Better than Brian Clough?

**Northernpilgrim** · 17-08-2012 10:00

As previously stated, if the trophies aren't won in the specified timeframes, the save continues, but the challenge is over. I would then be free (and probably looking, unless Derby looked like winning the league the next season for example), to move wherever I wanted. I hope to succeed, of course, but I have enjoyed the experience of doing this challenge. This will be my last save before FM13.

**Northernpilgrim** · 18-08-2012 11:35

**Northernpilgrim** · 22-08-2012 23:50

Results for 2017 for my England U21 team

**Northernpilgrim** · 22-08-2012 23:55

And the table so far in qualifying for Euro 2019

**cerud** · 23-08-2012 00:02

The U21s are doing well!

**Northernpilgrim** · 23-08-2012 00:07

Euro 2019 qualification is shaping up nicely. Only the group winners go through, and with 3 games to play including a home tie with Serbia, it's very definitely ours to throw away. The squad is getting stronger and better with every game, and I'm optimistic that we can do well again. Qualification will be assured with victory at home to Serbia, then we can concentrate on preparing for the tournament. Not sure how long I plan on staying, as it's not looking likely that the club side of the challenge will continue beyond the Derby years, I just can't get them high enough up the league to mount a challenge. If I don't, I'd like to take on either the nation of my birth (England), or my ancestors home nation (Rep of Ireland).

**Northernpilgrim** · 23-08-2012 01:13

A tough start

And it's starting to look like a long, hard season.

**Northernpilgrim** · 23-08-2012 01:15

Why oh why can't I reproduce the form of my U21s with Derby? The U21 squad is good, but not THAT good. Balotelli is starting to look like a waste of time and money.

**SRL88** · 23-08-2012 09:38

Very slow start to the season with Derby. Hopefully things pick up.

**ron6632** · 23-08-2012 12:46

Looks like you are starting to pick up form.

Tough result against Norwich. Huge game next against Huddersfield. KUTGW

**ashton321** · 23-08-2012 13:21

Just reading through this good idea. How great would have been though if Clough actually did go to manage in Brazil,

**Northernpilgrim** · 23-08-2012 13:40

Agreed, SRL, it's a very slow, disappointing start to the season. I'd hoped that the overhaul would have produced some results, but even with the increased wage budget, it's still well below what the teams challenging for the European spots are spending, and we're no longer over-achieving as we did in my first season or so. Life with the U21s is working nicely, and I'm surely making a case to be considered for the senior role. It's looking very unlikely, with 2 seasons to go after this one, that I'll achieve what Cloughie did at Derby, but that in a way was the point, to find out just how difficult that was. How he never got either the England job, or one of the top jobs in England or abroad, is beyond me.

**deltablue** · 23-08-2012 13:42

Terrible Norwich result.

**Northernpilgrim** · 23-08-2012 15:22

Yeah, the Norwich result was disappointing to say the least. The Sunderland result was just as disappointing as we lost an equaliser fairly late on.

**iHeadHunta x** · 23-08-2012 22:53

Don't worry, football can change at any time!

**Northernpilgrim** · 27-08-2012 14:03

A majorly disappointing run between Dec 2017 and Mar 2018 leaves us on the edge of the relegation zone. Going down would spell the end of the challenge.

And the table to prove it

**cerud** · 27-08-2012 18:40

You're still alive in the league. Only a few matches left to go!

**Northernpilgrim** · 27-08-2012 19:55

The final league table 2017/18. Survival achieved, but only just

And the results that achieved it:-
Aston Villa (a) L0-2
Huddersfield (h) W1-0
Swansea (a) D1-1
Wolves (h) W2-0
West Ham (h) W2-1
Man City (a) L1-2
Arsenal (h) D2-2

**SRL88** · 27-08-2012 20:00

Well done on turning it around after a horrible run of form.

**Northernpilgrim** · 27-08-2012 20:04

Cheers cerud, but as I now have only 78 games left, that means I HAVE to win the League this season, so that I can achieve the European Cup Semi Final too. That looks very unlikely, but I'm going to scour Europe for expiring contracts to replace the current squad. Expect a major upheaval again this time, in one last desperate attempt to pull off the impossible. If I don't succeeed I will be off in the summer.

