Belgium vs Portugal  Italy or Spain who will progress.

Balotelli voted most disappointing player of the tournament so far. 

Mr Malcolm lined up by Italian F.A. as replacement once Beddows fails.

Belgium arguably have a more balanced squad than Portugal who are pretty much dependent on one player. So what do they do defend hard and hit on the break as surely Portugal will not get much possession. 

Belgium have to strangle the game , deny Portugal possession and use their own attacking prowess to blunt Ronaldo's edge.

I go for a Portugal edge.

Italy vs Spain.   Well this will only go one way . If Italy continue to play the liability that is Balotelli. One goal in 5 games is not enough and he must be dropped or once defeated Beddows will have to resign, Mr Malcolm has been seen hanging around the Italian training camp and has been approached by the F.A. should Beddows be sacked or resign in disgrace.

Spain are the better team and should win, although Italy do have the aging but reliable Buffon to fall back on.  I go for a Spain win.

Good afternoon and welcome to the preview for the upcoming Season 3 in the Top 100 1st Division. Last season seen Barcelona romping to the title by 10 points from 2nd placed Bayern Munich, with Real Madrid a further point back in 3rd.
The following preview should, of course, not be taken seriously and especially the predicted finishing positions. The finishing positions were calculated using a formula that I wont even try to explain and therefor there may be a couple of surprises. As I say, do not take it seriously as it is only a bit of fun.




I do not guarantee 100% accuracy in the preview text and if anyone wishes anything changed then I will happily do so.

Anyway here we go for this season’s preview:

TEAM:  ACF FIORENTINA
MANAGER:  MISTER DINOSAUR T-REX MALCOLM
LAST SEASON:  11th
STADIUM:  ARTEMIO FRANCHI

KEY PLAYER:  Borja VALERO

BEST SEASON:  11th  (Season 2)

A successful first season in the top flight seen Fiorentina finish in a safe mid-table position and although Season 3 may be a bit tougher, they should still stay clear of the bottom 4. They will be looking to Valero to run the midfield and provide the strikers with ammunition as well as chip in with a few goals himself. In Mister Malcolm they have a manager who knows how to grind out wins when needed and a mid-table finish should once again be the result.

MISTER MALCOLM:  My ambition for next season in all seriousness is not to get relegated. Why? Well I had to sacrifice a lot to get promoted in season 1 and also to survive this time so now I have money in the bank but the team is aging badly. So some old timers and some droppers have to go. I will be opening up a few slots for either risers or players I intend to gather from other sources. So to sum up, I don’t want to get relegated and want to build a stable younger side.

MALCOLM’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA

PREDICTED FINISH:  13th

OPENING FIXTURE:  JUVENTUS (H)






TEAM:  ARSENAL FC
MANAGER:  MICHAEL BOWES
LAST SEASON:  8th
STADIUM:  EMIRATES STADIUM

KEY PLAYER:  Gareth BALE

BEST SEASON:  8th  (Season 1, Season 2)

Two 8th place finishes have left a question mark over Arsenal’s ability to become a title chasing side. After Neil Jones was sacked just 5 games into the season, Michael Bowes took the reins and he made an instant impact as Arsenal lost just one of their next seven games but once the honeymoon period was over Arsenal dropped too many points to teams they should have beat. The addition of Wanyama will add a certain amount of depth but there has so far not been a top class signing since the end of the season. Gareth Bale will be a vital part of the campaign once again but a top six challenge may be the best that Michael can hope for.

MICHAEL BOWES:  By finishing 8th it equalled our position the season before. As a manager I always look to improve on the season before, so 7th place will be my target with the top 6 on my mind and something I will be looking to break into.

MICHAEL’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA

PREDICTED FINISH:  8th

OPENING FIXTURE:  BAYERN MUNICH (A)






TEAM:  ATLETICO MADRID
MANAGER:  THE DOCTOR
LAST SEASON:  9th
STADIUM:  VINCENTE CALDERON

KEY PLAYER:  Julian DRAXLER

BEST SEASON:  6th  (Season 1)

Atletico Madrid found Season 2 a bit tougher than Season 1 but a 9th place finish was still reasonable. The squad is not as strong as many of the others so The Doctor has done a great job in making them a top ten side. Atletico are a side that is being built for the future and this may see them finishing outside the top ten in Season 3. 24yo Jordy Clasie recently signed and instantly became one of the six oldest players in the squad. A tricky season could lie ahead but they shouldn’t find themselves in any danger.

THE DOCTOR:  My ambition for next season will be to qualify for European football and win a domestic cup. The Youth Cup as always will be a secondary priority. A new set of tactics could be deployed from the tardis memory banks.

THE DOCTOR’S TITLE TIP:  Refused as, being a time traveller, he already knows

PREDICTED FINISH:  11th

OPENING FIXTURE:  BAYER LEVERKUSEN (H)






TEAM:  BARCELONA
MANAGER:  SCOTT McKENZIE
LAST SEASON:  1st (Champions)
STADIUM:  CAMP NOU

KEY PLAYER:  Lionel MESSI

BEST SEASON:  CHAMPIONS  (Season 2)

Barcelona coasted to their first Top100 title last season by a clear 10 points. They suffered just one league defeat all season and enjoyed an unbeaten 47 game league run stretching back into Season 1. It’s not easy to find someone who doesn’t think that Barcelona will retain their title but I always believe that defending a title is a lot harder than winning it. The signing of Alaba from Borussia Dortmund further strengthens the team but their seems to be a lack of depth and this could come back and bite them this season. Scott will be going all out to defend his title and will do so like a dog guarding a Sunday joint but I think he might just fall short.

SCOTT McKENZIE:  My ambition for next season would be to successfully defend my League Title. I would also like to try and go one better and finish the season undefeated, but I know that would be a miracle after this one off season I’ve had. You don’t get those kind of seasons every year, I would like to add another trophy as well but not fussed although a double sounds nice.

