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Champions League - Code-freeze <--Back
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Champions League in the making

Finally, I have been able to allocate the time required to begin implementation of our own Champions League. The task has been looming over me for a while, and I am eager to set out on the journey towards this addition to ManagerLeague.

It is not something easy and straight.forward to add, as it needs to fit into the already full timetable of busy managers, and it needs to deal with a rather dynamic league-system, where new leagues and additional divisions are added now and then.
The system must allow for handling a different number of teams for each league, as the bigger and tougher leagues will have more teams qualifying.

In this article, I will refer to our Champions League as "MLCL".

Plans and approximations, the When and How
Even though the development has barely begun, the plan looks something like this:

This has been a decision that I have spent more than a little time on. There are several things to consider to get this right, and the number of "time-slots" is a fact of life we have to consider. That said, I have been considering to lengthen the season by 1 week to "buy more time".

However, the following suggestion has been created without adding more time to each season:

- The 64 teams are divided into 8 groups of 8.
- All teams thus play 7 matches on neutral ground (There is no time to play these matches both home and away, as it would require 14 time-slots!, and I do not want more than 1 slot per weekday for MLCL)
- The top 2 teams from each group (16 in all) proceed to the KnockOut stage. (1 game, Neutral stadium)
- Quarter Finals. (1 game, Neutral stadium)
- Semi Finals. (1 game, Neutral stadium)
- Finals. (1 game, Neutral stadium) (Will make a special stadium for this)

I also want CL to be finished before Round 30, as then we kind of get "new CL teams" as the season is nearly over. That leaves me with a schedule looking like this:

CL 1: After league round #3 (Tuesday 18:00)
CL 2: After league round #5 (Wednesday 18:00)
CL 3: After league round #7 (Thursday 18:00)
CL 4: After league round #9 (Friday 18:00)

CL 5: After league round #11 (Monday 18:00)
CL 6: After league round #13 (Tuesday 18:00)
CL 7: After league round #15 (Wednesday 18:00)

CL 8: After league round #19 (Friday 18:00) (Knockout stage 1)

CL 9: After league round #21 (Monday 18:00) (Quarter Finals)
CL 10: After league round #25 (Wednesday 18:00) (Semi finals)
CL 11: After league round #29 (Friday 18:00) (Finals)

Different Leagues, different number of teams
The number of teams qualifying for MLCL will be vastly different from league to league, based on how large the league is, how fierce the competition in that league is regarded, and tuning. At the moment, we are looking at everywhere from 2 to 6 teams from each league, for a total of 64 teams.
I will not be bothered with a debate or argument at this time about which leagues get more slots than others, so I will not paste the intended starting-figures. I am sure we can find the time to argue about this later.

Prizes
We have not decided on any special amount of credits or money for winning or playing in MLCL, nor is this open for discussion yet.
However, we have decided to try to produce a real life trophy to send to the winner, by snail-mail We expect this to be placed firmly and quite visible in your living-room, of course!

You don't need to cry out for more prizes from MLCL or the league right now, as I said, this is what we plan, and we are busy for a while.

When, When, When?
I am happy to tell you that I will not commit to a date on this yet, as there is much work to be done. Implementation, testing, quality assurance and whatnot; It will be ready when it is ready. However, now that the plans have been made and the code has been "frozen", things will begin to happen rather quickly......

Code-freeze??
This means that there will be no more changes, fixes, improvements or add-ons until we are done with this feature.

Cup Winners Cup?
This will be added at a later date, now it's all about MLCL.

Comments are welcome, but asking for more information will only get the auto-reply "Wait for more details"...

Written by Spinner 13:01 05/02 2008

This article has been read 9925 times.
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71 comment(s)
By : Croton CapitatusN-I-C-E   13:07 05/02 2008
pictureYou are the greatest game-developer in the history of Tellus!

One word: GREAT

By : ShlomiMLCL   13:11 05/02 2008
pictureSounds great!
Chose myself a bad time to improve my team

Good Luck!

By : wenxinWell..   13:11 05/02 2008
pictureI'm looking forward to it

By : mister BobHuge!   13:15 05/02 2008
pictureSounds good!

By : Tore PupperGreat!   13:17 05/02 2008
pictureaaaahhh. Looking forward to it

By : ironicgreat   13:20 05/02 2008
picturelooking forward to seeing how this works, and the challenge of keeping the squad fit for another round of matches

By : AmmoLooks good!!   13:21 05/02 2008
pictureSuper!

By : megaraptorVery good !   13:22 05/02 2008
pictureIt sounds damn GOOD ! We`ll see what it`ll be ...

By : SkotPls don't lengthen the season   13:27 05/02 2008
pictureI'm not very fond to adding more time-slots to ML... it is good as it is. Maybe later, when you will have to schedule cupwinner's cup matches, maybe National team matches...

