https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/ Thu, 14 May 2026 02:23:49 +0000 MyBB https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9579 Wed, 13 May 2026 20:17:49 +0100 Jakesdy]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9579 Distance Run (Km): Montréal - 136.7, Seoul - 130.5
Average Rating: Montréal - 7.218, Seoul - 6.719
Xg: Montréal - 4.14, Seoul - 1.59
Shots On Target: Montréal - 8, Seoul - 4
Shots: Montréal - 25, Seoul - 9 
Pass%: Montréal - 88.627, Seoul - 84.011
The situation is almost like in the 8th game day against Rova. The opponent outperformed us in terms of metrics on the field, had more chances and realized them better. We were a little worse off and played accordingly. We implemented our chances in principle, but there were fewer of them and we did not interfere with the opponent at a sufficient level. Now let's briefly talk about me. Rating 6.56. 13.7 kilometers and 78.95% pass accuracy. In general, it's not bad, as well as in general for the season. 
So, there are not many matches left until the end of the season. I hope that we will win the remaining games and I will personally help the team with my assists and possibly scoring. Thank you very much for reading, goodbye!]]> Distance Run (Km): Montréal - 136.7, Seoul - 130.5
Average Rating: Montréal - 7.218, Seoul - 6.719
Xg: Montréal - 4.14, Seoul - 1.59
Shots On Target: Montréal - 8, Seoul - 4
Shots: Montréal - 25, Seoul - 9 
Pass%: Montréal - 88.627, Seoul - 84.011
The situation is almost like in the 8th game day against Rova. The opponent outperformed us in terms of metrics on the field, had more chances and realized them better. We were a little worse off and played accordingly. We implemented our chances in principle, but there were fewer of them and we did not interfere with the opponent at a sufficient level. Now let's briefly talk about me. Rating 6.56. 13.7 kilometers and 78.95% pass accuracy. In general, it's not bad, as well as in general for the season. 
So, there are not many matches left until the end of the season. I hope that we will win the remaining games and I will personally help the team with my assists and possibly scoring. Thank you very much for reading, goodbye!]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9578 Wed, 13 May 2026 16:04:21 +0100 Jakesdy]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9578 Running distance (km) - Cairo: 141.4, Seoul: 141.1
Average score - Cairo: 6.625, Seoul: 7.313
Xg - Cairo: 1.16, Seoul: 2.47
Shots on target - Cairo: 3, Seoul: 7
Shots - Cairo: 10, Seoul: 18
Percentage of assists - Cairo: 81.17, Seoul: 85.595.
We were better in everything during the match, except that we ran a little less. Personally, I played the match very well. The rating is 7.72 and 14.6 kilometers. I also gave 1 assist, which of course makes me happy. Overall, we have made excellent progress since the last matches against Cairo. I am also glad that the result of the last match did not affect us, which will be very important in our future performances. That's all for this match, thank you very much for reading, I'll start writing about the match of the 10th round soon. Until then, I wish you a good day :3]]> Running distance (km) - Cairo: 141.4, Seoul: 141.1
Average score - Cairo: 6.625, Seoul: 7.313
Xg - Cairo: 1.16, Seoul: 2.47
Shots on target - Cairo: 3, Seoul: 7
Shots - Cairo: 10, Seoul: 18
Percentage of assists - Cairo: 81.17, Seoul: 85.595.
We were better in everything during the match, except that we ran a little less. Personally, I played the match very well. The rating is 7.72 and 14.6 kilometers. I also gave 1 assist, which of course makes me happy. Overall, we have made excellent progress since the last matches against Cairo. I am also glad that the result of the last match did not affect us, which will be very important in our future performances. That's all for this match, thank you very much for reading, I'll start writing about the match of the 10th round soon. Until then, I wish you a good day :3]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9576 Wed, 13 May 2026 09:54:23 +0100 nckkss]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9576 Two Weeks Ago

“Hello, Baldini Sports Agency? Marla speaking. He’s on another call, can I take a message?” The assistant pauses “from Shanghai? Ok he will call you back.”

Marla puts the phone down and it immediately rings once more “Hello Baldini Sports Agency…”

Joey Baldini is indeed his office, feet on the table, talking animatedly on the phone while fiddling with a vape that doesn’t appear to be working.

“Yeah…uh huh… no he won’t switch to play in goal… sorry you want him to NOT play in goal? Yeah, don’t worry, he isn’t ever going in goal…”

Marla brings in a stack of paperwork and hands a note to Baldini.

“You can’t use that in here” she mouths, referring to the vape Baldini keeps attempting to get working.

He quickly shushes her and waves her away.

“Ok great, look I’ll be honest we’ve got some interest but we’re talking to a lot of teams you know… I’m telling you this kid is gonna go first round so you might not even…”

Baldini scratches his thinning hair as he lets the other person speak for once.

“Uh huh… yeah. Look, Kasak is gonna be in the SSL, either with your organisation or with somebody else, and I’m telling you… he is gonna be HUGE!”


—-

Today


Back at the agency and things are not as busy as they were.

Marla is taking sips from a coffee cup and playing on her phone.

Baldini, behind in his office is blowing smoke rings with his vape.

Marla’s phone rings loudly in the silent office.

“It’s him again!” She shouts through. “Eighth time today!”

“Fine, put him through.”

A moment later, the phone on his desk rings.

“Hey kid… yeah, listen. There’s no news.” Baldini pauses and sits more forward in his chair, as if ready to tell some bad news.

“A couple of weeks back, you guys were the real deal. Now no one is interested. You gotta stop the bleeding. Only Accra guy people are interested in is this Mullet fella.”

“I know, I know, I promised you first round, but you gotta show ‘em something good next time. It’s not that you guys are losing, I mean where are you? Mullet Man’s getting goals but where’s our old star? You need to up your game.

“I’m sorry Nick, you just need to do your job and let me do mine…”]]> Two Weeks Ago

“Hello, Baldini Sports Agency? Marla speaking. He’s on another call, can I take a message?” The assistant pauses “from Shanghai? Ok he will call you back.”

Marla puts the phone down and it immediately rings once more “Hello Baldini Sports Agency…”

Joey Baldini is indeed his office, feet on the table, talking animatedly on the phone while fiddling with a vape that doesn’t appear to be working.

“Yeah…uh huh… no he won’t switch to play in goal… sorry you want him to NOT play in goal? Yeah, don’t worry, he isn’t ever going in goal…”

Marla brings in a stack of paperwork and hands a note to Baldini.

“You can’t use that in here” she mouths, referring to the vape Baldini keeps attempting to get working.

He quickly shushes her and waves her away.

“Ok great, look I’ll be honest we’ve got some interest but we’re talking to a lot of teams you know… I’m telling you this kid is gonna go first round so you might not even…”

Baldini scratches his thinning hair as he lets the other person speak for once.

“Uh huh… yeah. Look, Kasak is gonna be in the SSL, either with your organisation or with somebody else, and I’m telling you… he is gonna be HUGE!”


—-

Today


Back at the agency and things are not as busy as they were.

Marla is taking sips from a coffee cup and playing on her phone.

Baldini, behind in his office is blowing smoke rings with his vape.

Marla’s phone rings loudly in the silent office.

“It’s him again!” She shouts through. “Eighth time today!”

“Fine, put him through.”

A moment later, the phone on his desk rings.

“Hey kid… yeah, listen. There’s no news.” Baldini pauses and sits more forward in his chair, as if ready to tell some bad news.

“A couple of weeks back, you guys were the real deal. Now no one is interested. You gotta stop the bleeding. Only Accra guy people are interested in is this Mullet fella.”

“I know, I know, I promised you first round, but you gotta show ‘em something good next time. It’s not that you guys are losing, I mean where are you? Mullet Man’s getting goals but where’s our old star? You need to up your game.

“I’m sorry Nick, you just need to do your job and let me do mine…”]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9575 Tue, 12 May 2026 19:04:01 +0100 Hoodz_91]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9575 I have gone through the first 4 rounds of picks for Class 26 draft.

*DISCLAIMER THIS IS JUST FOR FUN TO GET THE CONVERSATIONS STARTED DRAFT PICK POSITIONS HIGHLY LIKELY OUT OF DATE TOO* 

Disagree with me post your mock drafts and tag me to compare :)

@Definia Wasn't scored as my number 1 OA he was down as 4th so I swapped out Joe Mormor to make sure Barry was top dog! 

Method: ranked mainly by TPE, with average rating and role-specific production as tie-breakers. Kairo Vox is kept in the list objectively rather than given writer bias sugar HAHA! 


