Hello my friends and welcome to the start of my 11th season in charge of Romanian club Viitorul Constanta in Football Manager 2012. Last season was not bad, we failed to qualify from the Champions League group stage but that gave us the chance to play the Europa League final for the second time in my career. Unfortunately we were outplayed by Juventus in the final but that is behind us by now.
Our financial situation was not bad at the beginning of the summer so we were offered a pretty good wage budget along with just over 11 million pounds for transfers.
Moreover, the board have finally repaid an old loan of just over 1 million pounds.
And now, the transfers. Two first team players were sold: right back Darko Andric and midfielder Joaozinho, both replaced with better players. And I also decided to expand the first team squad to 24 players compared to the previous 23, mainly because I wanted better options in case of an injury crisis.
So there are three new first team players to introduce (click on the names to see their profiles):
Tomislav Djurdjek — an impressive right back.
Maximiliano Ceballos — probably the best central midfielder I had so far, surely the most expensive signing yet.
Jerome Vrignaud — a decent striker that should provide good cover upfront, great value for money since I got him for free :)
And now the full 24-man squad, with all the updated player profiles:
Goalkeepers: Tomas Held, Vaninho
Right Backs: Tomislav Djurdjek, Ali Amara
Left Backs: Sebastien Verdier, Danut Gongolea
Centre Backs: Georgica Dicu, Xavier Dumont, Juan Belencoso, Sammy Mbarga
Central Midfielders: Maximiliano Ceballos, Hector Fernandez, Yasen Zlatinski, Alin Dicher, Markus Winkler, Roman Benes, Gabriel Neacsa
Strikers: Rastislav Benko, Manoel, Dramane Sow, Juan Cruz Argenti, Peter Guba, Jerome Vrignaud, Guido van der Meulen
Our good Europa League run from last season maintained the Romanian League in 13th position in the European Competition rankings, which means that the qualification places were left unchanged.
But we managed to move quite a few places up in the European club rankings, we are 14th now and I was hoping that we would be seeded second in the Champions League group draw thanks to that ranking. There are 8 teams in each pot, so basically the top 8 are seeded first and the following 8 are seeded second and so on, that is if all of them qualify for the group stage.
Before moving to the actual matches and results, I am pleased to announce that the board decided to invest some more cash into the training facilities. I’m always pleased to see such news :)
We kicked off the season by winning another Romanian Super Cup, our 9th in a row! Then we started the league campaign with an unlucky draw before recording some really impressive wins. However, we recorded another draw at the end of August, quite unlucky again but I guess some complacency was involved as well.
And now, drum rolls…
… Yes, we were seeded second for the Champions League group stage draw!
But… that didn’t mean we had more luck with that infamous draw! We got Manchester United from the first pot, no complaints there as all the 8 teams in that pot were tough. But we got Roma from the third pot when we could have gotten the likes of Zenit St. Petersburg… Well, I guess we’ll have to work our way into the top seeded pot for an easier draw?
However, the bookmakers think that we are better this season as our odds have moved to 33-1 from 40-1 last season.
We will start the campaign with a home game against Manchester United, the team that we have also met last season in the group stage. That time we grabbed a 0-0 draw at home but lost 2-0 at Old Trafford. I don’t know if we are better than last season but the Red Devils surely are since they spent no less than 45 million pounds to buy Yaya Sanogo!
Then we’ll meed Dinamo Zagreb away, a team that we have beaten 2-0 back in 2015 in the Champions League preliminary rounds, so I guess we should get a win there. And then we’ll have the decisive back to back games against Roma, a team that we have never met before.
Last but not least, our finances are still looking green, bright-green I might say :)
That’s all that I had to report for now folks, stay tuned for the Champions League group stage update. I don’t know when that will be, but until then we can have some fun in the comments section ;)
Ivo Knežević
16 мая, 2012 at 19:09
Hey Johnny,
Nice signings especially the croatian one and the french striker has outstanding attacking atributes :)
Also nice to see dinamo in the cl :)
Good luck
Johnny Karp
16 мая, 2012 at 19:28
Thanks Ivo, the Croatian right back is good indeed and the striker is not bad either. I will try not to beat Dinamo too hard :)
Darren Smith
16 мая, 2012 at 19:52
Fantastic signings Johnny, I think this summers action will propel your side forward and quite fitting to be drawn second seed in the Champions League as well. Fingers crossed for a great season.
Johnny Karp
16 мая, 2012 at 20:16
Thanks Darren, I hope we will further improve our reputation this season and maybe attract even better players next summer.
Jonathan Carver
16 мая, 2012 at 19:57
Yesss!! Eventually you have that 2nd seeding you’ve wanted :D pity Roma came our of the third pot :( but I’m sure you are still favourites to qualify along with Man U :) good luck!!
Johnny Karp
16 мая, 2012 at 20:17
Thanks mate. We haven’t met Roma before so I don’t know how strong they really are but I’m sure that we’ll have tough matches against them.
Dan
16 мая, 2012 at 20:01
Hey Johnny,
You got some good signings there adding to an already strong team. Hopefully you can get out of your CL group this time but it will be tough. Good luck!
Johnny Karp
16 мая, 2012 at 20:17
Thanks Dan, I hope so too.
