dan-likes-trees

Got my fingers crossed! Nonetheless, Aqui1a and Eights next up for me so the ball is thoroughly in your court. Inter has been good at picking points off the title contenders, as shown today!

Eights out of the race. Aqui1a will be by Tuesday. Please drop points Peeps Also - title race could easily go down to the final game with all three remaining challeners in the mix!!! @MilaGi I sent you some Words with Winston as I don't think Tales will be up for it for a while, the suckkeerrr

Plus an injury struck Eights - 3 easy points if ever there were some to retain your claim on the most storied trophy cabinet!

What a day to be a Lion!!! Can't wait to blow my chance at the league against @Zell on Friday. Good week to have your DuDs match @The Peeps Might be a while till i get interview back from @Tales after today! Congratulations to @MilaGi for doing the double over Eights!. Who's going to stay up, Russian Rev Inter or AC Elites??

In the first of a series of Words with Winston arguably the game's greatest surviving manager, Nikos9, joins us. We talk heritage, winning titles, and dragging a huge team back from the brink of relegation. "I have recently discovered that my friend who ran the Russian team, isn’t actually managing them anymore... My guess is [the new manager is] Haden" If I could start by saying that it’s a pleasure to talk with such a talented manager. Three Elite Championships, one Championship cup title. The Inter record is, perhaps surprisingly, the best of any current manager. What is your goal at this stage in your career? Is it tough to stay motivated when you have won all there is to win, or is the aim now to become and cement status as the greatest manager of all time? Thanks for the intro! To be honest, it is hard to stay motivated having achieved everything but that’s not the main reason why. Off the top of my head I’ve introduced nine of my personal friends to this league and I’ve now outlasted all but one of them. The only one who remains is French Riviere but I think he only remains here to humour me and avoid persistent badgering. Haden was the last of my ‘serious about the game friends’ and he was actually the one who brought me here. Also, I have recently discovered that my friend who ran the Russian team, isn’t actually managing them anymore but he won’t tell me who’s in charge of them now…all I know is that he must have had previous managerial experience judging on their recent track record. My guess is Haden, if anyone but it could equally be someone random so who knows but I’m not concerning myself with that. Anyway, back to the point, I’m not finding it to be as fun anymore without the others to abuse or talk to about it etc. My aim was to become the omnipotent force of N-Euro, have a team like Eights’ a few seasons ago and dominate everything for about five seasons then retire on a high, mwahahaha…but with the immergence of teams like yourself and Lylat that obviously never happened and I’m not naive enough to think that it ever will! As far as my goal now, it’s simply to stay up to fight another day. After that, I’m not sure. A part of me wants to stick around and see how my developing players turn out but then I could do that forever, where does it end?! "My aim was to become the omnipotent force of N-Euro, have a team like Eights’ a few seasons ago and dominate everything" The first half of the season was disastrous for Inter. You are clawing your way back up the table but what was so bad about this period for you, and when did you realise Inter's relegation worries were serious? You mention win bonuses but was it also a dangerous underestimation of teams that you should be beating? And what would demotion mean for a team like Inter? I think it was around five games in when the only team I’d beaten was an inactive Dud and I’d lost to the Russians, Aquila at home and drew with Coloccini at home…all games I’d have expected to win which meant when I played the better teams I’d expected to drop points to and did, my team were in a very precarious position. I’m not sure I completely underestimated them because I fielded strong teams but those are the sort of games you need to blood in the youth and perhaps that’s how I got caught out, combined with the fact I thought I could put the minimum win bonus on to save up money to buy new players next season. All good in theory, however, I forgot to train players for a few weeks and form dived from