Hello friends! Let’s get straight to it.
Spain has always held a special place in my heart when it comes to Football Manager, whether it's been at the helm of Eibar, Marbella, or the Galacticos of Real Madrid. There's an undeniable allure to managing in Spain, the plethora of historic clubs in the lower divisions, the underdogs defying the odds, and my personal favorite, the spirit of Athletic Bilbao. And, of course, the ever-present challenge of dethroning giants like Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Real Madrid.
This time around I will be venturing to the Western-most region of Spain, The Canary Islands. More specifically, Maspalomas, the southern most town in Gran Canaria, the home of Unión Deportiva San Fernando.
So, Why U.D. San Fernando?
Heading into FM24, I knew that I wanted to begin my journey in the Spanish fourth tier. I spent a significant part of my real-life summer ‘23 researching the clubs that had fought their way back into the fourth division. There were several contenders like U.E. Sant Andreu and a handful of promising Basque clubs vying for my attention. However, a conversation with my friend OakyFM added a new dimension to my decision-making process. OakyFM was all set to embark on his own Spanish adventure with C.D. Mensajero in the Canary Islands. It was then that I realized my perfect match lay in the small, but full of potential, club on the southern coast of Gran Canaria.
History
U.D. San Fernando was founded in April 15th, 1992 after a group of locals wanted to create space for the youth of Maspalomas. Their goal was to help develop youth players in the southern coast of Gran Canary Island with the goals of making it to the professional game. By 1994, San Fernando had five youth teams and will go on to found their first team that same year, which would compete in the regional leagues. Fast forward to present day and they’ve find themselves back in the 4th tier of Spanish Football. San Fernando have continued construction on their Ciudad Derportiva de Maspalomas, which boasts training pitches for all the youth setups, and the headquarters for the club. They play their matches at the Estadio Eleuterio Valeron.
Developing the Next El Mago / Merlin
As I delved into the history of San Fernando, I came across a page on their website that features notable academy players. Right at the top of that list stands the illustrious figure of David Silva, known by many as "Merlin" or "El Mago," a true legend associated with Valencia, Manchester City, and the Spanish national team. Silva's football journey began at San Fernando but was offered a youth contract at Valencia when he was just 14 years old. He honed his skills in their academy until his 17th birthday, and then embarked on two pivotal loan spells, first at Eibar and then at Celta, setting the stage for the remarkable career that we all come to enjoy.
One of the key objectives for this save is to rewrite the narrative of David Silva's career, imagining a scenario where he never left the shores of Gran Canaria and played a pivotal role in San Fernando’s rise through the Spanish league system to gain promotion to LaLiga. This vision will serve as a cornerstone for the save - focusing on nurturing young talents from our academy, not merely developing them, but fast-tracking their progress to ensure they're primed for the first team.
To achieve this, my strategy involves investing into our youth coaching, youth scouting, and youth facilities. We'll make use of our U19s and B-Team, providing our young prospects with the essential game time they need, all within our club's framework. No need to ship them off on loan for exposure. And, of course, for those who may fall behind or not quite fit the first team, we'll set them on a new course to find a home that better suits their potential.
This will be a long term goal for the save so I understand that there will be moments when bigger clubs will come knocking for our youngsters but let’s hope we’re able to boost our reputation enough that our players won’t feel the need to leave our Canarian oasis.
Canario Only Recruitment
With seven distinct provinces and numerous cities scattered across the archipelago, we've got a wealth of untapped footballing talent at our fingertips. Our strategy? Simple yet unique - we're going all-in on recruiting players born in the Canaries. The Canaries are home to a rich blend of cultures, with approximately 10% of the population hailing from countries like Venezuela, Cuba, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, and various other Caribbean, Central, and South American nations. Not to mention, you also have West Africa a stone-throw away.
To create this multicultural universe, I will be loading all South American leagues and players, as well as loading all West African players, as well Morocco. I will also aim to create affiliate clubs in both regions. As mentioned before, the focus of the save revolves around nurturing young talent, with the ultimate goal of influencing not only our own youth intakes but also those of fellow Canarian clubs.
Who Qualifies as a Canario?
Players born in the Canary Islands.
Players that have come through the academy of any Canarian club, regardless of place of birth.
Players recruited directly from any of our affiliate clubs.
Save Objectives:
Develop the next David Silva
Follow the Canario only recruitment policy
Be competitive in LaLiga
Win at least one of the following trophies: La Copa del Rey, a European competition, and/or LaLiga
In the upcoming post, I'll delve into our squad, tactical approach, and, perhaps most crucially, our recruitment setup.
If you're eager for a deeper dive into this journey, feel free to swing by and say "hi" in my Slack channel. You can also catch me on Twitter for additional content and insights.
Thanks for dropping by! Until next time, José.