Topic: FM10 SPL World Domination Simulation Draft - Discussion thread!

[Linudden]

It's happening!!!! To commemorate the greatest management game of all time and its ten-years anniversary this is a tribute to a legendary era of football, the final period in which 90 k/contracts were intimidating and when several of Europe's top leagues still were rather unpredictable.

Picks will start once the 90's players' draft is finished and so long as we have at least 12 signups to fill the whole top flight! So, when you notify your sign-up, please do tell which club you'll pick. Whoever wins the most SPL's + CL's is the "draft winner"!

The idea is relatively simple. Choose any player in the world not active in a Scottish club at the time of the 2009-10 season, to take part in the SPL for seven or eight seasons that I will then simulate in the game. Once the teams are completed, I will jump onto my FM10 editor, insert each player into each Scottish club on a ten-year contract worth £1,000/week and guess what you then get? Apologies for bad cellphone camera after nightfall but  "looking to see out the remainder of his playing days at the club." Editor magic!



Yes. Messi at St. Mirren and looking to end his career there! This is so that none of the picks can leave the clubs during their spells in this draft simulation.

Safe to say, I will absolutely not coach my team, each of them will be left in the hands of the incumbent manager. I will simulate the seasons in rapid succession using the holiday mode and thus be able to quite quickly report on the progress.

The draft order is such that due to the uneven standards of the league and thus the top teams retaining a much stronger depth should any XI player be out, I intend to let the weakest teams go first in each round. I hope everyone's fine with that?

Trendisnotdestiny has asked to be Hearts already so the wish is my command. Thus, he will be 10th among the SPL teams in the pecking order.

Here are the teams playing in the SPL that season by reverse order from the 2008-09 season ranking and the preferred formation their manager at the time used in the game: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008%E2%80%9309_Scottish_Premier_League#League_table

1. St. Johnstone (Something Worse)
2. St. Mirren (XabiArt)
3. Falkirk (stoa)
4. Hamilton (Red Viper)
5. Kilmarnock (KillieRed)
6. Motherwell (Max_powers)
7. Dundee United (Gerry Attrick)
8. Hibernian (mikey_LFC)
9. Aberdeen (Linudden)
10. Hearts (Trendisnotdestiny)
11. Celtic (deFacto)
12. Rangers (JSteve)

4-5-1 variety teams: Celtic, Hamilton, Hibernian.
3-5-2 variety teams: Kilmarnock*, Motherwell, St. Johnstone*
4-4-2 variety teams: Aberdeen, Dundee United, Falkirk, Hearts, Rangers, St. Mirren

* Both Kilmarnock and St. Johnstone frequently vary with 4-4-2 so you can pick whatever formation you choose out of those for your picks.

The general rule is that attacking midfielders + wingers also play well and get suitably trained to play in standard midfields.

Keep in mind that managers may still be sacked during these seven years so just pick the players you think would benefit the team.

I can also open up for Division One entries if there's greater interest, although preferably only one or two spots. My preference would be to select as Aberdeen, but if people want me in D1 due to my experience I could go for Queen of the South instead and if people want me to, even forsaking the #1 draft pick would I do so. I'm signing up for Aberdeen in the meantime and would stay unless there are complaints 

Which Division One clubs were there then?

Airdrie, Ayr, Dundee, Dunfermline, Inverness, Morton, Partick Thistle, Queen of the South, Raith and Ross County.

Either way, all the major stars of 2009-10 are ready to be shipped to Scotland for an epic draft so let's get it started!

[Trendisnotdestiny]

Let's do it.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Gimme Celtic

[Linudden]

Gimme Celtic

Your wish is my command!

[Trendisnotdestiny]

Gimme Celtic

You gonna play the pentavarite formation with Colonel Sanders playing tits up top?

[RobbieRedman]

Go on... Dundee Utd. Please.

[XabiArt]

So are we picking a full squad of players from 09/10 at a sensible age to play the 8 seasons and you're putting them in on the database?

[Linudden]

Go on... Dundee Utd. Please.

The Tangerines are yours.

[XabiArt]

So are we picking a full squad of players from 09/10 at a sensible age to play the 8 seasons and you're putting them in on the database?

I think I'm in btw, just a bit confused

[Linudden]

So are we picking a full squad of players from 09/10 at a sensible age to play the 8 seasons and you're putting them in on the database?

Not fully decided on seven or eight seasons yet, but it's of course a bit of a priority thing, people can pick a bit of an older squad and have more success at the beginning, or a bit of a younger one and have success at the end.

Either way, I think we're going for seven to make 30-31-ish players more viable to be picked. After all, a world-class 4.5 stars oufield player usually still is 2-2.5 at 36 years of age.

[XabiArt]

okay,

but are we having like 25 picks each then to make a squad?

[XabiArt]

Can I have St Mirren?

[Linudden]

okay,

but are we having like 25 picks each then to make a squad?

