[FM22] West Afri-Can we bring newfound glory to the club? Yes, we can! [Complete]

[corinthiano]

July 2025

Our campaign ends here with a respectable performance in the Group Stages. In the end our inability to convert chances is what cost us a place in the Semi Final and something we will have to look at for next season. Against Académica do Porto Novo we had over 30 shots on goal with an xG of over 4 but could not find the net. We made up for it with a convincing win against Santana de Morrinho which left us needing to beat Sporting da Praia away from home in the last game.

We were on top for most of that game but could not find the net. Then on the 78th minute Branco got sent off and a few minutes later we got caught on the counter attack for Sporting da Praia to seal their place in the last 4. Travadores managed a great comeback and you would not bet against them retaining the title.

 

[corinthiano]

2024/25 Season Review

Squad by Appearances

Best XI

All in all a great first season at the club, where we dominated the Brava Island competitions and gave a good account of ourselves against teams from other islands. The team is extremely unbalanced and despite our midfielders playing well there is a lack of quality that needs to be addressed. Our attack was also not great with highly rated Tiago Barbosa being particularly ineffective in front of goal.

It has been hard to sign good players as they dont see us as an attractive proposition, but we did jump a few places in the rep league and some of our youngsters are improving a lot, so I am hopeful we can give the national championship a good go next season with an improved squad.

Top Performers

Forgotten in the U21s until Osvaldo Lima left halfway through the season. Was decisive when he came on and contributed pretty much every game.

The veteran was very effective in the Mezzala role, but I question if he has enough gas left in the tank for next season.

Another young midfielder progressing well. He is great from dead ball situation and has scored some cracking goals this season.

Finances

We made a significant loss this season but a big chunk of that was the club paying for my Continental Pro License, so we should be able to somewhat minimize losses next year. Bizarrely the board decided to give me a ridiculously high wage budget next season. I'll wait for the season to tick over to really see what happens before deciding on our approach, The money might not mean much anyway as we dont have the rep to bring in good players.

Progress

 

[corinthiano]

2024/25 West African Review

CAF Champions League

Decent representation in the Group Stages again with Abia Warriors, Djoliba, Stade Malien and Hearts of Oak all making it there, with Mali having an impressive two representatives. Unfortunately only one West African side made it to the Quarter Finals as Stade Malien edged Hearts of Oak in their group.

Stade Malien continued their impressive performance by knocking out giants Al Ahly in the Quarter Finals. They coudlnt however get past the Egyptian rivals Zamalek in the Semi-Finals, but they did Mali and West Africa proud nonetheless. Zamalek went on to lose to Club Africain in the final, who won their second ever Champions League title.

CAF Confederation Cup

Only 4 clubs in the Confedration Cup this season and most from unlikely sources as Salitas FC and CF Rahimo from Burkina Faso were joined by AS SONIDEP from Niger. Horoya AC  from Guinea completed the quarter. Unfortunately only Salitas FC made it out of the groups.

Salitas FC encountered strong Moroccan opposition in RS Berkane and were no match for their North African opponents. Moroccan counterparts Wydad Casablanca eventually beat Ismaily of Egypt in the final to claim their first Confederations Cup.

West African League Rankings

We have movement again! There are quite a few changes this year with Mali now the third most reputable league in the region due to the strong performance of their teams in the Champions League. The Liberian First Division also leapfrogs both Sierra Leone and Cape Verde, which quite honestly makes sense as the quality there did feel better than in the tow other countries.

League Champions

No new champions this year although we had a couple of close calls with Onze Créateurs in Mali, FC Canchungo in Guinea-Bissau and Bo Rangers in Sierra Leone. It was also not a great year for traditional powerhouses as only ASEC Mimosas in Ivory Coast and ASC Jaraaf in Senegal extend their record title wins.

Previous Clubs

MC Breweries - Won a third consecutive title on head to head over LISCR. The manager that replaced Kojo left now which might create an uncertain future. They were soundly beaten by TP Mazembe in the Champions League Preliminary Round.

Kamboi Eagles - Have not been able to keep up performances but still finished a respectable 3rd. Were completely outclassed by Amazulu in the Preliminary Round of the CAF Confederations Cup

 

 

[corinthiano]

2025/26 Season Preview

We are overwhelming favorites this season and this is reflected in the very good transfer business we have done in the off season, with 6 of our new signings making the Media Dream Eleven.

Transfers

The transfer window started terribly for us, leaving me fearing the worst. in the space of one week we lost our starting goalkeeper and the starting centre backs, with Mauro Cruz and Branco by far the best players in the club. Their replacements were not great and a lot of players simply refused to join us, but in November we managed to start adding some real quality to the squad. We do have a bloated squad but with a couple weeks left of the transfer window I want to see who is left before releasing the players we dont need anymore. I'll highlight those players we signed that make the starting XI:

Decent replacement for Mauro Cruz, but not really anywhere near his level. I have another goalkeeper with a transfer pre-arranged for February.

The direct replacement for Hernâni Almeida, he is young and solid.

Excellent replacement for Branco, as good if not better and 11 years younger.

