FM11: The Official S.S.C Napoli Thread - Now they have Cavani

- The man with the cool beard. He’s got everything you want in a chairman, both from a mentality standpoint and from a business perspective. With him at the helm you won’t run the risk of a silly takeover bid - he’ll stay at the club for a long time and back you all the way.

- In Marek Hamsik you have the best young midfielder in the world aside from Fabregas. This cheeky little bastard will daze you with his intelligent runs into the box.

- Naples is, believe it or not, one of the most attractive cities in Italy. Players will always want to move there. Add that to the impressive 60K San Paolo stadium that can be expanded even further, and you’ve got the infrastructure set up to one day become a dominant force in world football.

- You’ve got a lot of extreme qualities in the squad that gives you options as to how you want to play. From the electric speed of Lavezzi, to the tenacious tackling of Gargano, to the mesmerizing wingback play of Dossena … there’s certainly some great characters in the Napoli side.

- Napoli is the most successful club in Southern Italy and the fourth most supported club in Italy. With Naples being the largest city in the South, the potential for growth means that only the sky is the limit. You get the unique opportunity of once again turning Napoli into the undisputed flagship of the region.

- In Italy, the North hates the South and the South hates the North. That is why Napoli have an astonishing 19 rivals, the most significant being Roma. A win in your first “Derby of the Sun”, and the fans will immediately start to warm to you. Other significant rivals include Lazio and Verona, as well as local Campanian clubs Salernitana and Avellino.

- Despite all the heated rivalries and player pressure that goes with it, Napoli still maintain three long standing friendships with Catania, Palermo, and Genoa. On the last day of the 2006/2007 season, Genoa and Napoli drew 0-0, ensuring both were promoted back into Serie A. The Genoa ultras could be seen holding up banners saying “Benvenuto fratello napoletano", meaning "Welcome, Neapolitan brother". Creating positive relationships with the managers of these clubs will be easier, which again will ensure that any potential transfer negotiations will run smoothly and without any hiccups.

- For a club that’s been looked down upon so much, you have to appreciate how their nickname “the little donkeys” came about: they were given this name after a particularly poor performance during the 1926/27 season. It was originally meant to be derogatory, as the Neopolitan symbol is a rampant black horse, the club however adopted the donkey as a mascot called “O Ciuccio”, displaying it with pride.

- Overall, the tactics used in Italy are a lot more diverse than what you see in countries like England and Spain. You’ll get a stab at the 3-5-2, 4-3-2-1, 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, and even a few sweeper systems. The Serie A is a dream playground for those who like to focus on the tactical side of the game.

- The team’s kit colors will soothe your soul and bring you to a peaceful state of mind. Naples is a coastal city, and their colors have always been derived from blue waters of The Gulf of Naples. Adding the club’s logo and facepack is obligatory.

Aurelio De Laurentiis – Italian film-producer who in 2004 after the club had gone bankrupt with debts close to €70 million, bought the club for €30 million. Secured football in the city by renaming the club to Napoli Soccer (they were not allowed to use their old name) and laying out a 5 year plan to get them out of Serie C1 and back to the European stage (a feat he did accomplish). Bought back the club’s history, and restored the name to Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli. Considered a God in Napoli for restoring the pride of millions of fans in the region who share his

for the club. His legend continues to grow as he refuses mega offers for Hamsik and Lavezzi by saying they are building something special. In turn the players stay loyal. They believe because he believe.

Diego Maradona – The reason the number 10 shirt is retired. Could have gone to any club in the world when he left Barcelona, yet still he chose Napoli. It would be the equivalent today of Messi packing up his bags and heading to Middlesbrough. The move in itself was enough to make him a club icon, but it was the trophies he delivered while at the club that made him a legend. The rise and dominance of Napoli during his spell is one of the greatest

stories in modern football.

Gianfranco Zola – Was the understudy to Maradona at Napoli, and considered to be the most talented Italian to ever play for the club. Helped the club to the league title and Supercoppa Italiana in 1990. Universally respected both on and off the field, he is considered a legend in no less than 3 clubs: Chelsea, Cagliari, and of course Napoli.

Salvatore Carmando – retired physio who gave his services to the club for over 25 years. Reportedly one of the most passionate Napoli supporters around. I’ve seen old footage of Maradona walking over to him and kissing his forehead after matches, so I can only assume he did his job very well.

Bruno Giordano – Former Italian striker who played for the club between 1985 and 1988. Formed the famous “Ma-Gi-Ca” line with Maradona and Careca. Was very instrumental in bringing home Napoli’s first Scudetto in 1987.

Fabio Cannavaro – Naples native who started his legendary career with Napoli. Never wanted to play anywhere else, but had to be sold to generate funds during the post-Maradona era. The Naples natives were always proud that it was one of their own who was

their national team to all its glories.

Ciro Ferrara – Another Naples native who started his career at Napoli. Made 323 appearances and 15 goals for the club between 1984 and 1994. Was the idol of Fabio Cannavaro, who took over his place when Marcelo Lippi brought him with him to Juventus. Was known for being a model professional, a consistent performer, and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Had his

at San Paolo between former and present stars of Napoli and Juventus. Ferrara played for each team for a half, and Maradona returned to Napoli after a 14 year absence just to see his good friend’s farewell game.

