“Rebuilding Ceuta in a 433” - Plazas de Soberanía #FM23

November 24, 2022

Previously on Plazas de Soberanía, a long unbeaten run had propelled AD Ceuta FC into 5th place of Primera Federación Grupo I.

Intro

“If one thing had been different, would everything be different today?” Taylor Swift

I’m comfortable in my own Blogging persona to openly write that I believe Taylor Swift to be one of the greatest lyricists of her generation. Her songs are often about heartache, particularly those tracks found on the surprise lockdown album titled ‘folklore’ which the above quote came from. The regrets, struggles and detailing of loneliness is what made the series of tracks so awesome, especially in a bloody global pandemic.

The quote above also rang true for me in an FM sense, as I gazed at the final 2022/23 league table of Primera Federación Group 1. AD Ceuta’s 6th place finish was not enough to grant a playoff berth…but we had come incredibly close. If some of our early season weaknesses could have been addressed sooner, or a few of those near misses in the final three league games without a win instead gone in…would everything be different today? Still, 6th is better than anybody predicted…let alone me. We stayed up: Mission Accomplished.

Yet now, it’s time to rebuild; players are leaving and band aids will not fix bullet sized holes in the squad. The club needs to be a shrewd operator given its financial woes, and the Board/Supporters will naturally start to want more from us. So, we will have a tactical shift for Season 2.

It’s time to rebuild…are you with me?

Season 2022/23

January - June 2023

After all the clean sheets from the 1st half of the season, we decided to keep just five more for the remainder of the season. The downturn in form is probably a mixture of injuries and declining mobility of some of our older heads, in particular soon-to-be retiring 1st choice CB Carasco. Similarly upfront Salhi started to wane as the season went on, with my Assistant frequently reminding me that the end is nigh for my Moroccan Prince (the highlights I was watching also supported this theory).

Nevertheless, goals continued to flow in from Lorenzo Gonzalez, who ended up with 32 league goals over 2022/23…with 20 league goals arriving in the second half of the season:

While we’re here, let's talk more about ‘Golzalez’…

Lorenzo, acquired 0.39 xG per 90 more than the average striker in the league, with his goals per 90 of 0.98 being over double that of the league’s average. It’s clear to me that without him we would be nowhere near playoff contention.

Yet, a Lorenzo Gonzalez-less season beckons in 2023/24. With one year left on his contract, and after the season he had, it was inevitable that an AI club would come calling. After negotiating an acceptable transfer fee (€325k) with both Player and Agent, the AI bid…but not at the values I originally wanted. Eventually I settled on this bid from Basel, which sees Lorenzo return to Switzerland:

Maybe one day the sale will end up being closer to the €325k I wanted, after income from the Friendly and potential % of any profit is received…but at least this allows Ceuta to claw back closer to break even in the budget (now ‘just’ the €900k in debt!).

This leads me on to rebuilding Ceuta…

“Rebuilding Ceuta in a 433”

Why ‘rebuild’, instead of continuing with the 442? Good question, here is why I have decided to switch:

Losing a 30-goals-a-season Striker means I should look to spread the goals around the starting XI a bit more. So, instead of a 442 supplying the one attack minded Striker…I want to move towards a front three.
The Ceuta Board adjusted the club culture and now want higher-tempo pressing football from 2023/24. This will require a tactical shift, because Ceuta are ranked 16th (out of 20) for Opposition Passes Per Defensive Action (4.40 per match) meaning the opposition are making a fair amount of passes before engaging in a defensive action. My remedy for this is to have more of a higher press, where we force the opposition into mistakes in their own half. An advanced trio of forwards can help with this press, as my ‘first defenders’.
15 players will be leaving, either as Free Transfers, loans expiring or retirements. This leaves only 7 players for the 2023/24 season still on the books at AD Ceuta…so I may never get a better opportunity to reshape the playing squad on such a large scale again.
I always envisaged a shift in tactic as we improved the squad anyway. Perhaps I would be inclined to stick with the 442 for a couple more seasons, if neither of the three factors above came about…but here we are. Let’s go 433.

Data Analysis

I’m using 2022/23 season player data from Spain (a loaded league, duh) in order to recruit targets, and I’m focussing on a few key metrics for each of the positions that need filling. This post was already in progress when FM Stag released his ‘What does “good” look like’, an article born from the deep questioning of other fellow FM Friend Chris/FM Eadster. Stag’s post was really helpful in terms of cross-checking the High-Medium-Low scores of certain metrics when analysing my data dump from FM. I implore you to go and read that, but also note that the below is purely my subjective opinion in what I want from my roles. To provide an example of what I am on about, I’ve rated Headers Won Per 90 a key metric to rate Strikers on. Some would not…and that’s totally fine. The reason I value this metric, on this occasion, is because I hope it highlights the odd battering ram in the data…which will complement the lone Support duty Pressing Forward role.

Outside of the metrics, I will also recruit with a slight preference for players under the age of 23, so that I can meet another of the Club Cultures. I would not go out of my way and filter on younger players, but I’ll be seeing if a couple of sub-23s are performing.

As you can see, it’s quite a rebuild with seven roles requiring immediate recruitment. I would even go as far as saying that a further five utility players would also be needed to supplement the below squad players (and any youth products from the 2023 intake I can use)…

The Filter and Salary Parameter:

Based: in Spain

Minutes: at least 1,000 minutes

Expiring: 3 months

Salary offered limited to €125,000 per p/a

Around 50% of my current league’s players still do not want to come to Ceuta. I know this because of the total number of my ‘Players In Range’ as shown in the Scouting Centre (with Interest in as ‘Dubious’). When unchecked, the player count would instantly double. “Haters gonna hate”.

Another thing I found here is the wage demands of certain high performing players who would consider a move. I was fixed on my cap (although I did have to take over and accept one player at €130k p/a when a DoF contract negotiation failed). At my level, I’ve found I’ve had to compensate on a lot of things…if one of the three metrics assigned to roles isn’t perfect, the player remains a target. “Beggars can’t be choosers”.

The Signings

God Bless Per 90 stats in FM23. In total, nine players were signed in the off-season: five free transfers, three players [from the Lorenzo money] and one loan. Here are four I am the happiest with:

Javi Cabezas (33-years-old) - Free Transfer - From the players expiring in 3 months, Javi Cabezas topped the league with Open Play Key Passes Per 90 (2.2), and ranks 11th in Dribbles Per 90. He assisted 10 times in the same league Ceuta find themselves in, and now arrives on a one-year deal. He can play in the 433 as an Inside Forward (on the left), an Inverted Winger (on the right) and could even re-train as my central Advanced Playmaker. Versatility in the lower leagues is good!

Data from contracts expiring in Primera Federación (at least 1,000 minutes played in 2022/23):

2.2 Open Play Key Passes Per 90
2.4 Dribbles Per 90
10 Assists

Mangel (21-years-old) - Free Transfer - In keeping with the versatility theme, this youngster can play naturally across the spine of the midfielder (CB, MC, AMC). Mangel played a full season in the tier below Ceuta’s (31 appearances) and has a broad spectrum of lovely defensive statistics: 11.9 Pressures Per 90, 1.81 Tackles Per 90 and 3.76 Interceptions Per 90. At 188cm tall, I would like him to sit as my CM-D anchor for the season, but I also have the backup option of slotting him into the CB positions as a ball player.

Data from contracts expiring in Segunda Federación (at least 1,000 minutes played in 2022/23):

11.9 Pressures Per 90
1.81 Key Tackles Per 90
3.76 Interceptions Per 90

Pau Martínez (22-years-old) - Free Transfer - Pau Martínez can play in either wide position, and featured in the same Spanish tier as Ceuta for 2022/23 with 15 starts and 18 substitutions. Despite only 1 goal and 3 assists in these games, I believe there is untapped potential here. Pau was ranked 1st in Crosses Completed Per 90 (3.0), 4th in Dribbles Per 90 (3.01), and has a solid Open Play Key Passes Per 90 score of 1.51.

