How to make managing at top level more challenging?

Ok, so i know there are lot's of 'this game is too easy' threads, but i'd like to find a way of making the game more challenging when managing a decent team.

I don't want to hear rubbish like 'holiday five seasons/use fake players/manage a BSN team etc', because we should be able to play as the team we support and still be challenged.

My problem is that, managing Spurs, who are a top team in Football manager, probably on the second tier of teams in terms of stats and so on, is not challenging. A player should be able to challenge for the title using this team, ok, i have no isse with that, but i can go through games on auto pilot and win them, literally using default for everything etc. Crouch is apparently a world class striker btw, who has the pace to beat the last defender and the technique to lob the keeper for 30yards. i never knew he could do that.

Anyway, i have done a few things in the editor, such as putting in Defoe and Dawsons injuries, and i have decreased the ability of certain players who i think are overrated(pavlyuchenko), as examples. I attribute mask-although this is essentially a useless feature in my opinion, use my own tactics(although i don't have to really do anything), and so on, but still the opposition are just not dangerous enough. I never feel that i am in threat from opposition attacks.

Are there any ways to make it more challenging at the top, because as we can see in real life, unless you are Real/Barca, wins don't come so easily

Buy only english players

Only use players brought through from the youth ranks

Simples

Don't use the player search, hire staff only via job adverts, focus on English players. Makes the game more realistic and challenging

Buy only english players

Only use players brought through from the youth ranks

Simples

This. It it very hard to make a team only with players from your own youth academy.

The best challenges are

I can't not play as Man Utd (If I dont play as them I spend 3/4 of my time looking what they are doing lol ). So ever since FM09 I impose strict transfer regulations on my team... I don't sign anyone over the age of 24 (save goalkeepers) and any non-first team player over the age of 30 is shipped out, I like keeping my team full of fresh young players wanting to win lots every year.

You can take it even further buy only signing English players, or only under-18s which you train yourself.