The following is a graphic visual representation of the things that make me me. Hope you enjoy!
About Me Infographic
Create and Monitor Your Personal Balance Sheet with Personal Capital
Purpose of this article: to help you quickly create and monitor your personal balance sheet.
Bullet Point Summary
- Before you can improve your current financial situation you need to figure out where you are. The personal balance sheet is a great tool to help you accomplish this.
- Personal Capital is my favorite personal finance app and piece of software to show net worth. It will speed up the gathering of your financial information, and will give you an awesome snapshot of your net worth every time you log in.
- The personal balance sheet gives you a better view of your total finance picture, better than a budget or net cash flow spreadsheet.
Overview
A personal balance sheet provides an overall snapshot of your net worth (or net wealth) at a specific period in time. It is a summary of your assets (what you own), your liabilities (what you owe) and your net worth (assets minus liabilities). The old business adage “what gets measured, gets managed” rings true in your personal finances as well. Without a personal balance sheet, it becomes very challenging to put forth effective short-term and long-term strategies to improve your finances.
Gathering the Necessary Data
Compiling the necessary financial information to create your personal balance sheet can be an arduous manual process especially if you are not using personal finance software like Mint or Personal Capital. So if you do at least one thing after reading this, start using some personal finance software today! Here is a link to reviews on some of the best personal finance software.
There are a ton of reviews comparing all of the ins and outs of each of the different personal finance apps and software, but my favorite by far is Personal Capital. In short, Personal Capital gives you the best view of your Net Worth, and does this quickly, accurately, and in real-time. Additionally, Personal Capital utilizes Yodlee to sync up to your various financial accounts, and thus has fewer reported sync issues.
It’s not a budgeting tool like YNAB or Mint, and it doesn’t help much with daily cash management (i.e. managing expenses, paying bills, alerts on overspend, etc.). It is though an effective aggregator that can help you manage your short-term and long-term views of your net worth.
Create Your Personal Balance Sheet
Using Personal Capital, the following personal balance sheet was created for Client A in less than 10 minutes:
All of the values for assets and liabilities are from the same day and thus reflect the same, single point in time for my client’s finances.
What Does It Actually Mean?
Now take a closer look at each column. Over the past seven months there has been a +24% increase in net worth as Client A’s net worth has grown from $183K to $227K. Back in December of 2019, the comprehensive financial strategy that was put in place focused on building retirement assets while steadily paying down liabilities owed, and thus far into the year this strategy is working for Client A.
In general, there isn’t really a magical solution that quickly changes one’s net worth position. Consistently executing your financial plan which usually entails some combination of savings, investing, and paying down debt is the tried and true strategy to increasing your net worth.
But before you can improve your financial situation, you need to measure your current starting point. The personal balance sheet is the best tool to help you do just that, and utilizing the financial app, Personal Capital, makes the compiling and tracking of this information seamless.
Personal Capital invite a friend link
You can download the excel file of the balance sheet template here:
I Still Have One More Year of Eligibility Left…
Carlito David Wikipedia Page
Carlito David
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Carlito David (born 15 April 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Manchester United and the England national team. Born and raised in Nottingham, he broke into the first team at Mansfield Town F.C. during the 2018-19 season, and established himself as one of the best attacking midfielders in League Two. Over the next three years he made 190 official appearances for the team, scoring 74 goals. His on the pitch performances helped the Stags earn triple promotion, lifting Mansfield Town F.C. from League Two to the Premier League. He signed for Manchester United in July 2021 for a fee rumored to be around £104.3 million. He currently features as a first-choice player for Manchester United’s midfield and he has even broken through into the England National Team were he consistently partners with Dele Alli and Jordan Henderson in a midfield-three.
Club career
Mansfield Town F.C.