Data from contracts expiring in Primera Federación (at least 1,000 minutes played in 2022/23):

3.0 Crosses Completed Per 90
3.01 Dribbles Per 90.
1.51 Open Key Passes Per 90

Arturo Rodríguez (34-year-old) - €20k fee from Sanse - I need to replace Lorenzo’s 32 league goals, and Arturo Rodríguez is not going to do that on his own…but I do hope he can lead the line as our Pressing Forward and bring others into play. Arturo makes the switch from league rivals Sanse, and is ranked 2nd in Headers Won Per 90 (14.95) and 1st in the % of those headers being won (64%) in the league. Additionally, he is ranked 6th for Shots Per 90 (3.36). His conversion rates are somewhat of a worry though (47% on target and 11% conversion rate)...but it does show he is accustomed to moving into shooting positions with ease.

Data from Primera Federación (at least 1,000 minutes played in 2022/23):

14.95 Headers Won Per 90
64% Headers Won
3.36 Shots Per 90

Javi Cabezas

Mangel

Pau Martínez

Arturo Rodríguez

The 433

Some of the football played during the second half of my Beta save with Lanús was rather breath-taking. I think going back to this is a good starting point to build from, however I am adapting it in line with the 2023/24 revised Board Culture in order to play more ‘higher tempo pressing football’. I’ll be keeping an eye on our OPPDA as Season 2 progresses and may have to make it more aggressive/press heavy.

Ceuta 433 [concept], still not settled on defensive roles.

TL;DR

I have kept Ceuta up with a 442, and have since overhauled the squad through the use of data analysis + scouting reports…but will it all be worth it? I have sold my best player and we’re switching to a 433 to meet the Board’s vision of higher tempo pressing football. If many things are different this season, will everything be different? Let’s see.

Thanks for reading/sharing/caring,

Tony / FM Grasshopper

“442: Strictly Come Defending” - Plazas de Soberanía #FM23

November 15, 2022

Previously on Plazas de Soberanía, I outlined my FM23 plans with AD Ceuta FC.

Welcome back to mainland Africa,

This post covers a brief save update from the first 6 months of fútbol at newly promoted AD Ceuta FC in the Spanish 3rd tier. I’ll write about the initial tactic, subsequent recruitment and then document where we currently sit at the point of the European winter break. Are you excited? I am…

¡Vamos!

The ‘Opening Day Tactic’

The new FM23 Squad Planner inadvertently generates a chicken Vs egg discussion in my head. Do FM players want to see their team in the new Planner before choosing a tactic OR are they happy to choose a tactical style or custom formation first? I’m torn, some managers IRL would walk into a job with strict ideals with how they're going to set out their team in terms of shape and a playstyle e.g. think Sarri or Bielsa. The current squad's make-up, to them, would likely be immaterial: it’s their vision or nothing.

Like those managers mentioned, I’ve come into FM23 with an idea of some of the roles and flavours of football I want to replicate. However, I know that 2022 Ceuta does not have that make-up just yet - I’ve checked them out in the Beta. The skillset is somewhat ‘raw’ (see: dire). I therefore decided not to force a tactical pre-set on my players…I simply choose 442 with no instructions [because I have to select an ‘Opening Day Tactic’].

The game immediately tells me who my best players are: Two wide players in Liberto & Luismi, central midfielder Adri Cuevas and striker Lorenzo Gonzalez. 442 sees me slot them in their best positions, and I’ve given them roles which suit their skillset. This could work:

The next best player looks to be Goalkeeper Leandro, who is quite decent for the level I am in. He’s been designated a Sweeper Keeper role, with Vision 9 and Flair 14 he is actually one of the most creative players in the squad *grits teeth*!

The rest of the squad is lacking, with a gap for a defensively minded central midfielder to hold Cuevas’ advances, and a striker that is going to support Gonzalez in the quest for goals.

Team Instructions

Over time I would like to evolve this tactic to be something that controls the game a bit more on a slower tempo, perhaps building out of the back by playing out of defence. But I personally do not see this as our strength right now, so I would rather be a bit quicker in getting it up to our two central forwards.

For now, I’m going to adapt something from the Statistical Fibra post I made at the tail end of the FM22 cycle. There are few team instructions, but there are the foundations of a style that I can build on in future years. For now, we’ll pass the ball shorter and we’ll make decisions at a higher tempo. We will generally build from the back via full-backs, but we’re not slowing down our build up by doing so. It’s 442 Simplicity. This is how we look, minus potential recruitments…

Note - several tweaks were made to the 442 in the first 10 games of league football. This isn’t the blog that details a tactical evolution, but a subtle (+ important) change was adding ‘Gets Further Forward’ Player Instruction to the WP-S, and also adding WB-A on that side. It’s a nice combination of duties, instructions and roles as the WP-S will always be keen to get in-field, but also with enough space separating the roles so that they are not on top of each other.

Season 2022/2023 Recruitment

So, the brief assessment of the squad sees me want two players: (1) a creative striker and (2) a defensive workhorse. But before I do all that, I wanted to assemble a better backroom of staff supporting me. I delegate more and more responsibilities these days in FM. For example, I no longer hold any team talks or motivational bits on the sideline…and I like the Director of Football role to undertake recruitment and contract negotiations. It’s therefore critical I have good coaching and scouting staff members to fall back on.

I will not dwell on each staff member recruited, but just know that we went from no analysts, coaches, physios or scouts to a good complement of staff who can support me. The two I will share though are pretty decent. First up is the suitably named Albert Puigdollers, who will be responsible for holding the purse strings when conducting transfers as our Director of Football. Albert has modest negotiating skills, and has a nice footballing philosophy.

Next up is somebody I am named after IRL: Tony Adams. He is actually a decent coach, and with a good grasp of Spanish football (lol)...I think he will do well here in Ceuta if I can stop him dancing 🕺

What I am most proud about though, is how we improved our National Knowledge in the key geographical areas of this save in just a few weeks. As previous Ceuta readers will know, I am focussing non-domestic recruitment within the Maghreb nations of Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, along with some Affiliate clubs twinned with Ceuta in Argentina, Italy and Portugal; so it’s important I improve our reach within these North African nations.

Via an increase player pool and a Recruitment Focus, a couple of appropriate players were brought to my attention for the 2022/23 season: Moroccans Yassine Salhi (signed on a Free transfer) and Bilal Kandoussi El Khallak (loaned from Castellón)…

Yassine Salhi comes in as my first choice Deep Lying Forward. He becomes our Vice Captain and a dependable head upfront. I think you will agree he is absolutely smoking hot for the Spanish Third Division? Great Passing + Vision combination, and also strong aerially. Perfecto!

Bilal Kandoussi El Khallak was on the pricey side to get in permanently, so I settled on a season-long loan in the end. He will rotate with Liberto as the attacking Winger, but could also fill in centrally as the CM-A in the 442. Ex-Real Madrid graduate Kandoussi has a touch of the North African flair I wrote about in my save intro. Flair, First Touch and Vision, Diego Mendoza would be proud of me.

You may note that I never found that defensive central midfielder. The recruitment focus did not yield much, and we lost out on a few players to other clubs with the Director of Football handling bids. It is what it is, we ran out of time in the end. For 2022/23 we will use a combination of David Castro (a natural CM) and Central Defenders who can step up to play CM-D.

