Welcome to La Liga 2…

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]Thanks to the support as a channel member Russ Eddie. Well, we have finally been promoted to the second tier in Spain. Now all we need to do is put together a team capable of staying at this level with basically no extra money to do it with. I'm sure it's going to be fine because despite finally find finding out what my budgets going to were going to be at the end of the last episode, the fact that we've only got £60,000 a week to spend on players in the Sagunda Liga or whatever it's called. I think it's called something like that, isn't it? There you go. La Liga 2 apparently um is its official name. Um, so I suspect that the majority of teams in this league have quite a lot more money to spend than that. And as you can see, the teams that get promoted are the ones that come straight back down again.

[00:00:51]These are all the teams we were competing with last season, and they've all just come straight back down. Um, if you were to look at a team that is maybe where we could hope to be in an ideal situation just outside of the relegation zone and have a look at the uh the kind of squad that they've got. If I can figure out how to look at their squad.

[00:01:13]I'm sure there used to be an easy way to look at a squad. What am I missing here?

[00:01:17]Am I just being dumb? Where? Oh, there you go. I thought it used to say squad there. But yeah, these are the kind of salaries we're looking at. So they've got this guy who is on 24 to 40 grand a week.

[00:01:31]So worst case or I guess best case scenario, he's earning half of our entire wage bill. Those top three players that they've got are earning more than we can pay our entire squad and they finished just outside the relegation zone. Um, if we have a look at Esapona who finished bottom, um, as you can see, they've got multiple players on more than£5,000 a week, including players that we tried to sign.

[00:01:58]I mean, that's a guy we tried to sign last summer. Um, I think there's a few of these guys are players who've been on my radar and have gone here rather than coming to us because they were paid more. And as you can see, it hasn't done them much good because they are well, they have finished rock bottom with a much better financial setup than we've got. Can you still do the thing you used to be able to do where you could have a look at total salaries? I don't know if this is something maybe you can do it.

[00:02:30]Oh, here we go. Look, salaries peranom.

[00:02:32]So, we do still have this in FM26. So, the top team 24 million pounds a year salary. Um, real associad B have the lowest wages at3.34 million a year. Let's just work out what£60,000 a week is over a year. So, our budget is going to be 3.1 million.

[00:02:52]So, we're not a million miles away, but we are lower than everybody else. And we have half the budget of like 16th, 17th place.

[00:03:05]It's going to be a summer, boys and girls. We we've done difficult summers before, but this is going to be a I guess the final the final big issue here is going to be how much of a pay rise are the boys going to want off the back of getting promoted. So, let's look at Pena. He's been one of our key players.

[00:03:23]A star man, homegrown over 200 appearances for the club. The kind of player we'd build around for generations. He's on one and a half grand a week at the moment. Let's see what he presumably he's not ready for anything silly like five grand or anything is he? Um oh he wants to double his salary. So what you're telling me is just by renewing the contracts of the players who are already here, we're probably going to go over our wage budget.

[00:03:53]It's going to be fine, boys and girls.

[00:03:56]It's going to be fine. How much is he on now? We we got to we got to try and push this down as far as we can push it. Um there you go. You can have a small payriseise.

[00:04:09]Oh, okay. That's not disastrous.

[00:04:13]Maybe we'll be okay. I'm going to renew some contracts. I'll go back to that in a second. Um Oh, we have our best 11. It would be nice to see the best 11. You can't really see it as a best 11 anymore. Um but it does remind us that Jude McRobie exists. So, Jude McRobie, holy smokes, at Southampton, wanted by Alb Batten. I suspect he's not a player we're going to be able to bring in on loan. Um, is there anyone else in there who Ian Thorns is in our best 11, is he?

[00:04:45]He's still available on a free transfer.

[00:04:46]I actually think we upgraded on him. I don't think we need Ian Thorns back. Um but yeah, there's uh there's definitely a big job to do this summer. The media just want me to attempt to avoid relegation. So ultimately, even if we get relegated, I'm not going to get sacked, which is the right way to do things. I mean, we are we are a tiny little team. I definitely shouldn't be getting punished for us getting relegated because we're almost certainly going to get relegated. Um let's say we know it's going to be tough season.

[00:05:20]We'll probably come back down, but I want you to know that I'm bringing in some new faces. I don't know if I will be. I don't know if we're gonna have any budget.

[00:05:28]Um, can I just do like a non-committal?

[00:05:32]Hopefully, we get back there'll be some new faces.

