2011 FMS Challenge Competition

[tenthreeleader]

Okay, gents:

As a way to welcome everyone back to the boards, I'll announce our annual challenge competition. You know the rules: post your best challenge ideas here until 31 July 2011. I'll then ask for votes for the top three, which we will then post. As you know, best challenge story is an award category, so put your thinking caps on to generate ideas for 2012 and beyond!

[Terk]

*puts thinking cap on*

My thinking cap appears to be broken.

[Mark Snellink]

As suggested when I posted this in the challenges forum:

The Dutch Way

Over the past fifty years, three clubs with three different philosophy and styles have dominated Dutch football. Ajax, Feyenoord or PSV have won the league almost every single year since 1961, with only a few exceptions and have been very succesful in international competition as well. Your challenge is to emulate their success.

The Ajax Way:

Ajax have always been famed for their Youth Academy, bringing in young and talented players as early as possible and guiding them to greatness. All of their most succesful teams featured talent that was brought in before age 19 at the club and brought into the first team, including Cruyff, Krol, Suurbier, Hulshoff, Haan, Neeskens and Piet Keizer in the 70's, Kieft, van 't Schip, van Basten, Vanenburg, Jesper Olsen and Rijkaard in the 80's, Bergkamp, Kluivert, Seedorf, Davids, Nwankwo Kanu, the De Boer twins, Overmars and van der Sar in the 90's and van der Vaart, Sneijder, de Jong, Chivu, Ibrahimovic, Stekelenburg, Elia, Heitinga and Vermaelen in the '00s. Of course, they have produced and found many more youth talents and have used players that weren't from their own youth academy with great success, but a focus on youth has always been an important part of their heritage. They also are famed for their use of the 4-3-3 tactic.

If you choose the Ajax Way, you must complete the challenge with the following restrictions:

1.) Your favorite team must be set to Ajax

2.) More than 50% of your first team players must have been with the club since before their 19th birthday due to their focus on young talent.

3.) At least ten of your first team players must be of domestic nationality (The nationality of the club you are managing) due to Ajax's commitment to producing Dutch talent.

4.) You must use a 4-3-3 based system (4-3-3, 4-5-1, 4-2-3-1 etc.) with only one central striker and two wingers (3-4-3 is also acceptable).

The Feyenoord Way

Feyenoord have a youth academy of their own, which in it's day has produced a number of talented players, including van Persie, Solomon Kalou and Buffel, but they mainly built their teams by signing talent from other clubs, often in the Dutch League, including Rinus Israels, Ove Kindvall, Ruud Gullit, Ed de Goey, John de Wolf, Julio Ricardo Cruz, John Dahl Tomasson, Paul Bosvelt, Pierre van Hooijdonk, Dirk Kuyt, Gio van Bronckhorst and Roy Makaay, to name a few of the players that have plied their trade at "De Kuip".

If you choose the Feyenoord Way, you must complete the challenge with the following restrictions:

1.) Your favorite team must be set to Feyenoord

2.) At least 70% of your transfers in must be players that have been a starter elsewhere for at least two seasons (have played at in least 50% of their team's games over two seasons), due to Feyenoord's scouting reputation.

3.) At least ten of your first team players must have played at least two seasons with another team in your league, due to Feyenoord's tradition of buying players that have been succesful in the Eredivisie.

4.) You must attempt each year to bring back a former great from your domestic national team (A player capped by the nation of the league you are playing in) from abroad.

The PSV Way

PSV have been labeled as a springboard for professional development for talented footballers from around the world. Their scouts find talent all over the world and that talent gets showcased at Philips Stadium before moving on to the greatest clubs in the world. They are the latecomer to the big three, but they have undoubtedly been the most succesful club in recent times, winning fourteen national titles in twenty-two years (over half!) from 1986 to 2008. In the eighties they had players such as Ronald Koeman, Eric Gerets, Søren Lerby and van Breukelen, all players that were in the prime of their career, but the real success came after scout Piet de Visser and his co-workers brought in Romario, Gheorge Popescu, Arthur Numan, Waterreus, Ronaldo (the Brazilian one), Luc Nilis, Jaap Stam, Philip Cocu, Zenden and de Bilde in the 90s. The success continued in the new millenium with the likes of van Bommel, Vogel, van Nistelrooy, Bruggink, Kezman, Hofland, Vennegoor of Hesselink, Robben, Park Ji-Sung, Lee Young-Pyo, Rommedahl, (Heurelho) Gomes, Farfán, DaMarcus Beasley, Bouma, Alex, Timmy Simons, Affelay, Carlos Salcido and Arouna Koné. Many of the players listed before joined before their twenty-third birthday and ended up playing in many of the biggest leagues around the continent.