Marechiaro is the name of a small village near Naples that is the symbol of la dolce vita (“the good life”) in Italy. Marek Hamsik is the symbol of everything that is good about this Napoli side: loyalty, passion, commitment… and the ability to turn a game on its head with a moment of genius. There are no one better at getting into scoring positions, and when he gets there he keeps his cool like a cat in an icebox.

Affectionately known as “The Chubby One”, Lavezzi is a real livewire with the ball at his feet. His silky skills and great instincts makes him truly a joy to watch. There are times you’ll go “wow, did he really do that?!”. With a free role, this amazing little player will create chances no matter what the opposition.

South America’s best kept secret? Not for long… Deadly finisher who has found a niche in complementing his tireless play with speed and finesse. If he is to win the Serie A TIM Capocannoniere, he will be the first Napoli player to do so since Maradona did it in 1987, and if there’s one sure way to win the heart of the Neapolitan fans, it is to remind them of Maradona.

Compared to the players in the squad, the natural tactic to use would be how they set up in real life: 3-4-1-2. While it is possible to achieve success with this system, there are a few issues with the match-engine that you need to be aware of. I recommend a 4-4-2 diamond with wingbacks:

- By playing Hamsik in the hole behind the strikers he will not tire as much as if you play him in central midfield. With him being the only real creator in the team, it is only natural that he takes up a playmaker role in this position.

- By having Gargano sit in front of the defense as a shield you allow Zúñiga and Dossena to bomb forward and do what they do best. Gargano is extremely effective at breaking up play, and someone you should keep around.

- By deploying Maggio as a wide midfielder you make use of his outstanding positioning, teamwork, and workrate. Maggio is a grinder, not a showman.

- Dossena can easily fill into the ML position if you are not comfortable with his below average positioning.

- Overall, the 4-4-2 diamond is a balanced tactic that will fare well against all formations in Serie A. If you need to protect a lead I recommend taking off Hamsik and putting on Blasi in the DMC position together with Gargano.

One strategy that has been popular on this forum in the past is to sign only Argentinean or Italian players and staff. The idea being that you will create a greater unity among your players, while also staying true to the club’s traditions. With everyone being from a similar football background, your players will blend in more easily and you’ll create a terrific atmosphere in the dressing room. Most Argentineans would love to follow in Maradona’s footsteps at Napoli. A big percentage of the Argentinean population do have Italian heritage. They dress and eat quite similarly, and hey, they both use “ciao” to say “goodbye”. If you choose to take up this challenge you should set the Argentinean leagues as playable, in order to receive better regens, as well as having Maradona actively managing.

Napoli is a club that was once bankrupt. Because of this De Laurentiis will want you to spend the £15M that are in the bank very wisely. Neither he or the fans will be impressed if you overpay or decide to demolish the wage structure. De Laurentiis had the option to sign Ronaldinho and Balotelli, but chose not to. In keeping with these principles and the challenge already set, I will recommend a few signings that are good value in the first transfer window, starting with the most pressing area that needs strengthening:

An extremely tricky player who is very effective if you retrain him as a ML. He can also cover for Hamsik in the AMC spot, or even for Lavezzi upfront. His pace means he’s a natural for this Napoli side when playing on the counter. I never see this guy perform better than when I sign him for Napoli.

An ex-amateur boxer who is sure to provide the knockout on your competition. His tackling is something to behold, but what I like best about him is his ability to handle pressure. The solid number 4 that Napoli have been searching for. You probably need the Portuguese league loaded to be able to tempt him away in the first transfer window. Grab him before City throw their cash at him.

If you can’t buy Otamendi, then Muñoz is a good second choice. This guy is nothing short of a tank at the back. And because he’s playing at Palermo (one of your friends, remember?), you can negotiate a prize around £7,25M, which he is well worth.

Diego Contento’s parents are Neapolitans, so it was only natural that they named their son after Maradona. He was born back in 1990 when Napoli last won the Serie A title. Now, 20 years later, it is his destiny to return to the promise land and bring back the joy that his parents once knew. Make us dream, Diego!

“If only I could sign one of these Napoli legends to be my assistant… HELLO!” What a wonderful person to represent your club. He left his son stranded without a plane ticket in London, so probably best to bring him home too. Let him handle the press conferences and the attacking training category, and good things will happen. Be wary though: if results don’t go your way the board might be tempted to promote this legend to take over your job.

“What took you so long?!” Only recommended if you a) are out of money and need a cheap solution at the back, b) need the perfect tutor for Muñoz, or c) are a romantic who can’t resist seeing the greatest centre-back that ever lived return home and partner up with his younger brother for the ultimate challenge. Be wary though: part of the Napoli Ultras never forgave Canna for joining up with Inter and Juventus. The only way to ease tensions will be to get him to perform.

You need your squad players for the Europa League qualifying and group stage, in order to give your regular starting-eleven a rest. The Europa League also serves as a shop window, which means you can get some improved bids for the likes of Blasi and Pazienza when you get to January. Hugo Campagnaro might fetch a good bid from some of the more insane Premier League clubs at the start, and while I love this player to death, his age and injury proneness means it’s probably a good time to move him on if you can replace him. Some of the older players like Iesso, Grava, and Aronica should be put on the transfer list, but only sold if a reasonable bid with money up front ticks in.

