I really admired how he loyally stuck with his teams even though - with no disrespect intended - they rarely threatened to take home much silverware. A sort of template for my own teams, really. He was reliably, comfortingly always there. Yeah, we’ll miss you, VT.
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I got my first 16/4 but as I was only 4 games from the end of the season I've had to sell him. Sad times.Comment
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I've had two applications to take the vacant teams in the OTF top division. Would it be fair to try and hold off the takeovers until the midpoint of the season, so that the actively managed teams will each have had one game against the uncoached?
Or is that pushing my luck to expect the new managers to hold off that long?Comment
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If you have some keen interest then I would accept straight away, they may not stick around and there may not be any interest if you wait for mid-season.Comment
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As a player I've always looked on that as a valid hazard. Teams do get 'new manager bounces' in real life.
I hadn't realised VT was IsThatcherDeadYet. Every single time that name came up I would smile.Comment
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Thanks all, good to have a consensus. Going to activate them now, whilst realising that actually only one of them is for a top division side, the other is for the vacancy in the bottom division. Speed reading must have failed me earlier!Comment
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4.6Mill Not too bad. He had no SQs. Weirdly I got a message saying the transfer was being investigated for irregularities. Bit odd. Went through though as obviously there wasn't any from my end.Originally posted by Sits View PostLast edited by Harbinger of Hope; 09-11-2022, 16:37.Comment
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I presume it was an official league? Any transfers over a certain percentage are reviewed first just to make sure both parties are legit. It's to stop players being sold unscrupulously to increase funds at a particular club.Comment
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Yeah an official league. Different one to mine that has just had their change report.Originally posted by Sean of the Shed View PostComment
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Just had the difficult task of inactivating VT from his Yarra Valley Aelwyd team in the Heineken League. There was never going to be a good time to do it but it's done now. If anyone here fancies taking up the reins at VT's team then please feel free to apply.Comment
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I saw Sean's move above in the Heineken a couple of days ago and can only applaud him for finding the heart to take such a difficult decision. Having spent much time wondering about my own options over in MLX I think I'll have to do the same with Teulu Goleudy, but it's very hard to bite the bullet. It feels a bit 'disloyal' in some way, which I know is probably silly of me. Just tough to find the point between it feeling "too soon" and not letting the team go to wrack and ruin.Comment
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It's such a difficult decision to have to make for all of you.Comment
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Thank you Antepli Ejderha. I was very pleased to land the cup again after quite a long gap since the last one - it does not get any easier in the MLX that's for sure
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It certainly doesn't, bravo mate
Good luck to all OTFers in the playoffs when the MLX postseason kicks off tomorrow!Comment
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On a different note, a pleasing coincidence I've just noted leads me to throw a question out to the floor here. Who are everyone's 'most-capped' X11 players ever – i.e. who has played the very highest number of games for any of your teams, preferably all under your own management?
The coincidence is that both my Royal Atlantis (Heineken League) and Tiree Automatic (Xpert Zone) teams have veteran superstars due to retire at the end of their present season, respectively midfielder Harald Hardrada and defender Campbell Machrihanish, and when setting up my Tiree tactics for later today just now I twigged that rather marvellously both of them are on exactly 444 career appearances right now. They are also each approaching the end of their 23rd and final season as a player.
Machrihanish (finishing as a 38/14) only has 3 games to go in his career, yet is still tracking to end up with more than Hardrada (who has about half a dozen left in the Heineken) as he's still playing a larger role in the current Tiree side than Hardrada (currently a 39/12) is in the current Atlantis one, where alas he's been almost completely phased out this season despite ranking as one of our very greatest ever. Machrihanish is in fact due to overtake him in about 6 1/2 hours' time when he makes his 445th outing for Automatic.
Both, however, are a step below my all-time leader on the Xpert appearances podium: current Mars Rovers (J4GL) midfield star Veli Hati, who at 37/16 is still almost at the top of his game and, although the season there is running down too, still has no intention to retire until at least the end of the next one – just as well, as he currently remains our top midfielder and first name on the teamsheet after a mammoth 487 games and counting over 22 campaigns. In the J4GL though Hati has the advantage of having cup games to play in as well, albeit on the flip side it only has 10-team league divisions whereas both the Heineken and Xpert Zone have 12s.