If you choose the PSV Way, you must complete the challenge with the following restrictions:

1.) Your favorite team must be set to PSV.

2.) At least 50% of your transfers must be players under the age of 23

3.) You must have at least 10 different nationalities in your first team..

4.) If you have the opportunity to sign back a former star, you must attempt to do so.

The Actual Challenge

Stage One - Predictably humble beginnings

Pick your path and then:

You must join a team in a small European League, one with no more than 4 European spots (check the UEFA Coefficients). The team you join must not have qualified for any European competition, but should be in the top tier of it's competition system.

Following the specific rules for the path you've chosen, you must bring consistent success to your club by winning trophies for three years in a row, either the national title or the FA Cup will do. You are allowed to mix and match (so, Cup, Cup, Title or three straight titles etc).

After you've achieved this, it's time to move on to stage 2

Stage 2 - Making your mark in Europe

Having proven your system worked at your first club, you must now find a job with any club in a mid-sized European league, any league that has five or six European spots, but not more (aka. Any league that's not Serie A, La Liga or the Premiership). Also you are not allowed to manage in the Netherlands due to the special stage mentioned later.

There are no restrictions to the team you can join in this mid-level league, if you get an offer to join league champions, that is perfectly allowed. In order to complete this stage, you must once again implement your system at the club and achieve a consistent level of success, which must include back-to-back titles and at least one domestic double (League and Cup as you all should know) and finally consistent European success as well, by reaching past the group stages of either European tournament three times (does not have to be consecutive) as well as reaching the final of either European Cup (bonus points for winning) once.

Stage 3 - Taking it to the bigs

Finally, having already done so much, you get the chance to show the world just what you can do with a superpower. Take over any club in one of the top leagues (EPL, La Liga or Serie A) and once again prove that your system works by doing that which is hardest: Winning the Quintuple. That is to say: Domestic Super Cup, European Super Cup, Domestic Title, Domestic Cup and Champions League, all in a single season. Good luck with that.

Special Stage - Your dream job

If and when the club whose path you've chosen has a job opening, you MUST apply and if the job is offered to you, you MUST accept it. I understand that there is a chance that it will mess up your progress in a stage. Depending on which stage you are on when you get the job offer, you have the following options.

1.) If you had not yet completed stage one, receiving a job offer from the club of your dreams may be considered validation enough and you will have completed stage one by default. You may then use your club (A, F or P) to complete stage 2.

2.) If you have completed stage one, but not stage two, you may simply use your favorite club to complete stage two, instead (while still abiding to your club specific rules, of course.)

3.) If you have completed stage two, but not stage three, you have the choice of repeating stage 2 with your favorite club and then re-starting stage three, or you may attempt to complete stage 3 with your favorite club.

4.) If through some bizarre turn of events you manage to complete all three regularly scheduled stages without ever securing the job at your chosen club, you may then use the "add a manager" feature to create the needed vacancy and apply for the job (there really isn't any real reason why you shouldn't get the job then) and then complete the requirements for stage two or three (your choice).

Bonus stage - International management

This stage is not mandatory due to the tedium associated with international management. You may attempt this stage at any time (though you may not create yourself an international manager right away), if you chose to do it at all. There is no restriction to what nation you can manage, the only goal is to win an international trophy (Euro Cup, African Nations Cup, Copa America, Asian Nations Cup or World Cup) using the philosophy of your favorite club as follows:

Ajax: At least ten of your selected players at any time must be under 24, at least five of those under 21 and at least three under 19

Feyenoord: At least fifteen of your selected players must be over 26, at least seven of those over 30 and at least one must be over 35

PSV: You may not select any players under the age of 20 or over the age of 30. You must use at least five players who play in the domestic leagues, and at least one of those must feature in the starting XI.

[tenthreeleader]

This is a great challenge, Mark .. glad you posted it here.

[gavrenwick]

I haven't really thought of much at the moment, but here is something to at least try and get the ball rolling.

*****

Ocean’s Eleven:

An FMS Re-Telling

Part I

Terry Benedict (Alex Ferguson and then any subsequent Manchester United manager) holds a tight and successful monopoly on the Premiership and cup trophies. You are Danny Ocean, a man with the intention of stealing all that Terry holds dear; his fortune of trophies.