2022 recruitment ends, with two Moroccans. We’re ready for the season…

Season 2022/23 - “Strictly Come Defending”

July - December 2022

The back-line at Ceuta was nothing to write home about during my initial squad assessment. But I saw my side start the season with repeated defensive masterclasses, something Tony Adams would be proud about: 10 clean sheets in 19 league games. Why, despite being one of the relegation favourites, have we been so solid? I think there are a few contributing factors:

I particularly find the 442 a defensively strong formation. In order to see out games, I am able to drop defensive lines from our mid-block position, add time wasting and play for set pieces. I’m sure some of the tweaks I have made have meant we’ve been that little bit stronger in the final moments of games.
I also think the opposition finishing has been woeful…when we were carved open the opposition would fluff his chance. Higher opposition opponents would surely have obliterated us.
Credit also to my Goalkeeper, who in this post was noted down as being one of our top players. He’s been excellent and has kept us in games, just look at him on the Advanced Goalkeeping scatter plot:

So, here is the Primera Federación Grupo I table and results after 19 league games, just over the halfway point in the season:

After a terrifying start with no goals scored in the first four league matches, we’ve managed to find goals from the front two strikers (Gonzalez with 14 and Salhi with 9 - all comps). In the 442 they currently represent 82% of all goals scored (all comps). Whilst I do not mind this, the one player I feel could chip in with more goals is the attacking Central Midfielder…because I give a free pass to the wider players in the 442 as they are more suppliers (in terms of crosses + passes) to the two central forwards.

My Strikers’ stats, via a condensed version of FM Stag’s neat squad view. Download here: fmstag.com

Next Steps

To even entertain the thought of a promotion playoff spot seems absurd, but that’s where we currently find ourselves. On top of this, AD Ceuta FC will no longer have the distraction of The Lana Del Rey trophy (having strategically exited at the 1st Round)…leaving a promotion push as the sole focus for the remainder of 2022/23 season. Can we do it? Read the next blog, one day, to find out.

Thanks for reading/sharing and caring,

Tony / FM Grasshopper

Peru & Uruguay: Football Manager 2023 Club Case Studies 🌎 feat. @rocksendfm #FM23

November 8, 2022

Hi there,

For the last few years Fernando (@rocksendfm) has joined the blog before each new Football Manager game to introduce interesting South American clubs to manage in FM. This year, Fernando had the idea to conduct more in-depth case study pieces for one club from each nation. Due to word count, we’ll therefore be combining two nation’s case studies per blog.

This blog features case studies for Peru & Uruguay. For a brief synopsis of the league systems visit the previous league guide here.

Massive thanks again to Fernando. Go check out his own website: www.rocksendfm.com, you won’t be disappointed!

We hope you enjoy,

Tony / FM Grasshopper

Perú

Club: Football Club Melgar

Key Details:

Nickname(s): El Dominó

Founded: 1915

Ground + Capacity: Monumental Virgen de Chapi / 50,000

Owner: Private

League: Liga 1 Movistar (Peruvian First Division)

2021 finish: 5th

Background:

The city of Arequipa, sometimes called the Lion of the South, is one of huge importance for Perú. Located some 700 kms south of Lima, since Peruvian independence was proclaimed in 1821, Arequipa has acted as a counterbalance of sorts, a stabilising factor against the centralised power of the capital. It was there that Peruvian patriot Mariano Melgar was born in 1790, going on to become a poet and a revolutionaire, fighting in the Peruvian independence, before dying at the hands of the Spanish military; and it was his name that a group of Arequipa kids took when they founded Juventud Melgar in 1915, which would soon change their name to the current one.

They would start playing in the Arequipa League in 1918 and lift their first local title in 1921. In 1924 they took part in the Torneo Intercity, against sides from Lima, emerging as the winners. In 1928 they would win their last Arequipa League title in 34 years, as the team struggled during the 30s, 40s and 50s, battling two relegations and no silverware.

Victories in the 1962, 1964 and 1965 Arequipa League titles proved enough to earn them an invite to the Campeonato Descentralizado de Fútbol, the Peruvian National League, which was set up only in 1951 after years of dominance from the local leagues, mainly that of Lima. It wouldn’t be very successful, getting relegated, but just five years later they would win the 1971 Copa Perú (the first Arequipa side to manage it), and thus return to the First Division, a spot they would never lose again. In 1981, they became the first team from the Peruvian highlands to be champions of the First Division of Peru, and it was also their first qualification for the Copa Libertadores de América.

Struggling times would again come after a 2nd place finish in 1983. In 2009, the decision to leave the Estadio Mariano Melgar, with capacity for 15,000 people in favour of the 45,000 capacity Monumental Virgen de Chapi was taken, and the extra income did the trick. However, it wouldn’t be until 2012 that they would again return to their best, making a return to international competition in 2012, and then winning the title for the second time in 2015, their centenary year. Since then, they’ve remained a competitive side in the Peruvian league.

Why them in FM23?

I’ve always felt like Peruvian football is full of unexploited potential. Watching a run-of-the-mill game will make your eyes hurt, but for a country that didn’t have a national league until the 1950s, football goes way back to 1892 there, and they’ve managed to produce two (maybe three) golden generations.

Every once in a while, a team comes to fuel my theory that Peruvian foot is just a good bit of investment and some lucky results away from getting the respect it deserves, and that team right now is FBC Melgar. The Dominó made it all the way to the Copa Sudamericana semifinals in 2022, and looked fearless in doing so taking out far more fancied sides like Racing Club, Deportivo Cali and Internacional de Porto Alegre.

Right now, they have a young and talented squad and play some of the best football in the nation, sitting 5th in the Torneo Clausura and with their ticket to the Peruvian First Division Play Offs already booked as Torneo Apertura winners. With eight of the last ten league titles going to the dominant and Lima-based big three of Universitario Deportes, Alianza Lima and Sporting Cristal, isn’t it time that the Lion of the South acts as a counterbalance once again?

Key Personnel:

Being the worst South American league available on FM in terms of quality, means that managing in Peru often requires some extra creativity when it comes to talent acquisition. Regardless, Melgar have some very good players.

None as good, perhaps, as Bernardo Cuesta. The 34 year old Argentinian striker has made a stint as a bit of a South American journeyman, with stints in Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and, of course, Perú. He’s a solid all-round striker with a deadly Finishing move, so he should be scoring plenty for you. Just don’t sleep on signing his replacement.

Next up, take a look at Kevin Quevedo. At one point touted as the next big Peruvian talent, he struggled to make it past his huge upside. What remains, however, is a very useful football. Lighting Pace, lots of Flair and a deadly Crossing foot an excellent winger make and he’s got you covered. The fact that he’s also a very skilled Corners taker is a plus.

Coming up, Kenji Cabrera. If Kevin Quevedo was the next big thing, Kenji Cabrera is his successor. Just 20 years old, he’s got Pace, Technique, Dribbling and Crossing skill. His mentals are a bit disappointing, but with time on his side he can be turned into a top producer.

Want to manage in Perú but you don’t fancy Football Club Melgar?

… great youth academy: Academia Cantolao

One of the very few instances when a great academy isn’t part of a big club, Cantolao have the necessary facilities to produce the next Jefferson Farfán or Claudio Pizarro. I’ve written about them in the previous club recommendation, so that’s recommended reading if you're interested. Other than that, Universidad de San Martín are also a good shout, but nowhere near the facilities.

… plucky underdog side: ADT

If you ever feel like learning about a bonkers league system, take a look at the Copa Perú, the third division of Peruvian football which grants promotion to, you guessed it, the First Division of Peruvian football. For now, at least, with 2022 being the last edition where this wonderful quirk will be ended. ADT, therefore, is one of the last privileged sides to have waved the finger at the second tier and taken the quick way. We’ll miss you, Copa Perú.

… fallen giant: Universitario de Deportes

With no lower Peruvian tiers in the FM23 vanilla DB, I have to settle for Universitario Deportes. At one point the biggest and most important club in Perú, they are now hanging by a thread to the most league titles record, with 26 wins to Alianza Lima’s 24 and, most importantly, Sporting Cristal’s 20 titles and counting. Their new found habit of winning it once each decade surely isn’t helping, with their last title in 2013.

