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Aventuras Américas | Part 23 | Puebla FC #1: Never-Ending Quest For Promotion
A season of surprising amounts of success on all fronts saw Robinho Lazaró on the move for the second time in a year. This time around, he had a different kind of challenge as he headed to México with Puebla FC.
Aventuras Américas | Part 22 | Alianza Lima #2: Majestic Méndez!
Robinho Lazaró had made a brilliant start to life in Peru. His Alianza Lima side wrapped up the Torneo Apertura in blistering style by battering the league favourites in the Final and had progressed to the knockout stages of Copa Sudamericana.
FM Experiment | Spending Saints Gold | Season 2: Silly Amounts Of Money!
The Southampton board rewarded Alan Shearer for his 8th-place finish and Carabao Cup win with a whopping transfer budget that was effectively around £300 million.
Aventuras Américas | Part 21 | Alianza Lima #1: Bienvenido a Peru
Fresh from wrapping up the national title in his home nation, after two league wins and a cup success with América de Cali, there was no time for sentimentality as Robinho Lazaró was once again on the move.
Aventuras Américas | Part 20 | América de Cali #4: Antonio Augusto Inspires Title Challenge
Robinho Lazaró moved to a total of five leagues and one cup success in his near-nine years of management. However, the Apertura doesn’t, in Lazaró’s mind anyway, count as being the national champion.
FM Experiment | Spending Saints Gold | Season 1: Building Around JWP
You may have heard the news that Southampton were recently the subject of a “tycoon takeover” from Serbian media mogul Dragan Solak. Having just completed our Spending Saudi Gold Football Manager Experiment following Newcastle’s tycoon takeover, this presented the perfect opportunity to run another one.
Aventuras Américas | Part 19 | América de Cali #3: Is Batata The Best Defender in FM History?
Robinho Lazaró was allowed the luxury of about a week for his head to recover from the baffling concept that is the Colombian Liga BetPlay Dimayor. His América de Cali side played 74 matches in the 2029 season, and looked set to play just as many in the coming campaign if they wanted any chance of success!
Aventuras Américas | Part 18 | América de Cali #2: Brilliant Batata
A seemingly neverending season, in which América had already played 38 games at the halfway mark, now saw them tackle the Finalización stage of the campaign.
FM Guide: How To Make Football Manager Look Pretty
Football Manager is an absolute treasure trove of data and imagery that, on the face of it, is a bit of an assault on the senses. But if you’re anything like me, then the standard layout of the game can become bland and the blank faces or fake badges and kits are a bit annoying.
Aventuras Américas | Part 17 | América de Cali #1: Heading Home
Seven years ago, Roberto Nascimento da Silva Lazaró packed his bags and departed his homeland of Colombia to fulfil his dream of becoming a real-life Football Manager. But he was now heading back home having achieved that dream.
Aventuras Américas | Part 16 | River Plate Montevideo #2: A Surprise Second Chance
An interesting tactical gamble was working nicely as Robinho Lazaró led his River Plate Montevideo side to a third-place finish in the opening stage of the Uruguayan top-tier. However, things were about to get pretty confusing.
Aventuras Américas | Part 15 | River Plate Montevideo #1: The Birth of “la Caosbola”
Robinho Lazaró, now proudly wielding his Continental A Licence, swiftly handed in his resignation, went on the hunt for a new opportunity, and found himself on his way back to South America.
Bottom At Christmas | Season 4: West Ham United
Big Sam Allardyce got his first taste of failure and relegation as his beleaguered Blackburn Rovers dropped into the Championship with barely a whimper in the 2023/24 campaign. However, there was no time to hang around as we simmed ahead to Christmas Day 2024 to discover the fourth task on this Football Manager Experiment.
Aventuras Américas | Part 14 | NYRB #4: Christian Eriksen Inspires Greatness
Despite the media predicting them to be the fifth-worst team in the league, New York Red Bulls were well in contention for the playoff places at the halfway mark of the 2027 campaign.
Aventuras Américas | Part 13 | NYRB #3: Lazaró Signs Lázaro
Season two with New York Red Bulls would be purely focused on MLS as there was no continental football to get sidelined with.
Bottom At Christmas | Season 3: Blackburn Rovers
The survival specialist skills of Big Sam Allardyce were once again proven as he pulled off a minor miracle to keep Middlesbrough in the Premier League in 2022/23. But his finest work yet would be required after simming ahead to Christmas 2023.