Create your manager and call him Danny Ocean with the reputation set to semi-professional. You must then takeover a Premiership side who finished in the bottom ten in the last season of your FM game’s date. (2010 – Stoke City, Fulham, Sunderland, Bolton, Wolves, Wigan, West Ham, Burnley, Hull, Portsmouth) and (2011 – WBA, Newcastle, Stoke, Bolton, Blackburn, Wigan, Wolves, Birmingham, Blackpool, West Ham) are the last two examples.

Take this side of players, signing only TEN additional ones on transfers and seal a top seven finish within a two season time limit. This success will earn you the dollar to make a serious move on Benedict’s fortune. Upon completion of this stage you will have proved to Reuben that you are the man for the job and not to be taken lightly.

Part II

You have earned some financial backing thanks to Reuben Tishkoff and can now attempt to mount a serious challenge on Benedict and his side. It is at this point where you must await the chance to takeover at one of Tishkoff’s clubs (Birmingham, Spurs, West Ham or Stoke). Whoever you choose, you have just three seasons to break into the top four.

Part III

Having finally achieved success and finished within the top four, you must get invited to Benedict’s fancy dinner party by winning a trophy. Benedict doesn’t like it when someone does better than he does, so this cup success is vital to getting into the man’s inner circle. So go out and win either a continental or domestic trophy with the side you are hopefully still in charge of. Any cup win’s before this stage simply went unnoticed. Reuben will be happy.

Part IV

You’ve broken into Benedict’s inner circle, but now you must be cunning and steal everything from him. You must pose as an imposter of Benedict himself (having gone on to kidnap him); going on and managing the side you have been trying to better for so long. Await the Manchester United job offer and upon achieving it, seal a treble winning season but bare in mind that when you reach this stage you must try and sign ten of the players you have signed for your previous clubs, these being your Ocean's Eleven (with yourself being the eleventh of course). When you lift the trophy in front of all the fans you will then reveal yourself as the imposter, and you and your men can escape with the trophy, ending the movie and leaving the story open for a sequel.

In simple terms:

1. Takeover a bottom half side and finish in the top seven within two seasons.
   
2. Takeover one of Reuben's sides and break into the top four within three seasons.
   
3. Win a continental or domestic trophy.
   
4. Seal a treble winning season with Manchester United.
   

Notes:

• At any point in the game you can only sign ten players a season for the team you are in charge of. These do include youth players, so set out your deals accordingly and do not exceed this limit!
  
• You must do the achievements as they are required. Past success is irrelevant for each section.
  
• There is no time limit on this game.
  

[glennuk]

Really like the oceans eleven idea, best challenge idea i have heard in a long time

[Elrithral]

I have edited Argentina, Spain, Italy, England, Holland, France, Portugal and Germany for promotion and relegations, but not transfers, if you fancied giving the FGC another go. I'm playing as River Plate atm. If you want the file, let me know.

[chesterfan2]

Liking Mark's The Dutch Way myself. A fabulous challenge, sir.

[tenthreeleader]

Last call for challenges.

[Mark Snellink]

Is there a one challenge per person limit, or?

[Terk]

There never has been in the past, Mark, so I see no reason that there would be now.

[Mark Snellink]

The conquest challenge (Multiple Choice)

Over the centuries, empires were built and destroyed many times. Generals, Emperors, Kings and Sultans alike made their reputations by conquest. Now, it is your turn.

I have devised three different conquest challenges that I will post in separate posts in this thread to keep them more organised.

Read on:

[Mark Snellink]

Rome (500 BC - 200 AD)

The single most succesful conquerers of Europe, the Romans defined history and culture for Western Civilisation, the Roman Empire at it's largest stretched from England to Arabia, from North Africa to the Netherlands.

(Leagues: Italy to Serie C2, Spain, France, Holland, England, Scotland)

Stage one: Central Italy

In order to establish Rome's dominance, they had to start by taking over the neighborhood, which they did between roughly 458 and 396, defeating and conquering their Etruscan neighbors in a long series of battles.

Take over any club in the Serie C2/B (Legia Pro Seconda Divisione), specifically group B, as it is for the central part of Italy, and win promotion to Serie C1

Stage two: Italy

After a stagnant period, during which Rome was even sacked the Romans bounced back and started fighting for control of Italy, and through a series of wars with the Samnites to the south and the Greeks led by Pyrrhus they succeeded in capturing Italia in a period from 345BC until 275BC.

