FM 10: Official U.S. Poggibonsi Thread - The Miracle of Poggibonsi

The Miracle of Poggibonsi

Let’s get up to speed

Well not a miracle yet but anything above mid-table mediocrity in the Italian Serie C2/B could be described with such reverence. Formed in 1925, U.S. Poggibonsi hail from the idyllic Tuscan region of Italy firmly encased in the shadows of their more illustrious and well distinguished neighbours Siena and Fiorentina. Known as The Lions or Leoni the team play their home games in their famous yellow and red while they contest away matches in white and red.

Welcome to lower league calcio

From Serie C1 down the standard is much of a muchness and realistically Poggibonsi should be utilising their links with nearby Parent clubs and climbing to Serie B within a few years. The standard of the squad is acceptable and more than capable of surviving in the first season. The board seem fairly generous for the low standard and there’s very little pressure, time will be on your side.

Honours

Poggibonsi won Serie D Group E in 2001 other than that their only entries into the dusty history books consist of third place Serie D finish in 2005/06 (although they were actually promoted that year because of cancellation of league winners Fortis Spoleto and second-placed Fortis Juventus renounciation to play in the Serie C2 league) and a 6th placed league leap in Serie C2/B in 2008.

Club Information

Poggibonsi play at the Stefano Lotti stadium boasting an all seater capacity of 4,000 right in the heart of the region. This is really the peoples team and as a result you can expect a good playing surface with room for improvement should progression be achieved.

The board will allow transfer funds of around £10,000 but this can be increased with player sales. You can expect a wage budget of £16,208 per week including a youth grant of £280 per week, the club’s estimated value is low, just £180k. Perhaps this is why Poggibonsi begin the 2009/10 season with a media prediction of 16th in 18 team league where anyone from 14th place down can be relegated.

The Squad

The full time squad is made of ambitious, determined and well travelled journeymen, some in the twilight of what can loosely be described as a ‘career’ others hoping to emulate the success of former local legend Bernado Corradi as they tread carefully on the first run of the professional ladder.

Goalkeepers - Federico Bini / Mattia Lanzano / Valeri Mollo

Defenders - Dario Forino / Omar Bucciarelli / Gianluca Zattarini / Manuel Machetti / Giacomo Menichetti / Filippo Mattiuzzo / Samuele Salvadori / Federico Tisbi

Midfielders - Niky Agnorelli / Matteo Caciagli / Fabio Dall'Ara / Matteo Nolè / Fabio Rovrena / Maico Caroti / Matteo Nicoletti / Gianluca Sprugnoli / Carlo Coppari

Strikers - Fabio Alteri / Luca Hemmy / Andrea Staffolani / Gianluca Berretti / Andrea Conforti

There’s no getting away from it, even with slim resources this team needs improvement, there isn’t anyone you can realistically play on the left of midfield for starters so searching the free transfer market will be your first port of call. The left back situation needs urgently addressing and despite a lack of goals last season the team has a plethora of useless strikers (shifting them will be more of a challenge than bringing in fresh talent).

Suggested first eleven

I’m using an adaptation of the classic 4-5-1 (so favoured by defence minded coaches in Italy) I’ll be playing a holding defensive midfielder, two centre midfielders with different roles, out and out wingers with one deep lying striker.

GK

- Federico Bini is an able stopper at this level but with no real quality cover you may as well plump for a better first choice. Tommaso Peresson recently released from rivals Bassano is an option.

DR

- Filippo Mattiuzzo arguably the best defender in the squad and with tackling of 9 that isn’t really saying much. Still this young full back is good enough at this level and can only get better.

DL

- A real problem area and I’d advise seeking a replacement for first choice Giacomo Menichetti, because he lacks almost all the necessary attributes one would look for in a full back, although if push comes to shove he can tackle and is fairly fit.

DC

- Gianluca Zattarin a new addition to the backline and potential captain material, if he wasn’t so slow I’d say no need to shop here but a faster deputy could learn from this 35 year old veteran.