SCOTT’S TITLE TIP:  BAYERN MUNICH

PREDICTED FINISH:  3rd

OPENING FIXTURE:  SS LAZIO (A)







TEAM:  BAYER LEVERKUSEN
MANAGER:  NOISY
LAST SEASON:  15th
STADIUM:  BAY ARENA

KEY PLAYER:  David SILVA

BEST SEASON:  15th  (Season 2)

It was a tough first season in the top flight for Leverkusen after an impressive Season 1 that ended with automatic promotion from Division 2. After the departure of promotion winning boss Mike Scalotti, Leverkusen brought in Noisy hoping they could take them forward. I suppose that by keeping them in Division 1, Noisy did in fact move them forward no matter how slightly it was and his next task is to continue that work. The signing of Alex Galvez hardly set the world alight and unless the squad further improves, this looks a long hard season for the German club. Survival would be deemed a success.

NOISY:  Improving our league position is our number one target. We shouldn’t have been battling relegation last season and that is something we want to avoid this season. A realistic aim for us would be a top ten finish. This can be a breakthrough season for some of our talented youngsters and we plan to give players like Boufal, Brandt and Jedvaj more minutes to see what they can do.

NOISY’S TITLE TIP:  REAL MADRID

PREDICTED FINISH:  20th

OPENING FIXTURE:  ATLETICO MADRID (A)






TEAM:  BAYERN MUNICH
MANAGER:  GURSIMRAN BAR
LAST SEASON:  2nd
STADIUM:  ALLIANZ ARENA

KEY PLAYER:  Cristiano RONALDO

BEST SEASON:  2nd  (Season 2)

Bayern Munich are growing in strength every season and they are definitely ready to challenge Barcelona as the best team in Top 100. Their 3rd place finish in Season 1 was improved upon by 14 points in Season 2 and that was good enough for them to finish runners-up to Barcelona. Gursiman added Matuidi and Manolas at the end of last season and this gives extra depth. The only risk could be that of Kevin Trapp in goal. His inexperience at this level could be the downfall of Bayern but if he can produce the goods then there is no reason why Bayern cannot be Champions at the end of Season 3/.

GURSIMRAN BRAR:   My ambition for next season would be to at least match my haul of  3 trophies which could be 4 with us playing in the SMFA Champions cup final against MU tomorrow. However, most importantly it would be to win the Division 1 Title as that’s the most coveted title of TOP 100.

GURSIMRAN’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA

PREDICTED FINISH:  CHAMPIONS

OPENING FIXTURE:  ARSENAL (H)







TEAM:  BORUSSIA DORTMUND
MANAGER:  LEE REYNOLDS
LAST SEASON:  1st (Division 2 Champions)
STADIUM:  SIGNAL IDUNA PARK

KEY PLAYER:  Marco REUS

BEST SEASON:  18th  (Season 1)

Borussia Dortmund are back in the top flight after just one season away and they did it in style by winning the Division 2 title. Manager Lee Reynolds will be determined that Borussia don’t become the yo-yo team of the Top 100 and he has been revamping the squad. The signing of Marco Reus could possibly be the best signing of the close season and with Allan and Hector amongst others also being signed then I think it could be a decent season for Dortmund and maybe even a European place at the end.

LEE REYNOLDS:  Some may think survival should be my aim but qualifying for a European competition is what I am looking at and that, of course, means a top ten finish.

LEE’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA

PREDICTED FINISH:  10th

OPENING FIXTURE:  REAL MADRID (H)







TEAM:  CHELSEA FC
MANAGER:  JAMES McKENZIE
LAST SEASON:  7th
STADIUM:  STAMFORD BRIDGE

KEY PLAYER:  Robert LEWANDOWSKI

BEST SEASON:  7th  (Season 2)

Chelsea showed improvement last season and managed to finish a respectable 7th in the table. They are more than likely punching above their weight but look a solid outfit that is hard to beat. The addition of Lewandowski near the end of the season was a great buy and it is him that Chelsea will look to goals for. Manager James McKenzie is currently in the shadow of his brother and it is doubtful that it will change soon. The depth is not there with James preferring to put a lot into youth but despite that, Chelsea should still be in the European places without threatening the top sides.

JAMES McKENZIE:  My ambition for next term will be to break into the top 4. I also want to keep hold of my Euro Shield up and until I make the top 4. I would like to do well in this season’s Youth Cup also.

JAMES’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA

PREDICTED FINISH:  7th

OPENING FIXTURE:  MANCHESTER UNITED (A)







TEAM:  FC PORTO
MANAGER:  ANDRE GUERRA
LAST SEASON:  5th
STADIUM:  ESTADIO DO DRAGAO

KEY PLAYER:  Iker CASILLAS

BEST SEASON:  5th  (Season 2)

FC Porto were the surprise side of Season 2. To finish in 5th place after only gaining promotion through the Division 2 play offs was a fantastic performance and, quite rightly, Andre Guerra took a lot of the plaudits for the way his side played. In fact if it wasn’t for the tremendous season that Scott McKenzie had with Barcelona then Andre would have won the manager of the season. Of course the question is can Porto repeat their feat this season? Well, Andre has decided to go with the same squad with youth player Patrick Roberts being the only addition during the close season. Other teams will be more aware of Porto but I don’t think that will change much. A top 6 finish for Porto is on the cards once again as long as Casillas is on top form.

ANDRE GUERRA: My ambition is to do at least as good as last season, but realistically I think a top 10 finish would already be a positive season for us.


ANDRE’S TITLE TIP:  BAYERN MUNICH

PREDICTED FINISH:  6th

OPENING FIXTURE:  VALENCIA CF (A)







TEAM:  FC SCHALKE 04
MANAGER:  SAMEER ARSHAD
LAST SEASON:  3rd (Division 2, Promoted)
STADIUM:  VELTINS ARENA

KEY PLAYER:  Henrik MKHITARYAN

BEST SEASON:  3rd  (Season 2, Division 2)

Schalke make their debut in Division 1 after finishing 3rd in Division 2 and earning the last automatic promotion space. They could find themselves struggling at the wrong end of the table but they have decent depth in their squad and plenty of experience to boot. That in itself may be enough to keep them up but I wouldn’t be surprised if they had to wait until the last game of the season for them to be safe. The rumour coming out of the Veltins Arena is that boss Sameer Arshad will resign if he can’t lead Schalke to a European place and if that is true then Schalke will be looking for a new manager for Season 4. Mario Suarez is the only addition to a squad that could succeed or fail depending on whether they decide to offload Tevez and bring in a different striker. I think they survive ….. just.

SAMEER ARSHAD:  We are an ambitious club so we set our targets high. This season we will be looking to get into the European places. It will be difficult but I know we have the squad to do it.


