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FM2009: Official Udinese Calcio Thread: The Little Zebras that Could

killface

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killface

killface

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Udinese_calcio.gif

Udinese Calcio is an Italian football club currently playing in Serie A. I've had a lot of interest in Udinese since last year when they had many promising youngsters on FM08. I've been watching every game I can of theirs and they have become my favorite Italian club. I have never actually played as an Italian club in FM, and it seems that not too many people do either outside of AC Milan, Inter, and Juve, so hopefully I can convince some people to come along with me. The promising youngsters are back again in 09, but there seems to be even more this go around. With little transfer budget and no wage budget I decided not to buy any new players in the first window. They are nicknamed zebrette meaing little zebras, which is my second favorite nickname in all of football only beaten by the mattress makers.

Location

Udine, Italy is a small city in northeastern Italy, very near the Slovenian border.

800px-Piazza_Liberta_Udine.jpg

Stadium

Stadio Friuli, built in 1976 is a multi use stadium in Udine where Udinese Calcio currently plays its home matches. The stadium also features facilities for fencing, gymnastics, martial arts and athletics, including an indoor gym, located in the grandstand.

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Foundation

Udinese Calcio was established in 1896 as part of the Società Udinese di Ginnastica e Scherma, (Udinese Society of Gymnastics and Fencing). In its inaugural year, the club won the Torneo FNGI in Treviso beating Ferrara 2-0; however this title is not recognised as official.

On July 5, 1911 some gymnasts of Udinese, headed by Luigi Dal Dan, founded the A. C. Udinese which joined the FIGC. The new side made its debut in a friendly match against Juventus Palmanova, and won 6-0.

It was only in 1912-13 that Udinese first took part in an official FIGC championship. In that year they enrolled in the Campionato Veneto di Promozione, which consisted of just three teams (the others were Petrarca and Padova). With two victories against Padova (3-1 and 5-0), Udinese finished the tournament in second place behind Petrarca and were promoted to Serie A, then known as Prima Categoria. In Prima Categoria, Udinese failed to reach the national stage, always knocked out in the Eliminatoria Veneta.

Recent History

The 1996-97 season saw Udinese qualify for the UEFA Cup, with Alberto Zaccheroni as manager. The following season, they managed a resounding third place finish behind Juventus and Inter, largely thanks to Oliver Bierhoff's 27 goals.

In March 2001, Luciano Spalletti was appointed manager, replacing Luigi De Canio. Spalletti managed to lead the team to survival on the penultimate matchday. Following brief periods with Roy Hodgson and Giampiero Ventura on the bench, Spalletti was again appointed manager of Udinese at the beginning of the 2002-03 season, finding an organized and ambitious club which again reached the UEFA Cup, playing attacking and entertaining football.

The surprising fourth place finish at the end of the 2004-05 season saw Udinese achieve their first qualification for the UEFA Champions League in the history of the club. At the end of that same season, Spalletti announced his intention to leave Udinese.

The following season, Udinese played in the Champions League preliminary round, beating Sporting Lisbon 4-2 on aggregate. Udinese were drawn in a tough group alongside Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen and F.C. Barcelona. Despite their first match ending in a brilliant 3-0 win over PAO, courtesy of a brilliant Vincenzo Iaquinta hattrick, the team failed to qualify for the knockout rounds, coming third in their group, equal on points with second placed Werder and behind eventual champions Barcelona.

After a year in the Champions League, Udinese finished 10th and returned once more to midtable mediocrity. The turning point occurred during the summer of 2007, when the club announced the appointment of Sicilian manager Pasquale Marino and also made various quality purchases including Fabio Quagliarella and Gökhan Inler.

The 2007-08 season started well with a draw at home against champions Internazionale, but the enthusiasm was quickly erased after the first home match which finished in a 5-0 loss to newly promoted Napoli. After this match, Udinese's fortunes changed, starting with a victory over Juventus thanks to a late Antonio Di Natale goal. Approaching the end of the season, Udinese found themselves in fourth position surprising everyone. They could not maintain this pace however, and fell to 7th. The team continued to fight until the penultimate round for a Champions League place with Milan and Sampdoria, however had to settle for a place in the UEFA Cup.

