It's been a long time since there has been an update about the progress of Squadra di Hiiumaa, but now, as I sit here, on the bench to see my team play around 100 AI games in one day with a slight hangover, I've got a moment to talk with the dear fans.
The team compilation has been going on, but after the big money spending on two DC's, there has been just two signings - 26-year old Robert Flores to take over the right winger position from Michael Kightly, who at the moment is on loan with us, and Radoslav Perovic, a defensive midfielder, for bench.
At some point during the season, there is a plan in place to renovate the left side of the team and a get a new DL and ML, but no dates have been set.
We're working hard in trainings and the new side has gelled together quite well. Lately I've found consistency that hasn't been seen for ages in Hiiumaa, but there are some things that are still a huge issue for me.
Renovating the left-side will obviously help me, but the problem is deeper than that and sadly I think it originates from the midfield. In my plans are already plans to maybe find a deal to replace Defour with a more technical and a more or less left-footed midfielder like Rosicky and Turan have been in the history of the club.
What is bothering me is that I cannot really dominate the same way as I did with my old team when I had Diego Souza, Turan, Frank Lampard in my midfield, even if at the moment overall quality of the team should be better, I haven't really reached my previous heights.
Also bothering me are some random losses I get in middle of the runs. Ofcourse you can't win them all, but I think those accidents should happen less. Usually I dominate the game, but even if I score once, if I conceede a goal and bit later another one, the players suddenly lose all their confidence and even if they keep on dominating, they miss all their chances.
But I believe that I'm onto the problems... however, economic crisis haven't stayed away from us either and having the funds for solutions is a problem. Sadly I don't see any other way to fix it other than invest at the moment. Or maybe I just lack the mental abilities for finding a cashless way...
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Samba Time!
We've been working hard both in the office and on the pitch to fix the troubles and make sure stuff like that does never happen again.Yesterday, despite playing some nice games, Cardozo's short stint in the club ended as he couldn't bare the whistles and boo boys. The Paraguayan left during the early hours of the morning to avoid bigger masses of people, but the Ultra's still showed up with baskets of tomatoes to throw at him, calling him a betrayer for joining the league rivals F.C. Bayern Munich.
The club got it's money back however and witnessed Cardozo spur into life in his new club, scoring twice againist his old team-mates even, but soon things turned positive for us too.
This Sunday, after the Brawn GP enjoyed a great success in the F1, important things started happening on Football Manager Live.
I started to put together some unbeatten runs lately and also last night till this morning I had a great run while I prepared a trip to England.
There we negotiated a deal for the great Congo center-back Christopher Samba. Great friend Ash decided that for his team would be better if he'd have two good defenders, rather than one great one and soon the deal taking Samba to Squadra Di Hiiumaa and my lads Serge Wawa & Zoro to 1975 Portsmouth was agreed.
Samba started off great, scoring loads of goals (so far today he has scored 16 goals in around 25 games!), but another, maybe even bigger news was to follow!
While I had wanted Samba since season one, my big target of the day was Brazilian ace Breno. 23-year old had been in a 1-pound auction and I had decided to get him. In the end, despite some late bids from other clubs, he ended up at my club for quite a decent bargain of 1 million pounds.
The two center-backs have now formed an great partnership, helping us gain lots of clean sheets and expect for two unlucky losses in a row (one being non-ranked, which robbed the teams mood), we've done great this day.
Now I'm just waiting for Steven Defour and Derek Boateng to get back. Defour got injured today in middle of this great run and after that those two losses happened too, but he'll be back very soon.
Next in Squadra's plan is a left-back since Benoit-Assou Ekotto left to join another ex-player of ours, Diego Souza. I have a couple of lads in mind, but they must remain a secret.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Shoes Are Flying!
Life is not so rosy in the Fortress Hiiu anymore. Fans have turned their heads, club has fallen into crisis.
A drop had to come soon, but it came from the first time possible and it has turned into quite a fiasco as the dressing room is boiling.
Two days ago, a player named Oscar Cardozo came to Squadra Di Hiiumaa. He was set to be a back-up for David Villa, should he get injured in these important final hours of the season, and that is exactly what happened... however, things haven't turned out well during Cardozo's time upfront.
It all started days ago actually, the performances showed sign of dropping, but we still managed to go on a club record 37-match unbeatten run, but then we ended up losing a game 0:3.