Our project continues with the philosophy that has animated us since the beginning: a gradual growth, continuity and gradual development. The second five years is beginning to bear fruit. We will go on pursuing a steady increase, always in line with our programming. We will build a list even more competitive, but without sudden accelerations that could make us stumble and stop the virtuous cycle of growth. I have to worry about giving a solid future for our company, building something important in years.

Our new manager is you. In the past I had wanted you so much and facts are giving me the right. I had identified you as the ideal man who could embrace the soul of this team and our understanding of football. I believe very much in you, the proof of my confidence is that I entrusted you for the next two years. You will suffer for the team, live for the group and work with all your strength to the joint plan. Together with Bigon developed market operations, which have strengthened considerably the list. We will continue on this way, adding in the coming months the right pieces to our staff, without undermining the great balance that has been created in the dressing room.

The secret of Napoli is the group. I like it because this team has heart and character and the strength of our dressing room makes every single element of staff a giant, even in the presence of opposings with pedigrees. These guys have treated one common denominator that I would call "Napoletanità", that's the desire to be the pride of this city.

Finally a dream for the new season... I would like simply to get in June getting more than we ever dreamed of winning. And for the city of Naples, I hope that there can be much serenity. For my part there is so much love and sense of responsibility so that Naples can be shown that here you can build important things and that our reality may grow even more in the future.

Good OP mate. Bit of a Unique opening thread compared to the other Team Threads going around.

Just a quick question, how much money do napoli get in the 1st Transfer Window?

Edinson Cavani is also one great player.

Napoli.

Nice OP.

Good job with this thread mate, im gonna start a Napoli challenge right now. Since rebooted my pc i forgot to backup my Liverpool. And also im gonna try the 3-4-1-2 Formation.

I may start a save with Napoli after 11.3, especially if Cavani gets a CA boost which he deserves.

A few player recommendations though

Franco Zuculini-Tough, physical Argentinean MC/R, DMC. On loan at Genoa (with option to buy) from Hoffenheim. Pray Genoa don't buy him out (they usually don't) and you should be able to get him for £4-5M at the beginning of season 2.

Stephan el Shaarawy- Tricky little Italian playmaker. He's on loan at Padova from Genoa in the first season. 18 years old and good potential. I got him for ~£2.5M with Palermo at the beginning of the second season.

Matias Ezequiel Scheletto- Can play anywhere on the right flank and has stats to be a good advanced forward if you want to train him. 21 at the start but again, is on loan the first season at Cesena from Atalanta.

Second the suggestion of Contento; he might not have the best stats but both times I've signed him, he's played well. A good dependable player who still has development in him and at worst is a great backup.

Finally, playing in Italy means you get to deal with co-ownerships. They can be a hassle and annoying at times but they allow you to get a hold of good young talent. If you see a good young prospect playing at a smaller club, sign a co-ownership with him staying at the current club. He'll get playing time and improve and you'll essentially have first dibs on a transfer.

Good to see its you who's making the Napoli thread Jimmy.

That Napoli game I had on FM 09 is still one of my best games. When I'm done with my Palermo game, I might hop on to a Napoli game, obviously keeping it predominantly Arg-Ita and playing a back 3!

LOVE Napoli. A few great players to start with in Cavani, Hamsik, Lavezzi, Maggio and Sosa who will provide some continuity in the years in come. Plus a big stadium and other facilities and a good transfer budget.

Started by drawing up a formation that would take full advantage of the best players in the team, a 5-2-3.

GK: De Sanctis

DCR: Mateo Mussachio (Defender - Cover)

DC: Adil Rami (Defender - Stopper)

DCL: Victor Ruiz (Defender - Defend)

WBR: Christian Maggio (Wing Back - Automatic)

WBL: Andrea Dossena (Wing Back - Automatic)

DMC: Yann M'Vila (Defensive Midfielder - Defend)

MC: Marek Hamsik (Advanced Playmaker - Attack)

AMR: Jose Sosa (Winger - Attack)

AML: Ezequiele Lavezzi (Inside Forward - Attack)

STR: Edinson Cavani (Complete Forward - Attack)

Subs:

Cribari

Zuniga

Digne

Blasi

Badelj

Buonanotte

Macheda

Players in:

Mateo Mussachio (part exchange with Santacroce)

Victor Ruiz £8 million

Yann M'Vila £14 million

Milan Badelj £3.6 million

Diego Buonanotte (Loan)

Federico Macheda (Loan)

Lucas Digne £1.8 million

Players out:

Walter Gargano £3.1 million

Campagnaro £4 million

Paulo Cannavaro £2.5 million

and others who I cannot for the life of me remember the names/fees for

Payed for a few of the deals half up front, the other over the next 24 months as to not leave too long term a debt, some though were done half over 48 months. The board gave me a budget boost around November for an extra 8 million, then a change of expectations in January from continental qualification to title challenge left me with around £12 million to spend, part of which went on Victor Ruiz and Lucas Digne. I realise I probably let some players go for too little but I can't stand having decent players doing nothing in my squad, for instance Valencia were interested in Paulo Cannavaro when I was in for Victor Ruiz so I knew he'd be surplus to requirements and let him go.

I big challenge I do have is keeping hold of some of my best players, Lavezzi and Hamsik have already made noises about wanting out but after promising an increase in the clubs stature they dropped the issue. Maggio has also expressed a desire to leave but that wouldn't be as much of a loss in my eyes.

