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#101667 OOH-LA-LAZIO!!!
henrytg
Juventus make bid for Lulic
July 15, 2012
Juve have made an co-ownership offer for Lazio's Senad Lulic, according to sources at the club.
Lulic is coveted by Juve. Photo: Ansa.
It is understood Juventus have offered around £5 million for half of the player's rights, however this is believed to be short of Lazio's valuation of the player, which is closer to a total of £20 million.
Lulic impressed last year for Lazio, playing 27 times and scoring 4 goals. He was voted the third best Bosnian player and drew the attention of Chelsea among others. He has played both at left back and left winger for Lazio, with his versatility a big part of his game.
Juventus seem to have made the Bosnian a top transfer target, and should they meet Lazio's asking price, it certainly seems as though he could be heading to Turin.
Lulic has also played over 20 times at international level, scoring one goal.
#101593 OOH-LA-LAZIO!!!
henrytg
Lazio announce pre-season calendar
July 7, 2012
Lazio have confirmed their four pre-season fixtures, which includes games against AlbinoLeffe and Pisa.
Lazio will only play one foreign club in their pre-season campaign. Photo: Ansa.
The other games are against Rijnsburgse Boys and Trapani, which should prove a good chance for fringe players to earn their place in the side.
Lazio's first game is against Rijnsburgse Boys, and they play AlbinoLeffe a week before the first game in the Serie A.
The full list:
#101574 OOH-LA-LAZIO!!!
henrytg
Di Canio brings in staff from Swindon
June 29, 2012
Lazio have confirmed that Paolo Di Canio has reunited himself with his backroom staff at Swindon. Fabrizio Piccareta will be his assistant manager, while Claudio Donatelli and Domenico Doardo have also been brought in.
Di Canio raided his former club for his backroom staff. Photo: Ansa.
Piccareta was also Di Canio's assistant at Swindon, while Donatelli has been appointed fitness coach and Doardo the goalkeeping coach. Giulio Viscardi, the team masseur at Swindon, has also been brought in.
Staff from Edy Reja's previous regime have followed him out of the club, leaving Di Canio with a clean slate from which to start.
Both Di Canio and his staff will start work on the 1st of July, before the players return for Euro 2012 and their summer breaks.
#101391 OOH-LA-LAZIO!!!
henrytg
Di Canio: My dream has come true
June 27, 2012
In an exclusive interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Paolo Di Canio reveals his delight at returning to Lazio, and says that any issues he had with the club are in the past. For the full interview, read today's Gazzetta dello Sport.
Di Canio was determined to return to his former club.
GDS: Lazio was your boyhood club, you must be delighted to be managing them?
PDC: Of course. It's a dream come true. I left the club in a bad way in 2006 and I always felt that if I had the chance to go back, I would try and make things better with President Lotito and try and get this club trophies. I have been given the chance, and I want to deliver.
GDS: Were you expecting to leave Swindon before Lazio approached you?
PDC: No. We had a fantastic season last year, getting promoted in a dominant way, and I would have stayed if Lazio didn't want me. However when the club you have supported all your life asks you to be their manager, you cannot say no.
GDS: You've always had a special relationship with the fans - were they another reason you came back?
PDC: For me, Lazio have the best fans in the world. Passionate, loud, I was one of them when I was younger. Of course they were very important. Having the best fans is important, and they will help us win matches this season. I'm 100% sure. They can make the difference in a close game and really worry our opponents.
GDS: You've only just arrived, but how do you assess the Lazio squad as it is? Are there any areas you want to strengthen?
PDC: We have a very strong squad, that's obvious. We should be aiming for a top three finish in the Serie A this year with the squad we have. Whether we need to buy anyone depends on if we sell anybody. At the moment, we are not looking for players.
GDS: Finally, you've been managing in England for the past year. Will it take you time to adapt?
PDC: I'm confident I can manage. Clearly, it's not a local club anymore, this is Lazio, a team known worldwide. However I obviously have huge passion for this club, and I will give blood, sweat and tears so that we can win games. I will always give 150% to this club and the fans.
#101382 OOH-LA-LAZIO!!!
henrytg
Di Canio is new Lazio manager: Reaction
June 26, 2012
Paolo Di Canio was confirmed as Lazio's new manager earlier today, and already there has been lots of reaction to the appointment. You can find a selection below.
Di Canio's appointment has provoked a range of reactions.
Lazio vice captain Stefano Mauri on Twitter: Really happy Paolo is back! This season will be the one! FORZA LAZIO!!
Italian football expert and author of Di Canio's biography, Gabriele Marcotti: Di Canio's return to Lazio is one of the most interesting moves in recent years. Many thought that he could never come back to the club after the way he left in 2006, but it clearly seems as though both Lotito and Di Canio have put their differences behind them. Di Canio's appointment will certainly please most Lazio fans, however it will be interesting to see if he can deliver the results as well.
Massimo, Irriducibili member: He was who we wanted, we've got him. A Lazio icon, he's one of us. We could not have had a better choice as manager. Really happy. Forza Lazio!
Gianluca, another Lazio fan: I'm worried that Di Canio is the right person. He has little managerial experience, and his previous relationship with the club could come back to bite him. I would have preferred Zola.