2018–19 season: Promotion from League Two
The 2018–19 season saw Carlito break into the Mansfield Town F.C. first team on a regular basis. He started the Stags’ first league match of the season, and quickly became a household name by the winter festive period. On November 24, 2018 he had one of his best games of the season assisting on all 3 goals in a 3-1 victory over Lincoln City F.C. By this point in the season, Carlito had netted 5 goals and provided 5 assists, helping the Stags collect 36 points from their first 19 games, and vault into second-place. Carlito had the complete game on December 22, 2018, winning man of the match and netting one goal and an assist in a 2-0 victory against Stevenage F.C. Carlito’s performances continued to accelerate as he helped to drive the Stags to the top of League Two by the end of January 2019, and earned the Player of the Month Award. The Stags continued to march on with the help of Carlito as they earned a pivotal three points on February 2, 2019 with a 2-1 come from behind victory against Macclesfield Town. For the remainder of the 2018–18 season Carlito would go on and establish himself as a nearly unstoppable play maker for the Stags. By season’s end, the Stags were crowned EFL League Two champions. All in all he made 53 appearances in all competitions during the 2018–19 season, scoring 18 times, and assisting on another 21 goals.
The FA Cup Miracle of 2018–19
In what will remain one of the unlikeliest runs in FA Cup history, Mansfield Town F.C. went on to punch
above their weight dispatching many teams from leagues above them. Led by Carlito, the Stags pushed on to beat Manchester City 3-1 in the semi-finals, and ultimately finished their miracle run with a 2-1 victory over Arsenal in the finals.
Although FA Cup giant killers are a real thing, miracle runs like this can only happen on the sticks ?.
2019–20 season: Promotion from League One
After a stellar first year with the Stags, Carlito started the season brightly, and continued where he left off. Scoring 33 goals and assisting on another 27 goals, Carlito helped the Stags two their second straight promotion in as many years. All in all he made 76 appearances in all competitions during the 2019–20 season, scoring 33 times, and assisting on another 27 goals.
2020–21 season: Promotion from the Championship
With the Stags in the Championship following their double promotion from League Two, the objective was
simple: don’t get relegated. But as you can guess from this virtual story, the Carlito-led Stags did more than just survive. By the end of November 2020, Mansfield Town were sitting top of the league through 18 games. Carlito and the Stags were popping in goals left and right and were taking the Championship by storm. By match week 42, the Stags had run away from the pack opening up a 13 point gap to Aston Villa. On the final day Mansfield Town beat Bristol City 2-1 to lift the EFL Championship trophy. The 2020–21 was a record setting season for the Stags eclipsing the 100 point mark and writing their names in the record books. All in all he made 61 appearances in all competitions during the 2020–21 season, scoring 23 times, and assisting on another 21 goals
Manchester United
On July 7, 2022, Carlito signed for Premier League club Manchester United for a fee rumored to be around £104.3 million. Personal terms of this deal took his weekly wage from £4,500 to £275,000.
2021–22 season: Glory, Glory Man United
Carlito settled right into the midfield trident and by the end of October 2021 he had established himself as one of the world’s best. Playing alongside Frenkie de Jong and Paul Pogba allowed Carlito complete freedom to make plays in support of the front three. His best performance of the year came in a 3-0 away victory over Arsenal on October 23, 2021 where he pulled the strings from midfield and was involved in all three goals. Through the first 12 games of the season Carlito has 4 goals and 3 assists to his name. He is currently 3rd on the squad ranking report behind, Martial and Pogba. In all competitions Carlito has scored 7 times and assisted on 11 goals. At this pace he stands to record double digits goals and assists, and ultimately lead United to Premier League glory. Tune back in as the season progresses.
International career
On March 19, 2019, Carlito was called up to the England senior squad for the UEFA European
Qualifiers. He made his debut for England in a 2-1 win against Switzerland on March, 30, 2019.
Qualifiers. He made his debut for England in a 2-1 win against Switzerland on March, 30, 2019.
Carlito would continue to become a mainstay in the English midfield partnering consistently with
Henderson and Alli. By the summer of 2020 he was fully integrated into the England squad and was selected for Euro 2020. In the group stage on Day 1 he scored this peach of a goal in England’s 3-1 win against Romania. On match Day 2 he followed up a boss performance with another stunning goal in a 2-2 draw with Scotland. Ultimately England’s Euro 2020 campaign came to a crashing halt against Croatia in the Round of 16 but Carlito’s legend grew as a result of his boss-play during the campaign.