Pick Rnd Team Holding Pick Original Pick Projected Player POS
1 1 ROME & LONDON S26 ACR 1st  Barry McGlynn CAM
2 1 SCHWARZWÄLDER & MONTREAL S26 SFV 1st Nick Kasak LAM
3 1 SCHWARZWÄLDER & MONTREAL S26 TOK 1st Joshua Homme III Esquire Limited LWB
4 1 SHANGHAI & MAGYAR S26 CDT 1st Joe Mormor LAM
5 1 XELAJU & MASQUES S26 XLC 1st Dennis van Huntelrooy ST
6 1 SÃO PAULO & PARIS S26 USP 1st Reece Munro CM
7 1 BUENOS AIRES & ATHENAI S26 CABA 1st S Sei CDM
8 1 LIFFEYSIDE & ROVA S26 LIF 1st Jimothy Erickson CD 
9 1 REYKJAVIK & NORTH SHORE S26 RKV 1st Kairo Vox LAM
10 1 SHANGHAI & MAGYAR S26 SHA 1st STAR SCREAM CM
11 1 CATALUNYA & SEOUL S26 CAT 1st Alex Peña RWB
12 1 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 HOL 1st Christopher Bergmann RWB
13 2 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 ACR 2nd Scorp E. Unshark RD
14 2 SCHWARZWÄLDER & MONTREAL S26 SFV 2nd Dante Von Wolfe ST
15 2 SÃO PAULO & PARIS S26 TOK 2nd Nacho Kusora ST
16 2 SHANGHAI & MAGYAR S26 CDT 2nd Jack Pow RAM
17 2 XELAJU & MASQUES S26 XLC 2nd Blaise N'Kufo ST
18 2 TOKYO & CAIRO S26 USP 2nd Baptiste Azzola CM
19 2 BUENOS AIRES & ATHENAI S26 CABA 2nd Owen Goal ST
20 2 LIFFEYSIDE & ROVA S26 LIF 2nd Moew enBach GK
21 2 REYKJAVIK & NORTH SHORE S26 RKV 2nd Geronimo Datbasted LD
22 2 TENOCHTITLAN & KRUNG S26 SHA 2nd Martin Krpan CD
23 2 CATALUNYA & SEOUL S26 CAT 2nd Walter Blanco LWB
24 2 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 HOL 2nd Bruce McAllister RAM
25 3 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 ACR 3rd Umaq Yupanqui GK
26 3 SHANGHAI & MAGYAR S26 SFV 3rd Saba Kvekvetsia LAM
27 3 TOKYO & CAIRO S26 TOK 3rd Ignignokt CDM
28 3 ROME & LONDON S26 CDT 3rd Josh Harper CAM
29 3 XELAJU & MASQUES S26 XLC 3rd Saphira Brightscales CD
30 3 SÃO PAULO & PARIS S26 USP 3rd Sadie Black RAM
31 3 TOKYO & CAIRO S26 CABA 3rd Jake Ronaldo ST
32 3 SCHWARZWÄLDER & MONTREAL S26 LIF 3rd Mullet Man CAM
33 3 REYKJAVIK & NORTH SHORE S26 RKV 3rd Ozzy Boudreaux RAM
34 3 SHANGHAI & MAGYAR S26 SHA 3rd Ewan Purves RD
35 3 TOKYO & CAIRO S26 CAT 3rd John Warhurst LD
36 3 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 HOL 3rd Gold Ship LAM
37 4 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 ACR 4th Arsene Cardinet CM
38 4 SCHWARZWÄLDER & MONTREAL S26 SFV 4th Che Youz CM
39 4 TOKYO & CAIRO S26 TOK 4th Owen Bryant LM
40 4 BUENOS AIRES & ATHENAI S26 CABA 4th Jayson Bryzski CM
41 4 XELAJU & MASQUES S26 XLC 4th Maurjiro Rivers LWB
42 4 SÃO PAULO & PARIS S26 USP 4th Tim Quackareedoo CM
43 4 BUENOS AIRES & ATHENAI S26 CABA 4th Don Banjo LWB
44 4 CATALUNYA & SEOUL S26 LIF 4th Jay Pea LD
45 4 REYKJAVIK & NORTH SHORE S26 RKV 4th Don BebeZ RAM
46 4 SHANGHAI & MAGYAR S26 SHA 4th John McDougal ST
47 4 SÃO PAULO & PARIS S26 CAT 4th Leonardo Stone ST
48 4 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 HOL 4th Emmanuel Ofusu RAM]]> I have gone through the first 4 rounds of picks for Class 26 draft.

*DISCLAIMER THIS IS JUST FOR FUN TO GET THE CONVERSATIONS STARTED DRAFT PICK POSITIONS HIGHLY LIKELY OUT OF DATE TOO* 

Disagree with me post your mock drafts and tag me to compare :)

@Definia Wasn't scored as my number 1 OA he was down as 4th so I swapped out Joe Mormor to make sure Barry was top dog! 

Method: ranked mainly by TPE, with average rating and role-specific production as tie-breakers. Kairo Vox is kept in the list objectively rather than given writer bias sugar HAHA! 


Pick Rnd Team Holding Pick Original Pick Projected Player POS
1 1 ROME & LONDON S26 ACR 1st  Barry McGlynn CAM
2 1 SCHWARZWÄLDER & MONTREAL S26 SFV 1st Nick Kasak LAM
3 1 SCHWARZWÄLDER & MONTREAL S26 TOK 1st Joshua Homme III Esquire Limited LWB
4 1 SHANGHAI & MAGYAR S26 CDT 1st Joe Mormor LAM
5 1 XELAJU & MASQUES S26 XLC 1st Dennis van Huntelrooy ST
6 1 SÃO PAULO & PARIS S26 USP 1st Reece Munro CM
7 1 BUENOS AIRES & ATHENAI S26 CABA 1st S Sei CDM
8 1 LIFFEYSIDE & ROVA S26 LIF 1st Jimothy Erickson CD 
9 1 REYKJAVIK & NORTH SHORE S26 RKV 1st Kairo Vox LAM
10 1 SHANGHAI & MAGYAR S26 SHA 1st STAR SCREAM CM
11 1 CATALUNYA & SEOUL S26 CAT 1st Alex Peña RWB
12 1 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 HOL 1st Christopher Bergmann RWB
13 2 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 ACR 2nd Scorp E. Unshark RD
14 2 SCHWARZWÄLDER & MONTREAL S26 SFV 2nd Dante Von Wolfe ST
15 2 SÃO PAULO & PARIS S26 TOK 2nd Nacho Kusora ST
16 2 SHANGHAI & MAGYAR S26 CDT 2nd Jack Pow RAM
17 2 XELAJU & MASQUES S26 XLC 2nd Blaise N'Kufo ST
18 2 TOKYO & CAIRO S26 USP 2nd Baptiste Azzola CM
19 2 BUENOS AIRES & ATHENAI S26 CABA 2nd Owen Goal ST
20 2 LIFFEYSIDE & ROVA S26 LIF 2nd Moew enBach GK
21 2 REYKJAVIK & NORTH SHORE S26 RKV 2nd Geronimo Datbasted LD
22 2 TENOCHTITLAN & KRUNG S26 SHA 2nd Martin Krpan CD
23 2 CATALUNYA & SEOUL S26 CAT 2nd Walter Blanco LWB
24 2 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 HOL 2nd Bruce McAllister RAM
25 3 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 ACR 3rd Umaq Yupanqui GK
26 3 SHANGHAI & MAGYAR S26 SFV 3rd Saba Kvekvetsia LAM
27 3 TOKYO & CAIRO S26 TOK 3rd Ignignokt CDM
28 3 ROME & LONDON S26 CDT 3rd Josh Harper CAM
29 3 XELAJU & MASQUES S26 XLC 3rd Saphira Brightscales CD
30 3 SÃO PAULO & PARIS S26 USP 3rd Sadie Black RAM
31 3 TOKYO & CAIRO S26 CABA 3rd Jake Ronaldo ST
32 3 SCHWARZWÄLDER & MONTREAL S26 LIF 3rd Mullet Man CAM
33 3 REYKJAVIK & NORTH SHORE S26 RKV 3rd Ozzy Boudreaux RAM
34 3 SHANGHAI & MAGYAR S26 SHA 3rd Ewan Purves RD
35 3 TOKYO & CAIRO S26 CAT 3rd John Warhurst LD
36 3 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 HOL 3rd Gold Ship LAM
37 4 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 ACR 4th Arsene Cardinet CM
38 4 SCHWARZWÄLDER & MONTREAL S26 SFV 4th Che Youz CM
39 4 TOKYO & CAIRO S26 TOK 4th Owen Bryant LM
40 4 BUENOS AIRES & ATHENAI S26 CABA 4th Jayson Bryzski CM
41 4 XELAJU & MASQUES S26 XLC 4th Maurjiro Rivers LWB
42 4 SÃO PAULO & PARIS S26 USP 4th Tim Quackareedoo CM
43 4 BUENOS AIRES & ATHENAI S26 CABA 4th Don Banjo LWB
44 4 CATALUNYA & SEOUL S26 LIF 4th Jay Pea LD
45 4 REYKJAVIK & NORTH SHORE S26 RKV 4th Don BebeZ RAM
46 4 SHANGHAI & MAGYAR S26 SHA 4th John McDougal ST
47 4 SÃO PAULO & PARIS S26 CAT 4th Leonardo Stone ST
48 4 HOLLYWOOD & CAPETOWN S26 HOL 4th Emmanuel Ofusu RAM]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9574 Tue, 12 May 2026 17:44:32 +0100 Jakesdy]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9574 It ended with our big defeat with a score of 0-6.
Let's take a look at the statistics: 
Running distance (km) - Rova: 134.8, Seoul: 133.2
Average score - Rova: 7,933, Seoul: 6,246
Xg - Rova: 1.92, Seoul: 1.13
Shots on target - Rova: 8, Seoul: 4
Shots - Rova: 18, Seoul: 12
Percentage of assists - Rova: 88.247, Seoul: 84.167.
So, what can we understand from this set of metrics? Rova beat us in almost everything in the game. We didn't have much success in the game... During the match, I got a score of 6.64, ran 13.6 kilometers, and had 89.29% pass accuracy.
In general, I will describe this match as very difficult for us. Rova was basically just stronger than us and beat us in class. However, I don't think this is a reason for us to be discouraged. For us, this is generally a transitional period and we are just gaining experience. And as you know, he can be so unpleasant...
So we're going to prepare for the next games, and I'm looking for the strength to write a post about the next matches, and thank you for reading. See you very soon!]]> It ended with our big defeat with a score of 0-6.
Let's take a look at the statistics: 
Running distance (km) - Rova: 134.8, Seoul: 133.2
Average score - Rova: 7,933, Seoul: 6,246
Xg - Rova: 1.92, Seoul: 1.13
Shots on target - Rova: 8, Seoul: 4
Shots - Rova: 18, Seoul: 12
Percentage of assists - Rova: 88.247, Seoul: 84.167.
So, what can we understand from this set of metrics? Rova beat us in almost everything in the game. We didn't have much success in the game... During the match, I got a score of 6.64, ran 13.6 kilometers, and had 89.29% pass accuracy.
In general, I will describe this match as very difficult for us. Rova was basically just stronger than us and beat us in class. However, I don't think this is a reason for us to be discouraged. For us, this is generally a transitional period and we are just gaining experience. And as you know, he can be so unpleasant...
So we're going to prepare for the next games, and I'm looking for the strength to write a post about the next matches, and thank you for reading. See you very soon!]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9573 Tue, 12 May 2026 14:22:51 +0100 Bergmau]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9573
Are you strict about it, only playing within a "first-person" type of immersion level? Do you "manage" your player? Or do you mix?

