[FM16] San Giovanni - A Sammarinese youth only challenge

[Bedese]

It's definitely not the easiest draw, but I don't think it's the hardest, either. Ludogorets have been knocked out in the Third Round in eight of their last nine campaigns (losing in the playoff in the other one), so I'm hoping that the gap between us isn't massive. They're definitely heavy favourites, but they're nowhere near as strong as someone like Haifa.

[Bedese]

We don't have much chance of going through, but I'm really proud of how we played. Ludogorets were on top for most of the game but we flat out refused to let them have their own way, fighting back time and time again. At 4-2 it looked like it was all but over, but then Mattia Bacciocchi (YP43) did this:

[video=youtube;_5ExDBEKRk0]

We'll make them work hard for the second leg, that's for sure.

[Bedese]

A 1-1 draw away in Bulgaria is a respectable result, even if we were dominated for most of the game. We're out for this year, but we're getting closer to making the breakthrough.

[Bedese]

That's not good.

[Bedese]

We seem to have a bit of a problem.

I'm not sure what's changed, but all of a sudden not a single one of my new youth players will accept a new contract, meaning that they're likely to be leaving two or three years after joining. They aren't the only ones, either - Mattia Bacciocchi (YP43) is also refusing to sign a new deal, despite not being rated highly at all by my assistant. I don't have a clue why this has suddenly started to happen, but I think that going Professional would solve it - but my board refuse to let me turn Pro. I'll keep trying, but we might be in big trouble if something doesn't change quickly.

[Bedese]

Youth Intake Day!

He looks decent, but I'll be training him at CB. I wonder if he'll learn the position before he undoubtedly leaves on a free.

[Bedese]

Season Review

Campionato Sammarinese:

Table

Schedule

I can't work out if I'm more stunned or annoyed. We went on a five game losing streak, and didn't even qualify for the playoffs.

Coppa Titano:

Table

Schedule

We lost in the final - we aren't even going to be playing in the Europa League next year. We well and truly f***ed this up.

Squad

Key Players:

Highest Average Rating:

Mattia Bacciocchi (YP43) - 7.52

We have a new face here for the first time in twelve years. If Battistini (YP34) hadn't gotten injured for 4 months he probably would have regained it, but still.

Top Goalscorer:

Mattia Bacciocchi (YP43) - 26

About the only good thing to happen this year was that Bacciocchi agreed to a new deal with us.

Manager's Player of the Year:

No-one. We were ****.

San Marino NT players:

Marco Podeschi - Didn't do too badly in the Championship.

Pietro Bonfiglio - His club career has been really underwhelming.

Aims for next season:

Honestly? I don't know. We were awful this year. Our squad is getting older, and the only players coming through who can replace our veterans don't want to resign new deals. Until I can fix that, I don't expect to do very well. This save is one step forward, two steps backwards at the moment, and it's really frustratinng.

Other teams:

League Winners: Folgore Falciano beat Faetano 1-0 in the final.

Cup Winners: Cosmos beat us 2-1 in the final.

How the team in CL qualifying did: We put up a good fight against Ludogorets, but just couldn't g

How the teams in Europa qualifying did: Tre Fiori lost 5-1 to HB from Faroe Islands, Cosmos lost 4-0 to Croatian side Split (how do you lose to the same amount HB as you do Split? Come on Tre Fiori...) and Cailungo lost 4-2 to Linfield from Northern Ireland.

San Marino National team:

2043 Results --- 2044 Results

We didn't have a great year, but we've been given an easy Nations League Group. I'd really hope that we could win it.

[Bedese]

Things really aren't going well at the moment.

[Bedese]

A stalwart for the club, he didn't play much in the latter stages of his career but was a top class CB for us for a long time, finishing with an average rating of 7.14 in 380 games.

Manuel Gentile (YP16) has also gone. His contract was up, and he wanted too much to make it viable to resign him. He leaves the same way he started - on the fringes of the first team. It took him a long time to get gametime for us, but he sure took it when it came. He leaves us having played for an astounding 20 seasons, with 335 games, 99 goals, 118 assists and an average rating of 7.32.

[Bedese]

Youth Intake Day!

He looks fairly decent apart from 5 one on ones, and I was in need of a new keeper. It's a shame he'll almost definitely be leaving soon.

