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--------------------------------
TOP 100 PLAYERS GUIDE
--------------------------------
First Updated - 13th March 2003
Last Updated - 18th May 2003
First Completed Version - 3rd April 2003
Second Completed Version - 22nd April 2003
Final Completed Version - 18 May 2003
Version Number - FINAL
Author - Luke O'Mac
Email - [email protected]
Copyright 2003 Luke O'Mac--------------------------------

--------------------------------
Introduction
--------------------------------
BEGIN FAQ - PRESS CTRL+F AND TYPE IN FINISH FAQ TO GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS FAQ

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Welcome to my renamed Top 100 Players FAQ for Championship Manager 2002/2003 on
the Xbox. This is my first FAQ for GameFAQs.com, and I am hoping that you think
it is a good and easy FAQ to use.

If I have made any mistakes at all for this FAQ please email me and tell me. I
will mention you on this FAQ that you corrected me. Please I will not accept any
more players, as this is the last update, but feel free to email me for
questions.

Thanks again.

Oh and by the way, in case you haven't heard, Championship Manager 4 is
officially coming to Xbox! Hooray!
--------------------------------

--------------------------------
Updates
--------------------------------
FINAL VERSION (18th May 2003) The very last update - a few new players but it's
over. That's it. Plus the FAQ has been renamed to the top 100 players.

Version 2.20 (5th May 2003) Thanks to Scott Newby for some top class players
added to the long list, thanx! Some goalies, defenders and attackers, go check
`em out!

Version 2.00 (22nd April 2003) Wow, a massive update! Big MASSIVE thanks to
james2 for the contribution, as a load of players have been updated! Sheesh!
There's so many players now, this is the 2nd completed version!

Version 1.20 (15th April 2003) Sorry about the long wait! I've updated some new
players on the list. You can now check out how many players there are on the
lists with a 'Facts' part of the Player lists! Cool!

Version 1.00 (1st April 2003) Hooray, the first finished version! Sorry about
long wait! Added a few more players, plus ASCII art from my other FAQ. More
sites are on my permission list, and an important note is added to the notes on
the transfer section.

Version 0.92 (21st March 2003) - Site added to host sites, a few more players on
the list. Nearly got to the 1st finished version. I've also added a new 'Cheap
Players XI' pitch layout like the 'Dream XI' one.

Version 0.80 (18th March 2003) - I have added a few more players, but still not
finished the FAQ. I modified the 'Dream XI' a bit too.

Version 0.75 (13th March 2003)- Put most players on, but more to come soon

--------------------------------
Added Players and Features
--------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FINAL VERSION
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Players - Roque Santa Cruz, Rosicky, Van Der Vaart, Mutu, Adriano, Kasey Keller,
Craig Bellamy
Features - Renamed FAQ
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Version 2.20
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Players - Sebastian Frey, Franceso Toldo, Sol Campbell, Javier Zanetti, Paolo
Montero, Patrick Vieria, Andrei Schevchenko, Javier Saviola, Raul, Edgar Davids,
Patrick Kluivert
Features - Modified the Top Players XI
Sections - Added Contacting Luke O'Mac
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Version 2.00 Update
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm sorry, there's too many to mention, James2 has provided me with over 50 new
players for the FAQ! All you'se guys who gave me new players, they'll be on the
next update, OK?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Version 1.20 Update
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Players - Ednilson, Quinton Fortune, Georcelin, David Bellion, Lucas Cornwall,
Lee Chilvers
Features - Facts on Transfer List section
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Version 1.00 Update
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Players - Ricardo Quaresma, Portillo, Landon Donavan, Paul Bosvelt, Catanha,
Ryan Giggs, David Beckham
Features - No. of Players Facts, Cheap XI completed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Version 0.92 Update
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Players - Cafu, Martin Laursen, Andrea Pirlo,
Features - Cheap Players XI
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Version 0.80 Update
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Players - Jordan Stewart, Youri Djorkaeff, Marco Simone, Luis Figo
--------------------------------
Table Of Contents
--------------------------------
I. Legal Stuff
II. Tips for Championship Manager
III. Top Players List
a. GOALKEEPERS
b. DEFENDERS
c. MIDFIELDERS
d. ATTACKERS
IV. Championship Manager Dream Team and Cheap Players XI
V. Frequently Asked Questions
VI. Contacting Luke O'Mac
VI. Credits
--------------------------------

--------------------------------
I. LEGAL STUFF
--------------------------------
Here THAT stuff. Hell, I need it, so I shouldn't complain. I must make sure I
put all this crap here, so here we are.

This FAQ was created by Luke McCarthy-Reed (c) 2003. Any use of this FAQ on any
site besides GameFaqs.com is illegal. This FAQ is copyrighted by Luke McCarthy
Reed. It may be not be reproduced under any circumstances except for personal,
private use. It may not be placed on any web site or otherwise distributed
publicly without advance written permission. Use of this guide on any other web
site or as a part of any public display is strictly prohibited, and a violation
of copyright. All trademarks and copyrights contained in this document are owned
by their respective trademark and copyright holders.
These are the current sites that are able to host this FAQ:

http://www.gamefaqs.com
http://omacsgames.cjb.net - My *new* site ^_^
http://www.cheatcc.com
http://www.neoseeker.com
http://www.gamers-realm.com
http://www.gamenation.com.au

(Sorry if I've missed a site out. Email me ASAP if I have!)

If you want to use this FAQ on your site, you'll need to ask me first. So check
out `Contacting Luke O'Mac' at the bottom of the FAQ - try on one of these ideas
to ask me. Emailing is the easiest way, so my addy is down there somewhere. I
say yes most of the time, so don't be afraid to ask.
--------------------------------

--------------------------------
II. TIPS FOR CHAMPIONSHIP MANAGER
--------------------------------
Try these tips to get better results and stuff like that:

1. Always rest your players. I have progressively learnt that you should never
keep playing the same team game after game unless you are totally confident.
Your players will get tired and fatigued easy and may complain about your
management. Make sure you have players good enough to have a squad rotation
system.

2. Never overspend. If you keep selling players and keep buying new ones, your
fans will get tiresome of your antics and start to complain about you. I'm not
saying don't buy anybody, just make sure you buy over a period of time.

3. Don't annoy the FA or the board. They both will lose their confidence and
temper if you either keep complaining to the FA or if you keep handing in
threatens to leave the club to the board.

4. Keep an eye on the player's rating when playing matches. The match commentary
will also help you improve match results. If a match is not that important, then
simply just make the match speed very fast. But if you have an important match I
suggest you put the speed on slow as you can tell how players are performing and
make some good decisions

5. Keep a good team a happy team. If you keep winning and win cups and
tournaments, then you are obviously a good manager who let's their players train
well and use a good squad rotation system. If you keep disciplining players for
no reason and keep playing the same squad over and over, then the team will
complain and ask to leave your team. But don't be scared to discipline. I reckon
the best times to discipline are when players are sent off or have been playing
unbelievably bad. If they get a 5 match ban, give them a good fine, they should
accept it. If they are playing bad, just warn them.

6. Before the start of the season, or after it, make sure you set up tours and
friendlies to make your team ready for the challenge that lies ahead. With these
friendly matches, you can keep rotating your team to see how players perform,
and you can then choose your best team due to these friendlies and the
performances during the season to make up your strongest side. The only real
problem with these friendly matches is to watch out for injuries.

