circlewalker

Well, I've started, so we'll see how it goes this time.

First thing I did was cancel most of the loans, with only Giorgetti and Mottola remaining. This left the squad rather thin, and seeing as I plan on using a 352 formation it also needs some fattening out.

So, spending a total of £165k I've brought in ten new players. Tall, two-footed central defender Fabio Onestini from Castel San Pietro for £8k. Veteren strker Gianluca Tremelin from Pro Patria for £28k. Brought in youn striker Andrea Valente on a free after he was deemed not good enough for Serie C2 team Rosetana. Young Riccardo Bruschetta joins me from Novara to add some height and work rate to my back 3. I also bring in Luca Bisello Ragno from Foligno for a very risky £90k - I'm not quite sure what I was thinking.

For £22k I bring in Sergio Comba, the ex-Celano striker head and shoulders above the rest of my squad. Midfield reinforcement comes in the shape of Pro Sesto's Daniele Federici, brought in on a free. Tommaso Coletti from Martina comes in at £2k to provide midfield cover. More midfield cover in Mirko Drudi (Cesena £8k) and finally £3k signing Alan Casagrande, bought from Ter's Nana.

First match of the season sees me away to mid-table fodder Prato. A fantastic start sees San Marino go 2-0 ahead in only 9 minutes, with goals from Sergio Comba (8) and Giovanni Abate (9). Stefano Lorenzi pegs one back for Prato on the 16th minute. On the alf hour Abate slots home a fantastic shot to make it 1-3.

Rest of the match passes with very little to shout about, but on the 89th minute Prato get a lifeline when Lorenzi doubles his tally with a great headed goal. 3 minutes into overtime Abate is denied his hattrick by a clearly contentious offside decision.

Special mention has to go to San Marino's defensive players as they rack up 80%+ tackles and headers won.

Prato 2 - 3 San Marino - A deserved victory.

circlewalker

Second game of the season sees me take on a difficult challenge as I face Pisa in the Italian Serie C cup. Pisa get 4-5 odds even though they're playing on our soil. They're a division above, so I imagine this being wuite a struggle.

Alan Casagrande is injured for this match, so loanee Francesco Giorgetti takes his place in the starting line-up, which otherwise remains unchanged:

GK Emiliano Dei
DRC Riccardo Bruschetta
DC Roberto Di Maio
DLC Luca D'Angelo
MR Davide Tedoldi
ML Tiziano Mottola
MRC Francesco Giorgetti
MC Nicole Napolitano
MLC Tommaso Coletti
ST Sergio Comba
ST Giovanni Abate

My team looking distinctly unfit in the first ten minutes, but still manage to go 1-0 up on 4 minutes with a scorcher by Nicola Napolitano from outside the box. It takes Eddy Baggio nearly 15 minutes to equalise for the visitors.

Pisa's three pronged attack causing chaos in the San Marino defence and double their lead on twenty minutes with a Baggio header.

For a bigger side Pisa are being very defensive, putting everyone behind the ball when losing possession. Doesn't help them as Sergio Comba waltzes through their defence and slots the equaliser home on 44 minutes.

Forced into two changes at half time as both Mottola and Coletti struggling with their fitness. D'Angelo playing really badly, but remains on the pitch as I won't risk making 3 subs at half time.

Eddy Baggio wasting chance after chance to take the visitors into the lead, and it almost costs them as a San Marino goal by Abate is ruled offside. Two minutes later San Marino take the lead on 55 minutes with a Giorgetti header from a saved rebound.

Pisa throwing caution to the wind and piling forward. Will hopefully leave space for my attackers to exploit. Abate makes way for Temelin on the 75th minute to keep him fresh for the next game.

Temelin makes an immediate impact with an 82nd minute goal from the edge of the 6 yard box, straight across the keeper, putting San Marino 4-2 up. Pisa don't look happy. Can the underdogs hold on?

Yes they can - Eddy Baggio's wastefullness in front of goal has cost Pisa dearly. It's a deserved win for San Marino.

San Marino 4 - 2 Pisa

retired_2symonds

The only thing I have to report is that I suck at this game

retired_qtlukie85

You're not alone...

circlewalker

Third match of the Serie C Cup sees San marino face yet more higher opposition in the form of Serie C1 team Ancona who have home advantage. The bookies aren't holding out much hope for San Marino and the lack of home advantage will be a real test for Ackter's side.

The same side who triumphed over Pisa line up against Ancona, though a similar result surely cannot follow.

San Marino kick off, and the ball is in the opposition's box within seconds, but nothing comes of it. Hopefully this early show of strength will continue to be the theme during tonight's match.

San Marino captain D'Angelo playing another nightmare match as he gives away a free kick on the edge of the area within 5 minutes. Yellow card for a very bad challenge. A brilliant free kick from Carlo Mammarella opens the scoring. D'Angelo will almost certainly be stripped of the captaincy and dropped for the next game.

