Telmo Castanheira is 26 years old and came through the ranks at Futebol Clube do Porto, where he stood out enough to become a regular member of Portugal's youth national teams. The owner of an above-average left foot, he hasn't yet settled in the professional divisions, but promises to return, and this time to stay for good. He currently plays for Trofense, where he's having an excellent start to the season, with two goals in his last three Campeonato de Portugal matches.
Off the pitch, besides the many hours spent in the gym, he also never misses out on playing his favourite game, Football Manager
FMPortugal.net: What was your first contact with CM/FM like?
Telmo Castanheira: I was very young, I don't quite remember how old I was or which edition it was, but I remember perfectly that it was through a neighbour of mine that I discovered CM. Back then I didn't have a computer, so I'd go to his house every day to play.
FMPortugal.net: Do you start saves saves with the teams you play for in real life, to control your own player?
Telmo Castanheira: Yes, even if it's not the very first save save I do when I get the game, I always end up trying my own team at some point. That said, I do tend to sign myself, even when I'm not playing as my real-life team :D.
FMPortugal.net: Do you follow your assistants' advice on the training you need, or do you choose for yourself because you think nobody knows you better?
Telmo Castanheira: Ha ha, no, not really, I treat myself just like any other player. If my attributes are weak in certain areas, those are the ones I'll pick to train.
FMPortugal.net: Even though you came through the ranks at FC Porto and are a Portugal youth international, you were only scouted and rated by the research team in recent editions. Did that situation bother you?
Telmo Castanheira: Honestly, no. FM has always been my favourite game since I was a kid, and I've been hooked ever since, so just appearing in FM was already amazing. I'm a footballer, I fulfilled a childhood dream, and I even appear in my favourite game — I never really thought much about whether I'd been scouted and rated. Obviously, it's better to have proper attributes set.
FMPortugal.net: So we're guessing you didn't use the editor to boost your own attributes, correct?
Telmo Castanheira: No!! I've never used the editor to edit myself, I have to work harder in real life for those attributes to improve, the editor is cheating. (laughs)
FMPortugal.net: Regarding your current profile, what would you change?
Telmo Castanheira: I have nothing to complain about, I think it's fitting for what I've done in football so far.
FMPortugal.net: What's the most goals you've managed to get your player to score in a season, and for which team?
Telmo Castanheira: I don't know the exact number, but I think it was in an FM where I was playing for Tourizense. I got promoted and was among the top scorers, but I don't remember the exact goal tally.
FMPortugal.net: If your player is out of form for a given match and someone else is in better shape, are you biased and still start yourself?
Telmo Castanheira: I try to be fair! If my player has no real chance of performing well, as much as it hurts, I'll have to bench him. But of course, when in doubt, I'll pick him to play :D.
FMPortugal.net: And when it's time to renew your player's contract, are you generous, do you offer a fair wage, or do you offer the bare minimum to protect the club's finances?
Telmo Castanheira: If I'm at a financially healthy club, I have no problem giving my player good terms, if it's not good for me, who's it going to be good for? (laughs). Usually I try to be reasonable and I'm careful not to jeopardise the club's finances.
FMPortugal.net: Have you ever used Football Manager to check the attributes of a new signing at your club that you didn't know beforehand?
Telmo Castanheira: Usually I already know the players because of FM, I don't even need to check. But if I don't know them, I easily look them up in FM, just out of curiosity.
FMPortugal.net: Have you ever cheated in any save online? Power cut excuses, or using the editor to boost your own players and weaken the opponent's?
Telmo Castanheira: Pretending there was a power cut? (ha ha) I hadn't heard that excuse before. I've never cheated in FM, I think it defeats the whole point of the game.
FMPortugal.net: We know you used to do saves saves with Costinha (Vit. Setúbal) and other teammates, any funny story you can share with us?
Telmo Castanheira: It's true, I did several with Costinha, I don't remember any particular story since it was quite a while ago, but I remember I usually finished above him (if he denies it, he's lying!!!)
Quick answer
First edition you played? CM, I don't quite remember which edition, I know it only had text commentary for the match.
Favourite edition? Always the most recent one, every year the game gets more realistic and complete, so the latest edition is always my favourite.
Favourite league to play in? Depends on the challenge I'm after, but I really like the lower divisions in England.
Favourite team to play as: Whichever team I'm playing for in real life.
Favourite player you've ever had in any edition? Tó Madeira e Tsigalko
Average time it takes you to play a season? Depends, I've done it in days before, and also in weeks/months.
Favourite tactic? 4-2-3-1
An achievement that made you sigh with relief/celebrate? I managed to win everything with Tourizense, both domestically and internationally! I have witnesses for that save (laughs)