[00:05:36]H Yeah, there you go. We'll do the new faces one. They're h they're happy with me saying we're getting relegated and I'm going to replace some of you. That's how desperate the situation is. And of course, the money situation continues to get worse as well. So, it's all going to be fine. Yeah, I'm going to do some contracts, Miguel. Goodness me. Leave me to do my contracts. And while Alternate Reality Me is doing his contracts, I'll thank today's episode sponsor, Holi.

[00:06:06]Because Holy have brought back their very popular summer cocktail flavors.

[00:06:10]Available as part of their holy energy range, there are four limited edition cocktail inspired flavors for summer.

[00:06:17]The mjito macau, the capiara colada, the capirinia crab, I don't know what a capiri is that a drink, and the daiquiri dolphin. No, I'm still not allowed to drink energy drinks. So, I'm going to be sticking to my beloved matcha apple and kiwi hydration flavor, which I'm already on to my second tub of since that arrived a few weeks ago. But Anna has been trying the new cocktail flavors and apparently the Capiara Colada is, and I quote, a delight. If you've never tried Holi before, they've actually got a really good starter offer running right now as well. You can get the starter set deluxe for £54 with my code. And that includes a free cocktail mixed box with all four of those flavors in alongside all the usual starter set deluxe goodies which works out at less than 80p per serving.

[00:07:10]The cocktail flavors are limited edition as well. So once they're gone, they're gone. And as usual, if you want to try it out for yourself, use code Lujo 5 if you're a new customer or Lujo if you've ordered from Holi before. And apparently, if you spend enough, they'll send you some Holy branded slippers, which I kind of want. But enough tropical beverage chat. Let's see if we can build a squad capable of surviving in a Spanish second tier without completely destroying the club financially. Right, I've done all of my contract renewals apart from these two.

[00:07:42]These two are getting released.

[00:07:43]Francisco Farah, who supposedly is uh is our best player according to star rating, but looking at what he's actually done in the division below. Um I mean, if he was cheap, we'd we'd give him a new contract, but he wants loads of money to stay, and he was no good when we used him the first time round in the previous division. And what we have done um is his little buddy, who came in at the same time and was out on loan, we have given him, we've triggered his extension. We didn't give him a new deal, so he's not had a pay rise, but after 25 goals, we've triggered his extension just in the hope that we can maybe get some money for him. He's still on the transfer list, but I'd quite like to get some money in for him. That would be handy. The only other player who's not getting renewed is Daniel Reyes, who despite scoring on his debut, that was the only time he ever scored for us, and he's probably not good enough either.

[00:08:35]We've not had to give any crazy contracts and the new highest played player at the club is Zabala as part of his new deal that he's just been given, but he's only on 2 and a half grand a week. Um, we saw Pena for has had a bit of a pay rise as well. A few others have gone up a little bit, but we're not spending mega money. What it does mean is we still don't have loads of money to spend on new players. We can realistically probably only bring in two or three with the budget that we've got available there. There's always the opportunity to do some shenanigans with some of the other budgets, but even that isn't going to give us loads of There you go. That gave us an extra grand. So, we've got 9 and a half grand a week having done all our contract renewals to bring in new players. If we look at what we need new player-wise, I am convinced we need a striker at this level. If we sell Sorano and Escuo, we have Castro who just doesn't just doesn't turn up in the big games. We've talked about it so much lately. Yes, he's got over 100 goals for the club, but at a higher level, I just don't see Castro as being effective. We'll keep him around as a squad player, but I think priority number one is to bring a better striker in over the top of Castro and then potentially a winger as well.

[00:09:49]Um, we've got Angel, but again, I don't know if he's going to make the step up.

[00:09:52]We don't really have a backup on that side. I think Javier and Johansson maybe should be fine for the right hand side.

[00:10:00]Pena for has to be good enough. Mayberg as well. And then in midfield defense, I think we're fairly solid. So, the priority, I think, is go out and get a a big boy striker. I don't know how realistic it's going to be, but that's what we're going to try and do. Well, we've made it to the 1st of July and we've got some transfer offers. Firstly, for Kone, who we've just offered a new deal to. He's out of contract at the end of this coming season. We're getting fancy offering contracts in advance.

[00:10:28]I've got no interest in selling him.

[00:10:30]He's arguably our most important player and he's got a release clause of over half a million pounds. So, I think we can comfortably reject both of those um because they're silly low offers. So, let's get those rejected. Um but the one I'm interested in is Esquo. Um yeah, we'll very much take £100,000 for him.