unexpected defeats on top of that. Maybe the opposition fielded their strongest sides out against me too so they can take credit for being the stronger teams on the day with higher form and most likely higher win bonuses. In answer to your other question, demotion would be the end of Inter once and for all…not that I’m a quitter when the chips are down but that would be a good indication that my time is up and it would feel as good a time as any to hang up my managerial boots and let other teams have their time to shine. There have been whisperings that the title winning Inter teams of the past would struggle for top three in the current crop of contenders. To your mind how strong are the top teams right now in comparison to the teams of past generations? They’re close to being the best of all time but not there yet. I remember when I first started out, looking at the top league, teams like Haden’s and AC’s first squads were scary, there were others too like Charlie’s and Roostophe’s, Happenstance and Ed Kirby if I remember rightly. I was just happy when they all retired because it meant teams like mine and Eights’ could start to get closer to the top. Tales is regarded as the greatest manager of the series by many, yet Inter have notched up more titles. Do you feel undervalued as a manager? No, I like to take the role of the underdog, it makes victory that much sweeter! I thrive off proving people wrong. Despite the storied history the last few seasons have been unfruitful. This would be understandable if strong youth were coming through but to be blunt, there isn’t much Inter youth and the ones here, Safin, Kent, aren’t good enough. What has been the gameplan in the past two middling seasons? "This is a Winston’s Words exclusive but twelve of my seventeen players have the training cone ability!!!" Money has been my main issue to be honest, I thought I could buy decent youth and build them up then as my legends get older, sell the older guys off for good money to buy even better youth then the squad gets stronger. However, Skywalker is the only one who really is stand-out. The others are just the best I could get for my money. To let you in on a little secret, I scour the market and spend a lot of econs evaluating players, only buying those with training cones. I thought this would also save me money on training in the long term but the truth is, it doesn’t make as big a difference as I’d expected. I’ve never told anyone this before so this is a Winston’s Words exclusive but twelve of my seventeen players have the training cone ability!!! I consider it to be the best hidden trait and players sell on for higher value with this too so I thought it would be good to have a squad full of them, lol. It’s not helping me much at the moment though as my league positions shows. As a multi-title winning manager - would you say that it is tactics or long term development that is the key to actually winning the title, and what was the cutting edge to clinching the numerous Inter titles? It’s probably a combo of the above. I think I got my edge over the better teams by being unpredictable. I tried to think as though I was playing against my team and what I’d do to stop me, then do the opposite to confuse the opponents…things like varying up my formation / play maker etc and thoroughly scouting the other teams last few games and our previous meetings and so on. Now I don’t have quite the time to do that as in depth as I used to and I’m trying to tailor my sides more to what the xpert system thinks is good as opposed to what I think I should do to win…maybe that’s where I’m going wrong. Could you talk about a couple of highlights if your N-Europe managerial career? The whole nWo / Nexus saga was great, winning the titles, beating better opposition consistently through superior tactics when I was a newish manager and learning the ropes was fun. Too many to remember, maybe that’s a sign! :P Thanks to Nikos9 for taking the time to talk with us. Some tantalising intriguing info to be gleaned here - the title winning Nikos teams are stacked with hard trainers - Russian Rev have a mystery manager, alongside alot of useful advice for young managers in there. We will be watching the rest of Inter's campaign with interest - the manager sounds to be nearing the end of his career but there i clearly still ambition here and for this mighty team. Words with Winston - The managers Nikos9 Eights Coloccini Peeps Ellmeister