Work your way up the Italian league system in a method of your choosing, without ever leaving Italy, culminating in a National title with one of the two Roman clubs (AS Roma or Lazio)

Stage three: Carthage and Iberia

Following the Pyrrhic wars, the Romans started flexing their muscle on a larger scale, intervening in conflicts in Sicily where they faced off against mighty Carthage in the Punic wars starting around 270 BC. Slowly but surely, the Romans grew in power and once they'd figured out the art of Naval combat, the balance of power shifted. Hannibal Barca marched on Rome and for a while ran unchecked around the Italian countryside, but Rome sent Scipio to North Africa and decimated Carthage at home around 200 BC.

Then, in the third Punic war, Rome marched on Carthage and wiped the city off the face of the earth in 149 BC and by 25 BC the entire Iberian peninsula was under Roman control.

Stay in Rome until you defeat Barcelona at Nou Camp in European competition, then move to Spain and win the league. Ensure that the staff at the club you win the league with has an all-Italian coaching staff. After all, the people can be of any nationality, so long as the rulers are Roman.

Stage four: Defeating the Greeks and defending Rome

While the Romans were taking over Iberia, other forces in Europe were stirring. King Philip of Macedon and his son Perseus both tried to make moves against Rome and were brutally struck down by Rome, who also had to fight the Spartans and the Istrians during a period of unrest in the Greek provinces between 200 BC and 150 BC.

In North Africa trouble was brewing, when Jugurtha took the Numidian throne. Things ended up getting ugly and the former ally of Rome became an enemy. An army was dispatched to take care of the problem and after a slow start, the Romans defeated Jugurtha in several places before he was betrayed by his people, ending the war in 104 BC.

Meanwhile, in the north, the Germanic Cimbri and Teutons migrated south and clashed violently with Roman forces, leading to a string of skirmishes and battles ending with the Battle of Vercellae in 101 BC.

Mithridates the Great of Pontus then challenged the Romans over Greece and Anatolia in three wars from 89 BC until 63 BC and was finally defeated by Pompey in the Third Mithridatic war at the night-time Battle of the Lycus.

4a.) Return to Italy (any Serie A team will do) and organise a friendly tournament involving the champions of Macedonia, Greece and Croatia (check the Champions League for info if you don't wish to load the leagues) and win the tournament. Awed by your might, the Greeks roll over and play dead, leaving you in control.

Play a season in Italy and qualify for European competition.

4b.) The Numidians are a pesky lot, better go take care of them. In the pre-season of your second year in Italy, arrange a tour of Algeria and/or Tunisia and win at least the last three games of the tour. Also purchase at least one player from one of the two countries to keep them happy.

Play as an Italian club and remain undefeated at home in European competition.

4c.) Even if you succeed in staying undefeated at hope in Europe during your second year back in Italy, you must stay a third year to hold off Mithridates, by scheduling a tour of Turkey in which you must face the three big Turkish clubs, Beşiktaş, Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe and win.

Stage five: Julius Caesar and Augustus (Octavian)

Desperate to make a name for himself, Julius Caesar sought and found an excuse to blaze a war campaign across modern-day France, slaughtering the Helvetii tribes and conquering the Gallic tribal territories one by one, culminating at Alesia where Caesar defeated a united band of Gauls led by Vercingetorix. Caesar would gain a reputation and a loyal army and the people in Rome started to worry. Caesar returned to Rome and seized power (to summarise a very long story) before eventually being assasinated by Marcus Brutus. Mark Antony and Octavian fought to avenge Caesar's assassination and drove Cassius and Brutus to suicide. Octavian and Mark Antony's alliance then broke down and Octavian would ultimately defeat Antony and Cleopatra in a naval battle near Greece and become Emperor Augustus.

Move to France and win the title with any club, providing you have an all-Italian coaching staff. Return to Italy when you have a chance to take control at one of the two Roman clubs. Stay there until you have a triumvirate of League title, FA Cup and European Cup in a single season.

Now that you've established yourself as unquestionably dominant, it's time to go conquer some more.

Stage six: Conquering the rest of Europe

The newly founded empire under Augustus, Trajan and Germanicus steadily invaded north into Germanica, although modern day Germany was never captured. In 43 AD, it was Britannica's turn and the Britons would be overrun, with the Romans advancing as far as middle Scotland at the height of their power.