[00:10:51]Thank you very much. Casapia off of Portugal are the ones who are in for him. Um, it doesn't really matter what his release clause is. We don't want him regardless because he wasn't good enough for us when he was playing for us before. His release clause is half a million pounds. I was confident about that boy, wasn't I?

[00:11:09]Oh, see 25 goals.

[00:11:14]No, he's rubbish. We sell. Get him gone.

[00:11:19]If he turns it down, he might become a star for us. Um, but it, like I say, it is now the first.

[00:11:24]Outstanding contracts have been What has happened here?

[00:11:32]Pay rises.

[00:11:35]Bleeping pay rises. Where have they happened?

[00:11:40]Um, somewhere we've had some pay rises through being promoted, I guess. Or no, it's not pay rises. It'll be loan players returning because we had a few players out on loan.

[00:11:53]Well, that's annoying because that means we can now effectively only bring in one, maybe two players. So, it really is going to have to be a striker, isn't it?

[00:12:02]And I guess a replacement for a Squaredo.

[00:12:07]Yikes.

[00:12:09]Let's go and find a 50 goal a season striker. That should be easy to do.

[00:12:13]Well, this is where we find out if our scouts and coaches know what they're talking about because we've just brought in two new strikers. Let's see if they actually end up as good as I hope they're going to be. Paul Manenos, a 23y old striker, 6'1. Um he is formerly of Barcelona reserves. Um but queta in the division we've just come out of where he's scored like 50 goals over the last three years.

[00:12:41]Um 23, former Barcelona, 6 foot plus.

[00:12:44]That all seems good to me. I'm a little bit worried he's a little bit slow.

[00:12:48]Although to be fair, his pace is 16.

[00:12:49]It's just his acceleration that's a little bit low. So once he gets going, he's going to be a big unit who's fairly hard to stop, which is exciting. And then we've also signed Nuhu Fafana, who's also 23, also formerly of the Barcelona B team. I guess this is the guy who got the nod to stay in the Barcelona B team when the other guy got released and has spent the last couple of years playing in the division we're now in for Barcelona's B team. Um, where he's got 20 goals over the last couple of years. Um, he is also six foot one.

[00:13:21]He can also play out wide, which is handy because then we can potentially use both of them at the same time and a little bit more of an aerial threat if a little slower. I'm thinking we could potentially play the two of them together if we decide to change our tactic and go to something with two strikers. Um, but they are basically the only attackers that were any good that came through all of the trialists that we've got in. pretty much everyone else who's come in isn't as good as what we've already got. You can see they're all way down the list. I mean, he's potentially interesting.

[00:13:55]Um, yeah, maybe maybe we'll have a closer look at him because I think the only reason he's way down the list is because he's not natural in the more attacking wide positions, but he could get there fast. So, I think he's probably someone for us to have a look at. Um, but we've got players in on trial throughout the squad. It's just none of them are particularly exciting. None of them are as good as what we've got. I have said all along that I think once we got through the bottleneck of getting promoted, we've got the makings of a good team. We've beaten teams at Laiga 2 level before. Maybe there's not so much of a rebuild that needs doing. We've spent so long making this squad better to finally win the league.

[00:14:38]We'll see, I guess. Well, I don't remember this being on the cards for this summer, but apparently secretly in the background, we've finished building the new Andrach Stadium. This must have been something that was announced before I went on holiday and I forgot about I knew we were looking. I didn't realize we were building, but we have a new stadium during a brief ceremony. Blah blah blah blah blah.4.2 million pound loan. Not ideal. How big's the ground?

[00:15:04]That's all I care about. We've moved back to Andratch. We're back home. Um, how do I find out how big the stadium is? Please don't be like 6,000 capacity.

[00:15:13]I'll be quite cross. Oh, for goodness sake. It's smaller than where we were playing.

[00:15:22]I mean, what on earth are we thinking?

[00:15:29]Um, we've spent the last year.

[00:15:35]I mean to be fair we only get about a thousand people turn up for our home games so I suppose it's plenty but it doesn't scream4 million for that we are accumulating some debt.

[00:16:00]Well at least we're back in Andrach.

[00:16:03]That's nice.

[00:16:07]And we own our own ground, which is also nice. Could cause a surge in support and interest from the local community.

