TACTICAL MANAGER Italia Serie A and Serie B ============================================== (c) 1994 Black Legend and Talking Birds TYPED BY SHARD - DTL Welcome to a different ball game ! ---------------------------------- The pre-requisite for fully appreciating this simulation is to be in charge of a club. Without any human manager the game will merely run in automatic mode. To become a manager, you'll have to apply for a job, initially with one of the smaller clubs. You can manage any club whose class is equal or below your own rating. As all human managers start with a rating of 3, most clubs in the lower division are accessible straight away. To manage better clubs you will have to win at least 4 matches on the trot. The game will run perfectly without a single human manager. But considering this game is capable of handling up to 38 human managers, there is little point in that. To apply for a job, select the ACTION MENU. Then click on managers. Now choose one of the human managers. Say FRED. Click on JOIN. Now select the club you would like to join. If you are accepted, a logo will appear and confirm your appointment. Have fun and... good luck! For more details about keyboard action press F10. The File Menu. ------------- LAST SEASON will load the fixtures and results from the last complete season. On your disk, this file is recorded as fixt_00.dat Once LAST SEASON is in memory, the current season is put on hold. Only friendly matches may now be played. Many functions will be disabled: save, new, kick-off, top scorers, etc are no longer available. The cursor will also change. We are now in REVIEW MODE. The whole idea of loading an old season whether from the LAST SEASON or from the LOAD SEASON boxes is to quickly view past results, maybe to check how you did against your next opponents. The obvious path to follow, in this mode, in to click on TABLES, then click on SELECT ANY WEEK. Full records will now be at your fingertips. Another useful feature is to load any logo in, click on it, and select FIXTURE LIST. You will be presented with the full history of that particular team during the season under review. Once in 'REVIEW MODE', the LAST SEASON box will now say RESUME. You have to click on RESUME if you want to exit REVIEW MODE and carry on with the default mode. The next box in this FILE MENU is SAVE. If you want to save your records click on this one at any time during the championship, except at the very end of the very last day, when it will instead appear as NEW SEASON. You'll have to click on NEW SEASON to save the ENTIRE championship for posterity. It will always be saved as FIXT_00.DAT. All fixtures will then be reset and a new season may commence with bank balances, skill levels and squads left unchanged. SAVE does a complete save of all squad and club records, replay list and results so far. But the week pointer will remain as it is. Whenever you click on SAVE, do make sure that your disk is NOT protected The next entry is NEW. This is an uncompromising feature. Everything gets reset to the original standard. You are in effect overwriting your records with the default files always held on disk. Needless to say full confirmation will be asked for and you will have to answer with the keyboard only. EDITOR , the next entry, gives you access to all 920 players. The names can be changed but skills and valuations require a password. LOAD SEASON is similar to LAST SEASON except that here you may choose which particular season you want to load: 0 is the one just gone. You may retrieve up to 21 seasons. Once this feature is active, you are in REVIEW MODE again, as confirmed by the rectangular cursor. A new box will now appear just underneath: SAVE AS. The season you have just loaded may be re-saved under any name from 1 to 20. Make sure you do not overwrite a season that you were particularly proud of. PROMOTIONS is only active during the early part of the season. It will re-arrange the two division as per entries shown under HONOURS. As all master files will be changed use with care. The Action Menu. ---------------- VIEW CLUBS. This will show all clubs in your division together with their managers humans or otherwise. MANAGERS is a list of 46 ready-made user names. These are fully editable and have individual ratings according to their achievements. Money earned by these managers is also shown as well as their records. SELECT CLUB is one of the most used options in this game. You have to select a club in order to examine its squad and make the selection and strategic decisions that will win or lose a match. REPLAY is one of many options UNIQUE to this simulation. It gives access to the matches played last saturday in both divisions. Ideal to analyse your last game and see what went right (or wrong) and also to see how the other teams performed. CLASSICS is another replay facility except that here only selected golden matches are shown. In order to store a famous match in the classic section you need to call the archive routine further down. KICK OFF gets the ball rolling! All matches will be played in turn. Those involving no user-managers will have their result flashed for two