At the start of the 2008-09 season, during the press conference to present the new season's shirt, the new official website was also presented, and an absolute novelty in the Italian championship, the first Web TV channel dedicated to a football club called Udinese Channel was launched, totally free and visible worldwide.

First Team Squad

Keepers

Samir Handanovic

Emanuele Belardi(loan)

Center Backs

Christian Zapata

Felipe

Andrea Coda

Maurizio Domizzi

Fullbacks

Aleksandar Lukovic

Damiano Ferronetti

Moreno

Moreno

Marco Motta

Giovanni Pasquale

Center Mids

Gokhan Inler

Christian Obodo

Mauricio Isla

Gaetano D'Agostino

Fernando Tissone

Wingers and Attackers

Alexis Sanchez

Simone Pepe

Fabio Quagiarella

Antonio Di Natale

Antonio Floro Flores

This is my preferred starting 11 with best players *

GK-Handanovic

RB-Ferronetti

LB-Lukovic

DC-Zapata*

DC-Coda

ML-Sanchez

MR-Pepe

MC-Inler

MC-Obodo

FC-Quagiarella

FC-Di Natale*

Promising Youngsters

Alexis Sanchez, very pacy striker that plays very well on the wing too, already in the starting line up. Video of Alexis

Christian Zapata, probably the most promising young DC in the game. Amazing right from the start too.

Fernando Tissone, lots of potential, but hasn't got too much first team experience due to intense competition

Andrea Mazzarani, lots of potential, but not incredible at the start and with Simone Pepe it's hard to get him in there. Does make a great back up though.

Mauricio Isla, coaches say he has a lot of potential and puts in good sub and back up performances for me.

Loaned:

Federico Laurito, doing great for Livorno right now in my game, will make a great striker in a couple years.

Felipe Monteiro, hasn't played a lot, but has great stats other than his physical ones.

Well that wraps things up for now. I still don't know a ton about Udinese due to a lack of exposure in the states, so feel free to add anything you want.

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killface

killface

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So as I said before I didn't buy any players in the first transfer window, however I did loan Jozy Altidore and plan on buying him at the end of the year probably. The team starts with a pretty good squad, but injuries at center back and only one true defensive minded MC in Obodo. Now that I've reached the January window I'm going to bring in a new DM as a starter or back up, because Obodo is actually very good. Once Zapata is fit, you have a monster at the back, who is only averaging 7.50 tackles a game 2nd in Serie A behind Sissoko. Quite amazing as a DC, especially because he only has 13 fouls in 16 appearances. Felipe and Andrea Coda are your other DC's and due to Felipe's horrible natural fitness, Coda will be in at DC for the most part. Not really a bad thing, because Coda is a very good defender and is going to fit in my eventual Italian oriented team. Lukovic and Ferronetti always put in solid performances for me attacking and defending so Udinese's defense is pretty good. The midfield is also great, Gokhan Inler is great and sets up a lot of goals for me, while as I said Obodo is a pretty solid DM. Simone Pepe, despite only having a 15 in freekicks has scored on 5 of them in 15 matches and sets up a lot of goals. Alexis Sanchez is clearly a great talent for the future and his stats are climbing very very fast in my save, plus he's my first choice ML and does a great job there. Since he's right footed, he cuts in a lot and sits behind the strikers most of the time from there. From watching Udinese matches it seems this is the preferred position for him IRL. He's also played 3 games for me at striker and scored in one of them. Now for the strikers, and boy does Udinese have some good ones. Clearly just by glancing at Di Natale's stats you can tell he's incredible and he is. However, they also have a very under rated player in Quagiarella that I am determined to hype among this forum. He cleans things up for me, always scoring when I need him to and is leading Serie A in goals at the break. However, Di Natale is in 2nd also, but by 4 goals.

