Interview with marius_p (geto-dacii)

Season 24 has almost ended, only 4 clubs are still competing in the SoccerProject-Cup. The league games have passed, resulting into many happy champions and sad relegating managers. In my division, C.6, geto-dacii became the expected and deserved champion. Manager marius_p is an astonishing modest, polite and friendly manager, paving the path to the highest league smoothly. Time for an interview, this reporter thought!

You can expect a journey through the old Romanian Times, through Bucharest and the very well-considered strategies of this SoccerProject-manager…

Name: Marius

Age: 28
Living place: Bucharest, Romania
Favourite team (in real life): Steaua Bucharest
Favourite team (on SP): none, since X-tenzo left the game: D

Started playing on: July 21^st 2006
Picture: not yet available

- Hi Marius. First of all congratulations on winning the C.6-title this season! How has season 24 been for you?

Thank you… It was probably, the best season ever for my team (and the luckiest I suppose). I have managed to reach the B-division and also strengthen the team by buying some key players and reducing aggression. Also, it was the most time-consuming season ever; I have spent many hours trying to take care about player’s morale and condition, looking for the right tactic and aggression.

– Can you tell us some more about who marius_p is?

I am an SAP consultant/programmer living and working in Bucharest. I am very interested in football, and this is why I am playing SoccerProject. Besides SoccerProject, I really enjoy having a drink or a barbecue when I find some spare time. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been so much lately because of the very time consuming regular job. I like spending my week-ends away from the big and (very crowded) city.
I am a big fan of Steaua Bucharest, also because I live nearby their stadium. I hope this year I’ll see some games in the Champions League (if they will manage to qualify).

– Where does your teamname come from?

Well, when I started to play I didn’t take it very seriously, so I named my team with the first thing that came into my mind. The “geto-dacii” were the ancient inhabitants of the actual territory of Romania. The capital of their kingdom was the city called “sarmisegetusa” (which is the name of my stadium). The team name rings a bell only to the Romanian managers; one manager took it seriously and suggested to change the teamname because 2000 years ago the football wasn’t invented. .

- Next season you’ll be playing in B.2, what do you expect there; what position will you be aiming for?

Sincerely, I don’t know. Now I have internet access fulltime at work, so I can prepare
all the games. In the next season period I don’t know if this will happen and also I’ll be in vacation for a week or two; I guess I’ll have to find someone to look after my team in this period.
Next season I’ll try to increase my budget by selling and buying as much players as possible, but also avoid relegation because I’ll face a tough competition there. Making money is one of the most interesting parts of SoccerProject, but next season will be different because I’ll have to be extra-cautious with the teamspirit. My team is not yet good enough to challenge for the promotion; I hope the season after the team will be ready to achieve this.

- You’re playing the game for over 2 years now, and you’ve reached the B-division already. What achievements do you wish/expect, are still to come?

Well, when I started playing I didn’t even think that I would reach the B-division.
I always want to have better players. I always look on the transfer list for a “bargain-buy”.
I tried constantly to replace the old players with better and less aggressive-ones and when I had the chance to promote to a higher division I did it.
I guess the maximum that I can achieve with this team is to promote in the A-division and to stay there a couple of seasons, unless, of course, SoccerProject will not be the subject of a major change.
If a year ago I would have the SoccerProject-knowledge of today, maybe the situation would have been different.

– One last question Marius… If you could control the game for one day, what changes would you like to implement?

Well, I feel that the score calculation algorithm plays some tricks sometimes. I mean, the game ends into a draw, even if the difference between the two teams’s performances (aggression, team-spirit, player’s morale, etc.) is very high.

Of course the random is (and should remain) a key factor. But I would introduce some milestones out of which the result shouldn’t be influenced by random factors (Example: a team always wins the game if the team’s performance is 15% higher than the opposite side).

Thanks and good luck to you and to all managers in season 25!

ByBB

Interview with ~dardar_3~ and Winters

In the near past SoccerProject welcomed two new sheriffs, and I welcomed two new colleagues. They’re Czech and Romanian, I am Belgian. SoccerProject brings people together, in game and in discussion. Both Winters and ~dardar_3~ are new to me, so I invited them for an interview, to get to know them better…

Manager: ~dardar_3~ (Diavolo, E.12)

Name: Dragos Ivan
Age: 24
Living place: Bucharest (ROM)
Favourite team(in RL): AC Milan
Favourite team(on SP): Diavolo
Picture:

- Hi Dardar, how are you doing? Can you tell us some more about who you are?

I’m fine, thanks. Every day I want to explore at maximum the time. I know very well that ‘time is money’ but usual I use my free time for fun.(seeing a football matches, watching a movie, drinking a beer and also playing Soccerproject).

- Since almost two moths you’re a sheriff now. How does it feel, and what does it mean to you?

It is a pleasure to work for SP. It is only a game and most of the managers don’t understand that. I don’t feel GOD of Soccerproject. I am a normal manager who has the same dream like all who plays SP: winning the A division.

- Do you feel it’s important to represent the Romanian community, as being the first Romanian sheriff ever?

I think the Romanian community deserves a sheriff because it’s an important community of SP. I’m proud to be the first Romanian sheriff.

- How is your team doing at the moment, and what are the future plans?

My team is on the first place in E-division and with 11 matches until the end of the season is almost promoted in D division. (one week later, with only 7 matches to, he leads with 15 points, and the title hardly can’t slip away anymore)
I like very much this strategy:
- buying 4-5 good players on each season with age between 27 and 29.(~7M)
- selling 4-5 players with age 30(~3.5M)
- make a team with some experienced players and also with young players.
- the schedule for every day is very important. If you play 4 friendly matches per day, continuous for 3 days with league matches it is 99% chance to have minim 1 injury player.
- friendly cups are also important.(I choose some cups for the money and some cups for player rotation).

With a good schedule I can make 40 transfers on a season(20 in and 20 out).

Manager bunicutzu wrote on SP forum:”Promote when you can. It doesn’t matter if you will gain second place”.

- How did you get into contact with the game itself, and what makes you play the game every single day?

I found this game on Onlinesport forum. I used to play Championship manager a lot from my PC. This game attracts me because it is more interactive that other online games. I am lucky because I have a job where I can access the global network every day.

- One last question; if you got the absolute power over SoccerProject for one day, what would you do/realize?

I will leave Soccerproject like it is now.