Hati is also the top appearance-maker among all extant J4GL players across the 185-team league. Even if he announces this New Year that he plans to retire at the end of next season, he has a great chance to make the magic 500 mark for Mars before he goes, which is a figure I'd never even imagined a player of mine reaching until now. Has anyone else here ever had a player make it?Comment
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Nesim Karaman 379 and still playing in the Golden League
Ibrahim Yildirim and Ertem Namli both reached 388 in the Heineken
Nalan Tataroglu retired on 364 in the Human League
Hazar Levent retires at the end of the season, he's on 489 and should hit 500. He's in a league with my ex students.
Safat Ersoy reached 379 in the MLX
Arda Gurkanoglu hit 413 and Fikret Yucel 401 in OTF.Comment
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In short, 400 is quite the achievement and 500 is hen's teeth territory.Comment
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Unsurprisingly, given that I haven't been playing this as long as you VA, I can't match that. But I can offer up a different statistical challenge:
Who has the (long lasting) player with the greatest percentage of possible matches played?
I offer up Brachio Saurus, who has played in 210 out of 213 possible AFC Isla Nublar games, that's 98.6%. Still only 27, Brachio has never been suspended and never received a red cross injury. There have only been four minor injuries that have unsettled this lanky midfielder. In only one season did Brachio miss two games, and that was (coincidentally?) the only season that the Dinos have failed to get promoted in the Heineken League.Comment
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Waveney Valley Swifts (OTF)
Clas Ahlund - 389
Matelots Malouins (MLX)
Louison Reau - 353 (still playing at 38)
Holkham Forest (THL)
Eva Chapman - 358
South Hams United (Heineken)
Salvatore Antonini - 425
Sofus Sodemann - 392 (still playing at 36)Comment
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Turd Division (OTF) - Jason Fish (GK) 337 apps
Turd Derision (Golden League) - Dominic Hardiker (MF) 309
Penwith Players (Heineken League) - Stephen Bartinney (MF) 307
Empire State Humans (The Human League) - Zelinda Fanucci (MF) 244
Clash City Rockers (Brythonnic Premiership) - Marcel Vatrai (MF) 310
Spirit Of Eden (J4GL) - Abilio Simples (GK) 442 (although there are another four players over 400 appearances from before I took over.)
I don't tend to let players make old bones. Maybe I should tweak that.Comment
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League Team All time Current Golden Flapton Nogley Ricardo Montenegro (314) Darcy Latchford (189) Xpert Ladies Ambient Cheese FC Julianna Secco (328) Jessica Dekoninck (216) MLX Effing Epistaxis Bentley Baxterbahn (253) Morpeth Incandescent (184) Heineken Framley Opstreperous Gordon Gnarl (356) Ted Bovis-Hunte (317) Human Queues Likely Dawn Purser (284) Beverley Mile-Post (265) OTF Whoft Fluffopolis Belvedere Mintfresh (302) Dexter Sprockett (242) Brythonnic Wripple Vetivers Drago Middlepocket (297) Dewayne Yopney (273) Comment
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Look this is sure to jinx the lady concerned but Satai Delenn in my Braceby Ladies team in the Human League has played in every one of Braceby's 231 league games to date. That is almost 13 complete seasons, and in all that time she has only ever received 7 yellow cards and has had one 3-day injury. In season 3 she received 2 of those yellow cards so that was the only time she was at risk of a suspension.She is 34 now and I fear is due to give in her retirement notice at the end of the season (which is 3 more games I think)Originally posted by lambers View Post
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Berkshire Swine’s academy midfielder Gaston Purperhart reached 408 matches before he retired at 39.
At Gloucester Old Spots, Rio Singleton managed 415 matches despite retiring at 37, a function of the longer Heineken season.
I went and checked my old Golden League team Lincolnshire Curly Coats and Quincy Sefton, my 16/4 academy product, got to 410.
The other teams are newer.Comment
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