A huge step up from what we had as our AP last season, really looking forward to see how he dictates play for us.

Best signing so far. Amazing technicals and mentals for this level, although it would be great if physicals were a bit better. Plays for Cape Verde U20 which just shows how good he is for this level.

Another great young signing up front.

Best XI

Dont really agree with the Assistant here as I would have Valdir Teixeira as the AP to maximize his impact and I would pick other players in some positions but this highlights we still have weak spots at in centre midfield, DLP and full backs. I am trying to look for players but chances are slim of my finding someone that wants to join us.

Initial Fixtures

As with last season we start with the Taça da Brava and I expect us to start strongly.

[corinthiano]

November/December 2025

The team is much stronger than last year, but it has changed a lot and hasnt gelled yet so performances are a bit disjointed. We still managed to win 2 out of 3 games, against Morabeza we were well and truly FM'ed as they had 2 shots on goal against our 23...

Transfers

I said it was unlikely we could improve the team and boy was I wrong, with us bringing in 4 first team players and a good back-up loanee before the transfer window shut. I released a few players that were surplus to requirement but we still have a decent sized squad. We still lack real quality at fullbak and DLP but the rest of the team is looking decent. Here are the four first teamers:

Very decent young midfielder, will play in the Mezzala role for us.

Very average but still better than what we had, will start as our DLP.

Our first foreign signing, the young Zambian is way too good for this league. Only downside is that I very stupidly sent him on not just one, but two intensive language courses not realizing it would wipe out pretty much all the money we have 

Another good midfielder that will play the BBM role for us.

Next Fixtures

Just two games this month as we try to secure our place in the Taça da Brava Semi-Finals.

Edited June 10, 2022 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

First interview offer of the save. Accra Lions won the Ghana Premier League in 2024 so they are not a bad side. Obviously declined though.

[corinthiano]

January 2026

We are not playing the most free flowing football but it has been effective and we comfortably win our wins to guarantee passage to the Semi Finals in first. 

Next Fixtures

Busy month coming up as we finish our group stage campaign in the Taça de Brava and start the Liga Brava campaign.

[corinthiano]

February 2026

Taça da Brava

Liga Brava

We are really starting to hit our stride now. Other than the game in the Taça da Brava where there was nothing to play for we won easily and have started scoring a lot, which is encouraging for later in the season.

Transfers

In

Out

So the goalkeeper my scouts raved about is nothing more than an average back-up and the guy I spent all the clubs cash on language courses leaves after 8 games . Not a great start to the transfer window, lets see if I can make up for that in the next month.

Next Fixtures

We continue our campaign in the Liga Brava and I am hopeful we can keep up the good form and put us in a strong position to be champions again. We also have the Semi-Final draw of the Taça da Brava on the 9th and maybe we finish the tournament in March too considering there are no league fixtures after the 17th.

[corinthiano]

March 2026

We continued our 100% record in the Liga Brava and have the title in our hands now, needing just 2 wins from 4 games to seal it. The month did end on a sour note as poor scheduling saw a tired and rotated side fall short at Benfica da Brava in the Taça da Brava Semi-Final, so no succesful defence of the title for us there.

Transfers

In

Out

Another really busy transfer window out of which I think we left with a good squad. The only major loss we had at the start of the window with our Zambian defender, the rest of the players leaving where back-up players, which included me trimming down the squad post transfer window. On the incoming side we have 5 players coming in to the first team.

Good young goalkeeper and big improvement on what we had.

Veteran striker with 2 caps for Cape Verde. Very good for this level but does seem to be on a rapid decline.

Not a great improvement at DLP, but an improvement and at 18 can hopefully get better.

This one I am excited about. Even though he is not amazing he is way better than what we had with great physicals that can hopefully make a difference down the left for us.

Naturally a centre back, but we are so poor at right back that he will slot in there for us.

Next Fixtures

We finish our Liga Brava campaign and can hopefully seal the title sooner rather than later.

 

[corinthiano]

April 2026

A comfortable end to the campaign with Coroa da Brava the only team managing to get any points off of us. The team has really gelled well now and I think we can do well in the Cape Verdean Competition.

Next Fixtures

It is another tough draw but expected at this stage. Both Sporting da Praia and Ultramarina are ranked in the top 10 most reputable clubs in Cape Verde, with us now at 11th, so in theory we have closed the gap.

 

Edited June 11, 2022 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

June 2026

4 points out of the two toughest fixtures is a great start and puts us in a really good position for when we play Sporting da Praia and Ultramarina at home.

Next Fixtures

Three home games first in July and I really hope we can make the most of it to secure qualification to the Semi-Final.

[corinthiano]

They really want Kojo back in Ghana.

[Brooklyn Jensen]

Congrats on the Liga Brava win mate! 

[ManUtd1]

I may be a little late to the party, but am enjoying this thoroughly!

[corinthiano]

19 hours ago, Brooklyn Jensen said:

Congrats on the Liga Brava win mate! 

Thanks!

12 hours ago, ManUtd1 said:

I may be a little late to the party, but am enjoying this thoroughly!

 Thank you! It's never too late to join the party especially as this one will go on for a while!

