The Patriot's Way: A Newcastle United Career Mode

[kjking70]

Recapping the Sale of Newcastle United
By: Kevin Perry

Newcastle Football Club has been abuzz over the last few days after owner Mike Ashley decided to sell the club to American billionaire Robert Kraft. Fans had been unhappy with Ashley’s management of the club and its finances, and many were happy to see a new face at the helm. Kraft is well known in America as the owner of the successful American football team, the New England Patriots. He also owns an MLS club, the New England Revolution, and, in a press conference held at St. James Park was quoted as saying, “The opportunity to be involved in premier soccer league worldwide and a club with a history as rich as Newcastle has been something I’ve been interested in for years. I’m very excited to embark on this new journey and bring the winning ways of the Patriots across the pond to such a prestigious club.” The Patriots are one of the most successful teams in the NFL, having won 6 Super Bowls since the turn of the century behind star quarterback Tom Brady. The Revolution, meanwhile, have had varying levels of success. They have reached the finals of the MLS Cup playoffs five times, although never winning it. They won the US Open Cup, the American equivalent of the FA Cup, in 2007, and have been to the final twice more. However, they have struggled in recent years and haven’t qualified for the playoffs in the past 3 seasons. Still, Kraft is confident that Newcastle will resemble the success that the Patriots have had. He said, “We’re going to follow the Patriots Way. That team was built with smart business, good talent evaluation, and excellent coaching. It will be more about the collective team than any one individual. We don’t expect to be breaking the bank on any one player, but instead identifying talent that we believe will thrive in our system.” Perhaps the most difficult aspect of that to replicate will be the coaching. Kraft has brought over a relatively unproven coach in former Revolution U19 manager KJ King, and has appointed him as manager. King will be in charge of transfers as well, and despite his lack of experience, Kraft spoke glowingly about him. “He’s seen the process and how well it worked in the NFL. He has been instrumental in helping develop talent at the Revolution, and the coaches all had nothing but positive things to say about him. I believe he is the right man to lead this club into the future.” King himself released a short statement, saying “I’m very grateful for the opportunity to manage such a great club, and I’m excited to get to work. I still have to meet with the squad and make decisions about our tactics and what areas might need strengthening for the upcoming season, but I look forward to the challenge and I think we will be successful.” While that all sounds good, Newcastle fans have had enough of nice words and will need to see results on the field. They have not won a league title since 1927, haven’t won the FA Cup since 1955, haven’t qualified for the Champions League since 2003, and haven’t played European football since 2013. Still, Kraft has a positive outlook for the future, ending his press conference by saying “We are going to be successful. I know this club can achieve greatness, and I won’t settle for anything less.”

[kjking70]

I have a lot of free time coming up given that I’m home from college, so I decided to do a Career Mode. I find that Career Mode can be a bit repetitive, but I found Reddit user badgenes94, who has a collection of different challenges, and I gravitated towards one with Newcastle centering around the team being purchased by Robert Kraft. I adjusted it slightly, as you’ll see below, but I think this could be very fun.

Settings:
- Half Length: 5 minutes
- Difficulty: Ultimate
- Console: Xbox One

Finances


Rules:
1. Winning is not just expected, but required. I have to:

- Qualify for the Champions League within 3 years
- Win the FA Cup within 5 years
- Win the Premier League or Champions League within 5 years
- After the first PL/CL victory, I must win one or the other once every two years

Failure to do so will result in a firing.

2.The Patriots have succeed by finding undervalued talent. Newcastle will do the same. We will always have 3 youth scouts out looking for prospects others may gloss over. They will not be assigned to “traditional” soccer powers, such as Brazil, Germany, Spain, etc. The one exception is England, as the club will maintain a constant presence on the British Isles. The other two scouts will scour the world looking for talent in “lesser” nations. I will be using 1 star scouts to prevent the youth academy from being overpowered.

3. This is a business. We are in this to make money. You cannot spend more than you raise with player sales, plus 1/3 of your allocated transfer budget. In addition, no player wages may exceed $150,000.

4.No player is bigger than the club. Anyone who requests a transfer is free to leave.