Manager: Winters (SK Scrabble Ostrava, C.2)

Name: Marián Viochna
Age: 30
Living place: Bystřice (Czech republic)
Favourite team (in RL): Baník Ostrava, Celtic Glasgow
Favourite team (on SP): Sokol Oldřichovice
Picture:

- Hi Winters, how are you doing? Can you tell us some more about who you are?

I am married and I have a 4 year old son. I live in a village under the Beskydy mountains. I work as an investigator at industrial company. My most favourite hobby is a desktop game named Scrabble. Many other Scrabble players play SoccerProject too, and I am pleased of their successes. I used to play basketball and floorball before, but now I would rather go cycling or hiking with my family.

- Since one month you’re a sheriff now. How does it feel, and what does it mean to you?

I am surprised how many cheaters there still are on SoccerProject. Thanks Raynook for supporting me in the beginnings. I think that 10 additional sheriffs could be useful too.

- You have replaced Foxir as sheriff. How did you get into touch with the ‘job’?

I am co-operating with Foxir from the very beginning of my SoccerProject career,
especially in organizing Czech national league. We both live in different parts of our country, but last year we have personally met in Prague. Foxir is the legend of Czech SoccerProject community! And it was Foxir, who recommended me for the post of sheriff.

- How is your team doing at the moment, and what are the future plans?

I lead the C.2-division with a slight advance. I hope I could promote and if so, I would
like to keep up there. I am not thinking about further promotion at the moment.

- How did you get into contact with the game itself, and what makes you play the game every single day?

I had some footballmanager experience before I started playing SoccerProject. I was drawn to this game by my friend BartSimpson. When I am at home, I play for one or two hours a day.

- One last question; if you got the absolute power over SoccerProject for one day, what would you do/realize?

I think something like the World Cup is a wonderful idea. The players would be nominated from particular teams by a national couch for each nation. And of course, I would like to extinguish all cheaters, too J

Thanks to both of you for your time and words!

BB

The biggest Sjarel interview ever

Hello Sjarel

First of all, thank you very much for cooperating on this interview. We have had quite a few questions from the forum-members, and we also like to thank all the people who contributed!

To start off the interview, we will ask you some personal questions.

Turns out the people want to know WHO you are. So, can you tell us something about yourself?

Sjarel: I’m a 29-year old programmer from Belgium. My nickname simply was the first thing I could think of when I first had to choose a nickname on the Internet, I’ve been using it ever since. I don’t have many hobbies besides SoccerProject, but I do play some chess, participate in a contest similar to pub-quizzes and enjoy having a drink with my friends when I have some time. Lately that hasn’t been much however since my wife gave birth to a baby-boy just last month. A few years ago I moved to my own place, but before I lived in Westerlo, which is why I’m a fan of football club KVC Westerlo, a Belgian Premier division team which even won the national cup a few years ago. I try to visit a few games each year, but this year I’ve seen only one so far. Lately I’ve picked up reading since I’ve been in the train a lot for my regular job and I do enjoy a good glass of wine. I think that’s it

How were you as a kid. Were you a good boy or a little rascal? How and where did you grow up?

Sjarel: I think I was a good kid, never had any complaints

I grew up in a small rural town. Did a bit of athletics and played some basketball. I never did anything bad, or at least nothing I would like to share with the community

As for my dreams, I never imagined to be a programmer. I guess that word didn’t even exist at that time!

You are married for a few years now, right? And you became a father recently. How is it to be a father?

Sjarel: Yes, I married in 2006. Me and my wife were together for 10 years already, I guess you could say we married as a 10-year anniversary

I also just became a father. It’s a completely new experience, but so far it has been all positive. I’ve been getting less sleep, but that’s the same for all parents I think.

Your wife, how does she feel about SoccerProject? Does she sometimes feel like she is married to SoccerProject instead of to Sjarel?

Sjarel: My wife has learned to live with SoccerProject. Although she would like me to spend less time on my PC and more with her, she understands and hardly ever complains. Nowadays she sometimes even likes the anecdotes I share with her, maybe she’s even reading my blog…

What was the reason you started SoccerProject? The market is loaded with soccer managers, so what made you and ReesinG decide to make another one?

How much time do you spend on SoccerProject on average?

Did SoccerProject change your life a lot, and did you ever think it would be such a success?

Sjarel: When we started working on SoccerProject the market wasn’t loaded yet, and we never even heard of games like Hattrick and others. We were playing another game ourselves and felt we could create a better game. When the other game stopped to exist, we put our words into deeds, and one year later SoccerProject was released. We never had any expectations and could only be glad to see it grow so fast. I also never expected it would take this much time from me, but so far I am able to keep it going. I really hope we’ll never have to end like www.roekoe.be, a game about pigeon racing that grew so fast that the plug had to be pulled.

According to my wife I ‘m spending about 20 hours on SP every week, and she might be right

So, yes it has changed quite a lot for me. Not only has it taken a lot of time, I’ve also met a lot of new and interesting people, be it mostly online only, and of course I’ve learned really a lot during the years. Not only technically speaking, but also about marketing, advertising, languages all over the world, etcetera.

Do you think you will ever be able to generate enough income from SoccerProject to stop working? Would you even want to be in that situation?

Sjarel: All depends on the numbers of managers, which countries they are from and the numbers of paying SPFA-members. On the other hand I also like my current job, so that is not necessarily one of my goals.

After three years of SoccerProject, and all the good and bad times that come with it, did you ever feel like you had enough of it, like you wanted to quit it? Has it become a duty or is it still a lot of fun for you? And did you ever consider starting another online game?

Sjarel: Sometimes it’s a duty, if the website is down it’s a must to get it online asap. Also solving problems in the community and fixing very minor hard-to-find bugs are not really what I call ‘fun’. But most of the time I enjoy working for SoccerProject.

Creating something completely different could only be done, if managing SoccerProject would take less time. At the moment I’m not adding really much new features, yet it still takes me a lot of time. A week has only 7 days for me as well.

In your position, you have to try to stay neutral and keep some of your thoughts to yourself. Does that drive you crazy sometimes? Managers as well as forummers do stupid things and behave badly, but you have to behave good at all times. Does it ever want to make you scream? Do you have a special something where you can release such frustration? Like a sport or a computer game?

Sjarel: Not really, I only find myself telling about such occasions to people I know IRL, I think that’s how I cope with it.

Many managers are competing for Isis’ love and affection, yet she seems only to have eyes for you. What is your secret?