[00:16:14]Fingers crossed. I mean, let's face it, it's going to be better for us to fill that with 4,000 people than to get a,000 people over in Palmer. So, I guess that is better. We're selling Esquo to Udazi, by the way, which is alarming that a Syria club are coming in for this guy that we don't think is good enough.

[00:16:34]watch him go on and become awesome. But hundred grand for a guy that scored one goal over the course of a season for us and then went and got some goals in effectively Spanish non-league, I don't think that's too bad a deal. So, he's moved on that. Oh, for goodness sake.

[00:16:51]Who wants him? Lots of clubs want him.

[00:16:56]According to this, he's better than any player that I mean, we know that's not true. our scouts are idiots cuz he wasn't better than everybody else we've got in our attack according to this he's better than everyone every other attacker that we've got which we know is not the case but he's gone um and also all the trialists are on their way out as well so uh I suspect this is it for a while we've still got four grand to spend now we've got the strikers in I guess the next step is to go and find a new left winger. We have been actively trying to recruit one. We can probably take off the strikers now um and see what we've got in the way of wingers and get some get some trialists in for me.

[00:17:41]The thing is they're all they've all got clubs at the moment. So, we can't just grab players in on trial. How I don't want to pay fees for anybody. We don't have money for fees. Although, a bunch of them are already on trial with us.

[00:17:53]So, Silsby and Castell, are either of them any good?

[00:18:01]He is not as good as Angel.

[00:18:06]And presumably the other guy is not as good as Angel.

[00:18:13]I mean, it's going to be a tough summer. I think we'll just keep plugging away. Well, this is interesting. We have now ticked over into the new season and according to this we're not the worst team in the league. We're actually predicted to finish 19th which is that enough? How many? No, there are four relegation spots. So we are still predicted for relegation but apparently we're better than Barcelona's B team which is nice to see. Um can we see how salaries compare already? No, they can't do that until the season starts. Um, but yeah, the fact that we're not completely rock bottom, I think that means maybe the squad is better than I thought it was going to be and we're going to receive5 million pounds of TV money.

[00:19:03]Oh, this changes everything, boys and girls. If we survive a year, we are on the move. This is this is wonderful. Oh, good payraises. That's what we were hoping for.

[00:19:15]Uh, we still got room for one or two more players. We're okay for now, but but we we're getting money. We're not the worst team in the league. Well, we've signed that winger, Alex. He's in.

[00:19:29]So, he's natural on the left and right hand side of midfield, but only accomplished further forward. All of which means he would agreed to only £360 a week, even though he's got the potential to be a decent La Liga player.

[00:19:42]I don't really understand how we've got him, but he is in. Um, so he's probably I guess we'll just decide which side he's going to start on because he's probably our best player, which is nice.

[00:19:55]The squad is continuing to take I mean, it's looking good. Maybe a midfielder now with still loads of money to spend.

[00:20:03]Let's just check in to see if that signing pushes us any further up here.

[00:20:07]It does not. Um, but I guess now we'll go and try and find a midfield player.

[00:20:13]I'm having a lovely time. I have no idea at all if this team's going to be good enough for this league or if we're just getting a little bit better than we were. The thing is, crucially, we are a little bit better than we were. So, that's a super duper novelty.

[00:20:30]Kone signed a new deal and he's wanted by some bigger clubs. Let's go and try and find a midfield player to play with him. Look at us signing fancy football boys now. Amir Ibraimov, four stars of current ability, four and a half stars of potential. He's a 24 year old English player. It's our first English player of the entire save. I think he's a natural attacking midfielder, but can also play on either wing or back in center midfield. He wants to play as the second striker. Um he's basically coming in to take Penfort's spot or at least compete with him for it. And he was released by Manchester United. That means our our signings this summer like former Barcelona and Man United players, we are we are putting together a squad. He's only on £700 a week as well. And look at that for a uh for a value range. Um what have we got as his release clause? One half million pound. Oh, we're in the big boy world now, boys and girls. This is this that I tell you what, that is a sensational signing. Um I think we now want a defensive midfielder. We have still got a little bit of money left to spend as well. Although, weirdly, I am being limited to offer £700 per player.

[00:21:41]And I don't really know why. Um, because we've got the budget to be able to offer more. Maybe they just don't want me to do my shenanigans from previous years, but I think we've made some very good sidings so far this summer. Um, they're all upgrading on what we had before. Hold on. He's a guy we had in on trial.

[00:22:06]I don't know why he's showing as a transfer.