… big side to win the Copa Libertadores: Sporting Cristal

At one point a third fiddle to Clásico de Lima rivals Universitario and Alianza Lima, now Sporting Cristal are the best side in Perú. Title wins in 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020 mean they are closing in fast to Universitario’s record, and their Copa Libertadores final appearance in 1997 ruined made them the second ever Peruvian side to feature. Don’t get me wrong, they are a LONG way away from competing, with 2004 being the last time they made it out of the Group Stage, but they are a lot closer than anyone else in Perú.

Uruguay

Club: Club Nacional de Football

Key Details:

Nickname(s): Tricolores

Founded: 1899

Ground + Capacity: Gran Parque Central / 31,395

Owner: Club

League: Campeonato Uruguayo (Uruguayan First Division)

2021 finish: 3rd

Background:

At the start of the 20th century, football in the Río de la Plata Basin was still pretty much a British-influence thing. Clubs had started popping up since the late 1880s, but they were all part of British owned ventures, such as the Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club (CURCC, later Peñarol) which was a club for the company workers, or Alumni Athletic Club in Argentina, where the former students of the Buenos Aires English High School played. However, that would soon change, and one of the first signs of that change was the birth of the Club Nacional de Football, better known as Nacional.

On May 14, 1899, a group of teenagers, members of the Uruguay Athletic Club and the Montevideo Football Club decided to merge their sides. Their idea was to create the first ever “criollo” football club, the first ever to embody not British tradition, but Uruguayan sentiment. This choice was implicit in the name they chose, but also in the colours: white, red and blue were the colours of the flag flown by José Gervasio Artigas, the founding father and biggest national hero of Uruguay.

Nacional would find success quickly. In 1901 they were admitted into the The Uruguay Association Football League, and as soon as 1902 they became undefeated champions, under the guidance of the brothers Amílcar, Bolívar y Carlos Céspedes. Quickly, a fierce rivalry with the CURCC was born, with both sides often fighting for the Uruguayan title.

On September 13, 1903, the National Teams of Uruguay and Argentina were set to face each other. The Uruguayan Federation named a match made mostly of Nacional players, and that annoyed CURCC, who refused to lend their players. When Montevideo Wanderers Fútbol Club also refused the players who were called as replacements, Nacional assumed the complete representation of the Uruguayan team. The match brought the historic 2:3 victory of the Uruguayans, their first ever. A similar thing would happen in 1924, when an almost entirely Nacional team was sent to the Olympic Games to represent Uruguay in football and won Gold.

It was around this time that Nacional gave South American football one of its most characteristic traits, the hinchas. Prudencio Miguel Reyes was the club’s kit man, and was also in charge of inflating (in Rio de la Plata Spanish, “hinchar”) the balls used. When the games started, Reyes would stay in the sidelines, jumping and singing to cheer on the team, and he became known as the “hincha” of Nacional, which would become the word used across the continent to describe the fans.

In 1939, another landmark: the Quinquenio de Nacional. The Tricolores went and won the title five years in a row, and won 32 matches straight between October 1940 and July 1942. While they would never repeat that level of dominance, they would continue to be constant challengers and regular winners of the Campeonato Uruguayo, where Nacional and CURCC/Peñarol have won all but 19 of the 119 titles contested.

Internationally, during the 1960s they would have to watch rivals Peñarol rule the Copa Libertadores, but success finally arrived in 1971, with their first of three titles, and they would also pick up the Intercontinental Cup that same year, beating Panathinaikos after European Cup winners Ajax refused the trip. They would repeat the double in 1980 and 1988.

Apart from that dominance in the Uruguayan championship, Nacional also highlighted as one of the best youth developers in the country, with the likes of Diego Lugano, Sebastián Coates, Juan Ángel Albín, Gonzalo “Chory “ Castro, Sebastián Viera, Nicolás Lodeiro and Luis Suárez coming through in the last few years

Why them in FM23?

Sometimes, people criticise Football Manager for being a bit unrealistic due to crazy signings happening or improvable wins taking place. Most of the time, it's an unreasonable complaint. For starters, if the guys at SI ever produce a software capable of perfectly replicating real life, they’d be selling it to professional clubs or stats companies, not football obsessed geeks. For everything else, there are also times when real life is too unrealistic even for FM. The reason you should manage Club Nacional de Football in FM23 has a full name: Luis Alberto Suárez Díaz, aka, Luis Suárez.

I’ve managed Nacional in every Football Manager since 2019. Each and every time, I’ve tried to sign Luis Suárez, and each and every time I’ve failed. I know guys from Uruguay who have played Nacional more than once per cycle across many editions of the game. Each and every time, they’ve tried to sign Luis Suárez, and each and every time they’ve failed. In FM, it’s impossible; yet, in real life, Nacional have managed to do it.

It’s very hard to take proper dimension to the importance and the meaning of Suárez’s signing for Nacional and Uruguayan football, although Maradona’s arrival to Napoli rings a bell. When Suárez admitted on TV he was open to the move after his River Plate transfer failed, the #SuarezANacional hashtag became a world-wide trending topic. When the contract was agreed, thousands of people went to receive El Pistolero at the airport, and the van taking him to the stadium had to advance at walking pace because people surrounded it, trying to catch a glimpse of the player. Nacional sold more Luis Suárez shirts the day he was presented at the Gran Parque Central than they had sold shirts (any shirts) up to that point. It was quite simply unbelievable.

In real life, sadly, the dream was short. Luis Suárez helped Nacional to another title, but could not inspire a run in the Copa Sudamericana, and it is already known that he will be leaving the club at the end of the season, potentially moving to the MLS. So, why should you manage Nacional in FM23? Because you won’t get another chance of having Luis Suárez at his favourite club. Who knows, perhaps you can even convince him to extend his stay… FM is known to be unrealistic at times.

Key Personnel:

Well, who do you think it’s going to be? Luis Suárez is going to be the focus of your early game if you manage Nacional. El Pistolero is showing signs of his 35 years of age: his physicals are down, his legs don’t have the same spring and he will have to leave the game around the 70th minute mark, but, for everything else, he’s head and shoulders above the rest of the league.

Clinical Finishing, deadly Passing, great First Touch and Technique and mentals unlike anyone else, getting the best out of Suárez will largely dictate how far you’ll get in the first season. His contract expires at the end of the year, so negotiations will be key, but should everything else fail… you’ll have fun watching him outclass every centreback in the league.

Next up, Sergio Rochet. One of the safest pairs of hands in South America, Rochet is marked for a move away from Nacional very soon. Having inherited the spot between the sticks for La Celeste from Fernando Muslera, he’s established himself as the best goalkeeper in the country and with good reason. Solid overall, his fantastic Reflexes and stupendous reach make him a top shot stopper, and one you’d do well to keep around.

Last but not least, it’s Leo Coelho. The Brazilian is on loan from Mexican side Atlético San Luis, so he’s another you could be enjoying for a short time, but for the first season at least, he’s going to be the base of your defence. Impressive in the air, but with a good reading of the game and good with the ball at his feet, he’s the complete pack.

Honourable mention to Augusto Scarone and Renzo Sánchez in your under 19s, who could quickly give the fans reason to forget about Suárez departure.

Want to manage in Uruguay but you don’t fancy Club Nacional de Football?

It could be argued that Nacional is a short term save in FM23. Even if you keep Luis Suárez past his original contract, he’s set to retire sooner rather than later, and when that happens it’s just another big club save, perhaps even more dominant than managing a big side in Europe. So if you’re tempted by Uruguay but want something more long term, here’s who to consider if you’re looking for a…

… great youth academy: Danubio Fútbol Club

For a more “typical” pick, go Defensor Sporting Club, but don’t overlook Danubio. Álvaro Recoba, Ernesto Chevantón, Diego Forlán, Walter Gargano, José María Gimenez and Edinson Cavani are some of the players that came through their academy, so the heritage is there, and now that they’re back in the First Division you can try to carry their “University of Football” spirit going.

