Fledgling manager Roberto di Lazaró had guided Sampdoria to a 10th place finish in Serie A in 2021/22. However, that had largely been inspired by the goals of a 19-year-old striker so much work was needed in the summer transfer window to strengthen the squad.
Sampdoria had made a solid yet wholly unspectacular start to life with Roberto di Lazaró, sitting firmly in mid-table and struggling to score goals heading into 2022.
The meteoric rise of Sammarinese football was confirmed as San Marino won their European Championship Qualifying group ahead of Austria and Bosnia to qualify for EURO 2028 - their first-ever international tournament - to climb into the world's top 100 for the first time.
The Sampdoria reign of fledgling Italian manager Roberto di Lazaró had begun fairly quietly, with a relatively pleasing opening day defeat at Atalanta backed up with a win over Salernitana and the sole addition of hot prospect defender Anel Ahmedhozdic.
The wonderful world of Football Manager Beta brings us back to Italy for the second season in a row. This time around, FM22 sees us take the reins at Sampdoria, for no particular reason other than I fancied the challenge.
National hero Andy Selva had led his San Marino side surging up the FIFA rankings, led by the ridiculous goalscoring of talisman Davide San Marino and more exciting new young Sammarinese newgens.
After 30 years of managing Bolton Wanderers, we'd absolutely turned this club on its head. Having signed up as boss with the club in League 2 and financial turmoil in 2020, we'd taken it through the leagues, to 15-time Champions of England, seven-times European Champions, and World Champions by 2050.
Bolton Wanderers had bagged yet another Premier League title and a 6th Champions League in 10 years in the 2048/49 campaign. With 2050 (and FM22) approaching, I'd decided this would be my last season, which also happened to be the 175th in the club's history. And we went into it targeting a first Club World Cup and 15 titles in a row.
After four years in charge of San Marino, Andy Selva had taken the minnows from 209th in the FIFA world rankings to 150th. He'd also led them to Nations League promotion and a best-ever Euro qualification performance that included a 0-0 draw at home to World Cup finalists Spain.
The summer of 2048 was a period of massive change as legendary (in my head anyway) club captain Lasse Hermansen and long-time Trotter Talent Jack Barlow departed the club after 13 and 14 years of service respectively.
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