[corinthiano]

July 2026

We absolutely cruised the Group Stage with the toughest game being away to Tarrafal de Monte Trigo where we won despite having a man sent off early on. Then the real test came as we faced the dominant Travadores in the Semi-Final. When they went ahead in the first half of the first leg I feared the most, but we blitzed two goals early in the second half and just about hanged on to the win. In the Second Leg we dominated the first half and went up 2-0 early on, but they cam back in the second half to make it 2-2 and make us worried of a comeback, but Flávio Lopes then scored a screamer from outside the area to put our nerves to bed and seal a place in the Final!

Next Fixtures

We play Ultramarine in the final, which is played over one game at a neutral venue. We beat the home and away in the Group Stage, can we beat them again when it matters the most?

[corinthiano]

Yes we can! The game started brilliantly as we had a penalty in the second minute. After that the first half was tense and tight. The second half started similarly but when scored the 2nd halfway through it Ultramarina collapsed and we quickly added a third to seal the first ever title for Nô Pintcha da Brava as the first team from the Brava Island to win the Cape Verdean Competition!

[corinthiano]

2025/26 Season Review

Great season with just one loss in the Semi Final of the Taça Brava. Even when we got to the Cape Verdean Competition we were a notch above the rest with only Travadores offering us some sort of challenge.

Squad by Appearances

Best XI

A lot of players came and went during the season so we didnt have an established first XI, but the core of the midfield + Nelson Lopes and Igor Monteiro were present most of the time. That was the added quality we needed to challenge as it made all the difference in our attacking play. Adding decent full-backs halfway through the season was an added bonus and we finely had a better balance in the team.

Top Performers

So effective in the Mezzala role, contributing with plenty of goals and assists. Was also a very welcome experienced head in what is a young squad.

Only played 13 games but absolutely worth highlighting. Our formation just works so much better with a good left back and Adriano was no exception to that.

The striker we missed last season. The U20 international really was a step above everyone else and despite average physicals he just kept banging them in.

Finances

Doesnt look good at all at a first glance, but if I wasnt stupid and sent a player on two language courses we would have actually made a small profit for the year...

Progress

After almost two years my stint in Cape Verde is done and it has been very enjoyable. I liked the different Island leagues and very different format they have. I also enjoyed managing a Semi-Pro team for the first time in ages, even though it could get hectic at times! Up next we very conveniently move to the only other formar Portuguese colony in West Africa, Guinea-Bissau!

[corinthiano]

2025/26 West African Review

CAF Champions League

3 West African sides in the Group Stages this season again, with Ghana making a strong appearance as traditional power houses Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko made it through along with Horoya AC of Guinea. Only one team made it out of the groups again however as Hearts of Oak had a very tough group and Horoya AC disappointingly finished last in their group. Asante Kotoko however did very well finishing unbeaten in what was a tough group which included the finalists of the previous edition.

Asante Kotoko managed to keep up the momentum and see through DC Motema Pembe in what was a favorable draw. However when faced with Wydad Casablance they lost 4-0, but no shame as they ended up winning the tournament.

CAF Confederation Cup

Disappointingly only 3 clubs made it to the group stage this year, a number which has been on the decrease two year in a row now. ASKO from Togo were a surprise qualifier and did even better to qualify out of their group, although it was a bit easier on paper. Abia Warriors and Djoliba did not make it out of their group but they face tough opposition in Cape Town City and MC Alger.

The quarter final was as good as it got for ASKO though, who got drawn against the team that beat them twice in the group stage. To be fair to them they did well to keep the aggregate score to 1-0. CS Sfax would go all the way to the final to pick up a record 5th title in this competition.

West African League Rankings

Some big moves this season as the strong performance of their clubs in the Champions League sees Ghana's Premier League move to top spot of West African Leagues and 13th in Africa. Nigeria slipped to third in the region as Mali bypasses them. Towards the bottom the Liberian First Division keeps moving up the rankings and bypasses our next destination Guinea-Bissau.

League Champions

The only new champions this year came out of Cape Verde, with quite a few of the traditional sides extending their records, namely Stade Malien in Mali, Enyimba Aba in Nigeria, Horoya AC in Guinea, ASFA-Yennenga in Burkina Faso and ASEC Mimosas in Ivory Coast. Real de Banjul in The Gambia has also tied for most titles with their win this year.

Former Clubs

MC Breweries: Their title winning run finally came to an end as they finish 3rd and miss out on continental football. They also suffered a disappointing first round defeat in the FA Cup to Small Town and were knocked out in the Preliminary Phase of the Champions League by ASKO from Togo.

Kamboi Eagles: Kept their 3rd place finish, miles off Kallon but very competitive against the other top division sides.

 

Edited June 15, 2022 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

Chapter 4 - Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa bordered by Senegal to the North and Guinea to the Southeast. Portuguese is the official language but Guinea-Bissau Creole is the most widely spoken language. The population in Guinea-Bissau is very ethnically diverse though, with many different languages and cultures. The population is roughly 1.8 million, with close to 0.5 million in the capital Bissau. There are not many other big cities, with the second largest city in country, Gabú, onlyhaving around 50 thousand inhabitants.