… plucky underdog side: Plaza Colonia

The Cinderella story of the 2021 Campeonato Uruguayo, they won the 2021 Torneo Apertura to set up a title decider semifinal against eventual winners Peñarol, who they took all the way to a penalty shoot out. Still, that was enough to get a ticket to the Copa Libertadores qualifying rounds, which you can enjoy on FM23.

… fallen giant: Montevideo Wanderers Fútbol Club

In all honesty, only two giants exist in Uruguayan football: Nacional and Peñarol. That being said, Montevideo Wanderers are three time champions who haven’t lifted any silverware in almost 100 years. Alternatively, Albion Football Club could be argued to be the oldest club still active in Uruguay.

… up and coming side: Montevideo City Torque

One I mentioned in the guide last year, few clubs have so many things going for them to overcome the duopoly of Nacional and Peñarol as MCT. Backed by the City group, they’ve been poaching talent from everywhere in the country. They’re yet to turn that into silverware, but that’s the challenge, isn’t it? Alternatively, this year’s runners up Liverpool FC are arguably the best run club in Uruguay.

Chile & Colombia: Football Manager 2023 Club Case Studies 🌎 feat. @rocksendfm #FM23

November 8, 2022

Hi there,

This blog features case studies for Chile & Colombia. For a brief synopsis of the league systems visit the previous league guide here.

Massive thanks again to Fernando. Go check out his own website: www.rocksendfm.com, you won’t be disappointed!

We hope you enjoy,

Tony / FM Grasshopper

Chile

Club: CDP Curicó Unido

Key Details:

Nickname(s): Los Torteros

Founded: 1973

Ground + Capacity: Bicentenario La Granja / 8,000

Owner: Council

League: Campeonato AFP PlanVital (Chilean First Division)

2021 finish: 14th

Background:

Like so many provincial sides, the story of Curicó Unido, who literally have “Provincial” in their name, has plenty of foundings and refoundings, mergers and separations, promotions and relegations. Located almost 200 kms south of Santiago de Chile, Curicó is one of the biggest in the Maule Region, known for the export of fruits and vine.

There, footballing history goes all the way back to the 1910s, where a group of Spanish immigrants founded the Deportivo Alianza, with modest success in the 1950s. However, by the early 1970s things weren’t so good. Alianza had gone down into the local leagues, and attempts to form a club under a merger with a Santiago team had ended poorly. Therefore, in 1973, Club de Deportes Curicó Unido was formed as a purely Curicó team.

Success was found rather quickly, and by 1984 they were even promoted to the First Division… for a while until a change in direction in the Chilean Federation meant rules were changed and Curicó lost the right to their hard-earned promotion.

A small debacle would soon come, and they were even relegated back to the Third Division, missing out on salvation with a 4-1 win, where a single extra goal would’ve been enough to save them. Where sporting struggles appear, economic struggles quickly follow and by the late 90s it was the fans keeping the club afloat. Leading them was die-hard supporter Doña Edith Véliz who was selling raffles to pay club expenses and providing a roof for some players when she wasn’t busy being effectively the kit woman, fixing and mending any ruined shirts or shorts.

Salvation would come on April 26, 2001, when a merger with Provincial Curicó, a fourth tier side, was arranged. Overnight, this changed the situation. While the merger didn’t exactly go through (Provincial wasn’t technically a club and therefore could not merge), the institution changed its name to Club de Deportes Provincial Curicó Unido, debts were slowly paid and support started to gather. Provincial was a project dedicated to the development of players in the area, and they focused all their effort and economic resources on the new club.

Results quickly improved, and by 2004 the club had narrowly missed out on promotion to the Second Division four times. They finally managed in 2005, beating Deportes Iberia at home in the last matchday to win promotion. Three years later, promotion to the First Division was materialized, and even though it would only last a single year, the basis for a successful sporting project was put in place. In 2017, Curicó Unido returned to the top flight, and they have stayed there ever since.

Why them in FM23?

So far, so good. They’re a typical provincial side, with a typical provincial side story. But take a look at the Campeonato AFP PlanVital table this season. Yes, that’s them, in third. Curicó Unido have been the sensation team in Chile this season, defying all expectations to land a Copa Libertadores spot for next season, above the likes of Universidad Católica and Universidad de Chile.

So what, you may ask… shouldn’t that make them a great pick for FM24? Indeed, picking Curicó Unido in FM23 means you’re getting nothing more than a mid-table side with no continental competition, and if that’s what you’re after, I can suggest taking on (bitter rivals) Ñublense, who have a similar, if slightly more successful, story and will be on the Copa Sudamericana on FM23.

But wouldn’t you rather be part of the story than pick up after the fact? The potential is certainly there, some of their guys could do a job for any of the Chilean Big Three, while Curicó also have far better facilities than Ñublense, and they’re actually predicted to finish above their historic rivals. Taking on Curicó Unido is about taking on a chance to be a part of a club’s most successful season in their history. Are you up to the challenge?

Key Personnel:

Ok, so let’s say you’re a brave, brave manager and you decide to take on the challenge, who are your best guys?

Coming in first, I have to mention Rodrigo Holgado. The Argentine, who came through the youth ranks of San Lorenzo, has been in Chile for a while now. However, he’s at Curicó on loan from Gimnasia Esgrima La Plata, meaning he’ll be going back to Argentina at the end of the season unless you plan otherwise. He’s also your biggest earner, meaning if he does depart at the end of the season, you will get some cash to maneuver when signing a replacement.

However, while he’s there, you should make the best of him. A solid all-round striker, Holgado has all the right instincts and skills. Great Off the Ball, Decisions, Passing and Strength suggest he might be better used in a tandem as the dropping man, but he’s got useful Pace and his Finishing is good, so he may be able to lead the line.

Up next, it’s Juan Pablo Gómez. The 30 year old right back will be key to how you attack and how well your season goes. Owner of a lovely skill set, Gómez is fast, a two-way player who can tackle and create danger and a deadly crosser of the ball.

He’s capable of playing through almost the entirety of the right flank, but most importantly he’s nearly ambidextrous, meaning he can also do the job on the left in an emergency.

Last but not least, I wanted to discuss Yerko Leiva. Another loanee, but a Chilean player, the 23 year old creative midfielder should become your main source of joy should you take Curicó. Worthy of the “diminutive genius” tag with his 1,66m height, he’s a deadly corner taker, as well as a creative outlet. Unlike the usual creative but highly intermittent southamerican talents, Leiva has (mostly) the right mentals to showcase his talents often and can slot in a few positions depending on how you decide to set up.

A graduate of the Universidad de Chile academies, he’s on loan from Mexican side Necaxa, but unlike Holgado, he shouldn’t prove all that difficult to capture for another season, even when you’re only paying half his wages.

Want to manage in Chile but you don’t fancy CDP Curicó Unido?

If you’re determined to manage in the Andean country but you don’t mind disappointing Doña Edith Véliz, you have some options. If you're looking for a…

… great youth academy: O’Higgins

In Chile, like with most leagues, it’s hard to find a big academy outside a big club, but O’Higgins certainly cuts the bill with some of the best overall facilities in the country.

… fallen giant: Union Española (or Cobreloa in the Second Division)

Unión Española isn’t really a fallen giant, more of a runner up to the Big Three, but if you’re unwilling to take a lower divisions side, they’re your guys. Cobreloa, eight-time title winners and two-time Copa Libertadores runners-up are the real fallen giants of Chilean football.

… up and coming side: Union La Calera

Most Chileans aren’t really happy with ULC and their up and coming ways as they mostly relate to superagents in the area building up a side like a shop window for their players. Regardless, they’re the latest team to achieve runner up status for the first time and they’ve been Copa Libertadores and Sudamericana regulars.

… big side to win the Copa Libertadores: Universidad Católica

Thanks to those losses by Cobreloa, Chilean football only has one Copa Libertadores winner in Colo-Colo, arguably the biggest side in Chile. However, with the investment that’s gone into their stadium and their local dominance of late, if you’re going to challenge, you may as well try with Universidad Católica.