Excellent news. I'll add you all to the list. Will start with Eights - should get som equestions over tomorrow. I must warn you all that I have a more abrasive interviewing style than Nikos did!

I'm going to start doing inter-view or as I shall term them, Words With Winston. Anyone interested give me a shout. I'd like to talk to @Tales and @Zell amongst others. Edit, also @Ellmeister Quite interested to hear in anyone from Upper League to be honest

Top four have uneasy half as title is as undecided as ever It’s rare to reach midseason with so many points dropped by so many of the big teams. Eights have been uncharacteristically inconsistant - a drubbing at the hands of coloccini, and this week not a single shot on target against a stubborn Aqui1la - whilst Lylat have been solid but unremarkable, with too many draws against the big teams. Winston have emerged in recent weeks but a poor start to the season could be their downfall. This all makes for thrilling viewing for the neutrals, with four teams within two points of them top, and there is really little to pick between the Elite Four at this stage. All eyes will be on the return leg of Lylat vs Eights - a massive showdown, but Lylat have never had the Yellow-Sub knack for picking points off the goliath. Eights on eighteen after poor season Classic Eights - They have had an absoloute shocker of a season, with an array of uncharacterstically inconsistent results, yet still they sit, precasiously, top of the perch at mid-season. A drubbing at the hands of Coloccini was bad, and not a single shot off against a stubborn Aqui1la was worse. Nonetheless they have won the games that really matter - hammering Winston and Lylat 4 and 3 - 1 - but the second half of the season will bring away fixtures against the three other title contenders. Improvements will be needed, fast - a thin squad has caused problems, and star player Almaas has had a stinker of a season. Lylat wander up the table in an unremarkable first half Lylat have picked up the points that they should have but not much more. Pilgrim has had a poor season, too often tightly marked, but Accrington has enjoyed freedom in the center, with 7 g&a’s. A 2-2 away draw with Winston was an important marker for the season but they will need to take more decisive wins if they are serious about a title challenge. Defence is lightweight but Max Roberts is they key man in holding this team together. Winston roar up the table after poor start Much like their rivals, Winston have had a mixed season - low points have seen them held by Aquil1a, pipped by AC and bruised by Eights. Away at Inter, however, they recorded the highest match ratings the xpert upper league has ever seen - this is a seriously dangerous team with the potential to take it to the top. As it stands they have probably overtaken Maddog as the best team never to win the league. They will need to do better against their rivals - 2 points out of a possible 9 against their title rivals is not good enough, and they currently conceed too many goals. Boring Aqui1a could boost up the table Aqui1a have a remarkable defensive record, having conceeded only four this entire season; Ricardo Forbes is a real MVP, the key to this team. However, with the title race wide open they have failed to capitalise - negative tactics have meant games that could have been 3 points were only 1. The fans will be disappointed they havent seized their chance but Aqui1a are only 2 points off top spot - they could grind their way to the top yet. Tuesday’s home game against Eights could prove to be a massive statement of intent - the title race could yet be Winston / Aqui1a rather than the predicted Lylat / Eights. Colo on the ropes after early jet start Colocinni have impressed in 2015 - 3 - 1 against Eights was probably the upset of the season and a deserved result, and Mangani has been exceptional between the sticks. Friday’s win over AC was huge after three losses on the trot. They sit 5 points clear at mid-season but have a long way to go to secure safety. The return fixture against AC will be a big game, and further along the return to Russian Rev will be crucial in the relegation run-in. Average form should be better at this stage, and the defence is proving a touch flimsy. The final match of the season against Inter could be massive - the home crowd will be well up for it. AC peak too soon A few weeks ago the manager sounded as surprised as anyone to post a gloating message on the forums off the back of a big win against Winston, which had put him top of the league. Since then AC have picked up a mere point, caneering down the table and now hovering dangerously close to the relegation spots. Their final two games should be an easy 6 points but until then AC have their work cut out keeping within reach of safety. Title hopes look flimsy at this stage but a few wins could yet kickstart a challenge given how poorly the leaders have been performing, but the manager will need to get the team playing more attacking football - they have the lowest goals record in the league - poor from a manager who has berated negative tactics in the past. Yellow Sub steered toward safety after rough start The fixture list was unkind to Yellow Sub; the first four fixtures, at Eights then away at three of the current top four, yielded only two points. Since then The Sub have bounced back and whizzed up the table away from relegation mire, conceding only twice in their last five games. Kirkby has been a beast at the back - Sub have the league’s 2nd best defensive record - and the team’s strength in depth has helped this season. Fans will be gutted that the manager hasn’t pushed on - a win against Russian Rev on Friday would have put the team right into the mix of the title race but the team were poor and deserved only the point. Youngsters are getting sufficient gametime. Inspiring Russian Revolution This writer has been impressed by The Rev this season. Despite being locked in relegation mire, they have given it a good go - an impressive win at Inter set a precident, and draws away at Aqui1 and Yellow Sub have impressed. Youngsters like Stalin and Davydenko are getting plenty of gametime - Grantspinks is acquitting himself well and, though safety looks unlikely particularly after an early loss to Coloccini, this is a team bound to throw up surprises between now and the season’s end. Inter-locked in real relegation battle A cursory glance would have you believe Inter are having a real stinker - 7 points from 9 matches, but a closer look reveals tight loses at every corner - four times they have lost by only a goal, and despite a solid scoring and defence record they have won only one game, in a token 3 points against DuDs. Nikos recently issued an emphatic press conference message blaming big win bonuses from his rivals as his downfall. At mid-season Inter are 5 points off safety - it’s attainable with such a strong team but this big ship could easily still sink. Gandalf Gray will need to keep working his magic - another couple of losses and it will be panic stations and Nikos could finish bottom of the 9. DuDs This team will become known as another to be chucked on the pile of almost-rans - a semi-final place in the NE Cup will be their biggest achievement. This year they are the league’s whipping boys, and even teams as poor as Inter and AC are having a go. Looking at the team setup you can se hwy the manager quit - the team is ageing, there are no players of real quality - there was no long term gameplan here and things were beginning to unravel.

