The Ultimate Football Manager Challenge

[samjohpos]

@vikeologist I'm about to start this challenge as my first career save for FM21. I managed to get to around 15+/32 trophies in FM20.

Just wanted to double check the rules about disabling attribute masking. Does it have to be off or on?

Also any good tips on leagues to try your first job in this years version? 

[vikeologist]

16 minutes ago, samjohpos said:

@vikeologist I'm about to start this challenge as my first career save for FM21. I managed to get to around 15+/32 trophies in FM20.

Just wanted to double check the rules about disabling attribute masking. Does it have to be off or on?

Also any good tips on leagues to try your first job in this years version? 

Quote

No disabling attribute masking in the full version of the game

Basically, attribute masking must be on.

As for a first league, it depends what you're looking for.  Achieving the challenge asap? Enjoying your 1st season? Winning stuff in your first season?

[samjohpos]

4 minutes ago, vikeologist said:

Basically, attribute masking must be on.

As for a first league, it depends what you're looking for.  Achieving the challenge asap? Enjoying your 1st season? Winning stuff in your first season?

Okay perfect just double checking. 

I'm not a massive fan of managing in second tiers, China and South Africa are exceptions.  I like trying to achieve my badges as quick as possible at the start of my saves usually. 

[lukefox44]

2 hours ago, samjohpos said:

Also any good tips on leagues to try your first job in this years version? 

Canada has been a popular choice. Combination of a short first season, money for badges and the fact the league is very winnable made it perfect for a first season for me and a few others in this forum.

Good luck mate.

[MShing]

Newells Old Boys Season 2028-29

A short update for this one.

I took over as manager of Newells Old Boys with about 10 games to go til the end of the season. The squad looked promising with a lot of young players with potential, I thought with a few additions I may finish around the top 6 and build from there. Unfortunately I could never get the players to get going. I took over when the club were around 12th. I couldnt really improve things and we finished 15th

 

 

I feel there is so much potential in this squad. I have signed a few needed players now the season has finished. I have upgraded all of the coaching staff to see if I can maximise this potential some of these player have, something I never do with this save, but I feel I could make this into a mini project, this might add on a few years to this challenge but I will see how things go. One other thing keeping me here is that we are still in the Copa Libatadores fingers crossed for an easy route to the final. I am hoping my new signings can be  registered for the next round but I have a feeling they wont be, I wouldnt be surprised lol

Season   Team   		Position  	Key Player		Notes and Achievements
21/22	 Supersport United	1st		Rodney Ramagalela	Won Telekom Knockout Cup
22/23	 Supersport United	1st		Oswin Appollis		Won CAF Champions league, MTN 8 Cup, Knockout Cup
2023	 Guangzhou Evergrande	2nd		Elkeson			Won Chinese FA Cup
2024	 Guangzhou Evergrande	1st		Anton Miranchuk		Won Chinese FA Cup, Won Asian Champions League
2026/27	 C.F. Monterrey		3rd		Duvan Vergara		Won Copa MX
2027/28	 C.F. Monterrey		6th		n/a			n/a
2028/29	 Newell's Old Boys	15th		n/a			n/a
Challenge Progress

Club

2/10 top domestic leagues (South Africa, China)

3/10 domestic cups (South Africa, China, Mexico)

2/5 club continental championships (CAF Champions League, Asian Champions League)

0/1 club world championship

International

2026 	Nigeria		ACON		Knocked out in QF pens		Sacked
2029	Ivory Coast	ACON		Win				Resigned

1/5 continental tournaments (ACON - Ivory Coast 2029)

0/1 world tournaments ()

 

[libbyshuss]

Season 2036/37

Kaizer Chiefs - South Africa

So I stayed around for another season in the end. With the Cup and Champions League in the bag it was really just the league I was interested in.

League

Far closer than I'd have liked. It was a two horse race between us and Cape Town Spurs right up until the last couple of weeks. Everytime they slipped up, so did we, right until the end. They lost their last two games while we won ours to make it look a lot easier and simpler than it really was

Cups

There's a lot of cups in South Africa for some reason. We were runners up in 3, winning just the one, the equivalent of the community shield

Champions League

We won it again! that's three champions leagues in 18 months that I've won now! It was prett easy as well, bar a little slip up in the group stages. Once we got to the knockout stages it was a breeze. We beat rivals Sundowns 3-1 in the final, which was pretty sweet.

What's Next?

Well, Africa is done. I think I've got to get back to Europe. Even though I've won leagues and champions leagues my reputation has gone down to around 75%.

It's also three years since I won the World Cup with Brazil and there's been not even as much as a sniff of a new international job. England, Germany, France all turned me down without an interview after the Euros and none of the Asian countries have come available, which is a bit of a worry. I also need the Gold Cup and not seen any of those jobs come up either.

 

 

Career Progression

Challenge Progress

 

 

Edited December 27, 2020 by libbyshuss

[libbyshuss]

9 minutes ago, MShing said:

I took over as manager of Newells Old Boys

good luck! i really enjoyed my time with them, Boca are a massive pain though! They're probably the one club I felt I didn't really achieve as much as I should have though - I think I left them in a worse position than when I took over. Whoops.

Also, every time I saw their badge it made me giggle a bit. 

I am 12.

[dkouv]

2025 ACON - Ivory Coast

We have a good team going into the tournament and have breezed through ACON and World Cup quals so far. Boly was a bit too old to make the squad of 23, but Pepe, Zaha, Bailly, Aurier and Kessie are still in their prime and make for a very strong team. Goalkeeper is our only real weak spot. There were some fitness issues at the start with the tournament starting in January so I’ll try to rotate a bit in the group matches, hopefully with less disastrous results than my Uzbekistan rotation against Thailand. I listened to some African drums on Spotify to get into the spirit, and off we go!