7. Never play a player until he has been classed OK to play, and he is back in
full training for the squad. If you play a player with an orange 'INJ' next to
his name, his is able to play, but he is still injured. Don't even think about
playing him though because he will come off after about 5-10 minutes and his
injury will get worse.

8. Don't get sacked. Simple.

For more good tips for your management, visit my other FAQ for this game,
available on all sites on my permission list. Just click back to go back to the
Champ. Manager pages, and go on the other guide to see a few tips for CM 02/03.
---------------------------------

---------------------------------
III. TOP PLAYERS
---------------------------------
This is the main part of this FAQ. I have split each section up to make it more
accessible and easier to read. If you have suggested a player on the message
boards, I will mention your name, so don't worry. As the FAQ gets updated
progressively, I will add more defenders, midfielders, etc. So don't think this
FAQ is gonna stay like this forever!

To add a player to the list, simple email me or reply on the Championship
Manager 02/03 message boards and I will give you full credit.

*KEY*
(P) = Premiership
(D1) = Division 1
(D2) = Division 2
(D3) = Division 3
(UL) = Unknown League

Name: Player's Full Name
Age: His age(will affect his performance-he may get more injured if he is older)
Side Position: If he plays on the right, left, etc(Doesn't affect goalies)
Team: Who he plays for - (the better the team, the more he may be)
Fee: The amount you have to pay for him at least (The more you pay the better
chance of signing him)
Star Rating: How good I rate him (Out of 5 - 1 being bad, 5 being great)
My Opinion: What I personally think about this player on Championship Manager.

*NOTE* As from this years season in European Football, a 'TRANSFER WINDOW' has
started. This Transfer Window prohibits any signings between football teams
between the dates. This rule has taken full affect on this years Championship
Manager. These are the dates where Teams are allowed to buy players.

ENGLAND: 1ST JULY -> 31ST AUGUST and 1ST JANUARY -> 1ST FEBRUARY
SPAIN: 1ST JULY -> 31ST SEPTEMBER, I THINK and 1ST DECEMBER -> ?
ITALY: UNKNOWN

I am trying to find out Italy and Spain's transfer window as soon as possible.
If you know, please email me. Thank you.

*NOTE 2* Some of the prices on the players may be wrong due to the fact teams
may change prices of players at any time, plus I am getting these facts from a
saved file halfway thru the 02/03 season so some things my be wrong, sorry!!!!

*NOTE 3* Remember, If the team is unknown on the player, just search for him on
the 'Find' option. If you don't find the player, just email me and I'll sort out
the problem. Thanks.

*NOTE 4* Something new I noticed. Some players are only found when a league is
loaded as a background league. To find out more about this, I shall be
mentioning it in my Strategy Guide. Thanks.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#######
#FACTS#
#######

Overall No. of Players on list: 100

Current No. of Goalies: 16
Current No. of Defenders: 30
Current No. of Midfielders: 30
Current No. of Forwards: 21
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*NOTE 5* All the players with (Thanks to James2) over their stuff was written by
James2 himself, and he has contributed to this FAQ massively. Thanks so much
dude, and I hope your FAQ will be wicked. The opinions are his opinions, and I
haven't modified them. All I have done to them is change the ratings to stars
and the cost of players from letters to digits. Here's what James2 has to say
about the players:

"Here is a list of players I have bought and tested. As you can see many are
young and a hard to find on your own. All are accessible from the Standard
English league.

If you cant find the player you want, then go to the team he was at and view the
transfers page. Here you can see what players the club has bought/sold and your
player should be in there. Just click on his name.
Note- all values are approx. as they fluctuate throughout the game."

*NOTE 6* Please note that new players added on the final version will NOT have a
my opinion due to the fact that I no longer have the game. This is also a factor
in the reason that this is the final update :(

a. GOALKEEPERS

Name: Peter Schmeichel
Age: 36
Team: Manchester City (P)
Fee: Very cheap, but free after the 1st season due to Bosman Ruling
Star Rating (Out of 5): ****
My Opinion: A good goalkeeper. I did sign him on my game as my second keeper
though, so if you are a top team, say Manchester United or Arsenal, then he
obviously isn't a desperate buy, but still a handy buy never the less.

Name: Santiago Canizares
Age: Unknown
Team: Valencia (Spain)
Fee: o8,750,000
Star Rating: ***
My Opinion: Another good keeper, but disappoints. I also signed this keeper on
my game, but he failed to live up to my expectations. Bit of a high priced
keeper too.

Name: Fabien Barthez
Age: 31
Team Manchester United (P)
Fee: o13,500,000
Star Rating: ****
MY Opinion: Great keeper. Good all-rounder, and really doesn't turn against you.
The only time he has been unhappy for me is when his contract was coming up to
it's expiry date. Incredibly dear though, arguably one of the best keepers on
the game though.

Name: Olivier Kahn
Age: 33
Team: Bayern Munich (Germany)
Fee: o6,750,000
Star Rating: *****
My Opinion: If you have the money and have a dodgy keeper, BUY KAHN. He is
absolutely superb on Championship Manager, and is considerably cheaper than
others. He is a bit edgy with his moods, and turned against me quickly on my
game. Still a great goalie though.

Name: Brad Friedel
Age: 34
Team: Blackburn (P)
Fee: Unknown
Star Rating: ***
My Opinion: Old, but good. I've heard good things about Friedel on Championship
Manager, and usually the press praise his performances. The only problem with
signing Friedel is the fact that he is quite old for a keeper, and retires
quickly.

Name: Roy Carroll
Age: 25
Team: Manchester United (Starts on Reserves)
Fee: o4,500,000
Star Rating: ****
My Opinion: I reckon Carroll is the best young keeper on the game. He is a
superb goalie and let in 2 goals in 6 matches on my saved file. He is usually
always happy, and likes cheap contracts. A Good signing.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Paul Robinson
Age- 22
Position(s)- GK
Club- Leeds
Value- o500,000
Rating- *****
My Opinion- Very cheap and very good. He starts off with great stats but because
of his age he can only improve. Anyone looking for a keeper, whether first team
or as backup, this is your man.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Van Der Saar
Age- 31
Position(s)- GK
Club- Fulham
Value- o4,400,000
Rating- ***
My Opinion- Great keeper as cover, but his stats will start to drop along with
his value after a while so he's only good for lower league leagues.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Martin Herrera
Age- 31
Position(s)- GK
Club- Fulham
Value- o2,900,000
Rating- ****
My Opinion- very reliable and loyal but like Van der Saar his value and stats
will start to drop after a few seasons.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Maik Taylor
Age- 31
Position(s)- GK
Club- Fulham
Value- o1,400,000
Rating- ****
My Opinion- despite his age, his stats seem to maintain a high level for a
while. Great bargain for lower teams as he gets fed p of being third choice at
Fulham after about 2 months.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Paul Smith
Age- 22
Position(s)- GK
Club- Brentford
Value- o170,000
Rating- ****
My Opinion- great value as a backup for big teams or as a regular starter. His
stats will gradually go up and so will his value. Very sought after though.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Andy Marshall
Age- 27
Position(s)- GK
Club- Ipswich
Value- o1,200,000
Rating- *****
My Opinion- if you have the money then buy this player. Millwall will be chasing
him early on so be quick. All this player is missing is an England cap because
many a time has he kept me in a game with great saves. He even saved a Van
Nistelrooy penalty in an FA Cup-tie!