[00:22:09]Um, but these guys are players I would very much like to bring in, but he doesn't want to discuss because we can't meet his contract demand. So, he doesn't even want to discuss it. This guy, I think I offered a contract to, but it was maxed at 700. Oh, he's now saying we can't. We don't have the financial muscle. So, I don't really know why we're not able to offer all of what we've got.

[00:22:32]But we still managed to get that guy. We're still expected to get relegated. But I think we're moving in the right direction. Can someone give me one and a half million for him now? And then we just then we won't be sad when he goes.

[00:22:47]That that might be the key. Well, we've managed to raise a little bit more money. Sorano has gone for 81,000. So another one who we brought in. He played lots of games, scored one goal, but we have managed to sell on for a profit. He was also on two grand a week. Um, so that does free up some more wage budget again, which hopefully I'll be allowed to spend. I don't know if I may be running into a wage cap, but I can't see in the rules, and this is where the comment section are probably screaming at me. I can't see any mention of a wage cap.

[00:23:23]What I can see is there's a minimum seating requirement of 6,000. So, I don't know if we're going to be allowed to play in our new ground, but we haven't moved grounds. So, that's that is going to be interesting.

[00:23:38]Maybe the whole game is about to collapse and fall apart.

[00:23:43]But yeah, I can't see any record of there being a wage cap. There is a minimum wage for registered players, which a lot of those players we've just bought in do not meet.

[00:23:58]I mean, it's literally the opposite of that that's being enforced. I'm not able to offer more than £700 a player, but if for a player to be registered, they have to earn at least 1.3K, that means none of those players are going to be able to be registered, which feels like a significant problem.

[00:24:23]Let's Oh, that's a huge problem.

[00:24:35]Cannot be registered until the minimum require wage requirements. Oh, crumbs.

[00:24:43]We haven't got a goalkeeper that we can register.

[00:24:49]Um, and like he's come in, he's now our best player.

[00:24:58]We can't even offer him a new contract to bump him up because he's only just signed that one. We are literally not going to be able to play any of our new signings.

[00:25:20]Oh dear. Maximum squad salary of 71,000.

[00:25:24]So there is a We found the wage cap. Yay for me. We're nowhere near it.

[00:25:35]We can't play any of our new players or anybody that we've given new contracts to.

[00:25:44]I don't really know what the solution is to this.

[00:25:54]We've got no goalkeeper that we can use.

[00:26:00]And they've all signed new contracts this summer. Okay, we can give Linare a new contract. So, we're going to have to give someone a wage budget, a wage bump.

[00:26:09]So, we can't give Escuin a contract because he's just signed one. Lonar signed one earlier in the summer. So, I guess he's getting a new contract to be our goalkeeper.

[00:26:22]And then the new boys.

[00:26:29]I mean, that's absurd.

[00:26:32]Why does it let me sign them?

[00:26:40]So I guess at this point we don't make any more signings and hope that before we get too far into the season before registration deadline we hope we can give them new deals.

[00:26:58]When's the registration deadline?

[00:27:04]Um, squad registration has to be done by 1st of September. So, I hope that by the 1st of September.

[00:27:18]Oh, there you go. I would have found out the problem here anyway if I hadn't have gone looking for it.

[00:27:25]But we are I mean this is a this is a massive problem.

[00:27:33]Uh, I'm going to go and have a little cry. Right, we have a goalkeeper, Lenarez. His comeback is complete. Um, he's signed a contract to bring him over the wage threshold and for the first time ever will go into a season being told he is the first choice goalkeeper because he is literally the only option.

[00:27:53]So, I think we can now register him.

[00:27:58]There we go. We have a goalkeeper.

[00:28:04]This is so dumb. Well, this is not how I expected the season to be starting with us playing last season's team, except we've got our backup goalkeeper from last season in instead. Castro is not fully fit cuz he spent half the summer injured, as did Angel, but he is now fully fit. And all of our shiny new signings, who are all better than all of these players, are unregistered down on the bench. It is our first game in our new stadium and it's a hugely important one as well because we're playing against Valencia Mestala, a team that finished below us in the league last year, came up with us and are predicted to finish below us this year. If we don't beat them at home on the first game of the season, it's kind of all downhill from there.

[00:28:51]So, let's go look at the new ground.

[00:28:55]Let's go and see how a very familiar group of players perform at this level.

