Season 13 - Have It All

Something I forgot to mention yesterday - Kaka is an excellent player. He was useless for me at Foggia, but at Roma he is excelling himself, goals and assists from the right-wing. Jamie Quinn had a fine season last year also, winning a starting central midfield berth for the second half of the season.

My UEFA Cup win last year was Roma's 3rd in a row, and is good enough to qualify me for the World Club Championship again. Slightly more challenging this time with Cruzeiro, Velez and Atlas providing decent opposition for my unfit squad. But victory is completed fairly routinely, Brighi and Marchioro scoring in the final.

I come a cropper in the European Super Cup, Juventus beating me 2-1. They were simply awesome last season and must surely be my biggest rivals in all competitions. Other than that though, the first half of the season progresses very well. I am top of the league from an early stage, Champions League progress is simple and my reserves do sterling work in the Cup. In the dead rubber vs Real Madrid in the CL they also do fine work, earning an impressive 1-1 draw.

David Gentili has earned the #1 jersey and is imperious all season. At 18 he could very well be the best keeper I've ever had. Which is bad news for Fillipo Mercuri, my second goalkeeper who is also a great talent and a year younger still.

By Christmas everything is looking simple, I'm banging in the goals too. I add another young CB, Jose Marcos on a Bosman from Palmeiras.

The season continues along these happy lines, although Bari beat my full strength side 3-1 in the league and it could of been many more, but this is an aberration. Serie A is secured with 5 games to spare and the challenge from Juve never materialized as they finish down in 12th, a bizarre change of fortunes.

Milan and Lazio are beaten in the CL, Foggia are defeated 4-1 on aggregate in the Cup Final and then Porto are again my opposition in the CL Final. It's a tight game, chances are at a premium, but Kaka's 88th minute wonder goal is the difference.

Brighi, Cassano, Osunwa, Borghi, Kaka, Marcio Alexandre and Marchioro all score double figures, with Brighi and Cassano top scoring with 19 apiece. Brighi secures the Fans Player award with a season average of 8.00 and his value climbs from 3.5 million at the start of the season, to 25 million by the end.

Not much work is required, but there are a couple of players I have my eye on, so some big spending may be in order. I fear the spectre of boredom may arise during next season. Having success so early makes me yearn for a greater challenge, but at the moment that desire is tempered by developing a young squad. We shall see...