To finish your achievements in conquest, win league titles in Holland, England and Scotland, with coaching staff from Italy and conquered nations only.

[Mark Snellink]

The Viking Age (800 - 1100 AD)

The Vikings or Northmen played a violent part in European history for a period spanning three centuries in which they ransacked, pillaged, pirated and conquered large parts of Britain and Western Europe.

(Leagues: English Blue Square North/South up or Ireland from First Division up)

Route A: England

In 793, Viking raiders began a reign of terror in which they continuously attacked and plundered Northern coastal settlements in England and Scotland and disappeared as soon as they came. By 850, the Vikings started to overwinter in England, starting on little islands before the Great Heathen Army came and conquered Northumbria and East Anglia in 867. Mercia fell in 870 to the Great Summer Army which had come from Denmark to join the army that had already made itself at home in Northumbria, putting a puppet on the thrones of kingdoms they had conquered. They nearly conquered all of England when Alfred, King of Wessex was forced to retreat into the Somerset marshes while the Danes ran rampant into Wessex after Chippenham fell. Alfred fought back and regained control of Wessex and even Western Mercia, forcing the Danish leader Guthrum to settle in Eastern Mercia and East Anglia.

The period from 880-890 was rather uneventful as Alfred and Guthrum maintained their peace largely and while Viking raids continued, it was not until the death of Guthrum that things went downhill again as his death left a power vacuum. In the 890s, they came again with two armies and attempted to take Wessex and Mercia but failed and the Danish settled down in Northumbria and East Anglia. Alfred and his descendants eventually managed to drive north and took York back from the Danish.

In 947, Norwegian Vikings came and (re-)captured York and a strong Norwegian and Danish presence continued, although they were often offerd Danegeld to keep from looting villages. In 1066, the English, led by King Harald defeated the Norsemen at Stamford Bridge, before themselves being defeated by the Normans at Hastings nineteen days later.

It is important to note that those who settled in England were not Vikings, but rather Danes or Norwegians, as Vikings was a title bestowed on raiders.

1.) Your first raid will land you in the Blue Square North, where in one year's time you must bring in as many Scandinavians as you possibly can.

Being as this is a raid, you will look for a position at a better club as soon as you can get it, no settling. Just take the money and leave behind a viking impression. If you can't find a new job while employed, you must resign after one season.

2.) Your second club must be located within reasonable distance of the English eastern coast. Again, bring in as many Scandinavians as possible, and keep an eye open for a chance to move up the league. A maximum of two years may be spent at this club.

3.) Your third and fourth club must still be in what used to be Northumbria or East Anglia (on a map, anywhere between the Scottish border and an imaginary line drawn from Blackpool to Hull and the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Cambridgeshire. Two years' max at each club, still bringing in as many Scandinavians as possible in anticipation of the Great Summer Army to march south into Mercia.

4.) Your fifth club must be either based in Liverpool or Manchester, and with them you will continue to recruit Scandinavians, and when you have at least ten Scandinavians at the club it is time to march on London. Defeat every single club you play in London with at least five Scandinavians in the matchday squad (on field or bench) in a single season.

5.) Do what the Vikings failed and capture and win London and Stamford Bridge by taking over a London club other than Chelsea and winning the league with at least five Scandinavians playing in over 50% of the team's matches, while winning the game at Stamford Bridge.

Route B: Ireland

The Vikings came to Ireland initially in the early ninth century in small raids, before starting to settle down in Ireland, where the Irish not only became used to the Viking presence, they allied and intermarried with the invaders and the Vikings set up bases called Longphorts on the Irish eastern coast from which they often raided England and Wales. The main longphorts that developed into permanent settlements were Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford, and Wexford.

1.) Establish a base in Ireland by taking over a First Division team in any of the aforementioned towns (In 2010 Cork, Limerick, Shelbourne and Waterford United qualify) and take them to the Irish Premier Division with a squad featuring at least five Scandinavians playing in 50% of the team's matches and a Scandinavian coaching staff.

2.) Once promoted, you are free to move about between clubs in the five longphorts and use one to get in to Europe, again with a squad featuring at least five Scandinavians playing in 50% of the team's matches and a Scandinavian coaching staff.

3.) To complete a succesful raid on the English, knock out an English team in a European competition with a squad featuring at least five Scandinavians playing in 50% of the team's matches and a Scandinavian coaching staff.