Group Stage

Spoiler

Gambia 2 - 1 Ivory Coast. Absolute rubbish. A goal in the 1st and 89th minute for them, and while we bossed the game we still gave away too many chances and ultimately came short.

Angola 2 - 3 Ivory Coast. Well, we certainly made it harder than it needed to be. A penalty for them in the 3rd minute, after which we wasted one million half chances until a Pepe double and a third from Meite took us two clear. They scored and then missed a great chance to equalise, which made for a tense ending. It seems that the tactic which was working so well in qualifying has given way, need to change something for the next game.

Ivory Coast 5 - 1 Algeria. Finally a game which we dominated and won comfortably thanks to a Pepe hat trick. But wait for it…

Angola managed to beat Gambia 5-4 which meant that all three of us ended up on 6 points.  For some reason we actually finished 3rd despite having better GD than the other teams and better head-to-head versus Angola who finished 1st. So I first thought we were out but then remembered the @vikeologist qualifying in 3rd place, and indeed after the other group games were over we qualified as one of the better 3rd place teams. Phew… For now. Morocco next; not the worst draw but honestly I have no idea anymore.

Second Round (if applicable)

Spoiler

Morocco 1 - 8 Ivory Coast. This game is nuts. ACON is nuts. There are just too many teams with great strikers and crap defences, and hardly any half decent keepers around. I mean there has already been a 6-6 draw in the tournament and Senegal lost 7-0 to Guinnea-Bissau. Fiorentina’s Christian Kouame scored 5 for us here. For a scoreline with some measure of sanity, see the xG result for a 3-1 win to us.

We face hosts Guinea next.

Quarter Final (if applicable)

Spoiler

Ivory Coast 7 - 2 Guinea. Our strikers were absolutely on fire in this one, with Pepe scoring 4. We were in control throughout, even though 3 of our goals were scored from set pieces.

Our group stage conquerors Gambia are next.

 

Semi Final (if applicable)

Spoiler

Gambia 3 - 7 Ivory Coast. Revenge was in order and we duly delivered it, served cold and all that, mostly thanks to 4 wonderful goals by Pepe.

Senegal await in the final. On paper they should be the best team we’ve faced so far, and are the highest ranked African team in the world. But as I said they did lose a game 7-0 in the group stage...

 

Final (if applicable)

Spoiler

Senegal 3 - 3p Ivory Coast. Oh boy. That was quite something. The game was immediately more cagey than our other knockout ties. Pepe scored the opener in the 13th minute, which Senegal’s Balde cancelled out from a free kick. A cagey hour followed before Pepe scored a tap in on the 83rd minute, and I switched to all-out defence to see the game out. This backfired spectacularly as in the 91st minute our star centre back Gbamin completely missed a simple header, allowing Niang to pick up the ball and score.

In extra time, Gbamin continued to earn his dues by getting sent off, a minute after which Sarr scored what I thought would be the winner for Senegal. But then we had our own bit of last-minute salvaging to do when Kouame scored a 120th minute equaliser following a brilliant assist by Pepe. You literally could not make this up. I then messed up the commentary speed for the penalties so the next thing I saw was the podium with us lifting the trophy  I gathered we had won the shootout and indeed we had, thanks to us scoring all our pens and Senegals' Sarr blasting his wide of goal.

So, Africa done - but this challenge definitely does not do drama-free, at least when I’m playing :o

 

 

After the tournament

Spoiler

Well, first of all I definitely need a good lie down after all the drama. I'll see what is available after this summer's Gold cup and then the World Cup quals, but I am rather tempted to give next year’s World Cup a go with this Ivory Coast team just for the fun of it, so I’m half hoping a suitable job won’t come up until then ))

Pepe was definitely our player of the tournament and now has an incredible 47 goals in 72 games for Ivory Coast, 15 of which came in this ACON. Jeremie Boga was also great for us on the wing and in attacking midfield, his 5 assists second only to Pepe.

 

 

[vikeologist]

@dkouv Once you finished 3rd in the group stage, maybe it was feted that you would win. In retrospect are you glad that the penalty shootout wasn't a 10 minute torture for you. I don't know if you had the speed wrong though. You may just have erased it from your memory because of stress.

[libbyshuss]

So I resigned from Kaizer Chiefs on 31st May and had a look at the job centre. The Bayern Munich job was available, so I applied.

The next news item was a story about Zinedine Zidane resigning from his job at Manchester United to take over at Liecester. He had just won Man Uniteds first two league titles since Fergie (23 years!) and had for some reason decided that the grass was greener at fifth placed Liecester City. So all of a sudden the Man U job was available! I still need the Premier League title for the challenge so this would be the ideal opportunity.

The next news item wads the manager of Santos getting sacked, and I've always wanted to manage in Brazil. I don't need the league title for the challenge but I do still need the Copa Libertadores. So I applied too!

Bayern didn't get bck to me but Santos offered me an interview then the job. Manchester United also offered me a job. Both clubs were in the World Club Cup that starts today, another competition that I need, while Santos are also still in the Libertadores. But Man U look really dominant in the league at the minute and probably a better bet for the World Club Cup so......

[MShing]

13 hours ago, libbyshuss said:

good luck! i really enjoyed my time with them, Boca are a massive pain though! They're probably the one club I felt I didn't really achieve as much as I should have though - I think I left them in a worse position than when I took over. Whoops.

Also, every time I saw their badge it made me giggle a bit. 

I am 12.

Haha

I am just about to play the next round of the Copa Libatadores and this popped up 

Ive promised them I can turn things around. We havent even started the season yet!!!! They have accepted my promise. I dont think i will last much longer here. The Independiente job became available but I didnt get it. I need to start winning something soon or my rep will be in danger of going down

Edited December 28, 2020 by MShing

[pug 407]

Pug's Update

So The First Thing I Had To Do Was Get The Wage Bill Down(Finances).Getting Rid Of The High Earners And Bringing In The Players I Wanted.