[Bedese]

Season Review

Campionato Sammarinese:

Table

Schedule

We were poor all season, and it doesn't surprise me that we couldn't win the playoffs.

Coppa Titano:

Table

Schedule

One win in six group games says it all.

Squad

Key Players:

Highest Average Rating:

Marco Battistini (YP34) - 7.46

He won this back, but 7.46 is pretty low.

Top Goalscorer:

Mattia Bacciocchi (YP43) - 27

11 goals for a top scorer is pathetic.

Manager's Player of the Year:

Michele Battistini (YP53)

He had a good season for us upfront.

San Marino NT players:

Marco Podeschi - Played fantastically for Middlesbrough.

Pietro Bonfiglio - His career has completely stagnated.

Aims for next season:

The only good news was that I managed to extend everyone's contract who was previously going to leave. The bad news is, no Europe for two years in a row might kill us off. We absolutely need to turn Professional ASAP, but we need the money from Europe to do that. The money from San Marino has declined so much that we need the Champions League money just to break even for the year. I don't understand how our competitors have managed to turn Pro (Folgore Falciano, Faetano, Libertas and Tre Fiori are all Professional teams), but we really need to follow suit. These two years without Europe have completely drained our finances, and we'll probably be at about 600k by the end of next season. Being Semi-Pro means all our best players decide to leave, which makes us weaker in Europe, which means we lose out on prize money, which means we don't have the money to move on from being Semi-Pro, which means...

Other teams:

League Winners: Folgore Falciano beat Faetano on penalties in the final.

Cup Winners: Cailungo beat La Florita 2-1 in the final.

How the team in CL qualifying did: Folgore were able to scrape through the First Round, beating TNS 1-0! They got battered 8-0 by Celtic in the Second Leg, but it's a much needed boost to our Nation coefficients.

How the teams in Europa qualifying did: Cosmos lost 6-1 to Serbian side Vojvodina, while Libertas lost 4-1 to Dinamo Tbilisi of Georgia.

San Marino National team:

2044 Results --- 2045 Results

6-0! We had a good year, coming second in our Nations League group, with the Faroe Islands proving just too tough to catch (we were the only team to get a point off them, however).

[Bedese]

Good that the only year we haven't had it is the year that it would have gone to us...

[Bedese]

Mr Consistent, Pier Marino Valentini (YP19) retires having played games in 17 separate seasons for us. He was a phenomenally reliable presence at RB, and ends his 330 game career with just 2 goals, 17 assists, 2 man of the matches and an average rating of 7.03. Don't worry, Pier Marino. You might never have got recognition from the wider footballing community, but I value just how important you were to us back in your peak.

[sherwinriga]

It's red flag nations against San Marino in the 2046 World Cup qualifiers! That would make more interesting after you finally make the San Marino NT team better in the European Nations League! Good luck on hunting a win!

[Bedese]

It's red flag nations against San Marino in the 2046 World Cup qualifiers! That would make more interesting after you finally make the San Marino NT team better in the European Nations League! Good luck on hunting a win!

Haha, good spot, I hadn't noticed that. San Marino's better players are getting older and San Marino Calcio haven't produced anyone anywhere close to their level for a while, so I think this is our peak for the moment. Remember though, I don't manage the NT. They got annoyed at my excessive holiday time and booted me out

[Bedese]

Youth Intake Day!

He looks like a decent keeper, but he's down the pecking order for now.

I've only tagged him because we're short on strikers.

It's not a great intake, but it's at least given us two depth players.

Well then...

[Bedese]

Season Review

Campionato Sammarinese:

Table

Schedule

What a way to rebound after two dreadful years. After realising that my FBs constant low ratings probably had something to do with the way I was using them, I switched them from defensive fullbacks to attacking wingbacks, and it really worked. Things should go a lot smoother domestically, as we just overwhelmed the majority of teams we faced.

Coppa Titano:

Table

Schedule

This one didn't work out quite as well.

Squad

Key Players:

Highest Average Rating:

Michele Battistini (YP53) - 7.72

He was fantastic.

Top Goalscorer:

Mattia Bacciocchi (YP43) - 23

He's still superb, but seeing as his game is completely based on pace I don't expect it to last much longer.

Manager's Player of the Year:

Christian Innaurato (YP51)

He was excellent, and his stats are starting to look really good.

San Marino NT players:

Marco Podeschi - Starting to decline.