Sjarel: She has been begging for player portraits ever since I told her about SoccerProject. By delaying the introduction of this feature I guess I just keep her ‘always wanting for more…’

To finish this part about you, how do you picture your own future and the future of the game?

Sjarel: I have no idea really, no long-term plans. I take it day-by-day and always try to do what’s best for SP imho. By that I mean what is best for SP in the long term of course.

The T-shirt is a gift from reesinG.  It is actually an acrostic with the letters of my son’s name.  It says: SoccerProject fan, caressable, natural talent, little rascal, angel, mess maker

Now for something different. Some managers are pretty interested in what it takes to create a website like this. Would you like to share some knowledge about this? Are you educated in web-applications?

Sjarel: I’m just your regular 13-in-a-dozen programmer, but there is one thing I learnt over the years. The only way to learn stuff, is to try it yourself. At least that’s how I learn new stuff, also for SoccerProject.

SoccerProject is completely written in PHP, and the data is stored in an MySQL-database. Currently 2 public web servers and 1 database server are sufficient to fill the needs of this application, but we have been looking intensively at DB-replication, which means we are ready to add some extra DB-servers if needed, for example if we would have to add an I-division. Adding an extra web server shouldn’t be too hard either, as we already have a load balancer set up to divide traffic between the two current web servers. In total we have 4 dedicated servers all running Gentoo Linux.

Sometimes the website gets into trouble, like the server-crashes last season. Are these crashes mostly to blame on external factors, or are they also human errors within SP or programming errors? What can you do to prevent this from happening in the future?

Sjarel: Crashes mostly have different causes, because most causes are fixed after they occurred once. Last month for instance we had problems with the hard-disk. Of course some crashes are caused by human (programming) errors, I guess you can’t rule them out completely. There have been some changes however in the process. Hard to explain exactly, but it would take even longer after a crashed simulation if it wasn’t for these changes.

But external factors can happen as well, we’ve had badly-plugged-in cables causing severe troubles as well in the past. I can tell you it’s really hard to find that out being hundreds of kilometers away from the actual data center.

Lots of managers are curious about what the future will bring. First of all, do you read all the suggestion-posts in the Requested Features forum? Do you give them a lot of thought?

Sjarel: I do, at least I try. Some of them are really good. If possible I implement them immediately. Otherwise I write them down. Unfortunately my list has become very long. Other suggestions are not good, those I ignore.

As you noted, the Romanian community badly wants a Sheriff of their own. This would solve a lot of communication problems, since not all Romanian managers speak English.

Do you plan to improve this situation in the near future?

Sjarel: I just have

Talking about Sheriffs, what is your opinion on the current system of fighting and punishing cheaters? Did you think al lot about changing the system?

Sjarel: Any good ideas are welcome, but so far it turns out really hard to make good additions. The sheriffs have made some suggestions of their own, but not all of them were possible.

A few managers were curious about the staff- and stadium-options.

Both are fairly limited in diversity and function. Do you think this will be improved in the future?

Sjarel: We might change that a little, but it really should not become to complicated for new users. I think SP is hard enough already for newcomers. On the other hand I don’t think that is the part where SP needs improvement the most.

Discussions on this subject always show lots of people for it and fairly many against. However it always generates a lot of interest: do you see National Teams in the future of SoccerProject?

Sjarel: I would really love to implement this, but the consequences are huge. How to handle injuries, fitness, moral and costs for example. Can a manager be obligated to give his player to a National team risking an injury. Or who will be the National manager and what are his options ? This will really take some thinking, implementing and testing…

Some managers think the tactics in SoccerProject should be improved. What is your opinion in this matter, and are there any ideas to make SoccerProject even more challenging?

Sjarel: I can agree with them to a certain extent, but tactics only really matter if teams are more or less alike. The A-division would be a good example for this, but I’m not sure in how many games this would be influential enough to change the outcome of the games.

Do you have great changes planned in the near future? Would you like to share some of them with our readers?

Sjarel: Except for the IBP (Instant Buy Price, already implemented), raising my son will be my most important concern for the near future. I will be very glad if I can keep SP up-and-running during this period.

Maybe I can share one future feature in this interview. One of our translators is busy translating the site into Persian. Just another one, you might think, but it’s not as simple as that. Apparently these guys want their texts from right-to-left instead of from left-to-right like we do. In order to be able to create a complete Persian (or in the future e.g. Hebrew) version of SoccerProject, almost all pages will need to be adjusted.

Were there ever big changes that you wanted to make, but couldn’t due to technical problems or a lack of time/resources?

Sjarel: Only lack of time. So far nothing else, except maybe for the money to advertise during the Olympics

And now a question that worries lots of addicted managers: What if, for whatever reason, you and ReesinG are unable to continue your work on SoccerProject. Did you ever think about that? Do you have a back-up plan for this? Would someone take over, or would the plug just be pulled? Needless to say, many lives would be destroyed if this would ever happen.

Sjarel: Chances of both of us giving up at the same time seem very small. There is no backup-plan, but like one of our former prime ministers used to say: “I only try to solve existing problems, not the ones you make up”. What I mean is, we’ll do our very best not to let that happen.

Now to finish the interview, is there any message you would like to send to the managers?

Sjarel: I suggest you all invite 1 extra manager to SoccerProject, if that works we’ll soon be able to create that I-division I was talking of.

Thank you for the Interview, and infinite thanks for SoccerProject J

Contributors to the questions:

Ultimate, Wojt, bats1903, robstje, saman13, Woko, Sex Pistols, snowflake, Maximoesje, el stino, Lexicus, mcmagik, oslicek, SBroccoli, Ivo08, and speaking for a bunch of Romanian managers: Bunicutzu. Thank you all!

Interview with Geert1993, Sjoerd1991 and visje69

Interview with Geert1993 (IJsselmuiden), manager since 3 weeks

Name : Geert Duynhouwer
Age : 14 years old
Living place : IJsselmuiden (Holland)
Favourite team (in real life) : Feyenoord, Liverpool
Favourite team (on SP) : Purple_White, SVV and IJsselmuiden
Picture :

- Hi Geert! Since December 10th you are the manager of IJsselmuiden, in what way has the club developped sof ar?

The club has developped wel sof ar, everything is going well! And we keep on training, until they are fully trained of course.

 - Every SoccerProjectmanager heeft wel een bepaald doel voor ogen, welk doel heb jij je vooropgesteld?

We make sure first, that all players are fully trained, and we’ll see what kind of youthplayers come out of the youth centre. Afterwards I expect us to promote to G, F, and so on. Step by step.