But till then your proposal of scheduling th MLCL group matches all before round15 is very good, since in MLCL will be teams from 1'st div and the MLCL games will be mostly over till they enter League cup, so no program jamming there

So i'm eager to see it coming, and i am for the description above, not for timeslot adding
Great plan, get it done soon

By : Mr KaizerNice   13:31 05/02 2008
pictureSounds great!

Please dont consider to lengthen the season by 1 week again...

By : The K ManCan't wait   13:33 05/02 2008
pictureSo who gets to qualify for the 64 places?

By : SpinnerYou had to ask...   13:40 05/02 2008
picture

I will not be bothered with a debate or argument at this time about which leagues get more slots than others, so I will not paste the intended starting-figures. I am sure we can find the time to argue about this later.


By : E.T.?who let the dogs out?   13:48 05/02 2008
pictureAs Mr Kaizer sez before: "Please dont consider to lengthen the season by 1 week again..."
And if you do, we must pay sallarys? we make trainings? custom cups?

By : S c r a tI like it   14:04 05/02 2008
picturehowever MLCL will be.. im sure its gonna be great as evrything els on this game

By : NadarTrademarks   14:07 05/02 2008
pictureAre you allowed to use the name "Champions League"? Might get in trouble with them if you've not been allowed to use it, so be careful

By : Antero Emanuelsuper   14:08 05/02 2008
picturei dont have words for this

By : YawNImpressive   14:14 05/02 2008
pictureLove it Spinner!

I also love the fact that there will be a few more seasons before this hits, so i can manage to develop my team enough to give this a serious shot

By : Sir DanielNice..   14:14 05/02 2008
pictureVery good worked SpinnerWinky

Is MLCL only for the first division or can teams longer down in the system also qualify?

Please answer me

- Sir Daniel

By : DraQulawell done   14:18 05/02 2008
picturelove it...can`t w8 for it to start

By : MarinescuFINALLY   14:18 05/02 2008
pictureThis will encourage people to make better teams!!!

Way to go, Spinner!!!

By : Croton Capitatuslol sir daniel   14:29 05/02 2008
picture

Very good worked Spinnericon

Is MLCL only for the first division or can teams longer down in the system also qualify?

Please answer meicon

- Sir Daniel


Ofc. Champions League is only for 1.div teams, like in real life. It should, at least, be like it. Im not making this game but Im 99% sure, that spinner only will allow 1.div teams to participate.

By : carstairsTHE MAD SCOT.   14:32 05/02 2008
picturegREAT IDEA BUT LIKE OTHERS TIME FACTER AND NAME WATCH IT.
Carstairs

By : Kew AlmightyGreat   14:32 05/02 2008
pictureSounds great

I hope sweden get like at least 4 places

By : GBASAwesome   14:58 05/02 2008
pictureNo wonder we get more and more addicted to this game! (improvements also allow us dreaming towards looking matches "live" - but then we're talking about a new kind of structure and application, not to mention tha space the graphics will occupy...but it tickles doesn't it hehe)

I'm impressed by the founders energie to this game and all the new elements, u make the community keep in here

Best regards and good luck in the process with MLCL

By : lardyMmmmmmmm   15:18 05/02 2008
pictureNo doubt the chairman will find a way of bribing his way into MLCL

By : Haito Do wowowowowow   15:25 05/02 2008
picturesounds great.

By : radoooNice   15:26 05/02 2008
pictureI think it's better to keep the length of the season how it is now

By : Carringtonwow   15:38 05/02 2008
picturespinner has always been gd at these kinda things... i remember in planetarion when he ran that the ideas then... just the best

spinner for game-developer 2008!!

By : Sir_HenryFinally   16:19 05/02 2008
pictureI can't wait for the CL to enter ML

By : xSABERxNice...Winky   16:26 05/02 2008
pictureHahahah'Comments are welcome, but asking for more information will only get the auto-reply "Wait for more details" '...by this u mean that u don't want 'comments' but only congratulations from us

By : Kaiser SozeCheers m8!   16:29 05/02 2008
pictureLooking forward to it!!

By : KonsenVery nice   16:33 05/02 2008
pictureNice

By : MaNuMGreat!   16:38 05/02 2008
pictureSpinner rules!

By : SpinnerComments   16:38 05/02 2008
picture


Hahahah
Comments are welcome, but asking for more information will only get the auto-reply "Wait for more details" '...by this u mean that u don't want 'comments' but only congratulations from us



No, basically I wanted to inform you of the development-status, and the "bad news" about "no more updates until this is done", and possibly comments that had to do with the "solution" as presented...This can be about the number of groups, the group-size, the number of extra fixtures it creates, potential worries you might have in regards to this (You know, even more prizes and rewards and matches for the best teams, or how difficult it will be to keep fitness up and running due to the extra matches, other unfair aspects etc)....