Pre-colonization Guinea-Bissau was part of the Kaabu kingdom as well as the Mali empire. In the 16th century Portugal colonized the area and called it Portuguese Guinea. Independence was declared in 1973 and recognized the following year, with the country named Guinea-Bissau to avoid confusion with Guinea-Conakry and Equatorial Guinea. Since independence there has been constant political instability in the country, with only one elected president serving the full 5 year term.

This instability has really impacted the economy and standard of living in the country, with Guinea Bissau having one of the lowest GDPs per Capita as well as Human Development Index. The economy mainly depends on agriculture, with fish, cashew nuts and ground nuts its main exports. Recently Latin American drug gangs have also used the country as a transshipment for drugs being taken to Europe. As a result of this Guinea-Bissau is not a country for tourism, but there is undeniable natural beauty in the country, such as the Bijagós Islands

Football in Guinea-Bissau

Football is the most popular sport in Guinea-Bissau, which has very strong links to the Portuguese, with many clubs being local versions of Portuguese clubs like, Benfica, Sporting, Porto and Belenenses. The national team has enjoyed improved fortunes recently, with qualification to the last three African Cup of Nations IRL, albeit in all of them they finished last in the group with a single point. In-game they failed to qualify for the 2023 edition but qualified in 2025, which was hosted by Guinea. They did finish bottom of their group again though, losing all three games.

The Guinea-Bissau league was formed in 1975, which has been dominated by two teams, Sporting Clube de Bissau and Sport Bissau e Benfica. That dominance has not been reflected in game as neither side has won the title in the last 3 editions.

In terms of reputation there seems to be a pretty even field with a lot of 1 star teams. But, importantly for this challenge, all of them have won a national title before. Flamengo de Pefine and FC Canchungo are the best teams not have won and typically finish 5th or 6th in the league. But with the season just ending I dont see any of those jobs becoming available soon, maybe one of the two promoted sides not on this list may be an option. All teams in Guinea-Bissau are semi-professional so I am expecting an even field.

 

 

[corinthiano]

Os Arados Futebol Clube de Nhacra

AFC Nhacra is a team from Nhacra, a small town outside of the capital Bissau. There is almost no information on them, other than they were founded in 1977 by a group of farmers, have no achievements of note and play in a sand field with a badly constructed stand 

There is this great video of a local game to give you an idea: https://ms-my.facebook.com/BabokService/videos/afc-nhacra-vs-fc-canchungo/380510553764661/

In-Game they have played in the I Divisão twice, finishing 15th on both occasions and subsequently relegated. They play their games at the Campo Armando Maruto, which as mentioned is a sand field in the middle of nowhere.

Assistant XI

On the face of it this tells me we have a decent defence but are light in midfield and up front, but I have no idea where we stand compared to other teams. I am just glad we actually have a a squad and I dont have to rebuild from zero.

Top Rated Players

Looks like we have a very decent young goalkeeper, lets hope we can keep him!

The second best player is a bit of a step down from the goalkeeper but seems like he will be OK for this level.

Good fullback, just not great going forward but will do for now.

Finances

So another recently promoted team with lots of cash in the bank. Shouldnt make as much of a difference here as it did with Kamboi Eagles as we are semi-professional, so I will try to put that money towards infrastructure improvements.

Initial Fixtures

We still have a couple of months before a very busy start of the season in February. Also looks like it will be a tough start with us playing a lot of top sides in the first month of the season.

 

Edited June 22, 2022 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

2027 Season Preview

We are predicted 12th and quite honestly I would be OK with that, main thing is to stay clear of relegation whilst we find our feet in this league. The format is simple here, 16 teams play each other twice, with top team champion and bottom two relegated.

Transfers

In

Out

Madness as we essentially sign a complete new team and release a full team. Luckily we have not lost any important players yet, but they keep getting offered contracts that I have to fend off. The transfer window goes on for another couple of months and I expect us to keep busy. I will highlight those transfer where they will be in the first XI.

Great young Nigerian defender, will play as our BPD.

Second Nigerian of the side, again very young and will be our DLP.

Struggled to find good centre mids and Emil Té was the best of them, he will slot in as Mezzala.

Originally signed as our DLP, moved him up to AP with the signature of Emeka Hassan.

Another foreign signing, the Tanzanian U20 international looks decent for this level.

Shabani's strike partner, will play as our DLF.

Best XI

As you can see me and my assistant dont agree on what the starting XI should be, but this highlights that we now have a much more balanced first team.

Initial Fixtures

As highlighted before it will be a busy start and I am eager to see how we get on.

[corinthiano]

February 2027

With just under a quarter of the league games gone it seems like we can be competitive in a league that seems to be very even. We beat three traditional sides by the narrowest of margins in our first games before running out of steam and losing twice in a row. In the last two games we played more convincingly, especially trashing last years champion UDIB. The games do come thick and fast though so rotation is essential as we progress.

Next Fixtures

The busy schedule continues, by the end of March we will be almost at the halfway stage and have a good idea of where we will compete this season.