Player profile
Style of play
Carlito is widely considered one of the best young midfielders of his generation. Similar to Dele Alli, he is also considered an all-round player who can play effectively as a second striker. He can influence the game from a deep lying position but is best positioned in the final third supporting the teams forwards.
Reception and Progression
Carlito is considered one of the world’s most expensive midfielders from a transfer value perspective by
the CIES. His valuation on June 30, 2018 when he started his career at age 21 was £2.0 million. His valuation as of June 30, 2021 at the age of 24 is £104.5 million. His rapid acceleration in value is matched to his rapid acceleration of skill. At the start of his career his overall rating was a 61. Three year later he is rated at 90 and is one of the best midfielders in the world. The chart below details his progression over the past three years:
What Happened to Chivas USA?
A Look Back to Chivas USA … A Failed Brand Extension in a Really Good MLS Market
Introduction
On December 17, 2019 Major League Soccer announced it’s coming to Charlotte, North Carolina. In what is likely the last franchise to be added to the fold, I couldn’t help but smile at how far the MLS had come. The Charlotte franchise will be the league’s 30th team, and over the league’s 26 year history only three teams have ceased operations:
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- Tampa Bay Mutiny (1996 – 2001)
- Miami Fusion (1998 – 2001)
- Chivas USA (2005 – 2014)
At the same time though, most of the teams in the MLS are losing money, and one insider I know says the whole entire league is bootstrapped together compared to other big-time leagues like the NFL and NBA. With valuations of MLS clubs soaring to record levels in anticipation of the 2023 renegotiation of TV rights, and overall gains in popularity, now is as good a time as ever to look back at the one team on the list of three that didn’t make it but should have… Chivas USA.
On Paper, Demographics Were Favorable
Los Angeles is a city with a deep sporting tradition. Between the Lakers, Dodgers, Kings, Bruins, and Trojans, the City of Angels fields professional and collegiate teams that historically have won a number of Championships. So in the summer of 2004 when the MLS agreed to a second team in LA, the expectations were high. In the shadows of the established LA Galaxy, Chivas USA was born.
From the beginning, Chivas USA leaned into the strong Hispanic heritage permeating Los Angeles, and placed a large bet on the fact that roughly 9% of the nation’s Hispanic population lives in LA:
The lead investor, Jorge Vergara, was a Mexican businessman, film producer, and owner of football club Chivas de Guadalajara of the Mexican 1st division. With his support, Chivas USA modeled itself after its parent club, Chivas de Guadalajara, and set out to build a team in direct contrast to the bourgeois Galaxy across town.
Things Started Relatively Well But Consistency Soon Became a Problem
I used to live in LA around the time Chivas USA was started. In stark contrast to the “posh-wine drinking” LA Galaxy experience, Chivas USA games had real energy and were so dope in the beginning. On average, you had about 15,000 fans at most home games and were treated to scenes like this:
In the inaugural 2005 season, Chivas USA drew 273,284 over 16 home matches and a franchise record 317,432 in Year 2. A deeper look into attendance by year reveals the Chivas USA average attendance in the early years were on par or above the league average.
From 2005 to 2009, Chivas USA made the playoffs four out of five years. But it’s on the field performance quickly dropped off from 2010 onward as the club missed the playoffs every year since 2010. By the final three years of its existence, Chivas USA were bottom of the league in average attendance and bottom of the league in performance.
To put it in more quantifiable terms, of the 320 regular season games played over their 10 year existence, Chivas USA lost 47% of them and drew 25% collecting on average only 36 of the available 96 points each season. Ultimately their tepid on the field performances caught up with them and their fans stopped showing up. Fans simply don’t like to support losing teams, especially fans in Los Angeles.
