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[FM20] Stuniverse's FM20 Adventure


Stuniverse
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9 June 2028

ITALY CONFIRM EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP SQUAD NUMBERS

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Forza Azzurri: Italy kick-off their European Championships in three days time against Scotland. Are you confident?

Stuniverse: Si. We are confident after winning the European Nations League but we're not complacent. Before my time as Italy manager, Italy also won the European Nations League, but were then knocked-out of the World Cup in the first knockout round by Scotland. Every Nation in the European Championships deserve to be there, they've all qualified from difficult Groups and play-off games, and we know we'll have to be at our best in every single game if we're to be successful.

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Forza Azzurri: You've been drawn in Group E against Scotland, Ireland, and Sweden. What are your thoughts on the Group?

Stuniverse: It's a tough group. Scotland are ranked 29th in the World, Ireland are 33rd, and Sweden are 37th. We're expecting every game to be a difficult challenge but we're confident of getting the results we need to progress through to the second round. Although the top two go through, we're looking to qualify by winning the group. 

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Forza Azzurri: In your two warm-up games, you've used all but one of the players in your squad. Are they ready?

Stuniverse: Si. They are ready, they are hungry. Italy are hosting the European Championships and the players are eager to perform and do their country proud. It was important to give as many of them as possible playing time to get them back into the swing of international football.

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Forza Azzurri: Pellegrini hasn't featured so far due to a sports hernia and Corallo came off in the first-half against the Czech Republic with what looked like a knee injury. How are they both doing?

Stuniverse: They are fine. Nicolo Corallo's knee was only bruised and he'll be available to face Scotland in three days time if selected. Luca Pellegrini will miss a couple more days of training but then he should be fine. The Scotland game will be too soon, we think, but he should be available for our second group game against Ireland.

Forza Azzurri: Buona fortuna.

Stuniverse: Grazie.

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26 June 2028

ITALY TO PLAY IRELAND AGAIN

Forza Azzurri: Italy will play Ireland in the European Championship Quarter-Final. Italy and Ireland locked horns earlier in the tournament, with the Azzurri winning their Group E encounter 1-0.

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5 hours ago, oche balboa said:

Nice Career. Nice Read

Thank you, @oche balboa, that’s very kind of you to say. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Personally, I loved this save. I had a wonderful time in Scotland, and I was enjoying my time in Serie A with Sampdoria. I felt I had more to offer Serie A but the prospect of leading Italy to (hopefully) World Cup glory was an opportunity I thought long and hard over and, ultimately, decided was too good to turn down.

To say I’m gutted by my sacking is a massive understatement. To be sacked for ‘the team’s poor performance in the European Championships’ I find incredibly harsh when we made it all the way to the semi-finals and lost by the odd goal in three to France.

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10 July 2028

CATCHING UP WITH MY AGENT

Stanley Baryla: How are you, Stuniverse?

Stuniverse: I'm ok. I've been better, but I'm ok.

Stanley Baryla: I can't believe Italy sacked you. You made the semi-final, for crying out loud.

Stuniverse: I know. Tell me about it. I think, with being the host nation, the Italian F.A. wanted to win the European Championship on home soil and nothing else was going to be good enough for them.

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Stanley Baryla: How do you reflect on that semi-final, looking back now?

Stuniverse: I don't want to make excuses, because France were far better than us in the first-half and a 2-0 deficit at the break was always going to be difficult to pull back. But the scheduling didn't help us at all.

There was one Quarter-Final a day for four days and our Quarter-Final was last of the four. Then we played our Semi-Final first, just three days later, so we had less rest than our opponents France.

For the Semi-Final, quite a few players were less than 90% , plus Pietro Pellegri, the striker who’d emerged as our best striker during the tournament, was out injured. Having beaten France in the Nations League Final, I went with players over 90%, meaning two or three back-ups in the defensive line, my captain Nicolo Barella missing out in midfield, and both back-up wingers playing. By half-time we were 2-0 down and hadn’t had a shot on goal. I made changes at half time to get both my main wingers on, plus my captain after an hour, and went more attacking. We were much better after the break, unlucky not to equalise when their goalkeeper made a couple of fine saves, but it just wasn’t to be.

Stanley Baryla: So what's next? Are you ready to get back on the horse?

Stuniverse: Yes. And I don't know if this will be possible, or not, but I was looking forward to managing Italy in the World Cup in two years time. I'd love it if I could still manage in the World Cup, albeit not with Italy.

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Stanley Baryla: Well, in addition to Italy, there's European managerial vacancies with Belgium, Croatia, England, Holland, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Spain, plus Argentina and Ecuador in South America.

Stuniverse: Wow. Quite a few. Of those, England and Scotland jump out at me. Imagine out-performing Italy in the World Cup with either England or Scotland. Do you think either the English F.A. or the Scottish F.A. would be interested?

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Stanley Baryla: Only one way to find out, but let me put it this way, England finished bottom of their European Championship Group with just one point and Scotland also finished bottom of their Group with three defeats out of three. Both Home Nations would've been thrilled to reach the semi-finals. After what you achieved with Italy, they'd be crazy not to consider you.

Stuniverse: Cool. Can you sound England and Scotland out for me please?

Stanley Baryla: Sure. Leave it with me and I'll get back to you as soon as I can

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16 July 2028

STUNIVERSE IN DEMAND

Stanley Baryla: Hi, Stuniverse, I have some good news for you.

Stuniverse: Excellent. What is it?

Stanley Baryla: Italy may not want you, but quite a few Football Associations are genuinely impressed that you led Italy to the European Championship Semi-Finals.

Stuniverse: Go on.

Stanley Baryla: Holland want you... Croatia want you... Russia want you... Serbia want you... Any of those interest you?