[Mark Snellink]

The Ottoman Empire (1300-1700)

Founded by Osman I and made great by Mehmed II, Selim I and Suleiman the Magnificent, the Ottoman Empire stretched from modern-day Iraq to Algeria, from Sudan on the Eastern coast of Africa to Hungary.

(Leagues: Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece as well as one of: Croatia, Romania, Slovenia or Hungary. Israel optional.)

Stage one: Uniting Anatolia

The thirteenth century in Anatolia was a tumultuous and despotic time, with the Byzantine Empire losing control of the region to Ghazi emirates. One such emirate was that of Eskişehir in Western Anatolia, led by Osman I, the founder of the Ottoman Empire.

You must start your career at Eskişehirspor and go a full season without suffering defeat at home. This will provide a stable base from which you can start your conquest.

Stage two: Bulgaria

After securing Western Anatolia, the Ottoman empire expanded westwards, into Thrace (the European part of Turkey) and then Bulgaria

Take control of any Bulgarian club in the East or South (Spartak Varna, Cherno More Varna, Sliven, Lokomotiv Plovdiv, Belasitsa Petrich or Vihren Sandanski, or any club promoted from the "East B PFG") and conquer the nation by winning the A PFG (Highest league) or the National Cup title (either will suffice) while recruiting at least five Turkish players and two Turkish staff to the club to hold down the fort after you leave.

Stage three: Serbia

Following the battle of Kosovo in 1389, Serbia was left in a very weak state, having brought all of their able-bodied troops to the battle and being defeated by Sultan Murad's Ottomans.

Take over any club in Serbia and win the national title, while recruiting another five Turkish players and two Turkish staff, from Turkey (not just of the nationality, they must have been based in Turkey at the time of aqcuisition.)

Stage four: A foothold in Greece

During the beginning of the 15th century (1422-1430) Sultan Murad II battled the Venetians for control of Salonika (modern-day Thessaloniki) and finally gained it in 1432 by treaty.

Time to head down to Greece and grab a foothold. Take control of any non-Athenian club and stay undefeated for a whole season playing at home, while recruiting five new Turkish players and two more staff from the Turkish leagues.

Stage five: Constantinople

Despite having been in the middle of the Ottoman Empire, the city of Constantinople was still held by the Byzanthines, due to a treaty with the Ottomans which was annulled by Sultan Mehmet in 1451, against the advice of his Grand Vizier, who did not believe it wise to lay siege to the city. Against his advice, Mehmet laid siege and conquered Constantinople in just over a month. He eventually moved the capital of the Ottoman Empire there.

Return to Turkey's highest league, to any club not in Istanbul (aka, not Beşiktaş, Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe or Istanbulspor) and win every game played in Istanbul. After you succeed in doing that, wait for a chance to take control of one of the Istanbul teams and use them to win the league and become a major force in Southern Europe by qualifying from the Group Stages and reaching farther than (and annihilating) any club from the Balkans and Greece in the Champions League. (So if a club from Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia or Croatia goes out in the quarter finals, for instance, you must reach the semi's to complete the task). Should you face a club from this region at any point, you must win both games against them.

Stage six: Greece and the destruction of the Byzanthine empire

After the fall of Constantinopel, Mehmed turned his gaze back on Greece and by 1460 had conquered all of Greece, including Athens.

Return to Greece, taking over any club not in Athens and winning the league. Then join one of the Athenian "Big Three" (Olympiakos, Panathinaikos or AEK) and win the title again and qualify from the group stages of the Champions League. All the while still recruiting 5 Turkish footballers and 2 Turkish staff at your clubs.

Optional: Jerusalem

Yavuz Sultan Selim in the early 16th century expanded the Ottoman Empire more than any previous Sultan. He conquered Damascus, Jerusalem, Egypt, Mecca, Algiers and more.

You may, if you choose, go to the Israeli league and win it, while bringing in at least one Turkish staff and one Turkish player (stricter foreign policy in the league)

Stage seven: On the doorstep of the Habsburgs

Suleiman the Magnificent added another large swath of land to the Ottoman Empire, significantly in modern-day Slovenia, Hungary and Romania, almost reaching into Habsburgian Austria, while also settling down rebelious 'provinces' in Romania and Croatia.

Take over a club in either Croatia, Romania, Slovenia or Hungary and win the league, while bringing in the customary two Turkish staff and five Turkish players from the Turkish leagues and lead your team to the Group stages of the Champions League.