seconds. The others will be played in full. First the relevant logos will be fetched from memory, then the match will start at a speed defined by the option menu. You'll have access to the two logos where substitions, marking, and change of tactics may be made. If you want to change the clock speed, press ENTER, - or + on the keypad. All matches will be played in a totally realistic way, whether they are shown or not. Computer opponents will organise their squads, change tactics or make substitutions according to the run of the play. KICK OFF may also be activated by clicking on the centre circle. Equally, once all the week's events have been reported, KICK OFF will occur automatically. Friendlies are played by getting two logos in the windows and hitting F. If any of the two logos showing is a user-manager, the match will be reported in full, otherwise only the result will show. Even so, the match will have been recorded . To replay it, press R on the keyboard. ARCHIVE shows the state of the three recording banks. If you click on any of the 36 matches, the mouse will jump to the permanent section where up to five matches may be stored for good. VIEW REFS will list all 88 referees in the league together with their toughness record. Nine is deadly. One is a softy. The TABLES Menu. ---------------- TABLES In STANDARD mode, this box may be clicked to reveal a full division table except when the season hasn't started yet. In REVIEW mode, when the cursor is rectangular, this option is inactive, but league tables are then called from the SELECT WEEK option further down. FIXTURES Next week's fixtures are stored here. RESULTS Last week's results are shown here. TRANSFERS This is a complete list of all the players on the transfer list. Although the players ratings are shown the list does not reveal whether they are injured, suspended or with a low morale. Buying a player with rating of 100 may result in its new rating jumping to 107 simply because his old morale was low. To avoid buying a player with a long suspension or some bad injury, you are recommended to check his club logo first. This transfer list changes constantly. Computer players may put a player on the transfer list and remove him a few weeks later. Squad levels are not allowed to drop below 17. You'll find that if a squad is too depleted, a club will go into the transfer market automatically. TOP SCORERS This is where your players should show up if you're doing well in the league. SELECT ANY WEEK. A very useful option. You may view any week in the season. If you choose a week already played, you will see the results and the full table for that particular week. If you choose a week not played yet, only the fixtures will appear. This feature is active in both STANDARD mode and REVIEW mode. HONOURS shows the major winners from the last completed season. It shows at a glance who will be promoted and relegated should you decide to call the promotion routine. THE CUPS All local and european cup entries are shown here. EC mini-leagues now operational. Cup draws vary from season to season. EURO POOL Players may be bought from this pool. Equally you may dispose of your unwanted players by giving them a free transfer. The OPTIONS Menu. ----------------- Most boxes under this menu are of the toggable type: ie they merely switch certain conditions on or off. Default settings will be saved to disk automatically. The NEWS option allows you to determine the amount of mid-week activity. Between eight and twenty four events including possible transfers will take place depending on the setting. SPEED The speed of match action is either slow, in which case each ball contest takes about two seconds, or normal, which lasts half a second, or fast which lasts 1/50th of a second. The effective duration of the action depends not only on this setting but on how many illustrations appear during the match. Offside flags, penalties, etc.. take a while to be displayed and slow things down a bit. You will find that intervening with the mouse during a match set to fast is not that easy. Press - on the keypad (repeatedly if necessary) to slow things down, then click on the logos. HIGHLIGHTS is another variable affecting the way a reported match will look. The default mode is HIGHLIGHTS which will report all major events: goals, shots, fouls, corners, penalties, injuries and tactics changes. When set to FULL COMMENTARY, the players names will be reported all the time. Home players will be on the left Away players on the right. The player actually controlling the ball is shown in blue. The other setting is GOALS ONLY which will only report the goals scored, who scored them and when. TRANSFERS amongst computer teams may either be automatic or off. You should remember that if automatic transfers are allowed, a great deal of player movement will take place, particularly if you have chosen the full weekly NEWS option. To reduce excessive player migration, you may either select BRIEF week events or turn TRANSFERS off periodically. Teams managed by user players will not embark on automatic transfers unless you allow your squad to be unduly depleted. The LOGO Menu. ---------------- The