11 picks. Picking an XI for each team  The European heavyweights will be so looted I think these teams can win the CL anyway!

St. Mirren is yours btw.

[XabiArt]

ah right so the current squad remains as well then, so i have the dregs of st mirren to accompany my superstars.

[mikey_LFC]

Hibs for me then

[Red Viper]

I'll give this a go. Give me Hamilton.

[JSteve]

Will take Rangers.

[Linudden]

ah right so the current squad remains as well then, so i have the dregs of st mirren to accompany my superstars.

Exactly this. That's why you'll be one of the very first to pick, while the likes of Celtic and Rangers will go later. The better teams also tend to have the better coaching staff, hence why choosing first is essential for the lower-tier ones, so they can have world-class XI's to give them a chance.

[Linudden]

I've added Red Viper, mikey_LFC and JSteve's respective choices onto the OP list.

St. Johnstone, Falkirk, Kilmarnock and Motherwell are still up for grabs.

Also, all ten First Division sides are still available for selection, although I think I'll close the entry cap at 13 or 14 to give people a fair shot at having their sides being in the top flight. There's just one team promoted and relegated each season, after all.

[Trendisnotdestiny]

So, we agree this is not a snake draft but 11 rounds of a pre-existing draft order 1 - 12 every time down.

Hearts has the 10th pick in each round, correct?

[mikey_LFC]

So, we agree this is not a snake draft but 11 rounds of a pre-existing draft order 1 - 12 every time down.

Hearts has the 10th pick in each round, correct?

I assumed snake, but you could be right.

[Linudden]

I assumed snake, but you could be right.

1-12 for each round, courtesy of the top teams retaining their squads, coaching staff, higher revenue et cetera.

If people want me to select last because of my FM10 experience, I'm open to the idea. I'd rather not, but I could be convinced to if people feel the need.

What we could do, however, would be to run picks 1-5 as snake drafts and then picks 6-10 in a separate snake draft, with the Old Firm teams in a separate one 11-12 (or 10-11 if I select last) to finish it off, given that the bottom teams and teams 3-7 are fairly even. Celtic and Rangers also are rather identical in the game, although Celtic usually pulls away due to better finances. There's very little to separate St. Johnstone from Kilmarnock, also from Motherwell to Hears there's very little to choose in terms of quality. Motherwell had some really handy talents like Reynolds, Saunders and Murphy that made them a serious top-four contender in that game. Thoughts on that idea? If people want it, I'm fine with it.

Either way as a draft newbie does that mean this?

Spoiler

St.J  1-5-4-3-2-1-5-4-3-2-1
St.M 2-1-5-4-3-2-1-5-4-3-2
Fal 3-2-1-5-4-3-2-1-5-4-3-3
Ham 4-3-2-1-5-4-3-2-1-5-4
Kil 5-4-3-2-1-5-4-3-2-1-5

Or does it work like:

St.J 1-5-1-5-1-5-1-5-1-5-1
St.M 2-4-2-4-2-4-2-4-2-4-2
Fal 3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3
Ham 4-2-4-2-4-2-4-2-4-2-4
Kil 5-1-5-1-5-1-5-1-5-1-5

[close]

I assume the latter?  Either way, I don't think it makes sense to give Celtic or Rangers any #1 picks if we're to make this competitive enough. There will be injuries and suspensions after all. Having Aiden McGeady or Steven Davis compared to Randy McRandom on the bench in that scenario makes a "wee bitta diffrance" as they'd say in Scotland. Also, Celtic frequently buy players for more than £10 million in that game, so that's also a factor to consider - their backups might become better as the seven years progress, the bottom teams don't have the finances for that.

That way. Motherwell-Hearts would look like:

Spoiler

Mot 6-10-6-10-6-10-6-10-6-10-6
DnU 7-9-7-9-7-9-7-9-7-9-7-9-7
Hib 8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8
Abe 9-7-9-7-9-7-9-7-9-7-9
Hea 10-6-10-6-10-6-10-6-10-6-10

[close]

Celtic-Rangers:

Spoiler

Cel 11-12-11-12-11-12-11-12-11-12-11
Ran 12-11-12-11-12-11-12-11-12-11-12

[close]

If I put Aberdeen rotating with them because of my experience it'd run from 10-12 like that.

Assumed draft order if my "partial snake" is accepted:

Uneven rounds, 1-11:

1. St. Johnstone
2. St. Mirren
3. Falkirk
4. Hamilton
5. Kilmarnock
6. Motherwell
7. Dundee United
8. Hibernian
9. Aberdeen
10. Hearts
11. Celtic
12. Rangers

Even rounds, 2-10:

1. Kilmarnock
2. Hamilton
3. Falkirk
4. St. Mirren
5. St. Johnstone
6. Hearts
7. Aberdeen
8. Hibernian
9. Dundee United
10. Motherwell
11. Rangers
12. Celtic

That's about as fair as I think it could be 

[deFacto please, you bastards]

So no Messi and Ronaldo, correct?

