retired_jmathias

Since I received a game yesterday, I felt obligated and pressured to start a new game. I decided to take Solin Gradja in CRO 2 Div South. It is a small town on suburbs of Split in Middle Dalmatia on the way to Knin. I've travelled through there almost every year from 9th to 15th year of age. Besides a very good climate , there is a good view on the islands (like Korcula, Vis, Hvar etc.) and mountains of Velebit.
I put some Oliver Dragojevic on and looked at the Info screen.
OK. The board wants a safe mid-table position (BTW: in the manual, this option is not possible :eek and so do the fans. This came to me as a surprise, since besides the First team, all players are Woody Allens . The transfer kitty is 0 Kn. And the bilance is 100K Kn above. The facilities are adiquate, so we are quite safe there for a couple of years. Pokraj Jadrana (beside Adriatic) stadium has a capacity of 5000.
As for the first team, we have quite a good goalie (ranking 4) and tremedous AM C and S C, but the problem is, that AM C is 32 years old and S C is 35 years old. So this season we are OK, but the next one will be a problem.
As tactics is concerned I decided to play my preferable tactics, which proved to be more than OK with some additions.
The pre-season went by OK. We played 9 :eek: friendlies. 4 in my homeland Slovenia first div., 2 with Yugoslav 2 div clubs and 3 withc Croatian 2 div North. We won 5 matches, draw 1 and lost 3 with 14 given and 12 conceeded goals. Two defeates were against Slovenian First division Publikum and Ljubljana, while one was caused by Mornar from Yugoslavia.
The season started on 17. August 2002. We have played 3 matches until now. The opening match was played at our home place against Uskok, which we manage to beat with a 92 minute goal. The second one was against Hrvatski Dragovoljac, which we lost 0:1 at their place. After their lead, my M C got a red card and we even didn't had a chance since then, but neither have they, so this gives me some hope. The third match was against Imotski at pokraj Jadrana. We outplayed them by far, scoring 4 goals and conceeding none. So 4:0 the final score.

This is it. I hope it isn't too long, but it is just a lot of stuff to write about.

BTW: I am registered as Slovenian manager, so the board will probably be watching me very very closely

retired_jmathias

This games is CM4 with EP 1.
And bizare... go to Rijeka. It is most beautiful in summer I believe.

retired_jmathias

Mid-season 2002

Here am I again. As my game runs very slowly, this update thread will be mostly in the bottom of the screen. Never the less, here are some data about my dOingabouts
After 11 mathes played we are stranded in 6th position, while falling down from 4th in last 3 matches (2 draws and a loss). We are far behind (9 points) the promotion spot, which means, yet another year in the div 2. The stats so far:
11 played, 4 won, 3 drawn, 4 lost, 12 scored goals, 9 conceeded, 15 points. Average attendance is 2937 spectators/match.
My best goalscorer is 35 yo CRO F C, who scored 8 times. The best assists maker is 24 yo CRO AM C, who passed 6 times.
As far as the league is concerened, we have a superb home score and a lousy away score. At home we won 5 and draw 1, but away we lost 4 and draw 2 (we socred only once so far :eek. Since the promotion odds are a bit blury, I think I will have to tweak the tactics for away games a bit. Perhaps even changing to defensive mentality, but I am not keen on that idea, since my defencemen are poofs .
As for the cup, we manage to beat Junak (lower league) away 0:2, then in the first round, we made a surprise attack against Kamen Ingrad (1st div), which we beaten after penalties with a full time score of 2:2. The match was played at home. So in the second round, which will be held at pokraj Jadra, we will meet up wtih currently 2nd team of first division... Osijek. The match will be played in about a month. It is going to be a tough one, but we are going to prevail .
As for my scouts, they found nothing but pÃ*sh so far, except perhaps one or two players, whos contract expires st the end of the season.
We will see if we can sign them ont free, otherwise it is up shyte creek again .
See ya after another period of the season.