 

 

[corinthiano]

March 2027

A month of many draws, the first couple were decent results considering we were facing top sides in the country, but we should have done more against NTFC Bula and FC Cupelum, but I think the number of games just tired the squad out.

Transfers

In

With the transfer window closing until July we brought 6 players in to strengthen the team, most of them just before the window closed. We have released 6 players as a result but as I just did it is not reflected in the transfers yet. 5 of these will be in the first team:

Really good for this level and can play in so many positions, but will primarily be our DLF.

Comes in as our starting LB.

First of Kojo's compatriots coming in, will play as BBM.

And the other Ghanaian who completes the centre mid pair, comes in on an initial 3 month loan that I hope I can extend or turn into a permanent signing.

Next Fixtures

We start the month against a second tier side in the cup in a game I expect to win. This month there are less weeks with two games, which is very welcome.

Edited June 17, 2022 by corinthiano

[corinthiano]

April 2027

A month that started with a cup run that ended in heartbreak. We went behind against Os Balantas but managed to pull one back in the second half before we had a player sent off. We still managed to hold on for extra time, but then conceded in the 112th minute. To my delight we equalized straight from kick off and I thought we would be able to take the game to penalties, instead we conceded in the 119th minute and were knocked out.

In the league however we have really picked up great form and other than the game against Flamengo de Pefine, where we were lucky to equalize 5 minutes from time, we have been deserved winners in every game despite rotating the squad and at the half way stage have a chance at competing for the title.

Next Fixtures

This is the last busy month before fixtures ease off a bit, would be nice to still be in with a chance of the title by the end of the month.

[corinthiano]

May 2027

We had another great month, with the highlight being a very convincing win over UDIB away. We did miss a chance to beat Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum, which would have put more pressure on them as they have quite a few games in hand. As it stands it is still pretty close with about 4-5 teams still with a chance to win the title.

Next Fixtures

The calendar finally eases up a little, with the first two games very winnable and the last two potential slip ups.

[corinthiano]

June 2027

I said there were two potential slip ups and thats exactly what they were. To be honest the writing was on the wall as we barely scraped by with our first two wins. Against Os Balantas we were then on top all game but let in an equalizer with 5 minutes to go. Against Benfica we actually started really well taking an early lead, but just before half time we not only let in an equalizer but then went and had a player sent off, which meant it was an uphill struggle in the second half.

This puts us in a difficult spot now and I can see UDIB and Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum taking advantage of the situation.

Club Improvements

With a lot of cash in the bank and us not spending much as a semi-pro outfit I thought I would improve the infrastructure of the club.

Next Fixtures

Just two games left, all we can do is try to win them and see where we land.

[corinthiano]

July 2027

Two narrow wins as we were running out of steam have left us in 3rd position, 8 points behind eventual winner Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum. A great performance for a recently promoted side. Full season review coming up!

 

[corinthiano]

A very swift takeover followed the end of the season, with the new chairman putting in a modest $12k into the club.

[corinthiano]

2027 Season Review

A third place finish is excellent for our first season and if we consider that 2 out of our 3 defeats in the season came early in the season we could have done better. Key will be to turn some of the draws into wins next season. In the Cup we went out early, but no shame in losing away to Os Balantas.

Squad by Appearances

With 30 games condensed into a 5 months period games come thick and fast and a lot of rotation is needed, which is evidenced by the fact only 6 players started in more than 2/3s of games. The overall balance of the squad is good, we probably need a few star players as only our top scorer really stood out this season.

Awards

Infamara Silva in the Team of the Season as a result of his goal scoring efforts, but keeping in mind that 9 of those were penalties.

Top Performers

Cant complain with that goal scoring record.

Very versatile player, did well wherever I asked him to play.

Another solid midfield player.

Finances

A big loss but only because we improved Training Facilities, we would have broken even if it wasnt for that.

Progress

[corinthiano]

2026/27 West Africa Review

CAF Champions League

Great performance by West African teams as we have the biggest representation in the Group Stage since the beginning of the save with 5 teams making it there. And they did well, Enyimba Aba getting out of a tough group, Hearts of Oak making it to the Quarter Finals for a second year in a row and Stade Malien topping their group.

Wydad Casblanca proved to be the thorn of West Africa at this stage as they knocked out Enyimba Aba in the Quarters before knocking out Hearts of Oak in the Semi-Finals. They did lose out in the final to Sundowns who won their 3rd trophy.

CAF Confederation Cup

I guess having more teams in the Champions League impacted the numbers here but still disappointing to only have one team make the Group Stages. At least Horoya AC made it out of their group.

That was as far as it got for them though as eventual winners Club Africain easily dispatched them in the Quarter Finals

West African League Rankings

The good performances in the Champions League means the Ghanaian, Malian and Nigerian leagues all go up, with Ghana 12th in all of Africa now. Not that much movement between West African leagues, just the continued fall of the Seengalese Ligue 1 which has been a bit surprising.

League Champions

No new champions again, with CI Kamsar in Guinea, FC San Pédro in Ivory Coast and Académico do Aerporto in Cape Verde coming the closest as runners-up. Asante Kotoko, Horoya AC and ASEC Mimosas continue being the best in their countries with Real de Banjul now the outright biggest champions of The Ghambia after back to back title wins.