I must admit I am bit surprised there are not more "negative" comments as such, but I guess everyone just want Champions League, one way or the other, that they forget to be critics

By : BongoMLCL   16:41 05/02 2008
pictureMaybe the league winner, runner up, LC winner, LC runner up

By : E.T.?we want C.L   16:47 05/02 2008
picturewhy you didn't make it in rounds 31,32,33,34 ???
there is nothing for div1 first teams in that rounds.

By : Maffernice!!!!   17:12 05/02 2008
picturesounds very good to me

By : IngusFantastic!   17:18 05/02 2008
pictureI'm so happy right now! But then again, I am a happy boy.

Regards,
Mr. Happy

By : Skotwhy you didn't make it in rounds 31,3...   17:45 05/02 2008
pictureI posted earlier, but i noticed ET's idea now and i think it's worth thinking a little about.
He said> why you didn't make it in rounds 31,32,33,34 ??? there is nothing for div1 first teams in that rounds.

Very true...

I also can continue his idea>
From 30-37 we can have all the group-stage matches, without affecting the title challenge in div1
Then, from thursday to sunday (next season) we can have the upper phases of the competition, again without affecting the championship challenges (i already seen complaints about ppl being forced to concentrate either on championship, either on CL, since the CL matches follows the leaguematches and you must have 100 fit here or there, depending on your priorities - a fair point of wiew)
And, for those participating in the superior stages of CL, Spinner can make a little script (just for them) to have training sessions after matches...

I know that at first glimps this might seem crazy, but it solves two big problems>1. teams that participating in CL still can go for the title in their leagues, no need to make sacrifices; 2. those few days between seasonchanges would have an attractionpoint, so ppl don't find them so annoying

What you think?

By : Giuseppe SoleNice!   18:20 05/02 2008
pictureNow to get there

By : PerylioStarting time at 19 hrs instead of 18   18:27 05/02 2008
pictureCan the time of each game be at 19:00 instead of 18:00 hrs ?

Many of us are working and we can not be on time at a computer before the start of the match at 15:00 hrs.

At least to have a little time to check our teams and make any needed changes of players that are not FIT due to the previous math at 15:00 hrs and not lose this game also.
I suggest it now , because if the CL will start then it will be impossible (at least I believe so) to change the starting time.
Even if it starts at 19:00 hrs there is enoug time for the team training at 21:00 hrs


By : lolasgreat!!!   20:50 05/02 2008
picturei am so pleased to hear these news!!!
btw, there could be something like "League ranking", based on that league´s teams performance in the MLCL, just like in real life, where the performance of a country in the last 5 years in european competitions are the key to know how many teams they will have in uefa and CL

By : storestrømim the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   20:59 05/02 2008
pictureim the best ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!! waterham rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhh!!!!!

By : K-ernGreat !   21:20 05/02 2008
pictureSounds great, Spinner!!!

By : AlienG4Great   21:35 05/02 2008
pictureSounds really good... thxs Big Boss

By : radoooduring the season   21:49 05/02 2008
pictureLike in real football, CL should be played during the season

By : bahadorcoool   22:10 05/02 2008
picturenice...

i'm looking forward to it!

By : SpinnerRounds 31-37 / Priorities   00:01 06/02 2008
pictureAs I said, this has been thought about a lot.

1: First of all, we WANT managers to prioritize between the league, the league cup and the coming MLCL. We do not wish to give teams a "freeride" through these competitions, but note how almost the entire group-stage is over before teams from the top division enter the League Cup.

2: There is a very good reason I wanted the CL Finals done with BEFORE round 30, and that is because that is the round where next years CL will get the focus, as we then know who will play it. I wanted to avoid the mess of having "2 seasons of CL" mixed up, and I do not wish to split MLCL over 2 seasons so to speak.

3: The third point is of course that in real life, CL is not played much out of season (allthough it depends from country to country when the season is). Also, this works well with our views under Point 1.

4: The added bonus of point 1 is the season finish, as the fight for the top X positions will be ever so much more important, and those who make it all the way to the finals will again be hard pressed as they have a CL finals just after their 29th league match, adding that little bit of extra pressure and excitement

Those are the reasons, and I was beginning to wonder why the question about it did not come sooner Skot and E.T., even if you do not agree (which I am getting quite used to tbh) this is my descision.

By : SkotHehe, you asked the feedback   03:52 06/02 2008
pictureThe decision is yours, as you said... but that doesn't mean that won't be discussed, no? Or you just want us all to smile, applaude, and cheer "All Hail Spinner" ??? To be honest, you get more from our criticism that from all the "cheerleaders" you have in ML Winky

Now let's get serious>>
It's not that i'm disagreeing. As i wrote it in my first post here, i think your proposed schedule is very well planned, especially cause the group stages ends before div1 teams enters the league cup.