LOGO menu may be accessed both during the week and during a match. Some functions will be active all the time, others will be specific to either of these possibilities. SELECT gives you access to your squad (or to the opponent's squad!) During the week, all players can be reached and reshuffled (unless injured or suspended). During a match, only the first eleven may be reshuffled, and up to two substitutes may be brought on. Click on the player's name to activate a swap with another player. Some players have variable roles and may be switched from midfield to attack or midfield to defence. Or they may be played as wingers, or sweepers... Click on these columns to change the players roles. If you start a match with two goalies, or none, the program will rectify this anomaly automatically. BUY allows you to view the transfer list and buy a player, funds permitting. You can have up to 20 players in your squad. APPROACH allows you to approach any player from any club. There are some costs involved. And the player's market value will probably go up. There is no guarantee that the player will join you. You may have to approach him several times. STRATEGY. You have a choice a eight different strategies, each one with its own merit (and drawback). Consult your manual. The strategies are: Normal, off-side trap, high crosses, quick counters, through balls, steady build-up, sweeper system and break rhythm. Going for through balls for instance is only of value if you have one or two real attackers up front (ATT) with an above-average speed. On the other hand, they may be caught offside a few times... TACTICS have a significant bearing on the way the match progresses. Rough playing will knock the opposition but land you a few yellow cards. Falling in the box may earn the odd penalty, but also a booking and loss of possession. Again, see your manual. FORMATION is a non-accessible box. It merely confirms the current set-up NEXT WEEK not only informs you of your next opponents, but clicking on it, will load their logo and squad. Access to the opponents' squad will be allowed at any time, but, in match mode you will not be able to interfere with it. SELL allows you to put any of your players on the transfer list. Expect morale to drop when you try to sell a player. To remove a player from the transfer list, you'll have to click on UNLIST. INFO gives you historical information on your club. FINANCIAL displays the current bank balance and the various trading accounts. You will still be allowed to play if you go in the red, but purchases will be denied FIXTURE LIST is a useful option showing the entire season at a glance, with results for matches played. You can not only examine your own list, but that of any club in your division. In MATCH mode, some of the above options will be disabled , but one new one will appear: MARK OPPONENT. Marking an opponent will severely reduce his performance, but it will be at the expense of your overall rating. The LOGO Menu. ---------------- The LOGO menu may be accessed both during the week and during a match. Some functions will be active all the time, others will be specific to either of these possibilities. SELECT gives you access to your squad (or to the opponent's squad!) During the week, all players can be reached and reshuffled (unless injured or suspended). During a match, only the first eleven may be reshuffled, and up to two substitutes may be brought on. Click on the player's name to activate a swap with another player. Some players have variable roles and may be switched from midfield to attack or miedfield to defence. Or they may be played as wingers, or sweepers... Click on the RIGHT ROLE to activate the changes. The left role is the default position and is not accessible. If you start a match with two goalies, or none, the program will rectify this anomaly automatically. BUY allows you to view the transfer list and buy a player, funds permitting. You can have up to 20 players in your squad. APPROACH allows you to approach any player from any club. There are some costs involved. And the player's market value will probably go up. There is no guarantee that the player will join you. You may have to approach him several times. STRATEGY. You have a choice a eight different strategies, each one with its own merit (and drawback). Consult your manual. The strategies are: Normal, off-side trap, high crosses, quick counters, through balls, steady build-up, sweeper system and break rythm. Going for through balls for instance is only of value if you have one or two real attackers up front (ATT) with an above-average speed. On the other hand, they may be caught offside a few times... TACTICS have a significant bearing on the way the match progresses. Rough playing will knock the opposition but land you a few yellow cards. Falling in the box may earn the odd penalty, but also a booking and loss of possession. FORMATION is a non-accessible box. It merely confirms the current set-up NEXT WEEK not only informs you of your next opponents, but clicking on it, will load their logo and squad. Access to the opponents' squad will be allowed at any time, but, in match