DC

- Manuel Machetti could be a viable option if all your funds have been blown signing either a carthorse or a donkey to replace Menichetti, otherwise he too will need replacing.

DMC

- 24 year old Fabio Rovrena (pictured) or 24 year old Fabio Dall'Ara can operate effectively here.

MC

- For the attack minded central midfielder Pontedera born Matteo Caciagli will do a more than adequate job.

MC

- For the slightly more defence minded midfielder local youngster Niky Agnorelli could be the man.

AMR

- The star of the show, the on loan Mantova whiz kid Carlo Coppari.

AML

- The problem area on a free transfer former Foggia winger Italo Mattioli (pictured) can be signed but as he’s right footed those that prefer their wingers not to cut inside may wish to opt for Ousmane Sy but he’ll set you back £3.5k maximum.

STR

- Andrea Staffolani (pictured) and Fabio Alteri are the only two strikers worth keeping around, you may be blessed with a promising youngster from the youth system but otherwise either utilise these two with (in my case) rotation based on performances and fitness or try and build a formidable partnership. A potential one season wonder free transfer signing could be the 38 year old maestro Sossio Aruta a lethal finisher who could still do a job at this level. In the loan market Leon Crncic the Slovenian youngster will be interested in joining from Atalanta, however he lacks any real pace.

It’s worth noting you cannot sign any non-EU nationals in Serie C2/B.

Good OP mate

Yep agree there good op

Great OP.

Time for a new challenge I think, will start a save with Poggibonsi now. Will update how I'm getting on soon.

Transfers

Quite a few loans*:

I strongly suggest signing the holding midfielder Luca Marrone on a season long loan, he'll cost you nothing in fees just 50% of his basic wage which is affordable for Poggibonsi:

Neither my scout (yes I can only afford one and his judging of ability and potential comes to combined total of 6) nor my braindead assistant reckon much to my on loan left back from Palermo: Benedetto Monforte but, for this level, he has all the necessary strengths I'd look for. Good tackling, crossing, pace, strength, stamina, dribbling, anticipation, bravery, team work and work rate. I decided to watch the first few games he played in full match mode and, whilst his tackling may be dirtier than one of Jordan's home movies, that's probably alot to do with his poor positioning and decision making which remarkably Referees in the lower leagues of Calcio seem to reward by literally letting everyone go (and we're back to Jordan)!

Just in-case I've been blinded by Monforte's deceptive stats I've also loaned Samuele Bettoni a promising full back from Fiorentina, my scout (him again, why do I even bother asking?) and assistant rave about him so I'll get the traditional Serie C Group Cup games that follow pre-season to decide.

*There are NO player restrictions in the League so you can loan more than would usually.

Clear Cut Chances

I mentioned my Strikers and my formation, it seems my original theory that 4-5-1 would be the best policy, as I'll be under the cosh for most games, hasn't actually materialised and I may well continue to experiment now I have a settled first eleven.

In the most recent match in the Serie C Cup Group G against Colligiana I created 5 clear cut chances (the measure of a good tactic in my opinion) and yet my wayward strikers failed to find the back of the net, in just 4 Cup games this is already proving to be a major concern.

Fitness

The actual standard of football when viewing your games in full match mode can quickly become apparent and rather depressing. I may jokingly suggested that this level wasn't quite the highest but I think, if compared with the English leagues, one would have to look at the Conference or below.

Now add to the mix the shocking levels of fitness, not just of my own team (who I've trained properly from day one) but also every side I've faced thus far. By the end of an average Sunday game my full backs will be at 51%...THAT'S HALF DEAD! I'm thinking of saving the money I'm clearly wasting on a physio and spending it on a pitch side life support machine.

Haven't played this version yet, is it worth getting?

Yes Horse it's the best one yet in my opinion. Others may disagree and suggest the machine engine, AI etc can be improved, no doubt there's healthy debate to be had from all sides, but I find it a worthwhile purchase.

incredible :O with Poggibonsi ahahahhahahahaahahahahaha great