Made my own training schedules which are proving quite effective, Cavani especially is making some good progress on his already excellent stats.

----WORD OF WARNING---- if you're planning on re-training Lavezzi to a position on the wings, he will experience a pretty drastic stat drop, I promise you this wasn't just a coincidence, I've heard other people speak of this happening too.

So, onto my progress. Currently 1st in the league in mid-january but have a number of teams snapping at my heels, it's shaping up to be a very tight finish. However due to my goal difference I've got a marginal advantage. No player in particular is carrying my team which I actually like. Cavani is my top scorer, closely followed by Lavezzi then Hamsik who all chip in with their fair share of assists too. Jose Sosa hasn't been a revelation but provides width and a threat from set pieces. My defence is looking pretty good, one of the best records in the league and I keep a lot of clean sheets.

Can't think of much else to say but I'll provide further updates probably with screenies as the season goes on, would be happy to help others too!

Nice OP. I will probably add in the analysis of the team and how to play with the real life formation of 3-4-1-2/3-4-3.

You may want to add in the transfer budgets.

Good OP mate. Bit of a Unique opening thread compared to the other Team Threads going around.

Just a quick question, how much money do napoli get in the 1st Transfer Window?

Edinson Cavani is also one great player.

Transfer budgets :

Top half finish - £7.5M, £650k/week

Continental qualification - £9.5M, £700k/week

Title challenge - £10M, £725k/week

Winner - £10.75M, £750k/week

Nice OP. I will probably add in the analysis of the team and how to play with the real life formation of 3-4-1-2/3-4-3.

You may want to add in the transfer budgets.

Transfer budgets :

Top half finish - £7.5M, £650k/week

Continental qualification - £9.5M, £700k/week

Title challenge - £10M, £725k/week

Winner - £10.75M, £750k/week

thats quite low budget, i spent my 7.5 budget on Gustavo Colman to replace Hamsik when he is injured, also he is good DM .

The ambition of the chairman and the club’s healthy cash flow means that you will get your transfer budget increased to whatever money is available, regardless of what budget you choose at the start. That’s why I wrote that there are £15M in the bank.

Dustygator – good shout on Schelotto. He wasn’t among my recommendations because MR is not the immediate position that Napoli need to strengthen. I agreed a fee of £1,3M for Schelotto in December, after he refused to sign a new contract with Atalanta.

Deejay – how many seasons did you end up playing with Napoli on ’09? I’m anxious to see if it will be easier to get a new stadium with Napoli this time around.

Vasilli07 – if you’re going to write about how to play a 3-4-1-2 with Napoli, then the tactics forum is the place for that.

JimmyWangYang can you upload your tactic and your progres in the game

Once De Laurentiis' words have fully sunk in, I will upload how I am doing.

I sat down with Laurentiis over a cigar at a restaurant in Marechiaro. Overlooking the Gulf of Naples, we laid out a new 5 year plan. Our objective will be to stay true to the Ita-Arg core, and to win the Champions League. We want to announce to the football world that “Napoli are BACK!” However, in doing so we will not sell out our ideals, our standards, and our vision for what we want Napoli football club to represent. A player will only be allowed to put on the legendary Napoli shirt if he really wants to be here. No one player is more important than the group.

- Muñoz was our replacement for the aging Campagnaro. I’m confident he can have the same longevity and success at the club as Ciro Ferrara. I’ve arranged to resign Roberto Ayala on a Bosman in January, hopefully he can work with Ezequiel and make him even better.

- The Piacenza kids are lumps of clay that can be molded into something decent if given direction. I’m having López, Blasi, and Sosa tutor them.

- Maggio went bananas when I signed Otamendi, proclaiming he was just what the club needed. Otamendi in turn immediately added Maggio as his favoured personnel. Way to make the new faces feel welcome, Christian!

- Buonanotte is being touted as the new

, and why not? He’s loyal, he’s got the heart of a lion, and he’s certainly got the eye for the “bochinesque pass”.

Our new lineup. A side that can provide continuity and continual growth for years to come.

- Agüero ran the show against me at home, scoring 2 goals and setting up 2, this being the best one of the bunch. His performance earned him a standing ovation at the San Paolo. He was made to play for Napoli.

- My first Derby del Sole lit a fire in the hearts of my players. Zola gave the perfect team talk, and new vice-captain Hamsik opened the scoring with an amazing 20 yard volley.

- Benítez was flapping his gums about “having to win against the big teams” if I wanted to win the league. Unfortunately for Rafa, I had just the right tactic to combat his 4-2-3-1: Gargani and Blasi were ganging up on Sneijder until he became so frustrated that he got himself sent off. The defense was staying deep and compact, ensuring that 13 of their 19 attempts on goal were harmless long shots. And upfront Lavezzi and Cavani were creating quality counter attacks with their speed and movement

Bring it on, Juve!

Come January I will still have £5,8M to spend, largely thanks to City who decided to sell me the 50% sell-on clause I had on Campagnaro. My number one priority will be Salvatore Sirigu, as I don’t see too many top class Italian or Argentinean goalkeepers on the horizon. I’ve began tapping him up. I’ll also be looking to sign Fernando Gago on loan, curious to see if he can improve our team’s possession, which at times have been shocking. A cheeky bid for Pablo Aimar could also be on the cards.