How many goals? Gotta be coming round to The Poch now Dazzy? Bentaleb, Mason, Rose, The Hurrikane and that's just the homegrown youngsters... what a future!

I seem to be a mere point behind you and Eights at mid season!!

Ah, I'm sure Granås won't be too much of a loss.. hang on a second Bloody hell!! Speaking of stats, why am I not winning the league??

Too right. Now I know how Mourinho feels losing to piddly little Bradford! Shocking result for Winston. Luckily all the big boys are rubbish this year so we still have a shout Thats like 3 years in real time!! I'm starting a campaign for it. Cup doesn't generate the interest pre-season cos everyone always needs a bit of an xpert rest by the end of a season. The real thing, with group stages and neutral grounds is a beast!!

How good is upper league this season? 6 teams within 3 points of top spot, and two relegation spots wide open to the middle league of no return! By the way, any chance of another cup season any time soon? It was so much fun!

Jynxed yourself there a bit didn't you! Great start to the Elite league for the neutrals. Going to be tight for title and tight for relegation spots Poor start for Winston. Gutted about not beating Aqua. Psyched for my first match against Lylat since they stopped being shit..

Don't b a h8er cos you were attacked by the press!!

Cheers bro - writing it had the same effect on me. Pretty hyped for the season now - next two seasons will be huge for the current Elite League managers. More interested in sticking around long term too, keen to see how the new teams pan out. Bet you're pretty gutted about only getting a point against that crappy team of runners up you played today huh? I'm sure the season will improve! Would possible be interested in doing fortnightly elite league writing if someone else is interested in doing the alternate week btw.

I learnt from the master!! Seriously though, it took an age to put together, increased my already-huge respect for your work on the xpert forums!! @peeps - yeah, better if you post it i think. not the same without the pictures though, so be sure to send em a link to the forum! Cheers everyone. The new teams look absolutely killer - fantastic dynamic for the leagues - any upper league teams relegated this season won't make it back next season, and for mid leaguers promotion this season will have to happen now! Federer was saying that he was planning a dv season in mid league but now thinks that if he doesn't get promoted this season, before the new teams make it to mid league, he'll never made it back up. Very exciting scenes! Also, bought myself 31-14 hard trainer for 4m. Game on.

