The Soccer Manager 2016 Challenge: February

The term ‘World XI’ and Watford FC might appear to be as dubious a partnership as Roy Evans and Gerard Houllier, but the newly promoted Premier League outfit are notorious for their global range of players.

Loading up their squad list at the start of Soccer Manager 16 reveals an astonishing TWENTY THREE different nationalities.

There are more tongues going on than a youth disco.

Which prompts the obvious challenge – give the Watford squad a homegrown overhaul, while avoiding relegation.

Without wanting to sound like a questionable UKIP campaign, my mission is to transform the Hornets’ line-up to contain players solely from English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh or Northern Irish backgrounds.

It’s something approaching mission impossible – I’m no Tom Cruise, but I am similarly diminutive, which should qualify me for a starring role.

February

To read January’s diary, click here.

It’s all getting a bit embarrassing – I’m named Manager of the Month for January, following four wins out of five, and Scott Sinclair takes the players’ equivalent, having scored six goals in that time.

February begins with fixtures against big dogs Liverpool and Arsenal but, frankly, we’re not scared of anyone – or any result.

With Premier League safety already within touching distance, my band of British brothers are free of any pressure.

And they play like it, with more than 60% of first half possession against Liverpool. With the score 1-1, we are every bit our more illustrious opponents’ equals.

But they have players like Daniel Sturridge and Philippe Coutinho, who combine to give the former a winner.

No bother, we regroup for an outing to The Emirates.

Alexis Sanchez bamboozles Kyle Naughton before firing past Paul Robinson to give the Gunners a lead at the break.

Lesser teams would cave in at this point, but not my wonder boys – Shane Long steals in for a poacher’s equaliser, shushing the library once more.

Suddenly, we fancy it, and I throw on Ashley Young and Peter Crouch to chase a winner.

It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to work out how I plan for the two to team up, but Young’s teasing cross still finds Crouch unmarked – unfortunately, the similarly named Petr Cech (91) is more alert, turning the effort behind.

We only get a point, but the strength of the Watford squad is impressive. Steven Davis improves to an improbable 90 rating in training the following week.

All things considered, we go to Swansea as favourites.

Yeah, I had a feeling I’d regret typing that.

Bafetimbi Gomis (88) gives the Welsh side the lead by scoring from about half a yard out, and the men in white should add several more.

Wayne Routledge ensures yet another dramatic ending for Match of the Day viewers, though, when his cross is inadvertently converted by his former team mate Ashley Williams, a man once on the Watford wish-list.

How he must regret that move not materialising.

I pull a few strings with some friends of mine and splash out on a mid-season treat for the squad – tickets to the League Cup final between Tottenham and Nottingham Forest, a retro-sounding encounter.

A Harry Kane hat-trick secures silverware for Spurs, and envious glares from me. I message the chairman – oh, yeah, we’ve been on texting terms since Watford got good – three words: “I want him.”

He responds with just three letters: LOL.

Hopefully, the outing will be enough to lift morale after three games without a win.

A third successive away fixture is next in the offing, West Brom our opponents.

But even the bloody Baggies can get through our leaky defence, Saolmon Rondon (89) taking just two minutes to find the net.

Young gets his first goal since returning to his spiritual homeland, curling in a quite beautiful goal – the finest in my reign. It’s pure showbiz from our Hollywood signing.

That fills us with visible confidence, and we’re out of sight inside the first ten minutes of the second half, Scott Sinclair registering twice.

It means that, with nine games still to play, an entirely homegrown Watford squad sit just one point short of the hallowed forty point mark.

And I’m, presumably, on the brink of earning the keys to the town. Not that my success is going to my head, or anything…

About the author – Lee Price

Lee Price is a journalist and author with a passion for football, and crucially, virtual football management.

twitter: @Lee_Price

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