Lovely OP Jimmy - great job.

I played as Napoli on FM10 and really enjoyed it, so have started a save with them this year too.

Here's me transfers

Galeano - huge prospect, will be my first choice CB for the next decade.

Vidal - going to my CM rock.

Beck - needed competition for Zuniga at RB and Beck is a solid choice and good value at £3.9m

Buonanotte - nothing need to be said. Will provide backup for Hamsik and Lavezzi, not to mention providing a presence on the wings if I want to switch it up.

Kadlec - a young prospect to be given a bit of gametime when the game is won or against smaller teams.

Witsel - solid and versatile CM.

Verratti - a young Italian that I can develop and probably sell at a good price later.

This leaves me with a line up that looks like this

I have shifted Dossena into a WBL position to make the best of his pace and off the ball movement. To compensate for his rampaging runs forward I have Gargano sitting somewhat deep in midfield, playing a defensive/supportive role.

Beck plays more as a traditional FB, coming forward but not quite as far forward as Dossena. Witsel is given license to drift wide and fire some crosses in if needed.

Vidal plays as a ball winning CM on support, mostly sitting deep but stepping forward when needed.

Hamsik is the team's fulcrum - he is played in the ACM role and is brilliant at making runs beyond the strikers for crosses and through balls. He also seems to have a great understanding with Cavani, and has provided some amount of assists for him, as well as notching up a few goals for himself.

Cavani is outstanding and will only get better. I play him as an advanced forward with not too much creativity.. he's basically a weapon that will finish all the chances laid on for him by his team mates.

I'm still working out how to get the best out of Lavezzi...

As you can see my formation does seem to be working pretty well... I do have some challenging fixtures coming up so I will adapt if necessary.

Edit : What a game! Proud of my attacking players, if not my defensive ones.

Nice, f0rmat. Good value for money there.

Curious to see how you do with Galeano. The one drawback with these talented Argentinean centrebacks is they seem fairly blinkered when it comes to picking out a pass. My pairing of Muñoz and Otamendi are winning the ball, but they don’t know how to distribute it. Make sure you get the balance right in your team.

Vidal is the closest thing to a new Gattuso. Working hard, and for the team – just what Napoli are after.

Santacroce can provide good competition at rightback due to his speed and anticipation. I use Santacroce when I want to defend, and Zúñiga when I expect to dominate.

Cavani does have the ‘comes deep to get ball’ PPM – not sure how that works in harmony with the advanced forward role. His unique stamina means you can afford to let him close down often. With pace, jumping, long shots, heading, passing, finishing and work rate all above 15, he should be able to play any role. I use the default striker instructions in the classic tactic creator for Cavani.

Is the team consistently creating chances? Then you’re probably getting the best out of Lavezzi. Set ‘finishing’ as his individual training focus, as he does waste a lot of one-on-ones with the keeper. His dribbling, flair, and agility means he’ll quickly pick up the ‘likes to round keeper’ PPM, and with any luck he’ll learn how to break the offside trap too. Fortunately his professionalism has been raised on this version, so you should be able to have him playing at his absolute peak when he’s 27.

Good luck in the Europa League. You had a bit more luck with the draw than I did.

I haven't played many games so far on my Napoli save but so far its going OK i think. I wanted to use a 3-4-3 formation similair to the one Napoli use in real life, at the moment it is working well but I haven't really had to deal with a team with really attacking full-backs yet which I think may cause me problems. Highlight so far was definately a 4-0 away win against Fiorentina.

Here is my Main Tactic

And one I use If im struggling to get some possesion in the middle of the pitch

Nice, f0rmat. Good value for money there.

Curious to see how you do with Galeano. The one drawback with these talented Argentinean centrebacks is they seem fairly blinkered when it comes to picking out a pass. My pairing of Muñoz and Otamendi are winning the ball, but they don’t know how to distribute it. Make sure you get the balance right in your team.

I've taught Galeano 'play a simple passing game' and his pass competion rate is around 70%, which is acceptable. I'm hoping it'll improve as his stats do.

I also bought in Musacchio who my scouts rate very highly. Him and Galeano will be my CB pairing for years to come.

Here's my updated transfers

Ayala is a bargain as he can tutor Galeano and Musacchio to bring up their relatively low determination.

Here's the table in February

Doing pretty well... annoyingly I've not lost to the 'big' teams - Samp, Catania and Cagliari have beaten me

Galeano has been very good at attacking the far post and scored 10 goals already this season.

Had a big, big fall out with Lavezzi. He wanted to move to a bigger club despite being top of the table at the time. I told him I wanted him to help Napoli grow... he wasn't having it and demanded to be transfer listed. I managed to sweet talk him into staying but my ass.man still says he has personal issues with me.

I think I just need to praise him for any goals scored and eventually it'll be ok. I really dont want him to leave - at least half of my team have him as favoured personnel.

Good luck in the Europa League. You had a bit more luck with the draw than I did.

I did pretty well... but have Valencia in the first round. This will be tricky.

Oh! and I have Carrizo and Schelotto coming on a free in the summer

Cavani got 27 goals and 8 assists in 44 games.

Hamsik got 12 goals and 14 assists in 40 games.

Lavezzi got 22 goals and 11 assists in 43 games.

Front 3 doing very well... which leads me on to my next problem.