The US Version of Chivas was a Cheap Substitute for the Real Thing
Following the 2014 season, it was determined that the extension of Chivas de Guadalajara was unsuccessful, and Chivas USA was reacquired by the MLS for $70 million. And while there are numerous on the field reasons for its failure, Chivas USA’s ultimate failure came down to its poorly executed branding plan.
When you say the word “Chivas” in the soccer world without a doubt everyone thinks of Chivas de Guadalajara, arguably the best and most popular club in Mexico. Chivas USA tried everything in its power to match its parent club right down to the Chivas badge and red-and-white-stripped kits. Jorge Vergara even once stated that he intended to hire and field Mexican players only, something that Chivas de Guadalajara actually does.
Source: Chivas de Guadalajara 2014/15 Kits
Quite simply the concept was to take a team that represented the hopes and dreams of Mexican soccer fans both in Mexico and the United States, and try to capitalize on the Hispanic heritage within Los Angeles and ultimately beyond.
Attempting to leverage the branding success of its parent club was a smart strategic decision, but the execution of this marketing strategy left a lot to be desired. The truth of the matter is Jorge Vergara simply didn’t want to do the hard work. He didn’t put the financial investment behind Chivas USA because he believed he could easily extend one of soccer’s most venerable brands into the United States. The market was the right fit; his execution was wrong.
By 2014, the Chivas USA experiment hadn’t captured the hearts and minds of the Hispanic populace in Los Angeles, and when the poor on the field results continued, it ultimately all came to a head.
Bad Marketing + Bad Results = Poor Financial Stability
No fan likes supporting a team that consistently loses especially if there aren’t strong ties to that team. Chivas USA’s failure on the marketing/branding side to drive strong ties with Los Angeles fans didn’t give it much room for error on the field.
Throughout its 10-year existence in MLS, Chivas USA’s single-game tickets were moderately priced between $12 to $31. Season tickets ranged from $162 – $1,296 which was on the lower end of the spectrum compared to other teams in the league.
Just considering single-game tickets only, at these prices, the best Chivas USA was able to generate close to $7.0M annually on home-match gate revenue (assuming 16 home matches). By its final two seasons, this had dropped down to under $3.0M annually. Below you see the graphical representation of this precipitous drop.
Revenue sources for a soccer club are more than just gate revenue, but this -8.5% compound annual drop over 10 years didn’t bode well for Chivas USA’s long-term aspirations. Once you start losing on the pitch and losing revenue, it’s hard to turn that ship around. Couple this with the lack of consistent investment from owner Jorge Vergara, and it was curtains.
Bad marketing/branding plus bad on-the-field results led to consistent poor financials. As losses mounted, so did the pressure on Jorge Vergara wallet, and he ultimately left with no choice but to sell the club back to the MLS.
Out of the Ashes Rises LAFC
With the Chivas USA experiment officially done, the MLS turned its attention to reestablishing a second team in Los Angeles. Commissioner Don Garber was convinced that two teams could work in L.A. under the right ownership group; an ownership group that was willing to invest in the club and build from the ground up.
All-in-all Chivas USA suffered from years of mismanagement, subpar branding, and poor results which ultimately ended after the 2014 MLS season when they ceased operations. Jorge Vergara didn’t put forth the right amount of financial resources and effort to really build the US version of Chivas de Guadalajara.
The death of the Chivas USA franchise was a blessing for MLS because out of the ashes rose one of the current best run clubs in all of the league. LAFC is currently achieving something that Chivas USA never did: finding a mainstream fan base and consistently winning on the field.
The Survivors Club… The Science of Luck
Introduction
We all know someone in our lives that seems to catch all of the ‘lucky” breaks. No matter what happens in their lives, the sun seems to always shine on them. But the truth is, luck isn’t as unpredictable as we often make it out to be. Luck is a combination of your preparation, your attitude, an opportunity, and your action. The following from Ben Sherwood’s The Survivors Club and I hope it will help you bring more luck into your life.
