The FMX-Factor

THE FMX FACTOR – AN FM09 SIGN UP

Sponsored by: The Homephone Carhouse

Welcome to the Football Manager version of the X-Factor, the FMX-Factor.

Following on from the success of the ITV prime-time Saturday night show, Simon Cowell has decided to launch a Football Manager spin off involving 20 CSE forum members. With all the favourite X-Factor sections, including the auditions, boot camps and themed seasons, the show will follow twenty footballers as they attempt to perform well enough in the Premier League to secure the votes needed to become inaugural FMX-Factor Champion! Featuring four football managers who will represent the X-Factor judges (Cowell, Louis Walsh, Dannii Minogue and Cheryl Cole) by managing in the Premiership, the 20 players will be split into four groups of five with each group playing for one of the four managers.

SIGN-UP APPLICATIONS

The interested CSE forum members have identified information about their player: i.e. age, nationalities, position, preferred moves etc … The sign-up thread can be found: here.

There was a limit on the number of players in certain positions: we ended up with 1 GK, 7 DF, 8 MF and 4 ST. The applicants also had points to ‘spend’ on player attributes to try and ensure that their player has the qualities needed to succeed in the FMX-Factor 2009.

AUDITIONS

Clearly some managers will be more suitable than others and players will want to secure a place in the team of the manager of their choice. In order to do this, CSE forum members will need to watch the post carefully as there will be a list of questions published about the managers involved. Anybody who successfully answers one first will be rewarded with first pick of the managers they want to play for.

BOOT CAMP

The twenty chosen players will be randomly split into two teams in a database so that I can play a pre-season friendly between the two teams (a two legged affair) using the same formations and player/team instructions. The average ratings in the two games will help to determine who receives bonus attribute points and other bonuses (such as choosing which Premiership team they will be placed in, immunity from elimination in the upcoming season etc …) that will be announced as the sign-up develops further.

FMX-FACTOR ‘LIVE’ SHOWS

The manager and his five players will be placed with a Premiership club in the 9.3 database (as chosen by sign-up members who did well in Boot Camp) and a season will be holidayed. One player will be automatically eliminated from the competition based on their average rating in all competitive matches for their team. In a normal season, the next three lowest average ratings will be in danger of elimination and the other members of the sign-up and readers of the sign-up will be invited to vote for which should be eliminated: the three players in danger will not be allowed to vote but will be able to defend themselves and attempt to persuade people not to vote them out! After each show, the player with the highest average rating in each of the four groups will get to decide which club they are placed at in the next season. Players will also receive more bonuses as rewards. The eliminated players will be deleted from the original database and the original database updated (i.e. a year added to age, attributes updated as per bonuses, players and managers moved to new clubs) so that the season can be replayed for the next live show. (NOTE: the season played will always be the 2008/2009 one with the players updated)

THEMED SEASONS

In certain seasons, the elimination process will be changed slightly. This will be announced in advance and could concern the performance of the team, goals and assists, value, international caps etc …

WHAT NEXT?

First up, any questions? Please ask. I realise it is a little complicated but I am clear about how it will work. I will answer any queries. The four managers have also been announced: these are shown below.

LIST OF CSE MEMBERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP

1. jack.browne (Jack Browne ST/RW)

2. weeman27bob (Weeman Van Der Riley LW/RW)

3. 5ergio (Sergio Santiago ST/RW)

4. Atilas Miserly (Juan Touche CB/LB)

5. PaulHartman71 (Jeremy English RW/LW)

6. magvest (Magnus Vestergaard RW/CM)

7. Dr Zhivago (Kanyeezy CM/ST)

8. Blanco (Cristobal Blanco RW/LW)

9. LardmanCDB (Corporal Punishment CB/CM)

10. fergysafc (Liam Ferguson ST/RW)

11. blowcrapup (Robert Dawson CM/LW)

12. roberto922 (Robert Jones LB/LW)

13. BenArsenal (Ben Cee RB/CB)

14. ediocy (Ed Hayes CM/LW)

15. conners (Sirus Lannock ST/CM)

16. pnefc22 (Wobill Lumas GK)

17. SJ234 (Bob McBob CM/LW)

18. cardiovascular (Cardio Vascular CB/LB)

19. M.G.L (Samuel Hernandez CB/LB)

20. Denther (Fred Brookes RB/CB)

Reserve: mikeytwigge

THE FMX FACTOR – AN FM09 SIGN UP

Sponsored by: The Homephone Carhouse

In the first stages of the FMX-Factor, the players will be given a CA of 150 and a PA of 170. The PA is probably not going to be that important as the game won't ever go beyond the end of the 2009 season. For the CA, I want it to start at a competitive Premier League level. Competitors can be rewarded in different stages of the sign-up with an increase in CA and PA.