Shifted a ton of deadweight players... and spent big on M'Vila (replacement for Blasi) and Henrique.

As I only play 1 ACM (and Hamsik has done so well there) I will probably play Henrique as more of a deep lying playmaker. With a bit of specialised training I'm confident he can do it. Hamsik has 19 for 'off the ball' which is brilliant for getting into the box without being picked up by the opposition.

Digne will be Dossena's replacement, likewise for Carrizo for De Sanctis. Schelotto will be played in matches against lesser opposition whilst I train his positioning and tackling up.

- Doing alright then. I would probably concede far less if I had stuck with someone like Aronica at leftback, but then again I probably wouldn’t score as much either. And when he

them in like he did against Bari, then it’s hard not to get a soft spot for this player.

- An 83 minute equalizer in Madrid meant we didn’t progress in the Europa League.

- Talk about drama at Catania! Hamsik, Lavezzi and Cavani are my new Ma-Gi-Ca line - or the Ha-La-Ca line if you will.

- A hard fought away win against Sampdoria set us up against Milan in the semi-final of the Cup.

We might just go the distance!

- Nocerino was our upgrade on Gargano. The type of macho Italian defensive midfielder who never complains and never gets injured. A true gladiator who will give his everything for the city where he grew up.

- The ever consistent Atlante legend Vilar was brought in to provide better backup for our star performer, De Sanctis.

- Ayala will teach Muñoz how to be a winner.

- Gago is used to high-pressure situations and could become very useful as we close in on the Scudetto.

Been looking for a challenge and the excellent opening post alone was enough to inspire me

A Cavani ,Lavezzi ,Hamsik trio sounds mouthwatering

Start of season Lavezzi out for 2 months and Hamsik 6 match ban ! league and euro cup

So Cavani ,Lucarelli and Sosa its to be then. Five games in and sat top so they're doing the business ,Cavani is awesome

Brought in

Gago (loan 160k), Carini (free), Barzagli (£3.4), Bounotte (£3.2), Mouche (loan 85k),R Zarate (£250k) ,Calderoni(£800k) and Bonaventura (loan £120k)

Out

Buchhi , Iezzo ,Gianello all for £0. Cribari and Rullo out on loan

will keep you updated

JimmywangYang - how is your Barocelli doing? My scouts reported he had huge unfulfilled potential -

Here's mine

Once I get his determination up I'm going to send him out on loan for game time.

Good luck in your hunt for the Scudetto!

Been looking for a challenge and the excellent opening post alone was enough to inspire me

A Cavani ,Lavezzi ,Hamsik trio sounds mouthwatering

How are you playing them? Let us know how you get on.

- April was the month from hell, as De Sanctis, Muñoz, Cannavaro, Dossena, and Buonanotte were all injured at the same time. 1 out of a possible 15 points meant we squandered our 6 point lead at the top. Gutted.

- Things went better in the Cup however, as we had a storming semi-final game at home to our friends Genoa. Bari had somehow managed to get into the final by beating Juve, Inter, and Palermo. Four days before our final, their new German chairman decided it would be a good idea to sack their manager (despite finishing 16th when they were predicted 15th). This left me with an easy match against a team without a manager, and whose centre-back Andrea Masiello I had turned into a nervous wreck through the media. Zúñiga stepping up with a magnificent individual effort, after Lavezzi couldn’t hit the back of a barn. For the first time since we won it in 1987, a team from the South had won the Coppa Italia.

- Before our last league game away against Fiorentina, I received the dreaded message that I was risking the sack. And rightly so; I had failed to deliver on my promise of winning the title, and a defeat at Florence could mean we wouldn’t even qualify for the Champions League. With my hat in my hand I went to De Laurentiis and pleaded: “I’ve been extremely unlucky with injuries. Please give me more time!”. “Of course”, De Laurentiis smiled back, “we are only 1 year into our 5 year plan”.

The most goals scored in the division, but also far too many conceded. Will have to build a wider squad that can sustain injuries. Was sad to see our Sicilian friends Catania drop out of the division. Another team that has a wonderful Ita-Arg core.

Tutoring Barocelli with Sosa was a success, although he failed to pick up any of his PPMs. Lack of passing and first touch means he’s probably best employed as striker. I’ll keep him at the club as we have better coaches and facilities. Will do well as a backup when I switch to 4-2-3-1.

Have higher hopes for this guy. Responded well to being tutored by López, and is very good at cutting in from the wings. Calderoni has also improved.

Well, Barocelli can GTF

I bought him from relative nowhere to Napoli. Athletico offer £2.4m for him, which I reject. He is unhappy, so I say I want him to stay and grow with us. He then decides he wants to be transfered. Basically he's been a snot nosed brat and he can **** off and rot in the reserves of some other team. Hate when players do that :/

Unlucky on not winning the title Jimmy - it's frustrating when injuries seem to all come at once. I prefer a fairly small squad too - I don't like to buy players and not give them game time.

Verratti is developing nicely, and even popped up to score the winner against Inter in the Super Cup.

Brought in

Gago (loan 160k), Carini (free), Barzagli (£3.4), Bounotte (£3.2), Mouche (loan 85k),R Zarate (£250k) ,Calderoni(£800k) and Bonaventura (loan £120k)

Welcome to the thread, Harry! How's Calderoni doing for you? He didn't take to being tutored by Blasi in my game. Bonaventura has been doing amazing for Atalanta, looks like you found a real gem there.

