Part 140: Chapter the Seventh: Wheeling and dealing.

Chapter the Seventh: Wheeling and dealing.
January 1, 2023-February 1, 2023

I wonder how many of my players are going to end up unsettled by the end of the transfer window when the megabastards come making offers for them...




Jiminez is the first regen to win both of these awards. My choice for the Ballon d'Or, Mark Bloem (AU-Memphis Depay), finished in third. As noted in the announcement, winning a World Cup will increase your prestige quite a bit.



Congratulations, Rock. You and Mujkic have now both won an AFC Player of the Year award.



Half of our first team has other clubs sniffing about them.



The last of the summer transfers show up, Ikeda will be heading off to Serbia on loan while Damgaard goes into our youth system. We've also got an American teen in limbo, with a transfer agreed to that won't go through until 2024 because I didn't realize he wasn't 18 yet.



What the heck?



I can list him for loan and have Dutch and Belgian teams interested but I can't send him to my affiliate? That makes no sense.



That is a lot of money. El Juez is awesome... but not nearly as awesome as he was last year. With Aarts coming along well, and a 19 year old Mexican phenom that I might be able to bring in for a fraction of that price, I'm going to see if I can make some deals.




Hmm, we have enough depth to get by with him, and I don't want to stunt his development. I'll see what I can work out. I should probably do something about Dixon, too.



That's the guy I want. He's a brilliant 19 year old Mexican striker who will get a work permit on appeal. He's already good enough to get into rotation duty, and we'll turn close to a £20m profit on Cardozo.



If I play this right I might be able to get close to £40m for Cardozo, but I'm holding off until I can get Stringel hooked.




Crap. I offer him a gigantic contract far beyond his expectations, it's the only way I can imagine him going to us over PSG. By offering four times the wages he's expecting me to offer, and adding in a gigantic agent fee, I think I'll be able to land him. It still only comes to £40,000/wk, which isn't a ton for us. Meanwhile, I've negotiated a £43m transfer for Cardozo with PSG, hopefully their contract negotiations with Cardozo will lead them to offer less to Stringel than they otherwise might. Cardozo is definitely gone, though. El Juez is a very good player, but £43m is a gigantic sum of money and my Ass Man says that he won't get much better than he already is.

Also, everything since the start of the update has happened in 36 hours of game time. Transfer windows can be intense.

vs. West Ham United, January 2, 2023
Premier League


See, I wasn't joking about that all happening in 36 hours. Some jerk set us up with games on a Friday and then a Sunday. Hopefully West Ham is also tired. Cardozo would be in this match, but I don't want him getting hurt and scotching the record transfer we've arranged for him.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: El Sayed, Reed, Hammatt, O'Hanlon, Feruga (c), Morvan, Mair, Collett, Julio, Taborda, Aarts.
Subs: Kovacevic, Cirjak, Todd, Laux, Bailey, Shirra, Argenti.

Aarts scores a goal, but he takes a knock and is ineffective for most of the game. West Ham are able to score on their first shot of the day just after halftime... and just after I had spent the whole halftime talk telling them to stay focused and not give up our advantage. We end up with a frustrating draw, and are now a point behind Manchester City.




Wrexham 1-1 West Ham



We can't afford to have him out with Mujkic in Asia and Cardozo leaving. So he gets painkilling shots.



Damnit, Taborda.




I'm going to leak it to the media that you're a coward who cares more about himself than the team. I wish I could do that.



Unlike me, Taborda can go to the media and throw me under the bus. What a bastard.



Real Madrid is interested in Taborda, so I see if we can get more than £50m. They don't bite.



I don't want to sell Cardozo if we're not getting Stringel. Well, that's not strictly true, £43m is a ton of cash.



I want to bring you some more trophies before you go, Mr. President.



Have fun storming the castle!

vs. Sunderland, January 7, 2023
FA Cup, Third Round


With Taborda injured and Mujkic away, new signing Claus Damgaard will be on the bench. He's only 17 but already an impressive talent on the wing. Tim Jeffries is also being brought along as a backup striker.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: El Sayed, Reed, Hammatt, Feruga, Loseille, Bailey (c), Petts, Collett, Julio, Argenti, Aarts.
Subs: Kovacevic, Cirjak, O'Hanlon, Mair, Shirra, Damgaard, Jeffries.

We work hard, and our goal comes in the 42nd minute from Matty Collett, who has become one of our most dangerous players and has really turned things around since his early struggles. We don't run up the score this time around, but it's still a confident win and moves us on to the next round of the FA Cup without any fuss.

Man of the Match: James Loseille




Wrexham 1-0 Sunderland



Doncaster are in League One. This will be easy as pie.




That's fair. He's wildly underpaid right now considering his production and deserves a raise. I'll get him one right after the transfer window closes.

vs. Norwich City, January 10, 2023
Premier League


Norwich is in dead last, but they held us to a draw the first time we played. Even with Mujkic and Bastable in Asia we should be able to win this without breaking a sweat.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Cirjak, Laux, Todd, Suslov, Bailey (c), Morvan, Collett, Shirra, Argenti, Aarts.
Subs: El Sayed, Reed, Feruga, Mair, Julio, Petts, O'Hanlon.