Updates will come as often as I can but I do work for a living as a teacher so sometimes you will need to be patient. Expect updates at the weekends and depending on how long it takes, school holidays.

I will be playing the game on a small database with only the EPL loaded. I'm not interested in how the other leagues work or even how the teams do so I might as well play with a small database and fewer league to make sure the seasons fly through quickly.

THE FMX FACTOR – AN FM09 SIGN UP

Sponsored by: The Homephone Carhouse

AUDITIONS

The aim of the auditions is to identify which managers each set of players are going to be playing for. The managers are:

Mark Hughes

Kevin Keegan

Mick McCarthy

Jose Mourinho

Obviously, some of the sign-up players will have preferences about which manager they play for. In order to get more choice, you need to answer a question about one of them. At some point, I will be posting a list of twenty questions. Your job is simple: find one question you can answer (you can search Google, Wiki if you need to) and post the answer to that question on here along with your preferred order of manager choices: for example:

The answer to question 13 is James Beattie. My preferred manager is Hughes, then McCarthy, Mourinho and finally, Keegan.

The first person to answer a question will get to choose any of the four managers later on. Then the second player will choose and so on. In effect, this means that the first five people to answer a question correctly are guaranteed to get the manager of their choice. After that, your choices may start to dwindle down and you might end up with your second, third or least preferred choice of manager. It doesn't matter who you answer the question about: just because you answer a question about Mick McCarthy, for example, doesn't mean that you will be getting Mick McCarthy as your manager.

PLEASE DON'T PM ME WITH ANSWERS AS THEY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!

There are two rules:

1. Only answer one question. There are twenty for a reason.

2. Don’t give out any clues to other members.

Anybody guilty of breaking any of the rules will be demoted to the bottom of the list and will be 20th to choose their manager, i.e. they get no choice. The list of questions could appear at any point soon so keep checking back!

A RESPECTFUL REQUEST

Those who are not involved in the sign-up, could you please refrain from answering any of the questions or giving out clues? I welcome your comments, ideas, votes (later on) and you can even say 'Correct' if you know the answers but it would spoil the idea if people gave the answers who weren't involved. Please don't answer them!

Looking forward to this! Will make sure im ready for the questions

Bring on the questions!

Ah, questions. Love em!

Looks great, hopefully I'll know at least one answer

This looks really good GCB, I'll be following .

THE FMX FACTOR – AN FM09 SIGN UP

Sponsored by: The Homephone Carhouse

Here are the questions. Remember the rules:

Section A: Mark Hughes

1.

On which date was Mark Hughes born?

roberto922 (Robert Jones) answered this correct (1/11/63) and will play for Hughes.

2.

Mark Hughes made his last playing appearance for which club?

fergysafc (Liam Ferguson) answered this correct (Blackburn Rovers) and will play for Hughes.

3.

Mark Hughes scored two goals in a European final for Manchester United against his former club, Barcelona. Which trophy did they win?

BenArsenal (Ben Cee) answered this correct (Cup Winners Cup) and will play for Hughes.

4.

Which manager signed Mark Hughes for Barcelona?

pnefc22 (Wobill) answered this correct (Terry Venables) and will play for McCarthy.

5.

When he was manager of Wales, which nation beat Wales in the Euro 2004 play offs?

Lardman CDB (Corporal Punishment) answered this correct (Russia) and will play for Hughes.

Section B: Kevin Keegan

6.

What is Kevin Keegan’s real first name?

Dr Zhivago (Kanyeezy) answered this correct (Joseph) and will play for Keegan.

7.

On which date was Kevin Keegan born?

blowcrapup (Robert Dawson) answered this correct (14.2.51) and will play for Keegan.

8.

Which club did Kevin Keegan play for between 1966 and 1971?

SJ234 (Bob McBob) answered this correct (Scunthorpe United) and will play for Keegan.

9.

Why was Kevin Keegan’s final game in charge of England memorable?

