Following our takeover at Bochum the first thing that stood out was they are in trouble financially, so for my time here to be success we will have to address this. I’m looking at staying here for a minimum of three seasons. The plan is as follows-

Season 1 – Sort finances
Season 2 – Promotion
Season 3 – Survive relegation.

The profit figure below is a bit skewered as we have just started the new season when we took over and it has TV money included, So the overall balance would have been around €8,75m in the red.

The first thing that stands out is we have 73 players on books at the club and just 2 squads. A weekly wage bill of €418,033 which is €72,934 over budget every week. (€3.79m per season over wage budget) Even the budget of €17.95m a year feels too much for a club this size.

Expenses

The expenses from last season show the main expenditure is wages and transfers, So this summer we are going to have to try and be sensible with getting rid of players are getting control of the wages and trying no to spend any money. We also have a loan for €8.25m to make repayments too.

Finances after the window closed

As you can see €152,558 per week has been saved on the wage bill. (€610k per month €7.93m per year) As we reduced it from €418,033 to €267,819 per week. Despite making €2.4m from sales and a €610k per month savings our balance is still in the red and now down to €6.83m.

Our squad has been cut from 73 players to 32 players plus 11 on loan (€25,455pw saved is from wage paying loans) Above shows only the players that have left for a fee. Gimber and David were the main ones and my centre back pairing.

Babadi was already prearranged before I came but the two main gaps in the starting XI were CM and CB so Lucas Bergvall and Tim Oermann joined us on loans.

I was looking for a direct ball playing CB and former Bochum player Oermann fit the mould as he rejoins the club on loan. I was also looking for a playmaker to play CM and we found one in Bergvall who joins us from RB Leipzig on loan.

The tactic

This is how we will line up this season in a direct counter attacking 4141.

I’m hoping for big things from the front 3 of Neris, Yade and Soumare. As you can see below they are 3 of the 4 highest earners. They are way beyond the wage structure, Karazor will leave in the summer and hopefully Yade, Soumare and Neris can earn a move away as they count for €97,500 of our total €265,500 per week wage spend which is mad. They also add experience this season as 3 of the older heads is the squad as we rebuild.

We needed a second choice striker and whilst we couldn’t find one this window my scouts brought one to my attention. The DOF has managed to tie up a deal but he won’t join until the winter window.

I’m hoping by the summer he will be Neris’s replacement as we save €31,000pw the difference between both their wages. I’m glad we moved quickly to tie this up as other bigger teams were also sniffing around him.

At 18 he’s already played 100 games at youth level scoring 34 goals. For the rest of the season we will be looking for long term replacements for the other 3 high earners with plans to move them on in the summer and also replacements for the two loans. So next summer barring any sales we will be looking for 2 Centre Backs and Right, Left and Centre Midfielders.
I’m not expecting promotion this season but a top half finish is the aim. I’ll play through the season and update in the summer how it went.

Author

  • Daniel Gear

    Dan Gear is a vibrant member of the Football Manager (FM) community, renowned for his engaging content and insightful tutorials. He illuminates complex FM concepts on "View From The Touchline" and shares engaging narratives through his unique European Journeyman save reveals. Dan's collaborative spirit shines in partnerships with fellow creators like FM Stag, unraveling new FM features. He's a co-host of the engaging "Grass N Gear" podcast, making the FM experience more enjoyable for many. With a blend of humor, expertise, and a knack for community engagement, Dan Gear's contributions significantly enrich the Football Manager community, making him a cherished figure among enthusiasts.

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