Well, Barocelli can GTF

I bought him from relative nowhere to Napoli. Athletico offer £2.4m for him, which I reject. He is unhappy, so I say I want him to stay and grow with us. He then decides he wants to be transfered. Basically he's been a snot nosed brat and he can **** off and rot in the reserves of some other team. Hate when players do that :/

When you trick a young innocent lad like Barocelli (the poor man’s version of Balotelli) to leave the politically ambiguous Piacenza and head all the way down south to the region of Campania, then naturally there’s going to be level of mistrust. The thing I did to ease him into his new surroundings was ask him to recommend a new signing, as I had a hunch he would say either Guerra or Calderoni. Then I set his asking price to £10M to deter any bidders.

Unlucky on not winning the title Jimmy - it's frustrating when injuries seem to all come at once. I prefer a fairly small squad too - I don't like to buy players and not give them game time.

Ayala and Vilar surprised me when I was forced to play them. Good old leaders that would have been absolutely awesome to manage in their prime. But it was a devastating run – the worst I’ve had in any top club that I’ve been at.

Verratti is developing nicely, and even popped up to score the winner against Inter in the Super Cup.

He is a big game player for sure. I would loan him out to a small Serie A club that would play him every week. The exposure would mean you could sell him on for a huge profit.

… Keep the updates coming, readers! If there’s anything you’re wondering about in relates to starting a game with Napoli, do not hesitate to ask me!

Thinking in start a game with Napoli, never played with them and getting tired of EPL and Spanish teams.

My biggest challenge before the season break was to convince Hamsik to stick around. With the Slovak now being one of the world’s leading midfielders, and with public interest from clubs like Lyon and Manchester City, it was to be expected that he would want to move to a bigger club. Our club’s philosophy dictated that any unhappy player would be shipped out, so I was relieved to see he bought into my promise that the club would continue to grow. Knowing that this meant I would have to keep winning trophies, I would now have to plan carefully for our first assault on the Champions League – the competition I had vowed to win within my first 5 years at Napoli.

Another potential bump in the road came in the way of my overenthusiastic chairman. Bless this guy. During the last season he had given me everything I had asked for, including an increase in number of staff allowed, an upgrade in youth facilities, an increase in transfer budget, two commercial feeder clubs, and of course more time when the manager had not lived up to expectations in the league. His most recent act of kindness may have done more harm than good however; he went and bought San Paolo by taking up a new bank loan of £156M! On one hand this opens up opportunities for building under soil heating, expanding the capacity, and maybe one day selling the stadium to fund a new “Maradona Stadium”. On the other hand, I am now paying in excess of £10M a year on another bank loan, instead of the stadium rent that was only £2,6M a year. Time will tell if buying the stadium was a good idea.

- ”Mr Wondergoal” Fabio Quagliarella was like a free signing when he refused to sign a contract with Juve. Hometown boy with his heart in the right place.

- Maradona (who is doing terrific as Boca manager) was “in disbelief” when I sold Sosa to rivals Bari. He would soon forgive me when he saw who I had lined up as a replacement: Pablo “El Duende” Piatti. This genius is almost a carbon copy of Buonanotte.

- I have a good routine going with Palermo. I’ve befriended their manager Delio Rossi, who because of this is more than happy to give me a discount on his players. Players who I am building a wonderful relationship with: first Muñoz recommended Nocerino, who then recommended Sirigu, who then recommended

, who then recommended… Pastore, was it?

- Bocchetti should finally solve our left-back problems. He knows how to defend, so of course he is a Neapolitan.

- Poli has got Napoli in his name and spirit. Made 17 assist in 30 games for Sampdoria last season, giving him the highest rating for any Italian in the league.

- Bertolacci is the classy Italy U-21 captain that can provide backup for 3 different positions.

- Just when money got tight and I needed to pull a rabbit out of a hat, I found Facundo Agustinoy. A defensive midfielder very much in the Mascherano mould, they don’t call him “The Octopus” for nothing. I love Argentinean players!

My 22-man squad, described as “very loyal”.

My most important player. He makes world class strikers like Zlatan Ibrahimovic look foolish!

- Decided to switch to a 4-2-3-1 assymetric. I found that I was being heavily outnumbered in the midfield by teams playing 3-5-2 and 4-3-1-2. This tactic is designed to swarm the midfield so that the opposition can’t have as much time on the ball as they do against a diamond formation.

- Cavani is a terrific all-rounder who will do well on his own upfront. He scored 21 goals in 38 league games last season. I’m hoping that by having him unlearn his “comes deep to get ball” PPM he will stay more on the last defender and improve his goal ratio.

- Piatti has got the “gets into opposition area” PPM, which should make him almost like a second striker. When Buonanotte plays in hole I will have these two swap positions and create havoc.

- Drew Man U, Schalke, and Benfica in the CL. Off to a good start, thanks to our little octopus.

- Poli’s first goal in a Napoli shirt was a real

.

Any tips on how to get the best out of Cavani in a lone striker role? Also, Marek Hamsik is always posting a good average rating but i'd love him to contribute more goals-wise as his attributes are perfect for it.

So any tips would be helpful, cheers guysssss

Where do you play Hamsik?