From my, albeit short, personal experience. At first I was not a fan of the full immersion style, but the more content I consumed and talked or wrote with other players, the more I liked the idea of incorporating higher levels of immersion into the play. I wrote an article a couple of weeks ago containing an interview from my player. At first I was unsure if I wanted to do that, but it felt easy to write and I had more fun than I first expected. I followed that with a second interview, which again was easy and fun to write. So I decided for myself to include more of these interview style articles and other type of articles I never considered before. 

However I also want to continue writing articles that are from me, the human behind the player, and are not necessarily within the game in the simulation or so to say. 

I would love to know how you are handling this topic. Feel free to share your experiences.]]>
Are you strict about it, only playing within a "first-person" type of immersion level? Do you "manage" your player? Or do you mix?

From my, albeit short, personal experience. At first I was not a fan of the full immersion style, but the more content I consumed and talked or wrote with other players, the more I liked the idea of incorporating higher levels of immersion into the play. I wrote an article a couple of weeks ago containing an interview from my player. At first I was unsure if I wanted to do that, but it felt easy to write and I had more fun than I first expected. I followed that with a second interview, which again was easy and fun to write. So I decided for myself to include more of these interview style articles and other type of articles I never considered before. 

However I also want to continue writing articles that are from me, the human behind the player, and are not necessarily within the game in the simulation or so to say. 

I would love to know how you are handling this topic. Feel free to share your experiences.]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9572 Tue, 12 May 2026 09:55:18 +0100 Moka26]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9572



If it doesn't show up correctly, here's the link : 500 TPE Poster]]>



If it doesn't show up correctly, here's the link : 500 TPE Poster]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9571 Tue, 12 May 2026 06:35:09 +0100 Frostbite]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9571
As you can see in this image that I legally obtained, Stone's veins appear to be much larger than league average for the pub league, clearly indicating the use of steroids.


Furthermore, Stone was reported wearing a band-aid on his arm, suspiciously close to where a needle imprint may be. While sources close to him claim it is due to a cat scratch from a new kitten, with all the evidence around, can you really believe that excuse? I am a mere humble reporter, and I cannot say anything is true 100%, however this miraculous turn-around for Stone has been nothing short of... miraculous! Until the league offices take notice, or judging off his bank account, until the money runs out... whichever comes first... expect for Sydney to continue their unexpected undefeated streak as their new transfer Stone continues to grow in size, speed, and testosterone.]]>
As you can see in this image that I legally obtained, Stone's veins appear to be much larger than league average for the pub league, clearly indicating the use of steroids.


Furthermore, Stone was reported wearing a band-aid on his arm, suspiciously close to where a needle imprint may be. While sources close to him claim it is due to a cat scratch from a new kitten, with all the evidence around, can you really believe that excuse? I am a mere humble reporter, and I cannot say anything is true 100%, however this miraculous turn-around for Stone has been nothing short of... miraculous! Until the league offices take notice, or judging off his bank account, until the money runs out... whichever comes first... expect for Sydney to continue their unexpected undefeated streak as their new transfer Stone continues to grow in size, speed, and testosterone.]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9570 Tue, 12 May 2026 05:04:31 +0100 jason97]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9570 London, England

The biggest game of the Division Two Minor League did not disappoint. With Cairo City only 5 points behind Inter London for automatic promotion, this game was massive for both teams. With only five games to go, this was a must-win game for Cairo City, and they did not disappoint.

They were able to win 5-3 against Inter London in what was a match for the ages. They opened the scoring in the 40th minute, with Vivi Nefertari scoring their third goal of the season. They extended their lead only one minute into the second half, with Stan Smith's second goal of the season. Stan Smith then scored his third goal of the season, only a few minutes after that. The commanding 3-0 was cut to 3-1 after Chris McZehrl slotted their 5th of the season from the penalty spot. Inter London used the moment to add another goal in the 65th minute, courtesy of Arthur Cain's fourth goal of the season. A great passing play by Cairo following a corner saw You Jiang score their 6th goal of the season to regain their two-goal advantage. A calamity of errors by the Inter London backline allowed Vivi Nefertari to finish off their brace. A late penalty goal by Chris McZehrl was the final action of the game.

A fantastic display between the two best teams in the second division was a treat for all the fans in attendance. This has tightened the gap between the two teams to just two points, and unfortunately, they won't be playing each other again. One small slip-up from Inter London and Cairo City will allow them to jump them. This will be a very fun end to the season!

[285 words]]]> London, England

The biggest game of the Division Two Minor League did not disappoint. With Cairo City only 5 points behind Inter London for automatic promotion, this game was massive for both teams. With only five games to go, this was a must-win game for Cairo City, and they did not disappoint.

They were able to win 5-3 against Inter London in what was a match for the ages. They opened the scoring in the 40th minute, with Vivi Nefertari scoring their third goal of the season. They extended their lead only one minute into the second half, with Stan Smith's second goal of the season. Stan Smith then scored his third goal of the season, only a few minutes after that. The commanding 3-0 was cut to 3-1 after Chris McZehrl slotted their 5th of the season from the penalty spot. Inter London used the moment to add another goal in the 65th minute, courtesy of Arthur Cain's fourth goal of the season. A great passing play by Cairo following a corner saw You Jiang score their 6th goal of the season to regain their two-goal advantage. A calamity of errors by the Inter London backline allowed Vivi Nefertari to finish off their brace. A late penalty goal by Chris McZehrl was the final action of the game.

A fantastic display between the two best teams in the second division was a treat for all the fans in attendance. This has tightened the gap between the two teams to just two points, and unfortunately, they won't be playing each other again. One small slip-up from Inter London and Cairo City will allow them to jump them. This will be a very fun end to the season!

[285 words]]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9569 Tue, 12 May 2026 02:57:56 +0100 Degradation]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9569
Being kidnapped is kind of a new thing for Grimace. He's not exactly the size of a person you would think can be whisked away easily but sometimes all it takes is the right bait. A milkshake is not the right answer, it's inviting him over for a Big Mac! Anyway, he finds himself now faced with kidnappers asking him to call Ronald for the McDonald's random money. Grimace isn't going to do that. He wracks his brain for someone to bring into the problem and comes up with only one answer. Mavel's Daredevil! Is he blind? Sure but most people don't know that. He's an amazing tracker and can sense things afoul from the start with his superpowers. His skills are suited to deal with weapons like guns or knives. He has lawyer "friends" who can help out with any lawsuits or legal issues involved. On top of that he's just a friendly guy to be around when he's not brooding or trying to stop the forces of evil. You do have to wonder if being associated with him might bring the ire of other ne'er-do-wells such as Punisher or Wilson Fisk (Kingpin) but why would they bother themselves with someone like Grimace, an aspiring soccer player and former face of the milkshake.