Develop a Lucky State of Mind
In Closing
Lucky people are far less random than one would think. In reality how you approach this world and your state of mind determines how much luck you achieve/receive. Unlucky events happen to people and purely random things do sometimes occur. But, the luckiest of us all find a way to see ourselves through these events. Remember, 90% of your life is determined by the way you think.
Extras
Brian Nwokedi’s Book Review on Goodreads
Direct Link to Book: The Survivors Club
Author’s Twitter: @bensherwood
The Survivors Club… The Rule of 3
Introduction
Between the uncertainty caused by the current social and political climates, and the global pandemic, 2020 has gotten off to a challenging start to say the least. And while I am not a bonafide doomsday prepper, I do like to take proactive steps towards ensuring my personal safety. In this vein, Ben Sherwood’s The Survivors Club was either a recommendation from a friend or one that I came across as a “must read”. Having recently finished it I have learned some new frameworks and tools for survival. When it comes to surviving there is a whole lot that you can’t control, but there too is a surprising amount that you can control. The Rule of 3 is an easy but great mental reminder of the limits the human body can be pushed to.
The Rule of 3
In Closing
Emblazon the number 3 in your mind. The order of the rules will help you remember your survival priorities as you strive to manage your needs during your most stressful time. Never forget the Rule of 3. This magic number will keep your priorities clear and help you stay alive!
Extras
Brian Nwokedi’s Book Review on Goodreads
Direct Link to Book: The Survivors Club
Author’s Twitter: @bensherwood
The Survivors Club… How To Survive a Plane Crash
Introduction
Between the uncertainty caused by the current social and political climates, and the global pandemic, 2020 has gotten off to a challenging start to say the least. And while I am not a bonafide doomsday prepper, I do like to take proactive steps towards ensuring my personal safety. In this vein, Ben Sherwood’s The Survivors Club was either a recommendation from a friend or one that I came across as a “must read”. Having recently finished it I have learned some new frameworks and tools for survival. When it comes to surviving there is a whole lot that you can’t control, but there too is a surprising amount that you can control. In the following write up, I will unpack some of the cool things I learned about surviving a plane crash.
In A Plane Crash You Have 90 Seconds to Save Your Life
In Closing
The statistics of surviving a plane crash are in your favor with close to 96% of passengers in airplane accidents surviving. While there is no one seat that is the best, on average, sitting within five rows of an exit increases your chances of survival exponentially. Listen and pay attention to your flight attendants when they go over the safety protocols, and remember that waiting for instructions during and emergency can lead to negative outcomes. In the end, crash survival comes down to a simple question: How committed are you? Don’t panic but be proactive in your survival.
Extras
Brian Nwokedi’s Book Review on Goodreads
Direct Link to Book: The Survivors Club
Author’s Twitter: @bensherwood
Seven Ways To Increase Your Odds of Surviving a Plane Crash by Business Insider
10 Tips That Could Save Your Life by The Art of Manliness
The Female Brain
Introduction
Google the phrase “differences between men and women” and you will get close to 572 million results. It’s a topic that is as old as time, but Louann Brizendine’s Female Brain focuses these differences squarely on our brains. From birth, “boy-behavior” and “girl-behavior” is hardwired into the brain, thus making us much more predictable than we think.
The Female Brain was written in 2007 during the rising tide of behavioral and neuroscientific research, and is a fascinating read for anyone interested in better understanding some of the whys behind female and male behavior. In the following write up, I will unpack some of the gender specific behavioral differences that are driven by the “simple” biological differences between the female and male brain.
Blame it on Testosterone, Estrogen, and Progesterone
As Louann Brizendine details in the Female Brain, there are no neutral unisex brains. Hormones make our brains uniquely female and male. The specific three hormones that drive most of the brain differences between the sexes are: (1) Testosterone (2) Estrogen (3) Progesterone. The deeper science between these three hormones aren’t relevant for this post but what is relevant is the specific role each of these hormones plays in the development of the female and male brain.