XPERT 11 SEASON 34 The Times They Are a-Changin' You don't know how to play football. Your whole generation, you play football for the wrong reasons. My generation, we play football because it's good, because it feels better than unbuttoning your collar, because we deserve it. We play football because it's what men do. As we transition into a new year the world around is siwrlign and changing at pace. Time is running out for the older generation of professionals. Some are world weary, some struggle to adapt to the future, whilst those with a long term gameplan look anxiously over their shoulder at the young ones, their new ways, new tactics, their new world. There will be only two seasons before an entirely new pecking order will be installed as the outrageously powerful new teams will make their first assault on the upper league. The time to win the upper league is now. The time to develop is now. Xpert looked like it was dieing as chief writer and PR man Haden left, but in the league competition is more fierce than ever before. Hi everyone, Roger Federer here! My good pal Winston has asked me to write a short piece to go with his pre-season report, and, as a 17 time Grand Slam Tennis Champion and current ATP World Number #2 Tennis Player, I am certainly not one to dissapoint! As you would expect from a tennis player who has won 82 Tour-Level titles over the course of the past 15 years, I know a thing or two about change. And - boy! - you could say the changes to the N-Euro Championship this year is the biggest sporting shake-up since Ivan Lendl plonked himself down at the baseline with an aluminum racket. New faces. New names. Beach Bumps? Caltech Sheldonians? RSC Pebble?! They are young, spring chickens, ready to challenge global Xpert hegemony! They are Nick Kyrgios, bravely striking down old, tired Spaniards (Rafa Nadal! Haha! What a plonker! Lost in the fourth round!). To me it says: New rivalries. New Season of Mad Men this Summer on AMC. New stories to tell your grandchildren. And let us not forget our old friends, disappearing over the horizon - they are our Sampras, our Borg, our McEnroe; they may be gone, but they shall never be forgotten, and it's likely they'll return anyway in a couple of seasons, if only to comment on our antics raking in a fine salary (though, not as much as my lifetime winnings of 88 million US Dollars) on the BBC's new 'Xpert Review' show. Let's hope they are more 'Sue Barker' and less 'Graeme Souness', that's all I'm saying! Haha! I want to say thanks to Winston for completing such a wonderful start of year review - it reminds me, there is a famous scene in television show Mad Men, which you may have heard of. Don Draper, he says, of this wonderful game we play - Xpert is not a spaceship. It is a time machine. it goes backwards and forwards. It takes us to a place where we ache to go again. We travel round and round, before returning home, to a place we know we are loved (I think he means the N-Europe forums). Thanks everyone, Wish me luck for Australia, Your Pal, Roger Federer Upper League Uneasy times for the upper league. Manager verge on leaving, managers panic about the teams of the future, only a few manage to look to the future. The power struggle at the top will be fierce with a host of teams with title aspirations. Lylat Wanderers It has been ten seasons in the making but the Lylat Wanderers starship has finally arrived in some style and looks set to remain top dog. Everywhere on the pitch there is quality, and in Gledhill, Accrington and Rosbottham (rumored to be related to Winston’s Archie Rosebotham) there is a genuinely terrifying future base to this team. The team is set out in the kind of ruthlessly efficient manner that one would expect from a league admin - another successful season for dvs here and they could be start a new era of dominance after the Eights era. This season may be one too early to make it two in a row, but the squad remains the same as the title winning one from last year. Title Odds - 5 / 1 Eights United Can you believe it has been five seasons since Eights last sat atop the throne? Consistently picking up the silver medals, there is frustration from the fans who believe the manager should be topping the league with ease with this characteristically fearsome team. The setup for the squad remains exemplary - youth is coming through amongst older players that are ageing sensationally. The best players in the league reside here - Almaas, Clevan, and veteran Granas - but Lylat is the new boy on the block, and at the same time Tales will be anxiously keeping an eye on the progress of his future challengers in the lower league. Rough times for the manager await. Title odds - 3 / 1 Yellow Sub Zell is a manager who knows how to win titles but he also knows when to allow time for development. Last year the club finished fifth on the back of another title win, but the squad is looking strong as a result. Midfield is