Former Clubs

MC Breweries: Things are starting to go downhill and now they have just finished third, quite a bit off LISCR. They were knocked out of the LFA Cup in the First Round for the second year in a row.

Kamboi Eagles: They are starting to slip, with most of the squad gone they finished all the way down in 9th and mid table obscurity this season.

Nô Pintcha da Brava: Continued their dominance in the Brava Island by winning the League and the Cup. In the Cape Verdean Championship they finished second in their group behind eventual runners-up Académico do Aeroporto. There is a big with Cape Verde where only the runners-up qualify for continental competitions so they unfortunately did not get to have an African debut.

MC Breweries: Their title winning run finally came to an end as they finish 3rd and miss out on continental football. They also suffered a disappointing first round defeat in the FA Cup to Small Town and were knocked out in the Preliminary Phase of the Champions League by ASKO from Togo.

Kamboi Eagles: Kept their 3rd place finish, miles off Kallon but very competitive against the other top division sides.

 

[mr_jones]

Interesting save, which i will follow from now one. Impressive how you always find that great players! Sadly i missed Cabo Verde allready, where i wanted to go on holidays two years ago 

[corinthiano]

8 hours ago, mr_jones said:

Interesting save, which i will follow from now one. Impressive how you always find that great players! Sadly i missed Cabo Verde allready, where i wanted to go on holidays two years ago 

Thanks! I wish I could say I do something special but I am just lucky enough to have the scouts find me good players. Mind you the teams I take on usually dont have good players so I guess this is why the singings look good 

Hope you manage to go to Cabo Verde one day, certainly looks like a really nice place!

[corinthiano]

2028 Season Preview

I guess we made some good signings as we jump up to 8th favorites and significantly reduced odds. Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum still overhwelming favorites to win the title.

Transfers

In

Out

Not quite the squad overhaul we had last season but still significant activity with a couple more months to go before the transfer window closes. On the outgoing front only one significant loss, Richard Sarpong a strong midfielder I brought in at the end of last season, so unfortunately he only got a couple of games for us. On the incoming side I focused mostly on players that would make our starting XI stronger, so we will have quite a changed first XI this season. Below the guys part of the change:

Could not find any Bissau-Guinean right backs so went to Nigeria to find Julius. He is only a slight improvement on what we have but has bags of potential and a great personality so hopefully he will improve.

He was released by Os Balantas and I jumped at the opportunity to sign him, he is our best central defender.

Another slight improvement at full-back.

Takes the Mezzala role with Sarpong leaving. Good to have a bit of experience mixed in this young side.

Excellent signing, excited to see what this young Senegalese midfielder can do.

Another great signing, this young guy is excellent as our AP or AF.

When my scouts spotted him I immediately made an offer. He was one of my star players at Kamboi Eagles and I just could not miss the chance to be reunited with him.

Last part of our all new attack, which I am hoping will turn some of our draws into wins this season.

Best XI

The team is a lot stronger this season, ideally I would like to find another centre back but I can live with the squad we have right now.

Club Improvements

Managed to get the board to agree to higher Junior Coaching, all other requests were denied.

Initial Fixtures

Almost as hectic start as last season, but I am grateful we will have 6 days to prepare for the first huge test of the season at the end of the month.

[corinthiano]

February 2028

We started inconsistently, mixing great performances with some very poor ones, namely the away draw at FC Sonaco. We also failed the first big test of the season by losing to Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum. It was an even game before we took the lead halfway through the second half. It then awoke the best and we were 2-1 down 15 minutes later...looks like we still need to improve to close the gap.

Transfers

The only transfer this month. Our scouts raved about him, but he turned out not to be that great. He could well leave soon if I find a better foreigner.

Next Fixtures

The marathon continues with two games a week for the rest of the month, finishing with a game in the cup, where I would like to go a bit further this season.

[corinthiano]

March 2028

We started March like we ended February, with a disappointing defeat. We went on a great run of wins after that before rounding off the month in the league with another draw against FC Sonaco and I really starting to dislike them. We are top of the league but Flamengo de Pefine and Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum will realistically overtake us with their games in hand and quite honestly I think they will have too much for us this season.

We did end the month with a solid win in the cup, which is always welcome.

Transfers

In

Our only signing as the transfer window closed, a decent improvement at centre back.

Out

The big story in March though was how Portos de Bissau stole our goalkeeper with 3 hours left in the transfer window, which left me with no time to bring in a replacement. To say I am upset would be an understatement. We also released a few players that did not make the 30 man squad for registration purposes.

Next Fixtures

And the marathon continues. In the cup we have a chance to get revenge against Os Balantas and in the league we have crucial games against UDIB and Flamengo de Pefine.

[corinthiano]

April 2028

We are through the quarter final of the cup but the wheels have really fallen off our league title challenge. The heave schedule has really taken a toll on us and more often than not we are brilliant one game and then awful the next. We already have more losses than we had in the entire campaign last season and still have some pretty tough games to go. Think top 3 will be tough and could even struggle to finish 4th if things dont improve.

To make things worse our starting RB that we signed just a few months ago is heading back home. At least that won't happen until the end of May so we have him for another month.