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Stuniverse: I was hoping for England or Scotland... but I learnt to speak Italian, I suppose I could learn to speak Dutch or Croatian. I know Holland are the highest ranked at 7th, but I quite fancy Croatia in 12th. 

Stanley Baryla: Not so fast... hang on a minute...

Stuniverse: What? Tell me.

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Stanley Baryla: England also want you. The English Football Association want to offer you the job of England manager.

Stuniverse: For real?

Stanley Baryla: Yes. For real. You deserve it.

Stuniverse: Brilliant news, Stan. Thank you.

Stanley Baryla: You're welcome.

Stuniverse: What are you waiting for? Tell them yes... before they change their mind.

Stuniverse: I’ll get right on it. Congratulations!

Stuniverse: Thank you, Stan.

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1 August 2028

ROONEY APPOINTED ENGLAND COACH

Wembley Way: England manager Stuniverse has added 42 year-old Wayne Rooney to his England coaching staff. Rooney had been out of work since leaving Derby County three years ago.

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20 August 2028

ENGLAND'S EUROPEAN NATIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

Wembley Way: England have been drawn in the same European Nations League Group as Italy so it won't be long before new England manager Stuniverse locks horns with his fomer employers.

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21 August 2028

SAVE UPDATE

Managing England on this save is going to be my last managerial job on FM20 before I turn my attention to FM21.

I think Stuniverse's FM20 Adventure has two more years to run, culminating (if I don't get sacked) in the 2030 World Cup in Spain.

That means, we'll have:

  • 2028 European Nations League
  • 2029 World Cup Qualifiers / European Nations League Finals (if England qualify)
  • 2030 World Cup Qualifiers / World Cup Finals  (if England qualify)

I'm planning to start my FM21 save in the first week of December and the aim is to conclude Stuniverse's FM20 Adventure by then. If not, this save will continue alongside my new FM21 save until it reaches THE END.

Once again, a sincere thank you to everybody who's followed my FM20 Adventure on here, with an extra special thank you to everybody who's reached out and interacted with me by liking posts, commenting on threads, and exchanging direct messages. It really is that interaction that  keeps me going because, without it, I might as well do a personal save just for myself...

---

YOUR THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, FEEDBACK NEEDED

During the course of this save, I've tried a few different approaches to the updates on this thread, and whilst I'm keen to continue providing the match-by-match update (as my aim is to provide a Career Update thread where it feels like you are following Stuniverse's team online), I'm also keen to progress through the save at a quicker pace than I achieved with this one. That means providing you with the detailed updates you want, but not bogging you down with detail you don't need.

So, to hopefully make my FM21 save more enjoyable for everyone, I'd be grateful for any thoughts, comments and feedback you have about Stuniverse's FM20 Adventure. In particular: 

* What have you enjoyed about this save?

* What were you less keen on?

* What would you like to see me do more of?

* What would you like to see me do less of?

* Any other comments you'd like to make?

* Finally, as I haven't decided what my main FM21 save will be yet, do you have any suggestions for what Stuniverse's FM21 Adventure should be?

I hope you and your families are well and keeping safe and thank you for keeping me company on my FM20 Adventure.

Best wishes, 

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Stuniverse

Tagged: @andychar @Axyongaming007 @bigmattb28 @Bitner @Branne96 @coady @dap1987 @Deano81 @Deisler26 @Emerion @enigmatic @Fudal @Garmt02 @HarrisFFC @JaytheGreat @Johnny-Trotter @karanhsingh @kidthekid @King Cactus @kingjericho @ManUtd1 @metallimuse @Mrlee.1986 @oche balboa  @Pavi @rodesire @rrozek93 @ryanpol123 @samboing @SRL88 @Tajerio @Tee2 @TheMadMonk

 

If you don't want to be tagged in future posts like this, please send me a direct message to that effect and I'll remove you from my tag list.

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Really enjoyed this thread - TBH I'd stopped reading over last couple weeks as I thought you'd be winding down with the Beta Release.

Anyway I shall continue to watch Englands exploits in the World Cup :onmehead:

 

As to what I personally liked in the thread - the PRO's for me were

  • your interactions with your 'agent' and the gentle humor you'd fit into the conversations.
  • the match footage and commentary
     

As for next year - we'll your own local football is in a very poor state at the minute - and not just your own (very well researched :) ) County team, but just across the border Burton Albion are heading in the wrong direction maybe you could resurrect the Brewers fortunes - post Clough jnr. ? - and spend a career journeying around the East Midlands (not quite as glamorous as managing "l'azzurri" ... :rolleyes:)

Or maybe try and better some Icon manager - starting off in the same position (League and similar level of team) they where and seeing what you can achieve over a similar career span ?

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26 August 2028

STUNIVERSE SELECTS HIS FIRST ENGLAND SQUAD

Wembley Way: Newly appointed England manager Stuniverse has sprung a surprise with his first England Squad to play Switzerland (H) and Denmark (a) by leaving out Three Lions stalwarts Harry Kane and John Stones.

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31 August 2028

STUNIVERSE NAMES ALEXANDER-ARNOLD AS ENGLAND CAPTAIN

Wembley Way: Newly appointed England manager Stuniverse has named Trent Alexander-Arnold as England captain, with Jude Bellingham named vice-captain.

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1 September 2028

PREVIEW: England v Switzerland

European Nations Group 3 (1)

Wembley Way: Newly appointed England manager Stuniverse will take on Switzerland at Wembley in his first game in charge of the Three Lions.

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1 September 2028

England 3-1 Switzerland

European Nations Group 3 (1)

Wembley Way: New England manager Stuniverse off to winning start!

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