09 June 2025

Previously on "Inter is coming":

The Shadow Of Herrera

It's official, no Inter manager has won more trophies than Ángel Bastardo. SEVEN trophies put him alongside the two Inter greats: Helenio Herrera & Roberto Mancini. But it's the former, Helenio Herrera, who still has the upper hand...two glorious European Cups during back-to-back wins in 1964 & 1965. Bastardo remains in the shadow of his Argentine compatriot, but a Champions League win would see Bastardo reach similar legendary status.

Note - Herrera's Inter never had a chance to win the Supercoppa Italiana, due to the Cup being founded in 1988.

2024/25 was close. A Semi Final exit at the hands of eventual winners Chelsea. In both legs Inter had taken the lead, but in both legs a set piece goal was conceded. Chelsea defended bravely and a repeat performance in the final saw them win 1-0 against Real Madrid. Bastardo has now been knocked out by the eventual winners in each of the last 4 years. Agony!

Bastardo in the Champions League: Last 16, Runner Up, Semi Final, Semi Final

But 2024/25 wasn't all bad. Inter retook the Serie A title from Juventus with a club record 101 points total (beating Mancini's 97 points in 2006/07). Bastardo now sitting with a hat trick of Scudettos.

The Italian Cup followed...Juve again the team losing out after a hard fought 2-1 win in extra time. Inter had come for Italy's Old Lady and Bastardo strikes back from the disappointment of 2023/24.

Goodbye to El Niño Maravilla

Alexis Sánchez "The Boy Wonder" continued his impressive return to Serie A at the ripe old age of 36. He won the Serie A Best Player and, like Antonio Candreva a few seasons ago, was one of the major reasons for Inter's return to trophies.

1,584 minutes (13 starts, 30 sub appearances)
15 goals (106 minutes on pitch per goal)
5 assists
7.49 Average Rating (highest in Inter squad)

But all good things must come to an end, Alexis has revealed his intentions to retire and not see out his contract through to Summer 2026. It's something I agree upon and will not be asking him to reconsider. He leaves Inter a 'One Season Wonder'.

Thank you, El Niño Maravilla

The Beginning Of The End

2025 header update to reflect Bastardo's 8th and 9th career league trophies in FM17 :-)

Bastardo is now at the end game of this save. With FM18 looming, and my desires for a few weeks break to re-charge away from FM, Bastardo is in the final 12 months of his Inter journey - in what will be his 5th and final season in Milan. A new contract will not be agreed, so this really is the beginning of the end for the "Inter is coming" story.

2024/25's recruitment focused on experience: players who could contribute to the 1st team commitments straight away. The Summer of 2025 will be no different, we look to bolster the squad with 1 or 2 big names and use all available cash for one final push at Champions League glory. Ideally improvements to the left hand side of the team: a Left Back and a Winger to replace the retiring Alexis.

We also have two young Strikers that surprised me last season out on loan. So I could be persuaded to sell Adam Trojan, who hasn't been good enough to oust Facundo Colidio from the 1st team. The young starlets are Erick Di Palma and Andrea Fiorucci (below). Between them, they could provide cover for Colidio, should Trojan depart.

Di Palma: 18 goals in 38 appearances for Ajax during 2024/25.

Andrea Fiorucci: 7 goals in 19 games in a 6 month loan deal at Pro Vercelli (in Serie A).

This has been a rather short update, mainly because I want to get back playing again. Careful planning is needed for the success Bastardo craves. Let's go and get that eighth trophy and emerge from the shadow of Herrera (hopefully with a Champions League trophy) *grits teeth*.

Inter is coming.

Oh, one final thing...

The Class of 2009

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2009, play FM
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, FM would be it
The long term benefits of FM have been proved by scientists
Whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
Than my own meandering experience, I will dispense this advice now...

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth intake; oh nevermind; you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth intake until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at your save and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility laid before them and how fabulous those Newgens really looked...
You're not as bad at FM as you Imagine.

Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to upload a YouTube video with no personality
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind.
The kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday without FM.

Do one thing everyday in FM that scares you.

Sim.

Don't be reckless with other people's saves, don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Cross.

Don't waste your time on FM jealousy;
Sometimes you're ahead,
Sometimes You're behind.
The race is long, and in the end, the tactics are only with yourself.

Remember the compliments about your content you receive, forget the insults;
If you Succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old DMs with your favourite Content Creator, throw away the old 'that's wank' statements.

Stretch [the play].

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your
FM18 save.
The most interesting people I know didn't know by December what they wanted to do with their FM17 save, some of the most interesting FMers I know still don't.

Build a new stadium.

Be kind to your facepack makers, you'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll journeyman, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have a son, maybe you won't, maybe you'll be sacked by 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 15th UCL win.
Whatever you do, don't Congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either.
Your FM choices are half chance, so are everybody else's.
Enjoy pre-season, Test your tactic every way you can... Don't be afraid of it, or what other people Think of it,
It's the greatest system you'll ever play...

Dance... even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Celebrate replays, even those in 2D.

Do NOT read Youtube Comments, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your Chairman, you never know when he/she will be gone for good.

Be nice to your Assistant Manager;
They are the best link to your past clubs and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that MVPs come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.
Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle in your 1st team squad, the more you need the people you knew when you're in a scrap.

Manage in South America once, but leave before it makes you hard;
Manage in England once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, FM drama will happen, Bloggers will be c*nts, YouTubers too will be c*nts, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young FM drama never happened, Bloggers were noble and YouTubers respected the Streamers.

Respect the Streamers.

Don't expect anyone else to support your content.
Maybe you have a trust fund, Maybe you have a wealthy Patreon; but you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, your YouTube videos will look utter sh*te.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those Bloggers who supply it. Blogging is a form of nostalgia, sharing content is a way of celebrating the past, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the FM...

FM Grasshopper, of The Class Of 2009 :-)