mode you will not be able to interfere with it. SELL allows you to put any of your players on the transfer list. Expect morale to drop when you try to sell a player. To remove a player from the transfer list, you'll have to click on UNLIST. INFO gives you historical information on your club. FINANCIAL displays the current bank balance and the various trading accounts. You will still be allowed to play if you go in the red, but purchases will be denied FIXTURE LIST is a useful option showing the entire season at a glance, with results for matches played. You can not only examine your own list, but that of any club in your division. In MATCH mode, some of the above options will be disabled , but one new one will appear: MARK OPPONENT. Marking an opponent will severely reduce his performance, but it will be at the expense of your overall rating. The LOGO Menu. ---------------- The LOGO menu may be accessed both during the week and during a match. Some functions will be active all the time, others will be specific to either of these possibilities. SELECT gives you access to your squad (or to the opponent's squad!) During the week, all players can be reached and reshuffled (unless injured or suspended). During a match, only the first eleven may be reshuffled, and up to two substitutes may be brought on. Click on the player's name to activate a swap with another player. Some players have variable roles and may be switched from midfield to attack or miedfield to defence. Or they may be played as wingers, or sweepers... Click on the RIGHT ROLE to activate the changes. The left role is the default position and is not accessible. If you start a match with two goalies, or none, the program will rectify this anomaly automatically. BUY allows you to view the transfer list and buy a player, funds permitting. You can have up to 20 players in your squad. APPROACH allows you to approach any player from any club. There are some costs involved. And the player's market value will probably go up. There is no guarantee that the player will join you. You may have to approach him several times. STRATEGY. You have a choice a eight different strategies, each one with its own merit (and drawback). Consult your manual. The strategies are: Normal, off-side trap, high crosses, quick counters, through balls, steady build-up, sweeper system and break rythm. Going for through balls for instance is only of value if you have one or two real attackers up front (ATT) with an above-average speed. On the other hand, they may be caught offside a few times... TACTICS have a significant bearing on the way the match progresses. Rough playing will knock the opposition but land you a few yellow cards. Falling in the box may earn the odd penalty, but also a booking and loss of possession. FORMATION is a non-accessible box. It merely confirms the current set-up NEXT WEEK not only informs you of your next opponents, but clicking on it, will load their logo and squad. Access to the opponents' squad will be allowed at any time, but, in match mode you will not be able to interfere with it. SELL allows you to put any of your players on the transfer list. Expect morale to drop when you try to sell a player. To remove a player from the transfer list, you'll have to click on UNLIST. INFO gives you historical information on your club. FINANCIAL displays the current bank balance and the various trading accounts. You will still be allowed to play if you go in the red, but purchases will be denied FIXTURE LIST is a useful option showing the entire season at a glance, with results for matches played. You can not only examine your own list, but that of any club in your division. In MATCH mode, some of the above options will be disabled , but one new one will appear: MARK OPPONENT. Marking an opponent will severely reduce his performance, but it will be at the expense of your overall rating. These scouts reports are here courtesy of PREMIER SUPREMOS the Play by Mail group based in Colchester. Thanks to Adam Marshall, Gary McDowell & Co for permission to reprint. D.Bergkamp 23 A 10 8 7 8 7 7 9 20 9 3 8 8 2 8 8 10 Dazzling Dutch striker signed by Inter in 1993 Has been a regular scorer in Holland for Ajax and has continued to find the net for the national team including three strikes in the 1992 European Championships. Valued by his club at £20 million. R.Keane 21 MD 116 6 7 7 8 6 7 6 20 6 7 7 7 5 7 5 10 TURBO-charged midfield dynamo who has been targetted by all the big names from England and Europe. Is useful in defence as well as in his usual position of midfield for Forest. Looks set to be a Republic of Ireland international star for several years to come. R.Prosinecki 24 M 8 6 10 6 10 7 10 20 10 4 7 6 2 3 3 1 OUT of form midfielder with Real Madrid after earning a big-money move from European Cup winners Red Star Belgrade. Troubles in his homeland could have affected his morale as he has struggled to fit in to the Spanish game. Free kick expert with an excellent touch and immaculate ball control. Unhappy but unlikely to want to move to England. M.Dahlin 22 MA 8 6 7 7 5 7 5 20 5 2 9 8 2 4 5 7 FAST striker who plays his football for Borrusia Dortmund