[00:29:00]Oh, we're allowed high squad numbers now. That's a nice little novelty. And um yeah, cross our fingers that during the 3 weeks or so that we've got left before the registration deadline hits, we're able to offer some of those new players pay rises, so we're allowed to use them. I cannot believe the game has allowed this to happen. I can, but it's annoying. Um it's hopefully something that will get resolved because we'll be able to offer them new contracts at some point. The fear of course is that if they delay too long, like if we can't offer them contracts before the end of this window, obviously any contract we offer them from then on isn't they're not going to be registered until January anyway. So that's a problem from a playing perspective. But from a just offering them new contracts perspective, if they delay too long and become upset about not playing before they agree to discuss terms on a new deal, we're just never going to be able to give them new deals because then they won't discuss a new contract because they're not playing. But we won't be able to play them until they sign a new contract. And we're just basically gonna have four or five players who are better than anyone else that we've got who are just completely frozen out for the entire length of their contract, which I believe the term for that is a disaster. Shoot. Won't somebody shoot?

[00:30:23]We had an open goal to shoot at there.

[00:30:24]You walies. Let's have a look at the stadium. Can we not zoom out? How do you look at the stadium?

[00:30:33]How do you zoom? I can't adjust zoom.

[00:30:37]Since when could I not adjust the zoom?

[00:30:42]Uh, broadcast. No.

[00:30:47]Well, vertical scrolling allows me to adjust the zoom, but not very far.

[00:30:53]Um, well, apparently you can't adjust the zoom on hardly anything anymore. When did that change? We can't look at the stadium.

[00:31:05]I'm sure it's lovely. Angel's in. Um, there's trees behind it. At least we're back on the right side of the island, which I think the right side of the island, I think, is the left side of the island. I remember from when I last looked at a map, but you know what I mean. And we're not losing yet, which is good. We We do seem to be playing quite well. It's just so frustrating that we've not got any of those shiny new boys in.

[00:31:29]But then like I said before, these this team I mean at least we're theoretically not going to have dynamics problems because they're all players who were here last year and this team did beat La Liga 2 players uh teams last season. So maybe this is exactly what we need. I mean Pena, who remember had been replaced benefiting from having to play anyway, has now scored our first ever goal in the second tier. So imagine if this actually turns out all for the best. Cuz ultimately if we survive this season, we're not going to make that mistake again. So if we can survive this season, we've got5 million pounds that we know is going to come in every year.

[00:32:09]Then everything will be fine. It'll all be good from then on. We just need to survive this season. And maybe that promotion momentum because remember we're unbeaten in the league for a long time. It's been a long like half a season plus, we are in good form with this group of players and we've not disrupted it by bringing in a load of new boys. Even the two players who weren't necessarily nailed on starters last year, Lenarez and Thick and Thick Broom, they were they've both been around the squad forever. Thick Broom came through our youth system and Linarez has already had two years in his career as our first choice keeper. He just got injured last year so became the backup. Pena's got his second of the game and I think he's demonstrating to me that he can play at this level. I shouldn't have replaced him.

[00:32:59]It's going to be an awkward conversation if the only guy who could who renews his contract is the guy that's come in to take his spot, but I guess maybe these two boys have both been motivated by the uh the very talented players who've joined the club. I mean, the entire front four could theoretic could theoretically be replaced by four of the new signings. We could play all four of them. One of the strikers can play on the left wing and then we've got another striker and attacking midfielder and a right winger. So, the whole front four should be up for it because they know the ready-made replacements are sat there ready to go once we get rid of the nonsense that the game has inflicted on us. But none of that matters cuz we're winning. Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! Castro and Pena ripping up the second tier.

[00:33:47]Who'd have thought they I've said it before and I'll say it again. Those two didn't even come through the youth system during the save. They were sat here in the Andrach youth system when I first arrived. They have been here longer than I have and they're still absolutely carrying us which is it's delightful as far as I'm concerned. Um, right. Let's just get through the game. Let's survive and uh and then we're going to get through to the end of the window and hope that we are able to offer some contracts before the window expires. And I think it's probably going to take us over budget doing it. I don't know if it's going to let us do it because like I say, there was a there was a period there where I wasn't allowed to offer more than 700. It's not even as if this is, oh, Kev's a silly idiot. That attacking midfielder in particular came in asking for like two grand a week. We were maxed out offering him 700. So we've we've given him 700. Pñena's got a hattick. What a goal. But we've given him that 700 and then all of the add-ons and clauses you can possibly imagine.