We Were Made Favourites To Go Up Promotion Odd. We Started The Season Of Brilliant As It Was Up To The 25th Game Before We Lost A Game.

Then We Lost 2 Games In A Row Then Never Lost Another All Season In The League. So With A Record Of 39 Wins 5 Draws And 2 Losses We Won

The League(League Fixtures 1)(League Fixtures 2)(Table). In The League Cup We Got Huddersfield And After A 1-1 Draw We Won On Penalties.

Up Next Was Newcastle Utd And A 2-1 Defeat(EFL Cup). In The FA Cup I Got To The 4th Round Before Getting Beat By Man Utd(FA Cup).

In The EFL Trophy We Got Knocked Out In The Groups(EFL Trophy). My Chairwoman Also Put In Some Money Into The Club(Chairwoman).

I Also Managed To Get All My Badges Up To(Badge).   (Accolades)   (Player Of The Season)   (Transfers)   (My History).

 

                                                                       CLUB CAREER                      
                                                                       -----------
Season     Club                Leagues        Cups                                     Other & Notes
                               1st  2nd       1st  2nd    Cont    CWC                                                                        ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2020       Ansan                                                                       Finished 7th
2021       Ansan                                                                       Left After 17 Games 
2021-22    Bolton                                                                      Promoted                                                                                   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                   INTERNATIONAL CAREER
                                                                   --------------------

Season    Nation         Cups                                                                         Other & Notes
                         World Cup    Confed Cup    Euro's    AFC    ACON    Gold Cup   Copa America
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Challenge Progress.
  -------------------

Club
----
0/10 Top Domestic Leagues
0/10 Top Domestic Cups   
0/5  Continental Cups    
0/1  Club World Cup      

International
-------------
0/5  Continental Tournaments 
0/2  World Tournaments       

 

[jcricky]

2026/27 – SuperSport United

 

 

After last year I knew I didn’t need to do much with the squad, but just add a little bit more quality in a couple of positions, mainly right back, right wing and up top, following the departure of one of my best strikers last year. We signed a South African right winger from Djurgardens, who was incredible. South Africa’s starting right back at only 18 was brought in for 400k, a good signing apart from our mid-season fall out (I’ll get to that). We also strengthened up top and in defensive midfield with players from Nigeria and Ivory Coast respectively. Seasoned pro Margeman came from Sundowns as some more steel in the midfield. 

 

League – Ran away with it. We set records for both goals and points, ending the season on 81 points, losing only one game.

 

MTN 8 – Heavy defeat in the first leg to Orlando Pirates, we did win the second leg 4-2 but it wasn’t enough. 

 

Telkom – Orlando Pirates beat us again, we could smash them in the league with ease but as soon as a cup game came around we bottled it.

 

Nedbank – The right back I mentioned before gave away a penalty on the in the 62^nd minute and we lost in the quarter’s 1-0. He then had the cheek to complain after that I’d promised him a domestic cup win, after that I fined him 2 weeks wages, I was fuming. 

 

CAF Champions League – We got through the preliminary rounds fairly easily and were drawn in a group with Orlando Pirates (again), Ghana’s Asante Kotoko (who knocked Al Ahly out) and Libya’s Al-Ittihad. We ended up finishing second in the group to, you guessed it, Orlando Pirates. We then drew ES Tunis in the Quarters, coasting past them 6-0 over two legs. We drew Wydad Athletic from Morroco next, who’d just beat Sundowns, we beat them 3-1 in a very tight two legged affair. In the final, we didn’t play Orlando!!!! They were knocked out by DR Congo’s TP Mazempe. The final was much more straight forward than I anticipated and we ran out 3-0 winners.

 

What next? – I managed to get the Japanese national team job, and have moved on from South Africa. I wanted to go to Asia but the right job just wasn’t there. I’ve ended up at David Beckham’s very own Inter Miami. I’ve never managed in the USA and really wanted to give it a go!

 

Challenge Progress

 

Challenge Progress

2/10 top domestic leagues - Canadian Premier League (Cavalry FC, 2021), DSTV Premiership (Supersport, 2025/26, 26/27)
0/10 domestic cups ()
1/5 club continental championships -CAF Champions League (SuperSport, 2026/27)
0/1 club world championship

Extras: CONCACAF National League (Cavalry FC, 2022), NordicBet Liga (Randers FC, 2024/25)

International
0/5 continental tournaments ()
0/1 world tournaments ()

 

[libbyshuss]

2 hours ago, jcricky said:

I’ve never managed in the USA and really wanted to give it a go!

it's mad as a box of hammers. my favourite bit is if you can't register anyone in your league squad the MLS just give them to another team for you!

congrats on clearing up in S Africa. I found i'd lose in the cup to teams i'd smash 4-0 in the league the next week as well.

 

[dkouv]

12 hours ago, vikeologist said:

@dkouv Once you finished 3rd in the group stage, maybe it was feted that you would win. In retrospect are you glad that the penalty shootout wasn't a 10 minute torture for you. I don't know if you had the speed wrong though. You may just have erased it from your memory because of stress.

Funnily enough, I did actually think that it may be written in the stars after that 3rd place finish. A thought that was quickly reversed once I went a man and goal down in extra time )) And I have to say, watching the shootout after the result is so much more enjoyable, I might try it again next time

[MShing]

Newell's Old Boys Season 2029-30 Review

 

So our poor form from last season continued into this season. Even with my squad being strengthened the players would not perform. No matter what formation of what style we played. It must have been a mental issue with the squad. The players always seemed to be moaning about something. I had lost the support of the dressing room before the league had even started! It quickly became apparent I would not be able to turn this team around. The only reason I stayed was to see if I could pull off a miracle and win the Copa Libertadores.