So that's the squad recap and here goes my progress. Things got off to a flying start for me by beating our fiercest rival in Serie A, Fiorentina. Unfortunately it was while I was watching the exact opposite happen IRL on tv lol. I then suffered my first loss against Napoli, but after that things really took off. Losing only to Milan after that, drawing Chievo, Roma, and Juve, but winning all my other matches so far with Inter coming up in a week. However, it looks like Inter play super defensively since they've only scored 13 goals so far. Right now I'm sitting in 2nd! and only 2 points behind Milan in first! Looks like my loss to them is already haunting me. My highest of the season as I was usually bouncing between 3rd and 4th with Roma and Fiorentina. However, as expected, most Italian sides play rather defensively so right now I have the most goals with 35 in 17 matches. Sad news though, because of my excellent start almost every one of my first team is wanted and it looks like I'm going to be forced to sell some. I think I'll be selling Inler for around 12m and might have to part with Quagiarella for about 17m. To stick with my Italian plan, I'm going to bring in Rosina, Nocerino, Paloschi, and Cassani. That would leave only Sanchez and Zapata as non Italian starters, who will be staying forever hopefully, helped by their very long contracts.

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killface

killface

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Well I sold Inler and Quagiarella for 30m combined and brought in some of the best Italian youth in Santon, Bolzoni, and Paloschi. I also bought Rosina as a replacement for Inler. I hadn't seen Bolzoni's stats before I looked around in the Italy U21 team, but damn this kid has good stats. He scored a great goal in his first match which proved to be the tying goal against Inter. Despite having an 18 for teamwork 7 for dribbling and 12 for long shots, he dribbled it past about 3 players and ripped a long shot. Very nice goal. Paloschi also scored in his second match against Fiorentina, not quite as impressive of a goal, but it showed off his off the ball stat.

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Dic

Dic

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I started as Udinese too.Sold Di natale for 30 mil euros to Man city,and bought Rosina and Di maria for Aml,and Kacar for dm,and loaned players like Cardozo,bruins,Sosa,d'Alessandro.Also bought Wijnaldum,Santon and Vass for the future.

I'm 4. on the table now,in january,and Quagllarella wants to leave,so i offered him for 50 mil,and Barca gave me.It's so unrealistic that they offer so much money,and now i'm looking for a new striker.looking at Pandev and Milevsky,but inter want Pandev too.

Any suggestions for a good striker'

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Raymond85

Raymond85

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stick with floro flores, quite decent and next season wait for laurito (amazing) and barreto (very decent) coming back from loan...splash money on a left wingback as pasquale is poor, lukovic not bad but you can do far far better.

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Essex Jay

Essex Jay

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Lukovic is doing well for me. I can't get anyone to score though. Signed Landon Donovan on a free, 1 goal in 11 apperances. Then thought i'd sign a target man which will maybe help Donovan out, he scores 3 in 13 (pogrebnyak - who gets rave reviews on here) My top scorer finished the season with 11 goals (Quagliarella) and i ended up finishing 6th in my first season. Signed Huntelaar for the second season, so hopefully he'll improve my fortunes!

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Raymond85

Raymond85

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Lukovic is doing well for me. I can't get anyone to score though. Signed Landon Donovan on a free, 1 goal in 11 apperances. Then thought i'd sign a target man which will maybe help Donovan out, he scores 3 in 13 (pogrebnyak - who gets rave reviews on here) My top scorer finished the season with 11 goals (Quagliarella) and i ended up finishing 6th in my first season. Signed Huntelaar for the second season, so hopefully he'll improve my fortunes!

lukovic was good, but offloaded pasquale back to Livorno and got Vargas and kolarov co-ownerships cheap on the last day of 2nd season summer transfer market, they have both been great,vargas outstanding so now lukovic is my 2nd backup, playing ok in cup and easy matches, will sell if the new duo keeps going on so good!

i had the same problem for scoring, promoted Laurito and he's got 13 in 16 games, driving Quagliarella on the right wing.... brought in Giuseppe Rossi with Di Natale and Tissone sales quite cheap so i hope problems are over.... also watch Candreva closely, not amazing attributes but getting in good performances and scoring long shots, chelsea have started to sniff around in january....