We create a lot of early pressure, but it amounts to naught. Injuries strike us shortly thereafter, with Cirjak coming out with a potentially serious one in the 16th minute. Fifteen minutes later Todd also has to be removed, meaning we're down to one substitution remaining after barely half an hour. Norwich take advantage of our depleted back line to score on their first shot just a couple minutes after that. We come back and dominate the second half, equalizing on a Collett goal late in the game, but Norwich deny us even a draw when they score with 2 minutes remaining on their fourth shot of the game. I am, to put it mildly, not happy.




Wrexham 1-2 Norwich



Norwich have now taken 8 points of 12 possible from us over the last two years, If they're not our bogey team they're rapidly becoming it.



Yeah, but we can't afford draws, much less losses. We need to win at least 25 matches if we want the title.




At least they're not serious, but between Taborda and these two we're apparently in another glut of injuries.



Woo!

Isaac Stringel
Striker


He's going to be very, very good. When he plays we'll have a different style of attack, he's best suited as a Lionel Messi type, slaloming through defenders and both scoring and creating goals from all over. The one thing he won't be is a target man up front. Not only is he kind of short, he can't jump for anything. I can't wait to see what he looks like in three years, which is about the time Bastable might start wearing down and getting old.



Goodbye El Juez, I wish you all the best at PSG. You were brilliant last year, with 19 goals in 32 matches, but this year you struggled and tallied just 2 in 18. This is very much a sell high move, Cardozo will never be more valuable than he is right now.



Aww, thanks Paul. I couldn't do it without you and your keen eye for talent.



Fisher just got himself a spot on next year's Gold Cup team so that I don't have to worry about him getting poached by the Dutch national team. I hope he'll accept the cap.



This is how we're going to fund ourselves as our payroll gets higher and higher.



By comparison we earned £162m from all sources of income last year.

At Tottenham Hotspur, January 14, 2023
Premier League


I want to see a lot better from us against Spurs, who are once again having a somewhat disappointing season. They're no Liverpool, but their chance at challenging for a top 4 spot has already come and gone. New arrival Isaac Stringel is being tossed right into the starting lineup.



A big part of the problem for them is that they're very thin, with a first team squad of only 18 players. Injuries have forced them to start youth squad members at both right and left back.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Reed, Hammatt, O'Hanlon, Suslov, Bailey (c), Petts, Collett, Shirra, Argenti, Stringel.
Subs: El Sayed, Loseille, Laux, Morvan, Mair, Julio, Aarts.

Tottenham's defense holds firm during a torrential downpour in the first half but don't look like much of a threat. I fire the team up and send them back outm and am rewarded by Hammatt scoring from a corner. It's his first goal, and I expect to see many more. Tottenham tie it up late and I'm starting to think our season will be lost thanks to our inability to hold on as the clock ticks down, but Petts and Argenti hit them on the counter attack with less than 10 minutes left to give us the win in a hard fought match.




Tottenham 1-2 Wrexham



Mair's got 17 passing, 17 decisions, and 14 creativity. He might not be great at seeing the opportunity to try a killer ball, but he won't waste possession thanks to good decision-making and technical skill.



I need to stop letting my coaches advise me on tutoring assignments.

vs. Arsenal, January 17, 2023
Premier League


Arsenal are in 5th, 1 point off Chelsea for 4th. This is going to be a tough match, as we're plum tuckered; Shirra, Collett, Reed, and Argenti all start with stamina at or below 92%.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Reed, Laux, Feruga (c), Loseille, Mair, Morvan, Collett, Shirra, Argenti, Aarts.
Subs: El Sayed, Suslov, Hammatt, Bailey, Julio, Petts, Stringel.

We're the victims of yet another unwarranted penalty in the first half. Arsenal doesn't miss the opportunity to go ahead. We certainly have our chances to respond, but neither Argenti nor Aarts can convert back to back easy chances. When Woj Feruga is sent off with a straight red, one that was definitely worthy of at least a yellow, the game is lost. Once again we can't score, and we lose a match against one of our biggest competitors. We are completely out of sorts right now.




Wrexham 0-1 Arsenal



I think it's fair to say that we've been hurt by bad penalties than advantaged. Worse, it's very rare that we give up a penalty that was worthy of being called one, most of them are from bad refereeing. This is the system trying to fight back against us as upstarts, and won't change until we're the biggest team in the world. Then we'll start getting these calls going our way, and it will be oh so sweet.




At least one of my players knows how to accept the consequences of their behavior. With Feruga and Todd both out for the next two matches we're going to be starting O'Hanlon or Hammatt alongside Laux.




Their loss would be our gain, Romanchuk is an excellent coach and far better than the retreads being mooted as his replacement. Also, check out that hair!

At Doncaster Rovers, January, 2023
Premier League


If we don't win this I'll know we're in deep trouble. Claus Damgaard is getting his first senior team start as I need to give one of Collett or Argenti a rest.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: El Sayed, Loseille, Hammatt, O'Hanlon, Suslov, Bailey (c), Petts, Collett, Julio, Damgaard, Stringel.
Subs: Kovacevic, Reed, Laux, Dixon, Mair, Shirra, Argenti.