Harry Redknapp, Paolo Di Canio's ex manager: You know it's a big step up for Paolo. He did well at Swindon, but it will be interesting to see how he does on the big stage at a top European club. Good luck to him.
#101323 OOH-LA-LAZIO!!!
henrytg
Di Canio confirmed as new Lazio boss
June 26, 2012
Paolo Di Canio has been appointed manager of Lazio on a five year deal, the club confirmed today on its website.
Di Canio was eager to make a return to his boyhood club.
The ex Swindon boss completed the formalities this morning before putting pen to paper after Swindon released him from his contract.
Claudio Lotito said in a statement: 'While it is no secret that Paolo left the club in a disappointing manner and that relationships became strained between him and the club, we have decided to put these issues behind us as we believe that he is the right man to take this club forward.'
'Paolo boasts incredible football experience, and of course he has a special bond with the fans here at Lazio.'
'He proved his maturity as a manager at Swindon, leading them to promotion last year in an impressive season, and we are very confident he can achieve the same success at Lazio.'
'Di Canio was the only real option for us, and from that point on, it was just a case of negotiating his release from Swindon and agreeing terms.'
Di Canio's first official day in charge will be the 1st of July, where he will oversee Lazio's pre-season preparations and start work for the new campaign.
#101155 OOH-LA-LAZIO!!!
henrytg
Di Canio in talks with Lazio
June 24, 2012
Swindon Town have allowed Lazio to talk to Paolo Di Canio about him taking over as manager at the Rome club.
Di Canio and Lotito seem to have overcome their personal differences. Photo: Ansa.
Di Canio, a Lazio icon and fan favourite, is understood to be very interested at the chance to manage the club he supported as a boy.
However his playing career at the club ended bittersweetly despite forming a bond with the fans.
He was released in 2006 for his provocative behaviour which included fascist salutes to the club’s ultras as well as clashes with club staff and players.
It now seems that Lotito is willing to put previous issues behind him, believing that Di Canio has matured after his experience with Swindon.
The Italian flew to Rome early this morning after a potential compensation package was agreed between both clubs.
Swindon achieved promotion to League One under Di Canio’s guidance last season, the flamboyant manager’s first job in management.
Di Canio is also understood be the preferred choice of the Irriducibili, Lazio’s most influential Ultra group, which adds likelihood to the deal.
New Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo was also in the running for the post before he was appointed on a permanent basis at the the London club, while Gianfranco Zola is keen to remain in England for the time being, leaving Di Canio as the leading candidate.
Terms are expected to be agreed within the next couple of days, and an official announcement could be made shortly afterwards.
#101133 OOH-LA-LAZIO!!!
henrytg
Claudio Lotito: We will take our time over new manager
June 17, 2012
Lazio owner and president Claudio Lotito has declared that Lazio is in ‘no rush’ to find a replacement manager for Edy Reja, who stepped down at the end of the season in May.
Claudio Lotito is taking a laid back approach to finding a new manager. Photo: Ansa.
A number of names have been linked with the Lazio hotseat, including former Chelsea star Gianfranco Zola and Lazio legend Paolo Di Canio, current manager of Swindon.
‘The important thing is not to rush’, Lotito said, ‘We must make a measured decision, as it is one that will affect not just the short term for Lazio, but the long term as well.’
‘Everything has to be taken into consideration, and we really want to build on the great foundation that Edy has left us with. To make a quick decision which everyone later regrets would be stupid – we really have to make sure we hire the right man.’
‘We need someone who understands our team, our philosophy, and who has a good understanding of the Italian game. We want to maintain the chemistry already present at the club.’
The Rome club finished in the Europa League places under Reja’s guidance last season, only narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification.
Despite being asked to stay, Reja decided to resign citing a poor transfer window, injuries and failing to qualify for the Champions League.
#101126 OOH-LA-LAZIO!!!
henrytg
#101124 OOH-LA-LAZIO!!!
henrytg
Edy Reja resigns from Lazio post
May 18, 2012
Lazio boss Edy Reja has stepped down from his role at the Rome club despite the board pleading with him to stay on.
Edy Reja also tried to leave earlier in the season. Photo: Ansa.
The Italian guided the club to the Europa League for the second successive season, only just missing out on a Champions League place.
"My adventure at Lazio ends here,'' he told Cittaceleste.it. "President Lotito gave me his support and asked me to stay on.
"Even after my refusal, he invited me to reconsider and take a week to reflect. But I had already made my decision.
"It seems as if we have not done anything these past two years, even though we twice qualified for the Europa League.
"Of course, if we had hit our target of qualifying for the Champions League this year, things would have been different.
"We had several injuries, which made the season difficult, but it hurts to think that fourth place seems to be worthless.
"In addition the bid to strengthen in January went badly. After the transfer window, I found myself without five or six regulars because of drawn-out transfer negotiations which were never concluded.''
Reja, who was close to walking away at two other points during the season, has no clear front runner for his succession, however Gianfranco Zola, the Watford manager and Roberto Di Matteo, who played for Lazio between 1993 and 1996 have been mentioned has possible targets.