5.Robert Kraft wants to make Newcastle a success in America as well. DeAndre Yedlin is the key to the American fanbase, so he cannot be sold and must remain happy.

6.I will not be using SoFIFA or any similar sites. I will also not be using training in an effort to make it just a bit more challenging.

7.Starting in January, I’ll be instituting storylines (transfer requests, suspensions, etc.) throughout the career using an RNG to select a player. Whatever the outcome, it must be applied to that player effective immediately. If you have any ideas, please let me know and I’ll implement them.

Any comments are welcome, and I hope you enjoy!

[kjking70]

Reserved for Transactions

[kjking70]

Reserved #2

[kjking70]

Other Housekeeping

Here's the rest of the information dump for the start of this career mode. Here's it's a lot of different stuff, and I'm not sure which of the goals I'll end up hitting, but I'm really excited for this season. I'll have a preview of each position group coming soon, so be on the lookout for that.

[kjking70]

Team Preview: Goalkeepers

By: Kevin Perry

Martin Dúbravka
Need to Know: Overall: 79, Age: 29, Nationality: Slovakian
The Slovakian international figures to play a prominent role between the sticks for the Magpies this season. He joined midway through last season, and was solid down the stretch for Newcastle, getting four clean sheets in twelve appearances, and won six games as the starting keeper. He had previously bounced around various clubs in central Europe, including Zilina, where he made the Champions League in 2010. Most recently, he was at Sparta Prague. He is known for his skill with his feet and ability to distribute the ball from the back. He’s also a good shot stopper, so look for him to feature often between the sticks under the new manager.


Karl Darlow
Need to Know: Overall: 73, Age: 27, Nationality: English
Darlow was once a promising goalkeeping prospect at Nottingham Forest, and while he’s never reached that potential, it looks like he’ll be seeing minutes for Newcastle this season. He recorded two clean sheets in his ten Premier League appearances, but he was a key member of the squad that battled through the Championship. I’d expect him to be the second choice for King, and see minutes in cup matches as well as stepping up if anything happens to Dúbravka.


Rob Elliot
Need to Know: Overall: 72, Age: 32, Nationality: Irish
Elliot has been at Newcastle since 2011, moving over from Charlton Athletic. He appeared in 16 games last season with 3 clean sheets, but there are some rumblings that he could be moving on from the club this season with the new manager. If he does end up sticking around, he’s a solid veteran who could contribute a lot in a leadership role, but he shouldn’t be expected to play huge minutes for this iteration of Newcastle. I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s one of the first players on the chopping block under the new boss given his age and the other players ahead of him.


Freddie Woodman
Need to Know: Overall: 66, Age: 21, Nationality: English
Woodman is one of the better English goalkeeping prospects at the moment. He’s featured for England at many youth levels, from the U16s to the U21s, and even won the Golden Glove at the U-20 World Cup in 2017. He has been out on loan for most of his career at Newcastle, with a stint at Aberdeen last year, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see him out on loan again next year. However, he could also stick around as a third choice keeper and see some minutes in cup settings and learn from Dúbravka, Darlow, and Elliot this year. What King, a coach renowned for his developmental abilities, chooses to do with Woodman will show us a lot about him and a good year for the youngster could get him first team minutes in the near future.


Nathan Harker
Need to Know: Overall: 57, Age: 19, Nationality: English
Harker has impressed with the U-23 squad, and he’s a prime candidate to be loaned out this season. There are plenty of squads in League Two that would love a chance to get their hands on Harker, and he could get some valuable experience this season. There is also a chance King chooses to keep him around and uses his own developmental skills with the young keeper. Either way, Harker probably won’t make a big impact on the team this year, but he’s one to watch for Newcastle.

[kjking70]

Team Preview: Fullbacks

By: Kevin Perry

DeAndre Yedlin
Need to Know: Overall: 76, Age: 24, Nationality: USA, Position: RB
Ever since arriving from Tottenham, Yedlin has been a crucial part of the Newcastle team. He’s appeared in 66 matches over the past two seasons, and managed to bag one goal from the wingback position. Known for his blistering pace, Yedlin will be running up and down the right side of the pitch for Newcastle. Reports out of the squad are that Kraft loves Yedlin, and King shares his sentiments, so expect a heavy dose of him this season. His defending still needs work, but in the right system, Yedlin could be a high impact player who provides a ton of pace down the wing.