[00:34:56]So he's he's he is effectively on two grand a week anyway because of all the bonuses and things that he's got. But it was the only way the game would let me offer him the contract. I had to cap it at 700 base salary and now I can't use him. Feel like I've been set up for it. But who needs him? We've got penalt hat-trick hero. Right. Johansson didn't expect to be playing football this season. I've even offered him out for loan earlier in the summer. Obviously now he can't go um because we need to keep him around.

[00:35:28]Victor I the um the contract renewals for the end of next season. Victor is one of those where it's like I'm probably just going to let your contract run down.

[00:35:38]You've been here a long time. I don't think you're good enough for this level.

[00:35:41]Here he is playing for us. We'll probably force his way back into the team cuz this time last year I tried to make thick broom a thing and he ended up not being a thing and it ended up being Kone and Victor all season. It could be K and Victor all season again or at least until we're able to offer some contracts. We never even got round to bringing a defensive midfielder in because as I was doing that that's when we realized the problem.

[00:36:06]So I guess Victor is part of the plans again. Bruce Hill's going to come on.

[00:36:12]Renwick's going to come on and at least we're better than Valencia. I mean we knew that from last season anyway. Now we've had the confirmation. We've won our first game at the new ground which we have been allowed to play in interestingly.

[00:36:27]I'll just check the match stats in a second to see what the attendance is.

[00:36:30]Maybe maybe 6,000 people eye because it looks pretty full.

[00:36:35]The capacity is 4,000 but we've been allowed to play the match.

[00:36:40]Maybe we'll get a fine afterwards.

[00:36:43]I have no It's the wild west. The rules are not made clear to me at all. So I have no idea what's going to happen. Um, but I think that was going to say like three and a half thousand people are here. So if that's if that's our new attendance level, that's three times the amount of people who came to watch us previously. So that's a huge plus.

[00:37:01]But I do think we're also breaking the rules by playing in a ground that's too small. So I guess we'll see what comes of it. Hill with the cross falls to your Hansen. And now Victor from range hits the crossbar. Castro's in. Can't get onto the end of it. Hill's going to try and float one over again. Diara at the far post. another one who I mean Dawir has been here forever and has never been a regular starter. All of a sudden he's going to get games at this level as well. It's all madness.

[00:37:29]I've done a transfer window that's had no impact on the squad. You've never seen anything like it. Right. Don't mess up from here, chaps. Please and thank you. Right. Yeah. Hansson starting the counterattack and he's been hauled down and that is uh presumably a yellow card for the Valencia player and we'll just see the game out please and thank you.

[00:37:52]Can we see the game out? We are seeing the game out. Lovely stuff. Right, I will meet you on transfer deadline day unless something major happens between now and then. I'm getting emotional about it. But I'll meet you on deadline day when hopefully we'll be able to offer some new contracts. Or I guess we need to offer them before then. I mean, even without us getting a sell in place, that's quite useful. Jude McRabie has gone to Everton for £34 million, which means we get nearly a million pounds as a solidarity payment, which is it's better than a a kick in the testicles, that's for sure. Um, it doesn't barely touch the sides here. Um, but we've got a pile of money sat there ready to uh to offer new contracts as soon as we're able to. So, let's try again. If we just sort this according to the players who are unregistered. We've also got some other players in on trial to potentially make some signings, but I'm reluctant to until I know we're going to have spare money, but it's like Escuin. Can we give him a new contract? Yes. Right. Okay.

[00:39:02]Now we're getting somewhere. He wants to be paid dead on the 1300. That's the spirit. So yeah, that's him. New contract done. Are we going to be able to offer anyone else new contracts? Not yet.

[00:39:17]Escuin signed his a When did he sign his?

[00:39:21]He does it. It tell you when he signed it.

[00:39:25]5th of July.

[00:39:29]So when did these guys sign? because that suggests we are gonna hopefully what am I trying to look at the date players signed transfer history so actual signings not just trials so free transfers I mean they signed on the 4th of July the day before Escuin's new contract so could change in the near future I mean it needs to I'd like to be able to use you your pair of walies Fingers crossed before the window ends, we might be able to do some contracts.

[00:40:06]Well, it is transfer deadline day, which means squad registration day, and the two new strikers are still refusing to enter contract negotiations, but this guy has been offered a new contract.

[00:40:20]Is he going to sign it today? I guess we'll find out. I wish there was a way to hurry him along. Is there a way to hurry him along?

