Previously on La Plata: Mexico, Hugo Ojeda’s Murciélagos survived relegation.

Intro

Timing is everything. Not just in real-life, but also in a Football Manager simulation. The second half of 2024 for Hugo Ojeda was a complete shitshow. Murciélagos FC led the table for the number of loses and were joint bottom of the Opening Stage table with two games to go. Facing a likely [deserved?] sacking, Hugo Ojeda made his controversial move. A move that would not only heighten local football rivalries, but also destabilise Sinaloa efforts in the ongoing Tijuana conflict…

Season 2024/25

Before we get on to Hugo’s big decision, I first want to bring readers up to speed with events in Los Mochis. Last time out on the blog I was full of hope and optimism about our chances of a promotion push. It’s perhaps the curse of how and when I decide to blog: as I never play ahead, and I therefore didn’t know how awful things would get with Murciélagos FC.

New marquee signing Fredy Vera was a waste of space, having never saw the pace and silky finishing that I expected. Drama too in the background, as a large proportion of the squad wanted new deals. Deals we neither couldn’t afford and ones I didn’t want to make. The band of renegades turned on Hugo. Their performances abysmal and my misery compounded when wonderboy loanee Miguel Ávila was ruled out for 12 months with a cruciate knee injury.

But, as previously mentioned, timing is everything. If you don’t control your destiny, it controls you. Having seen rivals Dorados de Sinaloa sack their manager, after an equally horrific campaign (lying in 15th position)…it was time for Hugo to make his play. A move wrapped up in betrayal, controversy and shadiness. Incredibly, Hugo Ojeda would be appointed Dorados Manager with a career win record of just 28%.

Hugo Ojeda’s 515 days in charge with Murciélagos FC: 15 games won, 17 draws and 21 defeats.

Dorados de Sinaloa

I certainly didn’t want a sacking on Hugo Ojeda’s CV, but I can appreciate what I have done is not everybody’s cup of tea. Moving across the Sinaloa state to a local rival is…erm…Judas-like to say the least. But here are my reasons anyway:

Club Infrastructure - Dorados are an all round bigger club than minnows Murciélagos FC. Bigger stadium, bigger wage budget…better facilities. I said during the interview that I didn’t need any staff and I promised to work with the Director of Football (saying all the right things obviously improved Hugo’s chances of being appointed).

Reputation - One of the big barriers at Murciélagos FC was club reputation, I missed out on the vast majority of transfer targets. Even the guys who would come on trial would often use the club to train and get fit before sticking their middle fingers up at us and leave for rivals. Sickening.

This will not be as at Dorados. For sure, the top league is more attractive…but this club once attracted Pep Guardiola at the twilight of his career. After all, we’re the biggest club in Sinaloa!

Players - It is hard to imagine worse players than some of the ones I had at Murciélagos FC. At Dorados, we’ve got a couple of tasty young players and a few entering their peak years…who I’m looking forward to using. But the two I am most looking forward to using are the combination of Amaury Escoto and Carlo Limón upfront. The coaches rate these two guys the club’s best players…and I immediately think we can play a supportive DLF-Poacher combination here.

Club Culture - The culture of the club is to play attacking football, but this does not mean I need to play with an attacking mentality…rather I just need to score goals and have a good shots-to-game ratio. To get through the final two games of the season, we actually played a cautious Route One 4-4-2 and won both games (0-2 away at Alebrijes de Oaxaca FC & a 2-1 home win Vs Atlético Zacatepec). I am in two minds to keep this going, simply winning games will keep the Board & Fans quiet…right?

The other parameters to work within are actually really attractive to me. We’ll look to Argentina to sign some players, with an emphasis on the next generation of talent. In addition, there will be an expectation to bring through a few young players each season…and I have already seen one or two that can be integrated into the squad for the 2024/25 Closing Stage. Can’t wait!

Immediate Aim - The board want a top 7 finish in the Closing Stage, and thus a shot at the Promotion playoffs.

The Snake of Sinaloa

I am aware that [some] followers and readers of the blog may be frustrated that I didn’t face the challenge at Murciélagos FC; by turning it around and living out the fairy tale rise of champions. But this save doesn’t behave, and in Hugo Ojeda we have a guy looking to move up the ladder…fast. We’ll take being disloyal, ruthless…and branded the Snake of Sinaloa for a shot of glory. Embrace the Underworld, embrace Hugo Ojeda.

As always, thanks for reading/sharing and caring.

FM Grasshopper