in Germany following a move from his native Sweden with Malmo. Made a big impact on his Swedish international debut with a double strike against Austria and has done well for the national side. Appeared in the impressive Swedish side in the European Championships in 1992. A.Goram 28 G 0 0 0 8 7 8 8 20 8 7 7 7 0 6 8 8 SCOTLAND'S number one who has been starring for Rangers in the Scottish Premier. Started his career with Oldham but really made his name at Hibernian, where he even managed to score a goal with a long punt from his goalmouth. Joined the Gers for £1 million and is worth a lot more to them now. A.Pele 25 MA 7 5 9 7 8 7 7 20 9 4 8 8 5 6 7 7 GHANAIAN international with real flair and excellent ball control. Was part of the fabulous Marseille star trio that reached the European Cup Final, along with Waddle and Papin, and was voted man-of-the-match against Spartak Moscow and AC Milan in the qualifying rounds. Possesses silky skills and is a big favourite in France. D.Pancev 25 A 10 7 6 7 7 8 7 20 7 2 6 8 2 7 5 3 SHARP-SHOOTING Inter Milan striker who is struggling to make an impact in Italy. Was voted European Player of the Year and also won the Golden Boot in his time with Red Star Belgrade. Scores goals from inside the penalty area frequently and did so at international level for Yugoslavia as well. Despite not being played regularly for Inter, the club say he cannot leave until the end of the season at the very least but he should stay for a minimum of two years. E.Scifo 26 M 8 5 9 7 9 8 9 20 9 3 6 7 3 6 7 8 TALENTED Belgium international playmaker with great vision and truly remarkable shooting power. Had a nightmare season with Inter Milan in Italy but regained his confidence during a spell in France with Auxerre. He has since joined Torino in Serie A where he has continued to shine with his outstanding natural ability. Now with Monaco. G.Pagluica 27 G 0 0 0 8 7 9 7 20 7 6 6 8 0 5 4 7 ITALIAN international keeper who is the current number one at Sampdoria in the Serie A. Came of age during the 1990/91 season, when Sampdoria became Champions, including a tremendous display in the crucial match against Inter when he saved a penalty from Matthaus. Is noted for making daring and acrobatic saves but is inconsistent. D.Platt 26 MA 8 7 7 10 7 9 8 20 7 6 7 9 6 8 8 2 UNHAPPY at Juventus but is said to be still keen in playing in Italy following a year at Bari where he was a real star in a relegated side. Loves to get forward from midfield and this has seen him losing favour with Juve boss Trappattoni. Is England's top scorer since Gary Lineker departed from the scene, following goals in the 1990 World Cup Finals and the 1992 European Championship Finals. A.Shearer 22 A 122 10 8 8 8 8 7 10 20 7 3 8 7 3 4 7 10 BRILLIANT England international striker who has come on leaps and bounds since his early days at Southampton. After smashing a hat-trick on his debut for the Saints, he failed to live up to expectations until he was really given his head in the top flight. Since then, the goals have flowed and he has earned a big-money move to Blackburn. M.Hateley 31 A 7 10 6 7 6 9 7 20 6 3 6 8 4 8 8 10 ARCHETYPAL centre forward who is excellent in the air but has added a lot more to his game following a spell on the continent with AC Milan and Monaco. Now displays a neat touch that he never seemed to have at Coventry and Portsmouth. His world changed when he headed a goal against Brazil for England and is now shooting Rangers to European Cup glory. A.McCoist 30 A 10 7 6 8 6 8 8 20 6 3 7 8 3 9 8 10 THE golden boot holder who is threatening to retain the award in 1993. Has been criticized for scoring goals in a poor Scottish league but Rangers blasted that myth when they powered into the European League past English Champions Leeds, in real-life. Scores goals consistently and forms a lethal partnership with Mark Hateley at Ibrox. D.Latorre 21 MA 8 6 8 6 8 7 8 20 10 3 7 7 2 6 7 8 IN the process of signing for Fiorentina after deciding to leave his native Argentina. Has starred for Boca Juniors but he has ruled out a move to Britain recently and is destined for a career in Italy. Fiorentina are likely to loan him out to another Italian club. T.A.Dahlum 25 A 105 7 6 4 6 4 7 4 20 6 3 7 6 2 7 6 10 NORWEGIAN international striker who has shown some pace and finishing abilities both for the national side and at club level for Rosenborg. After helping them to a win in the Norwegian Cup Final, he was made available for trial and several clubs showed interest in snapping him up. A £500,000+ bid might clinch a permanent deal. I.Durrant 26 M 6 6 9 8 9 7 8 20 9 4 7 7 6 7 7 9 CLASSY Rangers midfielder who has recovered well from a career- threatening injury and playing only 12 games in three seasons between 1988 and 1991. Now back in the Scotland international frame and starring in the Gers' midfield with his passing ability and excellent vision. Rated at over £2 million by his club who want to keep him. T.Brolin 23 MA 8 6 8 10 8 8 8 20 8 3 8 8 3 9 7 8 SUPER Swede who is really doing the business for Italian side Parma in Serie A. The cheeky forward started his career with GIF Sundsvall before moving on to IFK