- They often say SoccerProject becomes an addiction pretty fast? How do you experience this after three weeks, how has SoccerProject already become part of your life?

Soccerproject has already become an important part of my life, due to its marvellous forum, many managers experiencing the same kind of addictness as I do, it really is a fantastic game! The management is wonderful, and the other managers are also very kind

 

Interview with Sjoerd1991 (SVV), who’s already playing his 11th season so far

Name : Sjoerd Verest
Age : 16 years old
Living place : Naarden, (Northern-Holland)
Favourite team (in real life) : RKC Waalwijk
Favourite team (on SP) : +30 and FC Bruggenhof
Picture :

- Hi Sjoerd! Untill November 2006 you were known by another name, where did that name come from and why ndid you change it?

Hi Badbuffalo! My original name, Xunky, is derived from Kitkat Chunky, a snack I liked very much back then. I was 14 years old, and I didn’t dare to use my real name in some kind of way. That name bothered me pretty fast, and when I was at last able to get SPFA-membership, I changed my managername into Sjoerd1991, what I still like very much.

- This season you’re playing in division D.2, after a short step back in E.5 where you became champion. What do you expect from this season?

To me, this season really is a transition-season. Although the team at the start of the season was pretty good and young, I wasn’t completely satisfied. I had a nice team to compete in the D-division, but I wouldn’t reach much further with it, which still is my ambition. That’s why I managed some sales and buys, and the rest of the season I will try to maintain myself in D.2, what should be possible. I don’t expect anything this season, any place higher than 10^th is nice, and next season the way up will be continued..

- Has your team already got the potential to grow further and play in higher divisions?

The possibilities to grow further surely are present, but I can’t say if those possibilities will exploit themselves. I’ve got a young first team and the positions where my best players are a bit older, I’ve got good young replacements, only the RM-position could get me int osome troubles. My selection is formed like this; every season my line ratings will get better, as all players will gain better performances, and the positions where I’ve got some older players, their substitutes almost don’t perform worse. This includes that my line ratings will only get higher, and my team will only get stronger.

I don’t know if this will result into promotion to the C-division or maybe even higher, that depends on the strength of the other teams of course. You’re dependent from lots of other teams, if they get stronger, it’s tougher for yourself to get higher and do better. Still I only keep being focussed on myself, and I don’t mind the rest. I am interested in other teams, but not the ones in my division. Since a couple of seasons I don’t overview the other teams in my division at the start of the season, as this can only create false expectations. Another team can be worse than your team, but due to injury’s, suspensions and transfers, you can expect to become champion, but at the end you won’t be. I only watch myself and I do think I can develop myself to a mid-table C-divisionteam. I don’t think I will reach higher than C, B and A are too high I guess. At the other hand, you always depend on other teams; when half of all A-divisionmangers decides to quit, you get some more chance to get higher of course, that’s how life and SP work. To me the most important is that I amuse myself, whether I’m playing in H or A, it doesn’t matter that much, the amusement really does, because I want to play this nice game for a long, long time!

 

Interview with visje69 (lesbuffalos), present since the end of the first season

Name: Ian Smaele
Age: 21
Living place: Ghent (Belgium)
Favourite team (in real life): K.A.A Gent (Belgian First Division)
Favourite team (on SP): Alimanzia Cebredas
Picture:

- Hi visje! You have been playing SoccerProject for a long time now, since the end of season one! How did you see SoccerProject evolve?

I saw SoccerProject evolving from a game with about 1000 managers into a game with close to 40.000 managers right now! A huge growth if you ask me. This game has 2 great strenghts since the start of it: an enormous addictionfactor and the fast-paced competition. The addictionfactor is the result of the opportunity to see your players grow from day to day, and in how you can see your team improve which gives you the feeling that luck may come back at you in bad luck or the other way around. You are really building something that gives results later on. Even if you get those results in E or F, still it’s cool to see how your team can move through the competition as a whirlwind. Another improvement is how there are less bugs than at the start and there is less downtime than when SoccerProject was only 2 seasons old. I can remember a bug where you could downgrade your players contracts until the had you had a wagebalance of € 0. Thanks to Sjarel and ReesinG we can now play a SoccerProject that is even better then when I started.

- Will you really play for lots of promotions this time, and go further than C-division, where you have been for 4 seasons spread over your career?

This shot will be the best one, the players that are in my squad now are good enough to carry me past D, and maybe even to play for promotion in C, since I have (with 100% experience) 12 players that will have a BP 70+. And since my two oldest players are only 21 years old, it seems reachable for me.
Of course I’ll have to try to stay up to date with a continuous renewal of my squad so that I can settle in C and maybe B. My first concern though is staying in F, because it seems as this years competition started a little too soon for me, although my hopes are to stay in F. Believe it or not, within 5 seasons, I will be back in D fighting for promotion (now F, G, F, E, D would be the worst scenario), after that we’ll see what we can do or reach. If you look at the number 1 in each C-division, you can se that every team has about 5 70+ players it it’s A-squad. This would mean that with my 12 70+ players I would have to be able to maintain myself in C and even promote to B within some years from now. I’m still saying this with the needed procaution, because first they need to reach 100% experience.

- You are a wellknown member in the Belgian Community; what is it that appeals to you in there?

The band that you have with certain members. Not that you can really talk about a band, but some people in there knew me even before SoccerProject, so I think a certain band is there. But not only them, also other managers on the forum, who you get to know after a few conversations during the years, and the managers that you meet in meetings. After that you ‘talk’ to people in stead of ‘chatting’ with them. When you saw their face, it changes your point of view.
Another point is the no-limit-thing. The fact that you can be or do whatever you want too, and nobody is there to judge you for it, as long as you stay within the forum-rules.
The pronotopic is something that keeps me busy. I love it to host or organize things, as I hosted the Belgian SoccerProject meeting in July 2007. Without the community, SoccerProject would become more boring much faster, without the community I wouldn’t stand where I stand now and never with an equal enthousiasm.

Thanks guys for your coöperation and wise words!

BB

Interview with Guerriero (XAR)

Name: Kenneth De Smet
Age: 25
Living place: Gavere (Belgium)
Favourite team (in real life): RSC Anderlecht
Favourite team (on SP): S.A.T
Picture:

- Hi Guerriero! To start off immediately; what’s the origin of your managername and teamname?