SAMEER’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA

PREDICTED FINISH:  16th

OPENING FIXTURE:  PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (A)







TEAM:  FENERBAHCE SK
MANAGER:  SCOTT ‘BROON’ BROWN
LAST SEASON:  10th
STADIUM:  SUKRU SARACOGLU STADIUM

KEY PLAYER:  Franck RIBERY

BEST SEASON:  10th  (Season 2)

Fenerbahce defied the odds by not only comfortably staying in the Division but by qualifying for this season’s Euro Shield. It took them 3 managers to do it but they got the job done. After Noisy left to manage Leverkusen, Norman Little came in and done a good job but he then left for FC Twente in Holland, so they turned to Scott ‘broon’ Brown and after a shaky start he managed to get them a top ten finish. Broon has been busy in the transfer market trying to make the side his own while at the same time improving the team. This is going to be a much tougher season for him as he tries to juggle the league along with European competition and results may suffer. Once you are down at the bottom it is tough to recover and I fear that Fenerbahce may not be able to do that. Division 2 football in Season 4 is a strong possibility.

SCOTT BROWN:  After the success of reaching the Euro Shield last season our aim has to be trying for a top 4 finish and a Champions Cup place. We believe that is within our capabilities.

BROON’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA

PREDICTED FINISH:  18th

OPENING FIXTURE:  LIVERPOOL (A)






TEAM:  JUVENTUS FC
MANAGER:  DP91
LAST SEASON:  4th
STADIUM:  JUVENTUS STADIUM

KEY PLAYER:  Antoine GRIEZMANN

BEST SEASON:  4th  (Season 2)

Juventus are a top class side and after finishing 5th in Season 1, they improved to 4th last season. Can they make the jump from Champions Cup qualifiers to title challengers? That target may still be beyond them so a domestic cup may be their best bet for their first trophy. Manager, DP91 is always busy trying to improve the team and the signing of Cuadrado will strengthen the defence while Batashuayi could add enough depth to see them lift the domestic cup or shield. Another season beckons of always being near the top without looking like serious title challengers and it could be as you were for Juventus when the season ends.

DP91:  We go into this season on the back of our 4th place last year which was better than the 5th in Season 1. We feel we have a squad that can at least repeat our 4th place from last season although the standard of competition will make it even harder.

DP91’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA

PREDICTED FINISH:  4th

OPENING FIXTURE:  ACF FIORENTINA (A)







TEAM:  LIVERPOOL
MANAGER:  GORDON ‘GINO’ KINNEAR
LAST SEASON:  16th
STADIUM:  ANFIELD

KEY PLAYER:  Alexandre LACAZETTE

BEST SEASON:  16th  (Season 1, Season 2)

Liverpool were hoping for a better campaign in Season 2 than the 16th place finish in Season 1 but a poor start seen Clive Short sacked and they turned to Gordon ‘Gino’ Kinnear, hoping he could take them forward. Kinnear almost stripped the squad, bringing in his own players and for a while it looked like he could earn Liverpool a top half finish, however, a disastrous collapse seen them lose their last seven games and they dropped from 8th place to saving their status on the last day of the season. This meant another 16th place finish but with the addition of El Shaarawy and the experienced Moutinho, Liverpool could at last show improvement especially if Kinnear can get the best out of striker Lacazette. A higher place finish for Liverpool shouldn’t be too difficult but it probably wont be by much.

GORDON ‘GINO’ KINNEAR:  Until the last 7 games collapse we were in with a good chance of a Euro Shield place so I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect to finish in the top half of the table.

GINO’S TITLE TIP:  BAYERN MUNICH

PREDICTED FINISH:  14th

OPENING FIXTURE:  FENERBAHCE SK (H)







TEAM:  MANCHESTER CITY
MANAGER:  WILL TRAFFORD
LAST SEASON:  12th
STADIUM:  ETIHAD STADIUM

KEY PLAYER:  Diego COSTA

BEST SEASON:  11th  (Season 1)

Will Trafford took over at the Etihad just as the season started but after a promising start City lost their way and had a run that returned just 1 win in 13 games. Will, however, kept at it despite being under heavy pressure and managed to guide them to a safe 12th place. Perhaps surprisingly, Will has decided to keep faith with his squad and has not brought in any big name players over the close season although Bravo could make a difference in his first full season with the club. Staying up will be the biggest challenge but I think they should manage to do that ok.

WILL TRAFFORD:  We will do well to stay up again! Some of the teams in the division have vast amounts of top quality players and resources. We have recruited well and just need to carry on the rebuild.

WILL’S TITLE TIP:  REAL MADRID

PREDICTED FINISH:  15th

OPENING FIXTURE:  SSC NAPOLI (H)







TEAM:  MANCHESTER UNITED
MANAGER:  JOE JORDAN
LAST SEASON:  6th
STADIUM:  OLD TRAFFORD

KEY PLAYER:  Wayne ROONEY

BEST SEASON:  CHAMPIONS  (SEASON 1)

Joe Jordan led Manchester United to the Champions Cup on the back of their title winning Season 1 but their league form seemed to suffer because of the burden. It is interesting to note that after a Champions Cup game, United won just 4 of 12 league games. This resulted in a 6th place finish so getting back into that top 4 will be one of the targets for this season. Jordan seems to be keeping faith with last seasons squad and while I think they can have a better season, I also think that the Top 4 will be missing their name.

JOE JORDAN:  My aim for next season is to get back into the top 4. A Champions Cup place is what this club deserves.


JOE’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA/ REAL MADRID  (couldn’t split the two)

PREDICTED FINISH:  5th

OPENING FIXTURE:  CHELSEA (H)





TEAM:  PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
MANAGER:  GARY NAYLOR
LAST SEASON:  4th  (Division 2 play off winner)
STADIUM:  PARC DES PRINCES

KEY PLAYER:  Thiago SILVA

BEST SEASON:  17th  (Season 1)

Paris Saint-Germain bounced back to the top flight at the first time of asking thanks to a Play Off Final win over Wolfsburg. You would think that would make them favourites to be heading back down again but I don’t agree. Boss Gary Naylor will have learned a lot from the relegation in Season 1 and I think along with players such as Ibrahimovic and Verratti, PSG have a sound basis to build a good season on. Better organisation this time round and a little bit of luck can see the French club surprise a few people and a top ten finish could be the end product.