At first glance, it was an accident, but it did scar the team and made the performances drop even more. The players managed to find steam in then to go another 8 games unbeatten after that slip-up, but during the final game of this short run, the downfall started.
It was a Gold Cup game, a big target for the first-ranked Squadra di Hiiumaa - in the 8th minute of match vs Atletico Villaes, Villa went out injured. Cardozo hadn't really settled into our style of game well and in the end, we had to be content with the 0:0 home draw in the end.
However, then I made a huge mistake, deciding to play the second leg right after, despite hearing that the Spanish striker will be out for 2-3 days. The game started off well, but we couldn't hit our chances and soon Ruben de la Red screamer put Villaes ahead. A lead which they managed to keep till the end - we were out of the Gold Cup.
Returning home, we were greeted by disappointed fans and anti-Cardozo banners were rolled out and the tensions in the dressing room rose.
Me too was extremely disappointed, but for the time being, I put faith in my lads. But when next day, they started off with two league draws, including throwing away a 2:0 lead in final 10 minutes, I gave the players a nice bashing.
However, that wasn't enough. Even if it was followed by two consecutive wins, the damage had been done, Valentin was 6 points ahead in the league and I've really lost the glimmer of hope I had in me.
Things however still didn't get better, another bunch of awful games and I was extremely angry at a couple of players who were truly underperforming and the boots started flying in the dressing room.
After winning just three games from ten after Villa's injury, I figured that it was finally a time to play tough manager and two players, who had done great during the season, but badly at these important times, had to be benched. Matias Fernandez and Zoro are now sitting on bench.
I'm really disappointed with Fernandez... he's got long way to go to become the heir of Lampard, these hard times show. I hope he'll get there however and my trust in him remains, but for the time being, he has to wait for his chance and work hard to get a place back in the team.
And might I say, playing hard may be working... first two games I've won and done so in quite comfortable style. Even Cardozo has finally started to look like a proper player, scoring quite a few goals lately.
A drop had to come soon, but it came from the first time possible and it has turned into quite a fiasco as the dressing room is boiling.
Two days ago, a player named Oscar Cardozo came to Squadra Di Hiiumaa. He was set to be a back-up for David Villa, should he get injured in these important final hours of the season, and that is exactly what happened... however, things haven't turned out well during Cardozo's time upfront.
It all started days ago actually, the performances showed sign of dropping, but we still managed to go on a club record 37-match unbeatten run, but then we ended up losing a game 0:3.
At first glance, it was an accident, but it did scar the team and made the performances drop even more. The players managed to find steam in then to go another 8 games unbeatten after that slip-up, but during the final game of this short run, the downfall started.
It was a Gold Cup game, a big target for the first-ranked Squadra di Hiiumaa - in the 8th minute of match vs Atletico Villaes, Villa went out injured. Cardozo hadn't really settled into our style of game well and in the end, we had to be content with the 0:0 home draw in the end.
However, then I made a huge mistake, deciding to play the second leg right after, despite hearing that the Spanish striker will be out for 2-3 days. The game started off well, but we couldn't hit our chances and soon Ruben de la Red screamer put Villaes ahead. A lead which they managed to keep till the end - we were out of the Gold Cup.
Returning home, we were greeted by disappointed fans and anti-Cardozo banners were rolled out and the tensions in the dressing room rose.
Me too was extremely disappointed, but for the time being, I put faith in my lads. But when next day, they started off with two league draws, including throwing away a 2:0 lead in final 10 minutes, I gave the players a nice bashing.
However, that wasn't enough. Even if it was followed by two consecutive wins, the damage had been done, Valentin was 6 points ahead in the league and I've really lost the glimmer of hope I had in me.
Things however still didn't get better, another bunch of awful games and I was extremely angry at a couple of players who were truly underperforming and the boots started flying in the dressing room.
After winning just three games from ten after Villa's injury, I figured that it was finally a time to play tough manager and two players, who had done great during the season, but badly at these important times, had to be benched. Matias Fernandez and Zoro are now sitting on bench.
I'm really disappointed with Fernandez... he's got long way to go to become the heir of Lampard, these hard times show. I hope he'll get there however and my trust in him remains, but for the time being, he has to wait for his chance and work hard to get a place back in the team.