In the meanwhile I have changed my name a couple of times already, but from now on I keep the one I’ve got. My name arose from the beginning of online gaming on PlayStation, another passion of me. XAR is the abbreviation of xarrow, which stands for x and arrow (an arrow is fast). Guerriero’s origin is my Italian mood that started a couple of seasons ago. Guerriero means fighter in English.

- In my opinion you’re not that known, because you’re not very active on the forum. Is that statement correct, or do you rather prefer reading to posting?

That’s correct indeed, I’m not the most active member on the forum. Every once and a while I post some, but most of all I read what others have posted, in the B- and C-divisiontopic. And I hope to be able to do so in the A-divisiontopic.

- The forum is the ultimate platform for the different community’s within SoccerProject. How do you experiece the community-feeling?

As I sporadicly use the forum, it’s hard to judge this, but I do have noticed that you can almost always find the same managers posting there. In such way it’s pleasant to see how other managers experience their matches, and some competition gets involved, because I sometimes lack the competitionfeeling, ambition. A lot of managers suite themselves quickly in what they’ve achieved, but I don’t, I want to play in the A-division and end up as high as possible.

- Are there friends of yours who also play SoccerProject? And if there are, how are they doing?

There’s one friend of me in the game, Rienaldo14. He started after I advised him to do so, and right now he has made it to the top of division C.7. But he wants to become champion only, and that’s why he skips promotion to the B-division for the second season in a row, which I regret.

- You are doing absolutely great this season, you’re on a promotion spot in B.3, congratulations! The season hasn’t ended yet, how do you see the last 5 matches?

I want to win all five of them. If Westel slips once, I’ll become champion. At the start of the season the goal was to obtain promotion, now I’m really going for the title, when you’re so close and you’ve fighted so long, you just have to go for it. Last season we also fighted for promotion, but on the last day fc rtyne proved to be to strong, and they got promotion.

(with just 3 matches left, XAR is leading the ranking with 2 points in advance of Westel!)

- Will you be able to go for the title? Or is Sjarel and his Westel just a little bit too strong?

Sjarel has got a strong team, but I think that when we compare both teams, they are perfectly equal. Like the result in the first game, where the sum of all BP’s was identical. We both have a very low aggressive team, which makes it lovely tight. Everything will be decided by Lord Random, like Tuesdaynight, where I ended up to be 3% better, but I drawed. In this stage of the league, such things can be decisive.

- Presume that you’re still on a promotion spot on the 6th of December, and you go through to the A-division, what ambition will you bring along?

My ambition is to end up as high as possible, and I hope to get a place in the top-7. A lot of my players aren’t at their max, so we can always do even better. If we manage to survive the first season, we will compete for a top-3 spot in the second season.

- SoccerProject is a very dynamic game, what do you hope/think to have achieved within five seasons?

I would like to get into the semifinals of the SP-Cup, which puts you in the official annals, what has always been a purpose. A top-3 spot in the A-division is also one of our possibilities, so those are my objectives.

- Are there any managers, teams, that you admire, or have been a source of inspiration during the build-up of your carreer?

When I started fb2004 was the big team on SoccerProject, together with FC Bruggenhof. Through the seasons FC Bruggenhof has been an example for us, observing what they did and how. Also S.A.T has strengthened us. In mutual matches we always lost the fight. We are following eatchother since the D-division, and I think we have re-established the balance between our teams. I’m sure that within two seasons S.A.T will enter the A-division.

- Whih three attributes are most important, to be able to make it as SoccerProjectmanager?

Patience, good luck and endurance.

- One last question; when you have to describe SoccerProject in three words, which words would these be?

Best managergame ever!

Thank you Guerriero, and good luck this week and the next seasons!

BB

Interview with Cicco (The Naked Chef)

Cicco is a monument within SoccerProject, all managers who play the game for a while now do know when the years of glory of The Naked Chef took place and what Cicco has achieved with his team. At the moment Cicco is playing a totally different game, but he’s still very present…

Cicco doesn’t really need an introduction, but out of tradition and forthe newbies…

Name: Daniel Ciccodemarco
Age: 31
Living place: Tongeren (Belgium)
Favourite team (in real life): FC Bruges
Favourite team (on SP): /
Picture:

- Hi Cicco! At your, since a while, team performances don’t reeally matter, you restrict your activities to buying and selling youth and making profit?

Yes, that’s what I inted of course. Some time ago I was so busy that I couldn’t spend much time on SoccerProject, and I made  the decision to sell my whole team and start all over again. Trading only need a lot less time than playing actively at the top.

-Does that new way of playing please you?

I can’t compensate the competition-feeling. Right now it’s only buying, training, selling and playing as many matches as possible, to ensure that the players each their maximum global class when I want to sell them. I prefer the competition-feeling, scouting the opponent and everything around.

- Do you sometimes get nostalgic thinking about the period that your team was one of the strongest, at the season that you became champion of the A-division?

Yes, for sure, that was a marvellous moment. That’s, to tell the truth, what it’s all about… That’s the only reason why I’m preparing myself at the moment to build a new top-team. The constant buying and selling has beared alot, as climax the transfer of CM Bas Wolfgang.

- You’re very active within the community, which projects did you (help to) put op by now?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I started helping to organise the SP Champions League together with krcgenk. Then the idea of the SP Uefa came up, along with kvkdries, the SP CL was handed over to krcgenk and jimman23 aftersards. These two tournaments require enormous dedication, I respect those who are taking care of it at the moment. After that I have assisted the Newsletter, I had a really fantastic time with the members of the Newsletter-crew. I often feel homesick to that… To keep it short I’ve made an overview of the rest:

- Helping to put up the SP meeting in Tongeren (2006), remember that fantastic field
- The creation of SP Communitiez
- Supplying the domain name of www.sptherecords.be
- …

- Your newest project is the banner-action for SP Communitiez, which we also appeal to, can you give us some more information about the project?

Yes… It’s an appeal to create a banner for the website http://www.spcommunitiez.com. Thsi banner will be used to promote SP Communitiez within SoccerProject, so more and more managers explore the possibilities. It’s a website with alot of possibilities, and it’s completely free. The winner of this action will be awarded 18 weeks of free SPFA-membership, and the eternal fame of seeing his banner within SoccerProject.

- You’re already playing the game many years, which evolution has the game made since the beginning?

The game hasn’t stood still, there has been a constant evolution. Also the way of playing has changed… A lot more to keep in mind and less ‘tricks’ that you can use as experienced manager. In the past you could enter the barriers of the laws without violating them, which was an advantage for your team. Right now, that’s almost impossible.
The evolution has been positive and realistic. Sjarel take very well thought-out decisions, nothing will be implemented without considering it carefully. That’s how I experience it though.