GARY NAYLOR:  Our main aim this season is to finish in the top ten. That may be asking a bit much considering we were relegated in Season 1 but simply targeting survival will set the wrong tone for the players, fans and the club as a whole.


GARY’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA

PREDICTED FINISH:  9th

OPENING FIXTURE:  FC SCHALKE 04 (H)









TEAM:  REAL MADRID
MANAGER:  ROY KEANE
LAST SEASON:  3rd
STADIUM:  SANTIAGO BERNABEU

KEY PLAYER:  Junior NEYMAR

BEST SEASON:  2nd  (Season 1)

After setting a high standard in Season 1, many at Real Madrid will have been disappointed at only managing 3rd place last season. They did of course have the World Club Cup to cry into but I am sure they would rather have had the title. Real have arguably the best squad in the Division and the fact that they have still to win the title may put question marks against Roy Keane’s reign if they should fail to win it a third time. Keane has added two highly talented youngsters in Tolisso and Alcacer but has not managed to bring in a game one starter. I think Real will be up at the top challenging once more and may even sit top of the table for a while but, while another cup may come their way, come the end of the campaign I think it will be another non-title season.

ROY KEANE:  We only have one aim and that is to win the treble of course.


ROY’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA  (because I am not allowed to tip myself)

PREDICTED FINISH:  2nd

OPENING FIXTURE:  BORUSSIA DORTMUND (A)







TEAM:  SS LAZIO
MANAGER:  FRED DODGER
LAST SEASON:  14th
STADIUM:  STADIO OLIMPICO

KEY PLAYER:  Arjen ROBBEN

BEST SEASON:  13th  (Season 1)

SS Lazio have flirted with relegation in both Season 1 and Season 2 but have always managed to do just enough to be safe. When Fred Dodger took over about 8 games into Season 2, Lazio fans felt that they were on their way to better things but Fred struggled to get the consistency required to get clear of the battle at the bottom until a good run near the end seen them safe. Lazio have done next to nothing on the transfer front and that could lead to problems. They are an ageing squad and I think Fred will have a tough time getting the wins needed to stay clear of the bottom. Relegation could be the end result and Lazio may also think it’s time for someone new at the helm.


FRED DODGER:  I’m hoping for a top 4 spot. Some may say ambitious but with a good pre-season I think it’s possible.


FRED’S TITLE TIP:  MANCHESTER UNITED

PREDICTED FINISH:  19th

OPENING FIXTURE:  BARCELONA (H)







TEAM:  SSC NAPOLI
MANAGER:  ROB RYAN
LAST SEASON:  2nd  (Division 2)
STADIUM:  STADIO SAN PAOLO

KEY PLAYER:  Gonzalo HIGUAIN

BEST SEASON:  2nd  (Season 2, Division 2)

Napoli reached the big time at the second time of asking after being unlucky in losing the Play Off Final in Season 1. Ross Larkman resigned and Rob Ryan was given the job of getting them up. It turned out to be a great appointment as Rob led them to a second place finish and automatic promotion. Now the new challenge ahead is to keep them in Division 1. Rob has recognised that additions to the squad would be required and he has done well to bring in top players Turan and Ramires. Genter has also been added to give extra depth to a squad that looks good on paper but struggles in the age column. Rob will give it 100% in dedication to the job at hand but I fear he will be involved in a relegation struggle and it is one that could see Napoli run out of steam and just lose out, maybe even on the last day. It will be a brave effort but I think it is one he will lose.

ROB RYAN:  My aim for this season is firstly to put 40 points on the board as soon as possible, have at least one sustained cup run (preferably to a final), then build up to European competition if possible. The optimist hopes for a top 6 finish, the pessimist is happy with 17th.


ROB’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA

PREDICTED FINISH:  17th

OPENING FIXTURE:  MANCHESTER CITY (A)







TEAM:  VALENCIA CF
MANAGER:  DAVID SENIOR
LAST SEASON:  13th
STADIUM:  MESTALLA STADIUM

KEY PLAYER:  Cesc FABREGAS

BEST SEASON:  7th  (Season 1)

Valencia had an impressive first season under Simo and managed to finish 7th in the table ahead of some more illustrious clubs. Season 2 was not going as well and Valencia were struggling and near the bottom end of the table. The Valencia board moved swiftly and axed Simo. The new boss was David Senior, something of an unknown quantity, but their gamble paid off and after a sticky start, David guided them to not only safety, but a 13th place finish and, thanks to favourable Cup winners, a Euro Shield place. David has added some experienced players and will hope they can help Valencia into the top 10. A top 10 finish may be too much to ask but they wont be that far away in the end and a mid table finish looks a good bet.

DAVID SENIOR:  The first thing and the main aim is to avoid relegation and after that then we have to aim for a European place.


DAVID’S TITLE TIP:  BARCELONA

PREDICTED FINISH:  12th

OPENING FIXTURE:  FC PORTO (H)


So, that’s the Division 1 preview for Season 3 and remember it is only a bit of fun so don’t be offended if I have tipped you for relegation. What to do is prove me wrong and then stick two big fingers up at me although you won’t have to broon, as you are going down. The managers have also spoken and have backed  Barcelona, by a majority, to retain their title. A summary of the votes is below:

BARCELONA                       12.5
BAYERN MUNICH                3
REAL MADRID                     2.5
MANCHESTER UNITED         1


It just remains for me to wish everyone good luck for the new season and good luck to everyone in using the new UI. Hopefully this time next year we will be wondering what all the fuss was about and will still be loving the best game world in Soccer Manager. The Top 100, its the world to be in and the world to be seen in. Let’s keep it the best.

Thanks for reading

Ciao

As the excitement builds to Season 3 of Top 100 and also the move full time to the new SM Interface Top SM Bookmaker, FRANKBET have taken the time to view the favourites and the odds across the Division.

Before we proceed to give the FRANKBET odds for Season 3 lets look how they did in Season Two:

CHAMPIONS	Club Brugge KV	1/8
PROMOTED	Villarreal CF	4/5
PROMOTED	Feyenoord	2/1
PLAY-OFF	Hertha BSC	5/2
PLAY-OFF	FC Augsburg	4/1
PLAY-OFF	Dynamo Kyiv	4/1
PLAY-OFF	Santos FC	6/1
	RSC Anderlecht	9/1

Beddows urged calm amongst his players and the Italian press and people as his Italian side brushed aside Ireland 2-0 to reach the World Cup Quarter-Finals in South Korea this evening.


