Everyone who read at least something from my Football Manager saves in the past knows a simple thing about my squad building. Or maybe better said, what I like to do within my saves. It’s related to players from the original squad and how I treat the players during the save. There are always some more recognised players. Not sure about the word “recognised”, I’m sure I would be able to select a better word in my native language but I’m sure you understand what I mean.
If it’s possible I always try to keep one or more players from the original squad. I’m not starting my saves somewhere in the 6th or even lower tier so there’s always a chance these players will be able to compete at the highest level. This save with VVV-Venlo was not an exception. One of the reasons why I started it was to play with the midfielder Richard Sedláček who I have known from Sparta Prague youth teams for a long time.
There were four key players - team leaders. Defender Rick Ketting, midfielders Richard Sedláček & Yahcuroo Roemer and striker Nick Venema. But the reason why it’s only about three of them is that Rick Ketting decided not to renew the contract with the club in 2028 despite being a leader, and captain and we just won the league title. The even bigger surprise was when he signed as a free agent with Dudelange, our affiliate club from Luxembourg.
If I start with Roemer, he was originally the best AMR player in the squad when the save started but I didn’t want to play with AMR's position. He moved down to the MR slot and he made 18 league assists in the opening season of the save as we won the promotion to the Eredivisie.
He was our main MR player and he didn’t make less than 26 appearances during a single season. His best season in terms of assists was the 2026/27 when he made 14 assists in our last season while using the “Lone central defender” formation. When he had an ideal day, he was perfect. Roemer didn’t play for a different team thanks to this save as his career is connected just with VVV-Venlo from 2016 to 2032.
My fellow Czech midfield maestro Richard Sedlacek came to Venlo a season ago before this save started but he didn’t play more than a couple of minutes due to a long-term injury. He was my main DM player no matter what role I tried and used at the beginning of the save. He was perfect as the DLP but also as DM(D) ahead of the lone central defender. He had 15, 10 and 12 assists in our first three seasons in the league. He didn’t drop under the average of 7 in the first eight seasons of the save.
When we moved to the 3-5-2 formation, he was also the first choice for the DLP(S) or DLP(D) role later. Sedlacek was the vice-captain and he scored the title-winning goal when we were crowned the Eredivisie champions for the first time. He didn’t score too many goals but even if he would score just this one, it would be enough. If I look back, if I wanted something super-narrative, I couldn’t wish a better narrative than this. When Rick Ketting left the club, he was our captain for the last two and a half seasons.
The best for the end? Nick Venema. A nightmare for many FM23 players who played in the Netherlands or played against him in a different country. I was lucky to have him in my squad. I was also lucky he never wanted to leave the club and I had enough money to give him the best possible contract when he wanted to improve his wage and bonuses.
35 league goals in the first season when we won the promotion to the top tier. 35 league goals in the opening season in the top tier after a promotion. He scored 70 goals in 75 matches in two first seasons of the save. I knew there was something special. He played mainly as the Advanced Forward.
When the save progressed and we started playing in Europe as well, he slowed down in the domestic competitions a little bit. But when we won the Europa Conference League in the 2026ú27 season, he scored 27 league goals in 33 appearances and 14 goals in 15 Europa Conference League matches.
It’s not for the first time as it happened in my previous saves, but Venema’s best Eredivisie seasons were the first one and the last complete one. As I mentioned already, he scored 35 goals in Eredivisie after our promotion. He scored 34 goals in 32 appearances in the 2030/31 season.
As it stands, he played 394 competitive matches for VVV-Venlo during this save between 2022 and 2032. And he scored 305 competitive goals. Incredible.