And might I say, playing hard may be working... first two games I've won and done so in quite comfortable style. Even Cardozo has finally started to look like a proper player, scoring quite a few goals lately.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Here I am, sitting again, watching Two And A Half Men, waiting for a couple of 1-pounder auctions to end as I have my bids in for Angel Di Maria and Luisao.Anyway, today, I'd want to write about the on-going title race...
I'm still sitting on the top of the rankings, but weirdly, my team has played quite bad last two days.
The results have been great (loads of wins, expect for stupid 1:1 draws... last 12 draws I've had have been 1:1 !!!) and today, I finally caught up with Val in the XFA Premier League.
I had some lucky league games, coming back from 1:3 behind to win a game from a 90+3 minute goal 5:4 and also having a 90th minute winner which didn't really cross the goalline (you know those goals I guess) which made me catch up with the might Internazionale.
There is exactly 20 games for both of us remaining and it's going to be tight. I'd put the bets on Valentin's team, but I guess lot can happen. I hope my team grow some backbone and stop throwing away results like I have in the last days (several last min draws etc).
League is obviously my number one aim... I'm also trying my hardest to win the Gold Cup and XFA Premier League Cup however. Sadly I've dropped from the XFA Cup. I'm trying to get me some money to buy Breno in the end of the season. He's so fabulous!
Crap... bids for Di Maria went too high for me... :P
Saturday, March 21, 2009
fine at #1
Finally... after spending hours, days on this game. My team has gotten to number one spot in the GW. However I'm not entirely happy.
This was supposed to be a proud moment, but well, I didn't really feel proud. I knew it was going to happen. Valentin's Internazionale had been sucking for many days now and (sorry to the other managers), but there wasn't anyone besides me to jump at the opportunity to go first.
I'm sitting first in the GW with pathetic 1717 points. In good times, I had 1780 pts and sat 3rd behind Romanian duo of Roumanian Padukesen and Turbatii. These were good times, GW was full of competition, it was hard to maintain a spot in top 10 even and in the XFA Premier League, I had to fight off challenges of several teams to get to the title in the end.
Now I have to thank god that Val is in the same FA with me because otherwise it would be a huge break for me. Speaking about my rivalary with Val - I have to admit the bastard's bit better than me in this game.
However, the gap is not too big and I could make it up in other games. At the moment, in this season's fight for the title - my record againist him was one win, one draw and two losses, exactly what is seperating us in the table. I've played two more games than him and he's 3 pts behind me.
I did triump over him in the "Please Play Me 2!" competition today, which got me good feeling for the remainder of the season, but we'll see how it turns out.
I just pray to god that people won't leave this GW anymore and some batch of talented young learners comes in, brings some life. Otherwise my days in Fernandez may aswell be over.
This was supposed to be a proud moment, but well, I didn't really feel proud. I knew it was going to happen. Valentin's Internazionale had been sucking for many days now and (sorry to the other managers), but there wasn't anyone besides me to jump at the opportunity to go first.
I'm sitting first in the GW with pathetic 1717 points. In good times, I had 1780 pts and sat 3rd behind Romanian duo of Roumanian Padukesen and Turbatii. These were good times, GW was full of competition, it was hard to maintain a spot in top 10 even and in the XFA Premier League, I had to fight off challenges of several teams to get to the title in the end.
Now I have to thank god that Val is in the same FA with me because otherwise it would be a huge break for me. Speaking about my rivalary with Val - I have to admit the bastard's bit better than me in this game.
However, the gap is not too big and I could make it up in other games. At the moment, in this season's fight for the title - my record againist him was one win, one draw and two losses, exactly what is seperating us in the table. I've played two more games than him and he's 3 pts behind me.
I did triump over him in the "Please Play Me 2!" competition today, which got me good feeling for the remainder of the season, but we'll see how it turns out.
I just pray to god that people won't leave this GW anymore and some batch of talented young learners comes in, brings some life. Otherwise my days in Fernandez may aswell be over.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The Era of Frank
Since a long time has gone by from the start of the gameworld Fernandez in FML, a brief look at what has happened, doesn't do any bad.
When choosing my first squad, I already took in mind not to sign players I like, rather those good for sale. So on board came young talents like Fabiano Santacroce, Franco di Santo and a few more very nice-looking players.