Once again it was an AC Milan performance of pure quality, so good that it had WC Pundits Hirst, PMW, Deadman and Razzaque purring like a Tom Cat with a plethora of interested Pussies.

Capped only 3 days ago by the genius Beddows, De Sciglio scored his first goal tonight... Feargal O'Hickey had no response and as Beddows' Italy began to dominate the play and possession as Rolf Harris dominated the Art World it became only a matter of time before Beddows' genius would bring about a 2nd goal.  Westwood did all he could, with Balotelli untypically lacklusture in front of goal. And then in the 2nd half a moment of pure intellect and creative power from Balotelli finding Florenzi to put the final nail in Ireland's coffin... 2-0 Italy.

Florenzi made it 2-0 GET IN Italy won the game 2-0 and are now in the World Cup Quarter-Finals where they will face England, when Beddows was asked about his match against his birth country he responded... "I am highly cautious... I have heard that Frank Hirst himself is flying over to watch the game which clearly worries me as I feel we may become victims of witchcraft and corruption but we will give our all come what may!" The other games, The mighty Mister Malcom who'd expected to win the World Cup was beaten by another failure of a manager in Greg Billington who needed penalties to overcome the dinosaur Uruguayans. Holland and Zaid Griffin and Belgium and Gareth Crisp will face one another in the WC QF as both sides luckily progressed. Roy Keane and Spain (or the half of Spain that like him) are also through to face the World Cup long-shots, Serbia, who under the leadership of Sameer Arshad destroyed Argentina. In the other QF Portugal will face France. Odds: Spain 1/10, France 1/8, Portugal 1/5, Belgium 2/1, Holland 2/1, England 2/1, Italy 10/1, Serbia 5000/1

World cup last 16 preview

Knock out all the way.

The first match sees Netherlands vs Turkey, neither team really tested in the first round Netherlands should be the favourites to progress.


Russia vs England, a tense cold war stand off. Russia must go defensive against the attacking might of St George , expect an England victory.

Belgium vs Bosnia  . Belgium played well in the groups and baring a disaster should progress.

Ireland vs Italy . A disaster for Switzerland or perhaps doing near neighbours a huge favour has let Ireland through against . In the last match Balotelli is rubbish was heard, and he'll never play for Fiorentina. Why such a low rated player is still being picked no one knows. Expect an Ireland victory as the Leprauchauns cast a spell over Beddows and co.

France vs Uruguay. Only a tactical genius could get Uruguay past France but with added bite to the Uruguay side lets see what happens.

Serbia vs Argentina. A great group stage must make Argentina the favourites.

Croatia vs Portugal. A high scoring game by Ronaldo an co got past Chile, Croatia could follow Italy as group winners who exit at an early stage.

Poland vs Spain. Do an aging Spain side still have what it take s. The group stages suggest yes and Poland won't be much opposition. 

Some Headlines from around the World as the final Group games of the SM Top 100 World Cup were played last night.

Germany fail again and for the 2nd World Cup in a row Noisy has failed to escape the Group Stage - How much longer can the German FA put up with this ineptness?

Defending World Cup Champions, Colombia have fallen at the first hurdle and Lee Reynolds quit inside the stadium taking a German helicopter out of the ground bound for Dortmund and pre-season training… in a recent poll 99% of the German public have called for Reynolds to be unveiled as the next Germany manager. Could Noisy be off to Colombia?

Russian boss Greg Owen was apparently told it was the 2nd round or the Gulag for him and amazingly his side pulled of a great result to progress to a meeting with England.

Italy were fantastic as they made it to round 2 with 3 wins out of 3 with Beddows clearly happen to be in a tournament without the influence of DP and Frank.

Roy Keane continues to gloat more than a cat with a litter of 11 babies as his Spain side marhed on and Mr cheating Malcolm Uruguay also made it through.

Round 2 should be interesting… will Crisp and Jordan still be there come the last 8?

Please click read more to see who you have drawn in Season 3 of the Youth Cup… Who is in the Group of Death? Who should easily win their group? Which side could be the Lokomotiv of Season 3 and go all the way to the final?

If everyone can please bear with me for the fixtures which i will do over the next week and have them published on gameday 1 of the new season.

ALSO please bear with us and give us the respect that Top 100 deserves when SM move over to the ‘newest’ new interface… as you all know we work very hard on this gameworld and managers leaving due to SM decisions is highly annoying so PLEASE stay and stick out season 3 come what may with SM changes. :)

Uruguay shine in early stages of World Cup

Group A

Netherlands are in the hot seat with 4pts from 2 games,  they face Ecuador in the last game who actually only need a win still to qualify. Russia must regret the tame result against the South American side as it means that only one of Russia or the plucky Austrian team can go through,

Group B

 Scotland are already out following two inept performances, casting the future of NIcky Thompson in doubt. England and Cameroon could both qualify if the Scots perform a braveheart but realistically Turkey should still go through with either England who look the better team or Cameroon .

Group C

Greece are already our, Belgium while mathematically not through would have to throw it away big time against Ireland. Switzerland managed by Sheriff look to be odds on to join them as they play the lacklustre Greeks.

Group D

 Italy go through and look to be kingmakers as a loss against opponents Colombia would eliminate Bosnia and Wales.

Group E

France and Serbia are both through as Japan and Senegal were poor opposition, both will look to gain the advantage of an easier draw by winning the last game.

Group F

Uruguay are the star turn of the tournament so far with a blend of skill and attacking football they have set the World Cup on fire.  Who can forget Arevalo Rios and his fantastically taken penalty , so glad to have the highly motivated Fiorentina player in the squad said Mr Malcolm. Argentina have also qualified and will face off for top spot against the South American team.

Group G

 Where are Germany , last and with good reason. Plucky Croatia and the Czech team have seen off the superior opposition. However a win over the Poles would still see them through whereas Croatia will play for the draw in their last game

Group H

A win or draw see's Spain through. Sweden must win by 2 clear goals or more to guarantee their progress. Realistically Chile are hot favourites to progress with a win or draw likely to be enough.