- Do you think SoccerProject has a bright, long-term future?

I’m sure about it… SoccerProject still has enormous potential. I think SoccerProject is only ath the beginning of a very long journey.

- Which place, do you hope, will The Naked Chef take in this future?

The ambition is burning and the pleasure is only growing stronger. Where we will end up, well I don’t know, but I certainly hope that the old days will be enhanced.

- The last seasons more and more new managers are to be found in the top, little managers of the past are still able to compete for the biggest prices. What could be the most important explanation?

Motivation I guess… To stay in the top-3 of the A-division, you have to change your way of life, SoccerProject has te be part of it. Otherwise, you wouldn’t even last four seasons to rebuild your team constantly, to be able to stay on top. Have you seen the Best Perfomances of the first team of a topteam? Many start to work, meet someone or don’t feel the same pleasure and start to cut off their activity.

- Are there some teams that you follow-up, or which make you say: “Waw, they’re doing incredibly great!”

Due to lack of time, I haven’t really follewed-up anyone. Last season I do have followed X-Tenzo, because I see alot of possibilities in his way of managing his team. Too bad he quit his enormous passion within the season, too bad but really understandable.

- One last question; if you, except from ‘Can you manage it’, would have to come up with a slogan for SoccerProject, how would this slogan sound like?

‘SoccerProject, A way of life’

Many thanks for your time, the whole interesting interview and I wish you the best of luck!

BB

Interview with Dilibangeda (Alimanzia Cebredas)

Name: David Joosen
Age: 17
Living place: Zoersel (Belgium)
Favourite team (in real life): Royal Antwerp FC
Favourite team (on SP): /
Picture:

- Hi Dilibangeda, or David! Tell us something about yourself and can you explain the meaning of your new managername?

Hi, I’m David, and I’m wandering around some 17 years on this cardboard world. I’m still going to school, I’m in the 5th grade of Social & Technical Sciences and I’ve redone the 3rd grade due to a longtime illness that year. I play soccer with amateurclub KFC Halle, and next to that I regularly go out with friends. I’m a big fan of all kinds of music and I also like dance. But most of my spare time goes to my girlfriend, and she also represents the biggest part of my new managername. Dilibangeda doesn’t have a real meaning, the name spontaniously came up to my mind when I was admiring the curly brown hair of my girlfriend.

- In season 20 you’ll be playing in division C.4. I suppose your only aim is to get the title? Which teams can threaten you doing so?

Promotion is the most important aim that I’ve set myself, that’s correct. I’ve yet got bad luck with the calendar. So in the third week on Monday I’ve got an away game on F.C. Atlantas en Tuesday on OPA F.C.. I suppose that F.C. Atlantas will be my biggest opponent, and OPA F.C. and Beringen United will surely be the hardest outsiders.

- A couple of season ago you started building your topteam, how has the change between being a dovecot and building a well performing team been? En what do you like best?

The build-up of the present team has cost me a lot of time due to the daily transferring I did back then. But now I can harvest what I’ve sowed. Overall, since the very beginning of the club, the team has acted out somewhat 364 transfers of which 70% have been then. It’s great to walk around with such good team in lower divisions than A and B. I also often get messages how I’ve managed to get such good team. But, the most amusing part of my early SoccerProject-carreer has been that big transferring period. All that trading was a result of a strict vision; I thought that like this I would advance best.

- With this team, it should be possible to get to the A-division. How big do you estimate your chances in the A-division, regarding the always changing ‘landscape’ out there?

My aim is, from the very beginning, to become champion once at least. In my first season in the A-division I want to settle myself in the subtop. Like you say, it’s hard to estimate your changes there, due to the changing landscape. When a new team like Maccbi Natanya appears, with the same strength as in his first two season in A, you’re completely prospectless.

- Assuming that you’ll become champion this season and in division B you’l be able to end second placed, would you go for promotion or let the second place slip and go for the title the following season?

Provided that I become champion, I would acquire a tripple; 3 consecutive championships. Afterwards I don’t really care if I become first or second, as long as I get promoted.

- Are you stressed when you check your result in the morning? And if yes, will this only get worse within the next seasons?

I rarely get stressed awaiting the league-results, only when it’s a topgame. In season 19 I was pretty stressed before the lost cupgame against FC Vesalius in round 12. Perhaps it will get worse when I’m playing in the highest divisions.

- Presume (once again) that you manage to win the SP-cup and the championship within a couple of seasons, what aim can you still set yourself?

This is a hard question. If I manage to achieve those two goals, there isn’t much left to intrigue me. I’d say; we’ll see when we’re so far. Who knows I will build a new youthteam then?

- Which quality is most important for a SoccerProjectmanager to get to the top and stay there?

A good view on the transferlist and above all comparing prices of similar players. DA; direct (immediate) acceptation, can bear bargains in many cases. No dare, no dream. For me, this is the base of an strong performing and strong financial team.

- A lot of your players are carrying the letter ‘Y’ in their nickname. A reference to the huge amount of youthplayers in your squad? How much luck and considered buying is in your talented squad you’ve trained out?

That’s a reference to my youthplayers indeed, ‘youth’ so ‘Y’; accurate rate between luck and considered buys is hard to tell. From all the youth I bought, only 3 players were able to get in my foirst squad: CM Schollen, LF Zewlakow and RF Westerholm, but they are big shots. Most of those players didn’t make it. You can say, that with those three players I won the jackpot. Overall my team is about 80% considered buying and 20% luck. Otherwise, when you buy a whole new team full of youthplayers, that has nothing to do with considered buying. A player is randomly defined if he’s good or bad, so things can turn out any way. If you have one superb player every 10 players and the rest are a bunch oflosers, you still win.

- You’re often to be found on the forum, how do you experience the ’second dimension’ of SoccerProject?

I really like the forum. You’re able to share your opinion with other managers and the community is real fun. Above all it’s nice to have subforums, everyone gets a piece of the cake.

- Have you made friends within this community through the seasons you’re here?

Not real friends, but call it loose contacts. I’ve ben part of two meetings so far, and you get to see the real manager behind the managername, what’s really nice. The people that I’ve meat there, are in general the people I get along with on SoccerProject.

- One last question: can you define SoccerProject in three core words?

Sublime, superb, tremendous.

Thank you Dilibangeda!