Colombia

Club: Deportivo Cali

Key Details:

Nickname(s): Los Azucareros

Founded: 1912

Ground + Capacity: Estadio Deportivo Cali / 52,000

Owner: Club

League: Liga BetPlay DIMAYOR (Colombian First Division)

2021 finish: 1st (Closing Stage)

Background:

The story of Deportivo Cali starts, like that of so many clubs in South America, with a trip to England; that of the brothers Nazario, Juan Pablo y Fidel Lalinde Caldas, to be more exact, who around 1905 travelled across the pond to complete their studies. There, like just about everyone in British Public Schools in the early 20th century, they fell to the football-craze, which they duly brought back to their native Santiago de Cali upon their return. In 1912, together with some friends, they formed the Cali Football Club.

Unity, however, would be short lived. In 1914 a dispute over who got to play goalkeeper (the guy asking to play in goal was 1,57m) meant that the team was split into two sides, Cali Football Club A and B. The A team (no pun intended) took the red and white of Arsenal as their colours, while the B side (again, no pun intended) took the green and white of Northern Ireland1. A game was played between them, ending in a 3-1 win to the A side, which established them as the main team. Between 1927 and 1931, they won the Liga Vallecaucana, the regional tournament for Cali teams, five straight with further wins throughout the 1930s, while the B team was also successful in the second division. However, by 1940 they would stop competing.

It would have to wait until 1945 for Cali football to make a return, with a merger with recently formed clubs Los Pingüinos and Aire y Sol (literally, “The Penguins” and “Air and Sun”, I swear I’m not making this up). Due to inner fighting, the decision was made to unify the two teams, which would finally take the name Deportivo Cali2.

Three years later, the Colombian First Division entered it’s professional era, and just one year later the El Dorado era started, where the Colombian League left the Colombian Football Federation (not unlike how the Premier League left the EFL) and became a pirate league outside of FIFA, poaching players from their clubs, most famously Alfredo di Stefano.

However, it would not be a very successful era for Deportivo Cali. Initially they enjoyed recognition and were praised for their game, leading to the 1949 2nd place in the league. Regardless, the team struggled economically throughout the decade and in 1956 the director of Boca Juniors de Cali sent a letter to the league asking that only two teams (the other being América de Cali) be chosen as representatives of the city. The league members debated, and Deportivo Cali was voted out of the league.

Only in 1959 a group led by businessman Alex Gorayeb would pay the club’s debts and (in an ironic twist) bought Boca Juniors de Cali’s league place. The following decade Deportivo Cali had their first golden age, winning three championship titles in 1965, 1967 and 1969. They also competed internationally for the first time, getting into the Copa Libertadores in 1968, and then again in 1969, going as far as the quarter finals.

The good times would carry into the 1970s, with titles in 1970 and 1974, but their biggest landmark would come in 1978 when they got all the way to the Copa Libertadores final under the management of Carlos Salvador Bilardo and becoming the first Colombian side in reaching that stage, albeit losing to Boca Juniors 4-0 on aggregate.

Titles would evade them for a long while. They would take six 2nd spots between 1976 and 1986, and it would take 22 years for Deportivo Cali to become Colombian champions once again in 1996, but by then they were already a force to be reckoned in an already growing Colombian league, which they won again in 2005, 2015 and 2021.

Notes:

1 Why exactly did they go for the Northern Irish colours I haven’t been able to find. Using red and white for Arsenal makes sense as the Lalinde Caldas brothers had seen the Gunners play in their time in Britain, but I’ve not been able to find any link with Northern Ireland. My very uneducated guess as to why they did it is that blue, red, white and green are the colours of the city of Santiago de Cali, so given that red and white were already taken, they went for green. That then poses the question of why blue was snubbed, but no amount of googling and digging into ISBNs has helped.
2 Quite why it is that when the teams were unified they took the green and white of the B team and not the red and white of the A team remains a mystery to me as well. However, a slightly more educated guess suggests that, by 1945, a club that wore those colours already existed in the city: América de Cali. Therefore it would’ve made sense to want to pick up a different kit.

Why them in FM23?

There’s a lot to be liked about Deportivo Cali in truth. They are the only club in Colombia who own their stadium, which also happens to be the one with the largest capacity in the country. They are also the only Colombian club that works as an association (like say Real Madrid and FC Barcelona), with the club being owned exclusively by its members and not some tycoon or businessman. They’re also the big club with the least links (or at least overt links) to drug dealing, with no links to cartel bosses unlike América de Cali or Atlético Nacional.

However, I chose them as my Case Study for Colombia because they could very soon become a sleeping giant. As of today, Deportivo Cali’s debts go as high as 90 billion Colombian pesos, or 18 million euros (£16 million). Sure, that’s about as much as a run of the mill Premier League side spends on a third striker, but in Colombian football it’s a ton of money. For context, Colombia’s single most expensive player sale was that of Miguel Borja to Palmeiras in 2016 at around 10 million euros.

While this doesn't make them instantly into a proper sleeping giant (look into the history of Boca Juniors de Cali for that) they could get wayward without a fine guiding hand… your hand. In FM23, Deportivo Cali start with a debt of around 15 million euros for you to chip away at, and projections look at 19 million by the end of the season. There’s some considerable amount to chip away at.

Key Personnel:

There’s only really one man to start this with: Teófilo Antonio Gutiérrez Roncancio, better known as Teo Gutiérrez. From trick shots and defence splitting passes to controversies with just about every club he’s played with and guns in the dressing room, there’s always fun with Teo around.

The man is getting into years at 36, and while he was never blisteringly quick, he’s less so now. Class, however, is permanent that exquisite Technique, the killer Passing, the eagle-eyed Vision and the showman’s Flair. He’ll need a few more days between matches and you’ll have to deploy him further back than during his heyday with River Plate and Junior, but he’ll do the job, don’t you worry about it.

The one doing all the running should be Kevin Velasco. At 24 he perhaps doesn’t have the upside of days gone, but he’s still young enough to put those lighting quick Pace and deadly Dribbling to use. With wicked Crossing from his left foot and an engine to run the entire flank, he might be a bit of a one trick pony but if it isn’t broken don’t fix it.

Last but not least, Guillermo Burdisso. One of only two non-Colombians in the side, the towering Argentine centreback is a set play exploit waiting to happen. Standing at 1,87m, with great Jumping Reach, Strength and Heading ability, you’ll do well to experiment with setplays so Teo or Velasco can find him in the box.

As is to be expected of a 33 year old tower building on foot, his Pace is weak and he will be exposed with balls in behind, but his game reading is decent, with good Anticipation and Decisions, so perhaps he’ll adapt. The only problem so far as I can see is that somebody convinced him he’s good on the ball, so you may have to work on his PTs.

Want to manage in Colombia but you don’t fancy Deportivo Cali?

What other challenges lie in Colombia? Well, as one of South America’s most competitive leagues, it turns out there’s plenty. So if you don’t quite feel like selling your best guys every season, try this if you’re looking for a…

… great youth academy: Envigado

A bit of an obvious choice as Envigado is by far one of the best “non-big side top academy” saves. If you’ve already played them or if they feel a tad predictable for you, Cortuluá has great facilities.

… plucky underdog side: Aguilas Doradas

The revelation team of the last Colombian league, they got a place in the Clausura Playoffs this season and have been reaching international competitions spots here and there for the last few years. Not bad for a team founded in 2008.

… up and coming side: Deportes Tolima

The up and coming side of Colombian football, if anyone is going to challenge for a spot among the big boys any time soon, it’s going to be them. They’re challenging for titles regularly and often take spots for international competitions, so maybe with a small push…

… big side to win the Copa Libertadores: Atlético Nacional

The first ones to ever do it are probably the only ones with a chance of doing it again in the near future. For a while it didn’t look like a Colombian side was ever going to win the Copa Libertadores with the failures of Deportivo Cali and then América de Cali (three finals back to back). But then 1989 rolled around and Atlético Nacional won it on their first try, and then won it again in 2016. It looks like a long shot right now, but if anyone’s gonna do it, it might as well be the original.

