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Sir Bobby Robson to front Total Club Manager 2003

EA Sports announces that the former England soccer manager will be the official face of the UK version of its forthcoming management simulation game for the PC.

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EA Sports has today announced that Sir Bobby Robson will be the official face of Total Club Manager 2003 in the UK. The former manager of the England soccer team will appear not only in the game but also on the packaging and advertising.

In addition to enjoying a successful spell as the England manager, Sir Bobby Robson has managed one of the world's biggest clubs in Barcelona, and at the age of 69 he is currently in charge of Newcastle United.

Total Club Manager 2003 will allow players to take charge of their favorite soccer team from any of the 43 leagues and divisions featured in the game and then attempt to take their team victory by enforcing training schedules, looking after the club's finances, and perhaps signing new players from the 45,000 available. As in the popular Championship Manager series of games from Sports Interactive, players will be able to "watch" matches being played out via a text-based commentary system. EA Sports' offering will also have an option to watch each game in real time using a new FIFA 3D engine, which the company claims will make for the most realistic gameplay experience of any soccer management sim. During a match, players will be able to influence the outcome by substituting team members, changing tactics, and even shouting direct orders from the sideline.

One innovative feature of the game is that players will be able to create their own soundtrack for the game using a built-in MP3 player and some kind of link to the Talk Radio station.

Total Club Manager is scheduled for release in Europe in September. A North American release has not been confirmed at this time. We'll bring you more information on the game as it becomes available.

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