Paul Dummett
Need to Know: Overall: 75, Age: 26, Nationality: Wales, Position: LB
With three left backs on the roster, there is speculation that one could be moved heading into the season. Dummett is the name who could be on the chopping block, given he is the oldest of the group. He’s been at Newcastle his entire career, but with a new administration in place, that may not mean much any longer. After an injury kept him out for most of the first half of 2017-18, Dummett featured prominently for Newcastle, and he could do so once again. He is more solid defensively than Yedlin, although he offers less going forward. If he does end up staying, Dummett will be more of a solid presence at the back and uphold the past values of Newcastle.


Antonio Barreca
Need to Know: Overall: 74, Age: 23, Nationality: Italy, Position: LB, On Loan From: AS Monaco
Barreca’s place on the roster is set, on loan from AS Monaco for the year. While the Italian couldn’t find minutes over in France, he should have no problem cracking the rotation in Newcastle. He’s more of a Yedlin-esque player, with good pace and attacking instincts than defensive instincts. He has amassed 3 goals and 13 assists in his career thus far, including a stellar season on loan in Serie B at AS Cittadella from Torino, when he had 1 goal and 8 assists. His play there and with Torino earned him a transfer to Monaco, but when it became clear he wouldn’t find time, he was loaned out to Newcastle. Depending on what King wants to do, Barreca could be a starter opposite Yedlin, giving the Magpies some serious attacking power from their wingbacks. If he wants to play more conservatively, than Barreca could be second choice or worse. Barreca’s play time will depend on the system the new manager implements and whether or not it highlights his strengths.


Javier Manquillo
Need to Know: Overall: 73, Age: 24, Nationality: Spain, Position: LB
Manquillo is entering his second season with Newcastle, and he brings a level of prestige from his former clubs. He started in Real Madrid’s youth academy, before moving across town to Atletico Madrid. He went out on loan to Liverpool, Marseille, and Sunderland throughout his career, before being sold to Newcastle. He also played for various levels of Spain’s youth teams, and throughout his career he has 1 goal and 7 assists. He’s the most well rounded of the full backs at the club, with the ability to play on either flank and contribute going forward as well as defensively. While he may not be a regular starter, he should be in the rotation regularly given his versatility.


Jamie Sterry
Need to Know: Overall: 61, Age: 22, Nationality: England, Position: RB
Sterry is in a very interesting position at the moment. He is the only natural right back outside of DeAndre Yedlin on the roster, so he may be needed for cover. While it may be best for him to go out on loan, it seems as if he might be needed this season at Newcastle. He’s played sparingly throughout his tenure with Newcastle and has never looked special, but he could be thrust into a bigger role.


Achraf Lazaar
Need to Know: Overall: 67, Age: 26, Nationality: Morocco, Position: LB, On Loan At: Sheffield Wednesday
Lazaar arrived from Palmero prior to the 2016 season, but has yet to have much of an impact for the club. He’s only made 15 appearances for Newcastle, including their youth teams, he’s been out on loan twice now, heading to Sheffield United for the season. He does have 17 appearances for Morocco, and there is hope surrounding the club that if he has a successful loan spell, he can establish himself with the club. However, I think it’s more likely he ends up never playing a game again for Newcastle than becoming a regualr.


Liam Gibson
Need to Know: Overall: 55, Age: 21, Nationality: England, Position: LB, On Loan At: Accrington Stanley
The youngster has had health issues in the past, suffering from ulcerative colitis that kept him out for all of last season. He’s still recovering, and may not feature early in the season for Accrington Stanley, but just getting back on the field in a win for this young man. While he may not have a future at Newcastle, he should be able to carve out a career in football at lower levels. Still, a good loan spell can change his future, and with a new regime, anything is possible for Gibson.

