So I’m back… with another Championship Manager save. I wanted to try another “rags to riches” type challenge as I always find those more compelling. I decided to go back to France, where I’d previously managed Frejús. But rather than go back there, I went for a club with a strong tie to the biggest club in France.
Paris FC is a French professional football club based in Paris in Ligue 2. If you’re wondering about that “strong tie” to PSG, they were founded in 1969, merged with Stade Saint-Germain to form Paris Saint-Germain a year later but split again in 1972, with Paris Saint-Germain remaining and the current Paris FC going solo. Paris FC has struggled to make a name for themselves since, with most of their current history spent in amateur leagues. Their highest position to date is finishing 19th in Ligue 1 in 1978/79 and getting relegated in the process.
What better story to write than usurping PSG? But how do I plan to do that?
Game settings
To keep this speedy, I’ve only picked the French league. I’m also using Nick’s CM0102Patcher (which means I get Ligue 1, Ligue 2, and Championnat National) with the latest available Champman0102.co.uk update from October 2022. And maximum database.
Finances and backroom
We start with €1.4m in the bank and €1.2m available for transfers. The board expects me to “attain a respectable league position”. The first team’s average age is just under 25.
As for the backroom staff, I have:
- Fabien Lefèvre as assistant manager
- Flavien Binant, Jeannot Akakpo, Mickaël Boully, and Romain Peyrusque as coaches
- Clément Lucas, Giovanni Mbandia, and Manuel Christophe as scouts
- Erwann Le Corre, Jean-Pierre Dupré, Stephen Hall as physios
Squad
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Paris FC - Wednesday 13th July 2022
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Squad
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No Name Position(s) Nat Born Age Caps Gls Wages Expires Value
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35 Ahamada, Mohafidh D R COM 16.3.04 18 - - €160 16.6.26 €95K
25 Arab, Saïd M C FRA 23.7.00 21 - - €925 30.6.23 €250K
32 Bangoura, Mohamed AM R FRA 20.4.02 20 - - €160 29.6.23 €55K
24 Bernauer, Maxime D RC FRA 1.7.98 24 - - €2.2K 30.6.24 €750K
13 Boutaïb, Khalid AM/F LC MAR 24.4.87 35 20 8 €925 30.6.23 €85K
22 Caddy, Warren F C FRA 9.4.97 25 - - €1.9K 30.6.23 €1.4M
- Chahiri, Mehdi AM LC FRA 25.7.96 25 - - €0 15.6.23 €1.8M
31 Chergui, Samir D C FRA 6.2.99 23 - - €3.4K 30.6.24 €550K
4 Dabila, Kouadio-Yves D C CIV 1.1.97 25 - - €2.8K 30.6.24 €400K
1 Demarconnay, Vincent GK FRA 5.4.83 39 - - €625 30.6.23 €85K
8 Demoncy, Yohan DM C FRA 7.4.96 26 - - €1.2K 30.6.24 €500K
9 Diaby-Fadiga, Lamine S C FRA 19.1.01 21 - - €1.6K 30.6.24 €65K
12 Diakité, Check Oumar AM C FRA 5.12.02 19 - - €3.9K 30.6.24 €525K
34 Fares, Idriss F C FRA 23.2.02 20 - - €160 30.6.24 €100K
40 Filipovic, Ivan GK CRO 13.11.94 27 - - €1.2K 30.6.24 €275K
30 Gardies, Téva GK FRA 1.4.01 21 - - €160 30.6.24 €75K
23 Gomis, Virgil S C FRA 16.4.99 23 - - €160 30.6.23 €180K
27 Gory, Alimami AM L FRA 30.8.96 25 - - €2.5K 30.6.24 €525K
21 Guilavogui, Morgan F RLC GUI 10.3.98 24 5 - €3.9K 30.6.23 €900K
3 Hadjam, Jaouen D L FRA 26.3.03 19 - - €3.1K 30.6.23 €170K
17 Hamel, Pierre-Yves F C FRA 3.2.94 28 - - €3.4K 30.6.26 €1.3M
29 Hanin, Florent D/M L FRA 4.2.90 32 - - €2.5K 30.6.23 €575K
10 Iglesias, Jonathan AM RC URU 17.12.88 33 - - €1.4K 30.6.23 €230K
19 Kanté, Ousmane D C GUI 21.9.89 32 12 - €1.2K 30.6.23 €475K
- Kebbal, Ilan AM/F RC ALG 10.7.98 24 - - €0 15.6.23 €1.8M
16 Koffi, Patrick S C USA 16.10.01 20 - - €775 30.6.23 €240K
36 Koré, Yoan D C FRA 16.11.04 17 - - €1.2K 30.6.25 €55K
6 Lasne, Paul DM RLC FRA 16.1.89 33 - - €1.6K 30.6.24 €700K
26 Le Cardinal, Julien D C FRA 3.8.97 24 - - €2.8K 30.6.25 €450K
5 Lefort, Jordan D LC FRA 9.8.93 28 - - €3.1K 30.6.24 €600K
20 LÛpez, Julien AM LC ALG 1.3.92 30 - - €2.2K 30.6.23 €1.2M
14 Mandouki, Cyril DM C MTQ 21.8.91 30 5 1 €1.6K 30.6.24 €525K
11 Mbala, Kévin S C FRA 17.1.01 21 - - €625 30.6.23 €240K
18 Ndiaye, Youssoupha M C SEN 7.10.97 24 - - €1.2K 30.6.23 €275K
33 Nkambadio, Obed GK FRA 7.2.03 19 - - €625 29.6.23 €110K
7 Pembélé, Andy AM C FRA 4.7.00 22 - - €1.1K 30.6.24 €300K
- Phiri, Lebogang DM C RSA 9.11.94 27 6 1 €0 15.6.23 €60K
37 Radovic, Danilo S C FRA 10.3.05 17 - - €160 6.6.25 €45K
15 Solet, Isaac M C FRA 16.6.01 21 - - €160 29.6.23 €45K
28 Touré, Isyakha S C FRA 2.2.01 21 - - €160 29.6.23 €60KTactics
I’m using mm hpi, which you can download here. I’m very much a plug-and-play kind of 01/02 gamer due to a lack of time and motivation to tinker. It’s high-scoring 3-5-2 formation which we’ll need in this league (and hopefully Ligue 1 if we get promoted).
Aims and philosophy
You know what? I’m not gonna make this a Moneyball save or a Cruijffbal save or anything like that. My main aim is to win Ligue 1 which would be at the expense of PSG and then maybe win the Champions League. Basically outdo PSG at as much as we can. Past that, I don’t have any strict rules to follow. I want to try and sign French players as much as I can, or at least French speakers (to avoid any language barriers or people feeling homesick). And signing players with 14+ in Acceleration, Pace, and Determination. But that’s it.
Pre-season
Just four games in pre-season; 1 domestic and 3 in a tour of Polan which saw us lose just one match and keep clean sheets in the remaining 3 matches. Kebbal and Caddy scored 7 goals between them with Lasne getting 3 from defensive midfield.
Cholet 0-6 Paris FC
(Kebbal, Caddy (2), López, Lasne, Guilavogui)
Pogon Szczecin 2-1 Paris FC
(Bichakhchyan, Triantafyllopoulos; Caddy)
Miedz 0-4 Paris FC
(Caddy (2), Kebbal, Hamel)
Puszcza 0-4 Paris FC
(Kebbal, Iglesias, Lasne (2))
Coming up next
I’ve already played through the first season but I want to write it up and publish once I know the game won’t crash when it updates to the next season. Join me in the next episode (hopefully!) to see how I did with the Parisians. Allez Les Bleus!