(Thanks to James2)
Name- David James
Age- 32
Position(s)- GK
Club- West Ham
Value- o2,000,000
Rating- *****
My Opinion- this is my No.1 England keeper. Great reaction saves and very loyal.
Tends to be overtaken by younger stars after about three seasons though.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Stephen Bywater
Age- 21
Position(s)- GK
Club- West Ham
Value- o500,000
Rating- *****
My Opinion- another quality keeper in the making. All he needs is a few games
and his stats will rocket. Definitely one to watch out for seeing as Glen Roeder
will keep him on the bench for most of the first season. Is a quiet member of
the squad who lets his football do the talking.

Name: Sebastian Frey
Age: 22
Position: Goalie
Club: Parma
Value: o1,700,000
Rating: *****
(Thanks to Scott Newby)
My Opinion: Seb Frey is a young keeper, and is suprisingly cheap for a keeper of
his talent. He rarely gets and cards on CM 02/03, and is a strong goalie. He is
only 22 and worth just 1.7 million, but Parma may put up a fight to sell this
kid. He's a good goalie to use as a sub or in the first team though.

Name: Franceso Toldo
Age: 30
Position: Goalie
Club: Inter Milan
Value: o10,500,000
Rating: *****
(Thanks to Scott Newby)
My Opinion: 10 million is a good asking price for Toldo because he is ,again
like Frey, a great talent for a player between the posts. Again, he is very
strong and very good but Inter find Toldo a great talent to have and if you ant
him BADLY, prepare for a price increase. If you get him, well done because Toldo
is a great keeper.

Name: Kasey Keller
Age: Unknown
Position: Goalie
Club: Tottenham Hotspur
Value: Around œ5,000,000
Rating: ***
My Opinion: A good sub keeper to have, and is trust worthy in goals. Pretty
cheap too, and Tottenham usually use Neil Sullivan, so it shouldn't be too hard
to get him. Kept a lot of clean sheets on my game before.

========================
b. DEFENDERS
========================

Name: Kevin Hofland
Age: 23
Side Position: Central
Team: PSV Eindhoven (Holland)
Fee: o3,900,000
Star Rating:***
My Opinion: Hofland grows into a world class defender on Championship Manager,
as long as you keep him playing in a good solid position and treat him well. He
gets tired a lot though, so watch out for that.

Name: Mikael Silvestre
Age: 25
Side Position: Left
Team: Manchester United (P)
Fee: o5,000,000
Star Rating:****
My Opinion: Arguably the best left winger on the game. But that's just what I,
And my friends think. He is a good player thought undoubtly, and is worth 5
million pounds. The problem I found with Silvestre though is that he can get
a little fussy with a contract and may become unhappy once in a while. But don't
worry about that, he's still a top defender who scores a few.

Name: Walter Samuel
Age: 24
Side Position: Central, I think
Team: Roma (Italy)
Fee: o20,000,000
Star Rating:*****
(Thanks to james2)
My Opinion: Apparently the best defender on the game. This could be true as he
is a superb defender on Championship Manager. He tackles well, gets good average
ratings, but is 20 million pounds, and Roma may only release him after a season
or two, so it's pretty hard to get this guy!(Thanks to James2)

Name: Wilfried Bouma
Age: 24
Side Position:
Team: PSV Eindhoven (Holland)
Fee: o7,000,000
Star Rating:****
My Opinion: Bouma is talented on Championship Manager, but isn't up to the
Standard or some players like Carlos or Samuel. PSV may let him go for a willing
price. He is a good defender though and is worth the money, so I can't really
say that he is rubbish. The good thing about Bouma is that he isn't that fussy
about contracts, and he scores a few for me, so overall a good buy.(Thanks to
Chopper)

Name: Joeleon Lescott
Age: 20
Side Position: Central, I think
Team: Wolverhampton Wanderers (D1)
Fee: o675,000
Star Rating:***
(Thanks to NeMeSiS vEnOmOuS)
My Opinion: Yes, I know, you may of not heard of Lescott, tell you the truth, I
never heard of him. But he's one hell of a buy. Seeing as he is only worth 675k
and is playing for Wolves, I found him good to use as a sub for your team,
because he's a good buy, but isn't superb. Still, I advise you to buy him as a
sub or something.(Thanks to NeMeSiS vEnOmOuS)

Name: Michael Hartmann
Age: 28
Side Position: Right Winger
Team: Hertha BSC (Germany)
Fee: Free (After 1 season, his contract runs out)
Star Rating:***
My Opinion: Now, Hartmann is a pretty difficult person to explain. Wait until
the first season is up, so you can get him on the Bosman ruling. When you do get
him, he will start off superb, but then his performances deteriorated for me. He
was still playing good, but he was getting 6's and 5's for his rating. So, it's
up to you really. He is a good buy for free, though.

Name: Lillian Thuram
Age: 28
Side Position: Central/Right Winger
Team: Juventus (Italy)
Fee: Over o10,000,000
Star Rating:****
My Opinion: Lillian Thuram. You really can't say anything bad about this player.
Except he's fussy. His contracts are usually high, but it's worth it as he
usually plays superb, so he is worth all the money you may spend on him. He's a
fast player on the wing who can put in some good crosses. If you got the money,
buy him.

Name: Bixente Lizarazu
Age: 33
Side Position: Right winger
Team: Bayern Munich (Germany)
Fee: o1,900,000
Star Rating:****
My Opinion: Lizarazu is a great defender, and the best thing is that on the 5
games I've started on Championship Manager, on 4 of them, he has requested a
transfer from Bayern, so he is pretty easy to get hold of. He is incredibly
cheap, so I think that he should be a definite buy for anyone who needs a
defender.

Name: Roberto Carlos
Age: 25, I think
Side Position: Central
Team: Real Madrid (Spain)
Fee: o20,000,000
Star Rating:*****
My Opinion: The best free kicker in the world. Also, the best free kicker on
Championship Manager. He is one hell of a defender, and if you have a spare 20 -
25 million pounds, go for him. His price makes him incredibly hard to get. If
you do get him though, man, he is one of the best defenders on the game, and
make sure you use him as your free kick taker, as you'll see the results fly in
as victories!

Name: Jordan Stewart
Age: 21
Side Position: Left/Centre (Also Midfielder)
Team: Leicester City (D1)
Fee: o775,000 - Free after about January 2003
Star Rating: ***
My Opinion: This kid is a great talent for a young player, and a recommended
signing. He plays well at back, but again isn't the talent that is Thuram or
Carlos. He does build up into a good player though, so he is a good, cheap young
player to use as a sub for the bigger teams, and a top player for the lower
teams. Leicester City don't mind letting him go either.

Name: Cafu
Age: 32
Side Position: Right
Team: Roma (Italy)
Fee: o9,750,000
Star Rating: ****
My Opinion: Now you surely should of the Brazilian defender Cafu, right? He's a
great signing on Championship Manager because of his tackling and determination.
He is a loyal captain and great defender for your team too, as he decreased the
amount of goals my team (Man Utd) were letting in after I signed him. If you got
around o10,000,000 spare, then I suggest buying Cafu.