a light area, and questions will be asked about Ataisik’s role at his age, but in any case the Sub is a ferocious machine when it is manned by Zell, so despite a weaker team this is a club with title prospects. Title odds - 6 / 1 Intergalatico Stars For whatever reason it has been two seasons of mediocrity at Inter despite a squad that is bursting at the seams with Galacticos. Maximus Decimus is entering his twilight years but remains a potent presence, whilst ramos and the defence is strong and in their prime. Aside from forward Luke Skywalker there isn’t much talent in the youth setup here, and manager has made sounds of waning interest in his career. Nikos may have a renewed lust for silverware this season as a result of his considered retrement, and this a team with the depth to top the pile. Title Odds - 7 / 1 Russian Revolution When did the revolution begin? In their day as Comerade Co-Op this teamwas at times a bit of a laughing stock, shoddily organised, never really making an impact and lacking in a long term strategy. How times have changed - they come off the back of a strong campaign last year and the team is stacked with talented young players just coming into their prime ahead of the skill curve. Like fellow promotees Collocini one would suspect two more seasons will be needed to challenge for top spot but as long as Grantspinks keeps working with Stalin, Davydenko, Lenin and Valuev future glory for Russia could await. A few seasons ago the current setup could be an Elite Title team but right now the top teams are stronger than ever - unfortunate timing, but this pundit remains impressed. Title odds - 30 / 1 Collocini FC Collo dressed to impress last season, unlucky to finish second after a remarkable campaign that they finished undefeated. Canto, Ha, and Ungari there are three youths impressively ahead of the curve. The sheer stregth of the competing Elite league teams means this season will probably end in relegation, but if youth is used wisely this seaosn, there should only be a couple more years until Colo are challenging for top spot. For now, though, they are a yoyo team. Title odds - 40 / 1 Atletico Aqui1la It’s been a loooooong time coming but last season Atletico finally announced themselves as seirous contenders. The biggest transfer story of recent years saw Ricardo Forbes move the the club to the cool tune of 18 million econ - fitting for a player named after a financial magazine. this decision is proving ever more fruitful as Forbes is cementing the back as a 26-14, one of the strongest players in the league. The rest of the team is small but solid, though the back line lacks depth if any injuries strike. Atletico will be eyeing the top prize but this writer suspects a mid table finish. Title odds - 12 / 1 Winston Gardens It has been a strange 2014 for Winston. First, under the tutorage of Roger Federer, they were relegated, and dv suffered heavily. Last season DLT was back at the helm and steered the team to an undefeated first place, with a couple of double jumps for good measure. The squad remains off the pace of the Eights and Lylat but they could be a dark horse in the title race - the squad is strong, deep, the youths are proving delightful and the manager promises a surprise to the fans before transfer deadline day. Title odds - 8 / 1 DUDS baggies DUDS have been stuck for some years in a kind of glum drift, hitting mid table with vicious frequency - it looks like it's getting to the old man who seems on the verge of giving up. In recent years they have been built upon a strong defence which often works with a back five. This is an ageing squad, and manager shows no signs of developing a youth system. For Ryman, Unnarsson and Dhall this represents the last serious chance of silverware. The squad but they are capable of upsets - they reached the NE Cup semi final some years ago - but the lightweight midfield may pose an issue and the manager’s lack of thought of the future is a worry. They may be after one more shot at glory, however. Title odds - 13/1 AC Elites A few seasons ago the manager started to spend big in the hope of buying the club instand success. It was a futile project as - come to the end of their careers with no silverware. In more recent seasons the manager has started to embrace youth. There are some quality players - Tinkle, Pratchett, Zell offer a tremendous spine, but lack of depth and ambundance of youth means this will probably be a development season for the club - encouraging for the fans after some dispaointing years Title odds - 14/1 Middle League Roger Federer Crew Roger is losing his way. He has reportedly been playing Crew Love by Drake on repeat in the changing rooms during pre season in a bid to raise moral after a disastrous campaign last year. Certainly this is a team who should storm this league with ease, but they will doubtlessly be looking at this season as one for building and regeneration - another poor