disgruntled_bear 157 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Football Manager greats: where are they now?To celebrate the release of Football Manager 2012 we look back at some of the all-time greats from the series.Is there another game that turns real-life individuals into heroes in the way that the Football Manager series does?Players who have had less than stellar careers, but turned it on in the virtual arena, are often more fondly remembered than actual professionals. What Mario is to Nintendo, Tonton Zola Moukoko has been to football management games.As the 2012 version of the game is released we look back at some of the best players to have graced the FM universe, and it's previous Championship Manager incarnation, and ask whatever happened to them in the real world?Adu, Freddy – In 2003, Freddy Adu was just 14 years old. The American could be acquired for free, but was almost impossible to get a work permit for and required seasons of patient waiting. But it was worth it: three or four years into the game and he was one of the best players available. By his early 20s he made Pele look like Ali Dia. In real life Adu suffered with the weight of expectation. Diminishing returns in Portugal, France, Greece and Turkey meant he returned to the US with Philadelphia Union this summer. Still only 22 though…Archibald, Alan – One of the greats from the Partick Thistle team of Championship Manager 3. Archibald could be picked up cheaply and would almost always go on to captain Scotland whilst playing at Real Madrid or AC Milan. Archibald is currently in his second spell at Firhill after a sojourn at Dundee United, and is Partick Thistle captain.Bakayoko, Ibrahima – Bakayoko was an Ivory Coast international who was available for a modest investment from Montpellier in Championship Manager 97/98. The striker had it all: pace, precision, finishing, strength, and could be counted on to score the mandatory 40 goals per season. Whether this influenced Walter Smith to part with £4.5m to bring him to Everton is open to debate, but the real version was never quite as effective as his virtual counterpart. Bakayoko played bit-parts at Marseille, Osasuna, Larissa and Livorno amongst others.Bakircioglu, Kennedy – A goal machine from attacking midfield, Bakircioglu was readily available from Hammarby in the 00/01 version of the game. Good for 20 goals when playing behind the strikers and providing the same again for the frontline, he was a key purchase early in the game. The 14-times-capped Swedish international is currently at Racing Santander, and had a relatively successful career in Holland with Twente and Ajax.Duff, Michael – Easily snaffled from Cheltenham Town, “Mike” Duff was as solid a full back as you were ever likely to need. Currently in his eighth season at Burnley, Duff has 22 caps for Northern Ireland.Dunn, Robert – Another of the great Partick Team of Championship Manager 3. Dunn was a lethal poacher for club and eventually country and could be tempted from Firhill for a bucket hat, an album by Kula Shaker and other late 90s paraphenalia. Dunn scored 15 goals for Partick before going on to play for Airdrie and Dumbarton.Fortune-West, Leo – The towering forward was an easy acquisition from Gillingham during the mid-90s versions of the game, and could be relied upon to get amongst the goals. A successful spell in Division One in England at the beginning of the 00s was followed by years of playing non-league.Guarin, Freddy – Long shots 20. That was all you needed to know about the Colombian midfielder. Devastating when left patrolling the edge of the box at corners, Guarin could be plucked from Envigado anytime between 2005 and 2008. He has arguably reached a level equal to his FM potential, winning the Europa League with Porto last season.Howie, Willie – The final piece of the CM3 Partick Thistle jigsaw. Whether you were Manchester United or Montrose, Howie would improve your team tenfold. Pulling strings in the centre of the park and weighing in with a considerable number of goals. In an alternative universe Howie had the career Frank Lampard has had. In this universe he left Partick for Glenafton in 2005 and is now playing non-league.Jorgensen, Mads – Jorgensen was an uncapped Dane whose pace and trickery would unlock any defence. Available from Aarhus in the 99/00 version of the game, in real life Jorgensen made one appearance for Denmark and had brief spells in Norway and Italy.Jones, Billy – “The next Jamie Carragher” was the kind of versatile defender that any manager would kill for. Capable of playing D(R,L,C), DM, M(R,L,C) Jones could be whisked away from Dario Gradi’s despairing clutches for a pittance in the 2006 version. Jones now plays for West Brom after a spell at Preston North End.Kallstrom, Kim – Another who has fulfilled his virtual potential, Kallstrom was a vital cog in any team during the 01/02 version. Capable of creating and scoring goals from all distances, he was the playmaker that you needed if your Kilmarnock team had any hope of winning the Champions League. Kallstrom has 84 caps and 15 goals for his country and is currently plying his trade for Lyon in Ligue 1.Kerr, Mark – Available on the cheap from Falkirk in 01/02, the tenacious holding midfielder was guaranteed to become part of Scotland’s victorious 2010 World Cup campaign. In real life Kerr moved from Falkirk to Dundee United to Aberdeen, and is currently playing for Asteras Tripoli in Greece.Madeira, To – Breaking this news is like telling a child there is no Santa. To Madeira wasn’t real, which would explain his mythical goal-grabbing prowess. Madeira was capable of 30, 40, even 50 goals during the 01/02 version. Like a mystical footballing Kaiser Soze, he was deadly and then he was gone. The greatest player