**deltablue** · 28-08-2012 12:57

That would be some ask.

**Northernpilgrim** · 28-08-2012 20:43

If I put my current squad up, as it stands in early July, you'd realise just HOW big!

**cerud** · 28-08-2012 21:29

Congrats on staying up! At least your career as you want it will continue

**Northernpilgrim** · 28-08-2012 22:13

The challenge as it originally stood is over. I received the following offer, which given the severe restrictions at Derby, was just too good to turn down. I realise there will be some who are disappointed, and feel that I have betrayed the career thread, but I was finding it increasingly difficult to continue, and felt that now was the right time to give it up and move on. I am remaining as manager of England U21s. I genuinely don't know what's going to happen in the thread next, but I'm looking forward to my new challenge in Spain

**Northernpilgrim** · 30-08-2012 13:35

And hot on the heels of my appointment in Spain, a top level national job, and one that Brian Clough himself was linked to:-

**cerud** · 30-08-2012 21:30

You kept up the challenge for quite a while. Your career, your decision

**Northernpilgrim** · 01-09-2012 01:42

Thanks Cerud. The Welsh job is very interesting, as they're currently ranked in the top 16 in the world, and should therefore expect to qualify for tournaments.

**Northernpilgrim** · 01-09-2012 22:04

Simply amazing start at Malaga. Win in Europe (3-1) away at Stade Malherbe Caen, followed by THIS in the League

**cerud** · 01-09-2012 22:27

Barcelona who?

**Northernpilgrim** · 01-09-2012 22:46

They've won 5 of the last 6 La Liga titles, 8 of the last 10, but last season was one they didn't. They came second.

**Northernpilgrim** · 04-09-2012 22:04

A decent enough start to my career in Spain

**Northernpilgrim** · 04-09-2012 22:06

**Northernpilgrim** · 06-09-2012 22:04

And things have gone nicely with Wales, too.

**Northernpilgrim** · 06-09-2012 22:07

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-09-2012 00:06

An ok but not spectacular Nov-Jan period

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-09-2012 00:14

And an annoying inconsistency that saw the title slip away between February and May

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-09-2012 00:18

The league table on 6th May, which shows Champions League football has been secured. I'm relieved, given that my predecessor was sacked for 'only' making the Europa League.

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-09-2012 00:22

I'm looking to close the season out with 2 more wins, as the recent upturn in form leads me to the conclusion that that is what should be achievable. I'm looking at minor surgery over the summer, with only one or two players in, and a similar number out. I desperately need to solve the problem of an over reliance on Joaquin Ibanez though, as he's bagged more than 60 goals in all competitions this season so far.

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-09-2012 00:25

And if he'd played anywhere near all season, he'd have had that many in the league alone

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-09-2012 00:26

What has the man got to do to get a Spain cap? Change his name to Fernando Torres?

**Lenzar** · 16-09-2012 00:49

That's a very odd Euros Qualifying group.

Who the hell were the First and Second seeds? The whole group is full of second rate teams.

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-09-2012 09:52

My very own Wales are 1st seeds, as we were ranked 16th in the world when I took over, and I've taken them to the giddy heights of 10th. Not sure about the second seeds though.

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-09-2012 11:27

4 points from the last 2 matches leaves us solidly in the 4th Champions League spot. But will I still be there to take them back into Europe's top competition?

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-09-2012 11:36

And a trophy in the cabinet after a fabulous final win

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-09-2012 12:03

The move is confirmed, to Serie A Champions Fiorentina. One that fell into the category of 'too good to turn down'.

**john1** · 16-09-2012 15:41

Jumping ship everytime eh

Good luck with Fiorentina!

**Northernpilgrim** · 17-09-2012 21:27

Not really jumping ship 'every time'. The point of the challenge was to try and replicate Cloughie's achievements at the same clubs, and to move when this had been done or no longer could be. I achieved way more than him at Hartlepool (and they're still a Championship side, so it wasn't built on sand), then moved on to Derby, where I would have had to win the league the season I left, which was never going to happen due to the finances. I then took England U21s to a European Final, before being offered a promotion to a top national job. The move to Malaga proved successful, but again their finances were shocking, so beating the big 2 was never on the cards. I've always fancied a crack at Italy, and when the Italian champions came calling, it was too good to say no. That said, their finances are bad too. What is it with me and clubs with no money?