In centre midfield as an advanced playmaker with a DM behind him, but sometimes in AM as an attacking midfielder

Jimmy - great minds think alike re: Schelotto and Bocchetti, the former on a free in Summer '11 and latter for £9m in Jan '12.

Cavani - doesn't matter how you play him. Just make sure he receives crosses to make use of his heading. His goal ratio is usually around 0.75.

Hamsik - performance wise he'll play best as MC. Fitness wise he'll play best as AMC. "Gets forward whenever possible" is not an ideal PPM for players with under 16 stamina.

In centre midfield as an advanced playmaker with a DM behind him, but sometimes in AM as an attacking midfielder

Doesn't he score more when in Am position? Also get forward whenever possible can't you let him unlearn that?

Winter breaks arrived so thought id give a quick update

Surprised my self by topping the table despite shocking 0-4 defeat at home to Lazio and 3-4 at Bari

Qualified from Euro group containing Stuttgart ,Lille and Dnipro

Cavani 21 goals in 25 games ,now fit Lavezzi 9 in 15 ,Hamsik 6 in 18

Sosa topping assists with 11 ,Cavani 10, Hamsik 9

Playing a standard 442

Gk De Sanctis / Carini

RB Zuniga / Grava

LB Dossena / Aronica

CB Barzagli / Santacroce

CB Cannavaro / Campagnaro

RW Maggio / (Sosa covers)

CM Gago (Ball winner) / Gargano / Blasi

CM Hamsik (Advanced Playmaker) / Pazienza

LW Sosa / Bouananotte / Vitale

ST Lavezzi (deep lying forward / Lucarelli (target Man)

ST Cavani (advanced Forward) / Zarate

Plans for the transfer window are maybe shipping Barzagli out (9 for heading ! cant believe i missed this )

Cash in on Gargano ,Blasi, return Gago ( high wages ) and bring in a more creative ball winner .Thinking Biglia or Kuzmanovic at the moment

Youth at the back maybe Toloi / Fazio

Need someone more Lavezzi like for back up so Zarate or Lucarelli out

will let you know how i get on

I'd look at Son Heung-Min (sp) from HSV, already starts off quite good and has got lots of potential, Rossi is great, Quagliarella will be able back up when he gets back from loan too.

Cavani is a god.

That's Cavani for you - he just gets stronger as the game goes on. 70% of his goals in my game are after the 60th minute. He's like a Dirk Kuyt, only he has pace and finishing too. I wouldn't mind seeing a Youtube upload of that hattrick.

That's Cavani for you - he just gets stronger as the game goes on. 70% of his goals in my game are after the 60th minute. He's like a Dirk Kuyt, only he has pace and finishing too. I wouldn't mind seeing a Youtube upload of that hattrick.

The 3rd goal was a bit special - I'll see if I can sort it out.

Edit :

Cool hattrick there.

What is Cavani's stats like for you

Feel embarassed

Here is my Cavani btw.

You only need another hattrick from Cavani and a trademark "goal out of nowhere" from Hamsik in the second leg, f0rmat

Tough game there, I imagine Dossena got embarassed by Ronaldo? I'm glad I was able to sell him off to Parma while he was still in demand.

I trained my Cavani's composure up to 15, also got him to unlearn his "comes deep to get ball" PPM. He scores even more now. Thinking of making him captain when I get to my 3rd season, as his influence is already up to 17.

You only need another hattrick from Cavani and a trademark "goal out of nowhere" from Hamsik in the second leg, f0rmat

Tough game there, I imagine Dossena got embarassed by Ronaldo? I'm glad I was able to sell him off to Parma while he was still in demand.

I trained my Cavani's composure up to 15, also got him to unlearn his "comes deep to get ball" PPM. He scores even more now. Thinking of making him captain when I get to my 3rd season, as his influence is already up to 17.

I guess anything is possible. Dossena got a fecking 4.5 rating If only Bocchetti wasn't cup tied.

I have Hamsik as my captain and Cavani as VC at the moment... I will look into getting him to stop the 'comes deep' PPM.

:o A man can dream...

Unlucky for that mate, btw what role is it best to have him as targetman, poacher, advanced forward or even defensive forward as his stamina is brilliant?

mate - that was the HT score...

And that's with Hamsik MISSING penalty! Getting excited about this competition now, we've knocked out Barca and Real... we can take on anyone now!

Of course Those 56191 fans at San Paolo who were cheering you on are almost like a 12th man. You're really on your way to unleashing the monster potential of Napoli now!

Hamsik misses alot of penalties, doesn't handle pressure very well. I guess Vidal was off the field at that point in the game.

Do you have La Liga set as playable league? If so, even more of an accomplishment to knock out those two giants.

Of course Those 56191 fans at San Paolo who were cheering you on are almost like a 12th man. You're really on your way to unleashing the monster potential of Napoli now!

Hamsik misses alot of penalties, doesn't handle pressure very well. I guess Vidal was off the field at that point in the game.

Do you have La Liga set as playable league? If so, even more of an accomplishment to knock out those two giants.

Yeah I have a huge database, most European leagues are playable.

Didn't realise that made it more difficult though, how come?

Teams in non-playable leagues are more "passive" when it comes to recruiting, have less staff, etc. There is a post floating around that explains it in more detail. I have the 7 top European Leagues loaded, as well as Argentina (where Maradona is top of the league with Boca).