retired_workingmom77

PMLF: oops! I could of used the match practice. I was only going to run leagues i wanted to manage in so I didn't think to run down to the third division

June 2004

5 games in June, all of them should have been 3 points for us however we got off to a nightmare start. 0-0 draws against Palmeiras and Criciuma plus a humilliating defeat at strugglers Coritiba. The month ended well with a 2-0 win against Figueirense and a hard fought victory against Flamengo. Revenge for our cup exit, Fred scored in the first minute. The game was largely dominated by us and it seemed to become a catastrophy when Flamengo equalised in stoppage time. However straight from kick off Edmundo converted a Kerlon cross to salvage 3 points. It seems as though we are going to need some more good luck to acheive my personal target of top 5 this season.

Transfers
N/A

Results
-Palmeiras 0-0 D
-Coritiba 2-0 L, (Rodrigo Batatinha, Jackson)
-Criciuma 0-0 D
-Figueirense 2-0 W, (Maldonado, Edmundo)
-Flamengo 2-1 W, (Fred, Edmundo, Fabiano Monteiro)

retired_jdupont

I see your point.

Keep up the good work with this story. Brazilian league stories are too rare here.

retired_workingmom77

Its a shame, Brazilian are IMO the most fun to play

retired_workingmom77

July 2004

A much more busier month for us with 7 matches, 3 of them huge encounters with Internacional, Sao Paulo and runaway league leaders Santos. We started July in 11th position and I desperately wanted us to carry on where we left off in June and we certainly did with a 1-0 victory against Athletico Mineiro. A cagey 0-0 draw with Internacional followed, a game that could of gone either way. Goals from Fred helped sink both Sao Paulo and Sao Caetano as we eased to 2-0 victories in both matches. Sao Paulo are starting to slide down the table after a thrilling 5-3 defeat to Santos, they are currently 9th. This was followed by two scrappy victories against Guarani and Goias, Goias in particular proved difficult and a 2-0 scoreline didn't reflect the trouble they gave us at times. Next came the big one, Santos away. With Internacional drawing and Corinthians losing, unbelievably 3rd place would be ours IF we beat Santos. This was a big ask with Robinho and Ricardinho providing the best strikeforce in the division netting as a team 36 goals. We travelled to Vila Belmiro looking for a draw that would move us into 4th ahead of Internacional, I honestly did not expect what happened in the following 90 minutes. I witnessed the best 90 minutes of football from any Cruzeiro side this season. The midfield ran like clockwork with Kerlon (who has attracted interest from Barcelona) provided deadly balls into the area. Wagner was key and he set up Fred twice as we cruised to a 2-0 victory. Unbelievable in one month we have moved from 11th to 3rd, dropping just two points.

Transfers
N/A

Results
-Athletico Mineiro 1-0 W, (Fred)
-Internacional 0-0 D
-Sao Paulo 2-0 W, (Fred (2))
-Sao Caetano 2-0 W, (Fred, Jean)
-Guarani 1-2 W, (Martinez, Maldonado pen., Alexandre)
-Goias 2-0 W, (Fred (2))
-Santos 0-2 W, (Fred (2))

retired_lilmazz

what a story! after reading this i quickly loaded up fm and managed Cruzeiro like you! But unlike you I had the following tech specs:

Version: 5.0.5 (without data Update)
Leagues: Brazil, First Divison to 3rd Division
Italy, Serie A
Spain, La Liga

As you can see this is quite different to your game!

I chose to start with all Brazilian leagues so that I could play in the Minas Gerais State Championship as match practise! Withouht the data update I still had a few stars that in your game had already been sold, i.e, Guilherme (an amazing striker!)

I dont know what the board and the fans expected it from you but they wanted me to win the league!! and so did the media!