[00:40:29]Uh, nope. Nope, there isn't. Um, and Alex has signed a new contract. Escuin has signed a new contract, so we have been able to add some of them in, but not the strikers yet. We've also signed a couple more players. Alberto Quintana is a 21-year-old Spanish defensive midfielder, three and a half stars of current ability, four and a half stars of potential. He's obviously had no preseason, so it's going to take him a little while to get up to speed. And we've also signed Pablo Ballcells just because I wanted a guy called Ballcells really. And he's another young Spanish defensive midfielder, 22 years old, three stars of current ability, four and a half stars of potential potential to be a La Liga player in the future. Just another one to basically fill out what was a weak area of the squad. On paper, based on everybody being registered, we have a very strong squad. Now, um, if we have a look at the media prediction, they still think we're going to get relegated, but you know what? We're sixth in the league after five games. We did get battered 4-0 in our last match, but it's the first time we've lost forever. So, I don't know. I don't know if we're going to have enough to survive. What I would really like is for the attacking midfielder guy to sign his new contract today. And as it is deadline day, I guess that leaves me with a decision of do I just go and try and get a striker anyway?

[00:41:51]because we we need one. We don't have a backup striker in the squad. So, do we just go and sign a striker even though we've got two very good ones here?

[00:42:05]But we need someone as a as a short-term measure.

[00:42:09]I mean, he got 13 goals last year.

[00:42:14]Uh, I think we just have to leave it as it is and hope we've got enough to get us through to January and fix the problem in January. I think that's my plan. Also worth pointing out as well, this is the very first time there's been any mention of an actual salary cap on deadline day. Um, so we're well below it. Our salary cap is 26 million. We're paying 1.9 million. So, that original issue we had way back when was never a salary cap issue. Um, is it letting me register the Hang on. Oh, no. It is. It still won't let me register them. They're just drifting down the squad because they're not playing. So, they're no longer the key most key most important players.

[00:43:05]That, See, that says maximum squad salary of 71,000 per week. I don't really know what the rules are. I think we're just going to press buttons and hope it all works out all right in the end, which is how I've spent the last 30 years playing Football Manager. So, well, there we have it. The transfer window has passed.

[00:43:26]The uh Ibraim Ibraimov did not sign his new contract in time, so will not be registered. Farnner, I imagine'll discuss now.

[00:43:38]I DIDN'T. AT NO POINT HAVE I DEEMED you surplus to requirements. It's cuz he's not in the squad. That is because he's not in the squad.

[00:43:48]I mean, literally not deemed surplus to requirements.

[00:43:55]I hate it.

[00:43:58]Can I talk to his agent? No. Where's the other guy? Where is he? Where is he?

[00:44:09]Why?

[00:44:13]Why am I allowed to register him?

[00:44:18]Hold on.

[00:44:27]So, one of them's in. Not the one I wanted.

[00:44:31]But why?

[00:44:33]He's earning less than I mean I don't know I genuinely don't know anymore but he's in those two aren't it's it could have been so much worse.

[00:45:02]So actually after all of that he's not in and he's not in.

[00:45:18]So we do have to remove him from anywhere where he might have been used.

[00:45:23]And obviously any any players we didn't actually sign are also obviously not in. That should really go without saying. Football Manager. But let's just do that again.

[00:45:33]So, he's not in for now. He's not in for now.

[00:45:38]But actually, even with them missing, it's an acceptable squad.

[00:45:48]And then we know we've got the bonus of adding those two in in January. Plus, I mean, if I don't get absolutely ruined by budget stuff, which I'd like to think we won't because there's all that money supposedly going to be coming in that5 million pounds a year.

[00:46:04]So, I mean, we are we did make a profit last month.

[00:46:13]So, we might still have that in January for the first time in years. So we'll have the new striker, the new attacking midfielder to register and then potentially like three or four more players to bring in. If we can still be like not miles a drift at the bottom by January, which I don't think we will be.

[00:46:32]We know we're much better than Valencia and they're not in the relegation zone.

[00:46:35]Lanes have lost every game, so we must be better than them. There must be four worse teams than us in the league. So as long as we're not already relegated by January, we're going to be able to massively strengthen when January comes around. I think touchwood we're going to be okay despite the game actively fighting against me. But if you've enjoyed that, please make sure you leave a nice big thumbs up on there for me.

[00:46:58]Subscribe to the channel for daily Football Manager videos.