We managed to actually perform well in the Copa Lib reaching all the way to the semi final where we met Santos.

In the first leg we lost 0-1 away then in the second leg this happened

We came so close and to miss a penalty in the 82nd minute who knows what would have happened in the last 10 minutes. But it wasnt to be. I quickly resigned after the next league game where we were 2-0 up at half time and ended up losing 2-3.

 

So I am looking for a new job. Not sure if it has just been my game but there have not been many 'big' jobs that have come available. I might wait for the next international tournament in 2030 and hope some decent jobs become available then

[fmgrandtourer]

Time to try and give this a go

 

[darren1983]

Been a while but back on this.

Season 2023/24 Review

League - My target for the season was top 2 as Cape Town had won the previous 3 league titles. Due to cup exploits we were always 2 games behind right till the end of the season (final 2 weeks of season saw us play - Sat, Mon, Weds, Sat, Mon, Weds, Sat in an insane run) but big wins away at Cape Town and Orlando Pirates meant going into the final week of the season we knew if we won 2 and drew 1 of the 3 games we'd be champions, we managed to win all 3 and the title was ours

Nedbank Cup - After winning this last season I played my reserve side this season and they made it to the final and got the win showing our strength in depth

Telkom Cup - Again used reserve side and made it to semi finals

CAF Confederations Cup - Not needed for the challenge but wanted it for myself and club and it was easy won all but 1 game in the run (and even that was a draw) picked up another trophy

Carling black Label cup - the annual match between us and Orlando - lost on pens

Squad - Love this squad right now, nice mix of youth and players just reaching their peak

Transfers - Strengthened the squad while making a profit - I'm a chairman's dream!

Finances - Nice and healthy

Key Players

Jamie Webber - my main man on the left for most of the season, goals and assists, a real star
Max McMillan - my young loanee, had him with me at FS stars and brought him here, 21 goals in 27 games for the season isn't bad, will be on loan again next season
Rivaldo Corteze - my star signing, free transfer from Sundowns. man is far too good for this level
Kevin Paterson - my young ST that came through the youth system, saving me a fortune in transfers, 27 goals only 5 in the league but he was mainly used as a cup striker. Full international now too
Taariq Koopstadt - signed in Jan and has really pushed Webber for left wing role, he's class

Career Progress

Season		Club		Country		League		Position	Notes/Achievements 
2020/21		FS Stars	South Africa	NDF		5th 		Took over in 8th. Started 1st coaching badge
2021/22		FS Stars	South Africa	NDF		1st 		Completed 2 coaching badges & started a 3rd
2022/23		FS Stars	South Africa	Prem		2nd 		Won Cup, completed national C licence, left club on 5/2/23
2022/23		Kaizer Chiefs	South Africa	Prem		9th 		Won Nedbank Cup, Started Continental B licence
2023/24		Kaizer Chiefs	South Africa	Prem		1st 		Won cup and CAF Con Fed cup

Challenge Progress

Club
1/10 top domestic leagues (2024 – South Africa Kaizer Chiefs)
1/10 domestic cups (2022 – South Africa, FS Stars)
0/5 club continental championships ()
0/1 club world championship

International
0/5 continental tournaments ()
0/1 world tournaments ()

Oh yeah, also took over Ivory Coast job but not done much bar a few friendlies and won 2 out of 2 in the ACON qualifers. Tournament is in 7 months time which will be good. I like the squad I have with them. 

[lukefox44]

Luke Fox

AFC Asian cup 2027

Japan

 

With a world cup in 2026 and then both an Asian cup and AFCON in less than 6 months I was hoping for some of the big boys in either tournament to need a manager. Nothing in Africa really stood out to me, well Nigeria needed a new manager but I doubt they'd take me back. In Asia i was hoping for either Australia or South Korea to be an option but that didn't happen, however the third highest ranked Asian team in japan did. When I took over I noticed the squad was very unbalanced, we had hardly any decent defenders other than a world class right back, we had 3 very good attacking midfielders, not a single central midfielder who could tackle and not a lot upfront either. It was a really tricky to settle upon a tactic, I tried a 5-4-1, 5-3-2, 4-4-2 diamond, 4-3-3 wide and 4-3-3 narrow in our friendlies before the tournament  and going into the Asian cup I still hadn't really settled on a system or style of play. Anyway lets see how we got on.

Group stages

Spoiler

After drawing the second favourites for the tournament in Australia for our first group game I thought it would give us a good indicator of where we were and what to expect. It was a tight game in which we were losing until the 82nd minute and a quick fire double gave us the lead, not helped by a red card for our forward, but we held on. This put us firmly in the driving seat of the group, a comfortable 4-1 over Oman meant we had already topped the group with a game to spare. In the last game we made 11 changes to give our lads some rest and maybe if we lost push Australia out in the groups. We did lose but Australia went through as one of the best second placed teams. 

 

Second Round (If Applicable)

Spoiler

Quarter Finals (If Applicable)

Spoiler

We were drawn against the strong pre tournament favourites South Korea, with Australia already out i was hoping for an easier draw, but it wasn't to be. The game was cagey, neither side played particularly well and it looked like it was heading for extra time until a 86th minute goal sent us crashing out.

  

They had more shots on goal but as seen by the XG the quality of chances was about even. Unlucky way to go out as the teams left in from this point were very beatable. 

 

Semi Finals (If Applicable)

Spoiler

 

 

Final (If Applicable)

Spoiler

 

 

What's next

Spoiler

Well the Japanese FA were not happy, they wanted to reach the final as a minimum and didn't seem to care too much that I got knocked out by the highest ranked team in Asia. Very Similar to my time with Nigeria, I jumped before I was pushed and in doing so avoided a hit to my manager reputation. With a few years until the next major international tournaments it gives me a chance to crack on with the club side of things. I've never really managed national teams in FM and it turns out I'm not great at it, hoping to come back to the international scene with a much bigger rep allowing me to be more selective and not rush into jobs.