214 Words]]>
Being kidnapped is kind of a new thing for Grimace. He's not exactly the size of a person you would think can be whisked away easily but sometimes all it takes is the right bait. A milkshake is not the right answer, it's inviting him over for a Big Mac! Anyway, he finds himself now faced with kidnappers asking him to call Ronald for the McDonald's random money. Grimace isn't going to do that. He wracks his brain for someone to bring into the problem and comes up with only one answer. Mavel's Daredevil! Is he blind? Sure but most people don't know that. He's an amazing tracker and can sense things afoul from the start with his superpowers. His skills are suited to deal with weapons like guns or knives. He has lawyer "friends" who can help out with any lawsuits or legal issues involved. On top of that he's just a friendly guy to be around when he's not brooding or trying to stop the forces of evil. You do have to wonder if being associated with him might bring the ire of other ne'er-do-wells such as Punisher or Wilson Fisk (Kingpin) but why would they bother themselves with someone like Grimace, an aspiring soccer player and former face of the milkshake.

214 Words]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9568 Tue, 12 May 2026 02:50:09 +0100 anjro]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9568
Since I don’t know much about soccer and team needs, I thought I would adopt and modify a method I saw in the ISFL forums where you spin a wheel and select accordingly.  The method I used was to list all the available positions as options on a wheel and then spin for each pick.  Then I did the same thing but with letter pairings in the alphabet, because everyone loves more letters.  Example: AB, CD, EF…

I used those letter pairings to indicate the first initial of the player that would be selected and intended to take the one with the highest TPE.  If there was no match, then I would re-spin until I found one.  Eventually, I would remove wheel entries if there were not very many eligible draftees available.  I got the draft order from an anonymouse source.

1 Rome & London
Position: CM
Name Spins: MN, ST
Pick: Star Scream

Congratulations you are the 1OA pick in my mock draft.  A prestigious honor.  Port Royal bias?
 
2 Black Forest & Montreal
Position: LAM
Name Spins: QR, EF, WX, UV, QR, QR, MN
Pick: Joe Mormor

It was around this pick I was debating whether or not I should remove letter pairings after they’ve been drawn for that pick to speed up the process.

3 Black Forest & Montreal
Position: LWB
Name Spins: IJ
Pick: Joshua Homme III Esquire Limited

Nice, only one spin required.

4 Buenos Aires & Athenai
Position: LM
Pick: Owen Bryant

Only one player was eligible at this position so I did not do first initial spins.  If only all of them were like this.

5 Shanghai & Magyar
Position: LD
Name Spins: QR
Pick: Roberto Chávez

Sweet another easy one.  An inactive though, might be a reach if they don’t come back.
 
6 Xelaju & Masques
Position: LAM
Name Spins: MN, AB, OP, KL
Pick: Kairo Vox

Slid all the way down to 6OA even though they are the 4th highest TPE in the class.  What a steal.
 
7 Liffyside & Rova
Position: RD
Name Spins: MN, WX, QR, UV, OP, CD, GH, IJ, KL, ST
Pick: Scorp E. Unshark

They were called out in another media piece as being a solid earning player at a premium position so going 7OA is great value.  It was also here that I started removing duplicate letter pairings in spins for a single draft selection.
 
8 Sao Paulo & Paris
Position: CM
Name Spins: ST
Pick: Tim Quackareedoo

Our first striker off the board.  Maybe not who you expected, but it was who the GMs wanted at least in this mock.
 
9 Reykjavik & North Shore
Position: CD
Name Spins: OP
Pick: Peter Castellani

Our 2nd inactive.
 
10 Shanghai & Magyar
Position: RD
Pick: Ewan Purves
 
There were no more RDs left so there was no need to do the name spins.  Crazy that they all went in round 1, what an important position.
 
11 Hollywood & Cape Town
Position: GK
Name Spins: EF
Pick: Eric Duic

Our first GK.
 
12 Catalunya & Seoul
Position: ST
Name Spins: QR, EF, QR, EF, MN
Pick: Nacho Kusora

I figured there were enough strikers where I wouldn’t have to worry about it landing on the same letter grouping more than once, turns out I was doubly wrong.  A solid pick with our 2nd striker.  They have been tearing it up in the academy.

I hope you enjoyed my very serious mock draft.  I am sure it will play out like this otherwise the fates have lied to me.]]>
Since I don’t know much about soccer and team needs, I thought I would adopt and modify a method I saw in the ISFL forums where you spin a wheel and select accordingly.  The method I used was to list all the available positions as options on a wheel and then spin for each pick.  Then I did the same thing but with letter pairings in the alphabet, because everyone loves more letters.  Example: AB, CD, EF…

I used those letter pairings to indicate the first initial of the player that would be selected and intended to take the one with the highest TPE.  If there was no match, then I would re-spin until I found one.  Eventually, I would remove wheel entries if there were not very many eligible draftees available.  I got the draft order from an anonymouse source.

1 Rome & London
Position: CM
Name Spins: MN, ST
Pick: Star Scream

Congratulations you are the 1OA pick in my mock draft.  A prestigious honor.  Port Royal bias?
 
2 Black Forest & Montreal
Position: LAM
Name Spins: QR, EF, WX, UV, QR, QR, MN
Pick: Joe Mormor

It was around this pick I was debating whether or not I should remove letter pairings after they’ve been drawn for that pick to speed up the process.

3 Black Forest & Montreal
Position: LWB
Name Spins: IJ
Pick: Joshua Homme III Esquire Limited

Nice, only one spin required.

4 Buenos Aires & Athenai
Position: LM
Pick: Owen Bryant

Only one player was eligible at this position so I did not do first initial spins.  If only all of them were like this.

5 Shanghai & Magyar
Position: LD
Name Spins: QR
Pick: Roberto Chávez

Sweet another easy one.  An inactive though, might be a reach if they don’t come back.
 
6 Xelaju & Masques
Position: LAM
Name Spins: MN, AB, OP, KL
Pick: Kairo Vox

Slid all the way down to 6OA even though they are the 4th highest TPE in the class.  What a steal.
 
7 Liffyside & Rova
Position: RD
Name Spins: MN, WX, QR, UV, OP, CD, GH, IJ, KL, ST
Pick: Scorp E. Unshark

They were called out in another media piece as being a solid earning player at a premium position so going 7OA is great value.  It was also here that I started removing duplicate letter pairings in spins for a single draft selection.
 
8 Sao Paulo & Paris
Position: CM
Name Spins: ST
Pick: Tim Quackareedoo

Our first striker off the board.  Maybe not who you expected, but it was who the GMs wanted at least in this mock.
 
9 Reykjavik & North Shore
Position: CD
Name Spins: OP
Pick: Peter Castellani

Our 2nd inactive.
 
10 Shanghai & Magyar
Position: RD
Pick: Ewan Purves
 
There were no more RDs left so there was no need to do the name spins.  Crazy that they all went in round 1, what an important position.
 
11 Hollywood & Cape Town
Position: GK
Name Spins: EF
Pick: Eric Duic

Our first GK.
 
12 Catalunya & Seoul
Position: ST
Name Spins: QR, EF, QR, EF, MN
Pick: Nacho Kusora

I figured there were enough strikers where I wouldn’t have to worry about it landing on the same letter grouping more than once, turns out I was doubly wrong.  A solid pick with our 2nd striker.  They have been tearing it up in the academy.

I hope you enjoyed my very serious mock draft.  I am sure it will play out like this otherwise the fates have lied to me.]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9567 Tue, 12 May 2026 00:46:27 +0100 RoyRivers]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9567  WEEK 5

Each week you get to predict the results for a selection of games. You are awarded 1 uncapped TPE for participation and an additional 1 uncapped TPE for every correct answer.

The games for this week of predictions come from the Minors Matchday 12 (May 16th).

Click on  This Link  to make your selections,

and be sure to post your verification word in this thread once you complete your picks.

The deadline for predictions is the airing of the matchday on May 16th.

Editing your post after the deadline will result in you getting 0 TPE.

This task is only claimable through the portal after grading.

All members of the Sim Team, Board of Directors, File Workers and PT Grader will get the average TPE. 

]]>  WEEK 5

Each week you get to predict the results for a selection of games. You are awarded 1 uncapped TPE for participation and an additional 1 uncapped TPE for every correct answer.

The games for this week of predictions come from the Minors Matchday 12 (May 16th).

Click on  This Link  to make your selections,

and be sure to post your verification word in this thread once you complete your picks.

The deadline for predictions is the airing of the matchday on May 16th.

Editing your post after the deadline will result in you getting 0 TPE.

This task is only claimable through the portal after grading.

All members of the Sim Team, Board of Directors, File Workers and PT Grader will get the average TPE. 