Argentina & Brazil: Football Manager 2023 Club Case Studies 🌎 feat. @rocksendfm #FM23

November 7, 2022

Hi there,

This blog features case studies for Argentina & Brazil. For a brief synopsis of the league systems visit the previous league guide here.

Massive thanks again to Fernando. Go check out his own website: www.rocksendfm.com, you won’t be disappointed!

We hope you enjoy,

Tony / FM Grasshopper

Argentina

Club: Club Atlético River Plate

Key Details:

Nickname(s): Los Millonarios

Founded: 1901

Ground + Capacity: Estadio Antonio Vespucio Liberti, “El Monumental” / 70,074

Owner: Club

League: Liga Profesional de Fútbol (Argentine First Division)

2021 finish: 1st

Background:

May 25, 1810, is the birthday of Argentina, and, therefore, a national holiday. It is then no surprise that May 25, 1901, was chosen by a group of teeangers living in the neighbourhood of La Boca to have a meeting. They are the sons of lower class Genovese immigrants, they work during weeks, so they can only meet during sundays and holidays. The reason for the meeting was discussing the possibility of creating a football club, which they would name Club La Rosales. Three years later they would hold another meeting, this time with the members of Club Santa Rosa, to arrange the merger of the two clubs. Out of that meeting was born the Club Atlético River Plate, who would wear the white and red colours of the city of Genoa.

Their first grounds were found in La Boca, in the areas near the Port of Buenos Aires, which would quickly bring about a rivalry with another side in the neighbourhood which was funded by Genovese (or Xeneize) descendants, Boca Juniors. Still, River Plate would quickly find success, achieving promotion to the Argentine First Division in 1908, and started getting recognition and a bigger following. Their first title came in 1914, and their first official clash with Boca Juniors, would come in 1913 (River won, 2-1). By 1920, they won their first national league title.

However, by 1923 the club faced an enormous problem. Not being able to renew the rent of the property where their stadium was, they were forced to move, renting instead a plot of land in the neighbourhood of Recoleta. This switch, from one of Buenos Aires poorest neighbourhoods to one of its most affluent, fundamentally changed the nature of their rivalry with Boca Juniors from local derby to near class warfare, as it changed the identities of who the two sets of fans were and was an important factor in creating Argentine football’s biggest rivalry.

In 1932 they would complete the signing of Bernabé Ferreyra for 35,000 Argentina pesos (£23,000 of the time), which would be a world football transfer record (the first and only time an Argentine team got it) and earn them the nickname of “Los Millonarios”. With Ferreyra, River would win the titles of 1932, 1936 and 1937. In that decade they would also build Argentina’s largest ground, the Estadio Antonio Vespucio Liberti, named after the River Plate president who secured the funds and the land but better known as the Monumental, which opened in 1938 with capacity for around 70,000 people.

It was a good idea to make it that big, because the 1940s would be good for River Plate. In 1942, Félix Loustau joined Juan Carlos Muñoz, José Manuel Moreno, Adolfo Pedernera and Ángel Labruna to complete the most fearsome striking force football had ever seen. That team would be known as La Máquina, arguably the best team in Argentinian football, winning 10 official titles, including the leagues of 1941, 1942, 1945 and 1947.

From that point onwards, River Plate would continue to be a force in Argentinian and South American football, winning titles in every decade by the 1960s. In 1986, the biggest whole in their cabinet, the Copa Libertadores, was won, and then again in 1996. However, in 2011 the unthinkable would happen: River Plate were relegated. That made it so that Boca Juniors became (after Independiente’s relegation in 2013) the only club in Argentina never to be relegated, something the Boca fans hold very much over their rivals.

Return would be instantaneous, with River winning the Second Division in 2012, and then winning the 2014 title; and yet, their biggest moment was still to come. In 2014, River hired Marcelo Gallardo as their manager, and an era of nearly unparalleled success in Argentinian football history would start. Under Gallardo, River Plate would go on to win three Copa Argentina’s and the 2021 Primera División title. More importantly, however, they would win the 2015 Copa Libertadores, the club’s third ever, and the 2018 Copa Libertadores, beating no one else but Boca Juniors in the final.

Why them in FM23?

On October 13, 2022, Marcelo Gallardo announced he’d be stepping down as River Plate head coach. If you don’t follow Argentine football, you’d be excused to think “A big name coach is leaving. So what?”, but in reality it’s more, much more than that.

For starters, eight year-spells in charge of a club don’t really happen in Argentina, not anymore at least. Right now, Gallardo is the 5th longest serving coach in the history of Argentine football; three of the four men ahead of him did in the 1950s, and the remaining one manages in the Second Division (no disrespect to Pablo Vicó though, awesome man).

Moreover, Marcelo Gallardo is the most successful coach in the history of River Plate. His 14 official titles make him the official trivia answer to the question, but he’s been successful in plenty more areas. Under him, training facilities have been re-engineered to elevate the standards and coaching methodologies have been reworked, including the work of sports scientists and creating a playing DNA that made it far easier for players to transition to the first team. Even the historic Estadio Monumental is set to get a big renovation, which will be completed by 2024 and give it a 81,000 capacity.

Simply put, the departure of Marcelo Gallardo is no smaller a tectonic shift for River Plate than that of Sir Alex Ferguson was for Manchester United was in 2013. You could, theoretically, get a very similar experience managing Boca Juniors, but in all honesty you can do that just about any time. This is an opportunity to take over a massive club right when they will need a steady hand the most. I don’t think a scenario like this will appear in Argentina (or even South America) any time soon, and that’s why you should manage River Plate in FM23.

Key Personnel:

So you’ve decided to take over the mantle of the best manager in the club’s history and try your hand at being the Millonarios boss… brave, brave friend. So who do you count on not to make your stay very short and very un-Gallardo-like?

First off, Nicolás de la Cruz. Gallardo picked up the Uruguayan as the replacement to Gonzalo “Pity” Martínez of “y va el tercero” fame and the former Liverpool de Montevideo man has been up to the task. A Flair player, he’s also very much bought into the coach’s pressing scheme and doesn’t need to carried by his teammates like the typical SA creative players.

Able to play on both sides and with both legs, he’ll add versatility and flexibility to your setup, and he can do just about anything from Crossing, to Finishing, to Passing. However, at 24 years old, he will attract interest, and his contract expires at the end of the season, so you may not have him for long.

Next up, Esequiel Barco. The former Independiente number 10, he should be playing in Europe by now, but he hasn’t exactly set the world alight at the MLS with Atlanta United (despite decent performances), so you’ll have him for a year. Similar to De la Cruz, although perhaps a tad more of a wing player, he’s still very versatile and gives you options when you set up.

Last but not least, Paulo Diaz. An Aggressive and Brave defender, he’s the perfect match for a Gallardo-ball defender, with a comprehensive skill set and the physical tools to still do the “dirty” work. At 27, he still has a long career ahead of him, and will be the stalwart of you defence for years to come.

Honourable mention goes to Juan Fernando Quintero.

Want to manage in Argentina but you don’t fancy Club Atlético River Plate?

I’ll understand any non-takers. Perhaps grabbing the rudder after Marcelo Gallardo doesn’t interest you. Perhaps taking such a big side isn’t your thing. Perhaps, like a certain Scottish FMer, you’ve already got your heart painted in the blue and gold of Boca Juniors. It’s ok, Argentina has plenty of options when it comes to football, so if you’re looking for a…

… great youth academy: Vélez Sarsfield

Yes, the usual answer is Argentinos Juniors, with the whole having produced Diego Armando Maradona, Juan Román Riquelme, Fernando Redondo, Esteban Cambiasso and a long, long list more. But right now, few clubs are putting out so many incredible youngsters like Vélez Sarsfield. Sad to miss out on Thiago Almada? Check out Máximo Perrone, Mateo Seoane, Valentín Gómez, Santiago Castro, Julián Fernández or Gianluca Prestianni… none of which are over 19, by the way.