 

Challenge Update

Spoiler

 

[vikeologist]

@lukefox44I also am not great at international management, but you know, it's a lot different from domestic football.

You are a long way away from being the least successful international manager in this challenge, and you've been unlucky.

However, one can't afford to be unlucky in Asia too many times. There's a limited number of nations likely to win.

You've helped yourself by making Japan available to manage, so you've only used up a life I was always too lazy to ensure I had.

[libbyshuss]

3 hours ago, vikeologist said:

However, one can't afford to be unlucky in Asia too many times. There's a limited number of nations likely to win.

i think this is gonna be my downfall. The jobs just aren't coming up, i'm not even sure if they're even playable at this stage.

[vikeologist]

36 minutes ago, libbyshuss said:

i think this is gonna be my downfall. The jobs just aren't coming up, i'm not even sure if they're even playable at this stage.

You can check in the job security page. If the national job's not there, it's not playable.

The number of available jobs in Asia and Africa always goes down, and there's a danger that may be exacerbated in FM21 because of youth intakes.

[libbyshuss]

59 minutes ago, vikeologist said:

You can check in the job security page. If the national job's not there, it's not playable.

ah, didn't realise that. No Japan but South Korea are still there. Hopefully if I keep their leagues loaded they'll stay available.

[lukefox44]

5 hours ago, vikeologist said:

@lukefox44I However, one can't afford to be unlucky in Asia too many times. There's a limited number of nations likely to win.

You've helped yourself by making Japan available to manage, so you've only used up a life I was always too lazy to ensure I had.

Yeah Asia seems like it's going to be the toughest to do. The AFCON seems like theres a few more teams that could win it and its every two years not four like the Asian cup.

But if I don't the Asian cup in the next maybe two attempts it might be the end of that pparticular dream. To be honest I'm really enjoying the save this challenge has created for me, so if I can't do it all it wont be the end of the world.

2 hours ago, libbyshuss said:

i think this is gonna be my downfall. The jobs just aren't coming up, i'm not even sure if they're even playable at this stage.

Yeah I've had the rep to get one of the top Asian jobs for years and years now but they never come up. Australia and South Korea are so dominant in Asain I hoped one of them would underperform at a world cup, but it didnt go to plan.

[danielclouston1]

22 minutes ago, lukefox44 said:

 

Yeah I've had the rep to get one of the top Asian jobs for years and years now but they never come up. Australia and South Korea are so dominant in Asain I hoped one of them would underperform at a world cup, but it didnt go to plan.

I was lucky and got the Australia job after 2026 World Cup.

[elbazzeyad]

Can someone please tell me how to create the progress table?

[libbyshuss]

7 minutes ago, elbazzeyad said:

Can someone please tell me how to create the progress table?

I made mine in Excel and then just used snipping tool and posted it here as an image. It's just easier for me.

[libbyshuss]

9 minutes ago, danielclouston1 said:

I was lucky and got the Australia job after 2026 World Cup.

It's been nearly 4 years now since I had an international job. It's really weird, I can't get anything!

[fromcoystocottbus]

Blues Traveler

2021/22

SK Odeva Lipany

Been a while since I jumped back into this as I got busy with other things (and wanted to start a Spurs save after the full game released). But, to update:

I began this save by using a randomizer to select my playable countries. That led me to beginning in Belarus with Sputnik Rechitsa, in the second tier. I took over a team and barely avoided relegation, but it wasn't enough to please those in charge - sacked from my first job! It turned out to be all right, I waited a few months and landed a new gig in the Slovak Second Division with SK Odeva Lipany - newly promoted from the Slovak Lower Division. We quickly rebuilt the roster, including adding some scouted players from Spain, Brazil and the U.S., and we've been highly competitive.

Picked to finish 11th, we're in fifth with five matches to play. It might not be enough to secure promotion this season (top two), but we've found a style of play that seems to work and I've got dreams of moving up in year two.

 

The Lipany board has been happy enough to continue funding coaching licenses for me, so that's a huge plus here as well. Onward!

[JamLUFC]

2025/26 Season

I started my second season with TTM by completing my Continental A licence, and getting backing for the Pro licence so a positive straight away. Other than that it was a season filled with frustration, where we'd win two, lose four, tweak tactics, win two, lose four, tweak tactics and so on. After going out the cups early we went on a run where we conceded last minute goals six games in a row and dropped down the table, and with the World Cup two weeks away and the fact I've not been enjoying managing in Africa I opted to resign with three games left of the season. It's strange - this is the most fun I've ever had in a save but the league I'm in has just been a pain! My plan is to look elsewhere and come back further down the line to manager Orlando Pirates or Kaiser Chiefs, as I can't seem to crack the division with the lesser teams. I have had interviews for both clubs so I can't be far off, and hopefully the Pro licence will push me over the line for those roles. I am willing to take jobs literally anywhere at the minute just ideally with a change of scenery. 

Whilst I was doing ok with Macedonia, I knew they were merely a stop gap as they could never compete for trophies so after the North American Gold Cup I saw the Trinidad and Tobago post come up and was offered the role. Within months we qualified for the World Cup after coming through a group with Curacao, Cuba and Suriname, and have been handed a group with Mali and Switzerland which isn't the most impossible to escape from - we've picked up recently friendly results against Northern Ireland and Slovenia so I'm being slightly optimistic but who knows. The goal is simply to fluke a result, get through the group and hope my reputation then allows me to get picked up by a Mexico, USA, Australia, Ivory Coast etc sized nation, but at the same time if we don't move on I only have a year to wait for the Gold Cup again where I may be able to get to the latter stages. My next post will be the 2026 World Cup review and current progress

 

[thisisneeds]

I've decided I'm going to try this challenge. Does anyone have any advice setting up the save? Which countries would be best? Just want to make sure eveything is right is before I start. 