Julio puts us on top at the quarter hour. Damgaard quickly establishes himself as a right wanker, drawing a red card and a penalty when he flops. Petts doesn't convert from the spot, but the opposing defender was sent off and we're on easy street. The half ends with an own goal by the Doncaster keeper, and the scoring is wrapped up when Collett scores yet again. We have so many chances we should have won by 7, and despite the victory I'm not all that happy. When I inform the players that they'll have to do better against tougher opposition they get upset and confused. What a bunch of primadonnas.

Man of the Match: Oleg Suslov.




Doncaster 0-3 Wrexham



Either we'll get revenge or we'll get screwed by the ref again.



The team doesn't need more players, it just needs everyone to be healthy and present.



And by present I don't just mean Bastable and Mujkic, I mean not suspended.



I still don't understand why I couldn't send him to Radnicki. Not being able to do so sets back the time before he becomes an EU citizen by half a year.

At Everton, January 24, 2023
Premier League


I don't know what it is about Everton managers, but they all like to pick fights with me. The new one is no different. He's talking a lot of trash about how we can't possibly win anything with our kids, ignoring that an even younger team won the FA Cup two years ago.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Reed, Laux, Hammatt, Suslov, Bailey (c), Morvan, Collett, Shirra, Argenti, Stringel.
Subs: El Sayed, Loseille, O'Hanlon, Mair, Julio, Taborda, Aarts.

The Golden Boy sets up Collett to put us ahead one-nil in the 16th minute. Then Stringel scores his first goal for the club, set up by Collett and poor marking. Collett bags his brace, and his 12th goal of the year, to make it 3-0 after a half hour. We look to be on our way to an easy victory.

Then Everton storms back in the second half, knotting the game at three-all by the 73rd minute. I've gone from blasé about their first goal to mortified that we're going to drop a game in which we had a three goal lead. The team doesn't let me down, though. Argenti immediately puts us back in the lead two minutes after Everton completed their comeback, and Stringel finishes the fireworks display with another goal in the 84th minute. It's only then that my heart palpitations ease. After the match the team doesn't seem to understand why I'm upset about a two goal win, seemingly forgetting that they had just squandered a three goal lead.

Man of the Match: Matty Collett




Everton 3-5 Wrexham




Taborda also just recently returned to full health. Now all we're missing are our Australians.

vs. Manchester City, January 28, 2023
Premier League


This will determine who's atop the league for the moment, though City do have a game in hand on us. If we win we'll be in excellent shape for the final three months despite having lost twice and drawn once this month.

Starting Formation: 4-2-3-1 Control
Starting 11: Kovacevic, Cirjak, Laux, Todd, Suslov, Bailey (c), Petts, Collett, Shirra, Taborda, Stringel
Subs: El Sayed, Reed, Hammatt, Morvan, Mair, Argenti, Aarts.

We create a flurry of chances but don't convert in the first two minutes. Then City create a flurry of chances and do convert in the next two minutes. Matty Collett continues his argument for Wrexham player of the year when he equalizes in the 22nd minute, and from then on the rest of the match is a cagey back and forth battle with chances for each side going just over or wide of the net. I'm willing to accept a draw, but then we give up yet another late game goal. This one comes from Mark Bloem in the 87th minute, and it gives our title rivals all three points.




Wrexham 1-2 Man City



Maybe I should buy him away from Manchester City...



He's now higher paid than I am. That makes him the only player we have earning more than me.




You're so crazy, Manchester United. Celtic would make more sense if I wanted to loan out Hammatt, but he's too good for the Scottish League and I don't think they're going to make it any further in the Champions League.



Stringel makes his first team of the week, but I'll be very happy when we have Bastable back.




I'm not selling Taborda at a lower price than we got for El Juez, even if our relationship has cratered.



This is the first time I'm monitoring the transfer deadline closely, we've got plenty of money in the bank and if I can find an upgrade somewhere (or someone makes me a worthy offer for Taborda) I want to be able to take advantage of it. But there's no reason to splash cash willy-nilly.



Real Madrid is bargain hunting after I rejected a £23m offer for Matthias Laux. They end up offering nearly £8m for Feruga and over £31m for Laux, neither of which I accept as Feruga is a solid rotation option and Laux can get even better than he already is.



O'Hanlon gets his loan deal, heading to Southampton to try and save them from relegation.



Despite increasingly gigantic offers for Laux, Real Madrid cannot wrest him away from us. For all the sturm und drang of the winter window we end having made only one significant change, cashing in on El Juez and replacing him with Stringel.



We're now five points back of Manchester City and they have a game in hand. Our dreams of a title will vanish if we don't stop screwing around. It's entirely possible we'll be in fourth once Arsenal plays the game they have in hand. It's one thing to lose against Manchester City and Arsenal, but losing to Norwich and drawing with West Ham is entirely another. Had we taken care of business against the lower half of the table, we'd be in first place right now.