Pietro Bonfiglio - I wish he'd have moved to a smaller Serie A team, because he could have had a great career.

Aims for next season:

We did what we needed to make it back into the CL, and I'd really like to push for the Third Qualifying Round.

Other teams:

League Winners:

Cup Winners: Cosmos beat Tre Fiori 2-1 in the final.

How the team in CL qualifying did: Folgore were knocked out of the First Round in extra time by Armenians Shirak, losing 3-2 on aggregate.

How the teams in Europa qualifying did: Cailungo lost 7-0 to Brondby from Denmark, while Faetano lost 7-0 to Croatian's Inter Zapresic.

San Marino National team:

2045 Results --- 2046 Results

The red flag nations were always going to be tricky.

[Bedese]

123 caps and 344 games for us - Bernardi had a good career. He was always just off the cusp of that elite level, but retires with a 7.31 average rating. Not too shabby.

[Bedese]

They've never made it past the First Round, so this should be easy.

[Bedese]

We put up a good fight against them five years ago, but ultimately couldn't get the job done. They're still probably too strong for us, but I'm not ruling us out just yet...

[Bedese]

WHAT A GAME!

We were on the back foot from the start, but held out until the 34th minute, when a free kick somehow evaded everyone and gave their striker a simple tap in from four yards out. I went attacking after that, but a well placed shot from the edge of the area in the 48th minute looked like giving us no chance of progressing. But then it happened. The most unlikely of goalscorers, Nicola Conti (YP54) was able to poke one home after a goalmouth scramble, giving us new life. We played fantastically on the break after that, and in the 68th minute one such counter attack yielding results. Michele Battistini (YP53) sprinted down the left wing before crossing a ball into the box. It was too close to the keeper but it had too much pace on it for him, and he could only punch it out right towards Mattia Bacciocchi (YP43). 2-2. Filippo Ugolini then stole the spotlight.

[video=youtube;yVv5VJI63SA]

We might have won, but I'm not getting carried away. It'll be a much harder task in Czech Republic, especially as they have two away goals to their name. We'll have to defend like heroes to get anything out of them. Something else which doesn't help is that Michele Battistini (YP53) injured his thigh during the first leg, and he's touch and go to make the rematch.

[Bedese]

WE MADE IT!

They scored fairly early on, meaning we had to go chase the game. In the 41st minute Christian Innaurato (YP51) put a cross into the box, and it ended up looping over the goalkeeper's head right into the top corner! It was the first time we've had some real luck in Europe and we took it, instantly parking the bus. We were able to shut Trencin out for the remainder of the game, and the Third Round awaits! Considering how badly we needed to get the Nations coefficients up so we can start getting more money to turn Professional, this is absolutely huge!

We've only ever made it to the Third Round once, and that was nine years ago. Anderlecht beat us 9-2 back then, and I'm expecting something similar here, but I'm over the moon just to have made it.

[Bedese]

This is probably the weirdest game of FM I've ever played in.

They dominated us from the off, but they were met with Mattia Gasperoni in unbelievable form behind the sticks, as well as resolute last-ditch defending time and time again. At half time it was 0-0, and they were visibly frustrated. The referee tried to help them by giving a penalty just after half time for a fantastic tackle, but even that couldn't beat Gasperoni, who guessed the right way and made the save. We weren't creating anything, so it was looking like a 0-0 draw. Then this happened.

[video=youtube;8o5rzCrXICI]

WHY?

After Gasperoni forgot he had hands for a moment, he went back to making fantastic saves, but I was heartbroken. Until the 75th minute, when Marco Battistini (YP34) hit one from long range. It smashed off the crossbar, and the keeper couldn't hold it on the way down. We'd scored! We were drawing 1-1 away at Anderlecht! Unfortunately, four minutes later, Mattia Gasperoni made yet another save, only to see Denis unmarked to tuck home the rebound. 2-1 away is a fantastic result, but we're almost definitely out, and that Gasperoni mistake is weighing heavily on my mind.

[Bedese]

We even avoided a battering when playing attacking football. This is our best campaign ever, by far - I wonder if we can make any waves in the Europa Qualifier?

[Bedese]

The hardest out of the three teams we could have drawn (Genoa and Aston Villa were the other two). They usually make the CL or Europa Group Stage, and last year made it to the Europa Knockout Rounds. This'll be hard.