[Phelix]

5 hours ago, thisisneeds said:

I've decided I'm going to try this challenge. Does anyone have any advice setting up the save? Which countries would be best? Just want to make sure eveything is right is before I start. 

There's not really any right or wrong way to set up the game, it depends on your own preferences really.

If you want to stand a chance of getting early trophies, then adding Canada (short and winnable league, money for coaching badges) is a good shout. Others start with South Africa, normally going from a 2nd division team to coaching one of the big 1st division teams within 2-3 seasons, you could conquer all your African commitments within 4 seasons if things go your way. 

 

I prefer to start in obscure European nations that I would never normally manage in, others think Asia is the place to begin, with Indonesia and Singapore proving popular. 

All I can suggest you do is start with the largest database possible, there is a known-issue with youth intakes getting smaller over time which could potentially leave nations unable to be managed and make it impossible to finish the international side of the challenge.

[Gregg88]

 

2024 / 2025 season

I forgot how easy it is to lose hours in this challenge!

I probably should have added South Africa at the start, but as from last years challenge, I hate the league.

As you can see below, I took the job at Sandecja in the Polish First Division to kick things off. Once I got rid of the over 30yo players, it was pretty straight forward to get promoted to the Ekstraklasa. I noticed that there wasn't a massive difference in player quality from the 2 divisions (Apart from Lech & Legia), so all I had to do was set up differently against them to frustrate and counter as best as we could! Lech were 11 points clear with about 10 games to go, then they got so many injuries which allowed me to eventually win the league by 1 point. (I beat them 2-0 in that final 10 game stretch and they lost the last game of the season to hand it to me, even though I only drew).

I could have probably stayed to try and get a cup ticked off too, but they weren't allowing my coaching badges to be done, so I got out and sat waiting for 4 months until the Oxford job came up. Of course I applied for many other jobs and got laughed away. More fool them!

 

My coaching badges are getting completed and I'm currently top of League One. So let's hope I can get a job offer from higher up soon.

 

Cheers for the challenge detail layout idea @JamLUFC

Edited December 30, 2020 by Gregg88

[thisisneeds]

7 hours ago, Phelix said:

There's not really any right or wrong way to set up the game, it depends on your own preferences really.

If you want to stand a chance of getting early trophies, then adding Canada (short and winnable league, money for coaching badges) is a good shout. Others start with South Africa, normally going from a 2nd division team to coaching one of the big 1st division teams within 2-3 seasons, you could conquer all your African commitments within 4 seasons if things go your way. 

 

I prefer to start in obscure European nations that I would never normally manage in, others think Asia is the place to begin, with Indonesia and Singapore proving popular. 

All I can suggest you do is start with the largest database possible, there is a known-issue with youth intakes getting smaller over time which could potentially leave nations unable to be managed and make it impossible to finish the international side of the challenge.

Many thanks! 

[The Regista]

I would like to throw my hat in the ring for this one. I've not played FM much since release and want something to get stuck into after a San Marino attempt has kinda stalled.

In terms of league set up - do I have to go for anything in particular? Or just go for whatever I fancy?

I think I started this last year and ended up initially in Indonesia...

[Gregg88]

3 minutes ago, The Regista said:

I would like to throw my hat in the ring for this one. I've not played FM much since release and want something to get stuck into after a San Marino attempt has kinda stalled.

In terms of league set up - do I have to go for anything in particular? Or just go for whatever I fancy?

I think I started this last year and ended up initially in Indonesia...

I always say i'm going to give the San Marino challenge a go, then get too stuck into this one!

It's whatever you fancy really. I awlays add a South American league or two. Then some lower reputation european leagues.

Can't go wrong with Asia. Personally like to get them out of the way if I can (Although didn't put them in at the start this year).

Good Luck!

[danielclouston1]

14 hours ago, thisisneeds said:

I've decided I'm going to try this challenge. Does anyone have any advice setting up the save? Which countries would be best? Just want to make sure eveything is right is before I start. 

I went Canada, Mexico, South Africa, China and now in France, although I've not played the save for a while because I got bored 😂

 

Started with all the Americas and South Africa loaded, then removed North America when I was in SA and loaded China, South Korea and Australia. Then removed Asia and all of South America except Brazil and Argentina and loaded a bunch from Europe.

 

When you set up the game though I would force load all international players in Asia so you get a good selection of Asian international teams to manage for the Asian Cup.

[The Regista]

A newcomer has entered the battle...

#

Loosely based on myself - as I have a Greek grandmother I class myself as Anglo/Greek.

Attribute masking is on - do I need to confirm this too?

Let the job hunting begin!!

Edited December 30, 2020 by The Regista

[Phelix]

10 minutes ago, The Regista said:

Attribute masking is off - do I need to confirm this too?

Surely you mean it's on yeah?

[The Regista]

9 minutes ago, Phelix said:

Surely you mean it's on yeah?

Sorry yes.

It's been a long day here... I've edited my post above.

Edited December 30, 2020 by The Regista

[JamLUFC]

World Cup 2026

Quick update prior to the World Cup, having left TTM I applied for a number of jobs just to see what I could attract, knowing I'd be getting the Continental Pro licence in September as well, although I'd take the right job if something comes up. I then had an interview with Incheon United in South Korea, who at the half way stage were top of the South Korean second division and six points clear. I was offered the job which I took, as a promotion should give my real reputation in Korea a real boost. Two wins in my first two games has now given me a 8 point with 17 games to go so the promotion is on the cards. 

 

Now on to the World Cup

Group Stage

Spoiler

So this one hurts. This group was always going to be a long shot to get out of but we had a real chance.