Interview with K. Tielemans (Purple White)

Name: Tielemans Kevin
Age: 20 jaar
Living place: Merelbeke (Belgium)
Favourite team (in real life): RSC Anderlecht
Favourite team (on SP): Purple White
Picture :

 

- Hi Kevin! Can you introduce yourself shortly for the few people who don’t know you yet?

I’m 20 years old and I live in Merelbeke (Belgium), together with my grilfriend Stephanie. We are together more than one and a half year already. I work as a labourer by Dacor in Zwijnaarde. My biggest hobby is… Soccerproject! I’m a pretty active manager on the best managergame on the internet.

- You’re doing very well this season in C.8, are the performances of your team exceeding your expectations?

Expected, and yet not expected… My purpose was to play a relaxed season. But some managers told me that I might be able to get promotion. Right now I’m ranked 5th, two points behind the 3rd spot. Let’s say that I will be very happy with a place within the top-5.

- The last two seasons you managed to get a 4th and 8th place. How big is the hunger for promotion, and is it achievable within a short period?

I think I will reach it some time. But I can’t say when, because there are so many things that influence my chances… Like how strong my division will be that season.

- From the G-division you systematically got into the C-division, spending 2 season in all divisions most of the time. Was it a tactic to build up your team slowly and going for promotion the second season?

It wasn’t really meant, it wasn’t a tactic or so. I just wanted to win every time, every match. Sometimes it worked out, other times it didn’t… My first complete season in G I became champion, and the following season in the F-division I became second and got promoted again. But from E to C In was second after two seasons indeed.

- At the moment there’s only one divisiontrophy in your trophy cabinet, do you regret this or do you say ‘only promotion counts’?

Honestly, I feel sad about it. But I’m not a person who would drop places when the title is no longer possble. Perhaps, once, there will be a division A-cup next to the G-trophy

- What can we expect from Purple White within the next season? Burning ambition or considerate build-up?

I really want to make the step higher, but with this squad, I won’t make it. But I really like it here in C.8, so I will strenghten my team bit per bit, and go for promotion when I’m ready.

- Although you’re playing the game ‘only’ one and a half year, it seems like we know you al lot longer, you’re frequently present on the forum. How do you experience the forum?

The forum is just superb! All fine, friendly colleagues. I’m pretty active on the forum, even if I read more than posting some actually.

- Through time and through the community you get to know a lot of new people, like we’re good friends. Are there other managers who you got to know and get along with very well?

Yes, of course there are! You’re one, and Uiercreme (AS Bari) and Celtic are good friends too. Those are my three best friends. I also get along well with managers like el stino, pirlo, sjoerd and darco.

- How did you get to know SoccerProject?

Just out of nothingn I guess, I was looking for a good managergame. And I haven’t had any second of regret since I started playing SoccerProject !

- What was your first impression of the game? And how has this impression evoluated over the 18 moths you’re playing?

The game looked very realistic, like it still does. And it’s very synoptic… what isn’t the case in other managergames. There isn’t a lot of change over these 18 months, except the lay-out, that looks a lot better, I have to say.

- One last question: if you would subscribe SoccerProject in 3 words, what would it be?

Realistic, Superb, Fun!

Thank you K. Tielemans for this nice interview!

ByBB

Interview with Raynook (MonteCore F.C.)

The new Newsletter gets a big scoop: my first interview with a non-Dutch speaking person! Some time ago I got into a conversation with Raynook, my colleague in the Sheriff’s Office for two months now. He seemed to be quite a kind person, and when I asked him to get an interview, he cooperated immediately. A very interesting chat where I also find out about his romances with white tigers and so on. A journey into the unknown…

Real name: Jakub Holba
Age: 21
Living place: Dolní Kralovice
Favourite team: SK Slavia Prague (CZE), RC Deportivo La Coruna (ESP)

- Hi Raynook! Can you explain us shortly who Raynook is?

Hi BB! So… as you can see I am 21 years old, so I’m still a student. My University is called The Faculty of Economics in Prague and the branch is Informatics and Statistics (very useful for SP ). I like to play football in the village I live. There is a football club, called TJ Sokol Dolní Kralovice, where I play for the A-squad and I am an U-15 head coach there. The rest of my free time is engaged for my girlfriend and playing SP.

- You’ve got family within SoccerProject, who are they and how good are they?

The first one is my brother; his nick is oslicek and his team is Totemo Baka. We both are playing in the C-division, so I guess we are at the same level. Our head-to-head matches are always very brutal I have to say. We both wanna win so there can be easily seen a lot of yellow and red cards in those matches. The second manager from my family is my girlfriend Geparda (FC Miami Gepards). She started to play because she wanted to be better than me! Now she is in the E-division and I hope she will get promoted. She isn’t strong enough to beat me now…but we don’t know what could happen in 2 or 3 seasons. J

- Your brother invited you to play SoccerProject. Do you still remember your first thoughts about it? And how have your thoughts about the game evaluated?

The first steps were very difficult I have to say. In two days I sacked all of my staff twice, and performed only 14(!), so I’ve lost almost all my matches back then. That was disastrous! Those days I wanted to quit but…my brother told me that it would be silly and the situation could turn right in a short period of time. And it happened! Now I’m pretty happy that I haven’t quit that day.

- Your team plays in division C.5 this season. What are your expectations and which teams will go for the title?

C-division is pretty tough. I’m still a rookie so the primary target is not to get relegated and play between the 7^th and 10^th spot there. The favourites in C.5 are FC SIAULIAI UNITED and FC Sosna pod Jahodnou, there can be no doubt about it. Both teams are strong enough to perform over 140, and that’s still too much for my team.

- When you started, in season 13, you played in division H.1058, only 6 seasons later you find yourself in division C.5… You’re like a rocket! How were the past seasons?

Sounds unbelievable, doesn’t it!? The first season in H was difficult. I started on the 10^th spot with a gap of 27 points to the leader so there was no chance for me to get promoted. The next season I got promoted with 90 points and I was able to do that also in G. The F-division has been the most difficult one so far. I’ve made a lot of mistakes there and the only thing that saved me was the pitch condition of Hale in the 27^th round. Due to this I sneaked through to a 2^nd spot and another promotion…but as I said, it was close! The E- and D-division were quite OK. Previous season MonteCore F.C. was the only D.division club without a single loss.

- Can you explain us the meaning of your teamname and managername?