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acmilano112000

acmilano112000

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what formation have you guys gone with? I brought in pandev, veloso and rosina with money from di natale sale 1st season, but I can't quite fit them in after all. i thought i'd go with 3 at the back, veloso to cover from DM, but it was too vulnerable down the wings. too bad, cause i bought players with that in mind. now i can't really fit everyone in...

anyone play quagliarella on the wing? alone up front? with a partner?

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Raymond85

Raymond85

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what formation have you guys gone with? I brought in pandev, veloso and rosina with money from di natale sale 1st season, but I can't quite fit them in after all. i thought i'd go with 3 at the back, veloso to cover from DM, but it was too vulnerable down the wings. too bad, cause i bought players with that in mind. now i can't really fit everyone in...

anyone play quagliarella on the wing? alone up front? with a partner?

4-3-3 front wingers are in FR and FL position, central MC with FWR often, MCr with FWR rarely, DC's with FWR rarely.

In 2009/10 pre-season sold tissone and di natale, brought in G.Rossi, Vargas, Kolarov and Wijnaldum and kept some 1st season loaned out players.

GK Handanovic (De Sanctis-bosman)

DR Motta (Ferronetti, Basta)

DL Vargas (Kolarov, Lukovic)

DC Felipe (Domizzi)

DC Zapata (Coda)

MC Obodo (Isla)

MC Inler (Wijnaldum)

MC D'agostino (Candreva)

FR Sanchez/Quagliarella (Pepe)

FC Laurito (Floro Flores)

FL Rossi/Quagliarella

I cannot get the mosto out of Quagliarella centre-forward, but he is great as a winger...sanchez is devastating as an assist man, best average rating in the league, decent goalscorer. Laurito is having a blast o a debut season, netting 20 in 25 appearances.

you could try pandev and rosina upfront with quagliarella FC, sounds good for a fast counter-attack style, with veloso-inler-obodo-d'agostino-tissone alternating the 3 MC spots. Try co-owning vargas from Fiorentina for DL, he's amazing and i cot half of him for only 4 MLN €...or try and buy him out if you can so you don't have to worry splashing more cash to retain him.

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Uandwhosearmy

Uandwhosearmy

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I'm having a blast playing as Udinese!

I struggled at the start of the season with a 4-3-3 formation that didn't quite work out. I started getting good results with a 4-2-3-1 formation but rarely scored more than one goal a game. By January I looked over my team: Quagliarella struggled to score, Di Natale started dropping in physical stats and Floro Flores was my best goal scorer by far with 13 goals in 17 appearances. Zapata and Coda were fantastic at the heart of defence and Felipe couldn't get a game.

So I decided to get rid of Di Natale (31 years old, physical stats dropping) and Felipe (poor concentration, bravery, strength) who were both sought after during the january transfer window. The sales were easily made and I brought in Angel Di Maria (wonderkid AML/C) and Robert Lewandowski (promising target man) for a combined total of under 9 million euros. Earlier in the summer I had purchased Wijnaldum from Feyenoord. The surplus cash will be saved for the summer (if needed) and to improve the contracts of my star players. Zapata was close to leaving, but I managed to keep all his suitors away by slapping a price tag of 40 million and making him "indispensable". So instead of requesting a transfer he asked me for a new contract by the end of january!

I felt the squad was quite good and after switching to a 4-4-2 role theory tactic of mine I started scoring goals! Sanchez is now playing as a striker alongside Quagliarella and they are forming a great partnership with Sanchez getting most of the plaudits. Di Maria is an absolute monster of a left winger at 20 years of age with an average rating of 7,76 so far (April) and Zapata headed Milan out of the UEFA Cup second round knockout round with three goals over two games. Inler and Tissone is my first choice pairing in central midfield and I think I'll keep it that way over the summer as well. Tissone looks like he can become a really good player and Inler already is. Pepe is an assist machine on my right and behind him Motta will be my first choice right back for a long time. Handanovic works well behind Coda and Zapata. The only position I might strengthen (first choice) during the summer is at left back, although Lukovic is a good player I just feel I need somebody quicker in that position.