The rising tides of estrogen and progesterone assure that all female-specific brain circuits become more sensitive to emotional nuance such as approval or disapproval and acceptance or rejection. Female brains are programmed to prioritize connecting, bonding and keeping the peace. In direct contrast, testosterone has been shown to decrease the communication-specific brain circuits in the male brain, often leading men to seek out conflict and decreased socialization. Literally, the differences in the sexes come down to the hormone levels in females and males which determine the parts of our brains that are primed for different types of behaviors.
The Female and Male Brains
Over the millions of years that humans have walked on this Earth, female and male brains have evolved along some of the following lines:
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The amygdala is the brain’s center for fear, anger, and aggression and it’s physically larger in men.
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The prefrontal cortex is the brain’s center for planning, decision-making, problem solving, and self-control and it’s relatively larger in women.
- Most neural connections in the male brain run between the front and back parts of the same brain hemisphere, which accounts for the better spatial skills and motor (muscle) control in men
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Many more neural connections go from side to side across the left and right hemispheres of the female brain. This accounts for women’s better verbal skills and intuitive abilities.
The male brain has larger centers for aggression and action and is wired for pursuits that require solitary work. The male brain is finely tuned to sense threats, connect through sex, react quickly, and respond directly to spoken cues of others.
The female brain has larger centers for nurturing, communicating and forming social bonds, and is wired for pursuits that require interaction with others. The female brain is finely tuned to read faces, hear emotion in tones of voice, and respond to unspoken cues of others.
In Closing
It’s not that men and women are from two different planets as John Gray wrote in 1992. It’s more simply that women and men have different brain realities caused by differences in testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone. These hormonal differences give women the edge when it comes to connecting emotionally, observing fully, and communicating effectively, and thus are ultimately better at sustaining deeper relationships with others. So the next time you have a communication disagreement with someone of the other sex or have a challenging time understanding their point of view, remember to give yourself a bit of grace because “boy-behaviors” and “girl-behaviors” are simply hardwired into our brains at birth.
Extras
Brian Nwokedi’s Book Review on Goodreads
Direct Link to Book: The Female Brain
Author’s Website: Louann Brizendine, MD
Author’s Twitter: @drlouann
Mansfield Town F.C. Has a New Fan Thanks to FIFA 19
Introduction
I have a strong bias for English football which was created by my study abroad experiences circa 2005. At roughly the same time, I began playing FIFA 06 on the PlayStation 2, and have been playing FIFA on some form of PlayStation ever since. Like so many other FIFA gamers my love for the beautiful game has grown in lock step with my love for the FIFA series. A recent ESPN.com study shows that among 12-24-year-old American males, pro soccer has become the second most popular sport behind only the NFL[1]and the FIFA video game series has a lot to do with that.
I have predominantly played Career (Manager) mode with Chelsea F.C. Year after year, I’d do my best Special One impersonation managing old-time Blues like Drogba, Essien, Lampard, and Terry as well as new-time Blues like Hazard and Kante to glory. But after countless virtual trophies and awards, I’d still be left thoroughly unsatisfied. It always felt a bit cheap starting with such a good team in FIFA year over year.
But in 2009 this all changed when FIFA 10 released a new feature called Virtual Pro. Virtual Pro mode allowed users to create their own footballer taking him from scratch player to footballing legend through his virtual career. The entire focus of my FIFA gaming experience changed overnight. Now I could create a player starting out in his 20s, and through consistent game completion could build him into the next superstar.
What was even better, was this mode gave me an incentive to start my player with a team outside the G-14 and thus look to smaller clubs within the lower divisions of the various European leagues. Virtual Pro became my ticket into learning more about other football clubs not named Chelsea F.C., Manchester City, or any of the G-14. And over the years, I took full advantage creating multiple players that starred at Port Vale F.C., Peterborough United F.C., MK Dons, and Nottingham Forest to name a few. Eventually my Virtual Pro would get so good that he’d be sold to a larger club just like Deli Alli[2]. On an aside, the £5 million Tottenham paid MK Dons for Alli is one of the biggest bargains ever; On par with the £5.8 million Leicester paid Caen for N’Golo Kante[3].