Gothenburg where he belted in a debut hat trick followed by four goals in his next five matches. He also found the net twice on his Swedish debut against Wales and claimed another brace against Finland to further enhance his growing reputation. A well taken goal against Brazil in the World Cup helped earn him a move to Parma and the Italian side made Europe for the first time after his debut season. S.Effenberg 24 M 7 7 8 8 7 7 7 20 7 5 6 7 7 6 7 7 GERMAN international now starring for Fiorentina in the Italian League. Made his international debut as a substitute against Wales in 1991 in Cardiff after bagging nine goals that season for German giants Bayern Munich. Is something of a free kick expert but has failed to impress the critical Italian press and could already be on his way out of the club, it is rumoured. B.Laudrup 23 MA 8 6 9 7 8 7 9 20 10 3 8 7 3 6 7 8 YOUNGER brother of Barcelona's gifted Dane Michael Laudrup, Brian is proving to be every bit as good as his brother. He usually plays just behind the strikers and he managed to notch five goals in his first 22 games for his country. Bayern Munich signed him from Bayern Uerdingen only for Italian side Fiorentina to snap him up thus allowing him to grace the best league in the world. He has exceptional skill and balance and, after agreeing to play again for his country, he starred for Denmark in their 1992 European Championship triumph. G.Signori 24 A 10 6 7 10 7 7 8 20 8 3 10 8 3 8 8 10 NOW has the football world at his feet after toppling Marco van Basten from the top scorer's position in Serie A. Has banged the goals in for Paul Gascoigne's Lazio with frightening regularity and he has rightfully earned a call-up for the Italian national side. Possesses outstanding pace and stamina and, allied with an unerring finishing ability, 'Beppe' is set for soccer stardom. H.Stoichkov 27 A 10 9 8 6 8 8 9 20 8 3 8 7 2 1 7 8 AFTER a wonderful season with CSKA Sofia in 1989/90 when he shared the Golden Boot award with Hugo Sanchez, the temperamental Bulgarian joined Sanchez's Real Madrid side's arch rivals Barcelona. After a silly incident in which he allegedly stamped on a referee's foot, Stoichkov settled in to score in every round of the 1991 European Cup Winners Cup, including a double against Juventus in the semi-final, only to miss the final against Man.United through injury. To make things even more remarkable, Stoichkov was banned for a whole year in Bulgaria in 1985 and yet was still second in the 1992 European Player of the Year award which shows how quickly he has progressed. Romario 27 A 10 8 9 6 10 8 10 20 10 3 8 7 2 1 7 4 TRULY brilliant PSV Eindhoven striker who has plenty of critics who say he is lazy, only works for himself and is a bad influence on his team-mates. However, his record speaks for itself-he is regularly top scorer in Holland and this despite not yet playing a full season due to injuries. His average of around one goal every game in Dutch football cannot be equalled in the country's history and he possesses superb skills and a deadly right foot. Has now fallen out with his club and the 'Brazilian Maradona' is now destined for Italy. M.Lacatus 27 MA 8 5 7 6 8 8 7 20 8 2 8 6 2 1 3 6 ROMANIAN international who is known as having something of a playboy status in his home country. His attitude seems to have cost him a great career in the game as he failed to really cut it in Italy with Fiorentina, scoring only three goals in 15 starts in 1990/91. His record at international level was eight goals in his first 48 appearances. Now at Real Oviedo in Spain, Lacatus is trying to rebuild his reputation and earn another crack at the Italian league. T.Berthold 29 MD 113 4 7 7 6 6 7 7 20 7 9 6 7 9 3 7 6 GERMAN international famed for being the man who made Paul Gascoigne a millionaire and household name in Britain. It was his over-reaction to Gazza's tackle during Italia 90 that led to the Geordie star being booked and crying in full view of the TV cameras. Has fallen out with Bayern Munich and is desperate for a move with Bayern so keen to get rid of him that they have agreed to let him go on a free transfer. His wages and personal terms are, however, sky-high and he would prefer to stay in Germany if possible. G.Stevens 29 D 4 6 7 7 6 9 7 20 7 8 7 7 7 7 7 9 FORMER England right back who has fallen from favour with Graham Taylor after struggling to reproduce his club form at international level. Comfortable in possession and a solid tackler, Stevens has suffered from some unfair criticism following a couple of poor displays for his country. Was a key member of Everton's successful team of the 1980s but moved north of the border where he has helped Rangers sweep the board in Scotland and progress in Europe. E.Cantona 26 A 116 7 8 7 8 9 8 9 20 9 4 6 10 3 5 5 8 BRILLIANT French international striker snapped up from Nimes in a master stroke by Leeds manager Howard Wilkinson. His innovative and expressive forward play boosted Leeds' title challenge and he became an instant hit with the Elland Road faithful. Has got a big question mark over his attitude though which earned him the nickname 'Enfant Terrible' in France. Formerly