Can't remember what the original posting was called, but a while ago there was a thread debating the reliability of Championship Manager as a means of identifying young talent. Now I'm a big fan of the game and have been since way back when version 1 was released, but I'm really not convinced that the game offers any special insight and I certainly don't think Uncle Bobby should rush out and buy a copy. It's a lot of fun to play (who doesn't want to win the European Cup as Newcastle manager?) but reliable?

I just acquired the latest edition for the current season and have played 1 year as Newcastle. I haven't made many signings so have relied largely on players currently at the club, as rated by the Championship manager scouts. Here's what happened:

Shola Ameobi, after a run of goals in pre-season, kept his place in my side and proceeded to tear premiership defenders apart, scoring in 14 consecutive games. He finished as the league's top scorer with 25 goals in 30 premiership games.

Marcelino was a back-up centre half for me but ended up playing 20-25 games and was pretty reliable and never injured.

Diego Gavilan performed well at right back, but deputised at centre half on a number of occassions and did pretty well. Centre half is one of his nominated positions.

Christian Bassedas played every game, scored 10 goals and 19 assists.

Nicos Dabizas was dreadful. So was Andy O'Brien.

The performances of Shearer, Bellamy, Robert & Given bear some resemblance to the real world, but is Shola bangs in 25 in the premiership next year (I'll excuse them for being a year ahead of themselves) I'll eat my hat. And if Diego Gavilan ever plays at centre half for anyone, anywhere I'll eat all of your hats too.

I might be missing the gist of that original thread - any comments?

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2002

Answers

Oh, and Robbie Elliot made the England squad. No, really....

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2002

I was playing 00/01 recently. Thought I'd go on holiday to see what happened. I left Newcastle to take over some French team who sacked me after one month and one game in charge. And then promptly went on to manage Huddersfield, Brescia, Bari, Paris Saint Germain, some Italian team, Le Mans and Lyon

The most unrealistic part for me was that John Gregory took over from me at Newcastle and went on to win the league.

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2002

Sounds like you sacrificed yourself for the good of the team!

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2002

I saved it before I went on holiday. I am going back to where I left off to take over. I did have to cheat to buy Dean Richards though

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2002

What did you do, take over Spurs and sell him to Newcastle? Shame on you!

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2002

nah he was at Southampton at the time and they refused to sell. I even offered 10 million for him and they wouldn't budge. So I gave them 3 mill and crap players.

I liked CM2 as you could get everybody on a free transfer, they don't make cheats like that any more

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2002

I recall Finidi George was great in Sensible World of Soccer...

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2002

Shola Ameobi - showed promise in mine, but had stamina of 12 which was of little use to me. Sold him to Orlanda Pirates (south Africa) for £4m.

All right but I was ok for CB's. SOld him to Vallidolid for £1m I think.

Bassedas, Gavilan. Regular 7-rating first teamers. Gavilan at wing- back or winger.
Bellamy - now there's a saga. Didn't get a sniff of the first team, especially after I signed John Carew and Djibril Cisse. Transfer listed him at £7m, arranged a £9m deal with Villa...and then the game crashed. When I restarted, no offer. Not a sniff. Finally with his contract unprotected Stockport (ha ha) come in with £3m. It comes to transfer day and they realise they haven't got the money! So I'm still saddled with the git.
Elsewhere, I sold McClen and Quinn to Notts Forest early on, Quinn kind of came good and went back to the Prem for £4m+. LLL's gone to Notts County. Colin McMenamin's gone to Stenhousmuir. Steven Caldwell (Gary's better in my game) went to Castellon.

Tell me this - when you manage Newcastle, is the supporter's players of the year ALWAYS Alan Shearer? Every time for me.

And here's another goody - I love it when the game throws up unlikely transfers. Guess who's playing at left-back for Notts Forest in 2004?

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2002

Oops - that second line was about Marcelino, btw.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2002

It's no doubt a great game - even a convincing simulation. But it does annoy me, even worry me, when people start talking as if it's a source of insider information and a useful strategic tool in real- life football management.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2002

I think the point was to use CM to find talent in places you normally dont visit on scout trips. I also dont think the poster (dont remember who) meant that CM should be used to buy players. Just as a tool to find them and then scout them for real maybe. It could be a small compliment maybe.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2002

I'm not going to get in to whe whole CM v Real Life thing again, been there, done that! Anyway - the story of my game. I actually have to admit that I fiddled a bit with the editor to put Whitley Bay in the conference so I could play as them - as for money, player stats etc I left them alone. Anyway, I've just completed my first season as Whitley manager - celebrating the Conference title and the FA Vase Trophy.

Right at the start I picked up as many free transfers as I could - even if they don't play I could sell them on for a profit. I picked up a guy called Matthew Engele - an Australian/Italian on a free (he recently stared in the U17 World Cup tourney - watch this space). Anyway, f*cking hell, how good was he! He's only 17 and ended up top scorer in the league, the country, Europe, the World (getting a tad carried away) with a whopping 47 goals - that is my ALL TIME CM record. I also managed to pick up a guy called Suffo from Sheff Utd on loan and managed to get my all time fave - Bakircioglu for fairly cheap as well. At the end of the season I was getting £7m+ bids for Engelen but I turned them all down. After picking up about 10 scandinavian kids on frees I managed to sell a few of them on so I've got *some* cash in the bank.

Anyway, I'm currently in pre-season in my 2nd year - just got Ashton from Crewe as his relegation release clause was activated - bit weird as he's now dropped down to the 3rd div rather than stay with Crewe in the 2nd. Other targets include Kallstrom - he's not budging...yet. TJC

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2002

In my recent game I manage Fiorentina...the things is tho that Man U after the season gets a new manager cause Ferguson quits. Guess who it was this time - Bobby Robson =[[[[[[[[

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2002

That's one thing I don't like about managing NUFC in CM - that history page that shows you they date they sacked Bobby Robson in order to take you on!

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2002

Hasselbaink was player of the year for me (as NUFC manager)

40 goals in a season is probably why.

Robert nearly always throws a strop and has a month long period of very low morale where he plays crap. 21 assists isn't bad though.

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2002