I managed to make decent profit with them as soon as the old "7-day rule" ended and with the cash, I signed some even better lads, including the Argentine ace Fernando Belluschi, who quickly established himself as one of the stars in the GW, putting in several great performances and playing together with a ace like Luis Jimenez for bit of time even.
However, when someone had put a bid in for Frank Lampard to start a wage auction, I felt like Belluschi had to go to finance the move to make way for my beloved FML ace. A kind manager named Tim Jones decided Belluschi was worth 1,2 mil and bought him from me, a move he never regretted since Belluschi got even better! However, neither did, Lampard arrived and after that, there was only way up for us.
Next arrived flock of stars, but they all were simply support unit for The Tank. From the first season till the fourth, Lampard made well more than 2000 appearances for me, being the club's top scorer with more than 800 goals.
During this time, he played together with the likes of Brede Hangeland, Martin Petrov, Arda Turan, Güiza, Tomas Rosicky, Diego Souza, Choco, Andrea Gasbarroni, Ruud van Nistelrooy and so on, who all had a thing or two to learn from the master, as he guided the team to one of the dominant forces of the GW and ruler of the XFA, as addition to several friendly competitions, team also won XFA Premier League twice, XFA Premier League Cup once and UFFA Super Cup once, also finishing runners-up in XFA Cup and Fernandez World Cup.
Now Squadra Di Hiiumaa has reached season five in it's quest for glory and more than week into it, the feeling is mutual that it's time for 34-year old Lampard to make way for the new blood.
Despite the fact that he started the season off as brilliant as ever, when chance came for manager Tanel Tursk to sign 10 year old younger Steven Defour, he couldn't say no. On Wednesday, 18th of March, Lampard finally had to lose his place in the team, and leave Matias Fernandez fill his boots in the midfield, while Defour settled in as the other very attacking-minded midfielder in the Tursk's 4-5-1 midfield.
While time being, Lampard still remains the player of Hiiumaa, already tomorrow he has to find a new club for himself and wave goodbye to his teammates and the 40 000 fans in Fortress Hiiu.
When choosing my first squad, I already took in mind not to sign players I like, rather those good for sale. So on board came young talents like Fabiano Santacroce, Franco di Santo and a few more very nice-looking players.
I managed to make decent profit with them as soon as the old "7-day rule" ended and with the cash, I signed some even better lads, including the Argentine ace Fernando Belluschi, who quickly established himself as one of the stars in the GW, putting in several great performances and playing together with a ace like Luis Jimenez for bit of time even.
However, when someone had put a bid in for Frank Lampard to start a wage auction, I felt like Belluschi had to go to finance the move to make way for my beloved FML ace. A kind manager named Tim Jones decided Belluschi was worth 1,2 mil and bought him from me, a move he never regretted since Belluschi got even better! However, neither did, Lampard arrived and after that, there was only way up for us.
Next arrived flock of stars, but they all were simply support unit for The Tank. From the first season till the fourth, Lampard made well more than 2000 appearances for me, being the club's top scorer with more than 800 goals.
During this time, he played together with the likes of Brede Hangeland, Martin Petrov, Arda Turan, Güiza, Tomas Rosicky, Diego Souza, Choco, Andrea Gasbarroni, Ruud van Nistelrooy and so on, who all had a thing or two to learn from the master, as he guided the team to one of the dominant forces of the GW and ruler of the XFA, as addition to several friendly competitions, team also won XFA Premier League twice, XFA Premier League Cup once and UFFA Super Cup once, also finishing runners-up in XFA Cup and Fernandez World Cup.
Now Squadra Di Hiiumaa has reached season five in it's quest for glory and more than week into it, the feeling is mutual that it's time for 34-year old Lampard to make way for the new blood.
Despite the fact that he started the season off as brilliant as ever, when chance came for manager Tanel Tursk to sign 10 year old younger Steven Defour, he couldn't say no. On Wednesday, 18th of March, Lampard finally had to lose his place in the team, and leave Matias Fernandez fill his boots in the midfield, while Defour settled in as the other very attacking-minded midfielder in the Tursk's 4-5-1 midfield.
While time being, Lampard still remains the player of Hiiumaa, already tomorrow he has to find a new club for himself and wave goodbye to his teammates and the 40 000 fans in Fortress Hiiu.
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