10 minutes later and a route-one ball meets Comba in the box and the Ancona keeper just couldn't keep it out. 1-1 after 15 minutes. Game on! Docente finds the net for the home team on 37 minutes, will San Marino head into the dressing room with their tails between their legs?

Giorgetti makes way for Ceccarelli at half time while D'Angelo's performance since his awful blunder has ensured he gets to see the second half. San Marino's poor fitness levels already starting to show.

Nothing much happens until the 70th minute when Ancona get unlucky with a goal ruled offside. San Marino's heads are dropping so Comba and Coletti make way for Temelin and Faieta. Hopefully Temelin will have another supersub appearance.

As the final whistle blows San Marino are having trouble staying on their feet. It was a good effort against higher opposition, but Ancona deserved their win.

Ancona 2 - 1 San Marino

teekel

I have a quick question:

When managing San Marino the club, do you have to sign and play only San Marinan players? if you can sign foreigners, do they gain San Marino nationality having played at the club for a certain period of time?

Cheers.

circlewalker

Fourth match in and I've finished re-modelling the backroom staff. The coaches are a bit crap really, but will do for now. The scout was inexcusibly bad and so I have replaced him with two decent youn Italians who I've set about scouting the Italian U20s competition and San Marino the nation.

I've also unloaded player Simone Berardi as I don't feel he justifies his £1.8k per week. Am now back under budget with room to spare.

So I have another challenging match now against Serie C1's Pistoise. Currently topping the group and a win here will put me in excellent position to qualify as my last match is against Serie C2 opponents.

Fit-again Matteo Nevicati replaces Nicola Napolitano in the centre of midfield while D'Angelo finally loses his place and Michele Florindo takes his place. Giovanni Abate gets the captains armband as Vice-captain Fabio Onestini is carrying an injury.

Hopefully San Marino's fitness levels will hold out and I'll get a full 90 minutes from the team as a whole.

Morale is good, but a scrappy game is under way. New Captain Abate proves he can handle the responsibilty as he nets a fantastic solo goal in the 38th minute. Unfortunately he carries a knock into the dressing room and has to be replaced for the second half. Temelin takes his place while the arm-band goes to the inexperienced but determined Nevicati in midfield.

Nothing at all of note happens until the 80th minute when Pistoiese miss the net by a fraction of an inch at the far post. San Marino's fitness still can't last the distance and stand-in captain Nevicati makes way alongside Coletti to be replaced by Ceccarelli and Napolitano. Napolitano receives the captains armband from Nevicati as he leaves the pitch. San Marino are ten minutes away from the perfect result.

Temelin wastes a golden oppertunity in the 89th minute to seal the victory for San Marino. Clean through on goal he can only look on as he drags the ball painfully wide. Thankfully San Marino hold on and are now in complete control of the Cup group.

San Marino 1 - 0 Pistoiese

Next up is San Marino's first league game.

gtzpower

This was actually, genuinely the first thing I did with 07. In 06 I got San Marino to the Serie A and got stuck when I couldnt get more than 7000 people into the Olimpico. With the new stadiums, I started this one.

Also the first time in FM history I was fired... well, for poor performance at least instead of messing the board about.Gradually got worse over the seasons, lost 10 in a row eventually, and got the sack. Applied for the newly promoted Brindisi job and then took them to the Serie A.

Few tips... get all San Marinese staff if you can. The players will regen as Italian if you dont have good staff from there.

Also, Devis Nossa and Luca Del Prete are ones to watch.

gtzpower

Oh, and Poland is your friend. Trust me on this.

I'm loading up now then, cant resist...

circlewalker

So my first league match is away to Teramo, with some pretty damning odds to deal with.

Starting XI:

GK Emiliano Dei
DRC Riccardo Bruschetta
DC Roberto Di Maio
DLC Michele Florindo
MR Davide Tedoldi
ML Alessandro Turchetta
MRC Francesco Giorgetti
MC Matteo Nevicati
MLC Tommaso Coletti
ST Sergio Comba
ST Giovanni Abate

still having problems with fitness so the subs will constantly be on guard.

A dark shadow is cast over matchday today as manager Marc Ackter is feeling distinctly under the weather. His inspirational pre-match team talk will hopefully do it's job.

on 35 minutes it all goes wrong with Alessandro Rado of Teramo ripping through the San Marinese defence like it was tissue paper.

At half time the team are barely standing on their feet, it's hard to tell how they could make the second half. 3 changes can't be good, but needs must. Ceccarelli, Napolitano and Bisello Ragno come on for Nevicati, Giorgetti and Florindo.

This won't be pretty.

Abate with a stunning 55th minute equaliser gives hope for San Marino, but theit plummeting fitness levels mean it can only be a matter of time till they capitulate. Miraculously Comba manages to take the lead on 80 minutes with Napolitano earning and scoring a penalty on the 83rd to seal the unlikely victory.

Teramo 1 - 3 San Marino