reentry into upper league and that could be it for The Crew. The defence is aging and could use extra manpower,and the team is somewhat unremarkable on the whole. Was the crew just a brief firey flash in the pan or does Roger have the ability to build a team that is sustainable enough to mimic his sprawling tennis career? Title odds - 2 / 1 Rossers Rovers Alongside The Crew these have been the new overperformers of recent years. The squad is saturated by some seriously talented youth - a 21/9, a 18/6. The older generation are clearly here only to act as teachers to the younger players. The future is a long way off for supporters of the club, but the future looks bright - watch this club. French Riviere The club formerly known as Fedex United is in disarray. The manager hasn’t logged in since toward the end of last season, and the squad needs a serious clean up. There is so much that here it’s hard to know where to begin. Borge Kaer and Akerland sit in the middle of the mess screaming to bigger clubs to save them from their dispair. Fans are protestinging outside the stadium, the chairman hasn’t been seen since a mysterious buisness trip to Dubai some months ago. Ne pas bon season awaits. Promotion odds - 50/1 AFC Dedede AFC could be seen spiralling around the lower leagues for much of the past few years but this has been good for development and their time looks like it has almost arrived. The team has promising signs - Carr, Munroe, and greenfield represent the early stages of a great team, and they will play alongside some veterans of fair talent. The midfield is light but there are good signs here - a strong season and the club’s first season in the Elite League could await. Very well set up and credit is due to young manager Jon Dee. Promotion odds - 3/1 Leeds MOT Lucas’s crew are one of those weird lower league teams that swan about for seasons on end, never quite making an impact and somehow avoiding the Elite league. This is a good team - Howson is beast in the center, Olaberriaga a tank in defence. They could easily sustain a promotion campaign, but this writer wonders if they will ever be ready to take on the Elite squads above them. Nonetheless, a good setup and potential for growth from the Northerners. The Familia Familia scenes at this club, who have had their moments but in recent years have generally been happy to sit dead center of the series in the middle of the middle league. Hinton and Archer are both quality players and this is a roudned squad with depth but to really progress up the leagues the manager may have to take a step back and bring in some strong youths.There is no better place to do this than the middle league league Promotion odds - 6/1 Recall United Fans will have to think hard to recall the glory days of this institution of a club, but the team is very balanced and in a good place right now - solid youths and a veteran leader in McAteer This pundit thinks the squad is too big and may hinder dv grwoth but this is an experienced manager who should guide the team to mid table or better Promotion odds - 1 / 11 Gibbs Probies Fans of this bright new club wait anxiously to see if the manager will return for the new season. Again there is a horrific amount of mediocre players that need to be shifted out, including four 22/4’s, and the veterans have little to offer, but in the long term, Rastedt, Gibbs and Burbage show there is value in this team and are players to build a squad around. Promotion odds - 16 / 1 -- Lower League And so it starts. The youth, the new year, the new lease of life. Xpert. Everything. Caltech Sheldonians This is where it starts to get exciting. The Sheldonians are the kind of team that could set this series on fire over the next three seasons. They have a seriously good squad that will have the likes of Eights and Lylats rethinking their long term stratergy. The lower league has never seen players even half as talented as those that line the midfield here - Cuoco, Parsons, Sara are a formidable trio. The youth coming through is better than half the players in middle league let alone lower league. The manager will have no problem making it to the Elite league in two seasons time but need to work on timing his ascent alongside the development of his older players and his developing youths - defence is a weak spot. Watch this team. Promotion odds - 9/1 Super Nashwan The kind of consise setup that brings the glory teams of Eights United to mind, . Nakugbe is entering his prime 26/14 and will hit peak upon entry into the Elite league. The manager should use the next two seasons to bring in some youth - the current teenagers don’t look to make the cut - but aside from that this is another truely dangerous team, and Nakugbe in the center of the park is a Ronaldo in the making. Promotion Odds - 3 / 1 Chesterfield Another truely ferocious team, this newcomer will try their damndest set the lower league on fire. There is a lot of youth in this team - a manager with an eye on the future. For this pundit the squad is too big to develop effectively, especially considering some lesser opposition in the lower league making it harder to get high dvs, but if he gets it right this could be a team to challenge for upper league glory in only two seasons time. The defence is the best area and it has room to grow, but is five attackers a bit superfluous? Promotion odds - 3 /1 Cubic County Poor Cubic County. One season they were floating along in the lower league putting in decent performances, and this seaosn they will be challenged by some utter hulks. 