[FM12] One more attempt - An FK Partizan career

This will be my latest attempt at an FM 12 save. I have never really got into FM 14 and actually never bought FM 13. Also, FM 12 has been my favourite game of the Football Manager series.

This time its Partizan Belgrade, who are arguably the best team in Serbia right now. In this career, I will focus on developing youngsters and turning them into outstanding players. The other aim would be trying to overhaul Red Star Belgrade's trophy haul. As of FM 12, Partizan have 36 major trophies while Red Star have 52. The first aim may not be too difficult. Partizan already have good youth facilities and a number of prospects (including Nikola Ninkovic and Lazar Markovic) in the U-19s and reserves. The second aim is likely to prove more difficult and it will take quite sometime to overhaul Red Star.

Once both aims are accomplished, it is likely that this save will turn into a journeyman career.

Preseason

Preseason was good but friendlies were limited to only 4 due to participation in the Champions League which saw us enter the Champions' 2nd qualifying round. Just the one loss in a tough game against Bordeaux but other than that it was rather comfortable. My assistant was actually in charge of friendlies.

Champions League

Mogren of Montenegro were never going to be strong enough and easily rolled over in both legs. Nikola Ninkovic scored his first senior Champions League goal at the age of 16 and was impressive throughout qualifying. Against Slovan Bratislava, we failed to put our chances away at home, instead taking a 1-goal lead to Slovakia where they took a 1-0 leadf to take it to extra time. 17 yr old Lazar Markovic came on in the 2nd half of normal time and scored and assisted another for Marko Scepovic in extra time. In Denmark, Ninkovic's goal seemed to have given us an away win until their big centre back scored to make it 1-1. In Belgrade, Markovic's goal was cancelled out by a thunderous free kick that took the tie into extra time. Marko Scepovic's 105th minute goal then took us through to the CL group stages.

Our reward for this?

We'll do well to qualify for the Europa League it seems.

SuperLiga

Sometimes, the picture says it all.

FK Partizan Beograd

November 2011 update

Transfers-wise, there has been nothing much to note. Marko Scepovic's elder brother Stefan(21) returned to the club on a free while two players rotting in the reserves were sent on loan to Teleoptik Zemun in the Prva Liga(2nd tier).

Serbian Cup

Let's start with the cup. We were absolutely awful. The board wanted us to win the cup and we fell miles short. In both the games, I fielded a few youngsters but the teams were good enough to at least compete in the SuperLiga. Third tier Timok gave us a scare before Marko Scepovic's late goal as a sub. We then played Hajduk Kula of the SuperLiga and this time we played a bit better. Stefan Scepovic's goal seemed to have gives us victory but Hajduk equalised in the 88th minute. With no extra-time, it went to an awful penalty shootout where 5 out of 10 were converted as we lost 3-2.

SuperLiga

Fixtures

It has been a lot less comfortable since the last update. The scoring touch has been lost to some extent and we have often looked defensively insecure. A 1-1 draw at Metalac kicked all of this off and since then the team hasn't really been great. At home, too, we have struggled a bit although there was hardly any chance of a defeat at the Partizan Stadium. Away to both our title rivals, we got draws. We were poor against Vojvodina but improved at Red Star. We led in the game at the Marakana in front of 43,059 thanks to Nemanja Tomic's free kick but late on, Red Star got their equaliser in the 84th minute. After the defeat to Smederovo, we lost our top spot to Vojvodina but regained it thanks to a combination of a win over Novi Pazar and Vojvodina's defeat to BKS Borca.

Champions League

Sensational. Absolutely sensational! We had the lead at Stamford Bridge but lost comfortably and I was wondering if we were really in the worst possible group. Against Lille, we took the lead but they equalised and Moussa Sow's 65th minute goal seemed to have put them on course for victory but 17 yr old Markovic levelled it up in the 88th minute and we were unlucky not to win that one, I must say. At home to Shakhtar Donetsk, we were two goals down before they had a player sent off. Sasa Ilic scored a penalty from that sending off and equalized for us. Marko Scepovic then scored late in the first half for a deserved 3 points after Ukrainian keeper Andriy Pyatov spilled the ball.