Division 1 Manager Of The Year Award 

After picking up the Manager of the year award McKenzie was seen out partying into the wee hours of the morning with his players , It was a great season and to cap it off with this award was greatly appreciated and a big thank you to all those who Voted .Congratulations  to Lionel Messi who was awarded The division 1 player of the year award , his performances this year have been out of this world and at certain points of the season carried the team when not at there best . Hopefully he can kick on again next year and have another superb season . 




                          McKenzie with the League Shield /Manager of the year Trophy 

Season Ahead 

  Transfer News

Manuel Neuer  

 ANGRY NEUER !!!!!!!!!

 

Ok, so after the success of the Youth Cup Season 1 and amazing success of Youth Cup Season 2 I am pleased to officially announce the format and competing teams in Youth Cup Season 3.




The organisers are pleased to announce that the Season 3 Tournament will be sponsored by

www.cairnsdidgeridoos.com.au/a/manufac…

A company whose close links to famous didgeridooist make them a perfect candidate for sponsoring the Youth Cup.

Format:

In Top 100 Saturday is Youth Cup Day. So next season most Saturday’s you will be able to have your kids playing.

We will have 60 teams competing and a ‘shortlist’ of ‘standby’ teams as well.

They will be spilt into 12 groups (last season was 8) Each group will have 5 teams like last season. This will mean 10 Saturdays of youth football with 2 rest days in that period. 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw etc.

Rules:

It is important to remember to set your team and your subs to ensure you follow the rules. IF you dont then it is highly annoying and whilst I understand you may have issues on occasion due to hols BUT due to level of effort put in and the ‘procedures’ we put in place to ensure EVERYONE is reminded on THURSDAYS by their “Group Administrator” there are really no excuses.

For the full rules on player eligibility see the page “Youth Cup Season 3”

Please note IF a players turns 22 after the Youth Cup has started they he will be eligible to continue playing.

Draw:

Obviously with 60 teams in 12 groups some sort of format/seeding system needs to be put in place and as such I have devised TOP POTS OF SEEDS

Pot A: (Teams who reached the QF last season + those who came closest in the losing in the 2nd Round)
Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, ACF Fiorentina, Lokomotiv Moscow, Juventus, Atletico Madrid, Man Utd, Villarreal, AC Milan, CSKA Moscow, Chelsea, Schalke

Pot B: (Teams who reached the 2R last season and are NOT in Pot A AND those teams who did well in the Group Stage and were unlucky not to progress + GENOA and LIVERPOOL and ASTON VILLA who all paid me 1000000 SM Creds to be in Pot 2) ;)
Newcastle Utd, Sassuolo, Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool, Genoa, Olympiakos, Udinese, Benfica, Tottenham Hotspur, Napoli, Barcelona, Aston Villa

Pot C: Everyone else - completely open draw so to speak.
VFB Stuttgart, Sunderland, Celta Vigo, Hertha Berlin, Malaga
Monchengladbach, Levante, Athletic Club, Chievo Verona, Hamburg, Everton
Valencia, Feyenoord, Dinamo Zagreb, Shakthar Donestk, Sporting
Sampdoria, Club Brugge, Anderlecht, West Ham, Cruzeiro, Standard Leige, Stoke City
Paris St Germain, West Brom, Espanyol, Augsburg, Hellas Verona
Basel, Besiktas, Twente, Bayern Munich, Sao Paulo, PSV, Galatasaray, Marseille 

Round 2 will be 32 teams.

With the 12 group winners and 4 best runner up HAVING A HOME TIE v 8 other runner up AND 8 best 3rd place finishers… meaning most teams have a genuine chance of progressing. The draw will be open but you wont play against teams you faced in the Group Stage.

Round 3 will give home advantage to the side who achieved the higher points tally in the Group Stage like Season 2.

QF, SF will all be open draws like Season 2 over 1 leg.

Final will be two legs like Season 2

In the event of draws fictional extra time will be used but we may adopt a new approach to fictional extra time when the time comes.

Both The Doctor and DP have had the honour of being presented with the trophy by Youth Cup President

Wheels Wonders….

Every week new Sao Paulo manager Nick Wheels will wonder out loud about a subject. This week it’s one that’s close to all our hearts….SPOONS




Hi all, Wheels here, new manager of Saint Pauli in fuckin Brazil - yes Brazil not bloody Germany, how many Paula, Pauli, Paulistas can there be?
Anyway, I digress.
I was emptying the old colostomy bag yesterday evening when I got to wondering, spoons…where would we be without them?
‘No Spooons?’ I hear you cry, ‘surely not Wheels, that’s beyond the pail’.
While you have my sympathy, the sad fact of the matter is that yes, spoons could be a thing of the past, if they all like disappeared what with the EU & all that.
I’ll break it down into click bait form for all you simpletons out there;

1) Training - my daily training always starts with the team running around various spoons laid on the ground. It’s vital for match sharpness & I fear if spoons disappear we could be facing relegation & financial ruin next season.

2) Stirring the tea - Managers need a hot steaming cup of traditional British tea, with spoons gone we’d all have to drink coffee & then where would we be?

3) Egg & Spoon Race - You ask your Ronaldos', your Messis’, your Rooneys' & your Drinkwaters' & what’s the one thing they’ve all got in common? That’s right. they all started with the Egg & Spoon race. With spoons gone those talented lads would be wasting their skills working in Currys or Greggs instead of pleasing millions with their silky skills ….thanks to spoons.

4) Greasy Spoons - What better way to prepare for a tough away game than a full fry up with extra toast & a mug of hot tea, I’m getting peckish just thinking about it! Without spoons there’d just be grease, no good for getting the 3 points away at Venezuela Utd on a cold Tuesday night.

5) Spooning - There’s nothing me & Mrs Wheels like doing more of an evening than Spooning. The minute we’ve had our teas we’re at it, spooning in front of the telly, spooning doing the washing up, spooning feeding the cat. In fact I can safely say there’s nothing we like more than a good hard spoon. Now those bureaucrats in Brussels wants to put a stop to good old British spooning. It’s a travesty, it really is & no-one will be more upset than me & Mrs Wheels.

Well, it’s been fun musing about Spoons but all good things have to come to an end, just look at the M6!  Until next time merry managers, tarra a bit!