[Bedese]

This was inevitable, but we had a mighty fine run.

[sc91]

Great run, good to see you back on form.

[SoloTitano]

Great to see you back on European soil.

I wish you can finally made the next step

[Bedese]

Great run, good to see you back on form.

Great to see you back on European soil.

I wish you can finally made the next step

Thanks guys

[Bedese]

Youth Intake Day!

What a player! I'm so, so excited for him. 16 acceleration and 15 pace is insane for San Marino (almost certainly the fastest player ever in an intake), and 8 crossing and 6 dribbling are definitely workable. He could be even better than Nicola Rattini was. He's the only player worth tagging, but he's a damn good one.

Oh yeah.

[Orikoru]

It's a long time since you mentioned tactics now - just wondering what formation(s) you're using these days?

[sc91]

That pace and acceleration is sensational.

[Bedese]

It's a long time since you mentioned tactics now - just wondering what formation(s) you're using these days?

Good question, I'd forgotten to talk about tactics. I use a 4-2-4 for all my games, but I use either an attacking one or a counter attacking one depending on the game (usually it's the attacking one in the league, counter attacking one in Europe). Here's what the attacking one looks like:

And here are the instructions for it:

Individual instructions:

GK: Distribute to flanks, take short kicks, distribute quickly.

FBs: Shoot less often, cross aim target man, stay wider, dribble more, run wide with ball, cross more often, cross from byline, get further forward.

CBs: Shoot less often, dribble less, fewer risky passes, hold position.

BWM: Dribble less, fewer risky passes, hold position, close down much more, tackle harder.

DLP: More risky passes, shoot less often, hold position.

Wingers: Cross aim target man, dribble more, run wide with ball, cross more often, cross from byline, get further forward, stay wider.

TM: Hold position, hold up ball, dribble less.

AF: Roam from position, dribble more, get further forward, move into channels.

The defensive 4-2-4 is the same positioning and roles, except the FBs are FB(D) rather than WB(A) to give me a solid back line. Here's the team instructions:

Individual instructions:

GK: Distribute to flanks, take short kicks, distribute quickly.

FBs: Shoot less often, stay wider, run wide with ball, fewer risky passes, cross from deep, hold position.

CBs: Shoot less often, dribble less, hold position, fewer risky passes.

BWM: Dribble less, fewer risky passes, hold position, close down much more, tackle harder.

DLP: More risky passes, shoot less often, hold position.

Wingers: Cross aim target man, dribble more, run wide with ball, cross more often, cross from byline, get further forward, stay wider.

TM: Roam from position, move into channels, hold up ball, dribble less.

AF: Dribble more, get further forward, move into channels.

[Bedese]

That pace and acceleration is sensational.

I'm really hopeful it can develop a couple of points further and that he can turn into a quality player for us

[Bedese]

Season Review

Campionato Sammarinese:

Table

Schedule

I'm so f***ed off. This save is going nowhere because we keep throwing this away. How we can give Anderlecht a real game and then lose to f***ing Faetano is beyond me.

Coppa Titano:

Table

Schedule

We won this. Great.

Squad

Key Players:

Highest Average Rating:

Filippo Ugolini - 7.36

7.36 is our lowest average rating for a long, long time.

Top Goalscorer:

Mattia Bacciocchi (YP43) - 21

His pace is dropping, so he's going to become useless to us pretty soon.

Manager's Player of the Year:

Guiseppe Mazza (YP57)

Luckily, we have his replacement right here. Bacciocchi got hurt, and Mazza really stepped up to the plate.

San Marino NT players:

Marco Podeschi - He'll probably retire from international football soon.

Pietro Bonfiglio - Likewise. Finally got gametime, but didn't deliver in it.

Aims for next season:

Honestly? If we don't win the league back, I'm not sure what'll happen. We can't keep making massive progress in Europe only to f*** it up in San Marino.

Other teams:

League Winners: Faetano beat Virtus 3-2 in the final.

Cup Winners:

How the team in CL qualifying did: We stunned Trencin before giving Anderlecht a real fight in the Third Round.

How the teams in Europa qualifying did: Juvenes Dogana lost 6-0 to Danish side Brondby, Cailungo lost 5-0 to Norwegians Rosenborg and La Florita lost 3-1 to AEK Larnakas of Cyprus.