Afterwards i noticed ET's proposal, and i made a little thaught expanding it all the way to the final... then i wrote it down

Whatever your decision, good to have the project started

By : kekuatanMLCL   06:45 06/02 2008
picturei think we should come out with out own MLCL logo instead of using original CL's.

By : E.T.?good decision   08:49 06/02 2008
picture3: The third point is of course that in real life, CL is not played much out of season (allthough it depends from country to country when the season is). - Maybe you must start with this reason. If you make every new upgrade for this reason , who can complain???

By : ZeljkoMLCL in time of CL!!!   09:34 06/02 2008
picturedo not move out MLCL from regular season. Its not fair if it is played alone after league.
teams need to decide what is their priority MLCL, ML, or Cup. In real life teams are even get relegated because playing in euro cups...

By : Big Sir AlexWoho   11:34 06/02 2008
picturehopfully some day I will play in it
Cant wait

By : JohnnyYeah!   12:30 06/02 2008
pictureI am soo looking forward to it. It will be so much fun

By : Dauphinplayers   13:55 06/02 2008
pictureu should have CL own player records.... 1 for each season, and 1 for total history, so we know WICH player is the "best" of all time

By : SiTh LoRDNice.   16:01 06/02 2008
pictureThis is a great idea. Well done Spinner!

But just one thing, www.managerleague.com is the better Online Management game. Winky

By : SgDanGREAT   14:52 08/02 2008
pictureThis is great. i will be proud to have a trophy in my living room or in my office. it will bring out the life in it.

By : Ajexcredit   09:45 09/02 2008
picturehow I can buy credit by SMS?...I don`t see the code...

By : Joss   22:00 09/02 2008
pictureT H E N I C E S T ! ! !

By : CmWorried and maybe even negative   12:30 10/02 2008
pictureI am worried this will mean more for a small few at the top to do and more money for them to buy players, which will make getting to division 1 even harder. If you are adding more money to an already over rich game then you need more ways to take money from the top divisions too.

Oh and extending the season would see those in lower divisions that don't care about the top one leaving or losing interest as they get bored waiting for the new season.

By : RachelGreat   21:28 10/02 2008
pictureI can hardly wait

Great work Spinner, this was the thing I was waiting for

By : danjaylovin   09:16 12/02 2008
picturei am loving this cool move............. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

By : timmetjeUefa Cup   17:03 13/02 2008
pictureplease i want also an Uefa cup for the less good footballers

By : Kendirci Muratcountry points and international league!   00:01 14/02 2008
picturehow can u chose how many teams from each countries (example england 3 - german 2 - hungary 1) we dont have country points yet and the international league champion enter this cup as an which countries team?
THANKS! ANYWAY GREAT JOB!

By : Kaiser SozeCL   16:50 15/02 2008
pictureI saw a suggestion above that i liked...it would be fantastic to have MLCL player records!! Only games played in MLCL counts

By : Tore PupperWhen....?   10:59 18/02 2008
pictureCould we have at least a hint of when CL will be implemented....? Two seasons? Six seasons?
I'm asking because soon time has come for me to move over to the Norwegian league, but it sure would be fun to play at least one season in CL. Winky

By : xumOUR OWN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ..>NEEEAAATT<   01:20 20/02 2008
pictureSUPER DUPAR COOL mate .. cant wait to see this CL rolling ... love what ur trying to do for us !!!!!!! BIG THANKS & SUPPORT FROM ME !!!


By : goodfornothingNice   19:01 28/02 2008
picturegood workWinky

By : Tyu BankevskiMatches   15:39 08/03 2008
pictureReal M-Roma 1-2 1-2,Porto-Shalke 04 0-1 1-0,Chelsea-Olympiakos 0-0 3-0,Sevila-Fenerbabche 2-3 3-2,Barcelona-Celtic 3-2 1-0,MU-Lion 1-1 1-0,AC Milan-Arsenal
0-0 0-2,Liverpool-Inter Milano 2-0 ?-?

By : toshoslDraw   12:10 12/03 2008
pictureтози жребий ще е уникален жребий Рома,Шалке 04,Челси,Фенербахче,Барселона,Ман-
честър Юнайтед,Арсенал,Ливърпул мисля Рома-Арсенал(невероятен)(Арсенал),Шалке 04-Ливърпул(Ливърпул),Челси-Барселона(уникален)(?),Фенербахче-
Манчестър Ю(МЮ)
уникален жребий ни очакфа

By : theninthdaywhat league?   06:18 29/08 2010
picturewhat league can participate in Champion League ?

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