with Marseille, he is prolific for the French national side. B.Boli 26 D 4 9 6 7 4 8 8 20 5 9 7 8 9 5 7 6 HOT-headed central defender who is currently starring for Marseille in the French League. A full French international, Boli is known throughout Britain for his infamous head-butt on Stuart Pearce in the 1992 European Championships. Brilliant in the air and tenacious in the tackle, Boli has expressed a desire to move to England-preferably with Manchester United but he would not be a popular player over here. J.Collins 25 M 6 4 8 7 8 7 7 20 8 4 6 7 4 7 6 6 CELTIC playmaker, who alongside Paul McStay, forms a formidable midfield line-up for The Bhoys. A quality passer who is very good when in possession of the ball, Collins made his name at Hibernian where he was tipped as one of the hottest properties in the Scottish game. Despite interest from Liverpool, Spurs, Man.United and a host of foreign clubs he opted to join Celtic for £1 million. After scoring on his international debut against Saudi Arabia, he has found chances few and far between for the national side but he remains a good performer in the Premier Division. R.Koeman 28 MD 7 6 7 8 7 10 9 20 7 10 6 8 9 6 9 8 BARCELONA captain who won the Spanish side the European Cup for the first time in 1992 with a typically thunderous free kick shot which defeated Sampdoria. Came to prominence when starring for Holland in the 1988 European Championship winning side as a sweeper although he can also appear in midfield. A dead-ball expert with a ferocious shot on him, the Koeman left foot is feared by goalkeepers throughout the world. Inspirational player who is still not past his best. P.Gascoigne 25 M 7 5 10 7 10 9 10 20 10 5 6 7 6 8 8 9 PROBABLY the best British player in the game and definitely the most talked-about. Gascoigne's strengths are his superb ball-skills, supreme confidence and a lively outlook to the game. His passing ability is also superb and he would get into any team in the world. Moved from Newcastle to Tottenham for a British record fee before going to Lazio, eventually, after recovering from a bad knee injury sustained in the 1991 FA Cup Final against Notts Forest. M.Van Basten 29 A 10 10 9 8 8 10 10 20 9 2 8 2 2 5 8 3 CURRENTLY recovering from injury, Van Basten is the world's best striker and the current European Footballer of The Year. He won the award for the third time after a series of scintillating attacking displays for both AC Milan and Holland. Is quick, strong and skillfull and, allied with a deadly touch in front of goal, this makes the former Ajax attacker and Dutch skipper a brilliant player. M.Sammer M 7 7 8 7 7 7 7 20 7 6 6 7 3 6 7 10 THIS flame haired German International has just returned to his native country to play his football with Borussia Dortmund after a bad spell in Italian football. He was never really a fans favourite with Inter Milan and ended up the scapegoat for some average performances which eventually prompted Dortmund to bring him home. A very good passer of the ball who can belt in the odd goal or two. Was one of a few East German's to be included in the national side after the reunification of Germany and should feature in the National side in the '94 World Cup. A.Yeboah 28 A 7 7 6 7 6 7 6 20 7 4 8 6 2 7 7 10 ANTHONY is currently playing his football for German side Eintracht Frankfurt where he has consistently been one of the top scorers for the club. Not one of the more glorious sides in the German league although better in the cup, Frankfurt have sold some of their major stars to overseas teams. Yeboah is not one of the more noticable figures in the side, although his performances are fairly consistent and he figures quite prominently in the team. D.Pancev 25 A 10 7 6 7 7 8 7 20 7 2 6 8 2 7 5 3 SHARP-SHOOTING Inter Milan striker who is struggling to make an impact in Italy. Was voted European Player of the Year and also won the Golden Boot in his time with Red Star Belgrade. Scores goals from inside the penalty area frequently and did so at international level for Yugoslavia as well. Despite not being played regularly for Inter, the club say he cannot leave until the end of the season at the very least but he should stay for a minimum of two years. R.Giggs 19 MA 115 7 6 8 7 7 3 6 20 9 6 9 8 6 6 4 9 EXCITING young talent, almost certainly the best teenager in the country. Manchester United will want to hold onto their star turn and it is difficult to put a price on such a talented youngster. Has pace, awareness and brilliant ball control and is the youngest Welsh international of all time. Has shown many signs of maturity this term which has attracted the interests of a certain AC Milan. D.Maradona 30 M 8 6 10 7 10 10 10 20 10 4 7 7 3 4 7 8 AFTER an action packed career which saw him lift the World Cup with Argentina in 1986, Diego's footballing life fell apart around him when he was reported for using cocaine and was apparently sent death threats while at Italian side Napoli. This culmination of effects had Maradona banned from football and saying he would never go back to Naples, even though he was still under contract. After a lot of wrangling, Seville finally were allowed to take