who never lived.Mihelic, Rene – Available for around £100k from Maribor in the 2007 season, the 19-year-old Mihelic would quickly become a multi-million pound midfielder. Tireless and robust in the challenge, Mihelic is currently at Nacional in Portugal and has three caps for his country.Okoronkwo, Isaac – The ferocious Nigerian centre back was a must-buy in the 2002 version of the game, although he was difficult to prise from the grasp of Shakhtar Donetsk. Okoronkwo had one season at Wolves before returning to Russia with Alania Vladikavkaz.Paim, Fabio – Signing the 14 year old Portuguese was a must for any long-term planner. Sporting Lisbon rarely let him go cheaply, but he had the ability to dazzle the most cultured of full-backs with his wing prowess by the age of 16. He currently plays for Primero de Agosto in Angola.Prospar, Peter – The Trinidadian striker was a force to be reckoned with in the 99/00 season. Another available for almost no fee, Prospar could be the answer to any goalscoring problem. In real life he played 16 times for his country and scored 7 goals, but spent most of his career playing in Beirut.Samba, Cherno – As a teenager at Millwall, Samba was a good target for any manager wanting to build their team around the pacy targetman. Frequently the man who led the line for England at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, Samba was lethal in front of goal. Since leaving Millwall Samba has elected to play for Gambia and has spent time at FC Haka in Finland as well as Cadiz and Panathelikos. He spent the summer training with Afrelton Town and had a trial at Crystal Palace.Sigporsson, Andri – Arguably the best player ever to appear in the CM/FM world, the Icelandic international could be signed cheaply from FC Reykjavik, and instantly become a world star in the 1999 version. In our minds he belongs beside Pele, Maradona, Cruyff, Messi and Zidane. In actual fact he retired from the game in 2004 while at Molde. However, his 21-year-old brother Kolbeinn is a star in the making, scoring five goals in his first six games for Ajax.Sparv, Tim – Available for relatively little from Southampton, Sparv would develop into a world class playmaker in the 2006 version. The towering midfielder is now a regular in the Finnish national team and plays a key part of Groningen’s revival in the Eredivisie.Svindal Larsen, Tommy – As all-round midfielders go, TSL would probably make any Football Manager enthusiasts’ dream team. Although a little more mature than some of the other targets mentioned, the Norwegian was a maestro in the centre of the park and could be picked up cheaply from Stabaek.Tobin, Mark and Derek – Available as free transfers at the start of the 2005 version, these Irish midfielders were 14 and 15 years old at the start of the game and could become the backbone of your side for two decades. Alas, they were never real players.Tsigalko, Maxim – Scouring the Belorussian leagues has always been part of the fun of the entire series, particularly when there are such goal-hungry mutants as Tsigalko available. Not so much a goal machine as an entire factory, the Belarus international was capable of a century of goals in a season. Repeatedly. Tsigalko, actually called Maksim Tsyhalka, spent his career in Kazakhstan and Armenia before retiring through injury in 2008.West, Taribo – Although far from an unknown name, Taribo West has come to represent the gold that can be found in the free transfer market. Willing to consider almost any middle-sized club, the Nigerian international left-back was one of the first players to seek out in the 01/02 version. His real career followed a similar path. After leaving Derby County in 2001 he had spells in Germany, Serbia, Qatar, Iran and very nearly signed for Dunfermline.Zola Moukoko, Tonton – Saving the best for last? Described by one commenter on twitter yesterday as “a cheat player”, there are apocryphal tales of Moukoko registering 70 or even 80 goals during a campaign, often playing behind the main strikers. The Swedish Ghanaian was a force of nature that could be bought from Derby without too much haggling in the 2000/01 version. His virtual career took him to glories untold, his actual career saw him struggle in the second tier of Sweden, and he now plies his trade in the third division in Finland.http://sport.stv.tv/blog/275599-football-manager-greats-where-are-they-now/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitterDidn't know quite where to put this, but. Half these names mentioned above will take a few back. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdasyn 431 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Haha aye. Yousoff Hersi was quality as well! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
4MenHadADream 122 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 The memories come flooding back. Here's to 20 years of CM/FM! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSuedeSambas 53,782 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 The only football manager I've ever played to any extent was the iPhone app 2010.Last time I played it I was in 2020 had won 11 league titles in a row, 6 champions leagues in a row (8 overall) and 41 trophies overall while only spending 91 million on players and and taking in 214 million on player sales I really want to start a new game but I can't bring myself to do it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senna 735 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Wow, this brings back memories.Kallstrom and Stefan Selakovic were an unbeatable CM pairing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenDavis 112 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 On CM 01/02 you could get Phillipe Mexes on loan from Auxerre and get Pep Guardiola on a free. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don81 2,837 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Gifton Noel Williams had to be my greatest ever signing back in the day , would score at least two every game Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasGers 96 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Daniel Vantaggiato to- guaranteed 35 goals a year no matter who you were, and you could get him for 500K or so Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooooootchy 405 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 To madeira wasn't real ?? That blew my mind and ruined my day at the same time Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam_RFC 238 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Mark kerr and freddy edu in 01/02 bought them every Time a played Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhosTheDado 32 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Jordan Rhodes is dynamite in last year's game. Got the goals that led me into europe with Huddersfield. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgr1991 303 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Adu and Guarin 2005 are two that stand out. I remember playing as West Brom, starting in the championship, getting promoted, mid table first season in the prem and won it the next year. Then, a young Fernando Torres and Dimitar Berbatov as well as Fabricio Miccoli were all available on bosmans in the same year and I signed them all up as well as Guarin and Adu, then the game fucking crashed at the same point everytime. Bastard.Adu was a beast in mid 2000 games though, was always a money grabbing wee shite though Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott-RFC 308 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 No Anatoli Todorov or Gheorgi Khakalov?Like a Ukraninan Di Stefano and Puskas Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senna 735 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Some things never change though. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueAndWhite 37 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Daniel Vantaggiato to- guaranteed 35 goals a year no matter who you were, and you could get him for 500K or soYea, you used to get him from that Rimini club.Another player is Enrique Estebaranz. An absolute god on the game. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senna 735 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Yea, you used to get him from that Rimini club.Another player is Enrqique Estebaranz. An absolute god on the game.Fucking hell, that has given me an almighty flashback.You used to be able to get Suker on a free in 99/00 and he would score forty for the last two years in his career. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueAndWhite 37 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Fucking hell, that has given me an almighty flashback.You used to be able to get Suker on a free in 99/00 and he would score forty for the last two years in his career.Yeah, he was insane. He had average stats, but would score 2-3 a game.This was in 01/02 I think. He was like 34 at the time as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senna 735 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Yeah, he was insane. He had average stats, but would score 2-3 a game.This was in 01/02 I think.Could be, the one with the red cover for sure. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueAndWhite 37 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Could be, the one with the red cover for sure. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senna 735 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senna 735 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Oh yeah! I played Selakovic on the RW though.I remember on 01/02 I won 10 in a row (made 4 Champs League finals, lost all of them ) with a team of entirely Swedish players, most of them plucked from the second division I also won promotion with a Partick Thistle team consisting of Kallstrom in midfield and Mikael Dorsin at the back Those were the days!01/02 was a fantastic game!It had so many wee hidden gems in it, it was unreal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueAndWhite 37 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 More recently, but does anyone remember Mika Aaritalo (sp). He was fucking quality. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdoggrfc1 44 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 More recently, but does anyone remember Mika Aaritalo (sp). He was fucking quality.he was unreal fm 09 i think bought him ans zuculini for rangers won treble and got to champions league semi in 2nd season sold both for about 10 mil each after spending about a million total on them Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senna 735 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Not FM, but on LMA Manager my friend and I had this Rangers season and we bought a regen called V.Schwamkessel. Scored 30+ league goals a season, every season, for 10 years. Schwamkessel, i'll never forget him. The ridiculous thing is I have googled that name, and it isn't even a real German name, it's completely made up Outstanding. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senna 735 Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 He doesn't know it yet, but i'm getting my mate a shirt with Schwamkessel on the back of it when i'm over at Xmas time That's a belter of a gift. I have to say, I'd laugh like fuck if he clocked it and was like, 'who's this fucker?' Would be like a Mr Luce-style unappreciation moment Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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