The first game against Mali we led 1-0 and conceded in the 85th minute. After that we knew we could still progress with a drew against the Swiss after they beat Mali 2-0, and when we were level at half time I really began to believe. Hopes soon evaporated when we conceded 2 in the first 15 minutes of the second half, and we were heading out on the account of having worse discipline than Mali. We went more attacking throughout the remainder of the game for the goal which would put us through and got caught on the counter. Even after that a goal would have put us through but it wasn't to be.

What really hurts is the draw after. Had we hung on for a draw we would have drew Canada in the last 32, followed by Colombia or Algeria in the last 16!

Second Round

Spoiler

N/A

Third Round

Spoiler

N/A

Quarter Final

Spoiler

N/A

Semi Final

Spoiler

N/A

Final

Spoiler

N/A

What's Next

Spoiler

For now I'm sticking with Trinidad and Tobago, however I have an eye on jobs possibly coming up at Australia, Senegal, South Korea, Morocco and Nigeria who all crashed out of the group stage.

 

[Phelix]

Just a quick update. The year is 2035, I've recently failed yet again at international management, going out of the World Cup in the Quarter Finals with defending champions England. I've now failed twice at the Copa America (runners up with both Uruguay and Brazil) and failed twice at the World Cup with Brazil and now England.

I decided to take a break from international management, even resolving to leave it until I have finished the club side of this challenge, but the 2035 AFCON was around the corner and Senegal, Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire were all looking for managers. I decided on Cote d'Ivoire as they had the strongest squad on paper, including a brilliant regen striker whose surname was Drogba.

Anyway, we easily qualified for the AFCON, and January arrives. We walk out of our group, beat Nigeria in the second round and move on to the Quarter Finals where we play Morocco. We lose to Morocco despite dominating and I've failed at a major international yet again. I immediately resign. In checking the jobs page I notice Senegal still doesn't have a manager, and they WON in the Quarter Finals, so I quickly apply.

I am appointed Senegal manager as we go into a Semi-Final match against Guinea where we coast home 3-0, setting up a final against Morocco. Surely I can't get knocked out of a tournament twice by the same team?

The final arrives. We go 0-1 down early and Morocco shut up shop, switching to a back 5 and defending with 10 behind the ball. Predictably we have close to 30 shots on goal, many half-chances but it's a long range goal midway through the second half that equalises. The game drags on with Morocco defending for their lives, two halves of extra time later and we reach a penalty shootout.

The Morocco keeper has been imperious throughout the match and I am waiting to be going home trophy-less again. But it's my keeper who steps up, saving 3 of the 4 penalties that Morocco take, while we score all 3 of ours.

I'VE FINALLY WON AN INTERNATIONAL TROPHY!

[lukefox44]

41 minutes ago, Phelix said:

We lose to Morocco despite dominating and I've failed at a major international yet again. I immediately resign. In checking the jobs page I notice Senegal still doesn't have a manager, and they WON in the Quarter Finals, so I quickly apply.

I am appointed Senegal manager as we go into a Semi-Final match against Guinea where we coast home 3-0, setting up a final against Morocco. Surely I can't get knocked out of a tournament twice by the same team?

The final arrives. We go 0-1 down early and Morocco shut up shop, switching to a back 5 and defending with 10 behind the ball. Predictably we have close to 30 shots on goal, many half-chances but it's a long range goal midway through the second half that equalises. The game drags on with Morocco defending for their lives, two halves of extra time later and we reach a penalty shootout.

The Morocco keeper has been imperious throughout the match and I am waiting to be going home trophy-less again. But it's my keeper who steps up, saving 3 of the 4 penalties that Morocco take, while we score all 3 of ours.

I'VE FINALLY WON AN INTERNATIONAL TROPHY!

Congrats mate. I'd of been convinced that the same team would knock me out twice haha Especially on pens as well.

Little bit jealous if I'm honest haha

Edited December 30, 2020 by lukefox44

[The Regista]

1 hour ago, Phelix said:

Just a quick update. The year is 2035, I've recently failed yet again at international management, going out of the World Cup in the Quarter Finals with defending champions England. I've now failed twice at the Copa America (runners up with both Uruguay and Brazil) and failed twice at the World Cup with Brazil and now England.

I decided to take a break from international management, even resolving to leave it until I have finished the club side of this challenge, but the 2035 AFCON was around the corner and Senegal, Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire were all looking for managers. I decided on Cote d'Ivoire as they had the strongest squad on paper, including a brilliant regen striker whose surname was Drogba.

Anyway, we easily qualified for the AFCON, and January arrives. We walk out of our group, beat Nigeria in the second round and move on to the Quarter Finals where we play Morocco. We lose to Morocco despite dominating and I've failed at a major international yet again. I immediately resign. In checking the jobs page I notice Senegal still doesn't have a manager, and they WON in the Quarter Finals, so I quickly apply.

I am appointed Senegal manager as we go into a Semi-Final match against Guinea where we coast home 3-0, setting up a final against Morocco. Surely I can't get knocked out of a tournament twice by the same team?

The final arrives. We go 0-1 down early and Morocco shut up shop, switching to a back 5 and defending with 10 behind the ball. Predictably we have close to 30 shots on goal, many half-chances but it's a long range goal midway through the second half that equalises. The game drags on with Morocco defending for their lives, two halves of extra time later and we reach a penalty shootout.

The Morocco keeper has been imperious throughout the match and I am waiting to be going home trophy-less again. But it's my keeper who steps up, saving 3 of the 4 penalties that Morocco take, while we score all 3 of ours.

I'VE FINALLY WON AN INTERNATIONAL TROPHY!

Congrats @Phelix!!

[vikeologist]

I think I took over a club in the middle of a tournament once, but pretty sure that just ended up being 2 international failures for the price of one.