Name: Martin Laursen
Age: 25
Side Position: Centre
Team: AC Milan (Italy)
Fee: o1,800,000
Star Rating: ****
(Thanks to fozzyflop)
My Opinion: You may not of heard of Laursen, but he is one of my top cheap buys
on the game. He is an incredibly cheap buy that improves the rating of your team
very much. The good thing is that his contracts are pretty low, but AC Milan may
put up a fight to keep him, so watch out for that factor. Just add a few extra
thousand on the fee, and he should be yours.

Name: Lee Chilvers
Age: 21
Side Position: Defender (Right + Centre)
Team: Arsenal
Fee: o725,000
Rating: ***
(Thanks to McGreal)
My Opinion: This Arsenal ( :-( grrrr...) defender is again one of these young
guns that performs very well for a good team. He is certainly not the standard
of Campbell, Thuram, etc but he is a good defender that is very useful to the
lower league teams. He doesn't really go for high salaries on contracts, which
is pretty good :). Hey, he's only 725k, so if you want a cheap defender, here's
ya man! I recommend using him as a replacement player though.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Rufus Brevett
Age- 32
Position(s)- Defender left
Club- Fulham
Value- o475,000
Rating - ***
My Opinion- great as cover but not good enough for a regular first team place in
a quality team. Great though for lower teams who need a bit of strength on the
left-hand side.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Jon Harley
Age- 22
Position(s)- Defender/Attacking Midfielder left
Club- Fulham
Value- o3,400,00
Rating - ****
My Opinion- needs experience but is a good player. Best played as a wingback so
he can be both defender and attacking midfielder. Can hold down a first team
place but needs to watched carefully on the big occasions.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Pierre Wome
Age- 23
Position(s)- Defender/Defensive Midfielder left, centre
Club- Fulham
Value- o3,800,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- this is a good player for a team that uses squad rotation. He can
play in four different positions but is capable of failing to deliver on the big
occasion.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Julio Arca
Age- 21
Position(s)- defender/midfielder left
Club- Sunderland
Value- o2,500,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- this is one player that I can't praise enough. He pulls off
consistent displays for my Newcastle squad and is very loyal. He handles
pressure like water off a ducks back and is very professional (no diving or
ungentlemanly behaviour)

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Olivier Bernard
Age- 22
Position(s)- defender/ attacking midfielder left
Club- Newcastle
Value- o3,300,000
Rating - ****
My Opinion- great as backup, he will always be pushing forward to put crosses
in. at the moment he's not happy with his contract (in my game) however I have
been playing him because Arca is away with Argentina, so whether he is just a
moody sod remains to be seen.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Jonathan Woodgate
Age- 22
Position(s)- sweeper/defender
Club- Leeds
Value- o3,100,000
Rating - ****
My Opinion- takes a while to settle but is quality. The way his stats and
performances rise will reflect this. Best left to waver in and out of the first
team for the first season until he can compete in the champions league.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Darren Ward
Age-23
Position(s)- Defender, central
Club- Millwall
Value- o500,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- handles pressure well and performs consistently well. His value will
go sky high after a while but he's well worth keeping. To me, `the next Walter
Samuel'. Which takes us onto.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Paul Robinson
Age- 23
Position(s)- defender/defensive midfielder left, centre
Club- Watford
Value- o1,400,000
Rating - ***
My Opinion- not essential but worth a look. Gets nervous in big matches but
isn't one to jump out of a crunching tackle. The problem is that when you have
finally got Watford to let go of him, you realise you can spend the money on
better talent.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Andy O'Brien
Age- 23
Position(s)- defender, central
Club- Newcastle
Value- o2,400,000
Rating - ****
My Opinion- this is a player well worth training up. Seems to be forgotten at
his home club and can eventually be tempted away when he gets fed up of being
left behind. My `unsung hero'.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- John O'Shea
Age- 21
Position(s)- defender, central
Club- Man Utd
Value- o500,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- Starts off as a fringe player but by using him in my squad rotation
system has made him a much better player. His tackling and marking are of
international quality after just 6 months and he's two footed.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Danny Mills
Age- 25
Position(s)- defender/defensive midfielder right, centre
Club- Leeds
Value- o4,000,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion-I am a big fan of this player and he seems to reward my trust in him
by playing well. He's definitely one to nominate for a wing back role and can
also act as cover for the centre backs.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Aaron Hughes
Age- 22
Position(s)- defender/defensive midfielder right left and centre
Club- Newcastle
Value- o2,000,000
Rating - ****
My Opinion- the best covering defender. Although only right footed, he can play
anywhere in the defending part of the field. Doesn't let big games get to him
and is best suited as staying back to protect the goal in attacking moves.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Steve Finnan
Age-26
Position(s)- defensive midfielder, right and left
Club- Fulham
Value- o2,400,000
Rating - ***
My Opinion- only good for cover, he cant compete in big games as he simply gets
over-run. Good value though and a good buy for the smaller team.

Name: Sol Campbell
Age: 27
Position: Central
Club: Arsenal (Booo!)
Value: o6,000,000
Rating: ****
(Thanks to Scott Newby)
My Opinion: Sol Campbell is probably the strongest defender on the game and he
goes in for tackles occasionally, but usually wins the ball. The problem? He has
got sent off twice for me.plus he plays for Arsenal (There's only one United!)
He is incredibly cheap for a player of his ability, so he is a good signing to
buy

Name: Javier Zanetti
Age: 29
Position: Right (Also defensive midfielder)
Club: Inter Milan
Value: o13,000,000
Rating: ****
(Thanks to Scott Newby)
My Opinion: He plays for Inter, you really expect him to be cheaper? Nah,
Zanetti's a world class talent that's worth every penny. OK, he does get injured
frequently, but he's a great defender, and buying him is a great idea due to the
fact that he has amazing skill. His stats are pretty god too, so if you are
desperate, put the price up to 16 million, 17 million maybe.

Name: Paolo Montero
Age: 31
Position: Sweeper/Defender Central
Club: Juvemtus
Value: o5,000,000 (Free after 2 seasons)
Rating: *****
(Thanks to Scott Newby)
My Opinion: Montero's a veteran of football, and very cheap too. He's only 5
million, or just wait 2 seasons and he'll available on the bosman ruling. There
is a mystery on my Man Utd 04/05 save file, because at the end of the 2003/2004
season, I got news saying `Manchester United have signed Paolo Montero for free
on the bosman ruling'. The thing was that I hadn't even tried to get him, let
alone sign him on the Bosman ruling! Anyway, whatever happened was great because
my defence has been ever so solid ever since!

Name: Edgar Davids
Age: 29
Position: Central (Defensive Midfielder too)
Club: Juventus
Value: o15,500,000
Rating: *****
My Opinion: The Dutch Master, as I like to call him, is one of my favourite
players on the game. Not only does he wear those cool glasses (lol) but he is a
massive talent and if you have the money, SIGN HIM. He is a superb defender, if
he plays in defence, or just in front of the defence, it doesn't matter because
wherever he plays back there he plays unbelievably good. He occasionally scores,
and if you got the 16 million, get him. Juventus will put up a fight for him
though so watch out for that.

==========================
c. MIDFIELDERS
==========================

Name: Athirson
Age: 25
Side Position: Central (Also a defender)
Team: Flamengo (Brazil)
Fee: o3,200,000
Star Rating: ***
My Opinion: A good Brazilian midfielder that has the courage to play at back
too. He is actually quite strong with tackles, and got a few yellow cards for
me, so watch out. A good buy though, and he is reasonably cheap.

