X11 season 45 - de rigueur Mortis

[ad hoc]

It's been a difficult month. The joint managers of WdlZ surprisingly lost their maternal grandfather (and their paternal one has been in hospital too). I keep meaning to ask them if they want me caretaker manage both teams while they get their interest in trivia back but obviously it's not the first thing on the agenda when I call

[Sits]

Sorry to hear that ad hoc.

[Various Artist]

Oh no, very sorry to hear it ad hoc. Hope they're hanging in there.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Really sorry to hear that ad hoc.

[Etienne]

It's a shame the game doesn't have some sort of function that allows managers time out without seeing their teams form disintegrate. Though I am not sure how it would work.

[Etienne]

Antepli if you're still looking for ladies league bargains there's a 16/4 being offered for 300k.

[Antepli Ejderha]

Antepli if you're still looking for ladies league bargains there's a 16/4 being offered for 300k.

Thanks for the tip off. She's got hidden leadership and good compatibility and the deadline is 8am tomorrow, bid made. Three games to go is pushing it but even as a 17/4 it's ok.

[Etienne]

I've just placed Eugene Astle on the transfer market. Feel slightly emotional about it. 369 games, 125 XI appearances, 3 titles. Cal Asken has big shoes to fill.

[Sits]

What's his list price Etienne? Enough to make a sale worthwhile rather than share with the new boy?

[Etienne]

I've been told I can expect 1.2m for him. Dragons have been so short of cash for so long, I think I could do with that. His form has been resolutely terrible this season so I'd have had to factor training costs in.

[Etienne]

Someone has put an offer in, so it's too late to change my mind.
Borisz "Big" Birta is also on the list, as well as youth product Rodger Bixby.

[Kevin S]

In possibly related news, I just scouted a 38/14 keeper called Steven Wilkerson who came up as a 38/13, no hidden skills and excellent compatibility. I put a bid in as that's a decent upgrade on Steaua's Frank McLen.

[Etienne]

I think we can be sure that is the same guy.

[Kevin S]

Especially if you can't see him on the market.

[Etienne]

Which I can't.

[Antepli Ejderha]

I've tried logging on to Xpert Eleven just now and it keeps taking me to fucking adverts.

[Pat Pending]

I'm just getting a blank page after logging on.

[Various Artist]

Oh man, this is a seismic day if Eugene Astle's leaving the Dragons. He's been my benchmark for developing a goalie in X11 for about as long as I can remember.

Great if he can stay in the league, though. Is it too late for Kev to submit a Direct Transfer offer? Otherwise he might have to take a screenshot of Eugene's profile and then recreate him if he manages to sign him as Steven Wilkerson.


Edit: Apparently a Direct Transfer isn't possible (do we even have them switched on in the OTF?), as there's no option on his player profile to evaluate him.

I undersold Eugene previously, if anything – he's been a benchmark for developing any player, frankly. When I joined the game he was already a 20/8 and a couple of seasons later had moved on to 22/10, which were age/skill combinations unique within the league and which I hadn't even dreamt of at that early stage of playing X11. Trying to match his progress with current Mortis first-choice goalie Wilbur Greenwood (who at 29/16 has finally surpassed his idol) has always been a fun sort of unofficial challenge for me over the past dozen seasons.

Here's his face, anyway, screengrabbed for posterity and potential recreation:

[Etienne]

Direct Transfers are switched off in OTF. They always have been, I don't remember ever having a discussion about it.

[Janik]

I'm just getting a blank page after logging on.

I had that earlier but it's back now.

[Antepli Ejderha]

I had that earlier but it's back now.

Back for me now.

[jdsx]

I've just placed Eugene Astle on the transfer market. Feel slightly emotional about it. 369 games, 125 XI appearances, 3 titles. Cal Asken has big shoes to fill.

Blimey, 78 XI captains - is that a record??

[SouthdownRebel]

The AA-S academy has just dribbled out a 16/5 striker. Naturally, I've plopped him straight onto Ebay. Meanwhile I've suffered yet another injury and suspension in the course of being knocked out of the Cup tonight, and we still haven't scored a goal in the league.

[Sits]

Weren't tempted to see how high you could get him with nurturing? Imagine an 18/8...

Meanwhile I've replicated the Swine's drawing phase of last season across most of my roster now. It's a thrill ride.

[Kevin S]

Steaua Bridge seem to have responded well to me taking the team over. Seven wins in a row now.



However, Monday sees us at Brian Munchingflapjack, who are W5 D1 L0 at home, and haven't conceded a goal at The Green in those matches. A big test of whether we can hang on to this cherished Team of the Month lead.