Game day 37 saw The Fannybashers, bash Man City’s Fannies and beat them 3-1. Even game, could have went either way. Ribery scored 2 against his former club and Cerci was on the score-sheet too.

The last game of the season was a nothing game, really but we wanted to stand up to the big boys, Bayern Munich, and that’s what we did. The game finished 1-1. We went up 1-0 but that was short lived as they equalised literally 1 minute later.

 

Good afternoon and welcome to another Fannie Licker interview. For Fannie, herself, she is starting to get back to her old self and the weight is falling off her again although she still has a bit to go before she is back to the way she used to be. She is still without a boyfriend after the tragic hamstergate but claims that she doesn’t know if she could trust another guy and instead is thinking about becoming a nun. She has been to a couple of shops to try on nun outfits and she is happy that she looks good in the attire. Anyway, she will tell you a bit more about that I am sure as she is right gobby at times. So, here to introduce her next manager to be interviewed is the woman herself…… Fannie Lickerrrrrrrr.




Hey guys, Fannie’s here!! and I know how much you guys love Fannie!! I am losing weight again and if anyone wonders how I am doing it then it’s quite simple. I am not eating! I have not had anything to eat in five days and it is working an absolute treat. I am still a chubby girl but I do not give a shit. I am also young, free and single, well maybe not free so really I am young, £50 an hour and single!!! Seriously, I am off guys so much that I have been looking into entering a nunnery. As you can see below I have been checking out how I would look in a nun outfit and I hear that Versace make a wicked one.


So enough about me and it’s time for another Famous Fannie interview with a top manager in the TOP100 gameworld. Ok, a manager in the TOP100 gameworld. This week we have a manager who has had a good season but unfortunately fell short in the play offs. I hope that is all he falls short in, if you know what I mean  ;) haha. Anyway, I am delighted to tell you that today we have a guy that is very active in all things TOP100. Will you please welcome Aston Villa manager, Rahul W!!!!
Now before we get to the actual interview, here are some facts about Rahul in his personal profile -


RAHUL W - PERSONAL PROFILE

Full Name: Rahul Warrier
Born: 21/10/1999
Height: 6'1
Marital Status: Single
Nickname: Warrier (my name’s too short for a decent nickname lol)
Favourite Sports teams: Man Utd, Tampines Rovers, Royal Challengers Bangalore
Favourite food: Greek/Italian
Favourite drink: Pepsi
Favourite band/singer: Coldplay/Banners/Stromae
Favourite all time song: Ghosts
Favourite Colour: Red
Favourite animal: Dogs
Favourite film: Number I like- no particular one
Your Car: Toyota Rush
Best Friend: My laptop

What phone do you have: iPhone 6
Best sport to watch: Cricket/football
What scares you most: Insects (cockroaches)
Phone, iPad or laptop to play SM: laptop
Embarrassing moment: Can’t pinpoint
Ever won anything on the lottery: Nope
If you could have any job in the world what would it be: Football journalist travelling around the world
Who would you most like to meet (dead or alive): Virat Kohli
If you could attend any sporting event in the world what would it be: World Cup final of course

So now that you more a bit more about Rahul, it’s time to move on to the interview. Rahul deals with the interview very well but I would like to remind him that my face is up here and it wasn’t my tits that were asking the questions.

FL: Firstly, Rahul, commiserations on your failure in the play offs. How are the players taking the defeat to Shakhtar? Do you feel you should have won the game in regular time? Any player in particular that you feel should have done better?

RW: Thanks. The players are gutted and are down on themselves. It was a tough pill to swallow as we were close to direct promotion for most of the season. We did a Brighton rather than a Burnley, I knew it would come down to this and we were unable to pick ourselves up. Shakhtar were the form side with some real difference-makers and were just able to do it in the penalties. I do not know how we missed all our penalties though. We should have done it in regular time but it’s a game of fine margins and we lost the critical moments. Blame also goes to me, I messed up the tactics and the substitutions.
There is no point in moaning about though, I gave the boys a few days off to pick themselves up, before we had a team meeting. Unlike Louis van Gaal I do not send e-mails to players detailing their weaknesses. I have spoken with the squad as a whole and in private and they have reflected and are eager to work towards our goals for next season. Football is a team game and the blame is equally divided amongst all of us. It is disappointing but not the end of the road for the club.



FL: So how do you bounce back from this? Is it going to be a difficult job lifting the players for next season and do you think their might be a hangover from the defeat that could result in a slow start?

RW: Ha, hangovers are for the big clubs. The lads are motivated to do their utmost best next season and are fired by this season’s failure. I have given the main team a one week holiday to refresh themselves for the new season. They all flew away after the thriller vs Genoa on Sunday. The youth boys will play the next two games in order to prove themselves to me. It is also important to make sure the squad is not stale, and we will work in the off-season to improve the squad where needed.


FL: You have been in charge for two seasons now and you have been improving all the time. Villa were unlucky to miss out on the play offs in Season 1 and now you have improved by reaching the play offs. Is automatic promotion the target for season 3 and if you fail to reach Division 2 for the 3rd successive season will it be time for you to seek pastures new?

RW:  Indeed. I was planning on moving on this season but the lack of available jobs persuaded me to stay. I’m also attached to Villa having been here since the start and moulded it to my own liking, as you can see there are only three original Villa players- Jordan, Idrissa and Jores. This season especially has seen our squad take shape into one for the future. I look forward to next season but I have set my own stipulation of qualifying for D2, failing which I will quit Villa in order for a new manager to take them to heights I was unable to take them to.

FL: What changes are you looking at for the squad? Players like Didier Drogba are not getting any younger and in fact Drogba is now 38. Have you spoke to Drogba about his future with the club? Does he actually have a future or are you planning next season without him?

RW: I have spoken with Didier during the season and will speak to him again over the next few days. He knows his time as a player is ending and though he is playing regularly, he wants to play as the lone man, rather than part of a four-pronged attack with Scocco, Derlis and Emenike. I can understand his concern and that he wishes to score more goals at a club that can provide him regular chances. It has been great working with Didier however and his partnership with Emenike nearly took us to D2. That was what he was signed for but unfortunately it did not result in the promised land. In all likelihood Didier will leave us but his relationship with Villa is great and he hopes to be back in a coaching capacity once he retires. Unlike at Stuttgart where he was unceremoniously kicked out, he commands respect at Villa Park. He will leave us but it should be stressed that an adequate replacement will be required. Belgium may be the place for him to go, but let’s see.