19-7 Lee Lougher has been crying out for a new club but his 10-year contract is proving too much of an issue. Perhaps the manager should take the hit, sell him for 10 mill, and sort out the team with the money? It will be a long season for the county. Promotion odds - 60 / 1 Lords of Hydra Easy to feel sorry for the Lords, who have a well set out team of youngsters with the future in mind, but who will be in for a serious whipping in nearly every match this season. The manager should use this time to develop talents such as Juanmi, Morera, Catanhede. Again there is too many players here and the manager could use a cull. This writer hopes they pull through without too many bruises because these apprentices could turn into Lords yet. Promotion odds - 50 / 1 Destined to Lose True to the name, this squad is one of the lesser new entries to the series. There is quality here but this pundit suspects medicority may await in the middle league in future seasons, and they will surely struggle to reach the promotion spots this season. No offence, DtL. Couple of talents here though, and in time Arleskog could be a true brick wall at the back, a tasty prospect at 17/4 Promotion odds - 14 / 1 RSC Pebble Shakespeare was a good writer but how good will he be as head coach? Another strong and well set out team here with the odd questionable player (Osborne, a 20-5, must go). Promotion may be too much this year but this is a team for the future - it’s just a shame that there are so many veterans in their prime who won’t reach the Elite league in time for glory. Promotion odds - 6 / 1 New Forest Rovers A beautifully crafted team for the future, ComeonuSuperreds has been managing for a long time and his experience shows - Leroy Barnes will be a solid rock at the back and there is some talent in the team as it is. Again there is a big gap between youth and the veterans here so it may be a frustrating few seasons for fans. Nonetheless they have the players to challenge for promotion. Promotion odds - 2 / 1 Beach Bumps Many bumps in lie on the road ahead this season - this is a relatively new team with some great players but some seriously old ones all over the shop. There are only 5 players under 30 in the whole squad - the manager needs to cull, quickly, or the beach party will be coming to an abrupt end. Promotion odds - 9 / 1 Coventry City It’s all about youth in the midlands. Valued at an astonishing 119 million econ, there isn’t many veterans here but they’ll be eyeing up the top prize with the teenagers in the squad right now. Ones to watch. Promotion odds - 9 / 1 Can someone update the below for me, I will if I have time. (Copied from Haden's last year so it's two seasons out of date) AC Elites: @dan\-likes\-trees Yellow Submarine: @Zell --- Atlético Aqui1a: @Aqui1a Coloccini FC: @MilaGi Fedex United: (not on forum) Hadens Legends: @Haden Kippen FC: @Charlie Leeds M.O.T: @Lucas3693 Rossers Rovers: (not on forum) Russian Revolution: (not on forum) The Familia FC: (not on forum) --- AFC Dedede: @Dedede bob: @bob Gibbs Probies: @Agent Gibbs LiVeRpOoL: (not on forum) Lords of Hydra: @Esequiel Madpool: @MadDog Recall United: @Jimbob Spurs: @dazzybee The Sixty-Fourthers: @gaggle64 Good luck and enjoy your season!

Bout time I crawled out of the woodwork...

Same vibe with Winston. Might only have a couple seasons left in me. Still up for doing the first post though if you like peepsy

Been travelling. I'll try not to spam this thread too much! Here are some highlights Just saw this - for me, most of the photos I've posted here were taken with an old Nikon D3000 but I recently upgraded to an Olympus OMD which I loovvveee. Heard good things about the a7 too.

Way to tarnish his title!! Well done peepsy, haven't been following upper league action this season so it was a surprise to see you leading the pack a couple weeks ago. Gutted you beat me to the title! Big f8nal games for middle league, still three teams with title hopes! Roll on tuesday!

Yeah, anyone with a 2012 n7 - don't upgrade it! I think 5 has since been pulled but its made mine almost unusable, which is a real fucking pain as I'm travelling and its my only regular source of internet access. If anyone is in the same position I found turning off tramsitioms and animations on developer mode improves things a touch, but its still awful