]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9564 Mon, 11 May 2026 18:59:37 +0100 Hoodz_91]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9564
The academy season somehow feels both nearly finished and still completely undecided at the same time.
This is usually the point where conversations around the draft stop being polite and start becoming honest. Early in the season everybody likes everybody. Everybody has “potential”. Everybody is “one to watch”. Once you get this deep into the schedule though, opinions start hardening properly. Organizations begin separating players into categories internally. Guys they absolutely want. Guys they like but would only take at the right spot. Guys they think are getting overrated publicly. Guys they think could become steals.
And honestly, this class might end up causing one of the messiest draft nights in a while because I genuinely don’t think there’s consensus anywhere.
Usually by game nine you can already feel the shape of the board forming. There’s normally a clear top player or maybe a clear top three where most people roughly agree on the order even if they argue over specifics. This class feels completely different. The top of the class is packed together so tightly that one strong week or one quiet stretch could genuinely shift entire conversations.
Barry McGlynn currently leads the class on 380 TPE with Reece Munro right there alongside the very top group, followed closely by S Sei, STAR SCREAM and several others all stacked together. The gap between a lot of these players is tiny. Once margins become that small, organizations stop looking purely at numbers and start focusing heavily on projection, positional importance, long term activity and tactical fit.
That’s where things become really interesting.
Because if you asked ten different OMs to build a draft board from this class, I honestly think you’d get ten very different answers.
Some organizations are going to look at this class and immediately prioritize midfielders because midfielders tend to age well inside sim leagues. Others are going to chase pure attacking upside because elite forwards are difficult to find. Some organizations are probably desperate for wingbacks. Others may already have systems built around certain roles and will target players that fit those systems specifically rather than simply taking the “best” player available.
That’s why mock drafts usually collapse the second the real draft actually starts.
People massively underestimate how much organizational context matters.
A rebuilding organization drafts completely differently to a contender.
A patient OM drafts differently to somebody under pressure to win immediately.
A tactically rigid system drafts differently to a flexible one.
And honestly, activity culture probably matters more than people publicly admit too.
There are some organizations that absolutely value consistent activity and locker room presence over pure theoretical ceilings. Others will gamble on upside every single time. Neither approach is necessarily wrong either because both strategies have worked before.
Looking through this academy tracker properly though, what stands out most is how healthy the overall class feels.
There are quality players across multiple positions.
There are active users near the top.
There are difficult evaluations.
There are obvious names.
There are hidden value names.
There are players with massive ceilings and players who feel incredibly safe.
That combination usually creates entertaining drafts because organizations end up prioritising completely different things.

For me personally, Reece Munro feels like one of the safest picks in the entire class. Not necessarily because the player is the flashiest prospect available, but because central midfielders with consistent development paths become ridiculously valuable over time.
People always obsess over explosive attackers during academy seasons because goals and highlights dominate discussions. But if you actually look at long term successful organizations across sim leagues, they nearly always have strong midfield foundations underneath everything else.
Reliable midfielders age incredibly well.
Systems survive because of midfield control.
You can build around midfielders for multiple seasons to come.
And importantly, good midfielders tend to adapt across multiple tactical systems far easier than certain specialist attacking roles do. That versatility matters massively once organizations start planning for the future instead of just immediate hype.
S Sei is another player that I honestly think organizations will love far more than public discussions currently suggest.
Defensive midfielders almost always become undervalued during academy discussions because casual conversations naturally drift towards attacking numbers instead. But genuinely elite CDMs completely transform teams.
A strong defensive midfielder allows attacking players more freedom.
They stabilise transitions.
They protect weaker defensive lines.
They allow tactical flexibility.
They create balance.
If an organisation already has stars but lacks structure, somebody like Sei suddenly becomes massively important. I could absolutely see a scenario where a team quietly rates that profile much higher internally than people expect publicly.
STAR SCREAM is probably one of the hardest evaluations in the class for me because the profile is obviously strong from a numbers perspective. The interesting part is trying to project exactly what organizations believe the long term role becomes.
Some front offices love adaptable midfielders because they can shift systems around them over time. Others prefer specialists who dominate a single role at elite level instead of being versatile. That philosophical split probably changes where players like STAR SCREAM end up landing.
And honestly, that’s something people rarely talk about enough during draft conversations.
Different organisations literally value football differently.
One OM might watch a player and see tactical freedom.
Another OM might watch the exact same player and see positional uncertainty.
That’s why public rankings always end up looking silly once the real draft happens.
Joshua Homme III Esquire Limited is another player I keep coming back to the more I think about this class.
Firstly, unbelievable name. Instantly memorable. That genuinely matters more than people pretend it does.
Secondly though, active wingbacks are becoming absurdly valuable in modern setups. Fullbacks are no longer just defenders who occasionally overlap. In loads of systems now they basically function as transition engines.
Teams want width.
Teams want overlapping support.
Teams want recovery pace.
Teams want crossing.
Teams want defensive reliability mixed with attacking contribution.
If organizations believe somebody can develop into a complete wingback profile then suddenly they become far more valuable than raw public rankings might suggest.
Walter Blanco falls into a similar category for me as well. Maybe not receiving as much hype as some bigger attacking names, but definitely somebody I could imagine becoming one of those “how did he fall that far?” players a couple of seasons from now.
That happens literally every draft.
There are always players who become victims of hype cycles.
Early in academy seasons certain names dominate conversations constantly. Then people get bored, move onto newer storylines and quietly ignore steady builders who continue progressing without drama.
Those steady builders often become amazing value picks later.
I think this striker class is going to cause chaos as well because there are so many interesting profiles available. Dennis van Huntelrooy, Dante Von Wolfe, Owen Goal, Blaise N'Kufo, Nacho Kusora, Leonardo Stone and several others all bring different things to the table.
The problem with deep striker classes is that organizations suddenly become extremely selective.
If there are only one or two quality forwards available, teams panic early. If there are loads of good forwards available, organizations start convincing themselves they can wait longer.
That creates weird draft movement.
Some strikers rise massively because teams fear missing the run once it starts.
Others unexpectedly slide because organizations think “we can grab another attacking option later”.
Dante Von Wolfe feels like somebody who could massively benefit from organizations chasing ceiling late in the first round.
Every draft eventually reaches the point where OMs stop thinking safely and start imagining possibilities instead.
That’s where ceiling prospects rise.
Teams start picturing what players could become after two or three seasons inside strong developmental environments.
Owen Goal is another interesting case because even the name alone guarantees attention. And honestly, narrative absolutely affects perception whether people admit it or not.
Some names stick in your head.
Some players become memorable.
Some players naturally generate discussion.
That matters.
Humans run organizations, not robots.
There are also players sitting slightly lower down the tracker that I think organizations are probably monitoring far more closely than public conversations suggest.
Jayson Bryzski stands out immediately to me.
Arsene Cardinet as well.
Every time I scroll through the tracker I end up stopping at Cardinet’s profile because it just feels undervalued compared to surrounding discussions. Maybe it’s because there are so many midfielders available this class. Maybe it’s because bigger personalities dominate conversations elsewhere. But that type of player is exactly how organizations end up quietly stealing value.
The public talks about stars.
Good organizations find efficiency.
Jack Pow interests me for similar reasons.
Bruce McAllister too.
Not necessarily guaranteed headline-grabbing prospects, but definitely the type of players where you could imagine certain organizations internally being much higher on them than public draft boards currently are.
And honestly, those are usually the names worth watching closest.
The obvious stars are obvious.
The really interesting draft stories usually happen slightly underneath that top layer.
The goalkeeper discussion this class is fascinating too because opinions around drafting goalkeepers vary massively between organizations.
Moew enBach and Umaq Yupanqui clearly stand out immediately from a TPE perspective. But goalkeeper evaluation always becomes philosophical.
Some OMs hate spending early picks on keepers unless they genuinely believe the prospect is elite.
Other organizations value long term stability at goalkeeper massively and would rather solve the position early than gamble later.
It only takes one organization falling in love with a goalkeeper prospect for draft boards to suddenly shift completely.
And once one goalkeeper goes earlier than expected, panic starts.
Because now organizations that planned on waiting suddenly realize the position might disappear quickly.
That’s how draft chaos starts.
One thing I genuinely think is helping this class overall is activity.
Usually by game nine there are several highly ranked players already carrying serious inactivity concerns. This class the top of the tracker still looks impressively active overall which makes evaluations much harder.
Organizations can’t eliminate people as easily.
Now they actually have to choose.
That’s harder.
There are probably front offices already building giant internal comparison boards trying to separate players with almost identical TPE totals and similar activity levels. Once classes become this balanced, tiny details suddenly matter loads.
Positional scarcity matters.
Personality matters.
Consistency matters.
Fit matters.
Projected longevity matters.
Even timing matters.
Some players are peaking at the perfect moment while others maybe feel quieter heading into the final stretch.
And these final five games genuinely matter more than people realize.
Momentum completely changes perception near draft season.
A player sitting around middle-round discussions right now could absolutely explode into first round conversations with a huge finish.
Equally, somebody currently sitting comfortably near the top could create doubts if activity suddenly dips at the wrong time.
People remember endings.
Scouts remember momentum.
Organizations remember who kept showing up.
That’s especially important in long-term sim environments where reliability matters almost as much as talent.
There are also a few names further down the board that I think could become sneaky value selections depending on where they land.
Saba Kvekvetsia interests me.
Maurjiro Rivers interests me too.
Emmanuel Ofusu also feels like somebody who could quietly outperform expectations because active wide players nearly always end up useful in modern tactical systems somewhere.
The other thing people forget is that organizations aren’t just drafting players. They’re drafting timelines.
Some teams can afford patience.
Others desperately need contributors quickly.
That changes evaluations massively.
A rebuilding organization might happily gamble on raw upside because they know they have time.
A contender may prefer safer, adaptable players who can slot into existing systems sooner.
Again, that’s why universal draft boards don’t really exist internally.
Public rankings are entertainment.
Private rankings are strategy.
I also think some organizations are going to massively overthink this class.
Every single class there are teams that convince themselves they’re being clever by trying to outsmart the room instead of simply taking really good active players sitting directly in front of them.
Sometimes the obvious picks are obvious because they’re genuinely good.
At the same time though, some organizations absolutely will uncover hidden value because there’s enough depth in this class for strong scouting departments to separate themselves.
And honestly, that’s probably the biggest compliment you can give an academy season.
This draft doesn’t feel scripted.
It doesn’t feel solved.
It feels open.
It feels messy.
It feels debatable.
And that usually means the academy has done its job properly.
Five games remaining probably sounds like nothing to some people.
In reality, those five games might completely reshape how this class gets remembered.]]>
The academy season somehow feels both nearly finished and still completely undecided at the same time.
This is usually the point where conversations around the draft stop being polite and start becoming honest. Early in the season everybody likes everybody. Everybody has “potential”. Everybody is “one to watch”. Once you get this deep into the schedule though, opinions start hardening properly. Organizations begin separating players into categories internally. Guys they absolutely want. Guys they like but would only take at the right spot. Guys they think are getting overrated publicly. Guys they think could become steals.
And honestly, this class might end up causing one of the messiest draft nights in a while because I genuinely don’t think there’s consensus anywhere.
Usually by game nine you can already feel the shape of the board forming. There’s normally a clear top player or maybe a clear top three where most people roughly agree on the order even if they argue over specifics. This class feels completely different. The top of the class is packed together so tightly that one strong week or one quiet stretch could genuinely shift entire conversations.
Barry McGlynn currently leads the class on 380 TPE with Reece Munro right there alongside the very top group, followed closely by S Sei, STAR SCREAM and several others all stacked together. The gap between a lot of these players is tiny. Once margins become that small, organizations stop looking purely at numbers and start focusing heavily on projection, positional importance, long term activity and tactical fit.
That’s where things become really interesting.
Because if you asked ten different OMs to build a draft board from this class, I honestly think you’d get ten very different answers.
Some organizations are going to look at this class and immediately prioritize midfielders because midfielders tend to age well inside sim leagues. Others are going to chase pure attacking upside because elite forwards are difficult to find. Some organizations are probably desperate for wingbacks. Others may already have systems built around certain roles and will target players that fit those systems specifically rather than simply taking the “best” player available.
That’s why mock drafts usually collapse the second the real draft actually starts.
People massively underestimate how much organizational context matters.
A rebuilding organization drafts completely differently to a contender.
A patient OM drafts differently to somebody under pressure to win immediately.
A tactically rigid system drafts differently to a flexible one.
And honestly, activity culture probably matters more than people publicly admit too.
There are some organizations that absolutely value consistent activity and locker room presence over pure theoretical ceilings. Others will gamble on upside every single time. Neither approach is necessarily wrong either because both strategies have worked before.
Looking through this academy tracker properly though, what stands out most is how healthy the overall class feels.
There are quality players across multiple positions.
There are active users near the top.
There are difficult evaluations.
There are obvious names.
There are hidden value names.
There are players with massive ceilings and players who feel incredibly safe.
That combination usually creates entertaining drafts because organizations end up prioritising completely different things.