For next season this is my likely line-up:

GK Handanovic (Dañut Corman - free, Maxim Shumailov - 500k)

DR Motta (Mazzarani - back from loan)

DL ------ (Lukovic)

DC Zapata (Bayal Sall - free)

DC Coda (Ferronetti)

MR Pepe (Wijnaldum, Felipe Monteiro - back from loan)

ML Di Maria (Candreva - back from loan)

MCd Inler (Obodo)

MCa Tissone (D'Agostino)

FCd Quagliarella (Lewandowski, Laurito - back from loan)

FCa Sanchez (Floro Flores, Barreto - back from loan)

It's a really young squad but it is one that I think will do quite well.

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Raymond85

Raymond85

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i tried starting a game as udinese but i was only given 3.3 million euros to start. So i was wondering if anyone knew of cheap players that i could bring in to add depth to the squad?

actually i never buy anyone in the first season, as by my thoughts the squad has enough depth as it is. After that depends on your success and on the players you sell, you will have more money to spend and can do practically anything.

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Raymond85

Raymond85

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the only injury risk will be midfield (as IRL), where you have 2 players each spot, worst case scenario will be using some youth talent, for example Berget. Mind i brought in Appiah on a free to have little more depth. As for defence you have 3 per position, more than enough, and including Igahlo (nice looking talent) 6 strikers, perfect number for playing with 3 up front.

This is how i got through first season, then with sales i went on a talent shopping spree and replacing what's left of the old guard (not much actually, very young squad to start with) with youngsters that were on loan (ex. candreva, laurito).

Good luck!

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acmilano112000

acmilano112000

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he wasn't that great for me, in fact never made my squad, but in order to keep him happy and playing (hopefully growing) i loaned him out to atalanta 2 years in a row. he didn't improve much statswise, and i had a lot of better players in his position by the time i got him back. sold him summer before 2010-11 season for 8m pounds to wolfsburg. many clubs were interested, which was good, but he never looked that great for me.

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Jimbo_the_red

Jimbo_the_red

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Started a game unemployed and have been offered the job of Udinese in November which I accepted.

So far I have played 4 games

H 2 -1 Bologna Quagliarella, OG Win

A 2 - 1 Fiorentina Quagliarella Loss

A 4 - 2 Tottenham EC Quagliarella, Di Natale

H 2 - 1 Bolgona Coda, D'Agostino

So far 2 wins out of 3 in the league which I'm happy with an I'm one win off 10th Place but i'm currently 15th.

I have been revamping my staff, coaching and scouts etc.

I am playing a 4 - 3 - 2 -1 formation

GK - Handanovic

DR - Ferronetti

DL - Lukovic

DC - Zapata

DC - Coda

MCD - Inler

MC - D'Agonstino

MCA - Tissone

AMR - Sanchez

AML - Di Natale

ST - Quagiarella

I think a top 8 finish is realistic despite their poor start.

I hope to aim for a top 6 finish next season (if i'm not sacked).

How good is Pepe?

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Jimbo_the_red

Jimbo_the_red

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Will be hard to keep Zapata though, could you provide an ss of Pepe?

I'm not on the PC i play FM on i'll put one up tomorrow.

Zapata is an excellent player but if he wants to leave I want at least 40 - 50M which will allow me to build a team capable of pushing for europe.

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Wilson7

Wilson7

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i started as these last night and this happend not soon into my save and it was orignally 8months but its strange!!

ttetttetttetet.jpg

i only signed santon 1mill & lima from betis 1mill ( cover for my injured CB at start )

going to play a normal 442 try and play short passing football and aim is top 5 but my prediction is 7th , not like all my other saves im going to take my time and not jump into buying players

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Scott1990

Scott1990

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Just started a game with Udinese

I bought Zuculini from an Argentine side for $700K or so and Villaluz from a Mexican side for $3million. I sold some random youth so I only have $500K left for transfers and $40K left on the wage budget

I'm playing a 4132 which is working out very well defensively. Offense struggles at times though and it seems that Di Natale and Quagliarella have to carry the team at times. Both are playing very well, as is my entire defense. Midfielders are all averaging in the mid 6s, and Sanchez is having an awful season and is unhappy about not being able to be co-owned by Roma (wtf). Speaking of that, either Juventus, AC Milan, or Roma (not Inter tho...) offer to co-own Sanchez or Zapata literally every other day during the transfer window and it's really annoying. Is there a way I can get them to stop?