Next Fixtures

The beginning of May is a bit lighter so hopefully that helps us recover for the games in the second half of the month.

[corinthiano]

May 2028

A great month, apart from the draw at hom to FC Canchungo where we dominated and let in a last minute equalizer I am happy with the results we got and now finishing 3rd place is a possibility. There is a weird scheduling where Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum always play their games later than everyone and it looks like they are catching up to the pack, will be interesting to see if they manage to catch Flamengo de Pelfine who are having a great season.

Milestones

Next Fixtures

The games are drying up, but we have two tough away fixtures awaiting us.

[corinthiano]

June 2028

Another month where I am satisfied with league performances, it would have been nice to get something at Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum but they are a lot stronger than us. As an added bonus we had the cup come around, which I had completely forgotten. We got two very lucky draws with relegation threatened NTFC Bula and second division side FC Safim and are now in the final!

Next Fixtures

We wrap up the league with a tricky month, Benfica (GNB) trashed us in the reverse fixture, Sp. Bissau are struggling but traditionally strong and UDIB are eyeing our third place. And in between the chance of a first trophy for the club as we play another surprise package in FC Cupelum.

[corinthiano]

July 2028

A disappointing ending to the league campaign as we finished 5th, in what could have been 2nd had we not conceded an 81st minute goal against UDIB in the last fixture. That was all completely outweighed by our first piece of silverware in Guinea-Bissau though as we put in a composed performance to lift the first title in the club's history!

Transfers

In

Out

With the bizarre end of season window we went and signed a couple of goalkeepers we really needed as well as midfield reinforcement from Angola. On the way out a fringe striker and an unhappy right back. Here the two that will feature in the first team next season (I think).

Best goalkeeper I could find and no.1 at Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum. I actually think him leaving helped in their auto destruction towards the end of the season.

Good option in midfield for now.

 

[corinthiano]

2028 Season Review

A step back in the league as we have 7 less points and finish 2 positions lower. We were just too inconsistent and didnt handle the fixture congestion as well as we should. On the plus side we did win some silverware which is a nice bonus.

Squad by Appearances

There was less rotation to the core of the team this time and maybe that was the issue as they were tired? Some of the top players like Midana Pina also didnt really perform.

Awards

We have the top scorer in the league again as Thiam scores more than Silva did. We also had Vaz winning the Young Player of the Season, which did  not get him in the Team of the Season, which was dominated by Flamengo de Pefine and UDIB players.

Top Performers

The soul of the team. He was out for a few weeks mid season which probably contributed to our poor form.

Deadly in front of goal, won some games for us single handedly.

Great composed head in the middle of the field, didnt necessarily contribute to too many goals but was always around helping the build up.

Finances

Lost a little this year, which is OK considering how much money we still have left.

Progress

 

[corinthiano]

2027/28 West African Review

CAF Champions League

Decent representation again as 4 teams make it to the Group Stages, with ASEC Mimosas and surprise package ASKO not progressing any further. Enugu Rangers did well to finish ahead of SuperSport Utd of South Africa in their group and Asante Kotoko continued the recent strong performances of Ghanaian sides by comfortably winning a group with Orlando Pirates and TP Mazembe.

In a similar scenario to last year Asante Kotoko knocked out Enugu Rangers in an all-West African quarter final before being comprehensively beaten by Club Africain in the Semi-Finals. Sundowns won back-to-back titles and claim their 4th crown.

CAF Confederation Cup

Great performance this year as we have 5 teams making this stage, with 3 making it to the Quarter Finals as Hearts of Oak, Djoliba and Horoya AC all progress, with another two Ghanaian sides Accra Lions and WAFA SC not making it.

Elation for the region as we have the first continental winner from West Africa in the save. Horoya AC beat Djoliba in the Quarter Finals and Hearts of Oak did really well to beat Pyramids on away goals. That was as far as it went for them as they were knocked out in the Semi Finals by ES Tunis, but Horoya AC not only beat Libyan opposition in the same stage but also beat the Tunisian giants in the final to win their second ever continental silverware, 50 years after they won the African Cup Winners Cup.

West African League Rankings

Ghana keep their place as the top league in the region, with Nigeria overtaking Mali to claim second place. Burkina Faso drop a couple of places and Liberia keep climbing up the rankings.

League Champions

The only new winner is in the country we are in, and AFC Nhacra are not even the highest placed non-winner...elsewhere strong performances from the traditional teams as league win records are extended in Mali, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Cape Verde. ASKO in Togo have now equalled the record wins as they claim back to back titles.

Former Clubs

MC Breweries: Third again behind LISCR and LPRC Oilers, they did at least beat the latter in the LFA Cup to claim their 5th title in the competition.

Kamboi Eagles: Somewhat recovered to finish fourth this season, but still way off Kallon.

Nô Pintcha da Brava: Great performance again as they win another Liga Brava and get to the Semi-Finals of the Cape Verdean Championship, losing to eventual winners Mindelense. No such luck in the cup, where they lost to Coroa da Brava in the Final.