Blanco (Cristobal Blanco) answered this correct (last ever game at Wembley) and will play for Mourinho.

10.

Who did Kevin Keegan make his Liverpool debut against?

weeeman27bob (Weeman Van Der Riley) answered this correct (Nottingham Forest) and will play for Keegan.

Section C: Mick McCarthy

11.

On which date was Mick McCarthy born?

conners (Sirus Lannock) answered this correct (7/2/59) and will play for McCarthy.

12.

Which Scottish club did Mick McCarthy play for?

5ergio (Sergio Santiago) answered this correct (Celtic) and will play for Hughes.

13.

How many Republic of Ireland appearances did Mick McCarthy make?

magvest (Magnus Vestergaard) answered this correct (57) and will play for Mourinho.

14.

Which club did Mick McCarthy play for and manage?

Nobody got this one: it was Millwall.

15.

Who did Mick McCarthy replace as manager of Wolves?

Denther (Fred Brookes) answered this correct (Glenn Hoddle) and will play for McCarthy.

Section D: Jose Mourinho

16.

On which date was Jose Mourinho born?

Ediocy (Ed Hayes) answered this correct (26/1/63) and will play for Mourinho.

17.

In January of which year did Jose Mourinho take over at Porto?

jack.browne (Jack Browne) answered this correct (2002) and will play for Mourinho.

18.

Which manager did Jose Mourinho replace at Chelsea?

PaulHartman71 (Jeremy English) answered this correct (Claudio Ranieri) and will play for Mourinho.

19.

What is the name of Jose Mourinho’s daughter?

Cardiovascular (Cardio Vascular) answered this correct (Matilde) and will play for Keegan.

20.

In which year did Jose Mourinho win the BBC Coach of the Year at the Sports Personality Awards Show?

pnefc22 got this once managers had been decided - it was 2005.

Answer the questions like this or similarly:

The answer to question 13 is James Beattie. My preferred manager is Hughes, then McCarthy, Mourinho and finally, Keegan.

PLEASE DON'T PM ME WITH ANSWERS AS THEY WON'T BE ACCEPTED!

A RESPECTFUL REQUEST

Those who are not involved in the sign-up, could you please refrain from answering any of the questions or giving out clues? I welcome your comments, ideas, votes (later on) and you can even say 'Correct' if you know the answers but it would spoil the idea if people gave the answers who weren't involved. Please don't answer them!

Let the FMX-Factor auditions start ... NOW!

This looks really good GCB, I'll be following .

Thanks canvey!! - getting a good comment like that from a proper CSE regular is cool!

The answer to question 16 is 26 January 1963. And I'm first.

My preferred manager is Jose Mourinho, then Kevin Keegan, then Mark Hughes, and lastly Mick McCarthy, cheers!

The answer to question nine is that it was the last game at the old Wembley...

Jose Mourinho, Mark Hughes, KK, Mick McCarthy

The answer to question 17 is 2002. My preferred manager is Mourinho, then Hughes, Keegan and finally, McCarthy.

Central midfielder Ed Hayes (created by Ediocy) will play for Jose Mourinho. Congratulations to him on getting his first choice.

Right winger Cristobal Blanco (created by Blanco) will play for Jose Mourinho. Congratulations to him on getting his first choice.

@ jack.browne Too late mate, answer another please!

EDIT: Thanks for changing!

Thanks GCB! And sorry jack.browne, I've already picked that question to answer.

Also, let me make a bold prediction. Judging from the responses so far, the next two participants will most definitely choose Jose Mourinho as their manager.

Striker Jack Browne (created by jack.browne) will play for Jose Mourinho as well. Congratulations to him on getting his first choice.

Thanks GCB! And sorry jack.browne, I've already picked that question to answer.

You also need to start considering which Premiership team you would like your player to play at in season 1 with Jose Mourinho. As Mourinho's first player, you get to decide where you and Mourinho's other four players start the game. Choose carefully.

Cheers GCB!

Looking forward to this!

Choose wisely Ediocy!

You also need to start considering which Premiership team you would like your player to play at in season 1 with Jose Mourinho. As Mourinho's first player, you get to decide where you and Mourinho's other four players start the game. Choose carefully.

Ah decisions, decisions... Will we replace players in our position who are already in that club? Or will we essentially just be added to the roster of players already in that club?

