Author: Chris Fuller

Journey of a Deadman: #14 (Espinho) – The Pitbull And The Tigers

Published on by Chris Fuller

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Hey there, readers, and welcome to season 4 of my Football Manager 2021 journeyman series!

Shama Deadman is currently managing Espinho in the Portuguese third division. In Part 13, Shama completed the 2022/2023 season by leading the Tigres to 14th place – but now he’s set his sights higher as he prepares for his first full campaign on the Costa Verde!

Today’s chapter is the 2023/2024 season preview, as Shama makes sweeping changes to his squad. We’ll also find out why Pitbull is playing such a big part in the next stage of this story. Fortunately, it has nothing to do with cringey Latino hip-hop! Continue reading “Journey of a Deadman: #14 (Espinho) – The Pitbull And The Tigers” →

Journey of a Deadman: #13 (Espinho) – It’s Not Fair!

Published on by Chris Fuller

dogwalkers

Right, who’s ready for another installment of my FM21 journeyman series?

Last time out, Shama Deadman officially kicked off his new career at Portuguese third-division side Espinho. As you might have guessed, the first three months haven’t gone terribly smoothly… but it’s not been a total disaster. Yet.

Today, the 2022/2023 season comes to an end as Espinho look to secure a respectable top-half finish under their new manager. We’ll then look at some awards and statistics, before checking in on Cambrian & Clydach to see how they’ve fared since Shama left south Wales. Continue reading “Journey of a Deadman: #13 (Espinho) – It’s Not Fair!” →

Retro Review: FA Premier League Football Manager 2000

Published on by Chris Fuller

Hello there, folks, and I’m glad you could join me for another ‘retro review’, in which I take a retrospective look at a football management game from years gone by.

This is the second part of my ‘EA MAY’ mini-series. Throughout this month, I will be reviewing a number of titles from EA Sports’ FIFA Manager series, which was a major player in the genre from 1997 to 2013.

I’ve already looked at the original release, but now it’s time to fast-forward a couple of years, to 1999. Here is the game that dragged this series kicking and screaming into the new millennium – FA Premier League Football Manager 2000. Continue reading “Retro Review: FA Premier League Football Manager 2000” →

Journey of a Deadman: #12 (Espinho) – The Espinho Experience

Published on by Chris Fuller

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Here we go again with the latest installment from my Football Manager 2021 journeyman career, as Shama Deadman kicks off the second leg of his European managerial adventure!

Shama has left south Wales behind and found a new job in Espinho – a Portuguese holiday resort that’s perhaps better-known for playing football on the beach than on grass. The local team have struggled in the bottom half of the Terceira Liga and need a saviour, so could he be their man?

Today’s chapter will take you through the first three months of Shama’s reign (from January to March 2023) as he looks to keep the Tigres da Costa Verde clear from relegation.

(I would recommend reading Part 11 first if you haven’t caught up yet, as that post explains how Shama wound up at Espinho before introducing you to his new team.) Continue reading “Journey of a Deadman: #12 (Espinho) – The Espinho Experience” →

Journey of a Deadman: #11 – From Despair To Where?

Published on by Chris Fuller

Welcome to an important chapter in Shama Deadman’s managerial career.

Last time out, a disappointing first half to the 2022/2023 campaign saw Cambrian & Clydach’s promotion push collapse. Shama was called into an urgent board meeting, during which he decided to jump before the chairman could push him out.

Now jobless for the first time in just over two years, we rejoin the story with our hero looking for a new club to manage. Where in Europe will he end up? Continue reading “Journey of a Deadman: #11 – From Despair To Where?” →

Retro Review: FIFA Soccer Manager

Published on by Chris Fuller

Welcome to a new Fuller FM ‘retro review’, where I pluck a classic football management game from the mists of time and ask whether it still stands up today.

This is actually the first review in a mini-series that I will be running throughout this month. This is ‘EA MAY’, where I will look at four different games from the FIFA Manager series – Electronic Arts’ long-running, polarising challenger to Sports Interactive’s monopoly on the genre.

To kick things off, I’m looking at the game that started it all for EA back in the mid-1990s – FIFA Soccer Manager. Continue reading “Retro Review: FIFA Soccer Manager” →

Journey of a Deadman: #10 (Cambrian & Clydach) – Losing Our Bottle

Published on by Chris Fuller

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I’m back with another installment of my FM21 journeyman series, as Shama Deadman heads into a “make-or-break” third season at Cambrian & Clydach.

In the previous chapter, Shama brought in several new faces for the 2022/2023 campaign. Will those recruitments make the difference as they seek that elusive promotion to the Cymru Premier?

Today’s chapter will take us through the entire first half of the season, which has been crammed into about three months ahead of Qatar 2022. The heat is on… Continue reading “Journey of a Deadman: #10 (Cambrian & Clydach) – Losing Our Bottle” →

Journey of a Deadman: #9 (Cambrian & Clydach) – Third Time Lucky?

Published on by Chris Fuller

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Welcome back to my Football Manager 2021 journeyman story, where Shama Deadman starts from the bottom of the football pyramid and tries to work his way up the coaching ranks.

So far, Shama has made steady progress in his first job in Wales. Cambrian & Clydach have secured back-to-back top-half finishes in the Cymru South, and are now aiming for the top-tier Cymru Premier after missing out on promotion in the last chapter.

Will it be third time lucky for Shama? In today’s chapter, he rebuilds his Cambrian squad ahead of the 2022/2023 season… and I hear that a big name is about to join the Cam Army! Continue reading “Journey of a Deadman: #9 (Cambrian & Clydach) – Third Time Lucky?” →

Review: Soccer Manager 2021

Published on by Chris Fuller

As great as the Football Manager series is, it’s sometimes worth having a look at the other football management games on the market. That’s why I’m back today with another of my occasional reviews.

My first game review on Fuller FM was two years ago this week, when I had a look at Soccer Manager 2019. I didn’t think much of that game, and neither was I too keen on Soccer Manager 2020 when I reviewed that last year.

Now, though, I think it’s time to find out whether the latest title in this free-to-play series is a major improvement, or another underwhelming experience. This is my honest review of Soccer Manager 2021… Continue reading “Review: Soccer Manager 2021” →

Journey of a Deadman: #8 (Cambrian & Clydach) – Throwing It Away!

Published on by Chris Fuller

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Shama Deadman’s second season at Cambrian & Clydach has not been the resounding success he hoped it would. With the Cam Army struggling to get results at home, Shama has abandoned his Terry Venables-inspired ‘Christmas tree’ system – and instead resorted to route-one tactics.

In Part 7, Cambrian had a strong run of mid-season results and were looking good for the Cymru South title – that was until Pontypridd paid them a visit. In today’s chapter, Shama must pick up the pieces and rebuild his team’s confidence to keep them in the promotion hunt.

Can they finish the 2021/2022 season on a high? Let’s find out… Continue reading “Journey of a Deadman: #8 (Cambrian & Clydach) – Throwing It Away!” →