By choosing all 3 brazilian leagues I could play in the Minas Gerais State Championship and won it comprehensively! and during this time getting to the 6th roud of the national cup.....this is where I currently am!

retired_workingmom77

Yeah they are a great team to manage. I was also expected to challenge for the title by both the board and the media. But the mistake of not running down to 3rd division and consequently not playing in the MG championship caused me to come out of the traps late. However I recovered and its now a three horse race between us, Palmeiras and Santos with us being the form team (unbeaten in 17, sneak peek from next update!). So anyway an update for August and September should be posted this evening!

retired_workingmom77

Oh and by the way, leave the story telling to me.........................

retired_workingmom77

August 2004

August would see us begin our Copa Sudamericana campaign with a two-legged tie against Goias. Our games in August would see us face Juventude and Fluminense, two teams that had stolen 3 points from us in April. We would also play relegation battlers Parana and Paysandu with the month culminating in tricky trips to 4th and 5th placed Corinthians and Vasco. We managed to beat Parana and Paysandu convincingly 2-0 and 3-0 with Fred now approaching the twenties in terms of goals. We also overturned Juventude 3-1, revenge for our previous defeat in the early days of the season. We had no such luck against Fluminense and had to fight back to earn a 1-1 draw. Another draw came at Vasco where legend Romario missed a penalty for them. An incredibly lively game at Corinthians followed, undeserving of its its 1-0 scoreline. Edmundo got the winner but Jo and Rosinei played out of their skins showing Corinthians' excellent youth setup. A thumping 5-0 win over Goias all but ensured our place in the first round proper of the Copa Sudamericana.

Transfers
Out
Marcio Oliveira, Alegrense (loan)

Results
-Parana 2-0 W, (Wagner, Edmundo, Vanderson sent off)
-Juventude 3-1 W, (Maurinho, Wagner, Fred, Rodrigo Silva)
-Fluminense 1-1 D, (Arouca,Fred)
-Paysandu 3-0 W, (Wagner, Fred, Edmundo, Elvis sent off)
-Vasco 0-0 D
-Corinthians 0-1 W, (Edmundo)
-Goias, (Copa Sudamericana, First Preliminary Round, First Leg) 5-0 W, (Wagner (2), Edmundo (2), Fred)

retired_sacclover@yahoo

Good stuff at the mo. Brazil seems like a challenge so may have a go soon KUTGW

retired_workingmom77

Back again! Sorry about the lack of updates but I had to get some serious partying in before GCSE's which start a week today!

September 2004

The month started with us seeing out the dead rubber against Goias and making our first purchase of the season. Arthur joined us from Sao Paulo for 1.8 million pounds. The 18 year old defensive midfielder came very highly rated and with building for the future in mind he seemed a natural choice. We ended up going down 2-1 in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana giving us a 6-2 aggregate victory. The draw for the first round saw us face another Brazilian team, Sao Caetano. Sitting quite comfortably in third in table just behind the front two, Palmeiras and Santos, we were happy to stay in touch with them and wait to make our move. We dropped points only to a recovering Gremio side who held us 0-0. But 5 wins in September, the most crucial of which against Palmeiras saw us climb into second, five points behind Santos who were now without Robinho who had made the switch to Barcelona. We also overcame Sao Caetano eventually on penalties to reach the Quarter Final of the Copa Sudamericana where we would play Chilean side Universidad de Chile.

Transfers
In

Arthur, 18, DM C, Sao Paulo, 1.8m.

Results
-Goias (Copa Sudamericana, First Preliminry Round, Second Leg) 2-1 W (6-2 agg.), (Fred, Rodrigo Tabata, Rodrigo Silva)
-Atletico Paranaense 1-2 W, (Jean, Fred, Claudio)
-Gremio 0-0 D
-Ponte Preta 2-0 W, (Wagner, Fred)
-Botafogo 0-1 W, (Kanu)
-Vitoria 1-0 W, (Wagner)
-Sao Caetano, (Copa Sudamericana, First Round, First Leg) 0-1 L, (Edu Sales, Adriano sent off)
-Palmeiras 1-2 W, (Wagner, Maldonado, Warley)
-Sao Caetano, (Copa Sudamericana, First Round, Second Leg) 0-1p W (4-1 on pens.)(Maldonado)