I thought I share my unexpected success story with Rosario Central.
At the beginning I must tell you that although I have played FM and before that CM for years, I have never really been even moderately good at it. That maybe puts the following story to the perspective.
For reason I can't even remeber, I used to like Rosario Central back in nineties. So I thought it would be nice to play with that team for a season or two.
OK, i set the game up (with LFCMarshalls update of the game) and found out that they have been relegated to the Argentinian second division, with some debts but overall with pretty good team. Managed to sign me a couple of pretty good free midfielders (colombians CM Pedro Ortega and AM Cesar Martinez) and bought AM Carlos Marinelli for a £70K. In winter break I managed to loan RB Luciano Abecasis from River with option to buy for £300K which I did in June following year.
View attachment 376454
I decided to use 4-4-2 diamond so I could get the best out of "new Maradona" Marinelli. And it proved to be a good decision. Guy was amazing all season, ending up with although not so high 7.19 average, but with 6 goals and 11 assists.
View attachment 376453
So I won the season with 89 points and with 20 point margin to second place River. OK, I was a little bit impressed because of the point difference but I thought that the other teams weren't nothing special and that in First Division I will probably get my *** kicked heavily.
View attachment 376451
In 2012 summer I managed to sign 2 more free midfielders (Ivan Marcone and Matias Laba) and in January I bought amazing 16-year-old wonderkid regen Leonardo Fernandez for £875K from San Martin (T). So, very carefully I was hoping for a top half finish... I was wrong...
View attachment 376455
I ended up WINNING the Opening stage with 2 point margin to second place Godoy Cruz! I simply didn't believe it! Even more so when Marinelli got injured after round seven for the rest of the opening stage and Ortega had to replace him (Marinelli's injury was also the reason I had to buy Fernandez, cause Marinelli was coming down with something pretty much every week after that long injury). I was especially proud of the team, cause winning the Opening stage gave us the chance to compete in Copa Libertadores.
View attachment 376452
Start of the Closing stage was nightmare - 3 losses out of 4 games and a loads of injuries because of the ultratight playing schedule, thanks to the Libertadores Cup - there was game in pretty much every 3-4 days. But bit by bit it started to pick up for us and we ended up in a pretty respectable 5th place in Closing stage. I agree, that's nothing to write a story about.
BUT!
I also won Copa Libertadores. When the final whistle in second game against Santos was blown, I had won both final games 1-0 and crowned champion of South America! Then my jaw quite literally dropped to the desk...
View attachment 376450
Conclusion - in two years, after signing 7 players for combined of £1,275M, I had become from the Argentinian Second Divison team to the champion of South America!
IS THAT NORMAL???
At the beginning I must tell you that although I have played FM and before that CM for years, I have never really been even moderately good at it. That maybe puts the following story to the perspective.
For reason I can't even remeber, I used to like Rosario Central back in nineties. So I thought it would be nice to play with that team for a season or two.
OK, i set the game up (with LFCMarshalls update of the game) and found out that they have been relegated to the Argentinian second division, with some debts but overall with pretty good team. Managed to sign me a couple of pretty good free midfielders (colombians CM Pedro Ortega and AM Cesar Martinez) and bought AM Carlos Marinelli for a £70K. In winter break I managed to loan RB Luciano Abecasis from River with option to buy for £300K which I did in June following year.
View attachment 376454
I decided to use 4-4-2 diamond so I could get the best out of "new Maradona" Marinelli. And it proved to be a good decision. Guy was amazing all season, ending up with although not so high 7.19 average, but with 6 goals and 11 assists.
View attachment 376453
So I won the season with 89 points and with 20 point margin to second place River. OK, I was a little bit impressed because of the point difference but I thought that the other teams weren't nothing special and that in First Division I will probably get my *** kicked heavily.
View attachment 376451
In 2012 summer I managed to sign 2 more free midfielders (Ivan Marcone and Matias Laba) and in January I bought amazing 16-year-old wonderkid regen Leonardo Fernandez for £875K from San Martin (T). So, very carefully I was hoping for a top half finish... I was wrong...
View attachment 376455
I ended up WINNING the Opening stage with 2 point margin to second place Godoy Cruz! I simply didn't believe it! Even more so when Marinelli got injured after round seven for the rest of the opening stage and Ortega had to replace him (Marinelli's injury was also the reason I had to buy Fernandez, cause Marinelli was coming down with something pretty much every week after that long injury). I was especially proud of the team, cause winning the Opening stage gave us the chance to compete in Copa Libertadores.
View attachment 376452
Start of the Closing stage was nightmare - 3 losses out of 4 games and a loads of injuries because of the ultratight playing schedule, thanks to the Libertadores Cup - there was game in pretty much every 3-4 days. But bit by bit it started to pick up for us and we ended up in a pretty respectable 5th place in Closing stage. I agree, that's nothing to write a story about.
BUT!
I also won Copa Libertadores. When the final whistle in second game against Santos was blown, I had won both final games 1-0 and crowned champion of South America! Then my jaw quite literally dropped to the desk...
View attachment 376450
Conclusion - in two years, after signing 7 players for combined of £1,275M, I had become from the Argentinian Second Divison team to the champion of South America!
IS THAT NORMAL???
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