Moneyball FM: Part 3 – Backroom Blitz

I’ve chosen my club, I’ve worked out where the team needs to improve, but now the hard graft starts. Rules 2 and 8 make the quality of my coaching and scouting set-up a key concern:

• Promote youth ahead of transfers
• Always be scouting for replacements

It doesn’t take long to spot some glaring gaps, most obviously the complete absence of an assistant manager. I’m still pretty much a novice at this game so can say with absolute confidence, I have no hope at all without an AI companion helping me out. Resolving this issue is a far higher priority than tweaking the playing squad.

This shouldn’t be a problem though. The Job Centre screen is displaying a vibrant staff market, and there’s no shortage of stand-out candidates with perfect attributes lining up to join my revolution.

Right?

Realistic expectations

Ten different names all demand a weekly wage more than twice as much as the board is willing to pay.

I figure it’s probably too early to go cap in hand to the board so I dive deeper and deeper down the search list, eventually discovering Marcus Kelly, who is happy to accept less than £500 per week to become my right hand man. His key attributes aren’t great, but they’re what I can afford.

Next up, I try to find a young, enthusiastic scout who could stay with me on my journey through the divisions; a protege to whom I can pass on all my experience. But once again, my first ten picks want far too much money.

The offer goes to spritely 62 year old Mel Johnson.

His ability to judge a player’s quality and potential seem pretty solid for League Two, and he has Premier League pedigree from his time at QPR, West Brom, Liverpool and Spurs. Here’s hoping my offer to him isn’t gazumped by another club.

I check the contract situation for my current staff as well. Most are due to run for at least another year, but my sports scientist and fitness coach are preparing to walk away before we even reach pre-season. I secure the scientist for another couple of years at a slight wage increase, but decide to let our fitness coach’s contract expire at the end of the month – his attributes look pretty poor compared to his wage, and I’m sure I can find a better replacement in the staff search.

Finally, I attempt to secure a Director of Football. Unsurprisingly, my first twelve choices are too expensive, but I manage to negotiate one decent looking candidate down to something affordable.

That’s three new staff members on the way in, barring any last minute hitches.

But what’s this I spy? A new player already secured from Blackpool, how exciting! And he’s not alone – we have another couple of transfers pre-arranged. I’m not sure how the new signings will fit with my tactical approach though, as I’m leaning towards a 5-3-2 with wing-backs. How will a right full back and a winger work in that system?

As if that’s not frustrating enough, I discover that one of my squad is on the way out to Raith Rovers in a couple of weeks, for a distinctly un-moneyball fee. He’s being allowed to leave for nothing despite having two years remaining on his contract.

Clearly MK Dons have a lot to learn about moneyball. This will be the first and last time we lose a contracted player for free on my watch.

Which begs the question, what is going on with the rest of the squad? Who are my highest earners? Whose contracts are running out? Is there a diamond in this team I could keep with me all the way to the Premier League?

Join me later this week for my first proper look at the MK Dons squad.