I completely blew past the mid-season update and the next thing I knew it was the 2024 youth intake. So, I'll do a big youth development post and then a post on the end of the season which has already happened as well.
New Players
A decent intake but one that was filled was bad personalities. Many balanced personalities and only one fairly professional. Come June, I'll be in the market for a new Head of Youth Development. One that will bring in better players or, at least, players with better personalities.
GK Pascal Boog: I love getting a good goalkeeper in a youth intake. It's an easy way to bring in a homegrown player into the senior team even if they are just a back up. Boog has the potential to be a starter at some point during his career. I'm not a fan of his casual personality and poor determination. Those things can be improved with many years of tutoring and development. My goal is to always have a professional goalie in the senior team even if they are just a backup or third stringer (see: Fraser Forester).
DMC Korbinian Bach: Another good player with a terrible personality. This time, it's that unambitious personality. His determination is a little better than Boog but that's not saying much. He's a brave defensive midfielder and one who is already willing to put in some hard WORK WORK. His other stats need some help (marking, tackling, strength). He's a tall guy and, hopefully, as he gets older, he fills out that 6'2" frame.
LB Peter Merkel: One of the better players from the intake, in terms of personality, as he is light-hearted. This is another personality that should be easy to sway with some tutoring. His mentals are great for a 15 year old. Needs to work on his concentration but the others (aggression, anticipation, and bravery) are all already there. Appears to be more of a stay-at-home defenseman since his offensive skills are way behind his defensive skills.
RB Patricio de Stefano: A dual citizen of Germany and Italy. Another good player in terms of mentals but poor in personality (Unambitious, again). His mentals are the best in the academy class. His technical skills are already goo for a 14 year old. I'd like to see his physical skills develop and catch up with the rest of his game. He looks to be more of an all-around defenseman compared to Merkel.
2023 Academy Class
DMC Marek Hanzel: Hanzel has been promoted to the U23 team. He has seen a bit of development over the year. His technical skills have improved by four overall, his mental skills by six, and his physical skills by five. Even though, he has not grown, he has put on six pounds. He's kept his determined personality. He will have to spend another year in the U23 team before I can loan him out to 2.Bundesliga and 3.Liga teams so he can get first team football and develop even further.
2023 Skills:
Technical: 119
Mental: 141
Physical: 86
2024 Skills:
Technical: 123 (+4)
Mental: 147 (+6)
Physical: 91 (+5)
LW Franz Uphoff: Uphoff has seen a lot of development over the past year but even with that development, he will spend another season with the U19 team. He's grown an inch and now 5'11" but has not put on any weight. All told, his technical skills have increased by 15 points, his mental and physical by 11 points which is great year-to-year development for a player.
2023 Skills:
Technical: 80
Mental: 107
Physical: 78
2024 Skills:
Technical: 95 (+15)
Mental: 118 (+11)
Physical: 89 (+11)
RW Sebastian Killer: Killer joins Hanzel as a player from the Class of 2023 promoted to the U23 team. We have a weak spot at right wing so his good development earned him a call to the U23 team to see if development only gets better. Like Hanzel, he has a full season in the U23 team before he can loaned out to get first team football.
2023 Skills:
Technical: 71
Mental: 84
Physical: 78
2024 Skills:
Technical: 77 (+6)
Mental: 94 (+10)
Physical: 88 (+10)
CB Fabian Bitterich: Bitterich has shown development but not enough development to earn a call-up to the U23 team at this time. He still needs a lot of work with the technical side of his game. The mental and physical tools are there and developing nicely but needs a lot of work on the technical side to earn that U23 callup.
2023 Skills:
Technical: 70
Mental: 111
Physical: 74
2024 Skills:
Technical: 75 (+5)
Mental: 122 (+11)
Physical: 81 (+7)