Name: Bojan Djordic
Age: 19
Side Position: Attacking (But in my opinion plays much better on the left wing)
Team: Manchester United (Reserves)
Fee: o1,500,000 I think
Rating: ****
My Opinion: Even though this kid is pretty much unheard of compared to the
Rest of the Man Utd team, he is one hell of a talented youth player. He is an
attacking midfielder, but plays ever so much better on the left hand side.
Another good thing about Djordic is he goes for cheap contracts too.

Name: Julian Gray
Age: 23
Side Position: Attacking (Also Striker and Defender!)
Team: Crystal Palace (D1)
Fee: o300,000
Star Rating: ****
My Opinion: This guy starts off pretty good, but let me guarantee this, after a
few seasons, he is worth o25,000,000 and is a hot striker. He pretty much keeps
scoring. He is a good player at front as well and midfield and defence. A handy
signing.

Name: Luis Figo
Age: ??
Side Position: Attacking Midfielder (Also Forward)
Team: Real Madrid (Spain)
Fee: o12,750,000
Star Rating: ****
My Opinion: FIGO FOR 13 MILLION? Yep, it's true, Figo is only worth 13 million
on Champ. Manager, and Real Madrid let him go easily too! A dream come true, is
it? Is it? Well, yes, but no. Figo is a massively good player on Championship
Manager 2002/2003, but he disappoints a bit. He isn't the best player ever, but
is still a goal scoring machine. Really, you should buy him if you can!

Name: Ricardo Quaresma
Age: 19
Side Position: Left or Right Wing
Team: Sporting Lisbon (Portugal)
Fee: o1,200,000
Star Rating: ***
(Thanks to wheat)
My Opinion: I haven't signed this kid on my game, but he sounds like a good
player according to a few sources that I have. I have a friend who signed this
player when he looked t the message boards, and on his 2nd match he scored 2
goals, and by the end of the season scored 20-odd goals! Sounds like a good
talent to watch out for.

Name: Paul Bosvelt
Age: 32
Side Position: Right Winger
Team: Feyenoord (Netherlands)
Fee: o5,500,000
Star Rating: ****
My Opinion: Paul Bosvelt is a reliable winger CM 02/03. He doesn't get injured a
lot, is worthy of captaincy, gets in good tackles and scores a few as well. He
is more of a defensive midfielder than an attacking one. At 5 and a half million
pounds, he is a good buy for your team, whether you'll use him as a first team
regular or a backup, he is a great buy that stays loyal.

Name: David Beckham
Age: 27
Side Position: Right/Centre
Team: Manchester United (P)
Fee: o18,750,000
Star Rating: *****
My Opinion: He doesn't come cheap, but if you can get him, it will be worth it.
I truly do think that David Beckham is the best damn midfielder on the game. Of
course, he is a master at taking free kicks and corners, and scores regularly.
Also a good captain for your team. Like I said, the problem is getting
Manchester United to sell him. A good tip is to wait a few seasons, then try.

Name: Ryan Giggs
Age: 28
Side Position: Attacking/Left
Team: Manchester United
Fee: o9,750,000
Star Rating: ****
My Opinion: Wey hey, Giggsy, the Welsh Dragon! I had to include this superb
midfielder seeing as I'm Welsh and we are the best team in the UK! Anyway...
Ryan Giggs is a world class midfielder like Beckham, but he does get a hell of a
lot of injuries, especially on my 2 games I have at the moment. He was injured
for 2 months, came back, then my physio told me he was worried, so I sent his
ass to rehab for 6 month, then he returned for 4 games and got injured again.
Great, huh? He is a good player, yes, but gets injured too easy.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Steven Reid
Age- 21
Position(s)- defender/attacking midfielder/forward left, right and centre
Club- Millwall
Value- o600,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- BARGAIN ALERT! Snap this play up quickly. He is two footed, which
means he can play anywhere on the field. Needs time to develop into a first
teamer but is great for cover.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Jason Wilcox
Age- 31
Position(s)- attacking midfielder left
Club- Leeds
Value- o2,100,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- the answer to England's left sided problem. Great crossing and
deadly in the box, but his stats start to fade away after two seasons.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Chris Carruthers
Age- 18
Position(s)- defender/midfielder/forward right left and centre
Club- Northampton
Value- o350,000
Rating - ***
My Opinion- needs time to develop but if you train him right then he will be a
star. Like Reid he can play anywhere but for Chris you need to hold him back for
a while.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Robin van Persie
Age- 18
Position(s)- attacking midfielder/forward left
Club- Feyenoord
Value- o325,000
Rating - ****
My Opinion- with a bit of time and patience Robin will develop into a gem. While
he'll cost 4m to prise away from Holland, make him a squad rotation player and
bring him on towards the end of a game you are winning. He puts in some good
crosses and is best suited to a short passing tactic.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- David Bryan
Age-16
Position(s)- midfielder, centre
Club- Southend
Value- o55,000
Rating - ****
My Opinion- this is a real battle to get him away from Roots Hall but it is
worth it. For your cash you get a loyal player who has masses upon masses of
potential. His passing and creativity is at 17 and he will put in around 60
passes per game. Well worth the time and effort to train up although he can take
care of himself and play against the big boys.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- David Prutton
Age- 20
Position(s)- defender/defensive midfielder right and centre
Club- Notts Forest
Value- o1,200,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- can fit in to any team without an introduction. Best played in the
holding role infront of defence but great for cover further back and out to the
right. Can also make a good captain and will perform consistently well in a few
years time.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Gareth Williams
Age- 20
Position(s)- midfielder, centre
Club- Notts Forest
Value- o1,000,000
Rating - ***
My Opinion- needs a lot of time to develop and won't come out swimming if thrown
in the deep end early on. Best left to play a few seasons in the reserves or out
on loan. Very creative and a good paring with David Bryan.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Joe Cole
Age- 20
Position(s)- attacking midfielder left and centre
Club- West Ham
Value- o4,800,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- best played behind the front two, this player can only get better.
Two footed, great passing, creative, strong, never out of running and a good
choice for captain.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Darren Fletcher
Age- 18
Position(s)- attacking midfielder, right and centre
Club- Man U
Value- o1,100,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- needs to develop but best to be thrown in. great passing and very
creative. Problem is to get him off Man u for a good price. Tricky.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Michael Carrick
Age- 20
Position(s)- defensive midfielder, centre
Club- West Ham
Value- o3,700,000
Rating - ****
My Opinion- needs around a season of squad rotation before being considered as
an essential player. His marking and tackling stats should rise over time, but
before you know it he'll be a candidate for captain and have a great long shot.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Eugen Bopp
Age- 18
Position(s)- Midfielder, right and centre
Club- Notts Forest
Value- o750,000
Rating - ***
My Opinion- due to his lack of pace it is recommended that you play him in the
middle with instructions to cross the ball. This way he may drift out wide and
play a few in without getting caught out. Needs to time to develop but is a
great investment for the future.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Harry Kewell
Age- 23
Position(s)- attacking midfielder/forward left and centre
Club- Leeds
Value- o9,000,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- fast and lethal. Even more deadly when given a free role in the
team. Great to bring on when the team needs a lift but his quality ensures a
first team place every time.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Juan Sebastian Veron
Age- 27
Position(s)- attacking midfielder, central
Club- Man U
Value- o17,000,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- the best player in the game hands down. Everything he touches turns
to either goals or a great attacking move. Great at free kicks and is best
played as captain with a free role.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Jun-ichi Inamoto
Age- 22
Position(s)- defensive midfielder, central
Club- Fulham
Value- o2,700,000
Rating - ****
My Opinion- forget the position, play him as an attacking player. He's like the
younger version of Veron when at the top of his game, minus the impressive
stats. A loyal and professional player, very cheap in wages too.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Hugo Viana
Age- 19
Position(s)- attacking midfielder, central
Club- Newcastle
Value- o3,500,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- think of the younger version of Zidane. Tons of flair and has great
vision yet still has plenty of room for potential. A must buy.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Jermaine Jenas
Age- 19
Position(s)- defensive midfielder, central
Club- Newcastle
Value- o2,000,000
Rating - ****
My Opinion- great partner for Carrick and very similar.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Kieron Dyer
Age-23
Position(s)- defensive midfielder, right and centre
Club- Newcastle
Value- o6,500,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- like Inamoto, forget his position and give him an attacking role.
Has great vision and is of immense value to any team. Very loyal and a true
professional.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Martin Rowlands
Age- 23
Position(s)- attacking midfielder right and centre
Club- Brentford
Value- o400,000
Rating - ***
My Opinion- great buy for lower league teams. Best played out wide due to his
quality crossing and good dribbling. Low on wages and good value for the
performances he will put in over the course of a season.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Lee Bowyer
Age- 25
Position(s)- midfielder, right and centre
Club- Leeds
Value- o4,800,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- the cheaper alternative to David Beckham, and most often my
preferred choice due to the difference in price. Best played in the centre but
constantly finds himself out on the wing for my team. Is loyal and a great
player for those looking for a bit of quality in the middle. Good wages for a
class player too.