For me personally, Reece Munro feels like one of the safest picks in the entire class. Not necessarily because the player is the flashiest prospect available, but because central midfielders with consistent development paths become ridiculously valuable over time.
People always obsess over explosive attackers during academy seasons because goals and highlights dominate discussions. But if you actually look at long term successful organizations across sim leagues, they nearly always have strong midfield foundations underneath everything else.
Reliable midfielders age incredibly well.
Systems survive because of midfield control.
You can build around midfielders for multiple seasons to come.
And importantly, good midfielders tend to adapt across multiple tactical systems far easier than certain specialist attacking roles do. That versatility matters massively once organizations start planning for the future instead of just immediate hype.
S Sei is another player that I honestly think organizations will love far more than public discussions currently suggest.
Defensive midfielders almost always become undervalued during academy discussions because casual conversations naturally drift towards attacking numbers instead. But genuinely elite CDMs completely transform teams.
A strong defensive midfielder allows attacking players more freedom.
They stabilise transitions.
They protect weaker defensive lines.
They allow tactical flexibility.
They create balance.
If an organisation already has stars but lacks structure, somebody like Sei suddenly becomes massively important. I could absolutely see a scenario where a team quietly rates that profile much higher internally than people expect publicly.
STAR SCREAM is probably one of the hardest evaluations in the class for me because the profile is obviously strong from a numbers perspective. The interesting part is trying to project exactly what organizations believe the long term role becomes.
Some front offices love adaptable midfielders because they can shift systems around them over time. Others prefer specialists who dominate a single role at elite level instead of being versatile. That philosophical split probably changes where players like STAR SCREAM end up landing.
And honestly, that’s something people rarely talk about enough during draft conversations.
Different organisations literally value football differently.
One OM might watch a player and see tactical freedom.
Another OM might watch the exact same player and see positional uncertainty.
That’s why public rankings always end up looking silly once the real draft happens.
Joshua Homme III Esquire Limited is another player I keep coming back to the more I think about this class.
Firstly, unbelievable name. Instantly memorable. That genuinely matters more than people pretend it does.
Secondly though, active wingbacks are becoming absurdly valuable in modern setups. Fullbacks are no longer just defenders who occasionally overlap. In loads of systems now they basically function as transition engines.
Teams want width.
Teams want overlapping support.
Teams want recovery pace.
Teams want crossing.
Teams want defensive reliability mixed with attacking contribution.
If organizations believe somebody can develop into a complete wingback profile then suddenly they become far more valuable than raw public rankings might suggest.
Walter Blanco falls into a similar category for me as well. Maybe not receiving as much hype as some bigger attacking names, but definitely somebody I could imagine becoming one of those “how did he fall that far?” players a couple of seasons from now.
That happens literally every draft.
There are always players who become victims of hype cycles.
Early in academy seasons certain names dominate conversations constantly. Then people get bored, move onto newer storylines and quietly ignore steady builders who continue progressing without drama.
Those steady builders often become amazing value picks later.
I think this striker class is going to cause chaos as well because there are so many interesting profiles available. Dennis van Huntelrooy, Dante Von Wolfe, Owen Goal, Blaise N'Kufo, Nacho Kusora, Leonardo Stone and several others all bring different things to the table.
The problem with deep striker classes is that organizations suddenly become extremely selective.
If there are only one or two quality forwards available, teams panic early. If there are loads of good forwards available, organizations start convincing themselves they can wait longer.
That creates weird draft movement.
Some strikers rise massively because teams fear missing the run once it starts.
Others unexpectedly slide because organizations think “we can grab another attacking option later”.
Dante Von Wolfe feels like somebody who could massively benefit from organizations chasing ceiling late in the first round.
Every draft eventually reaches the point where OMs stop thinking safely and start imagining possibilities instead.
That’s where ceiling prospects rise.
Teams start picturing what players could become after two or three seasons inside strong developmental environments.
Owen Goal is another interesting case because even the name alone guarantees attention. And honestly, narrative absolutely affects perception whether people admit it or not.
Some names stick in your head.
Some players become memorable.
Some players naturally generate discussion.
That matters.
Humans run organizations, not robots.
There are also players sitting slightly lower down the tracker that I think organizations are probably monitoring far more closely than public conversations suggest.
Jayson Bryzski stands out immediately to me.
Arsene Cardinet as well.
Every time I scroll through the tracker I end up stopping at Cardinet’s profile because it just feels undervalued compared to surrounding discussions. Maybe it’s because there are so many midfielders available this class. Maybe it’s because bigger personalities dominate conversations elsewhere. But that type of player is exactly how organizations end up quietly stealing value.
The public talks about stars.
Good organizations find efficiency.
Jack Pow interests me for similar reasons.
Bruce McAllister too.
Not necessarily guaranteed headline-grabbing prospects, but definitely the type of players where you could imagine certain organizations internally being much higher on them than public draft boards currently are.
And honestly, those are usually the names worth watching closest.
The obvious stars are obvious.
The really interesting draft stories usually happen slightly underneath that top layer.
The goalkeeper discussion this class is fascinating too because opinions around drafting goalkeepers vary massively between organizations.
Moew enBach and Umaq Yupanqui clearly stand out immediately from a TPE perspective. But goalkeeper evaluation always becomes philosophical.
Some OMs hate spending early picks on keepers unless they genuinely believe the prospect is elite.
Other organizations value long term stability at goalkeeper massively and would rather solve the position early than gamble later.
It only takes one organization falling in love with a goalkeeper prospect for draft boards to suddenly shift completely.
And once one goalkeeper goes earlier than expected, panic starts.
Because now organizations that planned on waiting suddenly realize the position might disappear quickly.
That’s how draft chaos starts.
One thing I genuinely think is helping this class overall is activity.
Usually by game nine there are several highly ranked players already carrying serious inactivity concerns. This class the top of the tracker still looks impressively active overall which makes evaluations much harder.
Organizations can’t eliminate people as easily.
Now they actually have to choose.
That’s harder.
There are probably front offices already building giant internal comparison boards trying to separate players with almost identical TPE totals and similar activity levels. Once classes become this balanced, tiny details suddenly matter loads.
Positional scarcity matters.
Personality matters.
Consistency matters.
Fit matters.
Projected longevity matters.
Even timing matters.
Some players are peaking at the perfect moment while others maybe feel quieter heading into the final stretch.
And these final five games genuinely matter more than people realize.
Momentum completely changes perception near draft season.
A player sitting around middle-round discussions right now could absolutely explode into first round conversations with a huge finish.
Equally, somebody currently sitting comfortably near the top could create doubts if activity suddenly dips at the wrong time.
People remember endings.
Scouts remember momentum.
Organizations remember who kept showing up.
That’s especially important in long-term sim environments where reliability matters almost as much as talent.
There are also a few names further down the board that I think could become sneaky value selections depending on where they land.
Saba Kvekvetsia interests me.
Maurjiro Rivers interests me too.
Emmanuel Ofusu also feels like somebody who could quietly outperform expectations because active wide players nearly always end up useful in modern tactical systems somewhere.
The other thing people forget is that organizations aren’t just drafting players. They’re drafting timelines.
Some teams can afford patience.
Others desperately need contributors quickly.
That changes evaluations massively.
A rebuilding organization might happily gamble on raw upside because they know they have time.
A contender may prefer safer, adaptable players who can slot into existing systems sooner.
Again, that’s why universal draft boards don’t really exist internally.
Public rankings are entertainment.
Private rankings are strategy.
I also think some organizations are going to massively overthink this class.
Every single class there are teams that convince themselves they’re being clever by trying to outsmart the room instead of simply taking really good active players sitting directly in front of them.
Sometimes the obvious picks are obvious because they’re genuinely good.
At the same time though, some organizations absolutely will uncover hidden value because there’s enough depth in this class for strong scouting departments to separate themselves.
And honestly, that’s probably the biggest compliment you can give an academy season.
This draft doesn’t feel scripted.
It doesn’t feel solved.
It feels open.
It feels messy.
It feels debatable.
And that usually means the academy has done its job properly.
Five games remaining probably sounds like nothing to some people.
In reality, those five games might completely reshape how this class gets remembered.]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9436 Mon, 11 May 2026 18:56:59 +0100 rrf_1]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9436 The Cairokyo Legends

