Homecoming 2.0 - 2026 onwards...

A rollercoaster end to the season. Losing the final season game to finish third had to feel like a let down, especially with the other result going your way. But then winning the cup final and the playoff final (even though it didn't matter) was a positive way to end the season. Also having the league leader in goals. 

I hope you plan to stick with Viborg at least a few more seasons. It will be interesting to see how high up the standings you can take them and Denmark in the coefficent rating. 

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@LABoog4 wrote:

A rollercoaster end to the season. Losing the final season game to finish third had to feel like a let down, especially with the other result going your way. But then winning the cup final and the playoff final (even though it didn't matter) was a positive way to end the season. Also having the league leader in goals. 

I hope you plan to stick with Viborg at least a few more seasons. It will be interesting to see how high up the standings you can take them and Denmark in the coefficent rating. 

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Thanks, yeah rollercoaster is a good word to describe it. Overall I'm not unhappy about it though. Still having something to aim for, both domestically and of course on the international stage as well.

Denmark were 13th after my first season, when I played with Brøndby, before the switch to Viborg. The country had 6,900 points in the ranking then. Now three years later the clubs have reached the 10,400 points, sitting 11th in Europe, very close to then 10th place. It's a good climb, obviously helped by my initial transfers of established stars back to their boyhood clubs.

It would be nice to go all the way in Denmark and perhaps help the Danish clubs to advance a little more in Europe. But I could also see myself try something new, once the January transfer window closes IRL. Then I could find myself a nice little live start point and try something different. I do also play the same 11 clubs week in week out in league that has no 2nd tier below.

Viborg so high by now has become normality, but København so low?...

Like Danimal said, the top two teams are expected but the third challenger is already off the pace. Dropping any points in the league this season will feel like a big loss with how close last season went. 

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@Danimal5981 wrote:

Viborg so high by now has become normality, but København so low?...

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@LABoog4 wrote:

Like Danimal said, the top two teams are expected but the third challenger is already off the pace. Dropping any points in the league this season will feel like a big loss with how close last season went. 

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True, both. However, it's just 5 points and too early to conclude anything. But obviously it's a rocky start for the club with the biggest budget in Scandinavia.

They do have an ageing squad though! I mentioned it a while ago in a previous post how they had a lot of +33 year old players in the squad. If they don't manage to evolve and replace these players along the way, they will hit a full stop at some point. I don't know if that is what's happening to them right now, but it could be an explanation.

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@JustinCase0110 wrote:

They do have an ageing squad though! I mentioned it a while ago in a previous post how they had a lot of +33 year old players in the squad. If they don't manage to evolve and replace these players along the way, they will hit a full stop at some point. I don't know if that is what's happening to them right now, but it could be an explanation.

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A bit like Ajax in real life. The quality of the current batch from Ajax Academy is either low or late. But the Ajax starting eleven are unusually old: Pasveer (41), Henderson (34), Berghuis (33), Weghorst (32), Klaassen (31), Rugani (30). And not all positions are adequately filled, not with a middle aged quality player, nor a hot upcoming prospect. Add to the mix that Rensch, Taylor and Brobbey are likely to depart and it'll be a big question mark what Ajax will look like for the 2025-26 season...

Fiete Arp was a go-to player if one was ever in need of the next big upcoming striker up until three or four FIFAs ago; ideal back-up striker at every level. But then he couldn't break into Bayern as a regular and has faded away since (though he plays Bundesliga with Kiel now). Good to see he hasn't been forgotten.

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@Danimal5981 wrote:

Fiete Arp was a go-to player if one was ever in need of the next big upcoming striker up until three or four FIFAs ago; ideal back-up striker at every level. But then he couldn't break into Bayern as a regular and has faded away since (though he plays Bundesliga with Kiel now). Good to see he hasn't been forgotten.

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Yes, I remember him too fra the days when he was a teenager with a high potential. He's so far proved to be a pretty good signing. And after Manuel Mbom's move from Werder Bremen, another club from the northern Germany, I felt it wasn't a stretch to attract someone like Arp to the Danish league. 

A good start in Europe, I think you are bound to advance at this rate. I like Vinicius. He is one of those players that has skill but has not fully put it together yet but is showing signs. 

He can be a good player for you this season with all the games you will be playing. 

Indeed, if you're able to defeat PAOK 2-0, you'll have a team worthy of UEFA Europa League. You'll make it to the knock out phase and from there it will be a matter of the draw.

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@LABoog4 wrote:

A good start in Europe, I think you are bound to advance at this rate. I like Vinicius. He is one of those players that has skill but has not fully put it together yet but is showing signs. 

He can be a good player for you this season with all the games you will be playing. 

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I found him to be quite promising once. But then he came to Spurs as a backup to Harry Kane and hardly ever got the chance to play, as I recall. I think that's where his development stalled a bit from being a good talent to a mediocre player. Well, at least he can now join Viborg on a loan in my save. Probably wouldn't have happened, if he'd set the Premier League on fire back then...

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@Danimal5981 wrote:

Indeed, if you're able to defeat PAOK 2-0, you'll have a team worthy of UEFA Europa League. You'll make it to the knock out phase and from there it will be a matter of the draw.

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Yeah, I was pretty close to the top 24 last season in the Champions League. So I do hope to advance from the League Phase in the Europa League. While I'm optimistic in that regard, I won't take it for granted just yet.

3 goals a 2 assists in one game, that is the game of a lifetime for Thomas. The Europa League fixtures have a nice mix of teams you should beat based on their history and teams that will be challenging but give fans a fun day away.

Without seeing/remembering everyone that is in Europa. I think Chelsea would have to be one of the favorites to win it all.

Chelsea being in the competition really reduces every clubs chance of winning it. With the players, history and money. Looks like an early start with wins the the league stage will be key. 

like the look of the new signings especially arp. 

You'll struggle with Chelsea, Betis, possibly Club Brugge - but the other five you can take on with fair chance. If you beat PAOK 7:2 on aggregate, than teams as FCSB, Malmö and Charleroi ought to be nine guaranteed points, Dynamo Kyiv and Young Boys are equal to your level, so those two plus Brugge are depending on your form of the day. I don't know which ones are at home or away (that does have a bit of influence), but you'll make top 24 for sure; if there's a positive result against Brugge, you could dream even bigger.