**Northernpilgrim** · 17-09-2012 22:38

I've just checked out HOW BAD. I haven't made any signings in or out, and the bank balance is (£26,602,064). This despite being £170k below the wage budget. Some catastrophic decisions must have been made by my predecessor, and the squad is hardly full of household international names.

**Northernpilgrim** · 23-09-2012 01:42

Horrid Champions League draw for us. Current Champions are Lyon.

**Northernpilgrim** · 23-09-2012 01:49

How come we get 2 European heavyweights, whereas Man Utd and Athletico Madrid get groups they would have chosen themselves? Particularly galling as Fiorentina won Serie A, Man Utd came 3rd in the EPL. I'd be happy with their group. At least Atletico Madrid won La Liga.

**Northernpilgrim** · 23-09-2012 02:31

And how did we not win this? It's very rare that this happens in real life, maybe once a season or so, but in FM it seems to happen much more often

**SRL88** · 24-09-2012 09:44

Quick stint in Spain. Good luck in Italy.

**cerud** · 25-09-2012 02:05

Congrats on the job in Fiorentina. Looks like it's been a difficult start. It'll turn around

**Northernpilgrim** · 27-09-2012 16:11

Wales results 2019

And the Euro 2020 Qualification table

**Northernpilgrim** · 04-10-2012 23:05

Confirmation of an excellent Champions League Group Stage for Fiorentina

**Northernpilgrim** · 04-10-2012 23:11

And the results that did it:

**Northernpilgrim** · 04-10-2012 23:14

Obviously the home and away wins against Barcelona were crucial to our progression, as it meant that on the final day, it was never in Barcelona's own hands. But we did it in style, and even a win for Barcelona on the final day would have seen them eliminated.

**Northernpilgrim** · 06-10-2012 00:11

A decent start in Serie A to 2019/20, even if a title challenge looks difficult

**Northernpilgrim** · 12-10-2012 00:03

Serie A table mid March 2020

**Northernpilgrim** · 12-10-2012 00:06

And a cracking recent set of results

**Northernpilgrim** · 12-10-2012 00:07

Slightly annoyed because, if it hadn't been for the slip up against Vicenza, when we went 2-0 and 3-1 down, we'd be top now. Just hoping it doesn't prove costly.

**Northernpilgrim** · 12-10-2012 00:10

But with 14 wins from our last 17 league games, I guess I don't have much to complain about.

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-10-2012 11:10

Some great results between March and May

Leave us in with a great shout of the title with 2 games left

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-10-2012 11:15

We can relegate Lazio from Serie A by beating them on their own ground, and we know that 2 wins will give us the title, as if teams are tied on points, results between them decide the league, and we have the advantage there. If Napoli slip up in either game, we will be Champions with just 1 win. No chickens being counted yet, and I'm going to have a team meeting after the Lazio game to rally the troops.

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-10-2012 12:53

We did indeed relegate Lazio by beating them 4-1, and went on to clinch the title by beating Sampdoria 6-1 at Artemio Franchi.

**Northernpilgrim** · 16-10-2012 15:30

During summer 2020, a very good job offer came my way, which, given I was under financial restrictions at Fiorentina, was too good to turn down. I'm off to Holland to manage

**Northernpilgrim** · 18-10-2012 14:36

A decent Euro 2020 for Wales, but disappointed to bow out against 10 men, even a bigger team

**Northernpilgrim** · 18-10-2012 14:38

And so onto my last season with this save before FM13. I'm aiming to take Ajax to their 4th successive title, and to win that elusive Champions League.

**Northernpilgrim** · 18-10-2012 20:33

I have left my job as Wales manager, and taken on the national job with the Republic of Ireland. This decision was an easy one, given my ancestoral history lies within Ireland.

**Northernpilgrim** · 18-10-2012 20:39

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