For this new edition we bring you Zé Manuel, a player at Santa Clara and with solid experience in Portugal, having played in our country's main competitive levels: 2ª Divisão B, Campeonato de Portugal, Segunda Liga, Primeira Liga. He told us he's a 'huge fan' of Football Manager, never missing buying each new edition year after year.
Having finished his youth training at Braga, he went on, at senior level, to play for Braga B, Merelinense, Vizela, Cinfães before finally joining Boavista where he made his debut in the 2014/2015 in the Portuguese Primeira Ligaseason! From there, he's always stayed at a high level: he was signed by F.C. Porto, having been loaned to Vitória de Setúbal, Wisla Kraków and Feirense. In the 2018/2019 season he signed for Santa Clara, and since then he's been a regular fixture in the Azoreans' games.
Join us in this conversation and find out more about this star!
FMPortugal.net: How did this passion of yours for CM/FM come about? What's your fondest memory from when you first got 'hooked'?
Zé Manuel: It's been quite a few years now! (laughs) I started playing the legendary CM 01/02, with the stars Tó Madeira and Tsigalko. Since I was a kid, I went 1-2 years without playing until I came back with CM 4, and from then on I never dropped the 'habit' again. Those were good times! We used to play on my sister's PC, and since I didn't have one at the time (back in 2001), she was the one who decided when I could play during the week. I remember she always went out on Saturday mornings, and since I didn't have school, my brother and I would wake up really early to play all morning! (laughs) …Until one day I was managing Atlético de Madrid and I conceded a goal right on the 90th minute in a Champions League final: I punched the PC tower, broke some of the CD drive's plastic parts, and the result was… getting banned from playing for a while! (laughs)
FMPortugal.net: What was your reaction when you saw yourself included in the game's official database? Did you start signing yourself for every team you managed, or did you let your player 'fly free'?
Zé Manuel: In the first years after I appeared, I used to do that. Lately I take it much more seriously, and if I'm managing a European giant I no longer sign myself. But if I'm managing a Portuguese Primeira Liga team I always try to sign myself! (laughs) Regardless, I always follow my season in the game and check almost every match to see whether my player played, scored, or ended up leaving the club. In FM 2018 I remember that in the second season I often ended up at Turkish clubs! (laughs)
FMPortugal.net:Regarding how you're portrayed in FM, what would you change for better… and for worse? Do you have a save where you signed yourself and had your player 'come along with you'?
Zé Manuel: Honestly, I don't pay much attention to that. Generally speaking, I like how I'm portrayed in the game. As for saves, I have one specific save where I started unemployed and in December I was hired by Boavista (who were in the relegation zone), signed myself, and managed to finish in the top half of the table! In the second season I finished even higher up but couldn't reach the Europa League spots. So I decided to resign and take on another challenge: that season Vitória SC got relegated to the Segunda Liga, I applied and was hired by them. When I got there, almost every player wanted to leave Vitória (because of the relegation): I sold a lot of them and built a team 'in my own image', of which, of course, my player was one! That season went really well for me, because besides my player scoring several goals, I achieved promotion unbeaten in the Segunda Liga.
FMPortugal.net: What kind of manager are you: do you start each new save at a giant club and try to take over 'the world', or do you prefer a lower-division team and fight year after year for success?
Zé Manuel: I like managing teams with potential and high ambitions, but that aren't the strongest favourites. That's why I usually start with teams like Sporting, Marselha, Sevilha or Arsenal. As for European giants, I only tend to manage them when I'm playing online with friends.
FMPortugal.net: Tactically speaking: do you adapt to the characteristics of the players you have available, or do you try to implement a system you've already set, regardless of the players you have?
Zé Manuel: At the start of the game I analyse the players and try to win with a tactic built around the best players, and only as that save goes on, and with the signings I make along the way, do I usually change the system. That said, I never keep the same save going for more than 6-7 years, because once lots of game-generated players start appearing (wonderkids) it takes away my motivation to keep going: I'd rather start a new save to get to know more and more players and competitions.
FMPortugal.net: Any funny story you can share with us that's 'FM's fault'?
Zé Manuel: In FM 2019, when I got promoted to the Primeira Liga with Académica de Coimbra, I made a few signings and brought in two players from Brazil: Lucas Marques and Carlos Jr. I didn't know them! They were suggested to me by my scouts and I ended up signing them at the time… and now here comes the big coincidence: in real life, last year Santa Clara (the club I currently play for) signed Lucas Marques and this year Carlos Jr.! When Lucas arrived, I even joked with him that I already knew well what he was capable of, since I'd already 'managed him' in a save FM save. (laughs)
FMPortugal.net: Now about your career: you played in Poland for Wisla Kraków. What were the main competitive differences you felt compared to Portugal?
Zé Manuel: I was really surprised by Poland! The quality of the football itself isn't as good as ours, it's a more physical style of play. But in terms of stadium atmosphere and their quality (in terms of infrastructure), it's much better! Also in terms of training facilities, both Wisla Kraków and even those of certain lower-division teams we faced in friendlies were also very well developed. The hardest part to adapt to was training and playing in the snow: since we're not used to that in Portugal, it was one of the biggest differences I felt.
FMPortugal.net: You've been through Portugal's main competitive levels: 2ª Divisão B, Campeonato de Portugal, Segunda Liga, Primeira Liga. What were the big differences you felt between them?
Zé Manuel: First of all I should say there's quality in all of them, many clubs work well, and proof of that is how increasingly often we see Primeira Liga teams knocked out of the Taça de Portugal by Campeonato de Portugal and Segunda Liga sides. The big difference at a competitive level is in intensity, concentration, and technical quality.
FMPortugal.net: Lastly, has playing FM made you want to become a manager once you decide to end your career? Or haven't you thought about that yet?
Zé Manuel: I haven't thought much about it yet, mainly because what interests me most in FM is the database, not so much the tactical side. (laughs) But I'm already starting (little by little) to look more at the tactical side, setting up training based on the opponent, and I confess I'm enjoying that area, so who knows, maybe in a few years some dormant urge inside me will wake up and I'll dedicate myself to coaching! (laughs)
Quick Questions:
First edition you played?
CM 01/02
Favourite edition?
FM 2019
Favourite team to play as?
S.C Braga, since it's the city where I was born.
Favourite player you've ever had in any edition?
Lautaro Martinez
Opposing team that always gave you headaches?
F.C Porto
Best club you've seen your player transfer to (without any influence from you)?
PAOK
One of the things that motivates us most to improve Portugal's database year after year is these conversations we have with real-life Portuguese stars, and it was clear from a mile away that Zé Manuel is a huge FM fan! Thank you very much for your time and willingness to give this interview and talk about something that unites so many football fans. Wishing you a great 2019/2020 season!