This series explores the 15 players that have played more than 10 seasons with the Tokyo-Cairo organization.

One of the most popular members of any football team is the striker.  Strikers are the primary attacking players in the outfield that usually score the most goals with the most style.  As such, the striker receives the most admiration from fans and serves an important role in shaping team sentiment and identity.  There have been two striker legends that have held down the Tokyo S.C. offense over its history, with Sky Ryze passing the torch to Zlatan Ibruhimovic from one era to the next.




Sky Ryze
Canada – 7'10" 300lbs
Tokyo career: 216 apps, 22 POM (10.2%), 7.35 avg rating
Cairo career: 14 apps, 0 POM (0%), 7.03 avg rating
Team of the season: 4x major, 1x MVP

Sky Ryze was as big as a high rise.  Always taller than his peers, he grew up dreaming of becoming a professional basketball player.  His biggest strength was his leaping ability, which in combination with his height meant he could dunk effortlessly at the rim, but professional scouts didn’t believe he had the same career potential as his older brothers and sisters.  They saw a willingness in Ryze to play physically, but they didn’t see a well-rounded skillset or the right finesse for the sport, with one scout even mentioning his “hands of stone” as a liability for playing with good feel for the game.

Ryze had to abandon his basketball dreams.  He moved to Europe to cope with the disappointment and try to discover another purpose for his life.  While relaxing in a busy plaza one day, he was nearly decapitated by an incoming ball, and his reaction to the moment changed his life forever.  Without even thinking, he headed the ball out of harm's way with exceptional control and strength, surprising the entire crowd in the square.  One of the onlookers happened to be an early SSL investor away on holiday, and at her persuasion, Ryze applied for the league’s S2 draft, knowing nothing about football but interested in seeing if he could make a team with his natural talent for heading.

After showcasing his unique physical abilities at a skills combine, Ryze entered the draft a hotly desired prospect.  He was selected 3rd overall by FC Rio to play striker, and Ryze immediately contributed to the team with his aerial talent.  However, he significantly struggled playing the ball with his feet in his rookie season.  With the FC Rio manager stepping down and a team rebranding on the horizon, Ryze decided to leave the team in search of a more stable organization where he could develop his technical skills for the sport.  He landed with Tokyo S.C. for S3 where he would stay the rest of his career.  He became a quick fan favorite, earning the nickname “The Tokyo Tower” and taking on the likeness of a banana mascot among fans.  Ryze also enrolled as an ambassador for the city's tourism office, which made him a very public figure for Tokyo as well.  He really enjoyed interacting with fans and locals whenever he was out exploring the city.  His teammates were also very supportive of his unique strengths despite a widespread preference for smaller, faster forwards.  Ryze truly found a home in Tokyo. 

Over his career, Ryze averaged 0.6 goals/90, scoring on 11.9% of his shots and landing 49.3% on target.  His best season was S14 when he won the major league MVP, scoring 13 goals in 14 matches with 31.0% scoring efficiency and shooting 52.4% on target.  Ryze also had an incredibly long career, playing 15 seasons in the major league and scoring a total of 128 goals and 31 assists across major league matches.  He even broadened his technical skillset throughout his career, adding contributions in areas secondary to scoring.  This type of activity peak in S12 when Ryze recorded 10.6 headers/90 at 81.4% win rate, 3.9 tackles/90 at 82.1% win rate, and 2.4 interceptions/90.  Staying with the Cairokyo organization for such a long tenure enabled Ryze to grow into a spectacular football player.  The football world is thankful that basketball scouts never gave him a chance; Ryze left a massive legacy on the SSL that set a new bar for strikers.

Now traveling the world in search of new hobbies, Ryze is enjoying retirement – "especially through food and drink", he told me.  He hopes the next stars of this league remember that "effort and presence are always noticed, and a journey includes both the success and the repeated attempts to get there."


Zlatan Ibruhimovic
Malmö, Sweden – 6'5" 209 lbs
Tokyo career: 139 apps, 12 POM (8.6%), 7.19 avg rating
Cairo career: 53 apps, 8 POM (15.1%), 7.47 avg rating
Team of the season: 3x major

“Towering stature, impeccable physique, and otherworldly” – this was the sensational description for Swedish striker Zlatan Ibruhimovic in the S11 prospect draft.  Despite such a raving assessment, Ibruhimovic entered the football scene as if by magic, with no prior history to his name.  Everyone was shocked how such a promising prospect could have gone completely undetected by scouts, but then a massive discovery was made: beneath the botox, Ibruhimovic had a strong resemblance to the legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  A theory thus emerged that Ibrahimovic, not quite ready to hang up the boots after retiring from his highly-decorated European career, invented a plan to re-enter the football world without the weight of his renowned name overshadowing his every move.  Of course, in response to the relentless bombardment of allegations in regards to his identity, Ibruhimovic denied it at ever turn, but his shoddy disguise propped up by a nearly unnoticeable name change and some small alterations to physical appearance was worthy of suspicion.  At the same time, Ibrahimovic had mysteriously disappeared, all but confirming the scam.