San Marino National team:

2046 Results --- 2047 Results

We had an impossible Nations League group, but at least we annoyed Latvia a little bit.

[Bedese]

[Bedese]

Two of our best ever strikers have retired. They were often competing for one spot, but both will be remembered fondly for all they did here. Tessarin ends his career with 253 games played, 115 goals, 70 assists and an average rating of 7.47. De Angelis retires with 307 games played, 158 goals, 70 assists and an average rating of 7.40.

[Bedese]

They're not one of the stronger Maltese sides, so this should be easy.

[Bedese]

We're probably out.

[Bedese]

We weren't too bad at home, but the damage had already been done.

[Bedese]

Youth Intake Day!

He doesn't look great, but we'll see if his pace can catch up to his acceleration.

Likewise.

[Bedese]

Season Review

Campionato Sammarinese:

Table

Schedule

I'm so relieved to have won this back. Now, we need to retain it.

Coppa Titano:

Table

Schedule

I can't remember the last time we did the double.

Squad

Key Players:

Highest Average Rating:

Marco Battistini (YP34) - 7.71

Even at age 34, he's still capable of giving us top quality performances. Which is good, because we really don't have any other CMs.

Top Goalscorer:

Giuseppe Mazza (YP57) - 28

What a way to mark your entrance as a first team player. His attributes look really good too.

Manager's Player of the Year:

Marco Di Filippo (YP58)

I was hoping he could become a starting winger for us, but he blew those expectations out the water. I'm so excited to see how he develops.

San Marino NT players:

Marco Podeschi - He's on the decline.

Pietro Bonfiglio - After a superb international career with 118 games played, he's retired from international football.

Aims for next season:

We need to win the league again. I'd love to make the CL Third Round Qualifiers again, but so much depends on the draw we get.

Other teams:

League Winners:

Cup Winners: Cailungo beat Tre Penne on penalties.

How the team in CL qualifying did: Faetano lost 4-0 to Welsh side TNS in the First Round.

How the teams in Europa qualifying did: We made it to the Second Round before losing to Rapid Wienna. For the first time, we weren't the only ones. Somehow, Libertas managed to beat Slavia Prague 2-0! Prague are a good, good side, so this might be the biggest upset for a Sanmarinese club ever. They didn't do too badly in the Second Round either, only losing 3-1 to Turkish side Basaksehir. Virtus lost 5-1 to Polish side Jagiellonia in the First Round.

San Marino National team:

2047 Results --- 2048 Results

I feel like we should be taking points off Belarus.

[Bedese]

We have Libertas to thank for this.

[Bedese]

This is really big news. Here's why:

He was an unbelievably good HOYD, and our intakes might suffer now that he's not around.

Here's the best we can replace him with:

That's a big drop off.

[Bedese]

I'm happy with this draw. They're not easy as they haven't been knocked out in the Second Qualifying Round since 2015, but they've also been knocked out in the Third Qualifying Round 28 out of their last 29 tries. They're probably easier than Trencin and APOEL, who we've knocked out in the past, so let's see what we can do.

[Bedese]

Absolutely pathetic. We fell apart in the last 20 minutes, and we're all but out already.

[Bedese]

This was a really poor showing. My team is made up of mostly either 33 year olds at the end of their careers and teenagers, so I might be asking too much of them for the moment.

[sherwinriga]

Not a good run behind Maribor after the success. Wait a minute, Marco Podeschi isn't in the picture, can I see his stats? I hope you put both the NT and the league to Top 150.

[Bedese]

Not a good run behind Maribor after the success. Wait a minute, Marco Podeschi isn't in the picture, can I see his stats? I hope you put both the NT and the league to Top 150.

Whoops, sorry! Podeschi moved to Rotherham in the Summer (who I support in real life), so here he is now:

The San Marino League is 180th in the world, while the NT is 188th, so we're a little while off.

[Bedese]

Youth Intake Day!

He's an interesting one. Excellent handling, rushing out and reflexes, and I do need a new long term GK, but he's only 5'10, and some of his other stats aren't the best. We'll see how he develops.

He's pretty decent all round, but we're set on the wing at the moment. Again, we'll see how he develops.

We desperately needed a CM, and we finally have one. He doesn't look overly fantastic but he's easily our best CM right now, and 14 passing will go a long way in San Marino.

This is the best intake we've had in a while. Maybe our old HOYD was just cursed...