Name: Patrick Vieira
Age: 26
Position: Defensive Midfielder
Club: Arsenal (Booo!)
Value: o20,500,000
Rating: *****
(Thanks to Scott Newby)
My Opinion: Arguably the best midfielder in the Premier League, Vieira is a
world class talent that, if you had the money, would be a prefect buy. Hell, the
problem is his huge price sum that he's worth, and the fact that he plays for
Arsenal! Nah, seriously, Patrick is a superb player, and along with Veron,
probably the best midfielder in the game.

Name: Tomas Rosicky
Age: Unknown
Position: Attacking (Right)
Club: AC Milan, not sure
Value œ25,000,000 in 1 season
Rating: ***
(Thanks to [email protected] )

Name: .Van Der Vaart
Age: 25, I think
Position: Attacking (Left)
Club: Feyenoord
Value: Around œ10 - 15,000,000
Rating: ****
Thanks to [email protected]

==========================
d. FORWARDS
==========================

Name: Ruud Van Nistelrooy
Age: 26
Side Position: Striker
Team: Manchester United (P)
Fee: o19,500,000
Star Rating: *****
My Opinion: Absolutely superb striker. The problem is trying to persuade Man Utd
to release him because he is really a superb buy. His price is considerably
high, but I guarantee he is worth the money. Nothing much else to say, really!

Name: Youri Djorkaeff
Age: 35
Side Position: Forward (Also Attacking Midfielder)
Team: Bolton Wanderers (P)
Fee: o2,100,000
Star Rating: ****
My Opinion: Youri Djorkaeff is a great buy, and I was very surprised to see him
so cheap. He really does play well at front on this game, and plays just as good
in an attacking midfielder role. He did score on his debut for me, which is a
damn good sign of a quality player. Bolton aren't too fussy about letting him go
either.

Name: Marco Simone
Age: 34
Side Position: Striker
Team: Monaco (France)
Fee: o750,000
Star Rating: ****
My Opinion: This is one on my best signings I've ever done. You see, I put Luke
Chadwick (I was man Utd) on the transfer list. Now, Monaco wanted Chadwick for 2
Million, I think. So I decided a part exchange, and picked Simone because his
stats looked good, even though I never heard of him. I got him for free, and now
he's scored 18 goals in 1 season for me. He is a world class talent. Very, very
cheap too. Monaco let him go as well, and his contracts are very good. An under-
rated talent.

Name: Andrea Pirlo
Age: 23
Side Position: Striker
Team: AC Milan (Italy)
Fee: o3,500,000
Star Rating: ****
(Thanks to fozzyflop)
My Opinion: Andrea Pirlo is a huge talent of AC Milan that is sure to be a big
hitter. According to 'fozzyflop' on the message boards:

'...he is amazing as a striker, behind the front two...The most I have sold him
for
is 45 million!'

As you can tell, he is good, very good. Let me tell you, I signed him and what a
player! He scores occasionally, never gets into any real trouble and plays with
good ratings. Well worth 3 and a half million!

Name: Catanha
Age: 30
Side Position: Striker
Team: Celta Vigo (Spain)
Fee: o8,500,000
Star Rating: *****
My Opinion: Heard of Catanha before? No, not Cantona! Catanha, a Spanish striker
who is my greatest find on Championship Manager. He is an absolutely superb
purchase for your team, and I highly recommend him for a buy. The only problem
is that Celta may be a little harsh in letting him go, and it took me a whole
season one time to get him, so beware of that. Besides that, Catanha is a goal-
scoring machine, and is a great free kicker too. Buy him today!

Name: Landon Donavan
Age: 20
Side Position: Forward
Team: San Jose Earthquakes (America)
Fee: o3,500,000
Star Rating: ****
(thanks to james2)
My Opinion: You probably won't of heard of this guy, well, I didn't until james2
mentioned him on the message boards, and thanks very much james2, you have found
one hell of a great player! He frequently scores, and is pretty cheap at only 3
million. I am glad I bought him because he is a great backup for my team and
never complains about me lol. PLEASE NOTE to buy this player, you will need to
manage an American team OR have America as a background league. More on
background leagues coming in my other FAQ. Here's a note from James2:

"When you get him, place him in training and train him up as an attacking
midfielder. This way he can cover for midfield and attack while he `charges' his
stats up. To keep his work permit happy, bring him on towards the end of games
and give him the odd start. This is a player of immense quality and I cannot
tell you enough how much value he is to a team. Give him time and he should
start scoring frequently."

Name: Portillo
Age: 20
Side Position: Stiker
Team: Real Madrid (Maybe 'B' team, not sure)
Fee: o3,700,000
Star Rating: ***
(Thanks to [email protected])
My Opinion: I have recently bought this player, and he has lived up to the hype
andy78uk@aol told me. He is a good goal scorer, and is very cheap. This is the
email I received from andy:

' Portillo from Real Madrid. In the last 2 seasons for me he has scored 49 in 49
and so far this season he has scored 32 in 19. He is a seriously good player.'

He's right you know. Portillo is a pretty good player, so you should use him for
a sub or a frequent main player, depending on who you are managing. PLEASE NOTE
to buy this player, you will need to manage a Spanish team OR have Spain as a
background league. More on background leagues coming in my other FAQ.