him to Spain buying out his Napoli contract and Diego has recently been putting in some vintage displays which has also seen him return to the Argentinian national squad. Now on the move again. A.Serena 30 A 7 10 6 7 6 8 6 20 6 3 7 8 3 7 6 7 ALDO is a prolific marksman who is reputed to be the best headerer in the Italian game. Formly with Inter Milan he has switched to their Milan rivals AC, after some lean times in Serie A. Played in the '90 World Cup but never really got a chance to prove anything as Schillaci stole the limelight. Scoreed 5 times in his first 24 caps for his country but has slipped out of the international scene. M.Emmers 28 MD 6 7 6 8 6 8 7 20 7 7 6 7 7 8 7 8 MARC is a Belgium international who has played both as a defender and midfielder for his country. More of a runner than a cultured passer but a very handy asset for title chancers Anderlecht as they pursue another title. Formerly of Mechelen, rivals to Anderlecht he has turned in some resounding performances for both club and country. W.Zenga 30 G 0 0 0 8 8 9 8 20 7 6 7 7 0 3 6 1 HIGHLY capped individual who used to be the first choice for both club and country but has since fallen out of favour with both and has found his career in tatters at the moment. Walter has always had an attitude problem throughout his career, always being the boss, but he fell out of favour on the international front to Sampdoria's Pagliuca, and following a series of terrible mistakes in the Inter goal he has been dropped from their first team, being sub-ed at half time during one match. When he is focused, probably in the top three keepers in the world. F.Rijkaard 28 MD 6 9 7 8 6 9 6 20 7 8 6 7 8 4 8 10 BAD boy of Dutch football who is currently playing his club football with Italian giants AC Milan. Frank is most remembered by most people for his spitting incident during the 1990 World Cup which saw him and Voller dismissed. A whole hearted player being used in the centre of midfield by Milan where he is playing brilliantly. He is an international defender who has carried his attributes into midfield and added some more to his game. Commanding in the air, and a great tackler he now possesses a eye for the spectacular goal and can run all match. Has an attitude problem and generally makes players know of his presense. Back with Ajax in 93. J.P.Papin 30 A 10 8 7 8 7 10 10 20 10 3 8 8 3 8 8 10 CURRENTLY enjoying a great run of games in Italian football with giants AC Milan following his £10 million move from French champions Marseille last term. Papin didn't settle into the Serie A life very well, not combining to the best effect with Van Basten, but since the Dutch strikers long term injury Papin has bagged 19 goals in 25 games. He is currently the hottest attacker in the world as displayed with a recent exquisite half-volley from just outside the box into the top corner of the net against Lazio. E.Jess 22 A 7 6 7 7 7 5 7 20 8 3 8 0 3 7 7 0 HIGHLY-rated young striker who joined Aberdeen from Rangers S Form, a youth by-product of the Glasgow giants, as he opted to move further north rather than stay with Scotland's best side. Instead he is playing for an exciting, young Dons side and he has even managed to force his way into the Scotland full squad after appearing for the Under-21s. Recently broke his leg which may hamper his career seriously, but it all depends on his determination and confidence, especially on return to the bruising Premier League. D.Ginola 25 M 7 6 8 8 7 7 6 20 7 5 6 7 3 7 7 8 DAVID is now playing his league football with Paris St. Germain after previously being part of the Brest Armorique squad. A midfielder of good quality who knows how to pass the ball around and has a sharp eye for goal with an impressive goal tally over previous seasons. A player of quality was bound to get noticed at little Brest and so he has joined one of the largest but not most successful clubs in the French league. D.Amokachi 23 A 8 7 6 9 6 7 6 20 6 2 8 9 1 7 6 10 A young man at a big club, Daniel has been gradually introduced to the Belgium style of football over the last three years making his debut for the giants during the 1990/91 season. Kept under close raps until this term Amokachi has raw power, pace and finishing style that has made him one of Belgium's top scorers and a feared man in the European Champions Cup as he helped to shoot Bruge into the final stages of the tournament. Often a little wayward in his finishing, Daniel creates enough opportunities for himself to at least put one away nearly every match. G.Lineker 32 A 10 7 7 7 8 10 10 20 8 1 8 7 2 10 9 8 NOW a player with Japanese side Grampus Eight after a money spinning move to set Gary up for life now that his international and British domestic football days are over. Contracted for two years at a reputed £1 million a year, Gary has found the Japanese life somewhat strange and perhaps is missing home a bit, but like a true professional he will complete his contract and return a man set for life. A truely prolific striker, probably the best British football has ever seen and it was a shame he could break the England scoring record. (c) 1994 Black Legend and Talking Birds