… plucky underdog side: Unión (SF)

“El Tatengue” fans could be looking at the success derby rivals Colón de Santa Fe are having, with the whole getting their first top tier title and reaching international recognition, but they also have been having a good time under Uruguayan manager Gustavo Munúa, and they’ll be competing in the Copa Sudamericana. If that doesn’t convince you, last season’s title favourites-turned-bottlers Atlético Tucumán are also a good pick

… up and coming side: Defensa y Justicia

It is a bit of an obvious choice, and the argument could be put forward that they no longer are an up and coming side but very much a regular contender. Still, Defensa y Justicia have come a long way under the “guidance” of super agent Christian Bragarnik. All they lack is a title to show for it. If the idea of working with the man who could be called “the South American Jorge Mendes” doesn’t entice you, recently promoted Tigre are also building up momentum once again.

… fallen giant: San Lorenzo

There is really no fallen giant in Argentine football at the moment, provided you ignore Ferrocarril Oeste’s 22 year spell in the Second Division, and even then you’re really stretching the definition of “giant”. If, instead, you look at which current big side is further away from the big lights, San Lorenzo de Almagro is the answer. Right now, they’ve made a stupendous recovery under looks-like-he-slept-with-his-clothes-on manager Rubén Darío Insúa and are set to play next year’s Copa Sudamericana, but that’s now and you’re starting in January 2022, so San Lorenzo it is.

Brazil

Club: Club Athletico Paranaense

Key Details:

Nickname(s): Furação

Founded: 1924

Ground + Capacity: Arena da Baixada / 42,370

Owner: Club

League: Brasileirão Série A (Brazilian First Division)

2021 finish: 14th

Background:

As it’s often discussed when talking about Brazilian football history, the game developed in a very focalized way in the land of jogo bonito. Brazil is an enormous country which is often hard to traverse, meaning for most of its history there was no national-scale footballing scene, but rather clubs developed in the micro-sphere of their home city. Big, rich cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo gave rise to big, rich clubs like Flamengo and Corinthians. Smaller sides in smaller cities would still be very dominant locally, as they were competing against clubs their own size, but they had no chance outside of their bubble. Now, however, the nature of the Brazilian game is changing, and there are few better examples of it than Club Athletico Paranaense.

Founded from the merger of International Foot-Ball Club and América Futebol Clube, Club Atletico Paranaense was born in 1924. The two clubs were actually friendly, with América having sprouted as something of a second team for International, and the merger was more aimed at competing better with their main rivals Coritiba Foot Ball Club and Britânia Sport Club. Still, they would only find medium success, winning a few titles in each decade but never really breaking out from the shadow of Coritiba.

Things started to change in 1995. By that stage, the Brasileirão was becoming the top competition in Brazilian football, with clubs understanding it was far more valuable than their internal fights within the state championship. In that context, Club Atletico Paranaense launched the “Atletico Total” with the intention of bringing the club to the forefront of Brazilian football. That year they returned to the Série A, and two years later they began the construction of a new stadium, which would open in 1999.

At the same time, sporting results improved significantly, winning the Paranaense State Championships five times between 2000 and 2009, and getting to the Copa Libertadores for the first time in 2000, and later they won the Brasileirao for the first time. In 2005 they played in the Copa Libertadores final, losing to Sao Paulo.

As time has moved on, Club Athletico Paranaense (who changed their name in 2018 to avoid confusion with Club Atletico Mineiro), has continued to improve. In 2019 they won the Copa do Brasil, and they’ve also won their first pieces of international silverware, winning the 2018 and 2021 Copa Sudamericanas. This year they’ve been back to the Copa Libertadores final, losing to Flamengo.

Why them in FM23?

The times they are a-changin. The meaning of what big sides in Brazil are is changing. With the national footballing scene properly set up and state championships more a burden than a focus for big teams, being a “big side” is no longer enough to push people around in the Brasileirao. Three of Brazil's Big 12 are currently in Serie B, while Club Athletico Paranaense, together with the likes of Fortaleza, RB Bragantino and América-MG are taking advantage of this new brave world to reap the rewards.

They’re doing it by being smart. Right now, few clubs have the scouting, analytics and coaching infrastructure that Club Athletico Paranaense have in place, with the Brazilian Federation poaching talent from their staff and their sports complex, known as "Cajú", is considered to be the most modern in the country and one of the most innovative in the world, with players from Colombia, Argentina, Spain and even India travelling there to train. The results are showing, and not only in their continental silverware. Fernandinho, Renan Lodi and Alex Sandro all came through the Club Athletico Paranaense academy.

By taking them over on FM23, you’ll be jumping in a project that’s ready to burst into fighting with the heavy weights. Their Arena da Baixada was rebuilt in 2014 and remains one of the premiere venues in South American football, while their facilities will give you the opportunity to develop new talent. Who knows, maybe with the right push that Copa Libertadores can finally be lifted.

Key Personnel:

Taking over a team in Brazil means getting rid of a few of your FM vices, two of them being the love of a short squad and the hatred of people over 30. My first key personnel, ex-Manchester City master of tactical fouls, Fernandinho, explains both points. With the State Championships adding anywhere from 10 to 15 games to your season to the regular 38 and continental competition being a given for almost anyone, you’ll need more than 23 men, even before thinking about the Copa do Brasil or any regional cups. Much in the same way, being the best league in South America but still not at European level means talent is at a premium and there’s no such thing as overlooking a 37 year old who can still control your midfield.

With the Technique, First Touch and Passing to go with his otherworldly mentals, Fernandinho is set to be your main man for at least the first couple of seasons, and should do well to use him wisely, cause he’ll be hard to replace.

Midfield secured, you can unleash diminutive Uruguayan David Terans. Not as iron-willed as the Brazilian, Terans has quality escaping through his pores. A Corners and Free Kick specialist, killer Technique, Flair and Vision should make him the main creative hub of your team for a few seasons.

The future, however, is safe. At least for as long as you can keep hold of 17-year-old Vitor Roque. Technically and physically gifted, he’s no slouch on the mentals side, with enough Composure, Decisions and Work Rate to ensure he won’t be caught sleeping on the job. He’s able to play all across the front of the attack, and he has the skill to Finish, Cross or Pass, so you’ll have to decide which job to give him and how to develop this big talent.

Want to manage in Brazil but you don’t fancy Club Athletico Paranaense?

Picking a save in Brazil can be tricky. The issue with having twelve big sides is that you never quite know which ones are struggling and which ones are basically ready to overpower the whole continent. In any case, here are some options if you’re looking for a…

… great youth academy: Santos

A bit of a daft choice, I agree. Yes, they developed Pele and Neymar, but I like to stay away from obvious picks. Problem is, there’s really not much else in terms of non-massive teams with good academies. You could pick any of Cruzeiro, Gremio or Vasco da Gama as “hard” picks over the fact that they start in Serie B, but they’re still big sides.

… plucky underdog side: Atlético Clube Goianiense

Another club who are working smartly, Goianiense made it all the way to the Copa Sudamericana semi finals this season, and you have that ticket when you pick them on FM23. They aren’t making any massive waves just yet, but there’s potential. América-MG are another good shout.

… fallen giant: São Paulo

Again, any of Cruzeiro, Gremio or Vasco da Gama make more sense, particularly Cruzeiro who almost go down to the third tier a few years back, but if you’re hellbent on starting in Série A, they’re the only big side without international competitions and are a mess of a club right now.

...big side to win the Copa Libertadores: Flamengo

This has to be the easiest save in the whole of South America. The latest Copa Libertadores winners IRL, they have an absolutely stuffed squad with a mix of European-calibre big names and ridiculously talented youngsters. What’s worse (or better, for them) is that they have the economic muscle and youth talent to just keep it going forever. This is PSG on steroids.