Name: Ednilson
Age: 20
Side Position: Defensive Midfielder
Team: Benfica (Portugal)
Fee: o500,000
Rating: ****
(Thanks to James2)
My Opinion: This kid's a good talent, let me tell you. I was recommended by
James2 off the message boards, and what a recommendation! This kid is young and
fast and a good goalscorer. But he is a bit young, but that don't matter! Here's
what James2 said about this guy:

"this kid is a fantastic prospect for the future, but you'll need to give him a
rotation role to get him into your team. offer 4 million to paid over 6 months
and hes yours. i played him behind the front two in a champions league match
just now (i was short for players so i decided to give him his debut) and he
scored twice! against M.Haifa!"

Name: Justin Georcelin
Age: 17
Side Position: Striker (Centre)
Team: Northampton (D2)
Fee: Around o1,000,000
Rating: ***
(Thanks to James2)
My Opinion: OK, so he plays for Northampton? So what? This guys pretty slick,
and a top scorer, let me guarantee you that! He did score 6 goals in 4 games, so
that's a pretty classy record, you must say. The only problem I found with him
is that he got injured three times in 6 months, and when he DID get to play, he
usually got cards, and he got a lot for a forward! But still, very cheap and
very good. Hey, Roma wanted him on my game!

Name: David Bellion
Age: 20
Side Position: Forward
Team: Sunderland (P)
Fee: o1,100,000
Rating: *** 1/2
My Opinion: David Bellion is a great sub player for your team, but I wouldn't
say he's a top class player that should stay in your team. I kept his as my
reserve for van Nistelrooy on my game, and it worked perfectly! He does scores
frequently though, and a good player for the smaller teams. A cheap buy, but a
pretty good one in my opinion.

Name: Lucas Cornwall
Age: 22
Side Position: Forward
Team: Fulham (P)
Fee: o1,700,000
Rating: *** 1/2
(Thanks to James2)
My Opinion: Never heard of Lucas Cornwall? Well, the Fulham fans probably have,
but I hadn't. Not until championship manager, anyway lmao. This guys a good all
round forward, and he has scored frequently on my friends game. Again, the
problem with this striker is that he does get injured more than other players,
as I must agree with Scottyishere1 on the message boards. But he's very cheap
but very talented, so a great buy really.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Cherno Samba
Age- 16
Position(s)- striker
Club- Millwall
Value- o925,000
Rating - ****
My Opinion- not as good as Georcelin but should be trained in the same way. Gets
a little impatient so look to loan him out once in a while.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Jonathan Stevenson
Age- 19
Position(s)- striker
Club- Leicester
Value- o1,200,000
Rating - ****
My Opinion- a good player to keep on the bench. He will develop into a quality
player and should score frequently when he turns 21.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Ian Armstrong
Age- 20
Position(s)- forward right left centre
Club- Port Vale
Value- o170,000
Rating - ****
My Opinion- cheaper alternative to Stevenson but comes less talented. Should
settle in no time and start banging goals in but only as a squad rotation
player.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Lee Hughes
Age- 26
Position(s)- striker
Club- West Bromich Albion
Value- o3,800,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- oozes potential and his stats will rise quickly. This is a great
example of buying players who aren't famous and making them world class. Should
hit the net 30 times in a season.

(Thanks to James2)
Name- Alan Smith
Age- 21
Position(s)- striker
Club- Leeds
Value- o6,500,000
Rating - *****
My Opinion- my favourite forward in the game. Has great flair, finishing,
dribbling and anticipation. Being two footed means I can shuffle him around in a
squad already swimming with stars. If you want 40 goals a season then buy this
player now. You will not regret it.

Name: Andrei Schevchenko
Age: 25
Position: Striker
Club: AC Milan
Value: o25,000,000
Rating: *****
(Thanks to Scott Newby)
My Opinion: Huh, don't even bother asking about the price! Yeah, Schevchenko is
really o25 million pounds, yet Figo is only 13 million? What has happened in the
world of CM? Anyway, Andrei (or Andriy, whatever) Schevchenko is a hell of a
player that is a top goalscorer and a first class person to have on your team.
As you can see, he is a bit pricey, and in my personal opinion, he is WAY too
over-priced, if that makes sense. But if you got 25 to 30 million pounds spare,
then go for him, you won't regret it.

Name: Javier Saviola
Age: 20
Position: Central
Club: FC Barcelona
Value: o16,000,000
Rating: *****
(Thanks to Scott Newby)
My Opinion: Barcelona is my top European team, apart form Man Utd, and Javier
Saviola is probably Barcelona's best talent. He's quick, smart, superb at
shooting and simply a huge talent for the future. The good thing is that he's
only 20! So he's got plenty of years in him, compared to the likes of Schmeichel
and Montero, so you will get him for years and years unless you sell him, of
course, but why would you want to do that?!

Name: Raœl
Age: 25
Position: Left + Centre
Club: Real Madrid
Value: o18,250,000
Rating: *****
(Thanks to Scott Newby)
My Opinion: The `David Beckham of Spain' is one of the world's biggest players,
and so he should be. He's incredibly quick, a top goal scoring machine and worth
every penny in the 18 million he's worth. Again, a big price that the likes of
Cardiff City or Everton, for example, aren't exactly going to afford, so top
teams all over Europe are the only teams that will afford this superb player.
Great buy, just too dear again.

Name: Patrick Kluivert
Age: 26
Position: Central
Club: Barcelona
Value: o20,000,000
Rating: *****
My Opinion: Again, one of Barcelona's biggest players and if you buy him, he
will send you up the league/s instantly. He scores frequently, he doesn't
usually get many cards, he has got injured twice for me though but they were
minor injuries. Barcelona would regret losing a player of Kluiverts' talent, so
getting him will be a hard task. 20 million pounds is a lot of money so big
teams are able to afford him. But the big question is would Barcelona have the
balls to sell him?

Name: Roque Santa Cruz
Age: ??
Position: Forward
Club: AC Milan (?)
Value: About 15,000,000
Rating: ****
Thanks to [email protected]

Name: Mutu
Age: ??
Position: Striker
Club: Unknown
Value: œ5,000,000
Rating: ***
Thanks to [email protected]

Name: Adriano
Age: ??
Position: Forward
Club: Unknown
Value: Unknown
Rating: ***
Thanks to [email protected]

Name: Craig Bellamy
Age: 23
Position: Striker
Club: Newcastle United
Value: œ7,500,000, I think
Rating: ****
My Opinion: A good young striker, and he's added not just because he's a good
striker, but because he's Welsh, like me! Nah, seriously, he is a frequent
goalscorer (top scorer on my old game) and pretty cheap. Newcastle do find him
useful though.

-----------------------------------------------
IV. CHAMP MANAGER DREAM XI AND CHEAP PLAYERS XI
-----------------------------------------------
Tip: To search for the players details, just press CTRL+F, enter the name of the
player you want, and choose 'Search up'. It'll then show you the player!

This is just a team of some of the best players on my list, and the positions
you should play them. Check it out! And if you print this out, don't go saying
you done this and this is your creation, because this took me about an hour to
do and I'm very proud of it!

The new Cheap Players XI consists of a team of the cheaper players that play as
good as this Dream XI. So if you are a lower league team, try out this team of
players!

PS. Above the players names are the positions where you should play them, just
in case you don't get too confused!