Still, Ibruhimovic stayed committed to his story as a new football player.  He was selected 2nd overall by Cairo City and made sure to hold back his elite talent to come off as a more believable rookie in his debut season.  Gradually, he reincorporated advanced skills back into his game, and the SSL eventually stopped chasing the truth of Ibruhimovic’s origins in favor of simply celebrating his presence in the league.  If the media hadn’t moved on from the Ibrahimovic suspicions naturally, Zlatan’s absurd game day routine would have stolen their attention anyway.  A man of extreme consistency and discipline, Ibruhimovic first unstrapped himself from his inverted hanging bed and then – in free fall from the ceiling – performed a double backflip with triple twist, landing square on his feet ready for a casual 50km run and 50km swim to get the blood flowing.  After this hour workout, he ate a breakfast of 18 boiled eggs, 32 oranges, 14 avocados, an entire smoked ham, and 2 liters of diesel fuel, consuming the feast over some light reading (a few encyclopedias).  After breakfast, he took a quick 2 minute power nap so he was charged and ready for the day, making sure to load up pet hamster Hammy to tag along for his training and the match.

His routine, as unconventional as it was, clearly worked extremely well at preparing the prolific striker for scoring goals.  Across his 9 seasons in the major league with Tokyo S.C., Ibruhimovic averaged 0.6 goals/90 just like Ryze.  He scored on 15.9% of his shot attempts, and landed 52.2% on target.  In the minor league with Cairo City, he accomplished an even stronger 0.7 goals/90 at 19.1% scoring efficiency and 56.7% on target rate.  His best season was S20, scoring 18 goals in 18 appearances and winning the major league's Golden Boot.  Without question, Ibruhimovic was a scoring champion that totaled 121 goals in league play over his career.

Zlatan is recently retired from football, this time for good it seems.  It’s possible he takes on another fake identity to extend his career even further, or maybe he already has, but he told me for now he is working his dream job in a Tokyo maid cafe.  Let's maybe keep an eye out for an Ibrihimovic or Ibrohimovic in the upcoming prospect classes just in case he changes his mind.]]> The Cairokyo Legends

This series explores the 15 players that have played more than 10 seasons with the Tokyo-Cairo organization.

One of the most popular members of any football team is the striker.  Strikers are the primary attacking players in the outfield that usually score the most goals with the most style.  As such, the striker receives the most admiration from fans and serves an important role in shaping team sentiment and identity.  There have been two striker legends that have held down the Tokyo S.C. offense over its history, with Sky Ryze passing the torch to Zlatan Ibruhimovic from one era to the next.




Sky Ryze
Canada – 7'10" 300lbs
Tokyo career: 216 apps, 22 POM (10.2%), 7.35 avg rating
Cairo career: 14 apps, 0 POM (0%), 7.03 avg rating
Team of the season: 4x major, 1x MVP

Sky Ryze was as big as a high rise.  Always taller than his peers, he grew up dreaming of becoming a professional basketball player.  His biggest strength was his leaping ability, which in combination with his height meant he could dunk effortlessly at the rim, but professional scouts didn’t believe he had the same career potential as his older brothers and sisters.  They saw a willingness in Ryze to play physically, but they didn’t see a well-rounded skillset or the right finesse for the sport, with one scout even mentioning his “hands of stone” as a liability for playing with good feel for the game.

Ryze had to abandon his basketball dreams.  He moved to Europe to cope with the disappointment and try to discover another purpose for his life.  While relaxing in a busy plaza one day, he was nearly decapitated by an incoming ball, and his reaction to the moment changed his life forever.  Without even thinking, he headed the ball out of harm's way with exceptional control and strength, surprising the entire crowd in the square.  One of the onlookers happened to be an early SSL investor away on holiday, and at her persuasion, Ryze applied for the league’s S2 draft, knowing nothing about football but interested in seeing if he could make a team with his natural talent for heading.

After showcasing his unique physical abilities at a skills combine, Ryze entered the draft a hotly desired prospect.  He was selected 3rd overall by FC Rio to play striker, and Ryze immediately contributed to the team with his aerial talent.  However, he significantly struggled playing the ball with his feet in his rookie season.  With the FC Rio manager stepping down and a team rebranding on the horizon, Ryze decided to leave the team in search of a more stable organization where he could develop his technical skills for the sport.  He landed with Tokyo S.C. for S3 where he would stay the rest of his career.  He became a quick fan favorite, earning the nickname “The Tokyo Tower” and taking on the likeness of a banana mascot among fans.  Ryze also enrolled as an ambassador for the city's tourism office, which made him a very public figure for Tokyo as well.  He really enjoyed interacting with fans and locals whenever he was out exploring the city.  His teammates were also very supportive of his unique strengths despite a widespread preference for smaller, faster forwards.  Ryze truly found a home in Tokyo. 

Over his career, Ryze averaged 0.6 goals/90, scoring on 11.9% of his shots and landing 49.3% on target.  His best season was S14 when he won the major league MVP, scoring 13 goals in 14 matches with 31.0% scoring efficiency and shooting 52.4% on target.  Ryze also had an incredibly long career, playing 15 seasons in the major league and scoring a total of 128 goals and 31 assists across major league matches.  He even broadened his technical skillset throughout his career, adding contributions in areas secondary to scoring.  This type of activity peak in S12 when Ryze recorded 10.6 headers/90 at 81.4% win rate, 3.9 tackles/90 at 82.1% win rate, and 2.4 interceptions/90.  Staying with the Cairokyo organization for such a long tenure enabled Ryze to grow into a spectacular football player.  The football world is thankful that basketball scouts never gave him a chance; Ryze left a massive legacy on the SSL that set a new bar for strikers.

Now traveling the world in search of new hobbies, Ryze is enjoying retirement – "especially through food and drink", he told me.  He hopes the next stars of this league remember that "effort and presence are always noticed, and a journey includes both the success and the repeated attempts to get there."


Zlatan Ibruhimovic
Malmö, Sweden – 6'5" 209 lbs
Tokyo career: 139 apps, 12 POM (8.6%), 7.19 avg rating
Cairo career: 53 apps, 8 POM (15.1%), 7.47 avg rating
Team of the season: 3x major

“Towering stature, impeccable physique, and otherworldly” – this was the sensational description for Swedish striker Zlatan Ibruhimovic in the S11 prospect draft.  Despite such a raving assessment, Ibruhimovic entered the football scene as if by magic, with no prior history to his name.  Everyone was shocked how such a promising prospect could have gone completely undetected by scouts, but then a massive discovery was made: beneath the botox, Ibruhimovic had a strong resemblance to the legendary striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.  A theory thus emerged that Ibrahimovic, not quite ready to hang up the boots after retiring from his highly-decorated European career, invented a plan to re-enter the football world without the weight of his renowned name overshadowing his every move.  Of course, in response to the relentless bombardment of allegations in regards to his identity, Ibruhimovic denied it at ever turn, but his shoddy disguise propped up by a nearly unnoticeable name change and some small alterations to physical appearance was worthy of suspicion.  At the same time, Ibrahimovic had mysteriously disappeared, all but confirming the scam.

Still, Ibruhimovic stayed committed to his story as a new football player.  He was selected 2nd overall by Cairo City and made sure to hold back his elite talent to come off as a more believable rookie in his debut season.  Gradually, he reincorporated advanced skills back into his game, and the SSL eventually stopped chasing the truth of Ibruhimovic’s origins in favor of simply celebrating his presence in the league.  If the media hadn’t moved on from the Ibrahimovic suspicions naturally, Zlatan’s absurd game day routine would have stolen their attention anyway.  A man of extreme consistency and discipline, Ibruhimovic first unstrapped himself from his inverted hanging bed and then – in free fall from the ceiling – performed a double backflip with triple twist, landing square on his feet ready for a casual 50km run and 50km swim to get the blood flowing.  After this hour workout, he ate a breakfast of 18 boiled eggs, 32 oranges, 14 avocados, an entire smoked ham, and 2 liters of diesel fuel, consuming the feast over some light reading (a few encyclopedias).  After breakfast, he took a quick 2 minute power nap so he was charged and ready for the day, making sure to load up pet hamster Hammy to tag along for his training and the match.

His routine, as unconventional as it was, clearly worked extremely well at preparing the prolific striker for scoring goals.  Across his 9 seasons in the major league with Tokyo S.C., Ibruhimovic averaged 0.6 goals/90 just like Ryze.  He scored on 15.9% of his shot attempts, and landed 52.2% on target.  In the minor league with Cairo City, he accomplished an even stronger 0.7 goals/90 at 19.1% scoring efficiency and 56.7% on target rate.  His best season was S20, scoring 18 goals in 18 appearances and winning the major league's Golden Boot.  Without question, Ibruhimovic was a scoring champion that totaled 121 goals in league play over his career.

Zlatan is recently retired from football, this time for good it seems.  It’s possible he takes on another fake identity to extend his career even further, or maybe he already has, but he told me for now he is working his dream job in a Tokyo maid cafe.  Let's maybe keep an eye out for an Ibrihimovic or Ibrohimovic in the upcoming prospect classes just in case he changes his mind.]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9563 Mon, 11 May 2026 18:49:51 +0100 PidgeyDestined]]> https://forum.simulationsoccer.com/showthread.php?tid=9563 ]]> ]]>