[This message was edited by kovalenkov on 04 April 2003 at 08:09.]

retired_jmathias

After 2/3 of the season

For someone reading this post, would be like: "What the f..k is happening to him? Is he going to post whenever he shÃ*ts his pants?"
The answer is no. Last title was my mistake (BTW: I thank all the Croats here for correcting me... but there has beeen none ). Apparently the 2div there playes in three rounds. And best of all, the schedule of thrid round is decided just after the end of second round. This seems quite like Slovenian first division. And it is frustrating. I was lonly counting on 22 matches, now I have another 11 to play. The publisher should really put the league sistem guide in the box, and not worry only about money (nothing against you boys at SI). But I guess it is part of the fun?
Anyhow. The tweaking of away tactics proved to be fruitfull. After 22 played matches, we stand high at 2nd place, but are about 11 points behind INKER, so no luck getting promoted me think. There is only one little problem with the away tactics: my 24 yo AM C cannot play it!!! So he is replaced by DM C, who playes excellent when the away tactics is used. My S C and F C managed to put 16 and 14 goals in plus 6 and 12 on friendlies.
Our finance are 1,3 M Kn in red, while our wages money is still 28K Kn. Just maintenance of stadium costs me more than wages!!! Weird!

Anyhow this is just short update, the comprehensive one is followed at the end of the season.

BTW: There is one major BUG in CM4. If you change tactics before the match has started, it will reset, when you substitute players. Once again, weird. Not to mention, that Shortlist doesn't show you players before you use view all notes.

retired_jmathias

This is an important message for all you pOOfs, who will be playing in Croatia!

The 2div league sistem is as follows:
- First 2 rounds of the league are played in a standard manner. Teams against each other.
- In round 3, the league splits in half. Upper 6 clubs play amongst them for places 1st to 6th, and lower 6 teams play against each other for places 7th to 12th.
- 12th placed club from each North and South is relegated.
- For the first placed team, I think there are some kind of playoffs, since only one seems to be automaticaly promoted. The other is probably playing with a second from the bottom club from 1st division.

I hope this was clear enough. If you have any questions regarding Croatian league, send me an e-mail to my e-mail address, without _NO_SPAM, ofcourse.

retired_jmathias

First is first (someone please stick this to the end of my previous reply. 10x)
The first placed teams from 2nd Div North and South play amongst them. The one who wins gets automatically promoted. The other one plays for promotion with one bofore last placed team from 1st Division. I sincerely hope this makes any sence .

Conclusion of season 2002/03

We were so close, but yet so far this season. We finished 4th, although 5 matches untill the end we were second with a small chances to become champions of 2nd Div South. We just had to win last 5 matches. Unfortunatelly miss Fortune decided, that my team had enough of winning and injured about 3 standard first teamers. The other 5 were suspended throughout last 5 matches. So we never were able to play in full. And what it's worse, my Captain injured himself for a period of a month :eek:.
Anyhow we lost all 5 matches and fell from 2nd place to 4th. Here are the stats:
<pre class="ip-ubbcode-code-pre">POS PLD W D L GF GA PTS 4 32 16 5 11 44 29 53</pre>
Anyhow I must pay my respect to both attackers:
- 28 yo CRO F C managed to get 22 goals in, passed 8 times and was given 5 MoM awards. His average 7.46.
- 36 yo CRO F C scored 19 goals, made 7 assists and was also 5 times MoM. His average stopped at 7.34. Unfortunatelly he has already decided, that he is going to retire at the end of the season .

In the cup we lost to Osijek 2:3 in extra time. We lead in ET also, but then received stupid two goals.

Our finances are well below 0. About 1,5 M Kn that is. But the board is satisfied with them, so no problem there. I just hope that average attendance will get better. Only 2974 spectators/match, does not give me any hope in better times. And we were OK this season.

Anyhow, the board is delighted with me, as are the fans. They are behind me at all costs (I wish )

As for the reputation. If someone knows were to get it, I would be very greatful if he would share that with us all .

Croatian season went by like this:<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>1st Division:
- Champions: Hajduk (on goal difference)
- Playoff: Varteks
- Relegated: Zadar
<LI>2nd Division:
- Champions: Marsonia (north), INKER (south)
- Relegated: Valpovka VS (north), Orijent (south)
<LI>Cup:
- Winners: Dinamo
- Runner up: Hajduk
</UL>That is it for now. I apologise for posting 4 times in this season, but the part of the blame is on not knowing the league rules.

C ya soon

retired_jmathias

Not know the poofy friend I do. Messing about in LLM forum he is .
As for the good season though. This one is going to be a poofy one. The tactics seems to fail everywhere

retired_jmathias

Yes, the force is strong in that one
Just for record. Not allowed to give out tactics, player names and stuff here, we are. Obey the rules, you must or ban you, moderators will .

A bit of Joda talking, but still....

Anyhow. I switched postitions of the strikers and some injured first teamers came back. Now we are back in the sattle again

retired_mdibrell

Saddle, I think there Kovs. GL.

retired_jmathias

Yes, stronger has become the dark side. I cannot teach him. He is too old