Final Stage: Make Europe tremble before your might

At the full height of their power, the Ottoman Empire stretched across South-east Europe, large parts of Asia Minor and North Africa and were certainly a force to be reckoned with, controlling the shipping trade between Europe and Asia, forcing the Spanish to seek a westward way to India (and we all know what that lead to).

Take control of any club in any nation that was once part of the Ottoman Empire and win a European title.

Any stage is completed when all the requirements are fulfilled. They do not need to be fulfilled all in the same season. Should at any point in the challenge you get fired, you must re-start the stage you were working on from the beginning with a new qualifying club. You are free to move about and return "conquered" countries at any time should you find the need to.

[chesterfan2]

Good work Mark, very impressive. I just wonder though, do you actually get out much ?

[Mark Snellink]

Actually, yes I've found that I am much better at coming up with ideas than actually sticking with them and completing them

[sherm]

I know it might be a little late but this idea has been mulling around in my head for a while now...

The England Challenge - We invented football, so why the hell are we crap!

Due to the dismal failings of England in the last few major tournaments, you feel, as does the whole countrym, that it is time for a change. Fabio Capello cannot take the pressure, and quits, and when you apply, you announce your footballing philosophy to the F.A. They see it as a bold, new move, but one that, if it works, could get the English fans back on side...

Stage One

You are Neil McDermott, a man who has never been scared to follow his ideas. You surprisingly are awarded the England job after a storm of controversy and a backlash on Fabio Capello. You announce your intention to the press...No player over the age of 28 will play for your country again. There are gasps and shocked looks on faces, but that doesn't bother you

1) Any squad you pick, for either a friendly or a competitive game, must have no players aged 28 or over in the side. Any time up to the day before their 28th birthday is fine, but not after

Stage Two

With this squad, you must go on to win the World Cup. Now obviously, it's unlikely to be done straightaway, so there is no time-limit as such. As an added bonus, try and win the European Championships aswell

Stage Three

At any time after the first full season, take charge of a Premiership club who finished in the bottom 10 the season before. Adopt the same policy with them, and guide them to safety, while maintaining your England position

Stage Four

With your club side, push for Champions League Qualification, and try to win a Cup or two along your way. You must have at least 8 English players in your starting eleven...

Final Stage

Win at least a League and Cup double (in one season) and claim a European trophy to reclaim the English pride and show these foreigners that Blighty is best!

[Wegason]

A little late I know but I see no voting so....

The Olympic Glory Challenge

Aim

The rules are simple, take control of a team from a city that has hosted the Summer Olympics and lead that club to glory in both the domestic league and the continental club championship (UEFA Champions League or its equivalent).

Rules

The caveat being that like the Olympics, you need to win with players under the age of 23, with the exception of three players. Each match day squad can only have three players aged over 23 in both the domestic league and the Champions League, having more than 3 players over the age of 23 is allowed but only 3 can be in a match day squad.

The challenge is to win with youth and a blend of experience. Obviously some clubs will be easier than others to win while some clubs from smaller countries will be very tough to win the Champions League with.

Eligible cities:

Athens, Paris, St Louis, London, Stockholm, Berlin, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Helsinki, Melbourne, Rome, Tokyo, Mexico City, Munich, Montreal, Moscow, Seoul, Barcelona, Atlanta, Sydney, Beijing.

Example Teams

Paris St Germain, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Hertha Berlin, Ajax, Roma, Lazio, Bayern Munich, and FC Barcelona are all eligible.

[tenthreeleader]

These challenges will be folded into the FMS Awards voting. Might as well get some recognition for it.

[Mark Snellink]

Not seeing this in the awards voting btw...

[tenthreeleader]

That's because I was a goof.

[Mark Snellink]

Very disappointing, sir.

[tenthreeleader]

Frankly, Mark, I forgot it was there. I made no claim to complete ballot accuracy. Some help in remembering next year would be good for anyone who wishes to.

[Mark Snellink]

I'm sorry bud, I was only teasing, it's no big deal

[copperhorse21]

Where do I put a new challenge idea for FMS Stories?

[tenthreeleader]

Here would be good. I'm also looking for someone to run a challenge competition if they are so inclined. ( hint hint )

[copperhorse21]

I've taken your hint and don't really know what kind of things I might be able to do to run the challenge competition. If you wish to inbox me the details, that might be something I can do because it will take less time than writing a story...