[libbyshuss]

2037/38

Manchester United 

All being well it would hopefully be a short stop as the league was the only thing I needed to win to complete England for the challenge. United had won the last two titles and had a crazy good squad and for some reason Zinedine Zidane had decided to up sticks to take the Liecester job instead. To try and make sure I could win a third on the bounce I went and spent 88m on a Brazilian wonderkid from Aston Villa. He was amazing. His name is Souza.

i love players like that who can play anywhere along the front line.

League

This was the one I needed! we started really well and were brushing teams aside with ease. We lost away to liverpool and at home to spurs but by christmas we were 10 points clear. We were still 10 points clear at the start of April when we went to second placed Liecester. They hammered us 5-1 and suddenly the gap was only 7 points. We lost again to spurs and leiveter had a chance to make it 4 points but lost to my old club Arsenal.  We stumbled over the line, losing a couple of other games on the way (to relegated Derby and Arsenal) but luckily the gap was too big for the others to close.

 

Cups

We were rubbish in the cups. Luckily I'd already won one with Arsenal. I tried as well! Liecester did us 4-1 in the FA Cup, the week before hammering us 5-1 in the league. Maybe Zidane was onto something. He did win the World Club Cup with them 3 weeks after taking over.

Champions League

We did a lot better in the CL. Our first group game saw us beat Benfica 10-0, which was nice. we were brilliant all the way to the final, beating my old team Barcelona home and away on the way, but for some reason we just didn't turn up in the final. Dortmund got a relatively easy and comfortable 2-0 win.

What Next?

So England is done. I still have France, Germany and Italy to go as well as the CL in both North and South America. The world cup is this year so there should be a lot of jobs available in the next few weeks. Hopefully I can get back into international management as well - 4 years on from my World Cup triumph and still no sniff of a job!

Career Progression

Challenge Progression

 

[libbyshuss]

I got a job! I got a job!

 

They're 8th in the world at the minute and have some really, really good players. The Gold Cup is next year so hopefully I can get that off the list. I turned down the Italy and England jobs for this one as well - hopefully it works out!

Here's my mad career so far....

[lukefox44]

2 hours ago, libbyshuss said:

What a player.

Glad to see he played for the mighty Aston Villa as well.

Good luck with Mexico as well

[lukefox44]

Luke Fox

R.S.C Anderlecht 

2026 / 2027

After taking over last year and managing to turn around their poor form and have a relatively successful season winning the cup, I was confident of a good effort in the league and hopeful of a title challenge. 

We were phenomenal in the league and were 8 points clear at the time the league splits into the championship group. 

 

Unfortunately with the league split the points on the board are halved, meaning our 8 point lead was no only a 4 point lead and having to play the other 3 teams in the top 4 twice each.

We won it very comfortably in the end, but the halved points made me nervous.

 

The cup wasn't a priority but its always nice to win things. We made the final easily, but found ourselves 2-0 down pretty early on, our main man Roka score two lovely solo goals to get us back level in a game we deserved to lose really. It goes into extra time and we have made all our subs, when we have an injury, we have to try and see it out to penalties with 10 men. They took the lead late on and I thought it was over, until we got a 121st minute freekick out wide. Its taken by our 17 year old homegrown wonderkid winger, Francis Juma, he swings it to the back post and finds who else but 5'7 Roka to draw us level. I thought the game was over and going to penalties, until a highlight 3 minutes after the additional 1 added on, a highlight, they swing the ball into the box and find a free man at the back post for a tap in. We lost the cup on the last kick of the game, or so i thought, the linesman's flag went up, the replay showed he was offside by about half a foot. Thankfully, we were off to penalties. Which we won on, for some reason this cup felt the best in the whole challenge, it was a cup I had already won, but the way we won it was special. 

 

Our good performances last year also meant we played in the Europa league this year, it wasn't a priority but a nice challenge none the less.  We had some really good results, beating Real Betis and Red Bull Leipzig in the group stages followed by two comfortable wins against Celtic and eventually we tout to a very good Bayer Leverkusen on away goals, even beating them away from home. 

 

Once again I have to give a special mention to our main man Roka. 

Not quite as good on goals per minute, but the consistency over the length of a full season was very impressive. Impressive enough to be named European Golden shoe winner, considering our Co-efficient he had to score more goals than anyone in bigger leagues. 

 

So what's next ? We did qualify for the Champions league, but it would of been a miracle if we managed to win it with Anderlecht, so I have resigned. It's been a successful spell here and I've really enjoyed it and man I'm going to miss Roka. Hopeful to head to South Africa and get one of the big jobs, so for now me and Roka part ways, but when I get back to Europe I will be looking to reunite us and hopefully he can fire me to Champions league glory.

 

Challenge progress

Spoiler

 

 

Edited December 31, 2020 by lukefox44

[Gregg88]

2025 / 2026

So my Oxford season went slightly downhill, as I finished 3rd, but still managed to win the play offs! Then Swansea swooped in and offered me a job. I didn't hesitate to take it as their squad was strong for the Championship.

And I managed to win the Play Offs in the Championship after finishing 4th! Good Omen it seems.

The Semi Final was against Villa, which I thought would only go one way after losing 5-3 (after being 3-1 up) to them previously. But a 2-1 loss followed by a 2-1 win, then resulted in a penalty shootout win! For some reason, after 8 pens, their keeper stepped up and missed. Not complaining here

A routine 2-1 win in the final was all that was needed! Up we go! Although i'm eyeing up the Leverkusen job......

As you can see below, my results show zero consistency. Still working on that one.

 

Given I live in a Tier 3 area that's surrounded by Tier 4 areas, I guess the grind will carry on into the night!

Happy New Year fellow challengers

 

UPDATE

I Joined Tottenham. They finished 10th in the league, so no European football for now.

What to do with a 32yo Harry Kane.......

 

Edited January 1, 2021 by Gregg88