Here's my starting line-up:

GK: Handanovic

DL: Lukovic

DC: Zapata

DC: Coda (keeping Felipe out of line-up atm)

DR: Ferronetti

ML: Sanchez

MC: Tissone

MR: Pepe

DM: Inler

FC; Quag

FC: Di Natale

My team has been giant-killers this season, beating AC Milan away and Juventus home. I'm playing Inter away next and I don't think I will fare as well although Zlatan is injured. I'm in 4th place so far, but I only see this falling, which is worrying because I said I would make the UEFA Cup and my contenders (Napoli, Lazio, Sampdoria) are playing very well so far.

Really fun game so far!

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Scott1990

Scott1990

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Can I adjust the formation with the same effectiveness of the tactic? My team is playing really well with the 4132, I just beat Inter Milan and am in second place.

Oh and I also just bought Kermit Erasmus from Feyenoord for the rest of my transfer budget.

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Campbells

Campbells

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Just started a game with udinese, my favourite italian team :)

Its annoying how theres about 65k in wages being spent on players not even at the club, and most of which i dont rate that highly. With only a few im waiting on returning to go into first team, but anyway...

From memory, cos im not on fm atm

GK: Handovic

RB:Ferroneti

LB: Lukovic

CB: Coda (Felipe)

CB: Domizzi (Zapata) both injured

MC(d): Inler

MC(a): D'Agostino

AMR: Sanchez

AML: Di Natale

FC: Quag

FC: Fleck (Flores)

Got some injuries which is annoying at the moment. Will be at full strength soon, won my first game 2-1 btw :)

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sc3m3k

sc3m3k

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I gotta say that managing Udinese has been very fun. I completed the first season - finished 3rd in Seria A and won the Italian Cup + UEFA cup. Got 38 million euros in the first season from Man City for Di Natale and sold Floro Flores, D'Agostino, Lukovic, and Obodo (made a couple million euros from these transfers also) which allowed me to bring in Miguel Veloso, Keirrison, Santon, Guilherme (left back), Alessandro Rosina and Stefan Radu (CB/LB).

Now I am slowly getting close to kicking off the 2nd season and the reinforcements I have brought in got me really excited and a bigger title push might be on the table. Went crazy in the transfer market - practically sold all of the reserves Udinese got hehe, but it was well worth it because I brought in a lot of quality.

This is the transfer activity.

2v84ea8.png

and this is how the squad now looks

2ecluhc.png

Veloso after just one season figured that he needs to move elsewhere to bigger club (amazing how quickly the thought of achieving all he can at my club came about lol), but maybe I will be able to hang on to him and he will settle down. It would be nice to add another solid CM - Hamsik or Diego are apparently willing to come but I just don't have any money to fork out for their transfers. Also a solid GK is needed - if Handanovic gets injured for a while I might be screwed ;)

Anyways, best of luck to all playing with Udinese.

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sc3m3k

sc3m3k

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Lost to Liverpool in the European Super Cup 3-2 , Liverpool had a bit of an edge in the game but my lads gave it a good go.

Now Alexis Sanchez seems to have joined Veloso in wanting to leave my club - just when things seem to be going in the right direction, these guys don't seem to have the patience to see the full growth and potential this team has.

On another positive note, I have found a club in China and aligned myself with them, so more money should be flowing in now, and the club stature should improve significantly. I also forgot to mention earlier that my club made the biggest jump in terms of club ranking thanks to the UEFA Cup success. I am also the 11th richest club in the world, which is nice:)

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