FL: Have the board given you any indication of how they feel about another season in Division 3 and do they think you are the man to take them forward?

RW: The board are currently in negotiations to settle the ownership of the club to Dr. Xia. They however expressed their disappointment at missing out on promotion. The club no longer need money with Dr. Xia’s arrival but prestige is what we want. I have yet to speak to Dr. Xia but the inkling from upstairs is that they fully trust me to do my job. They are aware my man and squad management ranks among the best and will stick by my side, however a mutual agreement has been agreed wherein I will leave Villa Park if we do not secure promotion next season.
A message to Dr. Xia however, is not to get involved with renaming the ground ‘Lotus Villa Park’ and giving our squad Chinese health products, this stems from genuine advice so that he does not end up like good ol’ Randy.

FL: How do you feel about the Regional Cup and the Youth Cup? Do these competitions make it tougher for the players to play to the best of their ability and are they competitions that put to much strain on your squad or do you think they help with the development of the younger players for example?

RW: I have contrasting opinions on this. The Youth Cup for me is something we have been working towards, and our youth squad is the best it has ever been. I find the Cup a great way for the boys to play and impress the gaffer, they also improve by getting competitive gametime. Last season the trip to the Bernabeu was a great experience for the boys even though we lost. I have no qualms with the Youth Cup.
The Regional Cup, however, was a nightmare for us last season as we got drubbed by the big sides as expected, and that did a great deal to squad morale. This is only affecting their confidence and fitness levels, I have not decided but I think we will skip the Regional Cup next season in order to lessen the burden of fixtures on the players.
The Cup and Shield are also a way for our reserves to get more game time, we advanced to the 4th round of both in S1 but went out in the 1st round in S2, I am not expecting much from these cups but we could ride our luck and go deep in the tournament. Promotion is the main target though.


FL: You made plenty of signings last season without spending a barrowload of money. Has the owner been pulling in the purse strings and not making the money, you would like, available or is it you refuse to pay big money for one player?

RW: At Villa Park sensible expenditure is the mantra. Of course we were more cash-strapped with Mr. Lerner but with Dr. Xia and the new TV deal, things look more bright. They allow for more leeway through which we can conduct our deals and look towards youths. It is not the cash of the owner not making the money available, however so far the players I would like to sign are either not available for cash or are too expensive. I would not want to sign a player for lot of cash if they do not fit the team ethos. Ruben Garcia was/is our record signing for 10mil and that was a deal that helped Levante with their finances. 10mil is a lot for an 87 rated midfielder, however the other deals we can conduct offset this loss. Zielinski, Derlis, Emenike and Topal spring to mind. Smart, shrewd dealing if I say so myself.
Our scouts have also got us some quality players like Hitz and Kone. We have managed to de-Villa this squad and re-build it using the external market, and then moving into the internal market. Going back to the question, it is more of me being prudent with dealings, whether it be with cash or players.
We now have money which we cannot spend because the market has inflated as a result of the new TV deal. But our financial situation is strong which is a sign of a growing club. I am proud to be part of this process.


FL: Is their anyone in your youth squad that has impressed you? Is there anyone that you think can break into the first team and that we should watch out for in the future?

RW: Our youth policy is aimed at bringing in players who could have a bright future at the club. We do not bring in players randomly as some other managers do, we instead rely on our trusted youth scouts in getting our young players in. We have recently strengthened for the Youth Cup. The club also has partnerships with Outside of the Boot, who we rely on to get under-rated youths, and the Football Association of Singapore, through which we were able to get Irfan Fandi, son of Singaporean legend Fandi Ahmad (who once played for Gronignen and scored in the UEFA Cup, and who could have played for Ajax- Cruijff had wanted him there). So as you can see, we take our youth policy seriously.
At the moment, we have a fair few youngsters who can make the step-up in the future, not yet however as competition is tight in the first team. They have players like Derlis Gonzalez to look up to, Derlis played for our youth squad last season and has grown into his role in the team, and is now a first-team regular. With more emphasis being placed in securing the future of this club, youth will always be a cornerstone of our success as we go into Season 3.
To look forward to, Jack Grealish, Remi Walter (joining in a couple of days) and Erick Gutierrez are some exciting young talents. Jack has been with us since the start and is the captain of our burgeoning youth squad. We have also recently promoted Andre Green from our academy, a pacy, skilful winger who I’m sure will do well in this club.

Like our old badge said, we are ‘prepared’ for the future!


FL: The final question is standard for all managers. If you could manage any club in the Top 100 who would it be?

RW: Tough question to answer. I am a fan of Manchester United, so I would love to manage them. I have turned down overtures from Leverkusen, Dortmund, City, Arsenal and Liverpool to stay at Villa. Was that wise? I don’t know, but I did not want to leave the project here in its infancy. I’d take most Division 1 clubs now except for Manchester City and Liverpool. More importantly though the project has to appeal to me more than anything else. I hope to get a shot at one of the big clubs one day.

FL: Thank you Rahul, you have been a wonderful guest and I can see that Aston Villa have a very intelligent and dedicated manager and I wish you the best of luck next season.

RW: Thanks for having me here, I am happy to spread awareness of the project at Villa and the difficulties in off-loading players like Micah Richards, . It is not the easiest of jobs in terms of player, but I believe in my ability as a manager and love it here. A great place and I will always remember Villa even if I leave for a bigger club.


So, Rahul is someone who knows what he wants and even if he hails to get promotion this upcoming season, I think there will be a massive bid to get him to stay on. From the owner all the way down to the fans know they have a fantastic managerial talent at their club and they will do everything in their power to get him to stay and lead Villa on to greater things.

That’s it for another Fannie Licker interview and Gino will be back next week with his blog and I believe he has plenty of news both on the personal front and the Liverpool front. So until I return in around a fortnight’s time I want to say thanks for reading and for making my series of interviews so successful. I wish everyone luck for the new season when it comes and I look forward to the next interview with a manager from the TOP100.

p.s.  If you would like to be interviewed by Fannie and given the chance to spread the word about your club then send a PM to Gordon ‘Gino’ Kinnear and it will be arranged for you to come into the studio and meet Fannie.

Thanks guys

Ciao