If you register for free, you will be able to post threads, vote on polls and lots more. If you have problems with the registration or logging in, please contact the administrator.
Licata! Starting from scratch – the greatest challange (about the joy of starting from zero kelvin – it´s as low as you can go...)
Although flawed with annoying bugs, I believe one of the new CM4s greatest strenght’s lies the sheer size of the game and it´s database. It contains vast amounts of clubs I never even heard of before. One of these clubs was to give me one of my greatest CM experiences and perhaps the ultimate LLM challange.
(If you read my story below you will see what I mean by starting from scratch...)
It would be fun to see if anyone has else has tried the same thing with some other team. What experiences have you guys made?
This is my story... Licata!
After several years into my game I got tired with my Como team and it´s constant finacial struggles and the never ending Serie A relegation dogfights. I was sorely missing managing in the lower leagues. Although this also contains many of the same aspects (financial instability and relegation dogfights) it also has, at the same time, the unspoken potential of bringing your team from rags to riches – a lure that well established teams just can´t provide.
Anyway, after being unemployed for what seemed a eternity I found a team who I felt I wanted to save from possible extinction. It was the Italian Serie C2B side Gela, who with three games to go, looked like a strong relegation candidate. Unfortunately this was also the case! After only three games with my Gela side I was now once again unemployed...
However, as some teams disappear into obscurity others appear in their place. One of the teams promoted to the Italian Serie C2C this season was the club Licata. Personally I had never heard of them before, but being desperate for a job I didn´t hesitate applying for the vacant manager position. A not too wild a guess is that the club didn´t have that many to choose from - and therefor I landed the job that was to become my greatest CM challange up to date.
Licata really was the footballing version of zero kelvin (the absolute freezing point). It was as low as you can go. The club had no board members, awful training facilities and a puny stadium capacity of 2500. Financially there were no money in the bank or available for transfers. It didn´t even have nice team colours! (yellow sucks) Furthermore the club had no assistant manager or any scouts. The only thing this club possesed was 1 physio, 1 coach and 2 players. The players abilaties were however a joke – not even Serie C2C standard! (not even close). This club really was freezing cold!!!
The only thing going for me was that there were quite a few free transfers and players for loan currently available. The pre-season was the longest I can remember, trying to find players and staff desperate enough to join my club was a scramble. At the beginning of the season I had just enough players to fill the starting XI line-up.
From this point things only got better fortunately. I had now a starting line-up and I was able to strengthen the squad during the season with new Bosman signings and players on loan. Unbelievably enough I ended up winning the Serie C2C comfortably that season and now I´m ready to embark on the new season in Serie C1B. I think the main reason behind me cruising through the league was the possibilty of really building my own team from scratch. I didn´t have the usual compulsery 2/3s of the squad consisting of absolute deadweight - which would be normal when starting with a new lower league team. Of course, on the other hand I couldn´t be too picky with who to sign - as I had no money and a squad list to fill before the start of the new season.
I feel this really was the ultimate LLM-challange. You really have to build, not only the team, but the entire club, from scratch. Although I have only played one season yet, I feel this really beats all my previous CM experiences. I actually already miss that first season at the helm of Licata. I definately recomend other players to try the same.
Years in to your games - try and find that newbie club that has absolutely nothing and guide it forward to success – it really is a thrill!
06-06-2003, 08:36 PM
Licata! Starting from scratch – the greatest challange (about the joy of starting from zero kelvin – it´s as low as you can go...) Post #2
This is my experience with starting from absolute scratch. Does anyone else have the same experience with other clubs. It would be fun to hear your stories and what experiences you have made.
/ by the way does anyone know anything more about my team Licata IRL. I think it might be from the Palermo area, but I´m not quite sure /
06-06-2003, 08:39 PM
Licata! Starting from scratch – the greatest challange (about the joy of starting from zero kelvin – it´s as low as you can go...) Post #3
Wow, didn´t expect so much replies so quickly. I must say this experience has really made me understand the thrill of LLM.
I mean, sure I´ve played with LL-clubs before, but this was different from playing for example Woking at the start of the 2002/3 season. All those clubs already have well trimmed squads. Sure the majority contains of absolute no-gooders but still...
06-06-2003, 09:05 PM
Licata! Starting from scratch – the greatest challange (about the joy of starting from zero kelvin – it´s as low as you can go...) Post #6
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by DJ:
One of my fondest CM01/02 memories is the Swedish club Lidingö (guess you must have heard of them). Same situation: one starts out with nothing.
Took me 10+ years to get promoted to the Swedish first division. Loved it! :cool:<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Sure I´ve heard of Lidingö. Nice place with plenty of rich folks in the area. Wouldn´t mind buying a house there...
I´m not surprised you had problem getting out of the Swedish Second Division - it´s a virtual hellhole!
This is the reason why I haven´t yet attempted to guide my local football club Sirius out of that very same division. I suppose I´ll have to give it a try though...
06-06-2003, 09:36 PM
Licata! Starting from scratch – the greatest challange (about the joy of starting from zero kelvin – it´s as low as you can go...) Post #9
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by McRob:
Sure I´ve heard of Lidingö. Nice place with plenty of rich folks in the area. Wouldn´t mind buying a house there...
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Isn't that where the sister of yours and mine favourite detective Gunvald Larsson lives? (If you haven't read the Martin Beck series, this will make no sense at all )
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
I´m not surprised you had problem getting out of the Swedish Second Division - it´s a virtual hellhole!
This is the reason why I haven´t yet attempted to guide my local football club Sirius out of that very same division. I suppose I´ll have to give it a try though...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Sirius, IIRC, do quite well usually, I think I saw them get promoted.
Licata! Starting from scratch – the greatest challange (about the joy of starting from zero kelvin – it´s as low as you can go...) 
)
Linear Mode