Paolo Di Canio, the Swindon manager and iconic Lazio player also seems a likely option.
#96199 Completely unrealistic competition winners
henrytg
#91567 Investing money from transfers into club infrastructure
henrytg
I know that you can asked for improved facilities in the boardroom, but often the boardroom says that it can't afford it, even if you've got transfer money spare.
This really needs to come in FM14 if there's no way to do it currently.
#291515 Breaking The Bela Guttmann Curse
henrytg
We also played our first friendly against Wolves, which we drew 1-1. Extremely annoying as they undeservedly equalised in stoppage time. Equally bad is that our first choice left back Melgarejo is out for three months with a hamstring injury picked up during the game.
#291514 Breaking The Bela Guttmann Curse
henrytg
Who the hell is John Doyle? He's the director of football for the San Jose Earthquakes in the MLS, a team that the legendary Billy Beane is a shareholder in and has been helping out. Of course, this makes no difference to how he performs in Football Manager, but I nevertheless wanted him at the helm of my team.
I've given him full player signing and contract negotiation responsibilities, so let's see what he comes up with.
Lastly, I thrashed Benfica B in the first friendly 5-1. Things going well so far.
#291513 Breaking The Bela Guttmann Curse
henrytg
In 1962, Bela Guttmann, the outgoing Benfica manager, left his mark in a big way, off the pitch. The Hungarian is widely regarded as one of the greatest managers of all time, but more than the trophies he won, it was a comment he made to the Benfica board in response to being denied a pay rise.
'Not in a hundred years from now will Benfica ever win a European Cup', he said. Threats and wild predictions are made daily in football, however they rarely hold true for beyond a week. Guttmann's prediction has remained true for over 50 years.
Guttmann died in 1981, and since 1962, Benfica have reached seven European finals (including this year) and lost all. Hell, even a guy called Jesus couldn't find a way to break the curse. What does that tell you?
So I think you know where this is going. This isn't some wild penta-hexa-dodecagon challenge, the aim here is just to win a European title with Benfica, while of course competing in the Portuguese league along the way.
I will be continuing the attractive style of play that Jorge Jesus has implemented, not only winning, but winning in style.
Does the curse apply to Football Manager? We're about to find out.
#56095 FM, It's Almost Over
henrytg
Apparently, you become an expert at something with 10,000 hours practice. I know for a fact I've got well over 3,000 hours total gameplay over the years. While I know that compared to many on this forum, it doesn't seem like a lot, for the average person it's huge.
I can say for a fact: I have never ever had a successful, long term career in FM. Not ONCE. But believe me, I have tried everything. I've created my own tactics and used other people's, I created my training schedules and used other peoples, I've signed some good players, and also gone by others' recommendations.
My best achievement was winning the SPL with Celtic one year. Yeah, big deal.
Who knows, perhaps I really am the worst player of all time, but I really doubt it. Sports Interactive can't put a realistic match engine together. Well over ten years, they still haven't done it. Shay Given still just stands there in a one on one situation and lets the ball get passed into the net, Jack Wilshere still decides to try an elaborate cross field pass to nobody when there's a though ball on.
However this thread is more than just a rant about the sh*tty match engine. The bottom line is this: Football Manager is a game, and if you let Jose Mourinho play it, the best manager in real life, he'll probably fail. (That would be a great idea for a series "Real Managers Play Football Manager"
It's got absolutely nothing to do with real life management, not because of options available or the tactical options, but because once you've inputted them, they don't turn out like they would in real life.
That's the issue. I'm a part time football coach in real life, and at half time you can tell your team to do something, or motivate a player. In FM, you can in theory do the same things, but the results differ hugely.
I know there's a limit to how far you can go with realism, but I think A LOT more can be done.
Having said all that, I must be doing something wrong. Successful stories appear on this site every day, where many trophies are won. I have never had any long term success, and things always seem to get harder the longer my career goes on.
I'm not really looking for tips e.g play more defensive, use counter after goals. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what I'll get out of this, because everything I've tried so far has failed. The same thing happens over and over again, and it gets worse as my careers go on.
Thanks for reading my essay.
#289682 The Third Team In Glasgow
henrytg
#289681 The Third Team In Glasgow
henrytg
#289680 The Third Team In Glasgow
henrytg
#289679 The Third Team In Glasgow
henrytg
#289678 The Third Team In Glasgow
henrytg
#289677 The Third Team In Glasgow
henrytg
#50749 The Third Team In Glasgow
henrytg
#289676 The Third Team In Glasgow
henrytg
#289675 The Third Team In Glasgow
henrytg
#34077 Conceding loads early against big teams
henrytg
For example, I was playing Juve with AC Milan, I conceded 5 in the first half, but then won the second half 2-1. Final score was 6-2 obviously.
Why does this keep happening when I play big teams, because against small teams it never happens. Is it a tactical issue or something else (I don't think it is tactical as this has happened with many different tactics)?
#289674 The Third Team In Glasgow
henrytg
#25808 DanW19's Journeyman Adventure
henrytg
#289673 The Third Team In Glasgow
henrytg
#25297 The Third Team In Glasgow
henrytg
Thanks!