FM12 Newcastle United Story- Bring back the Glory Days!

Team GB

In pre-season, I got the job of managing team GB at the Olympics.

The squad I chose was as follows:

GKs: Jason Steele, Jed Steer
DEFs: Joel Tomkins, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Nathaniel Clyne (injury replacement for Martin Kelly), Ryan Bertrand, Kieran Gibbs (injury replacement for Gareth Bale.
MIDs: Tom Cleverley, Joe Allen, Aaron Lennon, Ashley Young, Jordan Henderson, Jack Rodwell
STs: Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Andy Carroll

The matches I played at first, a friendly against Egypt and then group matches against Uruguay, South Korea and Egypt, were straightforward victories (4-0, 7-0, 3-0). I then got drawn against Brazil in the Semi Finals:

We were 2-0 down after 4 minutes, 3-1 down after 10. 4-1 down at half time. Rooney scored 3 goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half to get it back to 4-4. Brazil then scored a winner with 3 minutes left to break GB hearts. The 3rd place match against Japan is my next match to play.

Oh well. Rooney top scorer in the tournament with 10.

Pre Season 2012

In the midst of my challenge as GB manager, Newcastle have had a solid pre season. The friendlies were as follows:

Blackpool 0-2 Newcastle: Fabricio Coloccini, Hatem Ben Arfa
Birmingham 0-5 Newcastle: Demba Ba X3, Adam Lallana, Jonas Gutierrez
Newcastle 3-0 Austria Wien: Gylfi Sigurdsson, Papiss Cisse, Adam Johnson
Newcastle 3-2 Bayern Munich: Fabricio Coloccini X2, Papiss Cisse
Club Brugge 0-4 Newcastle: Papiss Cisse X3, Wesley Said
Carlisle 0-2 Newcastle: Wesley Said X2

I have tried to give some of my more promising youngsters some game time in the friendlies to see if they are up to some first team football this season, and Wesley Said has been very impressive when he has played. Adam Johnson has also had a super pre season after joining from Manchester City, and the victory against a very strong Bayern side gives a bit of hope for the Champions League this season.

As for the Champions League campaign, my play off to qualify for the groupstage is against Russian moneybags Anzhi Mackakakakakakakakakakala, with the first leg away in Russia. I am hoping to, firstly, get into the group stage and, after that, to qualify from the groups for the knockout business. Anything more than that is a bonus.

In the league this year I want to at least finish in 4th, hopefully progress a bit, and to retain the FA Cup this year. I am not so fussed about the League Cup this year as I only cared last year because I wanted to guarantee European football. I will use that for the youngsters this season.

I am now going to post my transfers this summer...

Transfers

IN

Adam Johnson


£5m

He was offered to me at the back end of the previous season for just over £5m, and I was never saying no to that! He will most likely be my first choice left winger who will swap with Ben Arfa, my first choice right winger.

Martin Montoya


FREE

Danny Simpson wanted to go, so I brought in Montoya to be my new back up right full back. Simples.

Gylfi Sigurdsson


£4.5m

BARGAIN! I have heard good things about this player, in real life he tore up the Prem in the second half of last year, so I hope he can do that this year. I look forward to the long range goals many have promised.

Michael Ballack


FREE

Brought in Ballack for a bit of experience to be perfectly honest because very few of my players have played in European competition before. This might not make any difference on FM, I'm not sure, but I know it apparently does in real life, so in came the German.

Sebastian Bassong


£2m

Steven Taylor got fed up of being a benchwarmer so has left for pastures new, so I needed another centre half for back up for Coloccini and Vertonghen, so Bassong came in. For £2m, he isn't too bad.

Felipe Anderson has made his loan switch from Santos permanent for £4.2m

OUT

Steven Naismith to Liverpool, £5.25m
Mike Williamson to Burnley, £2m
Leon Best to Huddersfield, £2m
Steven Taylor to Aston Villa, £7m
Shane Ferguson to Bristol City, £1.3m
Danny Simpson to Stoke City, £2.4m
Steven Harper to Blackppol, 230k
James Perch to Norwich, £2.2m
Tamas Kadar to Belenenses, 500k
Sylvain Marveaux to A. Madrid, 875k loan fee, agreed price of £2.2m

All in all, I think I have done quite well getting what I did for these players. On top of these, many have left on frees and lots of the young players have gone out on loan for first team football. Too many to list. Carlos Fierro came in in July after agreeing a contract a year ago, but he has no work permit so he has been sent to my Belgian feeder club utilised for work permits. Romario and Erick Torres have also been sent there.

Cup Holders Beat League Champions

Newcastle United today beat Manchester City in the FA Community Shield Trophy.

Line Up
Krul; Santon (Bassong 65), Coloccini (Goal '63), Vertonghen, M'Bengue; Tiote, Sigurdsson, Cabaye; Ben Arfa- MOTM, Johnson; Cisse (Goal '3)(Ba 65)

Manchester City's goal was scored by Carlos Tevez in the 68th minute.

A victory for Newcastle with Ben Arfa getting both assists in this match. The match was completely even with shots, shots on target and possession all being exactly the same for both teams. Looks good for the coming season.

The press are suggesting that Newcastle United are still in the market for a new striker, with Wigan's Hugo Rodallega being the prime candidate

Start of August 2012

Results

Game 1: Newcastle 1-1 Manchester City: Adam Johnson
Game 2: Anzhi Makakakakakakakala 0-4 Newcastle: Adam Johnson, Fabricio Coloccini, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Papiss Cisse

A superb start. The media predicted a draw in the Champions League match, but the mighty Newcastle hammered Anzhi and it is almost certain that we will be in the Champions League group stage now. The best moment was Sigurdsson's long range goal!!

Enjoying this story

Rest of August 2012

Results

Game 3: Chelsea 1-2 Newcastle: David Luiz OG, Gary Hooper
Game 4: Newcastle 1-2 Anzhi Makakakakakakakala: Demba Ba

Hooper signed the day before the Chelsea match, came on with 15 minutes left, and BOSH! First touch in his first game gave him his first goal and Newcastle their first league win of the season- I suppose it was written! A loss against Anzhi wasn't too bad as I really played a reserve team and we still qualified for the group stage.

Champions League Group D
1. Schalke
2. Shakhtar
3. Olympiakos
4. Newcastle

The group really could have been worse and I fancy my chances getting through this to the knockout rounds.
Will post tomorrow with a September review.