Much ADO About Everything – Best of the Rest

A long time ago, so long I can’t remember if it was on here or The Dugout forum, I foolishly boasted three seasons should be long enough to win any league with any club in FM. Well here am I, end of season three with ADO and, not for the first time, proving myself spectacularly wrong.

ADO Den Haag – Another Comeback

The world is on lockdown and it seems half the population has turned to Football Manager for solace.  Me? Not so much.  I need no solace from self isolation given it is, more or less, my socialising of choice.  Nevertheless, working from home and saving two hours a day commuting has given me more time to play my favourite game.  Add to that a surge in FM activity across ‘the scene’ and a save that has grabbed my attention, and I’ve found the increasingly fleeting urge to blog returning with gusto.

Flamengo / Den Haag / Rapid… – games galore, an apology and a hiatus

First of all, another apology. I know it has been a long time since my last update and I hope that no-one has been waiting expectantly. I am currently in the process of moving house which, added to the usual work and family commitments, is consuming an awful lot of my time and effort.

Added to that, I have been writing for a couple of other projects. The first, also FM-related, could be worth your attention – the ‘Clear Cut Chance‘ styles itself as an FM Magazine for thinkers. So if you fit into that bracket, please sign up for email alerts or follow on Twitter.

Secondly, I started writing about real-life football matters at an excellent site called Think Football. The site is well worth a look and, so long as you avoid those attributed to ‘Shrew Naldo’, you should find some interesting reading.

So please do not expect any regular activity on this blog for the coming months. Instead, I’m afraid there will only be intermittent blogs as and when I find the time and wifi access. I’m afraid that the blog might be a little ‘on hiatus’ for the next 2-3 months but it certainly will not be dying off completely. I enjoy the writing too much. Unfortunately, it’s just one of those times when circumstances dicate!

In the meantime, here’s a brief rundown of my time in Brazil and a few other matters.

Den Haag – Title secured, legacy ensured, resignation tendered

Apologies for another long wait between updates but it’s been a mental few weeks in the Naldo household and writing blog updates hasn’t been top of the priority list, unfortunately.

Nevertheless, I’m back with news of a long-awaited success as we FINALLY secured the Eredivisie title… and I promptly resigned.

So there really shouldn’t be too much to this update. A look back at our title-winning season, a look at the legacy being left at the club then why I left and where I’ve ended up.

Read on for more details…

Den Haag – and now for something completely different

DEN HAAG COURIER                                                                                                                                                                   18th May 2018

FINAL DAY DRAMA ONLY MORE MOTIVATION FOR DEN HAAG BOSS

EXCLUSIVE: An interview with ADO’s rising star – manager Shrew Naldo

Den Haag – Patience is a virtue…

… but dropping a 4000lb cluster bomb on the Amsterdam ArenA might be more efficient.

That mob from the capital are swiftly becoming the bane of my (FM) life. Not only have they won the title for the fifth year running, i.e. every season I’ve been playing this save, they also beat me in both domestic cup competitions this season.

I’m not sure that I can blame them for Arsenal knocking me out of the Europa League but, other than that, they are single handedly responsible for ADO Den Haag winning diddly squat instead of a lovely shiny treble.

Anyway, the squad continues to strengthen but much of this update will be spent looking at the new tactic and, specifically, how it has provided us with more defensive stability this season – this at the request of @fm_samo and @fmanalysis

Den Haag – Ch-ch-ch-changes!

So apologies if you have been eagerly awaiting the latest Den Haag update… an unlikely possibility. I have been on holiday in the ar$e end of nowhere and had no internet connection – a refreshing break from normality but meaning that I have now progressed well into the 5th season at the Kyocera without an update.

In fact, I have progressed so far that, as my Bowie-esque title suggests, there have been major changes at the club since I last updated. One of the most significant changes being the tactic that we now use on a regular basis, a major deviation from the original intent of this save.

Those changes have brought success to South Holland, though, as we have secured the first piece of silverware during my tenure. With that success has come some unwanted attention, however – thereby enforcing even further changes… but you’ll have to read on to find out more.

Den Haag – Progress but not quite enough

The least that anyone can expect and the absolute minimum aim for any Football Manager is to make progress year-on-year. Progress can take many forms – a higher league position, a minor trophy for a small club or even simply strengthening the squad on a budget whilst maintaining the status quo during a transition year.

For Den Haag, last season was the first of those and I’m hoping this season will be one of the latter two options.

After the forced sales of two big stars at the start of last year, the aim is to keep this developing squad together and build on what has certainly been a positive, if ultimately frustrating, campaign.

Incidentally, there was no new sponsorship deal announced – hence why I’ve stuck with the same kits as last year.

Read on for more details of how we fared last year, some important transfer news and a fair bit of detail on the developing Germanic Total Voetbal tactic…

Den Haag – The squad is starting to take shape

Having now reached mid-season in my second year at ADO Den Haag, it’s probably time that I did a proper update on the club and the various alterations that have taken place since my last update at the end of the last campaign.

As you would expect at this early stage in the save, we are still very much a club in transition and certainly not to be considered a title challenger. Instead, I foresee this year, and probably next too, being spent slowly building a side using the scant resources at my disposal.

Unfortunately, we are still very much a selling club and every so often our efforts at building a squad will be undermined by the necessity to sell a big name. This has already proven to be the case with two big players leaving this summer – requiring some difficult decisions and a little unorthodox thinking to ensure they are adequately replaced.

Read on to find out more.

Also, I made some new kits… a new season, new kit.

Den Haag – Consistently inconsistent

First season done and dusted. Helped by fewer games than I’m used to due to no continental competition and just 18 teams in the league, it feels like the season has just flown by.

It’s also been a more difficult season than I’ve become accustomed to on my previous save as we’ve conceded more than 3 times the goals as in my last season in Salò. Getting beat on a regular basis has taken some getting used to, I have to admit.

Nevertheless, I’d say it’s not only been a successful season but an enjoyable one and I’m really starting to ‘get into’ my new save with lots of plans building up for the future of the game.

The aim of this season was to analyse my squad, in particular the youngsters, and work on cutting the deadwood loose to allow me to bring in the sort of player that I think will fit into my rather dogmatic tactical approach.

Have we managed to do that? Have I managed to achieve the board’s aims whilst doing so?

I reckon so. Read on to find out more…