[Linudden]

So no Messi and Ronaldo, correct?

You're absolutely allowed to pick them if you get the chance  Since we're not having any runoff votes, it's the game that decides. We're gonna win the Big Ears in Scotland and having them in the league helps. Also, those aren't as dominant in that game as I think they became later. Sure, they're the top two for sure, but you don't see them score 40 apiece. I've never played with either, but I've had several other world-class players being able to dominate like Messi and Ronaldo with the right system. The game is primarily based upon players' performances in 2008-09 and to some extent the first half of 2009-10. Here are the player stats for those two in 2008-09:

Ronaldo 33/18 PL, 53/26 all comps (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristiano_Ronaldo#Club)
Messi 31/23 LaLiga, 51/38 all comps (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lionel_Messi#Club)

Not like two-three years later, in other words. I think all players picked in the top 10 would be nearly equal in prowess to them. There were some absolutely fabulous players around then, who maybe didn't quite turn out to be like what Ronaldo or Messi ultimately became by 2011, but still were dominant players.

Let's be real though, as Celtic, I think those two will already have been picked when it's your turn 

[XabiArt]

So no Messi and Ronaldo, correct?

That was the rules for the draft I was planning to run. the best of 2010's draft. this is slightly different.

[XabiArt]

Let's be real though, as Celtic, I think those two will already have been picked when it's your turn 

Spoiler alert. I'm having one of them

[Linudden]

That was the rules for the draft I was planning to run. the best of 2010's draft. this is slightly different.

Yep. No runoffs and no votes and player performances are bound by a season before they hit their primes. They're the top two of a huge bunch of guys. Think of it a bit as today, when it's hard to say whether it really is Messi, Mbappé, van Dijk or Ronaldo who is the top dog by 2019 standards.

Also, keeping in mind who was hot and who was not at the time is a good idea.

Not around:





Really bad picks from Metz' U19 and Napoli's U20 teams:



That's another variable. If you hadn't heard of a player by 2010, it probably isn't too wise to pick them 

[Linudden]

Spoiler alert. I'm having one of them

Cheeky bastard that, mate!

Imagine the heartbreak if someone fills up a Division One team after we've had 12 entries and your pick for the first round would get demoted to #3?  Imagine the horror of having a free choice of the third best player in the world to play in Paisley, Renfrewshire.

#thoughtsandprayers

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Spoiler alert. I'm having one of them

No worries, there's still a ton of top players from that time period 

[mikey_LFC]

Would it be best to do a snake draft, a go for a full 23 man squad?

[Linudden]

Would it be best to do a snake draft, a go for a full 23 man squad?

11 players.

Saves a huge amount of time also and equalizes selecting first and last with the other factors at play such as squad depth, club finances, quality of coaches etc.

I think 1-5, 6-10 and Old Firm draft rotation is the way to go, however. No need to give equal teams unfair advantages so to rotate it like that makes sense. I think it'll work out very fine indeed that way.

[Trendisnotdestiny]

I like everything about this.   The thought going into the draft order, the teams being from Scotland, and the ability to possibly hire a new manager (if Linudden thinks its wise or time efficient in the beginning). 

Get the F**k in, lads. 

Edinburgh hearts rules, Hibs drools.

[Linudden]

I like everything about this.   The thought going into the draft order, the teams being from Scotland, and the ability to possibly hire a new manager (if Linudden thinks its wise or time efficient in the beginning). 

Get the F**k in, lads. 

Edinburgh hearts rules, Hibs drools.

Given some managers play styles we don't associate with them in real life (Klopp for example) and that many others have changed their preferred formations since, I've made the call it's probably best to leave the existing bosses where they are. If more people call for it, I'm open to changing my mind, but I fail to see it as a must. I don't think I can tie a manager down to a club without risking getting the sack for example. With the players, I can just force them to stay the entire duration at the club through some simple edits that make them untransferrable.

Anyway, great to see the excitement

[Trendisnotdestiny]

We need 4 more teams at least lads, lets get stuck in... everyone find one person and we're good.

[Something Worse]

We need 4 more teams at least lads, lets get stuck in... everyone find one person and we're good.

Fuck it I'm in, I'll be St Johnstone

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Fuck it I'm in, I'll be St Johnstone

Get in there Claus, knew we'd addict you to this side of the forum 

[Something Worse]

Get in there Claus, knew we'd addict you to this side of the forum 

It helps that I have FM10 on my laptop so I can dig around and find some good players!

[Trendisnotdestiny]

Fuck it I'm in, I'll be St Johnstone

[Linudden]

Fuck it I'm in, I'll be St Johnstone

Nice, you're added onto the list!

[Linudden]

I'm hoping KillieRed will take Kilmarnock, been in touch  Let's see what happens. We're closing in on a full league regardless and we still have some days to get the current draft finished to fill these slots!