Aventuras Américas | Part 12 | NYRB #2: Signing an FM15 Wonderkid (in 2026)
A strange start to life in America had seen Robinho Lazaró somehow stumble into a Champions League Final. However, he was hopeful of a stronger showing in the second half of the 2026 MLS campaign.
Spending Saudi Gold | Season 5 | Neymar at Newcastle
Newcastle United became Champions of England for the first time after blowing more than £1 billion in four years to bring in some of the world’s best young talent. And director of football Alan Shearer had even more money available to tweak the squad in a bid to defend that maiden title.
Aventuras Américas | Part 11 | NYRB #1: Reserves Reach Champions League Final!
After honing his managerial skills in Chile and winning his first national title with Universidad Católica, Robinho Lazaró was a man with a growing reputation. That much was proven as he moved to MLS with New York Red Bulls.
Bottom At Christmas | Season 2: Middlesbrough
Big Sam Allardyce confirmed his legendary status as a survival specialist as his rather hazardous January spending kept Norwich City in the Premier League in 2021/22. But now he had to do it all over again!
Aventuras Américas | Part 10 | Católica #2: Dominating in Chile
Robinho Lazaró had made a dream start to life with his second club on his Aventuras Américas journey.
Spending Saudi Gold | Season 4: £1 Billion Later…
Newcastle United finished 2nd in the Premier League in 2023/24 – only behind surprise title winners Tottenham. But a bumper transfer budget meant ‘Director of Football’ Alan Shearer had a busy summer ahead of him.
Aventuras Américas | Part 9 | Católica #1: Moving to Santiago
After three-and-a-half years in Puerto Montt, the first managerial change of Colombian / Brazilian Robinho Lazaró came as he jumped ship to Chilean rivals Universidad Católica.
Bottom At Christmas | Season 1: Norwich City
In 30 years of the Premier League, only three teams have ever survived relegation having been bottom of the league at Christmas. That got me thinking a fun challenge would be to try and brand ourselves a survival specialist and attempt to buck that trend in the virtual world.
Aventuras Américas | Part 8 | Puerto Montt #7: Controversial Relegation Scrap
Midway through his third full season as a Football Manager, Robinho Lazaró was finding the step up from the second to the first-tier of Chilean football pretty difficult.
Spending Saudi Gold | Season 3: Moukoko, Camavinga, Moriba and Gavi
Despite spending £469 million in two years and a bright start to the second season, Newcastle United ‘only’ finished sixth in 2022/23.
Aventuras Américas | Part 7 | Puerto Montt #6: Tricky First Taste of Top-Tier Football
Robinho Lazaró had enjoyed an unexpectedly successful first two years as a Football Manager, tasting promotion with his first club Deportes Puerto Montt in 2023.
Aventuras Américas | Part 6 | Puerto Montt #5: Todos Amamos A Eduardo Vilches
Midway through his second full season in management, things were looking good for Robinho Lazaró. His Deportes Puerto Montt side was top of the league and had only suffered one defeat. But could they keep the good times rolling under pressure?
Spending Saudi Gold | Season 2: Wingers Overload
The big-spending first season saw Newcastle reach the Champions League for the first time since 2003, which meant there was plenty of cash in the bank for ‘Director of Football’ Alan Shearer to throw around.
Aventuras Américas | Part 5 | Puerto Montt #4: Another Summer Rebuild Works Wonders
Fledgling Colombian / Brazilian manager Robinho Lazaró had enjoyed a surprisingly good first full season as a manager with Deportes Puerto Montt. His side performed well above expectations to reach the semi-final of the promotion playoffs.
Aventuras Américas | Part 4 | Puerto Montt #3: Unexpected Promotion Challenge
Mid-way through his first full season as an actual Football Manager, Robinho Lazaró was pretty satisfied with how things were going at Deportes Puerto Montt.
Sempre Samp | Part 11: Chasing The Scudetto
At the halfway mark of the Serie A 2025/26 season, Roberto di Lazaró had led his Sampdoria side to the top of the league and enjoyed a six-point lead over Inter Milan. That meant a first Scudetto since 1991 was within sight with 21 games remaining.
Spending Saudi Gold | Season 1: Spending £269 Million
This experiment, as the save name suggests, takes us to Newcastle United and their new moneybags Saudi owners.
Sempre Samp | Part 10: De Ketelaere Provides A Step Up In Quality
The impressive rise of Sampdoria saw them finish second in Serie A for a second successive season. They remained some way behind a dominant Inter but, with the full Football Manager 2022 now live, manager Roberto di Lazaró was keen to take a title fight to Nerazzurri in potentially a final season in Italy.