Tegar Triemanudigdo
16 мая, 2012 at 21:58
Oh yeah, looks like you’re in tough group there! Another MU, huh? Plus Roma and Zenit, this might be tricky one to dealt. Let’s just hope your luck is along your way there aside from the skills of your team.
Anyway, I’ll look forward on the next journey.
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 05:33
Yeah, it is tough but hopefully my team is a bit better now compared to last season.
denson
16 мая, 2012 at 23:48
Good update again Johnny!
And some good signings in that window.
I think you should get another writer on the main site because there are not many posts atm!
Anyway good luck for the season!!
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 05:38
Thanks mate. As for the writing team, there are a few more factors to consider, including some technical ones. So there won’t be any new writers for the moment.
Kevin
17 мая, 2012 at 00:08
Hi Johnny
Tough luck in getting United again in your group but those three new signings you brought in look like legends in the making and will hopefully topple the Red Devils.Finaces healthy, facilites upgrading so it all looks pretty good for Viitorul :)
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 05:38
Hey Kevin, I hope we will do some damage this season, maybe even at Old Trafford :)
saltwater
17 мая, 2012 at 00:19
14th best team in all of Europe! Well hasn’t this club came far? Fantastic spots in the transfer markets especially that free striker, and despite Roma’s name coming out the hat, I’m pretty sure you’ll qualify (my bet would be with one game left)
Good Luck!
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 05:39
Haha, yes, we did come pretty far, didn’t we? :) Thanks for the prediction as well, I hope it will prove correct.
TheZiggy
17 мая, 2012 at 00:38
Good to see the training facilities being upgraded, and I think the new first team signings look superb. You surely must be stronger than last season.
That’s tough luck getting those teams come up in the draw, although I reckon after what happened last season, you have a decent chance of upsetting those damned Mancunians.
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 05:40
Thanks Ziggy, we were close to beating United at home last season so I hope we will pull it off now, who knows…
Malhar Bhadbhade
17 мая, 2012 at 00:48
hey johnny,
wow, on my save, only City spend foolish money like that. Sanogo’s good, but not that good..hahaha. anyway, you made some very good signings, especially that right back, very impressive. and the striker you got on a free was ridiculously good for his price too, wonder which club was dumb enough to let him go. anyway, good luck for your champions league campaign next season! cheers!
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 05:41
Thanks mate. About the striker, he left Valenciennes because his contract was running out. In fact, I signed him last December ;)
Lye
17 мая, 2012 at 08:43
The right back Tomislav Djurdjek is awesome so does Maximiliano Ceballos. On paper, it does look like a tough draw but i guess you can spring some surprise when you face Man Utd. Somehow i think you will get past the group stages as long as you get some decent results against Man Utd and Roma away.
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 14:37
Thanks Lye. The away games against the top two group stage rivals have been our main problem last season, hopefully things will go better this time.
Laxeyman
17 мая, 2012 at 11:51
Really like the look of the midfielder and the right back Johnny, they will surely do a good job and help you in the CL, which is quite tough, but I reckon you’re good enough to beat Roma and thereby finish 2nd :) Good start in the league too, I’d be amazed if you didn’t win the league comfortably once again ;) Good luck in the CL!
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 14:38
Thanks mate, I am quite sure that we will win the domestic league, no worries about that.
Martin Pickard
17 мая, 2012 at 12:48
Hey Johnny! Nice post and good signings I’m sure they’ll help you out of the Group Stages this year! Your League campaign looks like its going to be straight forward yet again…just fingers-crossed for Champions League progression! KUTGW :)
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 14:38
Thanks Martin, I reckon we will need a bit of luck in that group.
Acss
17 мая, 2012 at 14:46
Good signings mate, it’s gonna be tough against Man Utd but I’m sure you can win that 2nd place, good luck! :)
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 16:38
Thanks mate.
vaibhavc
17 мая, 2012 at 14:49
You finally got that second seed, and the result, you get a tough group! You always get tough groups. Hope you can get second place, or even first place if United screw up!
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 16:39
Yeah, I know, I guess I’m not too lucky with those draws :)
Ana Garcia
17 мая, 2012 at 18:27
Did you smash a mirror or something Johnny?!!
Your luck is terrible even in a seeded draw to get both Manchester United and Roma, Dinamo are a fairly good team also so another tricky group!
At least financially you look very secure and your new signings do look very exciting, so I have my fingers crossed for you this season.
Good luck!! :)
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 18:37
Haha, no, I didn’t smash anything :) But hopefully all these good luck wishes will help sooner or later :)
Martin F.M.J.S
17 мая, 2012 at 18:56
Some good signings Johnny I especially like the right back. You have also started the League very strong so shouldn’t have any problem there. United look to be the toughest game as you know and Sanogo might be a problem but Im sure you can qualify this group and hopefully grab top spot. Good Luck :D
Johnny Karp
17 мая, 2012 at 20:06
Thanks Martin. Top spot is a bit optimistic, I’d be very happy to finish second.
Mohammad Sadek
18 мая, 2012 at 01:17
I smell great things are coming Impressive signings specially Djurdjek , However very tough group & I told you before that Mr Platini doesn’t like you !!!
CsAtlantis
18 мая, 2012 at 10:10
Ceballos is an amazing all rounder hopefully he will perform well for you Johnny, it’s a hard group in the Champions League but I believe with Djurdjek joining too you should be more than a match for Roma