[kjking70]

Team Preview: Center Backs
By: Kevin Perry

Jamaal Lascelles
Need to Know: Overall: 78, Age: 24, Nationality: England
The captain of the Newcastle side at just 24, Lascelles figures to be one of the cornerstones of the side. A veteran of the England youth sides, he started his career at Nottingham Forest, where he impressed before joining Newcastle in 2014. He’s coming off a very strong year for the Magpies, appearing in 33 games and scoring 3 goals. He’s a sturdy presence at the back, with good leadership to organize the defense. He is also a strong tackler and physical presence who makes life tough for opposing attackers. While nothing is assured under the new manager, King would be hard pressed to find a better and more well respected center back option than Lascelles.


Florian Lejeune
Need to Know: Overall: 78, Age: 27, Nationality: France
Lejeune is well traveled in his career thus far. He started in his native France before moving to Villareal in Spain. He never managed to catch on, instead going back to France on loan twice before joining Girona, where he thrived. He scored 5 goals in the Spanish second division, and it was enough to catch the eyes of their parent club, Manchester City. He never appeared in a match for the Citizens, being loaned out to Girona for his lone season with the club, and was sold to Eibar in Spain, where he once again impressed. He then joined Newcastle after one season with Eibar, and he was solid in his time last season, making 24 appearances and picking up two assists. He’s very good with the ball at his feet, and he’s good in the air as well, which has led to him scoring a solid amount of goals for a center back. He can also be deployed in the midfield if need be, and he should be an excellent partner for Lascelles. His ball playing style fits well next to the more physical game of Lascelles, and hopes are high that he can rediscover his Spanish league form after a year in the Premier League.


Fabian Schär
Need to Know: Overall: 77, Age: 26, Nationality: Switzerland
Schär rose to relevance at FC Basel, where he gained Champions League experience as well as making a name for himself internationally, debuting with the Swiss national team. He then moved to Hoffenheim for two seasons and Deportivo La Coruña for a season before being bought by Rafa Benitez prior to the takeover by Robert Kraft. He’s also appeared in two World Cups and one Euros for Switzerland, and he has a penchant for grabbing goals with his head. He scored 7 for Switzerland, and has picked up 21 in his club career thus far. He’s an explosive leaper, which makes him a threat on corners, and he is also fairly skilled with the ball at his feet. He is a similar player to Lejeune, and you’d imagine one of them ends up starting next to Lascelles. I have Lejeune pegged to grab the spot, but Schär will be a key member of this defense.


Ciaran Clark
Need to Know: Overall: 76, Age: 28, Nationality: Ireland
The Irish international could be on the chopping block this year. Newcastle has a surplus of quality defenders, and many have speculated that there is a minutes crunch that one player may not survive. Clark has also been linked with a move back to Aston Villa, his original club, who are said to be looking for another center back. During his time at Newcastle, he has been rock solid at the back, including featuring in the center of defense with Lascelles during the season in the Championship. He’s a rock at the back, and was solid in the Premier League last year. While he could be on the move, if he does stay, he should be involved in the defensive rotation and feature in quite a few games.


Federico Fernandez
Need to Know: Overall: 76, Age: 29, Nationality: Argentina
Fernandez has been a solid defender for years now. He moved to Napoli from Estudiantes in Argentina when he was 22, and was in the rotation for Napoli throughout his time there, including scoring two goals in a Champions League fixture against Bayern Munich. He then moved to Swansea City, and was a fixture in the center of defense for the Swans for years. After Swansea’s relegation, he moved on to Newcastle, where he was planning to reunite with Rafa Benitez, who was fired when Robert Kraft bought the club. He also was a member of the 2014 Argentinian World Cup squad, where he featured in four games, all wins. He’s not the quickest player anymore, but his defensive skills are still up to par and he could see some minutes this season off the bench.


Kelland Watts/Owen Bailey
Need to Know: Overall: 58/58, Age: 18/19, Nationality: England/England
Watts and Bailey are very similar players, as youngsters who don’t figure to feature much in the squad outside of possibly cup matches. They are prime candidates to be loaned out this season and develop at the lowest levels of English football before hopefully turning into contributors. They are also the exact type of player King is said to specialize with, as he has a developmental background and he may want to keep them in his own system. Either way, they figure to be developmental prospects for the near future.