Ah decisions, decisions... Will we replace players in our position who are already in that club? Or will we essentially just be added to the roster of players already in that club?

You'll just be added to the roster.

Remember that CA=150 and PA=170.

@ Blanco and jack.browne - You guys can suggest/persuade Ediocy if you wish but ultimately, it will be his decision.

The answer to question 7 is 14.02.1951.

Keegan, Mourinho, Hughes, Mccarthy.

Question 10

Nottingham Forest.

And I'll have Keegan

Central midfielder Robert Dawson (created by blowcrapup) will play for Kevin Keegan. Congratulations to him on getting his first choice.

Can you start to think about where Keegan, your player and the other four Keegan boys will play in season 1 please?

You'll just be added to the roster.

Remember that CA=150 and PA=170.

@ Blanco and jack.browne - You guys can suggest/persuade Ediocy if you wish but ultimately, it will be his decision.

Hmm, ok in that case, I'll choose Fulham. Rationale being, they have top training facilities yet their squad is not too big and certainly not full of big name players. I reckon we all have a decent chance of forcing our way into the match squads.

Blanco, jack.browne and whoever else has Mourinho as their manager, feel free to offer alternatives and your reasoning behind them.

Left winger Weeman Van Der Riley (created by weeeman27bob) will play for Kevin Keegan. Congratulations to him on getting his first choice.

He can try to suggest/persuade blowcrapup about where Keegan and his players should play in season 1.

Ediocy, I guess my choice would be a middling team - don't go for someone like Man Utd or Liverpool because none of us will get in the team. Maybe somewhere like Blackburn? With Mourinho we'd do OK, and it doesn't matter where we finish in the league...

EDIT: Fulham looks like a good choice...

Hmm, ok in that case, I'll choose Fulham. Rationale being, they have gtop training facilities yet their squad is not too big and certainly not full of big name players. I reckon we all have a decent chance of forcing our way into the match squads.

Good decision mate, would have been one of the teams I would of suggested!

Keegan people - Newcastle possibly, or maybe Portsmouth?

Keegan people - Newcastle possibly, or maybe Portsmouth?

It's just you and blowcrapup so far. And I would advise against Newcastle. Keegan will make it his third walk-out otherwise.

oh sorry thought we had to PM you the question answers.

Question 18 - Claudio Ranieri

Preferences - Mourinho, Hughes, Keegan, McCarthy.

Answer to nr 13 is 57 caps. Manager choice: Mourinho, Keegan, Hughes, McCarthy

Right winger Jeremy English (created by PaulHartman71) will play for Mourinho. Congratulations on getting your first choice. You are heading for Craven Cottage and Fulham.

mick mccarthy was born on 7 February 1959

My prefences are mourinho, mccarthy, keegan, hughes

Right winger Magnus Vestergaard (created by magvest) will play for Mourinho. Congratulation on getting your first choice. You are also heading for Craven Cottage and Fulham.

Jose Mourinho has five players and is now full. It's now a choice between Keegan, McCarthy and Hughes.

Ouch, the competition for the right midfield berth at Fulham looks set to be brutal.

Clint Dempsey

Simon Davies

Cristobal Blanco

Jeremy English

Magnus Vestergaard

Striker Sirus Lannock (created by conners) will play for McCarthy. He was his second choice after Mourinho who is full.

As McCarthy's first player, conners gets to choose which club McCarthy and his players will play for in the first season.

dosent look ike i'll get my reserve spot upgraded to a full spot.

Striker Sirus Lannock (created by conners) will play for McCarthy. He was his second choice after Mourinho who is full.

As McCarthy's first player, conners gets to choose which club McCarthy and his players will play for in the first season.

damm gardening cost me mourinho

We will have either sunderland or everton. If its ok i will see what my teamates prefer

dosent look ike i'll get my reserve spot upgraded to a full spot.

There's only eight of the twenty answered so far. You're first reserve so one person misses and you're in mate! Be patient!

damm gardening cost me mourinho

We will have either sunderland or everton. If its ok i will see what my teamates prefer

Cheers for that conners: Sunderland or Everton it is. Be aware that blowcrapup does get first choice at the remaining teams (for Keegan) so he could still choose one of those before it gets to you.

Jeremy English

Magnus Vestergaard

You fools!!!!

They're both running for President .

Well, I won't be voting for either of them