 – Bundesliga Blitz, Europa Domination, and the Teen Revolution Takes Hold​

FM fam, buckle up – this 'Youth to Gold' journey with Schalke 04 just hit ludicrous speed. If you thought promotion and a Pokal win last season were peaks, try this: As of the end of the January 2025 transfer window, we're top of the Bundesliga, level on points with Bayern Munich (who have a game in hand), boasting a +37 goal difference. We've only suffered one league loss all season – a frustrating 1-0 away to Hoffenheim where we dominated but couldn't break their bus. Somehow, my squad of teenagers and early-20s prospects is not just surviving the top flight; we're leading it. No over-30s, only teen signings – the rules are holding, and the results are pure FM chaos magic. From debt-ridden underdogs to title contenders? Stuart Ahmed's wild ride continues. Let's unpack the summer purge, the insane form, Europa heroics, and those January tweaks.

The Summer Overhaul: The Great Purge, Saudi Windfalls, and Youth Infusions (June – August 2024)​

Fresh off our 2. Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal triumph, the 'Youth to Gold' policy demanded blood. We enforced the no-over-30s rule ruthlessly: Legends like Simon Terodde (the 44-goal hero), Marcin Kamiński (defensive stalwart), and Thomas Ouwejan (assist machine) all left on frees as their contracts expired – bittersweet, but necessary for the youth focus. Long-serving keeper Ralf Fährmann fetched a tidy £1m to Wolfsburg (good value for a 35-year-old), and we cashed in big on other 30+ fringe players. The real coups? Swiss GK Markus Müller (our No. 1 last season) went to Saudi for £3.5m to avoid a free exit, and first-team regulars Derry John Murkin (our LW assist wizard with 11 goals/11 assists last year) and Ron Schallenberg followed him to the desert for massive fees. Total transfer income? A whopping £54m. That influx turned our finances from a nightmare to manageable – more on that later.

Outgoings cleared space for the kids, dropping the squad average age to 22. Incomings? Strictly 15-19 year-olds or loans fitting the vibe. The headline grabber was 18-year-old Portuguese wonderkid João Rego, arriving on loan from Benfica – a creative AM with flair for days, slotted straight into the attacking midfield role. We also snapped up a few up-and-coming youngsters for peanuts: A 17-year-old Italian RW prospect for free (high potential, depth option), a 19-year-old Zambian winger for £1.1m (pace demon from our African scouting push), and promotions from the academy like 16-year-old DM regen Rusmir Huskaric (now rotating in midfield) and 17-year-old LB Vincent Carus (backup duties). No mega-spends – we banked most of that £54m for stability.

Tactics: Kept the 4-2-3-1 Gegenpress core but shifted to "Positive" mentality for the Bundesliga's intensity, emphasizing quick counters and youth stamina. Pre-season was solid: Wins over mid-table sides, but a 2-2 draw with Ajax highlighted defensive greenness. Media pegged us for midtable mediocrity; fans chanted "Ahmed's Army" with cautious hope. Finances? The £54m sales, plus Bundesliga TV money and Pokal Europa qualification, pushed us into the black – but we're still leaking £3m a month on taxes and loan repayments. Transfer profit keeps us afloat, balance at +€28M or so.

The Bundesliga Explosion: One Loss, Epic Wins, and a Title Race for the Ages (August 2024 – January 2025)​

We exploded out of the gates. Opening day: 3-2 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt, with João Rego assisting twice on debut. From there? An unbeaten streak that defied logic – only that lone 1-0 loss at Hoffenheim (a smash-and-grab where we had 70% possession but hit the post thrice). We've drawn just a handful, including a creditable 1-1 at Dortmund (our lifelong rivals – nicked a late equalizer in a fiery derby, Haaland regen denied by a wonder save). Wins? 16 of 'em, with absolute bangers like the 6-4 away thriller at Bayern Munich. Yeah, you read that right: We went to the Allianz and won 6-4 in a goal-fest – trailed 2-1, then exploded with four in 20 minutes (Topp hat-trick, Rego, Matriciani and Lasme with one each). Bayern clawed two back, but we held on. Iconic. Other highlights: 6-1 over Freiburg, 3-0 at Leverkusen.

As of January 31st, 2025: Level on 51 points with Bayern (their game in hand could change things), +37 GD (58 scored, 21 conceded – our press is a nightmare for opponents). The youth energy is key – tireless legs, no egos. Top performer? Keke Topp, promoted from the reserves to replace Terodde, with 17 goals in 28 apps (clinical finisher, stepping up huge). Ivorian winger Bryan Lasme (22 now) is electric with 12 goals and 6 assists in 30 apps from either flank. João Rego shines with 10 goals and 8 assists. Defensively, we've been rock-solid, though a couple of teen CBs have had growing pains.

Off-pitch? The title race has the board buzzing, but they're eyeing sustainability. Fans are in ecstasy – sold-out Veltins, "Ahmed's Army" anthems. Media's obsessed: "Ahmed's kids schooling the giants." Headache: Assan Ouédraogo (still on extended loan from Chelsea) is magic again (5 goals/7 assists), but he's returning to them end of season – gutting, but rules prevent a permanent deal.

Europa League Rampage: Top of the League Phase and Statement Wins​

Pokal glory got us into the Europa League league phase, and we've owned it: Top with 5 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses. Standouts: 3-1 home win over Shakhtar (Rego brace), a gritty 2-1 away at Roma (Lasme's winner after a red card drama), and a 5-1 thrashing of Real Betis at home (Topp hat-trick, their backline in tatters). These matches build depth – rotating kids to manage fatigue, and the €3M+ prize money helps offset that £3m monthly leak.

January Window: Smart Buys to Plug Gaps, No Rule Breaks​

With Markus Müller sold to Saudi, we needed GK cover – enter 19-year-old French sensation Guillaume Restes for £8m (bargain from Toulouse, wonderkid potential, now No. 1). To replace Murkin's departure, we grabbed 18-year-old Romanian LB Andrej Borza from Rapid Bucharest for £5m – slipped straight into the first team, already with 2 assists. Finally, 18-year-old Slovenian AMC Luka Topalović (scout find, £1.3m) joins as direct competition/cover for Ouédraogo – creative spark, high potential. Total outlay: £20m. Finances hold steady in the black thanks to winter profits, despite the monthly drain.

Save Stats Update (End of January 2025):​

• League Position: 1st in Bundesliga (16W-3D-1L, +37 GD) – Level on points with Bayern (their game in hand). Only loss: 1-0 at Hoffenheim. Key results: 6-4 away at Bayern, 1-1 at Dortmund.
• Europa League: Top of league phase (5W-1D-0L) – Wins: 3-1 vs. Shakhtar, 2-1 at Roma, 5-1 vs. Betis.
• Key Players: Keke Topp (17 goals in 28 apps – Terodde's heir), Bryan Lasme (12 goals/6 assists in 30 apps), João Rego (10 goals/8 assists on loan), Lukas Müller (7 goals/10 assists).
• Tactics: 4-2-3-1 Gegenpress (Positive) – Youth press dominating.
• Finances: +€28M balance (winter £54m sales key), -£3M/month (taxes/loans), but transfer profits keep us afloat.
• Biggest Headache: Bayern's game in hand, Ouédraogo's impending Chelsea return, and managing that monthly financial leak without more sales.
• FM Difficulty: Standard, no mods. Youth to Gold rules unbreakable.

Insane stuff – from the abyss to Bundesliga leaders with a teen army. But the run-in? Bayern lurking, Europa knockouts, potential burnout. Can we ****** the title? Part 4 after the end of season. Up the Schalke!