The name MonteCore F.C. has a long history. When I was younger, I was enjoying the performances of illusionists Siegfried and Roy. They often used their white tiger called Montecore and I ‘felt in love’ with that tiger. I guess that Montecore also means ‘Big Heart’. The managername Raynook is English maimed Czech word for an Oxbow (rejnok in Czech). Hope it looks at least better…

- SoccerProject is much more than a managergame, there’s a huge community within the game. How do you experience the Czech and the whole community?

Yes you’re right that Soccerproject is more than a game. I have a lot of friends within the game and they are mostly Czech managers. It’s good to speak with them via ICQ but I have to say that I haven’t seen most of them by myself.

- Since the 29th of June you’re a Sheriff, just as I am. How do you feel about it?

Being Sheriff is really interesting. It is good that I can deal with the cheaters…and we both know that there are still a lot of them. The bad thing is the fact that almost every cheater writes you an email concerning the famous word ‘fu**’ in almost every sentence. It is strange when you sometimes receive an email and from the beginning to the end you are being accused of being the worst man on earth and above the signature there is such sentence: “Should you help me somehow?”

- If we jump in time, let’s say about 5 seasons, where will MonteCore F.C. play and what will the team have archieved?

I hope that in 5 seasons the MonteCores will be playing for the first place in B.2 and fighting for promotion. I also hope that I’ll be strong enough to play in the 1^st division in the Czech SP-League. And all my players in the A and B squad should perform around 70 and have aggression under 30%.

- The Czech managers are pretty numerous in the higher divisions so far. Do you think they will soon be the best?

Yes I hope so. There is the first one in the A-division and many of us are in the B- and C-divisions. I expect that within 3 seasons there will be more than 100 Czech managers in the first three divisions (A,B,C) and one of them will finally win the A-division (but only if Sly decides to retire ).

- Two last questions: How has SoccerProject changed your life? And do you feel like playing the game forever?

SoccerProject has changed my life a lot. Instead of playing PC-games and watching TV now I am spending my time playing SP. Also the fact that my girlfriend is playing SoccerProject too changed our relationship a lot. The fights for PC are much more often then ever. And playing game forever? My grandson will inherit my account one day…I hope!

Thanks for the nice interview, Raynook!

BB

I’d love to be interviewed! (Confessions of a top manager)

After months of Newsletter silence I have decided to start writing again. It’s actually quite fun, once you get started ….

I interviewed Sly, manager of Maccbi Natanya and second-time winner of the SoccerProject A division title and Cup already months ago, he must have started thinking that I was not interested in him anymore. So, shame on me, let’s pick up the thread and start doing what I’m meant to do: tell the world about SoccerProject and its great managers!

When I send Sly a message on SoccerProject to ask him whether he would like to be interviewed, he is very straightforward: “I’d love to be interviewed! Give me your phone number, I will call you. Or perhaps we can just use the messaging system in SoccerProject to do the interview?” I agree on that and ask Sly who he is: “ I’m 33, live in Tel Aviv, I am an unemployed movie director, working as a film teacher in an elementary school. And I play SoccerProject. I’m still single, no children.” I’m all ears now! (He is a movie director?!) Sly: “I have made plenty of movies, but not the kind that you would have seen or even want to see … In the last 6 years, since I have finished university actually, I have been teaching and directing and editing movies for and with children (10 to 12 years old). It’s fun but nothing to be proud of. I have not directed my first feature film yet, hopefully in the next few years.” Sly immediately explains why he started working only six years ago: “I went to university after my military service. In Israel it is obligatory and it lasts for three years. Not many people like the army, but my period in the army was relatively nice: I had an interesting job and met a lot of intelligent guys and 19 year old girls.”

I’m very interested in Sly’s life in Israel, so I ask him about it: “I live in Tel Aviv, it’s an amazing place to live in if your 20-35. It’s THE Israeli city and it attracts young people from all over Israel. So if you’re young you can party 24/7. In Tell Aviv you can have a drink at 4 pm as well as at 4am and bars are always full. It is also a Mediterranean beach town with a beautiful shore at its west border. Tel Aviv has 8 months of sunshine so most of the year the beaches are full.
Over the last decade Tel Aviv is dramatically changing ( to the worst I believe). Becoming the world second most important hi tech center after Silicon Valley has created a vast class of yuppies, countless skyscrapers, huge jeeps, and an impossible cost of living. So today I’m thinking more about a house in the suburbs …..” Although this looks like heaven to me, (considering our wet Belgian summer this year!) I’m a bit worried about the political situation in Israel, I ask Sly about his opinion on the subject and his short answer comes quickly afterwards: “I think it is best not to mix politics and sports.”

At the moment there are two Israeli teams in the SoccerProject A division, there’s not only Sly with Maccbi Natanya, there’s also The Skunks: “He is one of my best friends. We started playing SoccerProject in the same period. I started in September 2005, but I made too many rookie mistakes, I wanted to start all over again with a team that would run perfectly. After a lot of thinking I calculated that I could become champion of the A division in season 18. That was my original plan. So when I started all over again in October, Maccbi Natanya was born.” For a manager like me, who has been plodding along B and C division for ages, this sounds very ambitious. Sly: “I’m not always this ambitious, only in the things I like and though I don’t remember how I got to know SoccerProject, I know that I was hooked immediately.”

As one of the most successful SoccerProject managers ever, Sly attracts a lot of attention: “I get about 20 messages a day, most are friendly invitations, but also offers to buy a player or people who ask me for advice. Others just tell me about themselves. I try to answer all those who write. Up till now I received two negative messages; one was with a lot of foul language, I don’t mind about that, the other one was a racist remark that infuriated me. But I got over it pretty soon.”

Sly is as busy as a bee in his daily life: “Apart from playing SoccerProject, I have a lot of other hobbies. I read a lot (mainly history and classical European literature), play the guitar, sing Jazz and work out four times a week. I also like football (I’m a fan of Maccabi Natanya, the real one in the Israeli league), basketball is my favourite sport though. I also love the sea, my family, friends, women and life in general. And yes, there is a special woman in my life!”

Since this interview took place months ago and Sly achieved ‘The Almost Impossible’ (winning the double and a second A division title right afterwards), I decide to ask him a few more questions about the ambitions he has and about his team. Sly: “The interview is beautiful as it is. It is impossible to cover three seasons in one interview, so I’ll answer your questions later.”

So, although lots of us are dying to find out how he is coping with the pressure of X-Tenzo chasing the title, Claudia beating him in a home game and his best friend competing him, Sly will remain a bit of a mystery to us.