In Donetsk, we were never going to be favourites. So, I matched their 4-2CM-3AM-1 formation and had Fernandinho, Willian and Jadson all man-marked. In an astonishing game, they had more shots but we had 6 CCCs to their 4. Brazilian striker Eduardo twice struck their bar and Andriy Pyatov was at his best (9.3 rating). Eduardo was replaced by 20 year old Scepovic and he slotted past the Ukrainian to put us 2nd in the group. Nicolas Anelka put Chelsea in front on the 3rd minute but Scepovic equalised and we even had more possession plus the better chances. Nevertheless, qualification was sealed with confirmation of Shakhtar beating Lille 2-0 in Donetsk.

FK Partizan Beograd

2011-12

Pre-Winter break update

We had a frustrating draw at home to then 14th placed Borac where we just shaded possession and often looked 2nd best. This was followed up by an awful performance against Lille in the Champions League. It was summed up by captain Sasa Ilic(he got a 1-week fine for the 4.8 rating) who conceded the penalty from which Moussa Sow put them ahead and then missed one at the other end with the score still 1-0. 2-0 down at half-time, I tried to change to an attacking strategy but that backfired miserably and we lost 4-0. Going into the winter break, I wanted a response from the team and they did just that, thumping Rad 4-0. Ilic on this occasion becoming the Man of the Match.

League table

We're top of the table again.

Champions League

Knockout round draw

Couldn't have wished for something worse. If we keep the losing margin down to 3 goals on aggregate, I will be very happy indeed.

FK Partizan Beograd

2011-12

Winter break update

Friendlies

The winter break in Serbia was supposed to last from 10.12.11 to 10.3.12. So, I decided to arrange a few tours. In Austria, it was comfortable enough as we beat off to Austrian Bundesliga teams. That's as good as it got though as in Germany, we struggled against 3 second tier teams. Poor defeats to Dresden and Aachen before we ended with a fortunate draw against St. Pauli who scored seconds after we did in stoppage time. In Bosnia, Sarajevo took us apart completely but at least, we got a win against Zeljeznicar. In Croatia, we lost to Sibenik before getting some respect back by beating Rijeka with ease. The other 2 friendlies (i.e., Porto and Sevilla) were played in between the 2 Bayern games and were only there to provide some money.

Sevilla, meanwhile, also became our parent club.

Champions League First Knockout Round

Outclassed in both legs against Bayern Munich but in the end, its a world-class team and there's no real shame in those two defeats. And we also got our share of prize money.

FK Partizan Beograd

2011/12

Jelen SuperLiga

Fixtures

Absolute collapse. Shocking. Miserable. Say what you want, this was never expected. 2 big defeats at home, points dropped away coupled with innumerable sending-offs. I think the only good things to come from these fixtures were the wins BSK Borca, Borac, Sloboda Point and in the Veciti derby at home to Red Star. We went into the derby 6 points behing our rivals and they dominated the first part of the first half despite Nemanja Tomic's spectacular 30-yard free-kick putting us ahead. A schange of tactic and a red card for Darko Lazovic completely shifted the game in our favour and we went on to win with ease. Goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic getting the MoTM award. The home defeat to Smederevo blew off our challenge and the game at Jagodina was pathetic. Much to think of next season.

FK Partizan Beograd

2011-12

End of season update

First time that I've been linked to a job.

This hurts- we won't be in the CL next year. The money has to come from somewhere. We'll see if it does.

Transfers

Squad

We have some promise there, players developing and hopefully, more youngsters will make their breakthrough like Nikola Ninkovic, Lazar Markovic and Marko Scepovic. (Also to some extent Marko Jovicic, the 17 year old keeper who played the last few games)

Not sure what to say about this youth intake to be fair. Yes, it has gives us a few potentially very good players but we certainly didn't need promising GKs (that also 2 of them) and a right-back.

A well deserved award for our right winger. 14 goals and 11 assists from 41 appearances in total. His value has risen due to our surge up the European club rankings. Previously valued at £1.1m but now valued at £4,400,000.

This is what I was telling you about. We need to get our CL spot back to make sure we have enough to compete there.

Serbia's coefficient has increased and I'm going to claim major responsibility for that.

Sponsorship on the up.

A good Champions League campaign does its job. Need to repeat it at least in the Europa League.

Best in Serbia! In your face, Red Star.

Mega budget this time. £44k of that wage bill is being pent and there can be no excuses if we fail to qualify for the Champions League next time around.

A trip to Wales awaits.