Chelsea or Nottingham Forest?
In this year’s version, I wanted to find a club in the fourth division of English football that was close to Nottingham Forest (my wife’s club). My hope was to play 1-2 years with the current team striving to get promoted. My target was to eventually be sold to a bigger club like Forest or Chelsea.
Although the dominant portion of my fandom is spent cheering for Chelsea, I do have a soft spot for Forest given my wife’s passionate support for them. Of course unless they are playing Chelsea like the did this past January 2019 in the FA Cup (which doesn’t happen often).
This Year I am All in With Mansfield Town F.C.
In doing my research, there were two teams that fit this bill: Notts County F.C. and Mansfield Town F.C. I chose Mansfield Town F.C. simply because they have the same mascot that my college football team has… Come on You Stags!
At the start of this new campaign, Mansfield Town F.C. has very high expectations much like they did in real life[4]. And given the modest transfer budget, there is a really good chance that my Virtual Pro will see consistent first team action. So, without further ado, please meet the new 21-year-old England-born central attacking midfielder that will take the Mansfield Town F.C. Stags to promotion: Carlito:
The Beginnings of an Attacking Legend
At the start of the campaign, it was very clear that Carlito had a ton of work ahead of him if he was going to be worth anything. Carlito’s attributes looked as follows:
As he continued to play and develop it became clear pretty quickly that Carlito had an opportunity to get a ton of game time with Mansfield Town F.C., ultimately giving him a chance to rapidly progress. And for a young player in the game, that is all anyone can ask for.
Season Highlights…
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3-1 Victory Against Lincoln City is One of Carlito’s Best Game in Year 1
On November 24, 2018 (in the virtual world), Carlito has one of his best games of the year and announces himself to the EFL League Two during a 3-1 victory over Lincoln City.
By now, Carlito’s a 74 overall, deeply planted in the starting XI.
He has scored 5 goals and has 5 assists. The 3-1 win over Lincoln City vaults Mansfield Town F.C. into second place on 36 points after 19 games played.
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The Complete Game – December 22, 2018 Against Stevenage
In a 2-0 victory against Stevenage, Carlito as a complete game and wins man of the match with a 9.5 overall match rating.
Below are the video highlights from that game:
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Top of The League and Player of the Month by January 2019
Carlito’s performances continued to accelerate as he helped drive Mansfield Town F.C. to the top of the league by January 2019.
Through 27 games played he had scored 8 goals and delivered 9 assists. His overall rating jumped 10 points to a 77 and his valued jumped significantly to £28.5 million up from £1.6 million where he began.
Clearly On His Way to Becoming a Legend
As we enter the final chapter of the season (March – May), it’s clear that Carlito is Mansfield Town’s best player and his £28.5 million valuation proves this. Only time will tell if his meteoric rise will continue.
Art Imitates Life
At the start of this past year’s footballing campaign, I had my sights set on rooting just for Chelsea and Nottingham Forest. But as I said in the introduction, FIFA 19 introduced me to a new team. So much so, that on March 18, 2019 I tuned into a key match between Mansfield Town and Lincoln City:
That day the Stags drew 1-1 at the One Call Stadium. I was vested in the match as the Stags dropped crucial points in their promotion bid. My fandom continued to grow even though I wasn’t able to watch them on TV regularly. The unfortunate 1-0 defeat to MK Dons on the last day was a gutting reminder of how hard it can be to obtain automatic promotion. As Stag fans worldwide know, nothing is a given in promotion playoffs as the penalty loss to Newport County showed.
In closing, there is a brilliant quote regarding football fandom: “You can change your job, you can change your wife, but you can’t change your football team… You can move from one end of the country to another, but you never, ever lose your allegiance to your first team.” While there is truth in this sentiment, FIFA 19 has helped me realize that there is absolutely space in my fandom for the Mansfield Town F.C. Stags!
[3] http://www.sportbible.com/football/news-ngolo-kante-voted-the-best-bargain-in-premier-league-history-20181123