DOF/GM Challenge?

[XuluBak]

To be clear, by DOF/GM challenge, I mean one where you act as the DOF/GM. Not a manager beholden to your DOF/GM. So right off the bat, I might need a different name to eliminate any confusion. 

My favorite part of every sports game ever is building my team, so I'd likely have a save that reflects this idea one way or another. I toyed with doing this briefly in FM19, but didn't have clear "rules" in place. The current state of the Beta ME, combined with not wanting to get too attached to any save yet got me thinking about this, so decided to post what I've come up with so far, and invite ideas. This isn't an "official challenge" yet, more of a brainstorming session. 

Objective: Win trophies without managing any of the games themselves. Note: This could be combined with some other existing challenges to more clearly define your objectives, setup, etc.

Setup: Flexible.  

Starting employment: Flexible, although, starting with a "top club" in whatever nation you choose probably doesn't make much sense unless you plan to gut them and rebuild.  I'd lean toward starting unemployed and looking to take over somewhere entering a new season. 

Coaching Staff: Your assistant is effectively your manager. You must employ his preferred formation, tactics, and playstyle. You must also delegate tasks that should be handled by a manager to him.  The rest of the coaching staff doesn't have to "match," but should be "compatible"  (i.e., if you're using a 433, then your coaches probably shouldn't prefer 3412). There always seems to be a shortage of coaches that prefer 3/5 at-the-back formations, so you can use them interchangeably (e.g., 532 = 352)  Use your discretion.  

Youth/B team staff: Delegate to assistant coach, technical director, or manage yourself. It seems like all your teams have to play the same formation/tactics, so maybe your youth/B-team HCs should align with your "assistant." 

Non-coaching staff: Delegate to technical director or manage yourself. 

Training: All training decisions, including staff assignments, should be delegated. You're not a coach, you're a DOF/GM, so you shouldn't be involved in training. That that might not be very practical for non-league clubs, where people need to wear multiple hats, so maybe the DOF/GM doubles as a fitness coach, but probably not reasonable to keep doing that as your club grows. Again, use discretion. 

Tactics: As mentioned previously, you must employ your assistant's formation, tactics, and playstyle. Given there are only ten preset options, I think it's reasonable to make minor changes to player roles, to best align with your personnel (especially to start), but no micromanaging player/team instructions, and any tactical recommendations (from your assistant) should be implemented. 

Scouting: You have to manage your scouting staff and their assignments. You cannot assign them to scout individual players, unless those players are transfer listed or on an expiring contract. 

Player acquisitions: You cannot delegate any transfer or contract activities and can only buy players you have fully scouted. EXCEPTIONS: If someone that's transfer listed, and in your scouting pipeline, receives a bid, then you can go after them.  If you're a journeyman DOF/GM, then you can buy past players without any scouting. 

I'm sure there are things I haven't considered, but that's where I'm at so far. Any thoughts/ideas? 

Edited November 12, 2019 by XuluBak

[greyiago]

I think I'd enjoy this.

[xilere]

This is so interesting. Are you having fun with it? Also how can you watch the matches where your ass man is in charge?

Edited December 20, 2019 by xilere

[XuluBak]

I haven't really spent any time with it. I've been doing Ultimate FM Challenge. Will circle back to this eventually.

[Ackter]

This is how I've played the game for about 10 years now

[XuluBak]

8 hours ago, Ackter said:

This is how I've played the game for about 10 years now

I've played this way some, but not with a set 'ruleset' in place.