Internazionale F.C. Status and Advice

[Lord_Slop]

Ok, so I've started my second season for F.C. Internazionale, the first season wasn't spectacular, but it was a good chance to get a feel of the team and establish the playing style.

In the first season, I reached the semi-final of the Italian cup, the round of 16 in the Champions' League and ended up close second in Serie A.

Transfers Out:
Walter Samuel (Real Madrid)
Maicon ( Manchester City)
Luis Mendes (Manchester City)
Total fees: 120 Million USD

Transfers in:
Luis Suarez
Miguel Veloso
Coutinho
Emmanuelle Eboue
Zapata
Arda
Arnautovic (Had him on loan and decided to keep him)
Sercan

The second season is starting off very well with 4 league victories straight from the start and an away draw with Chelsea at Stanford Bridge in the Champions League.

I'm having some problems with certain players:

1. Mario Balotelli: The player had been under-performing in the first season, scoring 4 goals and 1 assist in 42 matches, I tried all sorts of approaches with him, and all failed, now he's stating that he can't get himself motivating with me in the team.
2. Dejan Stankovic: I had an irrestable offer for him from Valencia, so I accepted, but he decided he wanted to stay, now he's also unmotivated with me in the team.

Furthermore, due to changing my tactics this season, I have some players who I no longer need, but who are quality players none-the-less, so I don't know whether to keep or lose them, these are:

Mancini
Riccardo Quaresma
Thiaggo Motta
Sulley Muntari.

Now, any suggestions on what to do for motivation for Balotelli and Stankovic, also should I lose or keep the others?

 

[LUK3]

Not sure if this'll work, but you could try to loan them out.

 

[Karzid]

I've been playing a game with Fiorentina and have been monitoring Inter quite closely (due to us and them battling for 1st place, which we eventually won in the last three games of the season). Mario Balotelli performed wonderfully (came close second to Stevan Jovetic from our team in either Young Player of the Year or Foreign Player of the Year, Jovetic won both so i don't remember). If he isn't performing well for you, he still deserves some first team games cause he DOES perform magnificently when he's on form. For motivation I guess just praise them, talk to them (as in ask for recommendations for coaches, staff, players, that sorta thing), and give them a good word whenever they perform well.

As far as I could tell, Ricardo Queresma and Thiago Motta did nothing special at all for Inter in that season. Ship em off while you can still get a fair bit of cash for them I reckon.

For Stankovic, he'll get over himself eventually. Dirk Kuyt came to our team first season, and he was performing really well. But ever since the beginning he had been iffy about coming, and had wanted to stay at Liverpool but greatly doubted his first team status. So he came to us for a shitload of money ($36 mil I believe it was) and was immediately unhappy. He wanted a fresh start but was extremely unhappy about having to move from Liverpool. Halfway through the season however, he began to realise how good we were going with him there, and how good HE was going too. So he dealt with it, and actually grew to like us and Fiorentina became his favorite club, Liverpool just disappeared from there. He did however continuously recommend Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres when asked who he'd like for us to sign... Though Gerrard may be coming this season, which would be great.

Muntari and Mancini perform alright, but during our season neither impressed anyone really. I believe the manager actually decided to sell Muntari off.

For Stankovic, maybe transfer list him and buy instead a great player like Ricardo Montolivo or Fabian Delph. Both, in my opinion, do his job way better and would more than likely love to come to Inter.

 

[victorinop]

from where I see it, the problem was bringin (luis suarez) and keeping (Arnautovic) players that play in the same position as him. I know he played 42 games (all of them I'm guessing) but the game does those kind of tricks sometimes =/

 

[mhiggins]

I also have an inter save, currently in season 6. I play Mario Balotelli on the left wing. Excellent form, both scoring and assisting heavily each season. Plenty of creative freedom and cutting inside often. I'd highly recommend it.

 

[stupidmoose]

Keep Balotelli - he will eventually find form.

When I started out with Real Madrid, C. Ronaldo and Kaka had problems motivating themselves due to my status as a manager. Now, 3 seasons in, they both list me as "favoured personell" and credit me after victories. Time heals everything - keep Stankovic, too.

Muntari was excellent during my brief stint as Inter manager.

I also believe you should have kept Maicon. He is a game changer.

 

[Lord_Slop]

Update on how things are going:

1. Balotelli got his chance as a starter for the second season (put Eto'o on the sidelines for him) and he actually out-performed, he's now the top scorer with 12 goals + 4 assists after 15 matches, he still has trouble motivating himself while I'm around though, so I'm just giving him good speaches and praising his form, hopefully he'll get over that.
2. Stankovic is still unhappy with me, but I guess that will have to stand cause he wants first team starter position, which is simply not doable with 2 players out-performing him, namely Sneijder and Coutinho.
3. Motta and Muntari are always nagging, but the same problem persists, I don't have room for them as starters.

The starting line-up is now as follows:
GK Julio Cesare
CB Lucio
CB Crisian Zapata
LB Christian Chivu
RB Emmanuelle Eboue
CM Wesley Sneijder
CM Esteban Cambiasso
CM Arda
AMC Coutinho
ST Mario Balotelli
ST Diego Milito

Rotations:
CB Nicholas Burdisso, Ivan Cordoba
LB/RB Javier Zanetti, Davide Santon
CM Miguel Veloso, Dejan Stankovic, Sulley Muntari, Thiaggo Motta
AMC Wesley Sneijder, Dejan Stankovic
ST Luis Suarez, Samuel Eto'o, Marko Arnautovic.

The team is currently first in Serie A with 6 points clear of Palermo, we're also first in the group stage of the Champions' League with 3 points clear of Chelsea.

I think I'll need more depth in the DC position as Lucio and Ivan Cordoba are not getting much younger.

Any suggestions on how to further improve the team?

P.S. Maicon I had to sell off, he was constantly stirring up problems about wanting to leave, was unhappy and his form was starting to drop, best I could do was get a good deal on him, I managed to sell him for 52 Million USD.

 

[Karzid]

Have you got any transfer budget left? If so, at the mid-year transfer season, try to buy Ricardo Montolivo. If need be, maybe trade Motta or Muntari for him. Montolivo has been superb for us, and for Italy. He became Italy's top player first year, and easily won the MC place on the World Cup XI. Motta and Muntari, where they are now, are only going to lower morale or make you have to field a weaker team. Whilst you can and should still include them in easy games, Montolivo would be better due to his skill in midfield. And due to his current age (For second season, which you're in, should be 32 I believe) he wouldn't have too much problems getting sub appearances, and due to him being transferred in he would be even happier there.

While Maicon is definitely a good player, you did get a hefty sum for him, and it seems like you made a great decision.

For a DC, I had some good experiences with Daniel Agger when we signed him (as Fiorentina still). Alessandro Gamberini is another gem.

 

[Lord_Slop]

I'm out of transfer budget, 230K remaining, but I have 4 players I'll probably offload in January.

Mancini
Quaresma
Motta
Materazzi

If all goes as planned, I could probably round off another 40 million in income, if I do, I'll see what I can do to get the players you mentioned.

 

[Karzid]

I'm out of transfer budget, 230K remaining, but I have 4 players I'll probably offload in January.

Mancini
Quaresma
Motta
Materazzi

If all goes as planned, I could probably round off another 40 million in income, if I do, I'll see what I can do to get the players you mentioned.

Nice, hopefully you get some good money out of them. If you do need the defender, go for Gamberini first. If Fiorentina are being hardasses about him, go for Agger. We signed him for $20 something mil. Montolivo may cost you a pretty penny though, but he's worth it, and would definitely be up there with your top MCs.