Aventuras Américas | Part 3 | Puerto Montt #2: Hair-Brained Tactics
After 12 games in football management, Colombian / Brazilian manager Robinho Lazaró had enjoyed a solid yet unspectacular introduction to life in the Chilean second tier. But he now faced a huge task to rebuild a Deportes Puerto Montt squad that was about to get decimated in the winter of 2021.
Sempre Samp | Part 9: Andreas Schjelderup Dominates Serie A
Despite going unbeaten through the first half of the 2024/25 campaign, Sampdoria went into the winter break somehow trailing Inter by five points – as the leaders had only failed to win twice and only conceded four goals in 17 games.
Aventuras Américas | Part 2 | Puerto Montt #1: Bienvenido a Chile
Unemployed 37-year-old Robinho Lazaró was giddy with excitement at being offered his first job in football by Chilean side Deportes Puerto Montt.
Sempre Samp | Part 8: Schjelderup Shines for Samp
Sampdoria bid farewell to not one but two legends as the outrageously impressive Antonio Candreva and 46-year-old Gianluigi Buffon retired from football in the summer of 2024.
Aventuras Américas | Part 1 | The Adventure Begins!
While others in his situation might turn to less than legal routes to make money, Robinho Lazaró’s sights were firmly set on the unlikely pipedream of becoming a football manager.
Sempre Samp | Part 7: Captain Candreva Retires In Style
Roberto di Lazaró’s Sampdoria side was once again defying expectations as they sat third in Serie A and were the competition’s top scorers heading into 2024.
Sempre Samp | Part 6: Winning at Real Madrid!
Sampdoria had massively exceeded all expectations by finishing in third in Serie A in 2022/23. However, season three was likely to be much more of a struggle as the club looked to balance competing in the Champions League with the league on a shoestring budget.
Sempre Samp | Part 5: Old Man Candreva Shows The Kids How It’s Done
Sampdoria were performing well above expectations despite a massive overhaul of the playing squad in the summer of 2022. Moving into 2023, Blucerchiati sat second in Serie A as the league resumed following the silly Winter World Cup in Qatar.
Sempre Samp | Part 4: Massive Summer Overhaul Works Wonders
Fledgling manager Roberto di Lazaró had guided Sampdoria to a 10th place finish in Serie A in 2021/22. However, that had largely been inspired by the goals of a 19-year-old striker so much work was needed in the summer transfer window to strengthen the squad.
Sempre Samp | Part 3: Beating the Zebras!
Sampdoria had made a solid yet wholly unspectacular start to life with Roberto di Lazaró, sitting firmly in mid-table and struggling to score goals heading into 2022.
Improving the World’s Worst National Team | Part 8: EURO 2028
The meteoric rise of Sammarinese football was confirmed as San Marino won their European Championship Qualifying group ahead of Austria and Bosnia to qualify for EURO 2028 – their first-ever international tournament – to climb into the world’s top 100 for the first time.
Sempre Samp | Part 2: Boring, Boring Samp!
The Sampdoria reign of fledgling Italian manager Roberto di Lazaró had begun fairly quietly, with a relatively pleasing opening day defeat at Atalanta backed up with a win over Salernitana and the sole addition of hot prospect defender Anel Ahmedhozdic.
Sempre Samp | Part 1: Benvenuto Alla Sampdoria
The wonderful world of Football Manager Beta brings us back to Italy for the second season in a row. This time around, FM22 sees us take the reins at Sampdoria, for no particular reason other than I fancied the challenge.
Improving the World’s Worst National Team | Part 7: Biggest Shock in International Football History?
National hero Andy Selva had led his San Marino side surging up the FIFA rankings, led by the ridiculous goalscoring of talisman Davide San Marino and more exciting new young Sammarinese newgens.
Trotters Talent | Part 62: The End – 30 Years of Trotters Talent
After 30 years of managing Bolton Wanderers, we’d absolutely turned this club on its head. Having signed up as boss with the club in League 2 and financial turmoil in 2020, we’d taken it through the leagues, to 15-time Champions of England, seven-times European Champions, and World Champions by 2050.
Trotters Talent | Part 61: Bolton Wanderers – Champions of the World!
Bolton Wanderers had bagged yet another Premier League title and a 6th Champions League in 10 years in the 2048/49 campaign. With 2050 (and FM22) approaching, I’d decided this would be my last season, which also happened to be the 175th in the club’s history. And we went into it targeting a first Club World Cup and 15 titles in a row.