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Thought it was about time I posted an update of what I've been up to. Frank picked me a little known Italian side called Benevento in the C2/C league. The gauntlet was thrown down, and I tore right in.
Leagues running: France CFA and above, Germany Regional and above, Italy C2 and above, Holland First Division and above, Portugal Second Division and above, Spain Second Division B and above. Database size huge.
2005/2006 Season, Benevento Serie C2/B
My new board, whilst friendly enough, expected me to win the league. Fortunately, the team was solid, if a little 'compact', with a reasonable wage budget. Some shrewd free transfers, one an ageing African striker, catapulted me to the top of the league, and scraped me through at the top by 3 points come end of season. Cup - out in the first round. Well you can't have everything.
Winning the league also entitled me to the fastweb.it manager of the year award.
2006/2007 Season, Benevento Serie C1/B
Thinking the board would be pleased, they were merely 'satisfied' with me, and expected me to with the league this year as well! Straight promotions indeed. Welcome to Italian football.
Some more nifty activity in the transfer market sold my pet African top goalscorer for a cool £200k, and picked me up some great youth players scouted from Italy. Also unloaded a whole lot of dross onto the unsuspecting Italian transfer market and slashed the wage bill. I also had an AMR super star coming along nicely, and a solid left back, making my average first team age just 24.
An early season wobble put the s***s up me as the new team settled down, but by Christmas we were challenging for the title, and doing well in the cup. Won the league on the last day of the season on goal difference, and won the Serie C cup. Fastweb.it manager of the year, again.
2007/2008 Season, Benevento Serie B
Finally, the board are pleased. They expect me to avoid relegation from the Italian Serie B, which I think is fair. They have given me some money this year to buy players, which I bolster with the sale of some more players from my reserves. I get an offer for a AML of £750k which I cannot turn down, even though he is my best player. I invest the money in a new keeper and DC, and some more promising youths. Most of the ones from my academy this year are sacked straight away as I have better options in what I have bought. The board refuse to upgrade the facilities, so it's more rubbish to look forward to next year
Dumped out of the cup in the 1st round this year, I decided to try hard and concentrate on the league. Struggling badly without my left winger, I am bottom half of the table come Christmas. In March, I am just above relegation when I am offered a job in Holland. Seeing it as a way to avoid getting sacked, I take the job.
2007/2008 Season, Sparta Rotterdam Dutch First League
A good squad here, with a few quid in the bank. The board want to challenge for promotion, so I hire a few staff, but with only 10 games left in the season and 10th in the league, it's looking unlikely. The bonus is I am already through to the final of the Dutch cup, against Ajax :cool:
I push up to 3rd in the league, and win my playoff group, to gain promotion to the Dutch Premier League, and beat Ajax 3-2 in the cup final. The board are ecstatic.
2008/2009 Season, Sparta Rotterdam Dutch Premier League
The board want to be avoiding relegation, but I have higher hopes. I have a team full of demons, and sign some young-ish Italians from my old team. Lots of the players that my scout recommends to me now are Italian, presumably because that is where I was. Hard to find any Dutch players worth signing despite database being 'huge'. I sign a Spanish goalkeeper and Striker, and my team is complete. Lots of dead wood cleared out to give some breathing space on the wage budget.
This year's league challenge is a struggle. I wind up 11th out of 18, which at least keeps the board quiet from that point of view.
Winning the cup last season though has entitled me to a go at the Dutch Super Cup against my old friends Ajax. I promptly beat them on penalties for some more silverware :cool: This also gifts me a place in the Euro Cup this season.
Success also in the Dutch Cup, beating Heernveen in the final on penalties, and I struggle through the Euro cup phases by rotating my thin squad. I am draw against Middlesborough in the final, and I put out my best squad. Three penalties in the second half mean I win by my biggest ever scoreline - 7-2.
My old side Benevento are relegated from the Italain Serie B.
2009/2010 Season, Sparta Rotterdam Dutch Premier League
Last season is going to be a hard act to follow, it's the most success I have ever had with a football manager game. The board expect to be safe this season.
I am given a game against mighty Arsenal in the Euro Super Cup, and beat them on penalties after drawing 2-2. Good job my guys have been practising
The money is rolling in, the board upgrade the facilities to top plus youth academy, and I beat PSV in the Dutch Super Cup, but am dumped out the Dutch cup in my first competitive game.
I am approached by the Ivory Coast national squad to guide them to glory in the next world cup. I have never managed a national team before, so I thought I would give it a go.
They had two more qualifiers to play for the W.C against Morocco and Ghana, which ended in a 1-1 draw and 3-0 win over Ghana, gaining qualification. There are some very strong players in the Ivory Coast, so I figure I will have a good chance come the summer, but I have to get through the African Nations first!
Back home, I am struggling come Christmas and flirting with relegation. For some reason I can't replicate my cup success in the league - probably because my squad are knackered
I am offered ajob in the Italian C2/B league with Chieti - the board think it might appeal to my desire for a challenge. It does.
2009/2010 Season, Chieti Italian Serie C2/B
My my my, what a bunch of dead beats. My repuation has gone from 'Continental' back to 'Local' now I have taken on a smaller side again, and everytime a club sack their head coach, I am touted as his replacement by the media
The squad here is tiny, just enough players in the team to field a full squad and 7 subs. When I get injuries I will have to use youths.
Fortunately my reputation allows me to tempt in some frees that my scout finds, and 2 weeks after I started there the transfer window opened up, allowing me to increase the wage bill
Up to 3rd in the league, but slapped out of the cup by Pisa.
Mini Update - African Cup of Nations 2010
Drawn in an easy group of Tunisia, Zimbabwe and Togo.
Tunisia - 3:0
Zimbabwe - 2:1
Togo - 3:1
Quarters drew me Mali who were soundly beaten 3:1
The favorites Egypt were then beaten 3:1 in the semis, leaving me a game against Congo in the final. The Ivorian FA annonced it expected a win, and 90 minutes later we were 2:0 to the better, and African champions. My best player suffered torn calf muscle in the final though
Now back to the real world of football in Italy...
2009/2010 Chieti Serie C2/B
Won the league by 10 points, pleasing the board. The club were only relegated the previous season.
Pld Won Drawn Lost For Ag GD Pts
34 20 8 6 63 28 +35 68
Cups suck a$$, beaten out in the qualifying rounds.
The Italian Stallions - An Update Thread 
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