[corinthiano]

2029 Season Preview

The media now have us as third favorites for the title, whilst the board have also upped their expectations from just avoiding relegation to getting a top half finish. We also have players included in the Media XI for the first time, Co, Diouf and Sambú all defensive signings we made in the offseason.

Transfers

In

Out

A decent amount of movement again, with us focusing on defensive reinforcements for the first team and some back-up players in midfield. I would like to add a bit of depth up front but am struggling to find the necessary quality. We have a new starting back 5 which I will highlight:

Supposedly the best goalkeeper in the league, definitely better than what we had just not sure if he is at the level of what we had with Camara.

After less than a year back in his homeland I managed to persuade him to come back to Nhacra again.

The first of our new pair of centre backs.

And here is number two, currently a U20 international.

This one I am quietly excited about. Not great player by any means but a good left back for this level with good physicals, which is crucial for his role in the team.

Best XI

I for once agree with my Assistant, this is how I would play our first team. Definitely a lot stronger at the back, we could do with a star signing in midfield but I cant see it happening.

Initial Fixtures

Of course we start with a manic schedule, although I have to say the scheduling is a little better this year in the middle of the season.

 

[corinthiano]

February 2029

Losing 2 games in the first month of the season is not great, but we are playing much better this year so I am not too discouraged yet. In the first game we had Emeka Hassan sent off in the first half, which didnt help and then against Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum the game was heading for a draw until a 93rd minute penalty sealed it for them...

Transfers

This guy showed up in our radar and it was a no brainer to sign him. Duete was the foreign player to be sacrificed for Fofana and he ended up signing for UDIB.

Next Fixtures

We dont have 2 games per week every week this month, which is a relief. The game against high flying Benfica at the end of the month will be important, especially as they are a bit of a bogey team for us.

[corinthiano]

Thats a big job offer, but no thanks.

[corinthiano]

March 2029

A great month, we are playing some excellent football and beat teams in 3rd to 6th position. We are a lot stronger up front which has mainly to do with me switching Pina and Vaz around, with Pina finally playing well in the AP role and Vaz making the DLF role his own. It could have been a perfect month but we had a player sent off against Binar FC in the first half, but managed to rescue a draw.

Next Fixtures

A very important game awaits us against UDIB before a tricky game against the underperforming champions. We also kickstart our cup campaign and I am hoping we can progress deep into the competition and defend our crown.

[corinthiano]

April 2029

Some games were moved around due the cup, which was safely navigated and we are now into the Quarter Finals. We almost had a perfect month, with us blowing a 2-0 lead in the last game, which frustratingly leaves UDIB and Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum hot on our heels.

Transfers

In

Out

We managed to survive deadline dat relatively unscathed, only losing back-up players, for which I brought Noar dos Santos in to keep good depth. Emeka Hassan however decided to leave us and whilst he is not out yet I brought a Madagascar international to shift things around the back and have Sow as our DLP going forward.

Next Fixtures

May is busy but at least we get a week rest between some games. The game against Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum will be vital and I am hoping we can avoid defeat against them.

[corinthiano]

May 2029

A perfect month where we have not played our best football, but where mentally we were at our best, grinding out results whilst our rivals have dropped away, with Cavalos Brancos de Cuntum completely collapsing, but with UDIB still within touching distance of us. Highlights of the month being the win against Cavalos Brancons de Cuntum away and the 2-1 comeback against Sporting BIssau after going down to 10 men.

Transfers

My scouts spotted this guy and I signed him ahead of being able to register him in the beginning of June. Certainly an option on the bench and may even start seeing as Thiam has struggled in front of goal recently.

Next Fixtures

Now we only have few games per month in the league, but there is a huge one at the end of the month and getting a draw will play a huge part in putting us in a comfortable space in the title fight. We also should have some cup fixtures being drawn soon.

[corinthiano]

June 2029

The Flamengo de Pefine game was postponed due to the cup game at the end of the month, which did not make a lot of sense as it was before the UDIB game, but it did give us enough time to rest for that crucial match, which we won comfortably despite the narrow scoreline. The title is now ours to lose, if we keep our composure and dont have any key players leaving in the transfer window we should be able to hold on for a league win.

We also managed to win in the Quarter Final of the cup in what was another comfortable game.

Next Fixtures

All home games this month and an excellent chance to try and seal the title if we beat UDIB again at the end of the month. In the cup we play Benfica who have been somewhat of a bogey team for us, so I am not taking the game for granted.

[corinthiano]

July 2029

Another amazing month and Kojo is close to completing his time in Guinea-Bissau. Comfortable wins against Binar FC in the league and Benfica in the cup lead to a double header against FC Sonaco. When we dropped points at home in the league I was a bit concerned, but we were outstanding in the final and comfortably retained the trophy. We then wrapped the month up in style by absolutely smashing title rivals UDIB, leaving us just needing 2 points from 3 games to seal the league title.

Milestones

This was just before the UDIB game, what a way to celebrate it!

Transfers

We brought in right-back William Bari as a rumour linked us to him and he looked interesting, which worked well as Julius Mark leaves for Nigeria again.

Next Fixtures

2 points from these 3 games, surely we will land AFC Nhacra's first ever league title?