/---------\
(C)Luke O'Mac 2003________________l_BARTHEZ_l___________________________________
l I l (GK) l I l
l (DL) I l_______________l I (DR) l
l CARLOS I (DC) I LIZARAZU l
l I THURAM I l
l I I l
l I___________________________________I l
l \ (DM) / l
l \ DAVIDS / l
l \ / l
l (ML) \_________/ (MR) l
l GIGGS (MC) BECKHAM l
l II VERON (AM) II l
l II FIGO II l
l II ________________________ II l
l II / \ II l
l \ / / (FD) \ \ / l
l \/ / (ST) CATANHA \ \/ l
l / V. NISTELROOY__ \ l
l / / \ \ l
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUBSTITUTIONS BENCH

OLIVER KAHN (GK)
FRANCESCO TOTTI (MD)
WALTER SAMUEL(DF)
THIERRY HENRY(FD)
BOJAN DJORDIC (MD)
MIKAEL SILVESTRE (DF)

Of course, this Championship Manager 02/03 XI may change during the updates.

========================
CHEAP PLAYERS XI
========================
/---------\
(C)Luke O'Mac 2003________________I_CARROLL_I___________________________________
l I I (GK) I I l
l (DL) I (DC) I_______________I I (DR) l
l O'SHEA I LAURSEN (DC) I LIZARAZU l
l I o HOFLAND I l
l I I l
l \___________________________________/ l
l \ / l
l \ / l
l \ / l
l (ML) \_________/ (MR) l
l BJORDIC (MC) BOSVELT l
l GRAY (AM) l
l DJORKAEFF l
l ________________________ l
l / \ l
l / (FD) \ l
l / (ST) DONAVON \ l
l / SIMONE __ \ l
l / / \ \ l
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUBSTITUTIONS BENCH

JUSTIN GEORCELIN (ST)
DARREN FLETCHER (MD)
CHERNO SAMBA (ST)
PAUL ROBINSON (GK)
DANNY MILLS (DF)
CHRIS CARRUTHERS (MD)

Look! Both of them are done!

Know any more good players that are cheap? Email me the players at
[email protected]. I'll definitely give you full credit.

------------------------------------
V. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
------------------------------------

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1. How do I get to be an international manager?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A. When the choice comes up to choose a country, choose one (Recommended -
England) Now, say if you want to be WALES manager, then go to a team in England
that has a welsh player (i.e. Ryan Giggs, Man United) Now, choose Man Utd, look
for Giggs and click on his name. At the bottom will be some stats about his
position, etc. Now click on the nationality on the bottom and then the national
squad shall appear. Next, just click on 'Take Control' on the right hand side.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
2. How do I sign (Enter name)?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A. There isn't a way really to sign a person. It's up to the team and the
Player if they want to leave their team to join yours. But remember to put in a
fair contract though. Never go under what they demand.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
3. I try to sign somebody but it's always delayed because of no current space.
Sometimes, it's delayed to a month like January, even though I signed him in
October. Why?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A. This is because of mainly 2 reasons. One is that you have signed him up to be
a player/coach. It may be delayed because of this reason because you already
have the maximum number of coaches, so you may need to sack one. Another
reason that it is being delayed maybe that you have too many players in your
main team. Another reason is that the transfer window is in place, so, it won't
let anybody join, or leave your team during a period of time.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
4. Who is better - (Enter name) or (Enter Name)?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A. Um, why do you think Eidos and SI Games put the 'Compare Players' option on
Championship Manager? Damn!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
5. Why is/are my player/s unhappy?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A. Ok, this is a FAQ about buying players, but what the heck! Make sure you keep
a good relationship with your players. Don't discipline them for no reason, and
give your honest opinion when the media criticize or praise a player. I'll
explain this with more depth in my other FAQ

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
6. Help! I looked for a player on your list and he isn't at the team you say!
Why? Please tell me!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A. . Two reasons, really. One is that maybe, just maybe he signed for a new
team. So you need to do what I said near the top of the list - Go on the 'Find'
players option, and search for his name. If his name still doesn't appear, then
I dunno, I must have spelt the name wrong. If I did, just email me. Also, check
out *Note 4* for another reason that may be why you can't find them.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
7. Help! I keep losing!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A. No offence buddy, but this FAQ is The Top Players ONLY Guide, not a 'Help
Me!' guide, so don't try emailing me either for help on winning for this FAQ!
Try reading my other FAQ! Or try James2 cool FAQ!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
8. Is Championship Manager 4 coming out on Xbox?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A. Well, apparently, YES! It is! And that's official, my friends! So get ready
for my Championship Manager 4 FAQ coming soon! Lol.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
9. Who is Luke O'Mac?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A. Ah, that is a question that only the brave can answer. So I can answer it for
you then, lol. Luke O'Mac is Luke McCarthy-Reed, a 14 year old kid from Wales
(Don't start about the sheep!!) who is a big fan of WWE, Football, Man Utd and
Motor Racing and Rallying. Don't forget PS2 and XBox of course. Hey, I'm not
telling you something that you don't already know! SO I told my self, Mario,
Take It Easy! (If you played Vice city you'll know what that means, lmao)

------------------------------------
VI. Contacting Luke O'Mac
------------------------------------
If you want to get through to Luke O'Mac, then there are a few ways.

1. My email address is [email protected]. Email me here and I'll
guarantee you a reply.

2. I also have MSN Messenger. Use that email address to add me to your list, but
ALWAYS remember that when I am online, you must tell me that you added me
because of my FAQ/s on GameFaqs.com or whatever sites this is being hosted by,
OK? Good, because it gets a bit confusing.

3. I am regularly on the message boards, especially the Halo, Splinter Cell, WWE
Raw 2 and RCT message boards on Xbox. Sometimes I am on The Sims on PS2 too. You
can ask me a question or what not there.

------------------------------------
VII. CREDITS
------------------------------------

This FAQ wouldn't be possible if I wasn't for everyone here, so big thanks to
everybody mentioned here:

Eidos and SI Games- for creating Championship Manager

Microsoft, except for Bill Gates - for creating the Xbox beast

CJayC - for accepting this FAQ and making a hell of a site

GameFaqs.com - for being such a superb site with loads of info about all games

Gamefaqs Message Boards - for giving me the great players.

Thanks to these people for saying the players on the message board or emailing
players:

James2
Wheat
Chopper
Silly Billy
McGreal
NeMeSiS vEnOmOuS
Scottyishere1
Freebase
Fozzyflop
ChampManFan
GameWinners.com
GamesMaster magazine
Scott Newby
Chris Holloway
[email protected]

Big Thanks to BenjG for the massive help for the FAQ

HUMONGOUS thanks to James2 for his incredible contribution, Big up big time
dude. Nice one 8)

Thanks also to www.gamenation.com.au, www.cheatcc.com, www.neoseeker.com,
www.games-realm.com and my site (lol) for also hosting this FAQ. If I've missed
anyone out, sorry!

Thanks to me for producing this FAQ. Thanks me!

Last but not least, thanks to you of course for reading this FAQ.

-----------------------------------
Thank you again for reading my FAQ. Now get on Championship Manager and get
those players! This is a farewell, for the *sobs* last time *runs off crying*.

Ta ta chums, hope you will remember me on the CM4 boards for Xbox when it comes
out soon!

FINISH FAQ

PRESS CTRL+F AND TYPE IN BEGIN FAQ TO GO BACK TO THE TOP
-----------------------------------
Copyright (c) Luke McCarthy-Reed 2003
-----------------------------------